Child-Resistant Packaging System and Method for Making Same

Abstract

A medication dosage unit packaging system includes a tray for holding a blister containing a plurality of unit chambers. The blister is divided into a general access zone containing at least one general access unit chamber and a restricted access zone containing at least one restricted access unit chamber. The general access zone and the restricted access zone are separated by a chamber-free zone. A retaining cap holds the blister package in the tray. The retaining cap and the tray have therebetween a guide post fitting into a guide slot in the chamber-free zone in the blister. The guide post and the guide slot are positioned in the tray such that when a blister package is held in the tray by the retaining cap, the blister is slidable between a first position in which only the general access zone of the blister is accessible, and a second position which both the general access zone and the limited access zone of the blister are accessible. A child-resistant hinging cap is hingeably mounted into the tray, such that when the hinging cap is in a closed position, it locks the blister package in its first position, and when the hinging cap is in an opened position, it allows the blister package to be slid into its second position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. provisional Application No. 60 / 519,601, filed on Nov. 13, 2003, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for dispensing and accessing packaged items. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a multi-function child-resistant packaging system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In the pharmaceutical industry, many types of packaging have been developed for unit doses such as pills, capsules, tablets, chewables, and the like. One type of packaging is the conventional blister pack. In a typical blister pack, a thermoforming technique is used to fabricate a plastic shell containing individual chambers for holding small consumable items such as pills. A backing is then affixed to the back of the shell, thereby enclosing each pill in its own chamber. Individual pills are releas...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Thus, a package according to the present invention provides easy access to the general access items while providing a child-resistant system to limit access to restricted access items. Easy access to the general access items is desirable for the elderly, for people with impaired dexterity, or for the convenience of users of medications that are not dangerous. In addition, the pack frame provides leverage that may be useful in ejecting both the restricted the general access items out of the blister pack.

Problems solved by technology

However, a survey of the packaging arts does not reveal an apparatus that provides both child-resistant access and free access to respective portions of the same blister pack.

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