Pack
The present invention relates to a pack of tablets. It relates in particular, though' not exclusively, to a pack of pharmaceutical tablets.
Many pharmaceutical tablets are now sold in blister units. These have a plastics tray having a plurality of pockets, displaced from a backing sheet . The pockets provide the locations for the tablets. A thin foil sheet is applied to the backing sheet, to seal the pockets, with the tablets inside. The tablets are removed by pressing on the pockets, to urge the tablets through the foil sheet.
Such blister units are flimsy and are sold within secondary packaging, which is- normally a reclosable carton.
The blister units, and the second packaging if retained, tend to become rather untidy looking in use. Furthermore tablets sometimes pierce the foil sheet inadvertently, for example when in a pocket or handbag.
It would be desirable to present consumers with improved tablet packs.
One improved tablet pack which has proved successful comprises a slim, stylish plastics case for a blister unit. The blister unit must be removed from the case in order to remove the tablets, and then placed back .inside the case, in which it ' is stored, ready for the next use. Such a pack is available as one of the formats in which NUROFEN (Registered Trade Mark) ibuprofen tablets are sold.
This product has been successful with consumers but it would be desirable to provide consumers with more convenient packaging, in particular, packaging in which a blister unit does not have to be removed, in order to obtain tablets.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a pack of tablets, the pack comprising a generally rigid body within which tablets are. retained, wherein there is an elastomeric membrane on one side of the tablets, and a frangible sheet on the other side of the tablets.
Preferably the tablets are ingestible. Thus, they may, for example, be nutritional or, most preferably, pharmaceutical .
Preferably the elastomeric membrane has protuberances in register with the tablets. In use, force is applied to the protuberances in order to remove the tablets, through the frangible sheet.
Preferably the elastomeric membrane is carried by the generally rigid body. It may be made as a separate part and secured to the generally rigid body. Alternatively it may be formed in one operation with it, for example by a co-moulding process. Preferably the generally rigid body comprises a frame within which the elastomeric membrane is carried. Preferably the frame is generally rectangular.
Preferably the generally rigid body includes a grid across which the elastomeric membrane is located. Preferably the grid defines zones which are aligned with the tablets, the zones containing respective openings through which tablets may pass. Preferably, for rigidity, the grid comprises wall portions in one plane, and wall portions which extend transversely thereto, the latter wall portions defining the lateral extent of the zones for the tablets.
Preferably the frangible sheet is a thin metallic foil. In certain embodiments the foil may be printed with patient information, for example information about dosage, incompatibility with other medication, risk of drowsiness, and so forth.
The frangible sheet could be applied to the generally rigid body during manufacture, after placement of tablets in the pack.
Alternatively the frangible sheet is part of a removable and replaceable blister unit. The blister unit is located within the pack with its tablets so positioned that pressing upon the protuberances of the membrane may expel them, through the frangible sheet . Preferably the pack is designed so that the blister unit is firmly retained by it. For example, the pack may be. formed with a lip or lips, beneath which the periphery of the blister unit locates. The blister unit may be flexed or pushed, to move past the • lip or lips, and into its operative location. Alternatively it may be retained by retaining caps overlying the periphery of the blister unit. Suitably the retaining caps are of a thermoplastics material and originated as upstanding stakes or pegs. The blister unit may be located in place and then secured therein by application of heat and force to the stakes, distorting them so that they form the retaining caps. To this end the blister unit is preferably formed with indents on its periphery, within which said stakes or pegs are located, such that when the retaining caps are formed the blister unit is engaged by the retaining caps on both sides of the indents.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a pack assembly comprising two packs as defined above which can be stowed together, with their respective elastomeric membranes outermost and their respective frangible sheets innermost, and separable such that their frangible sheets are exposed. Suitably the two packs of such a pack assembly are hinged together. Suitably they have closure means to hold the two packs together in their compact form, until tablets are required. Suitably such means comprises a snap-fit clip formation between the two packs.
In accordance with a third aspect there is provided a kit comprising a pack or a pack assembly as defined herein and a multiplicity of blister units (for example at least 4, preferably at least 8).
Suitably any closure means employed is of a' child- resistant form. The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of . pack assembly in a first perspective opened-out view, showing its exterior;
Fig. 2 shows the pack assembly of Fig. 1 in a second perspective opened-out view, showing its interior, with tablet blister units in place;
Fig. 3 shows the pack assembly of Fig. 1 in a second perspective opened-out view showing its interior, but with tablet blister units removed;
Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of pack assembly in a closed form.
Fig. 5 shows the pack assembly of Fig. 4 in a perspective opened-out form;
Figs. 6A-E show the pack assembly of Fig. 4 in an exploded view in opened-out form.
The pack assembly comprises two packs 2, 4 each is generally rectangular in plan view, albeit of somewhat rounded form. Each pack has two generally longer' sides and two generally shorter sides. The packs are connected together by an integral moulded hinge 6 , formed between respective shorter sides.
Each pack is formed with a supporting structure of a generally rigid plastics material; polypropylene in this embodiment. The rigid plastics material . comprises a generally rectangular frame 8, having four frame members, for each pack. The frame member 10 connected to the hinge is much wider than the other frame members.
Connected to and located inwardly of the frame of. each pack there is a co-moulded elastomeric membrane 12 formed with an array of protuberances 14 , which are to be pressed in order to push out tablets. In this embodiment the protuberances, six for each pack, are in an array of two columns and three rows .
On one of the packs the wider frame member 10 is formed with a shallow recess 16 to receive printed information, for example the production run number, production date and the date the tablets should be used by.
The interior of the pack assembly will now be described, with reference to Fig. 2, which shows blister units in place, and to Fig. 3, which shows blister units removed.
From Fig. 3 it will be seen that the rigid plastics material of each pack is formed as a grid, and that the grid has circular openings 18. These openings 18 are aligned with the protuberances 14, and with the tablets within a blister unit (when fitted) .
The underside of each pack is generally in the form of a generally horizontal, recess of size and shape to accept a blister unit. It has an upwardly projecting endless wall 20, within which the blister unit is to' snugly locate. Within this wall 20 there is a grid of upwardly projecting walls 22, three walls in one direction (the direction in which the columns extend) and four walls in the orthogonal direction (the direction in which the rows extend) . The end result is that each opening 18 is within a square enclosure 24, formed by the walls 22.'
The endless wall 20 of each pack is generally rectangular, having two longer side and two shorter sides. Each shorter side has a cylindrical formation 26 against it, on its inner side. Each longer side has extending retaining lugs 28. Each lug extends at right angles to the wall 20, inwardly. The arrangement is such that a blister unit 30 may be retained by each pack. As shown in Fig. 3 apertures at the ends of the blister unit receive the cylindrical formations 26 and the lateral edges of the blister unit are retained under the lugs 28. The flexibility of the blister unit is utilised to insert it. It is flexed lengthwise such that its lateral edges slide under the respective sets of lugs.
It will also be seen from Fig. 3 that each pack has, on its inside, adjacent to the hinge and part of the wider frame member 10, a surface 32 carrying patient information.
The shorter sides of the pack assembly which are remote from the hinge 6 are formed with a closure clip (not shown) . To make opening easier these sides are each formed with a slant surface as at 34. When the, pack assembly is closed (Fig. 4) the respective slant surfaces are adjacent to one. another and together form a mouth, so that a user may open the pack assembly using a finger or -thumb, rather than a finger nail or thumb nail. For storage the pack assembly is configured in the folded form. When tablets are required the pack assembly is opened to the configuration shown in Figs. 1 and 3. If two tablets are required, two protuberances are pressed, to push the tablets through the foil of. the blister unit. The protuberances spring back to their rest configuration as soon as the finger or thumb is removed. The next time the user requires tablets it will be apparent from looking at the foil which locations still have tablets, and accordingly which protuberance should be pressed.
Once all the tablets have been expelled a replacement pack assembly can be purchased, or replacement blister units may be offered, to be located in the pack assembly by the user. The spent blister unit can easily be sprung out of its location, and a new blister unit flexed, and introduced into the pack.
In the second embodiment the pack assembly again comprises two packs 42, 44 each generally rectangular in plan view, albeit of somewhat rounded form. Each pack has two generally longer sides and two generally shorter sides. The packs are connected together by an integral moulded hinge 46, formed between the respective shorter sides.
Again, each pack is formed with a supporting structure of a generally rigid plastics material; polypropylene in this embodiment. The rigid plastics material comprises a generally rectangular frame 48, having four frame members for each pack. The frame member 50 connected to the hinge is much wider than the other frame members (see Fig. 6A) . Connected to and located inwardly of the • frame of each pack there is an elastomeric membrane 52 secured thereto by an adhesive. The membrane 51 is formed with an array of protuberances 54, which are to be pressed in order to push out tablets. In this embodiment the protuberances, six for each pack, are in an array of two column and three rows .
Also from Fig. 6A it can be seen, that the rigid plastics material of each pack is in the form of a grid within the frame, and that the grid has circular openings 58. These openings 58 are aligned with the protuberances 54, and with the tablets within a blister unit.
It will be seen from Fig. 6A that the inside of each pack - in particular the inside surface of the rigid plastics supporting structure - is formed with an array of upstanding pegs or stakes 60, located adjacent to the edges. These are to assist the location and securement of the blister packs 62, 64, shown in Figs. 6B and 6C. Each blister pack has an array of tablet blisters corresponding to the array of protuberances in each pack 42, 44. The lateral edges of each pack are interrupted by a series of deep indents 66 within which the stakes are located, when the blister pack is in place. In order to firmly secure the blister packs in place a heated tool is applied, to form a retaining cap on the stakes . These retaining caps do not extend so far, that they might interfere with the expulsion of tablets through the foil sheets 68, 70 of the blister packs.
In this embodiment an overlay card 72, 74 is laid over each blister pack, once the latter has been secured to the supporting structure to form one pack of the pack assembly. Each card has three relatively narrow bands, and a fourth, thicker band 76, printed with the required medical information. The thick band 76 is aligned with the wide frame member 50. The card is. of size to cover all of the securement caps formed by applying heat and pressure to the stakes 60. Within the frame members of the card there is a large aperture 78 which is in register with the six protuberances and tablets, of the pack. That is to say, when a tablet is expelled it passes through the aperture 78, without hindrance from the card 72.
The cards are of size and shape to fit snugly within a pack, as can be seen best in Fig.. 5.
The packs including the blister packs 68, 70 and the cards 72, 74 are identical with each other.
The pack assembly closes and opens in the same way as does the first embodiment. Moreover it is used in the same way as the first embodiment . However because of the nature of the securement of the blister packs there is no facility for the use of replacement blister units in this embodiment .