Sealed plastic closure and method for making the same

Abstract

A sealed plastic container and a method for producing it are provided. The method for producing the sealed plastic container includes the steps of providing a container body having an end, providing a closure member having a skirt, inserting the closure member into the container body, heating the closure member skirt and container body end, and rolling the closure member skirt top and container end inward thereby fusing the closure member to the container body.

1 . A method of sealing plastic containers comprising the steps of:
 providing a container body having a sidewall, a first end, and a second end;   providing a closure member having a base with a perimeter and a skirt extending generally perpendicular therefrom, said skirt terminating in a top edge;   inserting said closure member into said container body proximate at least one of said ends such that said skirt top edge is substantially flush with one of said ends;   heating said skirt top edge and said container body end; and   rolling said skirt top edge and said container body end inward thereby fusing said closure member to said container body.   
     
     
         2 . The sealed plastic container of the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said container body is a polypropylene material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said closure member skirt is a polypropylene material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said closure member skirt has a peripheral area of reduced thickness proximate its top edge. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said step of heating comprises directing heated air towards said closure member area of reduced thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said step of heating melts said closure member area of reduced thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said heated air is applied by a heater device having an air distribution manifold. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of heating begins to fuse said container body and said closure member together. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of rolling comprises engaging said skirt top edge and said container body end with a die having a profile with a radius that facilitates rolling of said skirt top edge and said container body end inward. 
     
     
         11 . A method of sealing plastic containers comprising the steps of:
 providing a container body having a sidewall and an open end with an end edge;   providing a plug having a body and a peripheral skirt extending therefrom that terminates at an end edge;   positioning said plug within said container body open end at an orientation such that said plug skirt end edge is immediately adjacent the container body end edge;   heating said plug skirt end edge and said container body end edge; and   rolling said plug skirt end edge and said container body end edge thereby sealing said container body open end.   
     
     
         12 . The sealed plastic container of the method of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said plug has a peripheral area of reduced thickness proximate its end edge. 
     
     
         14 . A sealed plastic container comprising:
 a sidewall including an open end configured for receiving a closure member;   a closure member including a closure panel and an annular skirt extending therefrom that terminates at an end edge;   wherein said closure member is positioned inside of said sidewall such that said closure member annular skirt is adjacent said sidewall open end; and   wherein said closure member skirt and said sidewall open end are rolled inward to seal said sidewall open end.   
     
     
         15 . The sealed plastic container of  claim 14  wherein said sidewall is a polypropylene material. 
     
     
         16 . The sealed plastic container of  claim 14  wherein said closure member skirt is a polypropylene material. 
     
     
         17 . The sealed plastic container of  claim 14  wherein said closure member skirt extends generally perpendicular from said closure panel. 
     
     
         18 . The sealed plastic container of  claim 14  wherein said closure member skirt has a peripheral area of reduced thickness proximate its end edge. 
     
     
         19 . The sealed plastic container of  claim 14  wherein said closure member skirt and said sidewall open end are fused together.