CN112689496A

CN112689496A - Blister package with built-in cutting flange

Info

Publication number: CN112689496A
Application number: CN201980059392.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·巴尔托鲁奇; 李云沁; W·M·本森; N·D·格拉布斯
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 2018-09-12
Filing date: 2019-08-21
Publication date: 2021-04-20
Also published as: WO2020055561A1; US20200079565A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a blister package comprising a base sheet having a plurality of blisters formed therein, each of the plurality of blisters having an opening and being configured for receiving a unit dose of a deformable or frangible product, wherein a cover sheet is attached to the base sheet for covering the openings of the blisters. The blister package further includes a reinforcing sheet having a cut-out portion forming a flange adjacent the opening of the blister. Such flanges may be used to cut a cover sheet at the blister opening and release a unit dose of the deformable or frangible product.

Description

Blister package with built-in cutting flange

Technical Field

The present invention relates to blister packages, in particular push-open blister packages for containing and dispensing deformable or frangible articles.

Background

Blister packages have been used to contain various products such as pharmaceuticals, food products, cosmetics, personal cleansing products or laundry care products while protecting such products from damage or exposure. Unit doses of such products are stored in readily accessible, individually sealed compartments (i.e., blisters) of such blister packs. Typically, the bottom sheet is used to seal the various compartments in the blister pack. Each compartment can then be opened independently of any other compartment in such a blister package.

In some blister packages, the bottom sheet may be peeled away to expose the contents of the individual compartments. However, it is not uncommon for regions of such peelable sheets to tear in a manner that exposes more than one compartment, thereby putting the contents of other compartments (other than the one intended to be opened) at risk of contamination. Thus, such peelable type blister packages may be undesirable.

In other blister packages, the bottom sheet is frangible and breakable when the contents of the individual compartments are pushed thereagainst by application of an external force thereto. Blister packages with such frangible bottom sheets are known as "push-through" and they can be readily used to contain reasonably structured solid and rigid products, such as pills or lozenges. However, when the products to be contained and dispensed are elastically deformable or frangible, it is difficult to push such products apart to break the backsheet without damaging or severely deforming the products. Thus, push-open blister packages may not be suitable for containing and dispensing deformable or frangible products or contents.

In some push-open blister packages, an internal or external opener or cutter is provided for dividing or cutting the bottom sheet to release the contents of the individual compartments. For example, US5816404 discloses a blister package having an opener supported by a frame above a blister opening and such opener being displaceable downwardly to first sever a base sheet covering the blister opening and then remove such base sheet by rotation. As another example, US6443307 discloses a blister pack having dome-shaped blisters sealed by a lower film, each of which comprises an annular inner cutter which can be used to cut through the lower member by simply depressing the dome-shaped blister. However, such known internal or external cutters or openers tend to have complex structures and make them require significant additional materials and complex processing steps, which may be cost prohibitive for certain consumer products such as cosmetics, personal cleaning products or laundry care products.

Accordingly, there is a need for a new blister package design that is particularly suited for containing and dispensing deformable or frangible articles, which is easy to open and easy/inexpensive to manufacture.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a push-open blister package having a built-in flange formed by at least one reinforcing sheet that is both easy to manufacture/inexpensive and effective in cutting the back or cover sheet that seals the blister. Such built-in flanges enable the product/contents to be easily released from the blister package with minimal damage or deformation, and are therefore particularly suitable for use with deformable or frangible products/contents, more preferably resiliently deformable products/contents.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a package for containing and dispensing at least one article, the package comprising:

a) a substrate having at least one recess formed therein for receiving an article, the recess having an opening;

b) a cover sheet attached to the base sheet to cover the opening of the at least one recess; and

c) a reinforcing sheet attached to the cover sheet on a side opposite the base sheet, the reinforcing sheet having at least one cut-out portion overlapping but offset from the opening of the recess such that a portion of the reinforcing sheet forms a flange near the opening of the recess for cutting the cover sheet and releasing the article from the recess.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a blister package for containing and dispensing a plurality of unit dose products, the blister package comprising:

a) a base sheet having a plurality of blisters formed therein, each of the plurality of blisters having an opening and being configured for receiving a unit dose of the product therein;

b) a cover sheet attached to the base sheet to cover the opening of the blister; and

c) a reinforcing sheet attached to the cover sheet on a side opposite the base sheet, the reinforcing sheet having a plurality of cut-out portions, each cut-out portion of the plurality of cut-out portions overlapping but offset from one of the blister openings such that portions of the reinforcing sheet form a plurality of flanges, each flange being proximate one of the blister openings for cutting the cover sheet at the opening and releasing a unit dose of the product.

Such a package or blister pack with a stiffening sheet is easy/cheap to manufacture, while the cutting flanges formed by the cut-out portions in the stiffening sheet are simple and structurally sound/robust. More importantly, they can effectively cut the coverslip during release with minimal impact/force on the article or product contained therein.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art blister package configured to contain and dispense solid and rigid products.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the difficulties encountered when using the prior art blister package of fig. 1 to contain and dispense deformable or frangible products.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a blister package according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4A is a perspective view of a blister package according to one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a top reinforcing sheet and a bottom reinforcing sheet.

Fig. 4B is a top view of the top and bottom reinforcing sheets of fig. 4A.

Detailed Description

The present invention provides a novel push-open blister package or package.

In conventional push-open blister packages, as shown in fig. 1, a substantially impermeable plastic material 1 is used to form a plurality of blisters 2, each of which defines a cavity or depression for receiving a solid and rigid tablet 4 therein. The opening 3 of the blister 2 is closed or sealed by a rupturable cover sheet 5 formed of metal foil which is sufficiently thin that when the blister 2 is compressed into shape 2A by the application of an external force F, the metal foil cover sheet 5 will rupture or break. Thus, the solids and rigid table 4 will be discharged from the compression blister 2A.

However, when such a conventional blister package as described above is used to contain and dispense an elastically deformable product 4', the external force F applied to the blister cavity 2 will be largely absorbed by the product 4' to effect its deformation into the compressed form 4 ", rather than being applied to the metal foil cover sheet 5 to effect its rupture, as shown in figure 2. In order to finally rupture the lid sheet 5 and release the product 4 ", it is now necessary to apply a significantly greater external force F. Application of a greater external force F may cause the entire blister package to bend, such that the force transmission efficiency is reduced and even the structural integrity of the blister package itself is compromised. Finally, the need for a greater external force F to rupture the lid sheet (de-foaming force) may result in either the impossibility of removing the product from the blister package, or in a severe and potentially irreversible deformation of the product 4 "and in some cases even in significant damage to such product.

To solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a package or blister pack having a reinforcing sheet attached to a lid sheet on the side opposite to the blister. Such a reinforcing tab helps to improve the overall structural integrity of the blister package against bending under excessive force. More importantly, such reinforcing sheets form cutting flanges near the opening of the blister, and such flanges are particularly effective in converting external forces typically applied to the cover sheet into highly localized cutting forces to rupture the cover sheet along such flanges, thereby minimizing debubbling forces.

For example, fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a package 10 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, including a base sheet 20 having one or more depressions or

blisters

22A and 22B formed therein for holding one or more articles or unit doses of

products

23A and 23B. The base portion of such a substrate 20 is preferably substantially planar. The depressions or

blisters

22A and 22B each have an opening proximate the base portion of the base sheet 20. A substantially planar cover sheet 30 is attached to the base portion of the base sheet 20, for example by heat sealing, adhesive or any other suitable attachment mechanism, to cover the openings of the recesses or

blisters

22A and 22B, thereby enclosing and sealing the articles or

products

23A and 23B inside the recesses or

blisters

22A and 22B. The substantially planar reinforcing sheet 40 is attached to the cover sheet 30 on the side opposite the base sheet 20, for example by heat sealing, adhesive or any other suitable attachment mechanism. The reinforcing sheet 40 includes one or more cut-out

portions

42A and 42B that overlap but are offset from the recesses or openings of the

blisters

22A and 22B to form one or

more flanges

44A and 44B adjacent the blister openings.

Such flanges

44A and 44B serve to localize any external forces applied to the cover sheet 30 by compressing the

blisters

22A and 22B and/or articles or

products

23A and 23B, such localized forces then being focused to cut the cover sheet 30 near the blister opening. Because the external force applied to the cover sheet 30 is so localized, less force is required to cut the cover sheet 30 and release the articles/

products

23A and 23B from the

blisters

22A and 22B. Accordingly, the articles/

products

23A and 23B are subject to less deformation or impact and the risk of irreversible deformation or damage is significantly reduced.

Moreover, the use of such substantially planar stiffening tabs 40 to structurally reinforce the package 10 and provide built-in

cutting flanges

44A and 44B to rupture the cover flap 30 adds little or no additional cost and complexity to the manufacturing process and requires minimal additional capital investment. More importantly, such built-in

cutting flanges

44A and 44B are structurally integral with the other components of the package 10 and they are less likely to be damaged during shipping or transport or to damage the articles or

products

23A and 23B contained in the package 10 or to other components.

The depression or blister according to the invention may have any suitable shape, for example a cube, rectangle, cylinder, hemisphere or dome shape. It is preferred that the depression or blister have rounded edges and it is more preferred that the depression or blister have a hemispherical or domed shape (as shown at 22A and 22B in fig. 3) which makes it susceptible to compression under the impact of an external force. As is known in the art, as the blister cavity is depressed, the pressure within the cavity increases. This additional pressure assists in expelling the product from the blister. Preferably, but not necessarily, the package 10 may further include an additional reinforcing tab 50 attached to the base sheet 20 on a side opposite the cover sheet 30. The additional reinforcing sheet 50 includes one or more additional cut-out portions configured to receive the recesses or

blisters

22A and 22B, i.e., the recesses or

blisters

22A and 22B may fit through additional cut-out portions in such additional reinforcing sheet 50, as shown in fig. 3. Such additional stiffening webs 50 provide additional structural reinforcement to the package 10 from the back side thereof. Such additional reinforcing sheet 50 can be readily formed from the same sheet of paper laminate or paper/polymer laminate as used to form the previously described reinforcing sheet 40, for example, by folding such sheet of paper laminate or paper/polymer laminate into two halves.

Fig. 4A shows a perspective view of a blister package 100 comprising a base sheet (not shown) having a plurality of

blisters

122A and 122B formed therein, each of the plurality of blisters having an opening (not shown) and being configured to contain a unit dose of a deformable or frangible product (not shown). The blister package 100 also includes a cover sheet (not shown) that is attached from below to the base sheet (not shown) to cover the openings (not shown) of the

blisters

122A and 122B. Preferably, each cavity of the blister pack is spaced at least 2mm apart, even more preferably above 3mm, and most preferably above 4mm to allow sufficient sealing between the base and lid sheets to minimise the risk of exposing each adjacent cavity when the product is pushed out. In any case, the cavities of the blister package may be spaced apart to allow a finger to press each of them individually without interference. Similarly, the edges of the base and lid sheets should have a sealing area preferably higher than 2mm, even more preferably higher than 3mm, and most preferably higher than 4 mm. The top reinforcing sheet 150 is attached to the base sheet (not shown) from above, and such top reinforcing sheet 150 includes a plurality of top cut-out portions (not shown) configured to receive the

blisters

122A and 122B, i.e., by allowing them to pass therethrough. The bottom reinforcing sheet 140 is attached to a cover sheet (not shown) from below, the bottom reinforcing sheet 140 including a plurality of

cut portions

142A and 142B, each of which overlaps but is offset from one of the blister openings (not shown) such that portions of the bottom reinforcing sheet 140 form a plurality of

flanges

144A and 144B. Each of the

flanges

144A and 144B is adjacent one of the blister openings (not shown) for cutting a cover sheet (not shown) at the blister opening and releasing a unit dose of a deformable or frangible product (not shown). Fig. 4B shows a top view of only the top reinforcing sheet 150 and the bottom reinforcing sheet 140 (not directly visible). The top reinforcing sheet 150 includes a plurality of top cut-out

portions

152A and 152B configured to receive the

blisters

122A and 122B previously shown in fig. 4A. The bottom reinforcing sheet 140 (not visible here) includes a plurality of bottom cut-out

portions

142A and 142B that overlap but are offset from the blister opening (not shown here) and the corresponding top cut-out

portions

152A and 152B. Thus, the portions of the bottom stiffener 140 (not visible) of the plurality of

flanges

144A and 144B that are visible through the top stiffener 150, and

such flanges

144A and 144B enable localized external forces to cut the cover sheet sealing the blister opening.

The article or product to be contained by the package or blister package of the present invention may be in any form, e.g. solid, semi-solid, powder, paste, liquid, gel, foam, etc. Preferably, such articles or products are deformable or frangible. More preferably, such articles or products are elastically deformable, i.e., they can deform under stress, but can eventually return to the original shape with little or no change in shape when the stress is removed. Most preferably, such articles or products are characterized by a young's modulus of no more than about 5, preferably from about 0.01 to about 1, more preferably from about 0.01 to about 0.5, most preferably from about 0.01 to about 0.1. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, such articles or products are flexible, porous and dissolvable, which may comprise one or more water-soluble polymers in combination with one or more functional ingredients.

The article or product of the present invention may have any shape or size suitable for its intended use, so long as it is configured to pass through the blister opening and the cut-out portion in the reinforcing sheet after the cover sheet is ruptured or ruptured by the flange, without itself being cut or damaged by the flange. To maximize force transfer during dispensing, preferably, the article should have less than 600mm²More preferably below 400mm²And even more preferably below 200mm²And preferably a thickness of more than 6mm, more preferably more than 10mm, and even more preferably more than 15 mm.

The base sheet of the present invention is preferably a flexible, structurally sound sheet having a substantially planar base portion and one or more depressions or blisters formed therein. The substrate may be formed of any suitable material, including but not limited to: plastic materials, plastic laminates, and the like. The substrate material should be compatible with the product stored inside and have a low water vapor transmission rate (depending on the particular application). Suitable plastic materials for preparing the substrate of the present invention may be selected from: polypropylene (PP); copolymers and terpolymers of propylene; polyethylene (PE); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinyl dichloride (PVdC); copolymers and terpolymers of vinyl chloride and dichloroethylene; polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE); cyclic Olefin Copolymers (COC); and combinations thereof. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the substrate is formed from a transparent PP material.

The substrate may be characterized by a thickness at its base portion (i.e., base thickness) in the range of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns, preferably about 200 microns to about 800 microns, more preferably about 300 microns to about 600 microns, and most preferably about 500 microns. The thickness of such base sheet at the recess or blister portion (i.e., the recess thickness or blister thickness) is preferably significantly less than the thickness of its base thickness so that the recess or blister can be easily deformed or compressed without compromising the overall structural integrity of the blister package. For example, the depression thickness/blister thickness of the base sheet may be no more than 3/4, preferably no more than about 3/5, more preferably no more than about 1/2 of its base thickness. Depressions or blisters having such reduced depression thickness are prone to deformation and can deform/compress downwardly toward the blister opening when external forces are applied, while providing sufficient strength to prevent snagging or damage during dispensing or package handling.

The coversheet as used in the present invention may be substantially planar and is preferably co-extensive with the base sheet. Such a coversheet may be attached to the base sheet by any attachment mechanism (e.g., heat sealing, adhesive, embossing, pressure sealing, etc.). Preferably, the coversheet has a heat-sealable coating and is heat-sealed to the base sheet. More preferably, the heat-sealable coating is applied from a lacquer and should have a low density to minimize stretching of the film and to enhance its ability to puncture. Such cover sheets may be formed of any suitable material, such as aluminum foil, aluminum laminates, polymer laminates such as polyester laminates, polymer/aluminum laminates (especially polyester/aluminum laminates), paper/aluminum laminates, and combinations thereof. Preferably, such a cover sheet is a soft or hard tempered aluminium foil or aluminium laminate. More preferably, the aluminum foil should be hard tempered to a thickness in the range of 12 to 30 microns, and most preferably between 15 to 25 microns. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cover sheet is 20 micron duralumin.

The reinforcing sheet as used in the present invention can be formed of any suitable material, including but not limited to paper laminates and paper/polymer laminates. Such a reinforcing sheet is preferably thick enough to provide sufficient structural support for the blister package of the present invention, i.e., to avoid significant bending of such a blister package during opening of the blister and dispensing of the contents therein. In addition, thicker stiffener sheets provide stronger cutting flanges that can more effectively localize cutting forces.

Preferably, the reinforcing sheet of the present invention has a thickness (i.e., measured at a location away from the cut-out portion) in the range of about 0.5mm to about 2mm, preferably about 0.7mm to about 1.5mm, more preferably about 0.8mm to about 1.2 mm. More preferably, the blister package of the present invention includes both a top reinforcing sheet and a bottom reinforcing sheet formed by folding a single paper laminate (preferably having a polymer coating thereon) into two halves and then compression molding or stamping to form respective cut portions thereon.

The cutting flanges formed by the offset portions of the bottom gusset preferably have a semi-circular or arcuate shape, similar to those shown in fig. 4A and 4B. Such semicircular or arcuate flanges are more effective for localizing cutting forces and cutting the coverslip (as compared to flanges that form a complete or complete circle). It is also possible to provide the flange with sharp edges or even serrated edges to further improve the cutting effect.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Rather, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

Each document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or its benefits, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with any disclosure of the invention or the claims herein or that it alone, or in combination with any one or more of the references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A package for containing and dispensing at least one article, the package comprising:

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the article is elastically deformable, and wherein preferably the article has a young's modulus of no more than 5, preferably from 0.01 to 1, more preferably from 0.01 to 0.5, most preferably from 0.01 to 0.1.

3. The package of claim 1 or 2, wherein the article has a shape configured for passing through the cut-out portion of the reinforcing sheet without being cut by the flange.

4. The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the base sheet comprises a plastic material or a plastic laminate, and wherein preferably the base sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene (PP); copolymers and terpolymers of propylene; polyethylene (PE); polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinyl dichloride (PVdC); copolymers and terpolymers of vinyl chloride and dichloroethylene; polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE); cyclic Olefin Copolymers (COC); and combinations thereof; and wherein preferably said substrate comprises PP.

5. The package of any preceding claim, wherein the base sheet has a base thickness in the range of 100 to 1000 microns, preferably 200 to 800 microns, more preferably 300 to 600 microns; and wherein the base sheet has a depression thickness preferably no greater than 3/4 a of its base thickness, preferably no greater than 3/5, more preferably no greater than 1/2.

6. The package of any of the preceding claims, wherein the depression is deformable such that the depression deforms downward toward the opening when an external force is applied to the depression; and wherein preferably said recess has a dome shape.

7. The package of any of the preceding claims, wherein the flap is heat sealed to the base sheet.

8. The package of any of the preceding claims, wherein the flap comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: aluminum foil, aluminum laminates, polyester/aluminum laminates, paper/aluminum laminates, and combinations thereof; wherein preferably the cover sheet is an aluminium foil or an aluminium laminate; and wherein more preferably the coversheet has a thickness in the range of 12 to 30 microns, preferably 15 to 25 microns.

9. The package of any of the preceding claims, wherein the stiffener comprises a paper or a paper/polymer laminate; and wherein the reinforcing sheet has a thickness in the range of 0.5mm to 2mm, preferably 0.7mm to 1.5mm, more preferably 0.8mm to 1.2 mm.

10. The package of any of the preceding claims, wherein the flange has a semi-circular or arcuate shape; wherein the flange preferably comprises a sharp or serrated edge.

11. The package of any of the preceding claims, further comprising an additional reinforcing tab attached to the base tab on a side opposite the cover tab, the additional reinforcing tab comprising at least one additional cut-out portion configured to receive the at least one recess therein.

12. The package of claim 11 wherein the reinforcing sheet and the additional reinforcing sheet are formed from a folded monolithic paper or a paper/polymer laminate.

13. A blister package for containing and dispensing a plurality of unit dose products, the blister package comprising:

14. The blister package of claim 13, further comprising an additional stiffening sheet attached to the base sheet on a side opposite the cover sheet, the additional stiffening sheet comprising a plurality of additional cutout portions, each of the plurality of additional cutout portions configured to receive one of the blisters therein.

15. The blister package of claim 13 or 14, wherein each flange of the plurality of flanges has a semi-circular or arcuate shape; wherein each of said flanges preferably comprises a sharp or serrated edge.