Package of tobacco articles featuring a shoplifting marker

• US 20040149602A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G. D. Societa Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: G. D. Societa Per Azioni
• Inventors: Draghetti, Fiorenzo, Minarelli, Alessandro, De Pietra, Gaetano, Cerati, Luca
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/262
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1072 Bundle of cigarette packs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1081 Inserts or accessories added or joined to the container, e.g. coins, pens, cards, spacers B65D85/1009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof

Abstract

A package of tobacco articles, having a container; a group of tobacco articles housed inside the container; and a marker, which is housed inside the container, has a resonating body resonating at a given resonance frequency, and is remotely detectable by a shoplifting detector device by means of an electromagnetic field having a frequency substantially equal to the resonance frequency.

Claims

22. ) A package of cigarettes (4), comprising a container (2), a group (3) of cigarettes (4) housed inside the container (2), and at least one marker (24), which is housed inside the container (2) and is remotely detectable by means of an electric, magnetic or electromagnetic field;

each cigarette (4) comprising a rod (26) of tobacco enclosed in a sheet (27) of wrapping material and connected at one end to a filter (28) by a respective connecting strip (29);

the package (1) being characterized in that the marker (24) is incorporated in at least one of the cigarettes (4) in the group (3) of cigarettes (4).

1. ) A package of tobacco articles, comprising a container (2), a group (3) of tobacco articles (4) housed inside the container (2), and at least one marker (24) housed inside the container (2);

the package (1) being characterized in that the marker (24) comprises magnetic resonating means resonating acoustically at a given resonance frequency, and is remotely detectable by a shoplifting detector device by means of a magnetic field having a frequency substantially equal to the resonance frequency.

2. ) A package as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a label (25) supporting the marker (24).

3. ) A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the label (25) is glued to an inner surface of the container (2).

4. ) A package as claimed in claim 2, and comprising a sheet (5) of foil wrapping material enclosing the group (3) of tobacco articles (4);

the label (25) being glued to an outer surface of the sheet (5) of foil wrapping material.

5. ) A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container (2) has an open top end (6), and a lid (7) hinged to the container (2) along a hinge (8) to rotate, with respect to the container (2), between an open position and a closed position respectively opening and closing the open top end (6);

a collar (15) being provided, which is folded into a U and connected inside the container (2), and projects partly outwards of the open top end (6) to engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid (7) when the lid is in the closed position;

the label (25) being glued to a wall of the collar (15).

6. ) A package as claimed in claim 5, wherein the label (25) is glued to a wall of the collar (15) so as to be interposed between a wall of the collar (15) and a wall of the container (2).

7. ) A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container (2) is substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall (11);

and a lateral surface (9) bounded by the bottom end wall (11) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (13, 14), and by two minor lateral walls (12);

the label (25) being so located as to contact the inner surface of the bottom end wall (11).

8. ) A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container (2) is substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall (11);

and a lateral surface (9) bounded by the bottom end wall (11) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (13, 14), and by two minor lateral walls (12);

the label (25) being so located as to contact the inner surface of a minor lateral wall (12).

9. ) A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container (2) is substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall (11);

and a lateral surface (9) bounded by the bottom end wall (11) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (13, 14), and by two minor lateral walls (12);

the label (25) being so located as to contact the inner surface of a major lateral wall (13;

14).

10. ) A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group of tobacco articles is defined by a group of packets of cigarettes.

11. ) A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group (3) of tobacco articles (4) is defined by a group (3) of cigarettes (4).

12. ) A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group (3) of tobacco articles (4) is defined by a group (3) of cigarettes (4), each of which comprises a rod (26) of tobacco enclosed in a sheet (27) of wrapping material and connected at one end to a filter (28) by a respective connecting strip (29);

the marker (24) being incorporated in at least one of the cigarettes (4) in the group (3) of cigarettes (4).

13. ) A package as claimed in claim 12, wherein the marker (24) is located inside the filter (28) of a cigarette (4).

14. ) A package as claimed in claim 12, wherein the marker (24) is wound about the filter (28) of a cigarette (4).

15. ) A package as claimed in claim 12, wherein the marker (24) is supported by the connecting strip (29) connecting the rod (26) of tobacco to the filter (28) of a cigarette (4).

16. ) A package as claimed in claim 12, wherein the marker (24) is located inside the rod (26) of tobacco of a cigarette (4).

17. ) A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the marker (24) comprises an enabling/disabling body fitted to the magnetic marker and for enabling and disabling the magnetic marker.

18. ) A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the marker (24) comprises a supporting element provided with a number of segments of magnetic material, which are spaced each others.

19. ) A package as claimed in claim 18, wherein each segment is an oriented magnetic dipole, which vibrates when struck by a magnetic field having a frequency in the acoustic sound-ultrasound range and emits energy in the form of a return magnetic field having a lower frequency.

20. ) A package as claimed in claim 19, wherein the marker (24) is disable when struck by a magnetic field, which changes the magnetic orientation of the segments.

21. ) A package as claimed in claim 18, wherein the marker (24) comprises a supporting element provided with three segments of magnetic material, which are spaced each others.

23. ) A package as claimed in claim 22, wherein the marker (24) is located inside the filter (28) of a cigarette (4).

25. ) A package as claimed in claim 22-, wherein the marker (24) is supported by the connecting strip (29) connecting the rod (26) of tobacco to the filter (28) of a cigarette (4).

26. ) A package as claimed in claim 22, wherein the marker (24) is located inside the rod (26) of tobacco of a cigarette (4).

23-1. ) A package as claimed in claim 22, wherein the marker (24) is wound about the filter (28) of a cigarette (4).