Sealable Container, and Method for Sealing a Container

Abstract

A container ( 51 ) for storage and dispensing of fluids, comprising collapsible front ( 54 ) and rear walls ( 56 ) defining a chamber, having a gland ( 50 ) defining a fluid passage for allowing the passage of fluids into the chamber carried on the front wall ( 54 ) of the container ( 51 ). The gland ( 50 ) includes a sealing land ( 59 ) within the container for sealingly engaging a heat sealable membrane ( 61 ) along a continuous seal upon the application of heat through the rear wall ( 56 ) of the container. The sealing land ( 59 ) in a pre-sealed condition, includes at least one thermo-deformable projection ( 64 ) having a raised profile providing an initial melt zone of reduced area relative to the area of the sealing land.

1 . A container for storage and dispensing of fluids, said container comprising collapsible front and rear walls defining a chamber, a gland defining a fluid passage carried on the front wall for allowing the passage of fluids into the chamber, the gland including a sealing land within the container for sealingly engaging a heat sealable membrane along a continuous seal upon the application of heat through rear wall of the container, wherein the sealing land, in a pre-sealed condition, includes at least one thermo-deformable projection having a raised profile providing an initial melt zone of reduced area relative to the area of the sealing land. 
     
     
         2 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the gland extends through an aperture defined in the collapsible front wall of the container, and includes a base flange located within the container, the sealing land being annular and being defined on an innermost face of the base flange, and the deformable projection comprising at least one annular lip. 
     
     
         3 . A container as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the annular lip is shaped to define a cutting edge. 
     
     
         4 . A container as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the annular lip is formed with at least one deflection surface for deflecting matter away from the initial melt zone upon the sealable membrane and the sealing land being urged towards one another. 
     
     
         5 . A container as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the annular lip is generally triangular in cross-section, the apex of the triangular cross-section defining the cutting edge. 
     
     
         6 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  formed from a flexible heat resistant material which allows the heat sealable membrane to be abutted against the sealing land from the interior of the container by compressing and urging a portion of the wall of the container towards the sealing land and which allows heat to be transferred through the rear wall by a heating element to the melt zone. 
     
     
         7 . A container as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the sealing membrane is carried on the sealing land prior to sealing. 
     
     
         8 . A container as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the heat sealable membrane includes a thermoplastic heat sealable layer proximate the sealing land for allowing the seal to be formed, and a distal non-heat sealable layer to prevent adherence of the sealing membrane to an inner surface of the rear wall of the container, prior to the heat sealable membrane being heat sealed to the sealing land. 
     
     
         9 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat sealable membrane is carried on the rear wall of the container prior to being heat sealed to the sealing land. 
     
     
         10 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the gland further includes a rupturable membrane extending across an external opening of the passage such that the container is sealed prior to ingress of fluid into the container. 
     
     
         11 . A container as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the membrane is rupturable by a delivery means, the delivery means being engageable with the gland prior to rupture of the rupturable membrane to provide for aseptic delivery of a fluid into the container. 
     
     
         12 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sealing land and a heat sealable layer of the heat sealable membrane are formed from thermoplastic materials adapted to melt and form said seal at a temperature in the range between 100° C. and 265° C. 
     
     
         13 . A container as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the sealing land and a heat sealable layer of the sealing heat sealable membrane are formed from thermoplastic materials adapted to melt and form said seal at a temperature between 130° C. and 200° C. 
     
     
         14 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sealing land includes a plurality of annular thermo-deformable projections in a spaced apart relationship. 
     
     
         15 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the thermo-deformable projection has a raised profile which is trapezoidal 
     
     
         16 . A gland defining a passage for providing a fluid pathway for delivery into and dispensing from a collapsible container comprising front and rear walls defining a chamber, the gland mountable within an aperture on the front wall of the container, the gland including a sealing land within the container for receiving a heat sealable membrane which is arranged to be heat sealed through the rear wall of the container to form a continuous seal wherein said sealing land, in a pre-sealed condition, includes at least one thermo-deformable projection having a raised profile providing an initial melt zone of reduced area relative to the area of the sealing land. 
     
     
         17 . A gland as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the gland is of generally annular form and the at least one deformable projection of the sealing land extends circumferentially around the passage to define a cutting edge prior to deformation. 
     
     
         18 . A gland as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the deformable projection is of a generally triangular cross-section, the apex of the triangle defining a cutting edge. 
     
     
         19 . A gland as claimed in  claim 18  which further includes a rupturable membrane which, prior to rupture, extends across an exterior opening of the passage so as to seal the passage of the gland prior to the ingress of contents. 
     
     
         20 . A gland as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the gland is engageable with a fluid delivery means in a manner so as to be ruptured upon engagement with the fluid delivery means. 
     
     
         21 . A method of sealing a container having a gland defining an opening, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a container having front and rear walls defining a chamber, and a gland carried on the front wall, the gland having a first end, a second end and a passage therethrough, the gland including a sealing land within the container for receiving a heat sealable membrane which is arranged to be heat sealed to the sealing land along a continuous seal, said sealing land, in a pre-sealed condition, including at least one projection having a raised profile for providing an initial melt or heat zone of reduced area relative to the area of the sealing land;   providing a heat sealable membrane adjacent the sealing land and extending over the passage of the gland; and   applying heat through the rear wall of the container to the heat sealable membrane using a heating arrangement, and urging the heat sealable membrane and the sealing land towards each other;   
       wherein the deformable projection is configured such that upon abutment with the heat sealable membrane, the deformable projection and a thermoplastic layer of the sealable membrane are melted to form a seal between the heat sealable membrane and sealing land thereby sealing the passage. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the heating arrangement provides at least one of conductive and convective heat energy to the deformable projection and the sealable membrane. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the heating arrangement heats the deformable projection and the sealable membrane by frictional energy. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the heating arrangement heats the deformable projection and the sealable membrane by ultrasonic energy. 
     
     
         25 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the thermo-deformable projection has a raised profile which is curved.