Blister Package Flap Design for Reduced Thickness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Blister card display packages are bulky due to the need for substantial paperboard to protect unused blister portions, which increases thickness and bulkiness.

Innovation Solution

A blister card display package design featuring a card with a front and rear sheet, a unitary blister pack, and a rupturable film sheet, where the rear sheet has openings allowing blister portions to protrude and an operable flap with a tab for accessing the film sheet, enabling user exposure and removal of articles while maintaining package compactness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If substantial paperboard is used to protect unused blister portions, then the protective function is improved, but the package thickness and bulkiness increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective functionVSAvoidpackage thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The package is divided into separate functional layers: a thin card substrate with blister openings, a blister pack with individual blister portions, and a rupturable film sheet. Each layer performs a specific protective or access function, eliminating the need for thick paperboard while maintaining protection through the coordinated structure of these segmented components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces rigid thick paperboard with thin flexible components: a thin card substrate, a blister pack made of plastic film, and a rupturable film sheet. These thin films provide adequate protection through their material properties and structural design rather than through thickness, directly resolving the contradiction between protection and package thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If an operable flap is added to allow access to blister portions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to articlesVSAvoidpackage structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operable flap transforms the static card structure into a dynamic one, allowing the flap to move between closed (protective) and open (access) positions. This dynamic element provides user-friendly access while the tab mechanism ensures the flap returns to its protective position, balancing ease of operation with maintained protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The tab acts as an intermediary mechanism between the flap and the rupturable film sheet. It provides a simple mechanical interface that allows the flap to releasably maintain coverage of the film sheet, enabling easy access without requiring complex locking or sealing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Illumination intensity

If the rear sheet contains openings for blister protrusion, then the visibility and access are improved, but the structural strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of articlesVSAvoidcard structural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The card is constructed as a thin but structurally sound substrate that can accommodate openings without compromising overall strength. The blister pack and rupturable film sheet provide additional structural support and protection, compensating for the reduced strength from the openings while enabling visibility and access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The package uses a composite structure combining the card substrate with the blister pack and rupturable film sheet. This composite construction distributes mechanical loads across multiple components, maintaining structural strength despite the presence of openings in the rear sheet for blister protrusion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3470348B1Blister package with operable flap
Publication Date: 2020.11.25 JOHNSON & JOHNSON CONSUMER INC
  • EP3470348B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3470348B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3470348B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In one aspect, the present invention features a blister card display package including a card (5) containing a front sheet (10) having a front outer face (15) and a front inner face (20) and a rear sheet (25) having a rear outer face (30) and a rear inner face (35), wherein at least a portion of the rear inner face is affixed to the front inner face; and a unitary blister pack (40) mounted between the front inner face and the rear inner face and containing a plurality of blister portions (45) for containing an article to be displayed and a rupturable film sheet covering the blister portions; wherein the rear sheet contains one or more openings (55) that allow the blister portions to protrude through the rear outer face of the card and the front sheet contains an operable flap (60) that allows access to the portion of the rupturable film sheet (50) covering the blister portions.