초록 ▼

A replicate can be secured to a blister package intended to contain articles, such as pills, and is used to record the removal of individual articles from the blisters. To remove an article from a blister one will usually press against the blister to push the article through a frangible closure seal

A replicate can be secured to a blister package intended to contain articles, such as pills, and is used to record the removal of individual articles from the blisters. To remove an article from a blister one will usually press against the blister to push the article through a frangible closure seal, breaking the seal in the process. The replicate includes a backing sheet which carries a plurality of traces alignable with corresponding blisters so that when the article is removed from the blister it will not only break the seal but it will also break the corresponding trace. All of the traces are connected to an integrated circuit which may also be formed or provided on the backing sheet, as is a power source for the integrated circuit. The breaking of the trace is an event that is recorded in the integrated circuit for later accessability. The replicate may be secured to the blister package after the package has been produced by conventional form-fill-seal equipment. The individual traces can be formed into a grid of closely spaced traces so that alignment of the traces with the individual blisters is less critical. The replicates may be formed by printing or other conventional methods on a roll of lidstock. After forming the individual replicates are severed from the roll of lidstock for securement to a blister package.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A replicate for application to a blister package containing a plurality of articles, each in an individual blister such that each such article can be projected through a corresponding portion of the package and the replicate for removal from the package, said replicate

The invention claimed is: 1. A replicate for application to a blister package containing a plurality of articles, each in an individual blister such that each such article can be projected through a corresponding portion of the package and the replicate for removal from the package, said replicate including a frangible backing sheet, an integrated circuit on said backing sheet, a power source for the integrated circuit, means for attaching said replicate to said package, and a plurality of individual electrically conductive traces on said backing sheet, said traces defining a grid pattern of intersecting sets of parallel such traces, said traces being positioned on said backing sheet so that more than one thereof will intersect each of said blisters when said replicate is attached to said package, said intersecting sets of traces being connected to said integrated circuit, whereby when an article is projected from its blister through said replicate the corresponding traces are broken, so as to define an event that can be recorded by said integrated circuit. 2. The replicate of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit includes a clock and a non-volatile memory, whereby a time associated with each event can be recorded in said memory for retrieval at a later point in time. 3. The replicate of claim 1 wherein said power supply is integral with said integrated circuit. 4. The replicate of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit and said traces are printed on said backing sheet. 5. The replicate of claim 1 wherein an adhesive is applied to said backing sheet for attachment of said replicate to said blister package. 6. The replicate of claim 1 wherein a cover sheet is applied to said replicate with said integrated circuit and said conductive traces sandwiched between said cover sheet and said backing sheet to create a laminated replicate. 7. A blister package comprising: a sheet of material having a plurality of openings therethrough; a plurality of individual flexible blisters mounted to one surface of said sheet, each of said blisters being in registry with a corresponding opening; an article located in each of said blisters; a closure seal formed of frangible material extending across each said opening so as to hermetically capture the article in the corresponding blister; a replicate secured to the opposite surface of said sheet, said replicate including; a frangible backing sheet; an integrated circuit on said backing sheet; a power source for the integrated circuit; means for attaching said replicate to said opposite surface; and a plurality of individual electrically conductive traces on said backing sheet, said traces defining a grid pattern of intersecting sets of parallel such traces; said intersecting sets of traces being positioned on said backing sheet so that more than one thereof will intersect a corresponding one of said closure seals when said replicate is attached to said package, said intersecting sets of traces being connected to said integrated circuit, whereby when an article is projected from its blister through said closure seal and said replicate the corresponding traces are broken, so as to define an event that can be recorded by said integrated circuit. 8. A blister package comprising: a sheet of material having a plurality of openings therethrough; a plurality of individual flexible blisters mounted to one surface of said sheet, each of said blisters being in registry with a corresponding opening; an article located in each of said blisters; a closure seal formed of frangible material extending across each said opening so as to hermetically capture the article in the corresponding blister; a replicate secured to said one surface of said sheet, said replicate including: a frangible backing sheet; an integrated circuit on said backing sheet; a power source for the integrated circuit; means for attaching said replicate to said one surface; and a plurality of individual electrically conductive traces on said backing sheet, said traces defining a grid pattern of intersecting sets of parallel such traces; said sets of intersecting traces being positioned on said backing sheet so that more than one thereof will intersect a corresponding one of said blisters when said replicate is attached to said package, said intersecting sets of traces being connected to said integrated circuit, whereby when an article is projected from its blister through said closure seal and said replicate the corresponding traces are broken, so as to define an event that can be recorded by said integrated circuit. 9. The package of claim 8 including a cover sheet through which said blisters project, said cover sheet being applied to said one surface of said backing material so as to capture said replicate between itself and said one surface of said backing material. 10. A blister package comprising: a first flap, a second flap, and a spine hingedly attached to each of said first and second flaps; a plurality of individual flexible blisters mounted to an inside surface of said second flap; a plurality of openings extending through a rear surface of said second flap, each of said openings being in registry with a corresponding blister; an article located in each of said blisters; a closure seal formed of frangible material extending across each said opening so as to hermetically capture the article in the corresponding blister; a replicate secured to said inside surface of said second flap, said replicate including: a frangible backing sheet; an integrated circuit; a power source for the integrated circuit; means for attaching said replicate to said second flap; and a plurality of individual electrically conductive traces on said backing sheet, said traces defining a grid pattern of intersecting sets of parallel such traces; said sets of intersecting traces being positioned on said backing sheet so that more than one thereof will intersect a corresponding one of said blisters when said replicate is attached to said second flap, said intersecting sets of traces being connected to said integrated circuit, whereby when an article is projected from its blister through said closure seal and said replicate the corresponding traces are broken, so as to define an event that can be recorded by said integrated circuit. 11. The package of claim 10 wherein said integrated circuit is provided on said backing sheet. 12. The package of claim 10 wherein said integrated circuit is provided on said first flap.