1. A method of making an array of microstructures comprising:
(a) dissolving or suspending at least one therapeutic agent in a first solvent to form a therapeutic agent solution or suspension;
(b) dissolving at least one polymer in a second solvent to form a polymer solution;
(c) mixing the therapeutic agent solution or suspension and the polymer solution or suspension to form a polymer matrix solution or suspension;
(d) dispensing the polymer matrix solution or suspension on a mold having an array of microstructure cavities;
(e) filling the microstructure cavities in the mold;
(f) removing excess solution or suspension polymer matrix on the mold surface;
(g) drying the solution or suspension at a temperature of about 5-50\xb0 C. in a chamber having a partial pressure of water of about 0.01 mTorr to about 203 Torr or a relative humidity of about 10-95%;
(h) drying the solution or suspension at about 5-50\xb0 C. for about 30 minutes to form an array of microstructures; and
(i) drying the microstructures under vacuum at about 5-50\xb0 C.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second solvent is water.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber uses convection, conduction, or radiation for drying.
4. The method of any previous claim, further comprising:
dispensing a basement or backing layer on the mold surface; and
drying the basement or backing layer.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein drying the basement or backing layer comprises drying in an oven at about 5-50\xb0 C.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein drying the basement or backing layer comprises drying in a compressed dry air box with controlled air flow prior to drying in an oven.
7. The method of any one of claim 4, further comprising:
affixing the basement or backing layer to a substrate.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate is selected from a pressure sensitive adhesive and a UV cured adhesive.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
affixing the basement or backing layer to the substrate using a nonwoven or porous film double coated with adhesive.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
demolding the microstructure array.
11. The method of claim 4, further comprising demolding the microstructure array after drying the basement or backing layer.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to step (a), the mold is subjected to a treatment which causes it to swell.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
applying a wetting agent to the mold prior to step (a).
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wetting agent is selected from selected from calcium carbonate, ethyl acetate, a silicone fluid, oxygen plasma, or a silicone polyether surfactant.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises pressurization of at least about 10 psi above atmospheric.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) uses soluble gases.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the soluble gas is selected from CO2 and CH4.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein one of steps (a) or (b) further comprises dissolving at least one of a sugar, a surfactant, or an antioxidant in one of the first or the second solvent.
19. The method of claim 1, further comprising dissolving a sugar in the polymer matrix solution or suspension after step (c).
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the sugar is selected from sorbitol, sucrose, trehalose, fructose, or dextrose.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the surfactant is selected from Polysorbate 20 or Polysorbate 80.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein the antioxidant is selected from methionine, cysteine, D-alpha tocopherol acetate, EDTA, or vitamin E.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises dissolving about 10-40% by weight of the polymer in the solvent.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from a drug, a small molecule, a peptide or protein, or a vaccine.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the suspension is a liquid in liquid suspension or a solid in liquid suspension.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electromechanical actuator test system, comprising:
an inertia simulator adapted to be coupled to a test actuator and configured to simulate the inertia of at least a portion of a system moved by the test actuator;
a first load actuator coupled to the inertia simulator, the first load actuator coupled to receive first actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a first load to the inertia simulator to simulate at least one or more dynamic system loads;
a second load actuator coupled to the inertia simulator, the second load actuator coupled to receive second actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a second load to the inertia simulator to simulate at least one or more steady-state system loads; and
a test system control operable to supply the first actuator commands and the second actuator commands.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a command generator operable to at least selectively supply test actuator commands to a test actuator.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the command generator is adapted to receive input commands and is operable, in response thereto, to at least selectively supply the test actuator commands.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inertia simulator comprises:
a rotationally disposed element including a mass mounted on an end thereof.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first load actuator comprises:
an electromechanical actuator operable to be selectively energized and, upon being energized, to supply the first load to the inertia simulator; and
a motor controller in operable communication with the test system control and the electromechanical actuator, the motor controller responsive to the first actuator commands to selectively energize the electromechanical actuator.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the electromechanical actuator comprises:
a linear motor operable to be selectively energized and, upon being energized to supply a drive force; and
a force transfer member coupled to receive the drive force from the linear motor and operable, upon receipt thereof, to supply the first load to the inertia simulator.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second load actuator comprises:
a fluid-operated actuator responsive to control fluid to supply the second load to the inertia simulator; and
a control valve in operable communication with the test system control, the control valve responsive to the second actuator commands to control the supply of control fluid to the fluid-operated actuator.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the fluid-operated actuator comprises a pneumatic actuator.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a sensor coupled to the inertia simulator, the sensor operable to sense the first and second loads and supply a load signal representative thereof to the test system control.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the test system control is coupled to receive the load signal from the sensor and is responsive thereto to supply the first actuator commands and the second actuator commands.
11. An electromechanical actuator test system, comprising:
an inertia simulator adapted to be coupled to a plurality of test actuators and configured to simulate the inertia of at least a portion of a system moved by the test actuators;
a first axis first load actuator coupled to the inertia simulator, the first axis first load actuator coupled to receive first axis first actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a first load to the inertia simulator along a first axis;
a first axis second load actuator coupled to the inertia simulator, the first axis second load actuator coupled to receive first axis second actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a second load to the inertia simulator along the first axis;
a second axis first load actuator coupled to the inertia simulator, the second axis first load actuator coupled to receive second axis first actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a third load to the inertia simulator along a second axis, the second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
a second axis second load actuator coupled to the inertia simulator, the second axis second load actuator coupled to receive second axis second actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a fourth load to the inertia simulator along the second axis; and
a test system control operable to supply the first axis first and second actuator commands and the second axis first and second actuator commands.
12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:
a command generator adapted to receive input commands and operable, in response thereto, to at least selectively supply test actuator commands to a plurality of test actuators.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second axis first load actuators each comprise:
an electromechanical actuator operable to be selectively energized and, upon being energized, to supply a load to the inertia simulator; and
a motor controller in operable communication with the test system control and the electromechanical actuator, the motor controller responsive to actuator commands to selectively energize the electromechanical actuator.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the electromechanical actuators comprises:
a linear motor operable to be selectively energized and, upon being energized to supply a drive force; and
a force transfer member coupled to receive the drive force from the linear motor and operable, upon receipt thereof, to supply the first load to the inertia simulator.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the inertia simulator comprises:
a gimbal element including a mass mounted on an end thereof.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second axis second load actuators each comprise:
a fluid-operated actuator responsive to control fluid to supply the second load to the inertia simulator; and
a control valve in operable communication with the test system control, the control valve responsive to the second actuator commands to control the supply of control fluid to the fluid-operated actuator.
17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:
a first axis sensor coupled to the inertia simulator, the first sensor operable to sense the first and second loads and supply a load signal representative thereof to the test system control; and
a second axis sensor coupled to the inertia simulator, the second axis sensor operable to sense the third and fourth loads and supply a load signal representative thereof to the test system control.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the test system control is coupled to receive the load signals from the first and second axis sensors and is responsive thereto to supply the first axis first and second actuator commands and the second axis first and second actuator commands.
19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:
a support structure having mounted thereon at least the inertia simulator, the first axis first load actuator, the first axis second actuator, the second axis first load actuator, and the second axis second actuator; and
a plurality of test actuator supports mounted on the support structure, each test actuator support adapted to couple to a test actuator, each test actuator support further adapted to adjust at least a back stiffness supplied thereby to a test actuator.
20. An electromechanical actuator test system, comprising:
a support structure;
an inertia simulator mounted on the support structure, the inertial simulator adapted to be coupled to a plurality of test actuators and configured to simulate the inertia of at least a portion of a system moved by the test actuators;
a first axis first load actuator mounted on the support structure and coupled to the inertia simulator, the first axis first load actuator coupled to receive first axis actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a first load to the inertia simulator along a first axis;
a first axis second load actuator mounted on the support structure and coupled to the inertia simulator, the first axis second load actuator coupled to receive first axis second actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a second load to the inertia simulator along the first axis;
a second axis first load actuator mounted on the support structure and coupled to the inertia simulator, the second axis first load actuator coupled to receive second axis actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a third load to the inertia simulator along a second axis, the second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
a second axis second load actuator mounted on the support structure and coupled to the inertia simulator, the second axis second load actuator coupled to receive second axis second actuator commands and operable, in response thereto, to supply a fourth load to the inertia simulator along the second axis;
a plurality of test actuator supports mounted on the support structure, each test actuator support adapted to couple to a test actuator, each test actuator support further adapted to adjust back stiffness and simulate end-use mounting configuration; and
a test system control operable to supply the first axis first and second actuator commands and the second axis first and second actuator commands.