Process for producing a stack of medicament pockets for storing and presenting medicament wafers, a ready-made supply of medicament pockets for producing the stack and use of the ready-made supply of medicament pockets

Abstract

For the reliable production of stacks 100 of medicament pockets 4, 4′, 4 ″ containing medicament wafers 2 and having a marking 3 on a marking border 17 in one of a number of marking portions 18 arranged next to one another, the following process is carried out: stacking the medicament pockets 4, 4′, 4 ″ one on top of the other to form at least one stack 100 of medicament pockets, so that in the at least one stack there are following one another medicament pockets 4, 4′, 4 ″ of which the markings 3 are located in marking portions 18 following one another, and, if appropriate, a medicament pocket 4, 4′, 4 ″ with a marking 3 located at a first end of the marking border 17 follows a medicament pocket 4, 4′, 4 ″ with a marking 3 located at a second end of the marking border 17.

1 . Process for producing stacks ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) serving for storing and presenting medicament wafers ( 2 ), each medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) respectively having on a marking border ( 17 ) a marking ( 3 ) in one of a number of marking portions ( 18 ) arranged next to one another at the marking border ( 17 ), the process including the following process step: stacking the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) one on top of the other to form at least one stack ( 100 ), so that in the at least one stack ( 100 ) there are following one another medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) of which the markings ( 3 ) are located in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another, and, if appropriate, a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a first end of the marking border ( 17 ) follows a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a second end of the marking border ( 17 ). 
     
     
         2 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the process comprises the following process steps:
 a) stacking the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) one on top of the other to form at least one first part-stack in a first production device ( 30 ), so that in each first part-stack there are following one another medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) of which the markings ( 3 ) are located in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another, and, if appropriate, a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a first end of the marking border ( 17 ) follows a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a second end of the marking border ( 17 );   b) stacking further medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) onto the at least one first part-stack in a second production device ( 30 ′), so that in each part-stack formed in this way there are following one another medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) of which the markings ( 3 ) are located in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another, and, if appropriate, a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a first end of the marking border ( 17 ) follows a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a second end of the marking border ( 17 );   c) if appropriate, repetition at least once of process step b) by respectively stacking further medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) onto the at least one part-stack created in the second or in a further production device ( 30 ′) in further production devices ( 30 ″) to form finally at least one stack ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″).   
     
     
         3 . Process according to  claim 2 , characterized in that a first part-stack is created in the first production device ( 30 ) by stacking medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) one on top of the other, at least one second and third part-stack are created in a second and third production device ( 30 ′) by stacking further medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) onto each previously formed part-stack and at least one stack ( 100 ) is created in a fourth production device ( 30 ″) by stacking further medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) onto each third part-stack. 
     
     
         4 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the process comprises the following process steps:
 a) stacking the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) one on top of the other to form at least one first part-stack in a first production device ( 30 ) and in each case at least one further part-stack in further production devices ( 30 ′,  30 ″), so that in each first part-stack and further part-stack there are following one another medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) of which the markings ( 3 ) are located in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another, and, if appropriate, a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a first end of the marking border ( 17 ) follows a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a second end of the marking border ( 17 );   b) stacking the at least one first part-stack and the further part-stacks formed in process step a) one on top of the other to form at least one stack ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″), so that in each stack ( 100 ) there are following one another medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) of which the markings ( 3 ) are located in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another, and, if appropriate, a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a first end of the marking border ( 17 ) follows a medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) with a marking ( 3 ) located at a second end of the marking border ( 17 ).   
     
     
         5 . Process according to  claim 4 , characterized in that four part-stacks are in each case stacked one on top of the other to form in each case a stack ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″). 
     
     
         6 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that seven marking portions ( 18 ) are located on the marking border ( 17 ) of each medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″). 
     
     
         7 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that seven medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are in each case stacked one on top of the other to form a first part-stack. 
     
     
         8 . Process according to  claim 2 , characterized in that at least two first part-stacks are in each case created simultaneously by stacking the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) one on top of the other. 
     
     
         9 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are in each case stacked one on top of the other to create the part-stacks in a cassette ( 25 ,  25 ′,  25 ″,  25 ′″). 
     
     
         10 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are stacked one on top of the other to create a respective first part-stack on in each case a carrier ( 300 ). 
     
     
         11 . Process according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the carrier ( 300 ) has at least one connecting element ( 200 ), holding the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) on the carrier ( 300 ) and in that further medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) or further part-stacks of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are stacked onto the first part-stack, so that the further medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) or the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) contained in the further part-stacks are likewise held by the connecting element ( 200 ). 
     
     
         12 . Process according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the carrier ( 300 ) also has a guiding element ( 215 ) for guiding the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) on the carrier ( 300 ). 
     
     
         13 . Process according to  claim 10 , characterized in that time indications ( 350 ) are provided on the carrier ( 300 ), so that the time indications ( 350 ) are in line with the marking portions ( 18 ). 
     
     
         14 . Process according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the time indications ( 350 ) are indications of the days of the week. 
     
     
         15 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are created by singulation from a ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ). 
     
     
         16 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the process comprises the following further steps:
 i)providing a ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ), the ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) containing at least two adjacent rows (R) of areas ( 5 ) from which the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are to be formed by singulation, and the markings ( 3 ) being provided on areas ( 5 ) following one another in the row (R) in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another;   ii) separating the at least two adjacent rows (R) from one another along at least one separating line ( 11 ) separating the rows (R), strips ( 9 ) which contain the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) following one another in the rows (R) being formed in a way corresponding to the number of rows (R);   iii) singulating the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) contained in the respectively formed strips ( 9 ) by detaching each individual medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) from its strip ( 9 ); and   iv) stacking the singulated medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) of a respective strip ( 9 ) to form a respective stack ( 100 ), so that, progressively from one medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) to the next medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″), the respective markings ( 3 ) on the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) within each stack ( 100 ) are arranged in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another.   
     
     
         17 . Process according to  claim 16 , characterized in that process step i) additionally comprises the transporting of the ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) in a transporting direction ( 22 ), the at least two rows (R) being adjacent, parallel to the transporting direction ( 22 ), and the areas ( 5 ) following one another in the transporting direction, the separating line ( 11 ) following the transporting direction ( 22 ) and the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) following one another in the transporting direction ( 22 ). 
     
     
         18 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a stack ( 100 ) contains 28 medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″). 
     
     
         19 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the stack ( 100 ) is arranged on a carrier ( 300 ) and is connected to the latter by way of a connecting element ( 200 ) or in that the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are stacked on the carrier ( 300 ) and connected to the latter by way of the connecting element ( 200 ). 
     
     
         20 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a perforation ( 12 ) serving for tearing off a second medicament pocket region ( 11 ) of the medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) containing the medicament wafer ( 2 ) is respectively introduced into each medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″). 
     
     
         21 . Process according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the marking ( 3 ) is located in the second medicament pocket region ( 11 ). 
     
     
         22 . Process according to  claim 16 , characterized in that the separating of the at least two adjacent rows (R) from one another is performed by cutting. 
     
     
         23 . Process according to  claim 16 , characterized in that the singulating of the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) contained in the strips ( 9 ) formed is performed by cutting or punching. 
     
     
         24 . Process according to  claim 16 , characterized in that the ready-made supplies of medicament pockets ( 7 ) are sheets. 
     
     
         25 . Process according to  claim 24 , characterized in that each sheet ( 7 ) comprises six or eight rows (R), adjacent to one another, of the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) following one another and seven medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) following one another in each row (R). 
     
     
         26 . Process according to  claim 16 , characterized in that a further step is provided before the stacking of the singulated medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″), a step in which the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are additionally provided in each case with a border cutout ( 16 ), so that the cutouts ( 16 ) become incrementally larger in the stack ( 100 ) from medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) to medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) and, seen over all the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″), a step-shaped progression of the cutouts ( 16 ) forms in the stack ( 100 ). 
     
     
         27 . Process according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the medicament wafers ( 2 ) are designed for use for contraception or for hormone replacement therapy. 
     
     
         28 . Ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) for producing a stack ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) serving for storing and presenting the medicament wafers ( 2 ), the ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) comprising at least two adjacent rows (R) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) following one another and each medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) respectively having on a marking border a marking ( 3 ) in one of a number of marking portions ( 18 ) arranged next to one another at the marking border and a marking ( 3 ) being provided on each medicament pocket ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) on the ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) in such a way that the markings ( 3 ) on medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) following one another in the row (R) are provided in marking portions ( 18 ) following one another. 
     
     
         29 . Ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) according to  claim 28 , characterized in that seven marking portions ( 18 ) are located on each marking border. 
     
     
         30 . Ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) according to  claim 28 , characterized in that seven medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) are located in each row (R). 
     
     
         31 . Ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) according to  claim 28 , characterized in that the medicament wafers ( 2 ) contain medicaments for contraception or hormone replacement therapy. 
     
     
         32 . Ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) according to  claim 28 , characterized in that the medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) additionally have in each case graphic marks ( 21 ) at the border. 
     
     
         33 . Use of the ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) according to  claim 28  for producing a stack ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) serving for storing and presenting medicament wafers ( 2 ). 
     
     
         34 . Use of the ready-made supply of medicament pockets ( 7 ) according to  claim 28  for producing a device for storing and presenting the medicament wafers ( 2 ), comprising i) a stack ( 100 ) of medicament pockets ( 4 ,  4 ′,  4 ″) containing the medicament wafers ( 2 ), with in each case seven marking portions ( 18 ), and ii) a carrier ( 300 ), arranged on which are seven time indications ( 350 ) with which the markings ( 3 ) are in line.