WO2014053515A1

WO2014053515A1 - Package with heat shrink wrapper

Info

Publication number: WO2014053515A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/070487
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arjen Hamilcar SLOOFF
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
Priority date: 2012-10-01
Filing date: 2013-10-01
Publication date: 2014-04-10

Abstract

A wrapped package (30) of containers (32) comprises a package including a plurality of containers for housing consumer goods. The containers (32) are arranged to define three to six side panels (34) and two end panels (36) of the package. Each side panel (34) is defined by at least one row of containers extending between the two end panels (36), and each row comprises first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers. Each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel (34). The wrapped package (30) further includes an outer wrapper (38) wrapped around only the side panels (34) of the package to retain the containers (32) within the package (30). The outer wrapper (38) comprises a polymeric heat shrinkable film extending across at least about 20 percent of each side panel (34) and extending across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers. The outer wrapper (38) also extends across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.

Description

PACKAGE WITH HEAT SHRINK WRAPPER

The present invention relates to a wrapped package of containers for housing consumer goods. The present invention also relates to a method for forming such a wrapped package. The wrapped package finds particular application as a wrapped package of containers each filled with smoking articles.

It is known to package consumer goods in a variety of types of container. Certain consumer goods are packaged in containers formed from folded laminar blanks. For example, elongate smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, are commonly sold in hinge lid packs having a box for housing the smoking articles and a lid connected to the box about a hinge line extending across the back wall of the container.

Conventionally, filled containers of consumer goods such as smoking articles are often over wrapped in an outer wrapper of a transparent polymeric film to form a wrapped package of containers. The outer wrapper extends across and covers all sides of the package, and typically the outer wrapper is closed using envelope folds at each end of the package.

It would be desirable to provide a novel wrapped package which uses a more efficient method for wrapping a plurality of containers of consumer goods.

According to the present invention, there is provided a wrapped package comprising a package including two or more containers for housing consumer goods, wherein the containers are arranged to define three to six side panels and two end panels of the package. Each side panel is defined by at least one row of containers extending between the two end panels, and each row comprises first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers. Each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel. An outer wrapper is wrapped around only the side panels of the package to retain the containers within the package, the outer wrapper comprising a polymeric heat shrinkable film. The outer wrapper extends across at least about 20 percent of each side panel and extends across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers. The outer wrapper also extends across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.

The term "side panels" is used throughout the specification to refer to three to six consecutive panels of the package that form a substantially continuous surface of the package. That is, the last in the series of consecutive side panels is connected to or continuous with the first side panel. The side panels form together the lateral surface of the package, that is the exterior surface of the package excluding the end panels.

The term "end panels" is used throughout the specification to refer to panels located at opposite ends of the package. That is, each end panel is connected to or continuous with one or more of the side panels, but the end panels are not connected to or continuous with each other. In other words, the lateral surface of the package extends between the end panels.

In embodiments in which the consumer goods are containers each having end panels located at opposite ends of the container, the end panels of the package may or may not coincide with the end panels of the containers. For example, the package may comprise first, second and third rows of containers each having a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall and two side walls, wherein the containers in each row are arranged so that a sidewall of a container is adjacent a sidewall of the consecutive container, and wherein the front walls of the containers in the first row are adjacent the back walls of the containers in the second row, and wherein the front walls of the containers in the second row are adjacent the back walls of the containers in the third row. In this example, the outer wrapper may be wrapped around the top walls and the bottom walls of the containers, and the back walls of the containers in the first row and the front walls of the containers in the third row. In that case, the end panels of the package correspond to the exposed sidewalls of the containers at the ends of the rows. Alternatively, the outer wrapper may be wrapped around the top walls and the bottom walls of the containers, and the exposed sidewalls of the containers at the ends of the rows. In that case, the end panels of the package correspond to the back walls of the containers in the first row and the front walls of the containers in the third row.

Prior art packages, such as those described in DE 10 2007 044 534 A1 , utilise a wrapper that extends over at least a portion of each end panel of the package. By providing a wrapped package in which an outer wrapper formed from a polymeric heat shrinkable film wraps around only the side panels of the package, the present invention advantageously reduces the amount of material required to wrap a given package when compared to such prior art wrapping techniques. Furthermore, covering only the side panels with the outer wrapper also eliminates the need to close the wrapper with complex envelope folds or wrinkled heat- shrink corners at the ends of the package, which are undesirable features of prior art wrapping techniques. Wrapped packages in accordance with the present invention also permit improved display of the containers by providing a package in which the end panels are completely free from outer wrapping material. This is particularly advantageous when using an opaque outer wrapper, for example.

In some embodiments, the outer wrapper extends across at least about 45 percent of each side panel, preferably at least about 60 percent of each side panel, and more preferably at least about 70 percent of each side panel. Such coverage of each side panel provides sufficient overlap between the outer wrapper and the containers to provide secure retention of the containers within the package. In particular embodiments, the outer wrapper extends across between about 90 percent and 100 percent of the lateral surface of the package. In any of the embodiments described above, the outer wrapper may include first and second end portions which overlap at one of the side panels. Preferably, the overlapping end portions of the outer wrapper are sealed to each other to form a longitudinal seam. The term "longitudinal" refers to the direction extending between the end panels of the package. The term "transverse" refers to the direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the overlapping region. For a rectangular parallelepipedal package, the longitudinal direction will typically coincide with the direction in which the package is longest, but this need not always be the case. For example, a stack of compact disc containers could be wrapped so that the longest dimension extends between two of the side panels of the wrapped package, or the stack could be wrapped so that the longest dimension extends between the two end panels of the wrapped package.

In any of the embodiments described above, the polymeric film preferably comprises at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride and cellulose film. Other suitable polymeric materials for forming the outer wrapper will be apparent to the skilled person.

The outer wrapper may be a single layer material, which may optionally be provided with a suitable coating layer. Alternatively, the outer wrapper may be a multi-layer sheet material including a plurality of polymeric layers. For example, suitable multi-layer sheet materials may include a plurality of layers, each formed of a polyolefinic compound derived from one or more monomeric olefins. The carbon chain length of the monomeric olefins forming each layer may be the same as or different to the carbon chain length of the monomeric olefins forming the other layers. Preferably, the outer layer of the multi-layer material is a sealable polyolefin selected from the list provided above. Suitable multi-layer film materials can be formed by lamination or co-extrusion of the polyolefinic layers.

Preferably, the outer wrapper is coated with a sealable polyolefin for example one or a combination of: polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, a propylene-butylene copolymer, an ethylene-butylene copolymer, an ethylene-propylene- butylene terpolymer. The outer wrapper may alternatively be coated with an acrylic layer.

Preferably, the coating material or the outer layer of the outer wrapper is different from any coating or packaging layer on the outside of the package, such that any sealing operations performed on the outer wrapper do not additionally seal the outer wrapper to the package. This allows for the wrapping of a package of individually overwrapped containers. Preferably, through the adequate choice of sealable material, the sealing temperature of the outer wrapper is below the sealing temperature of any wrapper that is used to wrap the individual containers within the package. Preferably, the sealing temperature is between about 5 percent and about 25 percent lower for the outer wrapper in comparison to the sealing temperature of any individual container wrapper. Thus, it is possible to first individually seal the overwrap around each individual container at a first elevated temperature and then seal the outer wrapper of a package of individually overwrapped containers at a lower temperature.

Wrapped packages in accordance with the present invention may be provided with a tear tape as is known to the skilled person, in order to facilitate removal of the outer wrapper from the underlying package. However, the outer wrapper may alternatively be provided with at least one line of weakness extending generally diagonally across at least two side panels of the package, wherein opposed ends of the at least one line of weakness are displaced from each other in the longitudinal direction. Where the two or more containers are in contact with each other along an interface, the at least one line of weakness extends across the interface between the containers.

The term "generally diagonally" is used to describe a line of weakness which has an overall extension in a diagonal direction that is greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees to the longitudinal direction. This means that the line of weakness extends simultaneously in both the longitudinal and the transverse directions. The angle between the line of weakness and the longitudinal direction may be measured as the angle between the projections of the lines of weakness and the longitudinal direction onto a common plane.

The line of weakness may be a continuous, straight line extending in the diagonal direction. However, the term "generally diagonally" is used to indicate that the invention also encompasses embodiments in which the line of weakness is at least in part non-linear such that it extends diagonally overall, but not all parts of the line of weakness are extending in the same, diagonal direction. In such embodiments, a straight line extending between the two end points of the line of weakness would be diagonal, although the line of weakness may not be straight or diagonal along all of its length. For example, the line of weakness may be wavy, sinusoidal or zig-zag in shape so that the line of weakness changes direction either uniformly or non- uniformly, continuously or non-continuously, whilst still achieving a general extension in the diagonal direction.

In those embodiments including at least one diagonal line of weakness in the outer wrapper, the line of weakness advantageously enables the outer wrapper to be readily removed from the package, without the provision of a tear tape. The splitting of the outer wrapper at two or more positions through the breakage of the at least one line of weakness provides an effective way to split the wrapper so that it can be more easily taken off the package in order to access the containers. The diagonal direction of the line of weakness also ensures that once the wrapper has initially been torn along at least a part of the line of weakness, the tear line will more easily propagate around the package in order to facilitate full removal of the outer wrapper.

As an alternative to a diagonal line of weakness and in those embodiments in which the outer wrapper comprises overlapping first and second end portions as described above, the outer wrapper may include an opening cut extending transversely all of the way across the overlapping region to define an opening tab in the outer wrapper. The outer wrapper can be opened by pulling the opening tab and without the need for a tear tape.

Wrapped packages in accordance with the present invention preferably comprise containers filled with smoking articles. However, the skilled person will realise that the present invention is applicable to other types of containers and consumer goods.

Preferably, wrapped packages in accordance with the present invention comprise 2 to 20 containers of consumer goods, more preferably between about 5 and 10, most preferably 10 containers of consumer goods.

The containers of consumer goods in the package may be arranged in different collations, depending on the total number of containers. For example, the containers may be arranged in a single row of five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten. Alternatively, the containers may be arranged in two or more rows. The two or more rows preferably contain the same number of containers. For example, the containers may be arranged in two rows of four, five or six, or three rows of three, four or five.

In embodiments in which the containers are arranged in three or more rows, the rows may be arranged in a two dimensional arrangement or a three dimensional arrangement. For example, the package may comprise four rows of containers, wherein the rows are arranged in a one by four arrangement. Alternatively, the four rows may be arranged in a two by two arrangement. Where the package comprises a three dimensional arrangement of rows, the package preferably comprises an even number of rows.

The containers within each row may be arranged in a number of ways. For example, the containers can be arranged side wall to side wall, front wall to back wall, or top wall to bottom wall. In embodiments in which the package comprises two or more rows of containers, each row preferably has the same arrangement of containers.

The present invention also provides a method of forming a wrapped package according to any of the embodiments described above, the method comprising a first step of providing two or more containers for housing consumer goods and arranging the containers to form a package having three to six side panels and two end panels, wherein each side panel is defined by at least one row of containers extending between the two end panels, each row comprising first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers, and wherein each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel. An outer wrapper is then wrapped around only the side panels of the package, the outer wrapper comprising a polymeric film. The final step is heat shrinking the polymeric film about the package so that the outer wrapper retains the containers within the package, the outer wrapper extending across at least 20 percent of each side panel and extending across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers, and the outer wrapper extending across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.

The heat shrinking step advantageously conforms the outer wrapper to the shape of the package and provides sufficient compression of the package to retain the containers in place.

To provide sufficient shrinkage of the polymeric film to provide the desired compression of the package, the polymeric film may comprise between about 10 and about 30 percent oriented polypropylene prior to the heat shrinking step.

Preferably, a circumference of the outer wrapper measured about the four side panels after the heat shrinking step is between about 85 percent and about 97 percent of the circumference of the outer wrapper before the heat shrinking step. Preferably, the circumference of the outer wrapper measured about the four side panels after the heat shrinking step is between about 86 percent to about 90 percent of the circumference of the outer wrapper before the heat shrinking step.

In those embodiments in which the containers are each individually wrapped in a heat- sealable polymeric wrap prior to forming the package, the heat shrinking step is preferably carried out at a temperature less than the minimum temperature required for sealing the heat- sealable polymeric wrap. This prevents sealing of the outer wrapper to the individual container wrappers. Preferably, the heat shrinking temperature is between about 5 percent and about 25 percent lower than the sealing temperature of any individual container wrappers. Additionally or alternatively, the heat shrinking step can comprise heating the outer wrapper to a temperature of between about 60 degrees Celsius and about 160 degrees Celsius for a period of between about 1 second and about 2 seconds.

In any of the embodiments described above, a first side of the polymeric film may comprise at least one polyolefinic component derived from a monomeric olefin having a carbon chain length A and a second side of the polymeric film may comprise at least one polyolefinic component derived from a monomeric olefin having a carbon chain length B. A is different from B and both A and B are from two to four. Such an arrangement can provide sealing compatibility between the first and second sides of the polymeric film, thus allowing the formation of a longitudinal seam as described above. In those embodiments in which the containers are individually wrapped in a polymeric wrap, the polyolefinic component provided on the surface of the outer wrapper in contact with the containers is preferably selected for sealing incompatibility with the individual container wrappers. This prevents bonding of the outer wrapper with the individual container wrappers, so as to facilitate removal of the outer wrapper from the package by a consumer.

The present invention also relates to the use of an outer wrapper to package a plurality of containers, wherein the outer wrapper is wrapped around only the side panels of the package to retain the containers within the package. Each side panel is defined by at least one row of containers extending between two end panels of the package, each row comprising first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers, wherein each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel. The outer wrapper comprises a polymeric heat shrinkable film extending across at least 20 percent of each side panel and extending across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers, and the outer wrapper extending across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a wrapped package in accordance with the prior art; and

Figure 2 shows a wrapped package in accordance with the present invention.

The prior art wrapped package 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a plurality of containers 12 arranged to form a package. The package includes a plurality of side panels 14 and two end panels 16 (one of which is shown in Figure 1 ). An outer wrapper 18 extends across all side panels 14 and both end panels 16 of the package so as to enclose the containers 12 in the outer wrapper 18. The outer wrapper 18 is closed about the end panels 16 using envelope folds 20. The outer wrapper 18 may include a longitudinal seam extending along one of the side panels 14.

Figure 2 shows a wrapped package 30 in accordance with the present invention. The wrapped package 30 includes a plurality of containers 32 arranged to form a package having side panels 34 and two end panels 36. An outer wrapper 38 extends about the four side panels 34 and extends over only a portion of the containers located at the ends of the package. The outer wrapper 38 does not extend over any portion of the end panels 36, therefore eliminating the need for any complex envelope folds or wrinkled heat shrink corners. The outer wrapper 38 is formed from a polymeric film which is conformed to the package using a heat shrinking step. The heat shrinking step causes the film to shrink and compress the containers 32, therefore retaining the containers 32 within the package.

Claims

1. A wrapped package of containers, the wrapped package comprising:

a package comprising two or more containers for housing consumer goods, the containers arranged to define three to six side panels and two end panels of the package, wherein each side panel is defined by at least one row of containers extending between the two end panels, each row comprising first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers, and wherein each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel; and

an outer wrapper wrapped around only the side panels of the package to retain the containers within the package, the outer wrapper comprising a polymeric heat shrinkable film extending across at least 20 percent of each side panel and extending across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers, and the outer wrapper extending across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.

2. The wrapped package of claim 1 , wherein the outer wrapper extends across at least 45 percent of each side panel.

3. The wrapped package of any preceding claim, wherein the polymeric film comprises at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride and cellulose film.

4. The wrapped package of any preceding claim, wherein each of the containers is filled with smoking articles.

5. A method of forming a wrapped package according to any preceding claim, the method comprising:

providing two or more containers for housing consumer goods and arranging the containers to form a package having three to six side panels and two end panels, wherein each side panel is defined by at least one row of containers extending between the two end panels, each row comprising first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers, and wherein each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel;

wrapping an outer wrapper around only the side panels of the package, the outer wrapper comprising a polymeric film; and

heat shrinking the polymeric film about the package so that the outer wrapper retains the containers within the package, the outer wrapper extending across at least 20 percent of each side panel and extending across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers, and the outer wrapper extending across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the polymeric film comprises between 10 and 30 percent oriented polypropylene prior to the heat shrinking step.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein a circumference of the outer wrapper measured about the side panels after the heat shrinking step is between about 85 percent and about 97 percent of the circumference of the outer wrapper before the heat shrinking step.

8. The method of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the containers are each individually wrapped in a heat-sealable polymeric wrap prior to forming the package, and wherein the heat shrinking step is carried out at a temperature less than the minimum temperature required for sealing the heat- sealable polymeric wrap.

9. The method of any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the heat shrinking step comprises heating the outer wrapper to a temperature of between about 60 degrees Celsius and about 160 degrees Celsius for a period of between about 1 second and about 2 seconds.

10. The method of any of claims 5 to 9, wherein a first side of the polymeric film comprises at least one polyolefinic component derived from a monomeric olefin having a carbon chain length A and wherein a second side of the polymeric film comprises at least one polyolefinic component derived from a monomeric olefin having a carbon chain length B, wherein A is different from B and both A and B are from two to four.

1 1. Use of an outer wrapper to package a plurality of containers, wherein the outer wrapper is wrapped around only the side panels of the package to retain the containers within the package, wherein each side panel is defined by at least one row of containers extending between two end panels of the package, each row comprising first and second containers defining first and second ends of the row respectively and one or more intermediate containers positioned between the first and second containers, and wherein each of the first, second and intermediate containers comprises an outer wall defining a portion of the respective side panel, the outer wrapper comprising a polymeric heat shrinkable film extending across at least 20 percent of each side panel and extending across 100 percent of the outer wall of each of the one or more intermediate containers, and the outer wrapper extending across between 25 and 75 percent of each outer wall of the first and second containers.