WO2001068472A1 - Emballage blister ameliore - Google Patents

Emballage blister ameliore Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2001068472A1
WO2001068472A1 PCT/GB2001/001068 GB0101068W WO0168472A1 WO 2001068472 A1 WO2001068472 A1 WO 2001068472A1 GB 0101068 W GB0101068 W GB 0101068W WO 0168472 A1 WO0168472 A1 WO 0168472A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
blister pack
pocket
tablet
pill
conveyor
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2001/001068
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Malcolm Clark
Original Assignee
Eu Pharma Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB0005770A external-priority patent/GB0005770D0/en
Application filed by Eu Pharma Limited filed Critical Eu Pharma Limited
Priority to AU40797/01A priority Critical patent/AU4079701A/en
Publication of WO2001068472A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001068472A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • 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
    • B65D75/36—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 or blank being recessed and the other formed of relatively stiff flat sheet material, e.g. blister packages, the recess or recesses being preformed
    • B65D75/367—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 or blank being recessed and the other formed of relatively stiff flat sheet material, e.g. blister packages, the recess or recesses being preformed and forming several compartments
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
    • A61J1/00—Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes
    • A61J1/03—Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes for pills or tablets
    • A61J1/035—Blister-type containers

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns improvements in and relating to blister packaging.
  • the present invention concerns an improved blister package and method of manufacturing thereof suitable for packaging medicinal/nutritional pills, tablets, capsules and the like.
  • blister packs of medicinal pills or tablets are formed of a flat thermoplastic base web with pockets/recesses in the web opening onto one face of the web and protruding from the other face of the web. These pockets/recesses hold the pills/tablets and their openings are collectively closed over by an aluminium foil or other sheet material overlying the base web and bonded to it.
  • the packs are configured with the pills or tablets having their flattest faces lying substantially plane parallel with the main plane of the blister pack base web.
  • Such a conventional blister pack is illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
  • This arrangement is not optimal in packaging efficiency and is particularly vulnerable to breakage of tablets as the tablets are being pressed from the packaging. Furthermore, the tablets are vulnerable to breakage even in storage or transit.
  • It is a further general object of the present invention provide an improved blister pack that is substantially more versatile than conventional blister packs in the size of the tablets that it is adapted to accommodate in the pockets.
  • Most (90 - 95%) of tablets for oral use are round and either flat or biconvex and between 5 and 14mm in diameter.
  • To manufacture blister packs with pocket sizes to accommodate this range of tablet diameter it is normally necessary to provide four or five different tool heads to cover the full range.
  • Increasing the ability of the pockets of a blister pack to accommodate a wider range of tablet sizes will reduce the number of machine tools required to cover a full range of sizes and will, furthermore, reduce the number of changes of machine tool required, greatly reducing machine down time - which in a production environment leads to great savings in cost and efficiency.
  • an improved blister pack having a substantially flat base web with a plurality of pockets therein each to receive a respective tablet, pill or capsule or the like wherein the major axis (longest dimension) of each pocket lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base web of the blister pack, whereby each pill or tablet may be accommodated with its longest dimension substantially perpendicular to the base web and wherein the opposing end walls of each pocket, being those walls that face the end edge(s) of the pill or tablet, are inclined to converge toward each other towards the floor of the pocket, whereby the pocket will, in use, support the pill or tablet or the like therein against the narrowing together end walls above the floor of the pocket.
  • the configuration also allows for easier removal of each pill, tablet or the like from the blister pack since the force to expel each pill or tablet is applied to an end/edge of the pill/ tablet being less vulnerable to fracture and allowing a greater distance of travel of the pill/tablet relative to the plane of the base web to break through the encasing foil.
  • each pocket preferably converge toward each other at an angle therebetween of greater than 15° and preferably of the order of 20 to 40° with an angle of about 30° being particularly preferred.
  • each pocket confers the ability to accommodate the wide range of tablet sizes sufficient to reduce the number of different machine tools to cover the full range of conventional tablet sizes and thereby providing considerable savings in manufacturing plant and running costs.
  • the side walls of the pocket which face the major faces of the pill, tablet or the like, in use, are preferably also inclined toward each other towards the floor of the pocket. This may further enhance the ease of squeezing of the pill/tablet from each pocket.
  • the inclination of the side walls and end walls enable efficient nesting together of the blister packs underside-to-underside with the pockets of one pack space- efficiently inter digitating or "inter-locking" with the pockets of the other pack when one pack is slightly displaced axially or laterally of the other pack.
  • a method of manufacturing a blister pack of the first aspect of the invention which comprises depositing a plurality of pills, tablets or capsules on a conveyor to be delivered through a reorientation station to orient the pills, tablets or capsules to lie at an angle to the conveyor.
  • the reorientation station has a row of baffles transverse to the conveyor travel axis and with the baffles extending longitudinally of the conveyor travel axis, each baffle being progressively angled along the direction of travel of the conveyor to tilt each pill, tablet or capsule to a position that is vertical or at least angled to or substantially perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor to then deposit the pills, tablets or capsules in this orientation into the respective pockets of a blister pack of the first aspect of the invention,
  • an apparatus for manufacture of a blister pack of the first aspect of the invention which comprises a conveyor and reorientation station of the second aspect of the invention.
  • Figures 2A and 2B are, respectively, a top plan view and side elevation view of a blister pack of the preferred embodiment
  • Figures 2C and 2D are, respectively, a top plan view of a blister pack similar to that of Figure 2A but comprising three linked strips and with the foil cover removed - and an end elevation view thereof.
  • Figures 2E and 2F are, respectively, a side elevation view of two blister packs of the invention being nested underside-to-underside with one slightly longitudinally displaced relative to the other- and an end elevation view of two blister packs of the invention being nested underside-to-underside with one slightly laterally displaced relative to the other;
  • Figure 3 is a plan view of a manufacturing system for filling and sealing of the blister packs;
  • Figures 4A and 4B are respective vertical sectional views of a baffle for tilting a pill or tablet upright, Figure 4A being taken along the line X-X in Figure 3 and Figure 4B taking them along the line Y-Y in Figure 3.
  • tablets used in the preferred embodiment of blister pack illustrated in Figures 2-4 are shown as being of generally discoidal shape, i.e. circular in plan view and somewhat flattened.
  • the pockets 2 of the blister pack 1 all extend with their major axis/longest dimension substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blister pack base 1.
  • the base 1 is suitably thermoformed of a thermoplastic material such as PVC to provide the pockets 2, and with the pockets 2 projecting wholly beneath the major plane of the base 1 so that the blister pack presents a substantially completely flat upper face over which the covering layer of aluminium foil or any other suitable material is laid once the tablets have been deposited into the pockets of the blister pack.
  • the configuration of the pockets is greater in depth than width and each holds the tablet substantially perpendicular to the base 1.
  • Each of the pockets 2 has a pair or opposing end walls 3, a pair of opposing side walls 4 and a floor 5, as can best be seen in Figures 2C and 2D.
  • Each opposing pair of walls is convergent.
  • the opposing end walls 3 are inclined to converge toward each other in the direction of the floor 5 of the pocket 2 and at an angle of convergence of the order of 30°.
  • the side walls 4 are inclined to converge towards each other in the direction of the floor 5 of the pocket 2 and at an angle of convergence of the order of
  • a substantial angle of convergence of the end walls 3 serves to catch the tablet 6 between the end walls 3 at a position in the pocket 2 that is spaced above the floor 5 of the pocket 2. This has the important effect of providing a buffer zone between the lower edge of the tablet 6 and the floor 5 of the pocket 2, protecting the tablets from damage from below.
  • the convergence of the end walls 3 assists in space efficient inter digitation /interlocking of the pockets 2 when the blister packs are stacked underside-to-underside with slight lateral displacements of the upper relative to the lower blister pack (see Figure 2F).
  • the convergence of the side walls 4 assists in space efficient inter-digitation of the pockets 2 when stacked underside-to- underside by slight longitudinal displacement of the upper relative to the lower blister pack.
  • pairs of blister packs may be nested together in an optimally compact manner in either longitudinal or lateral displacement relative to each other giving maximum flexibility in compact packaging arrangements.
  • a further notable benefit that arises from the convergence of the walls 3, 4 of the pockets 2 is that they enable accommodation for a wide range of different sizes of tablet/pill, a facility not provided by conventional blister packs where the blister pack is generally capable of properly accommodating only one size of pill/tablet or a very narrow size range and necessitating many tool changes to cover the conventional range of tablet/pill sizes.
  • the size of range of tablet/pill that may be accommodated by the innovative pocket configuration of the present invention is wide and only limited by needing to ensure that the tablet/pill is not oversize relative to the pocket whereby it would risk being damaged in transit, and not so small that it seats so low in the pocket that it may not be so easily expelled through the foil web.
  • dispensing of the tablets from the package without breakage has been significantly improved together with an increase in the efficiency of the packaging.
  • a further advantage can be obtained from this where the pockets are substantially transparent to enable viewing of their contents.
  • the orientation of the tablets enables viewing of both major faces thereof improving the ability to check manually or automatically that the tablets are present and that they are not defective.
  • a conventional method of delivery of these tablets for packaging is simply to allow them to lie on one of their substantially circular major faces and be dropped directly into corresponding circular recesses/pockets to lie substantially on the same face or alternate face, substantially plane parallel to the base web of the blister pack.
  • the packaging system incorporates a reorientation stage in the filling system which serves to reorient the tablets to be substantially upright, standing on the circumferential edge rather than resting upon one of the two circular major faces.
  • the tablets are carried along the conveyor 10 in the direction of the large arrows A to be fed into the reorientation station 11.
  • the reorientation station 1 1 comprises a plurality of baffles 12a-g that are angled progressively more steeply downstream along the direction of travel A of the conveyor 10.
  • the baffles 12a-g are not only progressively steeper downstream but they also progressively converge toward each other as viewed in plan.
  • the increasing vertical angle of the baffles 12a-g serves to tilt the tablets upright onto their circumferential edges against the constraint of the next adjacent baffle 12a-g and with the convergence of the baffles serving to ensure that the tablets are unable to slip away from their increasingly upright orientation.
  • the tablets emerge from the reorientation station 1 1 they are not only uniformly oriented upright but also spaced apart laterally across the travel path by appropriate spacing that corresponds to the spacing of pockets 2 in the blister pack.
  • the optimal configuration of the orientation and filling station is with the whole assembly including the conveyor 10 in the horizontal plane so that the tablets are oriented into an upright position and can then drop by gravity feed into the underlying empty blister pack base
  • the assembly may alternatively by configured at an angle to horizontal or even vertical subject to there being provided walls to constrain the tablets in place and provision of some means in addition to or in replacement of gravity to ensure that the tablets are delivered appropriately to the pockets of the blister pack base.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention se rapporte à une plaquette d'emballage blister améliorée, ayant une bande de base (1) sensiblement plate dans laquelle sont prévues plusieurs alvéoles (2) destinées chacune à recevoir un comprimé, une pilule ou une capsule ou autre produit similaire, le grand axe (dimension la plus longue) de chaque alvéole étant situé dans un plan essentiellement perpendiculaire au plan de la bande de base (1) de la plaquette blister. Ainsi, chaque pilule ou chaque comprimé peut être logé avec sa dimension la plus longue transversalement/essentiellement perpendiculairement à la bande de base (1) et les parois terminales opposées (3) de chaque alvéole (2), qui sont les parois dirigées face aux bords terminaux de la pilule ou du comprimé, sont inclinées de façon à converger l'une vers l'autre en direction du fond (5) de l'alvéole (2), laquelle (2) va, au moment de l'utilisation, servir ainsi de support à la pilule ou au comprimé ou à tout autre produit similaire, contre les parois terminales allant en se rétrécissant au-dessus du fond (5) de l'alvéole (3).
PCT/GB2001/001068 2000-03-11 2001-03-12 Emballage blister ameliore WO2001068472A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU40797/01A AU4079701A (en) 2000-03-11 2001-03-12 Improved blister packaging

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0005770A GB0005770D0 (en) 2000-03-11 2000-03-11 Improved blister packaging
GB0005770.3 2000-03-11
GB0016092A GB2360031B (en) 2000-03-11 2000-07-03 Improved blister packaging
GB0016092.9 2000-07-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001068472A1 true WO2001068472A1 (fr) 2001-09-20

Family

ID=26243837

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2001/001068 WO2001068472A1 (fr) 2000-03-11 2001-03-12 Emballage blister ameliore

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU4079701A (fr)
WO (1) WO2001068472A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2607262A1 (fr) * 2011-12-22 2013-06-26 Renata AG Emballage coque multiple pour piles-boutons

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1340808A (en) * 1971-06-21 1973-12-19 Tilgmann Ab Oy Packages
DE2923106A1 (de) * 1979-06-07 1980-12-11 Kloeckner Werke Ag Packung fuer tabletten
GB2052426A (en) * 1979-06-26 1981-01-28 Grissmann Chem Ltd Blister pack
US5110007A (en) * 1988-09-12 1992-05-05 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Dispenser
EP1094430A2 (fr) * 1999-10-21 2001-04-25 Knoll AG Etiquette en plusieurs parties pour Emballage-Coque, méthode de fabrication et utilisation

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1340808A (en) * 1971-06-21 1973-12-19 Tilgmann Ab Oy Packages
DE2923106A1 (de) * 1979-06-07 1980-12-11 Kloeckner Werke Ag Packung fuer tabletten
GB2052426A (en) * 1979-06-26 1981-01-28 Grissmann Chem Ltd Blister pack
US5110007A (en) * 1988-09-12 1992-05-05 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Dispenser
EP1094430A2 (fr) * 1999-10-21 2001-04-25 Knoll AG Etiquette en plusieurs parties pour Emballage-Coque, méthode de fabrication et utilisation

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2607262A1 (fr) * 2011-12-22 2013-06-26 Renata AG Emballage coque multiple pour piles-boutons
US9296536B2 (en) 2011-12-22 2016-03-29 Renata Ag Multiple blister pack for button batteries

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU4079701A (en) 2001-09-24

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