EP0987197A1

EP0987197A1 - A soft packet for long articles

Info

Publication number: EP0987197A1
Application number: EP99830539A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alberto Franchini; Fiorenzo Draghetti
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 1998-08-31
Filing date: 1999-08-27
Publication date: 2000-03-22
Also published as: IT1305378B1; ITBO980508A1; BR9903968A

Abstract

A soft packet for long articles comprises at least two inner wraps (7, 12) which are folded and wrapped right around corresponding ordered groups (3, 4) of articles (2), are substantially in the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped, each having a front wall (8, 13), a rear wall (8a, 13a), two side walls (9, 9; 14, 14) a top (10, 15) and a bottom (11, 16), and are placed side by side along two corresponding side walls (9, 14); an outer wrap or label (17) is folded and wrapped around the inner wraps (7, 12) but without covering the tops (10, 15) which form the top end of the packet (1); at least one seal or revenue stamp (24) is placed over the top end (23) in a substantially central position covering two adjacent portions (27, 28) of the tops (10, 15).

Description

The present invention relates to a soft packet for long articles.
The invention relates in particular to a packet for products designed for smoking, such as cigarettes or similar items, to which the specification below refers but without thereby restricting the scope of the invention.
In a conventional soft cigarette packet, an inner wrap, usually made of foil, is wrapped right around an ordered group of cigarettes, is substantially in the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped, has two large surfaces, or front and rear walls, two small surfaces or side walls, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has wrapped around all of its surfaces except the top surface an outer paper wrap or label with decorative patterns and logos printed on its outer surface which identify the brand and the organoleptic properties of the cigarettes inside the packet. The outer wrap thus forms two large surfaces, or front and rear walls, two small surfaces or side walls, and a bottom surface, while the top surface of the inner wrap forms the top end of the packet providing access to the inside of the packet.
Normally, there is a seal or revenue stamp placed in a substantial central position over the top end, that is to say, placed in such a way that its two ends are positioned at the upper edges of the two large surfaces of the packet.
Usually, packets of the type described above are also wrapped and sealed with a protective overwrap made from a transparent film designed to keep a desired degree of humidity inside them.
Packets of this kind are more economical than conventional hard packets with hinged lids because of the relatively low cost of the label. However, they have some disadvantages.
One disadvantage is due to the fact that the packet is opened by tearing the top end of the inner wrap.
Since the packet cannot then be reclosed, the remaining cigarettes inside it are exposed to the air for varying lengths of time and thus lose part of their flavour.
Another disadvantage is that as cigarettes are removed from the packet by the smoker, the remaining cigarettes become increasingly free to move inside the packet. This has two effects: firstly, the packet quickly loses its shape and compactness; and secondly, the ends of the cigarettes remaining inside the packet lose part of their tobacco.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a soft packet for long articles, which, compared to conventional packets of the type described above, can, once opened, reduce the average air exposure time of the articles it contains, can keep its proper shape and compactness for longer and is just as economical to make.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a soft packet for long articles characterized in that it comprises at least two inner wraps which are folded and wrapped right around corresponding ordered groups of articles, are substantially in the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped, each having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls, a top and a bottom, and are placed side by side along two corresponding side walls; an outer wrap or label being folded and wrapped around the inner wraps but without covering the tops which together form the top end of the packet.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment.
In the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates as a whole a soft packet containing a set of cigarettes 2.
Inside the packet 1, the cigarettes 2 are divided and arranged in two groups 3 and 4, both having the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped and each consisting of a defined number of cigarettes 2; each group 3, 4 is wrapped up completely in a sheet of foil 5, 6. The groups 3 and 4 are identical in shape and have the same number of cigarettes 2.
The sheet 5 is folded and wrapped around the group 3 in such a way as to form an inner wrap 7 having the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped and defined by a front wall 8, a rear wall 8a, two side walls 9, a top 10 and a bottom 11. Similarly, the sheet 6 is folded and wrapped around the group 4 in such a way as to form an inner wrap 12 having the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped and defined by a front wall 13, a rear wall 13a, two side walls 14, a top 15 and a bottom 16.
The methods by which the sheets 5 and 6 are folded and wrapped around the groups 3 and 4 to form the inner wraps 7 and 12 are well known to experts in the trade and do not therefore require any explanation here.
The wraps 7 and 12 are placed side by side along two sides 9 and 14 in such a way that each surface 8, 8a, 10 and 11 of the wrap 7 is aligned with and in the same plane as the corresponding surface 13, 13a, 15 and 16 of the wrap 12. Thus, the assembly consisting of the two wraps 7 and 12 has the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped.
An outer wrap or label 17 made of paper is folded and wrapped around the inner wraps 7 and 12 but without covering the tops 10 and 15. The wrap 17 forms two large surfaces 18, or front and rear walls, two small surfaces 19 or side walls, and a bottom surface 20 of the packet 1, and has printed on its outer surface decorative patterns and logos which identify not only the brand but also the organoleptic properties of the cigarettes 2 inside the packet 1.
The outer wrap 17 is made according methods known to experts in the trade since they are the same methods used to make the outer wrap of a conventional soft packet.
The tops 10 and 15 of the wraps 7 and 12, placed side by side along corresponding edges 21 and 22, form a top end 23 providing access to the inside of the packet 1.
The packet 1, besides the wraps 7, 12 and 17, comprises a seal or revenue stamp 24, which is placed over the top end 23 in a substantially central position on the top end 23. The seal 24 is substantially rectangular in shape and is attached to the packet 1 in such a way that its two end portions 25, in lengthways direction, are positioned at the upper edges of the large surfaces 18 of the packet 1, while the central portion 26 covers two end portions 27 and 28 of the packet tops 10 and 15, placed side by side along the edges 21 and 22. In this way, the seal 24 seals both the wraps 7 and 12 at the corresponding portions 27 and 28.
In the packet described above, the fact that there are two independent inner wraps means that one of the two wraps can be kept closed and sealed by the seal until the other wrap is completely empty. This has the twofold advantage of reducing the length of time the cigarettes inside the packet are exposed to air and of helping to maintain the shape and compactness of the packet. Moreover, packets of the type described above look the same as conventional soft packets and are just as economical to make, with obvious commercial advantages. Furthermore, like conventional soft packets, they can also be wrapped and sealed with a protective overwrap (not illustrated) made from a transparent film designed to keep a desired degree of humidity inside them.
In another embodiment (not illustrated) of the packet as disclosed herein, the two inner wraps differ in size, that is to say, they contain different numbers of cigarettes. In this case too, the two groups of cigarettes are shaped in such a way that the pair of inner wraps together have the shape of a rectangle parallelelepiped and so that the finished packet looks substantially the same as a conventional soft packet. The seal is placed over the top of the packet in a substantially central position, its width in this case being such that it can still cover two adjacent portions of the tops of the inner wraps, thus sealing the inner wraps.
Again, the packet can be wrapped and sealed with a protective overwrap made from a transparent film.
In yet another embodiment (not illustrated) of the packet as disclosed herein, the packet may include more than two groups of cigarettes wrapped in corresponding adjacent inner wraps. In this embodiment, there is a seal placed in the manner described above for each pair of adjacent inner wraps. Again, the inner wraps may or may not be identical to each other, may or may not contain the same number of cigarettes and the packet may be wrapped and sealed with a protective overwrap made from a transparent film.

Claims

A soft packet for long articles characterized in that it comprises at least two inner wraps (7, 12) which are folded and wrapped right around corresponding ordered groups (3, 4) of articles (2), said inner wraps (7, 12) being substantially in the shape of a rectangle parallelepiped, each having a front wall (8, 13), a rear wall (8a, 13a), two side walls (9,9; 14,14), a top (10, 15) and a bottom (11), and being placed side by side along two corresponding side walls (9, 14); an outer wrap or label (17) being folded and wrapped around the inner wraps (7, 12) but without covering the tops (10, 15), said tops (10, 15) together forming the top end (23) of the packet (1).
The packet according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one seal or revenue stamp (24) placed over its top end (23) covering two adjacent end portions (27, 28) of its tops (10, 15).
The packet according to claim 2, characterized in that the seal (24) is placed over the top end (23) in a substantially central positon.