Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
PUSH AND PEEL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tamper evident, senior friendly and child
resistant
package of the type operable by means of a combination punch out of the inner
card hole or
push on the existing hole to release the lead area of the tab on the outer
layer and with a full
delamination feature tear strip for unsupported foil and a periphery
delamination feature for
paper.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Blister packs are well known in the art and are widely used to package
individual
items such as different forms of medication including tablets, capsules and
the like. In
addition, the packaging of a small amount of liquid in an individual blister
is known.
Usually, the item or product is accessed through the rear of the blister pack
which is
provided with a tear strip.
As aforementioned, there are three different properties which any packaging
ideally
possesses. The first is that the package should be tamper evident such that
there will be
provided a clear indication when the package has been subject to tampering. A
second
feature is that the package be child resistant. As aforementioned, such
packages are
frequently used for medication and it is inherently desirable that one
prevents young children
from accessing the contents of the blister pack.
However, in making such packaging child resistant, it is also important that
the
package still be readily openable by those taking the medication. Since the
most frequent
users of medication are seniors, one must take into account the limits of
their ability when
they are suffering from various physical problems.
-1-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
A conventional blister package usually comprises a laminate of a blister layer
having
article receiving pockets formed therein and with the article receiving
pockets being covered
by a foil backing layer. This foil backing layer is usually a form of an
aluminum foil which
is rupturable to permit access to the product in the blister pocket. While
such a package is
inherently tamper evident unless the whole foil layer is replaced, it is not
very child resistant
and indeed can prove attractive to some children.
A further feature which must always be considered in designing such products
is the
ability to efficiently manufacture the package at a reasonable cost. It is
also highly desirable
that the results be reproductible. This child resistant push tab feature was
also invented for
the purpose of adding electronic printed circuitry to the packaging. When
electronic
circuitry is bent, the circuitry can break and render the circuitry useless.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide blister pack packaging
which is
tamper evident, senior friendly, child resistant and capable of adding
electronic circuitry.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide blister pack
packaging which
is easy to manufacture and overcomes some of the deficiencies of the prior art
packaging.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a child
resistant
and senior friendly tamper evident package, the package comprising a blister
sheet having at
least one blister pocket projecting from a front side thereof, a rupturable
foil layer sealed to
a back side of the blister sheet to form a continuous cover over the blister
pocket, the foil
layer having a thickness and being formed of a material which can be ruptured
to provide
access to the pocket, a reinforcing layer of a paperboard material, the
reinforcing layer
having a first side with at least portions thereof adhered to the foil layer,
a tear strip formed
-2-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
in the reinforcing layer, the tear strip overlying the at least one blister
pocket, a tab formed at
one end of the tear strip, the tab being non adhered to the foil layer, and a
data layer
overlying the blister sheet on the front side thereof, the data layer having
at least one diecut
portion formed therein, the at least one diecut portion being in registry with
the tab such that
pressure on the at least one diecut portion will permit the tab member to be
lifted and the
tear strip removed.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a child
resistant and
senior friendly tamper evident package, the package comprising a blister sheet
having at
least one blister pocket projecting from a front side thereof, a rupturable
foil layer sealed to
a back side of the blister sheet to form a continuous cover over the blister
pocket, the foil
layer having a thickness and being formed of a material which can be ruptured
to provide
access to the blister pocket, a reinforcing layer of a paperboard material,
the reinforcing
layer having a first side with at least portions thereof adhered to the foil
layer, the
paperboard layer having a tear strip formed therein, a tab member being
located at one end
of the tear strip, a data layer overlying the front side of the blister sheet,
at least one diecut
portion formed in the front data layer, the blister layer having a diecut
formed therein, both
the diecut portion and the diecut formed in the blister sheet being in
registry with the tab
member such that pressure applied on said diecut portion will cause the tab
member to lift
and permit removal of the tear strip.
In one embodiment of the invention, the delamination of the paperboard and the
ability to eject the product from the pocket is controlled by providing a line
of weakening
formed in the paperboard on the face of the paperboard adjacent to the foil.
This line of
weakening permits the product to be dispensed from the blister pocket with
less effort than
-3-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
would otherwise be the case. At the same time, the line of weakening is not
evident to a
child since it does not extend through that portion of the paperboard which
remains covering
the blister pocket.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the tear strip may be
defined by a
partial cut through a portion of the paperboard. In this embodiment, the
paperboard would
be adhered to the foil layer and once the tab is pulled, a controlled
delamination of the
paperboard within the tear strip will occur. This will leave a portion of the
paperboard still
adhered to the foil to provide a further reinforcement and add effectiveness
in its ability to
prevent children from accessing the product.
After removal of the paperboard material, the foil may be removed by pushing
the
foil in the area of the depression formed in the blister layer. This prevents
removal of the
foil with less effort than would otherwise be the case.
The contents in the blister pocket are conventionally tablets or capsules or
the like.
The materials utilized in the present invention are well known in the art.
Thus, the
blister layer may be formed with a number of blister pockets projecting from a
front side
thereof, each designed to receive a unit dosage of a pharmaceutical product or
indeed, some
other product. The sheet may comprise a normally rectangular continuous
blister sheet of
flexible clear material which cannot be easily torn or ruptured. Typically,
such a film would
be a vinyl thermoplastic film having a thickness in excess of 10 mil.
The rupturable film sealed to the back side of the blister sheet is also well
known in
the art and may be selected from many known materials. Typically, such
rupturable foils are
of aluminum material having a thickness in the range of 1 mil with 15 lbs of
tissue paper
laminated to the foil and which may be joined to the blister sheet by
conventional adhesives
-4-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
such as heat seal or coatings well known in the art.
In those applications wherein a paper layer is utilized, it again may use a
heat sealable
adhesive and comprise paper having a weight of between 13 pounds to 17 pounds.
The reinforcing layer is preferably a paper product such as paperboard. The
tear
strips in the paperboard layer may be defined by parallel lines of
perforations or slits in the
outwardly facing side to thereby form longitudinal tear lines which define the
tear strip. At
one end of the strip, there may be a tab which is not sealed to the foil/paper
layer.
In those applications wherein only unsupported foil is utilized, the foil
overlying the
cavity containing the product is sealed to the tab, but not the lead area of
the tab. In this
particular embodiment of the present invention, the line of weakening defining
the tab may
extend into the paperboard for a depth of preferably between 60 and 80% of the
thickness of
the paperboard and more preferably, approximately 50% of the thickness at the
tab score
line.
Where the tab joins the tear strip, there is preferably a cut from the inner
facing side
of the paperboard which extends approximately 50% of the thickness of the
paperboard
depending on the solidity of the product to be dispensed.
In the above described embodiment, there is also provided a line of weakening
which
is cut into the paperboard from the inner side thereof at the position where
the capsule will
be ejected from the blister pocket. This line of weakening assists in
dispensing of the
product and may extend into the paperboard for a distance of between 60 and
80% of the
thickness thereof depending on the product to be dispensed. Note the shape of
the line of
weakening can be changed to suit the product. Thus, the shape of the line
weakening or
diecut could either be straight or oval in the precise form of the tablet or
pill. The amount of
-5-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
cutting and the configuration can control the effort required to access the
product.
In one embodiment of the present invention, there may be provided a blister
layer
having a diecut formed therein. The diecut portion is again in registry with
the tab member
such that pressure applied on the diecut portion would cause the tab member to
lift and
thereby permit removal of the tear strip. This embodiment is useful wherein
there is a
plurality of rows formed in a package. The outer rows could be formed in the
manner
originally described - i.e. wherein the data layer alone has a diecut portion
in registry with
the tab. However, with respect with the inner rows, since the blister sheet is
continuous, the
diecut portion in the blister layer is required.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded view illustrating the various components of a package
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1 when the
package is
assembled;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating partial opening of the
package by
delamination of the tear strip;
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating the final step in
the
dispensing of the capsule from the package;
Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the first step of Figure 3 in
opening the
package;
Figure 6 is an exploded view illustrating a further embodiment of the present
-6-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
invention;
Figure 7 is a cross sectional view along the lines 7-7 of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 illustrating partial opening of the
package by
delamination of the tear strip;
Figure 9 is a further cross sectional view illustrating the final step in
dispensing of the
capsule from the package;
Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating the first step shown in Figure 8
in opening
the package; and
Figure 11 is a perspective partially exploded view of a package according to
one
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in a greater detail and by reference characters
thereto, there
is illustrated in Figure 6 an exploded view of a first embodiment of the
present invention. In
this embodiment, there is provided a blister layer 10 which has a plurality of
blister pockets
12 formed therein in a conventional manner.
Designed to be placed on top of a blister layer 10 is a data layer 14. Data
layer 14
that may carry pertinent information has cut-outs to receive the blister
pockets and diecut
perforated ovals 11 formed therein. To this end, data layer 14 is generally of
a paperboard
material.
Secured to the underside of blister layer 10 is a rupturable foil layer 16.
Such
rupturable foil layers are well known in the art.
A paperboard reinforcing layer 18 is secured to rupturable foil layer 16 by
means of a
conventional adhesive. Paperboard layer 18 has a first side which lies
adjacent to rupturable
-7-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
foil layer 16 and a second exteriorly facing side.
As is known in the art, tear strips 24 are formed in paperboard layer 18 as
described
in greater detail herein below. Tear strips 24 each individually overly one of
the blister
pockets 12 and are defined by a traditional line of weakening.
Associated with each tear strip 24 is a tab 26. Tabs 26 are sealed to foil
layer 16 and,
as may be seen in Figures 2 to 4, each tab 26 is defined by a slit 28 which
extends
completely through paperboard layer 18. However, at the point where tab 26
meets tear strip
24, there is provided a further slit 32 extending from first side 20 and
extending for a depth
of approximately 70% of the thickness of the paperboard layer 18.
There is also provided a slit 30 at the distal end of tear strip 24. A partial
cut 32, as
may be seen in Figures 2 through 4, extends through first side 20 of
paperboard layer 18.
However, partial cut 32 extends to a depth substantially less than that of
slit 32 for reasons
which will become apparent hereinbelow. Typically, partial cut 30 may extend
into
paperboard layer a distance approximately equal to 30% of the thickness of
paperboard
layer 18.
In order to provide access to capsule 40 which is contained in blister pocket
12,
tab 26 is lifted as indicated by arrow 38 in Figure 3. As the continued
lifting motion is
applied, an upper approximately 30% of paperboard layer 18 will tend to
delaminate. The
extent of the delamination can be controlled by the depth of slit 32.
After removing approximately 30% of paperboard layer 18, there will remain 70%
of
the paperboard layer. However, where partial cut 32 is located, there will be
only 40% of
the paperboard layer thus permitting easier exit of capsule 40 when pressure
is applied to
blister pockets 12 indicated by arrow 42.
-8-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
Referring to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5, many similar components are
illustrated and similar reference numerals are employed for such components,
the reference
numerals being in the 100.
Thus, there is illustrated a blister layer 110 which has a plurality of
blister
pockets 112 formed therein in a conventional manner. A data layer 114 which
may carry
pertinent information has cutouts to receive the blister pockets 112. Also
formed in blister
layer 110 are a plurality of U shaped cuts 115.
The arrangement is similar to the previously described embodiment with the
exception that U shaped cuts 115 permit the lifting of the tab portion by
application of
pressure through diecut perforator holes 111. Thus, one is able to then grip
the tab portion
126 and perform the operation as previously described.
Reference will be now be had to Figure 11 which illustrates a pack which
utilizes
both the embodiments of Figures 1 to 5 and Figures 6 to 10. As shown, there is
provided a
child resistant package 210 having first and second panels 212 and 214. Panels
212 and 214
may be folded onto each other and a cover panel 216 over the same. Naturally,
securement
means or the like may be provided.
As shown by dotted lines 218, there is provided a blister layer as is known in
the art.
Blister layer 218 is also illustrated in an exploded view with respect to
panel 214. Blister
layer 218 includes a plurality of blister pockets 220 which on the under side
(not shown) are
provided with a foil layer. A plurality of outer pockets 220 are arranged such
that a plurality
of push through diecut ovals 222 extend about the periphery of the foil layer.
On the under
side, there are provided tear strips 224 with tabs 226.
There are also provided a plurality of center blister pockets 228 which have
the diecut
-9-
CA 02553975 2006-07-21
ova1230 formed in the data layer. In this arrangement, the blister layer will
contain a
plurality of generally U-shaped cuts therethrough as shown in the embodiment
Figures 1
to 5. Thus, a combination of the two arrangements may be used.
With respect to the use of the perforated diecut ovals 11, it will be
understood that if
desired the ovals might be completely removed at the time of diecutting. This
would
provide access to the tab line and registry therewith.
It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of
illustration only and changes and modifications may be made thereto without
departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention.
-10-
