WO2001038080A1

WO2001038080A1 - Clear film closure stamps

Info

Publication number: WO2001038080A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/032026
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles Gary Atwell; Donald L. Brookman; William E. Turnage; Robert L. Kikkert; Linda Smith Huling
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products Inc.
Priority date: 1999-11-23
Filing date: 2000-11-22
Publication date: 2001-05-31
Also published as: AU2046001A

Abstract

A closure stamp (21) includes a clear film strip (23) having a top side (25) and a bottom side (27), and a printed pattern (29) on a portion of the bottom side (27) of the strip (23), the printed pattern (29) being read from the top side (25) of the strip (23), the strip (23) including clear lead (33) and rear (35) end portions on opposite ends of the central portion (31).

Description

CLEAR FILM CLOSURE STAMPS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to closure stamps for closing packages and, more particularly, to clear film closure stamps.

Background and Summary

Packages are often closed with ornamental or information-containing closure stamps. For example, cigarette packages, particularly cigarette packages of the type made from relatively flexible layers of paper wrappers, have long been closed at their top ends with a single, adhesive-backed paper closure stamp that is applied using well-known equipment. Years ago, the closure stamp contained tax information but, more recently, the stamp has included ornamental designs and/or other information, such as the name of the manufacturer.

In cigarette packages, the closure stamp is typically applied over ends of a folded top portion of the package so that the ends are held down, and lead and rear portions of the stamp extend onto opposite sides of the package. Well known, highly efficient equipment is used for applying the closure stamp, such as the XI and X500 machines which are available from G.D. S.P.A., Via Pomponia, 10, 40133 Bologna, Italy. Closure stamps have traditionally been opaque and made of paper. Printing on the paper is applied to an outer side of the paper, and adhesive is applied to a bottom side of the paper for attaching the stamp to the package. A disadvantage to traditional closure stamps is that, because they are opaque, they may obscure graphics that are provided on the sides of the package onto which the lead and rear portions of the stamp extend. The inventors have recognized the desirability of providing an alternative to the traditional opaque closure stamp that has printing on an outside of the stamp. The inventors propose a closure stamp that can be provided in a manner that does not obscure graphics on sides of packages, particularly cigarette packages. In particular, the inventors propose a closure stamp in the form of a clear film, preferably plastic, that can have a printed pattern or patterns on all or on a portion of the stamp, as desired or necessary, such that graphics on portions of the package remote from the portion that is intended to be closed by the stamp need not be obscured. In the course of developing a suitable closure stamp, the inventors recognized other desirable features of a clear plastic film closure stamp. For example, the inventors recognized the desirability of providing a clear plastic film closure stamp that could be applied to a package using existing equipment for applying traditional closure stamps or such existing equipment with minimal modifications. The inventors also recognized that it would be desirable to protect a printed pattern on the closure stamp by providing the printed pattern on the bottom side of the closure stamp that is in contact with the package.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a closure stamp includes a clear film strip having a top side and a bottom side, and a pattern on a central portion of the strip, the pattern being readable from the top side of the strip, at least one of the lead and rear end portions on opposite ends of the central portion of the strip being clear.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of closure stamps includes a clear film web having a top side and a bottom side, and a plurality of printed patterns on the bottom side of the web, the printing being readable from the top side of the web, each printed pattern being spaced at equal distances from subsequent and preceding patterns by a clear portion.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of making closure stamps is provided. According to the method, a plurality of patterns in longitudinal columns and transverse rows is provided on a bottom side of a clear film web, the printing being readable from the top side of the web. Each printed pattern is spaced at equal distances from printed patterns in subsequent and preceding rows a by longitudinal clear portion and each printed pattern being spaced at equal distances from printed patterns in subsequent and preceding columns by a transverse clear portion. After printing, the web is slit longitudinally through each transverse clear portion to separate the longitudinal columns. After printing, indicia are provided in each longitudinal clear portion.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a method of closing a package is provided. According to the method, a web is advanced toward a package, the web including a clear film web having a top side and a bottom side, and a plurality of printed patterns on the bottom side of the web, the printing being readable from the top side of the web. Each printed pattern is spaced at equal distances from subsequent and preceding patterns by a clear portion. A plurality of indicia are disposed on the web, each indicia of the plurality of indicia corresponding to one printed pattern and being equally spaced from each other indicia. The presence of an indicia is detected at a point before the package. The web is separated between successive ones of the printed patterns in response to detection of an indicia to form a closure label having a top side and a bottom side corresponding to the top side and the bottom side of the web, with a printed pattern in a central portion of the closure label and lead and rear end clear portions on opposite ends of the central portion. The closure label is applied to the package such that the bottom side faces the package.

Brief Description of the Drawings The features and advantages of the present invention are well understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which like numerals indicate similar elements and in which: FIGS. 1A and IB are perspective bottom and top views of a closure stamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a package closed by a closure stamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a web of closure stamps according to an embodiment of the present invention formed into a roll;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a web of closure stamps according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5 A, 5B, and 5C are perspective, schematic views of steps in embodiments of a process for forming a rolled web of closure stamps according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective, schematic view of steps in a process for applying a closure stamp to a package according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is an operational layout showing locations of modifications of closure equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

A closure stamp 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1A and IB and includes a clear film strip 23 having a top side 25 and a bottom side 27. The stamp 21 also includes a printed pattern 29 on a central portion 31 of the bottom side 27 of the strip 23. The printed pattern 29 preferably is in the form of reversed printing of letters and numerals that appears unreversed or is properly readable from the top side of the strip, i.e., through the strip. The strip 23 also preferably includes clear lead and rear end portions 33 and 35 on opposite ends of the central portion 31. While reference is made herein to a preferred embodiment wherein the lead and rear end portions 33 and 35 are clear, it will be understood that, if desired or necessary, there may be printing on the lead and rear end portions, or they may be otherwise partially or entirely opaque. As seen in FIG. 2, the closure stamp 21 is preferably applied over an end 37 of a package 39, such as a pack of cigarettes, such that the central portion 31 of the bottom side 27 extends across substantially the entire width of the package to seal the end while the clear lead and rear end portions 33 and 35 are disposed on opposite sides 41 and 43 of the package. By providing clear lead and rear end portions 33 and 35, graphics 45 on the sides 41 and 43 of the package 39 are not obscured. If desired or necessary, the lead and rear end portions 33 and 35 can also be provided with printed patterns which may form part of the printed pattern 29, or printed patterns different from the printed pattern 29, such as patterns that form part of or complement the graphics 45, or can be partially or completely opaque.

An adhesive is preferably also provided on the bottom side 27 of the strip 23 to bond the stamp 21 to the package 39. U.S. Patent No. 5,314,559 discloses an apparatus for applying glue to closure stamps that is suitable for use in connection with the present invention, and the disclosure of that patent is hereby expressly incorporated by reference. The printed pattern 29 is preferably printed on the bottom side 27 of the strip 21 before the adhesive is applied so that the adhesive does not obscure the printed pattern and the printed pattern is thus disposed between the adhesive and the bottom side of the strip. If desired or necessary, the strip 23 may be formed of a material that is adapted to be heat sealed to the package 39, instead of or in addition to using adhesive.

Preferably, the strip 23 has a sufficiently high tear resistance to at once be capable of being torn off by one trying to open a package on which the closure stamp 21 is used, but also be sufficiently strong to be handled using conventional closure stamp application equipment. A presently preferred stip 23 with a suitable tear resistance is a non-oriented or not fully oriented plastic film, such as a 2 mil thick polypropylene material such as EXTREL-29, manufactured by Tredegar Film Products, 1100 Boulders Parkway, Richmond, Virginia 23225. Another suitable material for the strip 23 is polyester. For cigarette packages 39, the strip 23 is preferably approximately 3/4" (1.9 cm) wide by approximately 1 1/2" (3.8 cm) long, although these dimensions may be varied as desired or necessary.

Preferably, the closure stamp 21 is provided from a roll 47 containing a plurality of closure stamps as seen in FIG. 3. The roll 47 is preferably in the form of a clear film web 49 having a top side 25 and a bottom side 27. A plurality of printed patterns 29, preferably identical, repeated patterns, are provided preferably on the bottom side 27 of the web 49 as required to provide the printed pattern for each closure stamp 21. In the alternative, the pattern may be applied to the top side 25. Each printed pattern 29 is spaced at equal distances from subsequent and preceding patterns by a clear portion 51. To facilitate removing stamps 21 from the web 49, the web is preferably provided with a plurality of equally spaced transverse slits 53, preferably at least one slit being provided in each clear portion 51 and defining the boundary between a rear end portion 35 of a preceding stamp 21 and a lead end portion 33 of a subsequent stamp. The clear portion 51, which is divided by the slit 53 or other indicia into the lead and rear end portions 33 and 35, may, like the lead and rear end portions, have printing thereon or be opaque, as desired or necessary. Alternatively, other markers or indicia might be used other than slits 53 to provide an indication of a boundary between each adjacent pair of lead and rear (trailing) end portions. The printed indicia 29 of the central portion 31 is usable for such a purpose as well.

As seen in FIG. 4, the closure stamps 21 are preferably made by first printing a plurality of patterns 29 in longitudinal columns 155 and transverse rows 157 on a bottom side 127 of a clear film web 149. The printing is applied to the bottom side 127 of the web 149 in a reversed, mirror image fashion so that it is readable from the top side 125 of the web. Each printed pattern 29 is preferably spaced at equal distances from printed patterns in subsequent and preceding rows 157 by a longitudinal clear portion 151 and each printed pattern is spaced at equal distances from printed patterns in subsequent and preceding columns 155 by a transverse clear portion 152. In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention for making a plurality of closure stamps 21 for use as cigarette package closure stamps, the web 149 from which the closure stamps are formed is approximately 16-17 inches wide (approximately 40-43 cm wide).

As seen in FIGS. 5A-5C, preferably after printing with a printing apparatus 201, the web 149 is slit or cut longitudinally with a slitting apparatus 203 through each transverse clear portion 152 to separate the longitudinal columns that each form the web 49. Suitable slitting apparatus 203 may include a stationary or moving blade apparatus or a laser cutter apparatus, as desired or necessary.

After printing, either before or after slitting the web 149 longitudinally, indicia such as transverse slits 53 are provided in each longitudinal clear portion 151 with an indicia providing apparatus. Suitable indicia providing apparatus include cutting apparatus 205 such as laser cutters or movable blade apparatus. FIGS. 5 A and 5B show the transverse slits 53 provided in the web 149 before longitudinally slitting the web, and FIG. 5C shows the transverse slits provided in the webs 49 formed by longitudinally slitting the web 149. FIG. 5A shows the web 149 slit into webs 49 before the webs are rolled back into rolls 47. FIG. 5B shows the web 149 rolled into a roll 147 that is then slit into rolls 47 of webs 49. The transverse slits 53 preferably extend partially but not completely across each longitudinal clear portion 151 (FIG. 4). FIG. 5C shows the web 149 longitudinally slit between the longitudinal columns to form the webs 49 before the webs are transversely slit to provide the transverse slits 53, after which the webs 49 are rolled into rolls 47.

The indicia are preferably used by a machine to identify the end of a stamp 21 on a web 49 during a closure operation on a package 39 and may, if desired or necessary, be in some other form than a transverse slit 53. The slits 53 are preferably sized with tensile strength of the material of the web 49 in mind such that the web 49 retains sufficient strength to avoid breaking at the slits as further operations are performed on the web, while still facilitating separation of individual closure stamps 21 from the web. As seen in FIG. 6, an adhesive is preferably applied to the bottom side 27 of the web 49 by an adhesive applicator 58 as it is unrolled from a roll 47 as the web is advanced toward a package 39 for having individual stamps 21 on the web applied to the package. However, as seen in phantom in FIGS. 5A-5C, the adhesive may be applied to the bottom side 27 of the web 49 or the web 149 by an adhesive applicator 207 before rolling into a roll 47 or 147. For example, when adhesive is applied to the web 149, adhesive is applied a bottom side 127 of each longitudinal column 155, preferably across the entire width and length of the bottom side. The adhesive is preferably applied to the web 49 or the web 149 at some point after a printing operation.

As seen in FIG. 6, in a method of closing the package 39 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a web 49 is advanced toward the package 39, such as by being drawn off of and/or unrolled from the roll 47 For example, the roll 47 may be unwound by rotating an axle upon which a bobbin is mounted, the web 49 being wound on the bobbin and/or by drawn through a nip between a pair of rollers. The presence of an indicia such as a transverse slit 53 is detected by a suitable optical or mechanical detection apparatus 59 at a point before the package 39. The web 49 is separated by a separating apparatus 61, such as a reciprocating knife, a gripper arrangement, rollers, or other suitable equipment, between successive ones of the printed patterns 29 in response to detection of an indicia such as the slit 53 to form a closure stamp 21. The closure stamp 21 is applied to the package 39 using conventional closure equipment 63, such as with an XI or X500 machine available from G.D. S.P.A., Via Pomponia, 10, 40133 Bologna, Italy, such that the bottom side 27 faces the package. Referring to both FIGS. 6 and 7, the operational layout of the G.D. X500 is modified in accordance with the present invention to include a bobbin 47 and the detector 59, the slitter 61 and applicator 63 adjacent location "Y" as indicated in FIG. 7. The closure stamp 21 is preferably applied to the package such that the central portion 31 of the closure stamp is disposed across substantially an entire side of the package 39 and the lead and rear clear end portions 33 and 35 are disposed on opposite sides 41 and 43 of the package.

The adhesive is preferably applied to the web 49 as the web is advanced toward the package but may, as seen in FIGS. 5A-5C in phantom, be applied to the web 149 prior to forming the rolls 47. Also, the adhesive may, if desired or necessary, be applied to the closure stamp 21 prior to applying the closure stamp to the package 39, and after separating the closure stamp from the web 49.

While this invention has been illustrated and described in accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED TS:

1. A closure stamp, comprising: a clear film strip having a top side and a bottom side; and a pattern on a central portion of the strip, the pattern being readable from the top side of the strip, the strip including at least one of lead and rear end portions on opposite ends of the central portion.

2. The closure stamp as set forth in claim 1, further comprising adhesive on the bottom side of the strip, the printed pattern being disposed between the adhesive and the bottom side of the strip.

3. The closure stamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the strip is a cast polypropylene strip.

4. The closure stamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the strip is a polyester strip.

5. The closure stamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the strip is a heat sealable material.

6. The closure stamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the strip is a not fully oriented film.

7. The closure stamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pattern includes reverse printing on the bottom side, the reverse printing appearing unreversed when read from the top side of the strip.

8. A plurality of closure stamps, comprising: a clear film web having a top side and a bottom side; and a plurality of printed patterns on the bottom side of the web, the printing being readable from the top side of the web, each printed pattern being spaced at equal distances from subsequent and preceding patterns by a clear portion.

9. The closure stamps as set forth in claim 8, wherein the web is in the form of a roll of material.

10. The closure stamps as set forth in claim 8, wherein the printed patterns are identical, repeated patterns.

11. The closure stamps as set forth in claim 8, wherein the web includes a plurality of equally spaced transverse slits, at least one slit being provided in each clear portion.

12. A method of making closure stamps, comprising the steps of: printing a plurality of patterns in longitudinal columns and transverse rows on a bottom side of a clear film web, the printing being readable from the top side of the web, each printed pattern being spaced at equal distances from printed patterns in subsequent and preceding rows a longitudinal clear portion and each printed pattern being spaced at equal distances from printed patterns in subsequent and preceding columns by a transverse clear portion; after printing, slitting the web longitudinally through each transverse clear portion to separate the longitudinal columns; and after printing, providing indicia in each longitudinal clear portion.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the indicia are in the form of transverse slits at a substantial mid-point of each longitudinal clear portion, the transverse slits extending partially across each longitudinal clear portion.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, comprising the further step of rolling each longitudinal column into a roll.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, comprising the further step of applying an adhesive to the bottom side of the web.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12, comprising the further step of applying an adhesive to a bottom side of each longitudinal column.

17. A method of closing a package, comprising the steps of: advancing a web toward a package, the web including a clear film web having a top side and a bottom side, and a plurality of printed patterns on the bottom side of the web, the printing being readable from the top side of the web, each printed pattern being spaced at equal distances from subsequent and preceding patterns by a clear portion, and a plurality of indicia disposed on the web, each indicia of the plurality of indicia corresponding to one printed pattern and being equally spaced from each other indicia; detecting the presence of an indicia at a point before the package; separating the web between successive ones of the printed patterns in response to detection of an indicia to form a closure stamp having a top side and a bottom side corresponding to the top side and the bottom side of the web, with a printed pattern in a central portion of the closure stamp and lead and rear end clear portions on opposite ends of the central portion; and applying the closure stamp to the package such that the bottom side faces the package.

18. The method according to claim 17, comprising the further step of applying an adhesive to one of the web and the closure stamp prior to applying the closure stamp to the package.

19. The method according to claim 17, comprising the further step of providing the plurality of mdicia on the web by forming each indicia as a transverse slit extending partially across a width of the web.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the closure stamp is applied to the package such that the central portion of the closure stamp is disposed across substantially an entire side of the package and the lead and rear clear end portions are disposed on opposite sides of the package.