Packet of cigarettes, and method of producing a packet of cigarettes

• US 9,198,465 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Original Assignee: G.D. Societa per Azioni.
• Inventors: Ghini, Marco, Polloni, Roberto, Biondi, Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): REYNOLDS, STEVEN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US14/159,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 206/273, 206/267, 206/271, 206/242, 206/270, 206/265, 206/264
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 19/22 Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 19/226 using endless conveyors having pockets, each pocket being provided with separate members, e.g. folders B65B19/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/18 for making package-opening or unpacking elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/728 for drawer-and-shell-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/10 for cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1036 Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank

Abstract

A packet (1) of cigarettes having: an inner package (2) defined by a group (30) of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet (29) of wrapping material having at least one tear line (32) defining a tear-off top portion (31); an inner container (4) housing the inner package (2) and having an extraction opening (10) for access to the tear-off top portion (31); an outer container (5) housing the inner container (4) in sliding manner, to allow the inner container (4) to slide, with respect to the outer container (5), between a closed position, in which the inner container (4) is inserted inside the outer container (5), and an open position, in which the inner container (4) is extracted partly from the outer container (5); and a tear-off lid (45) connected to the inner container (4) by at least one tear line (48), and covering at least part of the extraction opening (10).

Claims

1. A packet of cigarettes comprising an inner package (2) defined by a group (30) of cigarettes wrapped in a rectangular sheet (29) of wrapping material having a tear line (32) defining a tear-off top portion (31);

and a rigid outer package (3) housing the inner package (2);

wherein the group (30) of cigarettes is substantially parallelepiped-shaped with a rectangular cross section, and has two parallel, opposite major lateral walls (34) defined by cylindrical lateral walls of the cigarettes, two parallel, opposite minor lateral walls (35) defined by cylindrical lateral walls of the cigarettes, and two parallel, opposite end walls (36) defined by flat ends of the cigarettes;

four longitudinal edges (37) are defined between the two major lateral walls (34) and the two minor lateral walls (35), four major transverse edges (38) are defined between the two major lateral walls (34) and the two end walls (36), and four minor transverse edges (39) are defined between the two minor lateral walls (35) and the two end walls (36);

wherein the sheet (29) of wrapping material is coupled in an unfolded state to the group (30) of cigarettes so that before the sheet (29) of wrapping material is initially folded, the longitudinal edges (37) of the group (30) of cigarettes are parallel to long sides of the sheet (29) of wrapping material, and the major transverse edges (38) of the group (30) of cigarettes are parallel to the short sides of sheet (29) of wrapping material;

wherein the sheet (29) of wrapping material is folded about the group (30) of cigarettes by superimposing, on a first major lateral wall (34a) of the group (30) of cigarettes, two opposite flaps (40, 41) of the sheet (29) of wrapping material to form a tubular wrapping enclosing the group (30) of cigarettes on all four sides, and having, at the minor lateral walls (35) of the group (30) of cigarettes, two lateral ends which are both initially open in the tubular wrapping and are successively folded to complete the inner package (2);

wherein the tear line (32) is “

L”

shaped so that the tear-off top portion (31) extends seamlessly over a single portion of the sheet (29) of wrapping material arranged laterally at only one corner of the sheet (29) of wrapping material; and

wherein, at a first minor transverse edge (39a) of the group (30) of cigarettes involving the tear-off top portion (31), the sheet (29) of wrapping material has a tab (33) that protrudes from the first minor transverse edge (39a), is formed from part of the tear-off top portion (31), and is arranged astride the first minor transverse edge (39a).

2. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab (33) is folded onto a first end wall (36b) of the group (30) of cigarettes.

3. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tab (33) is fixed temporarily to the rest of the tear-off top portion (31) covering the first end wall (36b) of the group (30) of cigarettes.

4. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 3, wherein weak-stick glue is applied between the tab (33) and the rest of the tear-off top portion (31), to fix the tab (33) temporarily to the rest of the tear-off top portion (31).

5. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 3, and comprising a tear-off sticker (44) coated with weak-stick glue and applied over the tab (33) and the rest of the tear-off top portion (31), to fix the tab (33) temporarily to the rest of the tear-off top portion (31).

6. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 3, and comprising a tear-off sticker (44) glued over the tab (33) and the rest of the tear-off top portion (31), to fix the tab (33) permanently to the rest of the tear-off top portion (31).

7. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sticker (44) has a grip flap not glued to the tab (33) and/or to the rest of the tear-off top portion (31).

8. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer package (3) comprises a tear-off lid (45) superimposed on the tear-off top portion (31) of the inner package (2), or a tear-off sticker (44) is superimposed on the tear-off top portion (31) of the inner package (2).

9. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 8, wherein the tear-off lid (45) of the outer package (3) or the tear-off sticker (44) is glued to the tear-off top portion (31) of the inner package (2).

10. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer package (3) comprises an inner container (4) housing the inner package (2);

and an outer container (5) housing the inner container (4) in sliding manner, to allow the inner container (4) to slide between a closed position, in which the inner container (4) is inserted inside the outer container (5), and an open position, in which the inner container (4) is extracted at least partly from the outer container (5).