Patent ID: 7704432
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: A61M,B27N,B28B,B81C,B82Y,G03F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of making a three-dimensional (3-D) polymeric structure comprising the steps of: (a) forming a polymer film having a selected thickness on a structured surface of a first mold, said polymer film having a first side in contact with said structured surface, a second side opposite to said first side, and a glass transition temperature Tg; (b) pressing, at a temperature above Tg, the second side of the polymer film and a structured surface of a second mold relatively toward each other to form a 3-D structured polymer film therebetween and wherein said selected thickness of said polymer film forms at least one frangible portion thereon, said structured surfaces of the first and second molds having dissimilar surface energies to each other; (c) separating one of the first or second molds from the polymer film, at a temperature below Tg, to attach the 3-D structured polymer film to the mold having a higher surface energy relative to the other mold; (d) pressing said attached 3-D structured polymer film and a substrate relatively toward each other to attach said 3-D structured polymer film to said substrate, said substrate having a higher surface energy relative to the surface energy of the structured surface; and (e) separating said mold from said 3-D structured polymer film, wherein after said separating, said at least one frangible portion remains substantially attached to said mold while the remainder of said polymer film remains substantially attached to said substrate to form a 3-D polymeric structure thereon.