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EP2259987A1 - Emballage doté d un contrôle d' humidité - Google Patents

Emballage doté d un contrôle d' humidité

Info

Publication number
EP2259987A1
EP2259987A1 EP09714511A EP09714511A EP2259987A1 EP 2259987 A1 EP2259987 A1 EP 2259987A1 EP 09714511 A EP09714511 A EP 09714511A EP 09714511 A EP09714511 A EP 09714511A EP 2259987 A1 EP2259987 A1 EP 2259987A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
moisture
layer
packaging according
tobacco
containing layer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP09714511A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2259987B1 (fr
Inventor
Darryl Stephenson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
British American Tobacco Investments Ltd IFI
Original Assignee
British American Tobacco Investments Ltd IFI
British American Tobacco Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British American Tobacco Investments Ltd IFI, British American Tobacco Co Ltd filed Critical British American Tobacco Investments Ltd IFI
Publication of EP2259987A1 publication Critical patent/EP2259987A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2259987B1 publication Critical patent/EP2259987B1/fr
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

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
    • B65D85/1081—Inserts or accessories added or joined to the container, e.g. coins, pens, cards, spacers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
    • A24F25/00—Devices used by the smoker for controlling the moisture content of, or for scenting, cigars, cigarettes or tobacco
    • A24F25/02—Moistening devices
    • 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
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/18—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient
    • B65D81/22—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient in moist conditions or immersed in liquids

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to packaging having a structure which enables its contents to be kept moist, and particularly, but not exclusively to a container for use with tobacco products.
  • the tobacco in products such as cigarettes, cigars and loose tobacco for pipe smoking or roll-your-own cigarettes is prone to drying out both during the pre-use storage period and particularly after the product packaging has been opened. This is undesirable, since tobacco becomes less palatable as it dries.
  • Expensive cigars are generally stored in specially designed humidors specifically to address this problem by keeping the cigars at a desired level of humidity to prevent drying.
  • a more rudimentary approach is often used by consumers of loose tobacco; a piece of apple of potato peel placed in the tobacco pouch or tin can help to keep the tobacco moist or can re-moisten tobacco that has become too dry.
  • this method may not be considered hygienic, and may taint the tobacco with unwanted scents or flavours.
  • the devices comprise a source of moisture that can emit water vapour which is surrounded by a permeable enclosure such as a housing, casing, layer or pouch which keeps the moisture source separate from the tobacco but allows the water vapour to be transmitted to the tobacco.
  • the moisture source is often some form of water- absorbent medium such as cotton wool, blotting paper, sponge, florists' foam, or polyacrylamide gel or crystals, which is soaked with water or salt solution.
  • the permeable enclosure may be rigid or flexible, and may be made permeable by the provision of perforations or apertures therein, or may be an inherently permeable membrane material.
  • a solution to this problem has been to incorporate a means of providing humidification into the tobacco packaging itself.
  • this can lead to undesirable packaging shapes and sizes.
  • such objects may have a relatively localised humidifying effect, with strong humidification obtained close to the moisture source, but a weaker effect observed further away from the source.
  • An aim of the present invention is to provide a container for tobacco products having a structure which permits ease of use, and which provides effective humidification to its contents. It will be appreciated, however, that the container of the present invention is equally useful for storing non-tobacco products where humidification is required.
  • packaging having a laminate structure comprising first and second polymeric layers and a moisture- containing layer interposed between the polymeric layers, the moisture-containing layer arranged to transfer moisture to the interior of a container formed by the packaging.
  • a laminate design can be light and flexible and enables the packaging to be rolled or folded and to be carried and stored easily as a result.
  • the laminate structure means that moisture can be distributed across a layer of the packaging rather than being localised, so that the shape of the packaging is more convenient for a consumer, with no associated loss in humidifying effect.
  • the laminate design can also be reinforced with resilient material for use in packages where it is important to protect the shape of its contents, such as cigarettes.
  • a portion of the first polymeric layer may be removable so as to expose a corresponding portion of the moisture-containing layer to the interior of the container.
  • the removable portions may have the form of a tear-off strip, which is defined by a weakened perimeter in the first layer, and is easily removed so as to enable moisture to migrate from the moisture-containing layer to the contents of the container.
  • the packaging may comprise a plurality of tear-off strips, and the moisture- containing layer may contain a plurality of partitions corresponding to the tear-off strips in the first layer. This enables finer control of the humidifying effect provided by the packaging as moisture can be controllably exposed to the contents of the container throughout the lifetime of the packaging contents.
  • Each of the tear-off strips may have a different size, so that for example a large strip can be removed when the container contains a large amount of product, and smaller strips are successively removed as the product is used up.
  • the packaging may further comprise a one-way semi-permeable layer between the first polymeric layer and the moisture-containing layer to prevent migration of moisture from the interior of the container to the moisture-containing layer but to enable migration of moisture from the moisture-containing layer to the interior of the container. This avoids contamination of the moisture in the moisture-containing layer through elements associated with the product contained in the container, without reducing the humidifying effect.
  • the first polymeric layer may itself be a one-way semi-permeable layer or a porous layer, so that the moisture-containing layer can maintain the container and its contents at a desired moisture level without any consumer interaction, such as removal of portions of the laminate material.
  • the first and/or second polymeric layers may be formed from a material selected from: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyactic acid.
  • the moisture-containing layer may comprise a moisture-containing element impregnated with water.
  • the moisture-containing element may be formed from a material selected from: paper, micro-crystalline cellulose, ispaghula husk, saturated silica gel, rice, starch gels, pectins, natural sponge, synthetic sponge, clay materials, gelatine, agar, cellulosic gum, and alginates. If the moisture-containing element is paper, it may have a matrix form, comprising polyacrylamide crystals.
  • the first and second polymeric layers may be waterproof to prevent contamination of the product in the container from the environment.
  • the packaging may contain a humidity indicator, to provide guidance to a consumer as to when portions of the first layer should be removed to expose the moisture to the interior of the container.
  • smoking article includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products.
  • tobacco product refers to any item made in, or sold by the tobacco industry, typically including a) cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes); and b) nonsmoking products incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes such as snuff, snus, hard tobacco, and heat-not-burn products.
  • This list is not intended to be exclusive, but merely illustrates a range of products which are made and sold in the tobacco industry.
  • Figure 1 shows an example of a tobacco pouch
  • Figure 2 shows the laminate structure of the packaging used to form the tobacco pouch of Figure 1, according to an embodiment of the invention
  • Figure 3 shows an example of a tear-off strip in the first polyethylene layer of the laminate structure of Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 shows the portion of the first polyethylene layer of Figure 3 with the tear- off strip removed
  • Figure 5 shows the position of the tear-off strip of Figure 3 in the interior of a tobacco pouch according to the present invention
  • Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of the interior of a tobacco pouch according to the present invention
  • Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of the laminate structure of a tobacco pouch according to the present invention.
  • Figure 8 shows a further embodiment of the interior of a tobacco pouch according to the present invention.
  • Figure 9 shows a hinged-lid packet according to a further embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 10 shows a hinged-lid packet according to a further embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows an example of a tobacco pouch 1.
  • the pouch 1 has a containing portion 2 in which tobacco 3 is stored, and has a flap 4 which can be used to close the pouch 1.
  • the flap 4 contains an adhesive portion 5 which enables the pouch 1 to be resealed after use, although it will be appreciated that various mechanisms may be used in order to close the pouch 1 after use, all of which are applicable to the present invention.
  • the pouch 1 is flexible which enables it to be folded or rolled, and is substantially waterproof.
  • FIG 2 shows a cross section, taken along the line XY through the rear wall of the pouch 1 shown in Figure 1 , which illustrates the structure of the packaging material which is used according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the pouch wall has a laminate structure which comprises first and second polymeric layers 6, 8, and a moisture-containing layer 7 interposed between the first and second layers 6, 8.
  • the polymeric materials are polyethylene.
  • the first polyethylene layer 6 forms the interior of the pouch 1, and the second polyethylene layer 8 forms the exterior of the pouch 1.
  • the polyethylene layers 6, 8 are waterproof, so that all of the moisture in the moisture-containing layer 7 is confined to the laminate structure.
  • the moisture-containing layer 7 is made from paper, which has been impregnated with water during the manufacture of the pouch.
  • the paper layer has been impregnated with 1Og of water, and the pouch is intended to hold approximately 5Og of tobacco.
  • Figure 3 shows a plan view of an area 9 of the first polyethylene layer 6 of the pouch 1, which forms the pouch's interior.
  • a portion of the layer comprises a tear- off strip 10, which is defined by a weakened perimeter 11 (through, for example, small perforations), and a tab portion 12 enabling the tear-off strip 10 to be removed from the layer 6 when pulled.
  • Figure 4 shows a plan view of the same area 9 of the first polyethylene layer 6 of the pouch 1 as shown in Figure 3, with the tear-off strip 10 removed. The moisture- containing layer 7 is exposed where the first polyethylene layer 6 has been removed.
  • Figure 5 shows an example of the position of the tear-off strip 10 in the interior of the pouch 1 in this embodiment, although it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this arrangement, and the strip 10 can be arranged in any preferred location or orientation, horizontally or vertically or at an angle with respect to a dimension of the pouch 1.
  • the strip should preferably be positioned so that it is not too close the opening of the pouch 1, so as to avoid unnecessary loss of moisture to the environment when the flap 4 is open.
  • a number of differently shaped strips can also be used, such as rectangular or circular, or a more complex pattern.
  • the tab portion 12 should be easy for a consumer to access, and should be positioned so that if the pouch 1 is rolled or folded after use, the migration of water from the exposed portion of the moisture-containing layer 7 to the tobacco 3 is not unnecessarily hindered, so that a strong humidifying effect can be achieved.
  • the moisture-containing layer 7 can be formed from any material which is capable of storing, holding or otherwise providing a quantity or reservoir of moisturising liquid such as water, and releasing the water as a vapour, preferably at room temperature.
  • Water is a particularly convenient substance for the moisturising of tobacco, but other substances with suitable properties for the necessary storage and vapour release can be used.
  • the paper layer described above preferably has the form of a matrix, in which crystals or granules of polyacrylamide can be incorporated.
  • a further example of a material suitable for the moisture-releasing layer 7 is one or more alginates.
  • alginates are linear copolymers produced by various brown algae including seaweed (such as giant kelp) and bacteria (such as Azotobacter species), which are insoluble in water but absorb water very quickly.
  • seaweed such as giant kelp
  • bacteria such as Azotobacter species
  • Alginates are fully biocompatible and are used in consumable products, so are a particularly attractive option for tobacco storage.
  • suitable materials are micro-crystalline cellulose, ispaghula husk, saturated silica gel, rice, starch gels, pectins, natural sponge, synthetic sponge, clay materials such as sepolite and bentonite, gelatine, agar and modified cellulosic gum. Combinations of these materials may also be used.
  • a gel may be configured to release moisture at a controlled rate, and may also be adapted to release heat as well as moisture.
  • the invention is not limited to these particular examples of materials for the moisture-containing layer. Any material which has the necessary properties to allow it to absorb an adequate amount of liquid such as water and then release the liquid as vapour by evaporation can be used.
  • a selection of a moisture-containing material can be made which is appropriate to the particular application of the pouch 1. Where the pouch 1 is intended to be folded or rolled, structural flexibility may be an important factor, and so the more rigid materials can be avoided. Conversely, where structural rigidity is preferred, for storage of cigarettes or pre-rolled tobacco for example, a more resilient material can be selected for the laminate structure.
  • water is used to provide the moisture, it need not be plain water.
  • An aqueous salt solution may be used instead which can give control over the evaporation by determining the humidity of the surrounding environment below which the water vapour will be released.
  • Other non-volatile liquid ingredients such as glycerol (glycerine) or propylene glycol may alternatively be used; these also control evaporation of the water.
  • the moisture-releasing element may also contain one or more water-soluble additives that can be carried through the one-way membrane by the water vapour and hence delivered to the tobacco.
  • these may include flavourants and fragrances.
  • a moisture-releasing element containing menthol can be used to impart a menthol flavour and smell to the tobacco.
  • Vanilla, coffee and other flavours may be similarly provided. In this way, the consumer has a mechanism for flavouring a tobacco product with a flavour of their choice.
  • the tear-off strip 10 in the first polyethylene layer 6 is designed so that it has a shape and position in the tobacco pouch 1 such that the humidifying effects of the moisture-containing layer can be optimised.
  • it is shown positioned so that it is not in direct contact with the tobacco 3, so that a good distribution of the humidifying effect can be achieved.
  • One of the main factors which must be taken into consideration for optimising the humidifying effect is the time period over which the effect is to be observed.
  • this is designed to coincide with the period of use of the tobacco product 3 in the pouch 1, so that tobacco 3 can be kept moist until all of it has been used up.
  • excessive amounts of moisture in the laminate structure should be avoided if the weight of the pouch 1 is to be reduced and flexibility increased.
  • 1Og of water in the moisture-containing layer 7 is sufficient to hydrate approximately 5Og of tobacco over a period of use by a moderate smoker, via an opening in the first polyethylene layer 6 of approximately 2.5cm.
  • the length of time of the humidifying effect can be controlled by a number of factors. Firstly, the amount of water incorporated into the laminate structure can be controlled during the manufacture of the tobacco pouch 1 so as to correspond to a particular pouch size, or expected rate of drying of the products. Secondly, the amount of the moisture-containing layer 7 which is exposed to the interior of the pouch can be controlled in a number of ways, as described below.
  • a plurality of tear-off strips 13a, 13b, 13c is incorporated into the first polyethylene layer 6 of the pouch 1.
  • Each strip can be individually peeled from the laminate structure in the same way as described above, and so a consumer can peel off each strip at convenient times. For example, a strip can be torn off every two days in order to obtain a renewed humidifying effect in the pouch 1.
  • Each individual tear-off strip 13a, 13b, 13c can be of a different size (not shown).
  • a large tear-off strip can be arranged as the first strip to be removed in the lifetime of the tobacco product 3, when there is the most tobacco contained within the pouch 1. Successively smaller strips can then be torn off over time, to provide an additional, but smaller, moisture effect as the amount of tobacco remaining 3 in the pouch 1 reduces.
  • perforations can be made in the first polyethylene layer at predetermined locations and covered with removable cover portions adhered to the polymeric material around the perforation. These cover portions could then be removed in the same way as the tear-off strips described above, in order to expose the moisture-containing layer to the tobacco product.
  • re-sealable strips can be used which could be re-applied to the first polyethylene layer as desired in order to seal the moisture- containing layer. This would enable a consumer to have more control of the humidifying effect provided by the moisture-retaining layer. For example, as tobacco products are used, it may no longer be necessary to provide the same level of humidification as that provided when the pouch was full.
  • the laminate structure of the pouch comprises a further layer 14 between the moisture-containing layer 7 and the first polyethylene layer 6.
  • This further layer is a one-way semi-permeable membrane 14 which enables water vapour to migrate from the moisture-containing layer 7 to the tobacco products 3 in the pouch 1, but prevents the water vapour migrating in the reverse direction. This is advantageous in applications where it is desirable to keep the moisture-containing layer 7 free from contaminants which could be picked up from the environment and later released to the tobacco 3.
  • An advantage of using a semi-permeable layer of this form is that it prevents the moisture-containing layer 7 from re-absorbing moisture from the tobacco product 3 after most of the water in the paper layer has already been released (for example after removal of a tear-off strip), which could otherwise dry out the tobacco 3.
  • the inability of the moisture-containing layer 7 to re-absorb water in this embodiment means that it cannot take up the flavour of the tobacco, which could otherwise be undesirable.
  • the membrane 14 prevents the paper in the moisture- containing layer 7 taking up any form of brown staining.
  • the one-way semi-permeable membrane 14 may comprise a reverse osmosis membrane, such as a synthetic dialysis membrane or other food-grade pharmaceutical membrane.
  • Suitable membrane materials include cellulose acetate, polysulphones or polyvinylfluoride.
  • any material with the desired property of one-way transmission of vapour from the moisture-releasing element may be used.
  • a porous or fully permeable bidirectional membrane may be used instead of using a one way semi-permeable membrane 14.
  • This embodiment would be particularly applicable to situations in which tobacco is to be transferred between a number of environments of different humidities, so that flexibility in the direction of moisture transfer is desirable. By allowing the moisture to be transferred from the tobacco to the moisture-containing layer 7 in humid conditions, excessive dampening of the tobacco can be avoided, whereas in dry conditions, the equilibrium of the system would shift so that moisture would be transferred to the tobacco to keep it at a desired moisture level.
  • the laminate structure of Figures 2 and 7 can be applied to the tobacco pouch 1 in its entirety, in other words of all of the walls of the pouch or just to specific parts such as the front and back faces of a substantially flat pouch.
  • the design can be made with regard to the desired flexibility and weight of the packaging, and also the amount of tobacco 3 to be stored and its expected rate of use.
  • the moisture-containing layer can be designed to extend through all parts of the pouch walls, are can be confined to a limited area, with the pouch walls only formed of the polymeric material in areas where there is no moisture-containing layer.
  • the moisture-containing layer 7 can be partitioned to correspond to each of a plurality of tear-off strips 13a, 13b, 13c, so that as each strip is removed, the only water which is available to migrate to the tobacco 3 is that contained within a corresponding partitioned portion of the moisture-retaining layer 7. This arrangement may be effective where the rate of use of tobacco 3 is expected to be small, so that the humidifying effect can be controlled and prolonged accordingly.
  • the second polyethylene layer 8 can be printed so as to contain the branding of the manufacturer and product information.
  • the paper in the moisture-containing layer 7 is preferably coloured white, to provide a suitable backing to the second polyethylene layer 8, and to prevent tobacco stains on the first polyethylene layer 6 being visible through to the outside of the pouch 1.
  • the tobacco pouch 1 can be manufactured with a portion of the first polyethylene layer 6 already removed, so that a corresponding portion of the moisture-retaining layer 7 is exposed to the tobacco 3 at an initial stage. This enables tobacco 3 to be kept moist during shipping, or storage in a retail outlet prior to use.
  • a humidity indicator can be included in the tobacco pouch 1, to provide guidance to a consumer. This may be particularly useful where the pouch 1 contains a plurality of tear-off strips 13a, 13b, 13c, as guidance can be given as to when individual strips should be removed.
  • the indicator can be any type of compact humidity measuring device or sensor that gives a visual indication of the humidity level.
  • a convenient example is a cardboard or paper device comprising one or more sensor areas of water-sensitive material that absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and changes colour according to whether humidity is above or below some threshold value. A range of sensor areas having different threshold values may be provided, to give a visual humidity scale from which the consumer can make a decision as to whether his tobacco product is sufficiently moist.
  • the first polyethylene layer 6 itself contains a semi-permeable one-way membrane portion 15 which enables water vapour to migrate from the moisture-containing layer 7 to the tobacco products 3 in the pouch 1, but prevents the water vapour migrating in the reverse direction.
  • a semi-permeable portion 15 in the first polyethylene layer 6 itself, a reduction in the size and weight of the packaging can be achieved by avoiding the need to form an additional semi-permeable layer over the first polyethylene layer 6.
  • the one way semi-permeable membrane may be substituted for a porous/permeable membrane where desired.
  • the permeable/ semi-permeable portion 15 of the polyethylene layer 6 may be of any appropriate size, depending on the desired exposure of moisture to the products 3 of the pouch 1.
  • the portion 15 may form the whole of the interior of the pouch 1 where a higher degree of moisture transfer is required.
  • the moisture-containing layer can maintain the pouch and its contents at a desired moisture level without any consumer interaction, such as removal of portions of the laminate material.
  • the first and second polyethylene layers 6, 8 need not be made of the same material as each other.
  • the materials are typically plastics materials, and polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyactic acid may be used as an alternative to polyethylene.
  • the outer layer of the tobacco pouch 1 should be recyclable and/or biodegradable, while preventing the release of moisture from the moisture-containing layer to the environment.
  • the inner layer of the tobacco pouch should be easy to arrange into tear-off strips, which are sufficiently strongly connected with the interior layer so as to present a watertight seal to the moisture-containing layer 7 when not removed, but which can be separated along perforated perimeters 11 or pre-formed lines or weakness without excessive force.
  • the pouch described above can form an inner shell 17 in a package 16 having a rigid outer frame 18, for example as shown in Figure 9.
  • the walls of the outer frame 18 of the packet could be manufactured from a stiff, resilient material such as cardboard or plastic or a similar material demonstrating the rigidity required for a hinged-lid packet, for example, as shown in Figure 9, so as to protect its contents.
  • the inner shell 17 is inserted into the outer frame 18 during the manufacturing process, and may either be secured to the outer frame 18 by an adhesive, or could be partially or fully removable from the outer frame 18 during use to facilitate removal of tear-off strips 19 (shown at the upper portion of the inner shell 17 by way of example only), or control by the user of the humidifying effects described above.
  • the inner shell 17 is shown partially extending from the opened hinged-lid package 16.
  • the laminate packaging structure of the invention could be used as either a portion, or all of the outer frame 20 of a hinged-lid cigarette packet or case as shown in Figure 10, where there is no inner shell.
  • the second polyethylene layer 8 would, in this embodiment, form the outer packaging, while the first polyethylene layer 6 would be exposed to the cigarettes contained by the packaging, in the same way as described above.
  • the moisture-containing layer 7 could be exposed by removal of a tear-off strip 21, but a membrane may be used as described above
  • the polyethylene layers 6, 8 in addition to demonstrating the required resistances and permeabilities to moisture, could be reinforced with resilient material suitable for maintaining the packaging shape required to protect the contents of the packet.
  • the laminate structure of the packaging described can be formed into a number of different containers, such as flexible bag-like pouches, and more rigid pouches such as bags, cases or hinged-lid packets for cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and the like, the moisture-transfer operation from the laminate structure being present in each.
  • packaging of the present invention can be used to store any product which requires hydration during storage, and not just tobacco.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
  • Wrappers (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un emballage, approprié pour le tabac et les produits alimentaires, qui possède une structure stratifiée comprenant des première et seconde couches polymères (6, 8), et une couche (7) qui contient de l’humidité interposée entre les couches polymères (6, 8), la couche (7) qui contient de l’humidité étant agencée pour transférer l’humidité à l’intérieur d’un récipient (1) formé par l’emballage. L’emballage permet à son contenu (3) d’être maintenu humide, et peut permettre à un consommateur de contrôler le niveau d’humidité auquel les produits sont maintenus grâce à une configuration appropriée de la couche (7) qui contient de l’humidité et de la première couche polymère (6).
EP09714511A 2008-02-29 2009-02-20 Emballage dote d un controle d'humidite Active EP2259987B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0803777.2A GB0803777D0 (en) 2008-02-29 2008-02-29 Packaging with humidity control
PCT/EP2009/052084 WO2009106493A1 (fr) 2008-02-29 2009-02-20 Emballage doté d’un contrôle d’humidité

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2259987A1 true EP2259987A1 (fr) 2010-12-15
EP2259987B1 EP2259987B1 (fr) 2012-05-30

Family

ID=39315728

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP09714511A Active EP2259987B1 (fr) 2008-02-29 2009-02-20 Emballage dote d un controle d'humidite

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2259987B1 (fr)
AR (1) AR070711A1 (fr)
CL (1) CL2009000439A1 (fr)
ES (1) ES2387452T3 (fr)
GB (1) GB0803777D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2009106493A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

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EP4166013A1 (fr) * 2021-10-18 2023-04-19 JT International SA Blague à tabac

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US8393465B2 (en) 2007-05-07 2013-03-12 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Pocket-size hybrid container for consumer items
CN107413607B (zh) 2009-07-24 2021-02-12 陶氏环球技术有限责任公司 制备涂布的容器装置或涂布的闭合装置的方法
US8440023B2 (en) * 2009-10-09 2013-05-14 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Flavored packaging insert for smokeless tobacco
WO2012010185A1 (fr) * 2010-07-22 2012-01-26 Desert-Tree Bvba Procédé de fabrication d'une pièce en argile servant à l'hydratation du tabac, pièce en argile servant à l'hydratation du tabac, procédé de production d'un tabac aromatisé et tabac aromatisé
US9188351B1 (en) 2013-03-08 2015-11-17 Arkady Kipnis Non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier, a kit of components, and methods of making and using same
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2009106493A1 (fr) 2009-09-03
AR070711A1 (es) 2010-04-28
CL2009000439A1 (es) 2010-11-12
EP2259987B1 (fr) 2012-05-30
ES2387452T3 (es) 2012-09-24
GB0803777D0 (en) 2008-04-09

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