PACKING MEANS FOR MEDICAMENTS IN THE FORM OF A FOLDED BOX COMBINATION FOR AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT PRIMARY PACKINGS

SYSTEME D'EMBALLAGE POUR MEDICAMENTS SOUS FORME DE COMBINAISON DE BOITES PLIANTES POUR AU MOINS DEUX EMBALLAGES PRIMAIRES DIFFERENTS

English Abstract

The invention relates to a packing means for medicaments in the form of a
folded box combination for at least two different primary packings, containing
transdermal plasters and capsules, in the form of a cardboard folded box
accommodating both medicaments. Said folded box comprises a receptacle for
individual rectangular plasters to be stacked in bulk in said receptacle. Said
receptacle has a structure according to DIN 55 429 with a front wall (1) and a
back wall (2) with joints (26 to 30) for a folding lid (6), a folding bottom
(5) and lateral walls (3, 4). The inventive packing means is characterized in
that the folded box further has a punch blank part (12) which is joined by
means of joints (10, 10') to the front wall (1) at both sides of a push-in
slot (11) formed in between. Said punch blank part (12) comprises two flat
sections (14, 15) which can be folded on top of each other along a folding
line (13). A number of holes (16, 17) is arranged in said flat sections. Said
punch blank part is configured to accommodate a tablet blister unit with deep-
drawn tablet cups containing the capsules. Said tablet blister unit can be
inserted between the flat sections (14, 15).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'emballage pour des médicaments, se présentant sous forme d'une combinaison de boîtes pliantes pour au moins deux emballages primaires différents, qui contient d'une part un emplâtre transdermique et d'autre part, des capsules, sous forme de boîte pliante en carton contenant les deux médicaments. Ce système comprend un espace collecteur approprié pour loger des emplâtres rectangulaires individuels pouvant être empilés de manière lâche. Ledit espace collecteur présente une structure de type DIN 55 429, avec une paroi avant (1) et une paroi arrière (2), avec des articulations (26 à 30) pour un couvercle à emboîter (6), un fond à emboîter (5), ainsi que des faces latérales (3, 4). L'invention se caractérise en ce que la boîte pliante comprend en outre une partie découpée matricée (12) montée par des articulations (10, 10') au niveau de la paroi avant (1) des deux côtés d'une fente d'emboîtement formée entre eux. Cette partie découpée matricée comprend deux parties en nappe (14, 15) pouvant être rabattues l'une sur l'autre le long d'une ligne de pliage (13) et comportant dans chaque cas, une pluralité de perforations (16, 17) pratiqués dedans. Cette partie découpée matricée est munie, pour recevoir une unité de plaquette alvéolaire pour comprimés, insérable entre les parties en nappe, de godets emboutis contenant les capsules.

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. Packaging means for medication in the form of a
folding-box combination for at least two different primary
packs, containing transdermal plasters on the one hand and
capsules on the other hand, in the form of a cardboard
folding box which accommodates said primary packs together
and has a suitable space for accommodating individual
rectangular plasters which can be positioned loosely one
above the other, this having a construction, in accordance
with DIN 55 429, with a front wall (1) and a rear wall (2)
with articulations (26 to 30) for an insertable cover (6),
an insertable base (5) and transverse sides (3, 4),
characterized in that, by way of articulations (10, 10') on
the front wall (1), on both sides of an insertion slit (11)
formed between said articulations, the folding box also has
a punched-blank part (12) comprising two surface-area parts
(14, 15) which can be swung onto one another about a
folding line (13) and each have a number of holes (16, 17)
arranged therein, said punched-blank part being designed
for accommodating a tablet blister-pack unit which can be
positioned between the surface-area parts (14, 15) and has
thermoformed capsule-containing tablet blisters, the said
punched-blank part (12) being articulated to the front wall
(1), and the insertable flap (6) being articulated,
separate from the punched-blank part (12), to the rear wall
(2), which rear wall (2), in the folded state, is opposite
to the f rout wall (1).

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2. Packaging means according to Claim 1, characterized in
that, once the tablet unit has been placed in position and
the two surface-area parts (14, 15) have been swung onto
one another, the latter can be connected to one another
With the aid of an adhesive strip (18).
3. Packaging means according to Claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the swing-together surface-area parts
(14, 15) have a grip aid in the form of a recess (19).
4. Packaging means according to one or more of Claims 1
to 3, characterized in that the insertion flap (7) is
assigned an opening aid in the form of a preferably
semicircular recess (20) in the front wall (1).
5. Packaging means according to one or more of Claims 1
to 4, characterized in that, on the rear wall (2), the
blank of the folding box has an adhesive flap (8) which can
be bent about the folding line (25).
6. Packaging means according to one or more of Claims 1
to 5, characterized in that supporting flaps (23, 23'; 24,
24') which can be swung over by means of folding lines (21,
21'; 22, 22') are provided on each transverse side (3, 4).
7. Packaging means according to Claim 1, characterized in
that the transverse-side surfaces (3, 4) are assigned,
instead of the supporting flaps (23', 24'),
double-wall-forming surface-area elements (40, 40') via
double folding lines (21', 21", 22', 22"), and said

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surface-area elements are assigned end-side adhesive tabs
(42, 42') via folding lines (41, 41'), and in that provided
at the opposite ends of the transverse-side surfaces (3,
4), instead of supporting flaps (23, 24), are adhesive tabs
(43, 44) which can be articulated via folding lines (21,
22) and are of equal surface area to the adhesive tabs (42,
42').
8. Packaging means according to Claim 7, characterized in
that the adhesive tabs (43, 44) and the adhesive tabs (42,
42') can be adhesively bonded to one another when the
surface-area parts (40, 40') have been folded parallel
relative to the surface-area parts (3, 4), double walls (3,
40; 4, 40') being formed in the process.
9. Packaging means according to one or more of Claims 1
to 8, characterized in that an insertion flap (9) is
arranged on the insertable base (5) via an articulation
(26') designed as a folding line.
10. Packaging means according to one or more of Claims 1
to 9, characterized in that the folding-box combination can
be produced in a single piece from a cardboard blank which
can be assembled by folding and insertion operations.

Description

CA 02352428 2001-05-28
with indications of sickness or illness which, in
particular cases, require or suggest combined therapy
comprising both oral intake of active-ingredient-containing
capsules and, at the same time, assisting slow-acting
therapy by means of the systemic feed of active ingredient
through the skin using a transdermal therapeutic system in
the form of self-sticking plasters, it has been the
practice up until now for the differently shaped and
dimensioned medications - capsules and transdermal plasters
(TTS) - to be provided for sale, packed first of all in
primary packs, in separate secondary packs, usually folding
boxes of different shapes and sizes.
This has often resulted, disadvantageously, in application
not taking place at the same time or in one of the
medications being mislaid or forgotten. In any case,
however, the separate packaging has resulted in storage and
application problems, particularly for the patient at home.
There is thus a need or requirement in practice, in
particular in order always to ensure correct, combined
application, for the two different forms of medication to
be accommodated in a joint, non-separable packaging
combination.
The object of the invention is thus to design a packaging
means in the form of a folding-box combination such that
two different primary packs for different medications,
which are nevertheless provided for joint application, can

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be accommodated therein, and that the folding-box
combination is straightforward in terms of shaping,
handling and production and, moreover, can be produced
cost-effectively in one piece from a single blank.
From time to time, the folding-box combination is also
intended to be suitable for accommodating TTS of different
surface-area dimensions.
In order to achieve the object, the invention proposes, in
the case of a packaging means of the type specified a.n the
preamble of Claim 1, that the folding-box combination be
designed in accordance with the features of the
characterizing part of Claim 1. Particularly
advantageously, the folding box designed according to the
invention is very well suited for jointly and non-separably
accommodating two different primary packs, as well as for
being produced cost-effectively from a single cardboard
blank.
Further advantageous configurations of the folding-box
combination according to the invention can be gathered from
the features of Subclaims 2 to 6. Subclaims 7 and 8 outline
an alternative configuration of the folding-box
combination, in which the packaging space for the
rectangular plasters is suitable, by way of a double-wall
design, for accommodating TTS of different surface-area
dimensions.
Further details, features and advantages of the invention
can be gathered from the following explanation of two

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exemplary embodiments illustrated schematically in the
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a blank for a folding-box combination for
accommodating, on the one hand, TTS in the form of
rectangular, primary-packed TTS plasters and, on the other
hand, a tablet blister pack with tablets accommodated in
blisters of a thermoformed part and covered by an aluminium
foil,
Figure 2 shows a folding-box blank of similar basic shape,
but with additional surface-area parts for a double-wall
design on the transverse sides.
Figure 1 shows a plan view of a blank made of folding-box
cardboard for producing a packaging means for medication in
the form of a folding-box combination for at least two
different primary packs, containing transderntal plasters on
the one hand and capsules on the other hand, in the form of
a cardboard folding box which accommodates said primary
packs together and has a suitable space for accommodating
individual rectangular plasters which can be positioned
loosely one above the other, this having a construction, in
accordance with DIN 55 429, with a front wall 1 and a rear
wall 2 with articulations 26 to 30, in the form of folding
lines, for an insertable cover 6, an insertable base 5 and
transverse sides 3, 4. By way of articulations 10, 10' on
the front wall, on both sides of an insertion slit 11
formed between said articulations, the folding box also has
a punched-blank part 12 comprising two surface-area parts
14, 15 which can be swung onto one another about a folding

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line 13 and each have a number of holes 16, 17 arranged
therein, said punched-blank part being designed for
accommodating a tablet blister-pack unit which can be
positioned between the surface-area parts 14, 15 and has
thermoformed capsule-containing tablet blisters.
The arrangement of the holes 16, 17 is selected such that
the thermoformed blisters of the tablet blister-pack unit
can be inserted therein, with the result that, for removal
purposes, the capsules can be pressed out of the tablet
blisters, and through the holes 16, 17, by finger pressure
in a manner known per se.
An advantageous configuration provides that, once the
tablet unit has been placed in position and the two
surface-area parts 14, 15 have been swung onto one another,
the latter can be connected to one another by adhesive
bonding with the aid of an adhesive strip 18.
It is further provided that the swing-together surface-area
parts 14, 15 have a grip aid in the form of a recess 19.
Furthermore, the insertion flap 7 is assigned an opening
aid in the form of a preferably semicircular recess 20 in
the front wall 1.
One configuration provides that, on the rear wall 2, the
blank of the folding box has an adhesive flap 8 which can
be bent about the folding line 25. Said adhesive flap may
be coated with a self-adhesive material or with a
heat-sealable sealing medium.
Once the front wall 1, the rear wall 2 and the transverse
sides 3, 4 have been folded into position, the adhesive
flap 8 is then adhesively bonded or sealed to the
transverse side 3, a cubic shaped body being formed in the
process. The supporting flaps 23, 23' and 24, 24' are then

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bent inwards through 90° towards the inside of the cubic
body about the folding lines 21, 21' and 22, 22',
respectively, and thus serve as a support for the
surface-area parts 5 and 12 which are to be folded in
subseguently.
Prior to this, a tablet blister-pack unit is positioned in
a surface-area part 14 or 15, with blister formations
projecting through the holes 16 or 17, whereupon the
surface-area part 15 is folded through 180° about the
folding line 13 and positioned on the surface-area part 14,
and connected to the surface-area part 14 with the aid of
the adhesive strip 18, and then thus swung in towards the
opening of the resulting cubic body, beneath the insertable
cover 6. The insertable cover 6, located thereabove, then,
for its part, engages in the insertion slit 11 by way of
the insertion flap 7. On the opposite side, the insertable
base 5 is swung over; it engages, by way of the insertion
flap 9, in a slit produced between the top edge of the rear
wall 2 and the swung-over supporting flaps 23, 24, the
folding-box combination 1 being closed in the process.
Beforehand, of course, the already primary-packed
rectangular TTS plasters are positioned in the resulting
cubic cavity between the front wall l, rear wall 2 and the
transverse sides 3, 4. The folding box is thus complete; as
a secondary pack it contains, on the one hand, the tablet
blister-pack unit with thermoformed capsule-containing
tablet blisters and, on the other hand, a stack of
rectangular TTS plasters.
The blank according to Figure 2 differs from the blank
according to Figure 1 in that the transverse-side surfaces

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3, 4 are assigned, instead of supporting flaps 23', 24',
double-wall-forming surface-area elements 40, 40' via
double folding lines 21', 21"; 22', 22", and said
surface-area elements are assigned end-side adhesive tabs
42, 42' via folding lines 41, 41', and in that provided at
the opposite ends of the transverse-side surfaces 3, 4,
instead of supporting flaps 23, 24, are wing tabs 43, 44
which can be articulated via folding lines 21, 22 and are
of equal surface area to the adhesive tabs 42, 42'.
When the resulting folding-box combination is assembled by
folding, first of all the surface-area part 40 is folded
over through 180° parallel to the transverse sides 3, 4 via
the double folding lines 21, 21" and, at the same time, the
adhesive tabs 42, 43, which are folded inwards through 90°,
are adhesively bonded to one another. In the same way, by
way of the surface-area part 40' being bent about the
double folding lines 22', 22" and the adhesive tabs 44, 42'
being adhesively bonded, a double wall is formed on each
transverse side. Then the rest of the foldable blank is
folded into position, to give the cubic body of the folding
box, in the same way as in the case of the blank of Figure
1, and the adhesive flap 8 is adhesively bonded to the
transverse side 3, then the tablet blister-pack unit is
positioned between the surface-area parts 14, 15, these are
adhesively bonded to one another by the adhesive strip 18,
bent inwards through 180° about the articulations 10, 10',
and the top side is closed by the insertable cover 6 being
swung, and the insertion flap 7 being latched, into the
insertion slit 11, while the underside is closed on all
sides by the insertable base 5 once the latter has bean

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folded over through 180° and the flap has been inserted
into the gap between the top side of the rear wall 2 and
the folding lines 21, 22. The resulting interior of the
cubic body is reduced in size as a result of the double
walls and may therefore serve for accommodating a stack of
plasters of corresponding surface-area dimensions.
As can be gathered from the figures, the blanks according
to Figures 1 and 2 are straightforward and allow the
folding-box combination according to the invention to be
easily assembled by folding. =n this respect, the invention
achieves the set object in optimum fashion.

Representative Drawing