Blister Package Apparatus and Methods for Tablets

A package for soft tablets comprising:

• a first blister strip comprising:
• a plastic sheet having a first surface and an opposing second surface;
• a plurality of recesses projecting from the first surface, each of the recesses adapted to receive a soft tablet;
• a backing layer on the second surface and covering the plurality of recesses;
• a first raised feature on the first surface extending between two or more of the plurality of recesses;
• a second raised feature on the first surface at one end of the blister strip;
• and
• a plurality of support posts spaced about the first surface;
• a second blister strip positioned facing the first blister strip, the second blister strip comprising:
• a plastic sheet having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface facing the first surface of the first blister strip;
• a plurality of recesses projecting from the first surface, the recesses arranged on the first surface such that they are offset from the plurality of recesses of the first blister strip, each of the recesses adapted to receive a soft tablet;
• a backing layer on the second surface and covering the plurality of recesses;
• a first raised feature on the first surface extending between two or more of the plurality of recesses, the first raised feature being substantially aligned with the first raised feature of the first blister strip to form a first spacer section;
• a second raised feature on the first surface at one end of the blister strip, the second raised feature being substantially aligned with the second raised feature of the first blister strip to form a second spacer section;
• and
• a plurality of support posts spaced about the first surface secured to the plurality of support posts of the first blister strip.

A method for distributing a tablet comprising:

• providing a package or tablets, the package comprising:
• a first blister strip and a second blister strip, each of the blister strips having a plastic sheet having a first surface and an opposing second surface;
• a plurality of recesses formed in the plastic sheet and projecting from the first surface, the plurality of recesses formed in the second blister strip being offset with respect to and nesting between the recesses formed in the first blister strip, each of the recesses adapted to receive a tablet;
• and a backing layer secured to the second surface for covering the plurality of recesses, the backing layer comprising score lines about each of the plurality of recesses, the score lines defining an access panel, at least an unsecured portion of the access panel that is not secured to the second surface defining a pull tab;
• a plurality of support posts securing the first blister strip to the second blister strip;
• and
• a spacer element extending from one of the first blister strip or the second blister strip towards the other of the first blister strip or the second blister strip, the spacer element extending between two or more of the plurality of recesses for maintaining the blister strips in a spaced-apart configuration;
• lifting a pull tab of one of first or second blister strips;
• pulling an access panel corresponding to the pull tab away from the plastic sheet to reveal a tablet within a recess;
• and
• removing the tablet from the recess.