Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
"7~795
Thi~ is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application Serial
No.357,927 filed August 11th, 1980.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION-
Blister packages are beneficial t~ merchand sers in
that they provide good product visibility, and therefore
attract customer attention to the contained product, in
addition to providing bulk to the package, which discourages
theft. It is believed that initially all blister pac~ages
had complete and unifonm adhesion around the flange between
the blister and the backing board. When these packages are
opened, it is ~ormal for either the board or the blister to
be destroyed in the process. In many cases it is desirable
that the package be opened with minimal damage to the package.
Thus, printed instructions and illustrations are preserved,
and the package may continue to serve as a receptacle for the
con~ained product. This is particularly advan~ageous with
multi-use products and products packaged in bulk.
Recloseable blister packages have been develop~d which,
by various means, allow the package to be opened without
destruction of either component, and which provide some
reclosing feature. A problem with such recloseable blister
packages has been that large expanses of the blister flange
have intentionally not been affixed tb the card ~hen the
package is filled and closed. ~his has been necessitated in
packages of the prior art by the need.to balance the firm
closure of the package with ease aad reliability of opening
while maintaining the overall integrity of the package.
In particular, the portion of the flange on the opening
end of the package has typically been either unaffixed, or
adhered with spaced spots of adhesive. Upon opening, spots
of adhesive initiate long tears across the face of the board,
which damages instructions normally p~inted on the board, as
d~i
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well as making the product difficult to remove, by leaving
strands, or strings, ~f the front layers of the board attached
to the blister flange. In some cases the board is c.u~scored
around the area of the adhesive to provide release of the
board spot when the package is opened. In practice, the
operation of the cut scored spots has been found to be very
sensitive to the depth and uniformity of cut scoring. Cuts
made too deep leave insufficient material under the cut to
ensure the integrity of the spot with the remainder of the
board, and to prevent unintentional release of the blister
from the board. Cuts made too shallow, or cuts with sl ght
non-uniformity, can leave a spot which will not separate
cleanly from the board and will propagate the tear across the
face of the board. Thus frequent adjustments to the cut
scoring equipment, and extensive quality testing are necessary
in the manufacture of these packages; and the probability of
ma~i~g excessive quantities of unacceptable product is high.
If there are substantial expanses where the blister flange
is not affixed to the board, the board and blister flange can
be carefully separated a lLmited distance to create a temporary
aperture in the packag~ through which product may be
surreptitiously removed, and pilfered. In one development,
the portion of the flange on the opening end of the package has
been ~dhered over its entixe length, with a cut scored line
between the raised product holding portion of the blister and-
the adhered portion of the flange. As with the cut scoring
around spots, mentioned earlier, the operation of the cut
scored line has been found to be very sensitive, and to respond
similarly, to the depth and uniformity of cut scoring.
Thus recloseable blister packages have heretofore been
unable to satisfy the requirement of pilferage resistance in
combination with a strong and protective package which can be
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reliably and easily op~ned. Those providing adequate pilfer
resistance cannot be reliably opened. Those easily opened
are.subject to unacceptable risk of pilferage. Som~ are
neither adequately pilfer resistant nor reliably opened.
Further, the packaging of small items, such as washers.or
pins, in such recloseable blister packages, has been impossible
because of the tendency of the product to fall out of the
package through the expanses where the blister flange and the
bac~ing board are not.affixed. This packaqing application
would be ideal if the package design defects could be correctçd,
since such small items are usually sold in quantities greater
than what the consumer normally uses at one time.
Illustrative of recloseable blister packagesare U. S.
Patents 3,127,010; 3,174,621; 3,502,486; 3,800,998; 3,942,640;
and 4,119,203. While the packages described in those patents
may be functional they all suffer from some deficiency either
of opening reliability or pilfer resistance. It is desirable
that they be recloseable; and it is desirable that the opening
and reclosure feal:ures be more versatile and adaptable for
most efficient use of the packages with a variety of products.
It is also desirable.that.the packages provide improved
protection against, and indications of, tampering, that they
be made as economically as possible, and that their ease of
manufacture be maximized. It is further desirable that the
package design be adaptable to protect the product against-
falling out of the package.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide
a novel,versatile and adaptable, easily opened, blister card
package which provides opening without excessive damage to
the pac~age, and protection against, and indication of,
pilferage-or tampering.
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It i~ a ~urther ob~ect to provide ~uch a package which
is recloseable, and in a form which can be easily manufactured,
filled and ~ealed on exi~ting equipment.
It is yet another ob~ect to provide a blister package
wh~Fh is easily opened, easily reclosed, and which readily
prevents the product falling out.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
It has now been found that certain of the foregoing and
rel~ted objects of the invention are attained in a novel
recl~seable blister package having an opening end defined
thereon. The package has a backing board, and a blister
member, with a product-holding portion defined therein secured
to one surface of the backing board. The blister member has
a peripheral flange, with a flexible locking tab projecting,
at least in part,~outwardly beyond the edge of a portion of
the flange at one end of the blister corresponding to the
opening end of the package. ~he tab may have an enlarged
outer portion and is bonded in surface contact to an underlying~
displaceable, securing segment of the backing board. Displaceme.nt
of the tab from the backing board effects removai of the
securing segment therefrom, producing an aperture narrower
than the ou~er portion at a location corresponding thereto.
The tab ~s adapted to be pushed through the aperture and
locked behind ~he backing board to effect reclosure o the
package, ~he securing segment remaining bonded to the tab and
having a stiffening effect thereon to thereby enhance the
security of reclosure. The securing segment is bounded by a
first cut line through the backing board and traversing the
tab, a second cut line through the backing board extending
substantially along the outer edge of the outer portion, the
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secQnd ~ut line being:disposed intermediate, and substantially
facing, the first cut line and the opening end of the package.
Li~es of wea~ness extend along o~posite sides of.the segment
between the corresponding-ends of the first and second cut
5 lin~s.
In another embodiment the securing segment may have an
edge defined by, and coincident with, an edge of the aperture,
the remaining edges of the segment being defined by surface
cuts. Displacement o~ the ~ab to open the package effects
delamination of the segment by ply separation to a controlled
point of termination. In a preferred version of this
embodiment, the securing segment underlies a side of the tab
and the controlled point of termination is effected by the
segment being substantlally configured with decreasing surface
area in the direction away from the opening end of the package.
In the development of this blister package, it has been
found that a blister package can be made stxong and protective
along with reliability and ease of opening by designing the
segment of the board to be bonded to the blister to be
bounded by a first cut line extending through the backing
board, a second cut line extending into the backing board and
substantially underlying at least one portion.of the flange,
the.second cut line being disposed intermediate, and substantially
facing, the first cut line and the op.ening end of the package.
Lines of weakness extend along opposite sides of the securing
segment between the corresponding ends of the first and seco~d
cut lines. Displacement of the blister from the backing board
on the opening end of the package is effective to open the
package and effect the removal of at least a portion of the
securing segment from the backing board, the removal terminating
at the first cut line. Thls designed board segment may be
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çombined with a blister having a flexible locking tab projecting,
a-t least in part, outwardly beyond the edge of a portion of
the flange at the opening end of the package. This pacXage,
when opened, also has an aperture in the backing board in
registry with the tab, the tab being adapted to be pushed
through the apertuxe to effect reclosure and locking of the
package. - .
It has a~so been found that product can be prevented from
falling out of any of the embodiments of this package when
the product has an enlarged portion constrained by the blister,
with interference, between the blister and the enlarged portion,
located between the enlarged portion and the opening end. In
this application of the package, the board has a hinge crease
extending across the transverse dimension of the product in
the area of the enlarged portion, and substantially between
the enlarged portion and the opening end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the blister card package.of
this invention, wit:h parts of the blister broken.away to
expose the underlyi.ng surface of the backing board.
FIGU~E 2 is a side view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.
~ IGURE 3 is a ~ragmentary view corresponding to that of
FIGURE 2, showing the package in the opened position.
FIGURE 4 i5 a fragmentary vie~ corresponding to that of
FIGURE 2, showing the package in the reclosed position, with
the tab engaged behind the rear surface of the board.
FIGURE S is an enlarged ~ragmentary view of .the rear
surface of the blister taken along line 5-5 of FI~URE 3, with
a portion of the adhered se~ment broken away to show the
adhesive material securing the segment to the blister tab.
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FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken
along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, showing the front surface of the
backing board after the package has been opened and the
securing segment removed.
FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along
line 7-7 of FIGURE 4, showing the front surface of the package
after the package has been opened and subsequently reclosed.
FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a second
embodiment of this invention, with parts of the blister flange
and tab broken away to show the detail of the underlying
backing board.
FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of
the flange and the corresponding area of the backing board,
taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.
FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section of portions
of the package of FIGURE 8, including those of FIGURE 9 and
showing the package in an opened condition;
FIGURES 11 and 12 are enlarged fragmentary plan views
of a package in which the securing segments are disposed un~er
the tab ears.
FIGURE 13 is a view of still another embodiment
of the invention showing a blister card package and product,
the contained product being cooperatively dimensioned and
arranged to avoid inadvertent release of the product.
FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along
line 14-14 of YIGURE 13, showing the backing board displaced
and the product partially disengaged from the product-holding
portion of the blister.
11'7'~ 35
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TI~E ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to FIGURES 1-7 of the drawings, a recloseable
blister card package is composed of two principle components, a
back~ng board generally designated by the numeral 12 and a
blister generally designated ~y the numeral 14. The blister
has a central raised product holding portion 28, and a peripheral
flange 30 extending thereabout. The bottom and right and left
side flange portions are'affixed with strong adhesive to the
front surface 16 of the board 12, as shown in the cutaway
portions of FIGU~E 1 at 18. The top portion of flange 30 is
essentially free of the board.
Separable areas 38a and 38b of the board surface are
defined by cut,score lines 40a and 40b formed in the front
surface of the board,'and extending partially through its
thickness. The lines 40a and 40b are locat,ed along the top
portion of the in~er and outer edges of the right and left
flange portions, and terminate at a creased hinge line 42
formed ,in the board and extending across the board from the
left side edge to the right side edge, dividing the board into
a top portion 43 and a bottom portion 45.
The blister top flange portion has a flexible opening and
reclosing tab 44. The tab has an enlarged outer portion 46
provided by ears 59 which extend over an area of the card
resistant to displacement. The periphery of the tab is defined
by an outer edge portion 48, and two side edge portions 49
which connect with outer e~ge por,tion 48 and extend, in a,
con~erging relationship, toward the raised product-holding
portion 28 of the blister.
Underlying and secur~ly adhered to tab 44 is a trapezoidal
securiny segment 52 of the board. No portion of the board area
outsida sscuring seyment 52 i5. adhered o tab 44. The top and
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botto~ edges 54 and 56.respectively of segment 52 are formed
~y knife cuts completely through the board. Side edges 53a
and 58b are formed by perfora~ions i~ the board. ~ide ed~es
58a and 58b, then, foxm the means for retaining segment 52 in
S the board during the forming and packaging operations.
- Hinge panel 60 lies directly above card segment 52 and
has a cut bottom edge 62 coincident with the top edge 54 of
card segment 52. Side edges 64a and 64b are ~lso formed by
knife cuts. The top edge of hinge panel 60 is formed by a
crease 66.
To open the package, the user grasps the tab 44 and lifts
the tab and blister outwardly away from the board. To
facilitate grasping the tab, hinge panel 60 is pushed rearwardly,
as shown in FIGURE 3, and a finger is placed partially behind
board segment 52; so that, when ~he tab is lifted, board
segment 52 is lifte~ along with tab 44, tears away from the
board at perforated side edges 58a and 58b, and remains with
the blister as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. As the blister is
lifted from the board, the paperboard splits between the cut
score lines 40a on the left side and between the cut score
lines 40b on the right side of the package, releasing surface
areas 38a and 38b from the backing board. The splitting of
the paperboard progresses along lines 4 Oa and 4Ob to hinge
crease 42, where lines 40a and 40b terminate. As the package lS
opened, the top portion 43 pivots about hinge crease 42,
providing access to the package contents as shown in FIGURE 3.
The bottom portion of the blister remains affixed to tAe board,
and the lower portion of the package thereby continues to serve
as a receptacle for holding and retaining the contents of the
package. With the package thus opened, a portion of the
contents may be removed or dispensed.
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The initial sec~rement of locking tab 44 to 6ecuring
segment 52 in the manufacturing process Lmpedes pilferage by
shortening the distance ~etween points of securement of the
blister to the board, thus..making it more difficult to
su~reptitiously separate the.flange from the board. Such
shortening of the unaffixed expanse also enhances the
.capability of the package to prevent small articles falling
out.
In the process of opening the package, the removal of
segment 52 from the board leaves an aperture 68 in the board,
as ~hown in FIGURE 6. This aperture serves two functions.
~irst, as the securing segment 52 is removed, the perforations
in the segment side edges 58a and 58b are torn, leaving
fibrous edges on bo~h the sides of the segment.and the sides
of the aperture. These fibrous edges are easily seen against
the background of.printed graphics designs, and thus provide
an indication of tampering, or pilferag~ of the product.
Second, the configuration of aperture 68 is defined by
cuts 54 and 56 and perforations 58a and 58b such that, when
the package is reclosed, the enlarged outer portion 46 of tab
44 may be pushed through aperture 68. The ears 59 of the
enlarged outer portion are thus secured behind the board as
shown in FIGURES 4 and 7. Board segment 52, which is
adhesively retained on tab 44, tends to reinforce and stiffen
the central portion of tab 44: this resists inadvertent
deformation of the tabj and consequently its unintentional
release from the secured p~sition shown in FIGVRES 4 and 7.
Nevertheless, the reinforced tab 44 retains sufficient
flexibility to allow its intentional release from behind the
board.
. . .
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Thus, the securing ~egment 52 ~erves multiple functions.
It serves as a means for securely affixing an area of the
blister flange to the board. It serves as a means fo-r cl~anly
and dependably separating the blister flange from the backing
board when the package is opened. It serves as a hindrance to
pilferage, making surreptitious access to the product more
difficult~ It ser~es as a tamper indica~or. Finally, it
serves as a means for forming an aperture which can be used
with a reciosure tab for locking the reclosed package.
~bviously, not all the above functions are necessary to
every package. Therefore, certain modifications of the opening
and reclosure features may be made, even though some benefits
of the segment may be forfeited, in order to provide certain
versatility to the package user.
For example FIGURES 8, 9, and 10 show a package which
has been modified by providing two securing segments 152
under the flange 30, rather than a single such segment under
the tab. The board segment corresponding to 52 in FIGURE 1
has been removed in the manuf acturing process, creating aperture
168. Since removal from the board of all board material inside
the defined boundaries of the securing segments 152 is no
longer necessary to create an aperture ~or closurè of the
package, lines 154, which are similar to line 54 in FIGURE 1,
need not extend completely through the board thickness, as
~x~n in FIGURE 9. The ~unction of cut line 156, in positively
terminating the tear oS the segment from the board remains the
same. Thus, segments 152 are defined as that portion of the
backing board which is remQved from the board when the package
is opened. The removal is effected by delamination of the
backing board as shown at 152a and 152b in FIGURE 10. This-
modified form of the securing segment continues to serve
1~'7'7~7~S
~ultiple ~unctio~s; i. e. ~ecurely affixing ~n ~rea of the
flange to the board, cleanly and dependably~separating the
flange from the board when-the pac~age is opened, hinde~ing
pilferage and affordiny tamper indication.
~ It should be understood that the pairs of lines defining
the top and bottom edges of h given segment, namely the pair
54 and 56 of FIGURE 1 and the pairs 154 and 156 of FIGURE 8,
need not be parallel to each other or to the opening end of the
backing board. They can be disposed at substantial angles from
the parallel, and still function as described herein. The
xelationships of the dispostions of line pairs to each other
and to the corresponding opening end of the backing board can,
nevertheless, be described as facing each other; and it is
intended that such embodiments be included and defined in that
deScription.
As another example of a modification that can be made,
FIGURES 11 and 12 show fragments of a package in which the
securing segme~ts 272 are disposed under ta~ ears 259. Segments
272 are bounded on one side edge by aperture 268, which is
formed in the packaye manufacturing process. The remainder of
the side borders of each segment 272 is formed by a cut score
270; which scores converge, with decreasing segme~t surface area
in the direction away from the opening end of the package,
terminating substantially at a point 2~3. When the tab is
lifted to open the package, segments 272 delaminate by ply
separation. In this embodiment also, the segments 272 are
defined as those portions of the board which are removed from
the board when the package is opened. The package is reclosed
by pushing the tab through aperture 268, to engage the locking ears
259 behind the board.
.
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11~7'7'795
FIGURES 13 and 14 show yet another modification which is
adaptable to all of the embodiments illustrated in the
foregoing figures. The con~ained product is a pair of tubes
74, each having an enl~rged end portion 76 constrained within
the blister at 78, with interference between that portion of
the blister and the enlarged énd portions of the tubes
constraining longitudinal vement of the tubes in the blister.
The board has a hinge crease line 342 extending transversely
across the tubes in the area of the enlarged ends 76 and
substantially between the enlarged ends and ~he ope~ing end of
th~ package.
When the package of FIGURES 13 and 14 is opened, the board
312 hinges about creased line 342, freeing a major portion of
the product 74 for grasping and removal. With the thus opened
package oriented in space as shown in FIGURE 14, the tubes pivot
about creased hinge 342 in the board, with the enlarged ends 76
moviny upwardly into intimate contact with the blister, and with
the free ends hanging downwardly. It has b~en observed that, in
the opened package, the taper of the tube and the taper of the
conforming blister will often cooperate to retain the product
when the package is turned until the tubes are disposed almost
vertically downward through the opened area, with the unsupported
tube ends extending in space. Since thq blister is resilient,
. .
the tubes can be easily removed for use, and subsequently
replaced in the package.
All embodLments of the improved blister package of this
invention can be easily manufactured, filled and sealed on
existing equipment, without major modifications.
Thus it can be seen that the present invention furnishes
a Yersatile and adaptable, easily opened blister package which
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provides controlled open~ng w~thout excessive damage to the
package, and protection against, and indication of, pil~erage
and tampering. The packages of this inven~ion are also
compatible with, and can be manufactured, filled and sealed
on,~existing equip~nent. As noted above, the pacXages of the
invention may readily retain the product even when opened,
and certain embodiments are surprisingly effective to prevent
inadvertent disengage~ment of the product from the package.
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