Bend and Peel Blister Package for Frangible Tablets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pharmaceutical packaging fails to adequately protect frangible dosage forms from damage during transport and does not provide a suitable balance between child safety and ease of use, as conventional blister packages are not child-proof and can be difficult for the elderly or disabled to open.
Innovation Solution
A blister packaging system that requires bending to access unsealed areas, allowing for peeling of the lidding material to expose dosage forms, with varying design attributes to achieve different levels of child resistance, including child-proof, extremely child-proof, and easy-access designs, using scored or perforated sheets to facilitate access while preventing damage to frangible tablets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional blister packages with foil layers are used, then packaging simplicity is maintained, but frangible dosage forms are damaged during access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the foil layer from the blister package, extracting the problematic element that caused tablet damage. The lidding material is replaced with a paperboard or cardboard material that can be torn or peeled without requiring forceful pushing that would damage frangible tablets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter of the lidding layer from foil to paperboard/cardboard, and modifies the access mechanism from pushing through foil to tearing or peeling the lidding material. This parameter change allows gentle access that protects frangible tablets while maintaining packaging functionality.
2Reliability
If child-proof packaging is implemented, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for elderly or disabled users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different qualities to different parts of the package: the lidding material has a tear strip or perforation line that requires a specific tearing motion, providing child resistance while the main body of the package remains easily openable. The tear strip requires a pulling motion that is difficult for children but manageable for adults with hand strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic opening mechanism where the package transitions from a sealed state to an open state through a tearing motion. The tear strip or perforation line provides a controlled failure point that requires a specific dynamic action (pulling and tearing) rather than simple opening, balancing child safety with adult accessibility.
3Reliability
If the lidding material is tightly sealed to the blister sheet, then protection is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lidding material by incorporating a tear strip or perforation line that divides the sealed area from the access area. This segmentation allows the majority of the lidding material to remain tightly sealed for protection, while the segmented tear strip provides an easy-to-access opening point that requires minimal force to initiate peeling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-creating a tear strip or perforation line during manufacturing. This preliminary action prepares the package for easy opening by providing a predetermined weakness point that users can easily grasp and pull, eliminating the need to forcefully separate tightly sealed lidding material while maintaining overall seal integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A blister package and method of removing a dosage form from a blister package are disclosed. In one embodiment, the blister package includes a unitary blister sheet and a unitary sheet of lidding material. The lidding sheet is peelably sealed to the blister sheet, and includes unsealed areas for facilitating the peeling of the lidding material from the blister sheet. The unsealed areas are preferably only accessible upon a bending of the blister package.