Device for dispensing from a blister pack

Abstract

A blister pack dispensing device comprises a housing having first ( 10 ) and second ( 12 ) walls and containing a blister pack ( 23 ) and a movable frame ( 14 ). The first wall ( 10 ) has an array of apertures ( 11 ) which correspond to the array of blisters on the blister pack ( 23 ). The second wall ( 12 ) has an array of buttons ( 13 ) which are aligned with the apertures ( 11 ). Each button ( 13 ) is provided with a projection ( 22 ) while the frame ( 14 ) has corresponding apertures ( 15 ). The frame may be urged by a user to a first position in which the projections ( 22 ) on the buttons ( 13 ) are aligned with the apertures ( 15 ) to allow the buttons ( 13 ) to be depressed to disperse the blister contents through the apertures ( 11 ). A spring ( 17 ) restores the frame ( 14 ) to a second position, when released by the user, such that the projection ( 22 ) are misaligned with the apertures ( 15 ) on the frame ( 14 ) and prevent the buttons ( 13 ) being depressed.

1 . A blister pack dispensing device comprising; 
 a housing for accommodating the blister pack, the housing comprising: 
 a first wall provided with a plurality of apertures arranged to correspond to blisters on the blister pack,  
 a second opposing wall carrying a corresponding plurality of buttons; and  
 a manually operable locking mechanism for enabling or disabling depression of the buttons, the locking mechanism comprising: 
 a movable stop member, the stop member being movable between a first position in which one or more buttons are enabled to be operated to dispense the contents of a blister through an aperture and a second position in which the buttons are prevented from being operated to dispense the contents of the blister.  
 
   
   
   
       2 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member comprises a frame which surrounds the blister pack.  
   
   
       3 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member comprises the blister pack.  
   
   
       4 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member is provided with a plurality of openings each corresponding to a button and the buttons are provided with projections projecting in the direction of depression of the button wherein in the first position the openings are aligned with the projections on the button to allow the projections to pass through the movable member and the buttons to be fully depressed while in the second position the projections engage the movable member to prevent the buttons from being fully depressed.  
   
   
       5 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member is provided with a plurality of projections each corresponding to a button and the buttons are provided with openings for accommodating the projections, wherein in the first position the projections are aligned with the openings in the buttons to allow the buttons to pass over the projections and fully depress while in the second position the projections engage the buttons to prevent them from being fully depressed.  
   
   
       6 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member is provided with a plurality of projections each corresponding to a button, wherein in the first position the projections are misaligned with the buttons to allow the buttons to fully depress while in the second position the projections engage the buttons to prevent them from being fully depressed.  
   
   
       7 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member comprises an elongate member having projections that are arranged to prevent operation of the buttons when the elongate member is in a first position and to allow operation of at least some of the buttons when in a second position.  
   
   
       8 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the moveable stop member is moveable longitudinally between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       9 . A device as claimed in  claim 7  in which the movable stop member is arranged to rotate between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       10 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable stop member is biassed towards the second position.  
   
   
       11 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which a tear propagator is moulded in or adjacent to the aperture to initiate and propagate a tear in the foil when a button is depressed.  
   
   
       12 . A device as claimed in  claim 11  in which the tear propagator is a pointed projection that extends partially into the aperture.  
   
   
       13 . A device as claimed in  claim 11  in which the tear propagator is moulded integrally with the wall.  
   
   
       14 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which cutters are provided around the apertures on the interior of the first wall, the cutters being effective to pierce the foil on a blister when the corresponding button is fully depressed.  
   
   
       15 . A device as claimed in  claim 14  in which the cutters are moulded integrally with the wall.  
   
   
       16 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the apertures are provided with frangible covers which are displaced by the act of dispensing the contents of a blister.  
   
   
       17 . A device as claimed in  claim 16  in which the frangible covers only partially cover the apertures.  
   
   
       18 . A device as claimed in  claim 16  in which when a button is depressed the corresponding projection engages with the frangible cover after passing through the opening to displace the frangible cover.  
   
   
       19 . A device as claimed in  claim 1  in which the apertures are covered by hinged covers that are displaced by the act of dispensing the contents of a blister.  
   
   
       20 . A device as claimed in  claim 19  in which the hinged covers are moulded integrally with the first wall and re biasses towards the interior of the housing.  
   
   
       21 . A method of manufacturing a blister pack dispensing device comprising: 
 producing a one piece thermoplastic moulding comprising a first wall of a housing having a plurality of apertures spaced to correspond with the spacing of a blister pack to be contained within the dispenser and a second wall of the housing having a plurality of buttons spaced to align with the apertures when the dispenser is assembled, the first and second walls being joined by a flexible web portion; and    folding the first and second walls about the flexible web to enclose a blister pack; and    joining the two walls together to form the housing.    
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising inserting a movable frame between the first and second walls.  
   
   
       23 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising moulding the movable frame integrally with the first and second walls such that it is connected to the opposite end of one of the first and second walls by a second flexible web.  
   
   
       24 . A method as claimed in  claim 23  in which the second web is joined to a spring means on the frame and when the dispensing device is assembled the spring means acts as a biassing means for the movable frame.  
   
   
       25 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  in which the first and second walls are joined by a snap fit mechanism.  
   
   
       26 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  in which the first and second walls are joined by heat sealing, staking, ultrasonic welding, or an adhesive.