NZ562088A

NZ562088A - Tobacco packet with moving guide adapter and system comprising tobacco packet and filling machine

Info

Publication number: NZ562088A
Application number: NZ562088A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Dirk Minkner; Tsuyoshi Ogihara; Karsten Wachowitz; Alexander Schlag
Original assignee: Bat Cigarettenfab Gmbh
Priority date: 2006-10-10
Filing date: 2007-09-28
Publication date: 2008-09-26
Also published as: DE502007002983D1; ATE459255T1; CA2603616A1; DE102006047903A1; AU2007219376B2; EP1911360A3; ES2340428T3; CA2603616C; EP1911360A2; EP1911360B1; AU2007219376A1

Abstract

A tobacco packet 1 for accommodating tobacco for the self-production of cigarettes is disclosed. The tobacco packet has a tobacco dispensing opening, characterised in that a guide adaptor 7 is provided in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening for guiding a movement of the tobacco packet on a complimentary guide of a filling machine.

Description

Patents Form 5 *10054691833* N.Z. No. 562088 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TOBACCO PACKET WITH MOVING GUIDE ADAPTER AND SYSTEM COMPRISING TOBACCO PACKET AND FILLING MACHINE We, British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH, a German company of Alsterufer 4, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- 2 8 SEP 2007 RECEIVED^ Tobacco packet with moving guide adapter and system comprising tobacco packet and filling machine The invention relates to a tobacco packet as well as a system comprising a tobacco packet and a filling machine. The technical field to which this invention relates is the field of Make-Your-Own (MYO) smoking articles, in other words smoking articles for making cigarettes or filter cigarettes in particular. Such MYO smoking articles are made by the consumer himself, who takes a portion of what is usually loose tobacco by hand, distributes it as homogeneously as possible in the housing compartment of a filling device (filling machine) and converts it into a pre-prepared filter cigarette. The cigarettes produced as a result necessarily vary considerably from the quality of a factory cigarette; packing densities fluctuate and the quantities of tobacco within the cigarette vary with each cigarette. In view of the fact that the tobacco has to be manually handled, it is also not made with the same level of hygiene and there is no avoiding the loss of tobacco crumbs.

Patent specification WO 02/056714 A1 discloses a device by means of which one or a plurality of cigarette sleeves can be filled with loose tobacco simultaneously. To this end, a support for the cigarette sleeves is provided in the device with the open end at the top on a shaking machine. Disposed above the support with the cigarette sleeves is a container for accommodating the tobacco. The entire device is shaken so that the tobacco drops into the open cigarette sleeves, where it is compacted due to the acceleration of the shaking machine. The main disadvantage of this system is that the natural weight of the tobacco is so low that it is barely possible to achieve a correct packing density; furthermore, the device is of a very complicated construction.

The objective of this invention is to propose a tobacco packet as well as a system comprising a tobacco packet and filling machine, which at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and optimise the process of self-producing cigarettes. In particular, the intention is to enable cigarettes of a high quality to be produced hygienically. 2 Thus, the invention provides a tobacco packet for accommodating tobacco for the self-production of cigarettes, which packet has a tobacco dispensing opening, characterised in that a guide adapter is provided in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening for guiding a movement of the tobacco packet on a complementary guide of a filling machine.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a tobacco packet-filling machine system with a tobacco packet as described above and with a cigarette filling machine which has a complementary counter-guide for the guide adapter of the tobacco packet on the filling machine-tobacco filling portion.

With the tobacco device proposed by the invention, a guide adapter is disposed in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening for guiding a movement of the tobacco packet on a complementary guide of a filling machine. In other words, the tobacco packet is already designed so that a controlled and predefined movement can be made by means of it as the tobacco is being placed on the filling machine. By permitting such a controlled and guided movement, the tobacco is also moved out of the tobacco packet in a regular and controllable manner and this helps to produce reproducible cigarettes of a good quality. Since the movement of the guide adapter of the tobacco packet may be of various different designs and can also be adapted to the requirements of transferring the tobacco out of the packet, there is no need to touch the tobacco with the hand when removing it from the packet or not too much tobacco is lost as a result of the invention.

The guide adapter advantageously has at least one guide element, which is oriented in the direction in which the packet is moved relative to the filling machine. It may be a sliding guide adapter, in which case it may be designed as a track guide adapter, which has web portions respectively web profiled portions or track portions respectively track profiled portions. It may naturally also extend across the entire length of the packet in the direction of movement, or it may likewise suffice if it is provided at only certain points, which also applies to the guide adapter as a whole.

In one embodiment of the invention, the guide adapter has laterally disposed, in particular laterally projecting, guide elements on two sides; however, it may have only a single guide element, in particular disposed at the side or in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening. In the latter case, where the guide adapter is disposed in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening, for example underneath this opening, it may be designed so that it is slim enough to avoid obstructing emptying of the tobacco. In the region of the tobacco dispensing opening, it is possible to provide INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.2.

- MAR 2008 3 a rim, in particular of a plate-shaped design, which incorporates the guide element or elements. Such a rim, which may also continue along the sides of the edges which lie transversely to the direction of movement or guide direction, increases the strength of the tobacco packet as a whole. In one design variant, the guide adapter has a shaker element. Such a shaker element may superimpose a shaking effect on the smooth or uniform movement of the guide, which simplifies the process of emptying and in particular completely emptying the tobacco.

In one advantageous embodiment, the tobacco packet has what is in particular a carton-shaped tobacco housing body, in which two peripheral walls, in particular extending parallel and lying in the direction opposite the movement bend out in an arcuate shape towards their middle portion or converge to a point. During the emptying process, this design will push the tobacco to the side edges during the movement, thereby ensuring that the ends of the cigarette to be produced are also sufficiently filled with tobacco. Furthermore, the forces needed to move the tobacco packet in such a guide will be lower as a result.

The latter also applies to another design, in which a tobacco packet has an edge on the tobacco dispensing opening, which, together with the guide adapter, curves outwards towards its middle portion in particular and bends outwards in the tobacco emptying direction. Here too, the sliding surface is improved, which in turn reduces the forces which need to be applied, and the shaft depth of the shaft receiving he tobacco is also varied across the length so that a relatively large amount of tobacco can be placed at the ends. The packing density is increased there, which reduces any falling out at the ends.

The edge of the tobacco dispensing opening of a tobacco packet proposed by the invention may have shearing edges, which may specifically comprise inwardly projecting pointed edges. Such effective shearing elements specifically help to reduce the loss of crumbs.

It is also possible to provide the tobacco dispensing opening of a tobacco packet proposed by the invention with a removable closure, in particular a closure which provides an air-tight seal for the packet. This will preserve the quality of the tobacco 4 in the packet. If the closure is also provided with a gripping tab and is designed so that it can be pulled off essentially parallel with the surface of the tobacco dispensing opening, it can be removed with the guide fitted. As a result, it will be severed or torn open at its peripheral regions.

A tobacco packet-filling machine system proposed by the invention comprises a tobacco packet based on one of the designs described above, as well as a cigarette filling machine, which has a complementary counter-guide for the guide adapter of the tobacco packet on the filling machine tobacco filling portion. In other words, in the region where it receives the tobacco as it is transferred from the tobacco packet, the filling machine is of a design which complements that of the tobacco packet, and the system proposed by the invention therefore also offers all the advantages described above in respect of the packet.

A system proposed by the invention has at least one, in particular several tobacco shafts disposed one after the other, for example, and the counter-guide extends across the shafts. Specifically in the case of the latter option, the system proposed by the invention enables several high quality tobacco products to be produced and does so simultaneously whilst involving few manipulations and without having to touch the tobacco or resulting in unacceptable losses of tobacco.

In one design variant, the counter-guide engages the guide adapter so that an essentially closed moving or sliding connection is obtained between the tobacco packet and the tobacco filling portion, which prevents tobacco from falling out.

It should be pointed out that, in the context of the invention, any packet element of the type mentioned above may naturally be of a design which complements a design of the filling machine, in other words incorporates a complementary counter-element. For example, the counter-guide may have a shaker contour, in particular a shaker contour co-operating with the shaker element described above, and the tobacco portion of the filling machine may bend inwards complementing the outward bend of the edge of the tobacco dispensing opening in the emptying direction. Any appropriate complementary designs between filling machine and tobacco packet described above will simplify use, improve hygiene and reduce tobacco losses.

The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of embodiments and with reference to the appended drawings. It may incorporate all the features described here, both individually and in any practical combination, and may also be defined as a method and as a use. Of the drawings: Figure 1 shows several views of a tobacco packet proposed by the invention; Figure 2 shows a tobacco packet proposed by the invention in conjunction with a filling machine proposed by the invention as a system; Figure 3 illustrates a tobacco packet proposed by the invention being opened on the filling machine with an appropriate closure; Figure 4 illustrates the shafts of the filling machine being filled as well as a shaker mechanism; Figure 5 shows the design of the tobacco dispensing opening of the packet with shearing edges; Figure 6 illustrates the system proposed by the invention from the point of introducing the tobacco to the point of transferring into a cigarette; and Figure 7 illustrates an advantageous design of the guide and the contact surface between the packet edge and the top tobacco shaft plane of the filling machine.

A first embodiment of a packet proposed by the invention is illustrated in Figure 1. It shows several views of a tobacco packet 1. The tobacco packet 1 essentially comprises a carton-shaped body 3 which is closed off by a removable closure 5 which is preferably air-tight. Disposed in the region of the removable closure 5 are web-type elements on the carton rim, which form a guide adapter of the packet and may thus serve as guide webs 7 when they are introduced into the guide system of a filling machine.

As clearly illustrated, the tobacco packet 3 is designed with a special shape.

Figure 2 illustrates the tobacco packet 1 together with a filling machine 9 proposed by the invention, which is designed to produce several cigarettes simultaneously. By 6 means of the guide webs 7, the tobacco packet 1 may be introduced into the complementary counter-guide 11 of the filling machine 9 (diagrams a and b), where it can be moved backwards and forwards in a linear movement. This being the case, the open tobacco packet can be guided several times above open shafts 13 in the filling machine, as illustrated in Figures 2 c and d. In this case, 6 open shafts are illustrated, thereby enabling 6 cigarettes to be produced simultaneously. The counter-guide 11 and the guide adapter may be of different designs. They may be simple webs or tracks, or alternatively dovetail guides or more complex profiled shapes would also be conceivable.

Figure 3 illustrates how a tobacco packet 1 is opened. To this end, the tobacco packet 1 is introduced with the removable closure 5 so far into the guide 11 of the filling machine 9 that a gripping tab 15 can still be taken hold of in order to open the tobacco packet 1, but far enough so that the loose tobacco 17 which falls out drops only onto the housing of the filling machine and remains "trapped" underneath the tobacco packet (diagram b).

If the opened tobacco packet 1 is now pushed over the shafts 13 of the filling machine 9, the shafts 9 are filled with loose tobacco 17, as may be seen from Figure 4a, for example. It is possible that this operation will not be finished with the first movement of the tobacco packet, in other words, the shafts will not be completely ftlled until after several fon/vard and backward movements. In order to assist this process, it would be conceivable to provide structures such as ridges, nubs, webs, etc., in the region of the guide 11 on the filling machine and/or the guide webs 7 on the tobacco packet, which shake both the tobacco packet and the loose tobacco contained in it, thereby making it easier to fill the shafts (see Figure 4b).

As the tobacco packet 1 is being moved forward and backward, the edges of the tobacco packet 1 together with the top edges of the shafts 13 serve as shearing edges 16, as illustrated in Figure 5a, in order to shear off protruding tobacco fibres and thus completely fill the shafts 13 but without any protrusions. Since high forces would be necessary in the case of a design of tobacco packet 1 with edges parallel with the shaft edges, it is of advantage in mechanical terms to provide the tobacco packet with oblique edges. These may have the wedge shape illustrated in Figure 1 7 and Figure 5b, for example, although it would also be conceivable to opt for arcuate shapes or rhombus shapes.

Figures 6 a-e illustrate the transfer operation. Accordingly, the drawings show sections through the filling machine exactly in the region of a tobacco shaft. Due to the forward and backward movement of the tobacco packet, the shafts of the filling machine have been filled as homogeneously as possible. In this respect, one embodiment is such that the exact contents of the tobacco packet 1 are emptied, as illustrated in Figure 6b. However, it would also be conceivable for the tobacco packet to contain enough for more cigarettes than can be produced with one use of the filling machine (in this instance 6 cigarettes). The tobacco packet is then pushed back into the position illustrated in Figure 2d and used again for producing the next batch of cigarettes. However, the quantity of loose tobacco in the tobacco packet is preferably exactly enough to produce a whole-number multiple of a production process, i.e. in this instance for 6,12, 18 cigarettes or more. The filling machine lid 19 is then closed and the pressing webs 21 penetrate the shafts 13 of the filling machine 9 and thus compact the loose tobacco 17 to tobacco sticks 23 (Figure 6c). As this happens, all the tobacco sticks are formed simultaneously. Once cigarette sleeves 25 have been placed on the device in a manner known per se, the tobacco sticks can then be transferred into the cigarette sleeves with known means, e.g. spoons, either individually or together, in a manner known per se (Figures 6d and 6e).

At this point, it is clear that the depth of the shafts 13 is of major importance. Loose tobacco accumulates in these shafts with a certain packing density, which will also essentially depend on the type of tobacco used. In order to transfer the volume of the loose tobacco quantity with its filling density into a tobacco stick with the compacted density of a conventional cigarette and transfer it to the associated pulling mechanism, the tobacco and filling machine geometry must be adapted to one another. Otherwise, a tobacco product of lower quality will be produced.

Figure 7 shows three diagrams a-c illustrating yet another embodiment which increases the quality of the tobacco product. Both the bottom edge 19 of the tobacco packet 1 and the edges of the shafts, and hence also the sliding surface 20 of the packing device across which the tobacco packet is moved, are shaped for this 8 purpose. In particular, it is of practical advantage to use a complementary arcuate shape. In this manner, the shaft depth is varied across its length and hence more tobacco is packed in at the ends, i.e. at the points 18, thereby creating a high packing density at the ends of the finished cigarettes. This minimises any falling out from the ends of the finished cigarette. However, it would also be conceivable for an end packing density to be made higher at one end only, e.g. at the right-hand end. 9 List of reference numbers 1: Tobacco packet 3: Beaker-shaped body : Removable closure 7: Guide complementary elements 9: Filling machine 11: Guide 13: Shafts : Gripping tab 17: Loose tobacco 18: Ends with more tobacco 19: Filling machine lid : Filling machine sliding surface 21: Pressing webs 23: Tobacco sticks : Cigarette sleeves

Claims

10 What we claim is:

1. Tobacco packet for accommodating tobacco for the self-production of cigarettes, which packet has a tobacco dispensing opening, characterised in that a guide adapter is provided in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening for guiding a movement of the tobacco packet on a complementary guide of a filling machine.

2. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the guide adapter has at least one guide element which is oriented in the direction in which the packet is moved relative to the filling machine.

3. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the guide adapter is a sliding guide adapter.

4. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the sliding guide adapter is a track guide adapter with web portions respectively web profiled portions or track portions respectively track profiled portions.

5. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the guide adapter has laterally disposed guide elements on two sides.

6. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the guide elements are laterally projecting.

7. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the guide adapter has a single guide element.

8. Tobacco product as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the guide element is disposed at the side or in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening.

9. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8, characterised in that a rim is provided in the region of the tobacco dispensing opening which incorporates the guide element or elements.

10. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the rim is of a plate- shaped design. urnuc ur H - 4 MAR 2008 Ireceived

11. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the guide adapter comprises a shaker element.

12. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that it has a tobacco housing body in which two peripheral walls are bent outwards in an arcuate shape or converge to a point towards their middle portion.

13. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the tobacco housing body is carton-shaped.

14. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, characterised in that the two peripheral walls are parallel to each other and extend in the direction lying opposite the direction of movement.

15. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that it has a tobacco housing body in which the edge of the tobacco dispensing opening is bent outwards towards its middle portion and in the tobacco emptying direction.

16. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the tobacco housing body is carton-shaped.

17. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, characterised in that the guide adapter is bent towards its middle portion and in the tobacco emptying direction.

18. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, characterised in that the edge of the tobacco dispensing opening has shearing edges.

19. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that the shearing edges comprise inwardly projecting edges.

20. Tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that a removable closure is provided on the tobacco dispensing opening, the closure providing an air-tight seal for the packet.

21. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the closure has a gripping tab and can be pulled off essentially parallel with the surface of the tobacco 12 dispensing opening.

22. Tobacco packet as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that the closure can be severed or torn open at its peripheral regions.

23. Tobacco packet-filling machine system with a tobacco packet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22 and with a cigarette filling machine which has a complementary counter-guide for the guide adapter of the tobacco packet on the filling machine-tobacco filling portion.

24. System as claimed in claim 23, characterised in that the filling machine has one tobacco shaft or several tobacco shafts disposed one after the other, and the counter-guide extends across the shaft or shafts.

25. System as claimed in claim 23 or claim 24, characterised in that the counter-guide is able to engage the guide adapter so that an essentially closed moving or sliding connection is established between the tobacco packet and the tobacco filling portion, thereby preventing tobacco from falling out. 26. System as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 25, characterised in that the counter-guide has a shaker contour, the shaker contour co-operating with the shaker element as claimed in claim 11. 27. System as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 26, characterised in that the tobacco filling portion of the filling machine bends inwards complementing the outward bend of the edge of the tobacco dispensing opening as claimed in claim 15. 28. A tobacco packet substantially as herein described or exemplified, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. A tobacco packet-filing machine system substantially as herein described or exemplified, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO INTELLECToAi PROPERTY owot Of N.z. -1 MAR 2008 (GERMANY) GMBH By Their Attorneys HENRY HUGHES Per: RECEIVED