The present invention is part of the technical sector of packets for smoking articles. In detail, the invention relates to a method for producing a packet of smoking articles and to a packet obtained by this method.
Smoking articles are, for example, cigarettes, to which reference will be made explicitly, exclusively by way of example, in the following discussion.
A packet of cigarettes of the known type comprises an outer envelope consisting of a rigid or soft cardboard container, which is provided with an opening for extracting cigarettes. The cigarettes, arranged in the container, are generally wrapped in a wrapping material.
In some cases, the outer envelope can be provided with a cover that closes the container, which may have different shapes and can be, for example, hinged to the container, slidable or rotatable with respect to the container, or completely released from the container, or arranged according to other different methods. All these variations are dictated, above all, by the rapid changes in the market, which frequently require packet manufacturing companies to change the appearance of the outer envelope (container and/or cover), to follow consumers' preferences.
As is well known, in this sector, the need to optimally preserve the aroma of cigarettes over time, and to protect them from external agents (e.g. humidity), has always been deeply felt; these are aspects that contribute to determining the quality of the cigarettes themselves.
However, the different conformation of the outer envelope (container and/or possible cover) of the packets does not always allow easy adoption of the optimal arrangements to maintain the aroma and quality of the cigarettes contained in the package unaltered.
In other cases, it is possible to adopt these arrangements, but these must be provided ad hoc for each type of outer envelope, involving huge economic investments. Indeed, dedicated processes and packaging machines must be studied and designed every time.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks.
This object is achieved by proposing a method for producing a packet of smoking articles, a plant that implements the method, and a packet of smoking articles obtained with this method, in accordance with the attached claims.
Advantageously, the proposed invention allows the production of a packet of smoking articles which, independently of the presence or the conformation of an outer envelope (container and/or cover), is able to maintain the aroma unaltered, and the quality of the articles themselves, over time. Furthermore, the invention is simple to make and particularly versatile, as will be made clearer in the following description.
Additional advantages will be made clear in the following discussion, where reference will be made to the attached drawings, in which:
The invention relates to a packet 1 of smoking articles, illustrated by way of example in
A packet 1 of smoking articles according to the invention comprises: a group 2 of smoking articles (for example, cigarettes, illustrated in
The packet 1 also comprises a containment frame 4 wrapped around the wrapper 3, so as to contain the group 2 of smoking articles and the wrapper 3, forming a semi-finished unit 5 (see
The packet 1 also comprises an envelope 6 (see
The packet 1 further comprises an adhesive label 7 positioned on the envelope 6 so as to cover the opening 61; the adhesive label 7 (visible singly in
Advantageously, the packet 1 proposed above has a simple structure and, at the same time, makes it possible to maintain the aroma and quality of the smoking articles unchanged over time.
The presence of a wrapper 3 that wraps around the smoking articles and, in combination, of a barrier-effect envelope 6 (“sealed”) closed by an adhesive label 7, in fact, offers an optimal protection to the smoking articles contained in the packet 1. Furthermore, the proposed packet 1 is particularly versatile because it can also be implemented with a container 8 of any type and a possible cover 9 (as will be explained below).
Moreover, the presence of the opening 31 for extracting the smoking articles in the envelope 3 facilitates the opening of the adhesive label 7. In fact, usually, wrappers of the known art completely wrap around the smoking articles and comprise a removable tear-off portion (by means of a pre-fracture or pre-cutting line, not visible in the attached figures), which can be torn by a user at the first opening of the packet, for access to smoking articles. This removable portion is not only impractical, but, moreover, since it is essentially a flap of material partially free to move, it can negatively interfere with the adhesive label.
Finally, the fact that the label 7 comprises a layer of the first material M1 in such a way as to face the group 2 of smoking articles respects some recent regulations concerning packaging products.
For example, the first material M1 is paper.
Preferably, the wrapper 3 further comprises a layer of a third material M3, which is different from the first material M1, and which is coupled to the layer of first material M1. Preferably, the third material M3 is aluminum (see
Preferably, the label 7 is made of a multilayer material, comprising, for example, aluminum (or rather, it is a coupled material comprising aluminum) (which may form the first material M1) or comprises metallized paper (the paper may form, for example, the first material M1).
Instead, with respect to the barrier-effect envelope 6, the second material M2, of which it is made, is an opaque thermoplastic material, i.e. which does not let light pass. Preferably, the thermoplastic material of which envelope 6 is made is a reflective opaque thermoplastic material, i.e. capable of reflecting light.
The opening 61 of the envelope 6 of heat-sealable material is preferably obtained by the removal of material in the envelope 6 itself (or rather, a “window”, obtained from a notch that extends along a closed profile), as shown in
The envelope 6 shown in
Alternatively, according to a variant not illustrated, the envelope can have, also laterally, two opposed and fixed welds, as described in the international publication WO2015136510.
The adhesive label 7 is fixed to the envelope 6 of heat-sealable material to cover (and close) the opening 61 by means of a repositionable adhesive (or a sticky substance) (also called “weak glue” or “glue that does not dry out”), which is applied to the first surface of the adhesive label 7, in particular, all around the opening for extracting the smoking articles to allow the label 7 to be partially separated several times from the envelope 6 of heat-sealable material (that is, at each opening of the packet 1) and then fixed again non-permanently to the envelope 6. Specifically, the adhesive does not affect, or rather, is not applied to the layer of first material M1 which faces the group 2 of smoking articles.
The adhesive label 7 can be provided with a tongue 70 lacking repositionable adhesive, which can be gripped by a user to facilitate lifting of the adhesive label 7 for access to the smoking articles (see
In accordance with the preferred embodiment illustrated in
According to one embodiment, the opening 80 of the container 8 is arranged at the label 7 of the envelope 6 to allow access to the smoking articles, and the packet 1 also comprises a cover 9 hinged to the container 8, rotatable to open and close the opening 80 of the container 8. The cover 9 is, for example, made of a single body with the container 8, it is also made of rigid cardboard (or, in any case, of the same material with which the container 8 is made) and can be shaped like a cup (still referring to
Preferably, considering the aforesaid embodiment, the adhesive label 7 of the envelope 6 is bound to the cover 9, so that rotating the cover 9 with respect to the container 8 simultaneously moves the adhesive label 7 (as illustrated in
As an alternative to that described above, according to a different embodiment not illustrated, the packet can further comprise a container (for example, made of rigid cardboard), which contains the barrier-effect envelope, and which is provided with an opening, arranged in such a way as to allow the (at least partial) exit through the opening, by rotation or translation, of the semi-finished unit wrapped by the envelope from the container, allowing access to the smoking articles. In this case, the opening of the container can be arranged at a side wall or on the upper wall of the container (considering the orientation of the packet in use).
From the above description, it can be seen that the packet subject of the invention is suitable for any production and/or technical need, since it can be without a container 8, or it can comprise a container 8 of different conformation and a possible cover 9.
In the event that the packet 1 comprises a container 8 and a possible cover 9, as in the embodiments described above, in order to preserve the aroma and the quality of the smoking articles over time, it is not necessary to provide, outside the container 8 and the possible cover 9, a layer of transparent thermoplastic material, as is the case with known solutions.
Preferably, the containment frame 4 is a blank 41 made of inner packaging material (provided with suitable folding lines P1, indicated—by way of example—in
According to the preferred embodiment, shown in
The containment frame 4 preferably comprises the portions 42, 43, 44, 45 (or flaps), which are overlapped two by two to contain the wrapper 3 with the group 2 of smoking articles inside it; these overlapped portions 42, 43, 44, 45 (indicated for greater clarity in
The overlapped portions 42, 43, 44, 45 may extend so as to constitute, once the frame 4 is obtained, at least part of the lower wall (in the example of
With reference to
With reference to the embodiment of
In accordance with an alternative embodiment, illustrated in
Advantageously, both of the embodiments described above facilitate extraction of the smoking articles from the packet 1, since the deep-drawing/different transverse development of the overlapped portions 42, 43, 44, 45 reduces the compression force of the frame 4 on the smoking articles.
With reference to
Clearly, also in this embodiment, the aforementioned portions 42, 43, 44, 45 can be at least partly deep-drawn or cut to facilitate extraction of the smoking articles, as already mentioned for the variants illustrated in
The invention also relates to a method for producing a packet 1 for smoking articles (for example, cigarettes), comprising the steps of:
a) providing a wrapping sheet 3 comprising at least one first layer of a first material M1;
b) removing a portion of the wrapping sheet 3 in order to define a shaped profile;
c) wrapping a group 2 of smoking articles with the wrapping sheet 3;
d) arranging a containing frame 4 provided with at least one open zone around the wrapping sheet 3, in order to contain the group 2 of smoking articles and the wrapping sheet 3, forming a semi-finished unit 5, with the open zone of the frame 4 facing the shaped profile of the wrapping sheet 3;
e) supplying a sheet 60 of a heat-sealable material provided with an opening 61;
f) providing an adhesive label 7 comprising at least one first layer of the first material M1;
g) attaching the adhesive label 7 onto the opening 61 of the sheet 60 of heat-sealable material;
h) wrapping the semi-finished unit 5 with the sheet 60 of heat-sealable material, in such a way that the layer of first material M1 of the label 7 faces the open zone of the frame 4;
i) sealing the sheet 60 of heat-sealable material, forming a barrier-like envelope 6.
Advantageously, the method proposed above allows the production of a packet 1 for smoking articles that guarantees the quality, over time, of the articles contained therein (aroma and protection against external agents), independently of the presence of a container 8 and an outer cover 9, or their conformation, as already described above.
The method according to the invention also allows the production of a particularly simple and versatile packet 1 of smoking articles. In fact, the method allows the use of the packet 1 obtained only by the steps described above, or it can be combined with further steps, as will be described below.
The proposed method clearly offers all the same advantages already described above for packet 1.
The step g) of applying the adhesive label 7 to the opening 61 of the sheet 60 can take place either before or after step e) of supplying a sheet 60 of heat-sealable material. In other words, according to that previously described, the sheet 60 of heat-sealable material being supplied may already be provided with the adhesive label 7, or not. In the first case, the production process is certainly facilitated, since it is guaranteed that the group 2 of smoking articles cannot come out from the folded sheet 60. The remaining steps can occur in succession to each other.
The method can comprise, before the step g), the step of applying said first layer of the first material M1 onto the adhesive label 7.
Furthermore, the method can comprise, before the step e), the step of making the aforementioned opening 61 on the sheet 60.
The method according to the invention can also comprise the step of folding a blank of outer packaging material (e.g., cardboard) around the envelope 6, to form a container 8 provided with an opening 80 (in accordance with the embodiment of
According to the embodiment of the invention already described above in which the opening 80 of the container 8 is arranged at the adhesive label 7 of the envelope 6, a cover 9 is formed, together with the container 8, which is hinged to the container 8, in particular, rotatable to open and close the opening 80 of the container 8.
Preferably, with reference to the embodiment just described, the method also comprises the step of binding the adhesive label 7 of the envelope 6 to the cover 9, so that rotating the cover 9 with respect to the container 8 simultaneously moves the adhesive label 7. In particular, the method may comprise the step of permanently gluing a portion of the adhesive label 7 to the inner surface of the cover 9 (which is, for example, “cup”-shaped), in such a way that opening or closing the cover 9 also simultaneously raises and repositions the adhesive label 7 (referring to that previously described).
Alternatively to that described above, the method according to the invention may also comprise the step of folding a blank of an outer packaging material around the envelope, in order to form a container provided with an opening that is configured to allow the exit, at least partially, of the semi-finished unit wrapped by the envelope, from the container, by means of a rotational or a translational movement, allowing access to the smoking articles.
The step of arranging the containing frame 4 around the wrapping sheet 3 comprises the sub-step of folding an inner packaging material blank around the wrapping sheet 3 in such a way as to completely cover the wrapping sheet 3, apart from said open zone for accessing the smoking articles.
Preferably, the step d) comprises the sub-step of overlapping, two by two, portions 42, 43, 44, 45 of the containing frame 4 for containing the wrapper 3 with the group 2 of smoking articles within it; the method further comprises the step of binding together the overlapped portion 42, 43, 44, 45 of the frame in order to stabilize the frame 4 (for example, by means of “cold” glue).
According to an alternative, the method further comprises, before step d), the step of deep-drawing the portions 42, 43, 44, 45 of frame 4 to be overlapped (as already described and illustrated in
According to another alternative, the method comprises, before the step d), the step of cutting, for each pair of portions 42, 43, 44, 45 to be overlapped, of the frame 4, at least one of the portions 42, 43, in such a way that its transversal development is smaller than that of the other portion 44, 45 of the same pair (as already described and illustrated in
The method described above is, for example, implemented by a plant (not shown) which may comprise one or more packaging machines.
For example, a section can be provided for forming groups 2 of smoking articles; a section for cutting sheets of wrappers 3 to define a shaped profile thereon; a section for wrapping each group 2 of smoking articles with a cut wrapper 3.
Following the section for wrapping each group 2 of smoking articles with a wrapper, the semi-formed packets are made to advance along a conveying path: in fact, removing material from the wrappers 3 could cause the unwanted spillage of smoking articles.
The plant can also comprise a section which arranges a containment frame around each wrapper, so as to at least partially contain the group of smoking articles and the wrapping, forming a semi-finished unit. Upstream of the aforementioned section, a deep-drawing section or a cutting section can be provided to carry out the deep-drawing or cutting of the portions 42, 43 for overlapping of the frame 4, according to that previously described.
The plant may also comprise an overwrapping section for wrapping the semi-finished unit 5 with a sheet 60 of heat-sealable material, this sheet 60 is provided with an opening 61, and for sealing, by welding, each wrapped sheet 60 to a semi-finished unit 5, forming an envelope 6 with a barrier effect (“sealed”).
The plant may also comprise means for providing an adhesive label 7 on the opening 61 of each sheet 60 of heat-sealable material, to cover it, or alternatively, directly onto the envelope 6.
The plant may further comprise means for providing a layer of the first material M1 on each adhesive label. The layer of first material M1 can be obtained, for example, from the scrap resulting from cutting of the sheets of wrapping material 3.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102017000122345 | Oct 2017 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2018/057677 | 10/3/2018 | WO | 00 |