Container sealing system

Abstract

A cap for a container (e.g., container fitment) includes a neck portion and a lip portion that extends laterally outward from the neck portion. A gasket is provided between the cap and a rim of a container fitment. The neck portion is conical or frustoconical in shape, and an interior surface of a container port or fitment may be correspondingly tapered, to guide the cap into concentric alignment with the gasket and rim during insertion of the neck portion of the cap into the fitment. Such alignment promotes positive sealing engagement between the cap, gasket, and fitment. In one embodiment, the cap defines an externally accessible recess that optionally includes a handle, such as at least one segmenting wall, for grasping by a user to facilitate manipulation of the cap. The cap may be affixed to a fitment of a flexible liner.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A container sealing apparatus comprising:
 a cap including a neck portion, a lip portion, and at least one gasket securing feature, wherein the neck portion is conical or frustoconical in shape and is adapted for positioning within a threadless opening of a container, wherein the lip portion extends laterally outward relative to the neck portion and is adapted to inhibit the cap from traversing the opening of the container, and   a gasket arranged for securement by the at least one gasket securing feature to seal the threadless opening of said container.   
     
     
         34 . The container sealing apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one gasket securing feature comprises a depression adapted to receive at least a portion of a corresponding protrusion of the gasket. 
     
     
         35 . The container sealing apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one gasket securing feature comprises a protrusion arranged for insertion into a corresponding depression of the gasket. 
     
     
         36 . The container sealing apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the cap comprises a handle adapted for manual grasping by a user. 
     
     
         37 . The container sealing apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein at least a portion of the handle is disposed within a recess that is externally accessible when the cap is mated with the container, and wherein a portion of the handle protrudes upward from the recess and extends above an upper boundary of the lip portion. 
     
     
         38 . The container sealing apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the cap defines a recess arranged to facilitate manipulation of the cap by a user, and the recess is externally accessible when the cap is mated with the container. 
     
     
         39 . The container sealing apparatus of  claim 33 , arranged for sealing a container comprising a fitment defining the threadless opening of the container and including a rim adjacent to the threadless opening, wherein the gasket is arranged for placement between the lip portion and the rim, the container sealing apparatus further comprising:
 a closure retention element arranged to contact the lip portion of the cap and the rim of the container fitment with the gasket sealingly engaged between the lip portion and the rim.   
     
     
         40 . A container comprising:
 a flexible material bounding an interior volume;   a fitment affixed to the flexible material and defining a passage comprising the threadless opening of the container, the passage being bounded by a fitment wall extending between a proximal opening and a distal opening, the fitment comprising a rim adjacent to the proximal opening; and   the container sealing apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cap is arranged for insertion into the passage, the gasket is arranged for placement between the lip portion and the rim.   
     
     
         41 . The container of  claim 40 , wherein at least a portion of the fitment wall adjacent to the proximal opening is tapered inward toward the distal opening. 
     
     
         42 . The container of  claim 41 , wherein the conical or frustoconical shaped neck portion is tapered at an angle that is substantially equal to an angle of the at least a portion of the fitment wall that is tapered inward toward the distal opening. 
     
     
         43 . The container of  claim 40 , wherein upon insertion of the cap into the passage, a distal end of the cap is substantially flush with a flange portion of the fitment. 
     
     
         44 . The container of  claim 40 , wherein the collapsible material comprises at least one flexible polymeric film layer. 
     
     
         45 . An apparatus for delivery of a fluid-containing substance, the apparatus comprising:
 the container of  claim 44  wherein the flexible wall bounding the interior volume comprises a flexible liner, wherein the flexible liner is disposed within an overpack container defining an interstitial space between the liner and the overpack container.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus for delivery of a fluid containing substance according to  claim 45 , wherein the interstitial space is arranged to be pressurized to discharge contents of the flexible liner to a process tool. 
     
     
         47 . A method of sealing a container utilizing the container sealing apparatus of  claim 33 , the method comprising inserting the cap into the threadless opening of the container and compressing the gasket between the lip portion of the cap and a rim portion of a fitment of the container. 
     
     
         48 . An apparatus for delivery of a fluid-containing substance, the apparatus comprising:
 a flexible liner disposed within an overpack container defining an interstitial space between the liner and overpack container; and   a fitment affixed to the liner, wherein the fitment defines a passage bounded by a wall extending between a proximal opening and a distal opening, wherein the fitment further comprises a rim adjacent to the proximal opening, and wherein said wall is tapered inward in a direction from the proximal opening toward the distal opening.   
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , further comprising a cap adapted to be received by the fitment, wherein the cap comprises a neck portion and a lip portion that extends laterally outward relative to the neck portion, wherein at least part of the neck portion is conical or frustoconical in shape. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , further comprising a gasket arranged for placement in between the lip portion and the rim. 
     
     
         51 . A container sealing apparatus arranged for sealing a container fitment including a proximal opening and a rim adjacent to the proximal opening, the container sealing apparatus comprising:
 a cap including a neck portion and a lip portion, wherein the neck portion is conical or frustoconical in shape and is adapted for insertion into the proximal opening of the container fitment, wherein the lip portion extends laterally outward relative to the neck portion, wherein the cap defines a recess that is externally accessible when the cap is mated with the container, and wherein the cap comprises a manually graspable handle protruding upward from the recess and extending above an upper boundary of the lip portion; and   a gasket arranged for placement between the lip portion and the rim.   
     
     
         52 . A container sealing apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein the cap comprises at least one gasket securing feature, and the gasket is arranged for securement against the cap using the at least one gasket securing feature.