WO2014207726A1 - Soft packet of cigarettes with a reclosable adhesive panel - Google Patents
Soft packet of cigarettes with a reclosable adhesive panel Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2014207726A1 WO2014207726A1 PCT/IB2014/062695 IB2014062695W WO2014207726A1 WO 2014207726 A1 WO2014207726 A1 WO 2014207726A1 IB 2014062695 W IB2014062695 W IB 2014062695W WO 2014207726 A1 WO2014207726 A1 WO 2014207726A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- wrapper
- inner wrapper
- pack
- cigarettes
- strip
- Prior art date
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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
- B65D85/1018—Container formed by a flexible material, i.e. soft-packages
- B65D85/1027—Opening devices
Abstract
Soft pack (1) of cigarettes having: a group (4) of cigarettes; an inner wrapper (3) that encloses the group (4) of cigarettes and has an extraction opening (13) set in a position corresponding to at least one top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3); an outer wrapper (2), which surrounds the inner wrapper (3) on five sides leaving the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) free; and a reclosable adhesive panel (23), which covers the extraction opening (13) and passes over the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3); the inner wrapper (3) is slidable with respect to the outer wrapper (2) so that it can slide between a retracted position, in which the inner wrapper (3) is completely inserted within the outer wrapper (2), and an extracted position in which the inner wrapper (3) is partially extracted and projects from the outer wrapper (2).
Description
"SOFT PACK OF CIGARETTES PROVIDED WITH A RECLOSABLE ADHESIVE
PANEL"
TECHNICAL SECTOR
The present invention relates to a soft pack of cigarettes provided with a reclosable adhesive panel.
PRIOR ART
A soft pack of cigarettes of a traditional type comprises an inner wrapper or enclosure made of foil-paper laminate, which envelops completely a group of cigarettes, and an outer wrapper or container, which is made of a soft wrapping material, is cup-shaped, and encloses the inner wrapper on five sides leaving a top wall (or head wall) of the inner wrapper in view. When the smoker first opens the pack, in order to take out the cigarettes he or she has to tear a part of the top wall of the inner wrapper left exposed by the outer wrapper. However, after the top wall of the inner wrapper has been torn, the pack can no longer be closed, and hence it may happen that cigarettes (or, more frequently, tobacco powder) inadvertently come out of the pack while the smoker is not using it and is keeping it, for example, in his or her pocket or handbag. Moreover, the fact that the pack can no longer be closed means that the cigarettes contained therein are completely exposed to air, which could alter the organoleptic and humidity characteristics of the tobacco of the cigarettes.
Finally, the portion of the top wall of the inner wrapper that is open after it has been torn has relatively small dimensions, in so far as a central area of the top wall is covered by a small label or by a state-monopoly stamp. Consequently, the opening through which the cigarettes are taken out is decidedly small, thus rendering extraction of the cigarettes problematical (in particular when the pack is half empty) .
In order to overcome the drawbacks described above, in the patent application WO2011023983A1 a soft package of cigarettes is proposed provided with a reclosable adhesive panel, i.e., of the "open & close" type, which is U-shaped and passes over a rear wall of the outer container, the top wall of the inner enclosure, and a front wall of the outer container. The adhesive panel adheres permanently (i.e., without ever being separated) to a rear folding flap of the top wall of the inner enclosure and adheres in a separable way (so that it can be separated during opening of the package of cigarettes) to the remaining part of the top wall of the inner enclosure and to the front wall of the outer container. When the package of cigarettes is closed, the adhesive panel adheres completely to the top wall of the inner enclosure (i.e., both to the front folding flap and to the rear folding flap of the top wall) and to the front wall of the outer container; when the package of cigarettes is open, the adhesive panel adheres just to the rear folding flap of the top wall, whereas it is separate both from the remaining part of the top wall and from the front wall of the outer container so as to free (i.e., uncover) an extraction opening of the inner enclosure and hence enable a cigarette to be taken out through the extraction opening.
Thanks to the presence of the adhesive panel, the soft package of cigarettes described in the patent application WO2011023983A1 can be reclosed after a cigarette has been taken out, and hence the cigarettes contained in the package are adequately protected both from accidentally coming out and from air. However, also in this package of cigarettes the opening through which the cigarettes are taken out is decidedly small, thus rendering extraction of the cigarettes themselves problematical (in particular, when the package is half empty) . The patent US4586605A1 describes a soft cigarette pack comprising: an inner sleeve that encloses a group of
cigarettes and has an extraction opening set in a position corresponding to a top wall of the inner sleeve; an outer sleeve, which surrounds the inner sleeve on five sides, leaving the top wall of the inner sleeve free; and a non- adhesive and reclosable panel, which covers the extraction opening and passes over the top wall of the inner sleeve. The inner sleeve is slidable with respect to the outer sleeve so that it can slide between a retracted position, in which the inner sleeve is inserted within the outer sleeve, and an extracted position, in which the inner sleeve is partially extracted and projects from the outer sleeve. An end-of-travel device is provided that blocks sliding of the inner sleeve with respect to the outer sleeve, determining a position of maximum extraction of the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve; the end-of-travel device comprises an additional strip of wrapping material that has one end glued to a front wall to the inner sleeve and an opposite end glued to a rear wall to the outer sleeve. However, the end-of-travel device described in the patent US4586605A1 presents some drawbacks, in so far as it comprises an additional strip of wrapping material that increases the overall amount of wrapper necessary for production of the cigarette pack (with a consequent increase in costs of the cigarette pack both from an economic and from an environmental standpoint) and above all introduces a considerable complication in the packaging process; in fact, in order to handle and apply said additional strip of wrapping material it is necessary to modify substantially and invasively a known packaging machine of a standard type (which otherwise, in the absence of said additional strip of wrapping material, would produce the cigarette pack easily) .
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a soft pack of cigarettes equipped with a reclosable adhesive panel, said
pack of cigarettes being free from the drawbacks described above and being, at the same time, easy and inexpensive to produce . According to the present invention a soft pack of cigarettes equipped with a reclosable adhesive panel is provided according to what is specified in the annexed claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment thereof and in which:
- Figure 1 is a front perspective view in a closed configuration of a soft pack of cigarettes provided according to the present invention;
- Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a closed configuration;
- Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a partially open configuration;
- Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a completely open configuration;
- Figures 5, 6, and 7 are three different perspective views of an inner wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 8 is a view of a sheet of wrapping material used for providing the inner wrapper of Figures 5, 6, and 7;
- Figures 9 and 10 are two different perspective views of a stiffening element contained in an inner wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 11 is a view of a blank used for providing the stiffening element of Figures 9 and 10;
- Figure 12 is a top plan view of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 with an adhesive panel partially raised;
- Figure 13 is a view of an inner surface of an adhesive panel of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1;
- Figure 14 is a view of a sheet of wrapping material used for providing an outer wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure
l;
- Figure 15 is a front perspective view of a variant of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a completely open configuration;
- Figure 16 is a view of a sheet of wrapping material used for providing an inner wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure
15;
- Figure 17 is a front perspective view of another variant of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a completely open configuration;
- Figure 18 is a view of a sheet of wrapping material used for providing an inner wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 17;
- Figure 19 is a front perspective view of a further variant of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a completely open configuration;
- Figure 20 is a view of a sheet of wrapping material used for providing an inner wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 19;
- Figure 21 is a view of a blank used for providing a stiffening element of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 19;
- Figure 22 is a front perspective view of a different embodiment of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 1 in a completely open configuration;
- Figure 23 is a view of a sheet of wrapping material used for providing an inner wrapper of the pack of cigarettes of Figure
22;
- Figures 24 and 25 are two schematic and partially sectioned views of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 22 in two different positions of the inner wrapper;
- Figures 26 and 27 are two schematic and partially sectioned views of a variant of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 22 in two different positions of the inner wrapper;
- Figure 28 is a view of a blank used for providing a stiffening element of the pack of cigarettes of Figure 22;
- Figure 29 is a variant of the sheet of wrapping material illustrated in Figure 16 adapted to a "longitudinal" wrapping
mode ;
Figure 30 is a variant of the sheet of wrapping material illustrated in Figure 18 adapted to a "longitudinal" wrapping mode ;
Figure 31 is a variant of the sheet of wrapping material illustrated in Figure 20 adapted to a "longitudinal" wrapping mode ;
Figure 32 is a variant of the sheet of wrapping material illustrated in Figure 23 adapted to a "longitudinal" wrapping mode; and
Figure 33 is a variant of the sheet of wrapping material illustrated in Figure 14 adapted to a "longitudinal" wrapping mode .
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
In Figures 1-4, designated as a whole by the reference number 1 is a soft pack of cigarettes. The pack 1 of cigarettes comprises an outer wrapper or container 2, which is made of a soft wrapping material and is cup-shaped, and an inner wrapper 3 (partially visible in Figures 3 and 4), which is housed within the container 2, envelops a group 4 of cigarettes (partially visible in Figures 3 and 4), and has a parallelepipedal shape.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the inner wrapper 3 has a parallelepipedal shape and has a top wall 5 and a bottom wall 6 parallel and opposite to one another, a front wall 7 and a rear wall 8 parallel and opposite to one another, and two side walls 9 parallel and opposite to one another. The inner wrapper 3 is obtained by folding a sheet 10a of wrapping material (illustrated in Figure 8) made of foil-paper laminate around the group 4 of cigarettes. During folding of the sheet 10a of wrapping material two opposed flaps of the sheet 10a of wrapping material are made to overlap in a longitudinal direction on a side wall 9 of the inner wrapper 3, and two end folds are made (i.e., folds that
close open ends of a tubular wrapper) on the top wall 5 and on the bottom wall 6. Consequently, the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 comprises a front folding flap 11 that is folded on the group 4 of cigarettes and a rear folding flap 12 that is folded on the front folding flap 11. The front folding flap 11 has a trapezial shape having a major base coinciding with a top edge of the front wall 7, whereas the rear folding flap 12 has a trapezial shape having a major base coinciding with a top edge of the rear wall 8.
The inner wrapper 3 comprises an opening 13 for enabling extraction of the cigarettes (more clearly visible in Figure 4) that is set in a position corresponding to the top wall 5 and the front wall 7 and is delimited by a separation line 14. The separation line 14 can enable, right from the start, separation from the remaining part of the inner wrapper 3 or else may be of the easy-tear type (typically a perforated line for enabling complete tearing when the pack 1 of cigarettes is first opened) . Generally, it is preferable for the separation line 14 to be of the easy-tear type to simplify handling of the sheet 10a of wrapping material used for forming the inner wrapper 3.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, the inner wrapper 3 comprises a rigid stiffening element 15, which is made of rigid cardboard or paperboard, is U-shaped and is set within the inner wrapper 3 in direct contact with the group 4 of cigarettes. The stiffening element 15 comprises a front wall 16 of a rectangular shape and a pair of side walls 17 set at the opposite sides of the front wall 16. The front wall 16 of the stiffening element 15 has a window 18 that is U-shaped and is set at the top in a position corresponding to the extraction opening 13 of the inner wrapper 3. According to a possible embodiment (not illustrated) , the stiffening element 15 could comprise also a bottom wall, which is connected to the front wall 16 and reproduces in positive the
shape of the window 18. The function of the stiffening element 15 is to bestow greater stiffness and greater stability of shape on the inner wrapper 3 so as to prevent the inner wrapper 3 from collapsing on itself after part of the cigarettes contained in the inner wrapper 3 has been taken out, which would render extraction of the remaining cigarettes complicated, and in particular would render opening and subsequent reclosing of an adhesive panel (which will be described more fully hereinafter) extremely complicated.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 1-4, the outer wrapper 2 has a parallelepipedal shape and has an open top end and a bottom wall 19, which are parallel and opposite to one another, a front wall 20 and a rear wall 21, which are parallel and opposite to one another, and two side walls 22, which are parallel and opposite to one another. Basically, the outer wrapper 2 surrounds the inner wrapper 3 on five sides, leaving the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 free. The outer wrapper 2 is obtained by folding a sheet 10b of wrapping material (illustrated in Figure 14) around the inner wrapper 3. During folding of the sheet 10b of wrapping material between two opposite ends of the sheet 10b of wrapping material are made to overlap in a longitudinal direction on a side wall 22 of the outer wrapper 2 and an end fold is made (i.e., a fold that closes an open end of a tubular wrapper) on the bottom wall 18 of the outer wrapper 2.
Finally, the pack 1 of cigarettes comprises a reclosable adhesive panel 23, i.e., of the "open & close" type, which covers a portion of the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 and the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3. The adhesive panel 23 adheres permanently (i.e., without ever being separated) to the rear folding flap 12 of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 and adheres in a separable way (so that it can be separated during opening of the pack 1 of cigarettes) to the remaining part of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 and to
the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2. When the pack 1 of cigarettes is closed (as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2), the adhesive panel 23 adheres completely to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 (i.e., both to the front folding flap 11 and to the rear folding flap 12 of the top wall 5) and to the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2. When the pack 1 of cigarettes is open (as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4), the adhesive panel 23 adheres only to the rear folding flap 12 of the top wall 5, whereas it is separate both from the remaining part of the top wall 5 and from the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 so as to free (i.e., uncover) the extraction opening 13 of the inner wrapper 3 and hence enable a cigarette to be taken out through the extraction opening 13. According to what is illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, the adhesive panel 23 comprises a permanent adhesive 24 (i.e., an adhesive that does not enable subsequent separation if not by tearing of the material), which is laid between the adhesive panel 23 and the rear folding flap 12 of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, and a repositionable adhesive 25 (i.e., an adhesive that always remains sticky), i.e., an adhesive that makes it possible, even after a long time, to separate the parts and then join them together again, which is laid between the adhesive panel 23 and the remaining part of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 (i.e., the front folding flap 11 and the folding tabs provided at the opposite sides of the front folding flap 11) . According to a preferred embodiment, the permanent adhesive 24 and the repositionable adhesive 25 are previously applied on an inner face of the adhesive panel 23 prior to coupling of the adhesive panel 23 to the inner wrapper 3. Moreover, according to a preferred embodiment, a central area 26 of the adhesive panel 23 is completely without adhesive (in particular repositionable adhesive 25) to prevent the adhesive from coming into contact with the ends of the cigarettes that can be reached through the extraction opening 13 of the inner wrapper 3 and to prevent raising, during
opening of the adhesive panel 23, of parts of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 that should not be pulled (raised) following upon opening of the adhesive panel 23. The presence of the permanent adhesive 24 determines a permanent adhesion (i.e., such that even in use it can never enable separation) of the adhesive panel 23 to the rear folding flap 12 of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, whereas the presence of the repositionable adhesive 25 determines a temporary adhesion (i.e., such that in use it enables separation) between the adhesive panel 23 and the remaining part of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 (i.e., the front folding flap 11 and the folding tabs set at the opposite sides of the front folding flap 11) . Consequently, when the adhesive panel 23 is opened (i.e., it passes from the closing position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 to the opening position illustrated in Figures 3 and 4), the adhesive panel 23 detaches from the front folding flap 11 of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 and carries along with it (i.e., raises) the rear folding flap 12 of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3.
According to a preferred embodiment, the adhesive panel 23 is provided with a grippable tab 27, which is without adhesive and is set underneath the extraction opening 13. The grippable tab 27 is designed to facilitate gripping of the adhesive panel 23 at the moment of raising of the adhesive panel 23; in other words, in order to raise the adhesive panel 23 a user can easily grip the grippable tab 27, which is in no way fixed to the inner wrapper 3, unlike the rest of the adhesive panel 23.
It should be noted that the adhesive panel 23 only passes over the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 and the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 and hence does not have any point of contact either with the rear wall 8 of the inner wrapper 3 or
with the rear wall 21 of the outer wrapper 2. In this way, the adhesive panel 23 can be easily applied after formation of the outer wrapper 2 around the inner wrapper 3 has been completed, thus significantly simplifying production of the pack 1 of cigarettes. In other words, the adhesive panel 23 can be applied after formation of the outer wrapper 2 around the inner wrapper 3 has been completed, exactly as already occurs in standard cigarette-packaging machines for soft cigarette packs with application of the revenue stamp straddling the top wall of a finished pack 1 of cigarettes.
According to what is illustrated in Figure 4, the inner wrapper 3 is slidable with respect to the outer wrapper 2 so that it can slide between a retracted position (illustrated in Figures 1-3), in which the inner wrapper 3 is completely inserted within the outer wrapper 2, and an extracted position (illustrated in Figure 4), in which the inner wrapper 3 is partially extracted and projects from the outer wrapper 2. Said result, i.e., the fact of enabling mutual sliding between the inner wrapper 3 and the outer wrapper 2, is obtained without forming any type of mechanical constraint (in particular drops of glue) between the inner wrapper 3 and the outer wrapper 2. According to a preferred embodiment, an end-of-travel device is provided that blocks sliding of the inner wrapper 3 with respect to the outer wrapper 2, determining a position of maximum extraction (illustrated in Figure 4) of the inner wrapper 3 from the outer wrapper 2. According to the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the end-of- travel device is constituted by a strip 28 of the inner wrapper 3 that is laterally separated from the remaining part of the inner wrapper 3 by the separation line 14, at one end is fixed with respect to the inner wrapper 3, and at the opposite end is glued to the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 with a permanent adhesive 29 (illustrated in Figure
7), i.e., an adhesive that not enable subsequent separation if not by tearing the material.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is made in part in the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 (in particular, straddling the front folding flap 11 of the top wall 5) and in part in the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3. According to what is illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 11, the front wall 16 of the stiffening element 15 is glued to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 with the permanent adhesive 30 (i.e., the adhesive that does not enable subsequent separation if not by tearing the material) that is set immediately underneath the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device. The function of the permanent adhesive 30 is to prevent undesirable tearing of the inner wrapper 3 in the proximity of the strip 28 of the end- of-travel device (i.e., as prosecution of the separation line 14) when the inner wrapper 3 reaches the position of maximum extraction (illustrated in Figure 4) and thus exerts a pulling force on the end-of-travel device (i.e., it stresses it mechanically) . In other words, the permanent adhesive 30 connects the front wall 16 of the stiffening element 15 to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 immediately underneath the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device in such a way as to strengthen the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 in the proximity of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device and thus prevent undesirable tearing of the inner wrapper 3 when the inner wrapper 3 reaches the position of maximum extraction (illustrated in Figure 4) . Basically, the permanent adhesive 30 prevents (blocks) a possible propagation of the separation line 14 at the end of the travel of raising of the inner wrapper 3.
According to what is illustrated in Figure 7, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is folded through 180° on itself, and then an inner surface of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel
device is glued to an inner surface of the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 using the permanent adhesive 29. In this way, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is folded in a U and remains folded in a U during sliding of the inner wrapper 3 out of the outer wrapper 2.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3-8, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is obtained in a position corresponding to the extraction opening 13 in such a way that deformation of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device will free the extraction opening 13 at least partially; compare Figure 7, where it is evident that the entire part of the extraction opening 13 set in an area corresponding to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 is covered by the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device, with Figure 4, where it is evident that the entire part of the extraction opening 13 set in an area corresponding to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 is free (i.e., is no longer covered by the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device) .
Moreover, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3-8, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device has a constant transverse dimension that remains the same both in a region corresponding to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 and in a region corresponding to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3.
According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 8, the inner wrapper 3 is provided with permanent adhesive 31 (i.e., an adhesive that does not enable subsequent separation if not by tearing the material) that stabilizes the folded shape of the inner wrapper 3 by connecting together in a stable way overlapping parts of the inner wrapper 3; in particular, the permanent adhesive 31 is laid on the bottom wall 6 of the inner wrapper 3 and on a side wall 9 of the inner wrapper 3. The function of the permanent adhesive 31 is to strengthen the inner wrapper 3 stabilizing the shape
thereof in such a way as to prevent the inner wrapper 3 from breaking up (i.e., being destroyed) during mutual sliding between the inner wrapper 3 and the outer wrapper 2. According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 14, the outer wrapper 2 is obtained by folding the sheet 10b of wrapping material around the inner wrapper 3. During folding of the sheet 10b of wrapping material two opposite flaps of the sheet 10b of wrapping material are made to overlap in a longitudinal direction on a side wall 22 of the outer wrapper 2, and an end fold (i.e., a fold that closes an open end of a tubular wrapper) is made on the bottom wall 19. According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 14, the outer wrapper 2 is provided with permanent adhesive 32 (i.e., an adhesive that does not enable subsequent separation if not by tearing the material) that stabilizes the folded shape of the outer wrapper 2, connecting together in a stable way overlapping parts of the outer wrapper 2. In particular, the permanent adhesive 32 is laid on the bottom wall 19 of the outer wrapper 2 and on a side wall 22 of the outer wrapper 2.
Figures 15-16, 17-18 and 19-20 illustrate three variants of the inner wrapper 3 illustrated in Figures 3-8 that differ only as regards the shape and size of the strip 28 of the end- of-travel device. In particular, in the inner wrapper 3 illustrated in Figures 3-8 and 15-16, the strip 28 of the end- of-travel device has a rectangular shape at the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3; instead, in the inner wrapper 3 illustrated in Figures 17-18 and 19-20, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device has a trapezial shape (less extensive in Figures 17-18 and more extensive in Figures 19-20) at the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3. As illustrated in Figure 21, by varying the shape and size of the strip 28 of the end- of-travel device also the shape and size of the window 18 made in the front wall 16 of the stiffening element 15 is varied accordingly, in such a way that the front wall 16 of the
stiffening element 15 is never visible from outside, i.e., in such a way that the front wall 16 of the stiffening element 15 is always covered by the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3. As has been said previously, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3-8 the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device has a constant transverse dimension; instead, in the inner wrapper 3 illustrated in Figures 15-16, 17-18 and 19-20, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device has a variable transverse dimension that is greater in an area corresponding to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 and is smaller in an area corresponding to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3; in particular (and as is clearly visible in Figures 16, 18 and 20), the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device has, in an area corresponding to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, a transverse dimension equal to the transverse dimension of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, and has, in an area corresponding to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3, a transverse dimension that is smaller than the transverse dimension of the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3.
When the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device has, in an area corresponding to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, a transverse dimension equal to the transverse dimension of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, the front folding flap 11 of the top wall 5 is no longer present in the final inner wrapper 3 in so far as the part of the sheet 10a of wrapping material that should form the front folding flap 11 belongs completely to the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device and hence is no longer present in an area corresponding to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3. The "disappearance" of the front folding flap 11 of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 is desired, in so far as the part of the front folding flap 11 that does not form part of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device leaves on the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 pointed portions (visible, for example, in Figure 4) that are
unsightly and could hinder reclosing of the adhesive panel 23; said residual pointed portions of the front folding flap 11 could be glued to the underlying parts of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, but this further gluing operation further complicates the packaging process.
Figures 22-27 illustrate a different embodiment of the inner wrapper 3 that has a different positioning of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device. As has been said previously, in the inner wrapper 3 illustrated in Figures 3-8 the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device also involves the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3, and above all the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is obtained in a position corresponding to the extraction opening 13 (hence the strip 28 of the inner wrapper 3 is separated from the remaining part of the inner wrapper 3 by tearing it along the separation line 14 that delimits also the extraction opening 13) . Instead, in the inner wrapper 3 illustrated in Figures 22-27 the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is completely obtained in the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 and is set in a central position of the front wall 7 well below the extraction opening 13. Given that the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is completely independent of the extraction opening 13, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is separated from the remaining part of the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 by a separation line 33 that is completely independent of the separation line 14 of the extraction opening 13. The separation line 33 of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is shaped like a U set upside down and may be separated right from the start from the remaining part of the inner wrapper 3 or else be tearable (typically a perforated line) so that it can be completely torn when the pack 1 of cigarettes is first opened. Generally, it is preferable for the separation line 33 of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device to be tearable in order to simplify handling of the sheet 10a of wrapping material used for forming the inner wrapper 3.
According to what is illustrated in Figures 24 and 25, an outer surface of the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is glued by means of the adhesive 29 to an inner surface of the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 in such a way that the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device folds in a U during sliding of the inner wrapper 3 out of the outer wrapper 2. According to a variant illustrated in Figures 26 and 27, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is folded through 180° on itself, and an inner surface of the strip 28 of the end-of- travel device is glued by means of the adhesive 29 to an inner surface of the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 in such a way that the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is always folded in a U.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 24 and 25, the packaging process is simplified in so far as the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device does not have to be folded previously in a U prior to wrapping of the outer wrapper 2 around the inner wrapper 3. However, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 24 and 25, in use the adhesive 29 undergoes shear stress and hence is more likely to undergo undesirable tearing (for this reason the adhesive 29 should preferably be stronger and should, for example, be of the hot-melt type) . In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 26 and 27, the packaging process is more complicated in so far as the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device must be previously folded in a U prior to wrapping of the outer wrapper 2 around the inner wrapper 3; on the other hand, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 26 and 27, in use the adhesive 29 is subjected to peeling stress and hence is unlikely to undergo undesirable tearing (for this reason the adhesive 29 does not have to be very strong) .
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 22-27, the strip 28 of the end-of-travel device is completely independent of the extraction opening 13. Preferably, the extraction opening 13 is initially covered by a removable portion 34 of the inner
wrapper 3 that is connected to the remaining part of the inner wrapper 3 along the tearable separation line 14 and that is removed and eliminated when the pack 1 of cigarettes is first opened .
In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 8, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23, the sheets 10a and 10b of wrapping material are shaped so that they can be folded in a "transverse" direction around the group 4 of cigarettes (in other words, the front wall is set alongside the rear wall to which it is connected by means of a side wall) . Instead, according to the embodiments illustrated in Figures 29-33, the sheets 10a and 10b of wrapping material are shaped so that they can be folded in a "longitudinal" direction around the group 4 of cigarettes (in other words, the front wall is set on top of the rear wall to which it is connected by means of the bottom wall) . In the cigarette-packaging sector, it is widely known to provide a sheet of wrapping material so that it can be folded in a "transverse" direction or else to be folded in a "longitudinal" direction; this variation in the shape of the sheets 10a and 10b of wrapping material does not entail any substantial modification to the conformation of the inner wrapper 3 and to the conformation of the outer wrapper 2.
In use, the user grips the grippable tab 27 of the adhesive panel 23 and pulls the grippable tab 27 upwards: in this way, the user initially detaches the adhesive panel 23 from the front wall 20 of the outer wrapper 2 and from the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 (as illustrated in Figure 3) and then slides out (partially) the inner wrapper 3 from the outer wrapper 2 (as illustrated in Figure 4) . In other words, by pulling the grippable tab 27 of the adhesive panel 23 upwards (hence with just one movement) , the user first detaches the adhesive panel 23 and then slides out (partially) the inner wrapper 3.
The pack 1 of cigarettes described above presents numerous
advantages .
In the first place, the pack 1 of cigarettes described above has the adhesive panel 23 that enables after every use closing of the extraction opening 13, guaranteeing an adequate protection for the cigarettes both from accidentally sliding out and from air.
Moreover, in the pack 1 of cigarettes described above the extraction opening 13 through which the cigarettes are taken out is much wider as compared to a soft pack of cigarettes of a known type, thus considerably simplifying extraction of the cigarettes themselves (in particular, when the pack 1 of cigarettes is half empty) . In particular, the extraction opening 13 extends not only to the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 (as in a soft pack of cigarettes of a known type) , but also to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3; this extension of the extraction opening 13 to the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 is rendered possible by the fact that the inner wrapper 3 can slide with respect to the outer wrapper 2 so as to be partially extracted from the outer wrapper 2 (in this way, a part of the front wall 7 of the inner wrapper 3 is freed, setting the entire extraction opening 13 in view) . It is worthwhile pointing out that the size of the extraction opening 13 at the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 can be easily increased (only if necessary, i.e., only when there is the need) by raising slightly with a hand the parts of the top wall 5 of the inner wrapper 3 that are set on opposite sides of the extraction opening 13.
The end-of-travel device is made up of a strip 28 of the inner wrapper 3. Hence, provision of the end-of-travel device does not involve the use of any type of additional wrapping material so that only the wrapping material already present is used.
The pack 1 of cigarettes described above also makes it possible to recognize in a unique and unmistakable way whether the opening that has been made is or is not the first opening of the pack 1 of cigarettes (i.e., whether the pack 1 of cigarettes is intact or else has already been opened in the past) . In fact, upon first opening of the pack 1 of cigarettes, and only upon first opening of the pack 1 of cigarettes, a tear is made along the separation line 14 and, if present, also along the separation line 33; said tear determines both an unmistakable noise and a greater resistance to sliding between the inner wrapper 3 and the outer wrapper 2.
Finally, the pack 1 of cigarettes described above is also (relatively) easy to manufacture in so far as it can be produced in a basically standard cigarette-packaging machine; i.e., the modifications to be made to a standard cigarette- packaging machine in order to produce the pack 1 of cigarettes described above are contained and not particularly complex.
Claims
1) A soft pack (1) of cigarettes comprising:
a group (4) of cigarettes;
an inner wrapper (3) that encloses the group (4) of cigarettes and has an extraction opening (13) set in a position corresponding to at least one top wall (5) of the inner wrapper ( 3 ) ;
an outer wrapper (2), which surrounds the inner wrapper (3) on five sides, leaving the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) free; and
a reclosable panel (23), which covers the extraction opening (13) and passes over the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) ;
wherein the inner wrapper (3) is without mechanical constraints with the outer wrapper (2) so as to be slidable with respect to the outer wrapper (2) so that it can slide between a retracted position, in which the inner wrapper (3) is completely inserted within the outer wrapper (2), and an extracted position, in which the inner wrapper (3) is partially extracted and projects from the outer wrapper (2); and
wherein an end-of-travel device is provided, which blocks sliding of the inner wrapper (3) with respect to the outer wrapper (2) determining a position of maximum extraction of the inner wrapper (3) from the outer wrapper (2) ;
the pack (1) is characterized in that:
the panel (23) is adhesive and is provided with a repositionable adhesive (25) ; and
the end-of-travel device is constituted by a strip (28) of the inner wrapper (3) that is laterally separated from the remaining part of the inner wrapper (3) by a separation line (14; 33), at one end is fixed with respect to the inner wrapper (3), and at the opposite end is glued to the outer wrapper ( 2 ) .
2) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 1, wherein the
extraction opening (13) is also set in a region corresponding to a front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) .
3) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) comprises a rear folding flap (12) having a trapezial shape that is permanently connected to the adhesive panel (23) and rises together with the adhesive panel (23) . 4) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 1, Claim 2, or Claim 3, wherein the adhesive panel (23) only passes over the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) and a front wall (20) of the outer wrapper (2) and hence does not have any point of contact either with a rear wall (8) of the inner wrapper (3) or with a rear wall (21) of the outer wrapper (2) .
5) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 4, wherein the adhesive panel (23) comprises a permanent adhesive (24) that is laid between the adhesive panel (23) and the rear folding flap (12) of the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3), and a reposit ionable adhesive (25) that is laid between the adhesive panel (23) and the remaining part of the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) . 6) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 5, wherein a central area (26) of the adhesive panel (23) is completely without adhesive.
7) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 and comprising a rigid stiffening element (15), which is U-shaped and is set within the inner wrapper (3) in direct contact with the group (4) of cigarettes;
wherein the stiffening element (15) comprises a front wall (16) of a rectangular shape and a pair of side walls (17) set at the opposite sides of the front wall (16) ; and
wherein the front wall (16) of the stiffening element (15) has
a window (18) that is U-shaped and is set at the top in an area corresponding to the extraction opening (13) of the inner wrapper (3) . 8) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 7, wherein the stiffening element (15) also comprises a bottom wall that is connected to the front wall (16) and reproduces in positive the shape of the window (18) . 9) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is provided at least partially in a front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) . 10) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 9 and comprising a rigid stiffening element (15), which is U-shaped, is set within the inner wrapper (3) in direct contact with the group (4) of cigarettes, and comprises a front wall (16) that is glued to the front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) immediately underneath the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device .
11) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein an outer surface of the strip (28) of the end-of- travel device is glued to an inner surface of the outer wrapper (2) in such a way that the strip (28) of the end-of- travel device folds in a U during sliding of the inner wrapper (3) out of the outer wrapper (2) . 12) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is folded through 180° on itself, and an inner surface of the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is glued to an inner surface of the outer wrapper (2) in such a way that the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is always folded in a U.
13) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to a of Claims 9 to 12, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is completely obtained in the front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) and is set in a central position of the front wall (7) underneath the extraction opening (13) .
14) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 13, wherein the extraction opening (13) is initially covered by a removable portion (34) of the inner wrapper (3) that is connected to the remaining part of the inner wrapper (3) along a tearable separation line (14) .
15) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to a of Claims 9 to 12, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is partially obtained in the front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) and is partially obtained in the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) .
16) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 15, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device is provided in a position corresponding to the extraction opening (13) in such a way that the deformation of the strip (28) of the end-of- travel device will free the extraction opening (13) at least partially .
17) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 15 or Claim 16, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device has a variable transverse dimension that is larger in an area corresponding to the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3) and is smaller in an area corresponding to the front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) .
18) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to Claim 17, wherein the strip (28) of the end-of-travel device has, in an area corresponding to the top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3), a transverse dimension equal to the transverse dimension of the
top wall (5) of the inner wrapper (3), and has, in an area corresponding to the front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3), a transverse dimension smaller than the transverse dimension of the front wall (7) of the inner wrapper (3) .
19) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to any one of Claims 1 to 18, wherein the inner wrapper (3) is provided with glue that stabilizes the folded shape of the inner wrapper (3), connecting together in a stable way overlapping parts of the inner wrapper (3) .
20) A pack (1) of cigarettes according to any one of Claims 1 to 19, wherein the adhesive panel (23) does not have any point of contact with a rear wall (21) of the outer wrapper (2) .
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201480036799.8A CN105593139B (en) | 2013-06-28 | 2014-06-28 | Soft pack of cigarettes |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT000336A ITBO20130336A1 (en) | 2013-06-28 | 2013-06-28 | PACKAGE OF SOFT CIGARETTE PROVIDED WITH A FOLDABLE ADHESIVE PANEL. |
| ITBO2013A000336 | 2013-06-28 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2014207726A1 true WO2014207726A1 (en) | 2014-12-31 |
| WO2014207726A8 WO2014207726A8 (en) | 2016-01-28 |
Family
ID=49182307
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2014/062695 WO2014207726A1 (en) | 2013-06-28 | 2014-06-28 | Soft packet of cigarettes with a reclosable adhesive panel |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN105593139B (en) |
| IT (1) | ITBO20130336A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2014207726A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106081376B (en) * | 2016-08-18 | 2018-08-17 | 肖亮雄 | A kind of hard box of the packaging of cigarette |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4586605A (en) | 1985-06-07 | 1986-05-06 | Philip Morris Incorporated | Cigarette pack |
| EP1837293A1 (en) * | 2005-01-14 | 2007-09-26 | Japan Tobacco, Inc. | Tongue-lid package for rod-shaped smoking articles and blank therefor |
| US20100163563A1 (en) * | 2008-12-23 | 2010-07-01 | Philip Morris Usa Inc. | Reclosable container |
| WO2011023983A1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2011-03-03 | British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited | A package for tobacco products |
| DE102010027175A1 (en) * | 2010-07-14 | 2012-01-19 | Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) | Soft pack for cigarettes |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR840002860Y1 (en) * | 1983-06-16 | 1984-12-29 | 최장일 | Cut open device of the inner wrapping paper in the cigarette case |
| DE10061600A1 (en) * | 2000-12-11 | 2002-06-13 | Focke & Co | Pack, in particular cigarette pack and method and device for producing the same |
-
2013
- 2013-06-28 IT IT000336A patent/ITBO20130336A1/en unknown
-
2014
- 2014-06-28 CN CN201480036799.8A patent/CN105593139B/en active Active
- 2014-06-28 WO PCT/IB2014/062695 patent/WO2014207726A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4586605A (en) | 1985-06-07 | 1986-05-06 | Philip Morris Incorporated | Cigarette pack |
| EP1837293A1 (en) * | 2005-01-14 | 2007-09-26 | Japan Tobacco, Inc. | Tongue-lid package for rod-shaped smoking articles and blank therefor |
| US20100163563A1 (en) * | 2008-12-23 | 2010-07-01 | Philip Morris Usa Inc. | Reclosable container |
| WO2011023983A1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2011-03-03 | British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited | A package for tobacco products |
| DE102010027175A1 (en) * | 2010-07-14 | 2012-01-19 | Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co. Kg) | Soft pack for cigarettes |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2014207726A8 (en) | 2016-01-28 |
| ITBO20130336A1 (en) | 2014-12-29 |
| CN105593139A (en) | 2016-05-18 |
| CN105593139B (en) | 2017-07-18 |
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