EP1361987A1

EP1361987A1 - Cut sheet and packet, in particular for cigarettes

Info

Publication number: EP1361987A1
Application number: EP20020712906
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bodo-Werner Lutzig
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Current assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Priority date: 2001-02-13
Filing date: 2002-02-13
Publication date: 2003-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-13
Also published as: MXPA03007221A; KR100822831B1; BG108108A; KR20040004526A; ATE280103T1; EA004819B1; DE50201357D1; BG65017B1; AU2002244715C1; JP2004526439A; JP3975169B2; CA2437936C; ES2229110T3; WO2002064451A1; CA2437936A1; DE10106548A1; HK1063769A1; UA73414C2; EA200300889A1; EP1361987B1

Abstract

The invention relates to cut sheets (10) and packets produced therefrom, in particular cigarette packets, the four longitudinal edges and four horizontal main edges thereof, all rounded off or chamfered, by means of folded regions with two or more fold lines. At the junction of various folded regions one of the mutually coincident folded regions terminates in a circular arc section of about 45 DEG to 90 DEG and the other in an S-curve.

Description

Blank sheets and boxes made therefrom, in particular for cigarettes

description

The present invention relates to a blank sheet and boxes made therefrom, as are used in particular as packaging for cigarettes.

Cigarettes are usually brought onto the market either in soft-cup packs or in hard-cup packs, for example in hinged-lid boxes or hinge-lid boxes, but also in so-called rigid-soft packs without a hinged lid. In the case of hard cup packs, it is also known to round corners and edges in order to protect the pockets of the consumer. For example, DE 29 40 797 AI describes a cigarette packet for this purpose, u. a. of the hinge-lid type, in which all corners and edges are rounded. However, this German Offenlegungsschrift does not disclose how this box can be manufactured.

EP 0 764 595 A1 describes a cigarette packet of the hinge-lid type, the four horizontal main edges of which beveled or rounded. Corresponding cut sheets are also shown for producing these edges. This European publication also contains a reference to US 2 523 251 (lines 51 to 54 in column 4 of EP 0 764 595 AI) and thus also the combination of the rounded or beveled horizontal edges of EP 0 764 595 AI with the beveled longitudinal edges of the US 2 523 251. Again, however, there is no indication of how to manufacture this particular embodiment.

In fact, the production of a box, in particular a cigarette-folding lid box, in which all corners as well as the longitudinal edges and horizontal main edges are rounded or beveled, from a single blank sheet is problematic.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cut sheet which is simple to produce and to produce a box, in particular a cigarette hinged-lid box, in which all the longitudinal edges and the horizontal main edges and the corners are largely rounded or beveled.

The solution to this problem is a blank sheet made of foldable material to form a cuboid box, which is closed on at least 5 sides, two diametrically opposed main surface areas in the cuboid box to be formed and a bottom panel connecting them being arranged in a straight line in the blank sheet and the sides that in the cuboid

The box on the two diametrically opposed main surface areas and on the floor area connecting them are formed by side surface areas that protrude laterally from the two main area areas, and edges of the two main area areas diametrically opposed in the cuboid box to be formed are formed by folding areas, characterized in that two fold areas meet at (preferably the lower) corners of the two main surface areas diametrically opposite each other in the cuboid box to be formed, and - that of two (preferably essentially at right angles) fold areas meet one another by a circular arc segment of approximately 45 ° to 90 °, preferably 65 ° to 80 °, and the other is delimited by an S curve, the S curve nestling towards the corner of the main surface areas towards the circular arc segment and

that the fold areas are preferably formed by two or more adjacent, essentially parallel fold lines.

Preferred is a blank sheet as defined above with a first main surface field with a left and right first side surface field, wherein

a floor area adjoins the upper edge of the first main area area and a second main area area with a left and right second side area area adjoins the upper edge of the floor area,

the blank has horizontal and vertical fold areas, namely a 1st and 2nd horizontal fold area between the first main area field and the floor area and the floor area and the second main area area and 1st to 4th vertical fold areas between the left first side area area and the first main area area, the first main area and the right first side area, the left second side area and the second main area and the second main area and the right second side area,

- The 1st horizontal fold area meets at the upper corners of the first main surface area with the 1st and 2nd vertical fold area and - The 2nd horizontal fold area meets at the lower corners of the second main area area with the 3rd and 4th vertical fold area. The cutting sheet described above can be produced in a simple manner by corresponding modification of existing machines for the production of cutting sheets. The usual folding and gluing process results in a hard cup pack consisting of only one box part into which a cigarette group wrapped in an inner liner can be inserted. Usually, the box size is dimensioned so that the cigarette group sits firmly in the box and protrudes slightly at the upper, open end to enable the consumer to open the box and remove the cigarettes.

As a rule, however, the box will also have a lid part in addition to the box part, so that a conventional hinge-lid box results.

In order to obtain this usual hinge-lid box, the cutting sheet described above has additional fields, namely a third main surface field with a left and right third side surface field following the second main surface field, with an upper side field and at the upper edge of the third main surface field the upper edge of the top field connects a fourth main surface field with a left and right side surface field, and wherein - the cutting sheet further horizontal and vertical

Folding areas, namely a 3rd and 4th horizontal folding area between the third main panel and the top panel and the top panel and the fourth main panel and 5th to 8th vertical folding portions between the left third panel and the third main panel, the third main panel and the right third side surface area, the left fourth side area area and the fourth main area area and the fourth main area area and the right fourth side area area, - the 3rd horizontal folding area meets at the upper corners of the third main area area with the 5th and 6th vertical folding areas and - The 4th horizontal fold area meets at the lower corners of the fourth main area with the 7th and 8th vertical fold areas.

In addition to the fields described, the cut sheet advantageously also has left and right second side surface field flaps on the lower edges of the left and right second side surface fields and left and right third side surface field flaps on the upper edges of the left and right third side surface fields. These side panel flaps serve to reinforce the bottom and the lid of the finished box.

There is preferably a reinforcement field on the upper edge of the fourth main surface area, which is glued to the inside of the fourth main area field during the production of the box and also serves for reinforcement.

The usual materials for hinge-lid boxes can be used as foldable material, e.g. As paper or cardboard, optionally coated, as well as plastic, plastic film or plastic laminate, preferably wide web paper or wide web cardboard.

The fold lines can either be grooves or, preferably, scratch lines and preferably extend over the entire length and width of the box.

To produce grooves, the relevant points on the blank are pressed in by a grooved body. On the opposite side there is a creasing channel into which the material of the blank can be pressed. In the case of grooves running in parallel, a wavy cross section is produced in accordance with the method described. This method is described, for example, in US 2,523,251 and the result is shown in FIG. 2 thereof. When the blank sheet processed in this way is folded up, it then forms automatically along the grooves the round (in the case of several grooves) or (in the case of two grooves) bevelled edges of the pack.

The disadvantage here, however, is that due to the inherent rigidity and the restoring forces of the packing material

Gluing to make the pack is not unproblematic. This is usually done on overlapping areas of the blank that form the side walls of the box. Due to the rounded or beveled edges, these overlapping areas are significantly reduced compared to a normal z. B. hinge-lid box, so that only a limited amount of adhesive can be applied. The consequence is that the machine production is slowed down, since it is necessary to wait longer until the relatively small amount of the adhesive has dried properly, since the box would otherwise open again due to the restoring forces of the material.

This is particularly pronounced when Breitbahn cardboard or paper for the production of z. B. hinge-lid box is used. When making paper or cardboard, the product-forming material is placed on a fast-moving belt. This causes the long fibers in the material to orient themselves preferably in the longitudinal direction. Depending on whether the cut sheet is later cut longitudinally or transversely from the finished material web, the long fibers in the cut sheet are arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cut sheet (wide web) or longitudinally to the longitudinal axis of the cut sheet (narrow web). The orientation of the fibers transversely to the longitudinal direction of the broad web cutting sheet causes good bendability about the transverse axis, but poor bendability about the longitudinal axis. The restoring forces for the side gluing are therefore stronger than in the case of sheet form sheets, in which the situation is exactly the opposite due to the reversed position of the long fibers in the material. On the other hand, however, wide web cut sheets are preferably used for folding boxes, since they improve the stability of the Lid (no slanted closure, no easy tearing of the lid), the stiffness of the pack due to a higher resistance in the transverse direction and the flat position of the pack, ie the least possible curvature of the pack, favor the use of narrow web materials.

The use of scoring lines, in contrast to grooves, surprisingly reduces the restoring forces, so that Breitbahn materials can be used quickly and easily for the production of the boxes, without problems due to the smaller available area when gluing the box ,

To produce scoring lines, the thickness of the material forming the package is reduced by means of a scoring knife. For this purpose, the blank is placed on a smooth surface and processed with a scoring knife, so that in addition to compression, material can also be removed. Depending on the shape of the scoring knife, for example, a v-shaped or u-shaped cross-section is created. Since the base does not have channels as in the method for producing grooves at the points opposite the scoring knife, but rather a smooth surface, there is a reduction in thickness and not, as in the case of the grooves, a deformation without a reduction in thickness.

The degree of thickness reduction depends on the material used and the folding area concerned. Scoring lines of vertical folding areas are formed by a 10-80%, preferably 30-70%, very particularly preferably 40-60% and, for example, approximately 50% reduction in the thickness of the paper or cardboard, scoring lines of horizontal folding areas by a 10 -50%, preferably 20-40% and, for example, approximately 30% reduction in the thickness of the paper or cardboard.

Scribe lines are also preferred for a second reason for the cutting sheets according to the invention. You have that Advantage that when they are on the inside of the finished package, the outside looks completely intact and unprocessed and therefore offers a better visual appearance for the consumer, which is not possible when using grooves.

The extent and type of rounding can be determined by the number of fold lines and their distance from one another. 6 to 8, in particular 7, fold lines are preferred per fold region, which are located at a distance of approximately 1 mm from one another. When folding, a box with rounded edges is created; the radius of the curve then corresponds approximately to that of a commercially available cigarette. Also preferred are two fold lines per fold area, which are located at a distance of 6 to 8 millimeters, in particular approximately 7 millimeters. When folding, a box with bevelled edges is created.

Because of the uniform visual appearance of the box, it is further preferred that all fold areas have the same number of fold lines.

For the meeting of the vertical and horizontal folding areas, it is preferred that the end of the circular arc segment and the end of the S curve diverge at right angles and lie parallel to the edges of the main surface areas, since this enables a smooth transition between the different folding areas is.

The circular arc segment and the S curve are preferably not connected to one another or only at the corner point of the main surface areas. In principle, it is also possible for there to be an at least partial connection between the circular arc segment and the S curve, but when folded to form the box, compressions and irregularities then occur in the transition area between the two different folding areas. It is further preferred that at least one fold area is delimited at either end by either a circular arc segment or an S-curve, just as it is preferred that all fold areas which meet other fold areas essentially at right angles at both ends have both ends these fold areas are limited either by the circular arc segment or the S curve. Finally, it is also preferred that all of the fold areas lying parallel to one another each terminate either with a circular arc segment or with an S curve. In all three cases, this leads to a better visual impression.

The cutting sheets are produced in a known manner. That is, the cut sheets are unwound and printed from sheets of cut sheet material which are stored on rolls, preferably as wide sheet cut sheets. This is usually followed by an operation in which the cut sheets are treated with a scoring knife or scoring body in the manner described and at the same time are punched and / or cut and, if necessary, embossed. By usual folding and gluing on the side surfaces, the finished z. B. receive cigarette box, which usually contains a wrapped in an inner liner group of cigarettes. In the hinge-lid boxes according to the invention, a conventional collar part is normally also used, which protrudes somewhat from the inside of the front wall of the box in the open box and has a recess which enables the cigarettes located in the box to be gripped.

The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment. It shows:

1 shows a blank according to the invention for producing a hinge-lid cigarette box and FIG. 2 shows a view of the detail Y of FIG. 1. A first main surface area 20 can be seen, which corresponds in the finished box to the front wall of the box part of the box, with its adjacent side surface areas 22 and 24. Between the left first side surface area 22 and the first main area area 20 and the first main area area 20 and the right first side area area 24 there are a 1st and 2nd vertical folding area 90 and 91 which are formed here by 7 scoring lines 100 and which have a quarter circle at their upper end.

The first main surface area 20 is adjoined at the top by the floor area 30, followed by the second main surface area 40. The first horizontal folding area 80 is located between the first main area 20 and the floor area 30, and the second horizontal folding area 82 is located between the floor area 30 and the second main area 40. These two horizontal folding areas 80 and 82 are likewise formed by seven scoring lines 100, which are located on both of them Show an S-shaped line at each end. The second main surface area 40, which corresponds in the finished box to the back of the box part, is flanked by the left second side surface area 42 with the left second side surface area flap 46 thereon and the right second side surface area 44 with the right second side surface area flap 48 located thereon. In between are a 3rd and 4th vertical fold area 92 and 93.

The third main surface area 40 is adjoined by the third main surface area 50, to which the lid rear wall corresponds in the finished box. The main surface areas 40 and 50 are separated from the fold line 12, about which the lid of the finished box can be pivoted. Between the third main surface area 50 and the left third side surface area 52 with the left third side surface area flap 56 on the one hand and the right third side surface area 54 with the right third side surface area flap 58 on the other hand there are the 5th vertical folding area 94 and the 6th vertical folding area 95. The vertical fold areas 92 and 93 and 94 and 95 are separated from one another by incisions which can extend to the fold line 12 or even further.

At the top of the third main surface area 50 is the cover area 60, which in turn is followed by the fourth main area area 70. The third horizontal folding area 84 is located between the third main surface area 50 and the cover area 60, and between the third field area 60 and the third main area area 70 there is the 4th horizontal folding area 86, which in turn, like all other folding areas, is formed by 7 scoring lines 100.

The left fourth side surface field 72, the right fourth side surface field 74 with the 7th and 8th vertical fold regions 96 and 97 located therebetween and the reinforcement field 72 are grouped around the fourth main surface area 70. Because of its somewhat smaller dimensions, this reinforcement field 72 has only four Scribe lines 100 on.

The vertical and horizontal folding areas meet at the corners of the main area fields, for example the vertical folding areas 90 and 91 with the horizontal folding area 80 at the upper corners 21 and 23 of the main area area. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the vertical folding regions end in a quarter curve which, on the one hand, merges smoothly into the upper edge of the respectively adjacent side surface field and, on the other hand, smoothly into the outer edge of the respective main surface field. The horizontal folding areas end in S-curves, which merge smoothly into the outer edges of the adjacent main surface area on the one hand and the adjacent floor or top area area on the other.

In addition to the scoring lines 100 of the various folding areas, further folding lines can be seen, such as the folding line 12 between the second 40 and third 50 main panel, the folding lines 77 in the reinforcement panel 72, and the folding lines 55 and 45, around which the side panel flaps can be pivoted. To manufacture the cigarette box, the side surface panels 42 and 44 can first be folded upwards by 90 ° and the side surface panel flaps 46 and 48 located thereon can then also be folded inwards by 90 °. Then the lower part of the cut sheet 10 with the base panel 30 and the first main surface panel 20 is folded upwards by 90 °, as a result of which the side surface panel flaps 46 and 48 come into contact with the base panel 30 and are glued. If the first main surface area 20 is folded further (by 90 °), the side surface areas 22, 42 and 24, 44 come to lie one above the other and can be glued so that the lower part of the box, the box part, is finished. The upper part, the lid part, of the box is produced in a similar manner, ie the side panel flaps 56 and 58 are glued to the top panel 60. The reinforcement panel 72 is glued inward onto the fourth main surface panel 70 and then the side surface panels 52, 72 and 54, 74 are glued together. The scoring lines 100 are therefore located on the inside of the finished box and cannot be recognized by the consumer from the outside.

The hinge-lid box obtained in the described folding has rounded longitudinal edges. The four main horizontal edges are also rounded. The intersection of the circular arc segment and the S curve at the ends of the folding areas results in a smooth transition between the folding areas and all 8 corners of the box are rounded off in this way.

The meeting of the circular arc segment and the S curve is shown enlarged in the detailed view of FIG. 2. The vertical folding areas 91 and 93 each end in a circular arc segment of approx. 60 to 70 °, the horizontal folding areas 80 and 82 in an S-curve. Circular arc segments and S-curve lie against each other without connection and meet at the corner points 23 and 43.

Claims

claims

1. cut sheet (10) made of foldable material to form a cuboid box, which is closed on at least 5 sides, two diametrically opposed main surface areas (20, 40) in the cuboid box to be formed and a bottom panel (30) connecting them in the cut sheet (10) are arranged in a straight line one after the other and the sides which are in contact in the cuboid box to be formed on the two diametrically opposite main surface fields (20, 40) and on the base field (30) connecting them, by side surface fields (22, 24, 42, 44 ) are formed, which protrude laterally from the two main surface areas (20, 40), and wherein edges of the two main surface areas (20, 40) diametrically opposite each other in the cuboid box to be formed are formed by fold areas, characterized in that ß - two fold areas at corners of the two diametra in the cuboid box to be formed l opposite main surface areas (20, 40) meet each other and - that of two colliding folding areas, one is delimited by an arc segment of about 45 ° to 90 ° and the other by an S curve, the S curve being at the corner of the Main surface areas (20, 40) nestling towards the circular arc segment.

2. Cutting sheet (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fold areas are formed by two or more adjacent, substantially parallel fold lines.

3. Cutting sheet (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2 with a first main surface area (20) with a left and right first side surface area (22, 24), wherein - A bottom panel (30) adjoins the top edge of the first main surface panel (20) and a second main panel panel (40) with a left and right second side panel panel (42, 44) adjoins the top edge of the bottom panel (30), - The cutting sheet (10 ) has horizontal and vertical folding areas, namely a 1st and 2nd horizontal folding area (80, 82) between the first main surface area (20) and the floor area (30) and the floor area (30) and the second main area area (40) and 1st to 4. vertical folding areas (90, 91, 92, 93) between the left first side surface area (22) and the first main area area (20), the first main area area (20) and the right first side area area (24), the left second side area area ( 42) and the second main surface area (40) and the second main surface area (40) and the right second side surface area (44),

- The 1st horizontal folding area (80) meets at the upper corners (21, 23) of the first main surface area (20) with the 1st and 2nd vertical folding area (90, 91) and - The 2nd horizontal folding area (82) meets at the lower corners (41, 43) of the second main surface area (40) with the 3rd and 4th vertical folding area (92, 93).

4. Cutting sheet (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that a left and right second side surface field flap (46, 48) adjoins the lower edge of the left and right second side surface field (42, 44).

5. Cutting sheet (10) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, on the upper edge of the second main surface field (40), a third main surface field (50) with a left and right third side surface field (52, 54), on the upper edge of the third Main surface field (50) a top side field (60) and on the upper edge of the top side field (60) a fourth main surface field (70) with a left and right side surface field (72, 74), where

- The blank (10) has further horizontal and vertical folding areas, namely a 3rd and 4th horizontal folding area (84, 86) between the third

Main surface area (50) and the top side area (60) as well as the top side area (60) and the fourth main area area (70) and 5th to 8th vertical folding areas (94, 95, 96, 97) between the left third side area area (52) and the third main area (50), the third main area (50) and the right third side area (54), the left fourth side area (72) and the fourth main area (70) and the fourth main area (70) and the right fourth side area (74) .

- the 3rd horizontal folding area (84) meets at the upper corners (51, 53) of the third main surface area (50) with the 5th and 6th vertical folding areas (94, 95) and - the 4th horizontal folding area (86) meets at the lower corners (71, 73) of the fourth main surface area (70) with the 7th and 8th vertical fold areas (96, 97).

6. Cutting sheet (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that on the upper edge of the left and right third side surface field (52, 54) a left and right third side surface field flap (56, 58) and on the upper edge of the fourth main surface field (70) a gain field (72) connects.

7. cutting sheet (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the foldable material is wide web cardboard or wide web paper.

Cutting sheet (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the fold lines are scored lines (100).

, Cutting sheet (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the scoring lines (100) of the vertical folding areas by a 10-80%, in particular a 40-60% reduction in the thickness of the paper or cardboard and the scoring lines (100) of the horizontal folding areas a 10-50%, in particular a 20-40% reduction in the thickness of the paper or cardboard is formed.

10. cutting sheet (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the end of the circular arc segment and the end of the S-curve run at right angles and are parallel to the edges of the main surface areas (20, 40, 50, 70).

11. Cutting sheet (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the ends of at least one folding area are both delimited either by the arc segment or the S curve.

12. cutting sheet (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that in all folding areas that meet at both ends at right angles to other folding areas, both ends of these folding areas are limited either by the arc segment or the S-curve.

13. Cutting sheet (10) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that all folding regions lying parallel to one another are each delimited either by the circular arc segment or the S curve.

14. Box, producible from a blank (10) according to one of claims 1 to 13.

15. Box, producible from a blank according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the scoring lines (100) are located on the inside of the box.