U.S. patent application number 10/219580 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-19 for product packaging having a non-thermoformed blister-like compartment and methods for making same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Westvaco Packaging Group, Inc.. Invention is credited to Mazurek, Richard.
Application Number | 20020189964 10/219580 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24694064 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020189964 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mazurek, Richard |
December 19, 2002 |
Product packaging having a non-thermoformed blister-like
compartment and methods for making same
Abstract
A product package is described for enclosing an item in a
non-thermoformed blister-like compartment. Also described are
approaches for making the package. According to various aspects of
the described package and manufacturing techniques, a blank is cut
out of a sheet of see-through plastic material, the blank having a
plurality of panels and flange sections such that the blank can be
formed, without thermoforming, into a blister-like compartment
having a plurality of panels defining an enclosure with a mouth at
its base and a flange at the mouth's perimeter. The blank may
include printing, cutouts, perforations, or other features. The
blank is then folded into a blister-like compartment and loaded
with the item to be packaged. A backing is positioned to enclose
the loaded blister-like compartment and affixed to the flange.
Inventors: |
Mazurek, Richard;
(Huntingdon Valley, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PRIEST & GOLDSTEIN PLLC
5015 SOUTHPARK DRIVE
SUITE 230
DURHAM
NC
27713-7736
US
|
Assignee: |
Westvaco Packaging Group,
Inc.
New York
NY
|
Family ID: |
24694064 |
Appl. No.: |
10/219580 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10219580 |
Aug 15, 2002 |
|
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09671330 |
Sep 25, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/461 ;
206/467; 206/764; 206/765 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2207/00 20130101;
B65D 5/4204 20130101; B65D 5/321 20130101; Y10S 206/806 20130101;
B65D 5/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/461 ;
206/467; 206/764; 206/765 |
International
Class: |
B65D 073/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A package, comprising: a backing; and a blister-like compartment
including a plurality of panels defining an enclosure with a mouth
at its base, the blister-like compartment further including at the
mouth's perimeter a flange that is affixed to the backing, the
blister-like compartment being formed, without thermoforming, from
a blank that has been cut from a sheet of see-through plastic
material.
2. The package of claim 1, wherein the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed has been printed upon such that
printing appears on one or more panels of the blister-like
compartment.
3. The package of claim 2, wherein the printing includes a
design.
4. The package of claim 2, wherein the printing includes text.
5. The package of claim 2, wherein a portion of the panels of the
blister-like compartment does not have printing thereon.
6. The package of claim 1, wherein the backing is a card.
7. The package of claim 6, wherein the card is coated with a
heat-sealing material that is used to affix the flange to the
card.
8. The package of claim 6, wherein the flange is coated with a
heat-sealing material that is used to affix the flange to the
card.
9. The package of claim 6, wherein the card and the flange are
coated with a heat-sealing material that is used to affix the
flange to the card.
10. The package of claim 1, wherein the blister-like compartment
comprises a front panel having defined edges and a plurality of
secondary panels, each secondary panel, in the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed, extending in an outward
direction from a respective edge of the front panel and including
an outer edge, the outer edges of the secondary panels defining the
mouth of the blister-like compartment.
11. The package of claim 10, wherein the front panel edges are
straight.
12. The package of claim 10, wherein at least one of the front
panel edges is curved.
13. The package of claim 10, wherein the flange comprises a
plurality of flange sections, each flange section, in the blank
from which the blister-like compartment is formed, extending in an
outward direction from the outer edges of the secondary panels.
14. The package of claim 10, wherein each secondary panel includes
a pair of lateral edges, each lateral edge abutting a lateral edge
of an adjacent secondary panel in the blister-like compartment.
15. The package of claim 14, wherein the blank includes a plurality
of flaps each extending from a secondary panel, each flap being
positioned such that when the blank is formed into a blister-like
compartment, the flap is folded such that it abuts a secondary
panel adjacent to the secondary panel from which the flap extends,
thereby covering any opening between the lateral edges of the two
secondary panels.
16. The package of claim 15, wherein each flap is folded such that
it abuts an inner surface of the adjacent secondary panel.
17. The package of claim 16, wherein each flap is sealed to the
inner surface of the adjacent secondary panel.
18. The package of claim 1, wherein the blister-like compartment is
formed, without thermoforming, from a blank that has been cut from
a sheet of see-through plastic material, the blank including
perforations therein that define a tear strip in the blister-like
compartment.
19. The package of claim 18, wherein the blister-like compartment
comprises a front panel having defined edges and a plurality of
secondary panels, each secondary panel, in the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed, extending in an outward
direction from a respective edge of the front panel and including
an outer edge, the outer edges of the secondary panels defining the
mouth of the blister-like compartment, and wherein a first and
second of perforations are located at opposite edges of the front
panel, such that the entire front panel functions as a tear
strip.
20. The package of claim 19 further including a finger grip
extending from the front panel.
21. The package of claim 19, wherein the flange comprises a
plurality of flange sections, each flange section, in the blank
from which the blister-like compartment is formed, extending in an
outward direction from the outer edges of the secondary panels, and
wherein a first and second set of perforations are located on
either side of a secondary panel, the first set of perforations
located at the edge of the front panel from which the secondary
panel extends and the second set of perforations located at the
outer edge of the secondary panel from which the flange section
extends, such that the secondary panel functions as a tear
strip.
22. The package of claim 21 further including a finger grip
extending from the secondary panel.
23. The package of claim 1, wherein the blister-like compartment is
formed, without thermoforming, from a blank that has been cut from
a sheet of see-through plastic material, the blank including a foot
that, when the blank is formed into the blister-like compartment,
extends downward to allow the package to be stood on end on the
foot and on a bottom edge of the backing.
24. The package of claim 23, wherein the blister-like compartment
comprises a front panel having defined edges, a plurality of side
panels, and a bottom panel, each of the side panels and the bottom
panel, in the blank from which the blister-like compartment is
formed, extending in an outward direction from respective edges of
the front panel and including an outer edge, the outer edges of the
side panels and the bottom panel defining the mouth of the
blister-like compartment, and wherein, in the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed, the foot extends from the front
panel into the bottom panel, such that in the blister-like
compartment, the foot extends downward from the front panel.
25. The package of claim 23, wherein the blister-like compartment
includes a plurality of feet extending downward such that the
blister-like compartment can be stood on end on the plurality of
feet and on a bottom edge of the backing.
26. The package of claim 25, wherein the blister-like compartment
comprises a front panel having defined edges, a plurality of side
panels, and a bottom panel, each of the side panels and the bottom
panel, in the blank from which the blister-like compartment is
formed, extending in an outward direction from respective edges of
the front panel and including an outer edge, the outer edges of the
side panels and the bottom panel defining the mouth of the
blister-like compartment, and wherein, in the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed, a first foot extends into a
first side of the bottom panel from the front panel and a first
side panel and a second foot extends into a second side of the
bottom panel from the front panel and a second side panel opposite
the first side panel, such that in the blister-like compartment,
the first and second feet extend downward, respectively, from first
and second bottom corners of the front panel.
27. The package of claim 26, wherein, in the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed, the first foot includes a first
score line coincident with a score line between the front panel and
the first side panel and the second foot includes a second sore
line coincident with a score line between the front panel and the
second side panel, such that in the blister-like compartment, the
first and second feet are folded, respectively, along the first and
second score lines, thereby increasing the strength of the first
and second feet.
28. The package of claim 23, further including a stacking tab
extending upward from the blister-like compartment.
29. The package of claim 28, wherein the blister-like compartment
comprises a front panel having defined edges, a plurality of side
panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel, each of the side panels,
the top panel, and the bottom panel, in the blank from which the
blister-like compartment is formed, extending in an outward
direction from respective edges of the front panel and including an
outer edge, the outer edges of the side panels and the bottom panel
defining the mouth of the blister-like compartment, and wherein, in
the blank from which the blister-like compartment is formed, the
foot extends from the front panel into the bottom panel, and
wherein the stacking tab extends from the front panel into the top
panel such that in the blister-like compartment, the foot extends
downward from the front panel and the stacking tab extends upward
from the front panel.
31. The package of claim 1, wherein the package includes a
plurality of blister-like compartments affixed to the backing.
32. The package of claim 1, wherein the blister-like compartment
includes a panel-shaped opening.
33. The package of claim 32, wherein the blister-like compartment
comprises a front panel having defined edges and a plurality of
side panels, each of the side panels extending in an outward
direction from respective edges of the front panel and including an
outer edge, the outer edges of the side panels and the bottom panel
defining the mouth of the blister-like compartment, and wherein the
panel-shaped opening is defined by upper edges of the front panel
and adjacent side panels.
34. The package of claim 33, wherein the panel-shaped opening is
reinforced by a strip at the upper edges of the front panel and
adjacent side panels that is folded over the upper edges of the
front panel and adjacent side panels.
35. The package of claim 34, wherein the strip includes cutout
sections that are positioned to allow the strip to lie flat against
the front panel and adjacent side panels.
36. The package of claim 1, wherein the blister-like compartment
includes a cutout section that is cut out of the blank prior to
forming the blister-like compartment.
37. The package of claim 36, wherein the cutout section extends
across more than one panel.
38. A method for packaging an item, comprising: (a) cutting a blank
out of a sheet of see-through plastic material, the blank having a
plurality of panels and flange sections positioned such that the
blank can be formed, without thermoforming, into a blister-like
compartment having a plurality of panels defining an enclosure with
a mouth at its base and a flange at the mouth's perimeter; (b)
forming the blank into the blister-like compartment; (c) loading
the blister-like compartment with the item; (d) positioning a
backing to enclose the loaded blister-like compartment; and (e)
affixing the backing to the flange.
39. The method of claim 38, further including the step, performed
prior to step (a), of printing onto the blank, such that the
printing appears on one more panels of the blister-like
compartment.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the printing includes a
decoration.
41. The method of claim 39, wherein the printing includes text.
42. The method of claim 39, wherein a portion of the blank remains
see-through after printing such that a portion of the blister-like
compartment is see-through.
43. The method of claim 39, wherein step (a) includes using a
lithographic printing technique to print the design onto the sheet
of plastic.
44. The method of claim 39, wherein step (a) includes using a
single-sheet printing technique to print onto the plastic.
45. The method of claim 39, wherein step (a) includes using a
roll-fed printing technique to print onto the plastic.
46. The method of claim 38, wherein step (a) includes forming score
lines in the blank between the panels and flange sections.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein step the score lines are formed
using microscopic perforations.
48. The method of claim 46, wherein the score lines are formed
using radio frequency electromagnetic waves.
49. The method of claim 38, wherein step (a) includes cutting out a
section of the blank such that the blister-like compartment
includes a cutout section.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein the cutout section extends over
more than one panel in the blister-like compartment.
51. The method of claim 38, wherein step (a) includes making
perforations in the blank such that in the blister-like
compartment, the perforations define a tear strip.
52. The method of claim 46, wherein in step (b) the blank is formed
into the blister-like compartment by pressing the blank into a
cavity with a shaped interior surface.
53. The method of claim 38, wherein in step (e) the backing is
affixed to the flange by applying heat and pressure to a
heat-sealing material that has previously been applied to the
card.
54. The method of claim 38, wherein in step (e) the backing is
affixed to the flange by applying heat and pressure to a
heat-sealing material that has previously been applied to the
flange.
55. The method of claim 38, wherein in step (e) the backing is
affixed to the flange by applying heat and pressure to a
heat-sealing material that has previously been applied to the
flange and to the card.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to improvements in
product packaging, and particularly to advantageous aspects of
product packaging having a non-thermoformed blister-like
compartment and methods for making same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In the product packaging industry, there is continuing
interest in creating packaging that, on the one hand, is useful and
visually appealing but that, on the other hand, does not unduly add
to the manufacturing costs of the product being sold. One popular
type of packaging that is commonly used to package lower-end
products is the blister package. In a blister package, a sheet of
plastic is thermoformed (i.e., heated and stretched) into a
"blister" that is shaped to receive a retail item. The blister
typically includes a flange at the outer perimeter of its base that
is used to adhere the blister to the front surface of a "card,"
which is a flat sheet of cardboard or plastic that serves as a
backing for the package.
[0005] Blisters are typically manufactured automatically in bulk
using a thermoforming machine that is fed by a bulk roll of
plastic. After the blisters have been manufactured, they are then
transferred into a loading and sealing machine, in which each
blister is loaded with a retail product and then heat-sealed to a
card. Blisters are commonly manufactured at a facility that is
different from the manufacturing facility used to load and seal the
finished package. Where this is the case, the thermoformed blisters
must be transported to the loading and sealing facility and stored
for future use.
[0006] Blister packaging is selected to package a particular item
for a number of reasons. First, blister packaging is relatively
inexpensive. A basic blister package requires only two pieces of
material, the thermoformed blister and a card. In addition, a
blister package can be loaded and sealed in a high-speed automatic
or semi-automatic manufacturing process that minimizes labor costs.
Also, because a blister is typically fabricated from a transparent
plastic, the retail item inside the package is plainly visible to
retailers and their customers. Further, blister packaging provides
a security function. Because blister packaging is heat-sealed, a
retail customer typically may not remove the retail item from the
packaging without visibly damaging the packaging.
[0007] However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with
blister packaging. One disadvantage is that blister packaging tends
to have an unattractive appearance that can be associated in the
buying public's mind with a lower-end product. Thus, blister
packaging may be undesirable where a manufacturer desires a more
upscale image for a particular product. A second disadvantage of
blister packaging is that once a blister has been thermoformed, it
becomes relatively bulky. The added bulk increases the amount of
space required for transportation and storage of thermoformed
blisters prior to the time that they are assembled into finished
packages.
[0008] Further, once the blister has been formed, care must be
taken to insure that the blisters do not "nest," i.e., stick
together as they are being fed into the loading and sealing
machine. One solution to the nesting problem is to thermoform
de-nesting lugs into the blister, which serve to create a gap
between adjacent blisters in a stack. However, the de-nesting lugs
may detract from the esthetic appearance of the blister. Further,
the de-nesting lugs significantly further increase the bulk of a
stack of blisters, thus resulting in a further increased need for
space in transporting and storing the thermoformed blisters.
[0009] Another disadvantage of thermoformed blisters is that they
do not lend themselves well to decoration. Although many printing,
coating and other types of techniques have been developed over the
years for applying a design or text to the surface of a plastic,
these techniques are limited in application to a thermoformed
blister for a number of reasons. First, thermoforming machines run
at their highest efficiency using roll-fed stock. As a practical
matter, this eliminates high quality sheet-fed lithographic
printing techniques, in which single sheets of plastic are used
rather than a bulk roll. Attempts have been made to use roll-fed
lithographic and flexographic printing techniques to apply designs
to rolls of plastic stock prior to thermoforming, but these have
proven to be generally unsatisfactory because of the inability to
consistently control the amount of plastic distortion during
thermoforming and because of the limited flexibility of the inks
used.
[0010] Thus, the decoration of blisters has typically been limited
to processes that are performed after the blister has been
thermoformed, utilizing such techniques as tampo printing,
silkscreen, or hot stamping technology. However, because the
blister is now a three-dimensional object rather than a
two-dimensional sheet, these techniques have proven to be
expensive, slow, and limited in their ability to produce high
quality multicolor images. Thus, these techniques are usually
performed as a one up part in conjunction with thermoforming. Where
attempts have been made to print directly onto a thermoformed
blister, the printing is typically limited to a blister having a
flat front panel, and the printing may only be applied to that
panel. No practical techniques have yet been developed for printing
directly onto the side panels of a thermoformed blister.
[0011] A common technique that is used to decorate a blister
package is to use a printed label that is affixed to the blister,
or a printed insert that is visible through the blister. The
results obtained using labels and inserts are typically not
particularly esthetic. Labels have a "stick-on" appearance, and
inserts generally "float" behind a blister panel. In addition,
labels and inserts entail additional manufacturing costs for
materials and printing, and require the manufacturer to acquire and
maintain inventory and application equipment over and above that
needed for functionality.
[0012] A further drawback of blister packages is that they do not
lend themselves particularly well to automated die cutting in those
situations in which it is desired to provide openings or cutout
sections in the finished blister. Because of the unpredictable
distortions caused by the thermoforming process, it is not
practical to make the cuts prior to thermoforming. However, die
cutting an internal opening in a thermoformed blister is typically
an awkward and troublesome process that requires specialized
off-line tooling and equipment because of the blister's
three-dimensional shape. Internal die cutting and stripping are
usually done with an expensive two-level die cutting machine or a
punch and die set. Using a cutting machine to make a cutout or
opening in a side panel of a thermoformned blister has proven to be
especially difficult. In addition, in order to indicate the area to
be die cut, a thermoformed blister often contains a guide rail,
which tends to complicate and distort the face panel, detracting
from the esthetic appearance of the finished package.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] These and other issues raised by the prior art are addressed
by the present invention, aspects of which provide a package in
which an item is enclosed in a non-thermoformed blister-like
compartment and methods for making the package. A blank is cut out
of the sheet of plastic, the blank having a plurality of panels and
flange sections such that the blank can be folded into a
blister-like compartment having a flange at its base. The sheet of
plastic from which the blank is cut may be printed on, coated,
and/or decorated. The blank may also have cutout sections or
perforations. The blank is then folded, without thermoforming, into
a blister-like compartment and loaded with the item to be packaged.
One way to seal the package is to affix a backing to the flange at
the base of the blister-like compartment.
[0014] Additional features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent by reference to the following detailed
description and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 shows an elevation view of a blank used to form a
blister-like compartment in accordance with a first aspect of the
present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows an elevation view of a card that can suitably
be combined with the blank illustrated in FIG. 1 to fabricate a
package according to the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3A shows an elevation view of a blister-like
compartment formed from the blank shown in FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3B shows a cross section of the blister-like
compartment shown in FIG. 3A through the plane 3B-3B.
[0019] FIG. 4A shows an elevation view of a finished package
assembled from the blank and card illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0020] FIG. 4B shows a bottom view of the package illustrated in
FIG. 4A.
[0021] FIG. 5A shows an elevation view of an alternative design for
a blank according to the present invention
[0022] FIG. 5B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 5A.
[0023] FIG. 6A shows an elevation view of a further alternative
design for a blank according to the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 6B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 6A.
[0025] FIG. 7A shows an elevation view of a further alternative
design for a blank according to the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 7B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 7A.
[0027] FIG. 8A shows an elevation view of a further alternative
design for a blank according to the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 8B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 8A.
[0029] FIG. 9A shows an elevation view of a further alternative
design for a blank according to the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 9B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 9A.
[0031] FIG. 10A shows an elevation view of a blank, according to a
further aspect of the present invention, that is used to form a
blister-like compartment in which seams between adjacent panels are
covered by flaps.
[0032] FIG. 10B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 10A.
[0033] FIG. 11A shows an elevation view of a blank, according to a
further aspect of the present invention, that is used to form a
blister-like compartment having an easy-open feature.
[0034] FIG. 11B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 11A.
[0035] FIG. 12A shows an elevation view of an alternative
embodiment of a blank used to form a blister-like compartment
having an easy-open-feature.
[0036] FIG. 12B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 12A.
[0037] FIG. 13A shows a side view of a thermoformed blister package
according to the prior art, in which a foot has been added to
blister in an attempt to fabricate a standable package.
[0038] FIG. 13B shows a side view of the blister package shown in
FIG. 13A, in which the package has been stood on end on a level
surface.
[0039] FIG. 14A shows an elevation view of a blank, according to a
further aspect of the present invention, that is used to form a
blister-like compartment having a foot to allow the package to be
stood on end.
[0040] FIG. 14B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 14A.
[0041] FIG. 15A shows an elevation view of an alternative
embodiment of a blank, according to a further aspect of the present
invention, that is used to form a blister-like compartment having a
foot to allow the package to be stood on end.
[0042] FIG. 15B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 15A.
[0043] FIG. 16A shows an elevation view of a blank, according to a
further aspect of the present invention, that is used to form a
blister-like compartment having a stackability feature.
[0044] FIG. 16B shows a side view of a finished package fabricated
using the blank shown in FIG. 16A.
[0045] FIG. 16C shows a side view of three packages similar to the
package shown in FIG. 16B that have been stacked end to end.
[0046] FIG. 17A shows an elevation view of a blank, according to a
further aspect of the invention, that can be used to fabricate a
finished package having a plurality of blisterlike
compartments.
[0047] FIG. 17B shows an elevation view of a second blank that can
be used in conjunction with the blank shown in FIG. 17A to
fabricate a finished package having a plurality of blister-like
compartments.
[0048] FIG. 17C shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blanks shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B.
[0049] FIG. 18A shows an elevation view of a blank, according to a
further aspect of the invention, that is used to form a finished
package having a blister-like compartment having a cutout section
therein.
[0050] FIG. 18B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 18A.
[0051] FIG. 19A shows an elevation view of an alternative
embodiment of a blank that can be formed into a blister-like
compartment having a cutout section therein.
[0052] FIG. 19B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 19A.
[0053] FIG. 20A shows an elevation view of a further embodiment of
a blank that can be formed into a blister-like compartment having a
cutout section therein.
[0054] FIG. 20B shows a perspective view of a finished package
fabricated using the blank shown in FIG. 20A.
[0055] FIG. 21A shows a diagram of a turntable machine according to
a further aspect of the invention for forming, loading, and sealing
a product package having a blister-like compartment.
[0056] FIG. 21B shows a diagram of a turntable for use in the
turntable machine illustrated in FIG. 21A, including four bases
mounted thereon.
[0057] FIG. 22A shows an elevation view of a base for receiving a
compartment blank in accordance with the present invention.
[0058] FIG. 22B shows a cross section of the base shown in FIG. 22A
through the plane 22B-22B.
[0059] FIG. 23A shows an elevation view of a plug that mates with
the base shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B to fold a blank into a
blister-like compartment.
[0060] FIG. 23B shows a cross section of the plug shown in FIG. 6A
through the plane 23B-23B.
[0061] FIG. 24A shows an elevation view of the blank illustrated in
FIG. 1 positioned on the base shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B.
[0062] FIG. 24B shows a cross section of the blank and base shown
in FIG. 24A through the plane 24B-24B.
[0063] FIG. 25A shows an elevation view of the blank and base shown
in FIGS. 24A and 24B with the blank pressed into the cavity in the
base to form a blister-like compartment.
[0064] FIG. 25B shows a cross section of the blister-like
compartment and base shown in FIG. 25A through the plane
25B-25B.
[0065] FIG. 26A shows an elevation view of the blister-like
compartment and base shown in FIGS. 25A and 25B with an item to be
packaged loaded into the blank.
[0066] FIG. 26B shows a cross section of the blister-like
compartment, base, and item shown in FIG. 26A through the plane
26B-26B.
[0067] FIG. 27A shows an elevation view of the card shown in FIG.
2, positioned over the blister-like compartment, base, and item
shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B.
[0068] FIG. 27B shows a cross section of the blister-like
compartment, base, item, and card shown in FIG. 27A through the
plane 27B-27B.
[0069] FIG. 28 shows a cross section of a press used to apply heat
and pressure to the card and blister-like compartment shown in
FIGS. 27A and 27B to cause the card to adhere to the blister-like
compartment.
[0070] FIG. 29 shows a cross section of a suction head used to
remove a finished package from the base.
[0071] FIG. 30A shows an elevation view of a frame that can be used
with the blank and card illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to fabricate a
framed package having a blister-like compartment.
[0072] FIG. 31 shows a flowchart illustrating a method according to
a further aspect of the invention for fabricating a package having
a blister-like compartment for holding an item.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0073] A first aspect of the invention provides a product package
having a blister-like compartment that is fabricated from a sheet
of plastic without the use of thermoforming. Because the
blister-like compartment is not thermoformed, all of the techniques
that are used to decorate, coat, print on, or make cutouts in rolls
or individual sheets of plastic may be performed upon the sheet
from which the blister-like compartment is fabricated, that is,
prior to the forming of the compartment. Thus, for example, a high
quality single-sheet lithographic printing process can be used to
apply printing that can appear at any location on the blister-like
compartment in the finished package. As mentioned above, it is
typically only practical to print on the flat front panel of a
thermoformed blister. Stamping of a blister-like compartment
according to the present invention can be accomplished in-line.
Further, a blister-like compartment according to the present
invention can be readily die cut and stripped, without the need for
specialized die cutting equipment. As described below, it is also
possible to implement an "easy-open" feature in a blister-like
compartment by making suitable perforations or scores in the sheet
of plastic from which the compartment is fabricated.
[0074] Another advantage of the present invention over traditional
blister packages is that the blister-like compartment is formed
from a flat, essentially two-dimensional blank that can be fed
directly into a loading and sealing machine. As mentioned above, in
the manufacturing of a traditional blister package, a
three-dimensional thermoformed blister is typically fed into the
loading and sealing machine. The use of a flat blank has a number
of advantages over the prior art. First, flat blanks stack at
maximum density, significantly decreasing the amount of space
required for transportation and storage. Second, because the blanks
are flat, the risk of nesting is completely eliminated. There is
thus no longer a need for de-nesting lugs that may detract from the
overall esthetic appearance of the package.
[0075] FIG. 1 shows an elevation view of a first embodiment of a
blank 10, from which a blister-like compartment is formed in
accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The blank 10 is
cut from a single sheet or a bulk roll of a suitable plastic
material 11 (shown in broken lines), including but not limited to
such materials as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) amorphous
polyethylene terephalate (APET) or
polyethyleneterephthalateglycolate (PETG). It should be noted that
in FIG. 1, the plastic material 11 from which the blank 10 is cut
is shown as a rectangle for purposes of illustration. In practice,
the material 11 may be any shape that is suitable for receiving
decoration, printing, or coating, or other suitable techniques as
described herein.
[0076] Either side of the sheet 11 from which the blank 10 is cut
may be printed on by using a suitable printing technique performed
on the sheet or roll of plastic material 11. For purposes of
illustration, FIG. 1 shows a rectangular shaded portion 26,
representing a printed portion of the plastic material 11. (As used
herein, the terms "print," "printed," "printing," and "printing
technique" include all techniques used to apply text, graphics,
designs, decorations, or coatings onto a plastic material.) It is
contemplated that the printing or coating of the plastic material
11 will be accomplished using a high-speed process. Of course, if
desired, it would also be possible to print on or decorate the
blank using a less efficient process without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
[0077] According to a further aspect of the invention, the plastic
material 11 used to fabricate the blister-like compartment is
see-through, that is, the packaged item is visible from the outside
of the finished package through non-printed portions of the
blister-like. compartment. Thus, it is contemplated that in
printing onto the plastic, certain portions of the plastic will
typically remain blank to allow some or all of the packaged item to
remain visible in the finished package. Of course, in certain
special situations, it may be desirable to print on all, or
virtually all, of the available area on the panels and flanges of
the blister-like compartment.
[0078] After the sheet or roll of plastic material 11 has been
printed on, the blank 10 is cut from the sheet of plastic material
11. One suitable technique for cutting the blank is to use a die
cutting machine, in which all the cuts are made simultaneously by
urging cutting blades that have been suitably positioned on a
cutting die through the sheet of plastic. If it is desired to
provide cutout sections in the finished blister-like compartment,
those cutout sections can be cut at the same time that the blank is
cut from the sheet of plastic. In addition, any desired score lines
or perforations may also be fabricated into the blank at this
manufacturing stage. One suitable technique for scoring PVC or PETG
is "soft creasing," in which score lines are created by exposing
the plastic to a radio frequency electromagnetic signal that alters
the molecular structure of the plastic, producing a score line.
Another scoring technique, known as "microperfing," is suitable for
use with polypropylene or APET. Using a microperfing technique,
microscopic perforations are cut into the plastic along the score
line by a suitably positioned blade in the cutting die. However, it
will be appreciated that other scoring and cutting techniques may
also be employed without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 1, the blank 10 includes a front panel 12
and four secondary panels: a top panel 14a, a left side panel 14b,
a right side panel 14c, and a bottom panel 14d. The secondary
panels 14a-d extend from the front panel 12, and a number of flange
sections 16 extending from the secondary panels 14a-d. The front
panel 12 is separated from the secondary panels 14a-d by a first
set of score lines 18, and the secondary panels 14a-d are separated
from the flange sections 16 by a second set of score lines 20. The
front panel 12, secondary panels 14a-d, and flange sections 16 are
shaped such that they can be folded along the score lines 18 and 20
to form a blister-like compartment having a flange at its base. The
flange is used to adhere the compartment to a card or other
surface.
[0080] The blank 10 shown in FIG. 1 is designed to be folded into a
box-shaped compartment. Thus, each of the secondary panels 14a-d is
folded along a score line 18 towards the same side of the front
panel 12, such that each of the secondary panels 14a-d is
perpendicular to the front panel 12 and such that the lateral edges
22 of each of the secondary panels 14a-d abut those of the
immediately adjacent secondary panels 14a-d on either side. (The
blister-like compartment is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B,
discussed below.)
[0081] It should be noted that in some applications, it may be
desirable for there to be an open gap between the lateral edges 22
of adjacent secondary panels 14a-d. In this case, the secondary
panels 14a-d could be folded such that the angle between the front
panel 12 and some or all of the secondary panels 14a-d is greater
than 90 degrees.
[0082] The flange sections 16 are folded along score lines 20 so
that they are perpendicular to the secondary panels 14a-d. In the
blank 10 shown in FIG. 1, the flange sections 16 are designed to be
folded towards the exterior of the blister-like compartment. In
addition, the flange sections 16 have beveled lateral edges 24 that
are angled such that when the blank has been folded along the first
set of score lines 18 and the second set of score lines 20, the
flange sections lateral edges 24 abut each other forming a
substantially continuous flange that is used to adhere the
blister-like compartment to a backing, such as a card. Also, the
outer perimeter of each flange section in the blank 10 shown in
FIG. 1 includes an optional curved portion 26 that is used to
provide an esthetically pleasing contour in the finished
package.
[0083] It would also be within the spirit of the present invention
to design flange sections 16 some or all of which can be folded
towards the interior of the blister-like compartment. This would be
useful, for example, where it is desired to fabricate a package
that can stand on a counter. In such a design, the blister-like
compartment would be positioned on a card such that one of the side
panels 14 is flush with a bottom edge of the card to allow the
package to be stood on its side. (As illustrated in FIGS. 14A-B and
15A-B, discussed below, it is also possible to fabricate a
standable package using a "foot" that extends downward from the
front panel of the blister-like compartment.)
[0084] It should be noted that it is not practical to employ this
technique to design a standable carton using a thermoformed
blister. First, unlike a blister-like compartment according to the
present invention, a thermoformed blister cannot, as a practical
matter, be designed with side panels that are perpendicular with
the front panel. In a thermoformed blister, the angle between the
side panels and the front panel must be greater than 90 degrees to
allow the blisters to be stacked one inside the other. Further, in
order to allow the thermoformed blister to be released from the
forms used to shape the blister, the flange in a thermoformed
blister cannot extend towards the interior of the blister.
[0085] FIG. 2 shows an elevation view of a card 30 that can be used
with the blank 10 shown in FIG. 1 to fabricate a package having a
blister-like compartment according to the present invention. The
card 30 is fabricated from cardboard, plastic, or other suitable
material, and may be printed on prior to assembly into the finished
package. In the present embodiment of the invention, the card 30 is
coated with a heat-sealing material for adhesion to the
blister-like compartment. At room temperature, the coating of the
card 30 is non-adhesive. However, under suitable temperature and
pressure conditions, the coating of the card 30 can form a
permanent adhesive bond with the flange sections 16 of the blank
10. Of course, it would be possible to practice the present
invention using other types of adhesion and adhesive materials.
Also, it would be possible to apply the heat-sealing material to
the flange sections 16 instead of to the card 30, or both to the
card 30 and to the flange sections 16. The top of the card 30 is
provided with a hole 32 that is used to hang the finished carton on
a display rod or hook.
[0086] FIG. 3A shows an elevation view of a blister-like
compartment 34 that has been formed from the blank 10 shown in FIG.
1, and FIG. 3B shows a cross section of the blister-like
compartment through the plane 3B-3B. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B,
the blister-like compartment 34 includes a front panel 12 and
secondary panels 14a-d which, as shown in FIG. 3B, define an
enclosure with a mouth 36 at its base. The flange sections 16 have
joined together to form a flange around the perimeter of the mouth
36.
[0087] FIG. 4A shows an elevation view of a finished package 40
fabricated from the blister-like compartment 34 shown in FIGS. 3A
and 3B, using the card 30 shown in FIG. 2 as a backing. FIG. 4B
shows a bottom view of the package 40. In the exemplary embodiment
of the invention shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the printed portion 26
straddles the front panel 12 and one of the side panels 14.
However, it will be apparent that printing may appear on any of the
panels 12 and 14a-d and flange sections 16, as desired, without
departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be
noted that the blister-like compartment 34 can be adhered to any
desired position on the card 30. It should also be noted that, as
mentioned above, the heat-sealing material may be applied to the
card 30, to the flange sections 16, or both. In the case of a
thermoformed blister according to the prior art, the heat-sealing
material can typically only be applied to the card.
[0088] The finished package 40 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 resembles a
thermoformed blister package with a couple of notable differences,
beyond any decoration or other printing appearing on the
blister-like compartment 34. First, in the present embodiment of
the invention, the blister-like compartment 34 has open seams
between each of the side panels 14, where their outer edges 22
meet. However, if the blank has been carefully cut, folded, and
adhered into position, the open seams are generally unnoticeable to
a casual observer. It would be possible to close these seams
without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For
example, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, described below, it
is possible to incorporate flaps into a blank that, when the blank
is formed into a blister-like compartment, are folded over the
seams to close them. Second, as mentioned above, the secondary
panels 14a-d of the blister-like compartment 34 are perpendicular
to the front panel 12. As mentioned above, it is impractical to
design a thermoformed blister this way because of the need to allow
the thermoformed blister to be stacked one inside the other. Thus,
the blister-like compartment 34 has a crisper, squarer look than a
thermoformed blister. Further, also as mentioned above, the
esthetic appearance of the blister-like compartment 34 is not
marred by the presence of any de-nesting lugs.
[0089] It will be appreciated that the present invention may be
used to fabricate packages with blister-like compartments having a
wide variety of shapes and configurations, depending upon the
design of the compartment blanks and the positioning of the
compartments on the backing cards. Examples of various blank shapes
are shown in FIGS. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, and 9A. Finished packages
fabricated from these blanks are shown, respectively, in FIGS. 5B,
6B, 7B, 8B, and 9B. It should be noted that these blanks and
packages are provided for purposes of illustration. It will be
apparent that the present invention may also be practiced using
other designs beyond those illustrated herein.
[0090] FIG. 5A shows an elevation view of a blank 42 similar in
shape to the blank 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5B shows a perspective
view of a finished package 44 having a blister-like compartment 46
that has been formed from the blank 42 and then mounted to a card
48. As shown in FIG. 5B, the blister-like compartment 46 has been
mounted to the card 48 at an angle to create a different
appearance.
[0091] FIG. 6A shows an elevation view of a blank 50 that is
somewhat longer and narrower than the blank 10 shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6B shows a perspective view of a finished package 52 having a
blister-like compartment 54 that has been formed from the blank 52
and then mounted to a card 56. As shown in FIG. 6B, the
blister-like compartment 54 has a rectangular shape and is mounted
to the card 56 at an angle.
[0092] FIG. 7A shows an elevatio, view of a blink 58 having a
tapered profile. FIG. 7B shows a perspective view of a finished
package 60 having a blister-like compartment 62 that has been
formed from the blank 58 and then mounted to a card 64. As shown in
FIG. 7B, the blister-like compartment 62 has a trapezoidal front
panel.
[0093] FIG. 8A shows an elevation view of a blank 66 having a front
panel 68 and side panels 70 with curved edges. FIG. 8B shows a
perspective view of a finished package 72 having a blister-like
compartment 74 that has been formed from the blank 66 and then
mounted to a card 76. As shown in FIG. 8B, the blister-like
compartment has convex side panels.
[0094] FIG. 9A shows an elevation view of a blank 78 having an
extra panel 80 projecting diagonally outward from the front panel
82 between a side panel 84 and the top panel 86. FIG. 9B shows a
perspective view of a finished package 88 having a blister-like
compartment 90 that has been formed from the blank 78 and then
mounted to a card 92. As shown in FIG. 9B, the extra panel 80 in
the blank 78 appears as a truncated corner of the blister-like
compartment 90.
[0095] As mentioned above, in the finished package shown in FIGS.
4A and 4B, there are open seams at the corners of the blister-like
compartment 42 where the side panels 14 meet. As further mentioned
above, it is it possible to design a blank in accordance with the
present invention in which these seams are covered. FIG. 10A shows
a blank 94 having four flaps 96 that, in forming a blister-like
compartment, are folded along score lines 98 such that in the
finished package the flaps 96 abut the inner surface of the
secondary panels 100a-d. The flaps may be used, for example, as a
dust preventative or corner strengthening device. FIG. 10B shows a
perspective view of a package 102 that has been fabricated from the
blank 94, which has been formed into a blister-like compartment 104
and mounted onto a backing card 106. The flaps 96 may be sealed to
the inner surface of the secondary panels 100a-d or may
alternatively be left unsealed.
[0096] As further mentioned above, the present invention may be
used to implement an easy-open feature in the finished package.
FIG. 11A shows a blank 108 incorporating an example of an easy-open
feature. The blank 108 includes two perforations 110 and 112. The
first perforation 110 lies along the score line between the front
panel 114 and a side panel 116. The second perforation 112 lies on
the score line between the side panel 116 and the contiguous flange
section 118. These perforations 110 and 112 may be cut into the
blank 108 as part of the process of cutting the blank 108 out of a
sheet of plastic. It will be seen that the portion of the side
panel 116 lying between the perforations 110 and 112 functions as a
tear strip. The top of the side panel 116 is slightly extended to
provide a finger grip 119 for the tear strip.
[0097] FIG. 11B shows a perspective view of a finished package 120
that has been fabricated from a blister-like compartment 122 that
has been formed from the blank 108 and mounted to a backing card
124. As shown in FIG. 11B, the tear strip 126 has been partially
pulled away from the blister-like compartment 122 by breaking the
perforations, thereby exposing the interior of the blister-like
compartment 122, and allowing access to the product contained with
the compartment 122. If desired, instructions as to how to open the
finished package 120 using the easy-open feature may be printed
directly onto the blister-like compartment 122 or onto the backing
card 124.
[0098] It should be noted that conventional blisters are commonly
provided with perforations on the backing card to facilitate
opening the package. These perforations can be unreliable,
resulting in irregular tearing of the card and making the opening
of the package difficult. By way of contrast, the perforation
technique illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B can be used to locate
perforations at any desired location on the blister-like
compartment 122. This is desirable because plastic typically tears
more cleanly than cardboard.
[0099] FIGS. 12A shows an elevation view of a blank 128 in which
the perforations 130 and 132 are located on either side of the
front panel 134. Thus, in essence, the entire front panel 134
becomes a tear strip. FIG. 12B shows a perspective view of a
finished package 136 having a blister-like compartment 138 formed
from the blank 128 that has been mounted to a backing card 140. In
FIG. 12B, the upper portion 142 of the front panel 134 has been
torn away from the blister-like compartment along the perforations.
The entire panel 134 can be torn away or, if desired, the panel 134
can be perforated such that only a partial area of the panel 134 is
torn away. This could be used, for example, to create a dispenser.
If desired, the top of the panel 134 may be extended to provide a
finger grip, similar to the finger grip 119 shown in FIGS. 11A and
11B.
[0100] As mentioned above, it is sometimes desirable to design a
blister package that is standable, that is, that can be stood on
one end of the blister. However, because of the thermoforming
technique used to fabricate conventional blisters, the blister must
include a draft angle of greater than 90.degree. to allow the
blister to be released from the forming device. FIG. 13A shows a
side view of a conventional blister package 144 that includes a
thermoformed blister 146 and a backing card 148. The draft angle is
illustrated as angle .theta.. Attempts have been made to create a
standable blister by forming a small foot 150 at the base of the
blister 146. However, the angle of the foot 150 is limited to
90.degree. or greater, again because of the thermoforming process.
This is problematic. Because of the flange used to adhere the
blister 146 to the card 148, there must be a small gap 152 between
the bottom of the blister 146 and the bottom of the card 148.
However, because the angle of the foot 150 is limited to 90.degree.
or greater, the foot 150 cannot be angled to bridge this gap 152.
FIG. 13B shows a side view of the package 144 shown in FIG. 13A
that has been placed onto a flat surface 154. As is apparent from
FIG. 13B, even with the foot 150, the package has a tendency to tip
forward and is easy to topple.
[0101] FIG. 14A shows an elevation view of a blank 156 according to
a further aspect of the present invention including a foot 158 that
has been cut between the front panel 160 and 162. FIG. 14B shows a
perspective view of a finished package 164 that has been fabricated
from the blank 156 that has been formed into a blister-like
compartment 166 and then mounted onto a backing card 168. As shown
in FIG. 14B, when the bottom panel 162 is folded into position, the
foot 158 extends downward from the front panel 160. It will be
apparent that the blank 156 can be designed in such a way that the
foot 158 is of the correct length to bridge any gap between the
bottom panel 162 of the blister-like compartment 166 and the bottom
of the backing card 168. Thus, when stood on end, the finished
package 164 is level. If desired, it would also be possible to make
the foot 158 slightly longer so that the finished package 164 tilts
backward slightly when stood on end. This could be useful, for
example, to provide stability for a package 164 containing a heavy
item.
[0102] FIG. 15A shows an elevation view of an alternative design
for a blank 170 that can be used to create a standable package. The
blank 170 includes a pair of feet 172 and 174. The left foot 172 is
cut into the blank at the point where the front panel 176,
left-side panel 178 and bottom panel 182 meet. The right foot 172
is cut into the blank at the point where the front panel 176,
right-side panel 180 and bottom panel 182 meet. The feet 172 and
174 are oriented in the blank 170 such that when the blank 170 is
formed into a blister-like compartment, the feet 172 and 174
project downward from the bottom corners of the front panel 176. As
further illustrated in FIG. 15A, the score line 184 between the
front panel 176 and the left-side panel 178 runs down the center of
the left foot 172, and the score line 186 between the front panel
176 and the right-side panel 180 runs down the center of the right
foot 174. Thus, it will be seen that when the blank 170 is formed
into a blister-like compartment the right and left feet 172 and 174
will be folded along score lines 184 and 186. This increases the
strength of the feet 172 and 174. However, it should be noted that
it would also be possible, without departing from the spirit of the
invention, to design a package with a pair of feet that are not
folded.
[0103] FIG. 15B shows a perspective view of a finished package 188,
which has been fabricated by forming the blank 170 into a
blister-like compartment 190 and mounting it to a backing card 192.
As shown in FIG. 15B, the feet 172 and 174 extend downward from the
front panel 176 of the blister-like compartment 190 to level the
package 188 when it is stood on end.
[0104] According to a further aspect of the invention, feet are
used to provide a stackability feature in the finished package.
FIG. 16A shows an elevation view of a blank 194 having a foot 196
cut into the blank 194 between the front panel 198 and the bottom
panel 200 and a stacking tab 202 cut into the blank 194 between the
front panel 198 and the top panel 204. FIG. 16B shows a side view
of a finished package 206 that has been fabricated by forming the
blank 194 into a blister-like compartment 208 and mounting it to a
backing card 210. As shown in FIG. 16B, the foot 196 extends
downward from the front panel 198, leveling the finished package
when it is in an upright position. The stacking tab 202 extends
upward from the front panel 198.
[0105] FIG. 16C shows a side view of three finished packages 206a,
206b and 206c that have been arranged to illustrate the
stackability feature. The bottom package 206a is resting on a level
surface (not shown). The middle package 206b is stacked on top of
the bottom package 206a. The top package 206c has been partially
removed from the stack for purposes of illustration. As shown in
FIG. 16C, the top package 206c is stacked on top the middle package
206b by positioning the top package 206c on top of the middle
package 206b with the top package's backing card 206c resting on
the middle package's top compartment panel 204b, such that the rear
surface of the top package's backing card 206c abuts the front
surface of the middle package's backing card 206b. At the same
time, the top package's bottom compartment panel 200c rests on top
of the middle package's stacking tab 202b, such that the rear
surface of the top package's foot 196c abuts the front surface of
the middle package's stacking tab 202b. It will be apparent that
other designs can be used to implement a stackability feature
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[0106] According to a further aspect of the invention, it is also
possible to fabricate a single package having a plurality of
blister-like compartments. FIGS. 17A and 17B show elevation views
of two blanks 208 and 210. It should be noted that the blank 208
shown in FIG. 7A is designed to be formed into a blister-like
compartment having an open top with a finished, reinforced border.
Thus the blank 208 includes a finishing strip 212 that, in forming
a blister-like compartment, is folded such that it abuts the inner
surfaces of the front panel 214 and two side panels 216. In order
to allow the finishing strip 212 to lie flush against the front and
side panels without material gathering at the corners, two diamonds
218 have been cut into the finishing strip 212. These diamonds 218
may also serve an esthetic function in the finished package. Shapes
other than diamonds 218 may be used without departing from the
spirit of the present invention. The finishing strip 212 has a
primary score line 222 that is used to fold the strip 212 such that
it abuts the front and side panels 214 and 216. The finishing strip
also has a pair of secondary lines 220 for folding the strip into a
box shape in the interior of the blister-like compartment. As shown
in FIG. 17A, each diamond 218 is cut into the strip such that lies
along a secondary score line 220, and such that it has a vertex
abutting the primary score line 222. This arrangement allows the
blister-like compartment in the finished package to have sharp
corners.
[0107] FIG. 17C shows a perspective view of a finished package 224
that has been fabricated by forming the two blanks 208 and 210 into
two blister-like compartments 226 and 228 and mounting them onto a
backing card 230. Although the two compartments 226 and 228 are
show mounted side to side, they may be arranged in any number of
configurations without departing from the spirit of the present
invention. As mentioned above, the compartment 226 formed from the
blank 208 shown in FIG. 17A has an opening 232 instead of a top
panel.
[0108] As mentioned above, a further aspect of the invention is
directed to a package having a blister-like compartment with one or
more cutout sections. In one embodiment of the invention, each of
the cutout sections is cut out of a blank prior to being formed
into the blister-like compartment. FIGS. 18A, 19A and 20A show
elevations views of blanks 234, 235, and 236 having respective
cutout sections 237, 238, and 239. FIGS. 18B, 19B, and 20B show
perspective views of finished packages 240, 241 and 242 that have
been fabricated, respectively, by forming blanks 234, 234, and 236
into blister-like compartments 243, 244, and 245, and mounting the
compartments onto backing cards 246, 247, and 248.
[0109] As shown in FIGS. 18B and 19B, a cutout section may straddle
the front and top compartment panels (FIG. 18B) or the front and
side compartment panels (FIG. 19B). As shown in FIG. 20B, a cutout
section may also be shaped as a truncated corner. Because the
blister-like compartment is formed without heat from a blank that
is cut from a plastic sheet, it is possible to position cutout
sections anywhere on the blister without additional tooling costs.
These cutout sections can function, for example, as touch, access,
or product locator holes. It should be noted that the depicted
cutout sections are shown for purposes of illustration only and are
not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It will
be apparent that various cutout designs can be used without
departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0110] One feature of the present invention is that it lends itself
to the types of automated and semi-automated processes that are
currently used to load and seal thermoformed blister packages. For
example, as described in detail below, it is possible to use a Koch
turntable machine, KDT-NP-1000/4/50(70), which has been modified in
accordance with a further aspect of the invention, to form, load,
and seal packages similar to the packages described above and
illustrated in FIGS. 1-20B. Thus, it is possible to form, load, and
seal packages having non-thermoformed blister-like compartments in
substantially the same amount of time that is required to load and
seal packages having thermoformed blisters.
[0111] FIG. 21A shows a diagram of a turntable machine 250 that has
been modified in accordance with a further aspect of the present
invention. As its name implies, a turntable machine 250 uses a
turntable 252 to move a package through the various stages of the
assembly process. As shown in FIG. 21A, the turntable machine 250
is configured to include four separate stations, identified for the
purposes of discussion as Station A through Station D.
[0112] FIG. 4B shows a diagram of the turntable 252, which includes
four quadrants 254a-d. Each quadrant has mounted therein a base 270
having a cavity 272 for forming and holding a blister-like
compartment, as described in greater detail below. At regular
intervals, the turntable 252 rotates a quarter turn around its
central axis 255 in the indicated direction, causing each base and
its contents to advance to the next station in the assembly
process. This allows the four stations to be operated
simultaneously on four separate packages that are at various stages
of completion. A brief summary of the operations performed at the
four stations is provided, with reference to FIGS. 21A and 21B,
followed by a more detailed explanation.
[0113] Station A: A blank is removed from a hopper 256 and
positioned onto a base 270 over a cavity 272. The blank is then
folded into the shape of the final compartment by pressing the
blank against the interior walls of the cavity 272. The blank
remains seated in the cavity 272 for the remainder of the loading
and sealing process.
[0114] Station B: The item to be packaged is removed from a stock
258 and then loaded into the folded blank. This process may be
performed automatically by a loading machine or may also be
performed manually. As mentioned above, the blank is advanced
automatically from station to station by the turntable 252, which
makes a quarter-rotation at regular intervals. Thus, if the loading
process is performed manually, the worker must keep up with the
movement of the turntable 252.
[0115] Station C: A card is removed from a hopper 260 and
positioned over the loaded compartment. As mentioned above, in the
present embodiment of the invention, the card has a heat-sealing
coating.
[0116] Station D: A press applies heat and pressure to the card,
causing an adhesive bond to form between the card and an adhesive
flange on the loaded compartment.
[0117] Station A: The finished package is lifted out of the cavity
and placed into a completion bin 262. A fresh blank from the hopper
256 is then positioned onto the now-vacant base 270 to start
another production cycle.
[0118] FIG. 22A shows an elevation view of a base 270 used for
folding a blank into a compartment and for holding the folded
compartment in position for loading and sealing. As described
above, the turntable 252 shown in FIG. 21B includes four such bases
270 to allow the production process to be conducted in tandem. FIG.
22B shows a cross section of the base 270 shown in FIG. 22A through
the plane 22B-22B. The base 270 is fabricated from metal or other
suitable material and includes a cavity 272, the inner surface of
which bears the shape of the blister-like compartment in the
finished package. The base 270 further includes a flat upper
surface 274 that, as described and illustrated below, is used for
forming the adhesive flange of the blister-like compartment.
[0119] FIG. 23A shows an elevation view of a plug 276, located at
Station A, that is used in conjunction with the base 270 shown in
FIGS. 22A and 22B to fold a blank into a blister-like compartment.
FIG. 23B shows a cross section of the plug 276 shown in FIG. 23A
through the plane 23B-23B. The plug 276 includes a protruding
member 278 and flat surface 280 that are shaped to mate with the
cavity 272 and flat surface 274 of the base 270 when the plug 276
has been inverted and properly positioned over the base 270. It
will be appreciated that the base 270 and the plug 276 together
function as a die for folding a blank into the shape of the
blister-like compartment.
[0120] FIG. 24A shows an elevation view of the blank 10 shown in
FIG. 1 resting on the flat surface 274 of the base 270, with the
front panel 12 of the blank 10 positioned over the cavity 272 in
the base 270. FIG. 24B shows a cross section of the blank 10 and
base 270 through the plane 24B-24B. In the present embodiment of
the invention, the blank 10 is removed from the hopper 256 by a
pivoting arm (not shown) having a suction head for gripping the
blank. The arm pivots to precisely position the blank 10 on top of
the base 270 before releasing the suction.
[0121] FIG. 25A shows an elevation view of the blank 10 that has
been pressed into cavity 272 by the plug 276 illustrated in FIGS.
23A and 23B. FIG. 25B shows a cross section of the pressed blank 10
and base 270 through the plane 25B-25B. The scoring of the blank 10
allows the blank 10 to hold its folded configuration within the
cavity 272. Also, as shown in FIG. 25A, after the pressing
operation, the flange sections 16, which have been pressed between
flat surfaces 274 and 280, now abut each other to form a
substantially continuous flange.
[0122] After the operations illustrated in FIGS. 24A-B and 25A-B
have been performed at Station A, the base 270 holding the folded
blank 10 is then rotated by the turntable 252 to Station B for
loading.
[0123] FIG. 26A shows an, elevation view of the folded blank 10
seated in cavity 272 that has been loaded with an item 282 to be
packaged. FIG. 26B shows a cross section of the base 270, blank 10,
and item 282 through the plane 26B-26B. As mentioned above, the
loading of the folded blank 10 can be accomplished either by
machine or by a worker. After the folded blank 10 has been loaded,
the base 270 is rotated by the turntable 252 to Station C for
placement of a card or other suitable backing.
[0124] FIG. 27A shows an elevation view of the card 230 shown in
FIG. 2 that has been removed from the card hopper 260 and
positioned on top of the folded blank 10. FIG. 27B shows a cross
section of the base 270, blank 10, item 282, and card 30. In the
present embodiment of the invention, the card 30 is positioned onto
the folded blank 10 using an arm (not shown) similar to the arm
used to position the blank 10 on the base 270 over the cavity 272.
The turntable machine 250 may be adjusted to precisely place the
card 30 in any number of desired positions. After the card 30 has
been positioned, the base 270 is rotated by the turntable 252 to
Station D for sealing.
[0125] FIG. 28 shows a cross section of a press 284 that is used to
apply heat and pressure to the card 30 such that it forms an
adhesive bond with the flange 16 of the folded blank 10. As
illustrated in FIG. 28, the flange 16 is pressed against the upper
surface 274 of the base 270. After the sealing operation is
completed, the base 270 is rotated by the turntable back to Station
A. FIG. 12 shows a cross section of a vacuum gripping head 286 that
is used to lift the finished package 288 out of the cavity 272 and
to transport the finished package 288 to the holding bin 262. The
cavity 272 is now free to receive a fresh blank to be made into
another package.
[0126] It should be noted that it is possible to adapt the Koch
turntable machine 250 to process multiple blanks at each base 270,
instead of just one, by providing a plurality of suitably
positioned cavities 272 at each base 270. Suitable modifications
must be made to other components of the machine 250 to accommodate
the plurality of cavities. In one embodiment of a multiple blank
machine, the blank hopper 256 is configured to hold separate,
side-by-side stacks of blanks 10. The top blank in each of the
stacks is picked up simultaneously by a suction head having a
suitable number of properly positioned suction elements. At Station
A, the plug 276 includes a plurality of protruding elements 278
corresponding to the plurality of cavities 272 on the base 270, so
that all of the blanks 10 on the base 270 may be folded
simultaneously. Similar modifications are made to the other
components of the turntable machine 250, as needed, to allow each
of the plurality of blanks 10 on each base 270 to be processed
simultaneously at each station.
[0127] The present invention may be used in package designs
featuring alternative ways of affixing the blister-like compartment
to a card. For example, one common type of blister package includes
a frame that is fits closely around the base of the blister, with
the flange of the blister being sandwiched between the frame and a
card. Such a package design may be selected where, for example, it
is desired to conceal the flange or where extra security is
required. FIG. 30A is an elevation view of a frame 290 that can be
used in conjunction with the blank 10 and card 30 illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2, discussed above, to create a framed package.
[0128] As shown in FIG. 30A, the frame 290 has the same overall
shape and size as the card 30, but further includes an square
opening 292 that is shaped to receive the base of the blister-like
compartment. Of course, the frame 290 does not have to have the
same overall shape and size as the card 30. Also, the frame 290 and
card 30 can be fabricated as a single piece that is folded around
the blister-like compartment.
[0129] FIG. 30B shows a plan view of a framed package 294
fabricated from the frame 290 shown in FIG. 30A, the blank 10 shown
in FIG. 1, and the card 30 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 30C shows a cross
section of the framed package 294 through the plane 30C-30C. As
shown in FIGS. 30B and 30B, the frame 290 fits closely around the
base of the blister-like compartment, with the flange 16 sandwiched
between the frame 290 and the card 30. For purposes of
illustration, in FIG. 30C, the frame 290 and the card 30 are
illustrated with a small gap between them. However, because of the
thinness of the material used to fabricate the blank 10, and the
pliability of the material used to fabricate the frame 290 and the
card 30, the frame 290 and the card 30 may be readily deformed
towards each other to close the gap and to be adhered to each
other. The adhesion may be accomplished by coating the card 30
and/or the frame 290 with a heat-sealing material.
[0130] The turntable process described above can be readily
modified to manufacture a framed package. The frame is laid down
first on the base 270 such that the opening of the frame is aligned
over the cavity 272. The blank 10 is then laid down on top of the
frame with its front panel 12 aligned over the cavity 272. Thus,
when the plug 276 presses the blank 10, the central and side panels
12 and 14 of the blank 10 are urged through the opening 292 of the
frame 290, while the flange sections 16 of the blank 10 remain on
top of the frame 290. The remaining manufacturing steps are
identical to those described above.
[0131] FIG. 31 shows a flowchart of a method 300 according to a
further aspect of the invention for fabricating a package having a
blister-like compartment for holding an item. The various steps of
the method 300, and techniques for performing the steps of the
method 300 have been described in detail above. In step 302, a
sheet or roll of plastic material out of which the blister-like
compartment is to be fabricated is printed on, coated, and/or
decorated. As described above, any techniques used to print on,
coat, and/or decorate a sheet or roll of plastic material may be
used, as desired. In step 304, a blank is cut out of the plastic
material. The blank is shaped such that it can be folded into a
blister-like compartment with a flange at its base. As described
above, if the blister-like compartment is to have cutout sections
or perforations, these cutout sections or perforations may be made
using a die cutting technique during the process of cutting the
blank out of the plastic material. Also, as described above, score
lines may be created at this time as well, using a microperforation
technique, soft creasing, or other suitable scoring technique. In
step 306, the blank is folded into a blister-like compartment. This
may be accomplished by pressing the blank into a suitably shaped
cavity, as described above. As further described above, where a
framed package is being fabricated, the blank is pressed through
the frame into the cavity with the flange remaining on the other
side of the frame. In step 308, the folded blank is loaded with the
item to be packaged. As described above, this may be performed
either automatically or by a worker. In step 310, the package is
sealed by adhering a card to the flange. This can be accomplished
by creating an adhesive bond between the front surface of the card
and the flange or, in the case of a framed package, can be
accomplished by adhering the flange between the front surface of
the card and the rear surface of the frame.
[0132] One benefit of the present invention is that it allows
matter that is normally printed onto the card 30 to be printed
instead onto the blank 10. This could include, for example, a
company's logo, the name of the product, as well as the contents of
the package, instructions, warnings, bar codes, etc. This in turn
would allow a manufacturer to decrease the size of the card 30,
resulting in a savings in material costs, as well as the amount of
space required to store and display the packaged item.
[0133] It will be appreciated that the present invention has many
applications, some of which have been alluded to above. First, the
invention can be used to decorate the blister-like compartment
itself, thereby eliminating the need for labels or inserts and
their associate inventory and application costs. Second, because
the blister-like compartment readily lends itself to die cutting of
any of its panels and flange sections, a blister-like compartment
can be designed having a portion of the packaged product, such as a
brush handle, extend out of the package, allowing the customer to
handle part of the product. This type of packaging could be used,
for example, to house portions of a product that are either subject
to damage, such as bristles on a paintbrush, or that are
potentially injurious, such as a razor blade. Such a package could
be designed to be significantly smaller than traditional packages,
resulting in a cost savings through the use of less packaging
material.
[0134] While the foregoing description includes details which will
enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it
should be recognized that the description is illustrative in nature
and that many modifications and variations thereof will be apparent
to those skilled in the art having the benefit of these teachings.
It is accordingly intended that the invention herein be defined
solely by the claims appended hereto and that the claims be
interpreted as broadly as permitted by the prior art.
* * * * *