Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6494317
-
Patent Number
6,494,317
-
Date Filed
Thursday, October 26, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 17, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 206 259
- 206 264
- 206 271
- 206 273
- 229 8713
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
Cigarette packs of the soft pack type of a (pack) shape (11) of paper, foil or the like which directly encases a group of cigarettes (32) with folding flaps or edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together. In order to protect the group of cigarettes (32) from unwanted discharged glue, a cover shape (36) is positioned within the pack (10) between the group of cigarettes (32) and the pack shape (11), i.e., in the area of a side wall (21) of edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a cigarette pack, preferably a soft pack of a pack shape made of paper, foil or the like which directly encases a group of cigarettes, and the pack shape comprises in the area of at least one pack wall, in particular an upright side wall, folding flaps or side strips which are glued together. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process and a device for manufacturing packs of said type.
If a cigarette pack, in particular a soft pack, is designed in such a manner that a shape which directly encases the cigarette group comprises folding flaps which are glued together, then there is a danger of glue particles being transferred to the cigarettes. This undesirable effect can occur in particular when the cigarette pack is made of one single pack shape. An example for this is given in the description and illustration of EP 649 797. A glue transfer can take place in particular in the area of an upright narrow side wall which is formed of glued together folding flaps or side strips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to prevent a transfer of glue from a pack shape which directly encases a group of cigarettes to the latter.
This object is achieved by a cigarette pack being characterised in that in the area of glued together folding flaps or side strips between a group of cigarettes and a pack shape is arranged a cover to protect the cigarettes from glue. This cover is preferably made of a separate shape of thin material, in particular paper. In an advantageous embodiment in conjunction with a cigarette pack according to EP 649 797, an upright U-shaped folded shape is provided which covers the cigarette group preferably over the full height in the area of the side wall which comprises glue.
Furthermore, the shape can take over the function of a printed display, i.e. be printed on internally and/or externally, for example as a voucher for participation in a raffle or with information.
The shape is placed in the inventive position during manufacture of the cigarette pack. Accordingly, once a cigarette group to suit a pack has been established, the shape is placed against the pack group, in particular under U-shaped folds. Thereafter, the pack shape is folded around the group of cigarettes in a conventional manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further details of the inventive pack of cigarettes and of its manufacture will now be given in more detail, based on the drawings. Shown are, in
FIG.
1
: a cigarette pack of the soft pack type in its opened state in a perspective illustration;
FIG.
2
: the cigarette pack according to
FIG. 1
, in a top view;
FIG.
3
: a vertical cross-section of the cigarette pack directly in the area of an upright side wall;
FIG.
4
: a pack shape for a soft pack according to
FIG. 1
;
FIG.
5
: a single cover shape for a pack according to
FIG. 1
to
4
;
FIG.
6
: a section of a packaging machine, i.e. a so-called soft packer, in a simplified side view;
FIG.
7
: a section of a folding revolver of the packaging machine according to
FIG. 6
, again simplified;
FIG.
8
: the detail according to
FIG. 7
with changed relative position;
FIG.
9
: a once again changed position of elements of FIG.
7
and FIG.
8
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings relate to the design and manufacture of a special type of a (cigarette) pack
10
. It comprises a single pack shape
11
(
FIG. 4
) of paper or comparable packaging material. The speciality of pack shape
11
and a therefrom produced pack lies in that areas of bottom wall
12
or of double-layered design. For this purpose, pack shape
11
has at the bottom edge a shape strip
13
which is folded along a folding line into a double-layered position. Two bottom strips
15
,
16
abut each other. Edge strip
17
at the free edge of pack shape
11
is folded into an upright position and extends at the inside in the area of front wall
18
, rear wall
19
and side walls
20
,
21
.
In the area of a top end wall
22
, pack shape
11
or pack
10
also has a reinforcement composed of the one piece pack shape
11
. This is a peripheral fold, i.e. Z-fold
23
, directly below end wall
22
in the area of front wall
18
, rear wall
19
and side walls
20
,
21
. Z-fold
23
is formed of folding strip
24
of pack shape
11
with internal folding shanks
25
,
26
.
The reinforcements of pack shape
11
, i.e. double-layered design of bottom wall
12
as well as Z-fold
23
are stabilised by gluing sections together. Bottom strips
15
,
16
can also be joined together by glue (glue spots), and folding shanks
25
,
26
by glue spots as well.
Apart thereof, bottom wall
12
and end wall
22
are folded in a conventional manner, i.e. by forming trapezoidal bottom folding flaps
27
,
28
on the one side and end folding flaps
29
,
30
on the other side. These folding flaps
27
,
28
as well as
29
,
30
can also be joined together by gluing. In the area of end wall
22
, a U-shaped folded adhesive tape
31
extends transversely over end folding flaps
29
,
30
and serves as a seal. Apart thereof, pack
10
corresponds in its structure and manufacture with EP 649 797.
Pack shape
11
directly encases the pack contents, i.e. a group of cigarettes
32
. Group of cigarettes
32
is composed of cigarettes
33
positioned in a plurality of layers, i.e. three layers. Group of cigarettes
32
is a virtually squareshaped block which is encased by pack shape
11
in such a manner that in the area of side wall
21
edge strips
34
,
35
(partially) cover each other for the purpose of establishing side wall
21
. Edge strips
34
,
35
are joined in the cover area by gluing, for example by a row of glue spots.
In order to prevent glue being discharged in the gluing area of folding flaps of pack shape
11
or surplus glue from making contact with cigarettes
33
, protective measures are provided, i.e. a cover for cigarettes
33
in the area of anticipated discharge of glue. In the present exemplary embodiment, a protective measure is provided for cigarettes in the area of side wall
21
which is established by edge strips
34
,
35
.
The cover of cigarettes
33
in this area is composed of a separate cover shape
36
. The latter consists of thin foldable material, in particular paper. Cover shape
36
is positioned within pack
10
between the pack contents, i.e. cigarette group
32
, and pack shape
11
in the area of side wall
21
. Cover shape
36
extends over the full height of pack
10
, i.e. from bottom wall
12
to end wall
22
. Cover shape
36
then abuts the inside of side wall
21
.
For optimal cover of cigarette group
32
and for stable positioning of cover shape
36
, the latter is cross-sectionally approximately U-shaped, i.e. with a web
37
directly in the area of side wall
21
and with transversely oriented shanks
38
,
39
in the area of front wall
18
and rear wall
19
. The transition between shanks
38
,
39
on the one hand and web
37
on the other hand is in the shape of a curvature
40
to approximately match the contour of cigarettes
33
.
Cover shape
36
is designed or positioned in such a manner that it is easily removed when a still full pack
10
is opened. Packs
10
of the present type (soft pack or soft box pack) have a section in end wall
22
along adhesive tape
31
removed by severing, thus establishing thereat a dispensing opening
41
. In this area is located cover shape
36
which protrudes sectionally from dispensing opening
41
, in the present case with a tongueshaped flap
42
. The latter is designed as an extension of cover shape
36
and extends with pack
10
dosed along the plane of end wall
22
whilst abutting the end surfaces of cigarettes
33
. When pack
10
is opened, cover shape
36
can be grabbed on flap
42
and pulled upwardly out of pack
10
.
Cover shape
36
is preferably manufactured on a continuous length of material by severing, and the transverse dimension corresponds with the width of the length of material. When severing along transversely oriented punched sections, flap
42
is formed on the one side, and opposite thereto is formed a corresponding recess
43
. Cover shape
36
is then separated from the length of material without any losses. Furthermore, embossing lines
44
,
45
are for practical reasons applied in the longitudinal direction of cover shape
36
. They simplify folding over whilst forming shanks
38
,
39
.
Pack
10
can be produced with a conventional or known packaging machine, in particular with a so-called soft packer.
FIG. 6
diagrammatically illustrates a section of a packaging machine for manufacturing soft box packs. Further details of such a packaging machine are contained in DE 196 44 079.3.
The packaging machine comprises a folding revolver
46
which is along its periphery provided with a plurality of receptacles or holders for packs
10
, i.e. with folding mandrels
47
. These are elongated thin-walled hollow elements the (rectangular) cross-section of which corresponds with the cross-section of pack
10
. Pack shape
11
is folded on the outside of the folding mandrel. Cigarette group
32
is guided over the inside of folding mandrel
47
. A substantially finished pack
10
is, together with cigarette group
32
, pushed off or out of folding mandrel
47
.
Folding revolver
46
is along its periphery provided with a plurality of spatially fixed processing stations. A shape station
48
serves the delivery of pack shapes
11
to folding revolver
46
and to place pack shapes
11
on respectively associated folding mandrels
47
. Shape station
48
is designed according to DE 196 44 079.3. Accordingly, pack shape
11
is placed against a (narrow) transverse wall of folding mandrel
47
located at the front, as seen in the rotary direction, and folded during continued movement.
As seen in the movement or rotary direction, shape station
48
is preceded by an additional shape station
49
which is of identical or similar design. In its area, cover shapes
36
are severed from a length of material
50
and transferred via a transfer roller
51
in the form of a suction roller to a rod- or fingershaped transfer element
52
. The latter is arranged singlesidedly lipped on the circumferencial area of a rotary driven support disc
53
. Protruding transfer element
52
grabs delivered cover shape
36
at a curved outside surface
54
which fixes cover shape
36
by vacuum holes
55
. Cover shape
36
is eccentrically fixed on transfer element
52
so that a predominant area of cover shape
36
extends at the rear, as seen in the rotary direction, over transfer element
52
. Folding mandrels
47
are by rotation of folding revolver
46
moved passed the spatially fixed support disc whilst in a matched movement transfer element
52
is moved along a circular path through the movement path of folding mandrels
47
. In a position according to
FIG. 8
, i.e. adjacent to the rear side of a passing folding mandrel, support disc
53
or transfer element
52
is stopped for a short while, i.e. in a position in which a delivery cover shape
36
is positioned centrally to folding mandrel
47
. At this moment, a press-on element
56
is pressed from a retracted position against folding mandrel
47
which is positioned in front thereof as seen in the movement direction. Cover shape
36
is thus pushed against the rear of folding mandrel
47
and at the same time released from transfer element
52
by ventilation of vacuum bores
55
. Cover shape
36
is then delivered, in a packaging correct position and whilst abutting folding mandrel
47
, to shape station
48
where pack shape
11
is in a conventional manner laid around folding mandrel
47
. Edge strips
34
,
35
then extend along the rear of folding mandrel
47
, i.e. in the area of cover shape
36
. In the further course, edge strips
34
,
35
are folded by folding elements in the area of folding station
57
against the rear of folding mandrel
47
or against cover shape
36
. On completion of pack
10
and delivery of cigarette group
32
, this is together with pack
10
pushed off folding mandrel
47
.
Cover shape
36
can take over an additional function, i.e. as a print carrier for advertising messages, as a voucher for participation in raffles, competitions etc. Furthermore, cover shape
36
can be placed by a different method in the described position within pack
10
, for example by positioning within folding mandrel
47
. In this case, cigarette group
32
and cover shape
36
, which is positioned in a packaging correct position, are jointly pushed out of folding mandrel
47
.
According to a further alternative, the cover shape can be integrally joined with pack shape
11
. It is also possible to position cover shapes of analog design in other areas by way of glued folding flaps, for example in the area of bottom wall
12
and/or end wall
22
.
Claims
- 1. A soft pack for cigarettes, comprising a body (11) which directly encases a group (32) of cigarettes (33), wherein the body (11) comprises, in an area of at least one upright side wall (21) of the soft pack (10), folding flaps or edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together, characterisedin that in an area of the folding flaps or the edge strips (34, 35), which are glued together, between the cigarette group (32) and the body (11), is arranged a cover element to protect the cigarettes (33) from glue; in that the cover element (36) is folded in the shape of a U, around a lateral area of the cigarette group (32), oriented towards the side wall (21), and extends over the entire height of the pack (10); and in that the cross-sectionally U-shaped folded cover element (36) comprises between a web (37), which abuts the side wall, and shanks (38, 39) which are oriented transversely thereto, a curvature (40) corresponding to the shape of the cigarettes (33).
- 2. The pack according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover element is designed as a separate element (36) of thin material.
- 3. A soft pack for cigarettes, wherein:a) a cigarette group (32) is directly encased as the pack's contents by a pack body (11) made of a thin material such that the cigarettes (33) abut the pack body (11); b) the pack body (11) has, in a region of at least one upright side wall (21), folding flaps or edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together; c) in a region of the folding flaps or edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together, a covering is arranged between the cigarette group (32) and the pack body (11) to protect the cigarettes (33) from glue; d) the covering is a separate cover element (36) of thin material and is separate from the pack body (11); and e) the cover element (36) extends at least in a region of the side wall (21) between the side wall and the cigarette group (32).
- 4. The soft pack according to claim 3, wherein the cover element (36) is folded in the shape of a U, around a lateral region of the cigarette group (32), facing the side wall (21), and extends across the entire height of the pack (10).
- 5. The soft pack according to claim 3, wherein the cover element (36) has, in a region of a pack end wall (22), a tongue-like flap (42) which, when a dispensing opening (41) has been made in a region of the end wall (32), is exposed for gripping the cover element (36).
- 6. The soft pack according to claim 3, wherein:a) the cover element (36) is folded in a U-shape, around a lateral region of the cigarette group (32), oriented toward the side wall (21); b) a center web (37) of the cover element (36) extends directly in a region of the side wall (21); c) transverse shanks (38, 39), connected to the web (37), extend in a region of a pack front wall (18) and a pack rear wall (19); d) arranged in a region of the web (37), as an extension of the cover element (36), is a tongue-shaped flap (42) which extends in a plane of a pack end wall (22) when the pack (10) is closed; e) the flap (42) is located in a region of a cigarette dispensing opening (41) to be made in the end wall (22) such that, after the dispensing opening (41) has been made, the flap is exposed for gripping and pulling out the cover element (36); and f) the cover element (36) extends over the entire height of the pack (10).
- 7. The soft pack according to claim 4, wherein the cover element, folded in the U-shape, has a curvature (40), corresponding to the shape of the cigarettes (33), between a web (37), which abuts the side wall (21), and shanks (38, 39) directed transversely thereto.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
198 20 966 |
May 1998 |
DE |
|
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/EP99/02598 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO99/58424 |
11/18/1999 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (9)
Number |
Date |
Country |
352951 |
Apr 1961 |
CH |
1611990 |
Oct 1951 |
DE |
1053400 |
Mar 1959 |
DE |
36 30 029 |
Mar 1987 |
DE |
44 37 782 |
May 1996 |
DE |
196 44 079 |
May 1998 |
DE |
649797 |
Apr 1995 |
EP |
709306 |
Sep 1995 |
EP |
1498156 |
Oct 1967 |
FR |