Abstract: A containment system for containing all or part of a radome and an external subassembly that is protected by the radome is disclosed. One embodiment of the containment system comprises a fabric material and an attachment system for attaching the fabric material to the radome and to the radome attachment ring. An increased strength radome for covering the external subassembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Abstract: An ultrasonic-assisted injection molding system and method for making precisely-shaped articles. A source of ultrasonic energy is positioned to apply vibrational energy to a mold cavity connected to at least one gate in flow communication with a source of molten (co)polymer. The mold is heated to a temperature of 104-116° C., and the molten (co)polymer is injected into the mold cavity. After cooling the mold until the molten (co)polymer within the gate has solidified, ultrasonic energy is applied to the mold without remelting the solidified (co)polymer within the gate until the temperature increases to 116-122° C., thereby substantially relieving flow induced stresses. The mold is then cooled until the temperature decreases to 101-107° C., and is thereafter heated until the temperature increases to 116-122° C., thereby substantially relieving any thermally induced stresses. The mold is cooled until the molten (co)polymer has solidified, thereby forming a precision molded plastic optical element.

Abstract: A method of making hollow microneedle arrays is described. Also described are the articles therefrom and the use of the articles in applications such as delivering fluid to and/or extracting body fluid from a subject.

Abstract: Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Abstract: A containment system for containing all or part of a radome and an external subassembly that is protected by the radome is disclosed. One embodiment of the containment system comprises a fabric material and an attachment system for attaching the fabric material to the radome and to the radome attachment ring. An increased strength radome for covering the external subassembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Abstract: A process for making a microneedle array master comprises: (a) providing a photoreactive composition, the photoreactive composition comprising: (1) at least one reactive species that is capable of undergoing an acid- or radical-initiated chemical reaction, and (2) at least one multiphoton photoinitiator system; and (b) imagewise exposing at least a portion of the composition to light sufficient to cause simultaneous absorption of at least two photons, thereby inducing at least one acid- or radical-initiated chemical reaction where the composition is exposed to the light, the imagewise exposing being carried out in a pattern that is effective to define at least the surface of a plurality of microneedles. The microneedles may be solid and the outer surface of the microneedles may be characterized by at least one concave area. The master may be used to fabricate a tool for replication.

Abstract: A method of molding a microneedle including providing a mold apparatus having a mold insert having the negative image of at least one microneedle, a compression core, a mold housing configured to allow a reciprocal motion between the mold insert and the compression core. The method includes placing the mold apparatus in a closed position, injecting polymeric material into the closed mold apparatus, compressing the injected polymeric material between the mold insert and the compression core by a reciprocal motion between the compression core and the mold insert, opening the mold, and removing a molded microneedle from the mold. The mold insert has a mold insert height and the molded microneedle has a height that is from about 90% of the mold insert height to about 115% of the mold insert height.

Abstract: Microneedle arrays made by an injection molding process that uses ultrasonic energy to assist flow of polymer melt into a mold cavity, said microneedles having a high proportion (at least 60%) of fill, i.e., completely formed microneedles across the array. Microneedle array can be on a base or land no more than 250 ?m thick.

Abstract: Articles enabled by an injection molding process that molds parts on a carrier web located between mold halves and uses ultrasonic energy to assist flow of polymer melt into the mold cavity. One such article is a carrier web having a high density of molded parts, i.e., bearing an array of molded articles adhered to the web in rows and columns, the articles being spaced closer (center-to-center or edge-to-edge) than the diagonal spacing between articles in the next adjacent row and next adjacent column. Another such article is a microneedle array on a land no more than 250 ?m thick on which at least 60% of the microneedles across the array are filled (i.e., completely formed).

Abstract: An ultrasonic-assisted injection molding system and method for making precisely-shaped articles. A source of ultrasonic energy is positioned to apply vibrational energy to a mold cavity connected to at least one gate in flow communication with a source of molten (co)polymer. The mold is heated to a temperature of 104-116° C., and the molten (co)polymer is injected into the mold cavity. After cooling the mold until the molten (co)polymer within the gate has solidified, ultrasonic energy is applied to the mold without remelting the solidified (co)polymer within the gate until the temperature increases to 116-122° C., thereby substantially relieving flow induced stresses. The mold is then cooled until the temperature decreases to 101-107° C., and is thereafter heated until the temperature increases to 116-122° C., thereby substantially relieving any thermally induced stresses. The mold is cooled until the molten (co)polymer has solidified, thereby forming a precision molded plastic optical element.

Abstract: Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Abstract: Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Abstract: A method of molding a microneedle including providing a mold apparatus having a mold insert having the negative image of at least one microneedle, a compression core, a mold housing configured to allow a reciprocal motion between the mold insert and the compression core. The method includes placing the mold apparatus in a closed position, injecting polymeric material into the closed mold apparatus, compressing the injected polymeric material between the mold insert and the compression core by a reciprocal motion between the compression core and the mold insert, opening the mold, and removing a molded microneedle from the mold. The mold insert has a mold insert height and the molded microneedle has a height that is from about 90% of the mold insert height to about 115% of the mold insert height.

Abstract: Articles enabled by an injection molding process that molds parts on a carrier web located between mold halves and uses ultrasonic energy to assist flow of polymer melt into the mold cavity. One such article is a carrier web having a high density of molded parts, i.e., bearing an array of molded articles adhered to the web in rows and columns, the articles being spaced closer (center-to-center or edge-to-edge) than the diagonal spacing between articles in the next adjacent row and next adjacent column. Another such article is a microneedle array on a land no more than 250 ?m thick on which at least 60% of the microneedles across the array are filled (i.e., completely formed).

Abstract: Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Abstract: The present invention is a system for molding a gasket to a membrane electrode assembly. The system comprises a cavity defined at least in part by closable mold blocks, at least one injection gate for injecting gasket material into the cavity, a mount for retaining the membrane electrode assembly adjacent to the cavity, and a mold insert independently movable relative to the closable mold blocks for applying pressure to the membrane electrode assembly retained on the mount.

Abstract: A method of molding a microneedle using a mold apparatus that includes the use of high frequency acoustic energy, such as ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: Injection molding, parts onto a carrier web (34) located between mold halves (18,20). Flow of polymer melt into the mold is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold cavity. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Molding apparatus comprises a moving mold face (20), that can move toward and away from a first mold member (18) (which can be stationary) in which the mold cavity is located, a means (24,25,26,30,32) for moving and/or indexing carrier web between the first mold member and the moving mold face, means (16) to inject polymer melt into the mold cavity, and an ultrasonic system (42) providing ultrasonic energy to the mold cavity. The carrier web can transport molded parts to subsequent process steps, such as coating, drying, inspection, curing, assembly or packaging.