Unit dose packaging system (udps) inner card configurations

Abstract

A unit dose paperboard package having a locking feature includes an outer paperboard sleeve and an inner paperboard slide card lockably retained within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve includes a plurality of panels operatively connected to each other such that a top panel of the plurality of panels includes an inner slide card retaining aperture and an inner slide card releasing button defined thereon. The inner slide card includes a plurality of unit dose dispensing blisters and a retaining and releasing panel located adjacent to the unit dose dispensing blisters. The inner slide card includes an access edge opposite the retaining and releasing panel, wherein the access edge is free of any folding spine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A unit dose paperboard package having a locking feature, comprising:
 an outer paperboard sleeve and an inner paperboard slide card lockably retained within the outer sleeve, such that the outer sleeve includes a plurality of panels operatively connected to each other such that a top panel of the plurality of panels includes an inner slide card retaining aperture and an inner slide card releasing button defined thereon; and   wherein the inner slide card includes one or more unit dose dispensing blisters and a retaining and releasing panel located adjacent to the one or more unit dose dispensing blisters, wherein the inner slide card includes an access edge opposite the retaining and releasing panel, wherein the access edge is free of any folding spine.   
     
     
         2 . The package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the retaining and releasing panel is hingedly attached along a fold line to the inner slide card, with a catch edge opposite the fold line. 
     
     
         3 . The package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the top panel includes a plurality of layers, wherein the card retaining aperture is defined as an aperture in an inner layer of the plurality of layers, and wherein the slide card releasing button is defined in an outer layer of the plurality of layers, wherein the card retaining aperture includes a catch edge configured to engage the catch edge of the retaining and releasing panel to prevent removal of the slide card without depressing the button. 
     
     
         4 . The package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the inner slide card includes a fold over panel connected to the inner slide card along a spine that extends along a lateral edge of the inner slide card between the inner slide card retaining and releasing panel and the access edge. 
     
     
         5 . The package as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the fold over panel includes one or more unit dose dispensing blisters. 
     
     
         6 . The package as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the one or more dose dispensing blisters of the inner slide card, including the one or more dose dispensing blisters of the fold over panel, are Alu-Alu blisters. 
     
     
         7 . The package as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the fold over panel includes a spaced apart pair of end edges, wherein one of the end edges that is closest to the access edge is recessed within the sleeve with the inner slide card locked within the sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The package as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the end edges are parallel to the access edge of the inner slide card. 
     
     
         9 . The package as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the fold over panel is free of dose dispensing blisters. 
     
     
         10 . The package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the inner slide card includes two opposed lateral edges extending between the access edge and the retaining and releasing panel, wherein each of the lateral edges and the access edge are all free of any folding spine. 
     
     
         11 . A unit dose paperboard package having a locking feature, comprising:
 an inner paperboard slide card configured to be lockably retained within an outer sleeve, wherein the inner slide card includes one or more unit dose dispensing blisters and a retaining and releasing panel located adjacent to the one or more unit dose dispensing blisters, wherein the inner slide card includes an access edge opposite the retaining and releasing panel, wherein the access edge is free of any folding spine.   
     
     
         12 . The package as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the retaining and releasing panel is hingedly attached along a fold line to the inner slide card, with a catch edge opposite the fold line. 
     
     
         13 . The package as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the catch edge of the retaining and releasing panel is configured to engage a catch edge of a card retaining aperture to prevent removal of the slide card without depressing a button. 
     
     
         14 . The package as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the inner slide card includes a fold over panel connected to the inner slide card along a spine that extends along a lateral edge of the inner slide card between the inner slide card retaining and releasing panel and the access edge. 
     
     
         15 . The package as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the fold over panel includes one or more unit dose dispensing blisters. 
     
     
         16 . The package as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the one or more dose dispensing blisters of the inner slide card, including the one or more dose dispensing blisters of the fold over panel, are Alu-Alu blisters. 
     
     
         17 . The package as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the fold over panel includes a spaced apart pair of end edges, wherein one of the end edges that is closest to the access edge is positioned to be recessed within a sleeve with the inner slide card locked within the sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . The package as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the end edges are parallel to the access edge of the inner slide card. 
     
     
         19 . The package as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the fold over panel is free of dose dispensing blisters. 
     
     
         20 . The package as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the inner slide card includes two opposed lateral edges extending between the access edge and the retaining and releasing panel, wherein each of the lateral edges and the access edge are all free of any folding spine.