Gels having permanent tack free coatings and method of manufacture
View Patent ↗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.
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.