CA2366887C — Replicate incorporating an electronic content monitoring system for use in form-fill-seal applications

USPTO Abstract

The invention pertains to a replicate, and to a method for producing the replicate, that can be secured to a blister package intended to contain articles such as pills or other medication, and which can then be used to record the removal of individual articles from the blisters. Each blister typically will hermetically contain an individual article, will be flexible, and will be sealed by a frangible closure seal. When an article is to removed from its blister one will usually gross against the blister to push the article through tire seal, breaking the seal in the process. The replicate of the invention includes a backing sheet which carries a plurality of traces each of which is alignable with a corresponding blister and its closure seal 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 adhered or otherwise secured to the blister package after the blister 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 becomes 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 or otherwise removed from the roll of lidstock for securement to a blister package.