Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
  • B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
  • B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D65/00—Wrappers or flexible covers; Packaging materials of special type or form
  • B65D65/38—Packaging materials of special type or form
  • B65D65/42—Applications of coated or impregnated materials
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
  • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D21H19/00—Coated paper; Coating material
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
  • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D21H19/00—Coated paper; Coating material
  • D21H19/10—Coatings without pigments
  • D21H19/14—Coatings without pigments applied in a form other than the aqueous solution defined in group D21H19/12
  • D21H19/16—Coatings without pigments applied in a form other than the aqueous solution defined in group D21H19/12 comprising curable or polymerisable compounds
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
  • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D21H19/00—Coated paper; Coating material
  • D21H19/10—Coatings without pigments
  • D21H19/14—Coatings without pigments applied in a form other than the aqueous solution defined in group D21H19/12
  • D21H19/24—Coatings without pigments applied in a form other than the aqueous solution defined in group D21H19/12 comprising macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1303—Paper containing [e.g., paperboard, cardboard, fiberboard, etc.]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1352—Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1352—Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
  • Y10T428/1355—Elemental metal containing [e.g., substrate, foil, film, coating, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1359—Three or more layers [continuous layer]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/13—Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
  • Y10T428/1352—Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
  • Y10T428/139—Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a container having a novel surface texture.
• the container is particularly suitable to house elongate smoking articles, such as for example, cigarettes.
• the laminar blanks may be made from any suitable sheet material, such as for example cardboard, metal or plastic.
• Graphics and text are typically applied to the surfaces of the containers, in order to communicate information to the consumer, such as brand, advertising, promotional or product information.
• a container wherein the surface of the container comprises at least one high friction surface region having a coefficient of friction of between about 0.63 and about 2.
• the at least one high friction surface region comprises a coating layer which includes fibres.
• the at least one surface region having a coefficient of friction of between about 0.63 and about 2 will be referred to throughout the specification as the at least one
• the high friction surface region has a coefficient of friction of greater than 0.70, greater than 0.75, greater than 0.80, greater than 0.85, greater than 0.90 or greater than 0.95. The higher the coefficient of friction of the high friction surface region, the more pronounced is the tactile sensation associated with the container.
• container is used throughout the specification to refer to the packaging of consumer goods, such as for example smoking articles. It is intended to encompass the outer packaging, or housing, as well as any inner packaging which may only become visible when the container is open, such as for example the inner frame of a hinge lid box.
• coefficient of friction is used throughout the specification to refer to the static coefficient of friction ( ⁇ ) between the surface of the high friction surface region of containers according to the invention and another, substantially identical surface.
• the coefficient of friction referred to is that of the surface of the high friction surface region with itself.
• the coefficient of friction between two surfaces is measured experimentally, for example by the horizontal plane method according to ISO standard ISO 15359:1999.
• the coefficient of friction of a standard card material for making containers for smoking articles, such as cigarette packs is between 0.20 and 0.30.
• the coefficient of friction of the high friction surface region of the surface of containers according to the invention is therefore at least about two to three times greater than for standard cigarettes packs.
• the high coefficient of friction gives the high friction surface region of the surface a texture which is very different to that of conventional paper or cardboard packs and provides the consumer with a unique tactile experience.
• the coefficient of friction of the at least one high friction region is between about 1 and 2, more preferably, between about 1 and about 1.5.
• the at least one high friction surface region will be provided on the external surface of containers according to the present invention.
• at least one high friction surface region may be provided on the internal surfaces of containers according to the invention, which only become accessible when the container is opened.
• the coating layer is formed of fibres, such as flock or rayon viscose fibres, which give a soft,
• the fibres may be deposited onto a layer of a suitable adhesive.
• the layer of fibres account for between about 10 percent and about 30 percent of the total weight of the sheet material in the high friction surface region.
• the at least one high friction surface region may cover substantially the entire external surface of the container.
• the at least one high friction surface region may cover only a part of the external surface.
• the remainder of the surface has a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.5. This provides an interesting textural contrast to the at least one high friction surface region.
• the high friction surface region integrates with additional print or other embellishment on the pack.
• the high friction surface region has the shape of a logo, image, brand name or the like.
• the container according to the invention comprises a repetitive or non-repetitive pattern of high friction surface regions. Examples of repetitive patterns are geometrical shapes like triangles, stripes, squares, rectangles, chevrons, circles, semicircles, ovals, stars, diamonds, type font, checkerboard patterns, brick wall patterns and the like.
• non-repetitive patterns are tyre patterns, animal skin patterns like zebra, tiger, leopard, cheetah, snake or crocodile skin patterns, wave patterns, fingerprint patterns, cloud patterns, smoke patterns or cut wood patterns.
• a non-repetitive pattern may be such that it creates the impression of a gradient in friction, for example by patches of high friction surface regions becoming larger and denser in a particular direction.
• one or more additional high friction surface regions may be provided which comprise a coating which gives the surface region a rubberised texture, such that it feels sticky to the touch.
• the surface coating material used to produce a rubberised texture is polyurethane.
• the rubberised coating accounts for between about 0.5 percent and about 3.0 percent of the total weight of the sheet material in the cross section of the high friction surface region.
• One or more additional high friction surface regions may alternatively be provided in which small particles are adhered to the surface that bestow the high friction surface region with a rough, jagged, sand paper like surface.
• the small particles are covered by a layer of varnish to adhere them to the surface.
• the one or more additional high friction surface regions may be provided by processing the surface of the blank in these regions to increase the coefficient of friction, for example by roughening the surface by brushing or by embossing the high friction surface region with a number of small grooves, pyramids or other micro surface structures.
• the coefficient of friction in the high friction surface regions may be further increased by the inclusion of particularly long and stiff fibres inside the material, where cardboard is used as a material.
• plastic or metal material may be for example electrically activated, chemically activated, sandblasted or a combination thereof.
• the sheet material used to form the containers of the present invention is preferably a paper or cardboard material.
• a pre-coating, or primer layer is applied to the paper or cardboard base layer before applying the coating layer in the high friction surface region.
• a primer layer may be required, for example, to improve the visibility of the printing applied on top of the surface of the high friction surface region.
• the primer layer is used where the surface of the container includes additional high friction surface regions which are a dark coloured, rubberized high friction surface region.
• the primer layer advantageously improves the bonding between the different layers of rubberized coatings and inks.
• the coating layer of the at least one high friction surface region is printed onto the surface of the container. This allows for a high resolution of the high friction surface region, particularly, if a pattern of high friction surface regions is applied to the container.
• the coating layer of the high friction surface region may be overprinted, embossed, debossed or otherwise processed in order to alter the final appearance and texture of the high friction surface region. Debossing and embossing may further increase the coefficient of friction of -A- the container. Where the coating layer of the high friction surface region is printed, the printing preferably has a high abrasion resistance. This prevents the print being rubbed off by the higher friction between the high friction surface region and the surfaces of the machine parts with which the high friction surface region comes into direct contact during manufacture of the container.
• a high friction surface region may be partially covered by a layer of smooth lacquer or other material with a very low coefficient of friction, for example between about 0.05 and 0.15.
• Containers according to the invention may be rigid or "hard” packs.
• containers according to the invention may be hinge-lid containers, of the type commonly used to package cigarettes and cigars. Such hinge-lid containers comprise a box portion and a lid portion connected to the box portion along a hinge line extending across the rear wall of the container. One or both of the box portion and the lid portion may comprise at least one high friction surface region.
• containers according to the invention may be "slide and shell" containers having an inner slider slideably mounted within an outer shell. One or both of the inner slider and the outer shell may comprise at least one high friction surface region.
• a high friction surface region located at an area of the container that comes into contact with another area of the container during the opening and closing movement of the container increases the required force to open or close the container.
• Such particular high friction surface regions that increase the friction upon opening or closing of the container are for example, in a slide and shell container, the outer surfaces of the inner slider or the inner surface of the outer shell.
• Other examples of such particular high friction surface regions that increase the friction upon opening or closing of the container are, in a hinge lid pack, the outer side of the inner frame and the inner side of the lid. This increase of friction between the movable parts of the pack advantageously avoids the inadvertent opening of the pack.
• the increased resistance to an opening or closing movement improves the quality feeling of the container, for example due to the soft deceleration of the closing movement caused by the friction.
• containers according to the invention may be "soft" packs or rigid soft packs for smoking articles such as cigarettes.
• the term “soft” pack refers to a pack comprising a cup shaped box containing a wrapped bundle of smoking articles. Where the cup is formed from a rigid material, the "soft" pack is referred to as rigid soft pack.
• the container according to the invention is a pouch, such as those commonly used for loose tobacco.
• the exterior surfaces of containers according to the invention may be printed, embossed, debossed or otherwise embellished with manufacturer or brand logos, trade marks, slogans and other consumer information and indicia.
• the exterior surfaces of containers according to the invention may be at least partially covered with lacquer, metallisation, holograms, luminescent material, or any other materials that alter the feel, odour or appearance of the container.
• Containers according to the invention may be used to house any kind of consumer goods.
• containers according to the invention find particular application as packs for elongate smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos. It will be appreciated that through appropriate choices of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed for different numbers of conventional size, king size, super-king size, slim or super-slim cigarettes.
• containers according to the invention may also be designed to hold different total numbers of smoking articles, or different arrangements of smoking articles.
• containers according to the invention may be designed to hold a total of ten, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one or twenty five smoking articles. These may be arranged in different collations, depending on the total number of smoking articles.
• the smoking articles may be arranged in one row of six, seven, eight, nine or ten; two rows of five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten; two rows of 5-6, 6-7, 7-8; three rows of 5-5-5, 5-6-5, 6-5- 6, 5-6-7, 6-7-6, 7-5-7, 7-6-7, 7-7-7, 8-9-8; four rows of four, five or six.
• containers according to the invention may be shrink wrapped or otherwise over wrapped with a transparent polymeric film of, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene, in a conventional manner.
• the over wrapper may include a tear tape.
• the over wrapper may be provided with one or more opening cuts to ease removal of the wrapper from the container, in particular from the high friction surface regions of the surface of the container.
• Containers according to the present invention may have one or more right-angled longitudinal edges, one or more right-angled transverse edges, one or more rounded longitudinal edges, one or more rounded transverse edges, one or more bevelled longitudinal edges, one or more bevelled transverse edges, or any suitable combination thereof.
• Containers according to the present invention including at least one high friction surface region on the surface may be formed from laminar blanks using standard machinery for forming cigarette packs which has preferably been modified to take into account the effect of the high coefficient of friction of the high frictions surface regions of the containers according to the invention.
• the high coefficient of friction results in higher levels of friction between the high friction surface regions and the machinery surfaces compared to the levels of friction during manufacture of conventional packs.
• the surfaces of the machine parts coming directly into contact with the high friction surface regions of the laminar blanks are preferably as smooth as possible.
• these machinery parts are coated with friction reducing materials such as for example polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE).
• the conveyor belts used in machinery for forming containers of the present invention are preferably formed of a softer material than conventional conveyor belts to prevent ink smearing from the pack during transport.
• the dimensions or design of the blank folding unit of standard machinery may be altered in order to improve forming of the containers according to the invention.
• the contact surface between the blank and the folding units may be advantageously reduced by changing flat surfaces of the folding unit to profiled smooth surfaces. This advantageously reduces the area of contact between the blank and the machinery, reducing wear of both the blank and the machinery. Also, this will prevent ink printed on the blank from smearing.
• by increasing the distance between a folding unit and the blank for example by between about 0.10 mm and about 0.30 mm compared to conventional machinery, the tension and pressure between the blank and the folding unit is reduced. This further prevents ink from smearing and improves the correct positioning of the fold lines.
• the dimensions of the pocket may be increased into which a pack is inserted during the over wrapping process.
• the cross section of the pocket may be increased by between about 0.2 mm and about 0.6 mm.
• the overall machine speed may be reduced to reduce the friction forces between blank and machinery.
• the sheet material 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a lower base layer 12 of cardboard material, a coating layer 14 on the upper surface of the base layer 12, an adhesive layer 16 on the coating layer 14 and an upper layer 18 of viscose rayon fibres. Additionally, one or several layers of print may be applied onto the fibre layer 18 (not shown).
• the upper layer 18 of viscose rayon fibres is adhered to the sheet material by means of the adhesive layer 16 and accounts for about 12 percent by weight of the sheet material 10.
• the adhesive layer 16 accounts for about 25 percent of the total weight, while the coating layer 14 accounts for about 3 percent thereof.
• Containers according to the invention may be formed entirely from the sheet material 10 shown in Figure 1.
• containers according to the invention may be formed from a sheet material comprising the lower base cardboard layer 12 and the coating layer 14 and having one or more high friction surface regions in which the adhesive layer 16 and the fibre layer 18 have been applied over the coating layer, as shown in the cross section of Figure 1.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
• Wrappers (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=40093214

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (13)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (18)

• 2009
  • 2009-07-29 JP JP2011522399A patent/JP5351963B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-07-29 UA UAA201102596A patent/UA106355C2/ru unknown
  • 2009-07-29 KR KR1020117005676A patent/KR20110048552A/ko not_active Ceased
  • 2009-07-29 RU RU2011108986/12A patent/RU2522096C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2009-07-29 EP EP09806391.0A patent/EP2324156B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2009-07-29 WO PCT/EP2009/005502 patent/WO2010017891A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2009-08-10 US US12/538,615 patent/US8283008B2/en active Active

Patent Citations (7)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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