Blister container having a reclosable lid assembly

Claim 2

A blister container assembly having a reclosable nozzle, comprising: a blister compartment having a nozzle portion including a frangible segment for dividing said nozzle portion into a nozzle opening and a nozzle cap when said frangible segment is broken by the application of a predetermined shear force thereon; a flange integrally formed with and extending completely around said blister compartment a backing sheet having a front face secured to and extending completely around said blister compartment, said sheet further having: a transverse scoreline aligned with said frangible segment of said nozzle portion of said blister compartment for defining a finger tab portion on said flange for facilitating the manual exertion of said predetermined shear force on said frangible segment of said nozzle portion in order to selectively break said segment, and a lid securing means including a substantially flat, rigid element having a face abutting the back face of said sheet and pivotally mounted on said sheet for pivotal movement into: a lid securing position across said transverse scoreline and contiguous with both said finger tab portion of said flange and the rest of said flange for resisting any shear force tending to separate said lid from said opening of said nozzle, and a lid opening position away from said transverse scoreline, whereby said lid securing means does not interfere with the bending of said transverse scoreline across said backing sheet.

Claim 3

The blister container of claim 1 wherein said lid securing means is pivotally mounted on said finger tab portion of said flange for extending the length of said finger tab portion when pivoted into said lid opening position, thereby facilitating the application of a shear opening force on said frangible segment of said nozzle portion.

Claim 4

The blister container of claim 1 or 2 wherein said substantially flat, rigid element of said lid securing means is comprised of a section of stiff, foldable sheet material centrally folded to form a pair of opposing lock tabs integrally connected along a closed edge formed by said fold, and having an open edge opposite said fold for receiving a portion of said flange on both sides of said scoreline between said opposing lock tabs when said lid securing means is slidably pivoted into said lid securing position.

Claim 5

The blister container assembly of claim 3 wherein said lock tab adjacent said side of said flange facing said blister compartment includes a notch for receiving an edge of said blister compartment in the vicinity of said nozzle portion of said container when said pair of lock tabs of said lid securing means is pivotally slided into said lid securing position to such an extent that said fold integrally connecting said tabs abuts the edge of said flange.

Claim 6

The blister container assembly of claim 4 wherein said pair of opposing lock tabs are pivotally mounted on said flange by means of a rivet.

Claim 7

The blister container assembly of claim 5 wherein said rivet comprises an open rivet for providing an aperture in said blister container assembly for receiving the prong of a display rack.

Claim 8

The blister container assembly of claim 2 wherein said substantially flat rigid element of said lid securing means is comprised of a portion of stiff sheet material pivotally mounted against said flexible backing strip on said finger tab portion of said flange.

Claim 9

The blister container assembly of claim 7 wherein said portion of stiff sheet material comprising said flat, rigid element of said lid securing means is a rectangular section of plastic material.

Claim 10

The blister container assembly of claim 8 wherein said rectangular section of plastic material is pivotally mounted by means of a rivet.

Claim 11

The blister container assembly of claim 9 wherein said rivet comprises an open rivet for providing an aperture in said blister container assembly for receiving the prong of a display rack.

Claim 12

The blister container assembly of claim 1 wherein said flexible backing strip is formed from a resilient sheet material for providing a closing force on said finger tab.

Claim 13

A blister container assembly having a reclosable nozzle, comprising: a flexible backing strip; a blister compartment having a nozzle portion, including a frangible segment for dividing said nozzle portion into a nozzle opening and a nozzle lid when said frangible segment is broken by the application of a predetermined shear force thereon; a flange integrally formed from and extending completely around said blister compartment, said flange being sealingly engaged to said flexible backing strip to form a blister container, said flange further having: a linear transverse weakened portion aligned with said frangible segment of said nozzle portion of said blister compartment for both defining a finger tab portion for facilitating the manual exertion of a shear force on said frangible segment, and for focusing said shear force on said segment to break said segment; said container having an arcuate cross-section in the area of said linear, transverse weakened portion for exerting a closing force on said lid whenever said finger tab portion is aligned with the rest of said flange to place said lid over said opening of said nozzle portion; and a lid securing means including a section of stiff, foldable sheet material centrally folded to form a pair of opposing lock tabs having a closed edge formed by said fold, and an open edge opposite said fold for receiving a portion of said flange on both sides of said linear weakened portion between said opposing lock tabs, said lid securing means further being pivotally mounted on a point on said finger tab portion of said flange and pivotally slidable about said point into: a lid securing position across said linear, transverse scoreline for receiving a portion of said flange on either side of said linear weakened portion for resisting any shear force tending to separate said lid from said opening of said nozzle; and a lid opening position away from said linear, transverse scoreline for receiving said finger tab portion of said flange only and for extending the length of said finger tab portion for further facilitating the application of said shear force on said lid.

Claim 14

A blister container assembly having a reclosable nozzle, comprising: a flexible backing strip; a blister compartment having a nozzle portion, including a frangible segment for dividing said nozzle portion into a nozzle opening and a nozzle lid when said frangible segment is broken by the application of a predetermined shear force thereon; a flange integrally formed from and extending completely around said blister compartment, said flange being sealingly engaged to said flexible backing strip to form a blister container, said flange further having: a linear transverse weakened portion aligned with said frangible segment of said nozzle portion of said blister compartment for both defining a finger tab portion for facilitating the manual exertion of a shear force on said frangible segment, and for focusing said shear force on said segment to break said segment; said container having an arcuate cross-section in the area of said linear, transverse weakened portion for exerting a closing force on said lid whenever said finger tab portion is aligned with the rest of said flange to place said lid over said opening of said nozzle portion; and a lid securing means including a section of stiff, foldable sheet material centrally folded to form a pair of opposing lock tabs having a closed edge formed by said fold, and an open edge opposite said fold for receiving a portion of said flange on both sides of said linear weakened portion between said opposing lock tabs, said lid securing means further being pivotally mounted on a point on said finger tab portion of said flange and pivotally slidable about said point into: a lid securing position across said linear, transverse scoreline for receiving a portion of said flange on either side of said linear weakened portion for resisting any shear force tending to separate said lid from said opening of said nozzle; and a lid opening position away from said linear, transverse scoreline for receiving said finger tab portion of said flange only and for extending the length of said finger tab portion for further facilitating the application of said shear force on said lid.

Claim 15

The blister container assembly of claim 11 wherein said foldable sheet material forming said opposing lock tabs is plastic.

Claim 16

The blister container assembly of claim 11 wherein said lock tabs are pivotally mounted at one end on said finger tab portion of said flange by means of a rivet.

Claim 17

The blister container assembly of claim 14 wherein said rivet comprises an open rivet for providing an aperture in said blister container assembly for receiving the prong of a display rack.

Claim 18

The blister container assembly of claim 11 wherein said flexible backing strip is formed from a resilient sheet material for providing a closing force on said finger tab.

Claim 19

In combination, a blister type container comprising a backing sheet and a blister adhered to the front surface thereof to cooperably define a product enclosure communicating with a nozzle which is rupturable when the backing sheet is bent in one direction toward the back surface of the sheet and along a predetermined bend line, and a separate reinforcing member normally positioned to engage said backing sheet on the back surface thereof to bridge said predetermined bend line, thereby preventing rupture of said nozzle or the dispensing of product through said nozzle, and said member being movable relative to the backing sheet to engage said sheet solely on one side of said bend line, thereby accommodating rupture of said nozzle or dispensing of product through the nozzle upon bending of said backing sheet.

Claim 20

In combination, a blister type container comprising a backing sheet and a blister adhered to the front surface thereof to cooperably define a product enclosure communicating with a nozzle which is rupturable when the backing sheet is bent in one direction toward the back surface of the sheet and along a predetermined bend line, and a separate reinforcing member normally positioned to engage said backing sheet on the back surface thereof to bridge said predetermined bend line, thereby preventing rupture of said nozzle or the dispensing of product through said nozzle, and said member being movable relative to the backing sheet to engage said sheet solely on one side of said bend line, thereby accommodating rupture of said nozzle or dispensing of product through the nozzle upon bending of said backing sheet.

Claim 21

In a blister type container wherein a bendable backing sheet has adhered to one face, a blister defining a product containing body portion and a dispensing nozzle portion which is weakened for rupture when the backing sheet portion surrounding the nozzle is bent, thereby permitting the dispensing of product through said ruptured nozzle portion, the improvement of a substantially rigid reinforcing element pivoted to the backing sheet and in contact therewith to normally bridge that portion of the backing sheet which is bent to rupture the nozzle portion of the blister, said element when in its normal position preventing bending of the sheet, and said element being pivotally movable relative to the backing sheet to permit such bending.

Claim 22

In a blister type container wherein a bendable backing sheet has adhered to one face, a blister defining a product containing body portion and a dispensing nozzle portion which is weakened for rupture when the backing sheet portion surrounding the nozzle is bent, thereby permitting the dispensing of product through said ruptured nozzle portion, the improvement of a substantially rigid reinforcing element pivoted to the backing sheet and in contact therewith to normally bridge that portion of the backing sheet which is bent to rupture the nozzle portion of the blister, said element when in its normal position preventing bending of the sheet, and said element being pivotally movable relative to the backing sheet to permit such bending.

Claim 23

In a blister type container generally intended for dispensing its contents in a single use, the container comprising a backing sheet having a support and a dispensing portion joined along a designated bend line and a blister adhered to one face of said sheet and including a product containing body portion and a dispensing nozzle portion weakened in alignment with said bend line to rupture when the backing sheet is bent in one direction, the improvement of a substantially rigid closure element, and means for movably securing said element to said backing sheet in spaced relation to said bend line, said element having a generally planar portion projecting from the securing means to bridge the bend line on that side of said sheet toward which the backing sheet is bent to rupture said nozzle portion, and said element being movable relative to said backing sheet so that said element does not bridge said bend line, thereby accommodating bending of said sheet for dispensing of the container contents through the ruptured nozzle portion.

Claim 24

In a blister type container generally intended for dispensing its contents in a single use, the container comprising a backing sheet having a support and a dispensing portion joined along a designated bend line and a blister adhered to one face of said sheet and including a product containing body portion and a dispensing nozzle portion weakened in alignment with said bend line to rupture when the backing sheet is bent in one direction, the improvement of a substantially rigid closure element, and means for movably securing said element to said backing sheet in spaced relation to said bend line, said element having a generally planar portion projecting from the securing means to bridge the bend line on that side of said sheet toward which the backing sheet is bent to rupture said nozzle portion, and said element being movable relative to said backing sheet so that said element does not bridge said bend line, thereby accommodating bending of said sheet for dispensing of the container contents through the ruptured nozzle portion.