EP3003871B1 - A sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine - Google Patents
A sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3003871B1 EP3003871B1 EP14732964.3A EP14732964A EP3003871B1 EP 3003871 B1 EP3003871 B1 EP 3003871B1 EP 14732964 A EP14732964 A EP 14732964A EP 3003871 B1 EP3003871 B1 EP 3003871B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- group
- stiffener
- sealed package
- bottom wall
- lateral
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
- 239000003351 stiffener Substances 0.000 title claims description 108
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 title claims description 103
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 11
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 claims description 74
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 44
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 36
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 36
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 claims description 30
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 235000019504 cigarettes Nutrition 0.000 description 95
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 12
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 10
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000003292 glue Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000284 extract Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000011087 paperboard Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000004026 adhesive bonding Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000009508 confectionery Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000001360 synchronised effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 244000061176 Nicotiana tabacum Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000002637 Nicotiana tabacum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000299461 Theobroma cacao Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000019219 chocolate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004049 embossing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006641 stabilisation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011105 stabilization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
- B65B9/067—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it the web advancing continuously
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/025—Packaging cigarettes in webs of flexible sheet material
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/04—Arranging, feeding, or orientating the cigarettes
- B65B19/10—Arranging cigarettes in layers each comprising a predetermined number
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B19/00—Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
- B65B19/02—Packaging cigarettes
- B65B19/22—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
- B65B19/221—Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers in one or more straight paths
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
- B65B51/16—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by rotary members
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
- B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
- B65B51/30—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes
- B65B51/306—Counter-rotating devices
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
- B65B61/24—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for shaping or reshaping completed packages
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
- B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
- B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
- B65D85/1018—Container formed by a flexible material, i.e. soft-packages
- B65D85/1027—Opening devices
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
- B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
- B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
- B65D85/1036—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank
- B65D85/1045—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine.
- the present invention finds advantageous application to a sealed package of cigarettes and provided with a reclosable extraction opening, to which the following description will make explicit reference without loss of generality.
- a rigid package of cigarettes with a hinged lid comprises an inner package which encloses a group of cigarettes and a rigid outer casing which houses the inner package in the inside thereof.
- the inner package which is formed by folding and heat-sealing a sheet of waterproof packing material.
- the inner package is provided with a sealed extraction opening which is normally covered by an adhesive panel of the type "open and close”; in particular, the adhesive panel is provided with non-dry, re-stick adhesive which allows to fix several times the adhesive panel in a closing position of the cigarette extraction opening.
- the sealed inner package is internally provided with a rigid stiffener which has essentially the function of giving greater stiffness and greater shape stability to the sealed inner package so as to prevent the sealed inner package from collapsing on itself after removing a part of the cigarettes enclosed in the inside thereof complicating the extraction of the remaining cigarettes and, in particular, making extremely complicated the opening and the subsequent closing of the adhesive panel.
- a further function of the stiffener is to maintain the group of cigarettes in the correct conformation, as well as provide adequate mechanical protection to the group of cigarettes, during the formation of the sealed inner package (i.e. during the folding/heat sealing of the sheet of packing material).
- the stiffener has a "U" shape and comprises a front wall having a top window to leave exposed a top area of the group of cigarettes at the extraction opening, and two lateral walls arranged on opposite sides of the front wall.
- the patent application WO2013053408A1 describes a sealed inner package wherein the stiffener is provided with a bottom wall, two lateral stabilizing tabs which are connected to the lateral walls and are folded 90° onto an inner surface of the bottom wall, and with a central stabilizing tab which is connected to the bottom wall and is folded 180° onto the inner surface of the bottom wall and over the two previously folded lateral stabilizing tabs.
- the central stabilizing tab has a tip that is inserted within a slot formed through the front wall to obtain a mechanical interlocking which stabilizes the folded configuration of the support element.
- the folded configuration of the support element is extremely stable; however, obtaining said mechanical interlocking in a packing machine is extremely complex and relatively unreliable (in other words, relatively often the mechanical interlocking is not correctly implemented, and then the support element does not have a stable folded configuration).
- the patent application WO2013053408A1 describes a sealed inner package wherein the stiffener is provided with a bottom wall, two lateral stabilizing tabs which are connected to the lateral walls and are folded 90° onto an inner surface of the bottom wall, and a central stabilizing tab which is connected to the bottom wall and is folded 90° onto a side wall of the group of cigarettes (therefore away from the two lateral stabilizing tabs previously folded).
- the stiffener described in patent application WO2013053408A1 has a modest mechanical stability (in the absence of glue) and therefore requires a relatively complex manipulation of the group of cigarettes during the formation of the sealed inner package (i.e. during the folding/heat sealing of the sheet of packing material).
- Purpose of the present invention is to provide a sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine, which package, packing method and packing machine are devoid of the drawbacks described above and are, at the same time, easy and economical to produce.
- FIGs 1, 2 and 3 number 1 indicates as a whole a rigid package of cigarettes.
- the package 1 of cigarettes comprises an outer container 2 made of cardboard or rigid paperboard and cup-shaped and a sealed package 3 (better illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 ) housed inside the container 2.
- the outer container 2 has an open top end and is provided with a lid, which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container 2 along a hinge (shown in Figure 3 ) to rotate, with respect to the outer container 2, itself, between an opening position (illustrated in Figure 2 ) and a closing position (shown in Figures 1 and 3 ) of the open top end.
- the lid when in its closing position, gives the outer container 2 a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a top wall and a bottom wall opposite and parallel one with respect to the other, a front wall and a rear wall (wherein the hinge is formed) opposite and parallel one with respect to the other, and two lateral walls opposite and parallel one with respect to the other. Between the lateral walls and the front and rear walls four longitudinal edges are defined, while between the top and bottom walls and the front, rear and lateral walls eight transverse edges are defined.
- the sealed package 3 encloses a group 4 of cigarettes (shown in Figure 6 ) of parallelepiped shape and has a top and a front cigarettes extraction opening 5 (shown in dashed lines in Figure 4 ); the cigarette extraction opening 5 is arranged centrally, is closed by an adhesive panel 6 of the type "open & close” and affects a portion of a front wall of the sealed package 3 and a portion of a top wall of the sealed package 3.
- the adhesive panel 6 normally adheres to the part of the sealed package 3 arranged about the extraction opening 5 to close (seal) the extraction opening 5 itself and may be temporarily lifted to free the extraction opening 5, and then allows the extraction of a cigarette through the extraction opening 5 itself.
- the sealed package 3 is obtained by wrapping a sheet 7 of waterproof and heat-sealable packing material (shown in Figure 8 ), which has a rectangular shape and has an incision which is "U" shaped and defines the extraction opening 5.
- a sheet 7 of packing material shown in Figure 8
- an adhesive panel 6 is glued, which has a rectangular shape and completely covers the incision (i.e. the extraction opening 5); between the adhesive panel 6 and the sheet 7 of packing material a non-dry, re-stick adhesive is interposed (i.e. which always remains sticky), i.e. an adhesive which allows even after a long time to separate the adhesive panel 6 from the sheet 7 of packing material and then to assemble again the adhesive panel 6 to the sheet 7 of packing material for a greater number of times.
- the non-dry, re-stick adhesive is previously applied to an inner face of the adhesive panel 6 before fitting the adhesive panel 6 to the sheet 7 of packing material.
- the presence of the re-stick adhesive between the panel 6 and the sheet 7 of packing material determines the permanent gluing (i.e. that also in use is never separated) of the portion of the sheet 7 of packing material enclosed within the incision (i.e. in correspondence with the extraction opening 5) to the adhesive panel 6; therefore, when the adhesive panel 6 is lifted from the sheet 7 of packing material the portion of the adhesive panel 6 enclosed within the incision (i.e. in correspondence of the extraction opening 5) is lifted together with the adhesive panel 6 freeing the extraction opening 5.
- the presence of the re-stick adhesive between the adhesive panel 6 and the sheet 7 of packing material determines a temporary gluing (i.e. that in use is separated) between the portion of the sheet 7 of packing material surrounding the incision (i.e. that surrounds the extraction opening 5) and the adhesive panel 6 so as to normally maintain the adhesive panel 6 into contact with the sheet 7 of packing material to close (seal) the extraction opening 5.
- the adhesive panel 6 is provided with a graspable tab 8, which is free of re-stick adhesive on the side facing the sheet 7 of packing material (i.e., the surface facing the sheet 7 of packing material) and is arranged in the vicinity of the extraction opening 5 and below the extraction opening 5 itself.
- the graspable tab 8 is likely to facilitate the gripping of the adhesive panel 6 at the time of lifting the adhesive panel 6 itself; in other words, to lift the adhesive panel 6, a user can easily grab a graspable tab 8, which is in no way fixed to the sheet 7 of packing material in contrast to the rest of the adhesive panel 6.
- the sealed package 3 is stabilized, or is maintained in the folded configuration, by a fin shaped central heat seal 9 (or longitudinal heat seal 9) arranged at a front wall and lateral walls of the sealed package 3 and by means of two fin shaped lateral welds 10 (or transverse welds 10) that are arranged at the lateral walls of the sealed package 3.
- the fin shaped central heat seal 9 determines the formation of a tubular package having two open ends at the lateral walls of the sealed package 3 and is initially perpendicular to the front wall of the sealed package 3; subsequent to its formation, the fin shaped central heat seal 9 is folded 90° onto the front wall of the sealed package 3 (as illustrated in Figures 4 and 7 ).
- the two fin shaped lateral welds 10 determine the lateral closure of the tubular package and are initially perpendicular to the corresponding lateral walls of the sealed package 3 (as shown in Figure 7 ); subsequently to the formation thereof, the two fin shaped lateral welds 10 are folded 90° onto the corresponding lateral walls of the sealed package 3 (as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 ).
- each fin shaped lateral heat seal 10 is obtained by determining the formation of two triangular end tabs 11 which protrude from opposite sides from the corresponding lateral wall of the sealed package 3; after folding each fin shaped lateral heat seal 10 by 90° onto the corresponding side wall of the sealed package 3, the two triangular end tabs 11 are folded 180° onto the corresponding side wall of the sealed package 3 and over the previously folded fin shaped lateral heat seal 10.
- each triangular end tabs 11 is heat-sealed to the corresponding side wall of the sealed package 3 to remain in the desired position illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 ; alternatively, each triangular end tabs 11 may be maintained in the desired position illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 only by the presence of the outer container 2 which surrounds the sealed package 3.
- the sealed package 3 comprises a stiffener 12, which is made of cardboard or rigid paperboard (entirely similar to the cardboard or rigid paperboard forming the outer container 2), is "U" shaped and is arranged within the sealed package 3 contacting the group 4 of cigarettes.
- the stiffener 12 comprises a front wall 13 of rectangular shape arranged into contact with a front wall of the group 4 of cigarettes, two lateral walls 14, which are connected to opposite sides of the front wall 13 and are arranged into contact with the lateral walls of the group 4 of cigarettes, and a bottom wall 15 arranged into contact with the bottom wall of the group 4 of cigarettes.
- the front wall 13 which has a top, U-shaped window, and facilitates the extraction of the cigarettes from the group 4 of cigarettes as it leaves exposed a top area of the front wall of the group 4 of cigarettes at the extraction opening 5.
- the stiffener 12 comprises two lateral stabilizing tabs 16 which are connected to the lateral walls 14 and are folded 90° onto an outer surface of the bottom wall 15 (or from the opposite side with respect to the group 4 of cigarettes), and a central stabilizing tab 17 which is connected to the bottom wall 15 and is folded 180° onto the outer surface of the bottom wall 15 (or from the opposite side with respect to the group 4 of cigarettes) and over the two lateral stabilizing tabs 16 previously folded.
- the two lateral stabilizing tabs 16 are connected to the corresponding lateral walls 14 of the stiffener 12 along two transverse fold lines and the central stabilizing tab 17 is connected to the bottom wall 15 of the stiffener 12 along a further transverse fold line which is initially parallel to the other two transverse fold lines.
- the function of the stiffener 12 is to give greater stiffness and greater shape stability to the sealed package 3 so as to prevent the sealed package 3 from collapsing on itself after removing a part of the cigarettes enclosed in the sealed package 3 itself making the extraction of the remaining cigarettes complicated and, in particular, making the opening and the subsequent closing of the adhesive panel 6 extremely complicated.
- the functions of the stiffener 12 are to provide adequate mechanical protection to cigarettes and to simplify/improve the handling of the group 4 of cigarettes (i.e. to prevent the group 4 of cigarettes from coming apart).
- the packing machine 18 comprises a packing unit 19 which provides the initial sealed package 3 by forming the group 4 of cigarettes and wrapping and heat sealing the sheet 7 of packing material about the group 4 of cigarettes and an end packing unit 20 (known and illustrated in a very schematic way) which forms the outer container 2 by wrapping one after the other a collar and a blank about the sealed package 3.
- the initial packing unit 19 comprises a group-forming station 21 wherein the group 4 of cigarettes is formed, an application station 22 wherein the group 4 of cigarettes is fitted with a stiffener 12, and a packing station 23 wherein the sheet 7 of packing material is wrapped about the group 4 of cigarettes to form the sealed package 3.
- the group-forming station 21 comprises a vertical hopper 24 provided with a plurality of lower outlet mouths, and a group-forming conveyor belt 25 which supports a plurality of group-forming pockets 26 and travels with continuous motion for moving the group-forming pockets 26 themselves along a group-forming path P1 (shown in figure 16 ) which extends in front of the outlet mouths of the hopper 24.
- the group-forming conveyor 25 comprises a belt which is closed as a ring and wraps about two motorized end pulleys; accordingly, the group-forming path P1 is "U" shaped and has a lower rectilinear branch which extends horizontally and is arranged in front of the outlet mouths of the hopper 24, and a top rectilinear branch which passes through the application station 22 and ends at a transferring device 36 which transfers each group 4 of cigarettes enclosed in a group-forming pocket 26 in a wrapping seat 27 of a packing conveyor 28 which travels with continuous motion in parallel and in synchronism with the group-forming conveyor 25 for moving the seats 27 of packing material along a rectilinear and horizontal packing path P2.
- the two motorized end pulleys are movable with a reciprocating linear motion parallel to the rectilinear sections of the group-forming path P1; at the same time, the rotation speed of the two motorized end pulleys is variable in time, in synchronism with their reciprocating linear motion.
- the combination of the pulleys reciprocating linear motion with the variation of the rotation speed of the pulleys themselves allows to temporarily stop the group-forming pockets 26 that are arranged in front of the outlet mouths of the hopper 24 (i.e.
- the group-forming pockets 26 that are arranged in the lower rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1) to allow transferring the groups 4 of cigarettes from the outlets mouths of the hopper 24 to the group-forming pockets 26; at the same time, the combination of the reciprocating linear motion of the pulleys with the variation of the rotation speed of the pulleys themselves allows to keep constant the feeding speed of the group-forming pockets 26 in the top branch of the rectilinear group-forming path P1, so that the group-forming pockets 26 which are arranged in the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1 are always in phase and synchronized with the packing seats 27 of the packing conveyor 28 (fed with continuous motion along the packing path P2).
- the application station 22 comprises an application belt conveyor 29 that is arranged next to the group-forming conveyor 25 so as to feed the stiffener 12 in parallel to the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1.
- the application conveyor 29 is provided with suction and holds the stiffener 12 by suction into contact with a lower surface of the conveyor belt; in other words, and as clearly shown in figure 18 and 19 , the application conveyor 29 is arranged over the group-forming conveyor 25 and the stiffener 12 is hung by suction below the application conveyor 29.
- a feeding device 30 which unwinds from a reel 31, a continuous strip of packing material that is fed along a rectilinear and horizontal feeding path P3 which extends perpendicularly to the application conveyor 29.
- the continuous strip of packing material is passed through an embossing and cutting device 32 to form the pre-weakened fold lines in each stiffener 12, and then to separate from the continuous belt itself individual stiffeners 12.
- a lifter 33 is arranged which is movable vertically (i.e. perpendicular to the feeding path P3 and to the application conveyor 29) with reciprocating motion; the lifter 33 pushes the stiffener 12 of the final portion of feeding path P3 to the application conveyor 29 to which the stiffener 12 adheres by suction.
- the application conveyor 29 of the application station 22 cooperates with the group-forming conveyor 25 for resting the stiffener 12 on the group-forming pocket 26 along the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1. While the stiffener 12 rests on the group-forming pocket 26 (i.e. along the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1) a pair of folding devices 34 and 35 (illustrated schematically in Figure 16 ) arranged in succession fold (as described previously and as illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 ) the stiffener 12 partially about the group-forming pocket 26, and then partially about the group 4 of cigarettes enclosed in the group-forming pocket 26.
- a transferring device 36 extracts together and simultaneously the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes from the group-forming pocket 26 to insert the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes in the corresponding packing pocket 27 of the packing conveyor 28.
- the group-forming pocket 26 comprises an initial part 37 arranged at an inlet opening of the group 4 of cigarettes (i.e. in correspondence of the opening through which the group 4 of cigarettes enters the group-forming pocket 26), and an end part 38 arranged at an outlet opening of the group 4 of cigarettes (i.e. in correspondence of the opening through which the group 4 of cigarettes exits the group-forming pocket 26).
- the stiffener 12 is supported only on the end part 38 of the group-forming pocket 26 so that initially the stiffener 12 is longitudinally misaligned with respect to the group 4 of cigarettes and is longitudinally aligned with the group 4 of cigarettes only when extracted from the group-forming pocket 26 along with the group 4 of cigarettes.
- the group-forming pocket 26 is tubular shaped with a rectangular section and comprises a bottom wall and a top wall opposite and parallel one with respect to the other (visible in Figures 18 and 19 ) and two lateral walls opposite and parallel one with respect to the other (not visible in Figures 18 and 19 ); the top and lateral wall thickness of the end part 38 is less than the thickness of the top and lateral walls of the initial portion 37 so that the stiffener 12 resting on the final part 38 of the group-forming pocket 26 is arranged in close proximity to the group 4 of cigarettes.
- a first end of the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12 is placed on the group-forming pocket 26 and a second end of the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12 opposite to the first end is retained by suction by the application conveyor 29 which travels parallel to the group-forming conveyor 25.
- a lower surface of the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12 rests on the group-forming pocket 26 (in particular on the top wall of the group-forming pocket 26), while a top surface opposite the lower surface of the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12 is in contact with the application conveyor 29 that holds the latter by suction.
- the folding device 34 folds the stiffener 12 about the group-forming pocket 26 while the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12 is retained by the application conveyor 29.
- the folding device 34 comprises a folding device 39 that travels vertically (i.e. transversely to the group-forming path P1) between a resting position (shown in Figures 18 and 20 ) wherein the folding device 39 is away from the stiffener 12 and a working position (shown in Figures 19 and 21 ) wherein the folding device 39 spans over the stiffener 12 itself.
- the folding device 39 is also movable parallel to group-forming path P1 to follow the group-forming pocket 26 along a portion of group-forming path P1 itself.
- the folding device 39 comprises four "legs" 40 (i.e., four folding elements 40) oriented vertically spanning over the front and the rear of the application conveyor 29 and embracing laterally the stiffener 12; when the folding device 39 moves from the resting position (shown in Figures 18 and 20 ) to the working position (shown in Figures 19 and 21 ), the four folding elements 40 fold 90° the lateral walls 14 of the stiffener 12 with respect to the front wall 12 of the stiffener 12.
- the folding device 39 comprises a further folding element 41 (shown in Figures 20 and 21 ) which is arranged transversely to two rear folding elements 40; when the folding device 39 moves from the resting position (shown in Figures 18 and 20 ) to the working position (shown in Figures 19 and 21 ), the further folding element 41 folds 90° the rear wall 15 of the stiffener 12 with respect to the front wall of the stiffener 12.
- the folding device 39 cooperates with a counter-folding device 42 that is "U" shaped and, when the folding device 39 moves towards the working position (shown in Figures 19 and 21 ), it rests against an inner surface of the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12 from the opposite side with respect to the same folding device 39. In this way, the stiffener 12 is folded between the folding device 39 and the counter-folding device 42 to improve the folding quality.
- the counter-folding device 42 is movable parallel to the group-forming path P1 to follow, together and in a synchronized manner with the folding device 39, the group-forming pocket 26 along a section of the group-forming path P1 itself.
- the lower wall 15 of the stiffener 12 is folded at the same time with the two lateral walls 14 of the stiffener 12 reinforced by way of the only folding device 39 that is movable both transversely to the group- forming path P1 (to perform the folding), and parallel to the group-forming path P1 (to follow the group-forming pocket 26 during folding).
- the folding device 35 is arranged along the top branch of the group-forming path P1 downstream of the folding device 34 and performs the folding of the two lateral stabilizing tabs 16 of the stiffener 12 onto an outer surface of the bottom wall 15 of the stiffener 12 to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to group 4 of cigarettes; subsequently, the folding device 35 performs the folding of the central stabilizing tab 17 of the stiffener 12 onto the outer surface of the bottom wall 15 to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to the group 4 of cigarettes and over the two lateral stabilizing tabs 16 previously folded.
- the folding device 35 comprises a movable finger (of known type and not illustrated in detail) which folds a stabilizing tab 16 of the stiffener 12 against the feeding direction of the group-forming pocket 26, and comprises folding blades (i.e. fixed folding devices of known type and not illustrated in detail) which fold the other lateral stabilizing tab 16 of the stiffener 12 and the central stabilizing tab 17 of the stiffener 12.
- a movable finger of known type and not illustrated in detail
- folding blades i.e. fixed folding devices of known type and not illustrated in detail
- the pressure on the central stabilizing tab 17 is generated by bringing the pressure pads 43 and 44 (illustrated in figures 16 and 22 ) into contact with the central stabilizing tab 17 of the stiffener 12; in particular, an initial pressure pad 43 is provided which is arranged along the top branch of the group-forming path P1 immediately downstream (uninterrupted) of the folding device 35, and a subsequent final pressure pad 44 that is arranged along the packing path P2.
- the pads 43 and 44 constitute a presser device which is arranged downstream of the folding device 35 and applies pressure onto the central stabilizing tab 17 of the stiffener 12 in order to keep the central stabilizing tab 17 pressed against the bottom wall 15 of the stiffener 12 with the interposition of the lateral stabilizing tabs 16.
- the transferring device 36 is arranged (shown schematically in Figure 16 ) that extracts together and simultaneously the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes from the group-forming pocket 26 of the conveyor 25 for inserting the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes in the corresponding packing pocket 27 of the packing conveyor that travels in parallel and in synchronism with the group-forming conveyor 25.
- the stiffener 12 is supported only on the end part 38 of the group-forming pocket 26 so that initially the stiffener 12 is longitudinally misaligned with respect to the group 4 of cigarettes and is longitudinally aligned with the group 4 of cigarettes when extracted from the group-forming pocket 26 along with the group 4 of cigarettes; in other words, when the transferring device 36 pulls together the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes from the group-forming pocket 26 of the group-forming conveyor 25, also imparts a relative movement between the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes to obtain at a longitudinal alignment of one with respect to the other.
- the transferring device 36 is arranged at the end of the group-forming path P1 and transfers the stiffener 12 and the group 4 of cigarettes from the group-forming pocket 26 of the group-forming conveyor 25 to the packing seat 27 of the packing conveyor.
- the transferring device 36 comprises a pusher 45 which rests at one end of the group 4 of cigarettes and pushes the group 4 of cigarettes out of the group-forming pocket 26 and a counter-pusher 46 which rests on the opposite end of the group 4 of cigarettes with the interposition of the bottom wall 15 (and of the tabs 16 and 17) of the stiffener 12.
- a packing station 47 is arranged of the flow-pack type (shown schematically in Figure 15 ) wherein the sheet 7 of packing material is wrapped longitudinally in a tube shape about the group 4 of cigarettes to form a tubular package.
- a longitudinal heat seal device 48 is arranged (of known type) that performs the longitudinal heat seal 9 on the tubular package to stabilize the tubular shape of the tubular package itself;
- a folding device is coupled (not shown) that, immediately after its formation, folds the fin shaped longitudinal heat seal 9 by 90° onto a corresponding wall of the group 4 of cigarettes (with the interposition of the front wall 13 of the stiffener 12).
- the sheet 7 of packing material is fed from the bottom to provide the fin shaped longitudinal heat seal 9 in correspondence of the front wall of the group 4 of cigarettes (as shown in Figures 4 and 5 ).
- transverse heat seal device 49 Arranged downstream of the longitudinal heat seal device 48 a transverse heat seal device 49 is arranged that creates cyclically on the tubular packing a succession of transverse welds 10, each of which is arranged between two successive groups of four cigarettes; in addition, the transverse heat seal device 49 achieves a transverse cross-cut at the center of each transverse heat seal 10 to separate the two sealed packages 3 which share the same transverse heat seal 10.
- a folding wheel 50 downstream of the transverse heat seal device 49 a folding wheel 50 is arranged which is mounted to rotate about a horizontal rotation axis 51 and is provided with a series of folding pockets 52, each of which is adapted to receive a corresponding sealed package 3.
- the folding wheel 50 is provided with a folding device 53 which is preferably provided with fixed folding blades (i.e. fixed folding devices) and initially folds 90° each fin shaped transverse heat seal 10 onto a corresponding side wall of the group 4 of cigarettes (with the interposition of a side wall 14 of the stiffener 12); subsequently, i.e.
- each fin shaped lateral heat seal 10 after folding each fin shaped lateral heat seal 10 by 90° onto the corresponding side wall of the sealed package 3 the device 53 folds 180° the triangular end flaps 11, onto the corresponding side wall of the sealed package 3 and over the fin shaped lateral heat seal 10 previously folded (as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 ).
- the folding wheel 50 is provided with a heat seal device 54 that heat-seals each triangular end flap 11 to the corresponding lateral wall of the sealed package 3 to remain in the desired position illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 ; according to a different embodiment, each triangular end flap 11 may be maintained in the desired position illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 only by the presence of the outer container 2 which surrounds the sealed package 3 and in this case the heat seal device 54 would be absent.
- welds performed by the heat seal device 54 fix both ends of the triangular end flap 11, and each fin shaped lateral heat seal 10 to the corresponding lateral wall of the sealed package 3 so as to lock a folded configuration of the end flaps 11 and lock a folded configuration of the transverse fin shaped lateral heat seal 10.
- a conveyor belt 55 is interposed which travels with continuous motion for successively transferring the sealed packages 3 from the transverse heat seal device 49 to the folding wheel 50.
- the folding wheel 50 is rotatably mounted with intermittent motion, i.e. by steps, about the rotation axis 51; consequently, the folding wheel 50 is provided with an input pusher 56 that inserts the sealed package 3 inside a corresponding folding pocket 52 and an output pusher 56 which extracts the sealed package 3 from the inside of a corresponding folding pocket 52.
- the transverse heat seal device 49 comprises two heat seal drums 58 that are rotatably mounted about respective central rotation axes 59 parallel one with respect to the other, are arranged on opposite sides of the packing path P2 along which the tubular package is fed, and bring respective heat seal heads 60 cooperating one with the other to clamp between them the tubular package during the performing of the transverse heat seal 10.
- the heat seal heads 60 are internally provided with cutting members 61 to obtain, during the performing of the transverse welds 10, a transverse cut of the tubular package so as to separate a sealed package 3 from the tubular package itself.
- each heat seal drum 58 is covered by a compression element 62 that is elastically deformed to impart a compression on the tubular package in order to stretch the tubular package, and then remove the air trapped inside the tubular package during the execution of the transverse welds 10; normally, the compression element 62 is formed by brushes.
- Each heat seal head 60 of a heat seal drum 58 is coupled to a corresponding support element 63 that is carried by a corresponding heat seal drum 58, is arranged downstream of the corresponding heat seal head 60 with respect to the feeding direction of the tubular package along the packing path P2, and comes in contact with a bottom or top wall of the tubular package itself.
- both heat seal drums 58 are provided with support elements 63 and then, during the execution of a transverse heat seal 10, two cooperating support elements 63 are arranged to contact opposite walls of the tubular package for clamping between them the tubular package itself downstream of the heat seal heads 60.
- only the lower heat seal drum 60 is provided with support elements 63 (i.e. the top heat seal drum 60 is devoid of the support elements 63).
- each support element 63 Upon execution of the transverse heat seal 10, each support element 63 advances for a certain distance with a linear movement parallel to the packing path P2 to accompany the sealed package 3 which has just been separated from the continuous tubular package.
- each support element 63 is mounted movable with respect to the corresponding heat seal drum 58 to perform a relative movement with respect to the heat seal drum 58 itself; in particular, each support element 63 is rotatably mounted with respect to the corresponding heat seal drum 58 to rotate about a peripheral rotation axis 64 parallel to the central rotation axis 59.
- each heat seal drum 58 comprises a camshaft implementing system 65 for controlling the relative movement (i.e. the relative rotation) between each support element 63 and the heat seal drum 58 itself.
- each support element 63 is connected to the corresponding heat seal drum 58 by a linking arm 66 that is hinged to the heat seal drum 58 itself at the peripheral rotation axis 64; one end of each linking arm 66 opposite, with respect to the peripheral rotation axis 64, to the support element 63 is connected with a follower roller that engages a fixed cam arranged within the corresponding heat seal drum 58.
- the conveyor belt 55 starts, towards which the sealed packages 3 are pushed coming from the same transverse heat seal device 49; the support elements 63 guide each sealed package 3 towards the conveyor belt 55 to ensure a correct introduction of the sealed package 3 in the conveyor belt 55 itself, or to prevent the sealed package 3 from jamming against the conveyor belt 55 itself due to unwanted movements that can take place after the execution of the transverse heat seal 10.
- a pressure drum is arranged that is covered by an element that is elastically deformed (typically brushes) and that pushes the sealed package 3 against the conveyor belt 55.
- each transverse heat seal 10 is interrupted in a limited portion of the tubular package so as to leave, astride of the transverse heat seal 10, at least one vent channel 67 that connects the inside of the sealed package 3 with the outside environment.
- the vent channel 67 is closed after the execution of the transverse welds 10 to make the sealed package 3 airproof.
- the vent channel 67 is closed by a sealing that is performed after performing the transverse welds 10 and which coincides with the heat seal performed by the heat seal device 54 for heat sealing the fin shaped transverse welds 10 and/or the triangular end flaps to the underlying part of the sheet 7 of packing material.
- the same heat sealing performed by the heat seal device 54 has both the function to close the vent channel 67 and the function of fixing the fin shaped transverse welds 10 and/or the triangular end flaps to the underlying part of the sheet 7 of packing material.
- each heat seal head 60 has a heated surface 68, which is centrally interrupted by the presence of cutting member 61 and is pressed against the overlapping portions of the sheet 7 of packing material in order to achieve a corresponding transverse heat seal 10.
- the heated surface 68 has at least one recess 69 in correspondence of which the transverse heat seal 10 is interrupted to leave the vent channel 67.
- the vent channel 67 allows to evacuate (fully or partially) the air inside the sealed package 3 before airproof closing the sealed package 3 itself.
- the sealed package 3 remains open towards the outer environment for the presence of the vent channel 67 (or of the vent channels, as there could be even more vent channels); in this way, the air inside the sealed package 3 can be evacuated (fully or partially) after performing the transverse welds 10.
- the vent channel 67 itself is closed to make the sealed package 3 airproof by using the same heat sealing with which the fin shaped transverse welds 10 and/or the triangular end flaps are fixed to the underlying part of the sheet 7 of packing material.
- the vent channel 67 itself is closed to make the sealed package 3 airproof by a further heat sealing that is different (i.e. performed at different times and by different members) from the heat seal performed by the heat seal device 54.
- the initial packing unit 19 of the packing machine 18 is "L" shaped and has a front side (shown in Figure 15 ) wherein the members that perform the various packing operations are arranged and a lateral side (shown in Figure 14 ) wherein all the feeding of the packing materials are arranged (i.e. of the sheets 7 of packing material and of the stiffeners 12).
- Figure 14 can be recognized the two coils 31 (one as a reserve to the other) from which the continuous strip of packing material is unwrapped for the formation of the stiffeners 12 and the two coils 70 (one as a reserve to the other) from which the continuous strip of packing material for the formation of the sheets 7 of packing material is unwrapped.
- the stiffener 12 of the sealed package 3 above described has numerous advantages.
- the stiffener 12 described above may be mechanically stabilized in the desired folded configuration simply by pushing from the outside (i.e. from the opposite side with respect to group 4 of cigarettes) with a pad on the bottom wall 15 (or better on the stabilizing tabs 16 and 17 that cover the outside of the bottom wall 15).
- the mechanical stabilization of the stiffener 12 is obtained in a simple, safe and reliable way, and without any use of glue; the use of glue inside sealed package 3 is problematic, since the glue can release volatile substances that undesirably alter the cigarettes aroma.
- stiffener 12 described above is simple and economical to produce, as a succession of stiffeners 12 can be sheared without wastage from a continuous strip of packing material; in this regard it is noted as the central stabilizing tab 17 exactly reproduces the shape of the top window of the front wall 13.
- the sealed package 3 of the present invention contains a group 4 of cigarettes; thanks to the numerous advantages of the sealed package 3 of the present invention, said sealed package 3 can be also used to contain articles other than cigarettes, such as food (candies, chocolates or other sweets).
Description
- The present invention relates to a sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine.
- The present invention finds advantageous application to a sealed package of cigarettes and provided with a reclosable extraction opening, to which the following description will make explicit reference without loss of generality.
- Normally, a rigid package of cigarettes with a hinged lid comprises an inner package which encloses a group of cigarettes and a rigid outer casing which houses the inner package in the inside thereof.
- Recently, in order to better preserve the organoleptic characteristics of the cigarette tobacco has been proposed the use of a sealed inner package, which is formed by folding and heat-sealing a sheet of waterproof packing material. To allow the extraction of the cigarettes, the inner package is provided with a sealed extraction opening which is normally covered by an adhesive panel of the type "open and close"; in particular, the adhesive panel is provided with non-dry, re-stick adhesive which allows to fix several times the adhesive panel in a closing position of the cigarette extraction opening.
- Normally, the sealed inner package is internally provided with a rigid stiffener which has essentially the function of giving greater stiffness and greater shape stability to the sealed inner package so as to prevent the sealed inner package from collapsing on itself after removing a part of the cigarettes enclosed in the inside thereof complicating the extraction of the remaining cigarettes and, in particular, making extremely complicated the opening and the subsequent closing of the adhesive panel. A further function of the stiffener is to maintain the group of cigarettes in the correct conformation, as well as provide adequate mechanical protection to the group of cigarettes, during the formation of the sealed inner package (i.e. during the folding/heat sealing of the sheet of packing material).
- The stiffener has a "U" shape and comprises a front wall having a top window to leave exposed a top area of the group of cigarettes at the extraction opening, and two lateral walls arranged on opposite sides of the front wall. To increase the stability of the stiffener and then simplify/improve the handling of the group of cigarettes during the formation of the sealed inner package (i.e. during the folding/heat sealing of the sheet of packing material), has been proposed to provide the stiffener with a bottom wall and with stabilizing tabs that are folded onto the bottom wall.
- In particular, the patent application
WO2013053408A1 describes a sealed inner package wherein the stiffener is provided with a bottom wall, two lateral stabilizing tabs which are connected to the lateral walls and are folded 90° onto an inner surface of the bottom wall, and with a central stabilizing tab which is connected to the bottom wall and is folded 180° onto the inner surface of the bottom wall and over the two previously folded lateral stabilizing tabs. The central stabilizing tab has a tip that is inserted within a slot formed through the front wall to obtain a mechanical interlocking which stabilizes the folded configuration of the support element. Once achieved the mechanical interlocking between the tip of the central stabilizing tab and the slot formed through the front wall, the folded configuration of the support element is extremely stable; however, obtaining said mechanical interlocking in a packing machine is extremely complex and relatively unreliable (in other words, relatively often the mechanical interlocking is not correctly implemented, and then the support element does not have a stable folded configuration). - The patent application
WO2013053408A1 describes a sealed inner package wherein the stiffener is provided with a bottom wall, two lateral stabilizing tabs which are connected to the lateral walls and are folded 90° onto an inner surface of the bottom wall, and a central stabilizing tab which is connected to the bottom wall and is folded 90° onto a side wall of the group of cigarettes (therefore away from the two lateral stabilizing tabs previously folded). The stiffener described in patent applicationWO2013053408A1 has a modest mechanical stability (in the absence of glue) and therefore requires a relatively complex manipulation of the group of cigarettes during the formation of the sealed inner package (i.e. during the folding/heat sealing of the sheet of packing material). - Purpose of the present invention is to provide a sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine, which package, packing method and packing machine are devoid of the drawbacks described above and are, at the same time, easy and economical to produce.
- According to the present invention a sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and the corresponding packing method and packing machine are provided, as claimed in the appended claims.
- The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment, wherein:
-
Figure 1 is a front perspective view and in a closed configuration of a package of cigarettes provided with a sealed package obtained according to the present invention; -
Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the package of cigarettes ofFigure 1 in a partially open configuration; -
Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the package of cigarettes ofFigure 1 in a fully open configuration; -
Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a sealed package of the package ofFigure 1 ; -
Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the sealed package ofFigure 4 ; -
Figure 6 is a front perspective view of a group of cigarettes contained in the inner package ofFigure 4 ; -
Figure 7 is a front perspective view of the sealed package ofFigure 4 prior to an end folding of the two fin shaped lateral welds; -
Figure 8 is a plan view of a heat-sealable sheet of packing material used to obtain the sealed package ofFigure 4 ; -
Figure 9 is a front perspective view of a stiffener enclosed in the inner package ofFigure 4 ; -
Figure 10 is a rear perspective view of the stiffener ofFigure 8 ; -
Figure 11 is a front perspective view of the stiffener ofFigure 8 prior to an end folding of a central stabilizing tab; -
Figure 12 is a view of a blank used to obtain the stiffener ofFigure 8 ; -
Figure 13 is a plan schematic view of an initial packing unit of a packing machine which obtains the package of cigarettes ofFigure 1 ; -
Figure 14 is a schematic side view of the initial packing unit ofFigure 13 ; -
Figure 15 is a schematic perspective view of part of the initial packing unit ofFigure 13 ; -
Figure 16 is a schematic perspective view of an application station of the initial packing unit ofFigure 13 ; -
Figure 17 is a schematic view of a feeding device of the application station ofFigure 16 ; -
Figures 18 and 19 are two schematic views and in lateral section of part of the application station ofFigure 16 in two different operating configurations; -
Figures 20 and 21 are two schematic front views of part of the application station ofFigure 16 in two different operating configurations; -
Figure 22 is a schematic plan view of a transferring device of the initial packing unit ofFigure 13 ; -
Figure 23 is a schematic front view of a transverse heat seal device and a folding wheel of the initial packing unit ofFigure 13 ; -
Figures 24 and25 are two schematic front views, and in enlarged scale of the transverse heat seal device ofFigure 13 ; -
Figure 26 is a front perspective view of the sealed package ofFigure 4 prior to an end folding of the two fin shaped lateral welds and in the presence of an air vent channel; and -
Figure 27 is a schematic view of a heated surface of a heat seal head which performs a transversal heat seal of the sealed package ofFigure 26 . - In
Figures 1, 2 and 3 number 1 indicates as a whole a rigid package of cigarettes. Thepackage 1 of cigarettes comprises anouter container 2 made of cardboard or rigid paperboard and cup-shaped and a sealed package 3 (better illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 ) housed inside thecontainer 2. - The
outer container 2 has an open top end and is provided with a lid, which is cup-shaped and is hinged to theouter container 2 along a hinge (shown inFigure 3 ) to rotate, with respect to theouter container 2, itself, between an opening position (illustrated inFigure 2 ) and a closing position (shown inFigures 1 and 3 ) of the open top end. The lid, when in its closing position, gives the outer container 2 a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a top wall and a bottom wall opposite and parallel one with respect to the other, a front wall and a rear wall (wherein the hinge is formed) opposite and parallel one with respect to the other, and two lateral walls opposite and parallel one with respect to the other. Between the lateral walls and the front and rear walls four longitudinal edges are defined, while between the top and bottom walls and the front, rear and lateral walls eight transverse edges are defined. - As illustrated in
Figures 4 and 5 , the sealedpackage 3 encloses agroup 4 of cigarettes (shown inFigure 6 ) of parallelepiped shape and has a top and a front cigarettes extraction opening 5 (shown in dashed lines inFigure 4 ); the cigarette extraction opening 5 is arranged centrally, is closed by anadhesive panel 6 of the type "open & close" and affects a portion of a front wall of the sealedpackage 3 and a portion of a top wall of the sealedpackage 3. Theadhesive panel 6 normally adheres to the part of the sealedpackage 3 arranged about the extraction opening 5 to close (seal) the extraction opening 5 itself and may be temporarily lifted to free the extraction opening 5, and then allows the extraction of a cigarette through the extraction opening 5 itself. - The sealed
package 3 is obtained by wrapping a sheet 7 of waterproof and heat-sealable packing material (shown inFigure 8 ), which has a rectangular shape and has an incision which is "U" shaped and defines the extraction opening 5. To the sheet 7 of packing material anadhesive panel 6 is glued, which has a rectangular shape and completely covers the incision (i.e. the extraction opening 5); between theadhesive panel 6 and the sheet 7 of packing material a non-dry, re-stick adhesive is interposed (i.e. which always remains sticky), i.e. an adhesive which allows even after a long time to separate theadhesive panel 6 from the sheet 7 of packing material and then to assemble again theadhesive panel 6 to the sheet 7 of packing material for a greater number of times. According to a preferred embodiment, the non-dry, re-stick adhesive is previously applied to an inner face of theadhesive panel 6 before fitting theadhesive panel 6 to the sheet 7 of packing material. - The presence of the re-stick adhesive between the
panel 6 and the sheet 7 of packing material determines the permanent gluing (i.e. that also in use is never separated) of the portion of the sheet 7 of packing material enclosed within the incision (i.e. in correspondence with the extraction opening 5) to theadhesive panel 6; therefore, when theadhesive panel 6 is lifted from the sheet 7 of packing material the portion of theadhesive panel 6 enclosed within the incision (i.e. in correspondence of the extraction opening 5) is lifted together with theadhesive panel 6 freeing the extraction opening 5. Moreover, the presence of the re-stick adhesive between theadhesive panel 6 and the sheet 7 of packing material determines a temporary gluing (i.e. that in use is separated) between the portion of the sheet 7 of packing material surrounding the incision (i.e. that surrounds the extraction opening 5) and theadhesive panel 6 so as to normally maintain theadhesive panel 6 into contact with the sheet 7 of packing material to close (seal) the extraction opening 5. - The
adhesive panel 6 is provided with agraspable tab 8, which is free of re-stick adhesive on the side facing the sheet 7 of packing material (i.e., the surface facing the sheet 7 of packing material) and is arranged in the vicinity of the extraction opening 5 and below the extraction opening 5 itself. Thegraspable tab 8 is likely to facilitate the gripping of theadhesive panel 6 at the time of lifting theadhesive panel 6 itself; in other words, to lift theadhesive panel 6, a user can easily grab agraspable tab 8, which is in no way fixed to the sheet 7 of packing material in contrast to the rest of theadhesive panel 6. - As illustrated in
Figures 4 and 5 , the sealedpackage 3 is stabilized, or is maintained in the folded configuration, by a fin shaped central heat seal 9 (or longitudinal heat seal 9) arranged at a front wall and lateral walls of the sealedpackage 3 and by means of two fin shaped lateral welds 10 (or transverse welds 10) that are arranged at the lateral walls of the sealedpackage 3. The fin shapedcentral heat seal 9 determines the formation of a tubular package having two open ends at the lateral walls of the sealedpackage 3 and is initially perpendicular to the front wall of the sealedpackage 3; subsequent to its formation, the fin shapedcentral heat seal 9 is folded 90° onto the front wall of the sealed package 3 (as illustrated inFigures 4 and7 ). The two fin shapedlateral welds 10 determine the lateral closure of the tubular package and are initially perpendicular to the corresponding lateral walls of the sealed package 3 (as shown inFigure 7 ); subsequently to the formation thereof, the two fin shapedlateral welds 10 are folded 90° onto the corresponding lateral walls of the sealed package 3 (as illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 ). - As illustrated in
Figure 7 , each fin shapedlateral heat seal 10 is obtained by determining the formation of twotriangular end tabs 11 which protrude from opposite sides from the corresponding lateral wall of the sealedpackage 3; after folding each fin shapedlateral heat seal 10 by 90° onto the corresponding side wall of the sealedpackage 3, the twotriangular end tabs 11 are folded 180° onto the corresponding side wall of the sealedpackage 3 and over the previously folded fin shapedlateral heat seal 10. According to a possible embodiment, eachtriangular end tabs 11 is heat-sealed to the corresponding side wall of the sealedpackage 3 to remain in the desired position illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 ; alternatively, eachtriangular end tabs 11 may be maintained in the desired position illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 only by the presence of theouter container 2 which surrounds the sealedpackage 3. - As illustrated in
Figures 9 and 10 , the sealedpackage 3 comprises astiffener 12, which is made of cardboard or rigid paperboard (entirely similar to the cardboard or rigid paperboard forming the outer container 2), is "U" shaped and is arranged within the sealedpackage 3 contacting thegroup 4 of cigarettes. - The
stiffener 12 comprises afront wall 13 of rectangular shape arranged into contact with a front wall of thegroup 4 of cigarettes, twolateral walls 14, which are connected to opposite sides of thefront wall 13 and are arranged into contact with the lateral walls of thegroup 4 of cigarettes, and abottom wall 15 arranged into contact with the bottom wall of thegroup 4 of cigarettes. Thefront wall 13 which has a top, U-shaped window, and facilitates the extraction of the cigarettes from thegroup 4 of cigarettes as it leaves exposed a top area of the front wall of thegroup 4 of cigarettes at the extraction opening 5. Moreover, thestiffener 12 comprises two lateral stabilizingtabs 16 which are connected to thelateral walls 14 and are folded 90° onto an outer surface of the bottom wall 15 (or from the opposite side with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes), and a central stabilizingtab 17 which is connected to thebottom wall 15 and is folded 180° onto the outer surface of the bottom wall 15 (or from the opposite side with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes) and over the twolateral stabilizing tabs 16 previously folded. To better highlight the folding of the stabilizingtabs Figure 11 is illustrated thestiffener 12 before the final folding of the central stabilizingtab 17, or before placing the central stabilizingtab 17 onto the outer surface of the bottom wall 15 (or from the opposite side with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes) and over the twolateral stabilizing tabs 16 previously folded. - As best shown in
Figure 12 , the twolateral stabilizing tabs 16 are connected to the correspondinglateral walls 14 of thestiffener 12 along two transverse fold lines and the central stabilizingtab 17 is connected to thebottom wall 15 of thestiffener 12 along a further transverse fold line which is initially parallel to the other two transverse fold lines. - During the handling of the whole constituted by the
group 4 of cigarettes and by thestiffener 12, it is possible to stabilize the stiffener 12 (i.e. to prevent that thestiffener 12 abandons the desired folded configuration) simply by pushing from the outside (i.e. on the opposite side with respect togroup 4 of cigarettes) on the bottom wall 15 (or better on the stabilizingtabs group 4 of cigarettes) on thebottom wall 15 by means of a pressure pad the stabilizingtabs bottom wall 15. In other words, pushing from the outside (i.e., from the opposite side with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes) on thebottom wall 15 will maintain the stabilizingtabs bottom wall 15 "freezing" the desired folded configuration of thestiffener 12. - When the sealed
package 3 is completed, i.e. at the end of the formation of the sealedpackage 3, the function of thestiffener 12 is to give greater stiffness and greater shape stability to the sealedpackage 3 so as to prevent the sealedpackage 3 from collapsing on itself after removing a part of the cigarettes enclosed in the sealedpackage 3 itself making the extraction of the remaining cigarettes complicated and, in particular, making the opening and the subsequent closing of theadhesive panel 6 extremely complicated. During the formation of the sealedpackage 3, the functions of thestiffener 12 are to provide adequate mechanical protection to cigarettes and to simplify/improve the handling of thegroup 4 of cigarettes (i.e. to prevent thegroup 4 of cigarettes from coming apart). - In
Figure 13 , with thenumber 18 is indicated as a whole a packing machine which obtains thepackage 1 of cigarettes described above. - The packing
machine 18 comprises apacking unit 19 which provides the initial sealedpackage 3 by forming thegroup 4 of cigarettes and wrapping and heat sealing the sheet 7 of packing material about thegroup 4 of cigarettes and an end packing unit 20 (known and illustrated in a very schematic way) which forms theouter container 2 by wrapping one after the other a collar and a blank about the sealedpackage 3. - The
initial packing unit 19 comprises a group-formingstation 21 wherein thegroup 4 of cigarettes is formed, anapplication station 22 wherein thegroup 4 of cigarettes is fitted with astiffener 12, and a packingstation 23 wherein the sheet 7 of packing material is wrapped about thegroup 4 of cigarettes to form the sealedpackage 3. - As illustrated in
Figure 15 , the group-formingstation 21 comprises avertical hopper 24 provided with a plurality of lower outlet mouths, and a group-formingconveyor belt 25 which supports a plurality of group-formingpockets 26 and travels with continuous motion for moving the group-formingpockets 26 themselves along a group-forming path P1 (shown infigure 16 ) which extends in front of the outlet mouths of thehopper 24. As illustrated inFigure 16 , the group-formingconveyor 25 comprises a belt which is closed as a ring and wraps about two motorized end pulleys; accordingly, the group-forming path P1 is "U" shaped and has a lower rectilinear branch which extends horizontally and is arranged in front of the outlet mouths of thehopper 24, and a top rectilinear branch which passes through theapplication station 22 and ends at a transferringdevice 36 which transfers eachgroup 4 of cigarettes enclosed in a group-formingpocket 26 in a wrappingseat 27 of a packingconveyor 28 which travels with continuous motion in parallel and in synchronism with the group-formingconveyor 25 for moving theseats 27 of packing material along a rectilinear and horizontal packing path P2. - According to a preferred embodiment, the two motorized end pulleys, about which the group-forming
conveyor belt 25 wraps, are movable with a reciprocating linear motion parallel to the rectilinear sections of the group-forming path P1; at the same time, the rotation speed of the two motorized end pulleys is variable in time, in synchronism with their reciprocating linear motion. The combination of the pulleys reciprocating linear motion with the variation of the rotation speed of the pulleys themselves allows to temporarily stop the group-formingpockets 26 that are arranged in front of the outlet mouths of the hopper 24 (i.e. the group-formingpockets 26 that are arranged in the lower rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1) to allow transferring thegroups 4 of cigarettes from the outlets mouths of thehopper 24 to the group-formingpockets 26; at the same time, the combination of the reciprocating linear motion of the pulleys with the variation of the rotation speed of the pulleys themselves allows to keep constant the feeding speed of the group-formingpockets 26 in the top branch of the rectilinear group-forming path P1, so that the group-formingpockets 26 which are arranged in the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1 are always in phase and synchronized with the packing seats 27 of the packing conveyor 28 (fed with continuous motion along the packing path P2). - The
application station 22 comprises anapplication belt conveyor 29 that is arranged next to the group-formingconveyor 25 so as to feed thestiffener 12 in parallel to the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1. According to a preferred embodiment, theapplication conveyor 29 is provided with suction and holds thestiffener 12 by suction into contact with a lower surface of the conveyor belt; in other words, and as clearly shown infigure 18 and 19 , theapplication conveyor 29 is arranged over the group-formingconveyor 25 and thestiffener 12 is hung by suction below theapplication conveyor 29. - As illustrated in
Figure 17 , afeeding device 30 is provided which unwinds from areel 31, a continuous strip of packing material that is fed along a rectilinear and horizontal feeding path P3 which extends perpendicularly to theapplication conveyor 29. In particular, the continuous strip of packing material is passed through an embossing and cuttingdevice 32 to form the pre-weakened fold lines in eachstiffener 12, and then to separate from the continuous belt itselfindividual stiffeners 12. At the end of the feeding path P3 alifter 33 is arranged which is movable vertically (i.e. perpendicular to the feeding path P3 and to the application conveyor 29) with reciprocating motion; thelifter 33 pushes thestiffener 12 of the final portion of feeding path P3 to theapplication conveyor 29 to which thestiffener 12 adheres by suction. - As illustrated in
Figures 18 and 19 , theapplication conveyor 29 of theapplication station 22 cooperates with the group-formingconveyor 25 for resting thestiffener 12 on the group-formingpocket 26 along the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1. While thestiffener 12 rests on the group-forming pocket 26 (i.e. along the top rectilinear branch of the group-forming path P1) a pair offolding devices 34 and 35 (illustrated schematically inFigure 16 ) arranged in succession fold (as described previously and as illustrated inFigures 9 and 10 ) thestiffener 12 partially about the group-formingpocket 26, and then partially about thegroup 4 of cigarettes enclosed in the group-formingpocket 26. Finally, at the end of the group-forming path P1, a transferring device 36 (illustrated schematically inFigure 16 ) extracts together and simultaneously thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes from the group-formingpocket 26 to insert thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes in thecorresponding packing pocket 27 of the packingconveyor 28. - As illustrated in
Figures 18 and 19 , the group-formingpocket 26 comprises aninitial part 37 arranged at an inlet opening of thegroup 4 of cigarettes (i.e. in correspondence of the opening through which thegroup 4 of cigarettes enters the group-forming pocket 26), and anend part 38 arranged at an outlet opening of thegroup 4 of cigarettes (i.e. in correspondence of the opening through which thegroup 4 of cigarettes exits the group-forming pocket 26). Thestiffener 12 is supported only on theend part 38 of the group-formingpocket 26 so that initially thestiffener 12 is longitudinally misaligned with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes and is longitudinally aligned with thegroup 4 of cigarettes only when extracted from the group-formingpocket 26 along with thegroup 4 of cigarettes. According to a preferred embodiment, the group-formingpocket 26 is tubular shaped with a rectangular section and comprises a bottom wall and a top wall opposite and parallel one with respect to the other (visible inFigures 18 and 19 ) and two lateral walls opposite and parallel one with respect to the other (not visible inFigures 18 and 19 ); the top and lateral wall thickness of theend part 38 is less than the thickness of the top and lateral walls of theinitial portion 37 so that thestiffener 12 resting on thefinal part 38 of the group-formingpocket 26 is arranged in close proximity to thegroup 4 of cigarettes. - As illustrated in
Figures 18 and 19 , a first end of thefront wall 13 of thestiffener 12 is placed on the group-formingpocket 26 and a second end of thefront wall 13 of thestiffener 12 opposite to the first end is retained by suction by theapplication conveyor 29 which travels parallel to the group-formingconveyor 25. A lower surface of thefront wall 13 of thestiffener 12 rests on the group-forming pocket 26 (in particular on the top wall of the group-forming pocket 26), while a top surface opposite the lower surface of thefront wall 13 of thestiffener 12 is in contact with theapplication conveyor 29 that holds the latter by suction. - Once the
stiffener 12 rests on the group-formingpocket 26, thefolding device 34 folds thestiffener 12 about the group-formingpocket 26 while thefront wall 13 of thestiffener 12 is retained by theapplication conveyor 29. Thefolding device 34 comprises afolding device 39 that travels vertically (i.e. transversely to the group-forming path P1) between a resting position (shown inFigures 18 and20 ) wherein thefolding device 39 is away from thestiffener 12 and a working position (shown inFigures 19 and21 ) wherein thefolding device 39 spans over thestiffener 12 itself. As previously mentioned, the group-formingpocket 26 is fed continuously along the top branch of the group-forming path P1; accordingly, thefolding device 39 is also movable parallel to group-forming path P1 to follow the group-formingpocket 26 along a portion of group-forming path P1 itself. - According to a preferred embodiment shown in
Figures 18-21 , thefolding device 39 comprises four "legs" 40 (i.e., four folding elements 40) oriented vertically spanning over the front and the rear of theapplication conveyor 29 and embracing laterally thestiffener 12; when thefolding device 39 moves from the resting position (shown inFigures 18 and20 ) to the working position (shown inFigures 19 and21 ), the fourfolding elements 40 fold 90° thelateral walls 14 of thestiffener 12 with respect to thefront wall 12 of thestiffener 12. Moreover, thefolding device 39 comprises a further folding element 41 (shown inFigures 20 and 21 ) which is arranged transversely to tworear folding elements 40; when thefolding device 39 moves from the resting position (shown inFigures 18 and20 ) to the working position (shown inFigures 19 and21 ), thefurther folding element 41 folds 90° therear wall 15 of thestiffener 12 with respect to the front wall of thestiffener 12. - According to a preferred embodiment shown in
Figures 18-21 , thefolding device 39 cooperates with acounter-folding device 42 that is "U" shaped and, when thefolding device 39 moves towards the working position (shown inFigures 19 and21 ), it rests against an inner surface of thefront wall 13 of thestiffener 12 from the opposite side with respect to thesame folding device 39. In this way, thestiffener 12 is folded between thefolding device 39 and thecounter-folding device 42 to improve the folding quality. Obviously, also thecounter-folding device 42 is movable parallel to the group-forming path P1 to follow, together and in a synchronized manner with thefolding device 39, the group-formingpocket 26 along a section of the group-forming path P1 itself. - Summarizing the above described, the
lower wall 15 of thestiffener 12 is folded at the same time with the twolateral walls 14 of thestiffener 12 reinforced by way of theonly folding device 39 that is movable both transversely to the group- forming path P1 (to perform the folding), and parallel to the group-forming path P1 (to follow the group-formingpocket 26 during folding). - As illustrated in
Figure 16 , thefolding device 35 is arranged along the top branch of the group-forming path P1 downstream of thefolding device 34 and performs the folding of the twolateral stabilizing tabs 16 of thestiffener 12 onto an outer surface of thebottom wall 15 of thestiffener 12 to be arranged on the opposite side with respect togroup 4 of cigarettes; subsequently, thefolding device 35 performs the folding of the central stabilizingtab 17 of thestiffener 12 onto the outer surface of thebottom wall 15 to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes and over the twolateral stabilizing tabs 16 previously folded. Preferably, thefolding device 35 comprises a movable finger (of known type and not illustrated in detail) which folds a stabilizingtab 16 of thestiffener 12 against the feeding direction of the group-formingpocket 26, and comprises folding blades (i.e. fixed folding devices of known type and not illustrated in detail) which fold the otherlateral stabilizing tab 16 of thestiffener 12 and the central stabilizingtab 17 of thestiffener 12. - After completing the folding of the central stabilizing
tab 17 of the stiffener 12 (i.e. after completing the folding of the stiffener 12), onto the central stabilizingtab 17 pressure is applied continuously so as to maintain the central stabilizingtab 17 pressed against thebottom wall 15 of the sealedpackage 3 with the interposition of thelateral stabilizing tabs 16. In particular, the pressure on the central stabilizingtab 17 of thestiffener 12 is maintained from when the central stabilizingtab 17 is folded until the sheet 7 of packing material is wrapped about thegroup 4 of cigarettes enclosed in thestiffener 12. According to a preferred embodiment, the pressure on the central stabilizingtab 17 is generated by bringing thepressure pads 43 and 44 (illustrated infigures 16 and22 ) into contact with the central stabilizingtab 17 of thestiffener 12; in particular, aninitial pressure pad 43 is provided which is arranged along the top branch of the group-forming path P1 immediately downstream (uninterrupted) of thefolding device 35, and a subsequentfinal pressure pad 44 that is arranged along the packing path P2. In other words, thepads folding device 35 and applies pressure onto the central stabilizingtab 17 of thestiffener 12 in order to keep the central stabilizingtab 17 pressed against thebottom wall 15 of thestiffener 12 with the interposition of thelateral stabilizing tabs 16. - As previously mentioned, between the group-forming path P1 and the application path P2 the transferring
device 36 is arranged (shown schematically inFigure 16 ) that extracts together and simultaneously thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes from the group-formingpocket 26 of theconveyor 25 for inserting thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes in thecorresponding packing pocket 27 of the packing conveyor that travels in parallel and in synchronism with the group-formingconveyor 25. As said earlier, thestiffener 12 is supported only on theend part 38 of the group-formingpocket 26 so that initially thestiffener 12 is longitudinally misaligned with respect to thegroup 4 of cigarettes and is longitudinally aligned with thegroup 4 of cigarettes when extracted from the group-formingpocket 26 along with thegroup 4 of cigarettes; in other words, when the transferringdevice 36 pulls together thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes from the group-formingpocket 26 of the group-formingconveyor 25, also imparts a relative movement between thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes to obtain at a longitudinal alignment of one with respect to the other. - It is important to note that thanks to the fact that the
group 4 of cigarettes is already partially inserted inside thestiffener 12, when thegroup 4 of cigarettes is fully inserted inside thestiffener 12 by the transferringdevice 36 no jamming between the tips of the cigarettes of thegroup 4 of cigarettes and the edge of thestiffener 12 occurs; consequently, the transfer performed by the transferringdevice 36 can be performed in speed without any risk of jamming that would lead to the destruction of thegroup 4 of cigarettes and the consequent arrest of the packingmachine 18. In other words, folding thegroup 4 of cigarettes about the group-formingpocket 26 allows to avoid jamming between the tips of the cigarettes of thegroup 4 of cigarettes and the edge of thestiffener 12 at the time of fitting thegroup 4 of cigarettes in thestiffener 12. - The transferring
device 36 is arranged at the end of the group-forming path P1 and transfers thestiffener 12 and thegroup 4 of cigarettes from the group-formingpocket 26 of the group-formingconveyor 25 to the packingseat 27 of the packing conveyor. As illustrated inFigure 22 , the transferringdevice 36 comprises apusher 45 which rests at one end of thegroup 4 of cigarettes and pushes thegroup 4 of cigarettes out of the group-formingpocket 26 and a counter-pusher 46 which rests on the opposite end of thegroup 4 of cigarettes with the interposition of the bottom wall 15 (and of thetabs 16 and 17) of thestiffener 12. - As illustrated in
Figure 15 , along the packing path P2 a packingstation 47 is arranged of the flow-pack type (shown schematically inFigure 15 ) wherein the sheet 7 of packing material is wrapped longitudinally in a tube shape about thegroup 4 of cigarettes to form a tubular package. In the packing station 47 a longitudinalheat seal device 48 is arranged (of known type) that performs thelongitudinal heat seal 9 on the tubular package to stabilize the tubular shape of the tubular package itself; to the longitudinal heat seal device 48 a folding device is coupled (not shown) that, immediately after its formation, folds the fin shapedlongitudinal heat seal 9 by 90° onto a corresponding wall of thegroup 4 of cigarettes (with the interposition of thefront wall 13 of the stiffener 12). In the packingstation 47 the sheet 7 of packing material is fed from the bottom to provide the fin shapedlongitudinal heat seal 9 in correspondence of the front wall of thegroup 4 of cigarettes (as shown inFigures 4 and 5 ). - Arranged downstream of the longitudinal heat seal device 48 a transverse
heat seal device 49 is arranged that creates cyclically on the tubular packing a succession oftransverse welds 10, each of which is arranged between two successive groups of four cigarettes; in addition, the transverseheat seal device 49 achieves a transverse cross-cut at the center of eachtransverse heat seal 10 to separate the two sealedpackages 3 which share the sametransverse heat seal 10. - As illustrated in
Figure 23 , downstream of the transverse heat seal device 49 afolding wheel 50 is arranged which is mounted to rotate about ahorizontal rotation axis 51 and is provided with a series of folding pockets 52, each of which is adapted to receive a corresponding sealedpackage 3. Thefolding wheel 50 is provided with afolding device 53 which is preferably provided with fixed folding blades (i.e. fixed folding devices) and initially folds 90° each fin shapedtransverse heat seal 10 onto a corresponding side wall of thegroup 4 of cigarettes (with the interposition of aside wall 14 of the stiffener 12); subsequently, i.e. after folding each fin shapedlateral heat seal 10 by 90° onto the corresponding side wall of the sealedpackage 3 thedevice 53 folds 180° the triangular end flaps 11, onto the corresponding side wall of the sealedpackage 3 and over the fin shapedlateral heat seal 10 previously folded (as illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 ). Furthermore, thefolding wheel 50 is provided with aheat seal device 54 that heat-seals eachtriangular end flap 11 to the corresponding lateral wall of the sealedpackage 3 to remain in the desired position illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 ; according to a different embodiment, eachtriangular end flap 11 may be maintained in the desired position illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 only by the presence of theouter container 2 which surrounds the sealedpackage 3 and in this case theheat seal device 54 would be absent. It is important to note that the welds performed by theheat seal device 54 fix both ends of thetriangular end flap 11, and each fin shapedlateral heat seal 10 to the corresponding lateral wall of the sealedpackage 3 so as to lock a folded configuration of the end flaps 11 and lock a folded configuration of the transverse fin shapedlateral heat seal 10. - As illustrated in
Figure 23 , between the transverseheat seal device 49 and the folding wheel 50 aconveyor belt 55 is interposed which travels with continuous motion for successively transferring the sealedpackages 3 from the transverseheat seal device 49 to thefolding wheel 50. Thefolding wheel 50 is rotatably mounted with intermittent motion, i.e. by steps, about therotation axis 51; consequently, thefolding wheel 50 is provided with aninput pusher 56 that inserts the sealedpackage 3 inside acorresponding folding pocket 52 and anoutput pusher 56 which extracts the sealedpackage 3 from the inside of acorresponding folding pocket 52. - As illustrated in
Figures 24 and25 , the transverseheat seal device 49 comprises two heat seal drums 58 that are rotatably mounted about respective central rotation axes 59 parallel one with respect to the other, are arranged on opposite sides of the packing path P2 along which the tubular package is fed, and bring respective heat seal heads 60 cooperating one with the other to clamp between them the tubular package during the performing of thetransverse heat seal 10. The heat seal heads 60 are internally provided with cuttingmembers 61 to obtain, during the performing of thetransverse welds 10, a transverse cut of the tubular package so as to separate a sealedpackage 3 from the tubular package itself. The lateral surface of eachheat seal drum 58 is covered by acompression element 62 that is elastically deformed to impart a compression on the tubular package in order to stretch the tubular package, and then remove the air trapped inside the tubular package during the execution of thetransverse welds 10; normally, thecompression element 62 is formed by brushes. - Each
heat seal head 60 of aheat seal drum 58 is coupled to acorresponding support element 63 that is carried by a correspondingheat seal drum 58, is arranged downstream of the correspondingheat seal head 60 with respect to the feeding direction of the tubular package along the packing path P2, and comes in contact with a bottom or top wall of the tubular package itself. In the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, both heat seal drums 58 are provided withsupport elements 63 and then, during the execution of atransverse heat seal 10, two cooperatingsupport elements 63 are arranged to contact opposite walls of the tubular package for clamping between them the tubular package itself downstream of the heat seal heads 60. According to a different embodiment not shown, only the lowerheat seal drum 60 is provided with support elements 63 (i.e. the topheat seal drum 60 is devoid of the support elements 63). - Upon execution of the
transverse heat seal 10, eachsupport element 63 advances for a certain distance with a linear movement parallel to the packing path P2 to accompany the sealedpackage 3 which has just been separated from the continuous tubular package. For this purpose, eachsupport element 63 is mounted movable with respect to the correspondingheat seal drum 58 to perform a relative movement with respect to theheat seal drum 58 itself; in particular, eachsupport element 63 is rotatably mounted with respect to the correspondingheat seal drum 58 to rotate about aperipheral rotation axis 64 parallel to thecentral rotation axis 59. According to a preferred embodiment, eachheat seal drum 58 comprises acamshaft implementing system 65 for controlling the relative movement (i.e. the relative rotation) between eachsupport element 63 and theheat seal drum 58 itself. In particular, eachsupport element 63 is connected to the correspondingheat seal drum 58 by a linkingarm 66 that is hinged to theheat seal drum 58 itself at theperipheral rotation axis 64; one end of each linkingarm 66 opposite, with respect to theperipheral rotation axis 64, to thesupport element 63 is connected with a follower roller that engages a fixed cam arranged within the correspondingheat seal drum 58. - Immediately downstream of the transverse
heat seal device 49 theconveyor belt 55 starts, towards which the sealedpackages 3 are pushed coming from the same transverseheat seal device 49; thesupport elements 63 guide each sealedpackage 3 towards theconveyor belt 55 to ensure a correct introduction of the sealedpackage 3 in theconveyor belt 55 itself, or to prevent the sealedpackage 3 from jamming against theconveyor belt 55 itself due to unwanted movements that can take place after the execution of thetransverse heat seal 10. - As shown more clearly in
Figure 24 , in correspondence with an input of the conveyor belt 55 a pressure drum is arranged that is covered by an element that is elastically deformed (typically brushes) and that pushes the sealedpackage 3 against theconveyor belt 55. - According to the embodiment shown in
Figure 26 , during the execution of eachtransverse heat seal 10, thetransverse heat seal 10 itself is interrupted in a limited portion of the tubular package so as to leave, astride of thetransverse heat seal 10, at least onevent channel 67 that connects the inside of the sealedpackage 3 with the outside environment. Thevent channel 67 is closed after the execution of thetransverse welds 10 to make the sealedpackage 3 airproof. According to a preferred embodiment, thevent channel 67 is closed by a sealing that is performed after performing thetransverse welds 10 and which coincides with the heat seal performed by theheat seal device 54 for heat sealing the fin shapedtransverse welds 10 and/or the triangular end flaps to the underlying part of the sheet 7 of packing material. In other words the same heat sealing performed by theheat seal device 54 has both the function to close thevent channel 67 and the function of fixing the fin shapedtransverse welds 10 and/or the triangular end flaps to the underlying part of the sheet 7 of packing material. - As illustrated in
Figure 27 , eachheat seal head 60 has aheated surface 68, which is centrally interrupted by the presence of cuttingmember 61 and is pressed against the overlapping portions of the sheet 7 of packing material in order to achieve a correspondingtransverse heat seal 10. In eachheat seal head 60, theheated surface 68 has at least onerecess 69 in correspondence of which thetransverse heat seal 10 is interrupted to leave thevent channel 67. - The
vent channel 67 allows to evacuate (fully or partially) the air inside the sealedpackage 3 before airproof closing the sealedpackage 3 itself. In other words, during the execution of thetransverse welds 10 the sealedpackage 3 remains open towards the outer environment for the presence of the vent channel 67 (or of the vent channels, as there could be even more vent channels); in this way, the air inside the sealedpackage 3 can be evacuated (fully or partially) after performing the transverse welds 10. Immediately after the evacuation (complete or partial) of the air inside the sealedpackage 3 through thevent channel 67, thevent channel 67 itself is closed to make the sealedpackage 3 airproof by using the same heat sealing with which the fin shapedtransverse welds 10 and/or the triangular end flaps are fixed to the underlying part of the sheet 7 of packing material. - According to a different embodiment not illustrated, the
vent channel 67 itself is closed to make the sealedpackage 3 airproof by a further heat sealing that is different (i.e. performed at different times and by different members) from the heat seal performed by theheat seal device 54. - As illustrated in
Figure 13 , theinitial packing unit 19 of the packingmachine 18 is "L" shaped and has a front side (shown inFigure 15 ) wherein the members that perform the various packing operations are arranged and a lateral side (shown inFigure 14 ) wherein all the feeding of the packing materials are arranged (i.e. of the sheets 7 of packing material and of the stiffeners 12). In particular, inFigure 14 can be recognized the two coils 31 (one as a reserve to the other) from which the continuous strip of packing material is unwrapped for the formation of thestiffeners 12 and the two coils 70 (one as a reserve to the other) from which the continuous strip of packing material for the formation of the sheets 7 of packing material is unwrapped. - The
stiffener 12 of the sealedpackage 3 above described has numerous advantages. - In the first place, the
stiffener 12 described above may be mechanically stabilized in the desired folded configuration simply by pushing from the outside (i.e. from the opposite side with respect togroup 4 of cigarettes) with a pad on the bottom wall 15 (or better on the stabilizingtabs stiffener 12 is obtained in a simple, safe and reliable way, and without any use of glue; the use of glue inside sealedpackage 3 is problematic, since the glue can release volatile substances that undesirably alter the cigarettes aroma. - Moreover, the
stiffener 12 described above is simple and economical to produce, as a succession ofstiffeners 12 can be sheared without wastage from a continuous strip of packing material; in this regard it is noted as the central stabilizingtab 17 exactly reproduces the shape of the top window of thefront wall 13. - In the non-limiting embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the sealed
package 3 of the present invention contains agroup 4 of cigarettes; thanks to the numerous advantages of the sealedpackage 3 of the present invention, said sealedpackage 3 can be also used to contain articles other than cigarettes, such as food (candies, chocolates or other sweets).
Claims (12)
- A sealed package (3) comprising:a group (4) of articles enclosed in the sealed package (3);an article extraction opening (5);a reclosable adhesive panel (6), superimposed on the extraction opening (5) and glued to the sealed package (3) about the extraction opening (5) itself, by non-dry, re-stick adhesive; anda stiffener (12), which is made of rigid material, is inserted inside the sealed package (3) contacting the group (4) of articles, and comprises: a front wall (13); two lateral walls (14) connected to opposite edges of the front wall (13); a bottom wall (15); two lateral stabilizing tabs (16) connected to the lateral walls (14); and a central stabilizing tab (17) connected to the bottom wall (15);the sealed package (3) being characterized in that:the lateral stabilizing tabs (16) are folded onto the outer surface of the bottom wall (15), so as to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to the group (4) of articles; andthe central stabilizing tab (17) is folded onto the outer surface of the bottom wall (15) to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to the group (4) of articles and over the two previously folded lateral stabilizing tabs (16).
- The sealed package (3) according to claim 1, wherein the two lateral stabilizing tabs (16) are connected to the corresponding lateral walls (14) of the stiffener (12) along two first transverse fold lines, and the central stabilizing tab (17) is connected to the bottom wall (15) of the stiffener (12) along a second transverse fold line which is initially parallel to the two first transverse fold lines.
- The sealed package (3) according to claim 2, wherein the two lateral stabilizing tabs (16) are folded 90° about the corresponding two first transverse fold lines and with respect to the corresponding lateral walls (14) of the stiffener (12).
- The sealed package (3) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the central stabilizing tab (17) is folded 180° about the second transverse fold line and with respect to the bottom wall (15) of the stiffener (12).
- The sealed package (3) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front wall (13) has a top, U-shaped window matching the shape of the central stabilizing tab (17).
- A packing method for producing a sealed package (3); the packing method comprises the steps of:forming a group (4) of articles;fitting the group (4) of articles with a stiffener (12) made of rigid material and comprising: a front wall (13); two lateral walls (14) connected to opposite edges of the front wall (13); a bottom wall (15); two lateral stabilizing tabs (16) connected to the lateral walls (14); and a central stabilizing tab (17) connected to the bottom wall (15); andwrapping a sheet (7) of packing material, having an article extraction opening (5) and a reclosable adhesive panel (6) about the group (4) of articles enclosed in the stiffener (12) to form the sealed package (3);the packing method being characterized by comprising the further steps of:folding the lateral stabilizing tabs (16) onto an outer surface of the bottom wall (15) to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to the group (4) of articles; andfolding the central stabilizing tab (17) onto the outer surface of the bottom wall (15) to be arranged on the opposite side with respect to the group (4) of articles, and over the two previously folded lateral stabilizing tabs (16).
- The packing method according to claim 6, and comprising, after folding the central stabilizing tab (17), the further step of exerting pressure on the central stabilizing tab (17) to keep the central stabilizing tab (17) pressed against the bottom wall (15) with the interposition of the lateral stabilizing tabs (16).
- The packing method according to claim 7, wherein pressure is maintained on the central stabilizing tab (17) from when the central stabilizing tab (17) is folded, until the sheet (7) of packing material is wrapped about the group (4) of articles enclosed in the stiffener (12).
- The packing method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the pressure is exerted on the central stabilizing tab (17) by bringing at least one pressure pad (43, 44) into contact with the central stabilizing tab (17).
- A packing method according to claim 9, wherein the group (4) of articles enclosed in the stiffener (12) is fed along a packing path (P2) and the pressure pad (43, 44) is fixed and extends parallel to the packing path (P2).
- A packing machine (18) for producing a sealed package (3); the packing machine (18) comprising:a group-forming station (21) for forming a group (4) of articles;an application station (22) for fitting the group (4) of articles with a stiffener (12) made of rigid material andcomprising: a front wall (13); two lateral walls (14) connected to opposite edges of the front wall (13); a bottom wall (15); two lateral stabilizing tabs (16) connected to the lateral walls (14); and a central stabilizing tab (17) connected to the bottom wall (15); and a packing station (23) for wrapping a sheet (7) of packing material, having an article extraction opening (5) and a reclosable adhesive panel (6), about the group (4) of articles enclosed in the stiffener (12) to form the sealed package (3);the packing machine (18) being characterized in that the application station (22) comprises a folding device (35) which:folds the lateral stabilizing tabs (16) onto an outer surface of the bottom wall (15), so the lateral stabilizing tabs (16) themselves are arranged on the opposite side of the bottom wall (15) with respect to the group (4) of articles; and folds the central stabilizing tab (17) onto the outer surface of the bottom wall (15), so the lateral stabilizing tab (17) itself is arranged on the opposite side with respect to the group (4) of articles, and over the two lateral stabilizing tabs (16) previously folded.
- The packing machine (18) according to claim 11 and comprising a pressure device arranged downstream from the folding device (35), and which exerts a pressure on the central stabilizing tab (17) to keep the central stabilizing tab (17) pressed against the bottom wall (15) with the interposition of the lateral stabilizing tabs (16).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT000250A ITBO20130250A1 (en) | 2013-05-24 | 2013-05-24 | SEALED WRAPPED INSIDE WITH A RIGID AND CORRESPONDING REINFORCEMENT ELEMENT METHOD OF WRITING AND PACKAGING MACHINE. |
PCT/IB2014/061674 WO2014188394A1 (en) | 2013-05-24 | 2014-05-23 | A sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3003871A1 EP3003871A1 (en) | 2016-04-13 |
EP3003871B1 true EP3003871B1 (en) | 2017-05-17 |
Family
ID=48793359
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP14732964.3A Active EP3003871B1 (en) | 2013-05-24 | 2014-05-23 | A sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP3003871B1 (en) |
IT (1) | ITBO20130250A1 (en) |
PL (1) | PL3003871T3 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2014188394A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB201205243D0 (en) | 2012-03-26 | 2012-05-09 | Kraft Foods R & D Inc | Packaging and method of opening |
GB2511559B (en) | 2013-03-07 | 2018-11-14 | Mondelez Uk R&D Ltd | Improved Packaging and Method of Forming Packaging |
GB2511560B (en) | 2013-03-07 | 2018-11-14 | Mondelez Uk R&D Ltd | Improved Packaging and Method of Forming Packaging |
ITBO20130250A1 (en) | 2013-05-24 | 2014-11-25 | Gd Spa | SEALED WRAPPED INSIDE WITH A RIGID AND CORRESPONDING REINFORCEMENT ELEMENT METHOD OF WRITING AND PACKAGING MACHINE. |
MX2017012439A (en) * | 2015-07-03 | 2018-02-09 | Philip Morris Products Sa | Flat seal container. |
IT201700020954A1 (en) * | 2017-02-24 | 2018-08-24 | Gd Spa | Package of smoking items with wrapping and closing label |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4260098A (en) * | 1979-05-07 | 1981-04-07 | Federal Paper Board Company, Inc. | Tray container with reinforced sidewalls |
GB2051745B (en) * | 1979-07-05 | 1983-09-21 | Federal Paper Board Co Inc | Coated trays |
US6186931B1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2001-02-13 | Laminating Technologies, Inc. | Tray erector |
US20080142578A1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2008-06-19 | Philip Morris Usa Inc. | Slide and shell container |
EP2192045A1 (en) * | 2008-11-28 | 2010-06-02 | Philip Morris Products S.A. | Slide and shell container |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2652186A (en) * | 1947-03-08 | 1953-09-15 | Jr Julius A Zinn | Carton |
IT1294184B1 (en) * | 1997-09-04 | 1999-03-22 | Gd Spa | METHOD FOR MAKING RIGID HINGED LID CIGARETTE PACKETS. |
US7827767B2 (en) * | 2007-06-26 | 2010-11-09 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Method and packing machine for combining an insert and a group of cigarettes |
DE102011119344A1 (en) * | 2011-10-11 | 2013-04-11 | Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) | Pack for cigarettes and method of making same |
ITBO20130250A1 (en) | 2013-05-24 | 2014-11-25 | Gd Spa | SEALED WRAPPED INSIDE WITH A RIGID AND CORRESPONDING REINFORCEMENT ELEMENT METHOD OF WRITING AND PACKAGING MACHINE. |
-
2013
- 2013-05-24 IT IT000250A patent/ITBO20130250A1/en unknown
-
2014
- 2014-05-23 WO PCT/IB2014/061674 patent/WO2014188394A1/en active Application Filing
- 2014-05-23 PL PL14732964T patent/PL3003871T3/en unknown
- 2014-05-23 EP EP14732964.3A patent/EP3003871B1/en active Active
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4260098A (en) * | 1979-05-07 | 1981-04-07 | Federal Paper Board Company, Inc. | Tray container with reinforced sidewalls |
GB2051745B (en) * | 1979-07-05 | 1983-09-21 | Federal Paper Board Co Inc | Coated trays |
US6186931B1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2001-02-13 | Laminating Technologies, Inc. | Tray erector |
US20080142578A1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2008-06-19 | Philip Morris Usa Inc. | Slide and shell container |
EP2192045A1 (en) * | 2008-11-28 | 2010-06-02 | Philip Morris Products S.A. | Slide and shell container |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
PL3003871T3 (en) | 2017-09-29 |
EP3003871A1 (en) | 2016-04-13 |
WO2014188394A1 (en) | 2014-11-27 |
ITBO20130250A1 (en) | 2014-11-25 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP3003871B1 (en) | A sealed package internally provided with a rigid stiffener and corresponding packing method and packing machine | |
EP2874887B1 (en) | Packing method and machine for producing a sealed package containing a group of tobacco articles | |
EP3003872B1 (en) | A packing method and packing machine for producing a sealed package with an inner stiffener | |
US9533821B2 (en) | Package for cigarettes, and method for producing same | |
US8474612B2 (en) | Rigid, hinged-lid with grippable tab package and relative packing method | |
EP2874909B1 (en) | Package of tobacco articles comprising a sealed inner package | |
MX2012010258A (en) | Pack for cigarettes, and method and apparatus for producing the same. | |
EP2681119B1 (en) | Machine for producing filter bags with products for infusion and with an outer wrapper envelope | |
EP3254974B1 (en) | Wrapping method and packer machine to fold a heat-sealable sheet of wrapping material around a group of tobacco articles | |
WO2015128812A1 (en) | Packing method and unit for folding a sheet of packing material around a parallelepipedal product | |
EP2193995B1 (en) | Packing method and unit for folding a sheet of packing material about a parallelepiped-shaped article | |
US20170313449A1 (en) | Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Pack | |
WO2014188396A1 (en) | A flow-pack packing machine and flow-pack packing method for producing sealed packages | |
WO2014188397A1 (en) | A packing method and packing machine for producing a sealed package | |
WO2015136510A2 (en) | Packing method and unit for producing a sealed inner package | |
WO2014199340A1 (en) | Packing machine and method for producing a sealed package of cigarettes in a modified atmosphere | |
EP2776322B1 (en) | A packing method for applying a heat-seal overwrap to a hinged-lid, slide-open package of tobacco articles | |
EP4257496A1 (en) | Wrapping unit and method to produce a sealed wrap around a group of smoking articles | |
EP2620376B1 (en) | Packing method and unit for folding a blank from which to form a container in such a manner as to form a front box wall and two lateral box walls of a hinged lid of the container |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20151110 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Extension state: BA ME |
|
DAX | Request for extension of the european patent (deleted) | ||
TPAC | Observations filed by third parties |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNTIPA |
|
GRAP | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1 |
|
INTG | Intention to grant announced |
Effective date: 20161206 |
|
GRAS | Grant fee paid |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3 |
|
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: B1 Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: EP |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: IE Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: AT Ref legal event code: REF Ref document number: 894201 Country of ref document: AT Kind code of ref document: T Effective date: 20170615 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R096 Ref document number: 602014009955 Country of ref document: DE |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: NL Ref legal event code: MP Effective date: 20170517 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: LT Ref legal event code: MG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: AT Ref legal event code: MK05 Ref document number: 894201 Country of ref document: AT Kind code of ref document: T Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: NO Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170817 Ref country code: AT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: HR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: FI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: ES Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: GR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170818 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LV Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: IS Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170917 Ref country code: NL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: BG Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170817 Ref country code: RS Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: SE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: PL |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CZ Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: RO Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: DK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: SK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: EE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R097 Ref document number: 602014009955 Country of ref document: DE |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: IE Ref legal event code: MM4A |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CH Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170531 Ref country code: LI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170531 Ref country code: SM Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: IT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170523 |
|
26N | No opposition filed |
Effective date: 20180220 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: BE Ref legal event code: MM Effective date: 20170531 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170523 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: ST Effective date: 20180330 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: SI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170717 Ref country code: BE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170531 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: MT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20170523 |
|
GBPC | Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20180523 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20180523 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: MC Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 Ref country code: HU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT; INVALID AB INITIO Effective date: 20140523 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CY Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: MK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: TR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: PT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: AL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20170517 |
|
P01 | Opt-out of the competence of the unified patent court (upc) registered |
Effective date: 20230529 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Payment date: 20230530 Year of fee payment: 10 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: PL Payment date: 20230504 Year of fee payment: 10 |