Blister Pack with Built-In Cutting Ledges

Abstract

This invention provides a blister pack comprising a base sheet having a plurality of blisters formed therein, each of which has an opening and is configured for containing a unit dose of a deformable or fragile product, with a lid sheet attached to said base sheet for covering the openings of said blisters. The blister pack further comprises a reinforcing sheet with cut-out sections that form ledges near said blister openings. Such ledges can be used for cutting the lid sheet at said blister openings and releasing the unit doses of said deformable or fragile product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A package for containing and dispensing at least one article, comprising:
 a) a base sheet having at least one depression formed therein for containing an article, the depression having an opening;   b) a lid sheet attached to said base sheet to cover the opening of said at least one depression; and   c) a reinforcing sheet attached to the lid sheet at a side opposite from said base sheet, said reinforcing sheet having at least one cut-out section that overlaps with but offsets from the opening of said depression so that a portion of the reinforcing sheet forms a ledge near the opening of said depression for cutting the lid sheet and releasing the article from said depression.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said article is elastically deformable. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said article has a shape configured for passing through said cut-out section of the reinforcing sheet without being cut by the ledge. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the base sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, a copolymer propylene, a terpolymer of propylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl dichloride, a copolymer of vinyl chloride, a copolymer of vinyl dichloride, a terpolymer of vinyl chloride, a terpolymer of vinyl dichloride, poly-chloro-tri-fluoro-ethylene, a cyclic olefin copolymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said base sheet has a base thickness of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said base sheet has a depression thickness that is no more than about ⅗ of its base thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said depression is deformable so that it deforms downwardly toward the opening when an external force is applied to said depression. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the depression has a dome shape. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the lid sheet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum foil; aluminum laminates; polyester laminate; polyester/aluminum laminates; paper; paper/aluminum laminates; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the lid sheet has a thickness ranging from about 12 microns to about 30 microns. 
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing sheet comprises paper or paper/polymer laminates. 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing sheet has a thickness of about 0.7 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said ledge has a shape that is semi-circular and comprises a sharp edge. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein the edge is serrated. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional reinforcing sheet attached to said base sheet at a side opposite from the lid sheet, said additional reinforcing sheet comprising at least one additional cut-out section configured for accommodating said at least one depression therein. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein said reinforcing sheet and said additional reinforcing sheet are formed by a single sheet that is folded over. 
     
     
         17 . A package for containing and dispensing at least one article, comprising:
 a) a base sheet having at least one depression formed therein for containing an article, the depression having an opening, wherein the base sheet has a depression thickness that is no more than ¾ of its base thickness;   b) a lid sheet attached to said base sheet to cover the opening of said at least one depression; and   c) a reinforcing sheet attached to the lid sheet at a side opposite from said base sheet, said reinforcing sheet having at least one cut-out section that overlaps with but offsets from the opening of said depression so that a portion of the reinforcing sheet forms a ledge near the opening of said depression for cutting the lid sheet and releasing the article from said depression.   
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17 , wherein the article is elastically deformable. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the ledge is sharp. 
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 19 , wherein the package is a blister pack.