GB1566425A

GB1566425A - Packages for cigarettes and the like

Info

Publication number: GB1566425A
Application number: GB5018176A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Focke and Pfuhl
Current assignee: Focke and Pfuhl
Priority date: 1975-12-05
Filing date: 1976-12-01
Publication date: 1980-04-30
Also published as: DE2554731C3; FR2333722A1; CA1114785A; JPS601232B2; BR7608130A; IT1073587B; DE2554731B2; FR2333722B1; DE2554731A1; JPS5270100A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PACKAGES FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE (71) We, FOCKE & PFUHL, a German Kommanditgesellschaft of Siemensstrasse 10, 3090 Verden, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the fiollowing statement: This invention relates to a package of rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes, in which groups (blocks) of the rod-shaped articles wrapped in a common inner wrapping, more particularly a tinfoil blank, are separated from one another. The groups wrapped in the inner wrapping are preferably accommodated in a common outer pack.

More particularly in the case of large packs holding more than 25 cigarettes, it is usual to divide the cigarettes up into two cigarette blocks, separated from one another and to be smoked in succession.

The cigaretted blocks can be separated from one another by separate blank parts of for example paper or cardboard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a package having two or more groups of rod-shaped articles that can be manufactured very simply with economic use of material.

According to the present invention there is provided a package of rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes, which package comprises two or more groups of rod-shaped articles wrapped in a common inner wrapping for disposing in a common outer pack, the inner wrapping being folded about the groups in a substantially U-shaped manner such that the base of the "U" forms an end wall of the package and overlapping side portions of the wrapping form the side walls of the package, the rod-like articles extending longitudinally from the end wall of the package, the inner wrapping having folds for separating adjacent groups, the or each two adjacent groups being separated by two substantially V-shaped folds, each fold being formed in a respective one of two portions of the wrapping constituting oppositely disposed front and rear walls of the package and each fold extending longitudinally of the rod-like articles and extending approximately to the mid-point of the package.

The top, end-face folding of the inner wrapping is preferably constructed in a special manner. On the one hand, this ensures that, in the embodiment in which two cigarette blocks are wrapped, the two cigarette blocks can be smoked independently of one another and, therefore, in succession to one another. However, on the other hand, a continuous outer or top cover flap ensures that the top ends of all the cigarettes are adequately covered.

For a better understanding of this invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a blank for an inner wrapping, more particularly a tinfoil blank, in the spread-out (unfolded) condition for an embodiment of a package in accordance with this invention Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional view through the lower part (bottom wall) of the tinfoil blank of Figure 1 in an intermediate folding position, without cigarettes, Figure 3 shows a vertical sectional view through a detail of the blank of Figure 1, turned through 90 , with the blank ready folded, but without cigarettes, Figure 4 shows a horizontal sectional view through the embodiment package comprising the folded tinfoil blank of Figure 1 filled with cigarettes, Figure 5 shows a plan view of the top, end-face closure folding of the tinfoil blank of the package of Figure 4, and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the partially ready folded tinfoil blank with cigarettes of the embodiment package.

Referring now to the drawings, there are shown only two cigarette blocks 10 and 11 and a common tinfoil blank 12 enveloping the blocks 10 and 11. The resulting "inner pack" or package is received in further envelopes. More particularly. packs containing two cigarette blocks 10 and 11 are constructed as a hinge-lid pack (not shown).

In packs having a total number of twentyfive cigarettes 13, the cigarette blocks 10 and 11 each contain a different number of cigarettes. The division shown in Figure 4 is particularly convenient, in which one cigarette block 10 consists of fourteen cigarettes 13 and the other cigarette block 11 of eleven cigarettes 13. As a result, one cigarette 13 is disposed in the zone of each of the "corners" in each cigarette block 10 and 11.

The two cigarette blocks 10 and 11 are completely enveloped and separated from one another bv the common tinfoil blank 12 which is to this purpose divided up into individual areas and provided with incisions.

The areas can be separated from one another by pre-marked folding lines (shown in chain-dot lines). Areas are, therefore, provided for the formation of a front wall 14 and a rear wall 15 for the zone of one cigarette block 10. Correspondingly narrower areas are bounded for a front wall 16 and a rear wall 17 of the other cigarette block 11.

The front walls 14 and 16, on the one hand, and the rear walls 15 and 17, on the other hand. are separated from one another by areas for the formation of a bottom wall 18 (in the zone of the cigarette block 10) and a bottom wall 19 (in the zone of the cigarette block 11). The front and rear walls 14, 15, 16 and 17 are adjoined laterally by side strips 20, 21, 22 and 23. By registering, the latter form side walls 24 and 25 of the finished blank (see Figure 4). In the longitudinal direction of the elongate tinfoil blank 12, closure strips 26 and 27 and side strips 20 to 23 adjoin the front and rear walls 14 to 17.

The front wall 14, the rear wall 15 and the bottom wall 18. on the one hand. and the front wall 16. the rear wall 17 and the bottom wall 19. on the other hand, are continuous, being divided from one another as far as the zone of the closure strips 26 and 27 by an inward folding strip 28. The inward folding strip 28 is divided by a central folding line 29 into two strips for forming partitions 30 and 31.

In the zone of the length of the folding line between the bottom walls 18 and 19, on the one hand. and the front and rear walls 14 to 17. on the other hand. the inward folding strip 28 has two parting cuts 32 and 33 extending along the bottom edge. Top flaps 34 and 35, each associated with a cigarette block 10 and 11, are premarked on the blank 12. To this end, punching cuts 37 and 36 are taken for each top flap 34 and 35 in the transverse direction from the free edge as far as the central folding line 29. The punching cuts 36 and 37 are interrupted by residual connections 38, so that cohesion with the remaining part of the blank 12 is ensured via the residual connections 38. A punching cut 39 with residual connections 38 also extends in the zone of the central folding line 29 to divide the top flaps 34 and 35 from one another.

The punching cut 39 is joined by a dividing cut 40 in the zone of the closure strip 26 which forms part of the top flaps 34 and 35.

The resulting tinfoil blank 12 is folded in a U-shape around the two cigarette blocks 10 and 11 in such a way that the bottom walls 18 and 19 form the bottom of the web U-fold. During this phase, the cigarette blocks 10 and 11 are at a distance from one another corresponding to the inward folding strip 28 and, therefore, stand up on the associated bottom walls 18 and 19. Then, the side walls 24 and 25 can be formed by the folding over and partial registering of the side strips 20 to 23.

Then, or previously, a separating folding 41 and 42 (see Figure 4) is formed by the inward folding of the inward folding strip 28 from both sides between the cigarette blocks 10 and 11, accompanied by the bringing together thereof. These parting folds 41 and 42, which extend substantially as far as the (imaginary) longitudinal central plane of the pack. consist of the two partitions 30 and 31 interconnected in the zone of the central folding line 29.

In the zone of the bottom, a web 43 (see Figure 2) is produced which is separated by the parting cuts 32 and 33 from the parting foldings 41 and 42 and extends from the bottom walls 18 and 19. The web 43 can remain in the upright position shown in Figure 2, but alternatively the web 43 can be folded around against the bottom wall 18 or 19. However, in that case, the partly prefolded blank 12 can be filled only after the web 43 has been folded over in this way.

As shown in Figure 6. first projecting side flaps 44 and 45 formed by the side walls 24 and 25 are folded by adjoining triangular gussets 46 to 49 (the latter is not shown in Figure 6) against the content of a pack.

Then, inner longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 (the latter is not shown in Figure 6) are formed and folded against the contents of the pack.

To this end, the zones of the partitions 30 and 31 which are divided from one another by the dividing cut 40 with the adjoining triangular gussets 52 and 53 are folded inwardly and against the underside of the longitudinal flaps 50 and 51, so that these as a whole have the shape of a trapezium. The longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 accordingly each extend over only the zone of one cigarette block 10 or 11.

An outer cover flap 54 takes the form of a cover extending over both cigarette blocks 10 and 11. The cover flap 54 is formed from the closure strip 27. The central zone formed by the inwardly folding strip 28 is so folded by correspondingly disposed folding lines under the other zones of the cover flap 54 and laid around that triangular flaps 55 and trapezium flaps 56 are folded over one another against the underside of the cover flap 54. The resulting inner package is so disposed in the outer envelope (for example a hinge-lid pack) that the side with the top flaps 34 and 35 and, therefore, the longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 is disposed on the side opposite the hinge-lid.As a result, with the hinge-lid pack opened the longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 can be seized (accompanied by the raising of the cover flap 54) and the particular top flap 34 or 35 can be pulled out, accompanied by the removal of the residual connections 38. Figure 6 shows the top flap 35 of the cigarette block 11 removed in this way.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A package of rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes, which package comprises two or more groups of rod-shaped articles wrapped in a common inner wrapping for disposing in a common outer pack, the inner wrapping being folded about the groups in a substantially U-shaped manner such that the base of the "U" forms an end wall of the package and overlapping side portions of the wrapping form side walls of the package, the rod-like articles extending longitudinally from the end wall of the package, the inner wrapping having folds for separating adjacent groups, the or each two adjacent groups being separated by two substantially V-shaped folds, each fold being formed in a respective one of two portions of the wrapping constituting oppositely disposed front and rear walls of the package and each fold extending longitudinally of the rod-like articles and extending approximately to the mid-point of the package.

2. A package according to Claim 1, wherein the inner wrapping is a tinfoil blank.

3. A package according to Claim 1 or 2, which comprises two groups of rod-like articles.

4. A package according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the rod-like articles are cigarettes.

5. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the groups of rod-like articles wrapped in the inner wrappings are disposed in the outer pack.

6. A package according to Claim 5, wherein the outer pack is a hinge-lid pack.

7. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner wrapping is folded about the groups such that overlapping side strips of the inner wrapping form the side walls of the package and the base of the "U" forms the base of the package.

8. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the folds extend over the height of front and rear walls of the package and are continued in the zone of a bottom wall of the package.

9. A package according to Claim 8, wherein the continuation fold of the bottom wall constitutes a web which is separated from the folds of the front and rear walls by parting cuts, the web being disposed in the upright position or being folded around against the bottom wall.

10. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the zone of a top end face of the package, an outer cover flap formed by the inner wrapping extends over all the groups.

11. A package according to Claim 10, wherein one of the folds extends as far as the cover flap and, in the zone of the fold, the outer cover flap has a folding, consisting of triangular flaps and trapezium flaps, folded, in use, around against the underside of the cover flap.

12. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein inner cover flaps are formed by the inner wrapping and are separated from one another, each inner cover flap being associated with a respective group.

13. A package according to Claim 12, wherein one of the folds extends to the inner cover flaps and wherein, in the zone of the inner cover flaps, the one fold is sub-divided by a parting cut in the zone of a central folding line.

14. A package according to Claim 13 when appended to Claim 11, wherein the inner cover flaps and the outer cover flaps are constructed substantially in the shape of a trapezium on inward folding of side flaps.

15. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a separately removable top flap formed by the inner wrapping is associated with each group.

16. A package according to Claim 15, wherein the top flaps are formed by punching cuts with residual connections to the remainder of the inner wrapping and also by a parting cut.

17. A package according to Claim 15 or 16 when appended to any one of Claims 10 to 14, wherein the top flaps are disposed in the zone of the cover flap(s), the cover flap(s) being part of the top flaps.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. inwardly and against the underside of the longitudinal flaps 50 and 51, so that these as a whole have the shape of a trapezium. The longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 accordingly each extend over only the zone of one cigarette block 10 or 11. An outer cover flap 54 takes the form of a cover extending over both cigarette blocks 10 and 11. The cover flap 54 is formed from the closure strip 27. The central zone formed by the inwardly folding strip 28 is so folded by correspondingly disposed folding lines under the other zones of the cover flap 54 and laid around that triangular flaps 55 and trapezium flaps 56 are folded over one another against the underside of the cover flap 54. The resulting inner package is so disposed in the outer envelope (for example a hinge-lid pack) that the side with the top flaps 34 and 35 and, therefore, the longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 is disposed on the side opposite the hinge-lid.As a result, with the hinge-lid pack opened the longitudinal flaps 50 and 51 can be seized (accompanied by the raising of the cover flap 54) and the particular top flap 34 or 35 can be pulled out, accompanied by the removal of the residual connections 38. Figure 6 shows the top flap 35 of the cigarette block 11 removed in this way. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A package of rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes, which package comprises two or more groups of rod-shaped articles wrapped in a common inner wrapping for disposing in a common outer pack, the inner wrapping being folded about the groups in a substantially U-shaped manner such that the base of the "U" forms an end wall of the package and overlapping side portions of the wrapping form side walls of the package, the rod-like articles extending longitudinally from the end wall of the package, the inner wrapping having folds for separating adjacent groups, the or each two adjacent groups being separated by two substantially V-shaped folds, each fold being formed in a respective one of two portions of the wrapping constituting oppositely disposed front and rear walls of the package and each fold extending longitudinally of the rod-like articles and extending approximately to the mid-point of the package.

6. A package according to Claim 5, wherein the outer pack is a hinge-lid pack.

18. A package of rod-shaped articles,

such as cigarettes, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as shown in, Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

19. An inner wrapping for a package of rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

20. An outer pack whenever comprising the package of any one of Claims 1 to 18.