AU2017273658A1 - Method for dividing up a blister strip, and apparatus for implementing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for dividing up a blister strip (1). In order to avoid invalidating the use-by date, many blister-packed medicinal products are positioned in separate portions of a blister strip. For this purpose, the blister strip is cut up manually, and therefore in a cost-intensive and time-consuming manner. The method according to the invention provides a cost-effective and rapid solution to this problem. According to the invention, a blister strip (1) having a carrier panel (10) with a plurality of holders (12) for medicinal-product portions is provided, and a 3D-sensor device (20) generates an image (200) of the carrier panel (10), wherein this image (200) comprises depth information. The image is evaluated by a control device (30) using image analysis, and an arrangement of the holders (12) is determined with reference to analysis results, and, on the basis of this arrangement, control signals for a severing device (40) are generated. On the basis of the control signals, the blister strip (1) is then divided up into a plurality of blister-strip parts (15, 15', 16).

Description

Method for dividing a drug pack and device for carrying out the method

The present invention relates to a method for dividing a blister strip and to a device for carrying out the method.

A plurality of drugs are distributed in so-called blister strips (or press-through packages or, in short, blister packs). These comprise a substrate having a plurality of depressions formed from the substrate in the shape of blisters, individual drug portions being disposed in the cavities formed by the depressions. The substrate is provided by a cover layer for covering the depressions, through which the individual drug portions can be removed or depressed for removal.

Blister strips have the advantage that the individual drug portions are stored separate from one another, a contamination is eliminated and, owing to the separate and sealed storing, the shelf life of the drugs is increased vis-a-vis storage, for example, in conventional containers or bottles (even if a blister strip has been opened, meaning that one or a plurality of drug portions has/have been removed, the shelf life of the remaining, still blister-packaged drug portions is not changed).

The blister-packaging of drugs individualized for each patient according to medical prescriptions is in particular expedient for retirement and nursing homes and for hospitals. A manual assembly and blister-packaging of drug portions is, however, very cost-intensive so that lately automated blister packaging machines, as they are described, for example, in the publication WO 2013/034504, are increasingly used. Appropriate automated blister packaging machines enable a high-quality, secure and, at the same time, economical blister-packaging of solid drug portions. When blister-packaging with the aid of a previously mentioned automated blister packaging machine, the drug portions are packaged into individual pouches which routinely include all drug portions of a patient at one consumption time.

In order to be able to blister-package a large variety of different drug portions in an automated manner, modern automated blister packaging machines comprise a variety of socalled canisters in which individual drug portions are stored and with which said drug portions can, according to the specifications of the drug compositions, be individually dispensed.

The canisters, however, only expediently store such drug portions that are frequently requested, have a long shelf life, and are relatively resistant against environmental influences. A distribution of drug portions to be stored in blister strips is usually not possible or practicable via the canisters .

The previously mentioned automated blister packaging machines comprise routinely at least a so-called tray unit via which drug portions can be supplied in special shapes or in separate packaging to the blister-packaging process.

According to the prior art, in this instance, a user manually divides the blister strips into one or a plurality of blister strip sections or parts of drug portions which are then passed to the respective depressions of the tray unit. The manual division of a blistering strip is time-consuming and, for this reason, cost-intensive.

Alternatively, the individual blister strip parts can also be used to provide individual compositions for each patient according to the single-dose system. For this purpose, one or a plurality of blister strips parts is/are packaged into, for example, a transportation pouch, this transportation pouch being able to comprise information related to the drugs.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and a device, by which blister strips can be quickly and cost-effectively divided or which can divide blister strips in a quick and cost-effective manner.

This object is achieved by a method for dividing a blister strip according to patent claim 1. The method of the present invention first provides a blister strip having a substrate which has a plurality of depressions for drug portions, and having a cover layer for covering the depressions. A 3D sensor device generates an image of the substrate having the depressions, the image comprising depth information.

Subsequently a control device evaluates the image by means of image analysis, a type of depth map of the surface of the blister strip (if necessary) being created, and, on the basis of the results of the analysis, an arrangement of the depressions is determined, that is, it is determined where the depressions are precisely located on the substrate. This information required for the automatic dividing of the blister strips is not provided at the onset of the method and, for this reason, has to be determined as described.

If an absolute position of the depression is required, said position can, for example, be determined on the basis of a reference point, and the reference point can, for example, be specified via the 3D-sensor device. Alternatively, the blister strip can, before creating the image, be positioned at a reference point (further possibilities for determining an absolute position result from the precise method of proceeding and from the structure of the device used for carrying out the method (described further below)). Alternatively, it is also conceivable to calibrate the 3D-sensor device used for generating the image in reference to the rest surface onto which the blister strips are deposited.

Based on the arrangement of the depressions determined by image analysis, control signals are calculated for a separating device having at least one separating means, and the blister strip is, based on these control signals, divided into a plurality of blister strip parts.

The method according to the present invention can be carried out in a fully automated manner and, that is, independent from the exact embodiment or configuration of the blister strip because it is determined during the course of the method of the present invention in which areas of the blister strip the depressions are situated. Based on the arrangement of the depressions, the control signals for a separating device are calculated, these control signals being calculated in such a manner that the depressions are not being damaged during the division of the blister strips. Thus, the control signals provide separating instructions for the separating device, the exact configuration and embodiment of the control signals being dependent on the type of separating device, which will later be set out in more detail.

As already mentioned, the method according to the present invention is, owing to the fully automated execution, substantially faster than dividing the blister strips manually. As a function of the separating device or the separating means, it is furthermore provided to remove the individual blister strip parts from the blister strip in such a manner that the shape of the provided blister strip parts is better suited for blister-packaging (for example, in that the parts are removed in such a manner that no corners are present) .

It is not substantial for the purposes of the method which type of 3D-sensor device is specifically used, as long as generating the image includes depth information allowing to conclude the arrangement of the depressions on the blister strips .

A 3D-camera can, for example, be used as a 3D-sensor device. 3D-cameras are camera systems enabling image representation of distances of a complete scene. 3D-cameras shall here reference in particular the following systems, comprising:

- Stereo cameras which simultaneously record surroundings with two cameras, the distance of the camera lenses usually corresponding to the distance of the human eye. The resulting image pair can be processed in a processor (of a control device) and, in this manner, a depth map can be generated;

- Triangulation systems in which a light source projects a defined pattern onto the subject. A camera records this pattern from a different viewing angle and calculates the distance or a depth map from the distortion;

- TOF cameras (time of flight cameras) which can conclude the distance from propagation time measurement of the light.

- Interferometric systems which work by means of interferences between a measuring and an object beam;

- Light-field cameras in which, at the expense of the resolution, in addition to the brightness of an image point, also the direction of light of the beams leading up to an image point is recorded with the aid of micro-lens arrays, and then a depth map can be calculated from this data.

Alternatively, 3D-laser rangefinders can be used, the use of a 3D-camera system being routinely preferred because of the lower cost.

Finally, it is to be noted that the term 3D sensor device as it is here used, is to be primarily defined by the result, that is, the generated image which must comprise the depth information, on the basis of which the position or arrangement of the depressions can be determined. Thus, the term 3D-sensor device is to comprise all optic devices which can generate an image comprising depth information and that is independent of whether this depth information is immanently present in the image or, if applicable, whether they have to be determined by the aid of a control device. The term 30sensor device, thus, is to comprise also conventional digital cameras, the images of which are subjected to image processing and, in this way, determine the required depth information (see, Image translation for single-shot focal tomography, Patrick Llull, Xin Yuan, Lawrence Carin, and David J. Brady; Optica, Vol. 2, Issue 9, pp 822 - 825 (2015); https ://www.osapublishing.org/optica/fulltext.cfm? uri=optica2-9-822&id=326856).

According to the present invention, the image generated by means of the 3D-sensor device is evaluated by means of image analysis by the control device and, on the basis of the results of the analysis, the arrangement of the depressions is determined, control signals for the separating device being generated based on this arrangement. The control signals are typically generated under firm specifications. For example, it can be provided that the control signals are always generated in such a manner that a certain safety distance to the depressions is ensured, that is, that, for example, a distance of 2mm to a defined height of the depression is always maintained, and this defined height can, for example, be 5% of the maximum height or the like. Furthermore, it can be specified that the control signals are calculated so that the blister strips are always separated in such a manner that the individual parts each comprise only one depression.

The configuration of the depressions for the drug portions can vary from one blister strip to another and, that is, also for the same type of drug. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, it is provided that the control signals are calculated by taking into account the separating specifications. These separating specifications can be printed onto the blister strip and be retrieved by a suitable sensor. Alternatively, the separating specifications can also be generated on the basis of the depth information or the depth map. In this way, it can, for example, be necessary or advantageous to provide, when calculating the control signals, a greater safety distance for depressions rising in a relatively flat manner to the center than what would be required for depressions having very steep side walls.

Furthermore, it is conceivable that separating specifications for one or a plurality of blister strips are specified by a user. For example, it is conceivable to specify that not only one depression but a plurality of depressions are provided per blister strip part.

Furthermore, it can be possible to adapt the control signals to a desired geometry of the blister strip parts. If only one single blister strip part is to be blister-packaged, the geometry of this part is not relevant with regard to potentially damaging further drug portions to be blisterpackaged; in this instance, only the risk of compromising the blister pack itself could be relevant. In case that the blister strip part is, however, blister-packaged together with other drug portions which are not blister-packaged as single units, sharp corners are to be avoided so that it can, for example, be indicated as a separating specification that the blister strip parts are removed without corners from the blister strip.

In the method according to the present invention, the blister strip is divided, based on the control signals, into a plurality of blister strip parts during the last method step. As a function of the size of the blister strips, it can become necessary to provide a plurality of separating means in the separating device to be able to reach all areas of the blister strips. In order to avoid having a plurality of separating means, it is, for this reason, provided in a preferable embodiment of the method that the blister strip and the at least one separating means are moved relative to each other when dividing the blister strips. For example, this can be carried out in that the separating means is moved when the blister strip is stationary. Alternatively, the blister strip can be moved when the separating means is stationary. This ensures that, when only one separating means is used, all areas of the blister strip can be reached for the dividing process .

According to the present invention, an image of the substrate having the depressions is generated by the 3D-sensor device. In order to keep the costs for the 3D-sensor device in line, it can be required to use a 3D-sensor device having only a limited resolution. The limiting of the resolution of the 3D-sensor device can also result in that said resolution is not suitable or capable of generating an image of the complete blister strip by one recording. For this reason, in a preferred embodiment of the method, when generating the image, a plurality of sub-images are, for this reason, generated which together form the image. In this manner, it is possible to also use cost-efficient 3D-sensor devices having only limited resolution.

As already indicated above, it can be advantageous to move the blister strips relative to the separating means. If a very quick processing is required, using only one separating means can, however, be too slow so that a preferred embodiment provides that the separating device comprises a plurality of separating means which are operated in a parallel manner.

As a function of the used separating means or the used separating device, a heat transfer to the substrate of the blister strip can occur when dividing the blister strip (for example, when using a laser separating device). In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, it is, for this reason, provided that a cooling fluid is applied to the blister strip during dividing. In this way, the heat introduced during dividing can be quickly discharged and a compromising of the often very heat-sensitive drug portions can be effectively prevented.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned object is achieved by a device for dividing blister strips according to Claim 9. The device according to the present invention comprises a 30sensor device for generating an image of a blister strip, the blister strip comprising a substrate having a plurality of depressions, and the image comprising depth information of the blister strip. Furthermore, the device according to the present invention comprises a separating device having at least one separating means for dividing the blister strip into a plurality of blister strip parts and a control device coupled to the 3D-sensor device and the separating device. According to the present invention, the control device is configured in such a manner that the control device evaluates the generated image by image analysis and, on the basis of the results of the image analysis, an arrangement of the depressions in the substrate of the blister strips is determined, and that, based on the arrangement of the depressions, control signals for the separating device are calculated, on the basis of which the blister strip is divided into a plurality of blister strip parts. In regard to the exact configuration of the individual components of the device according to the present invention, it is referred to the embodiments of the method according to the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a movement device which causes a relative movement between the at least one separating means and the blister strip. A device configured in such a manner can be used to process blister strips of any size. Furthermore, a device having only one separating means can also be used for processing large blister strips. With regard to the relative movement between the at least one separating means and the blister strip, it is provided for a device configured in a structurally particularly simple manner that the at least one separating means is moveably attached to a slide which itself is movable vertically to the separating means. In this manner, a kind of X-Y table is created on which the separating means is arbitrarily movable so that a processing of a blister strip is possible in any shape and size.

Dividing the blister strips themselves can, for example, be carried out by a laser separating device which introduces a certain heat quantity into the substrate of the blister strip when dividing by a laser beam. In order to prevent that the introduced heat damages the drug portions disposed in the depressions, a preferred embodiment provides that the device comprises a cooling device by which a cooling fluid can be applied to the blister strips.

The exact configuration of the separating device is not decisive for the present invention itself; it is only to be ensured that the separating device can divide the blister strip into a plurality of blister strip parts, dividing in this case also comprising that a plurality of blister strip parts are cut out from the blister strip itself and a frame structure remains from which all depressions (including the surrounding substrate) have been removed.

In order to provide the device according to the present invention in the most cost-effective manner possible, a preferred embodiment provides that the separating device is provided by a laser cutting device, a water jet cutting device or a punching device. Alternatively, a cutting device having at least one knife or the like can also be used. As a function of the used separating device, a fixing device is provided for fixating the blister strip onto the rest.

In case that a laser cutting device or a water jet cutting device is used, the laser beam or the water jet traces a calculated cutting curve or cutting line, said cutting curve/line being specified by the control signals. Based on the control signals, the separating device (laser cutting device or water jet cutting device) or a corresponding separating means is moved in such a manner that a suitable cutting curve or cutting line can be traced by the actual separating means. When tracing the cutting line or curve, the actual dividing of the blister strips is carried out. Alternatively, the blister strip can also be moved.

When using a punching device, the control signals do not specify a cutting line or curve but only coordinates for which a depression including the surrounding substrate is to be punched.

Since the depressions are routinely space-optimized and adapted to the shape of the deposited drug portions, a preferred embodiment provides that the punching device comprises a plurality of punching means useable as a function of the determined control signals. The different punching means have different radii and shapes so that a suitable punching means can be selected as a function of the shape and the size of the depressions, which provide the basis for determining the control signals.

Subsequently, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the appended drawing in which

Figures la and lb show a side and a top view of a blister strip;

Figures 2a and 2b show a top view and a side view of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

Figures 4a and 4b show analysis results of processing an image of a blister strip by means of image analysis;

Figures 5a and 5b show a top view onto a blister strip having indicated cutting lines or curves; and

Figure 6 shows a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

Figures la and lb show a side or top view of a blister strip 1 having a substrate 10 which has a plurality of depressions 12. The substrate and the depressions are provided with a cover layer 13 covering cavities 11 formed by depressions 12. Generally, here not-shown drug portions are disposed in cavities 11. The blister strips shown in Figures la and lb illustrate a conventional embodiment of a so-called blister strip (or blister pack).

In Figure lb, information 14 is applied to the lower section of the substrate, which can be detected by an appropriate laser device. For example, this information can also comprise advice, for example, regarding the distribution of the depressions on the substrate, information regarding the drug portions in the depressions or information regarding the configuration of the depressions themselves, for example, whether the side walls are configured in a rather flat or steep manner.

In the shown blister strip, depressions 12 are arranged into a type of matrix. In other embodiments of a blister strip, said depressions can, for example, also be arranged in the shape of an oval or the like.

Figure 2a shows a top view onto a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention for dividing blister strips. The device comprises a rectangular support structure 50, 51 arranged on legs 56 (shown in Figure 2b). Support structure 50, 51 forms together with legs 56 a type of table having a rest 55. Two lateral (vertically shown) support elements 51 are spanned by a slide 52 vertically movable as it is indicated by the arrow denoted by Y. The mechanics required for moving the slide are omitted to not unnecessarily complicate the illustration. The structure and the way of functioning of the respective mechanics are known by the skilled person and, for this reason, do not have to be described here in further detail.

Slide 52 is connected to a control device 30 which emits control signals for moving the slide in the Y-direction. A 30sensor device 20, a separating device 40 and a sensor 60 are attached to slide 52, all of which can be coupled to control device 30 via (not-shown) lines. In the shown embodiment, 30sensor device 20 and separating device 40 are movable (here orthogonally movable to moving direction Y of the slide) at the slide in the X-direction. A drug pack or blister strip 1 is mounted onto rest 55 and, that is, is aligned with a position sensor 57. The blister strip is fixated onto the rest itself by a fixing device 58, a corresponding fixing being particularly used for such separating devices which exert a force onto the substrate and, in this way, can cause a movement of the blister strip. As a function of the exact configuration of the fixing device, a plurality of such devices can also be used. In an alternative embodiment, the function of the positioning sensor can also be taken over by fixing device 58, meaning the positioning and the fixing are both carried out by one and the same component.

Figure 2b shows a side view of the first embodiment, and, in particular, the exact configuration of slide 52 can be seen which is movable on lateral support element 51 by two legs 53. The side view shown in Figure 2b, separating device 40, in the shown embodiment comprising a separating means 41, is moved to the right edge of the slide. This enables scanning the blister strip 1 mounted onto rest 55 by the 3D-sensor device in the Xdirection and, in this way, to enable generating an image of the blister strip. In the shown embodiment, it is necessary, owing to the configuration of the 3D-sensor device, to scan the blister strip because actual 3D-sensor means 21 of the 30sensor device is configured in such a manner that only a section of the blister strip can be detected. In other embodiments, a 3D-sensor device having, for example, a greater 3D-sensor means or a plurality of 3D-sensor means can be used, as a result of which scanning the blister strip can be avoided.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 2a and 2b, the movement of the slide, of the separating device, and of the 3D-sensor device cause a relative movement between the blister strip and the previously mentioned components. As described, the process of generating an image of the blister strips can, in a suitable embodiment of the 3D-sensor device, be also carried out without a relative movement between the blister strip and the 3D-sensor device. Alternatively, it is furthermore possible to move the blister strips under a non-movable 30sensor device or a non-movable separating device, as it is indicated by movement arrows X, Y schematically shown in the second embodiment in Figure 3. The mechanics necessary for moving the blister strips is also not illustrated; however, it can, for example, be configured similarly to slide 52. Depending on the exact structural configuration of the 30sensor device and/or the separation device, it can also suffice that the blister strip is only moved into one direction, for example, along its longitudinal axis in the Xdirection.

Subseguently, an embodiment of the method according to the present invention is described with reference to some figures of the drawing. According to the present invention, a blister strip on a rest 55 of a device described, for example, in Figures 2a and 2b is first provided. Following thereupon, a 3D-sensor device or a sensor means of the 3D-sensor device generates an image of the blister strip comprising depth information. For this purpose, it is of course substantial that the blister strip having the depressions is aligned with the 3D-sensor device.

Figure 4a schematically represents a section of the image generated by the 3D-sensor device, a plurality of lines 201, 202, 203, 204, etc. of the image being shown in a simplified manner. As shown, the image already comprises depth information (in the Z-direction), as can be seen from the difference between lines 202 and 203.

The precise information content of an image generated by a 3D-sensor device is a function of the used recording method; in some of the methods mentioned further above, the depth information is already immanently included in the image itself, meaning it is not necessary to further process the image to reveal the depth information; in other recording methods, it can be potentially necessary to process the information detected by the 3D-sensor device to generate an image using depth information (if, for example, a stereo camera is used).

Following the generation of the image by the depth information, a control device evaluates the image by means of image analysis and, that is, with regard to the position and configuration of the depressions in the substrate. When evaluating by means of image analysis, it is determined where the depressions are individually situated and which dimensions the depressions comprise, and this information can be detected on the basis of the depth information.

Based on the arrangement and dimensions of the depressions, the control signals for a separating device are then calculated and, subsequently thereto, the blister strip having the separating device or having a separating means of the separating device is divided into a plurality of blister strip parts on the basis of the generated control signals, the blister strip to be optionally fixated on the rest by corresponding fixing devices. The control signals themselves are a function of the type of separating means which is used to divide the blister strip.

First, this shall be described on the basis of a laser separating device. A laser separating device comprises at least one laser separating means emitting a laser beam via specific optics, by which the substrate together with the cover layer can, at an appropriate output, be cut up. For this purpose, the laser beam is to trace a specified cutting curve or cutting line, the cutting curves or lines to be traced being determined on the basis of the separating specifications .

In Figure 4b, two such cutting curves 210 are illustrated. The control signals are, as a function of the precise configuration of the used device, calculated in such a manner that the laser beam can trace cutting curve 210. For this purpose, the control signals comprise signals for, for example, a slide to be moved in the Y-direction and/or a separating device to be moved in the X-direction. In other embodiments, the control signals can comprise signals for moving the blister strips themselves.

The exact configuration or the precise structure of the control signals are, thus, also a function of the exact structural configuration of a device by which the blister strip is divided.

When using a laser separating device, it would be also conceivable to control the laser by a plurality of mirror arrangements and, in this way, to trace the cutting curves or cutting lines. The control signals then could also affect a movement or adjustment of the mirrors.

The control signals can also be a function of the separating specifications. In Figure 5a, it is, for example, indicated that each depression is individually removed from the blister strip. For this purpose, control signals are determined for a plurality of cutting curves 210 surrounding individual depressions 12. According to the cutting curves, a plurality of blister strip parts 15 are removed from substrate 10 .

In Figure 5b, it is indicated on the left side that each blister strip part 15' comprises two depressions. Cutting curves 210' (and, for this reason, the control signals) are correspondingly adapted. While in Figure 5a and 5b parts can be removed (on the left) from the blister strips, it can be alternatively provided to divide the blister strips into a number of blister strip parts. This is indicated in Figure 5b on the right side. The control signals specify cutting curves in the form of cutting lines 220, 221, according to which the blister strip is divided into parts 16.

Alternatively, a blister strip can be divided by a water jet separating device, carrying out the method being similar; in such a case, cutting curves or lines are also to be traced by an actual separating beam.

When using a punching device, the control signals are to be determined in a different manner because a cutting curve is not to be traced by a punching device but only a coordinate for positioning the punching device or the punching means of the punching device is to be determined. In Figure 4b, a respective coordinate 230 is indicated. The coordinates for the punching device are also determined on the basis of the arrangement (and the size) of the depressions; as a function of the size/shape of the depressions, a specific punching means can then be selected.

In conclusion, Figure 6 shows a side view of a third embodiment of a device according to the present invention, in which separating device 40 comprises a first and a second separating means 41, 42, both of which are here configured as laser separating means. Figure 6 shows the device after generating the image, evaluating the image by image analysis and determining the control signals when dividing a blister strip 1 by means of two laser beams 45 generated by laser separating means 41, 42.

In the shown embodiment, the two laser separating means are movable in the X-direction at slide 52. In order to ensure 5 sufficient space for a method of the laser separating means, in this stage of the method, 3D-sensor device 20 is to be completely moved to the left. In the shown embodiment, the device furthermore comprises a cooling device 70 which is attached to separating device 40. My means of said cooling device, a cooling means 71 can be applied to the blister strips. Second laser separating means 42 can also be combined with a respective cooling device.

Claims (14)

1. A method for dividing a blister strip (1), wherein a blister strip (1), comprising a substrate (10) having a plurality of depressions (12) for drug portions and a cover layer (13) for covering the depressions (12) are provided;

a 3D sensor device (20) generates an image (200) of the substrate (10) having the depressions (12), wherein the image (200) comprises depth information;

a control device (30) evaluates the image by means of image analysis and an arrangement of the depressions (12) is determined on the basis of analysis results;

control signals for a separating device (40) having at least one separating means (41) are calculated based on the arrangement of the depressions (12); and the blister strip (1) is, based on the control signals, divided into a plurality of blister strip parts (15, 15', 16).

2. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the control signals are calculated by taking into account separating specifications.

3. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the separating specifications comprise the number of depressions per blister strip part and/or a distance specification in relation to the depressions .

4. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to one of Claims 1 through 3, characterized in that information (14) applied to the blister strip is detected by a sensor (60) and is at least partially used as separating specifications .

5. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to one of Claims 1 through 4, characterized in that the blister strip (1) and the at least one separating means (41) are moved in a relative manner to each other when the blister strip is divided.

6. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to one of Claims 1 through 5, characterized in that, when generating the image, a plurality of sub-images are generated which together form the image.

7. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to one of Claims 1 through 6, characterized in that the separating device (40) comprises a plurality of separating means (41, 42), wherein, when dividing the blister strip (1), based on the control signals, into a plurality of blister strip parts (15, 15', 16), the plurality of separating means can be operated in a parallel manner.

8. The method for dividing a blister strip (1) according to one of Claims 1 through 7, characterized in that a cooling fluid is applied to a blister strip when being divided.

9. A device (100) for dividing blister strips (1), comprising a 3D-sensor device (20) for generating an image of a blister strip, wherein the blister strip (1) comprises a substrate (10) and a plurality of depressions (12), and wherein the image comprises depth information;

a separating device (40) having at least one separating means (41) for dividing the blister strip into a plurality of blister strip parts (15, 15', 16); and a control device (30) coupled to the 3D-sensor device (20) and the separating device (40), wherein the control device (30) is configured in such a manner that the generated image is evaluated by image analysis and an arrangement of the depressions (12) in the substrate (10) of the blister strip (1) is determined on the basis of the analysis results, and that, based on the arrangement of the depressions (12), control signals for the separating device (40) are calculated, on the basis of which the blister strip (1) is divided into a plurality of blister strip parts (15, 15', 16) .

10. The device (100) for dividing blister strips (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the device comprises a movement device (52, 53) causing a relative movement between the at least one separating means (41) and the blister strip.

11. The device (100) for dividing blister strips (1) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the at least one separating means (41) is moveably attached at the movement device (52, 53).

12. The device (100) for dividing blister strips (1) according to one of Claims 9 through 11, characterized in that the device comprises a cooling device (70) by which a cooling fluid can be applied to the blister strip (1).

13. The device (100) for dividing blister strips (1) according to one of Claims 9 through 12, characterized in that the separating device (40) is provided by a laser cutting device, a water jet cutting device, a punching device or a cutting device having at least one knife.

14. The device (100) for dividing blister strips (1) according to Claim 13, characterized in that the separating device (40) is provided by a punching device and comprises a plurality of punching means which are employable as a function of the determined control signals.