WO2011042354A1

WO2011042354A1 - Printed and embossed wrapper for a smoking article and smoking article including a printed and embossed wrapper

Info

Publication number: WO2011042354A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/064557
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karl Kaljura
Original assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
Priority date: 2009-10-06
Filing date: 2010-09-30
Publication date: 2011-04-14
Also published as: GB0917468D0; AR080554A1

Abstract

A wrapping paper for a smoking article comprises a printed pattern and an embossed pattern which are positioned such that when viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant. The invention also relates to a smoking article including the wrapper and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the smoking article. In one embodiment, the wrapping paper is tipping paper.

Description

Printed and Embossed Wrapper for a Smoking Article and Smoking Article Including a Printed and Embossed Wrapper

Description

The present invention relates to a wrapper for a smoking article of the type having a filter, a wrapped rod of smokeable material, such as tobacco, and a tipping paper surrounding the filter and overlapping the wrapped rod so as to attach the filter and the rod. The wrapper of the invention may be the cigarette paper surrounding the wrapped rod, or the tipping paper. The present invention also relates to a smoking article including such a wrapper and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the a wrapper and the smoking article.

Background to the Invention

Conventional filter tipped cigarettes comprise a tipping paper which serves to attach a filter to a wrapped tobacco rod. The wrapper for the rod is cigarette paper. In the manufacture of such cigarettes, cigarette paper is wrapped longitudinally around a tobacco core in a garniture, to form a continuous rod which is subsequently cut into individual unit length tobacco rods. A double-width tipping paper is wrapped and adhesively secured about a central portion of a double cigarette assembly comprising two unit length tobacco rods and a double unit length of filter disposed intermediate of and abutting with the cigarette rods. The width of the tipping paper is such that it extends over the double length filter and an end portion of each of the tobacco rods. After the tipping paper has been secured about the double cigarette assembly, the assembly is cut at the midpoint of the double unit length filter to produce two finished cigarettes.

Tipping paper may be decorated or not depending on the custom in particular areas. In some countries it is customary for the tipping paper to be plain white, but elsewhere it may be customary for the tipping paper to be printed with a pattern such as a cork effect. A band of the tipping paper located furthest from the mouth- end may be plain and printed with a brand name or logo. One reason for providing coloured or pattern tipping paper is so that a user may readily distinguish the mouth-end of the cigarette so that the user ignites the correct end of the cigarette and does not attempt to ignite the filter end in error.

Cigarette paper may also be printed with a logo/indicia or serial number. This is usually applied by a printing device provided in a paper supply section which supplies the cigarette paper to the garniture.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a wrapping paper for a smoking article comprising a printed pattern and an embossed pattern which are positioned such that when viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant.

A combination of the printed pattern and the embossed pattern provides a unique visual effect for the wrapping paper such that it appears to change colour when viewed from different angles.

Preferably the printed pattern and the embossed pattern cover substantially the whole area of the wrapping paper. The printed pattern may comprise only a single colour with a second colour being provided by blank areas which expose the colour of the wrapping paper itself. In another embodiment, the printed pattern may comprise two colours, and the printed and the embossed pattern are positioned such that when viewed from different directions, different colours are predominant.

Preferably the embossed pattern comprises a pattern of parallel ridges, wherein the printed pattern coincides with the ridges such that on one side the ridges are a first colour and on the other side the ridges are a second colour. Preferably the ridges are V shaped, wherein preferably the angle of the V is substantially 90 degrees.

The pattern may be parallel curves, for instance a pattern of parallel wavy lines. However, preferably, the embossed pattern comprises linear parallel ridges and the printed pattern comprises a pattern of parallel stripes of alternating first and second colours. Preferably the printed pattern and the embossed pattern are positioned such that when viewed from substantially perpendicular directions a different colour is predominant. In a preferred embodiment the wrapping paper is tipping paper.

The present invention further provides a smoking article comprising:

a filter;

a wrapped rod of smokeable material comprising a wrapper and a core of smokeable material;

a tipping paper surrounding the filter and overlapping the wrapped rod so as to attach the filter and the rod;

wherein the wrapper and/ or the tipping paper comprise a wrapping paper comprising a printed pattern and an embossed pattern which are positioned such that when viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant.

Preferably the wrapping paper having the embossed and printed pattern is the tipping paper. If the embossed pattern is on the tipping paper, it provides a tactile indication to the user as to which end of the cigarette is the filter end. This may be useful in low light conditions to ensure that the user ignites the correct end of the cigarette, or if the user has poor eyesight. Preferably the ridges extend

circumferentially around the filter.

The present invention further provides a method of manufacturing a wrapping paper for a smoking article comprising:

supplying a wrapping paper having a printed pattern thereon from a roll; and embossing the wrapping paper with a pattern aligned with the printed pattern such that when the wrapping paper is viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant. Preferably the wrapping paper is tipping paper, and the method further comprises: providing a filter and a wrapped rod of smokeable material; and

wrapping the tipping paper around the filter and an end portion of the wrapped rod so as to attach the filter and the rod.

The tipping paper is preferably provided already printed on a roll and the embossing occurs in-line in the cigarette manufacturing apparatus immediately before the tipping paper is glued and applied to the filter and wrapped rod.

Preferably the method comprises handling the embossed tipping paper using rollers having a surface relief pattern matching the embossed pattern before wrapping the tipping paper around the filter and the wrapped rod. The use of rollers having a matching surface relief pattern avoids crushing the embossed pattern during the application of the tipping paper.

Preferably the tipping paper is wrapped around the filter and end portions of two wrapped rods positioned at each end of the filter so as to attach the filter and the rods, and the method further comprises cutting the filter portion to produce two smoking articles.

The present invention further provides an apparatus for manufacturing a smoking article comprising:

a bobbin for supplying a tipping paper having a printed pattern thereon from a roll;

embossing rollers configured to emboss the tipping paper with a pattern aligned with the printed pattern such that when the tipping paper is viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant;

supply rollers configured to supply the embossed tipping paper;

a gummer configured to apply glue to the embossed tipping paper; and an assembly station configured to provide a filter and a wrapped rod of smokeable material and wrap the embossed tipping paper around the filter and an end portion of the wrapped rod so as to attach the filter and the rod.

Preferably, the supply rollers have a surface relief pattern matching the embossed pattern.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a wrapping paper for use in a smoking article in accordance with the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 show a smoking article having tipping paper in accordance with the present invention viewed from different angles;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the filter end of a smoking article having tipping paper in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows schematically a method and apparatus for producing smoking articles having tipping paper in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows schematically a method and apparatus for producing smoking articles having tipping paper in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 7 shows an apparatus for producing smoking articles having cigarette paper in accordance with the present invention. Detailed Description

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a wrapping paper 1 for use in a smoking article. The wrapping paper 1 is embossed with a plurality of linear parallel ridges 4. In cross- section it can be seen that the ridges 4 have an inverted V-shape having internal angles a. Thus, when flat, the embossed structure provides a plurality of parallel first faces 2, each on one side of a V-shaped ridge 4, and a plurality of parallel second faces 3 on the opposite sides of the V-shaped ridges 4. Each of the faces 3 is coloured a first colour, for example, red, and each of the faces 2 is coloured a second colour, for example, blue. This results in a visual effect such that when viewed from one direction, namely from an angle of incidence between 0 and 90 degrees, more of the red faces 3 can be seen and so the paper 1 appears

predominantly red, and when viewed from another direction, namely from an angle of incidence of between 0 and -90 degrees, more of the blue faces 2 can be seen and so the paper 1 appears predominantly blue. If the angle of viewing is greater than ± β where β = 90 - a, only one set of faces 2, 3 can be seen and therefore the paper appears entirely blue/red. When the viewpoint changes, the visual effect is that the paper appears to change colour. The structure of the wrapping paper 1 is obtained by first printing onto plain flat tipping paper, a pattern of parallel stripes of alternating colours, in this case red and blue, wherein each stripe has a width d being the width of one of the faces 2, 3. The paper 1 is then embossed with the ridges 4 such that the peaks of the ridges coincide with the edges between the colour stripes.

A similar visual effect of colour changing with viewing angle could also be achieved if the ridges 4 do not have an inverted V shape (triangular cross section) but instead have a rounded shape, or semicircular cross section, if the divide between the two colours lies along the top of each ridge 4. However, the effect will be more striking with a sharp edge.

Paper having a printed and embossed pattern as shown in Figure 1 may be used in a smoking article either as tipping paper or as cigarette paper forming a wrapper surrounding a core of tobacco material.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an embodiment in which a smoking article 5 formed with tipping paper having the embossed and printed pattern illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows the smoking article viewed from one angle such that at least in the region A, the angle of viewing is greater than β so that only the red faces 3 can be seen, and in the region A, the tipping paper 1 appears red. In Figure 3, the smoking article 5 is viewed from a different angle, so that in the region B, the angle of viewing is greater than ^~β such that only the blue faces 2 can be seen and the tipping paper 1 appears blue in the region B. Figure 4 shows the filter end of a smoking article as shown in Figures 2 and 3 as viewed from directly above, wherein the opposite faces 2, 3 of the ridges 4 can be seen equally, so that the tipping paper simply appears to have a pattern of red and blue stripes.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a method and apparatus for manufacturing smoking articles as shown in Figures 2 to 4. Referring to Figure 5, an apparatus for supplying printed and embossed tipping paper to an apparatus for making a smoking article in the form of a cigarette includes a holder 12 in the form of a bobbin holding a reel 13 of tipping paper having a pattern of stripes already printed thereon. Supply rollers 14 are arranged to convey the tipping paper in the form of a tipping paper ribbon 15 from the reel 13 through the apparatus to where individual segments 11 are cut from the ribbon and each used to form a pair of cigarettes. The assembling station 25, which is illustrated in detail in Figure 6, uses the tipping paper segment 11 to attach a double length filter to a pair of tobacco rods and subsequently cuts the double length filter to form the cigarette pair.

The apparatus includes a tensioning arm 16 which is arranged to adjustably fix the tipping paper tension at a required level. The apparatus includes an embossing unit that includes a pair of embossing rollers 18 which are arranged to form an embossed pattern on the tipping paper, wherein the embossed pattern is a pattern of ridges coinciding with the printed pattern of stripes, as described above. The tipping paper on the roll 12 is printed with a pattern of stripes of width d in alternating colours as described above. The embossing rollers 18 apply the embossed pattern of parallel ridges 4 as shown in Figures 1 to 4, to the tipping paper. However, the embossed pattern need not be applied across the width of the tipping paper so that the ridges are circumferentially disposed in the final assembled cigarette as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, but could be applied longitudinally to the tipping paper, so that in the finished cigarette the ridges extend longitudinally along the length of the tipping paper. The embossing rollers 18 are aligned with the pattern on the tipping paper such that the ridges 4 have peaks which coincide with the borders between different coloured stripes on the printed pattern.

The apparatus also includes gummer rollers 24 for applying glue to the tipping paper to prepare it for attachment to the filters and tobacco rods that are assembled into cigarettes.

The apparatus also includes a cutting unit 23 for cutting the tipping paper ribbon 5 into segments 11 for use in attaching filters to individual cigarettes. The cutting unit 23 comprises a knife drum 23a and a vacuum drum 23b. In operation, the vacuum drum 23b may rotate faster than the knife drum 23a to ensure that cut tipping paper is taken away before the next piece is cut. A gearing mechanism, coupled to the drums, may be employed to achieve the required difference in rotational speed. The cigarette making machine also includes an assembling station 25 configured to assemble cigarettes, which is shown in more detail in Figure 6. In accordance with standard cigarette manufacturing processes, a continuous wrapped rod of tobacco 20 is supplied from a garniture region of the cigarette making machine to cutting means 21 A and 21 B which cut the rod 20 into lengths required for a single cigarette. The first cutting means 21A cuts the rod 20 into double length rods, each having a length required to make two cigarettes, and then second cutting means 21B cuts the double length rods into single length rods. Each pair of single length rods 30 is separated and a double length filter 40 is positioned between the ends of the two wrapped rods 30 such that each end of the double length filter 40 abuts an end of one of the single length rods 30. A cut portion of tipping paper 11 is then wrapped around the double-length filter 40 such that it overlaps an end of each of the wrapped rods 30 so that the tipping paper attaches the rods 30 and the double length filter element 40. The assembled double-length cigarette is then cut by third cutting means 50 to produce two complete cigarettes.

In an alternative embodiment, the tipping paper may be supplied from a roll already printed with the pattern of stripes and embossed with the coinciding pattern of ridges which is aligned with the printed pattern as described above. In this embodiment, the printed and embossed paper is supplied to the gumming rollers 24 and the cutting unit 23. Whether the tipping paper is provided pre-embossed or embossed in line prior to applying the tipping paper to the cigarettes, all supply rollers which handle the embossed tipping paper may be provided with a pattern of ridges which matches the embossed pattern. This prevents the embossed pattern from being crushed by rollers handling the tipping paper prior to application to the cigarette.

In another embodiment, the printed and embossed pattern may be applied to the cigarette paper. Figure 7 shows an apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes incorporating an embossing device for embossing the cigarette paper, which is provided pre-printed with the pattern of stripes. The apparatus of Figure 7 generates the continuous wrapped rod 20 which is the starting point for the process shown in Figure 6. The cigarette making apparatus 10 includes a source of tobacco material 200 which is provided to chimney region 161 where it is blown upwards by air stream 22 onto a lower outside surface of endless conveyor system 28. The endless conveyor system 28 includes a porous belt 32 having a low pressure region 41 into which the tobacco material 20 is drawn, wherein the porous belt 32 retains the tobacco material against the bottom of the conveyor system 28 to form a stream of tobacco material conveyed towards a garniture section 45.

A paper supply section 8 is provided to supply a continuous web of paper wrapping material 55 from a roll 58 through a series of rollers and guide posts 60, 61 to the garniture section 45 where the wrapping material 55 is wrapped around the tobacco material 20 to form a continuous wrapped rod. Typically, the paper supply section 8 will include a printing device 65 for printing a serial number or indicia onto the paper at predetermined intervals.

In the apparatus shown in Figure 7, the paper supply section 8 has additionally been modified to include embossing rollers 82 for applying an embossed pattern to the paper which coincides with the printed pattern as described above with reference to Figure 1. The embossed pattern may be applied longitudinally to the paper, so that in the finished cigarette the ridges run along the length of the cigarette, or the embossed pattern may be applied across the width of the paper so that the ridges are circumferentially disposed in the final assembled cigarette.

To achieve an optimal visual effect resulting from the combination of printing and embossing on either the tipping or the cigarette paper, it is important that the embossing is aligned accurately with the printing. To achieve this, in the case that the ridges extend circumferentially, a light sensor can be used to detect the location of printed lines on the tipping/ cigarette paper as it is conveyed in the paper path upstream of the embossing rollers, and an output from the sensor used to control the speed of the embossing rollers to ensure accurate alignment. Alternatively, for longitudinally extending ridges, an edge of the cigarette/ tipping paper can be aligned with the embossing rollers to ensure that the embossing is performed in the correct position on the paper.

Other embossed patterns may be used instead of the V shaped ridges described above. For example, ridges having other cross sectional shapes (eg trapezoidal) may be used. The embossing/printed pattern also need not necessarily have a continuous

longitudinal/ circumferential ridge pattern. The pattern could include multiple ridge sections repeating longitudinally/ circumferentially, such as a chequered pattern of ridges, with corresponding printed portions.

The printed pattern may also use more than two colours, and the visual effect may differ from more than two directions. For example, an embossed pattern of pyramid shaped protrusions may be used and each pyramid may have 3 or 4 sides, and the printed pattern may include 3 or 4 colours and coincide with the protrusions such that each side of each pyramid is a different colour. The embossed pattern may not extend to all edges of tipping/ cigarette paper, such that glued lap seams are non-embossed.

Claims

1. A wrapping paper for a smoking article comprising a printed pattern and an embossed pattern which are positioned such that when viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant.

2. A wrapping paper according to claim 1, wherein the printed pattern and the embossed pattern cover substantially the whole area of the wrapping paper.

3. A wrapping paper according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the printed pattern comprises two colours, and the printed pattern and the embossed pattern are positioned such that when viewed from different directions, different colours are predominant.

4. A wrapping paper according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the embossed pattern comprises a pattern of parallel ridges, wherein the printed pattern coincides with the ridges such that on one side the ridges are a first colour and on the other side the ridges are a second colour.

5. A wrapping paper according to claim 4, wherein the ridges are V shaped.

6. A wrapping paper according to claim 5, wherein the angle of the V is substantially 90 degrees.

7. A wrapping paper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed pattern and the embossed pattern are positioned such that when viewed from substantially perpendicular directions a different colour is predominant.

8. A wrapping paper according to any one of the preceding claims, which is a tipping paper.

9. A smoking article comprising:

a filter; a wrapped rod of smokeable material comprising a wrapper and a core of smokeable material;

10. A smoking article according to claim 9, wherein the printed pattern and the embossed pattern cover substantially the whole area of the wrapping paper.

11. A smoking article according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the printed pattern comprises two colours, and the printed pattern and the embossed pattern are positioned such that when viewed from different directions, different colours are predominant.

12. A smoking article according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the embossed pattern comprises a pattern of parallel ridges, wherein the printed pattern coincides with the ridges such that on one side the ridges are a first colour and on the other side the ridges are a second colour.

13. A smoking article according to claim 12, wherein the ridges are V shaped.

14. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein the angle of the V is substantially 90 degrees.

15. A smoking article according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the wrapping paper having the embossed and printed pattern is the tipping paper.

16. A smoking article according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein wrapping paper having the embossed and printed pattern is the tipping paper and the ridges extend circumferentially around the filter.

17. A smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed pattern and the embossed pattern are positioned such that when viewed from substantially perpendicular directions a different colour is predominant.

18. A method of manufacturing a wrapping paper for a smoking article comprising:

supplying a wrapping paper having a printed pattern thereon from a roll; and embossing the wrapping paper with a pattern aligned with the printed pattern such that when the wrapping paper is viewed from different angles a different colour is predominant.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the wrapping paper is tipping paper, and the method further comprises:

providing a filter and a wrapped rod of smokeable material; and

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising handling the embossed tipping paper using rollers having a surface relief pattern matching the embossed pattern before wrapping the tipping paper around the filter and the wrapped rod.

21. A method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the tipping paper is wrapped around the filter and end portions of two wrapped rods positioned at each end of the filter so as to attach the filter and the rods, and the method further comprises cutting the filter portion to produce two smoking articles.

22. An apparatus for manufacturing a smoking article comprising:

a bobbin for supplying a tipping paper having a printed pattern thereon fro: a roll;

supply rollers configured to supply the embossed tipping paper; a gummer configured to apply glue to the embossed tipping paper; and an assembly station configured to provide a filter and a wrapped rod of smokeable material and wrap the embossed tipping paper around the filter and an end portion of the wrapped rod so as to attach the filter and the rod.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the supply rollers have a surface relief pattern matching the embossed pattern.