Medication Dispensing Package

Abstract

A medication dispensing package comprises a plurality of capsules arranged for receiving respective medication tablets therein. A backing sheet is foldable into a rectangular housing of generally rectangular cross section in which a pair of main portions supporting the capsules thereon are joined by a spine portion to support the main portions parallel and spaced apart from one another by a height of two capsules. A rupturable sheeted material spans openings in the backing sheet to provide access to the medication tablets. The capsules on the opposed main portions of the backing sheet abut one another when the backing sheet is folded in a rectangular housing to provide additional support to maintain the opposed folded panels of the backing sheet in a parallel and spaced relationship and thus much larger doses of medication can be achieved in a single package.

1 . A medication dispensing package comprising:
 a plurality of capsules arranged for receiving respective medication tablets therein, each capsule having an opening, an opposing enclosed end, and a peripheral rim flange extending about the opening in a plane of the opening, a height of the capsule being defined between the plane of the opening and the opposing enclosed end of the capsule;   a backing sheet having two opposed free edges extending in a longitudinal direction between opposed ends of the sheet;   a plurality of fold lines spanning across the backing sheet in the longitudinal direction between the opposed ends of the sheet and arranged such that the backing sheet is foldable into a housing of generally rectangular cross section in which the opposed free edges are adjacent one another and the housing defines a pair of rectangular main portions supported by at least one spine portion joined between the main portions along one side of the main portions to support the main portions parallel and spaced apart from one another by a spacing substantially corresponding to the height of two capsules;   a plurality of apertures formed in the backing sheet so as to be located in the main portions of the housing, each aperture being arranged to receive one of the capsules therein such that the peripheral rim flange of the capsule lies flush against the backing sheet about a periphery of the aperture and the capsule extends inwardly towards the opposing main portion of the housing;   at least some of the apertures in each main portion being aligned with respective apertures in the other main portion such that the enclosed ends of at least some of the capsules abut one another when the backing sheet is folded into the housing;   a rupturable sheeted material arranged to be secured to span the openings of the capsules;   an adhesive arranged to secure the capsules to the backing sheet; and   a latch arranged to selectively secure the free edges of the backing sheet to one another when the backing sheet is folded into the housing.   
   
   
       2 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein the opposed free edges of the backing sheet are arranged to overlap one another along the full length thereof when the backing sheet is folded into the housing of generally rectangular cross section. 
   
   
       3 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein the latch is arranged to secure the free edges of the backing sheet to one another substantially along a full length of the free edges in the longitudinal direction when the backing sheet is arranged to be folded into the housing of generally rectangular cross section. 
   
   
       4 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein the fold lines are arranged such that said at least one spine portion comprises two spine portions joined between the pair of main portions at opposing sides of the main portions. 
   
   
       5 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein there are provided four fold lines separating the backing sheet into five panels, each panel spanning in the longitudinal direction between the opposed ends of the backing sheet in which two of the panels comprise spine panels forming a spine portion of the housing, the spine portions having a lateral dimension which is substantially equal to a height of two capsules. 
   
   
       6 . The package according to  claim 5  wherein one of the panels of the backing sheet comprises a main panel fully defining one of the main portions of the housing and two of the panels comprise auxiliary panels locating the free edges of the backing sheet along one edge thereof respectively such that the two auxiliary panels together define the other main portion of the housing of the rectangular cross section when the free edges are joined. 
   
   
       7 . The package according to  claim 6  wherein the two auxiliary panels have substantially identical dimensions. 
   
   
       8 . The package according to  claim 6  wherein each of the auxiliary panels have some of the apertures formed therein so as to be arranged to receive respective ones of the capsules therein. 
   
   
       9 . The package according to  claim 8  wherein each of the auxiliary panels has approximately half the number of apertures formed therein as the main panel. 
   
   
       10 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided a cover sheet having fold lines therein arranged similarly to the backing sheet and which is integrally formed with the backing sheet along one of the opposing ends of the sheet, the apertures being formed in the cover sheet being substantially aligned with the apertures in the backing sheet when the cover sheet and the backing sheet are folded adjacent one another. 
   
   
       11 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein the latch comprises mating hook and loop fasteners. 
   
   
       12 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein all of the apertures are spaced apart from one end of the packing sheet to define an open area on the sheet so as to be arranged to receive label information thereon. 
   
   
       13 . The package according to  claim 1  wherein each of the capsules is arranged to receive a plurality of medication tablets therein.