EP1003635B1 - Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton - Google Patents

Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1003635B1
EP1003635B1 EP97941774A EP97941774A EP1003635B1 EP 1003635 B1 EP1003635 B1 EP 1003635B1 EP 97941774 A EP97941774 A EP 97941774A EP 97941774 A EP97941774 A EP 97941774A EP 1003635 B1 EP1003635 B1 EP 1003635B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
packaging
cutting
web
blank
line
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP97941774A
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German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1003635A1 (en
Inventor
Maurice Copin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Philip Morris Products SA
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Philip Morris Products SA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Philip Morris Products SA filed Critical Philip Morris Products SA
Priority to EP97941774A priority Critical patent/EP1003635B1/en
Publication of EP1003635A1 publication Critical patent/EP1003635A1/en
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Publication of EP1003635B1 publication Critical patent/EP1003635B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • B65D85/1072—Bundle of cigarette packs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D5/00—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D5/20—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed
    • B26D5/30—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed having the cutting member controlled by scanning a record carrier
    • B26D5/32—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed having the cutting member controlled by scanning a record carrier with the record carrier formed by the work itself
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
    • B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
    • B26F1/18—Perforating by slitting, i.e. forming cuts closed at their ends without removal of material
    • B26F1/22—Perforating by slitting, i.e. forming cuts closed at their ends without removal of material to form non-rectilinear cuts, e.g. for tabs
    • 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
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/52—Details
    • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
    • B65D75/5827—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion
    • B65D75/5833—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion for tearing out a portion of the wall
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B31B50/006—Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Improving safety
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B31B50/14—Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming
    • B31B50/146—Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming using tools mounted on a drum

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to packaging and in particular cigarette packaging cartridges and their processes and manufacturing devices.
  • Soft type cartridges of the prior art generally consist of a package of a flexible and opaque material such as paper, metallized paper or a composite material.
  • a pull tab connected to the end of a tear-off wire or ribbon, is generally provided on one side or edge of the cartridge, with the tear-off wire or ribbon running around the edge of the cartridge. cartridge, that is to say completely separating the cartridge into two portions when it opens.
  • the user wishing to remove a package from the cartridge having thus opened a cartridge containing ten packs of cigarettes will generally be found with a first cartridge portion containing six packets in one hand and a second portion containing four packets in the other hand.
  • the wire or tear tape it may have a first portion of eight packets and a second portion of two packets. In fact he never manages to get exactly one package exactly as he wants.
  • JP-06.166.125 whose summary describes a device for sequentially perforating a strip of synthetic material.
  • the device concerned does not allow an adjustment of the location of the perforations on the strip.
  • the state of the remarkable technique also comprises the document US-A-5 464 148 which discloses a parallelepiped packaging according to its internal contour and comprising an opening means allowing easy access to the objects contained in the package, the package being formed by folding a blank formed in a sheet of flexible material around a plurality of objects, a portion of a surface of the blank being at least partially surrounded by a weakened resistance line such that said portion surrounded extends over several faces of the blank.
  • the blank has an octagonal conformation, the space containing the objects having a rectangular conformation due to the presence of two inserts contiguous to the side faces of the blank and serving to enhance the stability of the package.
  • the blank of the corrugated or reinforcing US-A-5.464.148 paperboard package can not be likened to the soft material blank used here to make a single-layer package.
  • a first object of the invention is to propose a method of manufacturing a package, in particular a cartridge of cigarettes, whose opening system allows the user to easily and directly remove a single package, while retaining a package, respectively a cartridge in one portion.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a device for performing the above method.
  • Yet another object of the invention is to provide an ecological packaging in a single layer, including a cigarette cartridge, having opening means allowing the user to easily and directly remove a single package, while retaining a package , respectively a cartridge in a single portion.
  • Yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for easily initiating the opening of the previous package, without the need to add an additional component.
  • the cigarette cartridge 1 shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D is of the soft type, that is to say that it is made from a sheet of flexible material such as paper, cellophane paper, metallized paper, a composite material or a synthetic material such as polypropylene.
  • Cartridge 1 may be opaque or transparent. For reasons of economy of materials and ease of use, it is constituted in a single layer.
  • the cartridge 1 consists of an upper face 10, a lower face 11, two lateral faces 12 and 13 and two end faces 14 and 15, together forming a rectangular parallelepiped.
  • a cartridge 1 comprises ten packs of cigarettes 16 grouped in two superimposed rows of five packets.
  • the cartridge 1 according to the invention further comprises opening means 2 consisting of a portion of at least one of the faces of the cartridge which can be removed by means of a pre-cut line 20.
  • the pre-cut line 20 has a generally rectangular shape with the corners formed by portions of circles.
  • the pre-cut surface portion 21 has dimensions such that its length and width are slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the upper face 10. The opening of only a portion of the pre-cut portion 21 makes it possible to easily and directly remove a packet of cigarettes, while if the entire portion 21 is removed, each of the packages located directly under the upper face 10 is directly accessible. In case of partial or complete removal of the surface portion 21, the packs 16 remain slightly retained inside the cartridge by the remaining portions of the upper face 10.
  • FIG. 1B Another embodiment of the opening means 2 is shown in Figure 1B where the portion 22 is this time precut on a portion of one of the side faces 12.
  • FIG. 1C represents a third embodiment where two surface portions 23 extend over portions of the upper and lateral faces 12.
  • three surface portions 24 extend over portions of the upper, lateral, and lower faces 11.
  • This fourth embodiment is only feasible if only one portion of the lower face 11 comprises two superimposed sheets, the other portion of said face can then receive a precut.
  • the four embodiments described above are only exemplary, other shapes, dimensions and arrangements, which can be given to the portions of surfaces 21, 22, 23 and 24, in particular it does not. It is not necessary for one of the portions of the pre-cut line 20 to be in the form of a portion of circle, it would also be possible to have portions of pre-cut surfaces of polygonal shape, preferably quadrangular, as well as at least one portion of pre-cut line 20 may have a shape of a portion of a circle greater than or less than a quarter circle or more generally a curved shape.
  • the examples described above show pre-cut surfaces 21,22,23,24 which are closed, that is to say which the precut line 20 by the periphery closes on itself.
  • a pre-cut line according to this variant could comprise the whole of the line 20 represented with the exception of the two quadrant portions and the rectilinear close and parallel portion of the end face. This variant of execution could apply to all the embodiments described above.
  • opening priming means may be provided.
  • FIG. 2A shows a pre-cut priming tongue along a precut line 20.
  • the precut line 20 is rectilinear, but the tongue 25 could as well be pre-cut on a curved portion. of the precut line 20.
  • a priming tab 25 according to this embodiment can be used for each of the described embodiments of pre-cut surface portions.
  • the opening priming means may only consist of an impression of one or two pictograms, such as for example arrows 26, on a corner of the cartridge.
  • FIGS. 1C and 1D there is also a pictogram 26 indicating a pre-cut portion 20a longer of the pre-cut line 20, straight or curved, indicating that by depression of this portion, it is easy to initiate the opening of the cartridge.
  • FIG. 2D applies to the case where the pre-cut line 20 consists in particular of two portions of straight lines forming a corner, the pictogram 26 indicating that it is possible to push or raise this corner to initiate the opening of the cartridge.
  • the cartridge 1 is generally obtained from a flexible strip 3 as shown in FIG. 3.
  • the strip 3 is made of one of the materials described above, paper, cellophane paper, metallized paper, synthetic material or composite material, the material being opaque or transparent. Depending on the material used, one side of said web may be preprinted with the logo of the cigarette mark and / or any other indication or design required.
  • This long strip 3 will subsequently be cut along the lines in phantom lines 17 so as to form the individual blanks which, after folding, form the cartridges.
  • the fine continuous lines represent dummy lines limiting the various faces 10, 11, 12 and 13 and the portions forming the end faces of the cartridge.
  • the section line 17 separating each blank is preferably located in a central region of the lower face 11, separating the latter in two portions 11a and 11b, the edge of one of these portions subsequently being superimposed on the border of the other portion to be stuck.
  • portions 11a and 11b is slightly greater than the longitudinal dimension of the upper face 10.
  • Partial cuts 18 may also be made on the band 3 to facilitate the folding of the end faces.
  • Band 3 shown here comprises the four previously described embodiments of opening means.
  • the surface portion 21 On the cartridge arranged on the leftmost portion of the figure, the surface portion 21 almost completely covers the panel which will subsequently form the upper face 10.
  • the following cartridge comprises a pre-cut surface portion 22 disposed on the side face 12.
  • the pre-cut portions 23 relate to the upper and lateral faces 10 and 12, and for the last right-hand cartridge, the pre-cut portions 24 are arranged on the lateral faces 12, upper 10 and on a portion of the lower surface 11a which will not be covered by the portion 11 b.
  • the band portion 3 here comprises the four described embodiments of the opening means, but it is obvious that in reality, only one embodiment is chosen for execution.
  • the pre-cut line 20 surrounding each of the precut surfaces according to one or the other of the embodiments described is preferably arranged fairly close to one or the other of the fold lines, without being directly superimposed on that one. This subsequently makes it possible to prevent undesired tearing of the opening means during folding, to keep the open cartridge open and, for certain embodiments, to keep the packets remaining inside the cartridge.
  • the pre-cut line is close to a fold line, it is preferably disposed at a distance equal to or greater than 1 mm thereof.
  • band 3 pre-printed mark marks 19 one per cartridge, arranged very precisely in a specific location of each cartridge, preferably in a location which will be masked later by folding, these mark marks 19 used to wedge the machine precut and cut as described below.
  • Figure 4 shows schematically a first embodiment of a portion of a machine 4 for preparing the blanks for forming the cigarette cartridges.
  • the strip 3 is unwound from a spool 30 mounted on a rotating axis, then passes through a set of pulleys 40, at least one of which acts as a tensioner.
  • the advance of the band 3 is controlled by a set of rollers 41, 42 which preferably extend over the entire width of the band 3, each of said rollers being disposed on one side of the band.
  • the roller 41 is rotated by motorized means, shown at 43, while the roller 42 serves as a support roller. We notice that the roller 41 has a flat portion 41a on its peripheral surface.
  • the strip 3 is driven sequentially when the circular portion 41b of the peripheral surface of the roll 41 is in contact with the upper surface of the strip 3, whereas the strip 3 is stopped when the flat part 41a is opposite the strip.
  • the surface portion 41b of the roll 41 is preferably rubberized.
  • the pre-cut portion 5 of the preparation machine 4 is composed in this embodiment of preferably two rollers 50 and 51, the precut roll 50 being driven by motorized means 52 while the roller 51 serves as a roller. support.
  • the outer surface of the backing roll 51 is metallic.
  • Figure 4 shows that the precut portion 5 consisting of the rollers 50 and 51 is disposed upstream of the drive rollers 40 and 41; one could just as well have the rollers 50 and 51 arranged downstream of the rollers 40 and 41.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 Two embodiments of a precut roll 50 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • the precut roll 50 of FIG. 5 consists of a cylinder having on its outer surface 53 a sharpened, protruding pre-cut line 54 corresponding to the periphery developed on the cylinder of one or other of the forms of FIG. described execution portions of precut surfaces 21,22,23 or 24.
  • the cutting edge 54 comprises cutting portions alternating with recessed portions thereby creating the precut line 20 consisting of pre-cut portions and aligned attachment portions.
  • the respective lengths of the pre-cut portions and attachment portions of the precut line 20, respectively cutting portions and recessed portions of the cutting edge 54 are determined according to the needs and the strength of the material constituting the cartridge.
  • the height of the cutting edge 54 is less than the thickness of the material constituting the strip 3; in this way, each pre-cut is not complete, the pre-cut line 20 then corresponding to a line whose mechanical strength is strongly weakened. This way of doing things makes it possible to maintain a certain degree of the cartridge.
  • FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a precut roll 50, here constituted by a roll 56 of smaller diameter than the preceding one and on which straight cutting blades 57 and having curved portions 58 are mounted in a manner determining a cutting line corresponding to the cylindrical development of the precut line 20.
  • the cutting blades 57 and 58 are removably mounted on the roller 56, by fastening means known in the art not shown, such as screws or keys for example.
  • the advantage of a roll according to the latter embodiment is that it is easily possible to change the shape and / or dimensions of the precut line 20 by exchanging one or more of the cutting blades. It is also easier to repair such a roll in case of premature wear of a blade or damage to one of these cutting blades.
  • the cutting blade 58 it is also possible to separate the cutting blade 58 into a plurality of partial blades, for example two blade portions having quadrant cutting portions and a straight blade portion. As before, it is possible to add a cutting portion to prepare the opening primer. Similarly it is also possible that the cutting edges do not completely pass through the band 3 but merely weaken it strongly.
  • the length of the outer perimeter of the roll 50, at the level of the plane of the cutting edges, corresponds to the development of the length of the strip 3 between two cutting lines 17 (see FIG. 3).
  • Figure 7 shows another embodiment of a portion of a machine 4 for preparing the blanks for forming the cigarette cartridges.
  • the unwinding portion of the strip 3 is absolutely similar to that described with reference to FIG. 4.
  • the sequential advance of the strip 3 is controlled by a set of rollers 41, 42 placed here upstream of the portion of precut 5, and operating as indicated above.
  • the pre-cut portion 5 consists of a pre-cut plate 59a, movable perpendicularly to the strip 3, being actuated by an actuator schematized at 59b, this actuator being able to be a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, a connecting rod device or any other device capable of sequentially raising the precut plate 59a and lowering it in contact with the strip 3, resting on the plate of 59c support arranged in a fixed manner under the strip 3.
  • the precut plate 59a has on its underside cutter blades (not shown in the figure) able to perform the pre-cuts prescribed in the same manner as described above concerning the precut rollers.
  • the precut plate 59a may consist of a support plate on which cutting blades can be fixed.
  • the pre-cuts consist of pre-weakened portions and aligned attachment portions, the pre-weakened portions being able to consist of pre-cuts completely or only partially traversing the thickness of the strip 3.
  • FIGS. 4 and 7 show an optical detector 44 responsible for detecting the position of the preprinted marks 19 on the strip 3.
  • the signal emitted by the detector 44 during the passage of a reference mark 19 is sent to a control unit 48.
  • control unit 48 is in particular responsible for angularly wedging each of the motorized means 43, 52 (FIG. 4) or 43, 59b (FIG. 7), so that the drive and the precut are regularly and sequentially made on the belt 3.
  • the band 3 is driven by the portion 41b of the drive roller 41, the developed length of this portion 41 b corresponding to the length between two cutting lines 17, while the precut roll 50 performs cutting in one or other of the positions shown in Figure 3.
  • the precut can not be effe only when band 3 is stopped. Accordingly, it is here the dimension perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller 41 of the flat face 41a which must correspond to the length between two cutting lines 17 to allow the actuation of the precut plate 59a when the judgment of the band 3.
  • the machine may also comprise, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, a printing portion 6, represented diagrammatically by the printing device 60, for example an ink jet device, responsible for sequentially printing a pattern any, for example a pictogram 26 as mentioned above on one side of the strip 3 at a specific location.
  • a printing portion 6 represented diagrammatically by the printing device 60, for example an ink jet device, responsible for sequentially printing a pattern any, for example a pictogram 26 as mentioned above on one side of the strip 3 at a specific location.
  • These printing means 6, also sequentially controlled by the control unit 48, are represented here directly after the precut roll 50, respectively after the printing plate 59a, but they can be arranged in any convenient place of the machine.
  • the same portion 6 may also include a device for affixing a self-adhesive label at a determined location of the strip 3.
  • This label may comprise, for example, a pictogram 26 or any pattern preprinted and is deposited by said device 6 on the band 3 to adhere.
  • a cutting roller 45 provided with a cutting blade 46, driven by motorized means 47 also controlled sequentially by the control unit 48.
  • a support table ensures the support of the cutting blade 46 during the cutting operation. Instead of a support table, one can also have another support roll.
  • the action of the cutting roller 45 is controlled during the advance of the web 3, in order to separate, along the line 17 of FIG. 3, the front portion 31 of the web 3 forming the label or blank. individual packaging. When the latter cut is performed, the label or blank 31 is taken by gripping means not shown here to receive packets of cigarettes to be packaged in a cartridge. The portion of the machine where the operations of feeding packets of cigarettes, folding and gluing of the packaging is not shown here.
  • the roller can be removed. 45, the cutting blade 46 being mounted directly on the roller 50, respectively on the plate 59b.
  • suitable cutting means can be added directly to the pre-cut means described, roller 50 or plate 59a, or can be designed independently.
  • the precut lines may not be easily distinguished on the finished package.
  • the print portion 6 could be supplemented relative to what is shown in the figures so that a printed line appears on the precut lines 20, thus making them more visible.
  • the printing means 6 could be supplemented by additional means of printing a logo, a mark or any other indication or removal of a self-adhesive label pre-printed on the strip 3.
  • Guiding and stabilizing means may also be included in the machine to guide and stabilize the band 3 during its passage through the machine.
  • the packaging machine may include a complementary device for introducing a promotional coupon or other under the package before closing it.

Description

La présente invention concerne les emballages et notamment les cartouches d'emballage de cigarettes ainsi que leurs procédés et dispositifs de fabrication.The present invention relates to packaging and in particular cigarette packaging cartridges and their processes and manufacturing devices.

Les paquets de cigarettes terminés, contenant généralement vingt cigarettes, sont généralement regroupés dans des cartouches contenant généralement dix paquets disposés selon deux rangées superposées de cinq paquets. Indépendamment de la constitution propre de l'emballage de chaque paquet, paquet mou ou rigide, la cartouche elle-même peut être de type mou ou de type rigide selon le matériau choisi. Dans le cas présent, nous considérerons uniquement les cartouches de type mou.Completed packets of cigarettes, usually containing twenty cigarettes, are usually grouped in cartons, usually containing ten packets arranged in two superimposed rows of five packets. Regardless of the proper constitution of the package of each package, soft or rigid package, the cartridge itself can be soft type or rigid type depending on the material chosen. In this case, we will only consider soft cartridges.

Les cartouches de type mou de l'art antérieur sont généralement constituées d'un emballage en un matériau souple et opaque comme du papier, du papier métallisé ou un matériau composite. Une languette d'arrachage, reliée à l'extrémité d'un fil ou d'un ruban d'arrachage, est généralement prévue sur une face ou une arête de la cartouche, le fil ou le ruban d'arrachage faisant le tour de la cartouche, c'est-à-dire séparant entièrement la cartouche en deux portions lors de son ouverture. L'utilisateur désireux de retirer un paquet de la cartouche, ayant donc ouvert une cartouche contenant dix paquets de cigarettes se retrouvera généralement avec une première portion de cartouche contenant six paquets dans une main et une seconde portion contenant quatre paquets dans l'autre main. Selon l'endroit où est disposé le fil ou le ruban d'arrachage, il pourra avoir une première portion de huit paquets et une seconde portion de deux paquets. En fait il n'arrive jamais à obtenir directement exactement un seul paquet comme il le désire.Soft type cartridges of the prior art generally consist of a package of a flexible and opaque material such as paper, metallized paper or a composite material. A pull tab, connected to the end of a tear-off wire or ribbon, is generally provided on one side or edge of the cartridge, with the tear-off wire or ribbon running around the edge of the cartridge. cartridge, that is to say completely separating the cartridge into two portions when it opens. The user wishing to remove a package from the cartridge, having thus opened a cartridge containing ten packs of cigarettes will generally be found with a first cartridge portion containing six packets in one hand and a second portion containing four packets in the other hand. Depending on where the wire or tear tape is located, it may have a first portion of eight packets and a second portion of two packets. In fact he never manages to get exactly one package exactly as he wants.

L'utilisateur obtiendra finalement un seul paquet de cigarettes en brisant l'une des portions, faisant qu'il lui reste deux portions de cartouche dont une est entamée.The user will finally get a single pack of cigarettes by breaking one of the portions, leaving him two cartridge portions of which one is started.

Un autre inconvénient d'une cartouche selon l'art antérieur est la présence du fil ou ruban d'arrachage, soit un matériau différent de celui de l'emballage, qu'il est nécessaire d'y adjoindre lors de la confection de ce dernier.Another disadvantage of a cartridge according to the prior art is the presence of the wire or tear tape, a material different from that of the packaging, it is necessary to add to it during the making of the latter .

L'état de la technique remarquable comprend le document JP-06.166.125 dont le résumé décrit un dispositif permettant de perforer séquentiellement une bande de matériau synthétique. Le dispositif concerné ne permet pas un ajustage de l'emplacement des perforations sur la bande.The state of the art remarkable includes JP-06.166.125 whose summary describes a device for sequentially perforating a strip of synthetic material. The device concerned does not allow an adjustment of the location of the perforations on the strip.

L'état de la technique remarquable comprend également le document US-A-5 464 148 qui révèle un emballage parallélépipédique selon son contour interne et comprenant un moyen d'ouverture permettant un accès aisé aux objets contenus dans l'emballage, l'emballage étant formé par pliage d'une ébauche formée dans une feuille de matériau flexible autour d'une pluralité d'objets, une portion d'une surface de l'ébauche étant au moins partiellement entourée par une ligne de résistance affaiblie de manière telle que ladite portion entourée s'étend sur plusieurs faces de l'ébauche. L'ébauche présente une conformation octogonale, l'espace contenant les objets ayant une conformation rectangulaire en raison de la présence de deux inserts accolés aux faces latérales de l'ébauche et servant à renforcer la stabilité de l'emballage.The state of the remarkable technique also comprises the document US-A-5 464 148 which discloses a parallelepiped packaging according to its internal contour and comprising an opening means allowing easy access to the objects contained in the package, the package being formed by folding a blank formed in a sheet of flexible material around a plurality of objects, a portion of a surface of the blank being at least partially surrounded by a weakened resistance line such that said portion surrounded extends over several faces of the blank. The blank has an octagonal conformation, the space containing the objects having a rectangular conformation due to the presence of two inserts contiguous to the side faces of the blank and serving to enhance the stability of the package.

L'ébauche de l'emballage en carton du document US-A-5.464.148 ondulé ou comportant des renforts, ne peut être assimilée à l'ébauche en matériau souple utilisée ici pour confectionner un emballage en une seule couche.The blank of the corrugated or reinforcing US-A-5.464.148 paperboard package can not be likened to the soft material blank used here to make a single-layer package.

L'état de la technique remarquable comprend encore le document EP-A-693 424 qui révèle un dispositif pour préparer un moyen d'ouverture sur une ébauche d'emballage, le moyen d'ouverture permettant un accès aisé aux objets contenus dans l'emballage formé à partir de l'ébauche d'emballage, comprenant :

  • un moyen d'entraînement pour déplacer l'ébauche dans une direction longitudinale,
  • un moyen de détection pour détecter la position d'un repère imprimé sur l'ébauche d'emballage,
  • un moyen de prédécoupe pour prédécouper un moyen d'ouverture sur l'ébauche d'emballage, et
  • des moyens de commande pour commander le moyen d'entraînement et le moyen de prédécoupe en réponse à un signal du moyen de détection
dans lequel l'ébauche est formée dans une feuille de matériau flexible et le moyen d'ouverture comprend une ligne de résistance affaiblie qui entoure partiellement une portion d'une surface de l'ébauche.The remarkable state of the art also includes the document EP-A-693 424 which discloses a device for preparing an opening means on a packaging blank, the opening means allowing easy access to articles contained in the package formed from the package blank, comprising:
  • drive means for moving the blank in a longitudinal direction,
  • detection means for detecting the position of a marker printed on the packaging blank,
  • precutting means for pre-cutting an opening means on the packaging blank, and
  • control means for controlling the driving means and the precut means in response to a signal of the detecting means
wherein the blank is formed in a sheet of flexible material and the opening means comprises a weakened resistance line which partially surrounds a portion of a surface of the blank.

Le procédé de préparation correspondant, consiste à :

  • se munir d'une ébauche d'emballage formée dans une feuille de matériau flexible, la feuille portant des repères imprimés,
  • détecter la position des repères imprimés sur l'ébauche par la cellule, et
  • prédécouper un moyen d'ouverture sur l'ébauche, le moyen d'ouverture comprenant une ligne de résistance affaiblie qui entoure partiellement une portion d'une surface de l'ébauche, la position de la ligne de résistance affaiblie étant ajustée selon la longueur de l'ébauche par commande de l'étape de prédécoupe en réponse à l'étape de détection.
The corresponding preparation process consists of:
  • provide a packing blank formed in a sheet of flexible material, the sheet bearing printed indicia,
  • detect the position of the marks printed on the blank by the cell, and
  • pre-cutting an opening means on the blank, the opening means comprising a weakened resistance line which partially surrounds a portion of a surface of the blank, the position of the weakened resistance line being adjusted according to the length of the blank; roughing by controlling the precut step in response to the detecting step.

Ce procédé ne permet pas d'atteindre les buts visés par l'invention.This method does not achieve the aims of the invention.

Un premier but de l'invention est de proposer un procédé de fabrication d'un emballage, notamment d'une cartouche de cigarettes, dont le système d'ouverture permet à l'utilisateur de retirer facilement et directement un seul paquet, tout en conservant un emballage, respectivement une cartouche en une seule portion.A first object of the invention is to propose a method of manufacturing a package, in particular a cartridge of cigarettes, whose opening system allows the user to easily and directly remove a single package, while retaining a package, respectively a cartridge in one portion.

Un autre but de l'invention est de proposer un dispositif permettant de réaliser le procédé précédent.Another object of the invention is to provide a device for performing the above method.

Encore un autre but de l'invention est de proposer un emballage écologique en une seule couche, notamment une cartouche de cigarettes, possédant des moyens d'ouverture permettant à l'utilisateur de retirer facilement et directement un seul paquet, tout en conservant un emballage, respectivement une cartouche en une seule portion.Yet another object of the invention is to provide an ecological packaging in a single layer, including a cigarette cartridge, having opening means allowing the user to easily and directly remove a single package, while retaining a package , respectively a cartridge in a single portion.

Et encore un autre but de l'invention est de proposer un moyen permettant d'amorcer facilement l'ouverture de l'emballage précédent, sans nécessité d'y ajouter un composant supplémentaire.And yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for easily initiating the opening of the previous package, without the need to add an additional component.

Ces différents buts sont obtenus par un procédé répondant aux caractéristiques de la revendication 1, par un dispositif possédant les caractéristiques de la revendication 8, pour obtenir un emballage ou une cartouche conforme à la revendication 18. Des formes d'exécution complémentaires ou des variantes, tant du procédé, que du dispositif ou de l'emballage sont décrites dans les revendications dépendantes.These different objects are obtained by a method according to the features of claim 1, by a device having the features of claim 8, to obtain a package or a cartridge according to claim 18. Complementary embodiments or variants, both the method, the device or the package are described in the dependent claims.

La description qui suit décrit dans le détail les moyens utilisés à cet effet, étant à lire en relation avec le dessin annexé comportant les figures où :

  • les figures 1A, 1 B, 1C et 1 D représentent à titre d'exemples, quatre variantes de possibilités d'ouverture d'une cartouche selon l'invention,
  • les figures 2A, 2B, 2C et 2D représentent à titre d'exemples, quatre variantes de moyens d'amorçage d'ouverture d'une cartouche selon l'invention,
  • la figure 3 représente une portion de bande du matériau destinée à constituer les cartouches montrant les quatre variantes de prédécoupes de la figure 1,
  • la figure 4 représente une vue schématique partielle d'une première forme d'exécution d'une machine permettant de produire les emballages en cartouche selon l'invention,
  • la figure 5 représente une première forme d'exécution d'un rouleau de prédécoupe utilisable sur la machine de la figure 4,
  • la figure 6 représente une autre forme d'exécution d'un rouleau de prédécoupe utilisable sur la machine de la figure 4, et
  • la figure 7 représente une autre forme d'exécution d'une machine permettant de produire les emballages en cartouche selon l'invention.
The description which follows describes in detail the means used for this purpose, being to be read in connection with the appended drawing comprising the figures in which:
  • FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D represent, by way of examples, four variants of possibilities of opening a cartridge according to the invention,
  • FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D represent, by way of examples, four variants of means for opening a cartridge according to the invention,
  • FIG. 3 represents a band portion of the material intended to constitute the cartridges showing the four variants of pre-cuts of FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 4 represents a partial schematic view of a first embodiment of a machine for producing the cartridge packs according to the invention,
  • FIG. 5 represents a first embodiment of a precut roll used on the machine of FIG. 4,
  • FIG. 6 represents another embodiment of a precut roll that can be used on the machine of FIG. 4, and
  • Figure 7 shows another embodiment of a machine for producing the cartridge packs according to the invention.

La cartouche de cigarettes 1 représentée sur les figures 1A, 1B, 1C et 1 D est de type mou, c'est à dire qu'elle est constituée à partir d'une feuille en matériau souple comme du papier, du papier cellophane, du papier métallisé, un matériau composite ou un matériau synthétique comme du polypropylène. La cartouche 1 peut être opaque ou transparente. Pour des raisons d'économie de matériaux et de facilité d'utilisation, elle est constituée en une seule couche.The cigarette cartridge 1 shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D is of the soft type, that is to say that it is made from a sheet of flexible material such as paper, cellophane paper, metallized paper, a composite material or a synthetic material such as polypropylene. Cartridge 1 may be opaque or transparent. For reasons of economy of materials and ease of use, it is constituted in a single layer.

La cartouche 1 se compose d'une face supérieure 10, d'une face inférieure 11, de deux faces latérales 12 et 13 et de deux faces d'extrémités 14 et 15, formant ensemble un parallélépipède rectangle. De manière habituelle, une cartouche 1 comprend dix paquets de cigarettes 16 groupés en deux rangées superposées de cinq paquets.The cartridge 1 consists of an upper face 10, a lower face 11, two lateral faces 12 and 13 and two end faces 14 and 15, together forming a rectangular parallelepiped. Usually, a cartridge 1 comprises ten packs of cigarettes 16 grouped in two superimposed rows of five packets.

La cartouche 1 selon l'invention comprend en outre des moyens d'ouverture 2 constitués d'une portion d'au moins l'une des faces de la cartouche qu'il est possible de retirer grâce à une ligne prédécoupée 20.The cartridge 1 according to the invention further comprises opening means 2 consisting of a portion of at least one of the faces of the cartridge which can be removed by means of a pre-cut line 20.

Sur la forme d'exécution de la figure 1A, la ligne prédécoupée 20 a une forme générale rectangulaire avec les coins formés de portions de cercles. En fait, la portion de surface prédécoupée 21 a des dimensions telles que sa longueur et sa largeur sont légèrement inférieures aux dimensions correspondantes de la face supérieure 10. L'ouverture de seulement une portion de la portion prédécoupée 21 permet de facilement et directement retirer un paquet de cigarettes, alors que si toute la portion 21 est retirée, chacun des paquets situés directement sous la face supérieure 10 est directement accessible. En cas de retrait partiel ou complet de la portion de surface 21, les paquets 16 restent légèrement retenus à l'intérieur de la cartouche par les portions subsistantes de la face supérieure 10.In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, the pre-cut line 20 has a generally rectangular shape with the corners formed by portions of circles. In fact, the pre-cut surface portion 21 has dimensions such that its length and width are slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the upper face 10. The opening of only a portion of the pre-cut portion 21 makes it possible to easily and directly remove a packet of cigarettes, while if the entire portion 21 is removed, each of the packages located directly under the upper face 10 is directly accessible. In case of partial or complete removal of the surface portion 21, the packs 16 remain slightly retained inside the cartridge by the remaining portions of the upper face 10.

Une autre forme d'exécution des moyens d'ouverture 2 est représentée à la figure 1B où la portion 22 est cette fois prédécoupée sur une portion d'une des faces latérales 12.Another embodiment of the opening means 2 is shown in Figure 1B where the portion 22 is this time precut on a portion of one of the side faces 12.

La figure 1C représente une troisième forme d'exécution où deux portions de surfaces 23 s'étendent sur des portions des faces supérieure 10 et latérale 12.FIG. 1C represents a third embodiment where two surface portions 23 extend over portions of the upper and lateral faces 12.

Selon une quatrième forme d'exécution, comme représentée à la figure 1 D, trois portions de surfaces 24 s'étendent sur des portions des faces supérieure 10, latérale 12 et inférieure 11. Cette quatrième forme d'exécution est uniquement réalisable si seulement une portion de la face inférieure 11 comprend deux feuilles superposées, l'autre portion de ladite face pouvant alors recevoir une prédécoupe.According to a fourth embodiment, as represented in FIG. 1D, three surface portions 24 extend over portions of the upper, lateral, and lower faces 11. This fourth embodiment is only feasible if only one portion of the lower face 11 comprises two superimposed sheets, the other portion of said face can then receive a precut.

Les quatre formes d'exécution décrites ci-dessus ne le sont qu'à titre d'exemples, d'autres formes, dimensions et dispositions, pouvant être données aux portions de surfaces 21, 22, 23 et 24, en particulier il n'est pas nécessaire que l'une des portions de la ligne prédécoupée 20 soit en forme de portion de cercle, il serait aussi possible d'avoir des portions de surfaces prédécoupées de forme polygonale, de préférence quadrangulaire, de même qu'au moins une portion de ligne prédécoupée 20 peut avoir une forme d'une portion de cercle supérieure ou inférieure à un quart de cercle ou plus généralement une forme en courbe. Les exemples décrits ci-dessus montrent des surfaces prédécoupées 21,22,23,24 qui sont fermées, c'est-à-dire dont la ligne de prédécoupe 20 en faisant le pourtour se referme sur elle-même. Il serait aussi possible d'avoir des surfaces prédécoupées ouvertes, c'est-à-dire où la ligne prédécoupée ne se referme pas sur elle-même. Pour illustrer ceci sur la figure 1A, une ligne prédécoupée selon cette variante pourrait comprendre l'ensemble de la ligne 20 représentée à l'exception des deux portions en quart de cercle et de la portion rectiligne proche et parallèle de la face d'extrémité 15. Cette variante d'exécution pourrait s'appliquer à toutes les formes d'exécution décrites précédemment.The four embodiments described above are only exemplary, other shapes, dimensions and arrangements, which can be given to the portions of surfaces 21, 22, 23 and 24, in particular it does not. It is not necessary for one of the portions of the pre-cut line 20 to be in the form of a portion of circle, it would also be possible to have portions of pre-cut surfaces of polygonal shape, preferably quadrangular, as well as at least one portion of pre-cut line 20 may have a shape of a portion of a circle greater than or less than a quarter circle or more generally a curved shape. The examples described above show pre-cut surfaces 21,22,23,24 which are closed, that is to say which the precut line 20 by the periphery closes on itself. It would also be possible to have open precut surfaces, that is to say where the pre-cut line does not close on itself. To illustrate this in FIG. 1A, a pre-cut line according to this variant could comprise the whole of the line 20 represented with the exception of the two quadrant portions and the rectilinear close and parallel portion of the end face. This variant of execution could apply to all the embodiments described above.

Afin de faciliter l'ouverture de la cartouche, des moyens d'amorçage d'ouverture peuvent être prévus. Par exemple, la figure 2A montre une languette d'amorçage 25 prédécoupée le long d'une ligne de prédécoupe 20. Sur la figure, la ligne de prédécoupe 20 est rectiligne, mais la languette 25 pourrait tout aussi bien être prédécoupée sur une portion incurvée de la ligne de prédécoupe 20. Une languette d'amorçage 25 selon cette forme d'exécution peut être utilisée pour chacune des formes d'exécution décrites des portions de surfaces prédécoupées. Selon une autre forme d'exécution, valable lorsque les portions prédécoupées enjambent une arête de la cartouche, comme représenté à la figure 2A, les moyens d'amorçage d'ouverture peuvent ne consister qu'en une impression de un ou deux pictogrammes, comme par exemple les flèches 26, sur un coin de la cartouche. On indique par là qu'il suffit de pincer ces deux portions de surfaces et de les tirer en arrière afin d'ouvrir la cartouche. Cette forme d'exécution des moyens d'amorçage d'ouverture ne s'applique donc qu'aux deux dernières formes d'exécution des figures 1C et 1D. A la figure 2C on a aussi un pictogramme 26 indiquant une portion prédécoupée 20a plus longue de la ligne prédécoupée 20, droite ou incurvée, indiquant que par enfoncement de cette portion, il est facile d'amorcer l'ouverture de la cartouche. La variante de la figure 2D s'applique au cas où la ligne prédécoupée 20 est constituée notamment de deux portions de droites formant un coin, le pictogramme 26 indiquant qu'il est possible d'enfoncer ou de relever ce coin pour amorcer l'ouverture de la cartouche. Il est évident que les pictogrammes décrits ici sous forme de flèches ne le sont qu'à titre d'exemples et que n'importe quel pictogramme ou autre indication compréhensible par l'utilisateur peut être utilisé. Ce ou ces pictogrammes peuvent être imprimés directement aux endroits idoines sur la bande 3 qui va être décrite ci-après ou alors sont imprimés lors de la confection de l'ébauche comme décrit plus bas. On voit donc que par rapport aux moyens d'amorçage d'ouverture prévus sur les cartouches de l'art antérieur, les moyens prévus par l'invention permettent de s'affranchir de la nécessité d'ajouter une bande ou un fil d'arrachage à l'emballage.In order to facilitate the opening of the cartridge, opening priming means may be provided. For example, FIG. 2A shows a pre-cut priming tongue along a precut line 20. In the figure, the precut line 20 is rectilinear, but the tongue 25 could as well be pre-cut on a curved portion. of the precut line 20. A priming tab 25 according to this embodiment can be used for each of the described embodiments of pre-cut surface portions. According to another embodiment, valid when the pre-cut portions spanning an edge of the cartridge, as shown in FIG. 2A, the opening priming means may only consist of an impression of one or two pictograms, such as for example arrows 26, on a corner of the cartridge. It indicates that it is sufficient to pinch these two portions of surfaces and pull them back to open the cartridge. This embodiment of the opening priming means therefore only applies to the last two embodiments of FIGS. 1C and 1D. In Figure 2C there is also a pictogram 26 indicating a pre-cut portion 20a longer of the pre-cut line 20, straight or curved, indicating that by depression of this portion, it is easy to initiate the opening of the cartridge. The variant of FIG. 2D applies to the case where the pre-cut line 20 consists in particular of two portions of straight lines forming a corner, the pictogram 26 indicating that it is possible to push or raise this corner to initiate the opening of the cartridge. It is obvious that the pictograms described here in the form of arrows are only as examples and that any pictogram or other indication understandable by the user can be used. This or these pictograms can be printed directly at the appropriate locations on the strip 3 which will be described below or are printed during the preparation of the blank as described below. It can thus be seen that compared to the opening priming means provided on the cartridges of the prior art, the means provided by the invention make it possible to dispense with the need to add a strip or a tear-off wire. to the packaging.

La cartouche 1 est généralement obtenue à partir d'une bande souple 3 comme représentée à la figure 3. La bande 3 est en un des matériaux décrits précédemment, papier, papier cellophane, papier métallisé, matériau synthétique ou matériau composite, le matériau étant opaque ou transparent. Selon le matériau utilisé, une face de ladite bande peut être préimprimée avec le logo de la marque de cigarettes et/ou toute autre indication ou dessin nécessaire. Cette longue bande 3 sera ultérieurement découpée selon les lignes en traits mixtes 17 afin de former les ébauches individuelles qui, après pliage formeront les cartouches. Les traits continus fins représentent des lignes fictives limitant les diverses faces 10, 11, 12 et 13 ainsi que les portions formant les faces d'extrémités de la cartouche. La ligne de coupe 17 séparant chaque ébauche est située de préférence dans une région centrale de la face inférieure 11, séparant celle-ci en deux portions 11 a et 11 b, la bordure de l'une de ces portions venant ultérieurement en superposition sur la bordure de l'autre portion pour y être collée. Pour ceci, il est nécessaire que la somme des dimensions longitudinales, dans le sens de la dimension longitudinale de la bande 3, des portions 11a et 11 b soit légèrement supérieure à la dimension longitudinale de la face supérieure 10. Comme on le voit, des découpes partielles 18 peuvent aussi être faites sur la bande 3 afin de faciliter le pliage des faces d'extrémités.The cartridge 1 is generally obtained from a flexible strip 3 as shown in FIG. 3. The strip 3 is made of one of the materials described above, paper, cellophane paper, metallized paper, synthetic material or composite material, the material being opaque or transparent. Depending on the material used, one side of said web may be preprinted with the logo of the cigarette mark and / or any other indication or design required. This long strip 3 will subsequently be cut along the lines in phantom lines 17 so as to form the individual blanks which, after folding, form the cartridges. The fine continuous lines represent dummy lines limiting the various faces 10, 11, 12 and 13 and the portions forming the end faces of the cartridge. The section line 17 separating each blank is preferably located in a central region of the lower face 11, separating the latter in two portions 11a and 11b, the edge of one of these portions subsequently being superimposed on the border of the other portion to be stuck. For this, it is necessary that the sum of the longitudinal dimensions, in the direction of the longitudinal dimension of the strip 3, portions 11a and 11b is slightly greater than the longitudinal dimension of the upper face 10. As can be seen, Partial cuts 18 may also be made on the band 3 to facilitate the folding of the end faces.

La bande 3 représentée ici comporte les quatre formes d'exécution décrites précédemment des moyens d'ouverture. Sur la cartouche disposée sur la portion tout à gauche de la figure, la portion de surface 21 recouvre presque entièrement le panneau qui formera ultérieurement la face supérieure 10. La cartouche qui suit comporte une portion de surface prédécoupée 22 disposée sur la face latérale 12. Pour la cartouche suivante, les portions prédécoupées 23 concernent les faces supérieure 10 et latérale 12, et pour la dernière cartouche de droite, les portions prédécoupées 24 sont disposées sur les faces latérale 12, supérieure 10 et sur une portion de la surface inférieure 11 a qui ne sera pas recouverte par la portion 11 b. La portion de bande 3 comporte ici les quatre formes d'exécution décrites des moyens d'ouverture, mais il est évident que dans la réalité, une seule forme d'exécution est choisie pour exécution. La ligne prédécoupée 20 entourant chacune des surfaces prédécoupées selon l'une ou l'autre des formes d'exécution décrites, est de préférence disposée assez proche de l'une ou l'autre des lignes de pliage, sans être directement superposée à celle-ci. Ceci permet ultérieurement d'empêcher une déchirure non désirée du moyen d'ouverture lors du pliage, de garder une certaine rigidité à la cartouche ouverte et, pour certaines formes d'exécution, de maintenir les paquets restant à l'intérieur de la cartouche. Lorsque la ligne prédécoupée est proche d'une ligne de pliage, elle est de préférence disposée à une distance égale ou supérieure à 1 mm de celle-ci.Band 3 shown here comprises the four previously described embodiments of opening means. On the cartridge arranged on the leftmost portion of the figure, the surface portion 21 almost completely covers the panel which will subsequently form the upper face 10. The following cartridge comprises a pre-cut surface portion 22 disposed on the side face 12. For the next cartridge, the pre-cut portions 23 relate to the upper and lateral faces 10 and 12, and for the last right-hand cartridge, the pre-cut portions 24 are arranged on the lateral faces 12, upper 10 and on a portion of the lower surface 11a which will not be covered by the portion 11 b. The band portion 3 here comprises the four described embodiments of the opening means, but it is obvious that in reality, only one embodiment is chosen for execution. The pre-cut line 20 surrounding each of the precut surfaces according to one or the other of the embodiments described is preferably arranged fairly close to one or the other of the fold lines, without being directly superimposed on that one. this. This subsequently makes it possible to prevent undesired tearing of the opening means during folding, to keep the open cartridge open and, for certain embodiments, to keep the packets remaining inside the cartridge. When the pre-cut line is close to a fold line, it is preferably disposed at a distance equal to or greater than 1 mm thereof.

On remarque aussi sur la bande 3 des marques repères 19 préimprimées, une par cartouche, disposées très précisément en un endroit déterminé de chaque cartouche, de préférence en un endroit qui sera masqué ultérieurement par un pliage, ces marques repères 19 servant à caler la machine de prédécoupe et découpe comme décrit plus bas.Note also on the band 3 pre-printed mark marks 19, one per cartridge, arranged very precisely in a specific location of each cartridge, preferably in a location which will be masked later by folding, these mark marks 19 used to wedge the machine precut and cut as described below.

La figure 4 montre schématiquement une première forme d'exécution d'une portion d'une machine 4 de préparation des ébauches destinées à former les cartouches de cigarettes. La bande 3 est dévidée à partir d'une bobine 30 montée sur un axe en rotation, puis passe par un jeu de poulies 40 dont au moins une fait office de tendeur. L'avance de la bande 3 est commandée par un jeu de rouleaux 41, 42 qui s'étendent de préférence sur toute la largeur de la bande 3, chacun desdits rouleaux étant disposé sur une face de la bande. Le rouleau 41 est entraîné en rotation par des moyens motorisés, représentés en 43, alors que le rouleau 42 sert de rouleau d'appui. On remarque que le rouleau 41 comporte un méplat 41 a sur sa surface périphérique. Ainsi la bande 3 est entraînée séquentiellement lorsque la portion circulaire 41 b de la surface périphérique du rouleau 41 est en contact avec la surface supérieure de la bande 3, alors que la bande 3 est stoppée lorsque le méplat 41 a est en regard de la bande 3. Afin de faciliter l'entraînement de la bande 3, la portion de surface 41 b du rouleau 41 est de préférence caoutchoutée.Figure 4 shows schematically a first embodiment of a portion of a machine 4 for preparing the blanks for forming the cigarette cartridges. The strip 3 is unwound from a spool 30 mounted on a rotating axis, then passes through a set of pulleys 40, at least one of which acts as a tensioner. The advance of the band 3 is controlled by a set of rollers 41, 42 which preferably extend over the entire width of the band 3, each of said rollers being disposed on one side of the band. The roller 41 is rotated by motorized means, shown at 43, while the roller 42 serves as a support roller. We notice that the roller 41 has a flat portion 41a on its peripheral surface. Thus, the strip 3 is driven sequentially when the circular portion 41b of the peripheral surface of the roll 41 is in contact with the upper surface of the strip 3, whereas the strip 3 is stopped when the flat part 41a is opposite the strip. 3. In order to facilitate driving of the web 3, the surface portion 41b of the roll 41 is preferably rubberized.

La portion de prédécoupe 5 de la machine de préparation 4 est composée dans cette forme d'exécution de préférence de deux rouleaux 50 et 51, le rouleau de prédécoupe 50 étant entraîné par des moyens motorisés 52 alors que le rouleau 51 sert de rouleau d'appui. De préférence la surface extérieure du rouleau d'appui 51 est métallique. La figure 4 montre que la portion de prédécoupe 5 constituée des rouleaux 50 et 51 est disposée en amont des rouleaux d'entraînement 40 et 41; on pourrait tout aussi bien avoir les rouleaux 50 et 51 disposés en aval des rouleaux 40 et 41.The pre-cut portion 5 of the preparation machine 4 is composed in this embodiment of preferably two rollers 50 and 51, the precut roll 50 being driven by motorized means 52 while the roller 51 serves as a roller. support. Preferably the outer surface of the backing roll 51 is metallic. Figure 4 shows that the precut portion 5 consisting of the rollers 50 and 51 is disposed upstream of the drive rollers 40 and 41; one could just as well have the rollers 50 and 51 arranged downstream of the rollers 40 and 41.

Deux formes d'exécution d'un rouleau de prédécoupe 50 sont représentées aux figures 5 et 6.Two embodiments of a precut roll 50 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Le rouleau de prédécoupe 50 de la figure 5 est constitué d'un cylindre comportant sur sa surface extérieure 53 une ligne de prédécoupe en saillie 54, affûtée, correspondant au pourtour développé sur le cylindre de l'une ou l'autre des formes d'exécution décrites des portions de surfaces prédécoupées 21,22,23 ou 24. L'arête coupante 54 comprend des portions coupantes en alternance avec des portions en creux créant ainsi la ligne de prédécoupe 20 constituée de portions prédécoupées et de portions d'attache alignées. Les longueurs respectives des portions prédécoupées et des portions d'attache de la ligne de prédécoupe 20, respectivement des portions coupantes et des portions en creux de l'arête coupante 54 sont déterminées selon les besoins et selon la résistance du matériau constituant la cartouche. Il est aussi possible de prévoir que la hauteur de l'arête coupante 54 soit inférieure à l'épaisseur du matériau constituant la bande 3; de cette manière, chaque prédécoupe n'est pas complète, la ligne prédécoupée 20 correspondant alors à une ligne dont la résistance mécanique est fortement affaiblie. Cette manière de faire permet de conserver une certaine étanchéité à la cartouche. On remarque aussi sur la figure une portion coupante 55, attenante à l'arête 54, pour constituer une amorce 25 comme sur la figure 2A.The precut roll 50 of FIG. 5 consists of a cylinder having on its outer surface 53 a sharpened, protruding pre-cut line 54 corresponding to the periphery developed on the cylinder of one or other of the forms of FIG. described execution portions of precut surfaces 21,22,23 or 24. The cutting edge 54 comprises cutting portions alternating with recessed portions thereby creating the precut line 20 consisting of pre-cut portions and aligned attachment portions. The respective lengths of the pre-cut portions and attachment portions of the precut line 20, respectively cutting portions and recessed portions of the cutting edge 54 are determined according to the needs and the strength of the material constituting the cartridge. It is also possible to provide that the height of the cutting edge 54 is less than the thickness of the material constituting the strip 3; in this way, each pre-cut is not complete, the pre-cut line 20 then corresponding to a line whose mechanical strength is strongly weakened. This way of doing things makes it possible to maintain a certain degree of the cartridge. Note also in the figure a cutting portion 55, adjacent to the edge 54, to form a primer 25 as in Figure 2A.

La figure 6 montre une autre forme d'exécution d'un rouleau de prédécoupe 50, constitué ici d'un rouleau 56 de plus faible diamètre que le précédent et sur lequel des lames coupantes rectilignes 57 et possédant des portions incurvées 58 sont montées de manière à déterminer une ligne de coupe correspondant au développement cylindrique de la ligne de prédécoupe 20. Les lames coupantes 57 et 58 sont montées de manière démontable sur le rouleau 56, par des moyens d'attache connus de la technique non représentés, comme des vis ou des clavettes par exemple. L'avantage d'un rouleau selon cette dernière forme d'exécution réside en ce qu'il est facilement possible de changer la forme et/ou les dimensions de la ligne de prédécoupe 20 en échangeant une ou plusieurs des lames coupantes. Il est aussi plus facile de réparer un tel rouleau en cas d'usure prématurée d'une lame ou de dégâts sur l'une de ces lames coupantes. Il est aussi possible de séparer la lame coupante 58 en plusieurs lames partielles, par exemple deux portions de lames ayant des portions coupantes en quart de cercle et une portion de lame rectiligne. Comme précédemment, il est possible d'adjoindre une portion coupante afin de préparer l'amorce d'ouverture. De même il est aussi possible que les arêtes coupantes ne traversent pas entièrement la bande 3 mais se contentent de l'affaiblir fortement. La longueur du périmètre extérieur du rouleau 50, au niveau du plan des arêtes de coupe, correspond au développement de la longueur de la bande 3 entre deux lignes de coupe 17 (voir figure 3).FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a precut roll 50, here constituted by a roll 56 of smaller diameter than the preceding one and on which straight cutting blades 57 and having curved portions 58 are mounted in a manner determining a cutting line corresponding to the cylindrical development of the precut line 20. The cutting blades 57 and 58 are removably mounted on the roller 56, by fastening means known in the art not shown, such as screws or keys for example. The advantage of a roll according to the latter embodiment is that it is easily possible to change the shape and / or dimensions of the precut line 20 by exchanging one or more of the cutting blades. It is also easier to repair such a roll in case of premature wear of a blade or damage to one of these cutting blades. It is also possible to separate the cutting blade 58 into a plurality of partial blades, for example two blade portions having quadrant cutting portions and a straight blade portion. As before, it is possible to add a cutting portion to prepare the opening primer. Similarly it is also possible that the cutting edges do not completely pass through the band 3 but merely weaken it strongly. The length of the outer perimeter of the roll 50, at the level of the plane of the cutting edges, corresponds to the development of the length of the strip 3 between two cutting lines 17 (see FIG. 3).

La figure 7 montre une autre forme d'exécution d'une portion d'une machine 4 de préparation des ébauches destinées à former les cartouches de cigarettes. La partie de dévidage de la bande 3 est absolument semblable à celle décrite en regard de la figure 4. Comme précédemment, l'avance séquentielle de la bande 3 est commandée par un jeu de rouleaux 41, 42 placés ici en amont de la portion de prédécoupe 5, et fonctionnant comme indiqué précédemment. Dans la présente forme d'exécution, la portion de prédécoupe 5 est constituée d'une plaque de prédécoupe 59a, mobile perpendiculairement à la bande 3, étant actionnée par un actionneur schématisé en 59b, cet actionneur pouvant être un vérin hydraulique ou pneumatique, un dispositif à bielle ou tout autre dispositif apte à élever séquentiellement la plaque de prédécoupe 59a et à l'abaisser au contact de la bande 3, en appui sur la plaque d'appui 59c disposée de manière fixe sous la bande 3. La plaque de prédécoupe 59a possède sur sa face inférieure des lames de prédécoupes (non représentées sur la figure) aptes à effectuer les prédécoupes prescrites de la même manière que ce qui a été décrit plus haut concernant les rouleaux de prédécoupe. Comme pour la forme d'exécution précédente, la plaque de prédécoupe 59a peut être constituée d'une plaque support sur laquelle des lames coupantes peuvent être fixées. De même que précédemment, les prédécoupes sont constituées de portions préaffaiblies et de portions d'attache alignées, les portions préaffaiblies pouvant être constituées de prédécoupes traversant entièrement ou seulement partiellement l'épaisseur de la bande 3.Figure 7 shows another embodiment of a portion of a machine 4 for preparing the blanks for forming the cigarette cartridges. The unwinding portion of the strip 3 is absolutely similar to that described with reference to FIG. 4. As before, the sequential advance of the strip 3 is controlled by a set of rollers 41, 42 placed here upstream of the portion of precut 5, and operating as indicated above. In this embodiment, the pre-cut portion 5 consists of a pre-cut plate 59a, movable perpendicularly to the strip 3, being actuated by an actuator schematized at 59b, this actuator being able to be a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, a connecting rod device or any other device capable of sequentially raising the precut plate 59a and lowering it in contact with the strip 3, resting on the plate of 59c support arranged in a fixed manner under the strip 3. The precut plate 59a has on its underside cutter blades (not shown in the figure) able to perform the pre-cuts prescribed in the same manner as described above concerning the precut rollers. As for the previous embodiment, the precut plate 59a may consist of a support plate on which cutting blades can be fixed. As before, the pre-cuts consist of pre-weakened portions and aligned attachment portions, the pre-weakened portions being able to consist of pre-cuts completely or only partially traversing the thickness of the strip 3.

Les figures 4 et 7 montrent un détecteur optique 44 chargé de détecter la position des repères préimprimés19 sur la bande 3. Le signal émis par le détecteur 44 lors du passage d'une marque repère 19 est envoyé à une unité de commande 48. L'unité de commande 48 est en particulier chargée de caler angulairement chacun des moyens motorisés 43, 52 (figure 4) ou 43, 59b (figure 7), de manière à ce que l'entraînement et la prédécoupe soient régulièrement et séquentiellement réalisés sur la bande 3. Par exemple, dans le cas de la première forme d'exécution de la figure 4, la bande 3 est entraînée par la portion 41b du rouleau d'entraînement 41, la longueur développée de cette portion 41 b correspondant à la longueur entre deux lignes de coupe 17, alors que le rouleau de prédécoupe 50 effectue la découpe selon l'une ou l'autre des positions représentées à la figure 3. Par contre dans la forme d'exécution de la figure 7, la prédécoupe ne peut être effectuée que lorsque la bande 3 est arrêtée. En conséquence, c'est ici la dimension perpendiculaire à l'axe de rotation du rouleau 41 de la face plane 41 a qui doit correspondre à la longueur entre deux lignes de coupe 17 afin de permettre l'actionnement de la plaque de prédécoupe 59a lors de l'arrêt de la bande 3.FIGS. 4 and 7 show an optical detector 44 responsible for detecting the position of the preprinted marks 19 on the strip 3. The signal emitted by the detector 44 during the passage of a reference mark 19 is sent to a control unit 48. control unit 48 is in particular responsible for angularly wedging each of the motorized means 43, 52 (FIG. 4) or 43, 59b (FIG. 7), so that the drive and the precut are regularly and sequentially made on the belt 3. For example, in the case of the first embodiment of Figure 4, the band 3 is driven by the portion 41b of the drive roller 41, the developed length of this portion 41 b corresponding to the length between two cutting lines 17, while the precut roll 50 performs cutting in one or other of the positions shown in Figure 3. In contrast to the embodiment of Figure 7, the precut can not be effe only when band 3 is stopped. Accordingly, it is here the dimension perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller 41 of the flat face 41a which must correspond to the length between two cutting lines 17 to allow the actuation of the precut plate 59a when the judgment of the band 3.

D'autres moyens que ceux décrits pour effectuer les découpes peuvent être envisagés, par exemple des moyens de découpe par laser ou par un fin jet d'eau (Water Jet).Other means than those described for making the cuts can be envisaged, for example laser cutting means or by a water jet end (Water Jet).

La machine peut aussi comprendre, comme on le voit sur les figures 4 et 7, une portion d'impression 6, schématisée par le dispositif d'impression 60, par exemple un dispositif à jet d'encre, chargé d'imprimer séquentiellement un motif quelconque, par exemple un pictogramme 26 comme mentionné précédemment sur une face de la bande 3 en un endroit déterminé. Ces moyens d'impression 6 aussi commandés séquentiellement par l'unité de commande 48, sont représentés ici directement après le rouleau de prédécoupe 50, respectivement après la plaque d'impression 59a, mais ils peuvent être disposés en n'importe quel endroit idoine de la machine.The machine may also comprise, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, a printing portion 6, represented diagrammatically by the printing device 60, for example an ink jet device, responsible for sequentially printing a pattern any, for example a pictogram 26 as mentioned above on one side of the strip 3 at a specific location. These printing means 6, also sequentially controlled by the control unit 48, are represented here directly after the precut roll 50, respectively after the printing plate 59a, but they can be arranged in any convenient place of the machine.

En remplacement ou en complément à la portion d'impression 6 ci-dessus, la même portion 6 peut aussi comprendre un dispositif permettant d'apposer une étiquette autocollante en un endroit déterminé de la bande 3. Cette étiquette peut comprendre par exemple un pictogramme 26 ou un motif quelconque préimprimé et est déposée par ledit dispositif 6 sur la bande 3 afin d'y adhérer.In lieu of or in addition to the printing portion 6 above, the same portion 6 may also include a device for affixing a self-adhesive label at a determined location of the strip 3. This label may comprise, for example, a pictogram 26 or any pattern preprinted and is deposited by said device 6 on the band 3 to adhere.

On voit aussi sur les mêmes figures un rouleau de coupe 45 muni d'une lame de coupe 46, entraîné par des moyens motorisés 47 commandés eux aussi séquentiellement par l'unité de commande 48. Une table d'appui assure l'appui de la lame de coupe 46 lors de l'opération de coupe. Au lieu d'une table d'appui, on peut aussi avoir un autre rouleau d'appui. L'action du rouleau de coupe 45 est commandée durant l'avance de la bande 3, afin de séparer, le long de la ligne 17 de la figure 3, la portion avant 31 de la bande 3 formant l'étiquette ou ébauche d'emballage individuelle. Lorsque cette dernière découpe est effectuée, l'étiquette ou ébauche 31 est emmenée par des moyens de prise non représentés ici afin de recevoir les paquets de cigarettes à emballer en cartouche. La portion de la machine où s'effectuent les opérations d'amenée des paquets de cigarettes, de pliage et de collage de l'emballage n'est pas représentée ici.We also see in the same figures a cutting roller 45 provided with a cutting blade 46, driven by motorized means 47 also controlled sequentially by the control unit 48. A support table ensures the support of the cutting blade 46 during the cutting operation. Instead of a support table, one can also have another support roll. The action of the cutting roller 45 is controlled during the advance of the web 3, in order to separate, along the line 17 of FIG. 3, the front portion 31 of the web 3 forming the label or blank. individual packaging. When the latter cut is performed, the label or blank 31 is taken by gripping means not shown here to receive packets of cigarettes to be packaged in a cartridge. The portion of the machine where the operations of feeding packets of cigarettes, folding and gluing of the packaging is not shown here.

Pour les deux formes d'exécution représentées de la machine, dans le cas où les moyens de prédécoupe 5, constitués du rouleau 50 ou de la plaque 59a, sont disposés en aval des rouleaux d'entraînement 41, 42, on peut supprimer le rouleau de coupe 45, la lame de coupe 46 étant montée directement sur le rouleau 50, respectivement sur la plaque 59b.For the two illustrated embodiments of the machine, in the case where the precut means 5, consisting of the roller 50 or the plate 59a, are arranged downstream of the drive rollers 41, 42, the roller can be removed. 45, the cutting blade 46 being mounted directly on the roller 50, respectively on the plate 59b.

De même, pour les deux formes d'exécution décrites, au cas où des portions de lignes prédécoupées 18 sont à effectuer afin d'aider au pliage de la cartouche, des moyens de découpe adéquats peuvent être ajoutés directement sur les moyens de prédécoupe décrits, rouleau 50 ou plaque 59a, ou alors peuvent être conçus de manière indépendante.Similarly, for the two described embodiments, in the case where pre-cut line portions 18 are to be made in order to assist in the folding of the cartridge, suitable cutting means can be added directly to the pre-cut means described, roller 50 or plate 59a, or can be designed independently.

Il semble ressortir des figures 4 et 7 que les lignes de pliage de chaque ébauche apparaissent sur la bande 3 après que celle-ci ait passé entre les rouleaux 50 et 51, respectivement la plaque 59a. Ces lignes immatérielles ont été représentées ici uniquement afin de faire le lien avec la figure 3 et afin de voir le positionnement des lignes préaffaiblies sur la bande. Par contre, les marques repères 19 sont de préférence déjà imprimées sur la bande en bobine.It appears from Figures 4 and 7 that the fold lines of each blank appear on the strip 3 after it has passed between the rollers 50 and 51, respectively the plate 59a. These intangible lines have been shown here only in order to make the link with FIG. 3 and to see the positioning of the pre-weakened lines on the strip. By cons, mark marks 19 are preferably already printed on the tape coil.

Dans le cas où la bande 3 est constituée d'un matériau transparent, par exemple papier cellophane ou polypropylène, les lignes de prédécoupe pourraient ne pas être facilement distinguées sur l'emballage terminé. Dans ce cas, la portion d'impression 6 pourrait être complétée relativement à ce qui est représenté sur les figures afin qu'une ligne imprimée apparaisse sur les lignes de prédécoupe 20, les rendant ainsi davantage visibles. Dans le même cas, les moyens d'impression 6 pourraient être complétés de moyens supplémentaires d'impression d'un logo, d'une marque ou de toute autre indication ou de dépose d'une étiquette autocollante préimprimée sur la bande 3.In the case where the band 3 is made of a transparent material, for example cellophane or polypropylene paper, the precut lines may not be easily distinguished on the finished package. In this case, the print portion 6 could be supplemented relative to what is shown in the figures so that a printed line appears on the precut lines 20, thus making them more visible. In the same case, the printing means 6 could be supplemented by additional means of printing a logo, a mark or any other indication or removal of a self-adhesive label pre-printed on the strip 3.

Des moyens de guidage et de stabilisation, généralement connus de la technique et non représentés sur les figures, peuvent aussi être inclus dans la machine afin de guider et de stabiliser la bande 3 lors de son passage dans la machine.Guiding and stabilizing means, generally known in the art and not shown in the figures, may also be included in the machine to guide and stabilize the band 3 during its passage through the machine.

Au lieu d'avoir les ébauches 31 destinées à former chaque emballage individuel sous forme d'une bande, il est aussi possible d'avoir lesdites étiquettes déjà découpées au format convenable, et disposées sous forme d'une pile à l'entrée de la machine. Des moyens connus de prise permettent de saisir successivement chaque ébauche et de l'envoyer vers une portion de machine comportant le rouleau de prédécoupe 50 ainsi que le rouleau d'appui 51 ou la plaque de prédécoupe 59a et la plaque d'appui 59c, afin d'y effectuer les opérations de prédécoupe comme ci-dessus.Instead of having the blanks 31 intended to form each individual package in the form of a strip, it is also possible to have said labels already cut into the appropriate format, and arranged in the form of a stack at the entrance of the box. machine. Known means of gripping successively seize each blank and send it to a machine portion comprising the precut roll 50 and the support roll 51 or the precut plate 59a and the support plate 59c, so to perform pre-cut operations as above.

On constate donc, que pour n'importe quelle variante de n'importe quelle forme d'exécution décrite de la machine, celle-ci peut fonctionner directement en ligne avec la machine d'emballage des paquets de cigarettes, améliorant ainsi fortement le rendement de celle-ci. Dans le cas d'un emballage, respectivement d'une ébauche, en un matériau transparent, la machine d'emballage peut comprendre un dispositif complémentaire permettant d'introduire un coupon publicitaire ou autre sous l'emballage avant de refermer celui-ci.It can thus be seen that for any variant of any described embodiment of the machine, it can operate directly in line with the packaging machine for cigarette packages, thus greatly improving the efficiency of the machine. it. In the case of a package, respectively a blank, of a transparent material, the packaging machine may include a complementary device for introducing a promotional coupon or other under the package before closing it.

La description qui précède a été faite concernant une cartouche de cigarettes comportant 10 paquets disposés en deux rangées superposées de cinq paquets. Il est évident qu'elle peut s'appliquer à toutes sortes de cartouches contenant un autre nombre de paquets et/ou des paquets disposés différemment. Elle s'applique aussi plus généralement à des emballages de type semblable, notamment les emballages regroupant un certain nombre d'objets, particulièrement des objets déjà emballés individuellement, qu'il est ainsi possible d'atteindre l'un après l'autre. Vu sa fonctionnalité permettant une prise individuelle des objets qu'il contient, un tel emballage peut aussi servir directement de distributeur desdits objets.The foregoing description has been made with respect to a cigarette cartridge having 10 packs arranged in two superimposed rows of five packs. It is obvious that it can be applied to all kinds of cartridges containing another number of packets and / or packages arranged differently. It also applies more generally to similar type of packaging, including packaging containing a number of objects, particularly objects already individually packaged, it is possible to reach one after the other. Given its functionality allowing an individual grip of the objects it contains, such packaging can also be used directly as a distributor of said objects.

Claims (23)

  1. A process for the preparation of a packaging blank (31) starting from a material web (3) or a stack of blanks, said packaging blank (31) being intended to be bent around a certain number of objects or packs (16) in order to form an objet grouping packaging called carton (1), said preparation comprising forming in the web (3) for providing the packaging blank (31), or in each packaging blank (31) a line (20) of weakened resistance surrounding at least in part a surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) that is to extend on at least one face (10, 11, 12) of the carton (1), the opening of that surface portion allowing the access to the objects or packs (16), said process comprising the steps of:
    - a) providing a web (3) or at least one blank (31) from a stack of blanks (31) made of a soft material such as paper, metallised paper, synthetic materials or a compound material, said soft material comprising register marks (19) printed in regular predetermined intervals, and
    - b) detecting, on a machine (4) for making said packaging, comprising feeding means (30, 40) and means (41, 42) for sequentially advancing a web (3) or a blank (31) from a stack of material constituting said packaging blank (31), the position of the printed register marks (19) by means of a detector cell (44),
    - c) acting through a control unit (48) of the packaging making machine on a pre-cutting means (5), namely, on the angular offset of driving means (52) of a pre-cutting roller (50) or, respectively, of driving means (59b) of a pre-cutting platen (59a), in order
    . to adjust the position of the line (20) of weakened resistance on the length of said web (3) or on said blank (31) from said stack and to proceed to pre-cutting, in such a manner that, when the blank (31) taken from said web or issued from said stack will have been bent around a certain number of objects or packs (16) in order to form the packing named carton (1), and when the surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) surrounded by the line (20) of weakened resistance has been at least in part removed, a user will be able to withdraw directly an object or a pack (16), and the packing (1) will remain intact as an integral piece, and,
    - d) in the case of a web, to proceed to cutting in order to form the blanks.
  2. The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the step of preparation is effected by a pre-cutting means (50) comprising a pre-cutting roller (50) pressing against the material web (3) that makes up said blank when the web is moved forward in longitudinal direction.
  3. The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the step of preparation is effected by a pre-cutting means (50) comprising a pre-cutting platen (59a) pressing against the material web (3) that makes up said blank when the movement of the web is stopped
  4. The process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the step of preparation is a pre-cutting step wherein the pre-cuts go completely through the material web (3).
  5. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the preparation step comprises pre-cutting of only a fraction of the thickness of the material web (3).
  6. The process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises a printing step for printing a pictogram (26), and/or a logo and/or any other indication and/or the trace of at least one portion of the line (20) of weakened resistance.
  7. The process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises a step of affixing a self-adhesive pre-printed label.
  8. A device for the preparation of a line (20) of weakened resistance that surrounding at least in part a surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) extending on at least one face (10, 11, 12) of a packaging blank (31) made from a material web (3) or taken from a stack of blanks, this packaging blank (31) being intended to be bent around a certain number of objects or packs (16) in order to form an objet grouping packaging called carton (1), said preparation comprising forming a line (20) of weakened resistance in the web (3) intended for making up the packaging blank (31), or in each blank (31) of a stack of packaging blanks (31), the opening of said surface portion allowing a user to remove directly an object or a pack (16), leaving the packaging (1) intact as an integral piece, the device being characterised in that it comprises:
    - a pre-cutting means (5) that sequentially presses against a web (3) of the material constituting said packaging blank (31) or against each blank (31) from a stack of blanks (31), associated with a driving roller (41) capable of effecting a sequential longitudinal displacement of said web (3) or of a blank (31) from a stack of blanks (31), and control means (44, 48) for sequentially controlling
    . said longitudinal displacement and, respectively, the stop of the web (3) or of the blank (31) from a stack of blanks (31), as well as
    . the action of said pre-cutting means (5),
    - detector means (44) for detecting the passage of a register mark (19) printed on said web or on each blank (31) from a stack of blanks (31), said detector means providing a signal to be sent to a control unit (48), said control unit sequentially controlling the driving means (43, 52, 59b) of said driving roller (41) and of said pre-cutting means (5), and,
    - in the case of a web, means for cutting the blanks from the web.
  9. The device according to claim 8, characterised in that the pre-cutting means (5) specially comprise a rotating pre-cutting roller (50), and that the action of said pre-cutting roller on the web (3) is activated when said web (3) is in movement.
  10. The device according to claim 8, characterised in that the pre-cutting means (5) specially comprise a pre-cutting platen (59a) capable of being sequentially pressed against said web (3), and that the action of said pre-cutting platen (59a) on the web (3) is activated when said web (3) is not in movement.
  11. The device according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterised in that the pre-cutting means (5) comprise an outer pressure surface (53) having an edge (54) composed of cutting portions inserted between non-cutting portions, the edge being capable of pre-cutting a line (20) of weakened resistance in the packaging blank (31).
  12. The device according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterised in that the pre-cutting means (5) comprise a support bearing cutting blades (57, 58), each blade having an edge (57) composed of cutting portions inserted between non-cutting portions, said edges of said blades being capable of pre-cutting a line (20) of weakened resistance in the packaging blank (31).
  13. The device according to claim 12, characterised in that the cutting blades (57, 58) are removable.
  14. The device according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterised in that the peripheral surface of said driving roller (41) comprises a cylindrical portion (41 b) and a plain portion (41 a), said roller being capable of advancing the web (3) according to a longitudinal movement when the web contacts the cylindrical portion (41 b), and not advancing the web according to a longitudinal movement when the web is facing the plain portion (41 a).
  15. The device according to any one of claims 8 to 14, characterised in that it further comprises printing means (6, 60) for printing a pictogram (26) and/or a trace of the line (20) of weakened resistance and/or a trade name or any other indication, said printing means being sequentially activated by said control unit (48).
  16. The device according to any one of claims 8 to 15, characterised in that it further comprises means (6) for applying a pre-printed self-adhesive label.
  17. The device according to any one of claims 8 to 16, characterised in that it is placed at an entry location of a packaging manufacturing machine.
  18. Parallelepiped shaped packaging (1) containing a plurality of objects (16) and comprising six faces including two end faces (14, 15),
    this packaging further comprises opening means (2) that allow an easy access to one of said objects (16) contained in said packaging, said opening means being formed of a surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) partially or totally surrounded by a line (20) of weakened resistance, said surface portion extending on at least one face (10, 11, 12) of said packaging,
    the position of the line (20) of weakened resistance being adjusted on the blank (31) in such a manner that, when that blank (31) will have been bent around a certain number of objects or packs (16) in order to form the packing named carton (1), and when the surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) surrounded by the line (20) of weakened resistance has been at least in part removed,
    a user will be able to withdraw directly an object or a pack (16), and the packing (1) will remain intact as an integral piece, the two end faces (14, 15) remaining on the packaging after its opening,
    the packaging being characterised in that it is made up from a blank (31) consisting of a sole layer of a soft material such as paper, metallised paper, a synthetic material, or a compound material.
  19. The packaging according to claim 18, characterised in that the pre-cut surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) is a closed surface portion.
  20. The packaging according to claim 18, characterised in that the pre-cut surface portion (21, 22, 23, 24) is an open surface portion.
  21. The packaging according to any one of claims 19 and 20, characterised in that the opening means (2) are equipped with starting means (25, 20a, 26) for opening the packaging.
  22. The packaging according to claim 21, characterised in that the opening starting means are formed by a pre-cut tongue (25) adjoining the line (20) of weakened resistance.
  23. The packaging according to claim 21, characterised in that the opening starting means are formed by at least one pictogram (26) printed on said packaging or pre-printed on a self-adhering label affixed to said packaging.
EP97941774A 1996-10-08 1997-10-03 Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton Expired - Lifetime EP1003635B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP97941774A EP1003635B1 (en) 1996-10-08 1997-10-03 Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96810674A EP0835748A1 (en) 1996-10-08 1996-10-08 Method and device for making a packaging blank, and cigarette carton
EP96810674 1996-10-08
EP97941774A EP1003635B1 (en) 1996-10-08 1997-10-03 Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton
PCT/CH1997/000374 WO1998015405A1 (en) 1996-10-08 1997-10-03 Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton
US08/946,425 US6234943B1 (en) 1996-10-08 1997-10-07 Process and device for preparing a packaging blank and packaging prepared by such blank

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1003635A1 EP1003635A1 (en) 2000-05-31
EP1003635B1 true EP1003635B1 (en) 2006-05-17

Family

ID=26144258

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96810674A Withdrawn EP0835748A1 (en) 1996-10-08 1996-10-08 Method and device for making a packaging blank, and cigarette carton
EP97941774A Expired - Lifetime EP1003635B1 (en) 1996-10-08 1997-10-03 Method and device for the sequential preparation of a packaging blank, and cigarette carton

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96810674A Withdrawn EP0835748A1 (en) 1996-10-08 1996-10-08 Method and device for making a packaging blank, and cigarette carton

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US6234943B1 (en)
EP (2) EP0835748A1 (en)
JP (1) JP2001502616A (en)
AU (1) AU4374597A (en)
CZ (1) CZ117599A3 (en)
WO (1) WO1998015405A1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2001502616A (en) 2001-02-27
EP0835748A1 (en) 1998-04-15
AU4374597A (en) 1998-05-05
CZ117599A3 (en) 1999-09-15
US6234943B1 (en) 2001-05-22
WO1998015405A1 (en) 1998-04-16
EP1003635A1 (en) 2000-05-31

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