HANG TAB REINFORCEMENT FOR BLISTER CARD PACKAGING STRUCTURES

Abstract

A packaging structure is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect, the structure includes a blister (16) including a flange (20) and a body portion (22), a front card (12) defining a blister receiving opening and a first hang tab notch (30) therein, the blister receiving opening being sized and shaped to receive the body portion therethrough and prevent passage of the flange OC therethrough. The structure also includes a rear card (14) defining a second hang tab notch (36) therein; and a hang tab reinforcement card (18) defining a third hang tab notch (42) therein, wherein the first, second and third hang tab. notches are generally aligned and the front card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween. Various substrates may be used to form the packaging structure. The structure may be provided with internal or external coatings to provide strength, printability, and adhesion between the various parts.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 60/943,185 filed on Jun. 11, 2007 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present application is directed to blister card packaging structures and, more particularly, to trap sealing blister card packaging structures having a reinforced hang tab portion.

Various consumer goods, such as pharmaceuticals, software, electronics, health and beauty products and the like, typically are packaged in trap sealing blister card packages. Traditionally, trap sealing blister card packages are formed by positioning a consumer good in a flanged blister and sealing the flanged blister between two cards.

Retailers have begun using such trap sealing blister card packages in connection with locking peg hooks designed to prevent product theft. Such locking peg hook systems require the consumer to have the packaged product removed from the display by a store clerk before purchasing the product. However, thieves have been able to circumvent the locking peg hooks by simply tearing or cutting the hang tab section away from the package

Accordingly, there is a need for a blister card packaging structure having a reinforced hang tab portion capable of meeting security requirements at a relatively low cost.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosed blister card packaging structure may include a blister including a flange and a body portion, a front card defining a blister receiving opening and a first hang tab notch therein, the blister receiving opening being sized and shaped to receive the body portion therethrough and prevent passage of the flange therethrough, a rear card defining a second hang tab notch therein, and a hang tab reinforcement card defining a third hang tab notch therein, wherein the first, second and third hang tab notches are generally aligned and the front card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween.

Other aspects of the disclosed blister card packaging structure will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the components of one aspect of the disclosed blister card packaging structure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the components of the blister card packaging structure of FIG. 1 in a pre-assembled configuration;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blister card packaging structure of FIG. 2 in the fully assembled configuration; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative aspect of the blister and hang tab reinforcement card of the disclosed blister card packaging structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one aspect of the disclosed blister card packaging structure, generally designated 10, may include a front card 12, a rear card 14, a blister 16 and a hang tab reinforcement card 18. In the assembled configuration, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be positioned between the front and rear cards 12, 14 to provide structural support to the packaging structure 10.

The blister 16 may include a flange 20 and a body portion 22. The body portion 22 may define a storage chamber in which various items, such as consumer goods, may be received. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the body portion 22 may be formed into various shapes and sizes, such as a hemispherical bubble, a rectangular box or other regular or irregular shapes. The shape and size of the body portion 22 of the blister 16 may be dictated by the items to be packaged in the packaging structure 10.

In one aspect, the blister 16 may be formed by thermoforming a paperboard substrate into the desired shape and configuration. Optionally, the paperboard substrate may be coated with or otherwise include additional layers and/or materials, such as printable coatings, polymeric coatings, tear resistant layers and the like. In another aspect, the blister 16 may be formed from a polymeric material using, for example, a stamping process, an injection molding process or the like. At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the blister 16 may be formed from a wide variety of materials using a wide variety of processes.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front and rear cards 14, 16 may be formed as separate pieces. Alternatively, the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed from a single continuous piece of material and may be separated by a fold line (not shown). For example, the cards 12, 14 may be formed by die cutting a bulk supply sheet, though those skilled in the art will appreciate that any available means for forming cards 12, 14 may be used.

Furthermore, while the front and rear cards 12, 14 are shown in FIG. 1 as defining a generally rectangular periphery in top view, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed into various sizes and shapes depending upon the application of the packaging structure 10.

The front card 12 may include an outer surface 24 and an inner surface 26 and may define an opening 28 therein sized and shaped to receive the body portion 22 of the blister 16 therethrough, while preventing the flange 20 of the blister 16 from passing therethrough. Additionally, the front card 12 may define a hang tab notch 30 therein. The rear card 14 may include an outer surface 32 and an inner surface 34 and may define a hang tab notch 36 therein.

The front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed from any conventional blister package substrate such as a paperboard substrate. Examples of suitable paperboard substrates include solid bleached sulfate (SBS), folding boxboard and recycled board, whether bleached or unbleached. For example, the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed from or may include a SBS board having a thickness of about 10 to about 30 points.

The outer surfaces 24, 32 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be coated with a printable coating selected for compatibility with the desired printing method and the selected substrate from which the front and rear cards 12, 14 are formed. For example, the outer surfaces 24, 32 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be coated with clay, calcium carbonate or combinations thereof.

The inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may be coated with a sealing material. The sealing material may be any material that may form a seal between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and rear cards 12, 14. In one aspect, the sealing material may be an adhesive (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive or a curable adhesive). In another aspect, the sealing material may be a material that melts and seals to adjacent substrates or layers upon the application of heat, radio frequency energy and/or ultrasonic energy. Examples of useful sealing materials include ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA), copolymers of EVA and EMA, and combinations of EVA and/or EMA and other polymers or materials, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene methacrylate, ethylene ethyl acrylate and ethylene n-butyl acrylate.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include additional layers or materials without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include a tear resistant layer or material to provide improved package security. For example, the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include an oriented film layer, such as a layer of biaxially oriented polyester film sold under the mark MYLAR® (E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del.) to provide tear resistance.

The hang tab reinforcement card 18 may include a top surface 38 and a bottom surface 40 (FIG. 2) and may define a hang tab notch 42 therein. In the assembled configuration, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be positioned between the front and rear cards 12, 14 and the hang tab notch 42 of the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be generally aligned with the hang tab notches 30, 36 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 to provide tear/cutting resistance to the hang tab 44 (FIG. 3) of the assembled package 10.

In one aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may have a shape or profile in top view (FIGS. 1 and 3) that closely resembles the shape or profile of the hang tab region 46 (FIG. 3) of the front and/or rear cards 12, 14. For example, when the hang tab region 46 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 is generally rectangular in top view, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may also be generally rectangular in top view, though somewhat smaller to facilitate sealing between the edge of the hang tab reinforcement card 18 and the edge of the cards 12, 14.

The hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a generally rigid or semi-rigid material and may have a thickness T adapted to resist tearing and cutting. The thickness T may be selected to provide tear/cutting resistance without excessive bulk. In one exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may have a thickness T of about 10 to about 50 points. In another exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a polymeric material, such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene. In another exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a tear-resistant paperboard material, such as a high density paperboard coated with a tear-resistant polymeric film (e.g., an oriented polymer film). In another exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a metallic material.

While those skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques may be used to form the hang tab reinforcement card 18, exemplary techniques include stamping, die cutting and the like.

The top and/or bottom surfaces 38, 40 of the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be coated with a sealing material (e.g., an adhesive or heat sealing material), similar to the inside surfaces 26, 34 of the cards 12, 14, such that the hang tab reinforcement card 18 is secured to the cards 12, 14 during the final assembly process. Alternatively, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be secured to one or more of the cards 12, 14 using an adhesive or the like prior to the final assembly of the packaging structure 10. Still alternatively, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be secured to one or more of the cards 12, 14 during the final assembly process (e.g., during heat sealing).

In one aspect, the packaging structure 10 may be assembled by (1) positioning the body portion 22 of the blister 16 through the opening 28 in the front card 12 such that the flange 20 of the blister 16 is positioned between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and rear cards 12, 14, (2) positioning an item (e.g., a consumer good) into the body portion 22 of the blister 16, (3) positioning the hang tab reinforcement card 18 between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and rear cards 12, 14, (4) aligning the front card 12, the rear card 14 and the hang tab reinforcement card 18 such that the associated hang tab notches 30, 36, 42 are generally aligned, and (5) applying heat, radio frequency energy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energy and/or mechanical pressure to the mating portions of the front and rear cards 12, 14 to seal the hang tab reinforcing card 18 and flange 20 of the blister 16 therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 4, in an alternative aspect of the disclosed blister card packaging structure, the blister and hang tab reinforcement card may be formed as a single, integral structure 50. The integral blister/hang tab reinforcement structure 50 may include a flange 52 extending about the periphery of a body portion 54. An elongated portion 56 of the flange 52 may extend from the body portion 54 to function as the hang tab reinforcement card 18 shown in FIGS. 1-3. The elongated portion 56 of the flange 52 may define a hang tab notch 58 therein sized and shaped to generally align with the hang tab notches 30, 36 of the front and rear cards 12, 14.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that incorporating a hang tab reinforcement into the disclosed blister card packaging structure may provide resistance to tampering and theft at a relatively low cost.

Although various aspects of the disclosed blister card packaging structure have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification.

Claims

1. A packaging structure comprising:

a blister including a flange and a body portion;

a front card defining a blister receiving opening and a first hang tab notch therein, the blister receiving opening being sized and shaped to receive the body portion therethrough and prevent passage of the flange therethrough;

a rear card defining a second hang tab notch therein; and

a hang tab reinforcement card defining a third hang tab notch therein,

wherein the first, second and third hang tab notches are generally aligned and the front card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween.

2. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the body portion defines a storage chamber for an item.

3. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the body portion is shaped as a hemisphere or a rectangular box.

4. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister is made by thermoforming, stamping or injection molding.

5. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister is made of a polymeric or cellulosic material.

6. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is made of paperboard.

7. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more or the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is coated with or comprises at least one layer of a printable coating, a polymeric coating, or a tear resistant layer.

8. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the front card and rear card are formed as separate pieces.

9. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the front card and rear card are formed from a single continuous piece of material.

10. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is formed from a paperboard substrate comprising solid bleached sulfate (SBS), folding boxboard, or recycled board.

11. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is formed from a bleached or unbleached material.

12. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement has a thickness of about 10 to about 30 points.

13. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front card and rear card comprises an inner surface coated with a sealing material.

14. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing material is an adhesive.

15. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing material is a pressure sensitive or curable adhesive.

16. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing material is a heat sealable material.

17. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing material is comprises at least one of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA), EVA, EMA, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene methacrylate, ethylene ethyl acrylate and ethylene n-butyl acrylate, and combinations thereof.

18. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement comprises a tear resistant layer or material.

19. The packaging structure of claim 18, wherein the tear resistant layer or material comprises an oriented film layer or a biaxially oriented polyester film.

20. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab reinforcement has a shape or profile that closely resembles at least a portion of the shape or profile of the front and or rear card.

21. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab reinforcement comprises a tear resistant material.

22. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab reinforcement comprises cellulosic material, a polymeric material, a metallic material, or combinations thereof.

23. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the hang tab reinforcement is coated with a sealing material.

24. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein sealing of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is accomplished through the application of heat, radio frequency energy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energy and/or mechanical pressure.

25. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister and hang tab reinforcement are formed as a single piece of material.