TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a container unit in particular for blister packs containing a plurality of tablets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A lot of medicament is provided to the user packaged in so called blister packs, which consist of a backing plane or foil onto which tablets are placed and a further foil, having cavities, is then attached to the backing plane where the tablets are arranged in the cavities. In order to obtain a tablet the user presses on the outside of the cavity whereby the pressure breaks the backing plane and the tablet is released from the cavity. Both the backing plane and the foil can consist of several layers.

When the tablets contain rather potent or potentially lethal substances, the backing plane is made of material that is supposed to be made of such a strength that it prevents a child from pressing a tablet through the backing plane. The backing plane could also be tough to break through because special materials need to be used when the tablets are so sensitive that they need to be protected from the environment.

On the other hand persons with weak hands or other functional disorders regarding using their hands and fingers, reduced manual dexterity, have difficulties in pressing a tablet through the backing plane, even those that do not have the stronger, tougher backing plane.

Further, persons with vision disabilities may encounter difficulties when handling blister packs and conventional blister pack containers.

Many solutions have been developed for expelling tablets from blister packs, like for example the device shown in US-A-5,356,010 where a medicament container is arranged with a mechanism for puncturing a

foil on one side of a dosage unit section, comprising an orifice where a blister is placed and a lever having a protrusion, which cuts through the foil.

The drawback with the described device is that at least the lever and the protrusion has to be of a relatively stiff and rigid material in order to be able to cut through the backing plane. As the device is a part of the package for the blister packs this means that either the whole pack is made of that material or that the device is an attachment to an ordinary package, usually made of cardboard. The tablet is further not expelled from the blister pack, this has still to be done manually by the user.

Another device for dispensing tablets from a blister pack is disclosed in WO 03/070598 comprising a sleeve-shaped container for storage of a blister pack, and a lever pivotally attached to the outer surface of the container. The lever is arranged with a protrusion and a cavity is arranged in the line of movement of the protrusion of the lever. A blister pack is placed so that one blister is arranged over the cavity. When the lever is lowered and pressed against the blister pack the protrusion presses a tablet out of the blister through the backing plane into the cavity.

One drawback with the device according to WO 03/070598 is the potential difficulty of taking out a blister pack from the container. Cut- outs are arranged at the container opening but a person with functional disabilities of their fingers may have difficulties grasping and pulling the blister pack. Further the tablet receiving cavity is rather small and the user has to tilt the container and try to catch the tablet when "poured" out of the cavity, whereby the tablet may be dropped or lost. Another drawback with the embodiment shown is that the guide means for positioning the blisters over the cavity necessitates that the blisters have a certain orientation and position in relation to the edges of the

blister pack. The rather short lever also limits the positioning possibilities of the blister pack in relation to the cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a container for blister packs of medicament arranged with dispensing means that is easy to handle regarding taking out a blister pack, dispensing a tablet from the blister pack, and handling the dispensed tablet at the same time as the blister pack is completely protected from the environment when stored in the container. Advantageously the container replaces conventional containers or packages for blister packs, such as cardboard boxes and the like, while at the same time provides added functional features for aiding users.

Since, according to one aspect of the invention, the container unit is intended to be used as the secondary packaging, instead of the conventional packages of cardboard, it is important that the production costs are kept as low as possible.

The aim of the present invention is solved according to the features of independent claim 1. Preferable embodiments of the invention form subject of the dependent patent claims.

According to a main aspect of the invention it is characterized by a container unit for containing and dispensing tablets arranged in blister packs, the device comprising a base part having a compartment with walls and a bottom arranged to contain at least one blister pack, characterized by a lid pivotally arranged to said base part and capable of opening and closing said compartment, a dispensing unit comprising a protrusion arranged to said lid and an opening arranged in said base part facing towards said lid, wherein, when the lid is open, a blister can be positioned over the cavity, and when the lid is closed, the protrusion

is arranged and positioned such that it expels a tablet from the blister into said opening.

According to a further aspect of the invention, it is characterized in that the pivotal arrangement between the base and the lid is placed distal from said opening.

According to yet an aspect of the invention, it is characterized in that said opening communicates with a space capable of receiving the expelled tablet.

Preferably the pivotal arrangement is obtained by a flexible material capable of withstanding a plurality of bending actions.

Preferably the container unit is arranged with guide means, which preferably has a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the tablet to be dispensed, and has a generally cylindrical shape and displaying resilient properties.

The benefits of the present invention are several. With the design of the device the lid has a dual function. It is used to open and close the blister compartment where it enables easy access to a blister pack. This is important for persons with inferior functions of hands and fingers, for which even opening of a conventional cardboard package might be difficult. When the lid is open it is possible to "pour" out a blister pack. On the other hand, when the lid is closed, the blister pack and thus the medicament is well protected from damage.

The lid also acts as a part of the dispensing unit for dispensing tablets from blisters. Because pivotal arrangement of the Hd is remote from the dispensing unit, it is possible to arrange the blister pack in many different positions and orientations in relation to the dispensing unit.

The blister pack thus has not to be much adapted to the container unit or vice versa.

Since the container unit preferably comprises a space for receiving the expelled tablet, the risk of dropping the tablet is reduced. It might even be possible to replace the blister pack in the device and close the lid before the tablet is administered, since it is contained in the space.

Since the container unit preferably is arranged with guide means, it is fairly easy for a user to guide the blister pack so that a certain blister is arranged in position to be dispensed, which is a particular advantage both for persons with shaky hands as well as persons with vision disabilities. The guide reduces the risk of damaging the tablet by guiding the orientation and position of the tablet. When the lid is pressed against the base for dispensing the tablet, the resiliency of the guide means that it does not impede or obstruct the dispensing of the tablet at the same time as the blister is kept in the proper position.

Preferably the device is manufactured from plastic material where the properties of the plastic material may be utilized for the pivotal arrangement where a plastic bridge between the base and the lid acts as a hinge. The device could then be molded in one piece for reducing production costs.

These and other aspects of and advantages with the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following detailed description of the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, of which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention in a closed non-active position,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view according to Fig. 1 in an open position,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view according to Fig. 1 in a closed active position,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention, in a closed purchasing state,

Fig. 5 is another perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is the perspective view of Fig. 4 when a transport seal has been removed,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view when the lid of the container unit is partly opened,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view when the container unit of Fig. 4 is completely open,

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of how the embodiment of Fig. 4 can be stacked prior to packaging of blisters,

Fig. 10 shows a variant of Fig. 8 with another type of blister fixating means, and

Fig. 11 shows how use of the embodiment of Fig. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device according to the invention shown in the figures comprises a first part 10, in the following named base, having a bottom and walls,

forming a space 12 large enough to accommodate at least one blister pack 14 of ordinary size, the space in the following named blister compartment. It is of course possible to reduce or enlarge the size of the space in order to accommodate a particular blister pack size.

Adjacent one of the walls, a space 16, in the following named dispensing space, is arranged, having an opening 18 facing upwards and another opening 20 facing to the side. Pivotally attached to the first part is a second part 22, which in the embodiment shown is pivotally attached to an edge on the side wall opposite to the dispensing space. The second part is arranged as a lid for opening and closing the blister compartment and is arranged with appropriate fastening means for detachably fastening the lid to the base. The pivotal arrangement of the lid to the base may be done in many ways, such as ordinary hinges, but may also be done by a bridge of material capable of being bent a multitude of times without breaking. The lid may be pivotally movable at least 90° but preferably up to 180° in order to facilitate the taking out and replacing of blister packs.

On the lid surface facing the base when in closed position, a protrusion 24 is arranged, which in the closed position protrudes into the upward facing opening 18.

The device according to the invention is intended to function as follows. The blister compartment 12 in the base 10 could house at least one blister pack. When the lid part is closed and releasably attached to the base the blister pack(s) is protected from being damaged.

When a user is to take a tablet, the lid 22 is pivotally opened, which completely opens the blister compartment, which thus facilitates the removal of a blister pack. The bottom of the blister compartment may also be arranged with a through-going opening that further facilitates

the removal of blister packs, because the user can put a finger in the opening and push the blisters out of the compartment.

The user positions one of the blisters containing a tablet over the upwards facing opening, with the blister facing upwards. Guide means may be arranged to facilitate the positioning of the blister over the opening. The guide means may be a fork-like member 25 resiliently attached to the lower surface of the lid, where the distance between the fork pins approximately corresponds to the width of a blister. It is then possible to guide the blister between the forks pins. Other guide means are of course feasible. The important thing is that the guide means does not impede the possibilities of arranging and positioning the blister, regardless of the position or orientation of the blister and the blister pack. The lid could also be arranged as a window or lens 28 at least adjacent the protrusion so that the user is able of viewing the proper position of the blister as the lid is lowered. In that aspect it is also conceivable to have some sort of means for holding the lid in a position where the protrusion is somewhat above the opening in order to facilitate the positioning of the blister pack without having to hold the lid at the same time and to provide fine adjustment of the blister. This may be done by a resilient tongue between the base and the lid, or protrusions arranged near the hinge resting on the upper edge of the base when in this position.

The user then presses the lid downwards whereby the protrusion 24 presses against the blister and thus the tablet. The guide member then deflects up against the lower surface of the lid. The pressing action causes the backing plane to break and to expel a tablet through the opening and into the dispensing compartment.

Because the pivotal arrangement is positioned on the device distal to the opening, the blister pack can be oriented and positioned freely for expelling tablets without the pivotal arrangement being in the way. The

device is capable of handling blister packs with a large number of blister rows and form of the blisters/ tablets. There is thus no need for the blisters to have certain specific orientations or positions on the blister pack in order to fully use the device.

The user can now tilt the device slightly to expel the tablet through the side opening of the dispensing compartment. Because the side opening preferably is rather narrow, it is possible for the user to put the blister pack back in the blister compartment and close the lid before taking the tablet, without too large a risk of dropping the tablet. When the device is not in use, the blister packs are protected inside, where the lid and base are arranged with suitable releasable fastening members. The fastening members could comprise protrusions or knobs on one part fitting into recesses of the other part, resilient locking hooks fitting into corresponding ledges of recesses, where the locking hooks may be deflectable by a pressing action from the user.

Preferably the pivotal arrangement between the base and the lid is arranged as a bridge of a material capable of withstanding a plurality of bending actions without breaking. In that aspect, in order to keep production costs low, the base and the lid may be molded in one piece from a suitable plastic with a plastic bridging functioning as the pivotal arrangement. The device may be made of PP (polypropylene) or may be vacuum formed by a number of materials such as PET. It is also conceivable to mold the two parts and have an elastomer molded into the two parts. It is further conceivable to make the device of POM (polyoxymetylene), even though this is a more expensive material.

When using this type of pivotal arrangement it might be advantageous to have some sort of guide means in order to prevent the lid from moving slightly sideways in relation to the base during the pressing action, thereby preventing the risk of the protrusions sliding off the blister. Fig. 2 shows that side edges of the lid is arranged with

downwardly directed longitudinal walls 30 that cooperate with longitudinal extending cut-outs 32 on the side surfaces of the base. When the lid is lowered the downwardly extending walls co-operate with the cut-outs to provide a guide during the closing of the Hd.

Because the lid preferably may be openable 180°, this may facilitate the packaging of blister packs in an automated packaging line. An adhesive band or label may also be arranged over the whole, or parts of, the gap between the base and lid, which has to be broken in order to open the device. This is an indication for the user that the medicament contained in the device has not been tampered with.

Figures 4 to 11 show a second embodiment of the present invention. Like with the first embodiment it comprises a base part 50 having a bottom 52, a front and a rear wall 54 a and b, and side walls 56, Fig. 8, forming a space 58, blister pack compartment, for accommodating at least one blister pack, preferably more than one. As for the first embodiment, it is possible to enlarge or reduce the size of the space and/ or base part depending on the actual size of a blister pack to be accommodated.

Adjacent the front end wall 54a a dispensing space 60 is arranged. With the present embodiment, the space is not centered but rather placed in the corner of the front end wall and a side wall. The space is open upwards and has an dispensing opening 62 in the front end wall. The opening is arranged with a low ledge 64, the function of which will be explained below.

The bottom 52 of the blister pack compartment 58 is arranged with a rib 66 or the like protrusion near the dispensing space. As can be seen in Fig. 7, when blister packs are placed in the blister pack compartment, there is a space 68 adjacent the dispensing space where a user can put one finger and because of the rib in the bottom the

blisters are raised somewhat in that end. It is thus easy to remove one blister from, the blister pack compartment.

The embodiment further comprises a Hd 70 pivotally arranged to the base via a hinge 72. The lid is arranged with side walls 74 extending from the rear end of the container unit. Towards the front end of the lid the side walls are cut away in order to make it possible to grip the side walls of the base when the lid is closed when opening the lid. The rear end of the lid is arranged with inwardly extending ledges 76, Fig.s 5 and 8, that, when the lid is closed, grips around the corner of the base, thereby providing a hold of the lid in the closed position, Fig. 5. Further the side walls 74 of the lid are preferably arranged so that they are in contact with the side walls 56 of the base, providing a friction between them, which enables the lid to be positioned partly open, Fig. 7 and stay in that position.

The lid 70 is further arranged with a guide means 78 for facilitating the pulling out of one tablet from a blister pack. Figs. 7 and 8 disclose one type comprising a cylinder-like guide having a number of alternatively arranged slots 80 with some land 82 between the slots. This provides a resiliency in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder. In the center of the guide means a protrusion 84 is arranged. The guide and the protrusion is arranged above the dispensing space 60. The cross- sectional shape of the guide is in the shown embodiment circular with a certain diameter generally corresponding to the shape and size of the tablet. In general the shape and size of the cross-section of the guide is generally adapted to the tablets of the blister pack to be used with the container unit.

This solution is intended for container units where the same material is used in the whole device, such as for example polypropylene (PP), where the whole unit is made in one mould.

Fig. 10 shows an alternative guide means 86 wherein the cylinder itself is made of a rather resilient material. The guide is then attached to the lid in a suitable fashion after the unit has been mould. This solutions requires a further component to be attached, which thus requires an additional manufacturing step in relation to the first alternative. On the other hand if the container unit is to be used for different tablets with different shapes and sizes, the second alternative is more versatile and adaptive in that one only has to attach a guide with the corresponding cross-sectional shape. For the first alternative, a new mould form has to be produced for each different shape of tablet to be used with the container unit.

When the container unit of the present invention is to be used for the first time, it is delivered with a strip 90 of an adhesive material arranged around the front end corner of the lid and base, Fig. 4, and covering the dispensing opening 62. The strip has a dual purpose; it locks the lid against the base during transport and storage and it indicates if someone has tampered with the container unit. The indication is also noticeable for visually impaired because the strip covers the opening. It is thus easy for a visually impaired person to feel if the container unit has been tampered with.

In order to open the lid the strip 90 has to be torn off. In order to be able to grip the strip, it is arranged with a tongue 92 and a cut-out 94 in the lower edge of the front end wall, Fig. 4. The user grips the tongue and pulls the strip upwards. The strip is preferably arranged with perforations 96 or the like rip means so that the strip is removed from the lid. However two narrow bands 97 are left when the strip is removed. This is to make it more difficult to tamper with the container unit and fasten the strip again so that it looks unopened. The narrow bands are broken when the lid is lifted, Fig. 6.

When a user is to take a tablet of medicament, the lid is opened and the user can remove one blister pack by using a finger in the space 68 adjacent the dispensing space 60. Because of the rib 66 in the bottom it is easy to take out a blister pack, also the lowest. It also gives the user a view of how many blister packs that are contained in the blister compartment. Because the blister packs are sloping somewhat to the rear end of the blister compartment, there is some additional space in that area above the blister packs. This space may be used for placing a package leaflet for the medicament. Because the blisters are arranged in a stack and taken out from above, the user has a better control of the blister pack that is currently used, because this blister pack always is the uppermost, in contrast to conventional cardboard packages where the user withdraws one blister pack, takes a tablet and puts it back into the packages. The next time it might not be the same blister pack that is withdrawn from the package, and the user may have to withdraw several blister packs in order to find the currently used one.

The user then places one blister containing a tablet over the dispensing space 60 and lowers the lid 70 so that the blister is placed in the guide 78. This operation is facilitated because the lid, due to the friction between the side walls of the base and the side walls of the lid, is held in any position and does not fall down. Due to that the guide is arranged with slots 80 according to the first alternative, the user can see that the blister is in the right position. With the second alternative of the guide it may be made of a transparent material for visibility. Further lowering or pressing of the lid causes the guide to compress due to the slots for the first alternative and for the second alternative due to the resiliency of the material of the guide. The protrusion 84 in the guide means then presses the tablet out of the blister and into the dispensing compartment 60.

Because the side opening is arranged with a small ledge 64, the tablet does not so easily fall out, which is an advantage for users with shaky

hands. In order to have the tablet, the user tilts the container unit and lets the tablet fall out through the dispensing opening 62 and down into the hand of the user. Instead of the ledge, the bottom of the dispensing compartment can be arranged sloping somewhat away from the dispensing opening or have a semi-spherical shape. Further the dispensing opening may be placed in the side wall of the base as an alternative to the front end wall.

The second embodiment is designed also with facilitating the manufacture and storage in mind. As can be seen from Fig. 8 the lid is openable 180° which facilitates placing blister packs in the blister compartment. In that position the underside of the container unit is completely flat. As can be seen from Fig. 9 it is also possible to stack the container units on top of each other when open. There are feet 97 arranged on the underside of the base bottom, arranged such that when one container unit is placed onto of another, the feet are placed in three of the corners of the blister pack compartment and in the dispensing space. The container units are also stackable when the lid is closed because the feet of one container unit fits in longitudinal grooves 98 on top of the lid. It is of course conceivable to arrange other stack fixating means than feet and grooves.

Apart from the adhesive strip, the container unit of the present invention may be arranged with several types of labels, imprints and indicia on almost all its surfaces. It is preferable to have a label on the top of the lid, indicating the brand of the medicament. Rather than having a package leaflet in the blister pack compartment, the leaflet could be designed as a part of the top label, unfoldable when a part of the label is removed from the lid. It is further preferable to have labels on the front end wall so that a user or a customer can identify the type and brand of medicament when a plurality of container units are stored on a shelf or in a medicament cabinet. It is further conceivable to

arrange Braille characters on labels attached to the container unit or directly with the container unit material.

It is also conceivable that the blister pack compartment is divided, i.e. has a smaller rear compartment where tablet halves may be placed when a patient only takes half a tablet each time. It is also conceivable to have a plurality of guides of the second variant, each having a different shape and size of its cross-section. It is then convenient for a user to replace one guide with another when the container unit is used for another type of blister pack tablets.

According to one aspect of the invention the container unit is intended to be the secondary package for medicament, thus replacing the conventional cardboard packages. Information regarding the medicament should thus be presented on the device. This may be obtained in many different ways, by for example attaching labels to the outer surface of the device, to print information on the device or to produce the device in a transparent material and to arrange information on the inner surface of, and visible through, the device, or to mould in a decoration.

With a container unit according to the present invention, it would be possible to pack the tablets closer on one blister, or making the tablets smaller, without making it harder to dispense a tablet.

The container may include an opening or cavity shaped after the tablet functioning as a holder to facilitate the breaking of the tablet into halves if the tablet is of the kind that needs to be broken into halves for dosing. The opening or cavity may be placed on any suitable surface of the container unit, like for example on the outer surface of the lid.

The container unit may further be arranged with electronics that assist the user to remember taking the tablet at prescribed times, e.g. with

sound and light alarm. It may also be arranged with an RFID chip, for tracing and identifying a container unit, other communication means for e.g. communicating with a mobile phone, a computer or the like.

For certain applications and/ or for very potent and possibly lethal drugs the container may be fitted with children protection features to hamper children to open the container, e.g. blocking of lid in such way that a strong or two-hand grip to open container is required.

It is to be understood that the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings is to be regarded as a non-limiting example of the invention, and that it may be modified in many ways within the scope of the patent protection.