WO2013128459A1 - Chaîne blister repliée, machine de pliage et procédé de pliage - Google Patents

Chaîne blister repliée, machine de pliage et procédé de pliage Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2013128459A1
WO2013128459A1 PCT/IL2013/050185 IL2013050185W WO2013128459A1 WO 2013128459 A1 WO2013128459 A1 WO 2013128459A1 IL 2013050185 W IL2013050185 W IL 2013050185W WO 2013128459 A1 WO2013128459 A1 WO 2013128459A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
blister
sheets
chain
folding
optionally
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2013/050185
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Mordechai Peer
Ofer Baram
Ran Frenkel
Original Assignee
2P2D Solutions Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 2P2D Solutions Ltd. filed Critical 2P2D Solutions Ltd.
Publication of WO2013128459A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013128459A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/005—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for removing material by cutting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
    • B65B5/06—Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B63/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged
    • B65B63/04—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H35/00—Delivering articles from cutting or line-perforating machines; Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices, e.g. adhesive tape dispensers
    • B65H35/04—Delivering articles from cutting or line-perforating machines; Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices, e.g. adhesive tape dispensers from or with transverse cutters or perforators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H45/00—Folding thin material
    • B65H45/12—Folding articles or webs with application of pressure to define or form crease lines
    • B65H45/28—Folding in combination with cutting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C2793/00—Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation
    • B29C2793/009—Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation after shaping
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/18—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated tools
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/13—Single flanged joints; Fin-type joints; Single hem joints; Edge joints; Interpenetrating fingered joints; Other specific particular designs of joint cross-sections not provided for in groups B29C66/11 - B29C66/12
    • B29C66/131—Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/51—Joining tubular articles, profiled elements or bars; Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; Joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/53—Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
    • B29C66/534—Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars
    • B29C66/5346—Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars said single elements being substantially flat
    • B29C66/53461—Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars said single elements being substantially flat joining substantially flat covers and/or substantially flat bottoms to open ends of container bodies
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/74—Joining plastics material to non-plastics material
    • B29C66/742—Joining plastics material to non-plastics material to metals or their alloys
    • B29C66/7422—Aluminium or alloys of aluminium
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B29L2031/7162—Boxes, cartons, cases
    • B29L2031/7164—Blister packages
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/02—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs
    • B65B9/04—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material
    • B65B9/045—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material for single articles, e.g. tablets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/28—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in composite wrappers, i.e. wrappers formed by associating or interconnecting two or more sheets or blanks
    • B65D75/30—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
    • B65D75/32—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents
    • B65D75/325—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents one sheet being recessed, and the other being a flat not- rigid sheet, e.g. puncturable or peelable foil
    • B65D75/327—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents one sheet being recessed, and the other being a flat not- rigid sheet, e.g. puncturable or peelable foil and forming several compartments
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1942—Web supporting regularly spaced non-adhesive articles

Definitions

  • the present invention in some embodiments thereof, relates to a method and system folding a blister chain and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a method and system for mass producing a continuous folded blister chain.
  • United States Patent No. 6,253,920 to Kallgren discloses a blister pack, comprising at least a first and a second parallel row of blisters, and of the type in which a base foil formed with blisters is connected to a substantially flat lid foil wherein between the at least first and second rows of blisters, an intermediate part having at least one folding line parallel to said first and second rows is defined, said pack being foldable along said folding line, and that said blisters of said first row being so offset relative to the blisters of said second row that after folding the blisters in the rows engage between each other.
  • the foldable blister packs described therein may be advantageous over conventional blister packs which are bulky and voluminous owing to the construction of the blisters, and therefore the package must be voluminous.
  • the voluminous package involves heavy expenses, e.g. heavy expenses for the handling and transport and heavy stock-keeping expenses.
  • the voluminous package will be rather unstable, which will also render the manufacturing and handling of the package difficult.
  • United States Patent No. 3,659,706 to Serrel discloses a pharmacal package construction wherein a pair of blister sheets are closed by respective backing sheets and arranged with the blisters in proximate relation so that the backing sheets are outermost, the blister sheets being provided with detachably inter-fitting formations, to releasably retain the blister sheets and their backing sheets in position defining a package effectively protected by the backing sheets.
  • a blister pack comprising at least one blister assembly including two blister parts, each having a set of blisters and being of the type in which a base foil formed with blisters is connected to a substantially flat lid foil, the blister parts being interconnected and foldable towards each other, the blisters of one blister part being so offset relative to the blisters of the other blister part that, after folding, the blisters of the two blister parts engage between each other.
  • a medicament dispensing device comprises at least one container adapted for accommodating and dispensing at least one elongate packagible elongate blister pack carrying a plurality of blisters containing the medicament; transporting means adapted for transporting the blister pack toward opening of the container; dispensing means adapted for releasing a fragment of the blister pack bearing a predetermined number of the blisters from the container through the opening to a patient; and controlling means adapted for identifying the patient before dispensing the blister to the patient, activating the dispensing means, recording actions of dispensing.
  • the blister pack is foldable and configured to be folded within the container.
  • the dispensing means is adapted to cut off the blister bearing fragment.
  • the dispensing means is adapted to cut off the blister bearing fragment such that the blisters remain intact.
  • Additional background art includes United States Patent No. 3,743,084; United States Patent No. 8,251,219; United States Patent No. 4,340,141; United States Published Application No. 2004/0026293; and United States Published Application No. 2006/0042988.
  • a method of folding a chain of a blisters sheets including: supplying a continuous chain of blisters sheets; folding together pair of sheets of the continuous chain and simultaneously moving a pair of sheets or an interconnector between the pair of sheets out of a plane or path the chain during the folding. According to some embodiments of the invention, the pair of sheets remain connected to the chain during the folding.
  • the method further includes stacking the pair of sheets along a path of advancement.
  • the stacking is of at least two substantially parallel layers.
  • the folded chain includes at least 6 adjacent sheets and the stacking is into at least six substantially parallel layers.
  • the moving includes buckling the interconnector out of the plane or path of advancement.
  • the moving includes advancing the interconnector over an edge.
  • the moving includes pulling the interconnector out of the plane or path of advancement.
  • the moving includes pressing the interconnector out of the plane or path of advancement.
  • the folding further includes advancing a trailing end of the pair of sheets faster than a leading end of the two sheets.
  • a leading end of the two sheets and a trailing end of the two sheets remain in the path of advancement.
  • the moving is performed by an arm moving in a continuous orbit.
  • the method further includes restraining the continuous chain from twisting.
  • a system for folding a continuous blister chain including: a feeder configured to feed the continuous chain of blister sheets to an out of plane folder configured for folding an interconnector between two of the blister sheets out of a plane or path of advancement of the feeder to form the continuous chain into a stack of connected blister sheets.
  • the system further includes a presser for pressing the interconnector out of the plane.
  • the system further includes a puller for pulling the interconnector out of the plane.
  • the system further includes an edge and wherein the folding occurs over the edge.
  • the system further includes an advancer, and wherein the folding results from the advancer advancing a trailing edge of the two blisters sheets toward a leading edge thereby bucking the sheets across the interconnector.
  • the folder is configured to fold the two sheets into substantially parallel connected layers, substantially perpendicular to the plane of advancement.
  • the folder is synchronized with the feeder.
  • the folder is configured receives the chain continuously.
  • the system further includes a stacker for stacking at least three of the sheets as connected layers, the layers substantially perpendicular to the plane of advancement.
  • the system further includes a guide preventing twisting of the chain.
  • a continuous blister chain packaged for distribution including a plurality of blister containing sheets wherein the sheets are folded to form substantially parallel layers, and at least one blister protrudes from both sides of at least one of the sheets, wherein the distance between the layers is less than the height of the at least one blister.
  • blisters of at least two of the layers mesh together.
  • the blister chain includes at least three of the sheets folded into at least three of the layers. According to some embodiments of the invention, the blister chain includes at least five of the sheets folded into at least five of the layers.
  • the blister chain includes at least one blister protruding from only one side of at least one of the sheets.
  • the at least one blister protruding from at least one side has a lesser height than the at least one blister protruding from both sides.
  • the at least one blister protruding from at least one side and the at least one blister protruding from both sides are both on a single sheet of the sheets.
  • a continuous blister chain packaged for distribution including: a plurality of sheets containing blister, the sheets folded to form layers of a stack, and one or more spacers interconnecting between two of the sheets and wherein the spacers include at least one blister.
  • the blister chain includes at least three of the layers.
  • the blister chain includes at least two of the spacers.
  • the blister chain includes at least five of the layers.
  • the blister chain includes at least two of the spacers.
  • the layers are substantially parallel.
  • each of the blisters contains a medicament dose.
  • the blisters on the spacers contain of first of the medicament doses.
  • a space between two of the layers is less than twice the height of a blister of the blisters. According to some embodiments of the invention, a space between two of the layers is less than the height of a blister of the blisters of the sheets.
  • a method of adapting a blister producing machine to produce a foldable blister chain may include setting up a pocket forming unit to emboss a plurality of folding lines into a continuous strip of blister substrate, the folding lines demarcating a continuous chain of connected blister sheets, and setting up a cutting unit to trim an edge of the continuous strip of blister substrate while the continuous chain of sheets remains intact.
  • a method of producing a foldable blister chain using a conventional blistering machine including a pocket forming unit and cutting unit.
  • the method may include embossing a plurality of folding lines into a continuous strip of blister substrate with the pocket forming unit, the folding lines demarcating a continuous chain of connected blister sheets, and trimming an edge of the continuous strip of blister substrate with the cutting unit without severing the continuous chain.
  • the folding lines include at least one element of the group consisting of a 90° folding line and a 180° folding line.
  • the continuous chain further includes a plurality of spacers, the length of at least one spacer being substantially the height of a blister.
  • At least one of the folding lines is configured to fold in an opposite direction of at least one other of the folding lines.
  • 90° folding lines alternates with a 180° folding line, folding in the opposite direction.
  • a spacer surrounded by two 90° folding lines alternates with a spacer surrounded by two 90° folding lines folding in the opposite direction.
  • a method of producing a foldable blister chain may further include excising a cut out from the blister chain with the cutting unit. According to some embodiments of the invention, a method of producing a foldable blister chain may further include folding the continuous blister chain according claim.
  • a system for producing a blister chain may include a pocket forming unit set up for embossing a plurality of folding lines into a continuous strip of blister substrate, the folding lines demarcating a continuous chain of connected blister sheets, and a cutting unit set up for trimming an edge of the continuous strip of blister substrate without severing the continuous chain.
  • a system for producing a foldable blister chain may further include a system for folding the continuous blister chain.
  • a method of packaging a stack of blister sheets may include supplying a continuous folded stack of at least six blister sheets, and inserting the continuous folded stack into a secondary package.
  • the stack may include at least 10 blister sheets.
  • the method may further include supplying a user opening to the secondary package.
  • a plane of the user opening may be directed parallel to a folding line of the stack.
  • the method may further include supplying a user opening to the secondary package, the user opening being configured such that unfolding a blister sheet from the stack causes the blister sheet to extend out of the opening.
  • FIG. 1 is a Flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of folding a continuous blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a continuous blister chain folder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2B is a schematic side view illustrating the exemplary embodiment of a continuous blister chain folder of FIG. 2A in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2C is a schematic side view of the exemplary embodiment of a continuous blister chain folder of FIG. 2B in a later stage of folding in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3A is a schematic perspective view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a folder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a folder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3C is a schematic perspective view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a folder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3D is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a puller in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3E is a schematic view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a puller in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4A is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of a guide wheel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 4B is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a guide flange in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 5A is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a stacker in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5B is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of a stacker in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6A is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an output channel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6B is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of an output channel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 6C is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of an output channel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 6D-F are perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of packing and dispensing a folded continuous blister strip in a secondary package in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIGs. 6G-I are perspective views of another exemplary embodiment of packing and dispensing a folded continuous blister strip in a secondary package in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 7A-H are schematic perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of a complete folding system at different stages of the folding process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8A is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of five sheets of a foldable blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8B is a schematic cutaway side view of an exemplary embodiment of a folded layer blister stack in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9A is a schematic view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of five sheets of a foldable blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9B is a schematic cutaway side view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of a folded blister stack in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of five sheets of a foldable blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 11A is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a chain of four sheets of an unfolded blister stack configured for folding into wallets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 1 IB is a schematic cutaway side view of an exemplary embodiment of a portion of a blister stack folded into a two layer wallet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. l lC is a schematic top view of an exemplary embodiment of a portion of a blister stack folded into a two layer wallet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 12A is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a chain of four sheets of an unfolded blister stack configured for folding into wallets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 12B is a schematic cutaway side view of an exemplary embodiment of a portion of a blister stack folded into a two layer wallet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 12C is a schematic top view of an exemplary embodiment of a portion of a blister stack folded into a two layer wallet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 13A is a schematic view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of six sheets of an unfolded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13B is a schematic side cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of an alternative folded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13C is a schematic overhead view of an exemplary embodiment of an alternative folded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 14A is a schematic view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a chain of four sheets of an unfolded blister stack configured for folding into wallets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 14B is a schematic cutaway side view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a portion of a blister stack folded into a two layer wallet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 14C is a schematic top view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a portion of a blister stack folded into a two layer wallet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 15A is a schematic view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of six sheets of an unfolded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 15B is a schematic side view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of an alternative folded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 15C is a schematic side view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of an alternative folded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 16A is a schematic view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of six sheets of an unfolded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 16B is a schematic side view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of an alternative folded blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 17A is a schematic view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 17B-C are schematic views of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a reconfigurable foldable blister chain in an unfolded and folded configuration respectively in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a standard blister machine
  • FIG. 19 is a flow chart illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a method of producing a foldable continuous blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a blister producing and folding system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 21A,A',B,B' are schematic views of exemplary embodiments of folding lines for 180° folds in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 22A,A',B,B' are schematic views of exemplary embodiments of folding lines for 90° folds in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 22C,D are schematic views of the orientation of folding lines for two exemplary embodiments of a folding blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 23A-E are schematic views of exemplary steps in a method of folding a blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 24A-H' are schematic views of exemplary steps in an alternative method of folding a blister chain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the present invention in some embodiments thereof, relates to a method and system folding a blister chain and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a method and system for mass producing a continuous folded blister chain.
  • An aspect of some embodiments of the current invention relates to folding and packaging blister strips in a way which may reduce the volume of secondary packaging.
  • the secondary packaging may be reduced by, for example, between 10% to 50%. Such a reduction could possible save billions of dollars on storage and/or shipment and/or packaging materials.
  • secondary packing includes cardboard boxes, the more compact packaging may decrease the emission of the pollutant C02.
  • the continuous blister strip may include a specially configured chain of blister sheets.
  • the chain may optionally be produced on line with a blistering machine.
  • the blistering machine may be a standard blistering machine.
  • the standard blistering machine may be specially set up to form the chain.
  • the folding may optionally be continuous and/or on line with production of the blister strip.
  • the system may produce a folded continuous strip.
  • the system of folding the blisters may be located on the standard blistering machines, immediately after the blister cutting unit.
  • the blisters may include one or more of cold form blisters and/or thermoform blisters and/or tropicalised blisters and/or blisters created by another technology.
  • An aspect of some embodiments of the current invention relates to adapting a conventional blister forming system to produce a foldable chain of blister sheets.
  • a conventional pocket forming unit (cavity forming machine) may be set up to produce folding lines.
  • the pocking forming unit may be adapted so that, upon folding, the blisters of opposite pages mesh together. Folding lines may be embossed into the substrate for example of cold forming and/or thermoforming.
  • the substrate may include for example one or more of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and/or Polychlorotrifluoro ethylene (PCTFE) and/or polyethylene (PE) and/or Cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) and/or Cyclic olefin polymers (COP) and/or polypropylene (PP) and/or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETg) and/or a foil (for example aluminum).
  • PVC Polyvinyl Chloride
  • PCTFE Polychlorotrifluoro ethylene
  • PE polyethylene
  • COC Cyclic olefin copolymers
  • COP Cyclic olefin polymers
  • PP polypropylene
  • PETg glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate
  • a foil for example aluminum
  • a conventional cutting unit may optionally be set up to cut blister sheets in a continuous strip.
  • the format enables folding the blisters in continuous manner.
  • a boxer apparatus may optionally insert a folded blister chain including a stack of connected blister sheets into a box.
  • the box may be configured such that when a user opens the box blisters sheets of the chain may be removed one at a time and cut off without removing the entire stack from the box.
  • Insertion of the blister stack may include for example pushing the stack into the box and/or suspending the stack on a track and inserting it into the box.
  • the interconnection between blister sheets may stabilize the stack and facilitate loading. For example, this may allow loading a larger stack than conventional loading of loose blister sheets, which may become disordered during loading.
  • the current invention a stack of between 10 and 30 blisters sheets may be loaded into a secondary package.
  • the length of the unfolded blister strip may be greater than 20 cm.
  • the length of the unfolded blister strip may be greater than 30 cm.
  • the length of the unfolded blister strip may be greater than 70 cm.
  • a stack of more than 20 blister sheets or in some examples more than 30 blister sheets may be loaded into a secondary package.
  • a package containing a large number of stacked blister sheets may be distributed for example to a hospital and/or a pharmacists and/or a patient.
  • a stack a blister sheets will be packaged in an alternative container.
  • a stack of blister sheets may be packaged in one or more of a foil pack and/or a bag and/or a wrapping (for example in shrink wrap and/or foil and/or paper) and/or a plastic box and/or a delivery machine and/or another kind of container.
  • a folded blister chain may be packaged in multiple containers, for example a foil pack inside of a cardboard box.
  • restacking may be facilitated for a blister chain of current invention.
  • a loose stack of blister sheets becomes disheveled it may be difficult for a user to orient and restack the sheets such that they can be returned to their package.
  • the blister sheets may optionally retain their orientation.
  • Refolding may be particularly advantageous when a stack of blisters is packed in two packages, for example a foil pack inside a box. Upon opening a user may optionally wish to remove the blisters from the inner pack and restack them into the outer pack. In the case of loose blister sheets, this may be difficult.
  • restacking along the original folds may be facilitated.
  • An aspect of some embodiments of the current invention relates to mass producing a continuous folded chain of blister sheets.
  • the production may be continuous and/or intermittent.
  • an input feed including a continuous blister strip and an output including a folded stack of blister sheets may advance along a single path without turning out of the path.
  • a system may fold, stack and package the strips in-line.
  • the direction of advancement may be substantially perpendicular to the folding lines of the blister chain.
  • a pair of connected blister sheets may be folded out of the plane or path of advancement of the input feed.
  • the pair may be folded in line while still connected to the rest of the chain.
  • the pair blister sheets may include an interconnected.
  • the interconnection may include a hinge between the adjacent blister sheets.
  • the adjacent blister sheets may be interconnected by one or more spacers and one or more joints may connect the spacers to the adjacent blisters sheets and/or the joints may connect two adjacent spacers.
  • folding may be achieved by moving the interconnection out of the plane or path of advancement.
  • a leading and/or following edge of the pair of blister sheets may remain in the plane or path of advancement.
  • an interconnection may be moved out of the plane or path by buckling the pair of blister sheets.
  • buckling may include pushing together a trailing edge and a leading edge of a pair of blister sheets.
  • an interconnection may be moved out of the plane or path by pressing or pulling the interconnection.
  • advancement may be along a curved path. The plane of advancement and/or the path of advancement may change during processing of the blister chain.
  • a spacer may include a blister protruding from either and/or both sides. Continuous chain of blister sheets
  • An aspect of some embodiments of the current invention relates to a foldable continuous chain blister chain.
  • the chain may include a plurality of blister sheets configured for folding into stacked in substantially parallel layers.
  • blisters may protrude from either and/or both sides of each sheet.
  • the foldable blister chain may be made of conventional blister strip materials without adding extra backing and/or connecting material. Alternately, backing and/or connecting material may be added to a blister strip.
  • layers may alternate between adjacent layers connected by an intrinsic hinge and facing layers connected by one or more spacers.
  • an intrinsic hinges may connect one or more of adjacent sheets of blisters and/or a blister sheet and an adjacent spacer and/or a pairs of adjacent spacers one to another.
  • the blister sheets and/or spacers may have a generally rectangular shape and/or may have rounded corners and/or cut out portions.
  • the hinges may optionally be configured to fold preferentially in a particular direction. The direction of folding of hinges in a blister chain may optionally reverse at various points along the chain, for example for folding in a zigzag manner.
  • the input blister strip may be configured to facilitate folding.
  • the input strip may be configured by adding an intrinsic hinge.
  • an intrinsic hinge may be formed including one or more of a line of perforations and/or a scored line and/or a cut out and/or a line embossed in a continuous blister strip.
  • the input strip may be configured by adding a spacer.
  • a spacer may include a cut out portion.
  • a blister sheet and/or a cut out portion may include a rounded edge.
  • blisters in facing layers may be arranged to mesh together.
  • the distance between facing sheets may be the substantially the height of a single blister and/or half the height of a single blister.
  • blisters in adjacent sheets may be aligned back to back. Alternatively or additionally blisters in adjacent sheets may not be aligned.
  • the blister chain may be configured for various packing options. Some packaging options may save packing materials and/or space in transport and/or be more convenient for consumers and/or be configured for use in automatic dispensing devices.
  • a blister chain may be configured for packaging in a large folding chain.
  • a chain may be configured for cutting into wallets of 2, 3, 4, 5 or more blister sheets.
  • a single blister sheet and/or different blister sheets within a single chain may include one or more than one medication.
  • a blister chain may be configured for cutting into fragments, each fragment containing a predetermined dose of one or more medicines. The fragments may optionally be cut along joints of the blister chain and/or within a single sheet.
  • a blister chain may be configured for access directly by user and/or the chain may be configured for loading into an automated distribution machine.
  • a blister chain may optionally include one or more of a cut out and/or a guide hole and/or a rounded corner and/or perforations and/or a scored line and/or an embossed line.
  • Guide holes may be used for example for stringing a blister sheet on a track.
  • Perforations may be used for example for marking a folding line and/or a tear line (tearing off and/or separating a fragment of the chain) and/or as a track for a cogwheel).
  • Score lines may be used, for example, to mark folding lines and/or tearing lines.
  • An aspect of some embodiments of the current invention relates to mass producing a folded blister chain.
  • the system may include one or more of an in-line folder and/or an output channel and/or a boxer and/or a stacker.
  • the system may include an in-line folding apparatus.
  • the folding apparatus may optionally include a presser and/or a puller.
  • a presser may optionally press an interconnection out of the plane or path of advancement of the blister strip.
  • a puller may optionally pull an interconnection out of the plane or path of advancement of the blister strip.
  • the folding apparatus may include an advancer.
  • the advancer may for example advance a trailing end of a pair of blister sheets.
  • the system may include a detainer.
  • detain may hold back a leading edge of a pair of sheets. The advancing and or detaining may cause the pair of sheets to buckle and/or fold along the interconnection.
  • a folding apparatus may include a brink.
  • a joint may fold and/or buckle over the brink.
  • a blister folding system may include a stacker.
  • a stacker may, for example, included one or more of an advancer and/or a pusher and/or a detainer and/or a resistor to push together a leading edge and a trailing edge of a pair of adjacent blister sheets until they are stacked in nearly parallel layers.
  • the pair of sheets may for example be interconnected by a hinge and/or the pair of sheets may for example be interconnected by one or more spacers.
  • the adjacent layers may be stacked back to back and/or face to face and/or face to back.
  • face of a blister sheet means a side of a blister sheet from which a blister protrudes.
  • the phrase back of a blister sheet means a side of a blister sheet from which no blister protrudes.
  • a blister folding system may include an output channel.
  • An output channel may optionally include an advancer and a resister.
  • the advancer may, for example, push a stack of folded blisters along path of advancement.
  • the resister may optionally keep pressure on the stack so that it doesn't open.
  • the stack may be pushed into the box out of the plane of advancement.
  • a box may be placed around the stack. The opening of the box may optionally be parallel to the layers of the stack and/or perpendicular to the layers of the stack.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary method of producing a continuous folded blister chain. Steps in producing and folding the chain are illustrated.
  • a pair of adjacent blister sheets may optionally be folded out of the plane of advancement of the chain.
  • the folding may optionally be done while the pair of folded sheets remains connected to the rest of the chain.
  • the folded chain may be stacked and/or transported and/or boxed in-line. More detailed examples of some of the steps in the method are described in some of the embodiments herein below.
  • the method may start by supplying 102 a chain of blister sheets.
  • the blisters in the sheets may optionally be arranged to mesh together upon folding.
  • the term mesh together may mean for example that blisters are intermeshed and/or adjacent as illustrated herein below.
  • the chain supplied as input to the folder may include empty areas, for example to serve as spacers between some of the sheets.
  • the blister chain may be trimmed 103.
  • Trimming 103 may include, for example, one or more of cutting away extra material near the edges of the chain and/or excising a cut out area in the chain and/or perforating the chain and/or scoring the chain, for example, scoring may be used to mark folding lines and/or cutting lines on the chain.
  • two adjacent blister sheets may be folded together 104.
  • the folding may be carried out while the two blister sheets are still connected to the blister chain.
  • the folding may be performed while the leading and trailing edges of the two blister sheets remain in the line of advancement of the blister chain.
  • folding 104 may include, for example, by moving 105 an interconnection out of the plane or path of advancement of the blister chain.
  • moving 105 the interconnection may cause blisters sheets on either side of the interconnection to fold together.
  • the interconnection may join the two adjacent blister sheets and/or the interconnection may include one or more spacers blister sheets.
  • folding 104 may include buckling 108 the pair of adjacent blister sheets.
  • an advancer may advance a first end of the pair towards the second end.
  • the second end may be held up by a detainer.
  • the middle may buckle out of the plane or path of advancement of the blister chain, perpendicular to the face of the blister sheets, as the adjacent blister sheets fold together.
  • the advancer may advance the trailing end of the pair of blister sheets longitudinally along the path of advancement while the detainer holds up the leading end.
  • a guide may be supplied to prevent the blister chain from twisting during the buckling. Additionally or alternatively, a guide may prevent the blister chain from buckling sideways (along the face of the blisters).
  • the blister sheets of a folded blister chain may be stacked 109.
  • the blisters sheets may be stacked 109 in substantially parallel layers.
  • pairs of blister sheets may be stacked 109 alternating face to face and back to back.
  • a pair of face to face stacked blister sheets may be joined by a spacer.
  • the length of the spacer may be about the height of a single blister.
  • the distance between a stacked pair of face to face blisters sheets may be the height of one blister.
  • a pair of back to back blisters may be connected by a hinge.
  • the backs of a stacked pair of back to back blisters may be adjoining and or butt up against each other.
  • the stack may continue to be transported 110 in the direction of advancement of the blister chain.
  • the stack may optionally be held together.
  • a track may for example direct the stack along the path of advance.
  • Resistors may, for example, keep the stack from unfolding during transport 110.
  • a stack of blister sheets may be boxed 111. Boxing may optionally be done on-line. For example, a box may be supplied with an opening in the path of advancement of the stacked blister chain. Optionally, as the stack of blister chains advances it may enter the box. Alternatively and or additionally, once the stack gets big enough, a section of the stack may be boxed.
  • pairs of blisters will continue 112 to be folded and/or stacked and/or transported and/or boxed until a section of the stack is cut off 114.
  • a box containing the cut off section may optionally be closed.
  • the process may then continue processing the next box 116.
  • the process may end 118.
  • Cutting off 114 of a section of the blister chain may optionally be done after the section is boxed 111 and/or before the section is boxed 111 and/or after the section is transported 110 and/or before the section is transported 110.
  • Figure 2A-C illustrate an exemplary embodiment 200 of a system and method of folding a continuous blister chain. Steps in producing and folding the chain are illustrated in the sequence of Figures 2A-C. For orientation, a coordinate axes 201 are depicted.
  • a pair of adjacent blister sheets may optionally be folded out of the plane of advancement of the chain (in the illustration the direction of advance 205 is in the positive x direction as illustrated by the arrow and the plane or path of advance is the x-y plane).
  • the plane of the chain and/or the plane of advancement may include the shared plane of the blisters sheets (for example sheets 220a,b and spacer 222a) before folding.
  • direction of advance 205 is perpendicular to the folding lines of joints 226a-k.
  • Folding may optionally be done while the pair of folded sheets remains connected to the rest of the chain.
  • the folded chain may be stacked and/or packaged into a secondary package in-line.
  • the folding lines may optionally demark the boundary of a blister sheet (for example lines 226b,c demark blister sheet 220b and/or lines may demark the border of a spacer, for example lines 226a,b demark spacer 222a).
  • the folding and/or stacking may be achieved without adding extra material to the chain, for example backing material and/or connecting material. This may save material in production and/or space in shipment.
  • the chain may be folded and/or stacked in-line.
  • the folding and/or stacking may be achieved without separating the folded sheets from the rest of the chain.
  • the folding may be achieved while the ends of the folded pair remained aligned with the direction of advancement of the chain.
  • the folding may occur without interrupting the advance of the chain.
  • an unfolded blister chain may serve as input to a folding machine.
  • the input blister chain may optionally be may be made with standard blister making materials and equipment.
  • the input chain may include a blister layer having blisters stamped into it and a cover layer.
  • the blister layer and/or the cover layer may be made of for example PVC and/or aluminum.
  • the input blister chain includes, for example, blister sheets 220a and 220b and corresponding blisters 24.
  • a blister chain may include spacers and/or joints.
  • spacer 222a and joints 226a,b connect sheets 220a and 220b.
  • joint 226c connect sheets 220b and 220c.
  • the spacers and/or joints may optionally be intrinsic to the blister chain in that they may include no added material extrinsic to the original chain.
  • joints 226a,b,c are formed by scoring a conventional blister.
  • spacer 222a is formed by scoring its boundaries, joints 226a,b.
  • a joint between two blister sheets may serve as an intrinsic hinge.
  • joint 226c acts and an intrinsic hinge between sheets 220b,c.
  • spacers and/or joints may be formed by cutting out parts of a blister sheet and or by embossing an indented and/or a protruding line across the blister chain.
  • blisters sheets 220a-h and spacers 222a-d may have a generally rectangular form.
  • a pair of pressers 230 pushes a interconnection including spacer 222b and joints 226d and 226e in the positive z-direction up and out of the x-y plane of advancement of the blister chain.
  • spacer 222b moves upward the pair of blister sheets 220c and 220d is optionally folded together face to face.
  • the corresponding facing blisters 24' and 24" optionally fold into the space between pressers 230.
  • blisters 24' and 24" are arranged in an alternating staggered pattern along facing blister sheets 220c,d.
  • Blisters 24' and 24" which are associated to the facing sheets 220c,d may optionally mesh together.
  • Exemplary embodiment 200 is an intermittent production system.
  • presser 230 press spacer 222b out of the plane of advancement, they also move forward in direction of advancement (the positive jc-direction). This motion is illustrated, for example, in the sequence of Figs. 2A and 2B.
  • the forward movement may optionally pull the feed chain (for example sheets 220a,b) forward.
  • forward movement may optionally push forward a folded stack in the output chain (for example sheets 220e,f,g,h, spacers 222c,d, and joints 226f,g,h,ij,k) forward.
  • pressers 230 may pull the input chain forward a distance equal to the length of a pair of blister sheets and their connector, for example a distance equal to blister sheets 220a,b and spacer 222a.
  • pressers 230 may push the output stack forward a distance equal to a single layer (for example, the space between facing layers which may optionally be equal to the height of spacer 222a and/or the height of a blister 24).
  • the output stack may be pushed forward at the end of folding.
  • pressers may be pulled downward and backward and return to fold the next pair of blister sheets 220a,b.
  • embodiment 200 may be a continuous feed system.
  • the input feed may move at a constant rate and movement of pressers 230 may be timed to fold blister sheets 220c,d and advance the output stack in a manner coordinated to the continuous input feed.
  • blisters on facing layers may be staggered. Additionally or alternatively, blisters on back to back layers may optionally be aligned. For example, blisters 24 of folded blister sheets 220f and 220g fall back to back directly opposite each other.
  • Figure 3A illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment 300a of a folding system. Exemplary embodiment 300a does not include an optional presser.
  • the forward blister sheet 320" folds downward over the edge under the force of gravity.
  • the interconnection between sheets 320a" and 320a'" moves downward out of the place of advancement of the input feed (for example the plane of sheet 320a').
  • the interconnection includes a spacer 322a' and joints 326a'. As spacer 322a' moves downward, the pair of blister sheets 320a" and 320a'" optionally fold together face to face.
  • Spacer 322a' continues to descend until it reaches a second conveyer 332a".
  • spacer 322a' reaches the second conveyer next to stacked pacers 322a.
  • sheets 320a" and 320a'" are folding into the output stack along with sheets 320a.
  • the output stack may continue along a path of advance which continues in the same direction along a different plane.
  • the path of advancement may be curved.
  • the path advancement of the blister chain may be continuous.
  • Figure 3B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment 300b of a folding system.
  • a pair of blister sheets 320b is optionally squeezed between an optional advancer 338 and an optional detainer 334 until an interconnection, for example joint 326b', buckles up out of the plane of advancement.
  • an interconnection for example joint 326b'
  • joint 326b' buckles sheets 320b to fold together.
  • the buckling may optionally be started by a presser 330b that presses up slightly on joint 326b'.
  • Exemplary embodiment 300b may include optional spacers 322b' and 322b" and/or joints 326b at the leading and trailing edges respectively of the pair of blisters sheets 320b.
  • Spacers 322b' and 322b" may optionally, include cut portions 336b' and 336b" respectively.
  • advancer 338 may optionally extend through cut portion 336b' to advance the trailing edge of the pair of sheets 320b.
  • detainer 334 may extend through cut portion 336b" to hold up the leading edge of sheets 320b.
  • Figure 3C illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment 300c of a folding system.
  • an optional spacer 322c' interconnecting a pair of blister sheets 320c' and 320c" is optionally pulled by an optional puller 330c' until sheets 320c' and 320c" to fold together.
  • Figure 3D illustrates an optional embodiment of puller 330c.
  • Puller 330c optionally includes two spurs 339d and/or two legs 337c and/or a cross bar 335.
  • legs 337c may be squeezed together and inserted into optional cut out 336c'. Then legs 337c are optionally freed to spread apart.
  • Spurs 339d may optionally catch the bottom of spacer 322c'.
  • Pulling puller 330c then may optionally pull spacer 322c' out of the plane of advancement of the blister chain, optionally folding the chain along joints 326c and/or folding together pair of blister sheets 320c' and 320c".
  • Figure 3E illustrates an alternate exemplary embodiment of a puller 330e.
  • puller 330e may grasp a blister chain from the outside.
  • a puller may optionally have spurs 339e on the inside of its legs 337e.
  • legs 337d may for example open and straddle the blister chain. Then the legs may close, inserting spurs 339e under the outside edges of the chain, allowing puller 330e to pull the chain.
  • Exemplary embodiment 300c and/or 300d may optionally include spacers 322c and/or joints 326c and/or blister pages 320c and/or cut portions 336c. Guiding
  • Fig. 4A illustrates an exemplary embodiment of 400a of guides 440a to prevent twisting on an input feed blister chain.
  • Guides 440a include optional guide wheels.
  • guides 440a hold the edges of a sheet 20 flat against conveyer 432.
  • guide 440a may hold sheet 320a flat against conveyer 432. For example this may prevent the blister chain from twisting out of a plane tangent to conveyer 432.
  • Fig. 4B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of 400b of a guide 440b that prevents twisting on an input feed blister chain.
  • guide 440b holds the edges of the sheets 20 flat.
  • guide 440b may include a rail.
  • the rail prevents the chain from twisting out of the jc-direction of advancement.
  • guide 440b may include a groove.
  • the groove may prevent the chain from twisting and/or buckling out of the x-y plane of advancement.
  • guides may be provided at various parts of a blister folding machine, for example on the output stack and/or in folding area.
  • guides may hold a spacer and/or a joint while it is being moved by a presser and/or a puller.
  • guides may include walls and/or ceilings to limit movement of the blister chain.
  • output guides may include a channel, an example of which is described below.
  • Figures 5A and 5B illustrates exemplary embodiments 500a and 550b of a stacker.
  • a stacker may push together a partially folded blister chain until the sheets stack as nearly vertical layers.
  • an optional advancer 538 advances a trailing edge of a pair of blister sheets 520' along the direction of advancement of an output stack.
  • a resister 545 for example a spring. The result is a stack of nearly parallel layers of blister sheets 520'.
  • Figure 5B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment 500b of a stacker.
  • an optional advancer 38 advances a trailing end of a blister pair towards a leading end which is held up by an optional detainer 34.
  • the pair of sheets between advancer 38 and detainer 34 may be pushed together until they stand up as parallel layers.
  • advancer 38 optionally includes two upright members.
  • the two upright members push on opposite sides on the trailing blister sheet keeping progress of both sides even. Even movement of the two sides may optionally prevent the blister chain from twisting.
  • each advancer 38 advances the majority of the height of the trailing blister sheet. Pushing along a large portion of the height of the sheet may in some embodiments hold the trailing blister sheet straight.
  • Figure 6A,B,C illustrate exemplary embodiments
  • a transporter optionally includes a conveyer to move the stack forward and/or a resister to keep the blister sheets stacked together tightly and/or a track to direct movement of the stack.
  • the track and/or the resistor may be stationary and/or mobile.
  • Embodiment 600a may include an optional track 646a.
  • track 646a is a rectangular channel.
  • the channel walls direct the blister stack and keep it from twisting.
  • Track 646a optionally includes resisters 650a, for example in the form of nubbles on the inside walls of the channel.
  • a row or multiple rows of nubbles may be located one or both sides of track 646a and/or on the ceiling and or floor of track 646a.
  • three rows of nubbles are provided on each side of track 646a.
  • the nubble are the rows on one side of the track are located directly opposite those on the opposite side.
  • a blister sheet is pushed down track 646a by the preceding sheet.
  • the two sides of the sheet are detained by a set of nibbles until pressure from the preceding sheet pushes it past the first set of nubbles to the next set of nubbles.
  • Track 646a and the resistors 650a are an example of a stationary track and resistors.
  • the track and resistor remain stationary as the blister stack moves along.
  • Embodiment 600a may optionally include an advancer, for example similar to advancer 38 of Figure 4B.
  • An advancer may optionally serves as a conveyer, pushing the stack along track 646a.
  • Figure 6B illustrates alternate exemplary embodiment 600b of a transporter.
  • Embodiment 600b includes an optional conveyer 632.
  • Conveyer 632 may optionally transport a blister stack towards a resistor 650b.
  • resistor 650b may be a plate pushed by a spring 645.
  • Conveyer 632 may optionally include guide 658 for positioning blister sheets 620 and/or spacers 22.
  • optional box 654b may be provided.
  • a cutter 656 may optionally be released cutting off, for example the last six blister sheets 620'.
  • Cutter 656 may optionally act as a detainer, holding up the rest of the blister stack.
  • Box 654b may then optionally be lowered over the six cut-off blister sheets 620'. Blister sheets 620' and box 654b may then optionally be taken away. Then spring 645 may be released to push resistor 650b up against cutter 656. Cutter 656 may then optionally be retracted and the next set of six blisters sheets 620 may be conveyed forward to be boxed.
  • FIG. 6C illustrates an alternate embodiment 600c of a transporter.
  • Embodiment 600c includes a notched track 646c which may have form, for example of one or more notched bars.
  • Blister sheets 20 may include optional guide holes for example similar to holes 868 of Figure 8A).
  • the guide holes may line up.
  • the folded stack may then optionally be strung on bars (for example track 646c).
  • Optional notches serve as resistors 650c.
  • each blister sheet 20 may optionally settle into a notch. Spaces between notches are optionally approximately equal to the width of a spacer 22 of the blister chain.
  • Track 646c may optionally hold the blister sheets a vertical layers of a stack.
  • an advancer 638c may convey the stack along track 646c.
  • each blister sheet 20 pushes the sheet 20 ahead of it.
  • each blister sheet is forced up out of its notch and conveyed along track 646c until it settles into the next notch.
  • the notches may optionally keep blister sheets 20 together as a stack while being conveyed.
  • track 646c may optionally be inserted into a box 654c and/or the box may be placed around track 646c.
  • Blister sheets 20 may be optionally conveyed as a stack along track 646c directly into box 654c.
  • track 646c may be slide into a box with blister sheets are already suspended.
  • box 654c is full, the end of the stack inside the box may optionally be cut off.
  • the full box may optionally be retracted and replaced with an empty box and/or track 646c may be retracted from the box.
  • the remaining stack of blisters may then optionally be conveyed forward for filling the new box etc.
  • Tracks 646a,b,c are illustrated as straight.
  • a track may be curved and/or have any convenient shape.
  • Tracks and/or resistors may be stationary (as illustrated for example in embodiments 600a,c) and/or mobile (as illustrated for example in embodiment 600b).
  • Figure 6D-F illustrate an exemplary embodiment 600d of a continuous folded blister chain and a cardboard medicine box 645d configured for holding and dispensing the folded chain.
  • Fig. 6D illustrates loading the chain into box 645d
  • Figs. 6E,F illustrate dispensing of a blister sheet 20 from box 645d.
  • blisters sheets 20 can optionally be folded out of the box 654d one at a time.
  • an advancer 638d pushes a continuous folded stack of blister sheets 20 in to box 654d.
  • the stack may optionally be pushed into box 654d along the direction of advancement of a blister manufacturing machine and/or perpendicular to the folding lines 26 of the blister chain.
  • the interconnection between blister sheets 20 may stabilize the stack and facilitate loading into the box 654d. For example, this may allow loading a larger stack than when loading loose blister sheets which may become disordered during loading. For example a stack of more than 10 blister sheets or in some examples more than 30 blister sheets may be loaded into a secondary package.
  • the stack of blister sheets may be packaged in a bag and/or a foil pack and/or wrapped (for example in shrink wrap, plastic, paper and/or foil) and/or another secondary packaging.
  • a stack of blisters will be packaged with an instruction sheet and/or a package insert.
  • a package insert may be fully or partially wrapped around the stack during insertion into box 654d.
  • FIG. 6E and 6F removal of a blister sheet 20 from box 654d is illustrated.
  • the opening 692d of box 654d is oriented such that as the chain unfolds, each blister sheet 20 exits opening 692d.
  • a sheet 20 can be unfolded and/or cut off without requiring removal of the entire chain.
  • the folding lines 26 of the blister chain may be parallel to the plane of opening 692d such that as it is unfolded, a blister sheet 20 extends out of the opening 692d.
  • the same opening 692d is used for filling box 654d and dispensing blister sheets 20.
  • the end of the blister stack opposite the opening 692d may be fastened (for example, stapled and/or pasted) to the opposite end 696d of box 654d so that the remainder of the chain remains in the box during dispensing a blister sheet 20.
  • Drawings 6G-I illustrate an alternative embodiment of loading a secondary package and dispensing blister sheets.
  • An exemplary embodiment 600g of a stack of blister sheets 20 is inserted into a secondary package (for example, box 654g) through a loading opening 692g. Once the package is loaded, loading opening 692g may be sealed.
  • blisters sheets 20 may be dispensed through a user opening 694.
  • folding lines 26 of the stack are perpendicular to the plane of loading opening 692g and parallel to the plane of dispensing opening 694.
  • an advancer 630 pushes a continuous folded stack of blister sheets in to box 654g.
  • the stack may optionally be pushed into box 654g perpendicular to the direction of advancement of the blister producing machinery and/or parallel to the folding lines 26 of the blister chain.
  • the interconnection between blister sheets may stabilize the stack and facilitate loading into the box 654g. For example, this may allow loading a larger stack than when loading loose blister sheets which may become disordered during loading. For example a stack of more than 10 blister sheets or in some examples more than 30 blister sheets may be loaded into a secondary package.
  • the stack of blister sheets may be packaged in a bag or a foil pack or another secondary packaging.
  • a stack of blisters will be packaged with an instruction sheet or a package insert.
  • a package insert may be fully or partially wrapped around the stack during insertion into box 654g.
  • Dispensing opening 694 of box 654g is perpendicular to insertion opening 692g.
  • Dispensing opening 692g is oriented such that as the chain unfolds, blister sheets 20 exits opening 694 individually.
  • a sheet 20 can be unfolded and/or cut off without requiring removal of the entire chain.
  • the folding lines 26 of the blister chain may be parallel to the plane of opening 694 such that as it is unfolded, a blister sheet 20 extends out of the opening 694.
  • Figures 7A-G illustrate an exemplary embodiment 700 of an integrated system for guiding, folding, stacking and conveying a blister chain.
  • embodiment 700 may be powered by a simple rotary actuator moving at a constant rate.
  • Embodiment 700 may optionally be operated in a continuous or intermittent mode.
  • Exemplary embodiment 700 optionally includes a rotary actuator 760.
  • Actuator 760 may optionally include a simple electric motor.
  • Rotary motion of actuator 760 optionally turns a bent arm 763.
  • bent arm 763 moves in a continuous circular orbit.
  • Bent arm 763 optionally activates advancers 738 (see Figure 7B) and/or a presser arm 762 which turns a pin 764 in a diagonal slot 756 to raise up a presser 730 (see Figure 7C) and/or a detainer 734.
  • actuator 760 may be powered by a driver 759.
  • Driver 759 may optionally be controlled by a controller 761.
  • Controller 761 and/or Driver 759 may optionally be synchronized with a blister producing machine that supplies an input blister chain to the folding system.
  • actuator 760 may be connected to a transmission and may also supply power to a blister producing machine and/or a boxer.
  • output track may be supplied, for example output track 746.
  • Figure 7A illustrates an optional first step in the folding process.
  • a blister chain is optionally fed into the folding system through a guide 740 groove.
  • the chain includes, for example, blister sheets 720 with rounded corners, spacers 722, cutouts 736' and 736", and joints 726.
  • Figure 7B illustrates an optional further step in the folding process.
  • advancers 738 may optionally be raised up through a trailing cut out 736'.
  • bent arm 763 may contact presser arm 762.
  • Figure 7C illustrates an optional further step in the folding process.
  • the blister strip is not shown.
  • advancers 738 optionally move forward, squeezing a pair of blister sheets 720' and 720"between advancers 738 and detainers 734.
  • Detainers 734 are optionally protruding through leading cut out 736".
  • bent arm 763 pushes presser arm 764 forward, turning pin 764 up diagonal slot 766 pushing up presser 730.
  • Presser optionally presses upward on joint 726' which interconnects sheets 720' and 720".
  • the squeezing pressure and the upwards pressing optionally cause the pair of sheets 720' and 720" to buckle along joint 726'.
  • Joint 726' moves upward out of the plane of advancement of the blister chain.
  • Figure 7D illustrates an optional further step in the folding process.
  • the blister strip is not shown.
  • advancers 738 move forward and upward further folding the pair of blister sheets 720' and 720" and also steadying them to prevent them from twisting.
  • bent arm 763 clears presser arm 762 allowing presser 730 to retract and clear the way for further advancement of the blister chain.
  • Figure 7E illustrates an optional further step in the folding process. In Fig. 7E, the blister strip is not shown. As actuator 760 continues to turn, advancers 738 stack approximately vertically against detainer 734.
  • Figure 7F illustrates an optional further step in the folding process.
  • the blister strip is not shown.
  • the base of advancers 738 optionally contact the base of detainers 734.
  • detainers 734 are retracted downward.
  • Detainers 734 are optionally forced downward out of the way of the stack pair of blister sheets 720' and 720".
  • Advancers 738 optionally push folded stacked blister sheets 720' and 720" into track 746.
  • blister sheets 720' and 720" may push the entire blister stack along track 746.
  • FIG. 7G illustrates optional details of the mechanism for retracting detainers 734.
  • the blister strip is not shown.
  • Bent arm 763 includes an optional bumper 749. As bent arm 763 rotates after stacking a pair of sheets, bumper 749 optionally contacts a support arm 751 of detainers 734. Pressure from bumper 749 optionally causes support arm 751 to rotate around an axis 747 retracting and lowering detainers 734. After retracting detainers 734, bent arm 763 optionally continues rotating, lowering bumper 749 below support arm 749. Once free of bumper 734, support arm is pulled back up by a spring 745.
  • Figure 7H illustrates an optional further step in the folding process.
  • advancers 738 are optionally retracted downward.
  • the system may optionally restart with a new pair of blister sheets 720"' and 720"", for example as depicted for blisters sheets 720' and 720" in Figure 7 A.
  • Figure 8A-14C illustrate various exemplary embodiments of foldable blister chains.
  • Blisters on facing layers of a folded blister chain may be optionally staggered so that they mesh together upon folding. After folding the distance between facing blisters sheets may be approximately the height of one blister.
  • the blisters On sheets positioned back to back, the blisters may optionally be aligned directly opposite each other. Alternatively or additionally, on sheets positioned back to back, the blisters may optionally be intermeshed.
  • a foldable blister chain may optionally be configured to be packaged as a wallet of two and/or three and/or more layers having a set number of doses, for example for a single treatment (for example ten tablets) and/or for a week (for example seven tablets).
  • Each layer may optionally be configured to be separated from the stack. Alternatively, the stack may be configured to be divided every two and/or three and/or more layers.
  • a foldable blister chain may optionally be configured to be packaged as a strip of an arbitrary number of layers.
  • a foldable blister strip may include a single medicine and/or a single dosage and/or multiple medicines and/or multiple dosages.
  • a blister sheet and/or a spacer may optionally include a cut out and/or a guide hole and/or a rounded corner and/or perforations and/or a scored line and/or an embossed line. Guide holes may be used for example for stringing a blister sheet on a track.
  • Perforations may be used for example for marking a folding line and/or a tear line (tearing off and/or separating a fragment of the chain) and/or as a track for a cogwheel).
  • Score lines may be used, for example, to mark folding lines and/or tearing lines.
  • Embossed lines may serve for example as folding lines. Embossed lines may include for example indentations and/or projections.
  • Figures 8A,B illustrate an exemplary embodiment 800 of a foldable blister chain.
  • Figure 8A illustrates five blister sheets 820, 820a,b,c,d,e of embodiment 800 in an unfolded state.
  • each blister sheet 820a-e includes four blisters 24.
  • Blister sheets 820a-e are optionally interconnected by alternating spacers 822a,b and intrinsic hinges (for example joints 826c and 826f).
  • adjacent sheets interconnected by an intrinsic hinge without a spacer are oriented back to back upon folding.
  • adjacent sheets interconnected by a spacer are oriented face to face upon folding.
  • sheet 820a is interconnected to sheet 820b by a spacer 822a and two joints 826a,b; as illustrated in Figure 8B, when the chain is folded, sheets 820a and 820b are optionally oriented face to face.
  • sheet 820b is interconnected to sheet 820c by an intrinsic hinge, joint 826c; as illustrated in Figure 8B, when the chain is folded, sheets 820b and 820c are optionally oriented back to back.
  • Each spacer 822a,b includes an optional cut out 836. Cut outs 836 and/or blister sheets 820a-e optionally have rounded edges. Rounded edges may optionally protect users from cutting themselves of sharp edges.
  • Joints 826a,b,c,d,e,f may be made, for example, by scoring and/or perforating and/or folding the blister chain.
  • Embodiment 800 includes guide holes 868. Guide holes may be used for stringing a blister chain on a track, for example as illustrated in Figure 6C.
  • blisters 24 are numbered to help clarify the geometric of the blisters in the folded and unfolded blister chain.
  • Figure 8B illustrates five blister sheets 820 and 820a-e of embodiment 800 in a folded state.
  • blisters 24 of one sheet are arranged adjacent to blisters 24 of an adjacent sheet such that upon folding, the blisters mesh and do not interfere with each other.
  • facing sheets approach each other to within approximately one blister height. For example, upon folding along joints 826a,b, blisters 24 of sheet 820a (numbered 1-4) fall adjacent to blisters 24 of sheet 820b (numbered 5-8).
  • back to back blisters are aligned so that they fall on top of each other. Locating back to back blisters, one against the other may prevent accidental bursting of blisters if the stack is compressed.
  • Figures 9A,B illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain in an unfolded ( Figure 9A) and a folded ( Figure 9B) configuration.
  • blisters 24 of facing blister sheets 20 are optionally intermeshed.
  • Each blister sheet 20 of the embodiment of Figure 9A,B optionally includes a weekly dose of medicine (for example 7 tablets).
  • Each folding line 26 of the embodiment of Figure 9A,B may optionally serve as a tear line.
  • a user may buy a box containing a chain of folding blister sheets. The user may, for example, separate one sheet each week and take a daily capsule from the sheet.
  • blisters on back to back sheets are optionally not aligned.
  • Figures 10 illustrate an alternate the exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain in an unfolded configuration.
  • each blister sheet optionally contains different kinds and/or doses of medicine in different shaped blisters 24.
  • a single blister sheet may include multiple related medicines that are commonly taken together.
  • a blister sheet may optionally include a custom set of medicines for a particular person's dosage regime.
  • Figures 11A,B,C illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain.
  • Figure 11A illustrates four blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 11A,B,C in an unfolded state.
  • the blister chain may optionally be of an arbitrary length.
  • Figures 11B,C illustrate a pair of folded blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 11 A,B,C in a folded state.
  • facing pairs of blisters sheets are optionally configured to be cut out together.
  • the chain of Figure 11 A is configured to be cut along line C-C.
  • a pair of blister sheets may be folded as a blister wallet 1170, for example as illustrated in Figures 11B,C.
  • a wallet may contain, for example ten doses of a medicine.
  • a wallet may contain, for example, 7 doses and/or an arbitrary number of doses.
  • pages of blister wallet 1170 may optionally overlap.
  • a blister wallet may include 3, 4, 5 and/or more sheets.
  • Figures 12A,B,C illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain.
  • Figure 12A illustrates four blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 12A,B,C in an unfolded state; the blister chain may optionally be of an arbitrary length.
  • Figures 12B,C illustrate a pair of folded blister sheets 20 of embodiment of Fig. 12A,B,C in a folded state.
  • facing pairs of blisters sheets are optionally configured to cut out together.
  • the chain of Figure 12A is configured to be cut along line D-D.
  • a pair of blister sheets may be folded as a blister wallet 1270, for example as illustrated in Figures 12B,C.
  • a wallet may contain, for example ten doses of a medicine.
  • a wallet may contain, for example, 7 doses and/or an arbitrary number of doses.
  • pages of blister wallet 1270 may optionally be aligned without overlap.
  • Figures 13A,B,C illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain.
  • Figure 13A illustrates six blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 13A,B,C in an unfolded state; the blister chain may optionally be of an arbitrary length.
  • Figures 13B,C illustrate a pair of folded blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 13A,B,C in a folded state.
  • Figures 14A,B,C illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment of a foldable blister chain.
  • Figure 14A illustrates four blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 14A,B,C in an unfolded state; the blister chain may optionally be of an arbitrary length.
  • Figures 14B,C illustrate a pair of folded blister sheets 20 of the embodiment of Figure 14A,B,C in a folded state.
  • the blister chain of the embodiment of Figure 14A,B,C can be folded into a wallet including multiple medicines and/or doses.
  • Other embodiments, for example as illustrated above, may optionally contain one or more doses and/or kinds of medicines.
  • FIGS 15A,B illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment 1500 of a foldable blister chain.
  • Each blister 1524 of embodiment 1500 optionally protrudes on both sides of its respective blister sheet 1520.
  • Each blister sheet 1520 has two faces and no back.
  • spacers 1522 of embodiment 1500 are shorter than the height of a blister 1524.
  • a spacer may be approximately half the height of a blister 1524.
  • the space between adjacent sheets 20 may optionally be less than the height of a blister 1524.
  • the space may be about half the height of a blister 1524.
  • Figure 15A illustrates four blister sheets 1520 of embodiment 1500 in an unfolded state; the blister chain may optionally be of an arbitrary length.
  • Figure 15B illustrates a stack of six of folded blister sheets 1520 of embodiment 1500 in a folded state.
  • a sheet 1520 of the blister chain of embodiment 1500 may include multiple medicines and/or doses.
  • Other embodiments, for example as illustrated in embodiments above and below, may optionally contain one or more doses and/or kinds of medicines.
  • a blister chain may include some sheets having blisters protruding from both sides and other sheets having blisters protruding from one said.
  • FIG. 15C illustrates a schematic side view of an alternate exemplary embodiment 1500' of a blister chain.
  • a blister sheet 1520 of the chain may including a blister 1524 protruding on both sides and another blister 1524' protruding on only one side.
  • blister 1524 which protrudes on both sides may be taller than blister 1524' which protrudes on only one side.
  • Figures 16A,B illustrate an alternate exemplary embodiment 1600 of a foldable blister chain.
  • blisters 24 are optionally located on blister sheets 20 and also on spacers 1622.
  • Figure 16A illustrates four blister sheets 20 of embodiment 1600 in an unfolded state; the blister chain may optionally be of an arbitrary length.
  • Figure 16B illustrates a stack of six of folded blister sheets 20 of embodiment 1600 in a folded state.
  • a sheet 20 of the blister chain of embodiment 1600 may include multiple medicines and/or doses. Other embodiments, for example as illustrated above, may optionally contain one or more doses and/or kinds of medicines.
  • a blister may protrude from either and/or both sides of a spacer 1622.
  • the blisters on the spacers may have a different dose from the blisters on the sheets.
  • the sheets may contain large blisters while the spacers contain small blisters and/or vice versa etc.
  • FIG 17A illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of a blister chain.
  • each blister 1724, 1724' in the blister chain contains a drug pills and/or tablet.
  • the drug cavity locations on the blisters surface are in a format that each blister cavity on a sheet fits in the space between two other blisters on an opposing blister sheet when the chain is folded.
  • sheet 1720 is folded opposite (face to face) with sheet 1720' and the blisters 1724' of sheet 1720' fit between the blisters 1724 of sheet 1720.
  • adjacent blister sheets may be separated by a spacer 22.
  • the width (w) of a spacer may optionally be approximately equal to the height of a pill cavity plus twice the thickness of the blister substrate.
  • adjacent pages that fold opposite one another front to front are separated one of the other by a spacer (for example spacer 22) and/or two 90° joints (for example joints 1726 and 1726').
  • adjacent pages that fold against one another back to back are separated by a 180° joint (for example joint 1726").
  • Figure 17B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of a blister chain in an unfolded form.
  • each blister sheet 1720b will be separated from the next blister sheet by a reconfigurable space 1722b.
  • each reconfigurable spacer may have three optional folding lines 1726b.
  • Figure 17C illustrates a side view of the blister chain of Fig. 17a after folding.
  • Reconfigurable spacers 1722b are optionally folded with 90° angles on the two outer folding lines 1726b to make a spacer between two front to front blister sheets.
  • Reconfigurable spacer 1722b' is folded with a 180° angle on the center folding line 1726b to make a joint between two back to back blister sheets.
  • Reconfigurable spacer 1722b" is folded with 180° angles on each of the three fold lines 1726b to make a joint between two back to back blister sheets.
  • each spacer 1722b, 1722b', 1722b" may be reconfigured to a spacer and/or a joint and the form of the folded chain may also be reconfigured at will.
  • Figs. 18-20 illustrate a method of adapting a standard medicine blister system to produce a continuous folded blister chain.
  • the method may include setting up a standard blister machine to produce a foldable blister chain.
  • the chain may include, for example, a continuous chain of blister sheets and/or spacers and/or 90° joints and/or 180° joints.
  • the foldable chain may optionally be folded and/or stacked and/or cut and/or packaged using devices, for example as described herein.
  • a blister packaging process begins with a roll 1801 of substrate, for example of PVC (alternatively or additionally the substrate may include aluminum and/or other materials).
  • the material continues to a pill/tablets pocket forming unit 1802.
  • Pill/tablets pocket forming unit 1802 makes cavities 1803 in the substrate for the pills. Cavities 1803 are then filled with the pill/tablets by a pill feeder 1805.
  • the PVC with the pill/tablet filled cavities 1806 is covered with a protective covering of, for example, aluminum foil 1807.
  • Fiol 1807 may optionally be ironed to the PVC by an ironing unit 1808.
  • the output of ironing unit 1808 includes a continuous aluminum covered PVC blister strip 1809 with blisters containing the tablets. Blister sheets 1812 are then cut out of blister strip 1809 by a cutting unit 1810. Each blister sheet 1812 falls separately into a boxing machine. Leftover material 1811 is rolled away 1814. Blister sheets 1812 are then loaded into package, for example a cardboard patient drug box 1813.
  • Fig. 19 is a flow chart illustration of an exemplary embodiment of method of adapting a convention a blister production system for producing a continuous foldable blister strip. The method starts by supplying 1971 a blister production system. The system may optionally include a standard blister system. Optionally, a standard blister system may include some or all of the components illustrated in Fig.
  • the system may further include a folding unit (for example as illustrated in Figs. 2A-C, 3A- D, 7A-H, 20-24B) and/or a stacking unit (for example as illustrated in Figs. 5A,B and/or a packaging unit (for example as illustrated in Figs. 6A-I).
  • a folding unit for example as illustrated in Figs. 2A-C, 3A- D, 7A-H, 20-24B
  • a stacking unit for example as illustrated in Figs. 5A,B and/or a packaging unit (for example as illustrated in Figs. 6A-I).
  • method may include a special set up 1972 of the conventional parts of the system.
  • a pocket forming unit may optionally be set up 1973a to produce folding lines.
  • folding lines may include 180° and/or 90° joints (for example joints 26 of Figs. 9A-17, and more specifically for example 180° joint 826c of Fig. 8A,B and/or joints 2126a,b of Figs. 21A,B, for example 90° joints 826a,b,d,e of Fig. 8A,B and/or joints 2226 Figs. 22A,B).
  • Set up 1972 may optionally include, for example, setting up 1973b a cutting unit to cut off the edges and/or cut out portions from the blister chain (for example as illustrated for example in Figs. 8A-16B and/or 20) while leaving the blister sheets connected as a long chain.
  • a folding line may be formed 1974.
  • folding lines may be formed 1974 by a pocket forming unit.
  • a folding line could be formed as an indentation on one side of the blister substrate with a protrusion on the other side, for example as illustrated in Figs. 21A, 21A', 22A and 22A' .
  • a folding line could be formed as indentation on both sides of the blister substrate Figs. 2 IB, and 22B.
  • extra material will be trimmed 1975 from the blister chain.
  • excess material may be cut off the edges of the blister chain and/or cut outs could be formed within the blister chain.
  • perforations may be made in the blister chain for example to facilitate separation of blister sheets by the end user.
  • a cutting unit may perform trimming 1975.
  • the continuous blister chain may be folded 1976.
  • folding 1976 may be performed by a folding apparatus.
  • connected blisters sheets of the continuous folded blister chain may be stacked 1977.
  • stacking may be performed by a stacking unit.
  • the stacked chain of blister sheets may be packaged 1978.
  • Packaging 1978 may include for example, pushing a stack of connected blister sheets through a channel into a box.
  • packing 1978 may include moving a track holding the blister sheets into a box and then removing the track.
  • packaging 1978 may include inserting the stack into another form of package such as a foil pack and or a bag.
  • Figure 20 illustrates an exemplary embodiment 2000 of a folding unit 2019 connected in line with a standard blister forming system.
  • a standard pocket forming unit (for example unit 1802) may be set up to form folding lines 26 and/or to place blisters that mesh when blister strip 1809 is folded.
  • a cutting unit 2015 may be a standard cutting unit (for example cutting unit 1810). Cutting unit 2015 may optionally be set up differently from the standard format (that separate the blister to the regular blister format as seen in Fig. 18). Some optional differences in the cutting format are explained in the explanation of Fig 19. For example, blisters sheets may not be cut apart, thereby forming a continuous chain 2018 of connected blister sheets (unseparated). Leftover materials 2017 may optionally be rolled away.
  • folding unit 2019 may be located after cutting unit 2015.
  • the continuous chain 2018 of connected blister sheets may optionally enter folding unit 2019 which may optionally fold the continuous chain into a continuous folded stack 2020.
  • Stack 2020 may optionally be loaded into a package, for example cardboard patient drug box 2021.
  • Figure 21 A illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a folding line 2126a for a 180° fold.
  • a folding line may include an indentation 2180a and a protrusion 2181.
  • Indentation 2180a and protrusion 2181 may optionally be on opposite sides of the substrate.
  • the length of protrusion 2181 may optionally be approximately twice the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • the length of protrusion 2181 may range between 1.2 and 2.8 times the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • the length of indentation 2180a may optionally be less than the length of protrusion 2181.
  • Figure 21A' illustrates the substrate of Fig. 21A after folding.
  • folding may stretch the outer side of the substrate.
  • Protrusion 2181 may be thinned out by stretching to form a rounded corner of.
  • Protrusions 2181 may prevent the corner from thinning out/or and becoming brittle.
  • Figure 2 IB illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of a folding line
  • a folding line may include indentations 2180b and 2180b'.
  • Indentations 2180b and 2180b' may optionally be on opposite sides of the substrate.
  • the length of indentations 2180b,b' may be approximately twice the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • the length of indentations 2180b,b' may range between 1.2 and 2.8 times the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • Figure 21B' illustrates the substrate of Fig. 21B after folding.
  • indentations 2180b,b' may make it easy to fold the substrate along line 2126b.
  • the corner may optionally thin out during folding.
  • Figure 22A illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a folding line 2226a for a
  • a folding line may include an indentation 2280a and a protrusion 2281.
  • Indentation 2280a and protrusion 2281 may optionally be on opposite sides of the substrate.
  • the length of protrusion 2281 may optionally be approximately the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • the length of protrusion 2181 may range between 0.6 and 1.4 times the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • the length of indentation 2280a may optionally be less than the length of protrusion 2281.
  • the length of indentation may optionally be approximately half the thickness of the substrate.
  • the length of indentation 2280a may optionally ranges between 0.2 and 0.8 times the thickness of the substrate.
  • Figure 22A' illustrates the substrate of Fig. 22A after folding.
  • folding may stretch the outer side of the substrate.
  • Protrusion 2281 may be thinned out by stretching to form a rounded corner of.
  • Protrusions 2281 may prevent the corner from thinning out and becoming brittle.
  • Figure 22B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of a folding line 2226b for a 90° fold.
  • a folding line may include indentations 2280b and 2280b'.
  • Indentations 2280b and 2280b' may optionally be on opposite sides of the substrate.
  • the length of indentations 2280b,b' may be approximately the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • the length of indentations 2280b,b' may range between 0.6 and 1.4 times the thickness (h) of the substrate.
  • Figure 22B' illustrates the substrate of Fig. 22B after folding.
  • indentations 2280b,b' may make it easy to fold the substrate along line 2226b.
  • the corner may optionally thin out during folding.
  • Figure 22C is a schematic view illustrating the orientation of folding lines in an exemplary continuous blister chain.
  • the orientation of folding lines in Fig. 22C corresponds for example to embodiments 800, 900, and 1600.
  • blister sheets 20 are alternatingly separated by a spacer 22 with two upward folding 90° joints 2226, followed by a downwardly folding 180° joint 2126 (folding in the opposite direction).
  • Figure 22D is a schematic view illustrating the orientation of folding lines in an exemplary continuous blister chain.
  • the orientation of folding lines in Fig. 22C corresponds for example to embodiment 1500.
  • blister sheets 20 are alternatingly separated by a spacer 22 with two upward folding 90° joints 2226, followed by a spacer 22 with two downwardly folding 90° joints 2226 (folding in the opposite direction from the previous pair of joints),Alternative embodiments of folding machines
  • Figs. 23A-E illustrate five exemplary steps of a process of folding a blister chain.
  • the process may optionally repeat itself in a continuous manner.
  • Fig. 23 A step-1 illustrates an exemplary starting configuration.
  • the drawing illustrates six blisters 2324a-f; blisters 2324a-c are already in folded position, and blisters 2324d-f are on standby to be folded.
  • Step-2 illustrates an example of initiating folding.
  • an advancer 2338a optionally advances a trailing spacer 2322a while a second advancer optionally retains a leading spacer 2322b in place squeezing sheets containing blisters 2324d,e between them.
  • joint 26 and blisters 2324d,e are buckled upward out of the plane of advancement of the blister chain.
  • a presser 2330 pushes joint 26 located between blisters 2324d,e upward. Pushing joint 26 upward may for example help initiate folding on the correct line (joint 26).
  • Step-3 illustrates an example of advancers 2338a,b continuing to buckle joint 26 and blisters 2324d,e.
  • the example presser 2330 has completed its job of initiating the folding and moves downward out of the path of advancement of the blister chain.
  • Step-4 illustrates an example of removal of advancer 2338b so blister 2324d can be stacked in position in front of blister 2324c.
  • advancer 2338a continues pressing blister 2324e forward until blisters 2324d,e are stacked in their places.
  • Step-5 illustrates the exemplary system completing a cycle and returning to the configuration of Fig. 23 A except that now blisters 2324d,e are in the same position that blisters 2324b,c where in Fig. 23A.
  • the folding cycle may optionally continue from step-1 (Fig. 23 A) with blisters 2324f,g on standby to be folded.
  • Advancers 2338a,b and presser 2330 have returned to their position as in Fig. 23A.
  • Figures 24A-H illustrate a side view of an alternative example of a folding machine and a method of folding a blister strip.
  • Figs. 24A'-H' show a front view of the folding machine.
  • folding is done by a dual motion rotary presser 2430 while stacking is done by a two piece advancer 2338.
  • Fig. 24A for example, six sheets are shown each containing a blister 2424a-f. Blisters 2424a-c are already in their folded positions and blisters 2424d-f are waiting to be folded.
  • An advancer 2438 is located at the trailing end of the pair of sheets containing blisters 2424d,e. As illustrated in Fig. 24A', advancer 2438 may optionally include of two separate parts.
  • the plane of advancement 2490 of the blister chain is labeled.
  • a rotary presser 2430 is shown in a ready position parallel to plane of advancement 2490.
  • Figs. 24B,B' illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding.
  • advancer 2438 advances a trailing edge of blister pair 2424d,e while presser 2430 rotates, raising blisters 2424d,e out of plane of advancement 2490.
  • advancer 2438 moves forward it pulls along the trailing portion of the blister chain, for example blisters 2424f,g.
  • Figs. 24C,C illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding.
  • advancer 2438 keeps advancing the trailing edge of blister pair 2424d,e while presser 2430 continues to rotate, until presser 2430 is perpendicular to plane of advancement 2490 and blisters 2424d,e are stacked up against blisters 2424a,b,c.
  • Figs. 24D,D' illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding. Presser 2430 has been lowered out of the path of advancement of the blister stack.
  • Figs. 24E,E' illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding.
  • advancer 2438 advances the blister stack pulling forward blisters 2424f,g into a position ready to fold.
  • Figs. 24E,E' rotates back to be parallel to plane of advancement 2490.
  • Figs. 24F,F' illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding.
  • presser 2430 has optionally be raised back to its ready position for folding a new pair of blisters 2424f,g.
  • the two parts of advancer 2438 spread apart (as is seen in Fig. 24F') disengaging from the blister stack.
  • Figs. 24F,F' illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding. Advancer 2438 optionally returns to the trailing edge of blister pair 2424f,g.
  • Figs. 24G,G' illustrate an exemplary subsequent step in folding.
  • the two parts of Advancer 2438 optionally come back together (as illustrated for example in Fig. 24F') such that the apparatus is now ready to restart the process, folding blisters 2424f,g.
  • compositions, method or structure may include additional ingredients, steps and/or parts, but only if the additional ingredients, steps and/or parts do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.
  • the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
  • the term “a compound” or “at least one compound” may include a plurality of compounds, including mixtures thereof.
  • range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé et un système pour le pliage d'une chaîne blister. La chaîne blister peut éventuellement être repliée en une pile de feuilles de blister de longueur arbitraire. Pendant le pliage, des feuilles adjacentes peuvent être repliées dos à dos et/ou face avant contre face avant. Les feuilles peuvent être reliées l'une à l'autre par exemple par des joints et/ou des éléments d'espacement. Le pliage peut éventuellement comprendre le déplacement d'un interconnecteur de la chaîne blister hors d'un plan de l'avancement de la chaîne. La sortie repliée peut être éventuellement empilée et/ou transportée et/ou insérée dans un emballage secondaire. La sortie peut éventuellement être repliée en pile et/ou en portefeuille. La pile repliée et/ou portefeuille peut éventuellement être formée à partir de matériaux blister classique sans support ajouté et/ou matériaux de liaison. La chaîne sous blister pliable peut éventuellement être produite sur des machines de fabrication de blister classique.
PCT/IL2013/050185 2012-03-01 2013-02-28 Chaîne blister repliée, machine de pliage et procédé de pliage WO2013128459A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201261605223P 2012-03-01 2012-03-01
US61/605,223 2012-03-01
US201261747441P 2012-12-31 2012-12-31
US61/747,441 2012-12-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2013128459A1 true WO2013128459A1 (fr) 2013-09-06

Family

ID=49081744

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IL2013/050185 WO2013128459A1 (fr) 2012-03-01 2013-02-28 Chaîne blister repliée, machine de pliage et procédé de pliage

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2013128459A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3125851B1 (fr) * 2014-03-31 2018-11-28 Haupt Pharma Münster GmbH Utilisation d'un récipient pour la conservation de comprimés contraceptifs

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3659706A (en) * 1970-04-24 1972-05-02 Parke Davis & Co Pharmacal package construction
US5542235A (en) * 1993-03-05 1996-08-06 Pvt Piepenbrock Verpackungstechnik Gmbh Method and apparatus for manufacturing a blister cardboard pack
US6024222A (en) * 1996-07-01 2000-02-15 Astra Aktiebolag Blister pack
US6253920B1 (en) * 1995-06-30 2001-07-03 Astrazeneca Ab Blister pack
EP1988042A1 (fr) * 2007-05-02 2008-11-05 FT Automation GmbH & Co. KG Dispositif et méthode de pliage d'une bande de materiau
US20080302695A1 (en) * 2005-12-06 2008-12-11 Patrick Antonius Hendrikus Meeren Blister Pack with Fold Lines
WO2010004566A1 (fr) * 2008-07-10 2010-01-14 2P2D Solutions Ltd Dispositif de distribution de médicament et procédé d’utilisation de celui-ci

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3659706A (en) * 1970-04-24 1972-05-02 Parke Davis & Co Pharmacal package construction
US5542235A (en) * 1993-03-05 1996-08-06 Pvt Piepenbrock Verpackungstechnik Gmbh Method and apparatus for manufacturing a blister cardboard pack
US6253920B1 (en) * 1995-06-30 2001-07-03 Astrazeneca Ab Blister pack
US6024222A (en) * 1996-07-01 2000-02-15 Astra Aktiebolag Blister pack
US20080302695A1 (en) * 2005-12-06 2008-12-11 Patrick Antonius Hendrikus Meeren Blister Pack with Fold Lines
EP1988042A1 (fr) * 2007-05-02 2008-11-05 FT Automation GmbH & Co. KG Dispositif et méthode de pliage d'une bande de materiau
WO2010004566A1 (fr) * 2008-07-10 2010-01-14 2P2D Solutions Ltd Dispositif de distribution de médicament et procédé d’utilisation de celui-ci

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3125851B1 (fr) * 2014-03-31 2018-11-28 Haupt Pharma Münster GmbH Utilisation d'un récipient pour la conservation de comprimés contraceptifs

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN109476383B (zh) 用于封闭围绕物品形成的纸板箱的封闭站和用于将物品包装在纸板箱内部的机器
CN109476400B (zh) 纸板坯件的折叠站及用于在纸板箱内部包装物品的机器
EP1988020B1 (fr) Equipement et procédé pour fabriquer en continu des paquets de piles de carreaux ou similaires
US4041677A (en) Packaging apparatus
JP2019520238A (ja) 段ボールブランクの折曲げステーション、及び段ボールブランクから得られる段ボール箱の中に物品を梱包するための機械
JPS5920997Y2 (ja) 加工製品パツケ−ジの製造装置
US6640522B2 (en) Method and machine for packing reams of sheets
HU220954B1 (en) Blister pack and apparatus and method for producing it
JPH1143101A (ja) 大パックの製造装置
US9434086B2 (en) Automated air pillow dispenser
US5542235A (en) Method and apparatus for manufacturing a blister cardboard pack
EP2055637B1 (fr) Appareil pour emballer des articles, en particulier des paquets de bâtons dans les boîtes correspondantes
JP2000015721A (ja) フォイルバッグ製造パッキング方法及び装置
PT1899228E (pt) Método e dispositivo para a formação e descarga de grupos ordenados de produtos, em particular rolos de papel
CN111295337B (zh) 带有翻转和堆叠装置的包装机器
WO2013128459A1 (fr) Chaîne blister repliée, machine de pliage et procédé de pliage
US4481751A (en) Bag baling process
JPH0332826A (ja) パックのブランクの貯蔵及び包装機械の折畳みユニットへの送り出し方法
JPS6160406A (ja) パツク製造機械
CA2571496C (fr) Procede et dispositif d'emballage de produits et piece decoupee d'emballage associee
CN112810897A (zh) 一种令包装箱生产设备
CN206384209U (zh) 非间歇运动三维包装机
JPH0767927B2 (ja) 多列自動包装装置
CN219601723U (zh) 一种全自动三维透明膜包装机
JP6009772B2 (ja) 箱詰め方法及び箱詰め装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 13755819

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

32PN Ep: public notification in the ep bulletin as address of the adressee cannot be established

Free format text: NOTING OF LOSS OF RIGHTS PURSUANT TO RULE 112(1) EPC (EPO FORM 1205A DD 02/12/2014)

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 13755819

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1