Pharmaceutical and Medical Packaging News Magazine
PMPN Article Index

Originally Published December 1998

PRODUCT UPDATE

Safe but Accessible Closures

More than a door through which products pass, closures keep both pharmaceuticals and users safe.

Security is the most important issue with closures, and for good reason. The closure is the gateway to the product and therefore can potentially be the chink in the armor. Manufacturers have countered the potential weaknesses in closures by offering such features as tamper evidency, child resistance, and barrier membranes. The very features that protect the product can make the container hard to open, and manufacturers have thought of that, too. Easy-open designs include wings and special aids for twist-off caps, press-and-turn closures, and squeeze-and-turn tops.

Vented foam and heat induction foil liners allow the free passage of air while stopping fluids and microbiological contaminants. The AirFoil liners feature Circumvent, a microporous, hydrophobic membrane that provides a sterile barrier for biomedical packaging applications. The membrane can be modified to alter its airflow or hydrophobic properties. The closures are compatible with a variety of plastic containers. Standard or child-resistant closures are available. Performance Systematix Inc., Caledonia, MI.

Thermoset plastic caps and closures are available in sizes from 13 to 132 mm. The product line includes straight-sided, domed, crowned, and panel-sided styles for use in personal-care applications. The caps are fitted with suitable liner materials. The company can manufacture tooling for standard or custom thermoset plastic designs. Colt's Plastics Company, Inc., Dayville, CT.

Senior-friendly, child-resistant closures are offered in several styles. A squeeze-and-turn cap is available in sizes from 28 to 38 mm and is compatible with typical filling and capping equipment. The Lite Touch, a two-piece design, employs a standard closure with a retention band; the cap is available in a standard style or with a winged feature. Sizes range from 18 to 38 mm. Poly-Seal Corp., Baltimore, MD.

A child-resistant closure designed especially for tubes features a push-and-turn mechanism that is senior-friendly. The T-CR closure is well suited for prescription and over-the-counter drug products that may contain lidocaine or dibucaine. The one-piece closure features a plug that ensures package seal integrity and prevents dispensing of the product while the closure is being opened. The T-CR is available in sizes ranging from 18 mm to 1 in. Rexam Inc., Evansville, IN.

Cap liners for a variety of applications are available in plastic extrusions, coextrusions, and laminates. The F-217 liner is a three-ply coextruded material suitable for pharmaceutical use, while the SOR-171 is a synthetic olefin rubber that can be autoclaved. Several styles that are resistant to gas and moisture transmission are available. Tri-Seal International Inc., Blauvelt, NY.

A desiccant closure has two tamper-evident features: a breakaway disk on the top of the screw-type cap and a tear band at the base of the cap. The user activates the protective features when twisting off the cap. In addition, the TE/CRC cap is equipped with a press-and-turn child-resistant feature. For seniors, a separate opening aid is included. The aid is inserted into the top of the cap to reduce the effort required to press and turn the cap. Sanner of America Inc., Cherry Hill, NJ.

A full range of caps and closures suitable for the pharmaceutical industry include standard, custom, and tamper-evident products. Lining materials are also available. The tamper-evident caps offer externally visible evidence of tampering and can be processed using standard capping equipment. Sizes range from 38 to 110 mm. Pano Cap Canada Ltd., Kitchener, ON, Canada.

An attractive, see-through look can be achieved with a polypropylene/SAN cap that can be used for pharmaceutical packaging. Window caps provide an overhead view of the contents of the jar. They can accommodate PETG jars that hold 5, 7, and 15 ml of product. Custom colors are available. The company also offers a full line of heavy, single-wall PETG jars. A free catalog is available. Nadel Industries Inc., Port Chester, NY.

A linerless closure keeps products sealed but allows easy opening. The Ultra-Seal offers easy-grip knurls for convenient opening and closing. The Poly-Vent T/E drop band is a tamper-evident feature that protects the product. The seal is available in 28- and 38-mm sizes. The company also offers other closures, including dispensing, nondispensing, tamper-evident, and child-resistant types. Zeller Plastik, Libertyville, IL.

Two lines of closures are designed for user convenience. The Flapper line of closures offers one-hand dispensing and eliminates the need for users to remove the closure completely to gain access to the contents of the package. The Top-Squeeze line features an easy half-turn opening method that is quick and easy to achieve, even for seniors. The caps reclose in a secure, child-resistant mode. The company's development group is available to help design a custom closure or a secondary packaging application to suit customers' needs. Weatherchem Corp., Twinsburg, OH.

Squeeze-and-turn, child-resistant closures are one-piece, linerless components that provide liquid-tight seals. Made out of white polypropylene with optional red-colored instructions, the closures are supplied in 28-, 33-, and 38-mm sizes. Other colors and lined units are available. They can be made to accommodate the company's own line of bottles or another manufacturer's line. Custom imprinting on stock closures is also available, using either client artwork or designs generated by in-house developers who work with clients. Owens-Brockway, Toledo, OH.

Two snap caps provide tamper evidence with tear bands. Jaycap closures have a dual sealing mechanism that makes them suitable for liquid or solid products. HingeGard closures are especially designed for tablets or powders. Their induction liners can be printed and used with transparent closures to display a company logo or message. The HingeGard closures tear evenly, have high gloss, and are easy to apply. Waddington IP Jaycare, Carlstadt, NJ.