Multi-dose blister card pillbook

• US 7,866,476 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pankow, Greg, Simmering, Zack, Biesenthal, Amy C., Marotta, Christina M., McGonagle, Sean, Valls, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/130,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 206/528, 206/535, 206/472, 206/473, 206/806, 206/539, 206/531, 206/532, 402/4, 402/64, 402/68, 402/73, 402/70, 402/504, 402/501, 211/50
• US Class Current: 206/535
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2313/02 of hook-and-loop type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2313/04 of magnetic type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/422 as an extra panel or panels folded against or inside the container B65D5/4237 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0445 all the articles being stored in individual compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container

Abstract

A product package includes a spine, a plurality of blister cards, and a coupler mechanism. Each blister card includes a plurality of individual cells. Each individual cell includes a blister for containing at least one product. The coupler mechanism is attached to the spine and re-attachably couples the plurality of blister cards within the product package.

Claims

1. A product package comprising:

a spine;

a plurality of blister cards, each blister card comprising a plurality of individual cells, each individual cell comprising a blister for containing at least one product; and

a coupler mechanism attached to the spine and re-attachably coupling the plurality of blister cards within the product package,

wherein the coupler mechanism comprises an elongated member attached to the spine and each of the plurality of blister cards comprises a recess receiving the elongated member,

the recess in each blister card being positioned off-center of the blister card such that the blister cards are re-attachably connected to the elongated member in an alternating offset orientation wherein each blister card is offset relative to an adjacent blister card in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the elongated member.

2. The package of claim 1, further comprising:

upper and lower ribs disposed on the elongated member; and

a pair of arm portions defined by each of the plurality of blister cards, the arm portions extending into the recess and hooking onto the upper and lower ribs to re-attachably couple the plurality of blister cards to the coupler mechanism.

3. The package of claim 2, wherein the upper and lower ribs on the elongate member are constructed of a more resilient material and the arm portions are constructed of a less resilient material.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the more resilient material comprises a resilient foam material.

5. The package of claim 2, wherein the upper and lower ribs on the elongate member are constructed of a less resilient material and the arm portions are constructed of a more resilient material.

6. The package of claim 1, further comprising a pair of opposing end stops disposed on the elongated member for preventing the plurality of blister cards from sliding off of the coupler mechanism.

7. The package of claim 6, wherein the pair of opposing end stops are removably disposed on the elongated member.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blister cards comprises a first blister card and a second blister card, the first blister card comprising a first plurality of blisters that are nested with a second plurality of blisters of the second blister card when the first and second blister cards are coupled into the product package via the coupler mechanism.

9. The package of claim 1, further comprising front and back covers hingedly coupled to the spine.

10. The package of claim 1, wherein each of the individual cells of the plurality of blister cards are separated by perforated seams.

11. The package of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of blister cards comprises a plurality of openings, each opening disposed between at least two individual cells for facilitating removal of each individual cell from the respective blister card.

12. The package of claim 1, further comprising identification information disposed on each of the individual cells of each blister card, the identification information indicating to a user when to ingest the product stored within the blister associated with the respective individual cell.

13. The package of claim 1, further comprising identification indicia disposed on the spine, the identification indicia indicating to a user when to ingest the product stored within the blisters of the plurality of blister cards coupled within the product package.

14. The package of claim 1, further comprising a child-proof sleeve removably accommodating the spine, the plurality of blister cards, and the coupler mechanism.

15. A package system comprising:

a first product package comprising a first elongated spine and a first plurality of blister cards, each blister card including a plurality of individual cells and a corresponding plurality of blisters, the first plurality of blister cards being re-attachably coupled to the first elongated spine, wherein

the first plurality of blister cards are coupled to the first elongated spine in an alternating offset orientation such that each blister card is offset relative to an adjacent blister card in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the first elongated spine; and

a second product package comprising a second elongated spine and a second plurality of blister cards, each blister card including a plurality of individual cells and a corresponding plurality of blisters, the second plurality of blister cards being re-attachably coupled to the second elongated spine, wherein

the second plurality of blister cards are coupled to the second elongated spine in an alternating offset orientation such that each blister card is offset relative to an adjacent blister card in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the second elongated spine.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a child-proof sleeve accommodating the first and second product packages such that the first and second product packages can be independently removed from and inserted into the child-proof sleeve.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a first coupler mechanism disposed between the first spine and each of the first plurality of blister cards, and a second coupler mechanism disposed between the second spine and each of the second plurality of blister cards.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second coupler mechanisms each comprises an elongated member attached to the respective spines and each of the blister cards comprises a recess receiving the respective elongated member.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

upper and lower ribs disposed on the elongated member; and

a pair of arm portions defined by each of the blister cards of the first and second pluralities of blister cards, the arm portions extending into the respective recesses and hooking onto the upper and lower ribs to re-attachably couple the blister cards to the respective coupler mechanisms.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the upper and lower ribs on the elongate members are constructed of a more resilient material and the arm portions are constructed of a less resilient material.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the more resilient material comprises a resilient foam material.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the upper and lower ribs on the elongate members are constructed of a less resilient material and the arm portions are constructed of a more resilient material.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second coupler mechanisms each further comprise a pair of opposing end stops disposed on the elongated members for preventing the plurality of blister cards from sliding off of the coupling mechanisms.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the pair of opposing end stops are removably disposed on the elongated members.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second pluralities of blister cards each comprises a first blister card and a second blister card, the first blister card comprising a first plurality of blisters that are nested with a second plurality of blisters of the second blister card.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second product packages each further comprises front and back covers hingedly coupled to the respective first and second spines.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the recess in each blister card of the first and second pluralities of blister cards is positioned off-center of the blister card.

27. A package system, comprising:

a first product package, comprising;

a first elongated spine,

a first plurality of blister cards, each blister card of the first plurality of blister cards comprising a plurality of individual cells, each individual cell comprising a blister for containing at least one product, and

a first coupler mechanism attached to the first elongated spine and re-attachably coupling the first plurality of blister cards to the first elongated spine in an alternating offset orientation such that each blister card is offset relative to an adjacent blister card in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the first elongated spine and the blisters of each blister card of the first plurality of blister cards are nested within the blisters of an adjacent blister card of the first plurality of blister cards;

a second product package, comprising;

a second elongated spine,

a second plurality of blister cards, each blister card of the second plurality of blister cards comprising a plurality of individual cells, each individual cell comprising a blister for containing at least one product, and

a second coupler mechanism attached to the second elongated spine and re-attachably coupling the second plurality of blister cards including the corresponding individual cells and blisters to the second elongated spine in an alternating offset orientation such that each blister card is offset relative to an adjacent blister card in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the second elongated spine and the blisters of each blister card of the second plurality of blister cards are nested within the blisters of an adjacent blister card of the second plurality of blister cards; and

a child-proof sleeve accommodating the first and second product packages such that the first and second product packages can be independently removed from and inserted into the child-proof sleeve.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the first and second coupler mechanisms re-attachably couple each of the first and second pluralities of blister cards to the first and second spines, respectively, via a recess formed in each blister card at a position off-center of the blister card.