Gels having permanent tack free coatings and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9642608-B2
Application number	US-201514801553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

The present invention is directed to tack-free gels and to methods for manufacturing a tack-free gel pad, in which a discontinuous layer of fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene is permanently bonded to the gel pad to provide a tack-free coating. The gel pad may be incorporated into a gel cap to provide a surgical access device having a tack-free surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a tack-free gel, comprising the steps of:
providing a mold;
applying a fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene to the mold;
heating a gel slurry beyond its curing temperature to a molten state, to thereby produce a molten gel;
injecting the molten gel into the mold; and
cooling the mold until the gel is set to thereby produce a tack-free gel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is textured prior to applying the fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene by spraying the mold with blast media.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is preheated to a temperature of approximately 220° F. to approximately 260° F. prior to applying the fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene is applied to the mold by electrostatic coating.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene comprises a powder having a particle size of approximately 5 μm to approximately 100 μm.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is preheated to a temperature of approximately 110° F. to approximately 160° F. prior to injecting the molten gel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gel slurry comprises an oil and an elastomer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the gel slurry comprises a ratio by weight of oil to elastomer from approximately 7:1 to approximately 10:1.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the oil comprises a mineral oil and the elastomer comprises block copolymer styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene polymer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gel slurry is bulk degassed prior to heating the gel slurry to a molten state.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gel slurry is bulk degassed at a temperature of approximately 120° F. to approximately 130° F.

12. A method for making a tack-free gel, comprising the steps of:
providing a mold;
applying a fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene to the mold;
preheating the mold to a temperature of approximately 110° F. to approximately 160° F.;
heating a gel slurry to a temperature of approximately 125° F.;
degassing the gel slurry;
dispensing the gel slurry into the mold;
degassing the gel slurry a second time; and
curing the gel in the mold at a temperature of approximately 140° F. to approximately 160° F. to provide a tack-free gel.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mold is textured prior to applying the fluorinated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene by spraying the mold with blast media.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the gel slurry comprises an oil and an elastomer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the oil comprises a mineral oil and the elastomer comprises styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene polymer.

16. A method for making a tack-free gel, comprising the steps of:
providing a mold;
spraying the mold with a polyethylene spray;
heating a gel slurry beyond its curing temperature to a molten state, to thereby produce a molten gel;
dispensing the molten gel into the mold; and
cooling the mold until the gel is set to thereby produce a tack-free gel.

Assignees

• Applied Med Resources

Inventors

• Bolanos Eduardo
• Bui Dennis
• Pravong Boun
• Pinel Carlos
• Chehayeb Sam

Classifications

• B29L2009/005

  coated · CPC title

• B29K2995/0037

  Other properties · CPC title

• B29K2025/08

  Copolymers of styrene, e.g. AS or SAN, i.e. acrylonitrile styrene (B29K2055/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/73

  of the mould {(B29C45/2642 and B29C45/2737 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C45/1679 Primary

  applying surface layers onto injection-moulded substrates inside the mould cavity, e.g. in-mould coating [IMC] (applying suface layers after ejection B29C45/0053) · CPC title