WO2013054269A1

WO2013054269A1 - Reinforced hinged lid packet of cigarettes and corresponding packing method

Info

Publication number: WO2013054269A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/055479
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Polloni; Luca Petrucci; Andrea Biondi
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2011-10-10
Filing date: 2012-10-10
Publication date: 2013-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 2014-04-10
Also published as: JP2014528390A; JP6096786B2; DE112012004220T5; ITBO20110580A1

Abstract

A hinged- lid packet (1) of cigarettes, having: an inner package (3) enclosing a group of cigarettes; a container (2) having an open top end (4), a bottom wall (7) opposite the open top end (4), a front wall (8), a rear wall (9) parallel to and opposite the front wall (8), and two opposite parallel lateral walls (10); and a lid (5) hinged to the container (2) along a hinge (6), and having a top wall (13) opposite the open top end (4), a front wall (14), a rear wall (15) opposite and parallel to the front wall (14), and two opposite parallel lateral walls (16); and wherein the rear wall (9) of the container (2), the rear wall (15) of the lid (5), the top wall (13) of the lid (5), and the front wall (14) of the lid (5) are defined by respective inner panels (9", 15", 13", 14") superimposed on and glued to respective outer panels (9', 15', 13', 14').

Description

REINFORCED HINGED LID PACKET OF CIGARETTES AND CORRESPONDING PACKING METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

5 The present invention relates to a hinged-lid packet of cigarettes and relative packing method.

BACKGROUND ART

A rigid, hinged-lid packet of cigarettes comprises an inner package enclosing a group of cigarettes; and a

10 rigid outer package housing the inner package. The outer package in turn comprises a cup-shaped container with an open top end; and a lid hinged to the container to rotate between an open position and a closed position opening and closing the open top end respectively.

15 The lid of most marketed packets has a front wall; a top wall perpendicular to the front wall; a rear wall opposite and parallel to the front wall; and two opposite parallel lateral walls perpendicular to the other walls. Normally, the top and rear walls of the lid

20 are one-layered, and only a limited part of the front wall of the lid is double- layered by folding and gluing a reinforcing flap to the inside. In some cases, however, the top and rear walls must also be reinforced, to strengthen the lid as a whole and reduce deformation

25 caused by repeatedly opening and closing the lid.

To reinforce the top and rear walls of the lid, _. they are each made of two superimposed, preferably glued layers. So, for the front, top and rear walls of the lid, the blank from which the outer package is made has respective inner ^' and outer panels, which are superimposed and preferably glued to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the inner and outer panels of the front, top and rear walls of the lid are superimposed and preferably glued before applying the blank to the inner package, i.e. upstream from a packing unit on which the blank is folded about the inner package . Inevitable springback forces in the blank, however, have been found to produce relative movement between the superimposed, glued inner and outer panels of the front, top and rear walls of the lid, with the result that, in the actual container, the inner and outer panels do not match up properly (it is important to bear in mind that the glue between the inner and outer panels takes some time to set and exert sufficient grip) .

To keep the inner and outer panels of the front, top and rear walls of the lid in the right position once they are superimposed, mechanical means are therefore required to exert pressure on them. Such means, however, are complicated to produce and so greatly increase the cost of the packing machine .

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hinged-lid packet of cigarettes^" and relative packing method, designed to eliminate the above drawbacks and which at the same time are cheap and easy to implement.

According to the present invention, there are provided a hinged- lid packet of cigarettes and relative packing method as claimed in the accompanying Claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-:

Figure 1 shows a front view in perspective of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention in a closed configuration;

Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes in an open configuration;

Figure 3 shows a rear view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes in a closed configuration;

Figure 4 shows a schematic cross section, with parts removed for clarity, of the lid area of the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes;

Figure 5 shows a spread-out view of a blank from which to form the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes;

Figure 6 shows a schematic view in perspective of part of the Figure 5 blank when producing the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes;

Figure 7 shows a plan view of a variation of the Figure 5 blank ;

Figure 8 shows a schematic cross section, with parts removed for clarity, of the lid area of a different embodiment of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 9 shows a spread-out view of a blank from which to form the Figure 8 packet of cigarettes;

Figure 10 shows a schematic view in perspective of part of the Figure 9 blank when producing the Figure 8 packet of cigarettes.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figures 1, 2 and 3 indicates as a whole a rigid packet of cigarettes. Packet 1 of cigarettes comprises a cup- shaped container 2 made of rigid cardboard; and an inner package 3 housed inside container 2 and enclosing a group of cigarettes.

Container 2 has an open top end 4, and a cup- shaped lid 5 hinged to container 2 along a hinge 6 to rotate, with respect to container 2, between an open position (Figure 2) and a closed position (Figures 1 and 3) opening and closing open top end 4 respectively.

Container 2 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, and comprises a bottom wall 7 opposite open top end 4; a front wall 8; a rear wall 9 opposite and parallel to front wall 8; and two opposite parallel lateral walls 10. Four longitudinal edges 11 are defined between lateral walls 10 and front and rear walls 8 and 9; and four transverse edges 12 are defined between bottom wall 7 and front, rear and lateral walls 8, 9 and 10. .

Lid 5 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, and comprises a top wall 13 opposite open top end 4; a front wall 14; a rear wall 15 opposite and parallel to front wall 14; and two opposite parallel lateral walls 16. Four longitudinal edges 11 are defined between lateral walls 16 and front and rear walls 14 and 15; and four transverse edges 12 are defined between top wall 13 and front, rear and lateral walls 14, 15 and 16.

In the Figure 1-3 embodiment, edges 11 and 12 are all square. In alternative embodiments not shown, some of edges 11 and 12 may be bevelled or rounded.

Packet 1 also comprises a rigid (i.e. rigid cardboard) collar 17, which is folded into a U and fixed (glued) to the inside of container 2, and projects partly outwards of open top end 4 to engage a corresponding inner surface of the closed lid 5. In a preferred embodiment, collar 17 has two projections 18, which project laterally to interferentially engage lateral walls 16 of lid 5 to hold lid 5 in the closed position. Collar 17 comprises a front wall 19 positioned contacting front wall 8 of container 2; and two lateral walls 20 located on opposite sides of front wall 19 and positioned contacting lateral walls 10 of container 2.

As shown in Figure 4, front wall 8 of container 2 is one-layered and defined by one panel 8', while rear wall 9 of container 2 is partly double-layered and defined by an outer panel 9' superimposed on and preferably glued to . a corresponding inner . panel 9" (smaller than outer panel 9' ) .

Front wall 14 of lid 5 is entirely double-layered and defined by an outer panel 14' superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner panel 14" (of the same size as outer panel 14') . Top wall 13 of lid 5 is entirely double-layered and defined by an outer panel 13' superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner panel 13" (of the same size as outer panel 13' ) . And rear wall 15 of lid 5 is entirely double-layered and defined by an outer panel 15' superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner panel 15" (of the same size as outer panel 15' ) .

Hinge 6 of lid 5 is defined by an outer fold line 6' connecting outer panel 15' of lid 5 to outer panel 9' of container 2; and by an inner fold line 6" connecting inner panel 15" of lid 5 to inner panel 9" of container 2.

Outer panel 9' of container 2 has a mechanical retainer 21, which engages a free bottom edge of inner panel 9" to mechanically connect, and so limit relative movement between, panels 9' and 9". More specifi call y, retainer 21 comprises ^'a retaining tab 22 hiriged to outer panel 9' along a fold line 23, and which is raised with respect to outer panel 9' to engage the edge of inner panel 9". In the Figure 4 embodiment, the edge of inner panel 9" is inserted beneath retaining tab 22 down to (or just short of) fold line 23. In other words, retaining tab 22 is raised with respect to outer panel 9' to insert the edge of inner panel 9" beneath retaining tab 22.

As shown in Figure 5, container 2 and lid 5 are formed from a flat, substantially elongated rectangular blank 24, which has two longitudinal fold lines 25, and a number of transverse fold lines 26 defining, between longitudinal fold lines 25, a panel 8' forming front wall 8 of container 2; a panel 7' forming bottom wall 7 of container 2; outer panel 9' forming the outer part of rear wall 9 of container 2; outer panel 15' forming the outer part of rear wall 15 of lid 5; outer panel 13' forming the outer part of top wall 13 of lid 5; outer panel 14' forming the outer part of front wall 14 of lid 5; inner panel 14" forming the inner part of front wall 14 of lid 5; inner panel 13" forming the inner part of top wall 13 of lid 5; inner panel 15" forming the inner part of rear wall 15 of lid 5; and inner panel 9" forming the inner part of rear wall 9 of container 2. Panel 8' has two wings 1C , which are located on opposite sides of panel 8' , are separated from panel 8 by longitudinal fold lines 25, and form the outer parts of the two lateral walls 10 of container 2. Outer panel ^' 9' has two wings 10", which are located o opposite sides of outer panel 9', are separated from outer panel 9' by longitudinal fold lines 25, and form the inner parts of the two lateral walls 10 of container 2. Each wing 10" has a tab 27, which is superimposed on and preferably glued to the inside of panel 7' .

Outer panel 15' has two wings 16", which are located on opposite sides of outer panel 15', are separated from outer panel 15' by longitudinal fold lines 25, and form the inner parts of the two lateral walls 16 of lid 5. .Outer panel 14' has two wings 16', which are located on opposite sides of outer panel 14', are separated from outer panel 14' by longitudinal fold lines 25, and form the outer parts of the two lateral walls 16 of lid 5. Each wing 16" has a tab 28, which is superimposed on and preferably glued to the inside of outer panel 13' before superimposing inner panel 13". In other words, the two tabs 28 are inserted between outer panel 13' and inner panel 13" so as to be concealed from view.

Inner panel 9" has two wings 29, which are located on opposite sides of inner panel 9", are separated from- inner panel 9" by longitudinal fold lines 25, and.- ate superimposed on and preferably glued to the inside_.. of corresponding wings 10" of outer panel 9' .

Outer panel 9' has retaining tab 22, which is defined by a central portion of . outer panel 9' separated from the rest of outer panel 9' by a U-shaped through cut, and by fold line 23 connecting the two ends of the U-shaped through cut .

As shown in Figure 6, before folding blank 24 about inner package 3, inner panels 9", 15", 13" and 14" are superimposed on and preferably glued to corresponding outer panels 9', 15', 13' and 14'. Before superimposing inner panel 9" on outer panel 9' , retaining tab 22 is raised with respect to (e.g. is positioned perpendicular to) outer panel 9' ; and, after inner panel 9" is superimposed on outer panel 9' , retaining tab 22 is folded back down onto outer panel 9' and over the edge of inner panel 9" to mechanically connect the two panels 9' and.9".

It is important to note that panels 15', 13', 14',

15", 13", 14" of blank 24 may be superimposed and folded to form lid 5 before (as shown in Figure 6) or after folding blank 24 about inner package 3.

In the Figure 7 variation, mechanical retainer 21 comprises a rotation tab 30 located alongside retaining tab 22 and separated from it by fold line 23. Rotation tab 30 is defined by a central portion of outer panel 9' separated . from th rest of outer panel 9' by a U-shaped through cut and by fold line 23 connecting the two ends of the U-shaped through cut, and serves to rotate retaining tab 22: when rotated (pushed) about fold line 23, rotation tab 30 also produces a similar rotation about fold line 23 of retaining tab 22.

In the Figure 4-7 embodiments, a free bottom edge of inner panel 9" is inserted beneath retaining tab 22 of retainer 21. In the Figure 8-10 embodiment, the free bottom edge of inner panel 9" is positioned contacting the free top edge of retaining tab 22 of retainer 21, i.e. the two free edges of inner panel 9" and retaining tab 22 are coplanar and positioned facing and contacting each other, and retaining tab 22 can be raised with respect to outer panel 9' either before or after superimposing inner panel 9" on outer panel 9' .

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, retainer 21 of outer panel 9' has only orte retaining - tab 22. In a perfectly equivalent embodiment not shown, retainer 21 of outer panel 9' has two (or even three) side by side retaining tabs 22.

In a different embodiment not shown, packet 1 of cigarettes is a slide-open type, and so comprises two partly separable containers inserted one inside the other; container 2 defines an inner container, and is housed inside an outer container to slide, with respect to the outer container, between a .closed configuration, in which container 2 is inserted inside, the outer container, and an open configuration, in which container 2 is extracted partly from the outer container; and lid 5 of container 2 may have a connecting tab connected to lid 5 at one end and to the outer container at the opposite end, to rotate lid 5 ^automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch lid 5) as container 2 slides with respect to the outer container. In other words, by means of the connecting tab connecting a wall of lid 5 mechanically to a wall of the outer container, the outer container pushes lid 5 from the closed to the open position, and vice versa, ^automatically' (i.e. without the user having to touch the lid) , as container 2 slides with respect to the outer container, so the user simply has to exert enough pressure to slide container 2 with respect to the outer container, without having to touch lid 5, which is rotated ^automatically' .

In an alternative embodiment not shown, lid 5 has no front wall 14 (so blank 24 has no panels 14' and 14"). This embodiment is preferably (though not necessarily) combined with the slide-open design described above .

In another variation, container 2 may be housed in an outer box body also forming part of packet 1. Packet 1 of cigarettes described has numerous advantages .

Firstly, in packet 1 of cigarettes described, inner panel 9" is held in the right position by retainer 21 of outer panel 9' , so inner panels 9", 15", 13" and 14", after they are superimposed on and preferably glued to corresponding outer panels 9', 15', 13' and 14', are prevented from springing back out of position as the glue dries. It is important to note that, inner panels 9", 15", .13" and 14" being connected, and so prevented from moving significantly with respect to one another, only inner panel 9" need be connected, mechanically to outer panel 9' by retainer 21.

Secondly, packet 1 of cigarettes described is cheap and easy to produce, by only differing from a similar known packet 1 of cigarettes by the presence of retainer 21, which can be produced easily in outer panel 9' by means of straightforward mechanical operations (i.e. forming the U-shaped through cut and fold line 23) no different from those to which blank 24 is already subjected.

Finally, packet 1 of cigarettes described is also cheap and easy to produce, by retaining tab 22 being foldable, when folding blank 24, by means of a few straightforward operations on outer panel 9' .

Claims

1) - A hinged- lid packet (1) of cigarettes, comprising:

an inner package (3) enclosing a group of cigarettes;

a container (2) having an open top end (4) , a bottom .wall (7) opposite the open top end (4) , a front wall (8), a rear wall (9) parallel to and opposite the front wall (8) , and two opposite parallel lateral walls (10) ; and

a lid (5) hinged to the container (2) along a hinge (6) , and having a top wall (13) opposite the open top end (4) , a rear wall (15) , and two opposite parallel lateral walls (16) ;

wherein the rear wall (9) of the container (2) is defined by an outer first panel (9\) superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner first panel (9''); the top wall (13) of the lid (5) is defined by an outer second panel (13¹) superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner second panel (13''); and the rear wall (15) of the lid (5) is defined by an outer third panel (15') superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner third panel (15' ') ;

the packet (1) of cigarettes being characterized in that the outer first panel (9') has a mechanical retainer (21) , which engages a free bottom edge of the inner first panel (9"') to mechanically connect, and so limit relative movement between, the two first panels (9' , 9' ' ) .

2) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in Claim

1, wherein the retainer (21) comprises at least one retaining tab (22) hinged to the outer first panel (9') along a fold line (23), and which is raised with respect to the outer first panel (9') to engage the edge of the inner first panel (9¹ ') .

3) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the edge of the inner first panel (9'·) is inserted beneath the retaining tab (22) .

4) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in Claim

2, wherein the free edge of the inner first panel (9¹ ') faces, is coplanar with, and contacts the edge' of the retaining tab (22) .

5) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4 , wherein the retaining tab (22) is defined by a central portion of the outer first panel (9¹), which is separated from the rest of the outer first panel (9') by a first U-shaped through cut, and by the fold line (23) joining the two ends of the first U-shaped through cut .

6) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the mechanical retainer (21) comprises a rotation tab (30) located alongside the retaining tab (22) and separated from it by the fold line (23) .

7) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the rotation tab (30) is defined by a central portion of the outer first panel (9'), which is separated from the rest of the outer first panel (9') by a second U-shaped through cut, and by the fold line (23) joining the two ends of the second U-shaped through cut.

8) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the hinge (6) of the lid (5) is defined by an outer fold line (6¹) connecting the outer third panel (15 ') of the lid (5) to the outer first panel (9') of the container (2), and by an inner fold line (-6¹ ' ) connecting the inner third panel (15·') of the lid (5) to the inner first panel (9'¹) of the container (2) .

9) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the container (2) and the lid (5) are formed by folding a blank (24) comprising two longitudinal fold lines (25) , and a number of transverse fold lines (26) defining, between the two longitudinal fold lines (25), a fourth panel (8') forming the front wall (8) of the container (2); a fifth panel (7¹) forming the bottom wall (7) of the container (2) ; the outer first panel (9') forming the outer part of the rear wall (9) of the container (2); the outer third -panel (15 ') forming the outer part of the rear wall (15) of the lid (5); the outer second panel (13') forming the outer part of the top wall (13) of the lid (5) ; the inner second panel (13'') forming the inner part of the top wall (13) of the lid (5); the inner third panel (15 ' ' ) forming the inne part of the rear wall (15) of the lid (5); and the inner first panel (9^{1 1}) forming the inner part of the rear wall (9) of the container (2)-.

10) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 9, wherein:

the outer third panel (15') has two wings (16''), which are located on opposite sides of the outer third panel (15¹), are separated from the outer third panel (15') by the longitudinal fold lines (25), and form the two lateral walls (16) of the lid (5) ; and

each wing (16' ') of the outer third panel (15") has a tab (28), which is superimposed on and preferably glued to the inside of the outer second panel (13') before superimposing the inner second panel (13' ') .

11) A packet (1) of cigarettes as claimed in one of

Claims 1 to 10, wherein the lid (5) comprises a. front wall (14) parallel to and opposite the rear wall (15) of the lid, and defined by an outer seventh panel (14') superimposed on and preferably glued to a corresponding inner seventh panel (14¹ ') .

12) A packing method for producing a hinged-lid packet (1) of cigarettes comprising:

an inner package (3) enclosing ' a group of cigarettes;

a container (2) having an open top end (4) , a bottom wall (7) opposite the open top end (4) , a front wall (8) , a rear wall (9) parallel to and opposite the front wall (8) , and two opposite parallel lateral walls (10) ; and

the packing method comprising the steps of:

superimposing and gluing together an outer first panel (9') and a corresponding inner first panel (9'') to form the rear wall (9) of the container (2) ;

superimposing and gluing together an outer second panel (13') and a corresponding inner second panel (13'') to form the top wall (13) of the lid (5); and

superimposing and gluing together an outer third panel (15') and a corresponding inner third panel (15'') to form the rear wall (15) of the lid (5) ;

and the packing method being characterized by- comprising the further step of engaging a free bottom edge of the inner first panel (9' ') by means of a mechanical retainer (21) on the outer first panel (9'), so as to mechanically connect, and so limit relative movement between, the two first panels (9', 9'').

13) A packing method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein:

the container (2) and the lid (5) are formed by folding a blank (24) comprising the inner panels (9'', 15' ', 13'') and outer panels (9*, 15', 13'); and

the inner panels (9", 15", 13") are superimposed on and preferably glued to the corresponding outer panels (9', 15', 13' )_. before folding the blank (24) about the inner package (3).

14) A packing method as ^'claimed in Claim 12 or 13, and comprising the further steps of:

raising a retaining tab (22) with respect to the outer first panel (9'), before superimposing the inner first panel (9^{1 1}) on the outer first panel (9');

superimposing the inner first panel (9'¹) on the outer first panel (9'); and

folding the retaining tab (22) onto -the outer first panel (9') and over the edge of the inner first panel (9''), after superimposing the inner first panel (9'¹) on the outer first panel (9').