EP4267487B1

EP4267487B1 - Pack for smoking articles provided with a weakened overwrap

Info

Publication number: EP4267487B1
Application number: EP21834902.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alan ARMENI; Giuliano Gamberini
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2020-12-23
Filing date: 2021-12-09
Publication date: 2024-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2041-12-09
Also published as: JP7626860B2; CN116761762A; CN116761762B; JP2024502765A; WO2022136997A1; EP4267487A1; IT202000032231A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a pack of smoking articles provided with an overwrap.
This invention finds advantageous application in the production of a rigid cigarette packet containing a group of cigarettes, to which the following discussion will make explicit reference without, as a result, losing any generality thereby.

PRIOR ART

A rigid cigarette packet comprises a soft wrapping consisting of a group of cigarettes wrapped in a wrapping of metallic paper and a rigid outer container housing the wrapping.
A rigid cigarette packet is generally provided with a sealed overwrap (or one that is impermeable to air) that has the function of protecting the tobacco from the outside environment (especially for preserving the correct degree of humidity in the tobacco). The sealed overwrap surrounds and encloses the outer container, it consists of a wrapping sheet of transparent, plastic material (typically cellophane or polypropylene), and it is provided with a tear-open band, which is grasped and pulled by the user to divide (cut) in two the overwrap and, thus, enables the simple and quick removal, at least partially, of the overwrap.
In some rigid cigarette packets, it is always necessary to completely remove the sealed overwrap to be able to extract the cigarettes as, for example, happens with rigid cigarette packets provided with a side, hinged lid, in the rigid cigarette packets with a sliding opening, or in the so-called "wallet" rigid cigarette packets. However, while it is very easy to remove the upper portion of the overwrap (directly connected to the tear-open band), it is, in contrast, more difficult and complicated to remove the lower portion of the overwrap (not connected to the tear-open band) as well, especially when the overwrap has been well stretched around the outer container using a heat shrinking treatment (which confers the overwrap with a particularly pleasant look).
To facilitate the complete removal of the overwrap, it was proposed, for example as described in the patent application EP0601583A1 , to tilt the tear band in relation to the wrapping sheet so that the tear band is arranged along a diagonal of the cigarette packet; in any case, this solution entails significant changes to the tear band application unit and, thus, very high equipment costs.
To enable the complete removal of the overwrap, it was proposed, as for example described in the patent application EP1839845A1 , to produce, in the lower portion of the overwrap, weakening notches that trigger the breakage of the lower portion of the overwrap after the removal (pulling the tear-open band) of the upper portion of the overwrap; in any case, these weakening notches compromise the integrity of the plastic material that constitutes the overwrap, causing the loss of the seal compared to the outside and, thus, eliminating, at least in part, the protection function of the overwrap's external agents.
To enable the complete removal of the overwrap, it was proposed, as for example described in the patent application WO2014132171A1 , to apply to the overwrap a laceration element consisting of a glued label; in any case, this solution is particularly costly both due to the need for adding a new material to the cigarette packet (the label), and for the need to add a new assembly that applies the label to the packing machine.
To facilitate the complete removal of the overwrap, it was proposed, as, for example, described in the patent application WO2015145304A1 , to apply additional, secondary tear-open bands that extend transversally, starting from the main tear-open band, to the overwrap; in any case, this solution entails significant changes to the tear band application unit and, thus, very high equipment costs.
The patent application EP1666376A1 describes a sealed overwrap that has a tear-open band and at least one weakening line that is arranged next to the tear band and is arranged perpendicularly to the small tear band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is to provide a cigarette packet provided with an overwrap; this packet of cigarettes enables the easy removal of the whole overwrap and, at the same time, it is easy and economical to produce.
In accordance with this invention, a cigarette packet with a hinged lid provided with an overwrap, according to what is claimed in the attached claims, is provided.
The claims describe embodiments of this invention forming an integral part of this description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings that illustrate some non-limiting embodiments thereof, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are two perspective views, front and back respectively, of a rigid cigarette packet with a hinged lid provided with a transparent overwrap;
Figures 3 and 4 are two perspective views, front and back respectively, of the cigarette packet in Figures 1 and 2, after the removal of the transparent overwrap and still in a closed configuration;
Figures 5 and 6 are two exploded perspective views, front and pack respectively, of the transparent overwrap of the cigarette packet in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 7 is a plan view of a wrapping sheet used to produce the transparent overwrap of the cigarette packet in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 8 is a plan view of a variant of the wrapping sheet in Figure 7;
Figures 9 and 10 are two side views of the cigarette packet in Figures 1 and 2 before and after, respectively, the removal of an upper portion of the transparent overwrap;
Figure 11 is a front perspective view of a rigid cigarette packet with a sliding opening provided with a transparent overwrap;
Figure 12 is a front perspective view, in an open configuration, of the cigarette packet in Figure 11, after the removal of the transparent overwrap and in an open configuration; and
Figures 13 and 14 are two side views of the cigarette packet in Figures 11 and 12 before and after, respectively, the removal of an upper portion of the transparent overwrap.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In Figures 1 and 2, reference number 1 indicates, as a whole, a rigid cigarette packet with a hinged lid. The cigarette packet 1 comprises an outer container 2 consisting of rigid cardboard or card and cup-shaped, and a soft wrapping 3 (partially illustrated in Figure 12) housed within the outer container 2 and it encloses a group of cigarettes.
In the description that follows of the cigarette packet 1, terms such as "low" and "high" and "lower" and "upper" will be used, to designate the positions of portions of the cigarette packet, assuming that the packet is arranged so that the main extension direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction, coincides with the vertical; however, the lower and upper walls are respectively arranged "low down" and "high up" and the transverse is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
The outer container 2 has an open upper end and is provided with a lid 4, which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container 2 along a hinge 5 (illustrated in Figure 2) in order to rotate, in relation to the outer container 2, between an open position (not illustrated) and a closed position (illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) of the open upper end.
According to what is better illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the outer container 2 has a basically parallelepipedal, rectangular shape oriented according to a vertical, main extension direction, it is cup-shaped, and has an open upper end, a lower wall 6 opposite the open upper end, a front wall 7 and a rear wall 8 (wherein the hinge 5 is arranged) parallel and opposite each other, and two side walls 9 that are parallel and opposite each other. Between the front 7, rear 8, and side 9 walls of the outer container 2 four longitudinal corners are defined, while between the walls 7, 8, and 9 and the lower wall 6 of the outer container 2, four transverse corners are defined.
The lid 4 has a basically parallelepipedal, rectangular shape, it is cup-shaped, and has an open lower end (facing the open upper end of the outer container 2 when the lid 4 is in the closed position), an upper wall 10 (which is parallel and opposite the lower wall 6 of the outer container 2 when the lid 4 is in the closed position), a front wall 11 (which is parallel to and aligned with the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 when the lid 4 is in the closed position), a rear wall 12 (which is parallel to and aligned with the rear wall 8 of the outer container 2 when the lid 4 is in the closed position and is hinged to the rear wall 8 of the outer container 2 along the hinge 5), and two side walls 13 parallel and opposite each other (which are parallel to and aligned with, in particular coplanar and adjacent, to the side walls 9 of the outer container 2 when the lid 4 is in the closed position 4). Between the front 11, rear 12, and side 13 walls of the lid 4 four longitudinal corners are defined, while between the walls 11, 12, and 13 and the lower wall 10 of the lid 4, four transverse corners are defined. The longitudinal corners and the transverse corners of the lid 4 are parallel to and aligned with the corresponding longitudinal and transverse corners of the outer container 2 when the lid 4 is in the closed position.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the cigarette packet 1 comprises an overwrap 14 surrounding and enclosing the outer container 2 and the lid 4 (the lid 4 is an integral part of the outer container 2) consists of a wrapping sheet 15 (illustrated in Figure 7) of transparent plastic material (typically cellophane or polypropylene) folded around the outer container 2 and the lid 4, and it is provided with a tear-open band 16 that is grasped and pulled by the user in order to divide (cut) the overwrap 14 into two portions 17 and 18 and, thus, to enable a simple and quick removal of the overwrap 14. In particular, and according to what is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the tear-open band 16 divides (cuts) the overwrap 14 into a lower portion 17 (which is totally disconnected from the tear-open band 16, i.e., it has no point of connection with the tear-open band 16), and an upper portion 18 (which is connected to the tear-open band 16, i.e., is integral to the tear-open band 16).
To enable the grip, the tear-open band 16 has a starting end 19 that is completely separated and raised by the overwrap 14 and is formed through a suitable cut shaped by the wrapping sheet 15 when the wrapping sheet 15 is separated by a continuous band of plastic wrapping material (as clearly illustrated in Figures 7 and 8).
The wrapping sheet 15 is folded around the outer container 2 and the lid 4 and is, thus, stabilised using a heat seal, i.e., by joining via a heat seal overlapping portions of the wrapping sheet 15. According to what is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the wrapping sheet 15 has two opposite flaps 20 and 21 (illustrated separately in Figure 7) that are overlapped with each other and heat-sealed to form a longitudinal seal 22 contributing to stabilising the overwrap 14; in addition, the overwrap 14 comprises two additional transverse seals 23 (just one of which is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6) that are arranged at opposite ends of the overwrap 14, extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal seal 22, and contribute to stabilising the overwrap 14.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 1-4, the lid 4 has a front edge 24, delimiting the front wall 11 at the bottom, and two side edges 25, each delimiting a side wall 13 at the bottom and connecting one end of the front edge 24 to one end of the hinge 5. The front edge 24 of the lid 4 (when the lid 4 is closed) rests on a front edge of the outer container 2 and, similarly, the side edges 25 of the lid 4 (when the lid 4 is closed) rest on corresponding side edges of the outer container 2.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the tear-open band 16 is arranged between the upper wall 10 of the lid 4 and the front edge 24 of the lid 4; in this way, the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14 is smaller than the lid 4 and the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 also extends over part of the lid 4 (i.e., partially covers the lid 4). In this way, once the only upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14 is removed, by pulling the tear-open band 16, it still is not possible to open the lid 4 since the lid 4 is blocked by the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14; as a result, when first opening the cigarette packet 1, the user is forced to remove not only the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14 but also the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 and, thus, they are pushed to correctly recycle both the portions 17 and 18 of the overwrap 14 (i.e., all the overwrap 14) together.
According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the tear-open band 16 is arranged higher than the front edge 24 of the lid 4 so as not to have any part overlapping the front edge 24 of the lid 4. In particular, the tear-open band 16 is arranged at a distance D other than zero from the front edge 24 of the lid 4; preferably, the distance D is equal to at least 2 mm and generally greater than 4 mm (generally ranging between 4 mm and 8 mm). According to a possible embodiment, the tear-open band 16 is arranged closer to the upper wall 10 of the lid 4 than to the front edge 24 of the lid 4.
According to a possible embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the tear-open band 16 is arranged so that it straddles the hinge 5. According to an alternative embodiment not illustrated, the tear-open band 16 is arranged between the hinge 5 and the front edge 24 of the lid 4; according to an additional embodiment not illustrated, the tear-open band 16 is arranged between the upper wall 10 of the lid 4 and the front edge 24 of the lid 4.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 5-6 and 9-10, the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 has at least one pre-weakened line 26, which helps tear it, originates near an upper edge of the lower portion 17, and extends towards the lower wall 6; according to possible embodiments, the pre-weakened line 26 can start exactly at the upper edge of the lower portion 17 (i.e. next to the tear-open band 16), the pre-weakened line 26 can start beyond the upper edge of the lower portion 17 (i.e. also involving a small piece of the tear-open band 16), i.e. the pre-weakened line 26 can start at a small distance from the upper edge of the lower portion 17 (i.e. at a small distance from the tear-open band 16) .
According to a preferred yet not binding embodiment, the pre-weakened line 26 is parallel to the longitudinal corners of the outer container 2 (defined between the front wall 7 and the rear wall 8 and the two side walls 9) ; alternatively, the pre-weakened line 26 could be slightly tilted in relation to the longitudinal corners of the outer container 2 and could also have a zig-zag progression.
According to a preferred embodiment, the pre-weakened line 26 consists of at least one through cut that completely goes through the wrapping sheet 15; i.e., the pre-weakened line 26 may consist of a single, continuous through cut or it may consist of a series (row) of through cuts that are equally spaced apart (i.e., arranged at a certain distance the one from the other).
According to a preferred embodiment, the pre-weakened line 26 is arranged near the longitudinal seal 22 (consisting of the joining of the two flaps 20 and 21 of the wrapping sheet 5) so that the pre-weakened line 26 is completely surrounded by joined portions wherein the two flaps 20 and 21 are sealed together; in this way, the pre-weakened line 26 does not put the inner overwrap 14 in communication with the outside environment, thus ensuring the seal of the overwrap 14, which remains, in any case, totally sealed from the outside environment.
According to a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal seal 22 has, on the inside, a neutral area 27, which is free from any seal between the two flaps 20, 21, it contains - on the inside - the pre-weakened line 26, and is completely surrounded by joined portions in which the two flaps 20, 21 are sealed together. The function of the neutral area 27 is, above all, to avoid making a seal above the pre-weakened line 26 to prevent the seal from "closing" the pre-weakened line 26 (i.e., restoring, at least partially, the continuity of the wrapping material straddling the pre-weakened line 26) eliminating its functionality. An additional (secondary) function of the neutral area 27 is to increase the local weakening of the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 so as to facilitate the breakage of the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14.
According to one possible embodiment, the neutral area 27 has a longitudinal extension, i.e., parallel to the longitudinal corners of the outer container 2 (defined between the front wall 7 and the rear wall 8 and the two side walls 9) that is greater than a transverse extension, i.e., the neutral area 27 is "longer" that it is "wide". According to one possible embodiment, the neutral area 27 has a longitudinal extension, i.e., parallel to the longitudinal corners of the outer container 2 (defined between the front wall 7 and the rear wall 8 and the two side walls 9) that is greater than a longitudinal extension of the pre-weakened line 26; i.e., the neutral area 27 is larger than the pre-weakened line to increase the localised weakening of the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14. Generally, the pre-weakened line 26 only involves one of the two flaps 20 and 21 of the wrapping sheet 15; i.e., the pre-weakened line 26 is only formed on the inner flap 20 of the wrapping sheet 15 (as illustrated in Figure 8) i.e., it is only formed in the outer flap 21 of the wrapping sheet 15 (as illustrated in Figure 7). It is also possible that only the flap 20 of the wrapping sheet 15 has several pre-weakened lines 26 separate and parallel between them, i.e., only the flap 21 of the wrapping sheet 15 has several pre-weakened lines separate and parallel to each other. Normally, one avoids forming two different pre-weakened lines 26 on both the flaps 20 and 21 of the wrapping sheet 15 so as to avoid any possible overlap (including only accidental due to the effect of the construction tolerances) of the two different pre-weakened lines 26 on both the flaps 20 and 21 of the wrapping sheet 15 from placing the inside of the overwrap 14 in communication with the outside environment.
According to a possible embodiment not illustrated, a pre-weakened line 26 is also formed near the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14 with the same identical construction methods of the pre-weakened line 26 formed near the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14. Obviously, the pre-weakened line 26 also formed in the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14 must be arranged above the tear-open band 16 (i.e., it must not affect, unless marginally, the tear-open band 16) to avoid weakening the tear-open band 16 and, thus, causing any undesired breaking to it when the tear-open band 16 is pulled.
According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 11 and 12, the cigarette packet 1 has a sliding opening and comprises the outer container 2 that has the open end no longer arranged above (as in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-4), but arranged at the side; in addition, the cigarette packet 1 comprises an inner container 28 containing the wrapping 3 and it is housed so that it can slide in the outer container 2 to slide between a closed position (illustrated in Figure 11), wherein the inner container 28 is completely arranged in the outer container 2, and an open position (illustrated in Figure 12), wherein the inner container 28 is partially extracted from the outer container 2.
In the example of the cigarette packet 1 illustrated in Figures 11 and 12, it is clear that it is, in any case, necessary to completely eliminate the overwrap 14 to be able to access the cigarettes, i.e., it is necessary to eliminate both the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14, and the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14 to be able to access the cigarettes, irrespective of the position of the tear-open band 16.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 11, 13, and 14, the tear-open band 16 is arranged at (approximately) halfway so that the two portions 17 and 18 of the overwrap 14 have (approximately) the same size; according to other embodiments, the tear-open band 16 could be arranged higher (so that the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 is bigger than the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14) or even lower (so that the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 is smaller than the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14) compared to what is illustrated in Figures 11, 13, and 14.
Obviously, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 11, 13, and 14, the overwrap 14 is provided with the pre-weakened line 26 (produced, as described above, i.e., arranged in the neutral area 27 of the longitudinal seal 22) to also facilitate the removal of the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 after having eliminated the upper portion 18 of the overwrap 14.
According to one possible embodiment, indications (symbols and/or text) could be printed on the overwrap 14 (i.e., on the wrapping sheet 15) that explain (show) how to proceed with the fast removal of the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14.
The embodiments described herein may be combined between them without departing from the scope of protection of this invention.
The cigarette packet 1 described above has numerous advantages.
In the first place, in the cigarette packet 1 described above, the removal of the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 is simple and quick thanks to the presence of the pre-weakened line 26, which makes it possible to easily break the lower portion 17 of the overwrap 14 (including when the overwrap 14 has been stretched via heat shrinking) by simply pulling the overwrap 14 with a finger at the pre-weakened line 26. To this end, it is important to observe that, thanks to the particular positioning of the pre-weakened line 26 within the longitudinal seal 22 of the wrapping sheet 15, the presence of the pre-weakened line 26 does not affect the seal of the overwrap 14, which remains, in any case, totally sealed from the outside environment.
Moreover, the cigarette packet 1 described above is very simple to produce compared to a similar, known cigarette packet in that it is enough: to insert in the cutting unit (already present) an additional blade for making the pre-weakened line 26; and to slightly change the shape of the welder to produce the neutral area 27 within the longitudinal seal 22.
The embodiment illustrated in the attached figures refers to the production of a cigarette packet, but this invention can be applied, without significant changes, to the production of any other type of pack of smoking articles (for example, a pack of cigars, a pack of electronic cigarettes of the liquid vaping type, a new-generation cigarette packet without tobacco combustion).

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST FOR FIGURES

1: cigarette packet
2: outer container
3: wrapping
4: lid
5: hinge
6: lower wall
7: front wall
8: rear wall
9: side walls
10: upper wall
11: front wall
12: rear wall
13: side walls
14: overwrap
15: wrapping sheet
16: tear-open band
17: lower portion
18: upper portion
19: start end
20: inner flap
21: outer flap
22: longitudinal seal
23: transverse seal
24: front edge
25: side edges
26: pre-weakened line
27: neutral area
28: inner container
D: distance

Claims

A pack (1) for smoking articles comprising:
an outer container (2);

an overwrap (14), which surrounds and wraps the outer container (2) and consists of a wrapping sheet (15), which was folded around the outer container (2) and was stabilized by means of at least one heat seal; and

a tear-open band (16), which is coupled to the overwrap (14) and is designed to be pulled in order to divide the overwrap (14) into a first portion (17), which is not connected to the tear-open band (16), and a second portion (18), which is integral to the tear-open band (16);

wherein the wrapping sheet (15) has two opposite flaps (20, 21), which overlap and are heat-sealed to one another so as to form a longitudinal seal (22); and

wherein the first portion (17) of the overwrap (14) has at least one pre-weakened line (26), which helps tear it, originates close to an edge of the first portion (17) and is arranged near the longitudinal seal (22);

the pack (1) for smoking articles is characterized in that the longitudinal seal (22) has, on the inside, a neutral area (27), which is free from any seal between the two flaps (20, 21), contains - on the inside - the pre-weakened line (26) and is completely surrounded by joined portions in which the two flaps (20, 21) are sealed to one another.
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 1, wherein the neutral area (27) has a longitudinal extension which is greater than a transverse extension.
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the neutral area (27) has a longitudinal extension which is greater than a longitudinal extension of the pre-weakened line (26).
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the pre-weakened line (26) is parallel to longitudinal corners of the outer container (2).
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 4, wherein the pre-weakened line (26) consists of at least one through cut completely going through the wrapping sheet (15).
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 5, wherein the pre-weakened line (26) affects only one of the two flaps (20, 21) of the wrapping sheet (15).
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 6, wherein:
a lid (4) is provided, which is hinged to the outer container (2) along a hinge (5) and has an upper wall (10), a front wall (11), a rear wall (12) and two side walls (13);

the lid (4) has a front edge (24), which delimits the front wall (11) at the bottom, and two side edges (25), each delimiting a side wall (13) at the bottom and connecting an end of the front edge (24) to an end of the hinge (5); and

the tear-open band (16) is arranged between the upper wall (10) of the lid (4) and the front edge (24) of the lid (4) so that the second portion (18) of the overwrap (14) is smaller than the lid (4) and the first portion (17) of the overwrap (14) partially covers the lid (4).
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 7, wherein the tear-open band (16) is arranged higher than the front edge (24) of the lid (4) so as not to have any part overlapping the front edge (24) of the lid (4).
The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the tear-open band (16) is arranged at a distance (D) other than zero - and preferably equal to at least 2 mm - from the front edge (24) of the lid (4).