EP2684811A1

EP2684811A1 - Material recovery device, and packaging system comprising a container associated with the material recovery device

Info

Publication number: EP2684811A1
Application number: EP12176301.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Chris McLornan; Peter Dr. Uhrmeister; Paul Black
Original assignee: JT International SA
Current assignee: JT International SA
Priority date: 2012-07-13
Filing date: 2012-07-13
Publication date: 2014-01-15

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for recovering loose or particulate material on a surface and a packaging system comprising a container and such a recovery device (1). The recovery device (1) comprises a mat (2), configured to cooperate with reversible linking means (3) to reversibly secure said recovery device to a container for packaging loose or particulate material.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a material recovery device to ease and improve handling of loose or particulate material.

Prior art

Within the context of loose or particulate material handling, it is preferable to avoid any loss or spillage of material so as to promote complete use thereof and avoid waste.
An example of loose particulate material to be handled may be cut tobacco. Nowadays, a high amount of tobacco users choose to roll or make their own cigarettes. To that aim, they use cut tobacco packaged in tins or pouches and extract portioned amounts of tobacco from the container to form a cigarette by hand or with a mechanical device by wrapping the tobacco material in a non-tobacco material wrapper (paper sheet, paper tubes, etc.). When forming the cigarette, part of the tobacco might fall out of the wrapper onto the surface above which the user is making the cigarette. Some users collect the spilled tobacco material that fell out onto the surface and put it back into the container, which may pose some hygiene problems. Other users do not put the spilled tobacco material back into the tobacco container, and either leave it on the surface which may pose a problem if the surface is used for other purposes, or just collect the tobacco material to dispose of it.
Corresponding problems often occur when handling particulate and pulverulent materials such as flour, sugar or the like while cooking for example.
It is understood from what was stated hereinabove that to date, no satisfying solution exists to conveniently recover loose or particulate material that has been spilled on a surface.

Subject of the invention

In order to overcome the problems stated above, the invention provides for a device for recovering loose or particulate material on a surface, characterized in that it comprises a mat adapted to cooperate with reversible linking means to reversibly secure said recovery device to a container for packaging said material.
In preferred embodiments, the reversible linking means is integral or assembled to the mat. In other words, the linking means may be assembled to the mat or integrated into its very own material.
Alternatively, the reversible linking means may be integral or assembled to the container. In other words, the linking means may be mounted to the container to allow adjustment and fastening of the mat to the container.
In other alternative embodiments the reversible linking means comprise corresponding linking members that are assembled or integral with the mat and/or the container respectively. In such embodiments corresponding linking members, for example male and female linking members, may be mounted or fitted on opposite parts of the mat or on the mat and the container respectively to allow a user to tightly fit the mat onto part of the container like a sleeve or to simply hang or fasten the mat on the container.
According to preferred embodiments, the mat comprises a deformable structure. Such a deformable structure of the mat may for example be an articulated structure.
Preferably, the deformable structure of the mat is a shape memory structure.
In preferred embodiments, the mat is configured so as to occupy a storage state in which it is attached to said container by the linking means, and a usage state in which it is detached from said container, and able to cover a substantially plane surface over which loose or particulate material will be handled.
In one embodiment, in the storage state, the mat can be wound around an outside surface of said container, the linking means holding the mat tightly wound on said outside surface.
Preferably, the linking means comprise corresponding linking members at opposite ends of said mat.
In the different embodiments of the device of the invention the linking means can be chosen from the following group: adhesive members, hook-and-loop fastening members, magnetic members, compression linking members.
Still preferably in the different embodiments of the device of the invention the mat may comprises a sheet consisting of at least one of the following materials: paper, cardboard, laminated or woven plastic film, neoprene, acetate.
A second aspect of the invention relates to a material packaging system comprising a container able to preserve the material, and a material recovery device as previously defined.
In preferred embodiments of the material packaging system of the invention the mat is, in a storage state, wound around an outside surface of the container or folded into said container and held in that storage state by said reversible linking means..
Preferably, the container is at least partially filled with loose or particulate material chosen from at least one of the following products: a pulverulent product, a lumpy product, or a product in the form of particles, or cut tobacco leaves.

Summary description of the drawings

Other advantages and characteristics will be described in the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figures 1A and 1B represent preferred embodiments of a recovery device according to the invention,
Figure 2 represents a container intended to cooperate with the recovery device as shown in figures 1A and 1B,
Figure 3 illustrates a packaging system according to the invention comprising a container as shown in figure 2 and a recovery device wound and fastened onto said container by reversible linking means,
Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of a recovery device according to the invention,
Figure 5 and 6 illustrate the use of a recovery device and packaging system according to the invention for the recovery of loose tobacco after rolling or tubing operations to prepare cigarettes.

Description of preferential modes of the invention

The present invention proposes a recovery device 1 for recovering loose or particulate material 5 as represented in Figures 1 and 4 and a packaging system for such loose or particulate material including a container 4 as represented in Figure 2 and a recovery device 1 and represented in Figure 3.
The device and packaging system of the invention help recovering loose or particulate material spilled out of a container onto a surface.
Figures 1 to 3 represent a material recovery device 1 and a packaging system P according to the present invention in preferred embodiments.
In a first embodiment represented in Figure 1A the recovery device 1 comprises a mat 2 and a reversible linking means 3 assembled at an end 2a of the mat 2.
In a second embodiment represented in Figure 1B the recovery device 1 comprises two corresponding linking members 3a, 3b secured to the longitudinal ends 2a, 2b of the mat 2 and forming linking means 2 allowing fastening of said longitudinal extremities 2a, 2b of the mat 2 together. In that embodiment, a first linking member 3a is situated on a first face of the mat 2, and a second corresponding linking member 3b is situated on the second opposite face of the mat 2. Thus, when winding the mat around a container 4 (Figures 2 and 3), the ends 2a, 2b of the mat 2 overlap in such a way that the two corresponding linking members 3a, 3b face one another so as to allow their cooperation in linking the ends 2a, 2b of the mat 2 together.
In both embodiments of Figures 1A and 1B the linking means 3 are provided and configured to allow reversible linking of the mat 2 to a container 4 such as a tubular tin, for example by wrapping the mat 2 tightly around a container 4 as shown in Figure 3 to form a packaging system P (Figure 3).
In the appended figures, the mat 2 is rectangular. However, different shapes can also be adopted for the mat 2 without departing from the scope of the present invention: preferably, regular polygonal shapes may be chosen to allow easy winding or folding of the mat 2.
As stated above, the reversible linking means 3 are designed to allow reversible linking of the mat 2 to a container 4 to form a packaging system P according to the present invention.
As shown in Figure 2, the container 4 may be a tubular tin comprising a bottom wall 4a and a peripheral cylindrical wall 4b attached to said bottom wall 4a so as to define an internal space to receive loose or particulate material 5. The container 4 furthermore comprises a top opening 4c, allowing access to the material 5 and a lid 6 configured so as to close the container by cooperating with the top end of peripheral wall 4b.
The container 4 can have a tubular cylindrical shape as presented in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6 but other forms and shapes of containers can also be adopted without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Preferably, the container 4 is packaging loose or particulate material 5. More generally, container 4 can be at least partially filled with a material chosen from at least one of the following products: a pulverulent product, a lumpy product, a product in the particulate form such as cut tobacco leaves.
Alternatively in another embodiment not represented in the figures, the reversible linking means 3 may be mounted onto the container's peripheral wall 4b and the recovery device 1 comprises a mat 2 configured so as to cooperate with said reversible linking means on the container 4 for the mounting of the recovery device on the external surface of the container 3.
Still in another embodiment the reversible linking means can be formed by corresponding linking members mounted on the container's peripheral wall and the mat respectively to allow reversible linking of the mat wound onto the container.
In all previously defined embodiments of the recovery device and packaging system of the invention the reversible linking means 3 can be chosen among adhesives, magnetic, mechanical or electrostatic fastening or linking means to allow reversible attachment of the recovery device 1 to the container 4. Repositionable adhesive and magnetic patches or strips, as well as mechanical fastening means (e.g. mechanical or compression zippers) and other hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g. Velcro®) form preferable linking means 3 for the recovery device 1 of the present invention.
Within the context of adhesive linking means 3, the mat 2 can, as represented in Figure 1, comprise linking means 2 in the form of at least one adhesive strip 7 extending transversely at an end 2a to ensure linking to the opposite end 2b and fastening onto a container's outer surface after winding the mat onto said surface like in Figure 3.
Alternatively, as shown in Figure 4, an adhesive strip 8 can extend longitudinally along one surface of the mat 2 between the two ends 2a, 2b of the mat 2. This adhesive strip 8 can then cooperate with the outside surface of a container 4 so as to hold said mat wound around the container 4.
In the different embodiments of the invention, the linking means 3 of the recovery device 1 of the present invention are preferably flexible to allow easy winding or folding of the mat to attach it to a container 4 as well as handling of the mat during use as will be described hereinafter in relation to Figures 5 and 6.
Alternatively, in yet another embodiment of the invention, the reversible linking means 3 can be integrated to the container's lid 6 to receive the mat 2 in a folded state for storage purpose.
The recovery device 1 of the invention has been designed to facilitate recovery of spilled loose or particulate material 5 from a container 4 during use thereof.
To that aim, the mat 2 comprises advantageously a deformable structure allowing it to be easily wound or folded so as to occupy a storage state in which it is attached to a container 4 by the linking means 2 and a usage state in which it is detached from said container 4, and able to cover a substantially plane surface 9 over which the material 5 that is packaged in the container 4 will be handled as represented in Figure 5.
Preferably, the mat 2 can be made of a deformable sheet comprising at least one or a combination of the following materials: paper, cardboard, laminated or woven plastic film, neoprene, acetate. This sheet will advantageously have sufficient flexibility to allow said sheet to be wound around the peripheral wall 4b of the container 4 or to be folded into the container 4.
In an alternative embodiment, the mat 2 may comprise an articulated structure facilitating both folding of the mat 2 in the storage state of the recovery device 1 as well as its steadiness in the usage state .
Advantageously, the deformable structure of the mat 2 can also consist in a shape memory deformable tensioning structure. In fact, as the mat 2 will generally be used on a plane surface (see Figure 5), a shape memory tensioning structure helps to keep the mat 2 in its usage state when no stress is applied to the recovery device. For example, the deformable tensioning structure of the mat 2 can be a small fabric, like a circle, with a wire edge acting as a frame to create a flat memory shape of the mat, said tension structure can also be rolled up in order to be placed within the container.
The use of a recovery device 1 according to the invention for recovering loose cut tobacco material packaged in a packaging system of the invention comprising a tin container 4 and the recovery device 1 is described hereinafter in relation to Figures 5 and 6.
To prepare cigarettes from loose tobacco by "rolling" a user extracts loose cut tobacco from the tin container 4 and pours it in paper sheets to roll cigarettes. Likewise, to prepare cigarettes by "tubing", a user extracts loose cut tobacco from the tin container 4 and fills it into paper tubes with a tubing machine. In both cases, these rolling or tubing operations lead to lots of tobacco spilled on the surface where the operations have been carried out. The recovery device 1 of the invention helps recovery of this spilled loose tobacco as shown in Figure 5 and 6, using a packaging system P as represented in Figure 3.
To that aim, the user removes first the mat 2 of the recovery device 1 from the container 4 where it is linked in its storage state by means of the reversible linking means 3. Then, the user places the mat 2 in a flat unfolded usage state on a plane surface 9 such as a table where cigarette preparation is to be carried out. Preferably, the face of the mat 2 in contact with the container 4 in the storage state will be facing up, to provide for a hygienic recovery of tobacco. The user then removes the lid 6 of the container 4 and extracts tobacco from it to form cigarettes over the mat 2 on the surface 9. In operation, parts 10 of tobacco fall onto the mat 2. Once the user has finished preparing its cigarettes, he can easily recover the spilled tobacco parts 10 from the mat 2 by lifting the mat from the surface 9 and using it to put the spilled tobacco parts back into the container 4 as shown in figure 6.
Finally, the user puts the mat 2 of the recovery device 1 back in its storage state by winding said mat 2 around said container 4 and fastening it tightly in position by means of the linking means 3, which can for example consist of a repositionable adhesive strip.
Although the example given hereinabove is in particular applied to tobacco, it may be broadened to any type of material that can be spilled on a surface when extracted from a container.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, an advantageous packaging system can also be proposed, that comprises a mat wound around a container so that the two ends of the mat are linked together by a non-repositionable removable latching member (not shown). The withdrawal of the latching member sets the two longitudinal ends of the mat free so that the mat can be detached from the container. The presence of this latching member can then serve as an indicator of use of the recovery device.
In all embodiments previously described of the recovery device 1 of the invention the mat 2 can comprise visual indications, such as a brand logo and/or instructions for using the system for packaging and for handling the material present in the container, and/or health recommendations. For display reasons, the mat 2 can comprise a face printed with the same printed artwork as the container, or on a fixed label of the container. Thus, whether the recovery device 1 is or is not mounted, if appropriate, on the outside surface of the container, the user always sees the same information.

Claims

Device (1) for recovering loose or particulate material on a surface, characterized in that it comprises a mat (2), configured to cooperate with reversible linking means (3) to reversibly secure said recovery device to a container (4) for packaging said material (5).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reversible linking means (3) is integral or assembled to the mat (2).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reversible linking means (3) is integral or assembled to the container (4).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reversible linking means (3) comprise corresponding linking members integral or assembled to the mat (2) and/or the container (4) respectively.
Device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mat (2) comprises a deformable structure.
Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the deformable structure of the mat (2) is an articulated structure.
Device according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the deformable structure of the mat (2) is a shape memory structure.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mat (2) is configured so as to occupy a storage state in which it is attached to said container (4) by the linking means (3), and a usage state in which it is detached from said container (4), and able to cover a substantially plane surface (9) on which the material will be handled.
Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the mat (2) can be wound, in the storage state, around an outside surface of said container (4), the linking means (3) holding the mat (2) wound on said outside surface.
Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the linking means (3) comprise corresponding linking members (3a, 3b) at opposite ends (2a, 2b) of said mat (2).
Device according to claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the linking means (3) are chosen from the following group: adhesive members, hook-and-loop fastening members, magnetic members, compression linking members.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mat (2) comprises a sheet consisting of at least one of the following materials: paper, cardboard, laminated or woven plastic film, neoprene, acetate.
Material packaging system (P), characterized in that it comprises a container (4) for packaging loose or particulate material (5), and a material recovery device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12.
Packaging system according to claim 13, characterized in that, in a storage state the mat (2) is wound around an outside surface of the container (4) or folded into said container (4) and held in that storage state by said reversible linking means(3).
Packaging system according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that the container (4) is at least partially filled with a material (5) chosen from among at least one of the following products: a pulverulent product, a lumpy product, or a product in the form of particles, or cut tobacco leaves.