US3162306A - Package with individual pockets for pads - Google Patents

Description

E. A. ZACKHEIM 3,162,306

PACKAGE WITH INDIVIDUAL POCKETS FOR PADS Filed May 9, 1965 4 Sheet s l VENTOR. w 52/ ,4 ZAcK/rE/M 34 ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1964 E. A. ZACKHEIM 3,162,306

PACKAGE WITH INDIVIDUAL POCKETS FOR PADS Filed May 9, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 II I. p. Ir.

5'4 3W 3/ 44 0 INVENTOR.

54/ 4. ZAzKzYf/M 4 J4} 11:115. BY

44/ a 3/ M V ATTORNEY D c. 2, 1 E. A. ZACKHEIM PACKAGE WITH INDIVIDUAL POCKETS FOR PADS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 9, 1963 INVENTOR. 54/ A Z4c-Kfl5/M W4 W ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1964 E. A. ZACKHEIM PACKAGE WITH INDIVIDUAL POCKET-S FOR PADS Filed May 9, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. 54/ ,4. .ZiC/(AE/M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,162,366 PACKAGE WETH INDEVIDUAL PGCKETS FUR PADS Eli A. Zackheim, Princeton, N.J., assignor to Johnson & .lohnson, a corporation of New Jersey Fiierl May 9, 19%, Ser. No. 279,057 Claims. (Cl. 2%-53.2)

The present invention relates to medicated pads for application to the skin, more particularly to such pads which are in the form of relatively small pieces most suitably stamped or cut from a layer of sheet material, and to a novel package therefor and a method of manufacturing this package.

According to this invention, a plurality of pads are assembled with other sheet material to form a single laminated package in which the pads may be enclosed in sterile condition in individual pockets. The individual pads remain in place in the product sheet from which they are stamped or cut and this product sheet becomes part of the package laminate. The laminate comprises a relatively heavy backing sheet, a cover sheet, and the product sheet; and the sheets are assembled with the product sheet sandwiched between the backing sheet and the cover sheet. The product sheet is adhered to the backing sheet, on one side, and the cover sheet, on the other side, in areas completely surrounding the pads to form a plurality of scaled individual pockets enclosing the pads. The backing sheet at each of the pockets is scored or grooved from the outside of, and partially through, the backing sheet along a breaking line crossing the pocket, and the laminate is cut from the breaking line to the nearest edge of the laminate on each side of each pocket; thereby forming a tab adapted to be separated or detached easily from the package by tearing the backing sheet and the cover sheet along the breaking line. Separation of one of the tabs from the package opens one of the pockets and exposes the pad it contains without disturbing the integrity of the remainder of the package.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the individual pads are impregnated with a hemostatic agent and the pads are intended for use during shaving to stop the flow of blood and help heal any cuts which may occur. In this case, it is important that a pad be immediately available when needed but that the remainder of the pads in the package be maintained free of contamination from blood, soap, and other foreign materials. It is an important feature of the package of this invention that each of the tabs may be detached easily to expose a hemostatic pad when needed. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the tab may be detached in such a way that the pad remains in the tab with its end protruding therefrom, or the pad may be left protruding from that portion of the pocket which remains with the package after the tab is detached. While there are certain advantages to either of these techniques, in either case, the pad, itself, is readily available for use.

Another important advantage of the package of this invention is that it is adapted to "be sterilized quickly in a carboxide autoclave. The various parts are designed to be assembled in such a way that sterilizing gases may penetrate readily into the individual pockets of the completed package and thereby completely sterilize its contents.

It also is preferred that the cover sheet be transparent so that the pads are visible in the pockets from one side of the package. For instance a colored hemostatic agent may be applied to the visible pad face so as to bring them sharply into view and make them clearly visible to the consumer.

The method of this invention, wherein the individual 3,162,366 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 pads remain in place in the product sheet from which they are cut and the product sheet becomes part of the package laminate, also is highly advantageous because it facilitates the definite positioning of the pads in the package in accordance with the arrangement in which they are cut from the product sheet and also facilitates the formation of the sealed pockets enclosing the pads.

The pads are either cut from the product sheet after it is applied to the backing sheet, in which case they may be completely cut; or they are at least partially cut from the product sheet prior to the application of the product sheet containing the pads to the backing sheet. Normally, in the latter case, the pads are almost completely cut from the product sheet except for short nibs on opposite sides of the pads which hold the pads in position. The nibs also may be used when the pads are cut after application of the product sheet to the backing sheet for convenience in retaining the pads in position and to insure sterility as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

Other and further advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and claims taken together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a backing sheet of a package in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the same backing sheet after it has been coated with a plastic film;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a product sheet according to this invention superimposed over the backing sheet of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partially broken away view of portions of the sheets of FIG. 3 after the product sheet has been adhered to the backing sheet;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view line 55 of FIG. 4;

'FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a smaller fragment of the sheets of FIG. 4 after the pads have been cut from the product sheet;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of the assembled sheets off FIGS. 3 and 4 with a cover sheet positioned above t em;

FIG. 10 is a view of a fragment of the sheets of FIG. 9 after the cover sheet has been adhered to the product sheet in areas surrounding the pads to form a laminate comprising pockets for the pads;

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of the sheets of FIG. 10 with the laminate inverted, showing the scoring and die cutting of the laminate;

FIG. 12 is a view in perspective of a fragment of the laminate of FIG. 11 in an upright or noninverted, position;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 1313 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is an inverted enlarged sectional view taken along the line 1414 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 15-15 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a view in perspective showing one of the tabs being removed from the package laminate;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary view in perspective which also shows removal of a tab from the package of this invention;

FIG. 18 is a smaller fragmentary view in perspective showing the tab being removed with the pad in place in the tab;

FIG. 19 is another in the tab;

taken along the perspective view of the pad in place wherein the pad is retained in the package after the tab is removed;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a portion of a backing sheet according to a slightly different embodiment of this invention wherein a laminating adhesive is applied in a pattern defining the pockets;

FIG. 22 is a view in perspective showing a product sheet wherein the pads have been partially cut from the sheet and together with the sheet are positioned above the backing sheet of FIG. 21; 7

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the sealing of the product sheet to the backing sheet;

FIG. 24 is a-fragmentary View in perspective showing the positioning of the cover sheet over the laminated sheets of FIG. 23; V

FIG. 25 is another fragmentary View in perspective showing the sheets of FIG. 24 after they have been ad'- hered to one another to formfpockets surrounding the pads;

nate'inverted for the purpose of illustrating the cutting and scoring thereof; a

FIG. 27 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIG. 13 buttaken through the embodiment of FIGS. 21-28; FIG. 28 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIG. 14, but also of the embodiment of FIGS. 21-28. 7 Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-15 of the drawings,

7 there is shown a package according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and a method of manufacturing it.

Pro. 26 is a view similar to FIG.11 showing the lamiposition.

4. the product sheet, but leaves a pair of short nibs 38, along the center line AB in FIG. 6, for retaining the pads in It should be noted that the shape of the pads 37, as cut, is the same as the patternin which the medication 35 or hemostatic agent originally was applied to the product sheet. The application pattern for the'medica tion need not be the same as the shape of the pads although it must apply sufficient medication to the pads in the right locations, v

FIG. 7'is a sectional view taken along one edge of one of the pads 37' and illustrates one of the nibs 33 referred to above. 'These nibs 38 are located along the line A-B which represents one of the lines along which 7 the backing sheet will be scored to provide a breaking line for removal of tabs from the package, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

Both FIGS. 7 and 8 also show that when the pads.37

' are cut from the product sheet 34, the dies also cut through the laminating film 33 and penetrate the backing sheet 31 slightly. Thus, cuts 30 are formed in the laminating film 33 in the outline of the pads 37. These cuts 30' are for the purpose of facilitating sterilization of the interior of the package through the backing sheet 31. When ethylene oXide or steam is used for sterilization in an ordinary production sterilization cycle of one-half to one hour, the thermoplastic laminating film 33 might provide a barrier to penetration of the sterilizing gas through the backing sheet if it were not for the abovereferred-to cuts.

FIG. 9 shows a cover sheet 41, which preferably 18 transparent, in position over lthe'product sheet 34, and

FIG. 1 illustrates a backing sheet 31 which is'relatively ,7 heavy compared with the cover for the package and" normally considerably heavier than the productsheet from which the pads are cut. Typically,; a die-cut bleached sulfate paper board about 0015-0020 inch thick may be used for this purpose. A small hole 32 is punched adjacent one of the edges of the sheet for Vhanging the package on a rod for storage or display purposes.-

In F1622, a thin laminating film 33 of a thermoplastic material such as saran, polypropylene, or linear polyethylene, is applied to the top surface of the backing 'sheet 31 in the "area where product sheet are to contact one another. may be only a fraction of a mil'in thickness but is substantially continuous as applied r to the backing sheet. 'FIG. 3 illustrates a product sheet 34 in position above the coated portion of the backing sheet 31. The outlines of the pads to be cut from the product sheet are already defined by medication 35 applied to the product sheet in the shape of the pads. The product sheetv34 is formed from material which is absorbent enough to contain the blood or any other fluid for which it is intended, and yet firm, or stiff, enough to give' medication 35 and absorb the individual pads sufficientrigidity, or body, for use. When the pads are intended for hemostatic purposes in connection with shaving, as described briefly hereinbee fore, the product sheet may be cut from a Whatman #3 filter paper in the neighborhood of 0.0100.015'inch thick. This" filter paper is relatively porous as compared with the backing sheet. .The hemostatic agent maybe applied 7 to the top surface of the product sheet in the outline of the backingsheet and the This film 33 FIG. 10 illustratesa portion of the package after the cover sheet 41 has been adhered to the product sheet in the sealingarea 36-surroundin'g the pads to form the package laminate. Preferably, the cover sheet 36 is a material which may bev heat sealed to the product sheet 34. For instance, a linearpolyethylene film about one mil or less'in thickness may be used for this purpose, or a laminate of glassine and vinylite may be employed.

In the latter case, the vinylite, besides being heat scalable, should. also be heat ste'rilizable, i.e., capable of retaining, its integrity and its seal, at temperatures in the neighborhood of 250 F. A glassine vinylite laminate wherein. about 25 pounds perream of glassine and 5-10 :pounds per'ream of vi'nylite are employed, is suitable for. this purposel, lt should be noted that the cover sheet may be sealed to the product sheet in the same pattern as the product sheet is sealed to the backing sheet.

- However, while this is. convenient, it is not necessary.

When the cover sheet 41 is sealed to the product sheet :34, pockets 42 enclosing the pads 37 are completed. Sufficient clearancezis allowed between the edges of the pockets 42 and the pads 37 to allow the pads to be removed readily therefrom when desired.

The laminated package according to'this embodiment is completed, as shownin FIGJ 11, byinverting the sheets of FIG. 10 and die cutting and scoring the laminate the pads by silk screening, gravure printing, impregnation V or the like. y

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the heat sealing of the product sheet to the backing sheet. 'A heat sealing die, or shoe,

is used to apply heat to the laminate of the product sheet. and the backing sheet in a pattern which establishes a I heat sealing area 36 surrounding the. individual pads. Thus, the product sheet is waled to the back sheet only in the areas surrounding the pads to be c'ut'from the product sheet.

FIG. 6 illustrates the laminate of FIG. 4 after pads 37 have been cut from the product sheet 34. A die is used for this purpose which almost completely cuts the pads from to form a tab 43 for each of the pads 37 and its corresponding pocket 42; The backing sheet 31 is scored from its bottom surface, part way through its thickness .to form two breaking lines or grooves 44. Each of the breaking grooves 44 runs. through a row of the pads 37 and their corresponding pockets 42 in such a way as to cross the pockets at the point where it is desired to open them. The laminate is cut from each of the breaking grooves 44 to the nearest edge of the laminate on each "side of each of the pockets 42 to form tabs 43 which are individually separable fromv the remainder of the package by breaking the backing sheet' and the cover sheet along the appropriate breaking groove 44. Thecorners 45 of the tabsv 43 are beveled at the ends of the tabs during" the die cutting, asshown most clearly in FIGS. ll'and ,12 for conveniencein'gripping and removing the tabs 43.

FIGS; 12- 5 illustrate portions "or the completed laminated'package according to this embodiment of the invention. It will be seen that the medicated pads 37 remain in position in the product sheet 34 and are enclosed in sealed pockets 42 formed by the backing sheet 31, the product sheet 34, and the cover sheet 41. These pockets 42, when sterilized, remain sterile and protect the pads 37 from airborne bacteria and other contamination. However, the package is so designed that the pockets 42 are penetrable by sterilizing gases under pressure. The penetration of sterilizing gases into the pockets through the backing sheet 31 and the cuts 30 in the thermoplastic film 33 applied to the sheet has been described hereinbefore. As mentioned previously, the nibs 38, shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, have an important secondary function of assuring the sterility of the pockets 42. A quick glance at FIG. 14 will show that the breaking grooves 44 in the backing sheet might contact the cuts 30 made in the backing sheet 31 through the laminating film 33 in the outline of the pads where the grooves 44 would cross these cuts, if it were not for the nibs 38. Thus, one of the grooves 44 is shown dotted in FIG. 7 and crossing under the pads 37 through the nibs 38 so as to avoid the possibility of joining the cuts 30.

FIGS. 16-20 illustrate two ways in which the laminated package of this invention may be used. As mentioned hereinbefore, the individual tabs 43 may be detached from the package in such a way that the pad 37 remains in the tab 43 and is removed from the package with the tab as the tab is detached by tearing the package along the breaking groove 44. In this case, the pad 37 is held in the tab 43 by the fingers gripping the tab, as shown in FIG. 16, and the other end of the pad 37 protrudes from the tab 43 after it has been removed from the package, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The tab 43 then may be used as a holder for applying the pad 37 to a cut or the like.

On the other hand, it may be desirable to leave the pad 37 in position in the package after the tab is removed therefrom, as shown in FIG. 20. To accomplish this, the hand gripping the package also is applied to one end of the pad 37 and the tab 43 is gripped by the other hand in such a way as not to contact the opposite end of the pad. One advantage of this technique may be that it leaves the exposed pad 37 free to be removed easily from the package and applied directly to a cut. In both of the above-described cases the tab 43 may be removed easily from the package by tearing along the breaking groove or line 44 without disturbing the integrity of the remainder of the package, or in the case of a sterile package, without interfering with the sterility of the remainder of the package.

FIGS. 2128 illustrate a package according to a somewhat difierent embodiment of the invention and a method of manufacturing this package. The materials used are the same as, or similar to, those described in connection with FIGS. l-l5, unless otherwise stated. FIG. 21 illustrates the application of a laminating adhesive 51 to the backing sheet 31 in a pattern. This pattern corresponds to the pattern in which it is intended to seal the product sheet to the backing sheet. FIG. 22 shows a product sheet 52 superimposed above the adhesive area of the backing sheet. A plurality of pads 53 are already cut from the product sheet but are retained in position therein by a pair of short nibs 54 connecting each of the pads 53 with the sheet 52. These nibs 54 are easily broken when it is desired to remove the pads from the package. FIG. 23 illustrates the positioning of the product sheet 52 containing the pads 53 on the backing sheet with the pads located within the adhesive-free areas of the backing sheet. The backing sheet 31 is adhered to the product sheet 52 through the laminating adhesive 51 by the application of heat and/ or pressure to the two sheets. FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate the application of a transparent cover sheet 55 over the product sheet to complete pockets 56 enclosing the pads, Again, the cover sheet 55 may be sealed to the backing sheet 31 by applying heat and pressure through the cover sheet 55 in areas surrounding the 6 pads 53 but spac'ed therefrom sufiiciently to define clear ance between the edges of the pads and the edges of the pockets. FIG. 26 is similar to FIG. 11 and also illus trates the way in which the laminated sheets are die cut and scored to form tabs 57 by inverting the laminate and cutting through the bottom of the backing sheet.

As mentioned hereinbefore, FIGS. 27 and 28 are similar to FIGS. 13 and 14, and illustrate this embodiment of the invention in the same way as FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the embodiment of FIGS. 1l5. As shown in FIGS, 27 and 28, in this embodiment of the invention, there is no laminating film under the pads 53. Thus, sterilizing gases may pass directly through the backing sheet 31 into the pockets 56 enclosing the pads 53 and it is not necessary to cut into the backing sheet in the outline of the pads, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-15. This allows the pads to be cut from the product sheet prior to assembly of the product sheet with the backing sheet, as described above.

As described in connection with FIGS. 1-15, the pads 53 are enclosed in individual pockets 56 formed by the backing sheet 31, the product sheet 52, and the cover sheet 55, and may be removed easily from these pockets by either of the techniques described in connection with FIGS. 16-20, merely by tearing one of the tabs 57 from the remainder of the package. Again, removal of one of the tabs, only opens one of the pockets and provides access to one of the pads, and does not disturb the integrity or the sterility of the remainder of the package.

A still different preferred embodiment of this invention is in the nature of an improvement over and a combination of certain of the features of each of the foregoing embodiments. Referring particularly to FIGS. 1- 15, after the heat sealable laminating film 33 is applied to the backing sheet 31, sterilizing cuts, not shown, are made through the film 33 approximately where each of the pads 37 will cover the film in such a way that the cuts enter each of the pockets 42. The sterilizing cuts are carefully located so that they will not strike the breaking grooves 44 in the bottom of the backing sheet 31 and therefore allow airborne bacteria and other contamination to pass into the pockets through the breaking grooves 44 and the sterilizing cuts. Nevertheless the cuts do allow penetration of sterilizing gases under pressure into the pockets 42 through the backing sheet 31 and then through the sterilizing cuts, themselves. Next'the product sheet 34, which in this embodiment is like the product sheet 52 because the pads are already partially cut from the product sheet, is placed in position over the heat sealable film 33 and the cover sheet 41 is positioned over the product sheet. When the sheets are in position all three sheets are sealed together to form a laminate with the product sheet 34 between the backing sheet 31 and the cover sheet 41. A heat sealing die or shoe is used which applies heat and pressure to the laminate in the sealing pattern shown in FIG. 4 to seal one face of the product sheet 34 to the backing sheet 31 and the other face of the product sheet to the cover sheet 41 in areas completely surrounding said pads without adhering the pads to backing sheet or the cover sheet. The product and the method of this embodiment are in every other respect the same as those of FIGS. 1-15. The chief advantage of this embodiment is in its simplicity and the elimination of the need for precise registration as between the nibs 38 and the grooves 44, or the need for applying the laminating adhesive or film to the backing sheet in a careful pattern as described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 21-28.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplified the manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications, and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from its spirit or scope.

The invention claimed is:

1. A package with individual pockets for pads of sheet 7 material comprising a product sheet portion and coextensive portions of a relatively heavy backing sheet and a cover sheet, said product sheet portion being sandwiched between the coextensive portions of the backing sheet and the cover sheet to form a laminate, said product sheet portion comprising a plurality'of pads at least partially cut from the product sheet portion and'remaining in position therein, said product sheet portion in an area completely surrounding said pads being adhered one side to the backing sheet and the other side to the cover sheet,

but loose from said backing sheet and said cover sheet throughout the areas of said pads to form a plurality of scaled pockets enclosing said pads, said backing sheet at V the individual pockets being scored from the outside of and partially through the'backing sheet along a breaking product sheet except for short nibs connecting the pads with the sheet,

' 3. A package for pads of sheefmaterial according to claim-1, wherein medication is applied-r te at least one surface oflth'e pads and the interiors of the pockets are sterilized to "provide a sterile sealed package. 4. {A package for pads .of sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the pads are :formed of absorbent and :firni sheet material andla heniostatic agent -is.applied .to at least one surface of the pads.

5. A package for pads of sheet claim 1, wherein the coversheetiis transparent and forms the top of the pockets and .the pads are visible through the cover sheet when imposition in the pockets.

References Cited iin'ithe file of this patent V I UNI TED STATES PATENTS I 1,310,729 Appelbee July 22, 19 19 1,492,101 Mordecai Apr. 29, 1924. 2,061,1391 Cohen ..a Novylj, 1936 2,616,559 Hyland Nov. .4, 1952 3,063,555 Hanington Nov. 13, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,104,9 60 France *Jnne 22, 1955 material according to

Claims (1)

1. A PACKAGE WITH INDIVIDUAL POCKETS FOR PADS OF SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING A PRODUCT SHEET PORTION AND COEXTENSIVE PORTIONS OF A RELATIVELY HEAVY BACKING SHEET AND A COVER SHEET, SAID PRODUCT SHEET PORTION BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE COEXTENSIVE PORTIONS OF THE BACKING SHEET AND THE COVER SHEET TO FORM A LAMINATE, SAID PRODUCT SHEET PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PADS AT LEAST PARTIALLY CUT FROM THE PRODUCT SHEET PORTION AND REMAINING IN POSITION THEREIN, SAID PRODUCT SHEET PORTION IN AN AREA COMPLETELY SURROUNDING SAID PADS BEING ADHERED ONE SIDE TO THE BACKING SHEET AND THE OTHER SIDE TO THE COVER SHEET, BUT LOOSE FROM SAID BACKING SHEET AND SAID COVER SHEET THROUGHOUT THE AREAS OF SAID PADS TO FORM A PLURALITY OF

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