U.S. patent application number 11/710836 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-25 for child-resistant packaging for pharmaceutical products.
Invention is credited to William S. Arnold, Tiffany L. Burnette, John F. Groetsch.
Application Number | 20070246395 11/710836 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38459636 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070246395 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arnold; William S. ; et
al. |
October 25, 2007 |
Child-resistant packaging for pharmaceutical products
Abstract
A child-resistant package for pharmaceutical articles includes a
blister pack having a product casing layer defining blisters, a
foil closure layer enclosing articles in the blisters and a
reinforcing layer preventing dispensing of each article until an
access mechanism is used. Each access mechanism includes a
puncturing element of the product casing layer and a tear-away
element of the reinforcing layer defined by a perforation line. The
puncturing element includes a pointed portion for separating a
first end of the tear-away element. Application of pulling force to
the first end further separates the tear-away element to expose the
foil layer adjacent the blister for dispensing the article.
According to one embodiment, the package includes an outer jacket
having a mounting portion receiving the blister pack and a cover
movable with respect to the mounting portion between opened and
closed positions.
Inventors: |
Arnold; William S.;
(Doylestown, PA) ; Burnette; Tiffany L.;
(Lafayette Hill, PA) ; Groetsch; John F.;
(Doylestown, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH;ATTN: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
ONE LOGAN SQUARE
18TH AND CHERRY STREETS
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103-6996
US
|
Family ID: |
38459636 |
Appl. No.: |
11/710836 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60777346 |
Feb 28, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/532 ;
206/461; 206/538 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 75/58 20130101;
B65D 2215/04 20130101; B65D 83/0463 20130101; B65D 75/327 20130101;
B65D 2575/3254 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/532 ;
206/461; 206/538 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/04 20060101
B65D083/04; B65D 73/00 20060101 B65D073/00 |
Claims
1. A package for pharmaceutical articles comprising: a casing layer
defining a plurality of blisters each adapted for receipt of one of
a plurality of phannaceutical articles; a closure secured to the
casing layer to enclose the articles within the blisters; and a
plurality of puncturing elements each associated with one of the
blisters, the puncturing element adapted to puncture the closure in
response to actuation by a user to create an access opening in the
closure, the closure adapted to prevent a user from compressively
deflecting one of the blisters to dispense one of the articles from
the package until the associated puncturing element is actuated by
the user to create the access opening in the closure.
2. The package according to claim 1, wherein the closure comprises
a foil layer and a reinforcing layer, the foil layer located
between the reinforcing layer and the casing layer.
3. The package according to claim 1, wherein the puncturing
elements are defined by the casing layer.
4. The package according to claim 3, wherein each puncturing
element includes an outer portion supported by the casing layer and
an inner portion supported by the outer portion, the inner portion
tapered to define a pointed end and adapted to deflect towards the
closure in response to compression applied to the puncturing
element by a user.
5. The package according to claim 4, wherein the outer portion of
the puncturing element is substantially conical.
6. The package according to claim 1, wherein the casing layer
comprises a moldable plastic material.
7. The package according to claim 7, wherein the puncturing
elements are integrally formed with the casing layer from the
moldable plastic material.
8. The package according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing layer
includes a plurality of tear-away elements each extending from a
first end located adjacent one of the puncturing elements to an
opposite second end located adjacent one of the blisters.
9. The package according to claim 8, wherein the tear-away elements
are defined by perforation of the reinforcing layer.
10. The package according to claim 1 further comprising an outer
jacket, the jacket including: a mounting portion in which the
casing layer, closure and puncturing elements are mounted; a cover
panel; and an intermediate panel located between the mounting
portion and the cover panel such that the cover panel is movable
with respect to the mounting portion between closed and opened
positions.
11. A package for pharmaceutical articles comprising: a product
casing layer defining a plurality of blisters each adapted for
receipt of one of a plurality of pharmaceutical articles; a closure
secured to the product casing layer to enclose the articles within
the blisters; and a plurality of access mechanisms each associated
with one of the blisters of the product casing layer, each access
mechanism including a tear-away element defined on a portion of the
closure and a puncturing element adapted to puncture the closure at
the tear-away element in response to actuation by a user to
facilitate grasping of the tear-away element and application of a
pulling force by a user, the closure adapted to prevent a user from
compressively deflecting one of the blisters to dispense one of the
articles from the package until the access opening is created in
the closure by actuation of the puncturing element of the
associated access mechanism.
12. The package according to claim 11, wherein each tear-away
element is defined by a perforation line.
13. The package according to claim 11, wherein the product casing
layer comprises a moldable plastic material and wherein the
puncturing elements are integrally formed with the casing layer
from the moldable plastic material.
14. A package for pharmaceutical articles comprising: a blister
pack including a product casing layer and a foil closure layer, the
product casing layer defining a plurality of blisters each adapted
for receipt of one of a plurality of pharmaceutical articles, the
foil closure layer secured to the product casing layer to enclose
the articles within the blisters; a reinforcing layer secured to
the product closure layer of the blister pack such that the foil
closure layer is located between the product closure layer and the
reinforcing layer, the reinforcing layer adapted to prevent a user
from dispensing an article by compressively deflecting one of the
blisters and rupturing the foil layer; and a plurality of access
mechanisms each including a puncturing element and a tear-away
element, the tear-away element defined on a portion of the
reinforcing layer and being elongated to include a first end
adjacent the puncturing element and a second end adjacent an
associated one of the blisters, the puncturing element defined by
the product casing layer and including an outer wall portion and an
inner wall portion supported by the outer wall portion, the inner
wall portion tapered to define a substantially pointed end and
deflectable with respect to the outer wall portion to puncture the
reinforcing layer at the first end of the tear-away element, the
puncturing of the reinforcing layer providing for grasping of the
tear-away element by a user and application of a pulling force
sufficient to separate at least a portion of the tear-away element
from a surrounding portion of the reinforcing layer, the separation
of the at least a portion of the tear-away element enabling a user
to dispense an article from the associated blister by application
of a compressive force to the associated blister to rupture the
foil closure layer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/777,346, filed Feb. 28, 2006.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to packaging and, more particularly,
to child-resistant packaging for phannaccutical products in the
form of pills, tablets or capsules.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Blister packaging for pharmaceutical products such as pills,
tablets, and capsules includes a product casing layer and a foil
closure layer. The product casing layer is formed from a moldable
material to define blisters each adapted to receive one of the
pills, tablets, or capsules within an interior of the blister. The
foil closure layer is secured to a base portion of the product
casing layer surrounding the blisters (e.g., by heat-sealing) to
enclose the pills, tablets, or capsules within the blisters. To
dispense the pills, tablets, or capsules from the packaging, a user
depresses one of the blisters such that the enclosed product is
driven into compressive contact with the foil layer with sufficient
force to rupture the foil layer.
[0004] Child-resistant packaging for pharmaceutical products
include features requiring certain cognitive skills for gaining
access to, or dispensing, the phannaceutical product such that
access to the pharmaceutical product by a young child is limited. A
well known example is the twist-off cap for a pill bottle that
requires application of simultaneous twisting and axial forces to
remove the cap. For blister-type packages, it is known to include
an outer package for containing a blister pack in which either or
both the outer package and blister pack must be manipulated in a
certain manner to provide for dispensing of the pharmaceutical
product. For example, it is known to provide a blister pack
slidably mounted in an outer package for movement of the blister
pack with respect to the outer package between first and second
positions. Openings in the outer package are respectively
misaligned and aligned with the blisters of the blister pack in the
first and second positions to disable and enable a dispensing
actuation of the blisters.
[0005] Prior child-resistant packages, which desirably function to
limit access to the contents by small children, also can
undesirably limit access to the contents by elderly or infirm
patients who, although possessing the necessary cognitive skills,
lack sufficient strength or manual dexterity to manipulate the
packaging in the required manner. Also, the features of prior
child-resistant packaging that operate to limit access may add
significant expense to the packaging, particularly packaging
requiring interaction between an outer package and a blister pack
housed within the outer package.
[0006] What is needed is a child-resistant package for
pharmaceutical products such as pills, capsules, and tablets that
functions to limit access to the package contents by a small child
who may be harmed by the contents but that also provides for access
to the contents of the package by an elderly or infirm person
having limited strength or dexterity. More particularly, what is
needed is a blister-type packaging for pharmaceutical products in
which the child-resistant features may be included in a stand-alone
blister pack having a relatively uncomplicated construction for
providing cost-saving efficiencies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided
a child-resistant packaging for pharmaceutical articles such as
pills, tablets, and capsules comprising a blister pack having a
product casing layer and a foil closure layer. The product casing
layer includes a plurality of blisters each defining an interior
for receiving one of the articles. The foil closure layer is
secured to the product casing layer to enclose the articles within
the blisters. The packaging also includes a reinforcing layer
adapted to limit dispensing of the articles from the package until
an access mechanism of the package has been actuated by a user.
[0008] The packaging includes a plurality of access mechanisms each
associated with one of the blisters to provide for dispensing of
the article contained within the blister following actuation of the
access mechanism. Each access mechanism includes a puncturing
element defined by the product casing layer and a tear-away element
defined by the reinforcing layer. The puncturing element preferably
includes a conical outer wall portion and an inner wall portion
supported by the outer wall portion and having a pointed end
portion. The tear-away element of the access mechanism is
preferably defined by weakening the reinforcing layer, most
preferably by a perforation line. The tear-away element includes a
first end located beneath the associated puncturing element and an
opposite second end located beneath the associated blister.
[0009] The inner wall portion of the puncturing element is adapted
to deflect under a compressive load applied to the puncturing
element. This results in application of a separating pressure to
the reinforcing layer and the foil layer sufficient to separate the
first end of the associated tear-away element from an adjacent base
portion of the reinforcing layer. The separation of the first end
facilitates grasping of the tear-away element for application of a
pulling force to the tear-away element to advance an opening in the
reinforcing layer towards the second end of the tear-away element.
According to one embodiment, the tear-away element is reduced in
width adjacent the first end to increase the separating pressure
for a given applied load. The tear-away element may also be made
weaker adjacent the first end, for example by increasing the
percentage of perforation in a perforation line defining the
tear-away element.
[0010] Prior to actuation of the access mechanism, the presence of
the reinforcing layer beneath the associated blister prevents a
user from dispensing the article from the blister by application of
a compressive load to the blister in the conventional manner. To
dispense the article, a user first applies a compressive load to
the puncturing element of the access mechanism of sufficient
magnitude to separate the first end of the associated tear-away
element from the adjacent base portion of the reinforcing layer.
Next, the user grasps the first end of the tear-away element and
applies a pulling force to the tear-away element such that an
access opening in the reinforcing element is advanced toward to the
second end of the tear-away element. Following sufficient
advancement of the access opening toward the second end of the
tear-away element, the user may then dispense the article by
applying a compressive load to the blister of sufficient magnitude
such that the foil closure layer is ruptured by the article.
[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the blister
pack is mounted in an outer jacket. The jacket includes a mounting
portion having front and back panels. Preferably, the front panel
defines openings adapted for receipt of the blisters and puncturing
elements defined by the product casing layer of the packaging.
Preferably, the jacket also includes a cover panel and a relatively
narrow intermediate panel located between the cover panel and the
mounting portion such that the cover panel can be moved between
opened and closed positions with respect to the mounting portion of
the jacket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is
shown in the drawings a form that is presently preferred; it being
understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the
precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a child-resistant package
for pharmaceutical products according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a child-resistant
package according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a product casing layer of the
child-resistant package of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 in FIG.
2.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a child-resistant package
according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the packaging of FIG. 4 taken
along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a mounting portion of a jacket of
the packaging of FIG. 4.
[0019] FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views of child-resistant packages for
phannaceutical products, the packages being respectively 7 and 14
count packages.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 through
3 a package 10 for pharmaceutical products such as pills, tablets,
capsules, and the like. The pharmaceutical products for use with
the package 10 are hereinafter sometimes referred to as "pills" to
facilitate description. It should be understood, however, that the
invention is not so limited. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the
depicted package 10 includes a product casing layer 12, a foil
(e.g., aluminum) closure layer 14 and a reinforcing layer 16. The
product casing layer 12 includes a plurality of blisters 18 each
defining an interior for receipt of a pill. The package 10 includes
a plurality of access mechanisms 20 each associated with one of the
blisters 18. The access mechanism 20 is adapted to create an
opening in the reinforcing layer 16 to provide for dispensing a
pill from the blister 18. As described below in greater detail, the
access mechanism 20 of the present invention provides a
child-resistant feature because successful use of one of the access
mechanisms 20 of the package 10 to dispense a pill requires a level
of cognitive development beyond that of most children, thereby
limiting access by children to the pills. The package 10, however,
also provides a senior-friendly construction by which an elderly or
infinm person having limited strength can nevertheless use the
access mechanisms 20 to dispense pills from the package 10.
[0021] Referring to the sectional view of FIG. 3, the foil closure
layer 14 is preferably secured to the product casing layer 12
(e.g., by heat sealing the foil closure layer 14 to a base portion
22 of the product casing layer 12). As shown in FIG. 3, the foil
closure layer 14 extends across a lower surface of the product
casing layer 12 such that pills 24 located within the interiors of
blisters 18 are sealed within the blisters 18 by the foil closure
layer 14. Preferably, the foil closure layer 14 has a thickness
selected such that the foil closure layer 14, in the absence of the
reinforcing layer 16, would rupture in response to a compressive
load applied to a pill-containing blister 18 (i.e., by a user
pressing down on the blister in a conventional manner). The
presence of the reinforcing layer 16 beneath the foil closure layer
14, however, prevents a user from dispensing pills from the package
10 in the conventional manner until the user utilizes one of the
access mechanisms 20 in the manner described below.
[0022] Each access mechanism 20 includes a puncturing element 26
carried by the product casing layer 12. Preferably, the product
casing layer 12 is formed from a moldable plastic material (e.g.,
an injection molded plastic) such that the puncturing elements 26
of the access mechanisms 20 are integrally defined by the product
casing layer 12. The puncturing element 26 includes a substantially
conical outer wall portion 28 and an inner wall portion 30
supported by the outer wall portion 28 such that the inner wall
portion 30 is located within an interior defined by the outer wall
portion 28. As shown, the inner wall portion 30 preferably tapers
to a substantially pointed end 32.
[0023] Preferably, the inner wall portion 30 and outer wall portion
28 are substantially equal in height, as shown, such that the
substantially pointed end 32 of the inner wall portion 30 is
located at approximately the same level as the base portion 22 of
the product casing layer 12. Arranged in this manner, the
puncturing element 26 is adapted to deflect with respect to the
surrounding base portion 22 in response to a compressive load
applied to the puncturing element 26 (e.g., by a user's thumb) to
drive the substantially pointed end 32 of the inner wall portion 30
into contact with the foil closure layer 14 and the reinforcing
layer 16 underlying the puncturing element 26. The substantially
pointed end 32 provides a reduced contact area for the puncturing
element 26, thereby increasing the pressure applied to the closure
and reinforcing layers 14, 16 for a given load applied to the
puncturing element 26.
[0024] Each access mechanism 20 also includes a tear-away element
34 formed from part of the reinforcing layer 16 by a perforation
line 36. As shown, each tear-away element 34 is elongated, and has
a first end 38, which is located to underlie the substantially
pointed end 32 of the puncturing element 26 of the access mechanism
20, and an opposite second end 40, which is located to underlie the
blister 18 associated with the access mechanism 20. As described
above, the puncturing element 26 of each access mechanism 20 is
adapted to deflect under compressive load toward the base portion
22 of the product casing layer 12 such that the substantially
pointed end 32 of the inner wall portion 30 is driven into contact
with the underlying closure and reinforcing layers 14, 16.
[0025] Contact between the substantially pointed end 32 and the
layers 14, 16 results in pressure being applied to the tear-away
element 34 of the access mechanism 20 to drivingly separate the
first end 38 of the tear-away element 34 from a surrounding portion
42 of the reinforcing layer 16 to create an access opening in the
reinforcing layer 16. The separation between the first end 38 of
the tear-away element 34 and the portion 42 of reinforcing layer 16
also enables a user to grasp the first end 38 and thereby apply a
pulling force to the tear-away element 34. The pulling force
further separates the tear-away element 34 from the base portion 42
of the reinforcing layer 16 to extend the access opening towards
the blister 18 located adjacent the second end 40 of the tear-away
element 34.
[0026] When the tear-away element 34 has been pulled to an extent
that the access opening in the reinforcing layer 16 extends to a
location underlying the associated blister 18 in the product casing
layer 12, a pill contained in the blister 18 may be dispensed. The
separation between the tear-away element 34 of the access mechanism
20 and the surrounding base portion 42 of the reinforcing layer 16
results in separation between the tear-away element 34 and the
closure layer 14 beneath the blister 18. As such, the portion of
the closure layer 14 beneath the blister 18 is no longer reinforced
by the reinforcing layer 16. Application of compressive load to the
blister 18 (i.e., in the conventional manner for dispensing pills
from blister packages) results in contact between a pill contained
in the blister 18 and the closure layer 14 and an associated
pressure sufficient to rupture the foil closure layer 14 and
dispense the pill.
[0027] Although it is presently preferred that pulling the
tear-away element 34 separates the tear-away element from the foil
closure layer 14, it is not a requirement. It is conceivable that
the foil closure layer 14 could be bonded to the tear-away element
34 such that pulling the tear-away element 34 results in a tearing
separation between the product casing layer 12 and a corresponding
portion of the foil closure layer 14 located atop the tear-away
element 34. In this manner, the access opening created in the
reinforcing layer 16 by pulling the tear-away element 34 would also
extend through the closure layer 14 to communicate with the
interior of the associated blister 18. Such tearing of the foil
closure layer 14 could also be facilitated by including a
perforation line in the foil closure layer corresponding to the
perforation line 36 in the reinforcing layer 16.
[0028] As shown, the width of each of the tear-away elements 34
preferably varies such that the tear-away element 34 is relatively
narrow adjacent the first end 38. As a result, the amount (i.e.,
length) of the perforation line 36 over which an applied load is
distributed (i.e., the portion of the perforation line 36 that
extends around and defines the first end 38 of tear-away element
34) is reduced. In this manner, the effective separating pressure
acting on the first end 38 will be increased compared to that which
would be applied were the width not narrowed at the first end 38.
The tendency of the tear-away element 34 to separate at the first
end 38 can also be increased by increasing the percentage of
perforation (i.e., the discontinuities) in the perforation line 36
adjacent the first end 38 compared to that in other portions of the
perforation line 36.
[0029] The reinforcing layer 16 may be made from polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), or a
polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) such as Aclar.RTM. by Honeywell
International. PCTFE is used extensively in pharmaceutical
packaging and provides excellent moisture barrier capabilities. The
invention, however, is not limited to any particular material for
the reinforcing layer and other materials could be used to provide
moisture barrier protection for the product stored within the
blisters 18. The reinforcing layer 16 and product casing layer 12
are preferably secured to each other (e.g., using sonic welding).
The reinforcing layer 16 and product casing layer 12 may be secured
together at discrete peripheral locations 44, as shown in FIG. 1.
Alternatively, the reinforcing layer 16 and product casing layer 12
may be secured together along a substantially continuous weld line
extending about the perimeter of the product casing layer 12. The
bonding between the reinforcing layer 16 and the product casing
layer 12 at peripheral locations or along a perimeter line leaves
the tear-away elements 34, which are located interiorly from the
peripheral locations 44, free to separate from the product casing
layer 12 when the access mechanisms 20 are actuated to dispense
pills from the package 10 as described above.
[0030] To facilitate bonding between the product casing layer 12
and the reinforcing layer 16, the intermediately-located foil
closure layer 14 could be discontinued at the bonding locations.
This is not a requirement of the invention, however, and the
bonding (e.g., sonic welding) between the product casing layer 12
and the reinforcing layer 16 could be executed without pre-existing
discontinuities being provided in the intermediately located foil
layer 14. It is also not a requirement of the invention that the
product casing layer 12 be bonded to the reinforcing layer. For
example, it is conceived that a hinged piece of PVC (or other
suitable material) could include a portion forming the reinforcing
layer 16. The hinged piece would preferably be folded around the
product casing layer 12 and foil layer 14 and sealed about the
periphery of the hinged piece such that the product casing layer 12
and foil layer 14 are captured within the hinged piece. Preferably,
the hinged piece defines openings adapted to receive the blisters
18 and puncturing elements 26 of the product casing layer 12.
[0031] In the event that sonic welding is used to bond the product
casing layer 12 and the reinforcing layer 16 at the peripheral bond
locations 44 (or perimeter weld line) in the above-described
manner, it is conceivable that the sonic welding apparatus could be
adapted to also create the perforation lines 36 in the reinforcing
layer 16 that define the tear-away elements 34. Such a feature
would desirably facilitate manufacture by eliminating the need for
separate apparatus to perform these functions (i.e., welding and
perforating).
[0032] As described above, the reinforcing layer 16 of package 10
is depicted with perforation lines 36 defining the tear-away
elements 34. It is not a requirement of the invention, however,
that the tear-away elements 34 be defined by perforation lines
(i.e., spaced discontinuities in the material). It is conceivable
that other means, such as score lines or otherwise weakened
portions of the material, could be used to define the boundaries of
the tear-away elements 34 of reinforcing layer 16.
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 4 through 6, there is shown a package 46
for pharmaceutical products according to a second exemplary
embodiment of the invention. The package 46 includes a product
casing layer 12, foil closure layer 14 and reinforcing layer 16
similar in construction to the corresponding elements of package
10. The package 46, however, also includes a jacket 48 in which the
product casing layer 12, foil closure layer 14 and reinforcing
layer 16 are mounted. The jacket 48 of package 46 is preferably
made from paper (e.g., cardboard) and includes a mounting portion
50 having front and back panels 52, 54 between which the layers 12,
14, 16 of package 46 are mounted. As shown, the front panel 52 of
the mounting portion 50 of jacket 48 defines openings in which the
blisters 18 and puncturing elements 26 of the product casing layer
12 are received.
[0034] Preferably, the back panel 54 of the mounting portion 50
defines openings 55 at locations that correspond to the locations
of the perforation lines 36 in the reinforcing layer 16 of package
46. Such a construction facilitates access to the tear-away
elements 34 defined by reinforcing layer 16 for grasping and
pulling of the tear-away elements 34 in the manner described above
for package 10. It is conceivable that, instead of defining
openings at the locations of the tear-away elements 34, the back
panel 54 of the mounting portion 50 of jacket 48 could define
perforation lines adapted to be torn when the tear-away elements in
reinforcing layer 16 are grasped and pulled.
[0035] The jacket 48 could also include a cover panel 56, as shown,
and a relatively narrow intermediate panel 58 located between the
cover panel 56 and the mounting portion 50 of jacket 48. The jacket
48 preferably includes fold lines 60, 62 respectively located
between the cover panel 56 and the intermediate panel 58 and
between the intermediate panel 58 and the mounting portion 50.
Constructed in this manner, the jacket 48 is adapted to be opened
and closed in book-like fashion. Each of the mounting portion 50
and cover panel 56 desirably provides surfaces for display of
product indicia and product-related information.
[0036] The present invention is not limited to 4 count packages
such as depicted in FIGS. 1 through 6. Referring to FIG. 7, there
is shown a package 64 according the invention having a seven count
configuration. Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a package 66
having a 14 count configuration. Each of the packages 64, 66
includes blisters 68 for enclosing a pharmaceutical product such as
a pill, capsule or tablet. Each of the packages 64, 66 also
includes puncturing elements 70 of access mechanisms for use in
dispensing the pharmaceutical products from the packages 64, 66 in
the above-described manner.
[0037] The present invention is also not limited to packaging for
pharmaceutical products having any particular shape. Such variation
is shown, for example, by comparing the generally elongated shape
of the blisters 68 of packages 64, 66 with the generally circular
shape of the blisters 18 of packages 10, 46.
[0038] The foregoing describes the invention in terms of
embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling
description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial
modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may
nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.
* * * * *