Device with needle penetrable and laser resealable portion and related method
First Claim
1. A method of providing and filling a device with a predetermined substance, comprising the following steps:
- providing a needle penetrable and laser resealable portion including a thermoplastic that is pierceable with a needle to form a needle aperture therethrough, and is laser resealable to hermetically seal the needle aperture by applying laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and power thereto, wherein the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion defines a predetermined wall thickness in an axial direction thereof;
providing the thermoplastic with a predetermined amount of pigment that allows the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion to substantially absorb laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength and substantially prevent the passage of radiation through the predetermined wall thickness;
connecting the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion to a device defining a chamber;
providing a needle defining a non-coring, conically-pointed tip and at least one flow aperture located adjacent to the tip and connectable in fluid communication with a source of the predetermined substance;
configuring at least one of the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion and needle to substantially prevent the formation of particles released into the chamber from the thermoplastic upon penetrating same with the needle and withdrawing the needle therefrom;
penetrating the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion with the conically-pointed tip of the needle such that the flow aperture of the needle is in fluid communication with the chamber of the device, and substantially preventing the formation of particles released into chamber from the thermoplastic during penetration by the needle;
introducing the predetermined substance through the needle and into the chamber of the device, withdrawing the needle from the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion, and substantially preventing the formation of particles released into the chamber from the thermoplastic during withdrawal of the needle; and
transmitting laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength and power onto the needle penetrated region of the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion, and hermetically sealing the needle aperture formed in the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion and the predetermined substance within the chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method are provided for needle penetrating and filling a chamber with a predetermined substance, and laser resealing a resulting needle hole in the device. A needle penetrable and laser resealable portion of the device is pierceable with a needle to form a needle aperture therethrough to fill the chamber through the needle, and is laser resealable to hermetically seal the needle aperture by applying laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and power thereto. The needle penetrable and laser resealable portion defines a predetermined wall thickness in an axial direction thereof, and includes a thermoplastic that substantially prevents the formation of particles released into the chamber from the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion during penetration by and withdrawal of the needle. The thermoplastic includes a predetermined amount of pigment that allows the thermoplastic to substantially absorb laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength, substantially prevent the passage of radiation through the predetermined wall thickness thereof, and hermetically seal a needle aperture formed in the needle penetration region thereof in a predetermined time period.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of providing and filling a device with a predetermined substance, comprising the following steps:
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providing a needle penetrable and laser resealable portion including a thermoplastic that is pierceable with a needle to form a needle aperture therethrough, and is laser resealable to hermetically seal the needle aperture by applying laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and power thereto, wherein the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion defines a predetermined wall thickness in an axial direction thereof;
providing the thermoplastic with a predetermined amount of pigment that allows the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion to substantially absorb laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength and substantially prevent the passage of radiation through the predetermined wall thickness;
connecting the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion to a device defining a chamber;
providing a needle defining a non-coring, conically-pointed tip and at least one flow aperture located adjacent to the tip and connectable in fluid communication with a source of the predetermined substance;
configuring at least one of the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion and needle to substantially prevent the formation of particles released into the chamber from the thermoplastic upon penetrating same with the needle and withdrawing the needle therefrom;
penetrating the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion with the conically-pointed tip of the needle such that the flow aperture of the needle is in fluid communication with the chamber of the device, and substantially preventing the formation of particles released into chamber from the thermoplastic during penetration by the needle;
introducing the predetermined substance through the needle and into the chamber of the device, withdrawing the needle from the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion, and substantially preventing the formation of particles released into the chamber from the thermoplastic during withdrawal of the needle; and
transmitting laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength and power onto the needle penetrated region of the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion, and hermetically sealing the needle aperture formed in the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion and the predetermined substance within the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. A device including a needle penetrable and laser resealable portion that is pierceable with a needle to form a needle aperture therethrough to fill a chamber of the device with a predetermined substance through the needle, and is laser resealable to hermetically seal the needle aperture by applying laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and power thereto, wherein the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion defines a predetermined wall thickness in an axial direction thereof, and includes a thermoplastic that substantially prevents the formation of particles released into the chamber from the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion during penetration by and withdrawal of the needle, and the thermoplastic includes a predetermined amount of pigment that allows the thermoplastic to substantially absorb laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength, substantially prevent the passage of radiation through the predetermined wall thickness thereof, and hermetically seal a needle aperture formed in the needle penetration region thereof in a predetermined time period of less than approximately 2 seconds.
- 24. A device including a needle penetrable and laser resealable portion that is pierceable with a needle to form a needle aperture therethrough to fill a chamber of the device with a predetermined substance through the needle, and is laser resealable to hermetically seal the needle aperture by applying laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and power thereto, wherein the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion includes a thermoplastic and defines a predetermined wall thickness in an axial direction thereof, and further includes first means for substantially preventing the formation of particles released into the chamber from the stopper upon penetrating the stopper with the needle and withdrawing the needle from the stopper, and second means for allowing the thermoplastic to substantially absorb laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength and substantially prevent the passage of radiation through the predetermined wall thickness thereof, and hermetically seal a needle aperture formed in the needle penetration region thereof in a predetermined time period of less than approximately 2 seconds.
Specification