U.S. patent application number 12/602526 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-27 for hang tab reinforcement for blister card packaging structures.
Invention is credited to Donald L. Hodapp, Michael P. Wade.
Application Number | 20110017627 12/602526 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39718987 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110017627 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wade; Michael P. ; et
al. |
January 27, 2011 |
HANG TAB REINFORCEMENT FOR BLISTER CARD PACKAGING STRUCTURES
Abstract
A packaging structure is disclosed. In accordance with one
aspect, the structure includes a blister (16) including a flange
(20) and a body portion (22), a front card (12) defining a blister
receiving opening and a first hang tab notch (30) therein, the
blister receiving opening being sized and shaped to receive the
body portion therethrough and prevent passage of the flange OC
therethrough. The structure also includes a rear card (14) defining
a second hang tab notch (36) therein; and a hang tab reinforcement
card (18) defining a third hang tab notch (42) therein, wherein the
first, second and third hang tab. notches are generally aligned and
the front card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and
the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween. Various substrates
may be used to form the packaging structure. The structure may be
provided with internal or external coatings to provide strength,
printability, and adhesion between the various parts.
Inventors: |
Wade; Michael P.;
(Chesterfield, VA) ; Hodapp; Donald L.;
(Midlothian, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION;ATTN: IP LEGAL DEPARTMENT
1021 MAIN CAMPUS DRIVE
RALEIGH
NC
27606
US
|
Family ID: |
39718987 |
Appl. No.: |
12/602526 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
June 11, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US08/66517 |
371 Date: |
December 1, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60943185 |
Jun 11, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/464 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 73/0092
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/464 |
International
Class: |
B65D 73/00 20060101
B65D073/00 |
Claims
1. A packaging structure comprising: a blister including a flange
and a body portion; a front card defining a blister receiving
opening and a first hang tab notch therein, the blister receiving
opening being sized and shaped to receive the body portion
therethrough and prevent passage of the flange therethrough; a rear
card defining a second hang tab notch therein; and a hang tab
reinforcement card defining a third hang tab notch therein, wherein
the first, second and third hang tab notches are generally aligned
and the front card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange
and the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween.
2. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the body portion
defines a storage chamber for an item.
3. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the body portion is
shaped as a hemisphere or a rectangular box.
4. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister is made
by thermoforming, stamping or injection molding.
5. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister is made
of a polymeric or cellulosic material.
6. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is made of
paperboard.
7. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more or the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is coated with or
comprises at least one layer of a printable coating, a polymeric
coating, or a tear resistant layer.
8. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the front card and
rear card are formed as separate pieces.
9. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the front card and
rear card are formed from a single continuous piece of
material.
10. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is formed from a
paperboard substrate comprising solid bleached sulfate (SBS),
folding boxboard, or recycled board.
11. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is formed from a
bleached or unbleached material.
12. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement has a thickness
of about 10 to about 30 points.
13. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
front card and rear card comprises an inner surface coated with a
sealing material.
14. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing
material is an adhesive.
15. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing
material is a pressure sensitive or curable adhesive.
16. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing
material is a heat sealable material.
17. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing
material is comprises at least one of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA),
ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA), EVA, EMA, low density polyethylene,
high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene,
ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene methacrylate, ethylene ethyl
acrylate and ethylene n-butyl acrylate, and combinations
thereof.
18. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement comprises a tear
resistant layer or material.
19. The packaging structure of claim 18, wherein the tear resistant
layer or material comprises an oriented film layer or a biaxially
oriented polyester film.
20. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab
reinforcement has a shape or profile that closely resembles at
least a portion of the shape or profile of the front and or rear
card.
21. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab
reinforcement comprises a tear resistant material.
22. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab
reinforcement comprises cellulosic material, a polymeric material,
a metallic material, or combinations thereof.
23. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
top and bottom surfaces of the hang tab reinforcement is coated
with a sealing material.
24. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein sealing of the
front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is accomplished
through the application of heat, radio frequency energy, ultrasonic
energy, microwave energy and/or mechanical pressure.
25. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister and
hang tab reinforcement are formed as a single piece of material.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 60/943,185
filed on Jun. 11, 2007 which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present application is directed to blister card
packaging structures and, more particularly, to trap sealing
blister card packaging structures having a reinforced hang tab
portion.
[0003] Various consumer goods, such as pharmaceuticals, software,
electronics, health and beauty products and the like, typically are
packaged in trap sealing blister card packages. Traditionally, trap
sealing blister card packages are formed by positioning a consumer
good in a flanged blister and sealing the flanged blister between
two cards.
[0004] Retailers have begun using such trap sealing blister card
packages in connection with locking peg hooks designed to prevent
product theft. Such locking peg hook systems require the consumer
to have the packaged product removed from the display by a store
clerk before purchasing the product. However, thieves have been
able to circumvent the locking peg hooks by simply tearing or
cutting the hang tab section away from the package
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a blister card packaging
structure having a reinforced hang tab portion capable of meeting
security requirements at a relatively low cost.
SUMMARY
[0006] In one aspect, the disclosed blister card packaging
structure may include a blister including a flange and a body
portion, a front card defining a blister receiving opening and a
first hang tab notch therein, the blister receiving opening being
sized and shaped to receive the body portion therethrough and
prevent passage of the flange therethrough, a rear card defining a
second hang tab notch therein, and a hang tab reinforcement card
defining a third hang tab notch therein, wherein the first, second
and third hang tab notches are generally aligned and the front card
is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and the hang tab
reinforcement card therebetween.
[0007] Other aspects of the disclosed blister card packaging
structure will become apparent from the following description and
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the components of one aspect of
the disclosed blister card packaging structure;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the components of the
blister card packaging structure of FIG. 1 in a pre-assembled
configuration;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blister card packaging
structure of FIG. 2 in the fully assembled configuration; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative aspect of the
blister and hang tab reinforcement card of the disclosed blister
card packaging structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one aspect of the disclosed
blister card packaging structure, generally designated 10, may
include a front card 12, a rear card 14, a blister 16 and a hang
tab reinforcement card 18. In the assembled configuration, the hang
tab reinforcement card 18 may be positioned between the front and
rear cards 12, 14 to provide structural support to the packaging
structure 10.
[0013] The blister 16 may include a flange 20 and a body portion
22. The body portion 22 may define a storage chamber in which
various items, such as consumer goods, may be received. Those
skilled in the art will appreciate that the body portion 22 may be
formed into various shapes and sizes, such as a hemispherical
bubble, a rectangular box or other regular or irregular shapes. The
shape and size of the body portion 22 of the blister 16 may be
dictated by the items to be packaged in the packaging structure
10.
[0014] In one aspect, the blister 16 may be formed by thermoforming
a paperboard substrate into the desired shape and configuration.
Optionally, the paperboard substrate may be coated with or
otherwise include additional layers and/or materials, such as
printable coatings, polymeric coatings, tear resistant layers and
the like. In another aspect, the blister 16 may be formed from a
polymeric material using, for example, a stamping process, an
injection molding process or the like. At this point, those skilled
in the art will appreciate that the blister 16 may be formed from a
wide variety of materials using a wide variety of processes.
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front and rear cards 14, 16
may be formed as separate pieces. Alternatively, the front and rear
cards 12, 14 may be formed from a single continuous piece of
material and may be separated by a fold line (not shown). For
example, the cards 12, 14 may be formed by die cutting a bulk
supply sheet, though those skilled in the art will appreciate that
any available means for forming cards 12, 14 may be used.
[0016] Furthermore, while the front and rear cards 12, 14 are shown
in FIG. 1 as defining a generally rectangular periphery in top
view, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the front and
rear cards 12, 14 may be formed into various sizes and shapes
depending upon the application of the packaging structure 10.
[0017] The front card 12 may include an outer surface 24 and an
inner surface 26 and may define an opening 28 therein sized and
shaped to receive the body portion 22 of the blister 16
therethrough, while preventing the flange 20 of the blister 16 from
passing therethrough. Additionally, the front card 12 may define a
hang tab notch 30 therein. The rear card 14 may include an outer
surface 32 and an inner surface 34 and may define a hang tab notch
36 therein.
[0018] The front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed from any
conventional blister package substrate such as a paperboard
substrate. Examples of suitable paperboard substrates include solid
bleached sulfate (SBS), folding boxboard and recycled board,
whether bleached or unbleached. For example, the front and rear
cards 12, 14 may be formed from or may include a SBS board having a
thickness of about 10 to about 30 points.
[0019] The outer surfaces 24, 32 of the front and rear cards 12, 14
may be coated with a printable coating selected for compatibility
with the desired printing method and the selected substrate from
which the front and rear cards 12, 14 are formed. For example, the
outer surfaces 24, 32 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be
coated with clay, calcium carbonate or combinations thereof.
[0020] The inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and/or rear cards 12,
14 may be coated with a sealing material. The sealing material may
be any material that may form a seal between the inner surfaces 26,
34 of the front and rear cards 12, 14. In one aspect, the sealing
material may be an adhesive (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive or
a curable adhesive). In another aspect, the sealing material may be
a material that melts and seals to adjacent substrates or layers
upon the application of heat, radio frequency energy and/or
ultrasonic energy. Examples of useful sealing materials include
ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA),
copolymers of EVA and EMA, and combinations of EVA and/or EMA and
other polymers or materials, low density polyethylene, high density
polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethylene acrylic
acid, ethylene methacrylate, ethylene ethyl acrylate and ethylene
n-butyl acrylate.
[0021] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the front
and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include additional layers or materials
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For
example, the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include a tear
resistant layer or material to provide improved package security.
For example, the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include an
oriented film layer, such as a layer of biaxially oriented
polyester film sold under the mark MYLAR.RTM. (E. I. du Pont de
Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del.) to provide tear
resistance.
[0022] The hang tab reinforcement card 18 may include a top surface
38 and a bottom surface 40 (FIG. 2) and may define a hang tab notch
42 therein. In the assembled configuration, the hang tab
reinforcement card 18 may be positioned between the front and rear
cards 12, 14 and the hang tab notch 42 of the hang tab
reinforcement card 18 may be generally aligned with the hang tab
notches 30, 36 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 to provide
tear/cutting resistance to the hang tab 44 (FIG. 3) of the
assembled package 10.
[0023] In one aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may have a
shape or profile in top view (FIGS. 1 and 3) that closely resembles
the shape or profile of the hang tab region 46 (FIG. 3) of the
front and/or rear cards 12, 14. For example, when the hang tab
region 46 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 is generally
rectangular in top view, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may
also be generally rectangular in top view, though somewhat smaller
to facilitate sealing between the edge of the hang tab
reinforcement card 18 and the edge of the cards 12, 14.
[0024] The hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a
generally rigid or semi-rigid material and may have a thickness T
adapted to resist tearing and cutting. The thickness T may be
selected to provide tear/cutting resistance without excessive bulk.
In one exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may
have a thickness T of about 10 to about 50 points. In another
exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed
from a polymeric material, such as high density polyethylene or
polypropylene. In another exemplary aspect, the hang tab
reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a tear-resistant
paperboard material, such as a high density paperboard coated with
a tear-resistant polymeric film (e.g., an oriented polymer film).
In another exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may
be formed from a metallic material.
[0025] While those skilled in the art will appreciate that various
techniques may be used to form the hang tab reinforcement card 18,
exemplary techniques include stamping, die cutting and the
like.
[0026] The top and/or bottom surfaces 38, 40 of the hang tab
reinforcement card 18 may be coated with a sealing material (e.g.,
an adhesive or heat sealing material), similar to the inside
surfaces 26, 34 of the cards 12, 14, such that the hang tab
reinforcement card 18 is secured to the cards 12, 14 during the
final assembly process. Alternatively, the hang tab reinforcement
card 18 may be secured to one or more of the cards 12, 14 using an
adhesive or the like prior to the final assembly of the packaging
structure 10. Still alternatively, the hang tab reinforcement card
18 may be secured to one or more of the cards 12, 14 during the
final assembly process (e.g., during heat sealing).
[0027] In one aspect, the packaging structure 10 may be assembled
by (1) positioning the body portion 22 of the blister 16 through
the opening 28 in the front card 12 such that the flange 20 of the
blister 16 is positioned between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the
front and rear cards 12, 14, (2) positioning an item (e.g., a
consumer good) into the body portion 22 of the blister 16, (3)
positioning the hang tab reinforcement card 18 between the inner
surfaces 26, 34 of the front and rear cards 12, 14, (4) aligning
the front card 12, the rear card 14 and the hang tab reinforcement
card 18 such that the associated hang tab notches 30, 36, 42 are
generally aligned, and (5) applying heat, radio frequency energy,
ultrasonic energy, microwave energy and/or mechanical pressure to
the mating portions of the front and rear cards 12, 14 to seal the
hang tab reinforcing card 18 and flange 20 of the blister 16
therebetween.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 4, in an alternative aspect of the
disclosed blister card packaging structure, the blister and hang
tab reinforcement card may be formed as a single, integral
structure 50. The integral blister/hang tab reinforcement structure
50 may include a flange 52 extending about the periphery of a body
portion 54. An elongated portion 56 of the flange 52 may extend
from the body portion 54 to function as the hang tab reinforcement
card 18 shown in FIGS. 1-3. The elongated portion 56 of the flange
52 may define a hang tab notch 58 therein sized and shaped to
generally align with the hang tab notches 30, 36 of the front and
rear cards 12, 14.
[0029] Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
incorporating a hang tab reinforcement into the disclosed blister
card packaging structure may provide resistance to tampering and
theft at a relatively low cost.
[0030] Although various aspects of the disclosed blister card
packaging structure have been shown and described, modifications
may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the
specification.
* * * * *