Pill fill tray and packaging system

Abstract

A pill fill tray that includes a primary surface having a plurality of tray apertures formed therein and at least one indexing member. The primary surface is configured to support a blister pack having a plurality of blister apertures formed therein that provides access to blister compartments associated with each blister aperture. A pill card is positioned over the blister pack. The pill card includes a plurality of pill apertures. The indexing member of the tray is configured to engage an indexing aperture of the blister pack and an indexing member of the pill card to align the tray apertures, blister apertures and card apertures. The blister pack and pill card are secured together with a sealing member positioned therebetween to seal a pill in the blister compartment.

1 . A pill packaging system, comprising: 
 a pill fill tray having a plurality of tray apertures defined in a primary surface thereof and having at least one indexing member protruding from the primary surface;    a blister pack having a plurality of blister apertures, a separate blister container aligned with each of the plurality of blister apertures, and at least one indexing aperture formed therein; and    a pill card having a plurality of pill apertures formed through a primary surface of the pill card, and at least one indexing aperture formed therein;    wherein the primary surface of the pill fill tray is configured to support the blister pack, the blister pack being configured to support the pill card, and the at least one indexing member is configured to engage the at least one indexing aperture of each of the blister pack and the pill card to provide alignment of the tray apertures, the blister apertures, and the pill apertures.    
   
   
       2 . The pill packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the pill fill tray includes at least two indexing members and the blister pack and pill card each include at least as many indexing apertures as the number of tray indexing members.  
   
   
       3 . The pill packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one indexing member is positioned at a first end of the pill fill tray, the at least one blister indexing aperture is formed along an edge at an end of the blister pack, and the at least one indexing aperture is formed along an edge at an end of the blister pack.  
   
   
       4 . The pill packaging system of  claim 3 , wherein the pill card includes a sealing layer formed on the primary surface thereof, the sealing layer covering at least one of the pill apertures, and puncturing the sealing layer over the at least one pill aperture provides access to the blister container.  
   
   
       5 . The pill packaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the pill card includes an adhesive and a protective liner covering the adhesive, the protective liner being removable to expose the adhesive before coupling the pill card to the blister pack.  
   
   
       6 . A method of using a pill packaging system, the pill packaging system including a pill fill tray having a plurality of tray apertures formed in a primary surface and at least one indexing member exposed at the primary surface, a pill card having at least one indexing aperture and at least one pill aperture formed therein, a sealing member, and a blister pack having a plurality of blister apertures and a separate blister container aligned with each of the plurality of blister apertures, and at least one indexing aperture formed in the blister pack, the method comprising the steps of: 
 positioning the blister pack on the tray primary surface with the at least one tray indexing member engaging the blister pack at the blister indexing aperture;    filling at least some of the blister containers with pills;    positioning the pill card on the blister pack with the at least one card indexing aperture engaging the tray indexing member;    positioning the sealing member between the pill aperture and the blister aperture; and    securing the pill card to the blister pack to seal the pills between the pill card and the blister pack.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein engaging the at least one tray indexing member with the at least one blister indexing aperture and the at least one card indexing aperture aligns the tray apertures with the blister apertures and aligns the pill apertures with the blister pack apertures.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pill card further comprises an adhesive applied to a primary surface of the pill card and a liner covering the adhesive, the method further including removing the liner before the step of securing the pill card to the blister pack.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising applying a label to the card, the label identifying at least one of the pills.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pill card includes graphics indicating dates or times when the pill associated with each blister container must be taken by a user.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein positioning the blister pack on the tray primary surface includes inserting the blister containers in the tray apertures.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tray includes three indexing members and the pill card and blister pack each include at least three indexing apertures.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the system further comprises an adhesive applied to the sealing member on a side of the sealing member facing the blister pack, and a removable liner covering the adhesive, the method further including removing the liner before the step of securing the pill card to the blister pack.  
   
   
       14 . A pill packaging card, comprising: 
 first and second opposed primary surfaces;    first and second ends;    first and second sides;    a pill aperture formed between the first and second opposed primary surfaces, the aperture being sized for a pill to pass there through; and    at least one indexing aperture formed in at least one of the first end, the second end, the first side, and the second side.    
   
   
       15 . The pill packaging card of  claim 14 , wherein the card comprises a material selected from a group comprising cardboard and a polymer based material.  
   
   
       16 . The pill packaging card of  claim 14 , further comprising a sealing member coupled to the first primary surface and arranged to cover the pill aperture.  
   
   
       17 . The pill packaging card of  claim 16 , further comprising graphics applied to the sealing member or the first or second primary surface.  
   
   
       18 . The pill packaging card of  claim 14 , wherein at least two indexing apertures are formed in only the first end of the pill packaging card.  
   
   
       19 . The pill packaging card of  claim 14 , wherein the pill packaging card is configured for attachment to a bubble sheet, the bubble sheet having a plurality of bubble compartments, and the pill aperture aligns with at least one of the bubble compartments.  
   
   
       20 . The pill packaging card of  claim 14 , further comprising an adhesive material applied to the first primary surface and a removable protective liner coupled to the adhesive material.