Patent Application
20110108451
The present invention relates to a package for containing separate items, such as pills, tablets, doses of medicine, or the like, that can be stored therein and dispensed therefrom by an intended end-user, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a package including an outer sleeve housing a blister card that is slidable into and out of the sleeve whereby the structures of the sleeve and blister card interact to provide child-resistant, senior-friendly dispensing properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,581,642 B2 issued to Knutson et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0045096 A1 of Knutson et al. and 2009/0178948 A1 of Reilley et al. are assigned to Anderson Packaging, Inc., the assignee of the present application, and disclose examples of packages including a molded plastic sleeve and blister card combination that provides child-resistant, senior-friendly dispensing properties. Other examples of packages are disclosed, for instance, by U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0102318 A1 and 2005/0183981 A1.
Although the packages disclosed by the above referenced patent and published applications are suitable for their intended purposes, there is a need for alternate designs of such packages that are of novel construction and that are difficult for a young child to open (i.e. receive a so-called “F=1” child resistant rating), yet can readily be opened and closed by an intended end-user, such as a senior citizen. Such a package may include a molded plastic container body or sleeve for storing a blister card, tray or the like on which numerous items, such as tablets, doses of medicine, or the like, are individually secured in blister compartments. Preferably, the blister card should be able to be slid between a retracted position in which the items are protected and housed within the sleeve and a dispensing position in which the blister card at least partially extends in an exposed position from the sleeve. In addition, preferably the package is one that can be made of a minimal amount of plastic, yet be of sufficient strength to produce a functional child-resistant package.
A package is provided that is able to contain tablets or like separate dispensable items in a manner exhibiting child-resistant and senior-friendly storage and dispensing properties. The package includes a card, such as a blister card, and a protective hollow sleeve. The card has a base strip on which a plurality of spaced-apart compartments are provided for holding the tablets or like items, and the sleeve has an opposed pair of side edges extending between opposite ends with at least one of the ends being a dispensing end of the package. The sleeve provides a protective housing for the card when the card is in a storage position within the sleeve, and the card is slidable relative to the sleeve between the storage position and a dispensing position in which the card extends at least partially outside the sleeve to expose at least one of the compartments. The card has a pair of locking tabs extending laterally from opposite sides of the card, and the side edges of the sleeve cooperatively engage the locking tabs to lock the card in the storage position when the card is slid within the sleeve to the storage position.
The side edges of the sleeve can have openings or recesses cooperating and registering with the locking tabs of the card to automatically lock the card in the storage position when the card is slid within the sleeve to the storage position. The locking tabs are resiliently connected to the card such that the locking tabs are resiliently urged into the openings or recesses in the side edges of the sleeve when the locking tabs register with the openings or recesses. In addition, the resilient connection of the locking tabs to the card is flexible such that simultaneous squeezing of the locking tabs toward one another and inward of the sleeve unlocks the card from the sleeve and permits the card to slide relative to the sleeve, such as to a dispensing position.
The card can have a pair of lateral extensions, or wings, on which the locking tabs are located. The lateral extensions connect to the card via live hinges and pivot relative to the card about the live hinges. The base strip of the card can be a sheet of plastic material with the lateral extensions and live hinges being formed as an integral part of the base strip. The hollow sleeve can be a one-piece, molded, elongate, plastic sleeve having opposite wall panels interconnected and spaced-apart by the opposite pair of elongate side edges.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of assembling a child-resistant, senior-friendly package for containing tablets or like separate dispensable items is provided. A blister card is formed with blister compartments and a pair of wings extending laterally of the blister card from opposite sides of the blister card, and a locking tab is provided on each wing. The wings are folded or pivoted about resilient hinges interconnecting the wings to the blister card, and the blister card is slid into a protective sleeve while the wings remain folded until the locking tabs on the wings register and cooperatively resiliently snap into openings formed in side edges of the sleeve to lock the blister card in a storage position within the sleeve. The method can also include the step of molding the sleeve of plastic such that the sleeve is a one piece molded hollow body having an open dispensing end and an opposite end.
The present invention should become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
First and second embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in
With respect to the first embodiment, a fully assembled package 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in
In
For purposes of dispensing a pill, tablet and/or like separate small item from the package 10, the blister card 14 can be slid relative to the outer sleeve 12 through an open end 18 of the sleeve 12 to a dispensing position under certain conditions. A dispensing position of the blister card 14 is shown, for instance, in
A feature of the package 10 of the present invention is that it includes a resilient-locking and squeeze-release mechanism that provides child-resistant properties with respect to sliding the blister card 14 from the storage position to a dispensing position. When the blister card 14 is fully inserted into the outer sleeve 12 (i.e., in the storage position as shown in
These simultaneous actions are considered difficult for a young child to accomplish for the following reasons. The width “W” of the package 10 can be provided such that a young child's hand is not expected to be sufficiently large as to be able to span and grasp about the width “W” which is otherwise required to squeeze the package 10 with a single hand. Also, the simultaneous actions of squeezing the package 10, for instance at one end 24 of the package 10, and pulling the blister card 14 forward at the opposite open end 22 of the package 10 requires a certain level of dexterity also not expected of a young child.
However, it should be noted that an adult, including a senior citizen, should readily be able to operate the package 10. One hand of the adult should be able to readily grip and squeeze the package 10 adjacent the non-dispensing end 24 and the other hand of the adult should be able to grip and pull the exposed leading edge 20 of the blister card 14 at the opposite open dispensing end 22 of the package 10. After the blister card 14 is partially or fully extended from the package 10 in a dispensing position, force can be exerted on one of the blister compartments 16 to break the contained item through a foil or like backing layer 18 on the underside of the blister card 14 that seals the item within the blister compartment 16. Thereafter, the blister card 14 can be pushed to slide back into the sleeve 12 to return the blister card 14 to the storage position. When this occurs, the locking mechanism is automatically actuated and the blister card 14 is once again locked within the outer sleeve 12 as discussed above.
In the first illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the outer sleeve 12 is molded of a material such that it is hollow and made of one-piece. For example, the sleeve 12 can be made of plastic formed into shape by injection molding, blow molding, or like molding technique. A benefit of molding the sleeve as an integral single piece is that the amount of plastic required to make the sleeve can be significantly reduced while maintaining a desired degree of strength and rigidity needed for providing a functional child resistant package. Also, the process of assembling the package is greatly simplified since very little is required relative to preparing the sleeve. The material used to make the sleeve 12 can be a plastic material, a recycled plastic material, a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene, or any other material (metal, composite, paperboard, etc.) that can be formed into a sleeve-shape container that is preferably of one-piece construction.
In the first illustrated embodiment, the sleeve 12 includes a substantially-rectangular, relatively-large upper wall panel 26, a substantially-rectangular, relatively-large lower wall panel 28, an opposed pair of side edges 30 and 32, the open dispensing end 22, and the opposite end 24. The opposite end 24 may be a non-dispensing end and may be provided in a closed condition. As discussed below in greater detail, the end 24 may be used to initially load a blister card 14 into the sleeve 12 before the end 24 is closed. This enables the open dispensing end 22 to be provided with a smaller opening which can be specifically designed to prevent complete separation of the blister card 14 from the sleeve 12 when the blister card 14 is positioned in a full dispensing position and extends from the sleeve 12 via the dispensing end 22.
The upper and lower wall panels 26 and 28 are required to extend over and parallel to the upper and lower faces of the blister card 14; thus, the upper and lower panels 26 and 28 merely need to be of a size that is slightly greater than the size of the blister card 14 or at least the area of the blister card 14 on which the blister compartments 16 are located. The upper and lower wall panels 26 and 28 can be generally solid; however, as illustrated, they can include slot or other shaped openings 34 for aesthetic purposes and/or for purposes of reducing the amount of plastic required to make the sleeve. Although the openings 34 exist in the panels 26 and 28, their pattern, location and size are such that they prevent unwanted access and dispensing of the contained items from the blister compartments 16 and such that they do not greatly reduce the desired strength or rigidity of the package 10. The panels 26 and 28 can also include an optional window-type opening 36 for aesthetic purposes or for providing space for a label (not shown) or the like on the blister card 14 to be readable through one or both panels 26 and 28 of the sleeve 12 when the blister card 14 is in the storage position. Finally, the panels 26 and 28 can include a small cut-out section 38 adjacent the open dispensing end 22 of the sleeve 12 for purposes of exposing the leading edge 20 of the blister card 14 thereby enabling ready gripping of the leading edge 20 when the blister card is to be slid/pulled through the open dispensing end 22 of the package 10.
The side edges 30 and 32 of the sleeve 12 define the thickness “T” of the package 10 and therefore the spacing between the wall panels 26 and 28. This spacing need only be slightly greater than the height of the blister compartments 16 as best shown in
For purposes of maximizing child-resistance of the package, the spacing “W” between the opposite openings 40 in the side edges 30 and 32 of the sleeve 12 can be selected such that the spacing “W” is relatively large in comparison to the size of young child's hand, yet is readily engage-able between the thumb and finger of one hand of an adult. For example, the spacing “W” can be 2 inches, 3 inches, or greater. Of course, the spacing “W” can also be 1 inch or greater.
The non-dispensing end 24 of the sleeve 12 can include an end wall 42. For instance, the end wall 42 can be secured in place (snapped, held by friction, bonded, glued, taped, etc.) to close the otherwise open end 24 of the sleeve 12 after the blister card 14 is loaded into the sleeve 12 through, for instance, the non-dispensing end 24. See
Turning to the structure of the blister card 14, it is best illustrated in
In the first illustrated embodiment, the blister card 14 includes a tail end section 48 opposite from its leading edge 20. The tail end section 48 can be formed as an integral continuation of the base strip 46, or alternatively, can be formed separate of the base strip 46 and simply be secured to one end thereof. The purpose of the tail end section 48 is to cooperate with the side edges 30 and 32 of the sleeve 12 to form the locking/release mechanism. The tail end section 48 can also be used to carry a label or other information which is viewable through the window-like opening 36 of the sleeve 12 discussed above. Further, the tail end section 48 can include ribs 50 or other formations for purposes of strengthening or rigidifying the tail end section 48 of the blister card 14.
In the illustrated first embodiment, the tail end section 48, as manufactured, includes a pair of lateral extensions or wings 52 in which tabs or like projections 54 are formed and/or attached. In the illustrated embodiment, the tabs 54 are formed as a thermoformed hollow projection or depression from the base strip material 46 and extend from the base strip material 46 in an opposite direction relative to the blister compartments 16. The tabs 54 function as latches of the locking mechanism of the package 10 and are cooperatively receivable in the openings or recesses 40 in the side edges 30 and 32 of the sleeve 12. Preferably, the wings 52 interconnect to the tail end section via resilient live hinges 56 which permit the wings 52 to be resiliently bent, flexed, folded, or pivoted relative to the remainder of the tail end section 48. This enables the wings 52 to be positioned generally perpendicular to the base strip material 46 to enable initial insertion of the blister card 14 into the sleeve 12. In this position, the tabs or latches 54 extend laterally of the blister card 14 in opposite directions such they can register with and extend within and/or through the openings 40 in the side edges 30 and 32 of the sleeve 12.
The interconnection between the wings 52 and the remainder of the tail end section 48 is such that a resilient force is constantly exerted on the tabs 54 in a direction into engagement with the openings or recesses 40 of the side edges 30 and 32 of the sleeve 12. This force results in the wings 52 attempting to pivot about the live hinges 56 to return to a flattened, as manufactured, condition. Thus, when the tabs 54 register with the openings 40, they resiliently pivot into the openings 40 and become trapped or locked therein. Undesired dislodging of the tabs 54 from the openings 40 is avoided due to this constant resilient force created by the interconnection of the wings 52 to the tail end section 48.
Accordingly, the separately-manufactured blister card 14 can be inserted into the sleeve 12 by sliding the leading edge 18 of the blister card 14 into the rear end 24 of the sleeve 12. See
When a user desires to dispense a tablet or the like from the package 10, the user squeezes the opposite tabs or latches 54, such as between a thumb and finger of one hand, to simultaneously position the tabs or latches 54 inward as best shown in
A second contemplated embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
For example, specific locations of opposite outer edges of the outer sleeve 62 are required to be squeezed inward in opposite directions simultaneously while a small exposed leading edge 68 of the respective blister card, 64 or 66, is gripped and pulled through an open dispensing end 70 of the outer sleeve 62. Thus, a user must simultaneously perform both the squeezing and pulling actions with respect to one of the blister cards, 64 or 66, for that particular blister card to be freed to advance it from the storage position.
The outer sleeve 62, as illustrated, is molded of a material such that it is hollow and made of one-piece. For example, the sleeve 62 can be made of plastic formed into shape by injection molding, blow molding, or like technique. A benefit of molding the sleeve as an integral single piece is that the amount of plastic required to make the sleeve can be significantly reduced while maintaining a desired degree of strength and rigidity needed for providing a functional child resistant package. Also, the process of assembling the package is also greatly simplified. The material used to make the sleeve 62 can be a plastic material, a recycled plastic material, a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene, or any other material (metal, composite, paperboard, etc.) than can be formed into a sleeve-shape container that is preferably of one-piece construction.
Similar to sleeve 12, the sleeve 62 includes a substantially-rectangular, relatively-large upper wall panel 72, a substantially-rectangular, relatively-large lower wall panel 74, an opposed pair of side edges 76 and 78, the open dispensing end 70, and the opposite end 80 which may or may not be closed and which may or may not be used for initially loading the blister cards, 64 and 66, into the sleeve 62.
The upper and lower wall panels 72 and 74 extend in substantially-parallel relation to the faces of the blister cards, 64 and 66. Thus, the upper and lower panels 72 and 74 are of a size that is slightly greater than the size of the blister cards, 64 and 66, or at least the area of the blister cards, 64 and 66, on which blister compartments 82 are located. The upper and lower wall panels 72 and 74 can be generally solid; however, as illustrated, they can include slot or other shaped openings 84 for aesthetic purposes and/or for purposes of reducing the amount of plastic required to make the sleeve 62. Although the openings 84 exist in the panels 72 and 74, their pattern, location and size are such that they prevent unwanted access and dispensing of the contained items from the blister compartments 82 and such that they do not greatly reduce the desired strength or rigidity of the package 60. The panels 72 and 74 can also include an optional window-type opening 86 for aesthetic purposes or for providing space for a label (not shown) or the like on the blister cards, 64 and 66, to be readable through one or both panels 72 and 74 when at least one of the blister cards, 64 and 66, is in the storage position.
The panels 72 and 74 can each include a small cut-out section 88 adjacent the open dispensing end 70 of the sleeve 62 for purposes of exposing the leading edges 68 of the blister cards, 64 and 66, thereby enabling ready gripping of either of the leading edges 68 when one of the blister cards, 64 and 66, is to be slid/pulled through the open dispensing end 70 of the package 60. These cut-out sections 88 can be offset to one another to enable easier selection between one of the two cards, 64 and 66.
The side edges 76 and 78 of the sleeve 62 define the thickness “T” of the package 60 and therefore the spacing between wall panels 72 and 74. As an example, this spacing need only be slightly greater than twice the height of the blister compartments 82 as best shown in
The non-dispensing end 80 of the sleeve 62 can include an end wall 94. For instance, the end wall 94 can be secured in place (snapped, held by friction, bonded, glued, taped, etc.) to close the otherwise open end 80 of the sleeve 62 after the blister cards, 64 and 66, are initially loaded into the sleeve 62 through, for instance, the non-dispensing end 80. As best illustrated in
Turning to the structure of the blister cards, 64 and 66, each can be essentially identical. This greatly simplifies assembly of the package 60 since any two blister cards can be selected for insertion into a one-piece sleeve 62. Alternatively, the blister cards, 64 and 66, can be different. In the illustrated embodiment, each blister card, 64 and 66, includes an elongate, generally-planar base strip of material 98 from which a plurality of laterally spaced-apart raised blister compartments 82 project. For example, the strip 98 can be made of thermoformable transparent plastic material and the blister compartments 82 can be provided as depressions/projections molded into a face thereof. Other configurations are also possible. A tablet or like small item can be placed in each hollow open ended compartment 82 and a foil backing or the like 100 can be secured (via adhesion or the like) to a rear face of the strip 98 to seal the tablets or like small items within the blister compartments 82.
The leading edge 68 of each blister card, 64 and 66, can include a grip tab 102 and an adjacent recess (not shown). Accordingly, when the blister cards, 64 and 66, are stacked together, back-to-back, the grip tab 102 of one blister card registers with the recess of the other blister card and vice versa. This makes it easier for the user to grip the leading edge 68 of one of the blister cards without gripping the leading edge 68 of the other of the blister cards.
Each of the blister cards, 64 and 66, includes a tail end section 106 opposite from its leading edge 68. The tail end section 68 can be formed as an integral continuation of the base strip 98, or alternatively, can be formed separate of the base strip 98 and simply be secured to one end thereof. The purpose of the tail end section 106 is to cooperate with the side edges 76 and 78 of the sleeve 62 to form the locking/release mechanism. The tail end section 106 can also be used to carry a label or other information which is viewable through the window-like opening 86 of the sleeve 62 discussed above.
The tail end section 106, as manufactured, includes a pair of lateral extensions or wings 108 in which tabs or like projections 110 are formed and/or attached. In the illustrated embodiment, the tabs 110 are formed as a thermoformed hollow projection or depression from the base strip material 98 and extend from the base strip material 98 in an opposite direction relative to the blister compartments 82. The tabs 110 function as latches of the locking mechanism of the package 60 and are cooperatively receivable in the openings or recesses, 90 or 92, in the side edges 76 and 78 of the sleeve 62. In the illustrated embodiment, the tabs 110 of each blister card are offset relative to one another. Thus, when identical cards, 64 and 66, are positioned back-to-back within the sleeve 62, the opposite tabs 110 of each blister card are offset in each side edge. Thus, the locations of the openings, 90 and 92, in each side edge, 76 and 78, can be offset thereby increasing the strength of the sleeve 62. Of course, other tab locations are possible, particularly if the blister cards are not required to be identical.
Each of the wings 108 interconnect to the tail end section 106 via a resilient live hinge 112 that enables the wings 108 to be resiliently bent, flexed, folded, or pivoted relative to the remainder of the tail end section 98. Thus, the wings 108 can be pivoted into a position that is generally perpendicular to the base strip material 98 to enable initial insertion of the blister cards, 64 and 66, into the sleeve 62. In this position, the tabs or latches 110 extend laterally of the blister cards, 64 and 66, in opposite directions such that they register with and extend within and/or through the openings, 90 and 92, in the side edges 76 and 78 of the sleeve 62.
The interconnection between each wing 108 and the remainder of the tail end section 106 is such that a resilient force is exerted on the tabs 110 in a direction into engagement with the openings or recesses, 90 and 92, of the side edges 76 and 78 of the sleeve 62. This force results in the wings 108 attempting to pivot about the live hinges 112 to return to a flattened, as manufactured, condition. Thus, when the tabs 110 register with the openings, 90 and 92, they resiliently pivot into the openings, 90 and 92, and become trapped or locked therein. Undesired dislodging of the tabs 110 from the openings, 90 and 92, is avoided due to this constant resilient force created by the interconnection of the wings 108 to the tail end section 106.
Accordingly, the separately-manufactured blister cards, 64 and 66, can be inserted separately or simultaneously into the sleeve 62 by sliding the leading edges 68 of the blister cards, 64 and 66, into the non-dispensing end 80 of the sleeve 62. The wings 108 of the tail end sections 106 of the blister cards, 64 and 66, are folded upward to permit the wings 108 to be received within the sleeve 62. The tabs or latches 110 engage the solid side edges, 76 and 78, of the sleeve 62 until they register with the openings, 90 and 92. When this occurs, the tabs 110 resiliently snap into the openings, 90 and 92, due to the resilient nature of the live hinges 112. Thereafter, the end wall 94 or the like can be secured in place across the end 80 of the sleeve 62 to provide a stop thereby preventing withdraw of either blister card, 64 and 66, through the end 80.
When a user desires to dispense a tablet or the like from one of the blister cards, 64 and 66, from the package 60, the user squeezes both tabs 110 in one of the sets of openings, 90 or 92, corresponding to one of the blister cards, 64 or 66, between a thumb and finger of one hand, to simultaneously position the tabs 110 inward within the sleeve 62. In this condition, the user can grip the appropriate leading front edge 68 of the blister card, 64 or 66, adjacent the open dispensing end 70 of the sleeve 62 and pull the blister card, 64 or 66, through the open dispensing end 70 via a sliding motion. As the selected blister card, 64 or 66, is slid through the sleeve 62, the tabs 110 of that blister card engage and slide along the solid sections of the side edges, 76 and 78. However, the sleeve 62 includes a pair of stops 114 adjacent the open dispensing end 70 of the sleeve 62 which engage the wings 108 and prevent the tail end section 106 from passing through the open dispensing end 70. The stops 114 can be provided as wall sections, flanges or posts that permit the sections of the blister cards, 64 and 66, having the blister compartments 82 to readily pass through the open dispensing end 70 of the sleeve 62, yet limit the tail end section 106 from passing therethrough. Accordingly, each blister card, 64 and 66, is effectively tethered to the sleeve 62 and cannot be completely separated therefrom during the useful life of the package 60 and each can be slid to a dispensing position independent of the other.
Various modifications to the packages 10 and 60 and their method of assembly can be made. For instance, the number, shape and configuration of the various panels and openings of the sleeves, 12 and 62, can be altered. The openings in the side edges can be replaced with flexible tabs or the like that have a recess for receiving the latch of the blister cards. Alternatively, these structures can be reversed so that the side edges include a latch and the wings include a recess or like opening. Further, the shape, size and/or pattern of the cutouts, ribs, and the like can be changed as well as the size, shape, number and positioning of the blister compartments. Also, instead of having a pair of locking tabs on each blister card, a single locking tab could be used.
While preferred packages and methods of assembly have been described in detail, various modifications, alterations, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the package and method according to the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
