Apparatus and method for needle filling and laser resealing

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• first means for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• and
• a filling member drivingly mounted over the first means and movable in at least three coordinate directions for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and
• second means for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region.

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• a container support for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• at least one filling member for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and
• a radiation or energy source for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region,
• wherein at least one of the container support and the at least one filling member is drivingly movable relative to the other in at least three coordinate directions so that the at least one filling member penetrates the penetrable region.

An apparatus for filling and thermally resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are thermally resealable for thermally sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• a container support for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and thermally resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• a robot having a driven portion movable relative to the container support and including at least one of (1) a filling member for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and (2) a thermal source for heating a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region;
• wherein the driven portion is movable laterally relative to the container on the container support to position the driven portion relative to the penetrable region of the container and includes a temperature sensor to determine whether the hole is sealed by at least one of (1) sensing a temperature of the penetrated region, (2) determining whether a surface temperature of the penetrated region is greater than the melting temperature of the penetrable region material and less than the vaporization temperature of the penetrable region material, and (3) comparing a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to at least one predetermined temperature.

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• first means for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• at least one of (1) a filling member for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and (2) a radiation or energy source for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region;
• and
• second means for moving the at least one of a filling member and a radiation or energy source in at least three coordinate directions relative to the container on the first means to position the at least one of a filling member and a radiation or energy source relative to the penetrable region of the container.

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• a container support for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• a filling member drivingly mounted over the container support for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and
• a radiation or energy source for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region;
• wherein the container support supports a tray that supports thereon a plurality of containers in fixed positions relative to each other, wherein the tray includes a plurality of connecting portions for releasably attaching the containers thereto.

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for the sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• a container support for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• a filling member drivingly mounted over the container support and movable in at least three coordinate directions for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and
• a radiation or energy source for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region.

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• a container support for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• a robot having a driven portion movable relative to the container support and including at least one of (1) a filling member for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and (2) a radiation or energy source for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region;
• wherein the driven portion is movable in at least three coordinate directions relative to the container on the container support to position the driven portion relative to the penetrable region of the container.

An apparatus for filling and resealing containers having penetrable regions that are penetrable by a filling member for filling the containers with a substance, and are resealable for sealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

• a container support for supporting at least one container having a penetrable region in a substantially fixed position during at least one of filling and resealing a hole in a respective penetrable region upon withdrawal of a filling member therefrom;
• a robot having a driven portion movable relative to the container support and including at least one of (1) a filling member for penetrating the penetrable region and introducing a substance through the filling member and into the container;
• and (2) a radiation or energy source for delivering radiation or energy to a penetrated region of the penetrable region and, in turn, sealing the hole in the penetrable region;
• wherein the driven portion is movable laterally relative to the container on the container support to position the driven portion relative to the penetrable region of the container;
• and
• wherein the container support supports a tray that supports thereon a plurality of containers in fixed positions relative to each other, wherein the tray includes a plurality of connecting portions for releasably attaching the containers thereto.