Mold With Recessed Pedestal Pattern For Microneedle Arrays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing molds with recessed pedestal patterns do not effectively prevent liquid flow during injection molding, which can lead to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in manufacturing microneedle arrays for drug delivery.

Innovation Solution

A production method involving an insert mold with a protruding needle pattern group and a mold with a protruding pedestal shape, where the two are held in an overlapping manner to form a cavity filled with resin, preventing liquid flow and enabling the creation of a mold with a recessed pedestal pattern that accurately replicates the needle pattern.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a mold is produced by injection molding without a liquid flow prevention configuration, then the production process is simple, but resin flows beyond the target location causing manufacturing defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of pattern replicationVSAvoidcomplexity of mold structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mold is segmented into multiple components: a first mold, a second mold, and an insert mold with pedestal structures. This segmentation allows the liquid flow prevention function to be integrated into the insert mold rather than requiring complex modifications to the entire mold system, thus improving precision while controlling complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The insert mold with pedestal structures acts as an intermediary element between the first and second molds. It provides the liquid flow prevention function without requiring complex modifications to the main mold bodies, enabling precise pattern replication while maintaining relatively simple mold structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a mold with liquid flow prevention configuration is produced, then resin overflow is prevented, but the production process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of liquid flowVSAvoidease of mold production
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pedestal structures are prepared in advance as part of the insert mold before the injection molding process. This preliminary preparation ensures liquid flow prevention is already in place, improving reliability without adding complexity to the actual molding operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The insert mold with pedestal structures is nested within the cavity formed by the first and second molds. This nesting approach integrates the liquid flow prevention mechanism into the existing mold structure, improving reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Manufacturing precision

If the insert mold is held in an overlapping manner with the protruding pedestal shape, then a recessed pedestal pattern is formed preventing liquid flow, but the alignment process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of recessed pedestal patternVSAvoidcomplexity of alignment process
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insert mold is designed with asymmetric features including protrusions that correspond to recesses in the first mold. This asymmetric design provides natural alignment cues that simplify the overlapping process while ensuring precise formation of the recessed pedestal pattern, improving manufacturing precision without significantly increasing alignment complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for the efficient and accurate production of molds with recessed pedestal patterns, preventing resin overflow and ensuring high productivity and accuracy in manufacturing microneedle arrays for drug delivery.

Implementation Method 1

an injection step of filling the cavity with a resin

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInjection pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP3778169B1Method for manufacturing mold having concave pedestal pattern and method for manufacturing pattern sheet
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 FUJIFILM CORP
  • EP3778169B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3778169B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3778169B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a production method of a mold having a recessed pedestal pattern for preventing a liquid flow and a manufacturing method of a pattern sheet. A production method of a mold having a recessed pedestal pattern, has: a step of preparing an insert mold having a protruding needle pattern group; a step of preparing a mold having a first mold provided with a protruding pedestal shape and a second mold; a holding step of holding the protruding pedestal shape of the first mold and the protruding needle pattern group of the insert mold in an overlapping manner; a clamping step of performing clamping with the first mold and the second mold to form a cavity; and an injection step of filling the cavity with a resin.