EP3099585B1

EP3099585B1 - A rigid packet of smoking articles with inner volume divided into two distinct chambers

Info

Publication number: EP3099585B1
Application number: EP15708324.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Marchitto; Stefano Negrini
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2014-01-31
Filing date: 2015-01-30
Publication date: 2018-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 2035-01-30
Also published as: EP3099585A1; WO2015114585A1; PL3099585T3

Description

The present invention relates to a rigid packet of smoking articles having an inner volume divided into two distinct chambers according to the preamble of claim 1. The present invention is advantageously applied to a rigid packet of cigarettes, to which the following description will make explicit reference without loss of generality.

PRIOR ART

The patent US4771882A1 describes a rigid packet of cigarettes with a hinged lid that has been modified to house a group of cigarettes of reduced size, that is, a group of cigarettes smaller than the total inner volume (because the group of cigarettes comprises a smaller number of cigarettes than the number of standard cigarettes, and/or because the cigarettes have a diameter less than the standard diameter). In particular, the packet of cigarettes comprises a filler element, which is made of corrugated cardboard and is inserted inside the packet of cigarettes to occupy the inner volume left free by the group of cigarettes. The function of the filler element is to prevent gaps inside the packet of cigarettes and thus to prevent the group of cigarettes from "shaking" inside the packet of cigarettes; in fact, if the group of cigarettes were free to "shake" inside the packet of cigarettes, the movements of the group of cigarettes during handling of the packet of cigarettes (either in the production step and during the distribution and sales step) would subject the cigarettes to mechanical stress that could easily determine an emptying of the tips (i.e. loss of tobacco fibers from the free ends of the cigarettes).
However, the filler element described in patent US4771882A1 In the first place, said filler element does not allow to exploit the useful part of the inner volume of the package of cigarettes not occupied by the group of cigarettes.
Furthermore, the incorporation of said filler element within the packet of cigarettes involves considerable constructional complications in the packing machine that must be changed to manipulate solid objects (the filler elements) of relatively big dimension. In particular, the filler elements always occupy a large volume and therefore require that a large space is occupied for their manipulation; consequently, in an existing packing machine it is difficult to find the free space to add the necessary elements for handling the filler elements.
Finally, said filler element uses a relatively high amount of material with an evident increase of the economic and environmental costs of production and disposal (after the use) of the packet of cigarettes; consider, for example, that the filler element mass is comparable, if not superior, to the total mass of the wrapping material used to form the packet of cigarettes.
Patent application DE2525959A1 represents the closest prior art and discloses a packet for cigarettes, cigarillos or the like, in which a partition wall is partially punched out of a planar insert and is folded into a transverse position to divide the inner volume into two open-topped chambers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a rigid packet of smoking articles that is free from the drawbacks described above and is, at the same time, easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
According to the present invention, a rigid packet of smoking articles, as claimed in the appended claims is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technical background will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limitative embodiment, wherein:
- Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a rigid packet of cigarettes in a closed configuration;
- Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a closed configuration;
- Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1 in an open configuration;
- Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1 in an open configuration and with the group of cigarettes removed (i.e. a front perspective view of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1 empty and in an open configuration);
- Figure 5 is a perspective view of a collar and of a separation element of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 6 is a schematic view and in cross section of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 7 is a schematic view and in cross section of an alternative of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 8 is a plan development of a blank used to obtain a container of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 9 is a plan development of a blank used to obtain a collar of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 10 is a plan development of a blank used to obtain a separation element of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1;
  and
- Figure 11 is a plan development of an integrated blank used to obtain both a collar and a separation element of the packet of cigarettes of Figure 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, number 1 indicates as a whole a rigid packet of cigarettes, which comprises a parallelepiped-shaped container 2 and an inner package 3 (shown in Figure 3) which encloses a group of cigarettes and is housed inside the container 2. Preferably, the group of cigarettes has a reduced size compared to standard size because the group of cigarettes comprises a smaller number of cigarettes than the standard number of cigarettes, and/or because the cigarettes have a smaller diameter than the standard diameter. The inner package 3 is of parallelepiped shape and is made from a wrapping metal foil wrapped around the group of cigarettes.
The container 2 has an open top end 4 and is provided with a lid 5, which is cup-shaped and hinged to the container 2 along a hinge 6 so as to rotate, with respect to the container 2, between an open position (illustrated in figure 3) and a closed position (illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) of the open top end 4.
The lid 5, when in its closed position, gives the container 2 a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a top wall 7 and a bottom wall 8 parallel and opposite to each other, a front wall 9 and a rear wall 10 parallel and opposite to each other, and two lateral walls 11 parallel and opposite to each other. Between the lateral walls 11 and the front 9 and rear 10 walls four longitudinal edges are defined, whereas between the top 7 and bottom 8 walls and the front 9, rear 10 and lateral 11 walls eight transverse edges are defined; in particular, between the top 7 and bottom 8 walls and front 9 and rear 10 walls four major transverse edges are defined, whereas between the top 7, bottom 8 and lateral 11 walls four minor transverse edges are defined.
As shown in Figure 3, the packet 1 also comprises a collar 12, which is connected (by gluing) U-folded inside the container 2 so as to project partly outwards from the open top end 4 and engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid 5 when the lid 5 is arranged in said closed position. The collar 12 comprises a front wall 13, which is arranged contacting the front wall 9 of the container 2, and two lateral walls 14, which are arranged on opposite sides of the front wall 13 and are arranged contacting the lateral walls 11 of the container 2. Generally speaking, the front wall 13 of the collar 12 is glued to an inner surface of the front wall 9 of the container 2 and the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 are glued to inner surfaces of the corresponding lateral walls 11 of the container 2.
As shown more clearly in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the packet 1 comprises a partition element 15 (i.e. a divider) which is arranged inside the container 2 and divides the inner volume of the container 2 in an open-topped main chamber 16 which houses the inner package 3 and an open-topped secondary chamber 17 and may be used for housing other objects (such as a lighter) which can be inserted during the formation of the packet 1 of cigarettes or may be inserted in use by the user after the first opening of the packet 1 of cigarettes. In other words, the partition element 15 is arranged inside the container 2 and divides the inner volume of the container 2 in the two chambers main 16 and secondary 17, longitudinally side by side according to the development direction of the packet 1; consequently, the partition element 15 separates the two chambers 16 and 17 one with respect to the other and forms the border between the two chambers 16 and 17 themselves.
According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the partition element 15 terminates lower down (i.e. away from the open top end 4) than the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12, i.e. the top edge of the partition element 15 is arranged lower than the top edge of the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12; in this way, the partition element 15 terminates lower than the inner package 3 (which has the same height as the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12, as illustrated in Figure 3), thus facilitating the extraction of the cigarettes from the inner package 3.
According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the partition element 15 is longitudinally oriented, i.e. is arranged parallel to the front 10 and rear 9 walls of the container 2 and perpendicular to the lateral walls 11 of the container 2; in this embodiment the two chambers 16 and 17 are arranged one in front of the other. Preferably (but not necessarily) the main chamber 16 is arranged in the front position (i.e. in direct contact with the front wall 9 of the container 2) and the secondary chamber 17 is arranged in the rear position (i.e. in direct contact with the rear wall 10 of the container 2) so as to facilitate access to the cigarettes contained in the inner package 3 (which are more easily accessible if the main chamber 16 is arranged at the front). According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the partition element 15 is oriented crosswise, i.e. is arranged perpendicular to the front 10 and rear 9 walls of the container 2 and parallel to the lateral walls 11 of the container 2; in this embodiment, the two chambers 16 and 17 are arranged next to one another (instead of one in front of the other) and thus both chambers 16 and 17 are delimited at the front and at the rear by the front 9 and rear 10 walls of the container 2.
As illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, the partition element 15 is U-formed (i.e. U-shaped in cross-section) and comprises a partition wall 18 which constitutes the separation between the two chambers 16 and 17 and two appendages 19 which are arranged on opposite ends of the partition wall 18 and are perpendicular to the partition wall 18.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the appendages 19 of the partition element 15 rest at the top of the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 and at the bottom of the lateral walls 11 of the container 2; preferably, the appendages 19 of the partition element 15 are glued to the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 so as to be integral with the lateral walls 14 themselves and/or (i.e. in addition to or instead) are glued to the lateral walls 11 of the container 2 so as to be integral with the lateral walls 11 themselves.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the appendages 19 of the partition element 15 rest at the top of the rear wall 10 of the container 2 and of the front wall 13 of the collar 12 and at the bottom of the rear 10 and front 9 walls of container 2; preferably, the appendages 19 of the partition element 15 are glued to the rear wall 10 of the container 2 and to the front wall 13 of the collar 12 so as to be integral with the walls 10 and 13 themselves and/or (i.e. in addition or alternatively) are glued to the rear 10 and front 9 walls of the container 2 so as to be integral with the walls 9 and 10 themselves. In the embodiments illustrated in the attached figures, the partition element 15 is U-formed (i.e. U-shaped in cross-section). According to the invention, which is not shown in the figures, the partition element 15 has a tubular shape and therefore also comprises a rear wall connected to the two appendages 19 from the side opposite to the partition wall 18; the rear wall can be glued to the inside of the container 2 and/or to the collar 12 (whenever the collar 12 has an enveloping tubular shape) in combination or as an alternative to gluing the appendages 19. According to a further embodiment not illustrated, the partition element 15 also has a bottom wall that is arranged parallel to the bottom wall 8 of the container 2.
As illustrated in Figure 8, the container 2 is obtained starting from a flat blank 20 having a substantially elongated rectangular shape and is of a known type.
As shown in Figure 9, the collar 12 is obtained starting from a flat blank 21 which is shaped to be cut without waste (off-cuts) from a continuous strip of wrapping material.
As illustrated in Figure 10, the partition element 15 is obtained starting from a flat blank 22 which is shaped to be cut without waste (off-cuts) from a continuous strip of wrapping material.
As illustrated in Figure 11, the collar 12 and the partition element 15 are obtained from a single common flat blank 23 which is substantially composed by the union of the blanks 21 and 22 illustrated respectively in Figures 9 and 10.
The packet 1 of cigarettes described above has numerous advantages.
In the first place, in the packet 1 of cigarettes described above the space left free from the inner package 3 (corresponding to the secondary chamber 17) can be fully exploited to house, for example, an accessory such as a cigarette lighter. So, in the packet 1 of cigarettes there is no waste of space.
Furthermore, the packet 1 of cigarettes described above is simply implemented even by an existing packing machine (which must be subjected to few and minor invasive modifications). In fact, the partition element 15 may be obtained from a continuous strip of wrapping material with similar processing to that performed for obtaining the collar; therefore the manipulation of the partition element 15 is simple (fully using known technologies and components) and less cumbersome.
Finally, in the packet 1 of cigarettes described above, the filler element uses a modest amount of material with a low impact on the economic and environmental production and disposal costs (after the use) of the packet 1 of cigarettes; consider, for example, that the mass of the filler element is a reduced fraction of the total mass of the wrapping material used to form the container 2 and the collar 12.

Claims

A rigid packet (1) of smoking articles comprising:
a parallelepiped-shaped container (2) having a front wall (9),

a rear wall (10), a bottom wall (8), and two lateral walls (11);

only one inner package (3), which encloses a group of smoking articles, is housed inside the container (2), and has a smaller cross dimension with respect to the cross dimension of the container (2); and

a partition element (15), which is arranged inside the container (2) and divides the inner volume of the container (2) into an open-topped main chamber (16) housing the inner package (3), and into an open-topped secondary chamber (17) that may be used for housing other objects;

wherein the partition element (15) comprises a partition wall (18) separating the two chambers (16, 17); and two appendages (19) which are arranged on opposite sides of and perpendicular to the partition wall (18)

the packet (1) of smoking articles being characterized in that the partition element (15) has a tubular shape and comprises a partition rear wall connected to the two appendages (19), on the oppo side with respect to the partition wall (18).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to Claim 1, wherein the partition element (15) is oriented longitudinally, and is arranged parallel to the front wall (9) and to the rear wall (10) of the container (2), and perpendicular to the lateral walls (11) of the container (2).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to Claim 2, wherein the main chamber (16) is arranged at the front wall (9), and the secondary chamber (17) is arranged at the rear wall (10).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to Claim 1, wherein the partition element (15) is oriented crosswise, and is arranged perpendicular to the front (9) and to the rear (10) walls of the container (2), and parallel to the lateral walls (11) of the container (2).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to one of Claims from 1 to 4, wherein the appendages (19) of the partition element (15) are glued to the inside of the container (2).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to one of Claims from 1 to 5, and comprising:
a lid (5) hinged to the container (2) to close an open top end (4) of the container (2); and

a collar (12), which is arranged inside the container (2), so as to project partly outwards of the open top end (4), and comprising a front wall (13) which is arranged in contact with the front wall (9) of the container (2); and two lateral walls (14) arranged on opposite sides of the front wall (13) and which are arranged in contact with the lateral walls (11) of the container (2).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to Claim 6, wherein the two appendages (19) of the partition element (15) rest on and are glued to the lateral walls (14) of the collar (12).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to Claim 6, wherein the two appendages (19) of the partition element (15) rest on and are glued to the rear wall (10) of the container (2) and to the front wall (13) of the collar (12).
The packet (1) of smoking articles according to one of Claims 1 to 8, and comprising:
a lid (5) hinged to the container (2) to close an open top end (4) of the container (2); and

a collar (12), which is arranged inside the container (2) so as to project partly outwards of the open top end (4), and comprising a front wall (13) which is arranged in contact with the front wall (9) of the container (2); and two lateral walls (14) arranged on opposite sides of the front wall (13) and which are arranged in contact with the lateral walls (11) of the container (2);

wherein the partition element (15) terminates lower down than the lateral walls (14) of the collar (12).