U.S. patent application number 11/916458 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-21 for blister pack with radio-frequency identification device, and method for manufacturing same.
This patent application is currently assigned to TEICH AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. Invention is credited to Thomas Ullrich.
Application Number | 20080197042 11/916458 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37897353 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080197042 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ullrich; Thomas |
August 21, 2008 |
Blister Pack With Radio-Frequency Identification Device, and Method
For Manufacturing Same
Abstract
The invention specifies a blister pack (1) with a
radio-frequency identification device (2, 2') which comprises--a
support body (3) which is made of flat plastic material and which
has a plurality of depressions (5), produced from deforming this
material, within a planar region (4) for the purpose of holding the
packed goods,--an aluminium sealing foil (7) which is connected
flat to the planar region (4) of the support body (3), and--a
radio-frequency identification device (2, 2') which is fitted in
the region (8) of the support body (3) which projects over the
aluminium sealing foil (7).
Inventors: |
Ullrich; Thomas; (Weinburg,
AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
TEICH AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Weinburg
AT
|
Family ID: |
37897353 |
Appl. No.: |
11/916458 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
December 14, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AT06/00515 |
371 Date: |
February 1, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/531 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 75/327 20130101;
B65D 2203/10 20130101; B65B 9/045 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/531 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/04 20060101
B65D083/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 21, 2005 |
AT |
A2048/2005 |
Claims
1. Blister pack (1) with radio frequency identification means (2,
2') comprising the following: a carrier body (3) of flat plastic
material which has several depressions (5) produced by deformation
of this material within a plane region (4) for holding the packaged
article, an aluminum sealing foil (7) which is connected flat to
the plane region (4) of the carrier body, (3) and a radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') which is attached in the region (8) of
the carrier body (3) projecting over the aluminum sealing foil
(7).
2. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') is a radio frequency identification
transponder.
3. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') is attached to the same side as the
depressions (5).
4. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') is attached to side opposite the
depressions (5).
5. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') is spaced apart from the aluminum
sealing foil (7).
6. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier body (3)
is a plastic film or plastic film composite.
7. Blister pack as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plastic film(s)
consist of polyvinylchloride (PVC) and/or polypropylene (PP).
8. Blister pack as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plastic film(s)
has (have) a thickness from 0.1 to 0.5 mm.
9. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aluminum sealing
foil (7) has a. thickness from 0.01 to 0.05 mm.
10. Blister pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aluminum
sealing foil (7) is connected to the plane region (4) of the
carrier body (3) via a hot adhesive varnish layer (6).
11. Process for producing a blister pack (1) with radio frequency
identification (2, 2') as claimed in claim 1, comprising the
following process steps: producing a carrier body (3) from flat
plastic material, depressions (5) being formed within the plane
region (4) by deep drawing, filling of the carrier body (3) with
the packaged article which is placed within the depressions (5),
producing the aluminum sealing foil (7) and subsequently sealing it
in the plane region (4) of the carrier body (3) and attachment of a
radio frequency identification means (2, 2') to the region (8) of
the carrier body (3) projecting over the aluminum sealing foil
(7).
12. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') is a radio frequency identification
transponder.
13. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2) is attached to the same side as the
depressions (5) of the carrier body (3).
14. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2') is attached to the side opposite the
depressions (5) of the carrier material (3).
15. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the radio frequency
identification means (2, 2') is applied spaced apart from the
aluminum sealing foil (7).
16. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein a plastic film or
plastic film composite is used to produce the carrier body (3).
17. Process as claimed in claim 16, wherein polyvinylchloride (PVC)
and/or polypropylene (PP) film is used as the plastic film(s).
18. Process as claimed in claim 16 or 17 claim 16, wherein the
plastic film(s) has (have) a thickness from 0.1 to 0.5 mm.
19. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein an aluminum foil with a
thickness from 0.01 to 0.05 mm is used to produce the aluminum
sealing foil (7).
20. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the aluminum sealing
foil (7) is connected to the plane region (4) of the carrier body
(3) via a hot adhesive varnish layer (6).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a blister pack with radio frequency
identification means and a process for its manufacture.
[0002] Using blister packs for holding sensitive packaged articles
such as tablets, capsules, and the like is known. In this
connection a carrier body is produced from flat material, which
within a plane region has several depressions produced by
deformation of this material for holding the packaged article, and
is connected two-dimensionally to an aluminum sealing foil in the
plane region.
[0003] The aforementioned production process of a blister pack
conventionally takes place in the course of the packing process.
This means that the packaged articles, such as tablets or capsules,
are placed in the depressions of the carrier material, and after
placement, the sealing foil is fed onto the carrier material by
application of pressure and elevated temperature, so that a
connection is formed between the carrier material and the sealing
foil.
[0004] After unpacking, it is therefore only possible more by
destroying the package to achieve safety over genuineness or
quality of the packaged article.
[0005] As claimed in WO-A1-01/63368, therefore to improve quality
control there has been a transition to attaching radio frequency
identification means to the blister pack. Radio frequency
identification systems are recognition systems as are used for
example in chip cards. In any case the technical processes for this
purpose have been adopted from radio and radar so that the radio
frequency identification system consists altogether of two
components, specifically of a transponder which is attached to the
objects to be identified, and a reader or detection device.
[0006] As claimed in WO-A1-01/63368, the transponder is attached
directly to the blister pack. The aluminum foil in the blister pack
attenuates the electromagnetic field of the reader to such an
extent that the readability of the RFID transponder is greatly
reduced.
[0007] It is here that the invention will provide a remedy.
[0008] As claimed in the invention, a blister pack with radio
frequency identification means is suggested which comprises the
following components: [0009] a carrier body of flat plastic
material which has several depressions produced by deformation of
this material within a plane region for holding the packaged
article, [0010] an aluminum sealing foil which is connected flat to
the plane region of the carrier body, and [0011] the radio
frequency identification means which is attached in the region of
the carrier body projecting over the aluminum sealing foil.
[0012] Advantageous embodiments of the blister pack as claimed in
the invention with radio frequency identification means are
disclosed according to the dependent claims.
[0013] The invention furthermore relates to a process for producing
the blister pack as claimed in the invention with radio frequency
identification means comprising the following process steps: [0014]
producing a carrier body of flat plastic material, depressions
being produced within the plane region of the carrier material by
deep drawing, [0015] filling of the carrier body, the packaged
articles being placed in the depressions, [0016] sealing of the
filled carrier body in its plane region with an aluminum sealing
foil and [0017] subsequent attachment of a radio frequency
identification means to the region of the carrier body projecting
over the aluminum foil.
[0018] Advantageous embodiments of the process as claimed in the
invention are disclosed according to the dependent claims.
[0019] The invention is detailed below using FIGS. 1 and 2 and
using one advantageous embodiment of the blister pack as claimed in
the invention.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows the blister pack as claimed in the invention
with the radio frequency means 2 which is attached to the same side
as the depressions 5, and FIG. 2 shows one version of this blister
pack, the radio frequency identification means 2' being attached to
the side opposite the depressions 5. In this connection, the
embodiments as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are reproduced both in a top
view--see FIG. 1b, 2b--and also in a cross section--see FIGS. 1a,
2a.
[0021] To produce the blister pack 1 as claimed in the invention,
for example the carrier body 3 is produced from a for example
transparent plastic film by a thermal deep drawing process. The
parent products are for example PVC or PP films in a thickness of
roughly 0.2-0.3 mm, and they can be present as monofilms or film
composites. The thermal deep drawing process is a shaping process
with which the depressions 5 are formed within the plane region 4
of the carrier body 3.
[0022] In a further process step the aluminum sealing foil 7 is
produced. The parent product is an aluminum foil in a thickness of
roughly 0.01-0.04 mm which is advantageously provided on the bottom
with a hot adhesive varnish layer 6. The coating thickness of the
hot adhesive varnish layer 6 is roughly in the range of 0.003-0.02
mm. Due to this hot adhesive varnish layer 6, in the flat region 4
of the carrier body 3 a connection is produced between it and the
aluminum sealing foil 7.
[0023] The radio frequency identification means 2, 2' is
advantageously intended as a so-called RFID transponder which is
located in a housing 9. The important transponder components are a
coupling element or an antenna 10 in the form of copper wires and a
microchip 11.
[0024] The RFID transponder 2 and 2' is now attached in the region
8 of the plastic carrier material 3 which projects over the
aluminum sealing foil 7. This takes place for example by the RFID
transponder being purchased in label form and being cemented onto
the carrier material 3 in the region 8 by means of commercial
automatic labelling machines.
[0025] Furthermore it is possible to buy the RFID transponder in
tape goods and to cut off according to the dimensions of the region
8 and to apply it in this region.
[0026] Furthermore it is possible to imprint parts of the RFID
transponder 2, 2' such as the antenna and the coupling element 10
as well as the contact surface for the microchip 11 in the region 8
of the carrier material 3. Then the microchip 11 is inserted
mechanically into the imprinted contact surfaces. This process is
also called "pending".
[0027] In series production it is recommended that all parts of the
RFID transponder 2, 2', i.e. the antenna or the coupling element 10
and also the microchip 11, be imprinted onto the carrier material 3
using printing technology.
[0028] As is apparent from FIG. 1, the RFID transponder 2 in the
region 8 of the carrier material 3 is attached to the same side on
which the depressions 5 for holding the tablets are provided. In
this case it is advantageous to provide a certain distance 13 which
can be varied from case to case, in order to thus avoid disruptions
in reading out the data stored on the microchip in any case.
[0029] Furthermore, it is possible, as shown in FIG. 2, to attach
the RFID transponder 2' in the region 8, but on the side opposite
the depressions 5. Here it is advantageous to provide a gap 12 with
a width which can vary from case to case, in order to thus avoid
disruptions in reading out the data stored on the microchip in any
case.
[0030] Both for the version as shown in FIG. 1 and also for that as
shown in FIG. 2 it is possible to input data sets into the
microchip 11, such as security codes relating to checking the
genuineness of materials such as pharmaceuticals, their production
date, expiration date, batch number and general data for checking.
They can now be easily read out with a reader (not shown), and a
practicable distance between the transponder and reader can be
achieved in the range from 10 to 30 cm. This means that contactless
detection or read-out of the stored data can take place without
possible disruptive factors. Contactless read-out of the
aforementioned data is especially necessary when using sensitive
packaged articles such as pharmaceuticals.
* * * * *