KR20160115948A - Resealable pack of smoking articles and method for packaging smoking articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a resealable pack of smoking articles comprising a sealing protective enclosure suitable for sealing a filling of a smoking article. The enclosure is intended to be opened so that the user can remove one or more smoking articles from the pack. Also, the inclusion body is adapted to be resealed later, in order to restore the protection against the filling or residual filling of the smoking article against the deterioration of the fragrance and freshness. The inclusion body comprises a component that is at least partially translucent, preferably transparent, to allow the user to view the filler or residual filler from the exterior of the inclusion in the resealed state. The present invention also relates to a method for packaging smoking articles.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a reclosable pack for smoking articles and a method for packaging smoking articles,

The present invention relates generally to the packaging of smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, cigarillos and / or cigars. In particular, the invention relates to a resealable pack of smoking articles and a method for packaging smoking articles.

In order to protect packaged smoking articles and preserve their flavor and freshness, so-called resealed packs for smoking articles have been proposed.

Conventional resealable packs for smoking articles provide the possibility of being airtightly resealed to reduce the escape of flavors from the packaged smoking article to the outside atmosphere and / or to prevent unwanted moisture from entering from outside. And may be useful for preserving the flavor and quality of the smoking article contained therein.

Sometimes a smoker may want to smoke one of the smoking articles contained in a pack of smoking articles. Thus, such a user repeatedly opens and closes a conventional resealable pack while gradually removing and consuming the smoking article until the pack is empty. Between the moment the first resealed pack is opened for the first time and the moment when the last smoking article is removed from the pack some of the fragrance escapes from these smoking articles remaining in the pack and that some of the freshness of these smoking articles still disappears .

Accordingly, in view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cigarette packed in a resealable pack, a cigarette pack and / or a cigarette packed in a resealable pack, which has a further increased protective effect and further reduces the loss of fragrance and freshness, It would be desirable to be able to provide smoking articles such as cigars.

It would also be desirable to provide the user with a packaging that reduces the need to open the pack to recognize how much tobacco remains in the package, thereby further improving the preservation of fragrance and freshness.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a resealable pack of smoking articles which can be used conveniently as well as improving the protective effect. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of packaging a correspondingly improved smoking article.

According to the present invention, the technical problem just described is solved by a resealable pack of smoking articles having the features of claim 1. In addition, this problem is solved by a method having the features of claim 13.

Accordingly, the present invention proposes a resealable pack of smoking articles comprising a sealed protective enclosure suitable for sealing the filling of the smoking article. The protective enclosure is intended to be opened so that the user can remove one or more smoking articles from the pack. The enclosure is also intended to be subsequently resealed, in order to restore protection to the filling or residual filling of the smoking article, especially against the deterioration of fragrance and freshness through moisture loss or penetration in the pack. According to the invention, the inclusion body comprises a component which is at least partly translucent and preferably transparent, as a component which allows the user to perceive the filler or residual filler from the outside of the inclusion body in the resealed state.

A method for packaging a proposed smoking article according to the present invention comprises:

- providing a filling of the smoking article; And

- encapsulating the filling with a sealed protective enclosure.

The enclosure is intended to be opened so that the user can remove one or more smoking articles from the pack. Also, the inclusion body is adapted to be resealed later, in order to restore the protection against the filling or residual filling of the smoking article against the deterioration of the fragrance and freshness. The enclosure enclosing the filler comprises a component that is at least partially translucent and preferably transparent, as a component that allows the user to view the filler or residual filler from the exterior of the enclosure in a resealed state.

The underlying idea of the present invention is that the possibility of checking the contents of the resealable pack without the need to open the protective enclosure, in particular the possibility of at least roughly ascertaining how much of the smoking article remains inside the resealable pack , And to provide the components to a resealable pack for a user (e.g., a smoker). Thus, the user can, for this purpose, check whether the smoking article remains, without requiring the opening of the inclusion body and subsequent resealing. In this way, resealable packs are provided that are more convenient than conventional resealable packs, since the remaining contents can be determined easily and quickly.

Thus, by using the resealable pack of the present invention, it is also possible to avoid frequent opening of the sealed protective enclosure by the user, just to check the contents of the pack, even if a person does not actually want to remove the smoking article from the pack at that time have. Accordingly, the encapsulant of the reclosable pack of the present invention will be opened by the user with significantly less frequency compared to conventional resealed packs for smoking articles. Additionally, the number of reseal operations is minimized, thereby reducing the chance of improper or incomplete resealing of the inclusion body by the user.

Thereby, the beneficial protective environment provided by the sealed protective enclosure can be kept better. Thus, the freshness, quality and flavor of the smoking article can be better preserved than in the case of conventional resealed packs.

The advantages and benefits just described are also obtained by performing a method for packaging a smoking article proposed by the present invention.

Further beneficial developments, enhancements and enhancements of the invention are contained in the detailed description with reference to the drawings, as well as the dependent claims.

In the context of the present application, a "transparent" material or element is a material or element that allows light to pass through, and that allows a user, particularly a human to substantially grasp and identify an object behind such material or element . That is, light passes through the material or element described above without being substantially scattered. In the context of the present application, a "translucent" material or element should be understood as allowing a user to identify and identify, at least to some extent, the object behind the material or element. However, transparency may vary from one translucent material to another, and it should be understood that the term "translucent ", when used in this specification, is not intended to limit transparency to a particular value. Thus, it can be understood that the transparent material is a special case of translucent material with high transparency. However, materials with a transparency that is substantially lower than the transparency of a translucent, fully transparent material are likewise contemplated in the present application.

Also, in the context of the present application, a "non-transparent" material or element does not allow the user to grasp or identify an object placed behind such " . Finally, the "opaque" material or element should be understood as indicating a material or element that does not allow light to pass at all, as the term is used herein.

According to a preferred refinement, the component is formed as an element for repeatedly opening and re-sealing the enclosure. In particular, the component can be formed as a label of a flexible sheet material. In this manner, the elements used to repeatedly open and reseal the enclosure are advantageously simultaneously used as an element that provides the user with visual access from the outside of the enclosure to the inside thereof. Thus, advantageously, the functions of visual access and opening and resealing of the protective enclosure are combined into one component. A resealable pack having such components formed as a label can be conveniently manufactured. Even if this is necessary, even a large portion of the packing enclosed by the protective enclosure can be covered by an opaque rigid outer case or an opaque outer wrapper, without compromising the functionality of the visual access provided by the component. With this improvement, the user can conveniently check the contents of the pack and open the enclosure in the same area of the pack as needed.

According to the improvement, the component is formed as an element for repeatedly opening and resealing an inclusion body, in particular as a label of a flexible sheet material adhesively connected to a sealed protective enclosure. This can also contribute to the convenient manufacture of the pack and the convenient use of the pack by the user.

According to another advantageous refinement, the sealed protective enclosure comprises a barrier sheet which in particular may be a flexible barrier sheet. The barrier sheet is disposed around the filling of the smoking article. The barrier sheet is particularly useful for preserving the flavor and freshness of a smoking article by, for example, preventing the escape of fragrance from the packaged smoking article towards the outside atmosphere and / May be formed of a suitable barrier sheet material adapted to protect the article. In order to provide the desired protection characteristics, the sealed protective enclosure can be manufactured from the barrier sheet in a relatively simple and cost effective manner, if necessary, by placing the barrier sheet around the filling of the smoking article and then sealing the barrier sheet. Sealing can be accomplished, for example, by using a suitable sealing device to form a suitable sealing seam. The flexible barrier sheet can be easily folded around the filler.

According to a preferred refinement, the components are adhesively connected to the barrier sheet. By selecting a suitable adhesive, the component can be repeatedly peeled off or re-bent to its original position to air-tightly re-seal the enclosure, at least partially peel the barrier sheet at least partially to open the enclosure, , Such as a label or the like.

According to another preferred refinement, the component is a label made separately from the barrier sheet and adhered to the barrier sheet to create a resealable pack. In this way, barrier sheets and labels can be easily produced.

According to another improvement, the barrier sheet can be formed of a laminate.

According to another improvement, the barrier sheet can be formed of a heat-sealable or self-sealing material, in particular a heat-sealable laminate or a self-sealing laminate. If the barrier sheet material is thermally sealable, the seal of the inclusion body can be formed by hot sealing.

According to another improvement, at least a part of the barrier sheet or barrier sheet is transparent or translucent. In this manner, the smoking article can be seen at least partially from the exterior of the enclosure through a portion of the barrier sheet or barrier sheet.

According to another preferred refinement, the transparent or translucent portion of the barrier sheet or barrier sheet can be printed. By printing, the transparent or semitransparent portion of the barrier sheet or barrier sheet can be further improved in relation to its visual appearance, and information that can be useful to the user can also be provided. This information may be, for example, regarding the type of smoking article contained in the pack, the brand of the smoking article and / or the flavor of the smoking article.

According to another improvement, the at least partially translucent or at least partially transparent component is disposed at least partially in a transparent or translucent barrier sheet or in a transparent or semi-transparent part of the barrier sheet. In this manner, the transparency or translucency of the barrier sheet, or portions thereof, can provide the user with visual access from outside the enclosure through portions of both the component and the barrier sheet, in combination with transparency or translucency of the component have. Thereby, advantageously, there may be no need to provide a barrier sheet having a cut-out in the area in which the component is disposed, so that a resealable pack which can be conveniently manufactured can be obtained.

According to another improvement, the barrier sheet is non-transparent or opaque. In this manner, the filler or residual filler of the smoking article may be at least partially visible to the user, with the pack resealed, due to the transparency or translucency of the component or a portion thereof, while the opacity or non- Through the adjacent portion of the transparent barrier sheet, the smoking article can not be seen. This produces another variant of the resealable pack with an improved appearance. In addition, when the filling of the smoking article encapsulated by the protective enclosure is to be inserted into the opaque outer case during the packaging process, or when it is to be wrapped with an opaque outer wrapper, this outer case or outer wrapper is at least part It is possible to inhibit the visual access by the user. Thus, in this case the entire barrier sheet need not be transparent or translucent.

The barrier sheet may include an access opening that allows a user to access the product wrapped within the barrier sheet. In this case, the component covers the access opening in the initial sealed state of the inclusion body. In this case, the component can be lifted at least partly from the barrier sheet so as to expose at least a portion of the access opening to open the enclosure, thereby enabling the user to access the smoking article And is connected to the barrier sheet. The component is further adapted to again cover the access opening in order to reseal the enclosure in this case. This improvement may be particularly useful when the barrier sheet is non-transparent or opaque. Visual access to the interior of the enclosure is provided to the user through an access opening that is at least partially transparent or at least partially translucent and covered by components and components. After opening the enclosure by partially lifting the component, the user can remove the smoking article through the access opening.

According to another preferred refinement, the barrier sheet is provided with a rupture line along which the barrier sheet is intended to rupture to form an access opening. In the initial sealing of the enclosure, the component covers the rupturing line and the area of the access opening to be formed. In addition, the component is configured in such a way that the component can be at least partially lifted from the barrier sheet to cause the rupture of the barrier sheet along the rupture line and the formation of the access opening for opening the inclusion body, It is connected. This enables the user to access the smoking article, in particular to remove one or more smoking articles from the pack. The component is further adapted to subsequently cover the access opening formed to reseal the enclosure. The resealable pack according to this improvement can provide a visual access to the user through, for example, a barrier sheet or through its transparent or semitransparent portion and through components disposed in the barrier sheet, so that the barrier sheet or barrier sheet Has a merit that manufacturing is simpler if at least a portion of the substrate is transparent or translucent. In this case, the rupture line is sufficient to form the access opening. The at least partially detached portion of the barrier sheet in the region of the access opening that is delimited by the previous rupture line is bonded to the component after the first opening operation without interfering with the visual access towards the interior of the enclosure Can be maintained. In addition, in the case of this improvement, the smoking article, and in particular the end face of these smoking articles, advantageously adheres to the component accidentally by at least partly peeled off part of the barrier sheet which is adhered to the component Can be prevented.

According to another advantageous refinement, the rupture line can be formed as a perforated line. This is a simpler way of providing a defined burst line in a barrier sheet.

According to another improvement, the component is completely transparent or translucent. According to an alternative improvement, the first part of the component is transparent or translucent, while the second part of the component is non-transparent or opaque. A substantially completely transparent or translucent component can provide the operator with a large visual access area to facilitate viewing of the fill or residual fill. In contrast, the first portion is transparent or semitransparent while the second portion of the non-transparent or opaque component emphasizes or visually stands the first portion, e.g., transparent or translucent, The appearance of the food pack can be further improved.

According to another improvement, the first portion of the component is formed as a transparent or translucent window that is bordered by a non-transparent or opaque edge along at least a portion of its periphery. According to this improvement, the edge is formed by the second part of the component. According to this improvement, in the sealed and / or resealed state of the inclusion body, the window and access opening overlap or substantially coincide. In particular, the windows and access openings may be wholly or partially overlapping. With this improvement, the appearance of the resealable pack is further improved, and the window in the component is emphasized. In particular, in the case of a transparent or semitransparent barrier sheet, it is not necessary to arrange the windows and the access openings so as to partially or wholly overlap or match, but a matching and / or overlapping arrangement of windows and access openings is preferred.

According to another improvement, the first part of the component or element is printed. Printing on the transparent or translucent portion of the component may contribute to the new and improved appearance of the pack and may also be related to, for example, the type of the smoking article, the brand of the smoking article, the flavor of the smoking article, Can provide important information to the user, which may include comments. It is also possible for the user to notice important information printed on the component, since the component allows the user to see the remaining contents of the resealable pack.

According to another improvement, the component can be made of a cellophane-based sheet material or a polypropylene-based sheet material.

In particular, the components may also be made of a cellophane sheet material which is environmentally friendly, in particular exhibits sufficient biodegradability and / or can be produced in a sustainable manner, and which also has a protective characteristic suitable for protecting smoking articles have.

For example, according to a variant, a type of film commercially available from Innovia Films Ltd of Cumbria, Wigan, UK under the brand NatureFlex (TM) may be used in the above components.

According to another improvement, the resealed pack also comprises a flexible outer wrap of flexible sheet material, in which case the packing enclosed by the sealed protective enclosure forms a resealed inner pack wrapped with said outer wrap . Alternatively, the pack may include a rigid or semi-rigid outer casing. The packing enclosed by the sealed protective enclosure forms a resealable inner pack contained in the outer case at this time. The outer wrap or outer case additionally protects the packing of the smoking article and the protective enclosure from, for example, mechanical damage during handling and / or transportation.

According to another improvement, the rigid or semi-rigid outer case may be formed of a suitable type of cardboard.

In particular, the rigid or semi-rigid outer case may be formed as an outer case including a hinged lid.

According to another improvement, the resealable pack further comprises an inner support frame. The frame is disposed, within the enclosure, between a portion of the filling of the smoking article and a portion of the enclosure. Such an inner support frame may in particular be formed of a semi-rigid material such as, for example, a suitable type of cardboard. The inner frame can contribute to suppressing damage to the smoking article and / or the barrier sheet due to the pressure applied to the pack. Thus, such a frame also provides a pack with improved structural stability, even when a portion of the smoking article has already been removed. The inner support frame can also facilitate the reseal operation by providing sufficient counter support.

According to another improvement, the resealable pack further comprises an outer support frame, which is disposed outside the enclosure and covers a portion of the enclosure enclosed by the enclosed protective enclosure. The outer support frame may be particularly made of a semi-rigid material such as a suitable cardboard material or the like. The outer support frame makes it possible to additionally protect the smoking article and the protective enclosure from the mechanical load applied to the pack.

According to various improvements of the present invention, the resealable pack may include both the inner support frame or the outer support frame or both support frames.

Previous improvements, enhancements, and developments of the present invention can be applied to the pack of the present invention as well as to the method of the present invention.

According to a further refinement of the method of packaging a smoking article, the filling of the filling comprises providing a barrier sheet, in particular a flexible barrier sheet, comprising an access opening, the component being provided on the barrier sheet Adhesively connected. The provided barrier sheet is disposed around the filling.

According to an alternative refinement, the filling of the filling comprises providing a barrier sheet, in particular a flexible barrier sheet, comprising a rupture line, along which the barrier sheet is to be ruptured to form an access opening have. The component is adhesively connected to the barrier sheet to cover the rupturing line and the area of the access opening to be formed. The provided barrier sheet is disposed around the filling.

According to another improvement of the method, after placing the barrier sheet around the filling, the barrier sheet is sealed, in particular by a sealing seam, to form a sealed protective enclosure.

Preferably, the method of packaging the smoking article is carried out using a transparent or translucent barrier sheet.

The method proposed by the present invention can be used in particular to produce the reclosable pack of the present invention.

The foregoing developments, enhancements, and enhancements may be arbitrarily combined with each other as appropriate. Other possible developments, enhancements, and implementations of the invention include combinations of features of the invention, which will be described below with respect to the detailed description of the foregoing or the embodiments, even when such combinations are not explicitly mentioned .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following, the present invention will be described with reference to a schematic diagram of the drawings showing embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a transparent label disposed on a barrier sheet and a barrier sheet according to a first embodiment of the present invention, prior to placing the barrier sheet around the filling of the smoking article;
FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view of a barrier sheet and label according to a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the barrier sheet and portion of the label shown in Figure 1 taken along AA as shown in Figure 1;
3 is a plan view of a portion of a barrier sheet prior to being placed around the fill of the smoking article and a portion of the transparent label disposed on the barrier sheet, according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3a is a schematic plan view of a barrier sheet and label according to a variant of the embodiment of Figure 3;
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the barrier sheet and part of the label shown in Fig. 3 taken along BB as shown in Fig. 3; Fig.
5 is a front perspective view of a resealable pack of a smoking article according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the resealable pack of Figure 5;
7 is a front perspective view of a resealable pack of a smoking article according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of the resealable pack of Figure 7;
Fig. 9 is a schematic view of a resealable pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention, showing that the packing of the smoking article is sealed by a sealed protective containment and that a part of the enclosed packing is covered by the outer support frame. A front perspective view;
Figure 10 is a rear perspective view of the enclosed packing and the outer support frame of Figure 9;
11 is a front perspective view of a resealable pack comprising a flexible outer wrap, according to a variation of the first, second and third embodiments of the present invention;
12 is a front perspective view of a resealable pack comprising an inner support frame, according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 13 is a rear perspective view of the resealable pack of Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a plan view of an exemplary blank for the inner support frame of the resealable pack of Figure 12;
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the blank of Fig. 14, folded and disposed about the filling of the smoking article;
16 is a front perspective view of a resealable pack of a smoking article according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, including a rigid outer case with a hinged lid;
17 is a front perspective view of a reclosable pack of a smoking article according to a first modified example of the fifth embodiment, wherein the hinged lid is shown in an open state;
18 is a front perspective view of a reclosable pack of a smoking article according to a second modified example of the fifth embodiment, wherein the hinged lid is shown in an open state;
19 is a front perspective view of a reclosable pack of a smoking article according to a third modified example of the fifth embodiment, wherein the hinged lid is shown in an open state;
Fig. 20 shows various aspects of the resealable pack according to the second variation of the fifth embodiment of Fig.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, the appended drawings are intended to illustrate embodiments of the invention. The drawings, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and concepts of the present invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages described can be deduced from the figures. The elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Elements, features and components having the same or equivalent function or effect are denoted in the drawings using the same reference numerals, unless expressly stated otherwise.

In Figure 1, a portion of the flexible barrier sheet 1 is shown in plan view. The barrier sheet 1 preferably prevents, in a smoking article (not shown in Fig. 1) such as a cigarette, a thin cigarette or a cigar, from escaping fragrance and loss of flavor, Is made from a flexible sheet material having properties suitable for preventing penetration. The sheet material for the barrier sheet may also be adapted to provide protection from other external influences which may be detrimental to the flavor and quality of the smoking article. As an example, the sheet material forming the barrier sheet 1 may be a laminate such as a heat-seal laminate or an auto-seal laminate.

As shown in Fig. 1, in the example shown, a rupturing line 3 in the form of a substantially U-shaped perforation line is provided in the barrier sheet 1. The rupture line 3 defines a zone or area 6 which is shown with hatching in figure 1 so that the barrier sheet 1 is ruptured along the rupture line 3 and the area 6, when the barrier sheet 1 is folded to the left in Fig. 1, for example, an access opening 10 having the function described in more detail below is formed.

In Figure 1, the barrier sheet 1 is not yet torn along the rupture line 3. The component 15 is connected to one side of the barrier sheet 1, here on the upper side, and over the substantially entire surface of the component 15 facing the barrier sheet 1, do. The component 15 completely covers the rupture line 3 and the area 6. [

The component 15 has the form of an adhesive label, likewise formed of a flexible sheet material. The sheet materials used for the label 15 and for the barrier sheet 1 may each be of different types. The adhesive for connecting the component 15 to the barrier sheet 1 is such that the component 15 can be conveniently peeled off and thereby at least partially removed from the barrier sheet 1 in the direction of the arrow 19 in Fig. Can be lifted. To this end, the user can lift the component 15 at its edge 15a.

When the component 15 is at least partially lifted in this way and folded or bent towards the left side of FIG. 2, the barrier sheet 1 along the rupture line 3, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2, Rupture is caused. Thereby, the access opening 10 is formed. The adhesive that bonds the component 15 to the barrier sheet 1 may also cause the component 15 to be folded back into position to cover and close the access opening 10 again, Is again selected in such a way that it can be adhered to the airtightly, whereby the access opening 10 is airtightly resealed. Preferably, after the initial formation of the access opening 10, the component 15 is lifted from the barrier sheet 1 to expose the access opening 10, It is intended to be folded back into position for sealing.

In Figures 1 and 2, the barrier sheet 1 is made entirely of a substantially completely transparent material. Also, the components 15 of Figures 1 and 2 are likewise manufactured entirely of substantially completely transparent material. It should be noted that either or both of barrier sheet 1 or element 15 of Figures 1 and 2 may be semi-transparent or translucent instead of completely transparent.

This means that the object O placed behind the barrier sheet 1 in the region of the component 15 can be at least partially visible to the user when viewed through the component 15. [ In Figure 2, this is schematically shown by the user's eye E In particular, the user can see what is behind the barrier sheet 1 in the area 6.

In a variant, if this is required, the barrier sheet 1 may also comprise a transparent or semi-transparent portion 2a as well as a non-transparent or opaque portion 2b, and the component 15 may comprise a transparent portion or It is to be noted that it is disposed in the translucent portion 2a. This is schematically shown in Fig.

The component 15 may be made of, for example, a cellophane-based sheet material or a polypropylene-based sheet material. When a cellophane sheet material is used, it may be considered to employ a material which is sufficiently environmentally compatible. For example, a type of film commercially available from Innovia Films Ltd of Cumbria, Wigan, UK under the brand NatureFlex (TM) may be used for component 15.

Figure 1 shows a zone 21 in which one or both of a transparent or translucent component 15 or a transparent or translucent barrier sheet 1 can be printed. For example, decorations, symbols, logos, or important hints and explanations for the user may be printed in the area 21. In this way, the above-mentioned hint and information will be easily recognizable to the user, for example, but the object behind the barrier sheet 1 is nevertheless still visible through the element 15 and the barrier sheet 1 have.

3 shows the barrier sheet 1 and the component 15 for the reclosable pack according to the second embodiment. In Figure 3, the barrier sheet is non-transparent or opaque, but in the alternative it may also be translucent or semi-transparent instead. To allow for visibility of what is behind the barrier sheet 1 through the component 15, the barrier sheet 1 of Fig. 3 has an access opening 10 (Fig. 3) which is generally rectangular in shape with rounded corners ). The edges of the access opening 10 are shown in phantom. In the barrier sheet 1 of Fig. 3, there is arranged a component 15 formed as a label of a flexible sheet material, which, in relation to the adhesive connection to the barrier sheet 1, Has substantially the same characteristics as component (15). However, the component 15 of FIG. 3 includes a transparent first portion 16a and a non-transparent second portion 16b. It should be noted that the first portion 16a of the component 15 of Figure 3 may also be translucent. Also, instead of being only transparent, the second portion 16b may be opaque. The first portion 16a of this example is formed as a transparent window. In Fig. 3, the boundary of the window 16a is indicated by the reference numeral 17. The second portion 16b is formed as a non-transparent or opaque edge that borders the first portion 16a along its circumference.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first portion 16a and the access opening 10 are substantially coincident, and the access opening 10 is slightly larger than the transparent window in this example. In a variant, the windows formed by the first part 16a and the access opening 10 can be arranged in an overlapping relationship, as schematically shown in figure 3a, in which case the entire window 16a And overlaps with a portion of the access opening 10.

Figs. 3 and 4 show that the component 15 according to the second embodiment entirely covers the access opening 10. Fig. As in the case of Figures 1 and 2, the component 15 can be lifted from its edge 15a in the direction of arrow 19 for example. The area 20 of the component 15 may be free of adhesive to facilitate the lifting of the component 15.

In the example of Figures 3 and 4, the component 15 does not have an adhesive over all its surfaces facing the barrier sheet 1. Instead, an adhesive is provided in the peripheral zone 18 of the component 15 extending around it from the outside of the access opening 10. In the example of Figure 3, the region 18 forms a portion of the second portion 16b of the component 15. In this way, it is possible to prevent the component 15 from adhering to the article placed on the back of the barrier sheet 1 in the region of the access opening 10.

Likewise in the example of Fig. 3, the component 15, in particular the first part 16a which is transparent or translucent, can be printed in the area 21 shown in Fig. 3, for example by a dashed line. As in FIG. 1, the print may include decorations, logos, brands of smoking articles, or hints and information for the user. By arranging the hint and the information in the transparent or semi-transparent window 16a, the user can quickly and easily recognize this hint and information.

In Fig. 5, a resealable pack P of the smoking article S is shown. The smoking article S is a cigarette in the case of FIG. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the smoking article S is wrapped on the barrier sheet 1 as described above with reference to Figs. In the case of Fig. 5, the transparent barrier sheet 1 is disposed around the filler C of the smoking article S in such a manner that the filling material C is sealed. The barrier sheet 1 of Figures 1 and 2 is sealed around the seams 28, 29 after being disposed about the filler C. In this way, after the seams 28, 29 have been formed, the barrier sheet 1 is sealed in a sealed protective enclosure 36 for enclosing the filler C, in cooperation with the flexible label forming the component 15, . The enclosure 36 creates a protective environment for the smoking article S that protects the smoking article, for example from the ingress of moisture from the outside and / or the loss of flavor. Thereby, the flavor and quality of the smoking article S can be preserved.

As described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2, the component 15 of the pack P of Figure 5 is transparent. 5, the user can confirm the smoking article S from the outside of the pack P through both of the barrier sheet 1 and the component 15. As shown in Fig. In order to allow the user to remove one or more smoking articles S from the reclosable pack P, the enclosure 36 may be opened by stripping the label 15 starting from its edge 15a. When the component 15 is lifted from the barrier sheet 1 in the direction of the arrow 19, the barrier sheet 1 is ruptured along the rupture line 3, whereby the access opening 10 is formed The inclusion body 36 is opened. Through the access opening 10 not shown in Fig. 5, the user can take out one or several smoking articles S from the pack P.

After the user removes the smoking article S from the pack P, the inclusion body 36 can be resealed by the component 15. As described above, the component 15 can be returned to its original position in the area of contact with the access opening 10 and again adhered to the barrier sheet 1. In the case of Fig. 5, in the region 6 of the access opening 10, the residual material of the barrier sheet 1, which abuts the rupturing line 3, is held in adhesive connection with the component 15, The upper tip of the smoking article S is prevented from adhering to the component 15.

When the protective environment for the filling material C of the smoking article S or the smoking article S is taken out of the pack P by resealing the inclusion body 36 using the component 15, (C) is restored. Thus, the remaining filler (C) can be protected from harmful external influences for a long time, and its flavor and quality are preserved. In other words, the protection of the filler (C) or residual filler from the deterioration of fragrance and freshness is restored. It should be noted that the component 15 can be used to repeatedly open and reseal the enclosure 36.

The transparency of the component 15 and the transparency of the barrier sheet 1 in the case of Figure 5 together with the residual filling material C from the outside after the user re- . In this way, after smoking one of the smoking articles S, and perhaps also wanting to smoke the smoking article S, the user may be able to remove some smoking articles S without having to open the enclosure 36 It is possible to judge whether or not it remains in the pack. This advantageously contributes to the convenient handling of the reclosable pack P and prevents unnecessary opening of the enclosure 36, thereby keeping the protective environment for the smoking article S in an improved manner. 6 shows the pack P of Fig. 5 in a perspective view from the rear side thereof.

7 and 8 show the reclosable pack P according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The pack P of Figs. 7 and 8 is similar to the pack S of the smoking article S enclosed in the protective enclosure 36 formed by the labeling component 15 corresponding to the barrier sheet 1 of Figs. And a filling material (C).

In the second embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 the barrier sheet 1 is either transparent or opaque and is disposed about the filler C and is sealed along the seams 28 and 29 so that the barrier sheet 1 And the component 15 cooperate to form a seal protection enclosure 36 for the filler C of the smoking article S. 7 and 8, the barrier sheet 1 of the pack is covered by the component 15 in the sealed or resealed state of the pack P, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, The access opening 10 is formed. To open the enclosure 36 so as to take out one or more smoking articles S through the access opening 10, the component 15 is received from the barrier sheet 1, for example starting from its edge 15a To be raised. Later, the inclusion body 36 can be resealed hermetically using the component 15.

In the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8, the first portion 16a of the component 15 forms a transparent window. The label-like component 15 extends around the front upper edge 44 and the rear upper edge 45 of the pack P, The window formed by the first portion 16a is dimensioned to extend about the front upper edge 44 but terminate at the rear upper edge 45. [ Of course, this is merely an example, and the size of the window formed by the first portion 16a may be chosen differently depending on what is desired. The window 16a that is in contact with the non-transparent or opaque edge formed by the second portion 16b is not only in the initial sealing of the enclosure 36 but also in its resealed state, .

Thus, while the barrier sheet 1 in Figures 7 and 8 may be non-transparent and completely opaque, in a state in which the enclosure 36 is resealed, the component 15 is lifted to open the enclosure 36 The user can still determine, or at least estimate, how many smoking articles S remain in the pack, without the need. In this way, the flavor and quality of the smoking article S are better preserved.

The resealable packs P of Figures 7 and 8 as well as Figures 5 and 6 can be sold to the user as shown in these figures, but further variations and improvements are possible.

Figures 9 and 10 show a cross sectional view of a smoking article S enclosed by a sealed protective containment body 36 having a non-transparent or opaque barrier sheet 1, as described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. [ Sealed pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention, including the packing (C). The pack P shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is provided on the outer side of the enclosing member 36 in the case of the third embodiment and covers a relatively large portion of the packing C sealed by the enclosing member 36 And an outer support frame 55, The upper edge 56 of the outer support frame 55 does not extend completely to the upper end 46 of the encapsulated filling material C as shown in Fig. Therefore, the inner pack formed by the filling material C sealed by the enclosing member 36 protrudes from the outer support frame 55 at the upper end thereof. The frame 55 does not cover the component 15 and in particular does not cover the access opening 10 so that the frame 55 can be mechanically fixed to the pack P without deteriorating the accessibility of the user to the smoking article S. [ The stability can be improved. The frame 55 is provided with a recess 57 which can be adapted to the shape of the component 15 and / or to the shape of the access opening 10, . If desired, the frame 55 may be adhesively attached to the enclosure 36.

Any of the packs P according to the first, second or third embodiment may additionally comprise a soft outer wrap 66 of flexible sheet material for further enhanced protection. This is schematically shown in FIG. The outer wrap 66 may comprise suitable means for opening the outer wrap 66, such as a pull thread or a tear flap, for example, not shown in the figures. The outer wrap 66 can be printed as needed. In the case of FIG. 11, any of the packs P of FIGS. 5 through 10 may form a resealable inner pack wrapped with outer wrap 66.

A fourth beneficial embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 12-15. The filling C of the smoking article S is sealed by a sealed protective enclosure 36, as described above with respect to Figures 5 and 6. However, the pack P of FIGS. 12 and 13 differs from the pack P of FIGS. 5 and 6 in that it further includes an inner support frame 78 that further improves the mechanical stability of the pack. The inner support frame 78 is disposed within the enclosure 36 between a portion of the filler C and a portion of the enclosure 36. In the case of the embodiment shown in Figures 12 and 13, the frame 78 partially covers the front face or the main face of the filler C while the side flap 77 partially covers the side of the filler C Cover. A cutout area 76 may be present between the side flaps 77. The bottom surface of the filling C is covered by the end flap 79 of the inner support frame 78. [ The upper surface T of the filler C positioned opposite the bottom surface of the filler covered by the end flap 79 is in the form of a frame 78 in this example, As shown in FIG.

In the example of Figs. 12-15, the inner support frame 78 further comprises a recess 80. Fig. An exemplary blank 91 for forming the inner support frame 78 is shown in FIG. The side flap 77 and the end flap 79 are connected to the main panel 75 by a fold line. The main panel 75 includes a recess 80.

The blank 91 may be folded around the filling material C of the smoking article S to form the inner supporting frame 78, as shown in Fig. Finally, to produce the pack P of Figures 12 and 13, the arrangement of the frame 78 and the filler C of Figure 15 is accomplished by providing the barrier sheet 1 (as described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2) , And then sealed along the seams 28, 29. As shown in Fig. In this way, the barrier sheet 1 and the label-like component 15 form a seal protection enclosure 36 for the smoking article S.

Preferably, the recess 80 is formed by the rupture line 3 (see FIG. 12) of the barrier sheet 1 provided to form the access opening 10, and the region 6 of the access opening 10 to be formed Are formed in such a manner that they are not covered by the inner support frame 78 from the inside of the enclosing member 36. [ This facilitates the removal of one or more smoking articles S from the pack P after the inclusion body 36 is opened.

A fifth preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figs. 16 to 20. Fig. The reclosable pack P according to the fifth embodiment is shown in a closed state in Fig. The reclosable pack (P) according to the present embodiment includes a rigid outer case (100). The rigid outer case 100 is formed as a hinged lid case having a lid 103 connected to the main body 101 by a main body 101 and a hinge 106. [ As can be seen from Fig. 16, the rigid outer case 100 of this example is substantially cubic and has a rounded vertical corner.

17 shows the pack P according to the first modification of the fifth embodiment in a state in which the lid 103 is opened. The inside of the outer case 100 is filled with a sealing protective enclosure 36 formed cooperatively by the barrier sheet 1 and the component 15 similar to those described and illustrated with reference to Figs. A resealable inner pack formed of a filling material C of the smoking article S is accommodated. The filling material C of the smoking article S can be placed inside the enclosing body 36 without the inner frame in the manner shown for example in Figures 7 and 8 and the filling material C sealed by the enclosing body 36 There may also be no outer support frame for the frame C. However, the inner support frame 78 as described above, or the outer support frame 55 as described above, can also be used in the case of the fifth embodiment.

17, the label-formed component 15 includes a first portion 16a, which is implemented as a translucent window that allows a user to grasp at least a portion of the smoking article S within the enclosure 36, Respectively. In the variant of Figure 17, the transparency of the first portion 16a is reduced compared to the transparency corresponding to a completely transparent window. The second portion 16b of the component 15 forms a non-transparent or opaque edge around the window 16a.

In a variant of Figure 18 corresponding to the variant of Figure 17, the first portion 16a, which forms the window providing visual access to the interior of the enclosure 36, is not translucent at reduced transparency It is completely transparent.

In addition, according to the third modification of this embodiment shown in Fig. 19 corresponding to the modification of Fig. 17, the first portion 16a of the component 15 is completely transparent, but in the case of Fig. 19 The transparent portion 16a is printed. As an example, hints and information for the user may be printed in the transparent portion 16a, as illustrated by the sample text 110. [ The decoration may also be printed on the component 15 in the transparent portion 16a. In addition, a means for emphasizing the effect of the window can be arranged in the transparent portion 16a by printing. This is illustrated in Figure 19 with an exemplary enhancement frame 115 that emphasizes printed text 110 and transparent portion 16a.

In a variant, the outer case 100 may be semi-rigid instead of fully rigid. The outer case 100 may be formed from a suitable blank of cardboard or thick paper.

As can be appreciated, the pack P according to Figs. 16-20 is advantageous in that it provides additional protection for the smoking article S, particularly from the mechanical load, by the outer case 100. Fig. In particular, the hinged lid 103 provides protection for the label-like component 15. At the same time, however, the smoking article S in the pack P is sealed in the protective environment, whereby the flavor and quality of the smoking article S can be maintained. The component 15 allows the user to at least partially view the filling of the smoking article S in the pack P and allows a number of smoking articles S to remain in the resealed state of the enclosing body 36 Shaped window portion 16a, which makes it possible to confirm whether or not there is an unnecessary inclusion body 36, and thus the opening of the unnecessary inclusion body 36 is avoided. When the lid 103 is closed, only the lid 103 needs to be opened to visually check whether or not a sufficient amount of the smoking article S remains in the pack. It should be noted that, as shown in Figs. 17 to 19 in particular, the pack P also has an improved appearance. The printed text 110 may be useful to the user.

The pack P according to the modification of Fig. 18 is again shown in various figures in Fig. Specifically, Fig. 20 (b) shows a front view, Figs. 20 (a) and 20 (c) show a left side view and a right side view, Shows a bottom view, and Fig. 20 (f) shows a top view. In all of the figures a) to f), the hinged lid 103 is in an open state.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be modified in various ways.

For example, the present invention is not limited to the packaging of cigarettes, such as filter cigarettes, but may also be used for the packaging of cigars or thin cigarettes.

The number of smoking articles forming the filling can vary. The pack of the present invention can accommodate, for example, 19 or 20 smoking articles. However, in other embodiments, the number of smoking articles contained in the pack may be more or less.

Further, the present invention can be used not only with the hinged lid outer case, for example, as the outer case 100, but other types of outer cases can be considered instead.

1: barrier sheet 2a, 2b: part (barrier sheet)
3: rupture line (barrier sheet) 6: area
10: access opening 15: component
15a: edge (component) 16a: first part (component)
16b: second part (component) 17: boundary (first part)
18: Area 19: Arrow
20: Zone (component) 21: Zone
28: Shim 29: Seam
36: inclusion body 44: front upper edge
45: rear upper edge 46: upper end (filling material)
55: outer support frame 56: upper edge (outer support frame)
57: recess (outer support frame) 66: outer wrap
75: main panel (inner support frame) 76: cutout area (inner support frame)
77: side flap (inner support frame) 78: inner support frame
79: end flap (inner support frame) 80: recess (inner support frame)
91: Blank 100: Outer case
101: main body (outer case) 103: lid (outer case)
106: Hinge 110: Sample text
115: highlight frame C: packing
E: user's eye O: object
P: Pack S: Smoking article
T: Top surface

Claims (15)

As a resealable pack (P) of a smoking article (S) including a sealing protection inclusion body (36) suitable for sealing a packing (C) of a smoking article (S)
The inclusion body 36 is intended to be opened so that the user can remove one or more smoking articles S from the pack P;
The inclusion body 36 is adapted to be subsequently resealed in order to restore the protection against the filling material C or the remaining filling material C of the smoking article S against the deterioration of fragrance and freshness;
The enclosure 36 is a component 15 that allows the user to view the filler C or the remaining filler C from the outside of the enclosure 36 in a resealed state and is at least partially translucent Wherein the component (15) is transparent to the user. 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the component (15) is an element for repeatedly opening and resealing the enclosure (36), in particular as being formed as a label of a flexible sheet material which is adhesively connected to the sealing protection enclosure A resealable pack of smoking articles characterized by. A sealing protective enclosure (36) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a barrier sheet (1) arranged around the packing (C) of the smoking article (S), in particular a flexible barrier sheet Re-sealing pack of smoking articles. The resealed pack according to claim 3, wherein at least a part (2a) of the barrier sheet (1) or the barrier sheet (1) is transparent or translucent. 5. A smoking article according to claim 4, characterized in that said component (15) is arranged at least partially in a transparent or translucent barrier sheet (1) or in a transparent or translucent part (2a) Re-sealable pack. The resealed pack according to claim 3, wherein the barrier sheet (1) is non-transparent or opaque. 7. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the barrier sheet (1) comprises an access opening (10)
The component 15 covers the access opening 10 in the initial sealing of the enclosure 36,
The component 15 can be at least partly lifted from the barrier sheet 1 so as to expose at least a portion of the access opening 10 to open the inclusion body 36, In such a way that it is possible for the user to access the smoking article (S), and is connected to the barrier sheet (1)
Characterized in that the component (15) is adapted to subsequently again cover the access opening (10) to reseal the enclosure (36). 8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component (15) is completely transparent or translucent, or the first part (16a) of the component (15) is transparent or translucent, Characterized in that the second portion (16b) of the element (15) is non-transparent or opaque. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first portion (16a) of the component (15) comprises a non-transparent or opaque edge formed by the second portion (16b) of the component (15) Characterized in that the window and the access opening (10) are overlapped or substantially coincident in a sealed and / or resealed state of the enclosure (36) Expression pack. 10. The resealed pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the component (15) is made of a cellophane-based sheet material or a polypropylene-based sheet material. 11. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pack (P) further comprises a soft outer wrap (66) of flexible sheet material or a rigid or semi-rigid outer casing (100) Characterized in that the packing (C) sealed by the outer wrap (36) forms a resealable inner pack wrapped with the outer wrap (66) or contained in the outer case (100). 12. Pack (P) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a frame (78; 55) made of a support frame (78; 55) Is disposed inside the enclosure 36 or is disposed outside the enclosure 36 between a portion of the filler C of the smoking article S and a portion of the enclosure 36, (C) enclosed by said packing (C). A method for packaging a smoking article (S)
- providing a filling (C) of the smoking article (S); And
- encapsulating the filler (C) by means of a sealing protection enclosure (36);
The inclusion body 36 is intended to be opened so that the user can remove one or more smoking articles S from the pack P;
The inclusion body 36 is adapted to be subsequently resealed in order to restore the protection against the filling material C or the remaining filling material C of the smoking article S against the deterioration of fragrance and freshness;
The enclosure 36 is a component 15 that allows the user to view the filler C or the remaining filler C from the outside of the enclosure 36 in a resealed state and is at least partially translucent Wherein the component (15) is transparent to the user. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of sealing the packing (C)
- providing a barrier sheet (1), in particular a flexible barrier sheet, comprising an access opening (10), said element (15) being adhesively connected to the barrier sheet (1) A barrier sheet providing step; And
- placing the barrier sheet (1) around the filling (C). 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of sealing the packing (C)
- providing a barrier sheet (1), in particular a flexible barrier sheet, comprising a rupture line (3), along which the barrier sheet (1) is ruptured to form an access opening , Wherein the component (15) is adhesively connected to the barrier sheet (1) to cover the region (6) of the access opening (10) and the rupture line (3) formed; And
- placing the barrier sheet (1) around the filling (C).

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