# US 11,897,646 B2 · Blister packaging machine and method for manufacturing blister pack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,646 B2 - Document ID: US11897646B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/243,765 - Filed: 2021-04-29 - Published: 2021-08-12 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-19 - Assignees: Ckd Corporation - Applicants: Ckd Corporation - Inventors: Seiji Kawai; Tomomi Kikukawa; Satoshi Watanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897646B2 ## CPC - B65B 41/14: by grippers - B65B 47/02: with means for heating the material prior to forming - B65B 9/04: one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material - B65B 9/045: {for single articles, e.g. tablets} - B65B 41/16: by rollers - B65B 47/04: by application of mechanical pressure - B65B 55/02: Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A blister packaging machine manufactures a blister pack including a pocket portion formed in a container film of a belt-like shape and a cover film that closes the pocket portion. The blister packaging machine includes: a conveyor that conveys the container film; a preheater that preheats the container film conveyed by the conveyor; a pocket portion former that forms the pocket portion in the container film softened by the preheater; and a support belt that moves in synchronism with the container film conveyed by the conveyor while supporting a part of the container film other than the pocket portion or a part of the container film other than an area where the pocket portion is to be formed, in at least a location from the preheater to a position downstream of the pocket portion former. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A blister packaging machine that manufactures a blister pack including a pocket portion formed in a container film of a belt-like shape and a cover film that closes the pocket portion, the blister packaging machine comprising: a conveyor that conveys the container film; a preheater that preheats the container film conveyed by the conveyor; a pocket portion former that forms the pocket portion in the container film softened by the preheater; and a support belt that moves in synchronism with the container film conveyed by the conveyor while supporting a part of the container film other than the pocket portion or a part of the container film other than an area where the pocket portion is to be formed, in at least a location from the preheater to a position downstream of the pocket portion former. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The blister packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the pocket portion former includes a lower mold that moves up and down and that has a receiving recess extended along a conveying direction of the container film, and the support belt locates in the receiving recess in a state that the lower mold moves up. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The blister packaging machine according to claim 2, wherein the pocket portion former further includes an upper mold that locates above the lower mold, and the support belt contacts the lower mold and holds the container film between the support belt and the upper mold, in the state that the lower mold moves up. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The blister packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the support belt moves along a retreat pathway that gradually becomes away from a conveyance path of the container film, in downstream of the pocket portion former, the blister packaging machine further comprising: a separator that contacts the part of the container film other than the pocket portion and separates the container film from the support belt, when the support belt supporting the container film moves along the retreat pathway. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The blister packaging machine according to claim 2, wherein the support belt moves along a retreat pathway that gradually becomes away from a conveyance path of the container film, in downstream of the pocket portion former, the blister packaging machine further comprising: a separator that contacts the part of the container film other than the pocket portion and separates the container film from the support belt, when the support belt supporting the container film moves along the retreat pathway. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The blister packaging machine according to claim 3, wherein the support belt moves along a retreat pathway that gradually becomes away from a conveyance path of the container film, in downstream of the pocket portion former, the blister packaging machine further comprising: a separator that contacts the part of the container film other than the pocket portion and separates the container film from the support belt, when the support belt supporting the container film moves along the retreat pathway. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The blister packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the container film has a plurality of pocket portions including the pocket portion along a width direction of the container film. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The blister packaging machine according to claim 2, wherein the container film has a plurality of pocket portions including the pocket portion along a width direction of the container film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The blister packaging machine according to claim 3, wherein the container film has a plurality of pocket portions including the pocket portion along a width direction of the container film. ### Claim 10 A method of manufacturing a blister pack including a pocket portion formed in a container film of a belt-like shape and a cover film that closes the pocket portion, the method comprising: conveying the container film; preheating the container film conveyed in the conveying; forming the pocket portion in the container film softened in the preheating; and supporting a part of the container film other than the pocket portion or a part of the container film other than an area where the pocket portion is to be formed, by using a support belt that moves in synchronism with the conveyed container film, during at least an interval from the preheating to completion of the forming. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 10, further comprising: using a lower mold that moves up and down and has a receiving recess extended along a conveying direction of the container film, wherein the forming includes forming the pocket portion in a state that the lower mold moves up to place the support belt in the receiving recess. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 11, wherein in the forming, the support belt contacts the lower mold and holds the container film between the support belt and an upper mold locating above the lower mold, in the state that the lower mold moves up. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 10, further comprising: separating the container film from the support belt by, after the forming, moving the support belt supporting the container film along a retreat pathway and making the part of the container film other than the pocket portion contact a predetermined separator, wherein the retreat pathway gradually becomes away from a conveyance path of the container film. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 11, further comprising: separating the container film from the support belt by, after the forming, moving the support belt supporting the container film along a retreat pathway and making the part of the container film other than the pocket portion contact a predetermined separator, wherein the retreat pathway gradually becomes away from a conveyance path of the container film. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 12, further comprising: separating the container film from the support belt by, after the forming, moving the support belt supporting the container film along a retreat pathway and making the part of the container film other than the pocket portion contact a predetermined separator, wherein the retreat pathway gradually becomes away from a conveyance path of the container film. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 10, wherein the container film has a plurality of pocket portions including the pocket portion along a width direction of the container film. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 11, wherein the container film has a plurality of pocket portions including the pocket portion along a width direction of the container film. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 12, wherein the container film has a plurality of pocket portions including the pocket portion along a width direction of the container film. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 10, wherein the container film prior to the preheating has a thickness of not greater than 300 μm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 11, wherein the container film prior to the preheating has a thickness of not greater than 300 μm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of manufacturing the blister pack according to claim 12, wherein the container film prior to the preheating has a thickness of not greater than 300 μm.