WO1993012007A1

WO1993012007A1 - Heat-sealed package having a child-resistant structure

Info

Publication number: WO1993012007A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/010612
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul F. Schmit
Original assignee: Cygnus Therapeutic Systems
Priority date: 1991-12-19
Filing date: 1992-12-09
Publication date: 1993-06-24
Also published as: AU3273493A

Abstract

A peripherally heat-sealed package (11) that has a cut line (21) across one end interiorly of the peripheral heat seal (18) and one or more heat seal strips (22, 23) that extend inwardly from the heat seal along that end across the cut line whereby in order to open the package one has to cut the package along the cut line and break the portion(s) of the heat seal strip(s) inwardly of the cut.

Description

HEAT-SEALED PACKAGE HAVING A CHILD-RESISTANT STRUCTURE

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a peripherally sealed package whose structure is such that it is unlikely to be opened by children. More specifically the invention concerns such a package that is adapted to hold a drug-containing patch such as those that are used to administer drugs topically to or transdeπnally through the skin.

Background

The heat-sealed dispensing packaging field is a well developed art which has been adapted previously to drug-containing patches that are intended to be placed on the skin. Packages for such articles have a pouch configuration and are typically rectangular, oblong or round in shape. Non-round shapes may be made from one or two webs and have two to four sealed sides depending upon whether they are of a pillow-type, three-side seal or four-side seal type. Pillow-type and three-side seal packages are made from a single web whereas the four-side seal structure is made from two superposed webs. The seals may be peelable or nonpeelable. With peelable seals, the packages are opened by peeling the opposed walls of the package apart. With nonpeelable seals the packages must be torn or cut open. The web used to make the packages may be a single layer or a laminated composite. In either form the opposing faces of the package are heat-sealable along that portion of the periphery of the structure that needs to be sealed to form a closed pouch. Heat sealable materials such as polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene) may be used to form the opposing faces of the package. If the package is to provide a barrier to diffusion of gases, moisture, or components of the contained patch, the web will usually be a laminated composite in which one or more of the layers provides a diffusion barrier to such entities. Barrier layers are normally made of polyesters and/or metal foils.

Webs that provide nonpeelable heat seals and have tensile properties that render them difficult to tear manually have been used for packaging compositions, such as drugs, that must be used with care and prudence. Such webs, once heat sealed together must be cut open to provide access to the contents of the package. The present invention concerns such tear-resistant packaging that has additional means to protect against being opened by persons such as the young that might misuse the package's contents.

Disclosure of the Invention The invention is a heat-sealed package comprising:

(a) a sealed inner compartment that holds contents;

(b) opposing walls that define said compartment;

(c) an elongated peripheral heat seal that seals said walls together at the periphery thereof;

(d) a defined cut line extending from a irst point on the periphery of the package to a second point on the periphery of the package and interiorly of the heat seal; and (e) at least one breakable interiorly extending heat seal strip that transects or intersects the cut line whereby when the package is cut along the line the portion of the strip interiorly of the line prevents complete opening of the compartment until said portion is broken.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which are not to scale: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention package;

Figure 2 is a plan sectional view of the package of Figure 1 taken along the midline of the package between the two webs thereof; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the package of Figure 1 showing the package in the state of having been cut along the cut line, but not completely opened.

Modes For Carrying Out the Invention

The drawings show an embodiment, generally designated 11, of a heat-sealed package of the invention. The package is in the form of a four-side seal structure defined by a pair of superposed webs 12 and 13. The package has a generally rectangular shape with four sides or edges 14, 15, 16 and 17. The opposing webs 12 and 13 are sealed at their peripheries by a nonpeelable heat seal 18 extending entirely about the periphery of the package. Interiorly of the heat seal is an inner compartment 19 that holds the contents of the package, depicted as a transdermal patch 20.

A "cut here" line 21 extends transversely across one end of the package from the edge of side 15 to the opposing edge of side 17 and parallel to edge

14. The cut line intersects the heat seal along sides 15 and 17 and is located a short distance interiorly of the heat seal along side 14. /

A pair of spaced heat seal strips 22 and 23 extend interiorly from the heat seal along side 14 and across the cut line so that a portion 24 of each strip lies exteriorly of the cut line and a portion 25 lies interiorly of the cut line (see Figure 3) . As shown in Figure 2 the transdermal patch is sized smaller lengthwise than compartment 19 so that it fits in the compartment between the inner edge of the heat seal along side 16 to the inner ends of the heat seal strips. In this configuration the heat seal strips act as stops to prevent the patch from moving into registry with the cut line and thus prevents inadvertent cutting of the patch.

The package is opened by cutting the package along cut line 21 with a scissors or sharp blade, thereby severing the side 14 outwardly of the cut line (see Figure 3) . This opens the package along side 14 except at portions 25 of the heat seal strips 22 and 23. The package is fully opened by breaking the seal portions 25 manually or with an instrument (e.g., a blade) inserted along the cut. Once the side 14 is fully open the patch may be withdrawn from or dropped out of compartment 19.

Accordingly, even though the package 11 is partly opened, its contents cannot be accessed unless the heat seals 25 are broken. This additional step in the opening of the package provides increased protection against the patch being accessed by children.

Although the drawings show a four-side sealed package with two heat seal strips it may obviously be used with other heat seal package types and shapes and involve fewer or more heat seal strips. Also, while the drawings show the package used to contain a single transdermal patch, the invention package may be used to contain other nonparticulate articles such as bandages and the like. These/ and other modifications that are obvious to those of skill in the packaging and materials arts are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

Claims.

1. A heat-sealed package comprising:

(a) a sealed inner compartment that holds nonparticulate contents;

(b) opposing walls that define said compartment;

(c) an elongated peripheral nonpeelable heat seal that seals said walls together at the periphery thereof;

(d) a marking on the exterior of the package that delineates a cut line extending from a first point on the periphery of the package to a second point on the periphery of the package and interiorly of the heat seal; and

(e) at least one breakable interiorly extending heat seal strip that extends across the cut line whereby when the package is cut along the line the portion of the strip interiorly of the line prevents complete opening of the compartment until said portion is broken.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the package is generally rectangular and the cut line extends transversely across one end of the package between opposing sides thereof.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein the heat seal extends entirely along the periphery of the package.

4. The package of claim 3 wherein said strip has an outward end that is integral with the heat seal along said one end of the package.

5. The package of claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of said strips.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein said contents is a transdermal patch. '