Blister pack pill dispenser

• US 5,988,429 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pharmadesign, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pharmadesign, Inc.
• Inventors: Coe, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US08/950,046
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 221/26, 221/25, 206/531, 206/532, 206/539, 206/528
• US Class Current: 221/25
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container

Abstract

A dispenser for a blister pack which contains pills in a matrix of blisters has a support member for receiving the pack with a rupture side of the pack facing the support member. The support member has at least one opening for passage of pills pushed through the rupture side from the blister pack. A tab lid is hinged to the support member in a position covering the blister pack, the tab member having a matrix of tabs, each movably mounted to the tab lid and each positioned to be over a blister of the blister pack. Movement of a tab of the tab lid toward the support member effects compression of a blister to rupture the rupture side and push a pill out of the blister and through the opening of the support member. A cover lid can also be hinged to an opposite edge of the support member to cover the tab lid.

Claims

1. A dispenser for a blister pack containing a plurality of pills in a plurality of blisters arranged in a matrix on the pack, the pack having a sheet member forming matrix, the sheet member having a rupture member opposite the blisters, the dispenser comprising;

a support member for receiving the blister pack with the rupture member, facing the support member, the support member having at least one opening for passage of pills pushed through the rupture member from the blister pack;

a tab lid engageable to the support member in a position covering the blister pack, the tab lid having a matrix of tabs, each movably mounted to the tab lid and each positioned to be over a blister of the blister pack which is received by the support member, movement of a tab of the tab lid toward the support member effecting compression of a blister to rupture the rupture member and push a pill out of the blister and through the opening of the support member; and

a cover lid engageable to the support member over the tab lid for covering the tabs.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 including an equal number of openings in the support member as the number of blisters in the matrix, positioned to correspond to the matrix.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein each tab is hinged to the tab lid near an outer perimeter of the tab lid.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the tab lid is made as one piece of plastic material with the support member and is connected to the support member by a live hinge between adjacent edges of the tab lid and support member.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the cover lid is connected by a live hinge to an edge of the support member opposite from an edge connected to the tab lid, for engaging over the tab lid to cover the tab lid.

6. A dispenser according to claim 1 including a projection extending from each tab toward the support member when the tab lid is engaged to cover the blister pack.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6 wherein the projection is star shaped.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7 wherein the projection includes a cylindrical portion and a plurality of radial spokes extending outwardly from the cylindrical portion.

9. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the tab lid is hinged to the support member at edges of the tab lid and support member which are adjacent each other, a pedestal extending upwardly from the support member at an edge of the support member opposite to the edge adjacent the tab lid, a latch nib extending from the pedestal, the tab lid having a latch nib on an outer edge of the tab lid spaced from the support member adjacent edge, for engaging the nib on the pedestal for holding the tab lid closed on the support member.

10. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the tab lid is hinged to the support member at one edge of the support member, the cover lid hinged to the support member on an opposite edge of the support member, and latch means on the tab lid and cover lid for holding the cover lid closed on the tab lid.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10 wherein the latch means comprises a latch aperture in the tab lid and a latch projection extending from the cover lid and engageable into the latch aperture.

12. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein each tab of the tab lid includes at least one ridge on the surface of the tab opposite from the support member.

13. A dispenser according to claim 1 including reinforcing ribs on the tab lid and on the support member for strengthening the tab lid and support member.

14. A dispenser according to claim 13 wherein the support member includes at least one rib around each opening.

15. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the tab member is hinged to one edge of the support member, the cover lid hinged to an opposite edge of the support member for covering the tab lid, and at least one ramp on an inner surface of the cover lid for engaging an outer surface of the tab lid to hold the tab lid against a blister pack supported on the support member.

16. A dispenser for a blister pack containing a plurality of pills in a plurality of blisters arranged in a matrix on the pack, the pack having a sheet member forming matrix, the sheet member having a rupture member opposite the blisters, the dispenser comprising;

a support member for receiving the blister pack with the rupture member facing the support member, the support member having at least one opening for passage of pills pushed through the rupture member from the blister pack;

a tab lid engageable to the support member in a position covering the blister pack, the tab lid having a matrix of tabs, each movably mounted to the tab lid and each positioned to be over a blister of the blister pack which is received by the support member, movement of a tab of the tab lid toward the support member effecting compression of a blister to rupture the rupture member and push a pill out of the blister and through the opening of the support member; and

a projection extending from each tab toward the support member when the tab lid is engaged to cover the blister pack, the projection being star-shaped.

17. A dispenser for a blister pack according to claim 16, including a star-shaped projection extending from each tab toward the support member when the tab lid is engaged to cover the blister pack, the projection including a cylindrical portion and a plurality of radial spokes extending outwardly from the cylindrical portion.

18. A dispenser for a blister pack containing a plurality of pills in a plurality of blisters arranged in a matrix on the pack, the pack having a sheet member forming matrix, the sheet member having a rupture member opposite the blisters, the dispenser comprising;

a support member for receiving the blister pack with the rupture member facing the support member, the support member having at least one opening for passage of pills pushed through the rupture member from the blister pack;

a tab lid engageable to the support member in a position covering the blister pack, the tab lid having a matrix of tabs, each movably mounted to the tab lid and each positioned to be over a blister of the blister pack which is received by the support member, movement of a tab of the tab lid toward the support member effecting compression of a blister to rupture the rupture member and push a pill out of the blister and through the opening of the support member, the tab lid being hinged to the support member at edges of the tab lid and support member which are adjacent each other, a pedestal extending upwardly from the support member at an edge of the support member opposite to the edge adjacent the tab lid, a latch nib extending from the pedestal, the tab lid having a latch nib on an outer edge of the tab lid spaced from the support member adjacent edge, for engaging the nib on the pedestal for holding the tab lid closed on the support member.

19. A dispenser for a blister pack containing a plurality of pills in a plurality of blisters arranged in a matrix on the pack, the pack having a sheet member forming matrix, the sheet member having a rupture member opposite the blisters, the dispenser comprising;

a support member for receiving the blister pack with the rupture member facing the support member, the support member having at least one opening for passage of pills pushed through the rupture member from the blister pack; and

a tab lid engageable to the support member in a position covering the blister pack, the tab lid having a matrix of tabs, each movably mounted to the tab lid and each positioned to be over a blister of the blister pack which is received by the support member, movement of a tab of the tab lid toward the support member effecting compression of a blister to rupture the rupture member and push a pill out of the blister and through the opening of the support member; and

reinforcing ribs on the tab lid and on the support member for strengthening the tab lid and support member.

20. A dispenser for a blister pack according to claim 19, wherein the support member includes at least on rib around each opening.