Rigid cigarette pack and its method of manufacturing

• US 20040035723A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G D SPA
• Original Assignee: G D SPA
• Inventors: Draghetti, Fiorenzo, Franchini, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 7,395,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/261
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/24 for shaping or reshaping completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1048 characterized by the shape of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1072 Bundle of cigarette packs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 493/911 Flip-top

Abstract

A rigid pack for tobacco products comprises an outer wrapper (3) furnished with a container (4) presenting an open top (5), surmounted by a lid (6) hinged to the container (4) and rotatable between a position in which the open top (5) is exposed and a position, interacting with a frame (20) anchored to the open top (5), in which the open top is closed, the tobacco products being enveloped by an inner wrapper (19). The pack (1) presents four lateral faces (16, 17, 18) arranged in two parallel pairs, also a top end face (15) and a bottom end face (11) disposed transversely to the lateral faces (16, 17, 18), which define a front, a back and two flanks. At least one of the lateral faces (16, 17, 18) presents a deformation referable to at least one bend line (21), coinciding with a crease line (3) impressed previously on the blank from which the pack is fashioned, and obtained by subjecting the flank faces (18) to compression in such a way that the bend line (21) is forced into relief.

Claims

1. ) A pack of rigid type for tobacco products, comprising a wrapper (3) which in turn comprises a container (4) with an opening (5), a lid (6) serving to open and close the opening (5) at the top, and an inner wrapper (19) enveloping a group of tobacco products, wherein the pack (1) presents a plurality of lateral faces (16, 17, 16), a top end face (15) and a bottom end face (11), characterized in that at least one face (11, 15, 16, 17, 18) of the wrapper (3) presents a deformation defined by at least one bend line (21) generated on the selfsame face (11, 15, 16, 17, 18)

2. ) A pack as in claim 1, wherein the bend line (21) coincides with a corresponding edge (22) by which the face is divided into at least two portions (25, 26).

3. ) A pack as in claim 1, wherein the bend line (21) describes a closed outline.

4. ) A pack as in claim 1, wherein the bend line (21) is subtended by one edge of the face (11, 15, 16, 17, 18).

5. ) A pack as in claim 1, wherein the bend line (21) extends between two adjoining edges of the face (11, 15, 16, 17, 18).

6. ) A pack as in claim 1, wherein the bend line (21) extends between two opposite edges of the face (11, 15, 16, 17, 18).

7. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of the lateral faces (11, 15, 16, 17, 18) of the wrapper (3) presents two bend lines (21) disposed symmetrically in relation to a longitudinal axis (24) of the pack (1).

8. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of the lateral faces (11, 15, 16, 17, 18) of the wrapper (3) presents two bend lines (21) disposed symmetrically in relation to a transverse axis (27) of the pack (1)).

9. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the lateral faces (11, 15, 16, 17, 18) of the wrapper (3) presents four bend lines (21) defining a central portion (25) of the face (11, 15, 16, 17, 18) detached from the corresponding face of the inner wrapper (19).

10. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 9, wherein the bend lines (21) are presented by at least two opposite lateral faces (16, 17, 18) of the pack (1).

11. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 10, wherein the bend lines (21) are of arcuate outline.

12. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 10, wherein the bend lines (21) are of angular outline.

13. ) A pack as in claim 12, where dependent on claim 9, wherein the bend lines (21) are of angular outline and arranged in such a way that the central portion (25) presents a substantially rectangular appearance.

14. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 13, embodied as a packet (2) of cigarettes.

15. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 13, embodied as a carton (23) containing a plurality of packets (2) of cigarettes.

16. ) A pack as in claims 1 to 15, wherein the wrapper (3) is of substantially parallelepiped appearance and comprises a container (4) of cupped embodiment that presents an opening (5) at the top, also a lid (6) of cupped embodiment hinged to the container (4) and rotatable thus between a position in which the opening (5) is exposed and a position of interaction with a frame (20) occupying the opening (5), in which the opening is concealed.

17. ) A method of manufacturing packs of rigid type for tobacco products, comprising a wrapper (3) that consists in a container (4) with an opening (5), a lid (6) serving to open and close the opening (5), and an inner wrapper (19) enveloping a group of tobacco products, wherein the pack (1) presents a plurality of lateral faces (16, 17, 18), a top end face (15) and a bottom end face (11), characterized in that it comprises the steps of advancing the packs (1) along the outfeed line (28) of a packer machine, subjecting the pack (1) to a force of compression applied by engaging at least two opposite lateral faces (16, 17, 18) in such a manner as to induce a deformation on at least one of the lateral faces (16, 17, 18) of the wrapper (3) lying transversely to the faces (16, 17, 18) subjected to the compression, defined by at least one bend line (21) coinciding with a crease line (30) impressed on the selfsame face (16, 17, 18).

18. ) A method as in claim 17, wherein the opposite lateral faces (16, 17, 18) subjected to compression are the two flank faces (18) of the pack (1), and the compression step serves to generate two bend lines (21) disposed symmetrically in relation to a longitudinal axis (24) of the pack (1).

19. ) A method as in claim 17, wherein the faces subjected to compression are the top end face (15) and the bottom end face (10), and the compression step serves to generate two bend lines (21) on the lateral face (16, 17, 18) disposed symmetrically in relation to a transverse axis (27) of the pack (1).

20. ) A method as in claim 17 or 18, comprising the step of subjecting the flank faces (18), the top end face (15) and the bottom end face (10) of the pack (1) to a compressive force in such a way as to generate four bend lines (21) on the lateral face (16, 17, 18) arranged in pairs and symmetrically disposed.

21. ) A method as in claim 20, wherein the bend lines (21) define a central portion (25) of the face (16, 17, 18) that is detached from the corresponding face of the inner wrapper (19).

22. ) A method as in claims 17 to 21, wherein the wrapper (3) is of substantially parallelepiped appearance and comprises a container (4) of cupped embodiment that presents an opening (5) at the top, also a lid (6) of cupped embodiment hinged to the container (4) and rotatable thus between a position in which the opening (5) is exposed and a position of interaction with a frame (20) occupying the opening (5), in which the opening is concealed.