AU2007201779A1

AU2007201779A1 - Storage bag for tobacco with a dirt-resistant closing means

Info

Publication number: AU2007201779A1
Application number: AU2007201779A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mark Demkes; Jurgen Hahne
Original assignee: British American Tobacco Germany GmbH; BAT Cigarettenfabriken GmbH
Current assignee: British American Tobacco Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2006-04-26
Filing date: 2007-04-20
Publication date: 2007-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2027-04-20
Also published as: CA2581884C; EP1849372A1; AU2007201779B2; DE202006006722U1; NZ554120A; CA2581884A1

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant/s: Actual Inventor/s: Address for Service is: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH Jurgen Hahne and Mark Demkes SHELSTON IP Margaret Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 Attorney Code: SW Telephone No: Facsimile No.

(02) 97771111 (02) 9241 4666 Invention Title: STORAGE BAG FOR TOBACCO WITH A DIRT-RESISTANT CLOSING MEANS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 53553AUP00 501157168_1.DOC/5844 Applicant: British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH Storage bag for tobacco with a dirt-resistant closing means FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to tobacco bags and in particular to closing mechanisms for tobacco bags..

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Tobacco bags (also referred to as tobacco pouches) for pipe tobaccos and for finely cut tobaccos, for example, have been commercially available for a long time. They essentially consist of a rectangular material web, which is partially folded to one third of its bigger extension) and welded at the outer edges in the folded region, in order to form a compartment for accommodating the tobacco. The upstanding region of the rectangular material web serves as a closing flap, which can be folded round the bag filled with tobacco.

The long closing flap is of advantage because it makes the diffusion path for the gas exchange between the tobacco and the ambient environment correspondingly long and therefore helps to preserve the moisture and aroma of the tobacco as far as possible.

For this reason, tobacco bags of the type described here are made from printed plastic films or transparent plastic films in which a printed material can be inserted, as a rule.

The plastic films are as thin as possible with a view to reducing waste but must be strong enough to afford sufficient resistance to the mechanical stress to which they are subjected during normal handling.

Tobacco bags of the described type are often closed at two points: a) directly above the filling level of the tobacco by means of a seal, which is broken when the tobacco bag is first opened, and -3- O b) by a closure element on the end of the closing flap.

Closure elements of several types are known from the prior art, which enable the closing flap folded round the tobacco bag to be reliably secured in this position again, even after frequent use, thereby closing the tobacco bag.

The most common approach in the marketplace is to use a simple adhesive closing system. It comprises an adhesive strip on the front end of the closing flap, which is simply pressed onto the closed tobacco bag and thus adheres to it. The disadvantage of Sthis is that this adhesive strip loses its adhesive force due to dirt, e.g. due to tobacco particles, even after only a short time.

DE 8 713 894 U therefore proposes the use of several adhesive strips disposed one above the other. Adhesive strips which have become dirty can be removed and a new, clean adhesive strip is then used.

DE 295 11 339 U proposes the idea of providing parts on the tobacco bag, which are pulled off and can then be placed around the tobacco bag in the form of tapes in order to close it after use.

DE 299 05 925 U proposes an improvement to the tobacco bag mentioned above.

Additional magnetic strips incorporated in the tobacco bag are used to ensure reliable closing again.

EP 1 017 593 B1 proposes a closing system comprising a strip and a matching counter-strip, which are designed so that the strip can easily be pressed into the counterstrip, where it hooks and thus closes off the compartment for the tobacco.

DE 295 13 893 U and EP 1 215 973 B1 propose solutions based on hooking systems. Like the adhesive strip, however, the hooking system has a tendency to become dirty quickly.

Finally, DE 8 209 299 U discloses a tobacco box, which is used to accommodate a tobacco bag and cigarette papers and is closed by means of a push button.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

Advantageously, the invention provides a simple and stable closing mechanism for closing a tobacco bag, which is easy to handle and unaffected by dirt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a storage bag for tobacco, made from a rectangular material web, said storage bag including: a first region, in which the material web is folder over, firmly joined at the outer edges and thus forms a compartment; a second region, in which the material web forms an extension of one of the faces of the compartment, which extension can be folded round the compartment and thus closes the compartment; and a closing means with at least a first closing means part on the external face of the compartment and at least a second closing means part on the second region of the bag; wherein the second closing means part has at least one orifice for engaging with a lug of the first closing means part.

The tobacco bag proposed by the invention comprises a rectangular material web, with a first region in which the material web is folded over and securely joined at the outer edges, e.g. welded, bonded or compressed. The join line, e.g. a seam, closes the resultant compartment for the tobacco at the sides with as tight a seal as possible in order to prevent a gas exchange between the compartment and surrounding environment. A second region of the material web, namely an extension of one of the open ends of the compartment, may be positioned over the folded and laterally closed first region in order to close the compartment, so that the second region overlaps the large surface area of the first region when folded over.

In order to secure the first region forming a closing flap for the tobacco bag in the folded over state, the tobacco bag has a closing means comprising at least two parts. A first closing means part is disposed on the material web on an external face of the compartment for the tobacco. It may be integrally formed directly from the material of the material web and thus forms a part of the material web, but it is preferable if the first closing means part is adhered or welded onto the material web or securely anchored to the material web by some other appropriate means. The first closing means part stands out from the material web. Accordingly, it has a base plate providing the connection to the material web, from which a closure element projects perpendicular to the material web and pointing away from the compartment. Directly on the base plate, this closure element has a first diameter which becomes bigger the farther removed it is from the base plate. This increase in diameter may be continuous and start directly on the base plate or may not start until some distance from the base plate. Another option is for the closure element to be joined to the base plate by means of a foot and have a sudden wider region at the end remote from the base plate, more or less at the head. Yet another option would be a crown-shaped design of the closure element projecting out from the base plate. In principle, all designs of a closure element which enable the tobacco bag to be securely and frequently closed again in conjunction with an appropriately designed co-operating element fall within the scope of the invention.

The invention is not restricted to a single first closing means part. Several first closing means parts may be attached to the external face of the tobacco bag, disposed in a row one behind the other or one underneath the other in the opening direction. In principle, any number and any layout of first closing means are possible, provided they ensure a reliable closure of the tobacco bag.

A second closing means part in the form of a strip, tape or a tab which forms the complementary piece to the first closing means part is attached to the second region of the bag, namely the closing flap. By preference, it is attached, e.g. bonded, welded or stitched, to the face of the second region which is directed outwards when the tobacco bag is in the closed state, and by particular preference in the middle of the second portion by reference to its width, i.e. the dimension pointing vertically with respect to the welded outer sides. An approach whereby the second closing means part is attached to the internal face of the closing flap of the tobacco bag should also not be ruled out.

The second closing means part could also be designed with two separate layers, at least in the region in which it is attached to the closing flap of the tobacco bag, and one layer is attached to the external face and the other to the internal face of the closing flap.

The invention is also not restricted to a single second closing means part and it would also be possible to provide two or more second closing means parts matching the first closing means parts. Finally, an approach whereby the closing flap itself constitutes the second closing means should also not be ruled out.

In its front portion, which is the portion pointing away from the closing flap, the second closing means part has at least one orifice for accommodating the first closing means part. The shape of the orifice is selected so that it can be pushed with a light pressure over the head of the first closing means part to ensure a reliable closure of the tobacco bag.

To enable the user to open and close the tobacco bag easily, the strip constituting the second closing means part is formed from a flat, relatively strong but elastic thin plastic material in a preferred version. This strip or this tab projects beyond the closing flap of the tobacco bag, in particular by a length of more than 40% of its length. At its foremost end, in other words in front of the orifice for accommodating the first closing means part, the second closing means part is slightly bent or angled. When the tobacco bag is in the closed state, this bend or angled region is directed away from the tobacco bag, making the second closing means part easier to grip by the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment. Of the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a tobacco bag folded open; Figure 2 is a section through a side view of a closed tobacco bag; Figure 3 shows a side view and plan view of a second closing means part of the bag proposed by the invention; Figure 4 shows a side view and plan view of a first closing means part of the bag proposed by the invention; and Figure 5 shows the first and second closing means parts engaged with one another.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a tobacco bag in the folded open state. Accordingly, a first region 1 may be seen on the right-hand side, which is formed by placing two layers of the film from which the tobacco bag is made one on top of the other and welding the edges. The weld seam 4 in conjunction with the folded edge 5 forms a compartment 3 for accommodating the tobacco 6 (indicated by broken lines). On the left-hand side is a second region 2, which can be positioned over the region 1 and thus closes the opening 7 of the compartment 3.

Figure 2 illustrates the tobacco bag in the closed state and the tobacco 6 contained in the compartment 3 is again indicated by broken lines. It may be seen that the second region 2 is folded over the first region 1 and the opening 7 of the compartment 3 is therefore closed.

Figure 3 illustrates a second closing means part 8. The second closing means part 8 has an orifice 9, which is provided as a means of accommodating the head of a first closing means part 13. The shape of the orifice 9 is selected so that the second closing means part 8 can be pushed onto the first closing means part 13. As this happens, projections 14 are provided in the orifice 9 which elastically flex due to a decreasing material thickness in the direction of the centre point of the orifices 9 when they are pushed onto an appropriately shaped complementary piece 12 and spring back into their original position. As may be seen from Figure 3, the second closing means part 8 is slightly bent at a front portion 10 which starts behind the orifice 9 and extends as far as the end of the second closing means part 8. When the closing means is closed, the bend points away from the tobacco bag and its purpose is to enable the user to take hold of the second closing means part 8 easily.

Figure 4 illustrates a first closing means part 13, directly attached to the external face of the tobacco bag, which is not covered by the flap 2 when the latter is folded over.

The means of attachment might be bonding, welding or some other appropriate means.

The first closing means part 13 has a base plate 11, which lies on the tobacco bag, and an integrally formed lug 12 extending out from the base plate 11 in the direction away from the tobacco bag surface. The base plate 11 and lug 12 are preferably an integrally moulded part, although it would be possible to user two parts bonded, welded or positively connected to one another. It would also be conceivable, though less preferable, for the lug 12 to be formed directly from the material of the tobacco bag and constitute a unit with the tobacco bag.

The front end of the lug 12 has an outwardly pointing wider region, forming a retaining shoulder 15. When the second closing means part 8 with its orifice 9 is pressed over the lug of the first closing means part 13, the projections 14 can be pressed over the shoulder due to their elasticity and hook behind the retaining shoulder 15 due to their elastic rebounding force. This ensures that the tobacco bag 1 has a secure and reliable closing means which can be used again and again.

Figure 5 illustrates the first closing means part 13 pushed onto the second closing means part 8 and the two together form the closing means of the tobacco bag 1, not illustrated. The function of portion 10 of the second closing means part 8 is illustrated, as well as the co-operation of the shoulder 15 of the first closing means parts 13 with the projections 14 of the second closing means part.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

List of reference numbers 1 First region 2 Second region 3 Compartment N 5 4 Weld seam ,1 5 Folded edge 6 Tobacco 7 Compartment opening 8 Second closing means part 9 Orifice Portion 11 Base plate 12 Lug 13 First closing means part 14 Projection Shoulder

Claims

2. A storage bag according to claim 1, wherein the second closing means part is of a tab design.
3. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second closing means part is attached to the internal or external face of the second region.
4. A storage bag according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second closing means part is an integral extension of the second region. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first closing means part has a base plate, a lug and a shoulder.
6. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second closing means part has two or more orifices for engaging with the lug of the first closing means part. -11-
7. A storage bag according to claim 6, wherein at least one orifice of the second closing means part has projections which establish a positive connection with the shoulder of the first closing means part.
8. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second closing means part has a bent portion at its front end, which points away from the bag when the storage bag is closed.
9. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two or more first closing means parts are provided on the external face of the compartment. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second region has two or more second closing means parts.
11. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of first closing means parts is equal to the number of second closing means parts.
12. A storage bag for tobacco substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.