Packaging system and related method

Abstract

Apparatus including a vacuum chamber housing defining an opening sized and configured to receive, and be placed in sealed relationship with, a planar member having a bottom surface and a top surface. The top surface defines an array of recesses, each being configured to receive one of the objects. The planar member further defines a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough, each of the fluid passageways opening in one of the recesses and extending completely through the planar member to a passageway opening in the bottom surface. The apparatus also includes a support member pivotally attached to the vacuum chamber and configured to receive a sheet which forms an array of blister-like chambers for receiving at least some of the objects. A switch in the apparatus is connected to a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber, enabling a user to turn off the vacuum pump after the vacuum chamber is pivoted to a position in which the chamber opening and the planar member are above the support member and the sheet when the sheet is received by the support member and the array of chambers and the array of recesses are substantially aligned.

1 . Apparatus for packaging a plurality of objects, the apparatus comprising 
 a vacuum chamber housing which defines an opening sized and configured to receive, and be placed in a substantially sealed relationship with, a planar member having a bottom surface and a top surface, which top surface in turn defines an array of recesses, each of the recesses being sized and configured to receive one of the objects, and which planar member further defines a plurality of fluid passageways extending through the planar member, each of the plurality of fluid passageways opening in a respective one of the recesses defined by the planar member and extending completely through the planar member to a passageway opening in the bottom surface of the planar member,    a support member pivotally attached to the vacuum chamber and sized and configured to receive a sheet which forms an array of blister-like chambers for receiving at least a portion of the plurality of objects, and    a switch configured for operative connection to a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber, the switch being disposed to enable a user to turn off the vacuum pump after the vacuum chamber is pivoted to a position in which the opening of the vacuum chamber and the planar member in sealed relation therewith are above the support member and the sheet when the sheet has been received by the support member and the array of blister-like chambers and the array of recesses are substantially aligned.    
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of objects is a plurality of pills, tablets, capsules, or caplets.  
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the objects has substantially the same three dimensional shape with an average width, an average thickness and an average length, and wherein each of the recesses in the planar member is sized and configured so that it is substantially filled when it receives respectively one of the objects.  
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of objects is a plurality of pills, tablets, capsules, or caplets.