PACKAGE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT, COMPRISING MINIATURIZED ELECTRONIC TAG FOR MONITORING PRODUCT INTEGRITY

• US 20160166470A1
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Berlinger & Co. AG
• Original Assignee: Q-Tag, AG
• Inventors: Tobescu, Corneliu
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/18 Arrangements for indicating condition of container contents, e.g. sterile condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07701 the record carrier comprising an interface suitable for human interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07709 the interface being a keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03

Abstract

A retail package for a perishable product includes a box as an outer package; and an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of the product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span. The tag has a main part including an electronics unit and a rip strip having a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to the electronics unit. The electronics unit includes a control unit; at least one sensor for monitoring the physical or environmental conditions; a display for displaying data relating to the integrity; and a switch. The control unit is structured and configured to detect a breaking of the electrical connection; to terminate the monitoring in reaction to detection of breaking of the electrical connection; and to effect that the display unit displays the status data in reaction to an operation of the switch.

Claims

1. A retail package for a perishable product, said retail package comprising:

a box as an outer package;

an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span;

said tag comprising;

a main part comprising an electronics unit;

a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit;

said electronics unit comprising;

a control unit;

a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions;

a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data;

a switch;

wherein said control unit is structured and configured to;

detect a breaking of said electrical connection;

terminate said monitoring in reaction to detection of said breaking of said electrical connection; and

to

effect that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch.

2. The package according to claim 1, wherein said perishable product is a pharmaceutical product.

3. The package according to claim 1, wherein said main part is attached to an inside of said box.

4. The package according to claim 1, wherein said box is a folding carton.

5. The package according to claim 1, wherein said rip strip is attached to an inside of said box.

6. The package according to claim 5, wherein said box is designed to have one or more opening sides at which the box can be opened in order to access said product when the product is present inside the box, and wherein said rip strip is attached to said box in such a way that said electrical connection is broken when the box is opened at one of said opening sides.

7. The package according to claim 1, wherein said rip strip comprises or essentially is a printed circuit board, in particular a flexible printed circuit board, more particularly a foil in and/or on which at least one conductor line is present which is operationally connected to said electronics unit, said at least one conductor line forming said breakable electrical connection.

8. The package according to claim 1, wherein said display unit comprises one or more light emitters for emitting light pulses, and wherein said data is encoded in a sequence of light pulses emitted by said one or more light emitters, more particularly wherein said data is encoded in one or more of:

the color of the light pulses;

a duration of the light pulses;

the number of the light pulses in the sequence.

9. A retail unit comprising a retail package according to claim 1, further comprising said perishable product.

10. The retail unit according to claim 9, wherein said retail unit is a pharmaceutical retail unit, and said perishable product is a pharmaceutical product.

11. The retail unit according to claim 9, wherein said retail unit comprises one or more containers containing said product.

12. A method for monitoring an integrity of a perishable product, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic tag; and

providing a box as an outer package for said perishable product;

wherein said tag is a tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, the tag comprising;

a main part comprising an electronics unit;

a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit;

said electronics unit comprising;

a control unit;

a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions;

a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data;

a switch;

wherein said control unit is structured and configured to perform the steps of;

detecting a breaking of said electrical connection;

terminating said monitoring in reaction to said detecting said breaking of said electrical connection; and

effecting that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising at least one of the steps of

bonding said main part to said box, in particular to a face of a side part of the box which face faces the inside of the box when the box is closed;

bonding at least a portion of said rip strip to said box, in particular to a face of a side part of the box which face faces the inside of the box when the box is closed.

14. The method according to claim 12, comprising at least one of the steps of:

ripping said rip strip;

operating said switch.

15. A method for manufacturing a retail unit comprising a perishable product, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing said product;

b) providing an unfolded folding carton;

c) folding said folding carton;

d) inserting said product into the folded folding carton;

e) providing an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, said tag comprising a main portion and a rip strip;

f) attaching said tag to said folding carton;

wherein said tag comprises;

said main part comprising an electronics unit;

said rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit;

said electronics unit comprising;

a control unit;

a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions;

a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data;

a switch;

wherein said control unit is structured and configured to perform the steps of;

detecting a breaking of said electrical connection;

terminating said monitoring in reaction to said detecting said breaking of said electrical connection; and

for

effecting that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch;

the method further comprising the step of;

g) starting monitoring said exposure of said product to said physical or environmental conditions by manipulating a part of said tag, in particular by breaking another electrical connection, more particularly by ripping said rip strip.

16. An electronic tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of a product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, said tag comprising:

a main part comprising an electronics unit;

a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit;

said electronics unit comprising;

a control unit;

a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions;

a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data;

a switch;

wherein said control unit is structured and configured to;

detect a breaking of said electrical connection;

terminate said monitoring in reaction to said detection of breaking of said electrical connection; and

effect that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch.