Method of loading a multi-dose blister card using a transfer fixture

• US 7,818,950 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pankow, Greg, McGonagle, Sean, Lewis, J. Randolph, Lee, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand; Paul R
• Application Number:
  US12/130,400
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 534/74, 534/75, 531/68, 532/37, 532/40, 532/49
• US Class Current: 53/474
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/22 by vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/50 Enclosing articles, or quantities of material, by disposing contents between two sheets, e.g. pocketed sheets, and securing their opposed free margins apparatus or devices for forming pockets in or from sheets, blanks or webs B65B47/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2039/009 Multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/007 Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/106 by pushers B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0041 by puncturing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0058 Solid contents

Abstract

A method of transferring a plurality of tablets of a product from a first blister card including a first plurality of blisters to a second blister card including a second plurality of blisters includes discharging the plurality of tablets from the first plurality of blisters of the first blister card. Then, each of the plurality of tablets are guided along one of a plurality of passageways defined by a transfer fixture positioned between the first blister card and the second blister card. Finally, the plurality of tablets are received in the second plurality of blisters of the second blister card.

Claims

1. A method of filling a multi-dose blister card, the method comprising:

selecting a multi-dose blister card comprising a plurality of multi-dose blisters;

positioning the multi-dose blister card relative to a transfer fixture that defines a plurality of passageways;

selecting a first intermediate blister card from a plurality of intermediate blister cards, the first intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a first product stored within a plurality of intermediate blisters;

positioning the first intermediate blister card at a location opposite the transfer fixture from the multi-dose blister card;

transferring the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card, through the plurality of passageways of the transfer fixture, and into the plurality of multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card,

wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises simultaneously collapsing the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card with a press plate and cutting a backing material of the first intermediate blister card adjacent the plurality of intermediate blisters simultaneously with collapsing the first plurality of intermediate blisters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises simultaneously discharging the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card.

3. The method claim 1, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises generating friction between the plurality of tablets and the transfer fixture, thereby controlling the speed at which the plurality of tablets travel through the plurality of passageways.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises transferring the plurality of tablets through a plurality of corresponding angled feed tubes of the transfer fixture, the angled feed tubes defining the plurality of passageways.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the transfer fixture from a plurality of transfer fixtures prior to transferring the plurality of tablets, each of the plurality of transfer fixtures comprising a distinct configuration of a plurality of passageways.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate blister cards contains a plurality of tablets of a distinct product.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the passageways of the transfer fixture into a predetermined configuration that is dependent on a configuration of the multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the multi-dose blister card and the first intermediate blister card relative to the transfer fixture comprises loading the multi-dose blister card and the first intermediate blister card into a filling machine.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises actuating the filling machine.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second intermediate blister card from the plurality of intermediate blister cards, the second intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a second product stored within a plurality of intermediate blisters;

positioning the second intermediate blister card at a location opposite the transfer fixture from the multi-dose blister card;

transferring the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the second intermediate blister card, through the plurality of passageways of the transfer fixture, and into the plurality of multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card, such that at least one of the multi-dose blisters contains one tablet of the first product and one tablet of the second product.

11. A method of filling a multi-dose blister card, the method comprising:

selecting a multi-dose blister card comprising a plurality of multi-dose blisters;

selecting a transfer fixture from a plurality of transfer fixtures, each of the plurality of transfer fixtures comprising a distinct configuration of a plurality of passageways;

positioning the multi-dose blister card relative to the transfer fixture;

selecting a first intermediate blister card from a plurality of intermediate blister cards, the first intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a first product stored within a plurality of intermediate blisters;

positioning the first intermediate blister card at a location opposite the transfer fixture from the multi-dose blister card;

transferring the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card, through the plurality of passageways of the transfer fixture, and into the plurality of multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises simultaneously discharging the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises simultaneously collapsing the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card with a press plate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets further comprises cutting a backing material of the first intermediate blister card adjacent the plurality of intermediate blisters simultaneously with collapsing the first plurality of intermediate blisters.

15. The method claim 11, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises generating friction between the plurality of tablets and the transfer fixture, thereby controlling the speed at which the plurality of tablets travel through the plurality of passageways.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises transferring the plurality of tablets through a plurality of corresponding angled feed tubes of the transfer fixture, the angled feed tubes defining the plurality of passageways.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate blister cards contains a plurality of tablets of a distinct product.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the passageways of the transfer fixture into a predetermined configuration that is dependent on a configuration of the multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the multi-dose blister card and the first intermediate blister card relative to the transfer fixture comprises loading the multi-dose blister card and the first intermediate blister card into a filling machine.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises actuating the filling machine.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a second intermediate blister card from the plurality of intermediate blister cards, the second intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a second product stored within a plurality of intermediate blisters;

positioning the second intermediate blister card at a location opposite the transfer fixture from the multi-dose blister card;

transferring the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the second intermediate blister card, through the plurality of passageways of the transfer fixture, and into the plurality of multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card, such that at least one of the multi-dose blisters contains one tablet of the first product and one tablet of the second product.

22. A method of filling a multi-dose blister card, the method comprising:

selecting a multi-dose blister card comprising a plurality of multi-dose blisters;

adjusting at least one of a plurality of passageways of a transfer fixture into a predetermined configuration that is dependent on a configuration of the multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card;

positioning the multi-dose blister card relative to the transfer fixture;

selecting a first intermediate blister card from a plurality of intermediate blister cards, the first intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a first product stored within a plurality of intermediate blisters;

positioning the first intermediate blister card at a location opposite the transfer fixture from the multi-dose blister card;

transferring the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card, through the plurality of passageways of the transfer fixture, and into the plurality of multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises simultaneously discharging the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises simultaneously collapsing the plurality of intermediate blisters of the first intermediate blister card with a press plate.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets further comprises cutting a backing material of the first intermediate blister card adjacent the plurality of intermediate blisters simultaneously with collapsing the first plurality of intermediate blisters.

26. The method claim 22, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises generating friction between the plurality of tablets and the transfer fixture, thereby controlling the speed at which the plurality of tablets travel through the plurality of passageways.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises transferring the plurality of tablets through a plurality of corresponding angled feed tubes of the transfer fixture, the angled feed tubes defining the plurality of passageways.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising selecting the transfer fixture from a plurality of transfer fixtures prior to transferring the plurality of tablets, each of the plurality of transfer fixtures comprising a distinct configuration of a plurality of passageways.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate blister cards contains a plurality of tablets of a distinct product.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein positioning the multi-dose blister card and the first intermediate blister card relative to the transfer fixture comprises loading the multi-dose blister card and the first intermediate blister card into a filling machine.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein transferring the plurality of tablets comprises actuating the filling machine.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

selecting a second intermediate blister card from the plurality of intermediate blister cards, the second intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a second product stored within a plurality of intermediate blisters;

positioning the second intermediate blister card at a location opposite the transfer fixture from the multi-dose blister card;

transferring the plurality of tablets from the plurality of intermediate blisters of the second intermediate blister card, through the plurality of passageways of the transfer fixture, and into the plurality of multi-dose blisters of the multi-dose blister card, such that at least one of the multi-dose blisters contains one tablet of the first product and one tablet of the second product.