Method of manufacturing rigid cigarette packs including deforming at least one lateral face of the wrapper

• US 7,395,643 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G D SPA
• Original Assignee: GD SPA (Is Company SRL)
• Inventors: Draghetti, Fiorenzo, Franchini, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity; Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US10/450,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20040035723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,406 Days
• Field of Search: 534/36, 531/13, 535/23, 535/26, 531/22, 493/911, 206/273, 229/160.1
• US Class Current: 53/436
• 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 method of manufacturing packs of rigid type for tobacco products, comprising a wrapper that comprises a container with an opening, a lid serving to open and close the opening, and an inner wrapper enveloping a group of tobacco products, wherein the pack includes a plurality of lateral faces, a top end face and a bottom end face, the method comprising the steps of advancing the packs along an outfeed line of a packer machine, and plastically deforming at least one of the lateral faces of the wrapper along a crease line impressed thereon by subjecting the pack to a force of compression applied to at least two opposite faces of the wrapper lying transversely to the face to be plastically deformed.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the opposite faces subjected to compression are two flank faces of the pack, and the compression step serves to generate two bend lines disposed symmetrically in relation to a longitudinal axis of the pack.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the faces subjected to compression are the top end face and the bottom end face, and the compression step serves to generate two bend lines on the lateral face disposed symmetrically in relation to a transverse axis of the pack.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the faces subjected to compression are two flank faces, the top end face and the bottom end face of the pack in such a way as to generate four bend lines on the lateral face arranged in pairs and symmetrically disposed.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the bend lines define a central portion of the face that is detached from the corresponding face of the inner wrapper.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the wrapper is of substantially parallelepiped appearance and comprises a container of cupped embodiment that presents an opening at the top, also a lid of cupped embodiment hinged to the container and rotatable thus between a position in which the opening is exposed and a position of interaction with a frame occupying the opening, in which the opening is concealed.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one lateral face is plastically deformed while on the outfeed line.

8. A method of manufacturing packs of rigid type for tobacco products, comprising a wrapper that comprises a container with an opening, a lid serving to open and close the opening, and an inner wrapper enveloping a group of tobacco products, wherein the pack includes a plurality of lateral faces, a top end face and a bottom end face, the method comprising the step of deforming at least one of the lateral faces of the wrapper along a crease line impressed thereon by subjecting the pack to a force of compression applied to two flank faces, the top end face and the bottom end face of the pack for generating four bend lines on the lateral face arranged in pairs and symmetrically disposed.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the bend lines define a central portion of the face that is detached from the corresponding face of the inner wrapper.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the at least one lateral face is plastically deformed while on the outfeed line.