Abstract:
A blister pack system has a printed board, and the outside of the film of the blister pack has individual contact spots each assigned to a respective bag. Individual strip conductors run from each contact spot to a common conductor strip via the respective bag on the outside of the film. When a dragée is removed from a bag, the strip conductor assigned to the bag is interrupted. The printed board has perforations corresponding to the pattern of the bags and contact spots corresponding to the pattern of the contact spots of the blister pack. The contact spots of the board are directed towards the contact spots of the pack while the perforations of the board are directed towards the bags of the board. An edge area of the printed board has connecting contact spots each connected to a contact spot of the printed board via an individual strip conductor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This is a nationalization of PCT/DE03/00179 filed Jan. 23, 2003 and published in German. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to a blister pack arrangement i.e., system, having a blister pack which has pockets sealed by a foil and which can be inserted into a receiving part of a holding device. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   From U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,474, for example, a device follows which reminds a patient to take a pill. Therein a blister pack is set into a holding device which includes an electronics unit so that a patient can be reminded at the right time to take a pill from the blister pack, and along with this, the actual point in time of removing the pill can be recorded in the storage of the electronics unit and, in given cases, can be transmitted to a central data processing device. The pulses which display the removal of a pill are generated during the interruption of an electrical printed conductor. 
   For this, a printed conductor runs over each pill pocket of the blister pack, where one end of the printed conductor is always connected to a common printed conductor and the other end of the printed conductor is connected to an individual printed conductor. The printed conductors are disposed on the blister&#39;s foil sealing the individual pill pockets. From the blister, the common printed conductor and the individual printed conductors run over the counter-contacts of the holding device and their printed conductors to the electronics unit. 
   From U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,991 an additional device for holding a blister pack follows in which, instead of the foil having printed conductors and sealing the individual pill pockets, a material on which conductors are printed and which can be printed through (for example, special paper) is laid into the holding device which is energized by the counter-contacts of the holding device. 
   Also, this device has an electronics unit with a timer which, at the point in time of the removal of a first pill from the blister pack, picks up an electrical start pulse for the activation of the timer and which at predetermined times sends out a tone and/or optical signal (memory function). 
   The device includes a carrier frame which encircles the edge areas or corners of the blister pack at least partially and at its lower side is at least partially open so that the removal of a pill from a blister pack contained in the carrier frame is possible. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The objective of the present invention consists of structuring a blister pack arrangement so that a reliable recording by an electronics device of the removal of a pill is made possible and a so-called child safety is ensured. 
   This objective is realized by a connection of a blister pack arrangement with printed conductors and a printed circuit board with a child-safety covering foil with the features described herein. 
   A particular advantage of the present invention consists of the fact that the present blister pack arrangement is structured so that the removal of a pill by children is avoided. 
   This is achieved according to experience by a cover layer which is applied to the underside of the printed circuit board. Before the removal of a pill from the blister pack, a pull-off strip must be pulled off of the printed circuit board&#39;s cover layer which covers the through-print area of a pill on the printed circuit board. Only after pulling off of the strip can the pill be pressed out through pre-stamped areas. In so doing, the blister&#39;s printed conductor assigned to the pill is irreversibly separated, and the electronics recognizes the change in status of the blister. 
   An additional significant advantage of the present invention consists of the fact that on insertion of a blister pack arrangement into the holding device it is ensured that the printed circuit board automatically falls into the correct position for plug-in connection. An asymmetric arrangement of guide elements, preferably stampings, permits only a definite positioning of the blister pack arrangement in the holding device. 
   Incorrect recording of signals due to incorrect insertion of the blister pack arrangement into the holding device can be reliably avoided. This is achieved by the fact that the electronics unit is only activated when the blister pack arrangement is in the correct position to contact the plug. Thereby problems can be avoided which are to be traced back to processes in the insertion of the blister pack arrangement into the holding device. Such processes can, after the production of an individual electrical connection between the blister pack arrangement and the electronics unit, lead to interruptions of contact during relative movements between the blister pack arrangement and the holding device, which could simulate the removal of a pill. 
   A coding of the printed circuit board by stamping, perforations, slotting, barcodes, or electronic processes, etc., makes possible recognition by the electronics units of which drug is held in a blister. This coding is, for example, possible by the stamping of slots on the printed circuit board, which interrupts closed contacts of the electronics unit or by printing of conductive contact pads whose different arrangement can be assigned to a corresponding drug contained in the blister. 
   Advantageously, an economically reasonable production and the position-oriented guiding together of blister and printed circuit board are ensured. This is realized by the fact that, on the blister&#39;s covering foil bearing the printed conductors, one or more passer marks are printed which, for example, can be read by an optical control device through one or more windows of the printed circuit board. 
   The contact pads of the blister with printed conductors and the contact pads of the printed circuit board are connected long-term by means of a conductive adhesive. It is advantageous that through this long-term connection a secure contacting between the blister and the printed circuit board is ensured. 
   In order to optimize the bond between the blister and the printed circuit board, the edge areas of the blister are connected to a non-conductive adhesive. Thus, an essentially permanent connection between the blister and the printed circuit board is ensured. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following, the invention and its developments are explained in more detail in connection with the figures. Shown are: 
       FIG. 1 : a blister pack of the blister pack arrangement according to the invention seen from above, 
       FIG. 2 : the blister pack of  FIG. 1  seen from below, where the special course of the common printed conductor and the individual printed conductors can be seen, 
       FIG. 3 : a printed circuit board with printed conductors and openings for the removal of pills seen from above, 
       FIGS. 4 ,  4   a , and  4   b : the printed circuit board of  FIG. 3  seen from above with opened blister pack. For explanation: different features of the invention, where  FIG. 4   a  shows the blister pack arrangement before insertion into the receiving part and  FIG. 4   b  shows the blister pack arrangement after insertion into the receiving part, 
       FIG. 5 : a printed circuit board partially provided with pull-off strips, 
       FIG. 6 : a section through the present blister pack arrangement in the longitudinal direction, where the printed circuit board and the actual blister pack are still not connected to one another for use, 
       FIG. 7 : the blister pack arrangement of  FIG. 6 , where the blister pack and the printed circuit board are connected to one another for use, 
       FIGS. 8 to 10 : extensions of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
   The present blister pack arrangement includes generally a blister pack which can be seen from  FIGS. 1 and 2 , said blister pack having several pill basins or pockets  2   a  to  2   g  which are customary per se and serve to receive medicaments, in particular tablets, pills, or dragees  20 , and a printed circuit board  8  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Preferably, the blister pack  1  has, running in the longitudinal direction, two rows of pockets disposed adjacent to one another each with three pockets  2   b,    2   c,    2   d  or  2   e,    2   f,    2   g,  and an additional pocket  2   a  disposed in the center at one end of the opposing rows. For example, on the side of the central pocket  2   a  turned away from the two rows of pockets, a larger pocket-like compartment  3  can be disposed in which a folded pack insert slip or the like can be disposed. Other pocket arrangements are possible. 
   On the underside, a foil  28  sealing the pockets  2   a  to  2   g  and the compartment  3  is disposed according to  FIG. 2 . To reinforce the blister pack  1  a bead  4  running at least partially along the outer edge can be provided (cf.  FIG. 1 ). 
   On the foil  28 , different contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  are disposed on the outer side according to  FIG. 2 , of which one contact pad is assigned to each of the pockets  2   a  to  2   g  and disposed in its vicinity. From each contact pad  5   a  to  5   g , an individual printed conductor  5   a ′ to  5   g ′ runs on the outer side of the foil  28  over the corresponding pockets  2   a  to  2   g  to a common printed conductor  7 , which preferably runs in the center between the two rows of pockets and is connected to a common contact pad  6 . Through this arrangement, it is ensured that in the closed state of the blister pack  1  an electrical connection from the common contact pad  6  exists via a printed conductor  5   a ′ to  5   g ′ running over a pocket  2   a  to  2   g  to each of the contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  assigned its respective pocket  2   a  to  2   g . In the case of the removal of a pill from a pocket, the electrical connection assigned to the pocket between the common contact pad  6  and the respective contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  is interrupted. 
   To the blister pack  1  thus structured, the aforementioned printed circuit board  8  is assigned, which can be seen from  FIGS. 3 and 4 . According to the pattern of the contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  and  6  of the blister pack  1 , the printed circuit board  8  has on one side a pattern of individual contact pads  9   a  to  9   g  and a common contact pad  10 , where the contact pads  9   a  to  9   g  can be aligned to cover the same surface as the contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  of the blister pack  1  and the contact pad  10  can be aligned to cover the same surface as the contact pad  6  of the blister pack  1  if the underside of the blister pack  1  is laid onto the surface of the printed circuit board  8  having the contact pads  9   a  to  9   g.    
   According to the pattern of the contact pads  2   a  to  2   g  and the compartment  3  of the blister pack  1 , the printed circuit board  8 , which preferably consists of a flexible PVC material in particular, has punched perforations  11  corresponding to the pockets  2   a  to  2   g  and a punched perforation  16  corresponding to the compartment  3 , where said perforations can be aligned to the pockets  2   a  to  2   g  or to the compartment  3 . 
   The printed circuit board  8  is preferably dimensioned so that it projects over the blister pack  1  on all sides after its fastening to the blister pack  1 , to be explained later. 
     FIG. 4 , seen from above, shows the state in which the printed circuit board  8  is fastened to the blister pack  1 , where the contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  of the blister pack  1  (cf.  FIG. 2 ) are then electrically connected to the corresponding contact pads  9   a  to  9   g  (cf.  FIG. 3 ,  4 ) of the printed circuit board  8  and the common contact pad  6  of the blister pack  1  is electrically connected to the corresponding contact pad  10  of the printed circuit board  8 . 
   According to  FIG. 6 , this is achieved by the fact that the printed circuit board  8  and the blister pack  1  are aligned to one another according to the arrangement of, preferably, conductive adhesive points  19  on the contact pads  5   a  to  5   d  and  6  of the foil  28  of the blister pack  1  or on the contact pads  9   a  to  9   g  and  10  of the printed circuit board  8  and pressed onto one another. In so doing, electrical connections arise between the contact pads  5   a  to  5   g  of the blister pack  1  and the contact pads  9   a  to  9   g  of the printed circuit board  8 . This state is represented in  FIG. 7 . 
   As  FIG. 3  shows, individual connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g  are located on one side, preferably an apical side, of the printed circuit board  8  and a common contact pad  15 , preferably adjacent to one another in a row. Each individual contact pad  14   a  to  14   g  is connected via an individual printed conductor  14  to a certain contact pad  9   a  and  9   g  of the printed circuit board  8 . The common contact pad  15  is connected via common printed conductor  17  to the common contact pad  10  of the printed circuit board  8 . Thus, there are, in the finished blister pack arrangement according to  FIGS. 4 and 7 , electrical connections between each individual contact pad  14   a  to  14   g , via an individual printed conductor  14 , an individual contact pad  9   a  and  9   g  of the printed circuit board  8 , a conductive adhesive point  19 , an individual contact pad  5   a  and  5   g  of the blister pack  1 , an individual printed conductor  5   a ′ to  5   g ′ of the blister pack  1 , the common printed conductor  7  of the blister pack  1 , the common contact pad  6  of the blister pack  1 , the corresponding conductive adhesive point  19 , the corresponding common contact pad  10  of the printed circuit board  8 , and the common printed conductor  17  of the same to the common connection contact pad  15 . 
   On the removal of a pill  20 , e.g., in the removal of the pill  20  disposed on the left in  FIG. 7 , the foil  28  and the corresponding printed conductor  5   d  are penetrated so that the corresponding electrical connection for the display of the special pill removal is interrupted. All the other electrical connections continue to exist. 
   The present blister pack arrangement is according to  FIGS. 4   a  and  b , inserted into a schematically represented receiving part  23  of a holding device not represented in more detail, where the electronics unit or an electronics module (not represented) contained in the receiving part  23  (or in the holding device) is connected via the individual connect contacts  24   a  to  24   g  to the individual connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g  and  15  (cf.  FIG. 4 ) of the blister pack  1 . 
   In order to prevent, on insertion, a flow of current between the common connection contact pad  25  of the receiving part  23  and an individual contact pad  24   a  to  24   g  of the receiving part  23  is first produced, but on further insertion of the blister pack arrangement into the receiving part  23  once again interrupted, which would be indicated by the electronics unit incorrectly as the removal of a pill, the printed circuit board  8  is dimensioned shorter in the insertion direction P of the common contact pad  15  of the printed circuit board  8  than the individual connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g  of the printed circuit board  8  so that any contact between the common contact pad  15  of the printed circuit board  8  and, assigned to it, the contact pad  24   a  to  24   g  of the receiving part  23  is only produced when secure contacts have already been produced between the individual connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g  of the printed circuit board  8  and the assigned individual contact pad  24   a  to  24   g  of the receiving part  23 . 
   In order to ensure an adjustment and alignment of the blister pack arrangement transverse to the insertion direction P in relation to the receiving part  23 , the printed circuit board  8  has on the apical side on each side of its row of connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g ,  15  an alignment groove  13  or  13   a , where these alignment grooves  13  and  13   a  are disposed asymmetrically to the longitudinal center line of the printed circuit board  8  (cf.  FIG. 4   a ,  4   b ). In the receiving part  23  corresponding projecting parts  29  or  29   a  (represented schematically) are disposed which engage in the alignment grooves  13  or  13   a  if the blister pack arrangement is properly disposed in the receiving part  23 . Only then can the electrical connections between the connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g ,  15  and  24   a  to  24   g , and  25  be produced. 
   It is pointed out that in the reverse manner the projecting parts can be disposed on the blister pack arrangement and the alignment grooves can be disposed on the receiving part  23 . 
   Likewise, it is also conceivable to structure the connection contact pad  15  corresponding to the individual connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g  and instead of this to structure the common connection contact pad  25  in the receiving part  23  shorter in the insertion direction P than the individual connection contact pads in the receiving part  23  so that, on insertion of the blister pack arrangement into the receiving part  23 , the contact between the common connection contact pad  25  of the receiving part  23  and the connection contact pad  15  of the printed circuit board  8  is produced later than the contacts between the individual contact pads  24   a  to  24   g  of the receiving part  23  and the individual connection contact pads  14   a  to  14   g  of the printed circuit board  8 . 
   In the following, an additional significant feature of the present invention is explained. 
   On the underside of the printed circuit board  8 , an additional cover layer  27 , preferably of material similar to paper, is applied in a manner which can be seen from  FIG. 5 , said cover layer assigning to every individual pocket  2   a  to  2   g , or to the compartment of the blister pack arrangement  1 , having a pull-off area  3 ′ or  2   a ′ to  2   g ′ which covers the edge areas of the corresponding pocket or the compartment. On use of the blister pack arrangement  1 , the corresponding area must be pulled off before the pressing out of a pill or before the opening of the compartment  3 . 
   The pull-off areas  2   a ′ to  2   g ′ and  3 ′ are connected by an adhesive connection to the underside of the printed circuit board  8 , where it is possible to undo said adhesive connection by the application of force, and are connected via a stamped-in line  22  to the cover layer  27 . 
   Thereby it is achieved that small children (as a rule up to the age of 42 months) will not take pills from out of a pharmaceutical container in the course of their own play because they are, as a rule, not in the position to grasp two different facts, namely the pulling off of the pull-off strip and the pressing out of a pill. 
   According to  FIG. 4 ,  4   a,b , it is conceivable to provide slots  12  running in the insertion direction in the longitudinal edges of the printed circuit board  8  which project over the blister pack ( 1 ), said slots engaging in the corresponding projections (not represented) of the receiving part  23  or the holding device when the blister pack arrangement reaches the correct position in the receiving part  23 . In this way a hold, secured against unintentional pulling out, of the blister pack arrangement in the receiving part  23  is ensured. 
   In order to make possible a display of the current contents of the blister pack  1 , the blister pack  1  can have the coding already mentioned which can be recorded by the electronics unit. A preferred form of embodiment follows from  FIGS. 8 ,  8   a ,  9 ,  9   a , and  9   b.    
   In the blister pack  1  coding, grooves  26 ,  26   a - c  are disposed in the apical side to be inserted into the receiving part  23 , said coding grooves working together with the contact springs  37 ,  37   a  to c which are disposed in the receiving part  23  expediently in the insertion direction P.  FIG. 9  (top) shows such a contact spring  37  seen from above while  FIG. 9  (bottom) shows the contact spring  37  from the side. In the receiving part  23  the contact springs  37  according to  FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b  are fastened to an upper printed circuit board  30  so that their contact areas abut, in the manner of a spring, a contact pad  32  of a lower printed circuit board  31  opposite the upper printed circuit board  30 . 
   According to whether or not the contact springs  37 ,  37   a - c  on insertion of the blister pack arrangement in the insertion direction P strike a coding groove  26 ,  26   a - c , the contact between contact spring and contact pad is interrupted or not. In this way, different statements on the content or the type of the blister pack  1  can be made in the case of, for example, four contact springs according to a predetermined assignment of coding grooves, or no coding grooves,  16  and recorded or displayed by the electronics unit. 
   In connection with  FIGS. 10 ,  10   a , and lob, a preferred process for the mounting of the printed circuit board  8  on the foil  28  of the blister pack  1  is explained. The printed circuit board  8  has for these windows  33 ,  33   a , which are aligned in the correct fixation position to passer marks  34 ,  34   a , which are applied to the foil  28  of the blister pack  1 . After, for example, the contact pads  5   a - g  and  6  of the blister pack  1  are provided with conductive, adhesive points  19 , the individual blister packs  1  disposed in sequence in the manner of a track are traversed in their longitudinal direction, where printed circuit boards  8 , also disposed in sequence in the manner of a track, are brought close from above and finally traversed parallel to the blister packs  1  until a, preferably optical, sensing mechanism recognizes that the windows  33 ,  33   a  of a printed circuit boards  8  are aligned to the passer marks  34 ,  34   a  of a blister pack  1 . As soon as this is the case, the printed circuit boards  8  is pressed against the blister pack  1  and connected to the foil  28  of the same, in particular glued. 
   The invention being thus described, it will be apparent that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be recognized by one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.