Blister pack

Abstract

The blister package (1) comprises a blister film (2) having at least one first recess (23) for a consumable product (3) and at least one second recess (25) for an active piece (5). Each second recess (25) is connected to a first recess (23) by a connecting channel (28). A lid film (4) is sealed to a sealing surface (22) of the blister film (2) to enclose each compartment comprising a first recess (23) and a second recess (25) connected to each other by a connecting channel (28) while keeping the connecting channel (28) open. The blister package (1) further comprises a reinforcement strip (6) having a support (7) configured to at least partially cover the at least one second recess (25) of the blister film while being in contact with the sealing surface (22). In the sealed configuration of the blister package, the support (7) of the reinforcement strip is sealed between the lid film (4) and the blister film (2) in at least one contact area (72).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a blister pack for consumable products, in particular pharmaceutical, health or herbal products, in which active means are provided to regulate the atmosphere surrounding the consumable products. The active means can be chosen from the group of, for example, humidity absorbers, oxygen scavengers, odor absorbers, humidity emitters and / or volatile olfactory organic compound emitters. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a blister pack, as well as a reinforcing strip for a blister pack. BACKGROUND

[0002] Within the meaning of the present invention, a blister pack is any type of packaging having a bottom, typically referred to as a "blister film", in which a plurality of recesses are formed, for example by vacuum forming or pressure forming, wherein each recess is configured to receive a respective consumable product, such as a tablet, capsule, pill, etc. A lid, typically referred to as a "lid film", is placed over the blister film around the periphery of each recess and sealed thereto. In today's blister packs, the blister film is typically formed from a polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), PVC / PVDC combination, PVC / PCTFE combination or polystyrene (PS), or from a cold formed blister laminate comprising an aluminum foil laminated with a polymeric film using dry bonding lamination technology. The lid film is typically an aluminum foil containing a heat seal lacquer.

[0003] A known solution for integrating active means into a blister pack comprises placing the active means, for example in the form of a desiccant or scavenger extruded film, in each recess containing a consumable product. The problem with this type of blister pack is that, whether it is a "push-through" or a "peel-push-through" blister pack, the user can take out the active means at the same time as the consumable product. For a "push-through" blister pack, the user pushes the blister film at the location of the recess with a finger until the consumable product breaks through the lid film, thus making the active means accessible as well. For a "peel-push-through" blister pack, the user first peels off the upper layer of the double-layer lid film to reveal the lower layer, and then pushes the blister film at the location of the recess until the consumable product breaks through the lower layer of the lid film, thus also gaining access to the active means. This easy accessibility creates the risk of accidental ingestion of the active means. Furthermore, in this known solution, the amount of active material in each recess that can be used to regulate the atmosphere is limited by the size of the recess that receives the consumable product, which does not allow for optimal atmosphere control.

[0004] In another known solution for integrating active pieces into a blister pack, recesses dedicated to active pieces are provided on the blister film, which are connected to the recesses containing consumable products by connection channels. For example, WO9607601A1 discloses a blister film comprising first recesses for consumable products and second recesses for active pieces, wherein each second recess is connected to a first recess by a channel and the cover foil in the area of the second recesses is reinforced by an additional protection sheet, so that the removal of the active pieces is excluded if usual means are employed. This arrangement advantageously limits the risk of being able to access the active pieces and of accidentally swallowing the active pieces. However, the protection sheet is accessible and can still be removed. The addition of the protection sheet to the cover foil in the area of the second recesses also requires specific manufacturing steps, which are not easily implemented on a conventional blister production line.

[0005] The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks more particularly by proposing a blister pack comprising at least one active piece for regulating the atmosphere around the consumable products packaged inside the blister pack, wherein the blister pack reliably prevents a user from accessing the active piece, thus limiting the risk of accidentally swallowing the active piece, and the blister pack can also be easily produced using a conventional blister production line. SUMMARY

[0006] To this end, the subject of the present invention is a blister pack comprising:

[0007] - a blister film having at least one first recess for consumable products and at least one second recess for an active piece, wherein each second recess is connected to a first recess by a connection channel, the blister film having a sealing surface extending around the periphery of the first and second recesses and of each connection channel,

[0008] - a cover film sealed to the sealing surface of the blister film to close each compartment comprising a first recess and a second recess connected to each other by a connection channel, while leaving the connection channels open,

[0009] wherein the blister pack further comprises a reinforcement strip having a support configured to at least partially cover the at least one second recess of the blister film, while being in contact with the sealing surface of the blister film in at least one contact area at the periphery of the at least one second recess,

[0010] wherein, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack, the support of the reinforcement strip is sealed between the cover film and the blister film in the at least one contact area.

[0011] According to the application, the support of the reinforcing strip covers each second recess and is sealed between the lidding film and the blister film at the periphery of the second recess, advantageously to one of the lidding film and the blister film and preferably to each of the lidding film and the blister film, which efficiently prevents the user from accessing the active piece and from accidentally ingesting it. Thus, the risk of accidental ingestion of the active piece is reduced. In particular, the support of the reinforcing strip prevents the user from extracting the active piece from the second recess, in particular in a "push-through" or "peel-push-through" manner. The arrangement of the support sealed between the lidding film and the blister film ensures that the support is firmly attached to the blister package and cannot be removed by the user. Advantageously, the support of the reinforcing strip is made of a material that allows it to be sealed, in particular heat-sealed, between the lidding film and the blister film in the same manufacturing step as the sealing, in particular heat-sealing, of the lidding film to the sealing surface of the blister film. In one embodiment, in the sealed configuration of the blister package, the support of the reinforcing strip is sealed, in particular heat-sealed, between the lidding film and the blister film and to each of the lidding film and the blister film in the at least one contact area.

[0012] According to one feature of the application, the reinforcing strip comprises a support and at least one active piece fixed to the support, so that, in the case where the at least one active piece is received in a second recess, the support at least partially covers the second recess and is in contact with the sealing surface of the blister film in at least one contact area at the periphery of the second recess. Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to insert an active piece into each second recess while positioning the support so as to cover the second recess, thereby simplifying the manufacturing method of the blister package.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the at least one active piece of the reinforcing strip is a solidified polymer-based structure bonded in a molten form to the support. In this way, the reinforcing strip is a one-piece composite part comprising each active piece fixed to the support by thermal bonding, which provides a mechanically robust solution to prevent accidental ingestion of the active piece. Indeed, each active piece is welded to the support, which in turn is welded to the lidding film and to the blister film. Advantageously, the support of the reinforcing strip is also designed to have relatively large dimensions, which further contributes to reducing the risk of accidental ingestion.

[0014] In one embodiment, the at least one active piece of the reinforcement strip is a solidified structure made of a polymeric base material overmolded on the support by injection of a thermoplastic material in a mold cavity in which the support has been placed. Overmolding the at least one active piece has the advantage that it makes it possible for each active piece to have various shapes and for a symbol or an alphanumeric character to be engraved on each active piece, thereby forming, for example, a word, a pictogram or a logo. According to one feature, the support of the reinforcement strip can be formed and / or cut from a polymeric material web. Advantageously, the reinforcement strip can be produced according to a roll-to-roll process, the polymeric material web extending from a first spool to a second spool, the polymeric material web being unwound from the first spool before the overmolding operation and being wound on the second spool after the overmolding operation.

[0015] In one embodiment, the support of the reinforcement strip is made of a first polymeric base material and the at least one active piece of the reinforcement strip is made of a second polymeric base material, the support and the at least one active piece being integrally formed by two-shot injection molding. In this embodiment, the reinforcement strip can be easily and reliably manufactured by two-shot injection molding using a single mold having a first cavity for the support and a second cavity for the at least one active piece. In the same way as overmolding, two-shot injection molding makes it possible for each active piece to have various shapes and for a symbol or an alphanumeric character to be engraved on each active piece, thereby forming, for example, a word, a pictogram or a logo.

[0016] In one embodiment, the at least one active piece of the reinforcement strip is a solidified structure made of a polymeric base material deposited in molten form on the surface of the support, for example by hot-melt extrusion, to thermally bond with the support. In this embodiment, the reinforcement strip can be manufactured using a hot-melt dispensing device that is less expensive than an injection molding device.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the at least one active piece of the reinforcement strip is fixed to the support by an adhesive. For example, the adhesive can be chosen from a rubber adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, an acrylic polymer adhesive, an epoxy adhesive (crosslinkable or not under the action of ultraviolet radiation) or any other material allowing assembly by evaporation of a solvent or by hardening of the adhesive under heat, pressure or for a certain time.

[0018] According to one embodiment, at least one active element of the reinforcing strip is made of a thermoplastic material containing at least one active agent from the following group: moisture absorbers; oxygen scavengers; odor absorbers; and / or emitters of moisture or volatile olfactory organic compounds. Examples of suitable dehydrating agents include, but are not limited to, silica gel, molecular sieves or similar sieves, natural or synthetic zeolites, dehydrated clays, activated alumina, calcium oxide, barium oxide, or deliquescent salts such as magnesium sulfide, calcium chloride, aluminum chloride, lithium chloride, calcium bromide, zinc chloride, and the like. Examples of suitable oxygen scavengers include, but are not limited to, metal powders with reducing ability, in particular iron, zinc, and tin powders, metal oxides that still have oxidizing ability, in particular ferrous oxide, and iron compounds such as carbides, carbonyl compounds, and hydroxides, used alone or in the presence of activators such as hydroxides, carbonates, sulfites, thiosulfates, phosphates, organic acid salts, or hydrogen salts of alkali or alkaline earth metals, activated carbon, activated alumina, or activated clays. Other reagents for collecting oxygen can also be selected from specific reactive polymers, such as those described in, for example, patent documents US 5,736,616 A, WO 99 / 48963 A2, WO 98 / 51758 A1 and WO 2018 / 149778 A1.

[0019] In one embodiment, at least one active part of the reinforcing strip is made of an entrained polymer, which includes an integral material formed by at least a base polymer and an active agent. In one embodiment, the polymer composition of at least one active part includes a thermoplastic base polymer and an inorganic desiccant material as an active agent (preferably selected from the group including silica gel, molecular sieves, zeolites, clays, hydrated salts, metal oxides and mixtures thereof). The inorganic desiccant material may be present in an amount of 50 wt% or more of the total weight of the polymer composition. Typically, the inorganic desiccant material absorbs, adsorbs or releases moisture. In one embodiment, the polymer composition of at least one active part may further include additives, such as polyether block amides, as disclosed in WO 2019197165A1.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the surface of the support member of the reinforcing strip is compatible with the molten entrained polymer of the at least one active member so as to thermally bond thereto and solidify when the entrained polymer is sufficiently cooled. In one embodiment, the support member of the reinforcing strip is a thermoplastic polymer sheet. Examples of materials suitable for use in the support include: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), PVC / PVDC combinations, PVC / PTFE combinations, polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate modified (PETG), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) (e.g., available from Honeywell under the trademark polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), PVC / PVDC combination, PVC / PTFE combination, polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate modified (PETG), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) (e.g., available from Honeywell under the trademark TEDLAR®), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) (e.g., available from Topas Advanced Polymers), polyester, polyolefin, or cellulosic material.

[0021] Preferably, these materials are extrusion coated or laminated with a sealing layer, which can be in particular polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyacrylate, acrylic modified polyolefin, ethylene acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene acetate copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, functionalized ethylene copolymers selected from the group of ionic polymers, or mixtures thereof. Suitable materials are for example 20D828, which is a modified ethylene acrylate copolymer. The commercially available products (e.g., SURLYN 1652, SURLYN 1650, and SURLYN 1601) are examples of suitable ionic polymers of ethylene acid copolymers.

[0022] The dimensions of the support of the reinforcement strip can be easily adjusted according to the design of the blister pack. In one embodiment, the reinforcement strip comprising the support and at least one active fixed to the support can be manufactured as a continuous roll, which can be cut during the manufacturing of the blister pack or pre-cut to the desired length and dispensed during the manufacturing of the blister pack.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the support of the reinforcement strip comprises a polymeric base material that is heat sealable to the blister film. This is advantageous in that the entire blister pack can be sealed in a single heat sealing step. In one embodiment, the material of the support and the blister film comprises the same polymer. In particular, the blister film can be made of the same thermoplastic polymer as the support of the reinforcement strip, for example, selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), PVC / PVDC combination, PVC / PTFE combination, polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate modified (PETG), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) (e.g., available from Honeywell under the trademark TEDLAR®), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) (e.g., available from Topas Advanced Polymers), polyester, polyolefin, or cellulosic material. polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), PVC / PVDC combination, PVC / PTFE combination, polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate modified (PETG), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) (e.g., available from Honeywell under the trademark TEDLAR®), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) (e.g., available from Topas Advanced Polymers), polyester, polyolefin, or cellulosic material.

[0024] Here again, these materials are preferably extrusion-coated or laminated with a sealing layer, which can in particular be polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyacrylate, acrylic-modified polyolefin, ethylene acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene acetate copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, a functionalized ethylene copolymer chosen from the group of ionic polymers, or a mixture thereof. Suitable materials are for example the SURLYN® from DOW 20D828, which is a modified ethylene acrylate copolymer. The commercial products SURLYN® 1652, SURLYN® 1650 and SURLYN® 1601 from DOW are examples of suitable ionic polymers of ethylene acid copolymers.

[0025] According to one feature, the thickness of the support of the reinforcing strip is less than or equal to 0.5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.3 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 0.2 mm. With this reduced thickness of the support, the sealing quality of the lid film with respect to the blister film is maintained in the areas where the lid film is directly sealed to the blister film and in the areas where the lid film is indirectly sealed to the blister film via the support of the reinforcing strip.

[0026] According to one feature, in the sealed configuration of the blister package, the sealing surface of the blister film is a substantially flat surface, wherein the maximum distance between two areas of the sealing surface in a direction normal to the average plane of the sealing surface is less than or equal to 0.5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.3 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 0.2 mm. This also contributes to improving the sealing quality of the lid film with respect to the blister film in the areas where the lid film is directly sealed to the blister film and in the areas where the lid film is indirectly sealed to the blister film via the support of the reinforcing strip.

[0027] According to another feature, the minimum distance between the sealing surface of the blister film and the bottom wall of each of the first recess, the second recess and the connecting channel of the blister film is greater than 0.5 mm, preferably greater than 1 mm. This minimum distance ensures that no seal is established between the support of the reinforcing strip and the bottom wall. It is particularly important to provide this minimum distance between the sealing surface and the bottom wall of each connecting channel, since the connecting channels are generally designed to have a reduced cross-section compared to the first and second recesses. This ensures that no seal is established between the support and the lower wall of the connecting channel, which could close the channel.

[0028] ​According to one embodiment, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack, each second recess is connected to a single first recess through a connection channel. Thanks to this arrangement, the removal of a consumable product from a first recess does not affect the surrounding atmosphere of any other consumable product packaged in the blister pack, since the other first recesses are not connected to the first recess from which the consumable product has been removed. Conversely, when a second recess is connected to several first recesses, once a consumable product has been removed from one of the first recesses by opening the lidding film, the active piece received in the second recess and the consumable products received in the other first recesses connected to this second recess are all exposed to the external atmosphere.

[0029] According to one embodiment, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack, each second recess is separated from any other second recess by a sealing structure formed by the support sealed between the lidding film and the blister film and / or by the lidding film sealed directly to the blister film. In this way, when a consumable product is removed from a first recess by opening the lidding film (for example in a "push-through" or "peel-push-through" manner), only the active piece received in the second recess connected to said first recess is exposed to the external atmosphere, while the active pieces received in the other second recesses of the blister pack remain protected by the lidding film sealed directly or indirectly via the support of the reinforcing strip to the blister film.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing strip comprises a support and at least two active pieces fixed to the support, wherein the two active pieces are arranged on the support so as to be received in two juxtaposed second recesses of the blister film, while the support at least partially covers the two juxtaposed second recesses and is in contact with the sealing surface of the blister film in a contact area between the two juxtaposed second recesses, wherein, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack, the two juxtaposed second recesses are separated from each other by a sealing structure formed by the support sealed between the lidding film and the blister film. This arrangement makes it possible to have a single support provided with several active pieces and configured to cover several juxtaposed second recesses in such a way that each active piece is received in a given second recess and there is a seal between the juxtaposed second recesses, since the support is sealed between the juxtaposed second recesses of each pair of juxtaposed second recesses between the lidding film and the blister film, advantageously to one of the lidding film and the blister film and preferably to each of the lidding film and the blister film.

[0031] According to one feature of the application, for each compartment comprising a first recess and a second recess connected to each other through a connection channel, the lidding film is sealed to the blister film directly or indirectly via the support of the reinforcing strip around the entire perimeter of the compartment. In this way, by heating the entire surface of the lidding film positioned on the blister film and the reinforcing strip, it is possible to easily seal the blister pack, which results not only in a direct seal between the lidding film and the blister film, but also in an indirect seal via the support of the reinforcing strip.

[0032] Another subject of the application is a method for manufacturing a blister pack, the method comprising the following steps:

[0033] a) providing a blister film having at least one first recess for a consumable product and at least one second recess for an active piece, wherein each second recess is connected to a first recess by a connecting channel, the blister film having a sealing surface extending around the periphery of the first and second recesses and each connecting channel;

[0034] b) introducing a consumable product into the at least one first recess of the blister film;

[0035] c) introducing an active piece into the at least one second recess of the blister film;

[0036] d) positioning a reinforcement strip on the blister film in such a way that the support of the reinforcement strip at least partially covers the at least one second recess of the blister film while being in contact with the sealing surface of the blister film in at least one contact area at the periphery of the at least one second recess;

[0037] e) positioning a cover film on the blister film and the reinforcement strip in such a way that the cover film covers the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess of the blister film, the at least one connecting channel and the sealing surface;

[0038] f) sealing the cover film directly to the sealing surface of the blister film outside the at least one contact area and sealing the support of the reinforcement strip between the cover film and the blister film in the at least one contact area in such a way that each compartment comprising a first recess and a second recess connected to each other by a connecting channel is closed by the cover film while leaving the connecting channel open.

[0039] Thanks to the method of the application, the support of the reinforcement strip covers each second recess and is sealed between the cover film and the blister film at the periphery of the second recess, advantageously to one of the cover film and the blister film and preferably to each of the cover film and the blister film. In one embodiment, in step f), the support of the reinforcement strip is sealed, in particular heat-sealed, between the cover film and the blister film and to each of the cover film and the blister film in the at least one contact area.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the method, the reinforcement strip comprises at least one active piece fixed to the support and the step c) of introducing an active piece into the at least one second recess of the blister film is performed simultaneously with step d) by positioning the reinforcement strip on the blister film in such a way that the at least one active piece is received in the second recess and the support at least partially covers the second recess while being in contact with the sealing surface of the blister film in at least one contact area at the periphery of the second recess.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the method, the blister film comprises at least two second recesses, while the reinforcement strip comprises at least two active pieces fixed to the support, and:

[0042] - step c) and step d) are performed simultaneously by positioning the reinforcement strip on the blister film in such a way that the two active pieces are received in two juxtaposed second recesses of the blister film and the support at least partly covers the two juxtaposed second recesses while being in contact with the sealing surface of the blister film at least in the contact area between the two juxtaposed second recesses, and

[0043] - in step f), the support of the reinforcement strip is sealed between the two juxtaposed second recesses between the lidding film and the blister film, so that in the sealed configuration of the blister package, the two juxtaposed second recesses are separated from each other by a sealing structure formed by the support sealed between the lidding film and the blister film.

[0044] Another subject of the application is a reinforcement strip for a blister package, the reinforcement strip comprising a support and at least one active piece fixed to the support, wherein:

[0045] - the support is a sheet of polymeric base material, preferably having a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.3 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 0.2 mm, capable of being heat-sealed to both the blister film and the lidding film of the blister package, and

[0046] - the at least one active piece is a solidified polymeric base structure bonded to the support, preferably in molten form.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the reinforcement strip, the at least one active piece is a solidified structure made of a polymeric base material overmoulded on the support by injection of a thermoplastic material in a mould cavity in which the support has been placed. According to one feature, the reinforcement strip can be produced according to a roll-to-roll process, the support being formed and / or cut from a web of polymeric material extending from a first spool to a second spool, the web of polymeric material being unwound from the first spool before the overmoulding operation and being wound on the second spool after the overmoulding operation.

[0048] According to one embodiment of the reinforcement strip, the support is made of a first polymeric base material, while the at least one active piece is made of a second polymeric base material, the support and the at least one active piece being integrally formed by double injection moulding.

[0049] According to one embodiment of the reinforcement strip, the at least one active piece is a solidified structure made of a polymeric base material deposited in molten form on a surface of the support, for example by hot-melt extrusion, to be thermally bonded with the support.

[0050] According to one embodiment of the reinforcing strip, the at least one active piece is fixed to the support by an adhesive. For example, the adhesive can be chosen from a rubber adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, an acrylic polymer adhesive, an epoxy adhesive (crosslinkable or not under the action of ultraviolet radiation) or any other material allowing assembly by evaporation of a solvent or by hardening of the adhesive under heat, pressure or over time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0051] The features and advantages of the application will become apparent from the following description of several embodiments of blister pack and manufacturing method according to the application, given by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0052] Figure 1 is a top view (from the side of the blister film) of a blister pack according to a first embodiment of the application, schematically showing the sealing of the lidding film to the sealing area of the blister film, directly or indirectly via the support of the reinforcing strip;

[0053] Figure 2 is a cross-section along the line II-II of Figure 1 ;

[0054] Figure 3 is a cross-section along the line III-III of Figure 1 ;

[0055] Figure 4 is a schematic representation showing the successive steps a) to f) of a method for manufacturing a blister pack according to Figure 1 ;

[0056] Figure 5 is a top view of a manufacturing method of a blister pack according to a second embodiment of the application (similar to step d) of Figure 4 ;

[0057] Figure 6 is a cross-section along the line VI-VI of Figure 5 , showing the configuration of the reinforcing strip positioned on the blister film and cut from the continuous roll during the manufacturing of the blister pack;

[0058] Figure 7 is a top view of a blister pack according to a third embodiment of the application, similar to Figure 1 ;

[0059] Figure 8 is a cross-section along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7;

[0060] Figure 9 is a cross-section along the line IX-IX of Figure 7;

[0061] FIG. 10 is a blister package similar to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A top view of

[0062] FIG11 is a cross-section taken along line XI-XI of FIG10;

[0063] FIG12 is a cross section along line XII-XII of FIG10;

[0064] Figure 13 is a blister package according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention similar to Figure 1 A top view of

[0065] Figure 14 It is along Figure 13 The section along line XIV-XIV;

[0066] Figure 15 It is along Figure 13 The section of line XV-XV;

[0067] Figure 16 is a schematic cross-section of a variant of a reinforcement strip that can be used for a blister pack according to the invention;

[0068] Figure 17 are top views of three variants of reinforcement strips that can be used for blister packs according to the invention, produced, for example, by overmolding an active part onto a support element of the reinforcement strip;

[0069] Figure 18 are top views of three further variants of reinforcement strips which can be used for blister packs according to the invention, produced for example by hot-melt deposition of the active element on the support of the reinforcement strip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] exist Figures 1 to 4 In the first embodiment shown, the blister pack 1 comprises a thermoformed blister film 2 having six first recesses 23 for the consumable products 3 and six second recesses 25 for the active elements 5. Each second recess 25 is connected to a single first recess 23 by a connecting channel 28, and vice versa. The blister pack 1 further comprises a cover film 4 that is heat-sealed to the sealing surface 22 of the blister film around the periphery of the first and second recesses 23, 25 and each connecting channel 28, so as to close each compartment comprising a first recess 23 and a second recess 25 connected to each other by a connecting channel 28, while leaving the connecting channel 28 open.

[0071] According to the application, the blister pack 1 further comprises a reinforcing strip 6 having a support 7 and six active pieces 5 fixed to the support 7. The support 7 is configured to at least partially cover all six second recesses 25, while each active piece 5 is received in a respective second recess 25. In this configuration, the support 7 is in contact with the sealing surface 22 of the blister film 2 in a contact area 72 of the periphery of each second recess 25. In the sealed configuration of the blister pack 1, the support 7 is sealed between the lid film 4 and the blister film 2 and to each of the lid film and the blister film in each contact area 72.

[0072] In order to be able to seal the entire blister pack 1 in a single heat sealing step, the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 comprises a polymeric base material that is heat sealable to the blister film 2. Advantageously, in a first embodiment, the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 is made of the same thermoplastic polymer as the blister film 2, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Furthermore, the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 is selected to have a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.3 mm, more preferably between 5 pm and 300 pm, so that the sealing quality of the lid film 4 with respect to the blister film 2 is maintained in the contact areas 72 where the lid film 4 is indirectly sealed to the blister film 2 via the support 7 and in the other areas where the lid film 4 is directly sealed to the blister film 2.

[0073] By the way, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack 1, the sealing surface 22 of the blister film 2 is a substantially flat surface, wherein the maximum distance between two areas of the sealing surface in a direction normal to the average plane of the sealing surface 22 is less than or equal to 0.5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.3 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 0.2 mm. In order to ensure that the connection channel 28 remains open upon heat sealing, the minimum distance d between the sealing surface 22 of the blister film 2 and the bottom wall 24 of the first recess 23, the bottom wall 26 of the second recess 25 and the bottom wall 29 of the connection channel 28 is selected to be greater than 0.5 mm, preferably greater than 1 mm. As can be seen for example in Figure 2 This minimum distance d ensures that no seal is established between the support 7 of the reinforcing strip and the bottom walls 24, 26, 29.

[0074] According to one non-limiting example of a blister pack according to the first embodiment:

[0075] - the blister film 2 is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film of about 250 pm in thickness, for example BLISFORM MV from BILCARE, which has been heated and thermoformed to form six first recesses 23 and six second recesses 25, wherein each second recess 25 is connected to a first recess 23 by a connection channel 28.

[0076] - The lidding film 4 is a multilayer film comprising a print primer layer, an aluminium foil layer, a tie resin layer and a sealing resin, optionally containing a friability agent such as ZEON+PR 25 pm from BILCARE.

[0077] - The support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film having a thickness of about 250 pm, such as BLISFORM MV from BILCARE.

[0078] - Each active piece 5 of the reinforcing strip 6 is made of a thermoplastic material containing an inorganic desiccant material, such as Advanced Desiccant Polymer (ADP) from AIRNOV. As Figures 1 to 3 illustrated in the diagram, each active piece 5 is a parallelepiped, for example having a thickness between 0.1 mm and 20 mm and a side dimension between 3 mm and 50 mm. Of course, as a variant, the active pieces 5 can have other shapes, for example each active piece 5 can be a disc, or any type of polygon or symbol, as Figure 17 illustrated in the diagram for illustrative purposes. Regardless of the shape of the active pieces 5, they advantageously have a thickness between 0.1 mm and 20 mm and are inscribed in a circle having a diameter between 3 mm and 50 mm.

[0079] - The reinforcing strip 6 is advantageously prepared by injection of the thermoplastic material of the active pieces 5 into a mould cavity in which each zone of the support 7 intended to receive the active pieces 5 is placed, by overmoulding the six active pieces 5 on the support 7. By overmoulding process, each active piece 5 is bonded to the support 7 in molten form. In the example illustrated in Figure 1 , the mould cavity is adjusted so that the text "DO NOT EAT" is engraved on each active piece 5 on the side opposite the support 5. The overmoulding process can also enhance the attachment of the active pieces 5 to the support 7, for example by overmoulding the active pieces in a shape that incorporates a fastener such as the fastener 53 illustrated in Figure 16 . The active pieces 5 can also be obtained and fixed to the support 7 by other processes than overmoulding, for example by double injection, hot melt extrusion, etc. Figure 18 An example of other shapes of active pieces 5 consisting of lines or dots that can be obtained by hot melt extrusion is given.

[0080] The method for manufacturing the blister pack 1 of the first embodiment comprises the steps described below with reference to Figure 4 .

[0081] First, a blister film 2 is provided (step a)), wherein the blister film 2 has been heated and thermoformed, for example, to form six first recesses 23 and six second recesses 25, wherein each second recess 25 is connected to a first recess 23 by a connecting channel 28. A consumable product 3 is then introduced into each first recess 23 of the blister film 2 (step b)). The consumable product 3 can be a sensitive product, such as a pharmaceutical, a health care or a herbal product, for example, in the form of a pill, a lozenge, a tablet, etc. Then, due to the configuration of the reinforcement strip 6, an active piece 5 is inserted into each second recess 25 of the blister film 2 (step c)) advantageously simultaneously with positioning the support 7 of the reinforcement strip 6 on the blister film to cover the second recesses 25 (step d)) so that the support 7 partially covers all six second recesses 25 when each active piece 5 is received in the respective second recess 25. At this stage, the support 7 of the reinforcement strip 6 abuts on the sealing surface 22 of the blister film in the contact area 72 at least on two sides along the periphery of each second recess 25 and contacts.

[0082] In a next step, a cover film 4 is positioned on the superposed blister film 2 and reinforcement strip 6 (step e)) to cover the entire surface thereof, i.e. to cover the surface area of all first recesses 23, second recesses 25, connecting channels 28 and sealing surface 22 of the blister film 2. Then, the entire surface of the cover film 4 positioned on the blister film 2 and reinforcement strip 6 is heated, as Figure 4 illustrated by the flame of the bottom (step f)). Under the action of the heat and pressure applied to the cover film 4, the support 7 of the reinforcement strip 6 is heat-sealed to both the cover film 4 and the blister film 2 at the contact area 72 and the cover film 4 is heat-sealed directly to the sealing surface 22 of the blister film 2 outside the contact area 72 so that each compartment comprising a first recess 23 and a second recess 25 connected to each other by a connecting channel 28 is closed by the cover film 4 while keeping the connecting channel 28 open.

[0083] Due to the method of the present invention, the blister package 1 can be easily sealed by heating the entire surface of the cover film 4 positioned on the blister film 2 and reinforcement strip 6, which not only results in a direct heat-seal between the cover film 4 and the blister film 2 outside the contact area 72 but also in a heat-seal via the support 7 of the reinforcement strip 6 in the contact area 72. Due to the specific design of the different elements of the blister package 1, in particular the thickness of the support 7 of less than 0.5 mm and the choice of the distance d of more than 1 mm, a heat-seal via the support 7 in the contact area 72 is automatically obtained without closing the channel 28, since the distance d prevents the heat-seal even in case the support 7 extends into the channel 28. Advantageously, therefore, no local heating with a specific pattern corresponding to the contact area 72 is needed, which would make the heat-sealing step more complex and expensive.

[0084] From the above, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack 1, the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 covers each second recess 25 and is heat-sealed to both the blister film 2 and the lid film 4 along at least two sides at the periphery of each second recess 25. Thanks to the presence of this support 7 firmly attached to both the blister film 2 and the lid film 4, the user cannot extract any active piece 5 from a second recess 25 in a “push-through” manner (or in a “peel-push-through” manner if the lid film 4 comprises an upper layer to be peeled off). Therefore, the risk of accidental ingestion of an active piece 5 is significantly reduced by the blister pack 1 of the present application. The extension of the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 to the size of the six second recesses 25 also contributes to limiting the risk of accidental ingestion of an active piece secured to the support.

[0085] Moreover, thanks to the particular design of the elements of the blister pack 1, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack and for each pair of juxtaposed second recesses 25, there is a heat-sealed region 72 of the support 7 between the two recesses 25. Therefore, in the sealed configuration, each second recess 25 is fluidically separated from any other second recess 25 and each second recess 25 is connected to a single first recess 23 by a connection channel 28. Thanks to this arrangement, when a consumable product 3 is extracted from a first recess 23 by opening the lid film 4, only the active piece 5 received in the second recess 25 connected to said first recess 23 is exposed to the external atmosphere, while the active pieces 5 received in the other second recesses 25 of the blister pack 1 remain protected by the lid film 4, which is sealed to the blister film 2 directly or indirectly via the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6. Extracting a consumable product 3 from a first recess 23 also does not affect the surrounding atmosphere of any other consumable product 3 packaged in the blister pack 1, since the other first recesses 23 are not connected to the first recess 23 from which the consumable product 3 has been extracted.

[0086] In the second embodiment shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 , elements similar to those of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The blister pack 1 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the support 7 of the reinforcing strip 6 is cut directly from a continuous web during the manufacturing of the blister pack 1. More precisely, the support 7 is cut from a web of polymeric material, as shown by arrow C in Figure 6 . Advantageously, the reinforcing strip 6 can be produced according to a roll-to-roll process and integrated into the blister pack, the web of polymeric material of the support 7 extending from a first spool (not shown in the figures, which would be located on the left of Figure 6 ) to a second spool (also not shown in the figures, which would be located on the right of Figure 6 ), the web of polymeric material being unwound from the first spool in the direction of arrow F and rewound on this second spool.

[0087] In a third embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 9, elements similar to those of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The blister pack 1 of the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it comprises two distinct stiffening strips 6, which are positioned laterally with respect to the first recess 23 for the consumable product 3. In this third embodiment, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack 1, the support 7 of each stiffening strip 6 covers three second recesses 25 and is heat-sealed to both the blister film 2 and the lid film 4 in at least one contact area 72 on at least one side at the periphery of each second recess 25.

[0088] In a fourth embodiment shown in Figures 10 to 12, elements similar to those of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The blister pack 1 of the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it comprises six distinct stiffening strips 6, each positioned facing a respective second recess 25 for the active 5, which is connected to a single first recess 23 for the consumable product 3. In this fourth embodiment, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack 1, the support 7 of each stiffening strip 6 covers one second recess 25 and is heat-sealed to both the blister film 2 and the lid film 4 in contact areas 72 on at least two sides at the periphery of each second recess 25.

[0089] In Figures 13 to 15 In a fifth embodiment shown in Figures 13 to 15, elements similar to those of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The blister pack 1 of the fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it comprises one stiffening strip 6, which is positioned facing three second recesses 25 for the active 5, each connected to two first recesses 23 for the consumable product 3. In this fifth embodiment, in the sealed configuration of the blister pack 1, the support 7 of the stiffening strip 6 covers three second recesses 25 and is heat-sealed to both the blister film 2 and the lid film 4 in contact areas 72 on at least one side at the periphery of each second recess 25.

[0090] As can be seen from the various embodiments described above, the blister pack according to the present application provides a mechanical resistance solution to prevent accidental ingestion of the active piece included in the blister pack: the active piece is advantageously fixed to a support of the reinforcing strip, which is in turn sealed to the blister film and to the cover film of the blister pack; the support of the reinforcing strip is preferably designed to be of large dimensions, so as to avoid accidental ingestion; moreover, the user can be informed by means of additional printing provided on the cover film, which clearly indicates the position of the consumable product; the appearance of the active piece (including its shape, colour, engraved information, etc.) can also be modified so as to further prevent accidental ingestion. A further advantage of the blister pack according to the present application is that it provides great design flexibility. In particular, each active piece can be large and / or thick, especially larger than the consumable product it encloses, as required. Advantageously, the reinforcing strip can be integrated into the blister pack using traditional blister assembly lines.

[0091] The present application is not limited to the examples described and shown. In particular, even if it is advantageous to fix each active piece of the blister pack to a support of the reinforcing strip, it is not excluded that the active piece can be introduced into the second recess (step c)) independently of the support and independently of the positioning of the support on the blister film (step d)). Moreover, as mentioned above, the active piece can be of any type useful for preserving and / or consuming the consumable product enclosed in the blister pack, for example, a humidity absorber (or desiccant), an oxygen scavenger, a carbon dioxide scavenger, an odour absorber, a humidity emitter, a flavour emitter, an aroma emitter, a nutrient emitter, a humidity control substance. The present application can also be applied to different types of blister packs, including, for example: push-through blister packs and peel-push-through blister packs; blister packs with polymeric blister film and blister packs with cold-formed blister laminates, etc. Of course, many other variants falling within the scope of the appended claims can be considered.

Claims

1. A blister package (1), comprising: a blister film (2) having at least one first recess (23) for a consumable product (3) and at least one second recess (25) for an active element (5), wherein each second recess (25) is connected to a first recess (23) via a connecting channel (28), the blister film having a sealing surface (22) extending around the periphery of the first and second recesses and each connecting channel, a cover film (4) sealed to the sealing surface (22) of the blister film (2) to close each compartment comprising a first recess (23) and a second recess (25) connected to each other by a connecting channel (28) while keeping the connecting channel (28) open, The blister package (1) further comprises a reinforcement strip (6), the reinforcement strip having a support member (7), the support member being configured to at least partially cover at least one second recess (25) of the blister film and to contact the sealing surface (22) of the blister film in at least one contact area (72) at the periphery of the at least one second recess (25), wherein, in the sealed configuration of the blister package, the support (7) of the reinforcement strip is sealed between the cover film (4) and the blister film (2) in the at least one contact area (72).

2. The blister package according to claim 1, wherein The reinforcing strip (6) comprises the support (7) and at least one active part (5) fixed to the support (7), so that when the at least one active part (5) is received in the second recess (25), the support (7) at least partially covers the second recess (25) and is in contact with the sealing surface (22) of the blister film (2) in at least one contact area (72) at the periphery of the second recess (25).

3. The blister package according to claim 2, wherein At least one active part (5) of the reinforcement strip (6) is a solidified polymer-based structure bonded to the support part (7) in molten form.

4. The blister package according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein: At least one active part (5) of the reinforcing strip (6) is a cured structure made of a polymer-based material overmolded onto the support (7) by injecting thermoplastic material into a mold cavity in which the support (7) is placed.

5. The blister package according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein: The support member (7) of the reinforcement strip (6) is made of a first polymer-based material, while the at least one active member (5) of the reinforcement strip is made of a second polymer-based material, and the support member (7) and the at least one active member (5) are integrally formed by double injection molding.

6. The blister package according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein: At least one active part (5) of the reinforcing strip (6) is a solidified structure made of a polymer-based material, which is deposited in a molten form on the surface of the support (7) to be thermally bonded to the support.

7. The blister package according to claim 6, wherein The polymer-based material is deposited in a molten form on the surface of the support member (7) by hot melt extrusion.

8. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The support (7) of the reinforcement strip (6) comprises a polymer-based material capable of being heat-sealed to the blister film (2).

9. The blister package according to claim 8, wherein The material of the support (7) and the blister film (2) comprises the same polymer.

10. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The thickness of the support member (7) of the reinforcing strip (6) is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

11. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The minimum distance (d) between the sealing surface (22) of the blister film (2) and the bottom walls (24, 26, 29) of the first recess (23), the second recess (25) and the connecting channel (28) of the blister film is greater than 0.5 mm.

12. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein In the sealed configuration of the blister pack, each second recess (25) is connected to a single first recess (23) via a connecting channel (28).

13. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein In the sealed configuration of the blister pack, each second recess (25) is separated from any other second recess (25) by a sealing structure formed by the support member (7) sealed between the cover film (4) and the blister film (2) and / or by the cover film (4) sealed directly to the blister film (2).

14. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The reinforcement strip (6) comprises the support member (7) and at least two active members (5) fixed to the support member (7), wherein the two active members are arranged on the support member to be received in two juxtaposed second recesses (25) of the blister film (2), and the support member (7) at least partially covers the two juxtaposed second recesses (25) and is in contact with the sealing surface (22) of the blister film in a contact area (72) between the two juxtaposed second recesses (25), wherein, in the sealed configuration of the blister package, the two juxtaposed second recesses (25) are separated from each other by a sealing structure formed by the support member (7) sealed between the cover film (4) and the blister film (2).

15. The blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein For each compartment comprising a first recess (23) and a second recess (25) connected to each other by a connecting channel (28), the cover film (4) is sealed to the blister film (2) around the entire periphery of the compartment, either directly or indirectly via the support (7) of the reinforcement strip (6).

16. A method for producing a blister pack (1), comprising the steps of: a) providing a blister film (2) having at least one first recess (23) for a consumable product (3) and at least one second recess (25) for an active element (5), wherein each second recess (25) is connected to the first recess (23) via a connecting channel (28), the blister film having a sealing surface (22) extending around the periphery of the first and second recesses and each connecting channel; b) introducing a consumable product (3) into at least one first recess (23) of the blister film (2); c) introducing an active element (5) into at least one second recess (25) of the blister film (2); d) positioning a reinforcement strip (6) on the blister film (2) in such a way that the support (7) of the reinforcement strip (6) at least partially covers at least one second recess (25) of the blister film while being in contact with the sealing surface (22) of the blister film in at least one contact area (72) at the periphery of the at least one second recess (25); e) positioning a cover film (4) on the blister film (2) and the reinforcement strip (6) in such a way that the cover film (4) covers at least one first recess (23) and at least one second recess (25), at least one connecting channel (28) and the sealing surface (22) of the blister film; f) sealing the cover film (4) directly to the sealing surface (22) of the blister film (2) outside the at least one contact area (72) and sealing the support (7) of the reinforcement strip between the cover film (4) and the blister film (2) in the at least one contact area (72) so that each compartment comprising a first recess (23) and a second recess (25) connected to each other by a connecting channel (28) is closed by the cover film (4) while keeping the connecting channel (28) open.

17. The method for manufacturing a blister package according to claim 16, wherein The reinforcement strip (6) comprises at least one active part (5) fixed to the support element (7), wherein step c) of introducing the active part (5) into at least one second recess (25) of the blister film (2) is performed simultaneously with step d) by positioning the reinforcement strip (6) on the blister film (2) in such a way that the at least one active part (5) is received in the second recess (25) and the support element (7) at least partially covers the second recess (25) while being in contact with the sealing surface (22) of the blister film (2) in at least one contact area (72) at the periphery of the second recess (25).

18. A method for manufacturing a blister package according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein The blister film (2) comprises at least two second recesses (25), and the reinforcement strip (6) comprises at least two active elements (5) fixed to the support element (7), wherein step c) is performed simultaneously with step d) by positioning the reinforcement strip (6) on the blister film (2) in such a way that the two active elements are received in two juxtaposed second recesses (25) of the blister film (2) and the support element (7) at least partially covers the two juxtaposed second recesses (25), while at least in contact with the sealing surface (22) of the blister film in a contact area (72) between the two juxtaposed second recesses (25), and wherein, in step f), the support member (7) of the reinforcement strip is sealed between the cover film and the blister film in the contact area (72) between the two juxtaposed second recesses (25), so that in the sealed configuration of the blister package, the two juxtaposed second recesses (25) are separated from each other by a sealing structure formed by the support member (7) sealed between the cover film and the blister film.

19. A reinforcement strip (6) for a blister pack (1), comprising a support member (7) and at least one active member (5) fixed to the support member (7), wherein: - the support (7) is a sheet of polymer-based material capable of being heat-sealed to both the blister film (2) and the lid film (4) of the blister pack (1), and - said at least one active element (5) is a solidified polymer-based structure, said solidified polymer-based structure being bonded to said support element (7).

20. The reinforcement strip (6) according to claim 19, wherein The support member (7) is a sheet of polymer-based material having a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

21. The reinforcement strip (6) according to claim 19, wherein The support member (7) is a polymer-based material sheet having a thickness less than or equal to 0.3 mm.

22. The reinforcement strip (6) according to claim 19, wherein The solidified polymer-based structure is bonded to the support (7) while in molten form.

Images