Method for manufacturing microprojection unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11690990-B2
Application number	US-201816620207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	Jun 7, 2017
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a microprojection unit ( 10 ) according to the invention involves: a microprojection tool forming step of forming a microprojection tool ( 1 ) by bringing a projecting mold part ( 11 ) into contact from one surface ( 2 D) side of a base sheet ( 2 A) including a thermoplastic resin, and thus forming a protrusion ( 3 ) that protrudes from another surface ( 2 U) side, and withdrawing the projecting mold part ( 11 ) from the interior of the protrusion ( 3 ); a joining step of joining the one surface ( 2 D) side of the base sheet ( 2 A), in which the microprojection tool ( 1 ) has been formed, and a tip end of a base component ( 4 ); and a cutting step of cutting the base sheet ( 2 A), to which the base component ( 4 ) has been joined, along a contour ( 4 L) of the base component ( 4 ) at a position more inward than the base component's contour ( 4 L) in a planar view of the base sheet ( 2 A) as viewed from the microprojection tool ( 1 ) side, to manufacture a microprojection unit ( 10 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a microprojection unit that includes
a microprojection tool, and
a base component, which is a member separate from the microprojection tool, the microprojection tool joined to a tip end of the base component,
the microprojection tool including a base and a protrusion provided so as to stand up on an upper surface of the base,
a base component having a liquid retention space in communication with the interior of the protrusion through the base,
the manufacturing method comprising:
a microprojection tool forming step including:
bringing a projecting mold part into contact from one surface side of a base sheet including a thermoplastic resin, and thus forming a protrusion that protrudes from another surface side of the base sheet, and
withdrawing the projecting mold part from the interior of the protrusion;
a joining step of joining:
the one surface side of the base sheet, in which the microprojection tool has been formed, and
the tip end of the base component; and
a cutting step of cutting the base sheet, to which the base component has been joined, along a contour of the base component at a position more inward than the base component's contour in a planar view of the base sheet as viewed from the microprojection tool side, to manufacture the microprojection unit; and
wherein the one surface side of the base sheet, in which the microprojection tool has been formed, and the tip end of the base component are joined together by forming a continuous joined region in the microprojection unit while causing the base component's tip-end wall portion and a portion of the base sheet located on the tip-end wall portion of the base component's peripheral wall portion to melt, and wherein a width of the continuous joined region in a planar view from the microprojection tool side is from 1 to 3 mm, or
wherein the one surface side of the base sheet, in which the microprojection tool has been formed, and the tip end of the base component are joined together by forming a continuous joined region in the microprojection unit while causing the base component's tip-end wall portion and a portion of the base sheet located on the tip-end wall portion of the base component's peripheral wall portion to melt, and wherein a spacing between the contour of the base of the microprojection tool and an outer-side peripheral edge of the continuous joined region is from 0.1 to 3 mm, or
wherein the one surface side of the base sheet, in which the microprojection tool has been formed, and the tip end of the base component are joined together by forming a continuous joined region in the microprojection unit while causing the base component's tip-end wall portion and a portion of the base sheet located on the tip-end wall portion of the base component's peripheral wall portion to melt, and wherein a spacing between an inner-side peripheral edge of the continuous joined region and an inner wall of a tip-end wall portion of a peripheral wall portion of the base component is from 0.1 to 3 mm.

2. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the base component includes a peripheral wall portion around an outer periphery of the liquid retention space; and
in the cutting step, the base sheet is cut on a tip-end wall portion of the peripheral wall portion of the base component.

3. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein the joining step includes joining with heat sealing, ultrasound, a laser, or an adhesive.

4. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting step includes cutting with a punching blade or a laser.

5. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
in the joining step, a first lower opening plate is arranged on the one surface side of the base sheet and a first upper opening plate is arranged on the other surface side of the base sheet, and joining is performed in a state where the base sheet, in which the microprojection tool has been formed, is sandwiched between the first lower opening plate and the first upper opening plate; and
after the joining step, the first lower opening plate is moved downward and the first upper opening plate is moved upward.

6. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein, in the joining step, a base component fixing part is arranged on the one surface side of the base sheet, and the base component is held in a manner that an outer shape of the base component's bottom portion side is fitted in a depression of the base component fixing part and the tip-end wall portion of the base component's peripheral wall portion is exposed.

7. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
in the joining step, a first lower opening plate is arranged on the one surface side of the base sheet, a first upper opening plate is arranged on the other surface side of the base sheet, and a joining member is arranged on the other surface side of the base sheet, and heating is performed at a tip-end portion of the joining member in a state where the base sheet, in which the microprojection tool has been formed, is sandwiched between the first lower opening plate and the first upper opening plate.

8. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 7 , wherein a heating temperature when the joining member contacts the base sheet is from 100° C. to 300° C.

9. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 7 , wherein a heating time when the joining member contacts the base sheet is from 0.1 to 5.0 seconds.

10. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 7 , wherein, after the joining step, the joining member is moved upward, in a thickness direction, from the other surface side of the base sheet, the first lower opening plate is moved downward, and the first upper opening plate is moved upward.

11. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
in the cutting step, a second lower opening plate is arranged on the one surface side of the base sheet and a second upper opening plate is arranged on the other surface side of the base sheet, and the microprojection unit is manufactured in a state where the base sheet, to which the base component has been joined, is sandwiched between the second lower opening plate and the second upper opening plate; and
after the cutting step, the second lower opening plate is moved downward and the second upper opening plate is moved upward.

12. The method for manufacturing a microprojection unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
in the cutting step, a second lower opening plate is arranged on the one surface side of the base sheet, a second upper opening plate is arranged on the other surface side of the base sheet, and a cutting section is arranged on the other surface side of the base sheet, and the cutting section is passed through an opening of the second upper opening plate from the other surface side of the base sheet in a state where the base sheet, to which the base component has been joined, is sandwiched between the second lower opening plate and the second upper opening plate; and
the microprojection unit is manufactured by bringing a blade at a tip-end portion of the cutting section into contact with the other surface of the base sheet to cut the base sheet along the contour of the base component at a position more inward than the base component's contour in a planar view from the microprojection tool side.

13. The method for ma

Assignees

• Kao Corp

Inventors

• Niitsu Takatoshi
• Ueno Satoshi

Classifications

• A61M37/0015 Primary

  by using microneedles · CPC title

• B29C65/02

  by heating, with or without pressure · CPC title

• A61M2037/0023

  Drug applicators using microneedles · CPC title

• B29C43/021

  characterised by the shape of the surface · CPC title

• B29C2043/026

  having functional projections, e.g. fasteners · CPC title