Methods for manufacturing three-dimensional devices and devices created thereby
View Patent ↗In certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, three-dimensional micro-mechanical devices and/or micro-structures can be made using a production casting process. As part of this process, an intermediate mold can be made from or derived from a precision stack lamination and used to fabricate the devices and/or structures. Further, the micro-devices and/or micro-structures can be fabricated on planar or nonplanar surfaces through use of a series of production casting processes and intermediate molds. The use of precision stack lamination can allow the fabrication of high aspect ratio structures. Moreover, via certain molding and/or casting materials, molds having cavities with protruding undercuts also can be fabricated.
1. A system comprising:
a metallic foil stack lamination mold; and
a first silicone part that fills a cavity of said metallic foil stack lamination mold;
wherein:
said first silicone part defines a protruding undercut and a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a solid layerless volume of said first silicone part;
a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprises a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features,
said surface is a substantially spatially inverted replica of a stack lamination mold surface formed by a bonded stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said metallic foil stack lamination mold;
said cavity defines a single demolding opening for said metallic foil stack lamination mold;
said demolding opening defines a demolding direction in which said first silicone part is removable via said demolding opening from said cavity of said mold with damage to neither said first silicone part nor said metallic foil stack lamination mold;
said cavity defines a first cavity cross-sectional area that extends solely within a first cavity plane that is oriented perpendicularly to said demolding direction;
said cavity defines a second cavity cross-sectional area that extends solely within a second cavity plane that is oriented perpendicularly to said demolding direction;
said first cavity cross-sectional area is smaller than said second cavity cross-sectional area; and
said first cavity plane is closer to said demolding opening than said second cavity plane.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of said plurality of micro-features is a protruding undercut.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part comprises a feature having an aspect ratio greater than 10:1.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one surface of said plurality of surfaces is non-planar.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one surface of said plurality of surfaces is anisotropic.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one surface of said plurality of surfaces is isotropic.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one surface of said plurality of surfaces has a predetermined surface finish.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of protrusions defined by said metallic foil stack lamination mold.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of protrusions defined by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein at least one protrusion of said plurality of protrusions has a substantially triangular cross-section.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of protrusions defined by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein at least one protrusion of said plurality of protrusions has a substantially rectangular cross-section.
11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of protrusions defined by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein at least one protrusion of said plurality of protrusions has a substantially square cross-section.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of protrusions defined by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein at least one protrusion of said plurality of protrusions has a substantially circular cross-section.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of protrusions defined by said metallic foil stack lamination mold, wherein at least one protrusion of said plurality of protrusions has a substantially hexagonal cross-section.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is comprised of silica, alumina, and/or zirconium oxide.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second silicone part attached to said first silicone part.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part defines a part cavity.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part defines a protruding undercut.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part defines a part cavity having an aspect ratio of greater than 10:1.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part defines a fluidic channel.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of said plurality of micro-features is formed from a non-lithographically-formed insert.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said solid layerless volume of said first silicone part is greater than 500 cubic millimeters.
22. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said solid layerless volume of said first silicone part is greater than 1000 cubic millimeters.
23. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said solid layerless volume of said first silicone part is greater than 5000 cubic millimeters.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said solid layerless volume of said first silicone part is greater than 10000 cubic millimeters.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a height of said first silicone part in said demolding direction is greater than 1 millimeter.
26. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a height of said first silicone part in said demolding direction is greater than 5 millimeters.
27. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a height of said first silicone part in said demolding direction is greater than 10 millimeters.
28. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a height of said first silicone part in said demolding direction is greater than 20 millimeters.
29. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said plurality of micro-features are redundant.
30. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said plurality of micro-features are non-redundant.
31. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to function as a nozzle.
32. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is flexible.
33. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to be bio-compatible with an organism.
34. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to be implantable in an organism.
35. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to function as a bio-sensor.
36. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to function as a bio-filter.
37. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to function as a pump.
38. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to function as a tissue scaffolding.
39. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first silicone part is configured to function as a cell sorting membrane.
40. A method comprising:
filling with silicone said mold of claim 1 to form said part.
41. The method of claim 40 , further comprising:
demolding said part from said mold such that said part is not substantially damaged.
42. The method of claim 40 , wherein:
said stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined layers defines said protruding undercut.
43. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the metallic foil stack lamination mold substantially resists de-molding of the first silicone part from the metallic foil stack lamination mold in the direction of eventual de-molding of the first silicone part from the metallic foil stack lamination mold.
44. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the metallic foil stack lamination mold or said first silicone part is elastomeric.
45. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the metallic foil stack lamination mold or said first silicone part is formed from an elastomeric material.
46. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the metallic foil stack lamination mold or said first silicone part is formed from an elastomeric material that is sufficiently flexible to allow, without damage to said first silicone part and without damage to the metallic foil stack lamination mold, said first silicone part to be de-molded from the metallic foil stack lamination mold.
47. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the metallic foil stack lamination mold or said first silicone part is formed from an elastomeric material that is sufficiently flexible to allow, without damage to said first silicone part and without damage to the metallic foil stack lamination mold, said first silicone part to be pulled from the metallic foil stack lamination mold in a direction of eventual de-molding of the first silicone part from the metallic foil stack lamination mold until said first silicone part is free from the metallic foil stack lamination mold.
48. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first silicone part comprises, with respect to a direction of eventual demolding of said first silicone part from the metallic foil stack lamination mold, a distal first portion, the distal first portion defined by a first cross sectional dimension that corresponds to a cross section taken perpendicular to the direction of eventual demolding of said first silicone part;
the first silicone part comprises, with respect to the direction of eventual demolding of said first silicone part from the metallic foil stack lamination mold, a proximal second portion, the proximal second portion defined by a second cross sectional dimension that corresponds to a cross section taken perpendicular to the direction of eventual demolding of said first silicone mold; and
said first cross sectional dimension smaller than said second cross sectional dimension.