Blister Card with Peelable Strip for a Child-Resistant Package

Abstract

A card for packaging tablets includes a tablet-carrying layer having a plurality of close-ended hollow compartments for housing tablets with each of the compartments having an open end located on an underside of the tablet-carrying layer and a sealing layer secured to the underside of the tablet-carrying layer for sealing the open ends of the compartments. The sealing layer has perforations formed therein defining a plurality of separate strips. The perforations enable each of the strips to be separately peeled away from the tablet-carrying layer without peeling away a remainder of the sealing layer. Each of the strips extends directly under a plurality of the compartments such that, when one of the strips is peeled away from the tablet-carrying layer, the contents of multiple compartments can be dispensed at a given time.

1 . A card for packaging tablets, comprising:
 a tablet-carrying layer having a plurality of close-ended hollow compartments for housing tablets, each of said compartments having an open end located on an underside of said tablet-carrying layer; and   a sealing layer secured to said underside of said tablet-carrying layer for sealing said open ends of said compartments;   said sealing layer having perforations formed therein defining a plurality of strips, said perforations enabling each of said strips to be separately peeled away from said tablet-carrying layer without peeling away a remainder of said sealing layer, each of said strips extending directly under a plurality of said compartments such that when one of said strips is peeled away from said tablet-carrying layer, contents of multiple compartments can be dispensed at the same time.   
     
     
         2 . A card according to  claim 1 , wherein said tablet carrying layer has at least one free edge, wherein at least one of said strips extends to said free edge, and wherein a relief area is formed between said strip and said tablet-carrying layer at said free edge such that said strip is not bonded to said tablet-carrying layer adjacent said free edge. 
     
     
         3 . A card according to  claim 1 , wherein said sealing layer includes a layer of foil bonded to said underside of said tablet-carrying layer and a second layer forming an external surface of said card. 
     
     
         4 . A card according to  claim 3 , wherein said second layer of said card is made of paper, paperboard or cardboard. 
     
     
         5 . A card according to  claim 1 , wherein said tablet-carrying layer is a sheet of plastic material with said compartments being formed as a plurality of upstanding blister compartments. 
     
     
         6 . A card according to  claim 5 , wherein said sheet of plastic material is made of PVC or PVDC and is transparent. 
     
     
         7 . A card according to  claim 1 , wherein said card is rectangular, wherein said compartments are aligned in a plurality of rows extending lengthwise on said card, and each of said strips extends underneath one of said rows of compartments. 
     
     
         8 . A blister card for packaging tablets, comprising:
 a sheet of plastic material having a plurality of upstanding hollow blister compartments formed therein, each of said blister compartments having an open end located on an underside of said sheet; and   a sealing layer bonded to said underside of said sheet for sealing said open ends of said blister compartments, said sealing layer including a layer of foil directly bonded to said underside of said sheet and a paper layer forming an external surface of said blister card;   said sealing layer having perforations formed therein defining a plurality of strips peelable away from said sheet without peeling away a remainder of said sealing layer, each of said strips extending directly under a plurality of said blister compartments such that when one of said strips is peeled away from said sheet, contents of multiple blister compartments can be dispensed at the same time.   
     
     
         9 . A blister card according to  claim 8 , wherein said sheet has a leading edge, wherein each of said strips extends to said leading edge, and wherein a relief area is formed between each of said strips and said sheet at said leading edge such that each of said strips is not bonded to said sheet adjacent said leading edge. 
     
     
         10 . A blister card according to  claim 9 , wherein said sheet is elongate, wherein said blister compartments are aligned in a plurality of rows extending lengthwise on said elongate sheet, and wherein each of said strips extends underneath one of said rows of blister compartments. 
     
     
         11 . A blister card according to  claim 10 , wherein said blister card has at least one latch catcher adjacent an edge of said sheet opposite from said leading edge. 
     
     
         12 . A blister card according to  claim 11 , wherein said latch catcher is an aperture extending through said blister card. 
     
     
         13 . A package having child-resistant, senior-friendly dispensing properties for storing and dispensing tablets, comprising:
 a blister card having a plurality of blister compartments for holding tablets; and   a hollow sleeve having an opposed pair of wall panels, an opposed pair of side edges and a dispensing end;   said sleeve providing a protective housing for said blister card when said blister card is in a storage position within said sleeve, and said blister card being slidable in an end-to-end direction relative to said sleeve between said storage position and a dispensing position in which said blister card extends at least partially outside said sleeve to expose said blister compartments;   said blister card comprising a sheet of plastic material having a plurality of upstanding hollow blister compartments formed therein each having an open end located on an underside of said sheet and a sealing layer bonded to said underside of said sheet for sealing said open ends of said blister compartments, said sealing layer including a layer of foil directly bonded to said underside of said sheet and a second layer; and   said sealing layer having perforations formed therein defining a plurality of strips peelable away from said sheet without peeling away a remainder of said sealing layer, each of said strips extending directly under a plurality of said blister compartments such that, when one of said strips is peeled away from said sheet, contents of multiple blister compartments can be dispensed at the same time.   
     
     
         14 . A package according to  claim 13 , wherein said blister card includes at least one latch-catcher for cooperatively engaging and catching latches of said sleeve when said blister card is in said storage position to automatically lock said blister card in said storage position within said sleeve when said blister card is slid to said storage position. 
     
     
         15 . A package according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least one latch catcher is an aperture. 
     
     
         16 . A package according to  claim 15 , wherein said sheet has a leading edge, wherein each of said strips extends to said leading edge, and wherein a relief area is formed between each of said strips and said sheet at said leading edge such that each of said strips is not bonded to said sheet adjacent said leading edge. 
     
     
         17 . A package according to  claim 16 , wherein said sheet is elongate, wherein said blister compartments are aligned in a plurality of rows extending lengthwise on said elongate sheet, and wherein each of said strips extends underneath one of said rows of blister compartments. 
     
     
         18 . A package according to  claim 17 , wherein said second layer of said sealing layer is made of paper, paperboard or cardboard. 
     
     
         19 . A package according to  claim 18 , wherein said sheet of plastic material is made of PVC or PVDC and is transparent.