Containment for thin film strips and like individual dosage forms

The invention concerns a containment for thin film strips and like individual dosage forms in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

Orally consumable thin film strips and like individual dosage forms have become important consumer products for the dispensing of various substances such as breath fresheners, pharmaceutically active compounds, and other confections. The product is presented as a single dosage form, which has the advantage that the risk of an accidental overdose is reduced. Heretofore such individual dosage forms are very often packed into separate pouches, each pouch containing one single dosage form, such as, e.g., a thin film strip or like confection. The pouch is supposed to prevent degradation of the active ingredient(s) due to exposure to moisture, air and light. Further, consumers often appreciate the consumption of an individually packed product because this indicates to them that they are the only one that has handled the actual product since it was packed.

Along with the benefits of individually packaged products there also come some drawbacks. These drawbacks may not be of further concern in many of the frequent uses of orally consumable products, that is, e.g., for candy, breath fresheners and the like. However, they may be rather troublesome in the case of products containing pharmaceutically active ingredients. One major concern of the manufacturers of individual dosage forms, which are presented in an individually wrapped confection, especially in the case of small products such as medications, is that the medication may be confused with candy by small children. Written warnings as to the contents are ineffective because small children very often have not yet learned how to read.

In WO 2006/017462 a peelable pouch is described which is supposed to overcome many of the drawbacks mentioned above. In one embodiment the peelable pouch comprises an essentially rectangular compartment for containing a thin film strip. The pouch is provided with a tear promoting slit in a lateral peripheral portion of the of the pouch where it is sealed. The tear promoting slit points towards the compartment housing the product and is arranged near the upper end of the compartment at a distance from the lateral outer edge of the pouch. In order to be opened the pouch must be folded at least partially along a

folding line across the tear promoting slit so as to access the slit and to allow the pouch to be torn along the slit. The tear so produced finally extends fully transverse across the upper end of the compartment. Once this first tearing step has been completed, the two layers of the pouch must be grabbed with the fingers and must be peeled along the laterally sealed portions of the pouch in order to open the compartment and get access to the thin film strip contained therein. A number of thin film strips, individually packed in pouches may be stored inside a conventional outer box or container.

This pouch in outer box solution is believed to be "child-resistant", meaning that a child may not accidentally open the pouch. However the suggested solution still has certain drawbacks. To access the individual dosage form is rather cumbersome. First the outer box must be opened, then a pouch must be removed from the box. Next the upper portion of the pouch must be folded and torn off. Then the two layers of the pouch must be grabbed and peeled apart in order finally get access to the thin film strip. Thus the child-resistant design of the containment of the product results in numerous handling steps until the single unit dosage form can be administered. In particular elderly people may not be capable to perform all these handling steps. The pouch itself is waste and must be disposed of. Very often this disposal is not accomplished in a proper manner which leads to unnecessary pollution. The pouch in outer box package is a rather expensive packaging, which increases the costs of the product.

Hence, even though the pouch in outer box solution may be acceptable for certain kinds of medications, in which the costs of the containment is only of minor importance, it is desirable to find a solution for the storage and administration of individual dosage forms, which is easier and cheaper in manufacture, which is child-resistant without presenting handling problems for elderly people or people who are physically challenged, and which is capable of being easily modified in order to store products in which degradation of the active ingredient(s) due to exposure to moisture, air and light must be prevented. In particular, a containment is to be provided which may be used for the storage and individual administration of candies, breath fresheners and the like in form of thin film strips or like individual dosage forms as well as for individual dosage forms of medication containing pharmaceutically active ingredient(s), in particular such in the form of thin film strips and like individual dosage forms.

These objects are met by a containment for thin film strips and like individual dosage forms as it is characterized by the features of claim 1. Further embodiments of the containment according to the invention are the subject of the respective dependent claims.

In accordance with the invention a containment for thin film strips or like individual dosage forms is suggested, which comprises a box-like housing having a base part, two upstanding side-walls, a first and a second end-wall, and a hingedly attached lid. The lid comprises a first and a second closure part, which two closure parts are hingedly attached to one another. One of the first and second end walls at least partly forms a living hinge between one of the two closure parts and the base part and resiliently retains the lid in closing position.

The containment according to the invention may in particular be provided with a two-part lid. The two-part lid, having a first and a second closure part is a pre-requisite for the child- resistance of the containment while at the same time still allowing an easy opening of the containment for elderly people. One of the end-walls at least partly forms a living hinge that resiliently retains the lid in closing position. The containment is provided for the storage and individual administration of candies, breath fresheners or the like in form of thin film strips or like individual dosage forms as well as for individual dosage forms of medication containing pharmaceutically active ingredient(s). The concept of the containment allows an easy and comparably inexpensive manufacture.

In one embodiment of the containment according to the invention the first and second closure parts are connected with one another by a film hinge. Film hinges are cheap and easy in their manufacture and are compatible with well known mass manufacture processes. Film hinges possess enough stability and endurance to withstand multiple opening and closure cycles of the lid until the contents of the containment have been completely removed.

In a further embodiment of the containment according to the invention the first closure part is connected to the base part via at least a portion of the first end wall which forms the living hinge. In this embodiment the second closure part is provided with a locking means to releasably engage with the second end wall. In this embodiment the opening mechanism and the locking mechanism of the lid are split. While the second closure part is responsible

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for locking the lid, the first closure part is part of the mechanism for opening the lid, which is enabled by the living hinge between the first closure part and the base part.

In a very simple and reliable embodiment of the containment according to the invention, the locking means is a hook which is located on a lower face of the second closure part and positively locks under a shoulder provided on the second end wall.

The second closure part at the film hinge is preferably pre-stressed into an opening condition, pivotably away from the box-like housing. The second closure part, which enables access to the products contained within the box like housing once opened tends to remain in an open position. This facilitates the removal of a thin film strip or the like. In order to close the containment again, the user is to press on the second closure part until the locking means catches below the shoulder on the inside of the second end wall. It is to be noted, that the second part may have a shorter longitudinal extension than the first closure part. Thus, only a smaller portion of the lid may be opened and the risk of unintentionally spilling the contents of the containment is substantially reduced.

In an assembled state the first closure part is permanently secured to the first and second side walls, but it is arranged laterally displaceable with respect to these side walls. By the lateral displacement of the first closure part, preferably within predetermined end positions, the locking means of the second closure part are released from engagement with the shoulder at the inside of the second end wall, and the second closure part snaps into an open position, away from the box-like housing, thus allowing access to the contents of the containment.

In a further embodiment of the containment according to the invention, the first closure part is secured in a sliding fit provided at and extending in the longitudinal direction of the first and second side walls and of the first closure part, respectively. Upon assembly, the first closure part is pressed onto the two upstanding side-walls until it snaps into the sliding fit where it is secured against a vertical dislocation but is allowed to be laterally displaced within predetermined end positions.

In order to make the lateral displacement of the first closure part easier for the user, in accordance with a further embodiment of the containment according to the invention the top

face of the first closure part may be provided with grip enhancing means, such as, e.g. with a number of ribs, protrusions, or the like.

The individual components of the containment, the box-like housing, the living hinge and the hingedly attached lid may be made of materials which are distinct from each other. In one embodiment of the containment according to the invention, however, which is desirable both from an ecological and from an economical point of view, all components are made of the same material. Thus, when the containment is empty the user can dispose of it as a whole and give it to the respective kind of recyclable plastics disposal.

From an economic point of view it will be appreciated, that the concept of the containment facilitates its manufacture in one piece. Thus, in a further embodiment of the containment according to the invention the box-like housing (with the upstanding walls and the living hinge) and the hingedly attached lid are made of one piece. Suitable manufacturing processes are known from the prior art and include injection molding and blow molding of the containment. Accordingly, in a particular embodiment of the containment according to the invention, the box-like housing and the hingedly attached lid are made of an extrudable and injection moldable or blow moldable plastics.

It has been pointed out above that the inventive concept of the containment is provided for the storage and individual administration of candies, breath fresheners or the like in form of thin film strips and like individual dosage forms as well as for individual dosage forms of medication containing pharmaceutically active ingredient(s). In order to avoid degradation of the pharmaceutically active ingredients, a further embodiment of the the containment according to the invention further comprises a resilient, rubber-like insert which is adapted to be received within the box-like housing. The insert has a bottom part and upstanding side-walls and end-walls, and defines a compartment for the thin film strips or like individual dosage forms.

The rubber-like insert provides a sealing of the containment against humidity and air. It also may protect the contents against light, which depending on the materials used for the containment, might not be sufficiently shielded. Thus, the containment equipped with the resilient, rubber-like insert is provided for a direct storage of thin film strips and like individual dosage forms, which do not have to be packaged in separate outer pouches or

the like. Within the thus sealed containment the thin film strips do not curl and the pharmaceutically active ingredients are protected against degradation. The thin film strips or like individual dosage forms may be removed individually from the containment and directly administered. The consumer does no longer have to open a pouch or another individual packaging any more. By ceasing to apply an individual packaging of the individual dosage forms costs may be saved. Also, waste due to the individual packaging is reduced, which is very desirable from an ecological point of view.

In order to enhance the sealing effect of the insert, in a further embodiment of the containment according to the invention the side-walls and the end-walls of the insert have a height which is selected such, that in the inserted state and with closed lid the side-walls and end-walls of the insert are slightly compressed. Besides the increased sealing effect the slight compression also provides for a secure position of the insert inside the box-like housing.

In order to facilitate the removal of the individual thin film strips from the containment, in one embodiment of the containment according to the invention, the bottom part of the insert at one of its end portions comprises a ramp that extends in a longitudinal direction of the insert from the bottom part at least to part of the highness of the adjacent end-wall. Preferably, the steepness of the ramp is selected such that a thin film strip may be slid out of the opened containment without abutting the second end-wall.

In another embodiment of the containment according to the invention the insert and/or the box-like housing may be provided with positioning means for ensuring a proper positioning of the insert within the box-like housing. The positioning means may be clamping means or positive interlocking means, e.g. in the form of receptacles for the edges of the insert at the base part of the box-like housing. The receptacles may be matched to the outer shape of the insert, in order to avoid an incorrect insertion thereof.

As has been pointed out above, a containment according to the invention which is equipped with a resilient, rubber-like insert that acts as a sealant may be used for the storage of a stack of thin film strips and like individual dosage forms which are presented without any outer packaging, and for the individual dispensing thereof.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the containment, reference being made to the schematic drawings which are not to scale, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a containment according to the instant invention in a top plan view;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the containment according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows the containment of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 with completely opened lid prior to assembly;

Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section of the containment according to Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an embodiment of a sliding fit;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing the interlocking of the lid, in accordance with Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the containment according to Figs. 1 and 2 in the state of getting opened;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the containment according to Figs. 1 and 2 in the opened state;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a resilient ruber-like insert; and

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment of the containment according to the invention, with a rubber-like insert.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a first embodiment of a containment in accordance with the invention is generally designated with reference numeral 100. It comprises a box-like housing 1 having a base part 2, two upstanding side-walls 3, 4 and a first 5 and a second end-wall 6 (in the embodiment shown the first end wall 5 is the rear wall and the second end wall 6 is the front wall). A lid 7 is hingedly attached to the base part 2. The lid 7 serves for closure of the

housing 2 and may be repeatedly opened and closed. The lid is made of a first 8 and a second closure part 9 wich are connected with one another by a film hinge 10. The first closure part 8, which may have a greater length than the second closure part 9, is provided on its upper face with gripping means 12. The gripping means 12 are shaped as ribs or protrusions which extend beyond the upper surface of the first closure part 8. The rear wall 5 at least partially forms a resilient, hinge-like connection between the base part 2 of the box-like housing 1 and the first closure part 8 of the lid 7. More specifically, the first end-wall forms a living hinge 1 1 the functionality of which will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

Fig. 3 shows the containment 100 in a completely opened state, before assembly. From Fig. 3 it becomes clear that the containment is made of one piece. The containment is preferably produced by an injection molding or by a blow molding process using a suitable plastics. These manufacturing processes are most suitable for the mass production of products like containments and are well known in the art. In Fig. 3 the interconnected individual components of the containment 100 are designated with the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2. The second closure part 9 bears a hook 91 which serves as a locking means with a correspondingly shaped element of the front wall 6. The first closure part 8 is provided with securing means 81 which, after assembly of the containment 100, securly retain the first closure part 8 against a re-opening thereof. Fig. 3 shows that the living hinge 1 1 does not extend across the entire length of the rear wall 5, but that a short portion thereof remains standing.

Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section of the assembled containment 100. From there it becomes clear that after assembly the first closure part 8 is permanently secured to the side-walls 3, 4 of the box-like housing 1. For that purpose, the securing means 81 , which are provided on both longitudinal sides of the first closure part 8, positively lock in corresponding locking elements, which are provided in the side-walls 3, 4. While the first closure part 8 is thus secured against a re-opening, it is at the same time allowed to move laterally with respect to the side-walls. For that purpose, the corresponding locking elements at the internal faces of the side-walls are shaped as grooves 41 , which extend in a longitudinal direction of the side-walls 3,4 , are adapted to receive the securing means 81. In Fig. 4 one of the grooves 41 is shown in hatched lines. The length of the grooves 41 is greater than the length of the securing means 81 at the first closure part 8. Thus, the first

closure part 8 is capable of being laterally displaced with respect to the side-walls 3, 4. The extent of lateral displacement depends on the length of the grooves 41.

The detailed sectional view in Fig. 5 shows how the securing means 81 on one longitudinal side of the first closure part 8 engages with the groove 41 in one of the side-walls 3 and thus forms a sliding fit for the first closure part 8.

From Fig. 4 and from the detailed view in Fig. 6 it becomes clear that in the closed state of the containment 100 the hook 91 positively locks under a shoulder 61 which is provided at the top end of the front wall 6.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the functionality of the containment 100. Fig. 7 shows the containment 100 in a state of getting opened. For that purpose, the user holds the housing 1 of the containment 100 in his hand and puts his thumb on the gripping means 12 on the top face of closure part 8. By pushing the lid 7 in the direction towards the first rear wall 5, the first closure member 8 is laterally displaced as it is indicated by the arrow L. The lateral displacement of the first closure member 8 is accomplished against the resilient force of the living hinge 1 1 , which tends to keep the lid 7 in its closed position. The second closure part 9 which is connected with the first closure part 8 via the film hinge 10 follows the lateral displacement, and the hook 91 slides out of engagement with the shoulder at the front wall 6. The film hinge 10 is shaped such that it resiliently forces the second closure part 9 into an open state, away from the box-like housing 1. Thus, when the hook 91 is released the second closure member 9 snaps into an open position, which is indicated by arrow O. The contents of the containment 100, e.g. a thin film strip, may now be taken out through the opening 13.

The containment 100 stays in the open state as it is indicated in Fig. 8. The living hinge 1 1 resiliently forces the first closure member 8 towards its starting position. The second closure member 9 must follow the lateral motion of the first closure member 8. Closure of the containment 100 is accomplished by simply pushing the second closure member 9 into its closed position until the hook 91 catches under the shoulder of the front wall 6. The closing movement is indicated in Fig. 8 by arrow C.

In Fig. 9 a resilient rubber-like insert 20 is shown, which is adapted to be received within a containment according to the invention. The resilient rubber-like insert 20 has a bottom part 21 and upstanding side-walls 22, 23 and end-walls 24, 25. Thus a compartment 26 for receiving a stack of thin film strips T is provided.

Fig. 10 finally shows a second embodiment of the containment, which is generally designated 120. The containment 120 is equipped with a resilient rubber-like insert 20 of the kind that is shown in Fig. 9. The other elements of the containment 120 basically correspond to those of the embodiment illustrated and described with reference to Figs. 1- 8. Therefore, like elements are designated with the same reference numerals. The side- walls and the end walls of the insert 20 have a height which is slightly greater than that corresponding to the distance between the base part 2 and the lid 7 in the closed state of the containment 120. Thus, in the closed state the insert 20 is slightly compressed, which contributes to the sealing effect of the resilient rubber-like insert 20. The insert 20 is secured inside the box-like housing 1 by positioning means 14 which protrude from the base part 2. The positioning means 14 may be clamping means or positive interlocking means in the form of receptacles for the edges of the insert 20. Preferably they are matched to the outer shape of the insert 20 in order to avoid incorrect insertion thereof. The bottom part 21 of the insert 20 has a ramp 27 that extends at least to part of the height of the adjacent end-wall. The steepness of the ramp 27 is selected such, that a thin film strip T may be slid out of the opened containment 101 without abutting the front wall 6.

A containment 120 equipped with the resilient, rubber-like insert 20 is best suited for a direct storage of thin film strips T and like individual dosage forms, which do not have to be packaged in separate outer pouches or the like. Within the thus sealed containment 120 the thin film strips T do not curl and the pharmaceutically active ingredients are protected against degradation. The thin film strips T or like individual dosage forms may be removed individually from the containment 120 and directly administered. The consumer does no longer have to open a pouch or another individual packaging any more. By ceasing to apply an individual packaging of the individual dosage forms costs may be saved and waste due to the individual packaging is reduced.