GB2534843A

GB2534843A - Tobacco rolling device

Info

Publication number: GB2534843A
Application number: GB1500999.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Hall Gregory; Kennedy Mackenzie Gordon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-01-21
Filing date: 2015-01-21
Publication date: 2016-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2035-01-21
Also published as: GB201500999D0; GB2534843B

Abstract

A pouch (10) for the storage of smoking articles (22) which includes an area for rolling a cigarette (19) is provided. The pouch (10) comprises: a sheet of foldable sheet material (12, see Fig. 2), a resilient biasing means (14), and an area for the storage of smoking articles (17, see Fig. 2). The sheet (12, Fig. 2) comprises a first portion (24, see Fig. 2) on which is arranged the area for the storage of smoking articles (17, Fig. 2), a second portion (26) arranged to foldably cover the area for the storage of smoking articles (17, Fig. 2), and a third portion (28) arranged to foldably cover the second portion (26) and comprising first and second exterior surface portions (18, 20) separated by a fold line. The third portion (28) is arranged to move between a stowed position in which the two exterior surface portions (18, 20) are substantially flat and a rolling position in which the two exterior surface portions (18, 20) define a valley forming the area for rolling a cigarette. The resilient biasing means (14) is arranged to urge the fold line towards the second portion (26).

Description

TOBACCO ROLLING DEVICE

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a pouch for the storage of smoking articles, in particular a pouch that is provided with an area for the rolling of a rolled cigarette.

Background

Rolled cigarettes are created by a user, when the user adds tobacco to the centre of a tobacco paper and rolls up the cigarette paper to form a cigarette. The tobacco papers and tobacco are generally stored in a pouch by the user. Integral to the process of rolling a cigarette is for the user to have an area on which to roll the cigarette. The area could be on a table or on some other surface. If the user, however, is away from a suitable surface this can present a problem, as the user has no available area on which to roll a cigarette.

Hence, it would be desirable for the user to be provided with an area for the rolling of a cigarette that is combined with the pouch the user stores the smoking articles in. This would provide the user with an area for rolling a cigarette when he or she was away from a suitable surface.

Accordingly, the present invention combines a pouch for the storage of smoking articles with an area for rolling a cigarette.

Various pouches for the storage of smoking articles that also include an area for rolling a cigarette are known, the area for rolling a cigarette is not so as effective, as in the present invention. However, US 20100270303 discloses a reclosable package for containing smoking papers to be dispensed therefrom, the package comprising: a body for holding the smoking papers; the body having a cover which overlays a surface of the body of the package for closure; wherein the cover opens to form a tray. US 20120167900 discloses a packaging for manual rolling of cigarettes comprising smoker's accessories like cigarette sheets, filters, sheets, matches, lighters, tobacco and an article usable as an advertising material, wherein the base line is foldably divided into two small sides with a narrow band therebetween. The intermediate band is terminated at both sides each time with two triangular parts, to create a table for rolling cigarettes.

However, the trays found by the known pouches are not a convenient shape and are relatively complicated to form.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the problems associated with the prior art.

Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a pouch for the storage of smoking articles, the pouch including an area for rolling a cigarette, wherein the pouch comprises: a sheet of foldable sheet material, a resilient biasing means, and an area for the storage of smoking articles, wherein the sheet comprises a first portion on which is arranged the area for the storage of smoking articles, a second portion arranged to foldably cover the area for the storage of smoking articles, and a third portion arranged to foldably cover the second portion and comprising first and second exterior surface portions separated by a fold line, wherein the third portion is arranged to move between a stowed position in which the two exterior surface portions are preferably flat and a rolling position in which the two exterior surface portions define a valley forming the area for rolling a cigarette, and wherein the resilient biasing means is arranged to urge the fold line towards the second portion.

This enables a user to quickly and easily use the same pouch for both storing the smoking articles and forming a valley shaped area for rolling a cigarette. The pouch can be moved easily from the stowed position to the rolling position and vice versa. The resilient biasing means holds the pouch in equilibrium in the rolling position.

The third portion may further comprise an outer wall portion connected by a fold to the first exterior surface portion, and a locating wall portion connected by a fold to the second exterior surface portion.

The outer wall and the locating wall help to hold the valley in a stable position.

Preferably when the third portion is in the stowed position the third portion covers the second portion and the pouch is held closed by the resilient biasing means.

The resilient biasing means keeps the pouch closed and the contents secure, so that the pouch is substantially flat.

Typically the outer wall portion is arranged to be parallel to the first portion in the stowed position, and arranged at an angle of between 60° and 100° to the first portion in the rolling position, preferably about 90°.

Typically the locating wall portion is arranged to be preferably parallel to the first portion in the stowed position, and arranged at an angle of between 70° and 120° but preferably an angle of 90° in the rolling position.

These angles help to achieve a secure structure for the rolling position.

Typically the angle between the two exterior surface portions when the pouch is in the stowed position is between 130° and 180°, and when the pouch is in the rolling position the angle is between 60° and 120°, preferably about 90°.

The pouch is thus substantially flat in the stowed position, and forms a useful valley in the rolling position.

The resilient means may comprise an elastic cord that is fixed to the rear of the first portion.

This enables the resilient biasing means to urge the valley towards the fixing point, increasing the stability in the rolling position.

The pouch may further comprise a poking device attachable to the sheet.

The pouch may have a side wall separated by folds of the first portion and the third portion, and the side wall may have a recess at one end to allow the attachment of the poking device. This allows an easy storage facility for the poking device.

The sheet material is provided with score lines to facilitate folding of the portions of the pouch.

The pouch can thus be formed by cutting and forming a blank, for example a cardboard blank, which may then be folded to form the pouch.

The locating wall portion is preferably provided with locating members located at its base that engage with locating means located in the second portion, wherein the locating means are adapted to guide the third portion into the rolling position.

This makes the process of moving the pouch to the rolling position easier, and ensures that the locating wall portion rotates after engagement, to assist the formation of the valley.

The locating members may be are tabs. The locating means may be slots.

In this way both the locating members and the locating means may be formed of card by cutting from the blank.

The slots may be located in the second portion above an area free of smoking articles when the second portion is folded to cover the area for the storage of smoking articles.

The tabs will thus not interfere with the smoking articles when they engage with the slots.

The third portion may be wider than the first and second portions.

This helps the resilient biasing means to engage in the valley and to slide over the edges of the first and second portions.

The first exterior surface portion may be larger in area than the second exterior surface portion. The outer wall portion may be taller in height than the locating wall portion when the third portion is in the rolling position. The dimensions may be chosen to provide particularly advantageous arrangements of valley shape for rolling purposes.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pouch for the storage of smoking articles according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the unfolded pouch of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pouch of Figure 1 in the stowed position; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pouch of Figure 1 in the rolling position.

Detailed Description

With reference to Figs. 1 to 4, a pouch for the storage of smoking articles 10 comprises a single piece of folded sheet material 12, resilient biasing means 14 and an area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 22. Typically the sheet material 12 is card cut to from a blank, as illustrated in Fig. 2, although the sheet material 12 could be thick paper, or a foldable plastic sheet material. Typically the resilient biasing means 14 is an elastic cord, such as a rubber band, as will be described later. The smoking articles 22 are stored inside the folded pouch 10, and can be accessed by opening the pouch, that is by at least partially unfolding the pouch 10.

The pouch 10 is constructed such that it can be moved between a stowed position, shown in Fig. 3, in which it is folded substantially flat and can be carried in a pocket or the like, and a rolling position, as shown in Fig. 4, in which the pouch 10 is provided with an area for rolling a rolled cigarette. The area for rolling a cigarette is a valley 19 formed between first 18 and second 20 exterior surfaces of the pouch 10, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The valley allows the user to place a cigarette paper in the valley, add tobacco inside the paper and roll a cigarette. The pouch 10 is provided with an area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 22. The smoking articles 17 may include tobacco papers, tobacco skins, filters, tobacco or any other product or substance associated with smoking. The smoking articles 22 may be provided in separate packages which are glued to respective portions 15, 16 of the area 17 provided on the pouch.

The biasing means 14 of the pouch 10 extends along the valley 19 and urges the valley 19 of the pouch 10 towards the area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 16, such that the valley is held in an equilibrium position by the biasing means. If the valley were to move in a direction either towards or away from the side wall portion 42 from the position shown in Fig. 4, the biasing means 14 would be stretched, and the resilience of the basing means would urge the valley 17 back towards the position shown in Fig 4.

The biasing means 14 may be any elastic cord or material, for example a rubber band. In an embodiment of the present invention the biasing means 14 is an elastic cord attached to an attachment point 21 provided in the portion of the pouch 10 which forms the area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 22. The cord extends from the attachment point 21 along the rear of the pouch 10, around the edge of the pouch 10, along the valley 19, around the other edge of the pouch 10, and back along the rear of the pouch 10 to the attachment point 21.

As depicted in Fig. 2 the single piece of folded sheet material 12 includes a first portion 24, on which is arranged the area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 22, a second portion 26, which forms a first cover, and a third portion 28, which forms a second cover. The second portion 26 is adapted such that it foldably covers the area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 22. Located in the second portion 26 are slots 30. The third portion 28 is adapted such that it foldably covers the first 24 and second 26 portions. The third portion 28 includes a number of fold lines 117, 119, 121, which divide the third portion 28 into four areas. Two areas 118, 120 form the first 18 and second 20 exterior surfaces. An outer wall portion 32 is foldably connected to the first exterior surface 18 and supports the first exterior surface 18 when the pouch 10 is in the rolling position. A locating wall portion 34 is foldably connected to the second exterior surface 20 and supports the second exterior surface 20 when the pouch 10 is in the rolling position.

As depicted in Fig. 1, when the first 24, second 26 and third 28 portions are folded so they cover the area for the storage of smoking articles 16. This provides very effective storage of smoking articles 17. The smoking articles 17 can be easily accessed by simply unfolding the second 26 and third portions 28.

As illustrated in Fig. 3 and 4, the third portion 28 is arranged such that it can move between the stowed position, shown in Fig. 3, and a rolling position, shown in Fig. 4.

This is achieved by the user placing his or her thumbs on the first exterior surface 18 and pushing the first exterior surface 18 towards the outer wall portion 32. As the second exterior surface 20 and the locating wall portion 34 move towards the outer wall portion 32, two tabs provided at the lower edge of the outer wall portion 32 engage with the slots 30 in the second portion 30. The outer wall portion 32 can no longer slide over the second portion 30, and instead starts to rotate, thereby urging the second exterior surface 20 upwards, to form the valley 19 with the first exterior surface 18.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, in the stowed position the third portion 28 covers the second portion 26. It is held closed by the resilient biasing means 14. The resilient biasing means 14 sits in the valley 19 between the first 18 and second 20 exterior surfaces along a fold line 119 and urges the valley 19 towards second portion 26. The outer wall portion 32 and locating wall portion 34 are substantially flat. The positions of the first 18 and second 20 exterior surfaces and the outer wall portion 32 and locating wall portion 34 are exaggerated in Fig. 3, and in practice they may be flatter than the positions shown in Fig. 3.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, in the rolling position the outer portion 32 and locating wall portion 34 are raised, and the valley 19 is much steeper. This provides the area for rolling a cigarette. The resilient biasing means 14 sits in the valley on the fold line 119 between the first 18 and second 20 exterior surface portions.

The pouch 10 moves from the stowed to the rolling position when the user applies a force to the second exterior surface 20 in the lateral direction towards the outer wall portion 32, raising the locating 34 and outer 32 wall portions. The resilient biasing means 14, which sits along the fold line between the first 18 and the second 20 exterior surfaces throughout the movement, assists in the movement towards the rolling position, since the total length of the resilient biasing means 14 is less in the rolling position than in the stowed position. This is because the attachment point 21 is directly below the valley 19 when the pouch 10 is in the rolling position.

The elastic cord 14 is removed by sliding it over the separating wall 33, shown in Fig. 3, in order to allow the first portion 24 and second portion 26 to be lifted and allow access to the contents of the pouch. The cord 14 is then replaced before the sliding movement from the stowed position to the rolling position.

The process by which the pouch 10 moves from the stowed position to the rolling position is reversible. The pouch 10 can be moved from the rolling position by the user applying a force to the outer wall portion 32 in the reverse lateral direction. This has the effect of lowering the outer wall portion 32 and locating wall portion 34 and returning the pouch 10 to the stowed position.

When the pouch 10 changes position the locating wall portion 34 engages with the second portion 26. This may be achieved by the use of locating members that engage with locating means. In the example described above the locating members are tabs 36 and the locating means are slots 30. The locating members and locating means may instead be magnetic strips, Velcro or any other locating means and members. The locating members and locating means guide the pouch 10 from the stowed position to the rolling position and vice-versa. In the example described above the tabs 36 pass through the slots 30 into a gap 40 between a first portion 15 and a second portion 16 of the area 17 for the storage of smoking articles 22, so that the tabs do not interfere with the smoking articles 22.

In the stowed position the outer wall portion 32 is substantially parallel to the first portion 24. In the rolling position the outer wall portion 34 is at an angle of between 60° and 100° to the first portion 24, typically about 90°.

In the stowed position the locating wall portion 32 is substantially parallel to the first portion 24 and it is folded beneath the second exterior surface 20. However, the pouch 10 may be stowed with the locating portion 34 not folded beneath the second exterior surface 20 with the locating portion 34 not engaged with the second portion 26. In the rolling position the locating wall portion 34 is at an angle of between 70° and 120° to the second portion 26, typically 90°.

In the stowed position the angle between the first 18 and second 20 exterior surface portions is substantially 180°, although it might be between 160° and 200° if the pouch does not lie completely flat. When the pouch 10 is in the rolling position the angle between is between 60° and 120°, typically about 90°, to form a suitable valley 19 for rolling purposes. However the invention is not limited to any particular valley angle.

The outer wall portion 32 may be any height when the third portion 28 is in the rolling position. However, in the illustrated embodiment the outer wall portion 32 is taller in height than the locating wall portion 34 when the pouch 10 is in the rolling position.

The first 18 and second 20 exterior surfaces areas may be any size relative to one another. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the first exterior surface 18 is larger in area than the second exterior surface 20.

The third portion 28 of the pouch 10 is arranged such that it is wider, by between 1 and 10 mm, typically 3 mm, than the first 24 and second portions 26. This allows the resilient biasing means 14 to stay in position along the valley 19 of the third portion 28, while readily sliding over the edges of the first portion 24 and second portion 26. In one example the first 24 and second portions 26 are 120 mm wide and the third portion 28 is 123 mm wide.

The small difference in width between the second 26 and third 28 portions is achieved by tapering the overall width of the blank between the narrower second portion 26 and wider third portion 28.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, the pouch 10 has located between the first 24 and third 28 portions a side wall portion 42. Located at one end of the sidewall portion 42 is a recess 44 that allows the attachment of a poking device (not shown). The poking device can be used to aid the construction of a rolling cigarette, by poking any tobacco that may be protruding from the interior of the rolling cigarette back inside the cigarette. The poking device may have a flange that allows the poking device to attach itself to the recess 44 and thus to the pouch 10.

As shown in Fig. 2, the blank sheet 12 from which the pouch 10 is formed is provided with score lines to facilitate folding of the blank. There is a score line 31 between the second portion 26 and a separating wall portion 33. The separating wall portion 33 is separated from the first portion 24 by a score line 35. The first portion 24 is separated from the side wall portion 42 by a score line 41. The side wall portion 42 is separated from the outer wall portion 32 by a score line 43.

Located on the reverse side of the first exterior surface portion 18 is a first rolling portion 118 that is separated from the outer wall portion 32 by a score line 117. The first rolling portion 118 is separated from a second rolling portion 120 on the reverse side of the second exterior surface portion 20 by a score line 119. The score line 119 facilitates a reverse fold between the first 18 and second 20 exterior surfaces. The second rolling portion 120 is separated from the locating wall portion 121 by a score line 121.

Although the invention is not limited to particular dimensions, referring to Fig. 2, the dimensions of the embodiment of the present invention are typically as follows: the second portion 26 is substantially 120 mm in width; the second portion 26 is substantially 52 mm in length; the separating wall 33 is substantially 5mm in length; the first portion of the area for the storage of smoking articles 15 is substantially 11mm in length; the gap 40 is substantially 6 mm in length; the second portion of area for the storage of smoking articles 17 is substantially 30 mm in length; the side wall portion 42 is substantially 5 mm in length; the outer wall portion 32 is substantially 15 mm in length; the first rolling portion 118 is substantially 21 mm in length; the second rolling portion 120 is substantially 12 mm in length; the locating wall portion 34 is substantially 11 mm in length; the third portion is substantially 123mm in width. The dimensions of the invention are not limited to those above; the dimensions may be different for different embodiments of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A pouch for the storage of smoking articles, the pouch including an area for rolling a cigarette, wherein the pouch comprises: a sheet of foldable sheet material, a resilient biasing means, and an area for the storage of smoking articles, wherein the sheet comprises a first portion on which is arranged the area for the storage of smoking articles, a second portion arranged to foldably cover the area for the storage of smoking articles, and a third portion arranged to foldably cover the second portion and comprising first and second exterior surface portions separated by a fold line, wherein the third portion is arranged to move between a stowed position in which the two exterior surface portions are substantially flat and a rolling position in which the two exterior surface portions define a valley forming the area for rolling a cigarette, and wherein the resilient biasing means is arranged to urge the fold line towards the second portion.
2. The pouch of claim 1 wherein the third portion further comprises an outer wall portion connected by a fold to the first exterior surface portion, and a locating wall portion connected by a fold to the second exterior surface portion.
3. The pouch of claim 1 or 2, wherein when the third portion is in the stowed position the third portion covers the second portion and the pouch is held closed by the resilient biasing means.
4. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the outer wall portion is arranged to be substantially parallel to the first portion in the stowed position, and arranged at an angle of between 60° and 100° to the first portion in the rolling position, preferably about 90°.
5. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the locating wall portion is arranged to be substantially parallel to the first portion in the stowed position, and arranged at an angle of between 70° and 120° but preferably an angle of 90° in the rolling position.
6. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the angle between the two exterior surface portions when the pouch is in the stowed position is between 130° and 180° but preferably 160°, and when the pouch is in the rolling position the angle is between 60° and 120° but preferably 90°.
7. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the resilient means comprises an elastic cord that is fixed to the rear of the first portion.
8. The pouch of any preceding claim, further comprising a poking device attachable to the sheet.
9. The pouch of claim 8, wherein the pouch has a side wall separated by folds of the first portion and the third portion, wherein the side wall has a recess at one end to allow the attachment of the poking device.
10. The pouch of any preceding claims, wherein the sheet material is provided with score lines to facilitate folding of the portions of the pouch.
11. The pouch of claim 2, wherein the locating wall portion is provided with locating members located at its base that engage with locating means located in the second portion, wherein the locating means are adapted to guide the third portion into the rolling position.
12. The pouch of claim 11, wherein the locating members are tabs.
13. The pouch of claim 11 or 12, wherein the locating means are slots.
14. The pouch of claim 13 wherein the slots are located in the second portion above an area free of smoking articles when the second portion is folded to cover the area for the storage of smoking articles.
15. The pouch of any of the preceding claims, wherein the third portion is wider than the first and second portions.
16. The pouch any of the preceding claims, wherein the first exterior surface portion is larger in area than the second exterior surface portion.
17. The pouch of claim 2, wherein the outer wall portion is taller in height than the locating wall portion when the third portion is in the rolling position.