GB2288789A

GB2288789A - Cigarette packets having opening devices

Info

Publication number: GB2288789A
Application number: GB9504728A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Armando Neri
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 1994-03-11
Filing date: 1995-03-09
Publication date: 1995-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-09
Also published as: DE19508161A1; IT1273831B; ITBO940095A1; ITBO940095A0; GB9504728D0; GB2288789B

Description

1 2288789 1 A cigarette packet provided with an easy opener device is The

present invention relates to a cigarette packet provided with a device for ease of opening. The use of opener devices, often taking the form of ribbons and serving to facilitate the operation of breaking open a wrapper, is a familiar feature of the packaging applied to numerous commodities. With regard in particular to cigarette packets, it is the normal practice to make use of a ribbon for the purpose in question; the ribbon is applied to the inside face of an outer wrapper, fashioned generally from transparent heat sealable material, in such a way as to remain associated with selected portions of the lateral faces adjoining one end face of the finished packet. One end of the ribbon projects from the wrapper, and can be gripped and pulled in such a way as to tear the wrapper open swiftly and accurately along a predetermined break line. The ribbon in question is generally flat in appearance. especially thin, and of width varying typically between 1 and 3 mm.

1 2 The prior art embraces packets of the non-rigid or crush type in which the aforementioned ribbon is disposed along a break line compassing only a part of the end face of the packet. Given that the end face of such a packet is divided into two portions by a manufacturing revenue seal, and that the smoker generally removes only one of -the two portions so that the cigarettes contained in the packet will remain better protected, a more recent practice has been to associate the ribbon with the outer wrapper in such a manner that the resulting break line extends substantially around the periphery of one of these two portions. The manufacture of this type of packet betrays a certain drawback, however, stemming from the fact that there are bends in the break line exhibiting a short radius of curvature: this dictates inevitably that where the ribbon is caused to change direction within a given plane, portions of the ribbon itself will overlan. Such a situation is due to the fact that the ribbon in question must extend both along certain of the lateral faces and across the top end face of the packet. When viewed in plan, therefore, on the flat sheet of material from which the outer wrapper is-

3 fashioned, the break line exhibits an outline of 11U11 shape. It happens consequently that the ribbon, albeit of slender transverse dimensions, exhibits an area of increased thickness at any point where a change in direction is made within a given plane to negotiate a bend with a short radius of curvature..The object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette packet of the type incorporating an easy opener device, such as will be unaffected by the aforementioned drawback. A further object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette packet in which the object stated above is achieved simply and economically. The stated objects are realized, according to the present invention, in a cigarette packet provided with a device for ease of opening, comprising at least one wrapper and, associated with the wrapper, an elongated opener element extending along a predetermined path exhibiting at least one portion of substantially angular outline, characterized in that the elongated opener element consists in a cord exhibiting diminutive transverse dimensions and a cross section of which the geometry has no predominating dimension.

4 is The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: -fig 1 illustrates a packet of cigarettes embodied in accordance with the present invention, viewed in perspective; -fig 2 illustrates a packet of cigarettes embodied. in accordance with the invention though differently to that of fig 1, viewed in perspective; -fig 3 illustrates the top part of another possible embodiment of the packet according to the present invention, viewed in perspective. Referring to fig 1, the cigarette packet according to the present invention, which is denoted 3 in its entirety, comprises one or more wrappers serving to envelop a group of cigarettes 12 (see fig 2). The packet 3 presents a front face 4 and a rear face 11, also two flank faces 5 and two end faces, namely a top end face denoted 6 and a bottom end face not indicated in the drawings. The top end face 6 is straddled by a sticker 7, typically a manufacturing revenue seal, which will occupy a given area of the front face 4 and the rear face 11. The top end face is divided by the sticker 7 into two portions denoted 8.

oa is Also forming a part of the packet is an elongated easy opener element 1 coinciding substantially with the periphery of one of the portions 8. As discernible in the accompanying drawings, the elongated element 1 follows a path that includes changes of direction exhibiting a short radius of curvature and occurring in different planes. In the examples of figs 1 and 2, the element 1 follows a path punctuated by angles of 900 coinciding with the edges of the packet 3 and with points on the front and rear faces 4 and 11. As indicated clearly in figs 1 and 2, the element 1 is embodied as a cord 9 of diminutive transverse dimensions. More exactly, the cord 9 presents a cross section geometrically devoid of a predominating transverse dimension, and exhibiting a substantially circular profile of small diameter. The cord 9 might be embodied in a variety of ways: for example, fig 1 shows a cord 9 consisting of a single strand, whilst that of fig 2 is composed of several strands 10 (four-, in the enlarged detail illustration). Likewise in the solution of fig 2, each single strand 10 presents a circular cross section of extremely small diameter.

6 An element 1 fashioned in the manner thus described can be bent even to the tightest of angles and in any transverse direction, without difficulty, by virtue of the fact that its cross sectional profile is circular, or at all events has no predominating transverse dimension. one of the advantages obtainable with the cord type.of element according to the invention is that the tear appears much better defined, and comparable to a cut effected with a blade. Given the ability of the element 1 to follow a path of whatever outline without occasioning problems of any kind, the cord might also be routed around the edge of one of the portions 8 of the top end face, as in the solution of fig 3.

1 A 7

Claims

Claims

1) 2) 3) A cigarette packet provided with a device for ease of opening, comprising at least one wrapper and, associated with the wrapper, an elongated opener element extending along a predetermined path exhibiting at least one portion of substantially angular outline, characterized in that the elongated opener element consists in a cord exhibiting diminutive transverse dimensions and a cross section of which the geometry has no predominating dimension.

A packet as in claim 1, wherein the elongated opener element presents a substantially circular outline when viewed in cross section.

A packet as in claim 2, wherein the elongated opener element consists in a cord composed of a single strand.

8 4) 6) 7) A packet as in claim 2, wherein the elongated opener element consists in a cord composed of a plurality of strands.

A packet as in any preceding claim, of the type presenting four lateral faces, one top end face and one bottom end face, wherein the elongated opener element is applied to the wrapper along a path occupying substantially the same plane as the top end face.

A packet as in claim 6, wherein the elongated opener element is applied to the wrapper along a path extending around the peripheral edges of the top end face adjacent to the four lateral faces.

A cigarette packet provided with an easy opener device, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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