BLISTER CARD CARRIER

• US 20080110786A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: INRange Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: INRange Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bossi, Christopher E.
• Application Number:
  US11/557,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20080110786A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/467
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container

Abstract

A blister card carrier and methods of inserting and removing a blister card from the blister card carrier are disclosed. The blister card carrier is designed to hold a blister card in a substantially planar state. The blister card carrier may include a bottom section having a plurality of bottom rails, and a top section having a plurality of top rails. The bottom section and the top section may from one or more slots configured to receive a blister card. Each slot may be substantially perpendicular to the bottom section and the top section. Each bottom rail may be configured to contact a bottom surface of a received blister card. Each top rail may be configured to contact a top surface of a received blister card. The blister card carrier may be configured to position a received blister card in substantially the same plane as the bottom and top section.

Claims

1. A blister card carrier designed to hold a blister card in a substantially planar state, the carrier comprising:

a bottom section having one or more bottom rails; and

a top section having one or more top rails,

wherein the bottom section and the top section form one or more slots configured to receive a blister card,

wherein each slot is substantially perpendicular to the bottom section and the top section,

wherein each bottom rail is configured to contact a bottom surface of a received blister card,

wherein each top rail is configured to contact a top surface of a received blister card, and

wherein the blister card carrier is configured to position a received blister card in substantially the same plane as the bottom section and the top section.

2. The blister card carrier of claim 1 wherein at least one of a bottom rail and the top rail comprises a holding mechanism, and wherein the holding mechanism is located on a surface of the corresponding rail configured to contact a received blister card.

3. The blister card carrier of claim 2 wherein the holding mechanism is operable to conform a received blister card into a substantially planar state.

4. The blister card carrier of claim 2 wherein the holding mechanism is operable to create an interference fit with a received blister card.

5. The blister card carrier of claim 4 wherein the interference fit causes the received blister card to be held in a fixed position if no force is applied to remove the received blister card from the blister card carrier.

6. The blister card carrier of claim 2 wherein the holding mechanism comprises one or more of the following:

a spring;

a protuberance; and

a chamfered edge.

7. The blister card carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

an insertion point; and

a holding mechanism, wherein the holding mechanism is operable to removably affix the received blister card when inserted through the insertion point.

8. A method of inserting a blister card into a blister card carrier, the method comprising:

positioning a blister card in a slot of a blister card carrier;

placing an implement in contact with the blister card;

applying a force to the blister card using the implement, wherein the force movers the blister card into the blister card carrier;

detecting a mark on the blister card using a detecting element; and

removing the force from the blister card at a time determined based on the time that the mark is detected at a predefined location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the implement comprises a pin.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein placing the implement comprises placing the pin in a pin slot of the blister card.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein placing the implement comprises placing the pin in contact with a trailing edge of the blister card.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the implement comprises a wheel.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein placing the implement comprises placing the wheel on one of a top surface of the blister card and a bottom surface of the blister card.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the mark comprises one or more of the following:

a bar code;

a bar code label;

a dot;

an indentation; and

a hole.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the detecting element comprises one or more of the following:

a bar code scanner;

a sensor; and

a mechanical switch.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

automatically determining a location of a blister within the blister card based on the location of the mark.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

guiding the blister card using one or more chamfered edges, wherein each chamfered edge is formed using one or more of a bottom rail of the blister card carrier and a top rail of the blister card carrier.