Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B11/00—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material
  • B65B11/50—Enclosing articles, or quantities of material, by disposing contents between two sheets, e.g. pocketed sheets, and securing their opposed free margins
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
  • B65B5/10—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
  • B65B5/101—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by gravity
  • B65B5/103—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by gravity for packaging pills or tablets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/02—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs
  • B65B9/04—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material
  • B65B9/045—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material for single articles, e.g. tablets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/28—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in composite wrappers, i.e. wrappers formed by associating or interconnecting two or more sheets or blanks
  • B65D75/30—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
  • B65D75/32—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents
  • B65D75/321—Both sheets being recessed
  • B65D75/323—Both sheets being recessed and forming several compartments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/28—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in composite wrappers, i.e. wrappers formed by associating or interconnecting two or more sheets or blanks
  • B65D75/30—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
  • B65D75/32—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents
  • B65D75/325—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents one sheet being recessed, and the other being a flat not- rigid sheet, e.g. puncturable or peelable foil
  • B65D75/327—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents one sheet being recessed, and the other being a flat not- rigid sheet, e.g. puncturable or peelable foil and forming several compartments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
  • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
  • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
  • B29L2031/7162—Boxes, cartons, cases
  • B29L2031/7164—Blister packages

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to field of pharmaceutical product packaging systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for automatically forming the blister portions of a solid pharmaceutical product package and the corresponding packaging support members for an overall pharmaceutical product package.
• the two distinct portions are preferably formed in a single in-line process into a unitary package member.
• the cardboard backing members are produced by punching out portions of cards on in-line flexographic presses or in sheet fed die cutting machines. The process is typically
• the cardboard is coated, printed and die cut.
• the unwanted die cut portion is then removed, glue or adhesive is applied to one side of the remaining portion of the cardboard sheets and foil or other backing material is laminated on the adhesive backed side of the punch card material.
• the products are sheeted at the end of the press into, for example, twelve by nine inch punch cards. A variety of different sizes are possible for the output depending upon the size of the original stock.
• clear plastic sheets with blister members formed therein are later inserted into the punch cards. This is typically performed by the customer or during packaging or manufacturing when the individual blister packages are filled with solid pharmaceutical products.
• the punch cards advantageously have openings in the card member that correspond to each of the blister cavities formed in the sheet of clear plastic material.
• the card member is typically utilized to provide both support and sealing of the cavity portions formed
• the cards are produced with a portion that folds over and
• a foil material is typically
• plastic sheet material is processed to form cavities from roll stock and thereafter the cavities are filled with drug product.
• the filled cavities are then sealed with foil. If a cardboard punch card is desired for the finished product then a previously manufactured cardboard backing is added at a later station in the form fill and seal machine or in a secondary process that occurs off-line.
• blister cavities formed therein consume a significant amount of space and therefore
• one object and advantage of the present invention is to provide improved systems and methods for more efficiently forming both backing and support members as well as forming the blister portions for solid
• solid pharmaceutical product packaging solutions of the present invention utilize fewer machines and processing
• the manufacturing processing steps associated with the formation of the blister members in the clear plastic sheets is integrated in-line with
• the cardboard support material As one portion of a first side of the cardboard backing material is laminated with foil, the other side is laminated with a thermoplastic material. Each side is preferably previously punched or die cut and the unwanted material is removed in order to form openings therein prior to the lamination step in the same in-line processing.
• thermoplastic material is polyethylene but other suitable
• plastic materials will also perform satisfactory results.
• plastic materials will also perform satisfactory results.
• Saran material or other clear plastic may be utilized. The most preferred material is
• the lamination can be achieved either with conventional glue lamination or through the use of heat and pressure as in an alternate embodiment.
• additional heat is applied to the plastic material in order to soften the material.
• additional heat is applied to the plastic material in order to soften the material.
• processing techniques and/or mechanisms may be utilize for applying heat to the material, such as, for example, passing the material through a heater or wrapping it around a hot roller.
• conventional cold forming may be utilized.
• the material is then preferably run through a rotary male-female matched set of punches that indents each blister in line prior to sheeting into separate individual
• a male-female punch that is preferably of a rotary design may not be utilized in the original in-line
• the material is routed through an accumulator
• the combined structure is passed to an intermittent forming station where the material can be heated and then intermittently formed in a vacuum or pressure former.
• This intermittent forming station is preferably integrated into the in-line manufacturing process. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that it is unnecessary to utilize such a machine in this manner.
• the plastic material may be secured to the cardboard backing with the holes formed therein. Sheets of this material can be accumulated and the formation of the actual blister may be made at a later time.
• the material is then desirably formed off-line in a secondary machine.
• This can be done alternately in a dedicated machine designed to thermoform material or in a packaging machine where the preferably clear plastic laminated punch card is introduced into the packaging machine as is known in the art.
• the card is preferably pre-heated in one station and thereafter the blisters are vacuum or pressure formed with or without male-female flat tooling.
• the card is filled with medications, folded over and sealed in order to form finished package.
• the punch card does not have to be of a fold-over style and the foil backing can be produced separately and subsequently added to the clear plastic laminated member after it has been filled with medication.
• Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of the finished blister pack formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the finished blister pack formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 3 illustrates an alternate view of the finished blister pack formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 4 is an exploded illustration of the separate portions of a solid pharmaceutical package formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 5 illustrates the placement of the sheet of clear plastic material on a cardboard member in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 6 illustrates step in the manufacturing process in accordance with an exemplary intermittent embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 7 illustrates step in the manufacturing process in accordance with an exemplary intermittent embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 8 illustrates further step in the manufacturing process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 9 illustrates further step in the manufacturing process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 10 illustrates further step in the manufacturing process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 11 illustrates further step in the manufacturing process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 12 illustrates an alternate exemplary embodiment.
• Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of the finished blister pack formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention that is shown generally at 10.
• the overall package is comprised of a support member 12 that incorporates a plurality of openings 14 for receiving individual doses of solid pharmaceutical products 16.
• the solid pharmaceutical products are secured via a clear plastic material 18.
• This material is preferably thermoplastic material such as polyethylene but other suitable plastic materials will also perform satisfactory
• polyethylene co-extruded with saran or other clear plastic material may be utilized.
• the most preferred material is
• Figures 1 and 2 represents the overall finished product that is formed in the manufacturing process described below.
• Figure 2 is a side view that illustrates the finished blister pack of Figure 1 formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 3 is a perspective
• the support member is actually comprised of an upper portion 21 and a backing or lower portion 22 between which the plastic material 18 is secured.
• Figure 4 is an exploded illustration of the separate portions of a solid pharmaceutical package formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 4 more clearly illustrates the fact that both the upper and lower portion 21, 22 of the support member 12 includes openings 14 for receiving one or more individual solid pharmaceutical medications.
• the illustration of Figure 4 clearly shows the preferably clear plastic material 18 placed adjacent the upper member and the sheet of foil backing material
• the backing material 24 secured to the lower backing or support member 22.
• the backing material 24 is secured to the lower backing or support member 22.
• FIG. 5 illustrates an intermediate stage in the manufacturing process wherein preferably clear plastic material sheet 18 and the backing foil or paper sheet 24 have been laminated to the respective sides of the support members 21, 22.
• Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the formation of the blister protrusion in the preferably clear plastic material sheet 18. This stage in the processing can actually be performed at an intermittent stage wherein roll fed material is temporarily accumulated in order to allow the use of an intermittent process in the formation of the cavities. Prior to this stage in the process, the preferably clear plastic material has been heated. Plug assist vacuum forming is preferably utilized although those skilled in the art will appreciate the other alternate approaches may be utilized as
• Heating is preferred in order to increase the ease
• the male blister forming members 32 are moved toward the corresponding female members 33 and push through the sheet of
• Figure 7 illustrates a stage in the process wherein the upper male blister forming members have been moved away from the female members and the product package, thus leaving the blisters 35 in the packaging material.
• the male blister forming members are
• Figure 8 illustrates the filling process for placement of one or more individual solid pharmaceutical products into each of the respective blister openings in the overall package.
• the medications are located in package templates 42 and one or more sliding plates allows an opening in at least one of the plates to drop the medications into the desired blister package openings at the appropriate time. This is a conventional processing step and is not necessary for utilization of the present invention during the in-line process. This step actually
• Figure 9 illustrates the completed package with individual solid
• the individual solid pharmaceutical products can be accessed by pushing on the blister portions against the solid pharmaceutical products to push the solid pharmaceutical products through the backing material for access.
• Figure 12 illustrates the portions of the manufacturing process of the preferred exemplary embodiment directed to the formation of blister members and the lamination of the preferably clear plastic material to the cardboard backing.
• the lamination portion of the process entails matching the preferably clear plastic material 18 to the cardboard member over the corresponding
• thermoforming the preferably clear plastic material 18 to a desired temperature. Heating is preferable because it enables the material to be more easily formed.
• rollers 46, 48 rotate such that rows of male members engage corresponding rows of female members to simultaneously form a plurality of blister portions. This facilitates more rapid processing in an in-line or continuous roll fed machine. This approach eliminates the need for temporary accumulation of the roll fed materials which would be necessary if an intermittent forming station is used as detailed above.
• the finished product 48 passes from the rows of male and female members located on the rollers 46, 48 to further processing stations were about material is subsequently cut to the desired size. Additionally, as recognized above, the rollers 46, 48 could be replaced with stamp members that incorporate rows of male and female members that are engaged for the purpose of forming the blister portions intermittently.
• one side of the cardboard material has holes which are covered by the formable plastic material and the other side has holes covered by foil. It should be
• the blister members may be formed into the formable plastic material and a backing may be applied.
• this backing may be foil material.
• a solid pharmaceutical or other similar product is inserted into the blister cavity.
• the backing material may be applied directly to the cardboard support member upon which the plastic material has been applied and within which the blisters have been formed. This alternate approach would eliminate the need for a further cardboard support portion.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Composite Materials (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 2002
  • 2002-11-18 US US10/298,669 patent/US20040093835A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2003
  • 2003-11-05 AU AU2003285146A patent/AU2003285146A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-11-05 CA CA002494691A patent/CA2494691A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-11-05 WO PCT/US2003/035182 patent/WO2004045957A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2003-11-05 EP EP03779467A patent/EP1565377A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (4)

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