Package making – Methods – Forming or partial forming a receptacle and subsequent filling
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2001-04-10
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Forming or partial forming a receptacle and subsequent filling
C053S467000, C053S475000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212858
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a blister pack comprising a base part and a lid part made from strip shaped packaging material, a process for manufacturing blister packs and their use.
So called blister packs or push-through packs are known. For example plastic films or plastic laminates or plastic laminates containing a metal foil are press formed in such a manner that a plurality of recesses or cups is created. Shoulders are formed between the individual recesses. The shoulders run completely round the recess and form a flat shoulder. Materials prepared this way form the base part of a blister pack. The base part may be filled with substances i.e. the contents of the blister pack. Known contents for blister packs are e.g. tablets, capsules, coated pills etc. from the pharmaceutical field, packed singly or possibly in pairs in each recess. Subsequently the base part is closed off as a rule using a metal foil such as an aluminum foil or a foil type of laminate that e.g. contains a sealing layer and a metal foil, and the closure completed by sealing with the sealing layer. To remove the contents, for example a tablet or a capsule, the recess is pressed from the base side and the tablet or capsule pushed against the lid containing the metal foil. Due to the inelasticity of the lid material the lid bursts open and permits access to the contents.
With known blister packs that, as described above, are manufactured out of a base part featuring recesses and a smooth lid part, the materials must be relatively thick in order for the wall thickness to be adequate after the press forming operation. Also, depending on the size of the recess relatively broad shoulders are a prerequisite for a practical, useable blister pack.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to propose a blister pack which, in particular in the case of relatively large contents such as capsules containing pharmaceutical preparations, it is possible to keep the height of the recess relatively small and thus to simplify the press forming. Further, the shoulder areas should be smaller and, nevertheless, a secure form of sealing should be obtained between the base and lid parts.
That objective is achieved by way of the invention in that the base part exhibits permanently shaped recesses which are surrounded by shoulders, the lid part exhibits permanently shaped recesses which are surrounded by shoulders, the base and lid parts lie on a plane of symmetry with respect to the openings in the recesses, the base and lid parts are joined at their shoulders over the whole or part of the surface area in the region of the plane of symmetry, the recesses in the base and lid parts which are symmetrically arranged with respect to the plane of symmetry form compartments and the contents are contained in the compartments.
A blister pack may exhibit a row of permanently formed recesses or two or more rows of such recesses, the rows of recesses running parallel to each other. The compartments may, with respect to the length of a blister pack, be arranged side by side or offset with respect to each other. The shoulders usefully form a flat shoulder area. As a rule the blister pack represents a section or segment punched out of an endless strip of packaging material.
Useful are blister packs which are made by shape forming a single strip of packaging material or different packaging materials, the shape forming of the recesses being possible via a single shaping tool. After shaping, the lid material can be placed over the base material. The recesses both in the lid and in the base are in particular shaped in the packaging material permanently into their final dimensions and the recesses in the base part presented as receptacle for filling with the contents. After the filling operation, the lid part with integral recesses is placed over the base part and both parts joined together at the shoulders such that the contents are contained in the compartments or cavities thus formed, this without the contents e.g. causing any further deformation of the packaging material.
Preferred is a blister pack in which one of the lengthways running side edges is a strip shaped packaging material folded over along a line of symmetry. The blister packs may represent an intermediate product and a blister pack that is finally offered for sale may be a segment made from this intermediate product. The intermediate product may be altered by working e.g. by cutting or stamping e.g. in order to remove the folded edge or to shape the contour of the blister pack. For example, a blister pack may exhibit, in the region of the shoulders, weakening or perforations between the individual compartments which make it possible to separate individual portions from the rest. Further, for example in the edge region of each individual portion, provision may be made for a weakening, cutting, notching or the like which makes it possible to destroy the package to such an extent that the compartment is opened and the contents may be removed. Also, holes may be punched out in the region where the lengthways and cross-running perforations overlap. These holes form pull-back flaps for the individual portions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5911325 (1999-06-01), Breitler
Alusuisse Technology & Management Ltd.
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Paradiso John
Vo Peter
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