U.S. patent application number 10/530989 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-09 for packaging for a blister pack.
Invention is credited to Bernard Sams, Stephen Sams.
Application Number | 20060049078 10/530989 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9945855 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060049078 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sams; Bernard ; et
al. |
March 9, 2006 |
Packaging for a blister pack
Abstract
Packaging for a blister pack (15) containing medication pills is
in the form of a container (16) having a tray (17) for receiving
the blister pack (15) and a lid (18) hinged to the tray (17), for
movement between open and closed positions. A pin (30) or (34) is
carried by one of the tray (17) and lid (18) to project towards the
other of the tray and lid. The pin (30) is configured to trap the
blister pack thereon, between the tray (17) and a broken-away part
(29) of the lid (18), whereas pin (34) has one or more barbs (35)
to retain the blister pack thereon. When a blister pack (15) has
been pushed on to the pin (30) or (34), removal of the pack from
the packaging is resisted.
Inventors: |
Sams; Bernard;
(Bedfordshire, GB) ; Sams; Stephen; (Bedfordshire,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES N. QUINN;FOX ROTHSCHILD LLP
2000 MARKET STREET, 10TH FLOOR
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Family ID: |
9945855 |
Appl. No.: |
10/530989 |
Filed: |
October 10, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
October 10, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB03/04405 |
371 Date: |
April 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/528 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 77/02 20130101;
B65D 25/106 20130101; B65D 2215/02 20130101; B65D 2215/06
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/528 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/42 20060101
B65D085/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 12, 2002 |
GB |
0223827.7 |
Claims
1. Packaging for a blister pack containing medication pills, which
packaging comprises a container having a tray for receiving the
blister pack and a lid hinged to the tray for movement between a
closed position where the pack is wholly enclosed within the
container and an open position where access may be gained to the
pack, and a pin carried by one of the tray and the lid to project
towards the other of the tray and lid, the pin being configured so
that in use a blister pack may be engaged with the pin whereafter
removal of the pack from the pin is resisted thereby retaining the
pack within the packaging.
2. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
pin is disposed internally of the container and is permanently
secured to a major area of one of the container tray and lid.
3. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
pin extends substantially wholly to the other of the tray or lid
when the lid is in its closed position.
4. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
length of the pin is greater than the internal spacing between the
major areas of the tray and lid and the other of the tray and lid
has an aperture within which the free end of the pin is received
when the lid is in its closed position.
5. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
pin is provided with at least one barb-like formation at or
adjacent its free end, to retain a blister pack thereon once
pressed on to the pin.
6. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
pin is provided with a pair of barb-like formations on opposed
sides of the pin.
7. Packaging as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pin is provided
with at least one barb-like formation adjacent its end remote from
said major area, and the aperture is profiled so that on placing a
pack within the container over the pin when the lid is in its open
position and then closing the lid, said remote end of the pin on
entering the aperture presses the pack on to the pin past the at
least one barb-like formation, whereafter on opening the pack, the
pack is retained on the pin.
8. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
pin is of a plastically-deformable material and initially has a
length greater than the internal spacing between the major areas of
the tray and lid, and on moving the lid to its closed position for
the first time at least the free end region of the pin plastically
deforms so retaining on the pin a pack previously pressed
thereon.
9. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
pin has a barb-like formation at one end thereof and a shoulder
part-way between the ends of the pin, one of the tray and the lid
having a hole into which the barbed end of the pin is irremovably
receivable and the other of the tray and lid having an aperture
though which the pin may be passed to engage the barbed end with
said hole when the lid is in its closed position, so trapping a
blister pack within the container between said one of the tray and
lid and the shoulder on the pin.
10. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
other of the tray and lid carries a second pin which projects
towards the one of the tray and lid in a location remote from the
location of the first-mentioned pin, whereby a second blister pack
may be contained and retained within the packaging and retained on
the second pin.
11. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
pin is provided in a corner region of the tray, to be engaged by a
corner portion of the blister pack.
12. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein
said one of the tray and lid carries a plurality of similar pins
each configured to be engaged with a blister pack and resist
removal of a pack therefrom.
13. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 12, wherein
the plurality of pins are aligned in a row and are disposed along
an edge of the tray, to be engaged with an edge margin of a
pack.
14. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
pin is of generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.
15. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
tray has a first flange external to the major area of the tray and
there is a second flange adapted to overlie the first flange, the
pin being provided on one of the flanges and the other flange
having a hole in which the pin may be received, the tray and lid
being profiled so that when the greater part of a blister pack is
located between the tray and lid, an edge portion of the pack lies
between the first and second flanges and is retained there by the
pin.
16. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 15, wherein
the second flange is formed as a part of the lid, but is connected
thereto by a frangible joint whereby the lid may be opened leaving
the two flanges interengaged by the pin following breaking of the
joint.
17. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
catch mechanism is provided to hold the lid in its closed
position.
18. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 17, wherein
the catch mechanism has child-resistant properties.
19. Packaging for a blister pack containing medication pills, which
packaging comprises a container having a tray for receiving the
blister pack and a lid hinged to the tray for movement between open
and closed positions, each of the tray and the lid having a
respective major area and a peripheral rim around the major area,
each said rim projecting towards the other said rim whereby a
blister pack disposed on the major area of the tray is enclosed
between the tray and the lid when said lid is in its closed
position and access can be gained to the pack when the lid is in
its open position, said packaging further comprising a pin within
the package and projecting from the major area of one of the tray
and lid, the pin having a free end remote from said major area
which said free end is configured to penetrate a blister pack, said
pin being provided with at least one barb-like formation adjacent
its free end whereby removal of a blister pack pushed on to the pin
is resisted, the pin having a length greater than the distance
between the major areas of the tray and lid when the lid is in its
closed position and the major area of the other of the tray and lid
having an aperture for receiving the free end of the pin when the
lid is in its closed position whereby a blister pack placed on the
tray when the lid is in its open position is forced on to the pin
as the lid is moved to its closed position.
20. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 19, wherein
the pin a shoulder part-way between the ends of the pin, and the
aperture is profiled so that the barbed end of the pin is
irremovably received in the aperture on closing the lid and the
other of the tray and lid having a hole though which the pin can be
inserted to engage the barbed end with said aperture when the lid
is in its closed position, so trapping a blister pack within the
container between said one of the tray and lid and the shoulder on
the pin.
21. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 19, wherein
the pin is provided in a corner region of the tray, to be engaged
by a corner portion of the blister pack.
22. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 19, wherein a
catch mechanism is provided to hold the lid in its closed
position.
23. Packaging for a blister pack as claimed in claim 22, wherein
the catch mechanism has child-resistant properties.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to packaging for a blister pack
carrying a plurality of pills, tablets, capsules or other similar
forms of ingestible pharmaceutical products. Such products are for
convenience hereinafter referred to simply as "medication
pills".
[0002] A typical blister pack has a plastics material blister sheet
formed with a plurality of separate pockets (blisters) in each of
which a single medication pill is carried, the blister sheet being
bonded to a foil so as to enclose the pills in their respective
blisters. The pills may be released from the pack one at a time by
pressing on a blister to push the pill and so burst the foil solely
in the region of that blister, or by peeling back the foil to
expose a pill in a blister.
[0003] Blister packs have many advantages as compared to more
traditional packaging for medication pills, such as screw-top
bottles or other containers. For example, each pill is held
separate from the others and may be hermetically sealed in its
blister, so reducing the likelihood of contamination or
deterioration of the pills. Also, it is easier for a patient to
keep track of the ingestion of the pills, especially if it is
critical that only a certain number is taken on each day and the
pack is marked to show the days on which respective pills are to be
taken. Further, patients with manipulative impairment often find it
easier to remove pills from the blisters than opening a container,
especially if a cap for the container is provided with some kind of
child-resistant security device.
[0004] A blister pack as supplied to a patient normally is packaged
within an outer carton, both to protect the blister pack and also
to give a pharmacist and the patient readily accessible information
about the product. Though the blister pack itself may carry some
indications as to the kind of medication of the packed pills, there
is insufficient room on the blister pack to give much information
about the product. As such, in addition to the information on the
carton, it is the usual practice to include in a carton for the
blister pack a patient information leaflet, giving relevant
information to a patient.
[0005] A patient has to remove the blister pack from its carton in
order to release and then take a pill. There is a tendency for a
patient not to replace the pack in its packaging once a course of
medication has been commenced, so that the blister pack no longer
is associated with the information leaflet and the indications on
the carton. Worse, if a patient is on more than one course of
medication, it can happen that the patient replaces a blister pack
in the wrong carton and then mistakenly takes the wrong pills at
the wrong times, basing this on the medication identification on
the carton, rather than on the blister pack.
[0006] There is another problem associated with blister packs. It
is very easy for children to remove pills from a blister pack and
so it is important that blister packs are kept out of reach of
children. Even if a blister pack is still contained within its
carton, opening of the carton presents no problem to a typical
child who then will have access to the medication.
[0007] There are now proposals greatly to increase the security
associated with blister packs. Regulations are likely to be
introduced which will require a blister pack always to be
associated with at least some patient information--and at the very
least, a clear indication of the kind of medication contained
within the blisters. Further, other regulations are likely to
require an increased level of child-resistance, so as to reduce the
likelihood of a child being able to release pills from the blisters
in the event that a child gets hold of either the blister pack, or
a container for the pack.
[0008] The present invention aims at addressing the above problems
associated with blister packs and so to permit the continued
provision of medication pills in blister packs even if the
anticipated regulations are brought into effect.
[0009] According to the present invention there is provided
packaging for a blister pack containing medication pills, which
packaging comprises a container having a tray for receiving the
blister pack and a lid hinged to the tray for movement between a
closed position where the pack is wholly enclosed within the
container and an open position where access may be gained to the
pack, a pin carried by one of the tray and the lid to project
towards the other of the tray and lid, the pin being configured so
that in use a blister pack may be engaged with the pin whereafter
removal of the pack from the pin is resisted, thereby retaining the
pack within the packaging.
[0010] With the packaging of this invention, a blister pack is
normally enclosed within a relatively flat container having a tray
and lid, the lid being openable to expose the pack. However, the
pack is securely held on a pin provided within the container so
that the pack cannot with ease be wholly removed from the container
and so always will be associated with the container unless a
patient deliberately takes steps to free the pack, such as by
cutting the pack from an edge margin to the pin. Release of pills
can still easily be performed, in view of the flexibility of
typical blister packs. The major external areas of the tray and lid
may carry labels giving as much information as is required, for
example concerning the kind of medication in the pack, the dosage,
contra-indications and so on. In this way, it is highly unlikely
that a patient will inadvertently take inappropriate medication
through confusion between different blister packs and the cartons
for those packs.
[0011] In addition, the tray and lid of a container may be provided
with some kind of child-proof catch mechanism adapted to hold the
lid in its closed position until released. Then, even if a young
child should get hold of the container, so long as the patient had
properly closed it beforehand the likelihood of the child gaining
access to the pills within the blisters of the contained pack is
greatly reduced.
[0012] There are several ways in which a blister pack may be
retained on the pin provided within the container. In the preferred
form of this invention, the pin is permanently secured internally
to a major area of either the tray or the lid, so as to upstand
generally perpendicularly from that area and project towards the
other of the tray or lid. The pin could extend substantially wholly
to the opposed major area when the lid is in its closed position
but preferably has a length which is greater than the internal
spacing between the major areas of the tray and lid, an aperture
being provided in the tray or lid (as appropriate) in opposition to
the pin so that the free end of the pin is received in that
aperture when the lid is in its closed position.
[0013] Conveniently, the pin is provided with at least one
barb-like formation, but preferably with a pair of opposed such
formations, at or adjacent its free end. Then, by pressing a planar
portion of the blister pack on to the pin, the barb-like formations
will serve to resist subsequent removal of the pack from the pin.
The pin may have a sharpened free end, to assist the penetration of
the pin through the material of the pack, so obviating the need to
pre-form a hole of an appropriate size in the pack.
[0014] In this preferred form of packaging, and where the free end
of the pin is received in an aperture in the lid or tray (as
appropriate, depending on which major area carries the pin) the
material of the major area around the aperture may be profiled such
that placing the blister pack within the open container and then
closing the lid pushes the blister pack on to the pin, past the or
each barb-like formation on the pin. On subsequently opening the
lid, the pack will be securely held on the pin. Thus, no special
production step need be taken subsequent to the manufacture of the
blister pack containing the pills; it is merely a matter of placing
the blister pack in the tray and closing the lid, rather than
placing the blister pack in a carton as is performed at the present
time.
[0015] In an alternative arrangement, the pin may be made of a
plastically-deformable material and initially has a length greater
than the internal spacing between the major areas of the tray and
the lid, when closed. Then, either on moving the lid to its closed
position for the first time, or by using a separate tool, the pin
will be plastically deformed to reduce its length to the internal
spacing and provided that the pin is suitably profiled, at least
the free end region of the pin may be expanded so as thereafter to
retain on the pin a blister pack previously pressed on to the pin.
Alternatively, a hot-forming, a welding or similar process may be
used to give an appropriate profile to the free end of the pin for
retaining a pack thereon.
[0016] As discussed above, the pin is preferably disposed within
the container, on the major area of one of the tray or the lid.
Another possibility is for the container to be profiled for
containing all of the blister pack except for a marginal or corner
region thereof, the container having a pair of flanges external to
the major areas and between which that pack region is disposed. In
this case the pin may be provided on one of those flanges and be
received in a hole in the other flange, whereby the pack is trapped
between the flanges irrespective of the opening and closing of the
packaging.
[0017] Yet another possibility is to provide a pin with a barb-like
formation at one end thereof and a shoulder partway between the
ends of the pin. One of the tray and the lid may have a hole into
which the barbed end of the pin may be received essentially
irremovably by virtue of the barbs and the other of the tray and
lid may have an aperture through which the pin may be passed to
engage the barbed end thereof with the hole, when the lid is in its
closed position. With this arrangement, the blister pack is placed
within the tray, the lid is closed and then the barbed end of the
pin is pushed through the aperture, through the blister pack and
engaged with the hole; on subsequently opening the lid, the pack is
trapped in place by the shoulder on the pin.
[0018] The packaging may be modified in order to allow two blister
packs to be contained therein, by providing a first pin on the tray
and a second pin on the lid. Each of the two pins may be similarly
configured but disposed at spaced-apart locations so that there
will be no interference between the pins when the lid is closed.
Typically, the pins will be disposed in opposed corner regions of
the tray or lid.
[0019] By way of example only, certain specific embodiments of
blister pack packaging of this invention will now be described in
detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in
which:-
[0020] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment, with the
lid in its closed position;
[0021] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the first embodiment, but
with the lid open;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a detail view on a corner region of a second
embodiment of blister packaging;
[0023] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the entrapment of a blister pack
with the second embodiment of packaging;
[0024] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a third embodiment, with the
lid in is open position;
[0025] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the third embodiment, but
with the lid closed;
[0026] FIGS. 7A and 7B show the blister pack entrapment in the
third embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 8 is a cross-section through the third embodiment, with
the lid slightly open;
[0028] FIG. 9 is a detail view on the catch mechanism employed in
the third embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 9A is a view on the underside of the lid of the third
embodiment, showing the catch mechanism;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a detail view on part of the third embodiment,
but showing an alternative arrangement of pins for retaining a
blister pack;
[0031] FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C illustrate the entrapment of a
blister pack with the alternative arrangement of the third
embodiment of packaging; and
[0032] FIG. 12 illustrates a fourth embodiment, adapted to hold two
blister packs.
[0033] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a
relatively simple first embodiment of this invention, adapted to
entrap a blister pack 15 within a container 16 comprising a tray 17
and a lid 18 hinged together along one edge 19. The tray and lid
typically are a one-piece plastics moulding, produced for example
using an injection-moulding technique, and so the container is
relatively cheap to manufacture provided sufficiently large numbers
are produced.
[0034] The tray 17 has a major area of approximately rectangular
shape and around which upstand side walls 20, to define a space
slightly larger than the pack 15 to be contained, except for a
corner region to be discussed below. The lid is similarly profiled
and has a major area 21 from which depend side walls 22 which
engage with the side walls 20 of the tray, when the lid is in its
closed position as shown in FIG. 1. The side wall of the tray
opposed to the hinged edge 19 is provided with one part 23 of a
catch mechanism, this part defining a slot 24 within which is
received a tab 25 provided on the corresponding side wall of the
lid. The tab may have a small outwardly-directed projection which
may snap behind the material defining the slot 24, so as to resist
opening unless the tab is depressed inwardly of the container at
the same time as an opening force is applied to the lid.
[0035] In one corner region 27 of the container, the side walls are
profiled so that there are formed flanges 28,29 on the tray and lid
respectively, in the plane of the free edges of the side walls. The
flange 28 of the tray is provided with a through-hole (not shown)
and the flange 29 of the lid has a pin 30 which may be received in
the hole of the flange 28 when the lid is closed. The pin may be
profiled so as to be a snap-fit in the hole and to resist removal
from the hole once pressed fully home therein. The corner 31
between the lid and the flange 29 is of weakened cross-section,
such that the flange 29 may be broken away from the lid.
[0036] In use, the blister pack 15 is provided with an opening in
its corner region and then is dropped in the tray with the hole
therein more or less aligned with the hole in flange 28. Closing of
the lid will then push the pin 30 through the blister pack and into
the hole in the tray flange 28, so trapping the blister pack
between the flanges. The lid will be held closed by its tab 25 but
on subsequent deliberate opening of the pack, the weakened corner
31 will break away from the lid, so leaving the lid flange 29
overlying the tray flange 28, as shown in FIG. 2. In the
alternative, the lid flange 29 may be broken away from the lid
during assembly, to obviate inadvertent removal of the lid flange
from the tray flange, by a patient.
[0037] The profile of the pin could be modified so as to pierce the
membrane of the blister pack, and eliminate the need to pre-form a
hole therethrough. Other possibilities include hot or cold forming
of the pin to trap the blister or even the use of adhesives or
other bonding techniques to ensure the pin remains engaged with the
tray flange 29, on subsequent opening of the lid.
[0038] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an alternative entrapment technique
for a container as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this embodiment, the
side walls are similarly formed in all four corners and
consequently no flanges 28 and 29 are provided. Rather, in a corner
region of the tray there is formed a bar 33 from which projects a
pointed pin 34 of generally rectangular cross-sectional shape, the
pin having opposed barbs 35 projecting from opposed faces of the
pin. The free end of the pin lies generally in the plane of the
upper edges of the side walls of the tray. The lid is provided with
a tubular boss 36 projecting internally in opposition to the pin
34, into which the barbed end of the pin will be received on
closing the lid.
[0039] In this arrangement, a blister pack is simply placed within
the tray 17 so that a corner region of the pack overlies the pin
34. Then, on closing the lid the boss 36 will bear on the pack, as
shown in FIG. 4A, and press the pack down on to the pin, past the
barbs 35. On subsequently opening the container as shown in FIG.
4B, the pack will be securely retained on the pin.
[0040] FIGS. 5 to 9 show a third embodiment of this invention, as
comprising a generally rectangular tray 38 having upstanding side
walls 39 and a lid 40 with depending side walls 41 of a sufficient
depth to accommodate the blisters 42 of a blister pack 43 retained
within the packaging. As with the first embodiment, the packaging
is a one-piece plastic moulding with the lid hinged to the tray
along a side edge 44.
[0041] A corner region of the lid is formed with an opening 45 in
which is disposed the enlarged head 46 of a pin 47, the pin being
held by four (or two) frangible nibs. The opposed end 48 of the pin
is barbed and shoulder 49 is formed adjacent the barbed end, by the
enlarged head 46. The major area of the tray 38 has an aperture 50
in opposition to the opening 45 in the lid, the aperture having a
lead-in for the barbed end 48 of the pin 47 and also an abutment
surface 51 within the aperture. As an alternative, the pin 47 could
be separately formed and carried in a through-hole 45 in the
lid.
[0042] In use, the blister pack 43 is placed on the tray 38 and the
lid 40 is closed, as shown in FIG. 7A. Pressure is then applied to
the enlarged head 46 of the pin so as to break the frangible nibs
and push the barbed end 48 of the pin through a corner region of
the blister pack and into the aperture 50, until the barbs of the
pin engage behind the abutment surface 51 of the aperture, as shown
in FIG. 7B. Subsequent opening of the lid 40 will leave the pin in
aperture 50, with the blister pack trapped by the shoulder 49 of
the pin.
[0043] In order to retain the lid 40 in its closed position, the
packaging of FIGS. 5 and 6 is provided with a child-resistant catch
mechanism 53 shown in greater detail in FIGS. 8, 9 and 9A. The tray
38 has an outwardly-projecting flange 54, from which upstands a tab
55 formed with a slot 56, for part of the length of the tab. The
lid 40 has, in its region which lies adjacent the flange 54, a pair
of spaced U-shaped carriers 57 between which is supported a wall
element 58, separated at its ends from the side walls 41 of the
lid. The carriers 57 support a catch member 59 receivable within
the slot 56, as the lid is closed. The catch member is profiled at
60 in order to facilitate inward springing of the carriers and so
to permit the catch member 59 to ride over the tab 55 and then
spring outwardly into the slot 56, as the lid becomes fully closed.
In this position, the outer edge 61 of the wall element 58 engages
the upper surface of the flange 54, so defining the fully closed
position.
[0044] In order to open the container, the ribbed part 62 of the
wall element 58 must be pressed inwardly sufficiently to free catch
member 59 from the slot 56 in the tab 55, at the same time as
applying an opening movement to the lid 40. An adult will normally
perform this action by spanning the lid with one hand,
simultaneously pressing on the nibbed part 62 and the opposed edge
of the lid, and hinging the lid away from the base while holding
the base with the other hand. A young child will find the required
manual dexterity difficult to perform, because of the required
combined action coupled with an insufficient hand-span.
[0045] In this embodiment, recesses 64 are provided in the corner
regions of the lid, to engage with feet (not shown) formed on the
lower surface of the tray. This will facilitate stable stacking of
a number of the containers, for example during transport and
storage prior to dispensing to patients.
[0046] FIGS. 10 and 11 show an alternative method for entrapping a
blister pack, to replace the pin arrangement of FIGS. 7A and 7B of
the third embodiment. In this embodiment, a row of pins 66 is
provided along a side wall 67 of the tray 68, each pin being
carried on a web 69 so as to project towards the lid, when closed.
Each pin has a sharp tip able to penetrate the material of the
blister pack and once this has been achieved, the free end of the
pin is staked over in a suitable manner so as thereafter to retain
the blister pack on the pin.
[0047] The pin could be made of a plastically-deformable material,
a press being employed to push the blister pack on to the pin. Such
a press may have a boss 70 defining a blind bore 71, as shown in
FIGS. 11A, so that on pushing the boss over the pin, the blister
pack will be pressed down on to the pin, as shown in FIG. 11B.
Continued pressure on the boss 70 will engage the end of the pin
with the blind end of the bore and then deform the end of the pin
as shown in FIG. 11C, thereby to retain the blister pack
thereon.
[0048] As an alternative to the cold-forming described above, the
deformation of the pin as shown in FIG. 11C could be achieved by a
hot-forming process or by a welding process, for example fusing a
head on to the end of the pin.
[0049] FIG. 12 shows a further package 74 where two blister packs
are accommodated, one in the tray 75 and one in the lid 76. As with
the previous embodiments, the tray and lid comprise a one-piece
plastics moulding hinged together along one edge 77. At one end of
that edge the tray 75 is provided with a pin 78 adapted to retain a
blister pack 79 thereon and at the other end of the edge 77 the lid
76 is provided with a pin 80 adapted to retain a second blister
pack 81 thereon. In this embodiment, the pins 78 and 80 may be
generally similar to those of FIGS. 10 and 11 and so may be
provided with a head to retain a blister pack in the same manner as
has been described with reference to FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C.
[0050] In other respects, this arrangement is similar to the third
embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 and so will not be described in further
detail here.
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