Method for filling a container having at least one flexible component

A method for filling and sealing containers comprising at least one fluid receiving opening, at least one flexible component, at least one rigid component, a relaxed state interior volume, and a non-relaxed state interior volume, wherein said non-relaxed state volume is greater than or equal to said relaxed state volume, and wherein said at least one flexible component has at least one external and at least one internal surface, and said container is formed by the assembly of said rigid component and said flexible component said method comprising:

• releasably retaining said at least one rigid component of said container wherein said retention forms a pressurizable chamber wherein at least a portion of said chamber is formed by said at least one rigid component and said chamber allows movement of said at least one flexible component within said chamber;
• positioning said retained container in a position to receive a fluid to be contained therein through said at least one fluid receiving opening;
• expanding the relaxed state interior volume of said container to said non-relaxed state interior volume within said chamber;
• dispensing a fluid into said non-relaxed interior volume of said container;
• subjecting both the exterior of said at least one flexible component and the interior volume of said fluid containing container and said fluid to an environment having a predetermined pressure range wherein said pressure range is greater than or equal to the vapor pressure of said fluid within said container;
• sealing said at least one fluid receiving opening while said interior volume and said flexible component exterior are within said predetermined pressure range;
• increasing the pressure of said environment to ambient atmospheric pressure;
• and
• releasing said container from said releasably retained position.

A method for filling and sealing containers comprising at least one fluid receiving opening, at least one flexible component, at least one rigid component, a relaxed state interior volume formed between said at least one flexible component and said at least one rigid component, a non-relaxed state interior volume, and a retaining fixture having a recess wherein said non-relaxed state volume is greater than or equal to said relaxed state volume, and wherein said at least one flexible component has at least one external and at least one internal surface, said method comprising:

• releasably retaining said at least one rigid component of said container at least partially within said recess of said retaining fixture wherein said at least one rigid component and said recess cooperate to form a pressurizable cavity and said retention allows movement of said at least one flexible component within said pressurizable cavity;
• positioning said retained container in a position to receive a fluid to be contained therein through said at least one fluid receiving opening;
• expanding the relaxed state interior volume of said container to said non-relaxed state interior volume;
• dispensing a fluid into said non-relaxed interior volume of said container;
• subjecting only the exterior of said at least one flexible component and said fluid to an environment within said pressurizable cavity having a predetermined pressure range wherein said pressure range is greater than or equal to the vapor pressure of said fluid within said container and said pressure range is less than ambient atmospheric pressure;
• sealing said at least one fluid receiving opening while said interior volume is within the pre-selected pressure range and said flexible component exterior are within said predetermined pressure range and a meniscus of said fluid is within a desired range;
• increasing the pressure of said environment to ambient atmospheric pressure;
• and
• releasing said container from said releasably retained position.

A method for filling and sealing containers in a retaining device said retaining device having a recess, the container having at least one fluid receiving opening, and said container is formed at least in part by the assembly of at least one rigid component and at least one flexible component, wherein the container defines a variable interior volume including a relaxed state interior volume and non-relaxed state interior volume, and wherein the non-relaxed state volume is greater than or equal to the relaxed state volume, and wherein the flexible component has at least one external surface and at least one internal surface, the method comprising:

• positioning the container with respect to the retaining device such that the container is in a position to receive, through the fluid receiving opening, a fluid to be contained therein;
• releasably retaining the rigid portion of the container in a fixed position with respect to the retaining device such that the flexible component is movable and said rigid portion and retaining device cooperate with said recess to form a pressurizable chamber;
• displacing the flexible component of the container such that the interior volume is expanded from the relaxed state interior volume to the non-relaxed state interior volume within said pressurizable chamber;
• dispensing a fluid into the interior volume of the container;
• subjecting each of the external surface of the flexible component, and the interior volume of the container, and the fluid disposed in interior volume to a single pressure, the single pressure being within a predetermined pressure range, wherein each pressure within the pressure range is greater than or equal to the vapor pressure of the fluid within the container and each pressure is less than ambient atmospheric pressure;
• sealing the fluid receiving opening while the interior volume and the external surface of the flexible component are within the predetermined pressure range;
• and
• releasing the container from the releasably retained position.