Method of sealing a medical container with a plastic closure

A method of sealing a vial with a polymeric closure, said vial having an open end, a radial rim portion surrounding said open end and a reduced diameter neck portion adjacent said radial rim portion, said method comprising:

• injection molding a polymeric closure from a polymer which is sufficiently malleable to permit radial deformation, yet sufficiently rigid to retain its shape following deformation and sufficiently resistant to creep to maintain a seal between the polymeric closure and the vial following radial deformation, said closure including a generally cylindrical tubular collar portion having an internal diameter slightly greater than an outside diameter of said rim portion of said vial and an integral radial rim portion;
• telescopically receiving said tubular collar portion of said polymeric closure over said radial rim portion of said vial with said rim portion of said polymeric closure overlying said rim portion of said vial and said tubular collar portion surrounding said rim portion and said reduced diameter neck portion of said vial;
• and
• gradually cold forming said tubular collar portion of said polymeric closure with a crimping tool having an inclined surface facing said tubular collar portion opposite said neck portion of said vial and relatively rotating said vial and said crimping tool, said inclined surface of said crimping tool gradually cold forming said tubular collar portion of said polymeric closure radially inwardly into said reduced diameter neck portion and against an adjacent surface of said rim portion of said vial, permanently securing said closure on said vial and sealing said open end.

A method of sealing a container with a polymeric closure, said container having an open end, a radial rim portion surrounding said open end and a reduced diameter neck portion adjacent said rim portion and an elastomeric septum received in said open end of said container having a rim portion overlying said rim portion of said container, said method comprising the following steps:

• forming a polymeric closure including a generally cylindrical tubular portion having an internal diameter slightly greater than an outside diameter of said rim portion of said container and an integral radial rim portion from a polymer which is sufficiently malleable to permit radial deformation, yet sufficiently rigid to retain its shape following deformation and sufficiently resistant to creep to maintain a seal between said polymeric closure and said container following radial deformation;
• telescopically receiving said tubular collar portion of said polymeric closure over said radial rim portion of said container and said rim portion of said elastomeric septum with said rim portion of said polymeric closure overlying said rim portion of said elastomeric stopper and said tubular collar portion surrounding said rim portion and said reduced diameter neck portion of said container;
• and
• simultaneously compressing said rim portion of said polymeric closure against said rim portion of said elastomeric septum and gradually cold forming said tubular collar portion of said polymeric closure against an inclined surface of a crimping tool having a decreasing angle of inclination opposite said neck portion of said container and relatively rotating said vial against said inclined surface of said crimping tool, gradually cold forming said tubular collar portion of said polymeric closure radially inwardly into said reduced diameter neck portion of said container, permanently securing said closure on said container and sealing said open end of said container.

A method of sealing a container with a plastic closure, said container having an open end, a radial rim portion surrounding said open end, a reduced diameter neck portion adjacent said rim portion and an enclosed container portion adjacent said neck portion, said method comprising:

• forming a plastic closure of a polymer which is sufficiently malleable to permit radial deformation, yet sufficiently rigid to retain its shape following deformation, and sufficiently resistant to creep to maintain a seal between the container and the plastic closure following radial deformation, said plastic closure including a generally cylindrical tubular collar portion having an internal diameter generally equal to or slightly greater than an outside diameter of said rim portion of said container and an integral radial rim portion;
• telescopically disposing said generally cylindrical tubular collar portion of said plastic closure over said rim portion of said container with said radial rim portion of said plastic closure overlying said rim portion of said container and said generally cylindrical tubular collar portion surrounding said rim of said container having a free end surrounding said reduced diameter neck portion of said container;
• and,
• radially deforming said free end of said generally cylindrical tubular collar portion of said plastic closure into said reduced diameter neck portion of said container beneath said rim portion, said free end of said plastic closure retaining its shape beneath said radial rim portion of said container following deformation to permanently retain said plastic closure on said container and sealing said container open end, wherein said deforming said free end of said tubular portion of said plastic closure into said reduced diameter neck portion of said container includes using a crimping tool having an inclined surface, relatively rotating said crimping tool and said container with said plastic closure assembled thereon, simultaneously driving said inclined surface against said tubular portion of said closure adjacent said free end, simultaneously cold forming said free end gradually into said reduced diameter neck portion and against said rim portion of said container, permanently deforming said free end into said reduced diameter neck portion and against said rim portion of said container.

A method of sealing a container with a plastic closure, said container having an open end, a radial rim portion surrounding said open end, a reduced diameter neck portion adjacent said rim portion and an enclosed container portion adjacent said neck portion, said method comprising:

• forming a plastic closure of a polymer which is sufficiently malleable to permit radial deformation, yet sufficiently rigid to retain its shape following deformation, and sufficiently resistant to creep to maintain a seal between the container and the plastic closure following radial deformation, said plastic closure including a generally cylindrical tubular collar portion having an internal diameter generally equal to or slightly greater than an outside diameter of said rim portion of said container and an integral radial rim portion, an integral second tubular portion extending from said radial rim portion of said closure generally coaxially aligned with said tubular collar portion, and an elastomeric stopper in said container open end having a radial portion overlying said radial rim portion of said container;
• assembling a piercing element in said second tubular portion releasably retained in said second tubular portion and movable relative to said tubular portion;
• telescopically disposing said generally cylindrical tubular collar portion of said plastic closure over said rim portion of said container with said radial rim portion of said plastic closure overlying said rim portion of said container, said generally cylindrical tubular collar portion surrounding said rim of said container having a free end surrounding said reduced diameter neck portion of said container, and said piercing element telescopically coaxially aligned with said open end of said container;
• compressing said integral radial rim portion of said plastic closure against said radial portion of said elastomeric stopper to seal said plastic closure to said elastomeric stopper;
• and,
• radially deforming said free end of said generally cylindrical tubular collar portion of said plastic closure into said reduced diameter neck portion of said container beneath said rim portion, said free end of said plastic closure retaining its shape beneath said radial rim portion of said container following deformation to permanently retain said plastic closure on said container and sealing said container open end, said compressing and said deforming being substantially simultaneous.