Abstract: A protected blister package assembled by a pharmacist for a patient has the correctness of its assembly confirmed by checking the correct correlation of three binary codes respectively appearing on three components of the package. The first component comprises a blister sheet loaded with the prescribed medication doses; the second component comprises a backing sheet sealing the medication doses in the cavities of the package blisters; and the third component comprises a protective card to be folded around the blister package after it has been attached to the card. Prior to assembly of the blister package two of the binary codes are printed on the backing sheet and the third binary code is printed on the card. During assembly of the package a portion of the backing sheet bearing one of its two codes is transferred to a predetermined position on the blister sheet. After assembly of the protected blister package the three binary codes are scanned to confirm that the package has been correctly assembled.

Abstract: A holder (12) for checking non-compliance of a blister package has a pocket (60) into which the blister package is inserted. The front of the pocket is a transparent plate (128). Rectangular openings of wells (133) in the front face of the box (121) are positioned behind the blisters of the blister package. Each well contains light-sensitive elements (134). Non-compliance occurs when a blister of a used blister package is in an unopened condition. The sensing elements (134) detect this by ambient light in the pocket not reaching the elements. An electrical circuit in the box (121) monitors the elements (134) and provides a signal indicating a non-compliance condition if a blister in the returned package is unopened. Information identifying the unopened blister is stored in the circuit. A variable light source can be provided.

Abstract: A holder (12) for checking non-compliance of a blister package has a pocket (60) into which the blister package is inserted. The front of the pocket is a transparent plate (128). Rectangular openings of wells (133) in the front face of the box (121) are positioned behind the blisters of the blister package. Each well contains light-sensitive elements (134). Non-compliance occurs when a blister of a used blister package is in an unopened condition. The sensing elements (134) detect this by ambient light in the pocket not reaching the elements. An electrical circuit in the box (121) monitors the elements (134) and provides a signal indicating a non-compliance condition if a blister in the returned package is unopened. Information identifying the unopened blister is stored in the circuit. A variable light source can be provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing human error in loading prescribed medications automatically into blisters (18) of a blister sheet. The operator is provided with a manually-operated controller (15) with which the amount and nature of a particular medication dose can be selected. The operator uses the controller (15) to select the required dosage from a chosen container (13). Each container (13) has a first bar code (14) identifying the nature of the doses it contains. A second bar code is pre-printed on a header sheet (4) which is destined to be attached to the blister sheet after its blisters have been loaded. The second bar code contains information identifying the patient and the contents of the various blisters. A comparator (12) responds to a lack of coincidence between the first and second barcode, by flashing the screen to indicate to the operator that an error has been made.

Abstract: A protected blister package assembled by a pharmacist for a patient has the correctness of its assembly confirmed by checking the correct correlation of three binary codes respectively appearing on three components of the package. The first component comprises a blister sheet loaded with the prescribed medication doses; the second component comprises a backing sheet sealing the medication doses in the cavities of the package blisters; and the third component comprises a protective card to be folded around the blister package after it has been attached to the card. Prior to assembly of the blister package two of the binary codes are printed on the backing sheet and the third binary code is printed on the card. During assembly of the package a portion of the backing sheet bearing one of its two codes is transferred to a predetermined position on the blister sheet. After assembly of the protected blister package the three binary codes are scanned to confirm that the package has been correctly assembled.

Abstract: An assembled blister package has a blister sheet formed with blisters sealed by a foil backing sheet. The blister package is sandwiched between opposite sides of a folded card (not shown) to stiffen it. Each of these sides has a rectilinear array of windows defining discrete areas on which to print. A header sheet on which a bar-code is printed is attached to the backing sheet, and a reader is positioned to read the bar-code and extract from it information which is fed to an ink-jet printer. Two stepping motors are used to control the position of the printer as information is printed on the respective discrete areas of the array. The printer can be spaced from the backing sheet by a sufficient distance to enable it to print without obstruction.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting non-compliance patterns on a series of used blister sheets previously returned by the same patient, reads a code (2) on each blister sheet (1) providing, inter alia, information relating to the position of each blister on the blister sheet. This information is passed by the code reader (4) through a key (15) to an image (5) of the blister sheet appearing on one-half (14) of a split screen (6). The screen (14) displays a picture of a blister sheet with its blister positions marked by dots or rings (8). By means of the key (15), which may take the form of a joystick, an image of a disc (9) can be placed over each of the blister positions where an unopened blisters occurs. The image of the blister sheet together with the discs is then transferred by operation of a key (10) to the second half (11) of the split screen (6) screen where it is superimposed on a slightly offset stack (13) of used blister sheets previously returned by the same patient.

Abstract: An assembled blister package (1) has a blister sheet (11) formed with blisters (2) sealed by a foil backing sheet (4). The blister package (1) is sandwiched between opposite sides of a folded card (not shown) to stiffen it. Each of these sides has a rectilinear array of windows, the blisters protruding through one array of windows and the other array of windows defining discrete areas on which print describing the contents of the blisters beneath, is to be applied. A header sheet on which a bar-code is printed is attached to the backing sheet and a reader (23) is positioned to read the bar-code and extract from it information such as a description of the contents of each of the blisters and their respective positions in the package. Information relating to the identification of the contents of a particular blister and the identity of the patient is fed to an ink-jet printer (31) and two stepping motors (22 and 30) are used to control the position of the printer with respect to the backing sheet.

Abstract: A blister sheet (1) has a generally rectangular blister (2) formed with one pair of longer side walls (7) having parallel steps (8) and a second pair of shorter side wall (9) devoid of steps. The side walls serve to space a front face (5) of the blister from the plane of a rupturable foil backing sheet (4) which retains medication doses (nor shown) inside the blister until they are to be taken. The medication doses are ejected from the cavity of the blister (2) by depressing its front face with finger pressure so that they are forced against the backing sheet (4) with sufficient force to rupture it. During the application of finger pressure to the front face (5) it bows downwardly in its central region as indicated by the broken outline. Simultaneously the end walls (9) tilt inwardly towards one another so that any medication doses lying against them are forced into the central region of the blister from which they can be ejected more easily by the descending front face (5).

Abstract: A holder (100) for storing prescribed medication doses in a sealed cup (112) is provided with a sealing strip (117) a first portion (110) of which covers the mouth of the cup and a second portion (120) carries a picture of the face of the patient for whom the medication has been prescribed. The holder (100) is provided with a rim (113) extending outwardly from the mouth of the cup and with an extension flange (114) having a flat upper surface (111) which is coplanar with the upper surface of the rim (113). The sealing strip adheres to the coplanar surfaces of the rim (113) and the flange (114) and is provided with lines of severance (130 and 131) extending from a pull-tab (151) and along opposite sides of the cup. These lines of severance (130 and 131) are arranged within the confines of the path of the seal between the sealing strip (117) and the rim (113) so that air cannot leak through the lines of severance and into the cup when storing medication doses within the holder.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing human error in loading prescribed medications automatically into blisters (18) of a blister sheet. The operator is provided with a manually-operated controller (15) with which the amount and nature of a particular medication dose can be selected. The operator uses the controller (15) to select the required dosage from a chosen container (13). Each container (13) has a first bar code (14) identifying the nature of the doses it contains. A second bar code is pre-printed on a header sheet (4) which is destined to be attached to the blister sheet after its blisters have been loaded. The second bar code contains information identifying the patient and the contents of the various blisters. A comparator (12) responds to a lack of coincidence between the first and second barcode, by flashing the screen to indicate to the operator that an error has been made.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting non-compliance patterns on a series of used blister sheets previously returned by the same patient, reads a code (2) on each blister sheet (1) providing, inter alia, information relating to the position of each blister on the blister sheet. This information is passed by the code reader (4) through a key (15) to an image (5) of the blister sheet appearing on one-half (14) of a split screen (6). The screen (14) displays a picture of a blister sheet with its blister positions marked by dots or rings (8). By means of the key (15), which may take the form of a joystick, an image of a disc (9) can be placed over each of the blister positions where an unopened blisters occurs. The image of the blister sheet together with the discs is then transferred by operation of a key (10) to the second half (11) of the split screen (6) screen where it is superimposed on a slightly offset stack (13) of used blister sheets previously returned by the same patient.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading medication doses (4?) into a cavity (15?) of a blister sheet (12?) made from a resilient plastics material, is provided with a number of horizontally-arranged containers one of which is shown at (6?). Each container can be operated to release a solid medication dose (4?) into a cavity (15?) of a selected blister. The blister sheet to have its cavities loaded with medication doses is supported horizontally on a table spaced beneath the level at which the containers (6?) are located. A thick horizontal plate (1) is disposed between the level of the containers and the level of the table, and an array of inclined and axially-parallel bores (2?) are formed through the plate. The upper ends of the bore associated with each blister cavity can be located beneath the container which is to deliver a dose to the cavity so that a released dose travels down the bore and impacts against one side of the bore which acts to deflect the dose and thus reduce its vertical momentum.

Abstract: A stiff planar sheet-form member is formed with cuts extending through its thickness and framing portions that, when removed, form an array of windows, whereby the panel that remains after removing the portions may be placed against lands on one face of a blister sheet with the windows receiving respective blisters of the blister sheet for stiffening the blister sheet. The cuts extending through the thickness of the sheet-form member also form openings that communicate at opposite respective ends with respective windows.

Abstract: A blister sheet (1) has a generally rectangular blister (2) formed with one pair of longer side walls (7) having parallel steps (8) and a second pair of shorter side wall (9) devoid of steps. The side walls serve to space a front face (5) of the blister from the plane of a rupturable foil backing sheet (4) which retains medication doses (nor shown) inside the blister until they are to be taken. The medication doses are ejected from the cavity of the blister (2) by depressing its front face with finger pressure so that they are forced against the backing sheet (4) with sufficient force to rupture it. During the application of finger pressure to the front face (5) it bows downwardly in its central region as indicated by the broken outline. Simultaneously the end walls (9) tilt inwardly towards one another so that any medication doses lying against them are forced into the central region of the blister from which they can be ejected more easily by the descending front face (5).

Abstract: A holder (100) for storing prescribed medication doses in a sealed cup (112) is provided with a sealing strip (117) a first portion (110) of which covers the mouth of the cup and a second portion (120) carries a picture of the face of the patient for whom the medication has been prescribed. The holder (100) is provided with a rim (113) extending outwardly from the mouth of the cup and with an extension flange (114) having a flat upper surface (111) which is coplanar with the upper surface of the rim (113). The sealing strip adheres to the coplanar surfaces of the rim (113) and the flange (114) and is provided with lines of severance (130 and 131) extending from a pull-tab (151) and along opposite sides of the cup. These lines of severance (130 and 131) are arranged within the confines of the path of the seal between the sealing strip (117) and the rim (113) so that air cannot leak through the lines of severance and into the cup when storing medication doses within the holder.