CHILD RESISTANT CARD

Abstract

A child resistant card for dispensing one or more pills, e.g., capsules and/or tablets, including a closure part and a push-through part attached by a fold region, in which the closure part includes a blister hole and a perforated front push-through tab, and the push-through part includes a perforated pill push-through tab and a perforated back push-through tab is provided. Upon folding at the fold region, the perforated front push-through tab is aligned over the perforated back push-through tab. The child resistant card further includes a blister pack including a blister having an outlet and a penetrable backing portion, wherein the outlet of the blister is covered by the penetrable backing portion to create a closed blister and the pill is located inside the closed blister, wherein the blister pack is located between the folded closure part and push-through part such that the blister protrudes through the blister hole. The child resistant card also includes a separate pick and place part including a removable tab that is located between the blister pack and push-through part such that the removable tab prevents removal of the pill through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab, wherein the pill can be dispensed from the child resistant card by removing the removable tab and applying force to the blister such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through the closure part and the penetrable backing portion pill push-through tab.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a card for dispensing pills, e.g., capsules and/or tablets, that requires the user to perform a series of steps to access a pill within the card, thus preventing a child, but not an adult, access to pills present within the card.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Child resistant packaging for pills, such as tablets and capsules, is well known for preventing uncontrolled consumption of pills by children. For example, blister packs having push-through type packaging have been used in an attempt to prevent children from accessing pills within the blister pack. Often, however, such blister packs are difficult for adults, particularly elderly adults, to open. For example, some blister packs require the user to tear at a notch or to peel a layer from the back of the blister pack, which often requires a great deal of finger strength and dexterity. Other blister packs, such as those in U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,972, require the user to place a separate tool in a narrow slot in order to access a pill, which can be difficult for those with poor eyesight and/or low finger dexterity.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide child resistant packaging that renders access to pills difficult for children yet facile for adults. Particular objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of certain embodiments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention advantageously provides a child resistant card for dispensing pills, e.g., capsules and/or tablets, that renders access to the pills difficult for a child but not for an adult, e.g., a senior citizen. The child resistant card of the invention enables the user to access a pill, e.g., a tablet and/or a capsule, disposed within the card after performing a series of steps.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a child resistant card for dispensing one or more pills, e.g., capsules and/or tablets, including a closure part and a push-through part attached by a fold region, in which the closure part includes a blister hole and a perforated front push-through tab, and the push-through part includes a perforated pill push-through tab and a perforated back push-through tab. Upon folding at the fold region, the blister hole is aligned over the perforated pill push-through tab and the perforated front push-through tab is aligned over the perforated back push-through tab. The child resistant card further includes a blister pack including a blister having an outlet and a penetrable backing portion, in which the outlet of the blister is covered by the penetrable backing portion to create a closed blister and the pill is located inside the closed blister, and the blister pack is located between the folded closure part and push-through part such that the blister protrudes through the blister hole. The child resistant card also includes a separate pick and place part including a removable tab that is located between the blister pack and push-through part such that the removable tab prevents removal of the pill through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab, in which the pill can be dispensed from the child resistant card by removing the removable tab and applying force to the blister such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab.

In certain aspects of the invention, the removable tab is accessible after at least partial removal of the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab. In other aspects of the invention, the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab can be at least partially removed by applying force to the perforated front push-through tab. In still other aspects of the invention, the removable tab is removed by grasping and pulling the removable tab from the child resistant card. In yet other aspects of the invention, the removable tab is aligned between the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab and aligned between the blister aperture and the perforated pill push-through tab. In other aspects of the invention, the removable tab has a rounded end that is aligned between the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab.

In certain aspects of the present invention, the child resistant card further includes an outer cover part attached to the push-through part by a folding rib and/or an inner cover part attached to the push-through part by a second fold region.

In certain aspects of the present invention, the child resistant card further includes two or more blister holes, two or more perforated front push-through tabs, two or more perforated pill push-through tabs, two or more perforated back push-through tabs, and/or two or more blisters. In other aspects of the present invention, the child resistant card is suitable for dispensing two or more pills.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a child resistant card for dispensing a pill comprising including a closure part and a push-through part attached by a fold region, in which the closure part includes a blister hole, a perforated front push-through tab, and a structural rib hole, and the push-through part includes a perforated pill push-through tab and a perforated back push-through tab is provided. Upon folding at the fold region, the blister hole is aligned over the perforated pill push-through tab and the perforated front push-through tab is aligned over the perforated back push-through tab.

In certain aspects of the present invention, the structural rib is flat. In other aspects of the present invention, the blister pack is located between the folded closure part and push-through part such that the structural rib is aligned with the structural rib hole. In other aspects of the present invention, the blister pack is located between the folded closure part and push-through part such that the structural rib is protrudes through the structural rib hole. In still other aspects of the present invention, the closure part has two or more (e.g., four) structural rib holes.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a child resistant card for dispensing a pill includes an inner cover part attached to the push-through part by a fold region, the inner cover part having a slot. In certain aspects of the invention, patient information or usage instructions are inserted into the slot.

The child resistant card according to the invention may be manufactured using any suitable rigid, semi-rigid or flexible packaging materials known in the art. Suitable card materials include paper materials such as cardboard and/or one or more of the other materials described herein. A child resistant card according to the invention can include a blister pack having a penetrable backing portion and a blister portion.

In certain aspects of the invention, the backing portion of a blister pack is made of a foil-like substance which includes, but is not limited to, metal foils such as aluminium foils; foils containing one or more plastics, e.g., plastics based on polyolefins such as polyethylenes or polypropylenes, polyamides, polyvinylchloride, polyesters such as polyalkylene-terephthalates, e.g., polyethylene-terephthalate; and paper materials such as parchment, wax paper, cardboard and the like. A foil-containing plastic may be a monofilm of plastic, a laminate of two or more plastic films, a laminate of metal foil and plastic film, a laminates of paper and plastic film or a laminate of paper, metal foil and plastic film. The individual layers of foil-shaped materials may be attached to each other by means of adhesives, laminating adhesives, bonding agents and/or by a process such as extrusion coating, co-extruding, laminating and the like. Plastic films include those that are non-oriented, mono-axially oriented or bi-axially oriented mono-films or laminates of two or more non-oriented or mono-axially oriented or bi-axially oriented films of plastic based on polyolefins, e.g., polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyamides, polyvinylchloride, or polyesters such as polyalkylene-terephthalates, e.g., polyethylene-terephthalate, cyclo-olefin-copolymers (COC) and polychlorotrifluoroethylenes (PCTFE).

The blister portion of a blister pack may be made of a variety of materials including, but not limited to, transparent plastics having good shape-forming characteristics. Such plastics include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, cyclo-olefin-copolymer, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene-terephthalate, polyamide, polychlorotrifluoroethylene and laminates manufactured out of one or more of the materials described herein, e.g., PVC and polychlorotrifluoroethylene or PVC and PVDC (polyvinyldichloride). For non-transparent blister packs use is made e.g., of laminates including aluminium foil clad on both sides with a plastic film, having e.g., a layer structure of polyamide/aluminium/PVC or plastic films containing pigments. The backing portion is normally an aluminium foil, which is lacquer coated and/or coated with a hot sealing lacquer.

All papers, semi-cardboards and cardboards and plastic films mentioned above, in the form of mono-films, laminates and the like, may contain at least one continuous layer of sputtered or vacuum deposited anorganic ceramic materials, for example Al₂O₃ or SiO_x, in which x has a value of 1.5 to 2, in a thickness of for example 5 to 500 nanometers. One or more layers of ceramic materials may be used to provide barrier properties and avoid the diffusion of gases and moisture through the packaging.

These and additional features and advantages disclosed here will be further understood from the following detailed disclosure of certain embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a plan view of a child resistant card according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a plan view showing the inner portion of a child resistant card according to an embodiment of the invention that is visible to the user upon opening.

FIGS. 3A-3C depict plan views of the blister pack portion of a child resistant card according to an embodiment of the invention. (A) is a lateral side view, (B) is a top view, (C) is a longitudinal side view.

FIG. 4 depicts a plan view of the removable pick and place portion of a child resistant card according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 5A-5C detail how the user gains access to tablets or capsules enclosed within a child resistant card according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Depicted in FIG. 1 is one version of a child resistant card of the present invention. This version of a child resistant card includes five paper (e.g., cardboard) parts: closure part 1, push-through part 2, outer cover part 3, inner cover part 4, and pick and place part 5. Closure part 1 is connected to push-through part 2 via fold a. Push-through part 2 is connected to outer cover part 3 via folding rib 20. Outer cover part 3 is connected to inner cover part 4 via fold b. Pick and place part 5 is a separate part that is not connected to parts 1, 2, 3 or 4.

To assemble the child resistant card depicted in FIG. 1, pick and place part 5 is located on top of push-through part 2 such that rounded end 30 of each removable tab 26 is aligned over each back push-through tab 18. Closure part 1 is then folded on top of pick and place part 5 by folding closure part 1 in direction A via folding region a such that each blister hole 12 is aligned over each pill push-through tab 16 and each front push-through tab 10 is aligned over each back push-through tab 18. Part 5 is thereby located between closure part 1 and push-though part 2. Inner cover part 4 is then folded on top of outer cover part 3 in direction B via folding region b.

FIG. 2 depicts a child resistant card of an embodiment of the present invention after pick and place part 5 is located on top of push-through part 2 closure part 1 is folded over onto pick and place part 5 in direction A and inner cover part 4 is folded over onto outer cover part 3 in direction B. The child resistant card may then be folded along folding rib 20 such that closure part 1 is facing inner cover part 4.

In an embodiment of the invention, closure part 1 includes a series of perforated, removable, front push-through tabs 10, a series of blister holes 12, and a series of structural rib holes 14. Blister holes 12 and structural rib holes 14 are designed to receive each of a series of blisters and/or each of a series of structural ribs, respectively, contained on a blister pack for use with the child resistant card of the present invention. Push-through part 2 contains a series of perforated, removable, pill push-through tabs 16 and a series of perforated, removable, back push-through tabs 18. The pill push-through tabs 16 create resistance to the push-through of pills and require application of a force to allow a pill to push through a push-through tab 16. Inner cover part 4 contains an optional slot 22, into which an insert (e.g., patient information and/or usage instructions) may be inserted. Pick and place part 5 contains a series of removable tabs 26 that, when the card is located between closure part 1 and push-through part 2, prevent removal of pills (e.g., tablets or capsules) from the child resistant card.

FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of a blister pack, blister pack 6, having a base part 34 and one or more blisters 36 having an outlet and shaped to accommodate a pill (e.g., a tablet or a capsule). A penetrable backing, e.g., a foil-like seal, is adhesively connected to the underside of base part 34 to close the outlet of blister 36 such that blister 36 can have a pill enclosed within. Blister pack 6 is located between pick and place part 5 and closure part 1 such that a blister 36 protrudes through a corresponding blister hole 12. When blister pack 6 is located in this manner, a pill within blister 36 cannot be pushed through push through tab 16 because removable tab 26 is present between the backing portion of blister pack 6 and push through tab 16. After removal of removable tab 26, a pill may be removed by applying force to blister 36 such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through the penetrable backing portion and perforated pill push-through tab 16. Both the penetrable backing portion and the pill push-through tab provide resistance to the push through of a pill. A force must be applied to overcome this resistance to push through a pill.

A blister pack may optionally contain one or more structural ribs 32. When the blister pack is located within the assembled child resistant card of the invention, the one or more structural ribs 32 are aligned with one or more structural rib holes 14. The one or more structural ribs may be essentially flat, or alternatively may protrude through the one or more structural rib holes 14 of the assembled child resistant card of the invention. The one or more structural ribs 32 can function to increase the stiffness of the assembled child resistant card to increase these ease with which a perforated front push-through tab 10 and a perforated back push-through tab 18 may be at least partially removed from the card, to increase the ease with which removable tab 26 can be removed from the card, and/or to increase the ease with which a pill can concomitantly be pressed through the penetrable backing portion of the blister pack and perforated pill push-through tab 16. The structural rib may be constructed of any material suitable for adding strength to the card, such as one or more of the plastic, foil and/or paper materials described herein.

In certain embodiments of the invention, blister pack 6 may optionally be attached to closure part 1 and/or pick and place part 5 using one or more adhesive compositions or methods known in the art. In other embodiments of the invention, closure part 1 may be attached to push-through part 2 and/or pick and place part 5 using one or more adhesive compositions or methods known in the art. In still other embodiments of the invention, outer cover part 3 may be attached to inner cover part 4 using one or more adhesive compositions or methods known in the art. As used herein, the term adhesive is intended to include, but is not limited to, chemical adhesives, e.g., glues, gums, resins, drying adhesives, contact adhesives, hot adhesives, reactive adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives and the like, as well as mechanical adhesives, e.g., staples, tape, straps, fasteners, folds and the like.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of removable pick and place part 5 depicting a series of removable tabs 26. Each removable tab 26 is attached to pick and place part 5 via attachment regions 28. The rounded end 30 of each removable tab 26 traverses rectangular cut-out region 24. Cut-out region 24 is a void and, other than where rounded end 30 of each tab 26 traverses this region, is devoid of paper product. When rounded end 30 is grasped by a user and pulled, attachment regions 28 are released and removable tab 26 may be removed from pick and place part 5.

FIG. 5 details how a user gains access to a pill sealed within a child resistant card of the present invention using a series of steps. In step A, a user grasps the child resistant card of the present invention, places a finger on back push-through tab 18 and applies force (e.g., pressure) by pushing back push-through tab 18 to break at least some of the perforations holding push-through tab 18 in place, such that push-through tab 18 is partially or completely released from push-through part 2. As shown in step B, while pushing, the user's finger also bends rounded end 30 of tab 26 away from push-through part 2 and breaks at least some of the perforations holding push-through tab 10 in place such that push-through tab 10 is partially or completely released from closure part 1, and such that rounded end 30 of removable tab 26 is exposed. Rounded end 30 of removable tab 26 is grasped by the user and pulled, such that removable tab 26 is removed from the child resistant card leaving an opening in pick and place part 5 located between a corresponding blister hole 12, the penetrable backing of the blister pack, and a corresponding pill push-through tab 16. The user can now remove a pill located in blister 36 by pushing the top of the blister with a finger as shown in step C such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through two layers: the penetrable backing of the blister pack underneath blister 36 and the corresponding perforated pill push-through tab 16 of push-through part 2.

Blister pack 6 may include a series of structural ribs 32. The structural ribs provide strength to the child resistant card which prevents tearing of the card and allows proper removal of pills from the card. In certain embodiments, each structural rib 32 is raised such as depicted in FIG. 3C. In other embodiments, each structural rib 32 is flat. In embodiments in which structural rib 32 is raised, each structural rib 32 protrudes through each corresponding structural rib hole 14 when blister pack 6 is located between pick and place part 5 and closure part 1. In embodiments in which each structural rib 32 is flat, each structural rib hole 14 is located over each corresponding structural rib 32 such that each structural rib 32 can be viewed through each corresponding structural rib hole 14.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the present invention which have been described are merely illustrative of some of the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art based upon the teachings presented herein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A child resistant card for dispensing a pill comprising:

a closure part and a push-through part attached by a fold region, wherein the closure part includes a blister hole and a perforated front push-through tab, and wherein the push-through part includes a perforated pill push-through tab and a perforated back push-through tab, wherein upon folding at the fold region, the blister hole is aligned over the perforated pill push-through tab and the perforated front push-through tab is aligned over the perforated back push-through tab;

a blister pack including a blister having an outlet and a penetrable backing portion, wherein the outlet of the blister is covered by the penetrable backing portion to create a closed blister and the pill is located inside the closed blister, wherein the blister pack is located between the folded closure part and push-through part such that the blister protrudes through the blister hole; and

a separate pick and place part including a removable tab that is located between the blister pack and push-through part such that the removable tab prevents removal of the pill through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab, wherein the pill can be dispensed from the child resistant card by removing the removable tab and applying force to the blister such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab.

2. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the removable tab is accessible after at least partial removal of the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab.

3. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab can be at least partially removed by applying force to the perforated front push-through tab.

4. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the removable tab is removed by grasping and pulling the removable tab from the child resistant card.

5. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the removable tab is aligned between the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab and aligned between the blister hole and the perforated pill push-through tab.

6. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the removable tab has a rounded end that is aligned between the perforated front push-through tab and the perforated back push-through tab.

7. The child resistant card of claim 1, further comprising an outer cover part attached to the push-through part by a folding rib.

8. The child resistant card of claim 1, further comprising an inner cover part attached to the push-through part by a second fold region.

9. The child resistant card of claim 1, further comprising an outer cover part attached to the push-through part by a folding rib, and an inner cover part attached to the outer cover part by a second fold region.

10. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the closure part includes two or more blister holes and two or more perforated front push-through tabs, and wherein the push-through part includes two or more perforated pill push-through tabs and two or more perforated back push-through tabs.

11. The child resistant card of claim 1, wherein the blister pack includes two or more blisters.

12. The child resistant card of claim 1 for dispensing two or more pills.

13. A child resistant card for dispensing a pill comprising:

a closure part and a push-through part attached by a fold region, wherein the closure part includes a blister hole, a perforated front push-through tab, and a structural rib hole, and wherein the push-through part includes a perforated pill push-through tab and a perforated back push-through tab, wherein upon folding at the fold region, the perforated front push-through tab is aligned over the perforated back push-through tab;

a blister pack including a blister having an outlet, a penetrable backing portion, and a structural rib, wherein the outlet of the blister is covered by the penetrable backing portion to create a closed blister and the pill is located inside the closed blister; and

a separate pick and place part including a removable tab that is located between the blister pack and push-through part such that the removable tab prevents removal of the pill through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab,

wherein the blister pack is located between the closure part and the pick and place part such that the blister protrudes through the blister hole and wherein the pill can be dispensed from the child resistant card by removing the removable tab and applying force to the blister such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab.

14. The child resistant card of claim 13, wherein the structural rib is flat.

15. The child resistant card of claim 13, wherein the blister pack is located such that the structural rib is aligned with the structural rib hole.

16. The child resistant card of claim 13, wherein the blister pack is located such that the structural rib is protrudes through the structural rib hole.

17. The child resistant card of claim 13, wherein the closure part has at least two structural rib holes.

18. The child resistant card of claim 13, wherein the closure part has four structural rib holes.

19. A child resistant card for dispensing a pill comprising:

a closure part and a push-through part attached by a fold region, wherein the closure part includes a blister hole and a perforated front push-through tab, and wherein the push-through part includes a perforated pill push-through tab and a perforated back push-through tab, wherein upon folding at the fold region, the perforated front push-through tab is aligned over the perforated back push-through tab;

a blister pack including a blister having an outlet and a penetrable backing portion, wherein the outlet of the blister is covered by the penetrable backing portion to create a closed blister and the pill is located inside the closed blister, wherein the blister pack is located between the folded closure part and push-through part such that the blister protrudes through the blister hole;

a separate pick and place part including a removable tab that is located between the blister pack and push-through part such that the removable tab prevents removal of the pill through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab, wherein the pill can be dispensed from the child resistant card by removing the removable tab and applying force to the blister such that the pill is concomitantly pushed through the penetrable backing portion and the perforated pill push-through tab; and

an inner cover part having a slot.

20. The child resistant card of claim 19, wherein patient information or usage instructions are inserted into the slot.