Medicine container, method of assembling the container, and method of dispensing the medicine from the container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11648176-B2
Application number	US-202117319917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2021
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	May 16, 2023
Grant date	May 16, 2023

Abstract

A child-resistant medication container assembly that includes a blister card including a plurality of compartments each configured to support a dosage of medication, and a puck including a body portion, a recess that defines a partition wall in the body portion, and a plurality of openings defined in the partition wall. Each opening corresponds to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card. The assembly further includes a carton including a first wall opposite a second wall. An access opening is defined in the first wall and a plurality of perforations are defined in the second wall. The access opening is sized to provide access to the plurality of compartments, and each perforation corresponds to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A child-resistant medication container assembly comprising:
a blister card comprising a plurality of compartments each configured to support a dosage of medication;
a puck comprising a body portion, a recess partially defined by a partition wall in the body portion, and a plurality of openings defined in the partition wall, wherein each opening corresponds to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card;
a label insert positioned within the recess, a plurality of openings defined in the label insert, each opening in the label insert corresponding to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card and to one of the plurality of openings in the partition wall; and
a carton comprising a first wall opposite a second wall, wherein an access opening is defined in the first wall and a plurality of perforations are defined in the second wall, the access opening sized to provide access to the plurality of compartments, and each perforation corresponding to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card.

2. The assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the access opening is shaped to correspond to an upper perimeter of the recess.

3. The assembly in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the access opening comprises an inner side edge that defines a frame about the plurality of compartments.

4. The assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the carton further comprises a third wall rotatable relative to the first wall such that access to the plurality of compartments through the access opening is restricted when the third wall is in a closed position.

5. The assembly in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the access opening is defined by a removable panel adhered to the third wall, the removable panel initially secured to the first wall when the third wall is in the closed position.

6. The assembly in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the removable panel is initially secured to the first wall with a plurality of connector tabs disposed about a periphery of the access opening.

7. The assembly in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the removable panel includes information related to administration of the medication.

8. The assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the number of compartments in the blister card is a multiple of the number of days in a week.

9. The assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the dosage of medication secured in each of the plurality of compartments is accessible by puncturing a seal in the blister card.

10. The assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the recess has a depth that is greater than a height of the plurality of compartments such that the plurality of compartments is positioned a distance below the first wall.

11. A method of assembling a child-resistant medication container assembly, the method comprising:
aligning a blister card, including a plurality of compartments each configured to support a dosage of medication, with a puck that includes a body portion, a recess that defines a partition wall in the body portion, and a plurality of openings defined in the partition wall, wherein each opening corresponds to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card when the blister card is aligned with the puck;
attaching the blister card to the puck to form a puck assembly;
positioning a label insert within the recess, a plurality of openings being defined in the label insert, each opening in the label insert corresponding to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card and to one of the plurality of openings in the partition wall;
positioning the puck assembly within a carton that includes a first wall opposite a second wall, wherein an access opening is defined in the first wall and a plurality of perforations are defined in the second wall, the access opening sized to provide access to the plurality of compartments, and each perforation corresponding to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card; and
closing the carton to enclose the puck assembly therein.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein positioning the puck assembly comprises aligning the puck with the first wall such that the access opening corresponds to an upper perimeter of the recess.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11 further comprising forming the carton from the first wall, the second wall, and a third wall overlaying the first wall, the third wall rotatable relative to the first wall such that access to the plurality of compartments through the access opening is restricted when the third wall is in a closed position.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein forming the carton comprises adhering the third wall to a removable panel of the first wall, the removable panel initially secured to the first wall when the third wall is in the closed position, and the removable panel defining the access opening when the third wall is rotated into an open position.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising printing information related to administration of the medication on the removable panel.

16. A method of dispensing medication secured within a child-resistant medication container assembly to a user, the method comprising:
providing the child-resistant medication container assembly including a carton, a puck, a blister card, and a label insert, wherein the label insert is positioned within a recess on the puck, the blister card is secured to the puck and the puck is secured to the carton;
applying a force to at least one compartment of a plurality of compartments of the blister card, wherein the plurality of compartments are accessible through an access opening in a first wall of the carton, and wherein the label insert includes a plurality of openings each opening in the label insert corresponding to one of the plurality of compartments in the blister card; and
breaking a seal of the at least one compartment such that a dosage of medication contained therein is discharged through an opening in the puck and through an opening in a second wall of the carton, the opening in the second wall of the carton defined by a perforation in the second wall.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the first wall is opposite the second wall, and the carton further includes a third wall overlaying the first wall when in a closed position, the method further comprising rotating the third wall relative to the first wall to provide access to the plurality of compartments through the access opening.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the first wall further includes a removable panel initially secured thereto and that is also adhered to the third wall, wherein rotating the third wall comprises breaking a connection between the first wall and the removable panel such that the removable panel defines the access opening when the third wall is rotated into an open position.

19. The assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the label insert includes indicia instructing a user of the assembly in the administration of the medication.

20. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the label insert includes indicia that instructs a user of the medication in the administration of the medication.

Assignees

• Abbvie Inc

Inventors

• Marshall Todd
• Medhal Bhimaprasad
• Finch John G
• Borgardt Joy Elizabeth

Classifications

• A61J1/035 Primary

  Blister-type containers (blisters in general B65D75/36) · CPC title

• A61J2205/30

  Printed labels · CPC title

• B65D83/0463 Primary

  formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container · CPC title

• A61J2205/20

  Colour codes · CPC title

• B65D2215/00

  Child-proof means · CPC title