Blister pack opener
US5853101A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 19, 1993 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T225/371
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a blister pack opener which includes a structure designed to receive a soft pack of individually segregated unit dosages of medication. The opener or soft pack puncturing mechanism has a base segment and a top segment hingedly connected to one another. The base segment has an orifice located thereon which is of sufficient size to receive a unit dosage section of a soft pack commonly referred to as a "blister" and the top segment has a protrusion adapted to nest within the orifice of the bottom segment. The protrusion of the top segment has sufficient height so as to puncture a dosage unit section of a soft pack of medication. When a dosage unit or "blister" is placed within the orifice of the bottom segment and the top segment is hingedly pushed downwardly, the protrusion on the top segment will puncture the foil or flat element of the blister pack. Preferably, the puncture mechanism has toothed edges on this protrusion to enhance puncturing. Also, in preferred embodiments, the opener has grasping protrusions which help to hold the blister pack in place during puncturing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.