EP4678561A1

EP4678561A1 - Bag containing a quantity of a loose product, in particular snus, and machine and method for the production thereof

Info

Publication number: EP4678561A1
Application number: EP25187246.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andrea MORINI; Roberto Ghiotti; Alessandro CAPPELLI
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2024-07-08
Filing date: 2025-07-03
Publication date: 2026-01-14

Abstract

A bag (1) of a loose product, in particular snus, having: a quantity (2) of loose product, in particular snus; and a wrapping sheet (3) folded around the quantity (2) of loose product and stabilized by means of sealing. The wrapping sheet (3) has an embossing that causes a plastic deformation entailing a series of crests and troughs having different heights to make a three-dimensional pattern.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102024000015688 filed on July 08, 2024 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a bag (pouch) containing a quantity of a loose product (i.e. a non-compact product), in particular snus, and to the respective production machine and method.
The present invention is advantageously applied to the production of snus bags (namely permeable bags each containing a predetermined quantity of a loose product, i.e. a moist nicotine-based non-compact product for oral use), to which the following discussion will explicitly refer without thereby losing generality.

PRIOR ART

As is known, a snus bag has a rectangular shape and has a longitudinal seal and a pair of transverse seals.
A known production machine (as described for example in patent application WO2008114128A2 ) for the production of snus bags is of FFS (Form, Fill and Seal) type and comprises: a conveying device to convey a wrapping material band along a manufacturing path; a wrapping station arranged along the manufacturing path and in which the wrapping material band is wrapped to form a tubular wrap having a longitudinal development around a wrapping duct; a longitudinal sealing unit to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap in the area of an overlap of the wrapping material band; a feeding device of the loose material for feeding in sequence the quantities of loose product within the tubular wrap; a transverse sealing unit to transversely seal the tubular wrap so as to form an alternated sequence of sealing areas and areas containing a quantity of loose product; and a cutting unit to transversely cut the tubular wrap in the area of the sealing areas so as to separate the individual bags of snus.
In particular, the feeding device ends at the inlet of the wrapping duct (around which the wrapping material is folded to form the tubular wrap) and "shoots" the quantities of loose product into the tubular wrap through the wrapping duct by means of compressed air.
Patent EP4111873B1 describes a nonwoven fabric bag containing tobacco and/or other material containing nicotine.
Patent application EP1798025A1 describes a method for embossing a packaging film utilized for tobacco pouches; the packaging film is unwound from a reel and is provided, in sections, with embossing.
Patent application US2009094945A1 describes a production machine for producing bags with three-dimensional patterns; in particular, a printing device is provided for printing three-dimensional patterns on a packaging film before folding the packaging film.
Patent application US2021169138A1 describes a pouched product suitable for the release of a water-soluble component; in particular, the pouched product comprises an outer water-permeable pouch defining a cavity containing a composition which includes a water-soluble component capable of being released through the water-permeable pouch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a bag containing a quantity of a loose product, in particular snus, which is difficult to imitate (namely which prevents or at least hinders counterfeiting) and, at the same time, is easy and cost-effective to create. A further object of the present invention is to provide a bag containing a quantity of a loose product, in particular snus, which is easily recognizable by a user.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a production machine and method for producing a bag containing a quantity of a loose product, in particular snus.
In accordance with the present invention, a bag containing a quantity of a loose product, in particular snus, and the respective production machine and method are provided according to what is claimed in the appended claims.
The claims also form integral part of the present description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example embodiment thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag of snus; and
Figure 2 is a schematic front view of a production machine which produces the bags of snus of the type of that in Figure 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In Figure 1, reference numeral 1 indicates, as a whole, a bag of snus containing on its inside a quantity 2 of snus (namely of a moist nicotine-based loose product for oral use). The bag 1 of snus consists of a wrapping sheet 3 which is folded on itself to assume a closed shape around the quantity 2 of snus and is stabilized by means of sealing. In particular, the bag 1 is closed by a longitudinal seal 4 and two transverse seals 5 opposite each other. In other words, the wrapping sheet 3 is folded around the quantity 2 of snus and stabilized by means of sealing.
In Figure 2, reference numeral 6 indicates, as a whole, a production machine which produces the bags 1 of snus.
The production machine 6 is of the FFS (Form, Fill and Seal) type and operates on a single line (namely creates a single bag 1 of snus at a time, or better a single row of bags 1 of snus); alternatively, the production machine 6 could be double (triple) line for creating two (three) bags 1 of snus at a time (i.e. to create two (three) rows of bags 1 of snus).
The production machine 6 comprises a frame resting on a floor and has a vertical support wall (the "front" wall of the production machine 6 and coincident with the plane of Figure 2) onto which all the operating components contributing to the production of the bags 1 of snus are mounted.
The production machine 6 comprises a conveying device 7 (partially illustrated) for conveying a wrapping material band 8 along a preferably straight manufacturing path P and a feeding device 11 configured to feed the quantities 2 in the area of the wrapping material band 8.
The production machine 6 also comprises a forming station arranged downstream of the conveying device 7 and of the feeding device 11 to enclose the quantity 2 of snus within the wrapping material band 8.
In particular, the forming station comprises a wrapping station S1 in which the wrapping material band 8 is wrapped so as to form a tubular wrap having a longitudinal development; a longitudinal sealing unit 9 to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap in an area of overlap of the wrapping material band 8 in order to create a longitudinal seal 4; a transverse sealing unit 10 to create transverse seals 5 of the tubular wrap so as to form an alternated sequence of sealing areas and areas containing a quantity 2 of loose product; a cutting device 12 to transversely cut the tubular wrap in the area of the transverse seals 5.
In other words, the wrapping station S1 and the longitudinal sealing unit 9 are arranged along the manufacturing path P. Furthermore, the transverse sealing unit 10 is arranged downstream of the longitudinal sealing unit 9.
In the area of the wrapping station S1 the feeding device 11 of the loose material is arranged for feeding in sequence the quantities 2 of snus inside the tubular wrap.
Finally, along the manufacturing path P and downstream of the transverse sealing unit 9 the cutting device 12 is arranged to transversely cut the tubular wrap in the area of the sealing areas (namely the transverse seals 5) so as to separate the individual bags 1 of snus.
The production machine 6 comprises a wrapping duct 13 which is arranged in the wrapping station S1 and extends along the manufacturing path P (namely parallel to the manufacturing path P); the wrapping material band 8 is folded around the wrapping duct 13 to form the tubular wrap (namely the wrapping duct 13 has the function of a folding mandrel to fold the wrapping material band 8 in a tube-like manner).
The feeding device 11 comprises a feeding drum 14 which rotates preferably with an intermittent law of motion (namely having a cyclic alternation of motion phases and rest phases) around a horizontal rotation axis 15 (perpendicular to the plane of Figure 2). The feeding drum 14 is coupled to a suction source in the area of a loading station S2 in which the feeding drum 14 receives the loose material and is coupled to a source of compressed air in the area of a feeding station S3 in which the feeding drum 14 (through jets of compressed air) directs the individual quantities 2 of snus into the wrapping duct 13. In use, as the feeding drum 14 rotates, a continuous bead of loose material is progressively formed on the shell of the feeding drum 14 (due to the effect of the suction source); the continuous bead of loose material is conveyed to the feeding station S3 in which, due to the effect of the source of compressed air, the quantities 2 of snus are separated from the continuous bead and transferred along the wrapping duct 13 until they enter the wrapping material band 8 folded in a tube-like manner around the wrapping duct 13.
The production machine 6 comprises a hopper 16 which is arranged above the feeding device 11 and carries the loose material by gravity towards the loading station S2 in which the loose material is taken from the feeding drum 14.
The feeding device 11 is configured to feed the quantities 2 of snus into the wrapping duct 13 such that each quantity 2 of snus is separated from a previous quantity 2 of snus and from a following quantity 2 of snus by a corresponding empty space which is necessary to create a transverse seal 5 without the transverse seal 5 trapping the loose material or anyway locally compressing the loose material.
The production machine 6 comprises an embossing device 17 which is configured to perform an embossing operation on the wrapping material band 8 creating an embossing that causes a plastic deformation entailing a series of crests and troughs.
Preferably, the embossing device 17 is coupled to the conveying device 7.
Preferably, the embossing device 17 is arranged upstream of the wrapping station S1 (namely when the wrapping material band 8 still has a flat shape and has not yet been folded on itself to assume a tubular shape).
The embossing is a plastic deformation of the wrapping material band 8 which allows engraving the wrapping material band 8 with a pattern.
The embossing device 17 comprises two opposite cylinders, between which the wrapping material band 8 is caused to travel; at least one of the two opposite cylinders has relief engravings. A gear system ensures the coordinated movement of the two cylinders, preventing them from slipping and ensuring a clear impression of the pattern. In particular, each cylinder has a plurality of positive projections with the shape of a polyhedron arranged according to a two-dimensional grid and a plurality of negative projections complementary to the positive projections. The plurality of polyhedron-shaped positive projections of one cylinder seamlessly and without empty spaces joins the corresponding negative projections of the other cylinder (and vice versa) thus allowing obtaining a polyhedron embossed shape of the wrapping material band 8.
According to what is illustrated in Figure 1, the embossing of the wrapping material band 8 (namely of the wrapping sheets 3 that are cyclically separated from the wrapping material band 8) causes a (permanent) plastic deformation entailing a series of crests and troughs having different heights (depths) to make a three-dimensional pattern, namely a pattern that when viewed from a certain distance appears as three-dimensional. The three-dimensional effect is in particular obtained as the crests and troughs impressed by the embossing reflect light in a different manner. In other words, these embossing effects allow the designer to add, at his/her choice, shades that strongly depend on the observation angle.
The pattern generated by embossing of the wrapping material band 8 can represent a figure (for example a logo), a writing or a combination of both.
According to a preferred embodiment, the crests and troughs in the wrapping material band 8 (namely in the wrapping sheets 3) have a maximum height (depth) of 500 microns (µm) and a pitch ranging from 50 microns (µm) to 300 microns (µm).
According to a preferred embodiment, the wrapping material band 8 (namely the wrapping sheets 3) comprises at least one paper layer (which undergoes in a prevalent manner the plastic deformation).
In accordance with an embodiment not illustrated, the production machine 6 that produces the bags 1 of snus could be shaped differently from what is shown in Figure 2. For example, such variation could provide for feeding two wrapping material bands 8 that are initially separate from and independent of each other and are overlapped on each other (with the interposition of the quantities 2 of snus) to form the bags 1 of snus; in this embodiment only one embossing device 17 is provided, coupled to a conveying device 7 of a wrapping material band 8 or two embossing devices 17 are provided, coupled to the two conveying devices 7 of the two wrapping material bands 8.
In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, the bags 1 contain respective quantities of snus; alternatively, the bags 1 contain respective quantities of a loose product different from snus (for example tea or other mixtures of powdered herbs for infusions or for other uses).
The embodiments described herein can be combined to one another without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.
The above-described bag 1 of snus has numerous advantages.
The above-described bag 1 of snus is extremely complex to imitate (counterfeit), since the technology necessary to reproduce the embossed pattern is complex and decidedly too expensive for a counterfeiter who inevitably has modest production volumes. Namely, the embossing created by the embossing device 17 allows embossing on the wrapping material band 8 (namely on the wrapping sheets 3) signs with optical and aesthetic effects which depend on the position and/or on the light source in the reflected light which, besides being aesthetically very pleasant, constitute safety features that are difficult to copy.
Furthermore, the above-described bag 1 of snus has an aesthetic appearance that is highly appreciated by consumers, as the embossed image allows obtaining eye-catching optical effects.
Finally, the above-described bag 1 of snus is relatively simple and cost-effective to create for a large company that produces a large number of bags 1 of snus (since the cost of the embossing device 17 is amortized on a large number of pieces).

LIST OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS OF THE FIGURES

1: snus bag
2: quantity
3: wrapping sheet
4: longitudinal seal
5: transverse seal
6: production machine
7: conveying device
8: wrapping material band
9: longitudinal sealing unit
10: transverse sealing unit
11: feeding device
12: cutting device
13: wrapping duct
14: feeding drum
15: rotation axis
16: hopper
17: embossing device
P: manufacturing path
S1: wrapping station
S2: loading station
S3: feeding station

Claims

A bag (1) of a loose product, in particular snus, comprising:
a quantity (2) of loose product, in particular snus; and

a wrapping sheet (3) folded around the quantity (2) of loose product and stabilized by means of sealing;

wherein the wrapping sheet (3) has an embossing that causes a plastic deformation entailing a series of crests and troughs;

the bag (1) is characterized in that the crests and troughs of the embossing have different heights to make a three-dimensional pattern.
The bag (1) according to claim 1, wherein the crests and troughs of the embossing are configured to reflect light in a different manner.
The bag (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the crests and troughs have a maximum height of 500 microns and a pitch ranging from 50 microns to 300 microns.
The bag (1) according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the wrapping sheet (3) comprises at least one paper layer.
A machine (6) for the production of bags (1) of a loose product, in particular snus, each comprising a quantity (2) of loose product, in particular snus, and a wrap (30), which encloses the quantity (2) of loose product; the production machine (6) comprises:
at least one conveying device (7) configured to convey at least one wrapping material band (8) along a manufacturing path (P);

a feeding device (11) configured to feed the quantities (2) in the area of the wrapping material band (8);

a forming station arranged downstream of the conveying device (7) and of the feeding device (11) to enclose the quantity (2) within the wrapping material band (8); and

an embossing device (17) configured to emboss the wrapping material band (8) by creating an embossing that causes a plastic deformation entailing a series of crests and troughs;

the production machine (6) is characterized in that the embossing device (17) is configured to make the crests and troughs of the embossing having different heights to make a three-dimensional pattern.
The production machine (6) according to claim 5, wherein the forming station comprises:
a wrapping station (S1), in which the wrapping material band (8) is wrapped so as to form a tubular wrap having a longitudinal development;

a longitudinal sealing unit (9) to longitudinally seal the tubular wrap in an area of overlap of the wrapping material band (8) in order to create a longitudinal seal (4);

a transverse sealing unit (10) to create transverse seals (5) of the tubular wrap so as to form an alternated sequence of sealing areas and areas containing a quantity (2) of loose product; and

a cutting device (12) to transversely cut the tubular wrap in the area of the transverse seals (5).
The production machine (6) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein:
the embossing device (17) comprises two opposite cylinders, between which the wrapping material band (8) is caused to travel; and

each cylinder has a plurality of positive projections with the shape of a polyhedron arranged according to a two-dimensional grid and a plurality of negative projections complementary to the positive projections.
The production machine (6) according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the embossing device (17) is arranged upstream of the forming station; in particular, the embossing device (17) being arranged in the proximity of the conveying device (7).
A method for the production of bags (1) of a loose product, in particular snus, each comprising a quantity (2) of loose product, in particular snus, and a wrap (30), which encloses the quantity (2) of loose product; the production method comprises the steps of:
conveying, by means of a conveying device (7), at least one wrapping material band (8) along a manufacturing path (P);

feeding the quantities (2) of loose product in the area of the wrapping material band (8) by means of a feeding device (11);

enclosing each quantity (2) of loose product within the wrapping material band (8) in the area of a forming station; and

embossing, by means of an embossing device (17), the wrapping material band (8) by creating an embossing that causes a plastic deformation entailing a series of crests and troughs;

the production method is characterized in that it comprises the step of creating the crests and troughs of the embossing having different heights to make a three-dimensional pattern.
The production method according to claim 9, wherein the step of enclosing each quantity (2) of loose product within the wrapping material band (8) in the area of a forming station comprises the steps of:
wrapping the wrapping material band (8) so as to form a tubular wrap having a longitudinal development;

longitudinally sealing the tubular wrap in an area of overlap of the wrapping material band (8) in order to create a longitudinal seal (4);

creating transverse seals (5) of the tubular wrap so as to form an alternated sequence of sealing areas and areas containing a quantity (2) of loose product; and

transversely cutting the tubular wrap in the area of the transverse seals (5).
The production method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the crests and troughs of the embossing are configured to reflect light in a different manner.
The production method according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the wrapping material band (8) comprises at least one paper layer.