Patent ID: 7243689

Claim:
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.