WO2011101072A1

WO2011101072A1 - Multipack

Info

Publication number: WO2011101072A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/000147
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johann Köster
Original assignee: Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg)
Priority date: 2010-02-18
Filing date: 2011-01-14
Publication date: 2011-08-25
Also published as: DE102010008515A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a multipack comprising a plurality of preferably cuboid packs (13), in particular cigarette packs, which are enclosed by an outer wrapping (14) preferably made of transparent material such as film. According to the invention, the outer wrapping (14) has sections (26) which are firmly connected to the packs (13) and are delimited by thinner material portions (32) in the outer wrapping (14) in regions intended for the application of tax stamps (25), and in said sections (26) the tax stamps (25) are firmly connected to the outer wrapping (14). According to a further solution, the outer wrapping (14) has sections (26) which are delimited by thinner material portions (32) (32) in the outer wrapping (14) in regions intended for the application of tax stamps (25), wherein said sections can be removed from the outer wrapping (14) along the respective thinner material portion (26) in order to expose certain areas of the packs (13) for the application of the tax stamps (25) to the packs (13).

Description

Bundle Packing Description

The invention relates to a bundle pack with a plurality of preferably parallelepipedic packs, in particular cigarette packs, which are preferably surrounded by an outer wrapper of transparent material such as foil, according to the preamble of claims 1 and 7. Furthermore, the invention relates to suitable methods for producing such bundle packs.

Cigarette packs are often merged into packs for easier handling during transport. Such bundles of packs of cigarettes are also known as cigarette rods. The cigarette rods may be sold as such or broken up at retail for sale of the individual cigarette packs.

In many countries, for tax or customs reasons, the application of tax stamps on the cigarette packs is required. The control marks may be in the form of (control) bands or (control) punches, for example. As a rule, a fixed connection of the tax stamps with the cigarette packs is also mandatory in order to prevent misuse. While in many countries, these tax stamps are already attached to the manufacture of cigarette packs, there are also countries in which the tax stamps can be attached at a later date. One example is the US, where cigarette packs are taxed differently depending on the state. The affixing of the tax stamps therefore only takes place shortly before the initial marketing in the respective federal state. So far, it is therefore common to construct packs of packages with cigarette packs so that these attach the Tax stamps can be opened and then closed again. However, such a procedure is very time consuming and costly. Furthermore, the outer wrapping of bundles of packages in the prior art usually consists of cardboard or paper. For cost reasons, however, it would be advantageous to produce the bundle pack with an outer wrapper made of film, ie as a so-called "naked-wrap". However, such outer sheaths can not be closed again after opening, which is why the use of such outer sheath in countries such as the United States excreted. Proceeding from this, the object of the present invention is to further develop packs of the type mentioned, in particular with regard to a more economic attachment of tax stamps on cigarette packs, which are located in the bundle pack. To solve this problem, a bundle pack with the features of claim 1 is provided. The peculiarity is therefore that the outer envelope in areas for attaching control marks to the packages by material weakenings in the outer envelope has limited portions that are fixedly connected to the packages and that the control marks in these portions are firmly connected to the outer envelope.

An advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the bundle pack for attaching the tax stamps on the cigarette packs does not have to be opened. Rather, the tax stamps are firmly attached to defined positions on the outer wrapper and these areas of the outer wrapper, which have the tax stamp, firmly connected to the cigarette packs. In this way, the tax stamp is indirectly connected to the cigarette pack. Upon opening the bundle pack, the portions of the outer wrapper provided with the registration marks are separated from the outer wrapper along the weakenings of the material so that the control mark carrying portions of the outer wrapper remain on the packages and the remainder of the outer wrapper can be removed. Preferably, a (transparent) film of sealable and / or shrinkable material is used for the outer wrapping. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the packages are preferably wrapped individually in such a film, so that the connection between the outer casing and the or the packaging envelopes can be done by sealing the films. Alternatively or additionally, the sheaths may be glued together.

According to a preferred development of the invention, outside the area of the sections to be joined to the package, the outer envelope is not sealable or equipped. This can be done, for example, in such a way that the outer sheath is not designed to be sealable in the regions surrounding the sections. It can then be sealed, the entire side surface of the bundle pack in which the sections are located, so that only in the area of the sections, a connection of the outer wrap with the packs.

Preferably, the non-sealable region of the outer sheath is limited to the respective side surface of the subsequent bundle pack in which the sections are located. The remaining areas of the outer wrapper, which are later on other side surfaces of the bundle pack, need not be specially equipped.

Alternatively, of course, the procedure can be reversed, so that the outer envelope is specifically equipped in the areas to be sealed so that a connection with the cigarette packs is possible.

A further solution to the above-mentioned object consists in a bundle pack according to claim 7. A special feature is therefore that the outer envelope in areas for attaching control marks on the packages by material weakening in the outer envelope has limited sections along the respective material weakening from the outer sheath are separable for partially exposing the packages for the attachment of the tax stamps on the packs. With In other words, it is proposed here that the packages are initially wrapped in a conventional manner in an outer wrapper and then separate out the sections in order to attach the control marks directly or directly to the packages.

Further preferred embodiments of the bundle packs are the subject of dependent claims.

Furthermore, protection is claimed for methods for producing the bundle packs according to claims 13 and 14.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 shows a blank for an outer wrapping of a bundle pack,

2 shows a material web for producing the blank according to FIG. 1, FIG.

Fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of an inventive

Bundle pack in spatial representation,

4 is a side view of the bundle pack according to arrow 4 in Fig. 3,

5 a detached from the bundle pack according to FIG. 3 pack,

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of an inventive

Bundle pack in a representation analogous to FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, Fig. 7 shows a third embodiment of an inventive

Bundle pack in a representation analogous to FIG. 4 of the first exemplary embodiment,

Fig. 8 is a detached from the bundle pack according to FIG. 7 pack. The invention will be explained with reference to a bundle pack 10 in the form of a cigarette rod with two rows 11, 12 of cigarette packs 13 arranged one above the other. An outer sheath 14 made of a transparent plastic film holds the bundle pack 10 in the intended form. The outer sheath 1 encloses the group of cigarette packs 13 directly.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cigarette packs 13 are within a row 1 1, 12 with narrow side surfaces 15 to each other. Cigarette packs 13 of adjacent rows 1 1, 12 abut each other with large-format front side surfaces 16 and rear side surfaces 17. Within the bundle pack 10, all cigarette packs 13 are arranged with the same relative position, so that all bottom side surfaces 18 are located in a common plane or pack side of the bundle pack 10. In the present case, this is a bottom side 19 of the bundle pack 10.

The outer sheath 14 consists of a blank 20 which is separated out of a continuous material web 21. When manufacturing the blanks 20, a tear thread 22 can be attached to the material web 21. In the region of one end of the tear-open thread 22, a gripping tab 23 is formed by a U-shaped punching cut, which later serves to open the outer sheath 14 along the tear-open thread 22. For example, the blank 20 for the outer wrap 14 may be polypropylene and is wrapped around the formation of cigarette packs 13 in a conventional manner. In the area of end faces 24 of the outer wrapper 14, folding flaps of the blank 20 are folded in the usual way in the manner of a couverture and placed one above the other and joined together. An overlapping and sealing of folding tabs of the blank 20 may also be formed in the area of a cover side 33 opposite the bottom side 19.

A special feature of the bundle pack 10 and the blank 20 is that this in a special way for the attachment of tax stamps 25 in Area of the bottom side 19 of the bundle pack 10 is provided. This takes place in a region of the blank 20, which is later after the wrapping of the cigarette packs 13 in the region of the bottom side 19 of the bundle pack 10.

In the first exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a number of sections 26 in the blank 20 corresponding to the number of cigarette packs 13 in the bundle pack 10 are formed. The sections 26 are bounded by circumferential material weakenings 32 in the form of perforation lines or the like. In the figures, the material weakenings 32 are shown by a dashed line.

The sections 26 are arranged so that later each cigarette pack 13 is associated with exactly one section 26 and is placed in the region of the bottom side surfaces 8 of the respective cigarette pack 13. In the present embodiment, therefore, two rows of five sections 26 are formed in the blank 20. The sections 26 themselves are slightly smaller than the bottom side surfaces 18 of the cigarette packs 13. In this way, the sections 26 are separated by webs 27 from each other. The webs 27 are located in edge regions of the bottom side surfaces 18 of the cigarette packs 13 and cover each edge regions of two adjacent cigarette packs 13th

After the group of cigarette packs 13 has been wrapped in the blank 20, the material of the outer wrapper 14 in the region of the sections 26 is firmly connected to the cigarette packs 13. In the concrete exemplary embodiment, this is achieved by sealing the material of the outer sheath 14 against packing sheaths 28 of the cigarette packs 13 by applying appropriate heat. On the one hand, it would be conceivable to seal only in the region of the sections 26. However, a large-area seal of the entire bottom side 19 of the bundle pack 10 is preferred. To ensure that the seal takes place only in the region of the sections 26, the blank 20 is in the area of the later Bottom side 19 outside of the areas to be sealed with a barrier paint 29. In the figures are the areas provided with barrier varnish 29 cross-hatched. This barrier coating 29 prevents sealing of the blank 20 in this area. Instead of a barrier varnish 29, other measures can also be taken to prevent the large-area sealing of the bottom side 19 from connecting the blank 20 to the cigarette packs 13 in this area. It would also be conceivable, for example, to arrange an additional blank between outer casing 14 and bottom side surfaces 18 of cigarette packs 13. This additional blank could have corresponding "windows" to allow the connection between outer casing 14 and cigarette packs 13 in the region of sections 26.

The outer sheath 14 thus formed can be provided with a control mark 25 in the region of the sections 26, for example by sticking, stamping, imprinting or the like. When opening the bundle pack 10, the portions 26 remain on the same due to the connection with the cigarette packs 13 and the rest of the blank 20 of the outer wrapper 14 can be removed.

In order to ensure a secure separation of the sections 26 from the blank 20, the material weakenings 32 are in the non-sealable region of the blank 20 or the barrier coating 29 extends slightly into the sections 26, so that the sections 26 at least in a circumferential area immediately adjacent to the material weakening 32 are not connected to the cigarette packs 13.

For correct positioning of the blank 20 in relation to the group of cigarette packs 13, each blank 20 has a marking 30 for controlling the separating cut on the material web 21 and for aligning the blank 20 and cigarette packs 13. The marking 30 should be in daylight not be visible so as not to affect the appearance of the preferably transparent outer sheath 14. It is therefore conceivable, for example, a printing of the material web 30 with a color or coating that is visible only under special conditions, for example under UV light. The material web 21 is preferably not first provided at the place of manufacture of the bundle packs 10 with perforation lines and barrier coating 29, but already delivered pre-assembled. As a rule, only the tear thread 22 is attached on site.

As an alternative to the procedure described above, the sections 26 can also be glued to the cigarette packs 13. This can be done by applying a suitable adhesive to the material web 21 in the region of the sections 26. It is conceivable, for example, a permanently tacky glue that is applied as a hot melt glue. Such a solution could be of particular interest if for some reason the packages 13 do not have a sealable material package wrap 28 or the outer wrapper 14 is of non-sealable material such as cardboard or thin paper.

Furthermore, it is alternatively conceivable that the sections 26 are provided with a printing or coating which allows a seal of the outer sheath 14 in these areas, for example in the form of a sealing wax. In particular, a material which has a different, in particular, lower sealing temperature than the material of the outer sheath 14 is conceivable.

Another alternative solution is shown in FIG. In this solution, the sections 26 are not connected to the cigarette packs 13, but the sections 26 are separated after wrapping the cigarette packs 13 in the blank 20 for the outer sheath 14, so that windows 31 are formed in the outer sheath 14, in whose Area the bottom side surfaces 18 of the cigarette packs 13 are exposed and can be provided with the control marks 25. Accordingly, this solution requires neither an order of blocking varnish 29, nor a seal or other connection of the sections 26 with the cigarette packs thirteenth

FIG. 6 shows in a left region the bundle pack 10 with sections 26 delimited by perforation lines as material weakenings 32 and in the right part of the bundle pack 10 after removing the sections 26th

Furthermore, FIG. 6 shows by way of example that the sections can also extend over more than one pack of cigarettes 13. In the present case, each section extends over two cigarette packs 13 of adjacent rows 11, 12. Here, too, the sections 26 are separated from one another by webs 27. The webs 27 in turn extend circumferentially around the sections 26. A third solution is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this exemplary embodiment, the outer sheath 14 is designed as a wrap rotating on four side surfaces of the bundle pack 10, such that the cigarette packs 13 are exposed in the region of the end faces 24. Folding tabs of a corresponding blank for the outer sheath 14 are connected to one another in the region of a narrow side surface of the bundle pack 10 opposite the bottom side 19. The blank, as in the first exemplary embodiment, has limited sections 26 due to material weakenings 32, which serve to attach the control mark 25. The sections 26 are positioned in the blank so that they are later in the region of the bottom side surfaces 18 of the packs 13. In order to ensure a firm connection of the control marks 25 with the packs 13, the sections 26 are fixedly connected to the packs 13 and / or the outer wrapper thereof.

The blank for the outer cover 14 may preferably be formed from paper or thin cardboard. Accordingly, the connection of the blank with the packs 13 takes place by gluing. It is conceivable, for example, the use of hot-melt glue. The blank may already be provided with a suitable glue in the region of the sections 26 and folding flaps prior to use so that it can be reactivated later, namely after wrapping the packs 13 in the outer wrapper 14, for example in the region of a corresponding turret. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 bundles

11 row

12 series

13 pack

14 outer sheath

15 narrow side surface

16 front surfaces

17 back surfaces

18 bottom side surfaces

19 bottom side

20 cut

21 material web

22 tear thread

23 grip tab

24 front side

25 tax stamp

26 section

27 bridges

28 pack serving

29 barrier paint

30 mark

31 windows

32 material weakening

33 cover side

Claims

claims

1. bundle pack with a plurality of preferably parallelepiped-shaped packs (13), in particular cigarette packs, which are surrounded by an outer wrapper (14) preferably made of transparent material such as foil, characterized in that the outer wrapper (14) in areas for attaching control marks (25 ) has on the packages (13) through material weakenings (32) in the outer sheath (14) limited portions (26) which are fixedly connected to the packs (13), and that the control marks (25) in these sections (26) fixed are connected to the outer sheath (14).

2. bundle pack according to claim 2, characterized in that the packs (13) are preferably each surrounded by a packing envelope (28) and that the outer sheath (14) in the region of the material weakenings (32) limited portions (26) with the packing envelope ( 28) is connected.

3. bundle pack according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer sheath (14) and the or each wrapping (28) are formed from a heat-sealable material and in the region of the material weakenings (32) limited portions (26) by sealing connected to each other.

4. bundle pack according to claim 3 or one of the further preceding claims, characterized in that the outer sheath (14) in regions outside of the or each pack wrapping (28) connected areas is not sealable, preferably by applying a barrier varnish (29) in These areas, and that the outer sheath (14) by sealing the entire surface of a packing surface of the outer sheath (14) with the or each pack wrapping (28) only within the material weakenings (32) limited sections (26) is connectable.

5. bundle pack according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer sheath (14) at least in the region of the bottom wall (19) outside of the sections (26) is formed of a non-heat sealable material and in the weakened by material weakenings (32) sections ( 26) is formed sealable.

6. bundle pack according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer sheath (14) in the weakened by material weakenings (32) sections (26) with the or each pack wrapping (28) is glued.

7. bundle pack with a plurality of preferably parallelepiped-shaped packs (13), in particular cigarette packs, which are surrounded by an outer casing (14) preferably made of transparent material such as foil, characterized in that the outer casing (14) in areas for attaching control marks (25) the packages (13) by material weakenings (32) in the outer sheath (14) has limited portions (26) along the respective material weakenings (26) are detachable from the outer sheath (14) for the areawise exposing the packages (13) for attachment the control marks (25) on the packs (13).

8. bundle pack according to claim 1 or one of the further preceding claims, characterized in that the outer sheath (14) in the region of the material weakenings (26) is not connected to the packs (13).

9. bundle pack according to claim 1 or one of the further preceding claims, characterized in that each package (13) is assigned a separate section (26) in the outer sheath (14), in particular in the region of the bottom side surfaces (18) of the packs (13). ,

10. bundle pack according to claim 1 or one of the further preceding claims, characterized in that the portions (26) are smaller than the respective associated bottom side surfaces (18) of the packs (13), preferably one of the sections (18) surrounding the edge region.

1 1. bundle pack according to claim 7, characterized in that the sections (26) over a plurality of packages (13) extend away.

12. bundle pack according to claim 1 or one of the further preceding claims, characterized in that adjacent sections (26) by (narrow) webs (27) between the sections (26) are delimited from each other, wherein preferably the webs (27) each over Edge regions of bottom side surfaces (18) of two adjacent packs (13) extend.

13. A method for producing bundle packs (10) with a plurality of preferably parallelepipedic packs (13), in particular cigarette packs, which are surrounded by an outer sheath (14), preferably of transparent material such as foil, wherein the packs (13) are assembled into a pack group and thereafter being wrapped in a blank (20) for the outer sheath (14), characterized in that the outer sheath (14) is secured in regions for attaching control marks (25) to the packs (13) by material weakenings (32) in the outer sheath (14) ) has limited portions (26), and that the outer sheath (14) in the region of the sections (26) is fixedly connected to the packs (13), in particular by sealing, and that the control marks (25) in these sections (26) fixed be connected to the outer sheath (14).

14. A method for producing bundle packs (10) with a plurality of preferably parallelepipedic packs (13), in particular cigarette packs, which are surrounded by an outer wrapper (14) preferably made of transparent material such as foil, the packs (13) to a package group and are then wrapped in a blank (20) for the outer sheath (14), characterized in that the outer sheath (14) in areas for attaching control marks (25) to the packages (13) by material weakenings (32) in the outer sheath (14) has limited portions (26), and that the sections (26) after wrapping the packages (13) in the outer sheath (14) along the respective material weakenings (32) from the outer sheath (14) are separated areawise exposing the packages (13) and thereafter applying the control marks (25) to the exposed areas of the packages (13).

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