WO2012069556A1

WO2012069556A1 - Product pack and method of opening thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2012069556A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/070866
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen Paboojian
Original assignee: Novartis Ag
Priority date: 2010-11-26
Filing date: 2011-11-23
Publication date: 2012-05-31

Abstract

A product pack comprising at least one body (2), each body comprising a product portion (4) and a protection portion (6), the product portion having one or more substantially sealed storage portions (8) in which a product (10) can be located, the product portion having a first edge (12), an adjacent second edge, the first and second edges extending in different directions, and a tab (18), the tab including an access edge (26) located on the first edge, the tab being arranged such that, when the access edge is accessible, a user can initiate unsealing of at least one of the storage portions using said tab to allow access to the product, the protection portion extending along the first and second edges and substantially hindering access to the access edge and the body further comprising a break guiding line (20) between the product portion and at least some of the protection portion, the break guiding line extending from a start point (22) along the second edge, then along the first edge to an end point (24), the product pack further including a break initiation portion (28), the break initiation portion and break line configured so that, in use, a continuous break can be initiated at the break initiation portion to extend from the start point along the break guiding line and thereby render the access edge accessible to a user, the access edge of the tab being arranged on the first edge and the tab is arranged away from the second edge such that a tear must extend along at least part of the first edge before reaching the access edge.

Description

PRODUCT PACK AND METHOD OF OPENING THEREOF

The present invention relates to a product pack from which a medicament can be dispensed by a user, the invention particularly relates to a blister pack in which a child's access to the medicament is substantially hindered.

Many items are provided within a product pack from which they must be extracted before use. In some cases access to the product should be restricted to certain people, for example children and in such cases the product pack can include an opening resistance feature. Any opening resistance feature should hinder access to the product from a population group, for example, children, while access is still possible for a different group, for example adults.

Blister packs are a commonly used packaging for various medicaments. Blister packs typically comprise a formed layer in which one or more recesses have been formed and a lid layer which is attached to the formed layer such that the lid layer substantially seals each recess so that a medicament can be stored within the recess. To access the medicament a user breaks the seal by rupturing and/or removing some or all of the lid layer in the region of a recess so that the medicament can be removed or dispensed from said recess. Some medicaments may be harmful if taken by those for which the medicament was not intended or if taken in excessive doses. It is therefore important to ensure that access to such medicaments is restricted from, for example, a child. To restrict access an overpack may be used, for example a box or other dispenser, or the blister pack itself may be arranged to require a complex action to be performed in order to gain access to the medicament. However, requiring such a complex action may make is difficult for those users with restricted dexterity to gain access to their medicaments.

Child resistant blister packs have been provided in the past in which a user is required to make a sequence of tearing actions followed by a peeling action before gaining access to medication. For example, patent document US2003 /0209461 discloses such a construction in which a user must initiate a first tear in one direction to make available an access point from which a second tear must then be initiated before peeling to access medication is enabled.

It is an object of the current invention to try to address some of the above issues .

The invention provides a product pack comprising at least one body, each body comprising a product portion and a protection portion, the product portion having one or more substantially sealed storage portions in which a product can be located, the product portion having a first edge, an adjacent second edge, the first and second edges extending in different directions, and a tab, the tab including an access edge located on the first edge, the tab being arranged such that, when the access edge is accessible, a user can initiate unsealing of at least one of the storage portions using said tab to allow access to the product, the protection portion extending along the first and second edges and substantially hindering access to the access edge and the body further comprising a break guiding line between the product portion and at least some of the protection portion, the break guiding line extending from a start point along the second edge, then along the first edge to an end point, the product pack further including a break initiation portion, the break initiation portion and break line configured so that, in use, a continuous break can be initiated at the break initiation portion to extend from the start point along the break guiding line and thereby render the access edge accessible to a user, the access edge of the tab being arranged on the first edge and the tab is arranged away from the second edge such that a tear must extend along at least part of the first edge before reaching the access edge.

By providing a break initiating portion from which a break can be initiated by a user and requiring that the break be propagated in at least two different directions before the tab can be accessed may render the product pack difficult, or at least time consuming, to open for a child. However, the relatively simple nature of the opening method may retain ease of opening the product pack for adults. The angle between the two different edges along which the break guiding line extends may be less than 160 degrees, less than 120 degrees, greater than 20 degrees, greater than 60 degrees or be substantially perpendicular to one another. The break guiding line may substantially consist of a plurality of substantially straight sections. There may be more than two different directions, or the break guiding line may include curved sections or be continuously curved. In one embodiment more than one break initiating portion is provided from which a suitable break can be initiated this will facilitate access to the contents of the package and may render the package less child resistant. In one embodiment a single break initiating portion is provided as this renders the package more complex to open .

The break initiation portion and break line are configured so that, in use, a continuous break can be initiated at the break initiation portion to extend from the start point along the break guiding line and thereby render the access edge accessible to a user. This single, continuous break line that extends along two edges which extend in different directions may retain sufficient complexity to confuse a child, but the need to initiate only a single break to gain access to medication may renders the product pack more suitable for users with limited dexterity as break initiation may be a difficult action to perform. The break line may be configured to facilitate a single continuous break propagation by including no junctions from which a break propagating away from the break line could be readily initiated by a user. The product pack may also or alternatively be configured so that there are no break guiding regions not forming part of the break line within sufficient proximity to the break line to allow a user to readily propagate a break away from the break line.

While the term "break" has been used throughout this description for simplicity it should be understood that the term is intended to include any separation of one portion of the package from another which may include a rip, tear, snap, peel or other operation. For example a break could comprise a substantially continuous rip through substantially continuous material, but also comprise the breaking of a sequence of bridges along a break guiding line such as those formed in a perforation line. A break could also include the breaking of one or more bridges formed by an additional material layer between the portions such as a glue or overlying layer.

The protection portion may be completely removed from the product pack, or may remain attached to the product pack after the break has rendered the access edge accessible. A user should not readily be able to initiate a break other than from the break initiating portion. This means that a user can only access a product in the product pack by initiating a break at a break initiating portion associated with a particular product portion. If the break guiding line is a break guiding weakness the start point and end point should be located away from the edge of the product pack so that a user cannot readily initiate a break without using a break initiating portion .

The break guiding line may be formed in any suitable way, for example by weaknesses in at least some of the material from which the pack is made, or by providing reinforced regions to constrain the break. Weaknesses may be formed during production, for example by thinning, or leaving out material, in the desired areas or by laser etching or mechanical scoring during, or after, production. In one embodiment the break guiding line is provided by a line of perforations . The break guiding line may comprise one or more different break guiding portions formed in different ways, for example a perforation style may change along the break guiding line. The break guiding line may comprise a first perforation line extending from the start point and a second perforation line extending along the first edge, the second perforation line resisting breaking better than the first perforation line. The resistance to breaking of a perforation line can be increased by increasing the ratio of material bridges to weakened portions .

The break initiation portion may include any suitable means enabling a user to initiate a break. This could include a cut into an edge of the pack with the point of the ^XV directed towards the start point of the break guiding line, or could include a cut line extending from the edge, or adjacent the edge, towards the start point. The break initiation portion may comprise an extension of the break guiding line such that the break guiding line meets, or nearly meets, an edge of the pack such that a user can readily initiate a break, this is particularly applicable if the break guiding line comprises a line of weakness .

The access edge of the tab is arranged on the first edge and the tab is arranged away from the second edge such that a tear must extend along at least part of the first edge before reaching the access edge. The access edge of the tab may extend along the majority of the first edge, for example more than half of the first edge, more than 75% or more than 85% of the first edge. By providing a gap between the second edge and the tab a user is substantially hindered from gaining access to the tab until the access edge is accessible. However, providing an access tab that extends along a majority of the first edge means that any unsealing action is likely to be initiated across a wide area thereby increasing the likelihood of gaining access to the medicament, particularly is the medicament is located some distance from the tab. The access edge may be located substantially centrally on the first edge. For example, if the tab comprises an unsealed area from which a user can initiate a peeling action, as described in more detail below, being able to access any part of the tab, not just the access edge, could enable a user to access the medicament. Once the access edge of the tab is accessible a user may initiate unsealing of at least one of the storage portions .

The protection portion may comprise a head portion adjacent the first edge and an arm portion adjacent the second edge. By providing two different portions of the protection portion a user must initiate the break to separate the protection portion from the second edge and then extend the break to separate the protection portion from the first edge.

The product pack may include two or more body portions, each having an associated protection portion which may each comprise a head portion and an arm portion. This could allow a product pack to comprise a plurality of separate products and to allow separate access to each.

If a product pack comprises a plurality of body portions, pairs of body portions may be connected by a common arm portion. This can save material and can reduce manufacturing costs and complexity.

The head portions associated with each of the body portions may be at opposite ends of pairs of body portions in such packs, whether or not the body portions share a common arm portion. By providing the head portions at opposite ends of the pairs of body portions the user must rotate the pack to gain access to the product in the second body since the break initiating portions will also be on opposite sides.

It should be noted that pairs of body portions may each contain the same product , or products , or may contain different products.

In one embodiment the product pack may comprise a first layer and a second layer. The first layer and second layers are sealed together in the product portion to substantially surround the storage portion and are substantially unsealed in the storage portion and in the tab. The protection portion couples the first and second layers together at least adjacent the access edge to substantially prevent a user from applying a separation force to separate the two layers while the protection portion is attached therealong. In such a configuration the unsealed area in the storage portion provides a pouch or recess within which a product can be stored. By leaving the tab unsealed a user can separate the first layer from the second layer starting at the access edge when the protection portion has been removed. An example of such a product pack is a blister pack comprising one or more blisters in each product portion, a lid layer being removable, for example peelable, from a formed layer starting from the tab to access products stored therein. In one embodiment the peeling of the lid layer from the base layer is initiated from the tab and the peeling is carried out in a direction substantially parallel with the second edge. It should be understood that the tab may allow a user to directly initiate access to the product, or may allow a user to start a further sequence of actions required to gain access to the product.

In one embodiment the, or each, body is substantially square or rectangular in shape. If a plurality of bodies is provided they may all be the same size and shape, but this need not be the case. If they are all the same size and shape it may make the product pack more simple to manufacture. If more than one body is provided in a product pack, for example 2 bodies are provided, the method of gaining access to medicament held in each body may be substantially the same for all bodies in a product pack.

Any product may be located in the product portion, particularly any product to which it may be desirable to restrict access. In one example one or more medicaments may be located within the product portion.

The invention also provides a method of accessing a medicament located in a storage portion of a product pack as claimed in any preceding claim, the method comprising the steps of:

i . using the break initiation portion to initiate a break;

ii. causing the break to extend from the start point along the break guiding line along the second edge; iii. causing the break to extend along the first edge towards the end point such that the access edge of the tab becomes accessible; iv. using the access edge of the tab to initiate unsealing of the storage portion.

It should be understood that throughout this specification and in the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or ^¾comprising" , implies the inclusion of the stated integer or step, or group of integers or steps, but not the exclusion of others.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a product pack;

Figure 2 shows a different product pack; and

Figures 3a, 3b & 3c shows an opening sequence for a product pack.

Figure 1 shows a product pack 1 comprising a single body 2. The body comprising a product portion 4 and a protection portion 6. The product portion 4 having a storage portion 8 in which a product 10 is located. The product pack 1 and body are substantially rectangular and the product portion 4 is also substantially rectangular being defined by a first edge 12 and a second edge 14 and an outer edge 16 of the body 2. A tab 18 is arranged within the product portion 4 against the first edge 12 and away from the second edge 14. The protection portion 6 comprises a head portion 7 adjacent the first edge 12 and an arm portion 9 adjacent the second edge 14. A break guiding line 20, in this case a laser score line, extends substantially straight from a start point 22 on the second edge 14, along the second edge 14 in a first direction, then substantially straight along the first edge 12 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction to an end point 24. The start and end points are located away from the outer edge 16 of the body 2. A break initiation portion 28 is arranged at or adjacent an outer edge 16 of the body 2 such that a user can initiate a break in that portion that will propagate to the start point 22 of the break guiding line 20.

The product pack 1 is arranged such that a user can initiate accessing the product 10 in the storage portion 8 using an access edge 26 of the tab 18. The protection portion 6 extends along the first edge 12 and thereby substantially hinders access to the access edge 26 of the tab 18.

In use a user would use the break initiation portion 28 to initiate a break, in this case a tear which would then extend along the break guiding line 20 in the first direction along the second edge 14 and then in a second direction along the first edge 12 to render the access edge 26 of the tab accessible. The user can then use the access edge 26 of the tab 18 to initiate opening of the storage portion 8 and access to the product 10. In this example the product pack 1 may be formed by sealing two layers of material together in all but the tab 18 and the storage portion 8 (the sealed areas are shown as shaded in the Figure) . When the access edge of the tab is accessible and since the layers will be readily separable in the tab 18 as they are not sealed together a user can apply a separation force to the two layers which can initiate peeling of the layers from one another to allow access to the product 10. In this example both the layers may be a flexible laminate so that the product pack is in the form of a pouch. It is also possible for one layer to be a formed layer, for example a plastics laminate, formed to include a recess or cavity in the product portion, and the other layer may be a flexible lidding layer. Figure 2 shows a product pack 101. Features that are the same as those described with reference to Figure 1 will be given the same reference numerals. For features which are similar the numerals will be incremented by 100. The product pack 101 includes two bodies 2, each of which include a product portion 4 and a protection portion 106. The protection portions 106 each include a head portion 7, but in this case share an arm portion 109 which links the two bodies 2 together. The product pack shown is in the form of a blister pack comprising a formed layer (shown better in Figures 3a - 3c) and a lid layer (shown better in Figures 3a - 3c) . The formed layer includes 8 recesses arranged in two columns. In this example the rows are substantially aligned, but they could be offset by any distance, for example such that one column is offset by substantially half the distance between the recesses. The lid layer is sealed to the formed layer except in the areas of the recesses, to form the storage portions 8, and in the tabs 18.

Each product portion 4 comprises four individual storage portions 8 each containing a product 10, in this case a capsule containing an inhalable powder medicament . Each body portion may contain a single dose of the medicament, in this case four capsules is one dose and the medicament may require a dose to be taken by a user twice a day, for example morning and evening, so the product pack as shown would contain a single sufficient medicament for one day.

In this example the break guiding lines 20 comprise two different perforation patterns. A first pattern with approximately equal cuts and bridges between the product portion 4 and the head portion 7 adjacent the first edge 12 and a second pattern with longer cuts than bridges between the product portion 4 and the arm portion 9 adjacent the second edge 14. This means that tearing along the first edge 12 is less easy than tearing along the second edge 14. As can be seen from Figure 2 , the break initiating portions 28 are formed by the perforation lines extending to the edge of the package such that a cut portion of the perforation extends to, or to a position adjacent, the edge of the product pack 101.

The head portions 6 are arranged at opposite ends of the product pack 101 and the break initiation portions 28 are also located at opposite ends of the product pack. This means that for a user to access the first product portion 6 a user must initiate the break from one end and to access the other product portion the break must be initiated from the opposite end.

As before, the tab 18 is located away from the second edge 14 so that the access edge 26 is only accessible when a user has propagated the tear along the first edge 12.

The lid layer in this example includes containment weaknesses 50 extending either side of the storage portions so that a user applying an access force to the tab can initiate peeling of the lid layer from the formed layer (shown better in Figures 3a - 3c) between the weaknesses without a risk that the peeling may extend outside of the containment weaknesses. The containment weaknesses could be used with any suitable product package design and could be formed by any suitable means, for example mechanical scoring or laser etching. Figures 3a to 3C show an opening sequence for the product pack 101 of Figure 2, but with the blister columns offset by half the distance between the blisters. Figure 3a shows the product pack 101 as presented to a user. The recesses 8 are shown in outline only and the tabs 18 are shown as being marked, but may not be visible to a user.

Figure 3b shows the product pack 101 after a break has been initiated and propagated to the end point, or at least such that the access edge 26 of the first edge 12 is accessible to a user.

Figure 3c shows the product pack 101 after a user has applied an access force to the tab of the lid layer 52 to separate the lid layer 52 from the formed layer 54 to enable a user to access the recesses 8. As can be seen in the Figure, the lid layer 52 has been substantially removed from an area between the containment weaknesses 50 so that the products 10 are accessible within the recesses 8.

Child resistant tests of a design similar to that shown in Figure 2, with only one break initiation portion per product portion, with the following specification were conducted.

The product pack was described as a Tear and Peel Blister Pack measuring 132.5mm X 100mm.

Base Foil: PVC 60 micron/OPA 230 micron/Alu 60 micron/PVC 60 micron (Spec No: 90456) Lidding Foil: Alu 23 micron / PETP 32.2 dm2 (Spec No: DB049)

The perforation pattern along the first edge was 1mm material to 1.8mm cut.

The result of the testing with this configuration was that from 50 children tested only 4 managed to access all 8 recesses during the test and of 100 adults tested only 3 were unable to access the medication. This meant that the product passed an F8 Child Resistant rating. It is likely that this design could have passed more stringent testing had such testing been required for the intended use .

It is anticipated that the tear resistance conferred by the perforation pattern along the first edge in particular has a significant effect on child resistance. The tear resistance along the second edge may also have an effect, but this was not tested as part of this investigation .

It should be understood that the invention has been described above by way of example only and that modifications in detail can be made without departing from the scope of the claims .

Claims

1. A product pack comprising at least one body, each body comprising a product portion and a protection portion, the product portion having one or more substantially sealed storage portions in which a product can be located, the product portion having a first edge, an adjacent second edge, the first and second edges extending in different directions, and a tab, the tab including an access edge located on the first edge, the tab being arranged such that, when the access edge is accessible, a user can initiate unsealing of at least one of the storage portions using said tab to allow access to the product, the protection portion extending along the first and second edges and substantially hindering access to the access edge and the body further comprising a break guiding line between the product portion and at least some of the protection portion, the break guiding line extending from a start point along the second edge, then along the first edge to an end point, the product pack further including a break initiation portion, the break initiation portion and break line configured so that, in use, a continuous break can be initiated at the break initiation portion to extend from the start point along the break guiding line and thereby render the access edge accessible to a user, the access edge of the tab being arranged on the first edge and the tab is arranged away from the second edge such that a tear must extend along at least part of the first edge before reaching the access edge.

2. A product pack as claimed in claim 1, in which the protection portion comprises a head portion adjacent the first edge and an arm portion adjacent the second edge.

3. A product pack as claimed in claim 2, in which the product pack includes two body portions, each having an associated protection portion comprising a head portion and an arm portion and in which the body portions are connected by a common arm portion.

4. A product pack as claimed in claim 3, in which the head portions associated with each of the body portions are at opposite ends of the product pack.

5. A product pack as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the product pack comprises a first layer and a second layer, the first layer and second layer sealed together in the product portion to substantially surround the one or more storage portions and being substantially unsealed in the storage portion (s) and within the tab, the protection portion coupling the first and second layers together at least adjacent the access edge to substantially prevent a user from applying a separation force to separate the two layers while the protection portion is attached therealong.

6. A product pack as claimed in claim 5, in which the product pack takes the form of a blister pack.

7. A product pack as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the, or each, body is substantially square or rectangular in shape.

8. A product pack as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first and second edges extend in substantially perpendicular directions .

9. A product pack as claimed in any receding claim, in which one or more medicaments are located in the storage section.

10. A method of accessing a medicament located in a storage portion of a product pack as claimed in any preceding claim, the method comprising the steps of:

i. using the break initiation portion to initiate a break;

ii . causing the break to extend from the start point along the break guiding line along the second edge; iii. causing the break to extend along the first edge towards the end point such that the access edge of the tab becomes accessible;

iv. using the access edge of the tab to initiate unsealing of the storage portion.