Child-resistant blister package

Abstract

An improved child-resistant blister package is provided in which the lidding component includes a tear-resistant nonwoven layer and a barrier layer. The nonwoven layer can be a melt-spun continuous filament nonwoven web. The lidding component used in peel off-push through blister packages of the invention contains fewer layers, can be processed at higher blister package sealing temperatures and has improved puncture resistance compared to lidding components used in child-resistant packages known in the art. In addition, in peel off-push through and peel-open package designs of the present invention, the lidding peels more cleanly from the blister component compared to packages known in the art which have a tendency to tear during peeling.

1 . A blister package comprising a blister component having an inner surface and an outer surface and a multi-layer lidding component having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein selected portions of the inner surface of the blister component and inner surface of the lidding component are adhered together to form at least one cavity therebetween, the blister component comprising a first barrier layer selected from the group consisting of polymeric films, coated polymeric films, metal foils, and film-foil laminates, and the lidding component comprising a second barrier layer and a nonwoven layer comprising at least one melt-spun continuous filament nonwoven sheet with at least one polymer located along at least a portion of the surface of the filament having a melt onset temperature greater than about 198° C. and essentially no cold crystallization peak between about 75° C. and about 125° C. 
   
   
       2 . A blister package according to  claim 1 , wherein the second barrier layer comprises a sheet layer selected from the group consisting of polymeric films, coated polymeric films, metalized polymeric films, and metal foils. 
   
   
       3 . A blister package according to  claim 2 , wherein the lidding component further comprises an adhesive tie layer intermediate the second barrier layer and the nonwoven layer, and a heat-seal layer adhered to the side of the second barrier layer opposite the adhesive tie layer, such that the inner surface of the lidding component comprises the heat-seal layer and the outer surface of the lidding component comprises the nonwoven layer, and wherein the lidding and blister components are heat sealed to each other to form a seal therebetween. 
   
   
       4 . A blister package according to  claim 3 , wherein the heat-seal layer comprises a heat-sealable sealant selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene chloride), vinyl/acrylic compositions, blends of polyolefin resins comprising ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, blends of polyolefin resins comprising ethylene methyl acrylate copolymers, and polyester-based compositions. 
   
   
       5 . A blister package according to  claim 3 , wherein the tie-layer comprises an adhesive composition selected from the group consisting of vinyl/acrylic compositions, blends of polyolefin resins comprising ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, blends of polyolefin resins comprising ethylene methyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate resins, ethylene methyl acrylate resins, and polyester-based polyurethanes. 
   
   
       6 . A blister package according to  claim 3 , wherein the second barrier layer is a frangible sheet layer selected from the group consisting of frangible polymeric films and frangible metal foils. 
   
   
       7 . A blister package according to  claim 1  or  3 , wherein the nonwoven layer comprises a full-surface bonded multiple component spunbond web. 
   
   
       8 . A blister package according to  claim 1  or  3 , wherein the nonwoven layer comprises at least one meltblown web sandwiched between first and second melt-spun continuous filament multiple component nonwoven sheets. 
   
   
       9 . A blister package according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second melt-spun continuous filament multiple component nonwoven sheets are multiple component spunbond nonwoven webs. 
   
   
       10 . A blister package according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one meltblown web is a multiple component meltblown web comprising bicomponent side-by-side meltblown fibers. 
   
   
       11 . A blister package according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and second multiple component spunbond nonwoven webs comprise sheath-core spunbond fibers wherein the core component comprises a polyester and the sheath component comprises a polyester copolymer. 
   
   
       12 . A blister package according to  claim 11 , wherein the core component comprises poly(ethylene terephthalate) and the polyester copolymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers that have been modified with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers that have been modified with di-methyl isophthalic acid. 
   
   
       13 . A blister package according to  claim 1 , wherein the second barrier layer is a heat-sealable barrier layer adhered to the nonwoven layer, the inner surface of the lidding component comprises the heat-sealable barrier layer, and the lidding and blister components are heat sealed together to form a seal therebetween. 
   
   
       14 . A blister package according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat-sealable barrier layer comprises poly(vinylidene chloride).