Molding thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers
US9339956B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 2010 |
| Grant date | May 17, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 14, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/24479
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of molding a composition comprising a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) comprising mesogens; providing a mold having a mold cavity, with a feature cavity (43) comprising a fine feature chamber; heating the composition to form molten composition; filling the fine feature chamber with molten composition moving at a flow velocity that causes flow alignment of at least a portion of the mesogens in the molten TLCP filling the fine feature chamber (49), relative to a flow direction of the moving molten composition; and solidifying the molten composition such that mesogens of at least the solidified TLCP in the fine feature chamber maintain their flow alignment. A molded article comprising a body and a 3-dimensional structural feature protruding out from the body and comprising a fine feature element having a minor dimension, with TLCP mesogens across the minor dimension being in a flow aligned state.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.