WO1995019922A1

WO1995019922A1 - Strip packing

Info

Publication number: WO1995019922A1
Application number: PCT/EP1994/004335
Authority: WO
Inventors: Horst Von Borries; Jozef Verplaetse
Original assignee: Ingenieurbüro Von Borries
Priority date: 1994-01-25
Filing date: 1994-12-29
Publication date: 1995-07-27
Also published as: DE4402038A1

Abstract

A strip packing for small objects, in particular for medicaments such as tablets (10), dragées, capsules (11), suppositories or medical aids such as injection needles (12), consists of a bottom foil (4) with deep-drawn recesses (3) for receiving the small objects joined to a covering foil (1) in the area of the webs (2) that separate the individual recesses (3). The bottom foil (4) is made of a deep-drawable elastic polymer and the covering foil (4) consists of a composite foil made of a glassy thermostable polymer provided at least on one side with a sealable layer (6).

Description

Blister pack

The invention relates to a push-through pack for small parts, in particular a push-through pack for medicaments such as tablets, dragees, capsules, suppositories or medical aids, such as injection needles, which consists of a base film with deep-drawn troughs for holding the small parts, which has a cover film in the area of the individual Troughs separating webs are connected.

Increasing environmental awareness requires extensive reuse of raw materials, which, if they are to be processed in a reasonably rational manner, have to be recorded separately. Various attempts have therefore already been made to produce packs which meet this requirement.

It is known from DE-Ul 9115696 to manufacture a plastic packaging in which the top and bottom films consist of the same plastic. However, the bottom film must be provided with perforations. The package mentioned in the document is a skin package.

EP 543775 AI also relates to a pure blister pack. With this packaging, the top film has weaknesses or separations that have been introduced mechanically or chemically. The top film is mechanically

Cutting, punching, scratching with knives and by heat treatment, laser beams, electron beams, spark erosion or chemically by etching. The cover material is preferably separated through its entire thickness, the severing or weakening being in the region of the sealing seam. The Cover film does not only have to be subjected to a special treatment; afterwards it must also be ensured that the dividing or weakening lines fall exactly in the area of the weld seams, because otherwise the packs are not closed properly.

A package can also be found in DE-Ul 9103973, in which the bottom and top films consist of the same plastic. This packaging is a blister pack in which the base film is advantageously provided with perforations.

WO 84-01556 describes a packaging which consists of two webs which are sealed against one another, at least one of which is a laminate which consists of one layer of tear-resistant material, for example polyester film, and a second layer of easily penetrable material, for example aluminum foil . Perforations or continuous cuts are made in the tear-resistant layer, which are covered by the penetrable layer. The slits or perforations must be introduced into the cover film before they are lacquered. An additional work step is also required for this.

AT-PS 188271 describes a collective packaging which has weakening lines produced by separation welding for easier separation of the individual packs. The lines of weakness have approximately the same shape as the outline of the portion pack, the line of weakness advantageously running such that a tongue is formed for tearing open. To ensure that the individual packs can be released easily and safely, the lines of weakness are arranged around each individual pack.

Conventional blister packs, as described for example in DE-Ul 9204578 or DE-Ul 8605885, have a thin metal foil z. B. made of aluminum or are provided with a perforated plastic sheet. The metal foil can be pressed through relatively easily, it also closes tightly due to an always existing plastic coating, but has the disadvantage that it cannot be recycled with the rest of the package. The plastic sheets used as the cover film must be perforated if they are to be able to be pushed through, which means that the selection of the goods to be packaged is reduced since the air has unimpeded access. The packaged goods can thus be impaired or spoiled by moisture and atmospheric oxygen, as a result of which the pack becomes worthless.

DE-A1 4113714 proposes to create predetermined breaking points by irradiation with laser beams, at which the package can be opened, that is to say can possibly be pierced. However, the radiation is very complex and also requires additional safety precautions. It is unsuitable for packaging small parts that often change in size.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a push-through packaging for small parts which can be produced inexpensively without additional effort and can be easily disposed of, ie reprocessed. In the case of generic packaging, this task is solved by the characterizing features of the main claim.

The combination of thermoformable, elastic polymer as the base film with a cover film made of a brittle, thermostable polymer ensures that the cover film can be easily pierced. The puncturing is generally possible with the packaged goods, for example a tablet. It is also ensured that the same plastics can be used, the disposal and thus the reuse of the raw material is ensured.

The elastic polymer of the base film is expediently an unstretched polyolefin, preferably an unstretched polypropylene.

The brittle polymer of the cover film is advantageously a stretched polyolefin, expediently a monaxially stretched polyolefin, in particular a polypropylene.

The sealable layer can expediently have been applied as a lacquer; for better environmental compatibility, it should preferably have been applied from a dispersion in order to avoid solvents and their vapors during production.

The dispersion consists of contains as a layering agent, expediently polyvinylidene chloride, acrylic resin or polyvinyl alcohol, and water as a carrier medium.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides before that the sealable layer was coextruded. This embodiment of the invention saves one work step, the coating, and also eliminates the energy-consuming drying process.

The coextruded layer, that is to say the sealing layer, is preferably a propylene copolymer.

The thickness of the base film is expediently between 80 μm and 1000 μm, in particular between 150 μm and 400 μm; the thickness of the cover film between 20 μm and 100 μm, in particular between 25 μm and 50 μm.

The sealing layer advantageously has a thickness of 1 μm to 3 μm.

Preferred, especially for the use of the film for sensitive goods such as Medicinal products that must be absolutely protected from water vapor and / or oxygen, the invention provides that the bottom and / or cover film is provided with a barrier layer. The barrier layer advantageously consists of a polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) or an ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

The thickness of the barrier layer is expediently between 0.1. μm and 20 μm.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover is deformed by the seal in the area of the webs. The deformation is advantageously a point and / or line-by-line weakening of the cover film in the sealing area. It was expediently carried out by profiled sealing jaws. The depth of penetration of the sealing bar profile is preferably 20 to 80% of the thickness of the cover film. This configuration of the invention results in a weakening of the cover film without losing its tightness, and in addition the easier removal of the piece goods from the pack is ensured.

The sealing profile is advantageously a line or point profile. At least one sealing jaw is processed accordingly, e.g. milled out. The welding is therefore still essentially flat, which is necessary for the strength and tightness of the pack, but at the same time it enables the packaged small part to be easily pushed through the weakened cover film.

It is also advantageous to introduce a diamond-shaped grid in the sealing jaw. Here, too, there is a flat sealing with simultaneous pre-programming of a predetermined breaking point by the direction towards the trough, i.e. the depth of penetration of the profiles into the lidding film decreases.

The distance between the individual line or point rows or the diamond rows is between 0.5 and 1.5 mm. This ensures that the package is both tight and easy to open.

A preferred method for producing corresponding push-through packs provides that the base film is covered with a brittle, multilayer cover film and is sealed in the region of the webs separating the troughs by means of a profiled sealing jaw. It is essential that the profiled sealing jaw deforms the lid film of the pack. An additional deformation of the base film is possible, but does not bring any significant advantage due to its greater thickness.

The profile jaws in the area of the webs expediently emboss a line, point or diamond pattern into the cover film, but it can also extend over the entire trough covered with the cover film without the package being damaged thereby. In practice, however, the weakened area will only extend slightly inward beyond the trough, since the area outside the webs lacks the necessary back pressure for the jaw.

The rows of lines or dots preferably run essentially parallel to the orientation direction of the cover film. Through this embodiment of the invention, the puncturing of the cover film with the packaged small part is e.g. the tablet further relieved.

example 1

Push-through packs for tablets were manufactured on a Uhlmann model and packing machine, model UPS 200, the individual tablet packs having a size of 90 by 40 mm. In this pack there were 10 deep-drawn round troughs with a diameter of 15 mm, at a depth of 8 mm, the tablets had a height of 5 mm, so that 2 tablets could be packed in a well. The web width between the troughs was 2 mm at the narrowest point. An unstretched polypropylene film with a thickness of 250 μm was used as the base film Roll width was 200 mm, the roll length 200 m. 2 packs could be accommodated on a roll width. The machine speed was 100 packs / min, the mold temperature for the base film was 200 degrees C. The wells were deep-drawn using compressed air of 3.5 bar.

After the double tablet layer had been introduced, the cover film was passed over the base film with the filled depressions, pressed on and sealed with the base film in the region of the webs. The sealing temperature was 150 degrees C, the sealing time was 0.5 seconds. An oriented polypropylene film which had a thickness of 30 μm and was provided on one side with a sealing layer on the side facing the bottom film was used as the cover film. The layer had been produced by painting on one side of the cover film. This film is under the name Rayopp RGP from UCB Packaging Ltd. to acquire. The layer thickness was 2 μm.

During the sealing process, the ribs of the sealing jaw penetrated 10 μm into the cover film, whereby this, starting from the web area, was weakened in the direction of the inner surface of the troughs. Because of this weakening, the tablets were easy to push through. After the first tablet had been removed from a well, there was still an unstable closure of the well, so that the second tablet which was still in it was held in its position by the perforated cover film.

Example 2 Push-through packs for capsules were produced on a Uhlann model UPS 200 model automatic packaging machine, the individual capsule packs having a size of 90 by 40 mm. In this pack there were 10 deep-drawn oval troughs with a length of 15 mm and a width of 10 mm, with a depth of 8 mm. The capsules had a height of 5 mm, so that 2 capsules could be packed in one well. The web width between the troughs was 2 mm at the narrowest point. An unstretched polypropylene film with a thickness of 250 μm was used as the base film, the roll width was 200 mm, the roll length was 200 m. Two packs could be accommodated on one roll width. The machine speed was 100 packs / min, the mold temperature for the bottom sheet was 200 degrees C. The work was carried out with compressed air of 3.5 bar.

After the double layer had been introduced, the cover sheet was passed over the base sheet with the filled depressions, pressed on and sealed with the base sheet in the area of the webs. The sealing temperature was 150 degrees C, the sealing time was 0.5 seconds. A coextruded, biaxially stretched polypropylene film was used as the cover film, which had a propylene / ethylene copolymer layer on one side as the sealing layer. The total thickness was 30 μm. The copolymer layer was arranged on the side facing the base film. This film is available from UCB Transpac under the name Rayopp RGP.

During the sealing process, the ribs of the sealing jaw penetrated 12 μm into the cover film, as a result of which, proceeding from the web area, in the direction of the inner surface of the Troughs has been weakened. Because of this weakening, the capsules were easy to push through. After the first capsule had been removed from a well, there was still an unstable closure of the well, so that the second capsule, which was still in it, was held in its position by the perforated cover film.

Example 3

Push-through packs for tablets were manufactured on a Uhlmann model and packing machine, model UPS 200, whereby the individual tablet packs had a size of 90 by 40 mm. There were 10 deep-drawn round troughs with a diameter of 15 in this pack mm, at a depth of 4 mm, the tablets had a height of 5 mm, so that 1 tablet could be packed in a well. The web width between the troughs was 2 mm at the narrowest point. An unstretched polypropylene film with a thickness of 250 μm was used as the base film, the roll width was 200 mm, the roll length 200 m. Two packs could be accommodated on a roll width. The machine speed was 100 packs / min, the mold temperature for the base sheet was 200 degrees C. The pressure was 3.5 bar.

After the tablet layer had been introduced, the cover film was passed over the base film with the filled depressions, pressed on and sealed with the base film in the region of the webs. The sealing temperature was 150 degrees C, the sealing time was 0.5 seconds. An oriented polypropylene film was used as the lid film, which had a thickness of 30 μm and had one side - on the side facing the bottom film - with a Sealing layer was provided. In addition, a barrier layer - barrier layer - was applied. The layer was applied to one side of the lidding film by evaporation using the PVD method. A metal, aluminum, was used as the evaporation material. This film can be obtained under the name Propafoil VG met 30 from Imperial Chemical Industrie (ICI). The layer thickness of the barrier layer was 0.03-0.04 μm.

During the sealing process, the ribs of the sealing jaw penetrated 10 μm into the cover film, whereby this, starting from the web area, was weakened in the direction of the inner surface of the troughs. Because of this weakening, the tablets were easy to push through.

Example 4

Push-through packs for button cells were manufactured on a Uhlmann model and packing machine, model UPS 200, the individual packs being 90 by 20 mm in size. In this pack there were 12 deep-drawn round troughs with a diameter of 5 mm, at a depth of 4.5 mm. The button cells had a height of 5 mm, so that 1 cell could be packed in each well. The web width between the troughs was 5 mm at the narrowest point. An unstretched polypropylene film with a thickness of 250 μm was used as the base film, the roll width was 200 mm, the roll length 200 m. Two packs could be accommodated on a roll width. The machine speed was 100 packs / min, the molding temperature for the base film 200 degrees C. Working with compressed air of 3.5 bar.

After the button cells had been introduced, the cover film was passed over the base film with the filled depressions, pressed on and sealed with the base film in the region of the webs. The sealing temperature was 150 degrees C, the sealing time was 0.5 seconds. An oriented polypropylene film which had a thickness of 30 μm and was provided on one side with a sealing layer on the side facing the bottom film was used as the cover film. In addition, a barrier layer - barrier layer - was present. The layer was applied to one side of the cover film by vapor deposition using the CVD method. The metal used as the vapor deposition material was aluminum, which was converted into aluminum oxide during the application. This film is available from Toyo Inc. under the designation GT-10000 N. The layer thickness of the sealing layer was 2 μm, that of the barrier layer 0.05 μm.

During the sealing process, the ribs of the sealing jaw penetrated 15 μm into the cover film, whereby this, starting from the web area, was weakened in the direction of the inner surface of the depressions. Because of this weakening, the tablets were easy to push through.

Example 5

Press-through packs for tablets were produced on a Uhlmann model and packing machine, model UPS 200, whereby the individual tablet packs had a size of 90 by 40 mm. There were 10 deep-drawn round troughs with a diameter of 15 in this pack mm, at a depth of 4 mm. The tablets had a height of 5 mm, so that 1 tablet could be packed in a well. The footbridge width between the troughs was 2 mm at the narrowest point. An unstretched polypropylene film with a thickness of 250 μm was used as the base film, the roll width was 200 mm, the roll length 200 m. 2 packs could be accommodated on a roll width. The machine speed was 100 packs / min, the mold temperature for the base film was 200 degrees C. The pressure was 3.5 bar.

After the tablet layer had been introduced, the cover film was passed over the base film with the filled depressions, pressed on and sealed with the base film in the region of the webs. The sealing temperature was 150 degrees C, the sealing time was 0.5 seconds. An oriented polypropylene film which had a thickness of 30 μm and was provided on one side with a sealing layer on the side facing the bottom film was used as the cover film. In addition, a barrier layer - barrier layer - was present. The layer was applied to one side of the cover film by vapor deposition using the CVD method. Silicon was used as the vapor deposition material, which was converted into silicon oxide during the deposition. This film is under the name Camclear from Camvac Ltd. UK related. The layer thickness of the sealing layer was 2 μm, that of the barrier layer 0.03 μm.

During the sealing process, the ribs of the sealing jaw penetrated 20 μm into the lid film, causing it to weaken, starting from the web area, in the direction of the inner surface of the troughs. Even with this pack structure, the tablets could easily be removed. The invention is further explained below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows in perspective representation as

Schematic diagram of a tablet filling and packaging system FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 in section, the side view through a trough area of the package FIG. 5 the top view of an individual sealed one

Mulde, Figure 6 the breaking of the cover film Figure 7 sealed as a side view in section

Button cells Figure 8 as a side view in section of a Phillips screwdriver insert in the

Pack Figure 9 as a top view of several packaged

Phillips screwdriver bits Figure 10 as a top view of a pack of 16

Capsules Figure 11 a pack with a sealed syringe and

Hypodermic needle.

The cover film 1 and the bottom film 4 are fed from unrolling devices, not shown, to a packaging device 14, in which the bottom film 4 is deep-drawn under the influence of heat by means of compressed air, as a result of which the troughs 3 are formed Cover film 1 passed over the base film 4 and sealed in the area of the webs 2 and the edge area 15 of the pack 16.

Normally, one tablet 10 - as shown in Figure 2 - is in a trough 3, but as shown in Figure 3, several, e.g.

Claims

1) Push-through pack for small parts, in particular push-through pack for medicines such as tablets, dragees, capsules, suppositories or medical aids, such as injection needles, which consists of a base film with deep-drawn troughs for holding the small parts and is connected to a cover film in the region of the webs separating the individual troughs , characterized in that the base film (4) consists of a thermoformable, elastic polymer and the cover film (1) consists of a composite film having a sealable layer on at least one side of a brittle, thermostable polymer.

2) blister pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic polymer of the base film (4) is an undirected polyolefin.

3) push-through pack according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the elastic polymer of the base film (4) is a non-rectified polypropylene.

4) blister pack according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the brittle polymer of the cover film (1) is an oriented polyolefin. tablets 10 arranged one above the other are located in a depression 3. When a tablet 10 is pushed through the cover film 1, the depression 3 is folded in in its cylindrical region 17, one of the tablets 10 remains in the depression 3 and is pushed through keep the pierced cover film 1 in the pack.

The cover film 1 is sealed onto the base film 4 with profiled sealing jaws, not shown. If the sealing jaws are covered with the finest cones or truncated pyramids, then a weakening 18 is formed in the sealing area 7 - as shown in FIG.

The zone of the weakening 18 was clearly shown by overdimensioning the film thickness in FIGS. 7 and 8, FIG. 7 showing the arrangement of button cells 19 in the recesses 3 and FIG. 8 the arrangement of Phillips screwdriver inserts 20 in the recesses 3. The sealing layer 6 is arranged on the underside of the cover film 1 so that it is in engagement with the base film 4. The barrier layer 5 is optionally arranged as a cover layer on the cover film 1.

FIG. 10 shows a pack 6 which contains capsules 11, the sealing area 7 is deformed by rows of lines 8, and extends beyond the area of the webs 2 to the edge area 15 of the pack 16. FIG. 11 shows the detail from a pack 16 of the syringes 13 and hypodermic needles 12 contains. The sealing jaws used in the production here had a diamond pattern 21. 5) blister pack according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the brittle polymer of the cover film (4) is a monaxially rectified polyolefin.

6) push-through pack according to one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the brittle polymer of the cover film (1) is an expanded polypropylene.

7) blister pack according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the sealable layer (6) was applied as a lacquer.

8) blister pack according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the sealable layer (6) was applied as a dispersion.

9) blister pack according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the dispersion consists of an acrylate resin.

10) blister pack according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the dispersion consists of a polyvinylidene chloride.

11) blister pack according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the dispersion consists of a polyvinyl alcohol.

12) blister pack according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the sealable layer (6) has been coextruded. 13) blister pack according to one of claims 1-12, characterized in that the coextruded layer is a propylene copolymer.

14) blister pack according to one of claims 1-13, characterized in that the bottom film (4) has a thickness of 80 microns to 1000 microns.

15) blister pack according to one of claims l - 14, characterized in that the cover film (1) has a thickness of 20 microns to 100 microns.

16) blister pack according to one of claims 1-15, characterized in that the sealing layer (6) has a thickness of 1 micron to 3 microns.

17) blister pack according to one of claims 1-16, characterized in that the bottom (4) and / or cover layer (1) is provided with a barrier layer (5).

18) blister pack according to one of claims 1-17, characterized in that the barrier layer (5) is a polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).

19) blister pack according to one of claims 1-17, characterized in that the barrier layer (5) is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH).

20) blister pack according to one of claims 1-17, characterized in that the barrier layer (5) is an ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH). 21) blister pack according to one of claims 1-17, characterized in that the barrier layer (5) is a metal layer.

22) blister pack according to one of claims 1-17, characterized in that the barrier layer (5) is a metal oxide layer.

23) blister pack according to one of claims 1 - 22, characterized in that the thickness of the barrier layer (5) is 0.1 microns to 20 microns.

24) push-through pack according to one of claims 1 - 23, characterized in that the cover film (l) in the region of the webs (2) is deformed by the seal.

25) push-through packaging according to one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the deformation is a point and / or line-by-line weakening of the cover film (1) in the sealing area (7).

26) push-through pack according to one of claims 1-25, characterized in that the weakening is carried out by profiled sealing jaws.

27) push-through pack according to one of claims 1 - 26, characterized in that the penetration depth of the sealing jaw profile is 30-80% of the thickness of the cover film (1).

28) push-through pack according to one of claims 1 - 27, characterized in that the sealing profile is a line or point profile. 29) push-through pack according to one of claims 1 - 28, characterized in that the sealing profile has a diamond-shaped grid.

30) blister pack according to one of claims 1 - 29, characterized in that the distance between the lines (8) and / or the rows of dots (9) of the grid is 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

31) Process for producing a press-through pack for small parts, in particular a press-through pack for medicines such as tablets, capsules, suppositories or medical egg aids such as injection needles, which are made from a bottom film with deep-drawn

Troughs for receiving the small parts and is connected to a cover film in the area of the webs separating the individual troughs, in which the base film is deep-drawn, the small parts are inserted individually or, if appropriate, as a stack into the troughs, characterized in that the

Floor film with a brittle, multilayer

Covered foil and in the area of the webs separating the troughs by means of a profiled

Sealing jaw is sealed.

32) Method according to claim 31, characterized in that the profiled sealing jaw deforms the lid film of the pack.

33) Method according to one of claims 30 or 31, characterized in that the profile jaws in the region of the webs emboss a line, point or diamond pattern in the cover film. 34) Method according to one of claims 30 - 33 characterized in that the lines and / or rows of points run substantially parallel to the orientation direction of the cover film.