BLISTER CARD WITH SNAP-HOLD PANEL

Abstract

A package is disclosed which includes first panel and second panel connected together, a first blister attached to the first panel and a second blister attached to the second panel, where a protrusion from the first blister engages the second blister to hold the panels in a fixed relationship with one another.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/025311, filed on Jul. 16, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure is directed to blister card packages and, more particularly, to blister packages with a first panel holding the blister and a second panel hingedly attached to the first, the second panel held in position by a snap-hold connection to the blister.

Manufacturers and retailers of consumer goods, such as pharmaceuticals, software, electronics, health and beauty products and the like, typically package their products in various types of display packages. For example, many consumer goods are packaged in blister or clamshell packages formed by positioning a consumer good in a flanged blister made from various polymeric and/or paperboard materials and sealing the flanged blister between two paperboard substrates. Packages may be made based largely on paperboard, for example, NATRALOCK packages made by MeadWestvaco Corporation. Packaging made primarily of paperboard is more sustainable than packaging made from petroleum-based plastics. The paperboard used in such packages may be tear-resistant as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,635.

The panel holding a blister may be a planar or flat construction. Although such a package can hang from a display hook, it may not be able to stand upright on a shelf.

Unless placed in some sort of box or base. A package with an additional panel besides the first panel may be arranged to stand on the lower edges of the two or more panels.

It would be advantageous to have such a package with a feature to hold the two panels in fixed relationship to one another.

SUMMARY

In one aspect a package is disclosed which includes a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel, a first blister attached to the first panel with a protrusion extending outward from the first blister, a second blister attached to the second panel with a receptacle portion in the second blister sized to receive the protrusion, wherein the first and second panels may be held in proximity to one another by the protrusion being received into the receptacle portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of certain parts of a blister package;

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are plan views of the parts, placed in relation to one another in an exemplary step of assembly;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the assembled package still in a flattened or “open” configuration, seen from an inside viewpoint;

FIG. 3B is a cross section of the open package of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a cross section detail view of a modified portion of FIG. 3B;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the package in a partially closed configuration, seen from an inside viewpoint;

FIG. 4B is a cross section of the partially closed package of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the package in a closed configuration, seen from the back;

FIG. 5B is a cross section of the closed package of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of another package in a flattened or “open” configuration, seen from an inside viewpoint;

FIG. 6B is a cross section of the package of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of another package in a flattened or “open” configuration, seen from an inside viewpoint;

FIG. 7B is a cross section of the package of FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7C is a cross section of the package of FIG. 7B in a nearly closed configuration.

FIG. 8A repeats the perspective view of the package of FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8B repeats the cross section view of FIG. 7B, showing also a second package in proximity;

FIG. 8C is a cross section of the two packages of FIG. 8B connected together;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of certain parts of another blister package;

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the assembled package of FIG. 9, still in a flattened or expanded configuration, seen from an inside viewpoint;

FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the package in a more compact configuration,

FIG. 11 is a plan view of certain parts of yet another blister package;

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of the assembled package of FIG. 11, still in a flattened or expanded configuration, seen from an inside viewpoint; and

FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the package in a more compact configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As various embodiments of the package are described, reference will be made to FIGS. 1-12. Certain parts of the packages are denoted by reference numerals. Where there is more than one of the same feature, generally only one will be denoted by a reference numeral. Typically in these Figures, where a front plan view is shown for a blank of material, solid lines usually indicate periphery or cuts, and dashed lines usually indicate crease, score, or fold lines. In perspective views, solid lines typically show edges or folds, while dashed lines typically show hidden or partially obscured features. Where assembly steps are described, these steps are exemplary and are not to be limiting as to the sequence of operations used to arrive at the final package. Also, directions such as up, down, top, bottom, front, back, etc. are used for convenience in describing the package and are not meant to be limiting. The packages described here may be made from one blank (that is, the cut sheet parts from which the package components are made by folding and other steps) or from more than one blank. The word “card” or “panel” will often be used to describe a piece of sheet material such as paperboard, particularly with respect to a blank from which the package is made. Since panels are sometimes superimposed, for example, creating a two-layer or multi-layer structure, like features or panels will sometime coincide, in which cases, descriptions may call out the number identifying the feature closer to the viewer, that is, the feature visible in a particular Figure.

FIGS. 1-5 show a package formed from two blanks and two blister portions.

FIG. 1 shows the separate parts. A first, outer blank 100 includes a front panel 110 joined along fold line 115 to a spine panel 120, which in turned is joined along fold line 125 to back panel 130. In some instances, spine panel 120 may be omitted and the front panel 110 directly hingedly connected to back panel 130 along a fold line.

A second, inner blank 200 includes an inner front panel 210 joined along fold line 215 to an inner spine panel 220, which in turned is joined along fold line 225 to inner back panel 230.

A major blister 300 may be sealed between the outer front panel 110 and the inner front panel 210. The blister body 310 may protrude inwardly through aperture 212 in inner front panel 210. The blister flange 312 may be sandwiched between the outer front panel 110 and the inner front panel 210. The blister 300 may have a protrusion 320 from its inward surface as will be described further. Optionally a view window 112 may be provided in outer front panel 110.

A minor blister 350 may be sealed between the outer back panel 130 and the inner back panel 230. The blister body 360 may be shaped and sized to engage protrusion 320, and may protrude outwardly through aperture 232 in inner back panel 230, and optionally may protrude outwardly through optional aperture 132 in outer back panel 130. The blister flange 362 may be sandwiched between the outer back panel 130 and the inner back panel 230.

Hang holes 118, 218 optionally may be provided in outer front panel 110 and inner front panel 210 respectively. Alternatively or in addition, hang holes 138, 238 may be provided in outer back panel 130 and inner back panel 230 respectively.

Optional medial relief cutouts 216, 226 may be provided in the center portion of fold lines 215, 225 respectively of the inner blank 200, in order to facilitate folding along these lines. Optional terminal relief cutouts 217, 227 likewise may be provided at the ends of fold lines 215, 225 respectively.

FIG. 1 may be considered as showing the panels and blisters from the ‘inside’ of the package. Thus the ‘outward’ surfaces of the structure face away from the viewer, and the ‘inward’ surfaces face toward the viewer.

FIG. 2A shows an exemplary step in assembling the package, minor blister 300 is positioned upon the interior surface of outer back panel 130, with the blister body 360 protruding through aperture 132 in outer back panel 130 while blister flange 362 rests upon the interior surface of outer back panel 130, as it will eventually be sealed between first blank 100 and second blank 200. FIG. 2B shows the inner front panel 210 having been placed over major blister 300 so that its blister body 310 protrudes upward through aperture 212 provided in inner front panel 210. The blister flange 312 remains on the other (forward) side of inner front panel 210, so that it will eventually be sealed between first blank 100 and second blank 200.

FIG. 3A shows the finished package formed when the inner blank 200 (with major blister 300 attached thereto) has been placed upon and sealed to the outer blank 100 (with minor blister 350 attached thereto). FIG. 3B shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating the panels and the blisters. A second, inner blank 200 includes an inner front panel 210 joined along fold line 215 to an inner spine panel 220, which in turned is joined along fold line 225 to inner back panel 230. FIG. 3C shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating a portion of the structure, where the optional aperture 132 has been omitted. In this case, the blister body 360 may not protrude through outer back panel 130, but the blister may instead protrude forward of inner back panel 230 if desired to provide adequate engagement with protrusion 320 on major blister 300.

FIG. 4A shows the finished package being folded partly shut into a book-like aspect. FIG. 4B shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating the panels and the blisters.

FIG. 5A shows the finished package having been folded completely shut into a closed book-like aspect. FIG. 5B shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating the panels and the blisters. It will be noted particularly that protrusion 320 extending from major blister body 310 engages the cavity or body 360 of the minor blister. The engagement may be frictional for example by interference between the protrusion 320 and body 360. The engagement may thus hold the package ‘closed’, while still allowing it to be ‘opened’ and reclosed at will. In this sense ‘opened’ means an expanded configuration rather than a state where the blister(s) have been breached to remove the contents.

The examples here generally show a cylindrical protrusion such as protrusion 320, engaging a square receptor area such as a cavity, recess, hole, etc. However these particular shapes of the protrusion and receptor are not meant to be limiting, as they may have various shapes according to manufacturing preference. Also the positions of the protrusion and receptor area may sometimes be reversed. In certain cases two or more protrusions may be used which are adapted to reversibly engage with one another to hold the package closed.

FIG. 6A shows another finished package in many respects similar to that shown in FIG. 3A, but having a second ‘major’ blister 330 attached to the back portion of the package, for example with a blister peripheral flange 332 trap sealed between outer back panel 130 and inner back panel 230. FIG. 6B shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating the panels and the blisters. Such a design may be moved to a ‘closed’ configuration so that the protrusion 320 extending from first major blister 310 may engage a formed feature such as a depression 335 formed on the second major blister 330.

FIG. 7A shows another finished package in many respects similar to that shown in FIG. 6A. In this example, the spine panels 120, 220 are omitted and the front and back panels instead join together through hinge line or fold 115, 215, with optional relief cutouts such as 216, 217. Again a second ‘major’ blister 330 is attached to the back portion of the package, for example with a blister peripheral flange 332 trap sealed between outer back panel 130 and inner back panel 230. FIG. 7B shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating the panels and the blisters. The protrusion 320 extending from first major blister 310 may be moved, as shown here, as may the depression 335, to positions suitable for engaging when the package is closed ‘shut’ to a configuration just beyond that shown in FIG. 7C, when protrusion 310 and depression 335 may engage together to hold the package in a ‘closed’ configuration. Similar to the previous packages, the ‘closed’ configuration allows the package to stand on its lower edges.

FIG. 8A repeats the contents of FIG. 7A in perspective view. FIG. 8B shows a corresponding cross section view illustrating the panels and the blisters 310. 330, joined to a second similar package and blisters 310′, 330′ shown in FIG. 8C. Thus, while FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate an intra-package connection, FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate an inter-package connection. An inter-package connection may be achieved as well with other packages disclosed herein.

FIGS. 9-10 show a package formed from two blanks and a blister portion. FIG. 9 shows the separate parts. A first, outer blank 102 includes a left panel 110 joined along fold line 115 to a center panel 120, which in turn is joined along fold line 125 to right panel 130. A second, inner blank 202 includes an inner left panel 210 joined along fold line 215 to an inner center panel 220, which in turn is joined along fold line 225 to inner right panel 230.

A blister 302 may be sealed between the outer center panel 110 and the inner center panel 210. The blister body 310 may protrude through aperture 222 in inner center panel 220. The aperture 222 may optionally extend substantially the entire width of inner center panel 210. The blister body 310 may include one or more depressions 335 or openings of any suitable size and shape to receive protrusions 320. For example the depressions may be grooves 335 or slots that may be formed or cut in the blister. The blister flange 312 may be sandwiched between the outer panel 110, 120, 130 and the inner panels 210, 220, 230. The blister flange 312 may extend over fold lines 315, 325 onto left and right sections respectively. These sections may have one or more protrusions 320 of any suitable size and shape to be received into slots or depressions 335. For example the protrusions may be bars 320 as shown in FIG. 9.

Optional relief cutouts 216, 226 may be provided in the center portion of fold lines 215, 225 respectively of the inner blank 202, in order to facilitate folding along these lines. Optional terminal relief cutouts 217, 227 likewise may be provided at the ends of fold lines 215, 225 respectively.

FIG. 9 may be considered as showing the panels and blisters from the ‘inside’ of the package. Thus the ‘outward’ surfaces of the structure face away from the viewer, and the ‘inward’ surfaces face toward the viewer.

To assemble the package, blister 302 may be sandwiched between the outer and inner blanks, with the blister body 310 protruding through aperture 222 in inner center panel 220, and the bars 320 may protrude through openings 212, 232 in the inner left panel 210 and inner right panel 230 respectively. The blister flange 312 may be sealed between the forward or inner surface of the outer panels, and the rearward or inner surface of the inner panels. Likewise the facing surfaces of the outer panels and inner panels may be sealed together.

FIG. 10A shows the finished package in an expanded or less compact configuration. FIG. 10B shows the finished package in a contracted or less compact configuration. The package may be held in this configuration by protrusions 320 in the left and right blister flanges engaging slots or openings or depressions 335 in the blister body 310. This may allow for more compact shipping or provide a standing capability for the package. The engagement of protrusions 320 and slots or openings or depressions 335 may be frictional for example an interference fit and may hold the package in a compact configuration, while still allowing it to be moved at will to and from a more expanded configuration.

Since the side portions of the blister flange may be sealed between left panels 110,210 and right panels 130, 230 respectively, the blister body 310 (and the aperture 222 through which the blister body protrudes) may optionally extend substantially across the entire width of center panels 120, 220. However, the blister body 310 and the aperture 222 need not necessarily be as wide as the center panels 120, 200.

Instead of the package having two sides fold up as shown in FIG. 10B, it could be designed with only one side folding up. Instead of using slots or depressions on the blister body to engage protrusions on the side portions of the flange, protrusions from the blister body could be used to engage slots or depressions (or holes or other complementary devices) in the side panels or side portions of the flange.

The blister 302 is shown here as a single piece of material. This may be most convenient for constructing the package, as the inter-engaging features of the protrusions 320 and the depressions 335 may be precisely spaced without needing special positioning devices. However the blister 302 may also be provided in more than one part, for example as with the packages shown in FIGS. 1-8.

It will be understood that in describing the finished package, e.g. as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the protrusions 320 could be considered “blisters” (e.g. similar to blisters 350, 360 shown in FIGS. 1-5.

FIGS. 11-12 show another package formed from two blanks and a blister portion. FIG. 11 shows the separate parts. A first, outer blank 104 includes a bottom or back panel 110 joined along fold line 115 to a spine panel 120, which in turn is joined along fold line 125 to a top or front panel 130. A second, inner blank 204 includes an inner bottom or back panel 210 joined along fold line 215 to an inner spine panel 220, which in turn is joined along fold line 225 to inner top or front panel 230.

In the earlier FIGS. 1-8, front panels 130, 230 were substantially the same size as the back panels 110, 210. In FIGS. 11-12, front panels 130, 230 may be substantially smaller than back panels 110, 210.

A blister 304 may be sealed between the outer back panel 110 and the inner back panel 210. The blister body 310 may protrude through aperture 212 in inner back panel 210. The blister body 310 may include one or more inward depressions 335 of any suitable size and shape to receive protrusions 320. For example the depressions may be round or square holes 335 that may be formed or cut in the blister. The blister flange 312 may be sandwiched between the outer panels 110, 120, 130 and the inner panels 210, 220, 230. The blister flange 312 may extend over fold lines 315, 325 onto spine and front sections respectively. These sections may have one or more protrusions 320 of any suitable size and shape to be received into depressions 335. For example the protrusions may be round posts or bumps 320 shown in FIG. 11

Optional relief cutouts 216, 226 may be provided in the center portion of fold lines 215, 225 respectively of the inner blank 204, in order to facilitate folding along these lines. Optional terminal relief cutouts 217, 227 likewise may be provided at the ends of fold lines 215, 225 respectively.

FIG. 11 may be considered as showing the panels and blisters from the ‘inside’ of the package. Thus the ‘outward’ surfaces of the structure face away from the viewer, and the ‘inward’ surfaces face toward the viewer.

To assemble the package, blister 304 may be sandwiched between the outer and inner blanks, with the blister body 310 protruding through aperture 212 in inner back panel 210, and the bars 320 may protrude through openings 212, 232 in the inner front panel 230. The blister flange 312 may be sealed between the forward or inner surface of the outer panels, and the rearward or inner surface of the inner panels. Likewise the facing surfaces of the outer panels and inner panels may be sealed together.

Since a side portion of the blister flange may be sealed between spine panels 120,220 and/or top panels 130, 230, the blister body 310 (and the aperture 212 through which the blister body protrudes) may optionally extend substantially to fold line 215. However, the blister body 310 and the aperture 212 need not necessarily extend all the way to fold line 215.

FIG. 12A shows the finished package in an expanded or less compact configuration. FIG. 12B shows the finished package in a contracted or less compact configuration, which may be considered to have a closed book-like aspect. The package may be held in this configuration by protrusions 320 in the blister flange engaging depressions 335 in the blister body 310. This may allow for more compact shipping or provide a standing capability for the package. The engagement of protrusions 320 and depressions 335 may be frictional for example an interference fit and may hold the package ‘closed’, while still allowing it to be ‘opened’ and reclosed at will.

Instead of the package having one side folding up as shown in FIG. 12B, it could be designed with two sides folding up. Instead of using depressions on the blister body to engage protrusions on the side portions of the flange, protrusions from the blister body could be used to engage slots or depressions (or other complementary devices) in the top panel or top portion of the flange.

The blister 304 is shown here as a single piece of material. This may be most convenient for constructing the package, as the inter-engaging features of the protrusions 320 and the depressions 335 may be precisely spaced without needing special positioning devices. However the blister 304 may also be provided in more than one part, for example as with the packages shown in FIGS. 1-8.

It will be understood that in describing the finished package, e.g. as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the protrusions 320 could be considered “blisters” (e.g. similar to blisters 350, 360 shown in FIGS. 1-5.

In the packages described herein, a first engaging feature such as protrusion 320 (which may be a circular protrusion, a bar protrusion, or other shape of protrusion) may engage a second engaging feature such as depression 335 (which may be a depression of any shape, a slit or slot, hole, or other opening, or any second engaging feature adapted to receive the first engaging feature. Alternately the first engaging feature may be a depression (or other receptor) adapted to receive a second engaging feature in the form of a protrusion.

Although the packages shown here have planar or flat panels, it should be understood that some or all panels may be curved, that is, may have a curved surface or surfaces. In some cases blister flange(s) attached to or between such curved panels may also be curved.

Some of the features described may be optional for some of the packages. For example view window 112 may be omitted. A view window (not shown) may be provided in the back panel or panels, whether or not a blister of any sort is attached to the back panel or panels. Multiple blisters may be used on either the front or back panels. Multiple engagement features may be used to hold the panels in a closed orientation.

The blanks 100, 102, 104, 200, 202, 204 may be formed of a sheet material such as paperboard, which may be made of or coated with materials to increase its strength. An example of such a sheet material is EASYSEAL paperboard made by MeadWestvaco Corporation. The sheet material may have a heat sealable coating, for example to allow a heat seal to be created between the various panels. Alternately, other forms of adhesive may be used to seal these parts together. It should be noted that the use of tear resistant materials, and/or in more than one layer, help to improve the tamper- and theft-resistance of the package. The panels may be joined together by heat sealing, RF (radio frequency) sealing, ultrasonic sealing, adhesive, or other means. Such sealing may be done on most of the facing surfaces of the front and back panels or sealing may be done to less than the entire facing surfaces, for example only around the outer perimeter of the package, and along or upon part or all of blister flanges 312, 332, 362. Also, instead of using both a front and back blank, a single ply of material may be used. If a single ply is used, the blister flanges may be adhered or otherwise fastened to the panels.

Blisters 300, 302, 304, 330, 350 may be made with common thermoform plastics such as PVC, PET, or APET but may also include a recycled material such as RPET or a biodegradable material such as PLA. However other materials including other plastics (or paperboard, at least for the backing sheet) also may be used. Besides thermoforming, the blister may be formed by injection molding or other manufacturing methods. The blisters may be formed in one or more pieces. For example the blisters may be formed from 0.015″ thick PET plastic.

Claims

1. A package comprising:

a first panel;

a second panel connected to the first panel; and

a first blister attached to the first panel, with a protrusion extending outward from the first blister;

a second blister attached to the second panel, with a receptacle portion; sized to receive the protrusion;

wherein the first and second panels may be held in proximity to one another by the protrusion being received into the receptacle portion.

2. The package of claim 1, further comprising a spine panel between the first and second panels.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first panel and the second panel comprises two layers of paperboard.

4. The package of claim 1, wherein both of the first panel and the second panel comprise two layers of paperboard.

5. The package of claim 4, wherein the first and second blisters each comprise a peripheral flange, and the peripheral flanges area sealed between the two layers of paperboard.

6. The package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second blister are formed of plastic.

7. The package of claim 1, wherein the first and second blister are formed from separate pieces of material.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein the first and second blister are formed from a single piece of material.

9. A package comprising:

a first panel;

a second panel connected to the first panel; and

a first blister attached to the first panel, the first blister comprising a blister body with a first engaging feature;

a flange portion attached to the first blister and to the second panel, the flange portion including a second engaging feature to receive the first engaging feature;

wherein the first and second panels may be held in a folded shape by the first engaging feature being engaged by the second engaging feature.

10. The package of claim 9, wherein the first engaging feature is a depression extending into the first blister and the second engaging feature is a protrusion extending from the flange portion.

11. The package of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first panel and the second panel comprises two layers of paperboard.

12. The package of claim 9, wherein both of the first panel and the second panel comprise two layers of paperboard.

13. The package of claim 13, wherein the first blister and flange portion are formed of plastic.

14. The package of claim 9, wherein the first blister and flange portion are formed from a single piece of material.

15. The package of claim 9, further comprising a third panel positioned between the first and second panels.

16. The package of claim 15, wherein the second and third panels wrap around the blister body and are held thereto by the first and second engaging features.

17. The package of claim 16, wherein the third panel is substantially smaller than the first panel.

18. The package of claim 9, wherein at least one side of the blister body extends substantially to an edge of the first panel.

19. The package of claim 18, wherein said edge of the first panel is along a fold line.