EP1196333B1 - Child-proof packaging for tablets - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a childproof packaging according to the preamble of claim 1.

The danger of uncontrolled medication intake is undisputed, with toddlers in particular being particularly exposed to this potential danger, especially when they are left lying around with medication.

Blister packs have become the main form of packaging for tablets and capsules. The so-called push-through packs are widespread, in which the tablet is pressed through a cover film from a bowl in the bottom part of the packaging. In other known blister packs, a cover film is removed by peeling. Still other blister packs have a notch as a tear-open aid.

Already used ways to increase the child safety of the blister packs for tablets and capsules mentioned are to make opening more difficult by measures that require an increased amount of power, such as stronger push-through foils, increased adhesive strength of peel-off foils or high tear resistance for tear notches.

Packaging that can only be opened with increased effort is childproof, but can also be a problem for seniors.

A childproof packaging of the type mentioned is known from US-A-5 339 960.

The invention has for its object to provide a child-safe packaging of the type mentioned, which can be opened by seniors without difficulty. Basically it's about packaging To be designed in such a way that a combination ability is required to open them, or that simultaneous movements or those that require coordinating or combining individual steps must be carried out.

A packaging with the features of claim 1 leads to the achievement of the object according to the invention.

The removal opening can be covered by a pressable opening closure.

The opening of the packaging according to the invention requires a combination ability in the sense that after opening the closure part it must be recognized that a slide opening the removal opening must be removed before the tablet is pushed through.

The closure part is preferably detachably connected to the cover part, for example via a punctual adhesive point.

In a preferred embodiment of the packaging according to the invention, the cover strip or tear-open part is also detachably connected to the cover part, a particularly expedient solution being that the cover strip or tear-off part can be separated from the cover part via a weakening line, preferably a perforation line.

Advantageously, the bowl of the blister pack protrudes outwards from the plane formed by the bottom part, in the simplest case the bowl of the blister pack penetrating an opening in the bottom part. If the base part consists of a deformable material, a cup can also be formed from this and the cup of the blister packaging can be arranged in the cup of the base part.

In a particularly inexpensive production variant, the outer packaging consists of a single blank.

A double pack can be easily manufactured from two mirror-symmetrically arranged side packaging. This can be designed, for example, in such a way that one of the side packs forms the closure part for the other part pack.

At least two packs can be combined into multi-portion packs, the individual packs being strung together to form a strip pack and preferably separable from the strip pack along a line of weakness, preferably a line of perforations.

The rigid, semi-rigid and flexible materials known today for the manufacture of packaging in the form of sheets, foils, laminates or other laminates with a thickness of a few μm to a few mm, for example 8 μm to 3 mm, can be used to produce the packaging according to the invention. Examples of foil-like materials are metal foils such as for example aluminum foils. Other examples of sheet-like materials are paper, semi-cardboard and cardboard. Films containing plastics, for example based on polyolefins, such as polyethylenes or polypropylenes, polyamides, polyvinyl chloride, polyesters, such as polyalkylene terephthalates and in particular polyethylene terephthalate, are also particularly important. The plastic-containing foils can be monofilms made of plastics, laminates made of two or more plastic foils, laminates made of metal and plastic foils, laminates made of paper and plastic foils, or laminates made of paper and metal and plastic foils. The individual layers of the sheet-like materials can be fixed to one another by means of adhesives, laminating adhesives, adhesion promoters and / or by extrusion coating, coextrusion or laminating, etc. Suitable plastic films are, for example, non-oriented or axially or biaxially oriented monofilms or laminates composed of two or more non-oriented or axially or biaxially oriented films made of plastics based on polyolefins, such as polyethylenes or polypropylenes, polyamides, polyvinyl chloride, polyesters, such as polyalkylene terephthalates and in particular polyethylene terephthalate , Cyclo-olefin copolymers (COC) and polychlorotrifluorethylene (PCTFE, brand name ACLAR).

Transparent plastics with good forming properties such as polyethylene, polypropylene, cyclo-olefin copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide and laminates made from the materials mentioned, e.g. made of PVC and polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) or PVC and PVDC (polyvinyl dichloride). For non-transparent blister packs, for example, laminates made of an aluminum foil planked on both sides with a plastic film with the example structure of polyamide / aluminum / PVC or pigmented plastic films are used. The cover film is usually an aluminum film that can be painted and / or coated with a heat seal lacquer.

All of the above-mentioned sheet-like materials such as paper, semi-cardboard, Cardboard and plastic films in the form of monofilms, laminates etc. can have at least one further continuous layer of sputtered or vacuum-deposited ceramic materials with a thickness of approximately 5 to 500 nm (nanometers), for example Al ₂ O ₃ or SiO _x , where x is a number between 1.5 and 2. These layers of ceramic materials have barrier properties and prevent the diffusion of gases and water vapor through the packaging.

- Fig. 1

einen Längsschnitt durch eine erste Ausführungform einer Blisterverpackung mit Umverpackung;

- Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf die teilweise geöffnete Umverpackung von Fig. 1 in Blickrichtung y;

- Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf einen Zuschnitt zur Herstellung der Umverpackung von Fig. 1;

- Fig. 4

einen Längsschnitt durch eine analog zu Fig. 1 ausgestaltete Blisterverpackung mit Umverpackung als Doppelpackung;

- Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf die teilweise geöffnete Umverpackung von Fig. 4;

- Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf einen Zuschnitt zur Herstellung der Umverpackung von Fig. 4;

- Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht auf eine als Mehrportionenpackung ausgestaltete Blisterverpackung mit Umverpackung von Fig. 1;

Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and from the drawing; this shows schematically in

- Fig. 1

a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a blister pack with outer packaging;

- Fig. 2

a plan view of the partially opened outer packaging of Figure 1 in viewing direction y.

- Fig. 3

a plan view of a blank for producing the outer packaging of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 4

2 shows a longitudinal section through a blister packaging with an outer packaging as a double packaging, which is designed analogously to FIG. 1;

- Fig. 5

a plan view of the partially opened outer packaging of Fig. 4;

- Fig. 6

a plan view of a blank for producing the outer packaging of Fig. 4;

- Fig. 7

a plan view of a blister pack with outer packaging of FIG. 1 configured as a multi-portion pack;

1 to 3, a first embodiment of an outer packaging 10 made of, for example, cardboard for a blister pack 12 of essentially strip-like shape, is equipped with a base part 14, a cover part 16 and a closure part 18. The blister pack 12 - in the example shown a one-portion pack for a tablet 20 - has a base part 22 made of, for example, polypropylene (PP) with a cup 24 molded out of it for receiving the tablet 20 and a cover film 26 sealed or glued to the base part 22, for example Aluminum on. The bowl 24 of the blister pack 12 penetrates a bottom opening 28 in the bottom part 14 of the outer packaging 10 which is adapted to the circumference of the bowl 24 and protrudes outwards from the bottom side 14. The bottom part 22 of the blister pack 12 lies against the inside of the bottom part 14 of the outer packaging 10 and can optionally be at least partially glued to it. Instead of the bottom opening 28 - if the material allows it - a cup can also be formed out of the bottom part 14, i.e. the bowl 24 of the blister pack 12 would in this case be received by the bowl in the base part 14.

The cover part 16 of the outer packaging 10 is connected in one piece to the base part 14 and forms a loop with it, the cover part 16 and base part 14 lying opposite one another approximately parallel to form an intermediate space 30. The cover part 16 has a removal opening 32 opposite the bottom opening 28 or the cup 24. This removal opening 32 is closed by a cover strip 34 protruding into the intermediate space 30 from the opening side of the loop formed by the base part 14 and the cover part 16. As explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3, the cover strip 34 is also connected in one piece to the cover part 16 and via a weakening line or perforations 44 arranged in a line detachable from the cover part 16 to form a pull tab 40.

The closure part 18 is also integrally connected to the base part 14 to form a loop, the closure part 18 engaging over the free end of the cover part 16 with the pull tab 40 of the cover strip 34 integrated therein. In the region of its free end, the closure part 18 is fixed to the cover part 16 underneath via an adhesive point 36.

To remove the tablet 20, the closure part 18 is first gripped at its free end designed as a tear-open tab 38, and the closure part 18 is separated from the cover part 16 underneath at the adhesive point 36. An opening movement carried out in the direction of arrow A clears the way to the pull tab 40.

After opening the closure part 18 in the direction of arrow A, after the pull tab 40 has been removed, the cover strip 34 is gripped thereon and pulled out of the intermediate space 30 in the direction of the arrow B. In this process, the removal opening 32 is opened towards the intermediate space 30 and is now - only separated by the cover film 26 - the tablet 20 in the bowl 24 exposed. In this open position, the tablet 20 can be pushed through the cover film 26 in the direction of arrow C by finger pressure on the bowl 24 and ejected through the removal opening 32. The removal opening 32 can additionally be covered by a push-through opening closure. This additional closure is, for example, from a line of weakness, e.g. a perforation line, is limited and is separated at the same time as the cover film 26 is pressed through. The additional opening closure serves to camouflage the opening mechanism and protects the cover film 26 from premature mechanical destruction by e.g. Children's fingernails or teeth.

The essentially strip-shaped blank shown in FIG. 3 for the Outer packaging 10 shows the weakened and therefore easily separable connection between the pull tab 40 of the cover strip 34 and the cover part 16 as a perforation line 44. The blister packaging 12 already lies on the base part 14, ie the cup 24 penetrates the bottom opening 28. The sealing of the outer packaging 10 is carried out in a first step by folding the cover strip 34 in the direction of arrow D around a fold line d until the cover strip 34 lies on the cover part 16. The cover part 16 with the cover strip 34 lying thereon is then folded over in the direction of arrow E by a fold line e until it rests on the base part 14 or the blister pack 12. This step also results in at least partial gluing of edge parts 46 of the cover part 16 to edge parts 48 of the base part 14 to form the intermediate space 30 which serves as a guide for the cover strip 34. As a last step, the closure part 18 is folded over in the direction of arrow F by a fold line f until it rests on the cover part 16 and is fixed by the adhesive point 36.

An outer packaging 50 shown in FIG. 4 for a blister packaging 52 - in the example a two-portion packaging for two tablets 20a, b - is essentially made up of outer packaging 10 according to FIG. The same parts are therefore also provided with the same reference symbols, the double configuration being expressed in each case by an addition a or b. Instead of a closure part 18, the base parts 14a, b are connected to one another in one piece and lie approximately parallel to one another when the package is closed. Here, the two cover parts 16a, b abut each other and are fixed in this position by means of an adhesive point 54. In this closed position, the two partial packaging 10a and 10b lie on both sides of a mirror plane S. To open the packaging 50, the part 10a is separated from the part 10b at the adhesive point 54 and brought into the open position shown in FIG. 5 in the direction of arrow G. In this position, the two partially opened partial packaging 10a, b can be opened in the same way and the tablets 20a, b removed in the same way are like the outer packaging 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

The blank of an outer packaging 50 for a two-portion pack shown in FIG. 6 is closed analogously to the one-portion pack shown in FIG. 3. First, the two cover strips 34a, b are folded inward in the direction of the arrows H and I by fold lines h and i, respectively. Then the cover parts 16a, b with the cover strips 34a, b lying thereon are folded inwards in the direction of the arrow K or L by a fold line k or l until they rest on the base parts 14a, b or on one half of the blister pack 52 , Finally, the bottom part 14a is folded in the arrow direction M around a fold line m, which corresponds to the symmetry axis of the blank, until the two partial outer packaging 10a, b touch each other and is fixed via the adhesive point 54. As in the outer packaging of FIG. 3, individual edge parts 46a, b of the cover parts 16a, b are at least partially glued to one another with edge parts 48a, b of the base parts 14a, b to form the two spaces 30a, b for the cover strips 34a, b.

FIG. 7 shows a strip-shaped pack 60 with six individual packs according to FIG. 1 strung together in strips. These can be separated from one another by line-shaped perforations 62. However, the individual outer packaging 10 can also be opened without having to separate it from the packaging strip 60. Such a strip arrangement is also suitable for outer packaging 50 with a two-portion blister packaging 52 according to FIG. 4.

Claims (12)

1. Childproof packaging for tablets, capsules and such pharmaceutical products, having a blister pack (12) with at least one cup (24) to receive the tablets (20) which is closed by means of a cover foil (26) which can be pressed through, in which packaging the blister pack (12) is arranged in an outer package (10) between a base part (14) and a cover part (16) and the cover part (16) is covered by a closure part (18), wherein the cover foil (26) of the blister pack (12) is directed against the cover part (16) and the cover part (16) has a removal opening (32) opposite the cup (24) of the blister pack (10), characterised in that a cover strip (34) which covers the removal opening (32), is removable after opening the closure part (18) and exposes the removal opening (32) is arranged between base part (14) and cover part (16).
2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that the removal opening (32) is covered by an opening closure which can be pressed through.
3. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the closure part (18) is releasably connected to the cover part (16).
4. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the cover strip (34) is releasably connected to the cover part (16).
5. Packaging according to claim 4, characterised in that the cover strip (34) is connected to the cover part (16) via a weakened line, preferably a perforation line (44).
6. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the cup (24) of the blister pack (12) projects outwardly from the plane formed by the base part (14).
7. Packaging according to claim 6, characterised in that the cup (24) of the blister pack (12) penetrates an opening (28) in the base part (14).
8. Packaging according to claim 6, characterised in that a cup is formed from the base part (14) and the cup (24) of the blister pack (12) is arranged in the cup of the base part (14).
9. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the outer package (10) consists of a single blank.
10. Double pack, characterised in that it consists of two mirror-symmetrically arranged part packs according to one of claims 1 to 8.
11. Double pack according to claim 10, characterised in that in each case a part pack forms the closure part for the other part pack.
12. Multi-portion pack from at least two packs according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the individual packs are combined to form a strip pack (60) and can be separated preferably from the strip pack (60) along a weakened line, in particular a perforation line (62).