Abstract
The present invention relates to a package (7) for pharmaceutical blister packs (12) comprising means (11) for removing the protecting foil of the blister packs. The package protects the blister packs (12) and at the same time provides an easy and convenient way of opening the blister pack for people at all level of ability and dexterity.
Claims
1. A package comprising: at least one pharmaceutical blister pack that comprises blisters and a protecting foil, wherein said at least one pharmaceutical blister pack comprises pharmaceutical compositions within said blisters, said pharmaceutical compositions being in the form of tablets; a protrusion that extends out of a surface of said package, wherein said protrusion is configured to hold a tablet and, when in use, remove the protecting foil, wherein said protrusion has a radial extent smaller than a blister of said at least one blister pack contained in said package, wherein said package is configured such that said protecting foil is removable by applying pressure on a blister when said at least one pharmaceutical blister pack is positioned onto the protrusion in correspondence to said blister and as said protrusion penetrates in said blister, the protrusion reaches a tablet therein contained and holds said tablet; and a lid having a wall along an internal edge, wherein said lid further comprises a frame in the shape of a ring extending out of an inner surface of the lid and surrounding said protrusion, said frame being configured to contact a surface of said at least one pharmaceutical blister pack at an edge of said blister when pressure is applied on said blister when said at least one pharmaceutical blister pack is positioned onto the protrusion in correspondence to said blister to facilitate removal of said protecting foil; wherein the protrusion is attached to the lid and extends out of the inner surface of the lid.
2. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion has a radial extent larger than or equal to said tablets contained in said blisters.
3. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion has a height that is higher than the depth of the blister cavity.
4. The package according to claim 1, wherein said package comprises a container that comprises an internal and external surface.
5. The package according to claim 4, wherein said protrusion is located on said internal surface of said container.
6. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion is a circular protrusion.
7. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion comprises at least an indentation.
8. The package according to claim 4, further comprising said at least one pharmaceutical blister pack contained inside said container.
9. The package according to claim 4, wherein said container comprises said lid.
10. The package according to claim 1, wherein said frame has a height that is within few millimetres of the height of a wall along the internal edge of said lid.
11. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion comprises a lateral and a vertical extent and said lateral extent is larger than said vertical extent.
12. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion is a single continuous protrusion.
13. The package according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion is fastened to or included in said container.
14. The package according to claim 1, wherein said package is a tamper proof package.
15. The package according to claim 1, wherein said package is a child resistant package.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
(1) The package and the methods according to some aspects of the invention will now be described in more detail with regard to the accompanying figures. The figures show one way of implementing the present invention and is not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set.
(2) FIG. 1 is a prospective view of the closed package according to some embodiments of the invention.
(3) FIG. 2 is a prospective view of the open package according to some embodiments of the invention.
(4) FIG. 3 is a cross section of the closed package of FIG. 1.
(5) FIG. 4 is a prospective view of examples of means for removing protecting foil according to some embodiments of the invention.
(6) FIG. 5 is a prospective view of the open package according to some other embodiments of the invention.
(7) FIG. 6 is a cross section of the package of FIG. 5 when closed.
(8) FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package according to some embodiments of the invention, in its closed and opened state showing the locking mechanism according to some embodiments of the invention.
(9) FIGS. 10 and 11 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package in its closed state having two means for opening located on the shortest and opposite sides of the medical package according to one embodiment of the invention.
(10) FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package in its closed state where the correspondent two means for opening have different shapes according to some embodiments of the invention.
(11) FIGS. 15 and 16 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package in its closed state and half-opened state according to some embodiments of the invention.
(12) FIG. 17 show schematically a 3-dimensional view of a medical package having more than two means for opening according to some embodiments of the invention.
(13) FIG. 18 shows a medical package which comprises different shapes and sizes of blisters.
(14) FIG. 19 shows an unfolded medical package having different sizes of blisters on the two parts.
(15) FIG. 20 shows a medical package having covering foils each covering a plurality of blisters.
(16) FIG. 21 is a flow-chart of the method of opening a blister pack according to one aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
(17) FIG. 1 is a prospective view of the closed package according to some embodiments of the invention.
(18) FIG. 1 shows a package 7 comprising opening means 1, such as a pressure mean located on both side of the container 3. The opening means 1 in FIG. 1 have the appearance of prolonged buttons that need to be simultaneously pushed so as to open the package. The lid 2 is hinged to the container 3. As shown in FIG. 1 the lid 2 and the container 3 may be produced by injection moulding techniques in a single piece. In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 1 the lid 3 is hingedly connected to a hinge element 4 that is in turn hingedly connected to the container 3. The use of the hinge element 4 allows for an improved degree of rotational freedom as the lid can rotate relative to two axes of rotation, i.e. 5 and 6. At the same time the use of hinge element 4 gives more flexibility to the lid facilitating the use of the means for removing the protecting foil that is located on the lid internal surface.
(19) FIG. 2 shows the package 7 when opened. It can be noticed that buttons 1 comprise elements 8 that engage with complementary elements 9 located on the internal wall surface of the container 3. Thus, the means of opening may comprise a snap lock. A protrusion 11, for removing the protective foil of the blister packages 12, is located on the internal surface 10 of the lid 2. The lid may have a wall 13 along its internal edge. In this embodiment a frame 14 surrounding the protrusion 11 may be used so as to facilitate the removal of the protecting foil. The frame 14 has the function of raising the internal surface 10 of the lid at the same or similar level in respect to the level of the wall 13. In this way the removal of the protecting foil is facilitated. In some further embodiments the internal surface of the lid comprises means for raising the internal surface to the level of wall 13, or within 1 to 5 mm from the level of wall 13.
(20) The position of the centre of the protrusion 11 is shown in FIG. 2 at a certain distance from the axis 5. This distance may match the distance between the centre of the last blister of the blister pack and the farthest end, along its width, or the punched line 36, of the blister pack 12 contained in the container 3. This facilitates the use of the lid 2 and the protrusion 11 for removing the protecting foil. Other locations of the protrusion 11 on the lid surface are also possible.
(21) FIG. 3 is a cross section of the package 7 when closed. It can be noticed that the means for raising the internal surface, e.g. the frame 14 has a height that is close to, within few millimetres, the height of the wall 13.
(22) Indeed, when the blister pack is positioned onto the protrusion 11 in correspondence of the blister where the protecting foil should be removed, the protecting foil is removed by applying pressure on the blister. By applying pressure the protrusion penetrates in the blister, reaches the tablets therein contained and holds it. The presence of frame 14 facilitate the process as it provides a support for the blister pack at the end of the pressure process as the blister cannot be pushed further since the blister pack surface at the edge of the blister is in contact with the frame and the further pressure exerted, e.g. on the lid causes only the release of the tablet that is hold by the protrusion. In this way, the removal of the protecting foil of the blister is facilitated by the presence of the frame 14 or by other means having the same function. The height of the protrusion 11 may be higher than the depth of the blister cavity.
(23) By holding the tablets in the protrusion the invention has the further advantage of avoiding contamination of the tablets due to the users handling the tablets or due to presence of contaminants on the external surface of the protecting foil.
(24) FIG. 4 is a prospective view of examples of means for removing protecting foil according to some embodiments of the invention. For example protrusions may be circular protrusions 15 or oval protrusions 16 depending on the shape of the blisters and of the tablets or capsules to be removed and held. Protrusions may also be half open rim protrusion, such as a half open frame 17, or a closed rim, such as a closed frame 18.
(25) The protrusions may also have at least an indentation 19 so as to provide a better removal of the protecting foil upon applying pressure on the lid or the blister.
(26) The diameter of the protrusions may be in the area between 5 and 20 mm, e.g. 10, 12 or 14 mm. The diameter may be determined by the specific size of the tablet or capsule that has to be removed and held.
(27) In some embodiments more than one protrusions having different shape may be present. The de-blistering tool 20 or 21 comprising one or more protrusions may be included in the container of the package together with blister packs.
(28) FIG. 5 is a prospective view of the open package 22 according to some other embodiments of the invention. Package 22 is characterized by the presence of at least one separator walls 23 that can be inserted into dedicated slides 24 on the internal wall 25 of the container 26. The wall reduces the internal length of the container 26 so that blister packages 27, having a length shorter than the length of the container 26 can better be accommodated into the container. In this way the transport of the blister package is safer as the blister packages 27 are not moving inside the container 26.
(29) Package 22 has also a protrusion 28 on the internal surface 29 of the lid 30. As it can be clearly seen from FIG. 6 the package 22 has a protrusion 28 having a height higher than the wall 31 and does not have a frame surrounding the protrusion 28.
(30) FIG. 6 is a cross section of the package of FIG. 5 when closed.
(31) FIG. 7 shows schematically a 3-dimensional view of a medical package according to another embodiment of the invention in its closed state. Two pairs of gripping elements 48, 49 and 50,51 are shown locate on the longest and opposite side of the medical package 52.
(32) The pairs 50, 51 cannot be seen due to the orientation of the 3-dimensional view, however they resemble the pair 48, 49.
(33) However, even if resembling each other, the two gripping elements of the pairs 48, 49 and 50, 51 have different functions. Gripping element 48 and 50 are opening elements. In order to open the medical package 52 and adult hand has to apply pressure on both opening elements 48 and 50 so as to distort the first portion 56 allowing the hidden latches 57 and 58 to be released. Hidden latches 57 and 58 may be located underneath the opening elements 48 and 50, therefore applying pressure on the opening elements 48 and 50 may allow the release latches 57 and 58 without distortion in the structure of the portion 56. In order to complete the opening following the release of the hidden latches 57 and 58, an adult hand should grip the gripping elements 49 and 51 so as to open the medical package 52 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The opening elements 18 and 20 may comprise the latches 57 and 58 as shown in FIG. 9. Thus, opening may also be achieved by minimum distortion of the structure of the opening elements 48 and 50. The opening elements 48 and 50 may be comprised in the rim 59 of the carrier portion 56.
(34) The shape and/or appearance of the pairs of gripping elements 18, 19 and 20, 21 is advantageously the same. If not instructed, a user, or a child approaching the medical package would not be able to distinguish the different functions of the gripping elements as they have the same appearance. A child thus may be tempted to grip all the elements thus hindering the release of the hidden latches.
(35) FIGS. 10 and 11 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package in its closed state having a pair of opening elements 54 and 55 located on the shortest and opposite sides of the medical package according to some embodiments of the invention.
(36) In this way a higher level of child safety is achieved as a child hand cannot simultaneously exert pressure on both opening elements located at a distance that is longer than the distance between the child thumb and one of the child four fingers when opened.
(37) FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package in its closed state where the correspondent pairs of opening elements 37, 38 and 39 have different shapes according to some embodiments of the invention.
(38) The shapes may be misleading as counterintuitive towards the correct opening of the medical package.
(39) FIGS. 15 and 16 show schematically 3-dimensional views of a medical package in its closed state and while opening according to some embodiments of the invention.
(40) Upon applying pressure on the opening elements 61 and 62 the medical package is unlocked and can be opened.
(41) The medical package showed in the previous figures may follow the same opening steps as shown in FIG. 16.
(42) FIG. 17 shows schematically a 3-dimensional view of a medical package having more than two means for opening according to some embodiments of the invention. For example the package 63 has three opening elements 64, 65 and 66.
(43) In some embodiments two or more finger-actuated latches or tool-actuated latches may be released in a certain sequence so as to allow opening of the medical package. It may be that two or more sets of latches may have to be released in a certain sequence so as to allow opening, thus requiring two adult hands to actuate the two or more set of latches.
(44) FIG. 18 shows a blister pack 71 which comprises different shapes and sizes of blisters in a partly cut-through view. Such a blister pack 71 can be used in combination with the overall inventive idea of the present invention or it may be used in another packaging adapted to contain the blister pack as an insert. It may also be used without any further enclosing packaging. It will typically comprise a foil covering and protecting the content of the blisters. Such a foil may be adapted to be removed from one or more blister openings at a time to provide access to the content. This is shown more clearly in FIG. 20. The blister pack may e.g. be used for different types of medicine that can then easily be provided and carried around in one package. It may alternatively or in combination therewith be used for supplements, such as those mentioned above. Such supplements may e.g. in solid or liquid form; they may also be a freeze-dried substance. The material used for the blisters as well as any foil covering the blisters should be chosen in accordance with how the content of the blisters may react with the surroundings.
(45) It may e.g. have to be a material that is moisture impermeable at the temperatures and pressures that the packaging may experience. The blister pack 71 shown in FIG. 18 is formed by an upper part 72 and a lower part 73, where upper and lower refers to the orientation shown in the figure. In use the pack may be turned in any direction, such as upside-down compared to the one shown.
(46) The upper and lower parts 72,73 each contain an array of blisters which are arranged so that when the blister pack 71 is in a folded configuration as the one shown in FIG. 18, the blisters 74 of the upper part 72 intermesh with the blisters 74 of the lower part 73. In a preferred embodiment, the blisters intermesh in a way so that they support each other without deforming or damaging each other when the pack is folded into engagement. These blisters of the upper and lower parts 72,73 may interlock or press fit, e.g. male-female lock upon folding and/or pressing together the parts. An interference fit, also referred to as a press fit, provides fastening between the blisters when they are pushed into contact.
(47) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, the upper part 72 contains two different shapes and sizes of blisters marked as 76 and 78, and the lower part 73 contains to other shapes and sizes of blisters marked as 75 and 77. In embodiments intended for storing more types of medicine and/or supplements that are to be taken at the same time, it will be appropriate to cover these with one separable piece of cover foil.
(48) When the embodiment in FIG. 18 is used in combination with a package comprising means for removing the protective foil covering the blisters as described above, the means may have a plurality of protrusion 15,16 e.g. such as those shown in FIG. 4. The shapes and sizes of these protrusions 15,16 should then be matched to the actual blisters in the blister pack 71.
(49) FIG. 19 shows an unfolded medical package having different sizes of blisters on the two parts which are referred to as upper part 72 and lower part 73 in relation to FIG. 18. In the embodiment in FIG. 19, each part has one size of blisters.
(50) FIG. 20 shows a medical package having covering foils 79 each covering a plurality of blisters. Hereby it is easy e.g. to gain access to a plurality of medicine and/or supplements to be taken at a given time as explained in relation to FIG. 18.
(51) FIG. 21 is a flow-chart of the method of opening a blister pack according to one aspect of the invention. The method of opening a pharmaceutical blister pack comprised in a package comprises: opening 32, the package; removing 33, the pharmaceutical blister pack; contacting 34 the protrusion to the protecting foil covering a blister of the pharmaceutical blister pack; exerting 35 a pressure on the blister thereby removing the foil in correspondence of the blister.
(52) Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set. In the context of the claims, the terms comprising or comprises do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Also, the mentioning of references such as a or an etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.
