U.S. patent application number 10/677199 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-15 for blister packaging.
Invention is credited to Stevens, Gerard.
Application Number | 20040069675 10/677199 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33030249 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040069675 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stevens, Gerard |
April 15, 2004 |
Blister packaging
Abstract
A blister package comprises a medication holder molded from a
transparent plastic sheet and having one end closed by an
integrally-formed flexible and non-resilient wall and the other end
closed by a removable lid attached to the holder by a line hinge.
The holder has four ribs pressed out of its sidewall and which
respectively receive four detents provided at the sides of a
central spigot formed on the lid and which locate in the interiors
of respective ribs. The sidewall of the holder provides a socket
for the reception of the lid spigot and the combined wall strengths
of the spigot and socket when interfitting with one another makes
the combination relatively inflexible until the lid is removed from
the holder.
Inventors: |
Stevens, Gerard; (Huntleys
Point, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SMITH-HILL AND BEDELL
12670 N W BARNES ROAD
SUITE 104
PORTLAND
OR
97229
|
Family ID: |
33030249 |
Appl. No.: |
10/677199 |
Filed: |
October 1, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60417240 |
Oct 8, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/538 ;
206/531 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2251/1041 20130101;
B65D 1/36 20130101; B65D 73/0021 20130101; B65D 43/162 20130101;
B65D 2585/56 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/538 ;
206/531 |
International
Class: |
B65D 083/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 7, 2001 |
AU |
PR 2916 |
Feb 1, 2002 |
AU |
14742/02 |
Claims
1. A blister package for mounting in an aperture of a carrier sheet
comprises: a holder made from plastics material and having a
loading aperture surrounded by a resiliently flexible wall portion
providing a socket; a lid for closing the aperture and formed with
a resiliently flexible spigot which fits snugly into the socket to
close it securely; cooperating fixtures on the spigot and socket
which retain the lid closed until the package is to be opened;
means for facilitating the removal of the lid from the holder when
its contents are to be accessed; and spaced elements projecting
outwardly from the blister package in the vicinity of the spigot
and socket, at least one of the elements being spaced from the
holder opening.
2. A package as set forth in claim 2, in which the wall of the
holder is provided around the loading aperture with a peripheral
flange which prevents movement of the holder through the carrier
opening in one direction.
3. A package as set forth in claim 2, in which movement of the
holder in the other direction is resisted by an external hollow rib
on the wall which is spaced from but extends parallel to the
flange.
4. A package as set forth in claim 3, in which the hollow of the
rib provides a trough for locating a detent formed on the spigot of
the lid.
5. A package as set forth in claim 1, mounted in openings in a
carrier sheet.
6. A package as set forth in claim 5, in which the thickness of the
carrier sheet is less than or equal to the space separating the
holder opening from said one of the elements.
7. A package as set forth in claim 5, in which the carrier sheet
comprises a double thickness of a thin cardboard sheet bearing
printing, said thin sheet having a crease line dividing it into two
halves which can be folded over one another, each half sheet being
formed with apertures which register with one another when the
sheet is folded back on itself after printing, to provide a carrier
of the required stiffness with holders located in respective
apertures of each of the half sheets.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/417,240 filed Oct. 8, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to blister packaging and is more
specifically concerned with designing a blister and its associated
lid in a manner which enables the closed blister to be retained
securely in position in an opening in a carrier sheet. The
combination of blister and lid are referred to hereinafter as a
"blister package" or "blister packaging."
[0003] Items such as pharmaceutical medication in the form of
tablets and capsules prescribed by a doctor, are commonly dispensed
by pharmacists to patients in the form of blisters pre-loaded with
medication the patient is required to take at a particular time on
a particular day. These blisters are commonly mounted on a carrier
sheet marked with the times of day and the days of the week when
the medication is to be taken.
[0004] Blister packaging mounted on a carrier sheet as described
above is easy and convenient to use when the patient is educated
and understands the need to comply with a doctor's advice. However
there are sections of the community which, because of their
remoteness, may be poorly educated or live a nomadic life style.
This results in conventionally designed blister packaging being
easily damaged or mislaid, and often the compliance markings on
them cannot be understood. The cost of replacing such packaging can
be considerable, quite apart form the cost of replacing the
medication, and this increases the difficulties associated with
servicing the health needs of isolated outback communities. Any
innovation which can reduce these problems areas is welcome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of this invention is to provide an improved
blister package.
[0006] In accordance with the present invention a blister package
for mounting in an opening of a carrier sheet comprises a holder
made from plastics material and having a loading aperture
surrounded by a resiliently flexible wall portion providing a
socket; a lid for closing the aperture and formed with a
resiliently flexible spigot which fits snugly into the socket to
close it securely; co-operating fixtures on the spigot and socket
which retain the lid closed until the package is to be opened;
means for facilitating the removal of the lid from the holder when
its contents are to be accessed; and, spaced elements projecting
outwardly from the blister package in the vicinity of the spigot
and socket, at least one of the elements being spaced from the
holder opening.
[0007] A blister package as described above can be mounted in an
opening in a carrier sheet by trapping the sheet between the
elements on the package. The holder of the package may be inserted
into its opening first and then, after loading the holder with the
required contents by way of its aperture, the lid may be fitted.
The spigot of the lid then lines the wall of the holder to increase
the resistance of the holder wall to inward yielding in the region
of the elements. This reduces the risk of the closed package being
inadvertently dislodged from its opening in the carrier sheet.
PREFERRED FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In the preferred arrangement of the invention, the wall of
the holder is provided around the loading aperture with a flange
element which prevents movement of the holder through the carrier
opening in one direction. Movement of the holder in the other
direction is conveniently resisted by an external rib element on
the wall and which is spaced from, but extends parallel to the
flange. The rib may be flute-shaped to provide a trough in which
may locate a detent formed on the spigot of the lid. The detent
acts to reinforce the strength of the rib against inward buckling.
The lid may also be made of a suitably resilient material. With
this arrangement, the holder is inserted into its opening in the
carrier sheet before the lid is applied. During this insertion
movement, the flexibility of the holder wall allows it to yield
resiliently so that the rib can be pushed through the opening
without damage to it or the edge of the opening. The limit to which
the holder can be moved through the opening is determined by an
element, such as the external flange or a second element, arranged
around or close to the aperture of the holder. After loading the
holder, the lid is applied. As the spigot on the lid enters the
socket of the holder, the flexible resilience of the spigot allows
it to yield resiliently until the detent enters the trough. This
serves to hold the lid in position until manually released. The
aggregated wall thicknesses of the spigot and the socket wall
surrounding it, enhance the stiffness of the combination to resist
inward flexing, so that the carrier sheet is firmly held between
the two elements on the closed blister package. The detent also
reinforces the strength of the rib.
[0009] Suitably the lid and holder are made by a vacuum-forming
process from a single strip of plastics material, and a line hinge
is formed between them so that the lid and holder remain connected
when the lid is opened.
[0010] Conveniently the central portion of the holder is thinner
than its wall surrounding the loading aperture, the extent of the
thinning of the central portion being such that it loses its
resilience entirely and becomes very flexible indeed. This allows
the contents of the blister to be easily pushed out of the holder
by finger pressure, if necessary.
[0011] An advantage of the blister package of the invention is that
it may be cheaply made and can be re-used a number of times without
damage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way
of example, with reference to the accompanying largely diagrammatic
formal drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is an under-plan view of a carrier sheet containing
two lines of openings one line of which has blister packages
mounted in the openings,
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of the sheet of FIG. 1,
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side view of two blister packages in their open
condition and removed from the carrier sheet, the positions of lids
of the package when in their closed positions being shown in
phantom outline, and
[0016] FIGS. 4-7 are sections through FIG. 3 taken on the lines and
in the directions of the arrows IV-IV, V-V, VI-VI and VII-VII
respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a stiff sheet of cardboard 1 about 1 mm
thick and providing a carrier having openings 3 for fourteen
blister packages 2 of which seven are illustrated. The packages 2
are held in respective generally rectangular openings 3 arranged in
two lines of seven openings.
[0018] The blister packages 2 are vacuum-formed from a transparent
strip 4 of thermo-plastics material which provides all seven
packages. Each package 2 comprises a holder 5 connected by hinge
line 6 to a lid 7 as shown in FIG. 3. The material of the strip 4
is such that it is stiffly resiliently flexible but when its
thickness is reduced in the region of the central portion
(referenced 13) of the holder by the vacuum-forming process, the
material of the strip loses its resilience and acquires great
flexibility. Typically the strip is made from polyvinylchloride
(PVC) and is 0.3 mm thick before it is vacuum-formed.
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, the holder 5 is rectangular
with rounded corners when viewed in cross-section, and is
sufficiently deep to hold a number of medications which are to be
taken by a patient at a particular time on a particular day. These
times and days are signified by indicia (not shown) marked on the
carrier sheet 1 alongside the blister packages. The underside of
the holder provides a generally rectangular medication loading
aperture 12 when the holder is inverted, and which may be closed by
the insertion into it of a spigot 10 provided on the lid 7. The lid
is also provided with a tab portion 20 which can be gripped between
the fingers to pull the spigot 10 from the socket of the holder 5
when the package is to be opened.
[0020] As may be seen from FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the portion of the
holder 5 surrounding the aperture 12 provides a wall 14 which is
still resiliently flexible, as its thickness has not been reduced
to the same extent as the central portion 13. An element in the
form of a plinth-like flange 15 surrounds the wall 14 around the
aperture 12 and is formed during the blow-molding process. The
flange limits movement of the holder 5 in one direction through the
opening 3 of the carrier sheet 1.
[0021] The wall 14 is provided with four outwardly projecting ribs
16 extending parallel to, but spaced from the flange 15. One rib 16
is formed on each side of the holder, respectively, and the ribs
provide elements for limiting movement of the holder 5 in the
reverse direction through the opening 3. The spacing between the
ribs 16 and the flange 15 is slightly larger than the thickness of
the carrier sheet 1 so that the holder 5 can be inserted into any
one of the openings 3 until the ribs 16 encounter the marginal edge
of the sheet 1 surrounding the opening 3. By exerting a little more
pressure on the holder, the wall 14 yields resiliently to allow the
ribs 16 to pass through the openings 3. The holder 5 is now trapped
in the opening 3 by contact of its ribs 16 with one face of the
sheet 1 and the contact of its flange 15 with the opposite face of
sheet 1.
[0022] The central spigot 10 provided on the lid 7 is shaped to fit
snugly into the socket provided by the interior surface of the wall
14 of the holder 5. The spigot 10 is provided externally at its
leading end with four elongated detents 17 shaped to fit in
respective troughs provided by the interiors of the ribs 16 of the
holder 5. This is shown in phantom outline in FIG. 3. Each lid 7 is
separated from its neighbor by a cut in the strip 4, as shown at
18, so that the packages can be opened and closed independently.
The hinge 6, provided by a reduced thickness line in the plastics
material of the strip 4, ensures that the lid 7 and holder 5 of
each package remain together when the package is opened as shown in
FIG. 3.
[0023] The tab 20 formed along the edge-portion of the lid 7 remote
from the hinge 6 can be gripped between the fingers to facilitate
the progressive release of the lid from the holder 5 when its
contents are to be accessed.
[0024] Operation of Preferred Embodiment
[0025] It will be noted from the phantom outline in FIG. 3 that
when the package is closed, the spigot 10 fits snugly against the
inside wall 14 and its detents 17 fit into the interiors of the
ribs 16. As apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6, the shape of the spigot 10
is such that it is fairly resistant to inward flexing. However this
resistance is not sufficient to prevent the entry of the spigot 10
of the lid 7 into the socket provided by the wall 14 of the holder.
The resistance to inward flexing of the spigot 10 acts to reinforce
the natural resistance to inward flexing of the wall 14 of the
holder 5 so that the aggregation of the two resistances is
sufficient to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the closed package
from its opening 3 in the carrier sheet 1.
[0026] The above described arrangement of package is relatively
cheap and easy to manufacture, assemble and use, and the spigot and
socket arrangement of the lid and holder coupled with the avoidance
of holes in the holder, greatly reduces risk of the contents of the
closed holder being contaminated by dust and other pollutants. The
package can be used many times without adverse effects, and can be
made compactly by arranging the lines of openings 3 in staggered
formation and by providing fold lines on the carrier sheet. These
enable the packages to interfit with one another when the sheet is
folded to bring the assembly into its transport condition. The
packages then protect one another from damage and the folded sheet
can be transported inside a matchbox-like surrounding sleeve.
[0027] In an unillustrated modification of the arrangement just
described, the stiff cardboard sheet providing the carrier and
referenced 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is replaced by two superimposed
thinner sheets each of which has a line of apertures for containing
the holders 5. The two thinner sheets are formed by folding
opposite halves of a thin cardboard sheet back on itself to provide
a carrier of the requisite stiffness. When so folded back on
itself, the two lines of apertures are brought into registration
with one another. The unfolded flexible cardboard sheet is suitably
provided with a crease line to assist correct folding. By making
the carrier from a larger flexible sheet folded back on itself, the
sheet can be printed using commercial printing equipment more
easily when in a single thickness flexible condition than is
possible when using a single thickness of a stiffer sheet.
* * * * *