EP3475186B1 - Package for cigarettes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a pack, in particular for cigarettes, having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and a method for producing such packs
The focus is on cigarette packs designed as sealed packs. The formed cigarette group of several, in particular three, rows of cigarettes is surrounded by a sealing film, preferably according to the flow pack principle. Closure and connection seams are multilayered, in particular in the formation as a fin fold with fins folded over against the (film) walls of the pack.

A holding or supporting member which at least partially surrounds the group of cigarettes is arranged within the film pack. This support element - inner collar - can be designed in a simple manner as a tray. However, a cup structure of the inner collar is advantageous. Particular durability is achieved with a cup-shaped inner collar, the walls of which - at least the collar front wall and collar rear wall - extend (approximately) over the full dimension or length of the cigarette group.

Examples of foil packs or flow packs with an inner collar are the WO 2011/009520 A1 as well as the WO 2011/110272 A1 as state of the art. The film pack - sealing block - formed in the known or described manner is usually received in a dimensionally stable outer pack, in particular in a (conventional) hinged box or hinge lid pack as the outer pack.

The special design of the film pack or the sealing block, in particular due to the design of the closure or sealing seams on the one hand and the complex inner collar on the other hand, can be achieved by the accumulation of one above or one next to one another lying material layers lead to the fact that the inner pack consisting of the sealing block cannot be inserted into an outer pack, in particular into a hinge-lid box, with standard dimensions. The object of the invention is accordingly to limit the outer dimensions of the foil or sealing pack in the case of multi-layer or multi-layer packs of the type mentioned in individual areas or to adapt them to outer packs with standard dimensions.

In the EP 2,832,663 A sealing pack is disclosed in which a group of cigarettes is contained, which is surrounded by a tray-like inner collar without a rear wall, the front wall of which is fixed and stabilized by a retaining strip in order to stabilize the formation of the cigarettes. The packing has multilayer side seams, each resting on the side walls of the packing, which increase the width of the packing and mean that the packing cannot be inserted into a standard outer packing without constraint.

The same applies to one in the WO 2015/062681 disclosed packaging solution. There, too, the side seams rest on the respective side wall of the packing and protrude laterally so that they determine or enlarge the width of the packing.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, the pack according to the invention is designed with the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the cup-shaped inner collar is designed in such a way that spatial compensation is created in the area of the multilayered lateral seams of the foil pack produced by sealing, namely through the design of the inner collar, in particular when the seams produced by sealing have the structure of fin seams with folded fins exhibit.

The cup-shaped inner collar can in particular be designed in such a way that a transversely directed recess formed by punching is attached in the area of a collar rear wall, specifically in the area of a rear transversely directed connecting seam of the foil pack. The transverse seam, in particular designed as a fin seam with a folded fin, lies in the area of the recess, which extends over the full width of the rear wall of the collar and is preferably guided with an edge limb into the area of the side tabs. If there is a corresponding seam on the front is attached, so in the area of a film front wall, a collar front wall is provided with the recess accordingly.

According to the invention, the formation of side walls of the inner collar to compensate for multi-layer structures due to the lateral sealing seams of the film pack is of particular importance. In this case, outer side tabs of the inner collar are designed with a smaller width than the collar side wall itself. Compared to an inner collar side tab, a depression or offset is created on the outside of the inner collar that extends over the height of the side wall. The (folded) fin seam of the foil pack is located in this area.

According to the further claimed method for the production of packs, the collar side tabs are connected to one another by glue, in particular by points of glue which, according to the invention, are applied to collar side tabs during the production of a unit from the cigarette group and inner collar, namely to free outer sides of the inner collar side tabs preferably by means of glue nozzles arranged on both sides of the unit, which further preferably apply a series of glue dots in an area on the inner collar side flap which, in the finished inner collar, is covered by the outer collar side flap - with a reduced width.

The invention is therefore also concerned with the production method for the inner collar or a unit of inner collar and cigarette group.

Fig. 1

eine quaderförmige Folien- bzw. Dichtpackung in perspektivischer Ansicht,

Fig. 2

eine Komplettpackung (mit äußerer) Klappschachtel in Öffnungsstellung, ebenfalls in Perspektive,

Fig. 3

die Packung gemäß Fig. 2 in einem Vertikalschnitt im Bereich einer Schnittebene III-III der Fig. 2, in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 4

einen Horizontalschnitt der Packung gemäß Fig. 2 in der Schnittebene IV-IV (linke Hälfte) und einer Oktagonalpackung (rechte Hälfte),

Fig. 5

einen ausgebreiteten Zuschnitt für einen Innenkragen einer Folienpackung gemäß Fig. 1, Fig. 2,

Fig. 6

einen Zuschnitt für einen Innenkragen analog zu Fig. 5 für eine Oktagonal-Klappschachtel,

Fig. 7

einen teilweise gefalteten Zuschnitt für einen Innenkragen in einer Stellung für den Einschub eines Zigarettenblocks in Perspektive,

Fig. 8

einen weiteren Fertigungsschritt einer Einheit aus Zigarettengruppe und Innenkragen, ebenfalls in perspektivischer Darstellung,

Fig. 9

eine fertige Einheit aus Zigarettengruppe und Innenkragen in perspektivischer Darstellung,

Fig. 10

eine Darstellung analog zu Fig. 9 für eine Oktagonalpackung,

Fig. 11

ein Fertigungsschema für die Herstellung von Folien- bzw. Dichtpackungen in perspektivischer Darstellung.

Further details of the pack and the manufacturing process are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a rectangular foil or sealing packing in a perspective view,

Fig. 2

a complete pack (with outer) hinged box in the open position, also in perspective,

Fig. 3

the pack according to Fig. 2 in a vertical section in the region of a section plane III-III of the Fig. 2 , on a larger scale,

Fig. 4

a horizontal section of the pack according to Fig. 2 in the section plane IV-IV (left half) and an octagonal packing (right half),

Fig. 5

an expanded blank for an inner collar of a foil pack according to FIG Fig. 1, Fig. 2 ,

Fig. 6

a cut for an inner collar analogous to Fig. 5 for an octagonal hinged box,

Fig. 7

a partially folded blank for an inner collar in a position for the insertion of a cigarette block in perspective,

Fig. 8

a further production step of a unit consisting of a cigarette group and inner collar, also in a perspective view,

Fig. 9

a finished unit consisting of a group of cigarettes and an inner collar in a perspective view,

Fig. 10

a representation analogous to Fig. 9 for an octagonal pack,

Fig. 11

a production scheme for the production of foil or sealing packs in a perspective view.

The exemplary embodiments in the patent drawings relate to cigarette packs in which a group of cigarettes 10, namely a formed cigarette group 11, is received in a foil pack or in a sealing pack 12, forming a sealing block.

The cigarette group 11, which in the present case consists of three rows of cigarettes lying next to one another, is surrounded on all sides by a preferably moisture- and aroma-proof foil blank. During the production of the sealing pack 12, this is separated from a continuous film web 13 while wrapping the cigarette group 11, preferably in such a way that largely finished sealing packs 12 are separated from the tubular film web 13 to form a flow pack.

The cuboid foil or sealing packing 12 forms a foil front wall 14, a foil rear wall 15, narrow, upright foil side walls 16, a foil end wall 17 and a foil bottom wall 18. With the aid of connections preferably produced by thermal sealing - or sealing seams, a packing 12 that is tight on all sides is created. Preferably, upright side seams 19, in particular extending over the full height of the pack 12, are arranged in the region of the foil side walls 16 lying opposite one another. These are preferably designed as a fin seam, with a fin 20 folded over against the package wall - foil side wall 16 - resting against approximately half of the partial area of foil side wall 16, preferably in a rear area.

Another sealing seam, namely a transverse or connecting seam 21, is located in the area of the large-area package walls, in this case in the area of the film rear wall 15. The connecting seam 21 is formed approximately halfway up the film rear wall 15 and extends with end legs 22 in the area of Foil side walls 16. The connecting seam 21 is preferably also designed as a fin seam, in particular with a fin 23 that is folded over upward - in the direction of the foil end wall 17.

The sealing packing 12 is preferably provided with an opening aid in the area of the foil front wall 17 and in an end area of the foil front wall 14. The opening aid is provided with a conventionally designed opening flap 24 for opening and closing the flap 24, which is fixed to the packing 12 by means of adhesive and is in the open position ( Fig. 2 ) exposes a removal opening of the film pack 12.

The sealing packing 12 is arranged as a block-shaped inner packing in a preferably standard outer packing 27, in particular in a hinged box with a box part 28, a lid 29 and a collar 30. The opening tab 24 can be opened and closed manually with the aid of the actuating strip 25. A special feature is that the opening tab 24 is connected to the cover 29 for actuation of the same. For this purpose, the actuating strip 25 is fixed on the inside of a cover front wall 31 or on an inner cover flap 32 of the same. The collar has lateral collar side tabs 56 which, due to the arrangement of the collar 30, cover the film side walls 16 and thus the side seams 19 in the upper, exposed area.

A holding or supporting member for the cigarette group 11, preferably made of thin cardboard, hereinafter referred to as the inner collar 33, is located inside the sealing pack 12. The main task of this is to maintain the formation of the cigarette group 11 and to protect the cigarettes 10 against mechanical and / or thermal stress. The inner collar 33 preferably consists of a one-piece blank ( Fig. 5, Fig. 6 ) with inner front wall 34, inner rear wall 35, inner bottom wall 36 and inner side walls, which are formed from inner side tabs 37 and outer side tabs 38. The side flaps 37, 38 are folded over one another or are partially adjacent to one another. In the present case, corner tabs 39 are connected to the (inner) side tabs 37 via fold lines and, in the case of the finished inner collar 33, are folded against the inside of the inner bottom wall 36 ( Fig. 7 ).

For example, from a blank accordingly Fig. 5, Fig. 6 The folded inner collar 33 forms a cup-shaped envelope for the cigarette group 11. The inner collar 33 is preferably dimensioned such that the front wall 34, rear wall 35 and side walls 37, 38 are essentially flush with the cigarette group 11 or with appropriately positioned filter ends of the cigarettes 10. The front inner front wall 34 is provided with a recess 40 which facilitates the removal of the cigarettes 10. Cigarette group 11 and inner collar 33 form a unit 41 for the further packaging process.

In the manufacture of the units 41, it is expedient to proceed in such a way that the blank of the inner collar 33 is first brought into an angled or L-shaped intermediate folding position ( Fig. 7 ). The inner rear wall 35 is preferably in a horizontal plane. One leg made up of the inner bottom wall 36 and the inner front wall 34 is erected. Likewise, the inner side tabs 37, that is to say in the present case connected to the inner front wall 34, are erected and the corner tabs 39 are folded into the position in contact with the inner bottom wall 36. The inner side tabs 37 connected to the inner rear wall 35 are also in an upright position according to the package.

The intermediate folding position according to Fig. 7 is preferably at the same time the insertion position for the cigarette group 11. This is inserted in the respective formation over the open side into the partially folded inner collar 33 until the cigarette ends rest on the bottom wall 36 or on the corner tabs 39. Thereafter, the inner front wall 34 - with the side flaps 38 - folded against the top of the cigarette group 11. Finally, the laterally directed outer side flaps 38 are folded until they come to rest against the inner side flaps 37 ( Fig. 9 ).

The (outer) side tabs 38, preferably provided with bevels 42 at the ends, are bonded to the inner side tabs 37, preferably by a number of glue dots 43 arranged in a row Side tabs 37 arranged.

The glue dots 43 are preferably made after the cigarette group 11 has been inserted and the inner front wall 34 has been folded, that is to say in the position shown in FIG Fig. 8 , attached in the correct position by glue nozzles 44 on the free outer side of the side tabs 37, preferably one after the other during a transport movement of the inner collar 33. The side tabs 37, 38 can alternatively be connected to one another by plug-in connections, i.e. possibly without glue. With an appropriate coating, a connection can also be made by thermal sealing.

The blanks for the inner collar 33 or the inner collar 33 itself are or is designed in such a way that compensation is created by means of recesses, punchings, depressions, embossings or material offsets in the area of material thickenings, in particular the film or sealing packing 12 the aim of reducing the effect of material thickening, in particular of multi-layer structures of the film or sealing packing 12, on the outer dimensions of the packing. In particular, it is a matter of maintaining the external dimensions of the packing 12, such that it is accommodated as an inner packing in the outer packing 27, which is preferably designed as a hinged box.

Thickenings due to multi-layer areas arise particularly on the packing 12 due to the (sealed) seams 19, 21, reinforced by any multi-layer construction of the film. The structure of the sealing seams, in particular in the form of fin seams, creates an at least three-layer structure in the area of the folded fin - including the wall of the film pack. In the area of the intersection of the side seam 19 and the transversely directed connecting seam 21, there is a further increased number of layers ( Fig. 4 ), especially in the area of the end leg 22.

For this purpose, the inner collar 33 is provided with specifically made recesses or depressions. In the area of the connecting seam 21, the inner collar 33 is provided with a punching or an opening 45 which, due to the position of the connecting seam 21 in the present exemplary embodiment, extends in the area of the inner rear wall 35. The preferably rectangular opening 45 extends over the full width of the inner rear wall 35 and extends with (short) opening legs 46 into the area of the adjacent side tabs 37.

The opening 45 causes a (partial) compensation of the material thickening by the folded connecting seam 21 ( Fig. 3 ). The seam 21 or the fin 23 formed by it lies completely within the opening 45, which is preferably designed with a greater width or height than the fin 23, so that a free space 51 is created above and below it to better accommodate the material layers in the area of the fin 23.

Other accumulations of material are (partially) compensated for by the reduced dimensions of folding flaps. The side seams 29 or their fins 20 extend in the region of halves of the side walls of the inner collar 33 formed by the side tabs 37, 38, preferably in the rear half. The reduced width of the outer side tabs 38 creates an inwardly directed offset extending over the height of the inner collar 33 or a corresponding free space 52 which at least partially accommodates the side seam 19 or its fin 20. The reduced side tabs 38 extend approximately to the middle of the respective side wall, so that approximately half a dimension of the inner side tab 37 is exposed for the contact of the fins 20. The outer side flap 38 is expediently dimensioned in such a way that it is in the folded position (dashed lines in Fig. 1 ) form a gap acting as a free space 52. This has a dimension or width of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, preferably 0.3 mm to 1 mm, based on the distance between the folded edge or the folded edge of the fin 20 and the free edge of the side tab 38.

A particularly critical accumulation of layers of the material positioned one on top of the other results in the area where the connecting seam 21 meets the side seams 19, in particular due to the end legs 22. This layer structure is shown in FIG Fig. 4 shown. Due to the position of the fin 20 in the area of the opening 45, the layers are located extending into the opening legs 46.

Fig. 6 shows an example of a cut of an inner collar 33 with contoured, namely in the present case beveled, upright package edges (octagonal structure). The side flaps 38, 39 are each delimited by two parallel fold lines 47, 48 with respect to the inner front wall 34 and the inner rear wall 35, respectively. The fold lines 47, 48 can - like the other fold lines of the blanks - be created by embossing and / or by partial punching (perforation line). The parallel fold lines 47, 48 delimit a strip of material 49 which, in the case of the folded inner collar 33 or the unit 41, forms beveled pack edges ( Fig. 10 ).

In this embodiment, the recess or opening 45 extends over the perforation lines 47, 48 or over the material strip 49 with the opening leg 46 into the area of the transverse side tabs 37. The outer side tabs 38 are also on the contour of the inner collar 33 with beveled edges customized. The width of the transversely directed side tabs 38 is selected so that space is created for the fins 20 in this embodiment as well. About half the area of the inner side flap 37 - up to the fold lines 47 - remains free for the positioning of the fins 20.

The contour or shape of the outer side tabs 38 comes into effect with a further accumulation of layers. By folding the film in the area of the film side walls 16, triangular gussets 54 are created at the ends (front side, bottom side), which in the present case are folded inward, namely in the area between the inner collar 33 and the film side wall 16 ( Fig. 1 ). The end-side shortenings or bevels 42, namely their dimensions and shape, ensure that the gussets 54 do not come to a partial overlap with the outer side tabs 38. The edges of the side tabs 38 on the one hand and the gusset 54 on the other hand lie next to one another.

The units 41 designed in the manner described or in a similar manner are enveloped by the film for forming the sealing packing 12. In the present case, the procedure is such that the continuous film web 13 - with opening aid - is placed from above onto the units 41 transported at a defined distance from one another and in the transverse direction. The appropriately dimensioned film web 13 is folded around the units 41 to form a tubular film enveloping the units 41. This forms a continuous sealing seam on the underside, namely the connecting seam 21. Thereafter, the sealing packing 12 is produced in a sealing and separating station 50 by appropriate sealing and separating organs, namely by transversely directed sealing seams - side seams 19 - and by separating cut. In the area of this station 50 there are also transversely movable folding members, namely folding forks 55 for folding in the (triangular) gussets 54 by moving the folding forks 55 transversely, which fold the gussets 54 of two consecutive sealing packings 12 in one folding cycle - during a movement section.

The finished packing 12 is then fed to a packaging device for bringing together packing 12 and outer packing 27. List of reference symbols 10 Cigarette 42 bevel 11 Cigarette group 43 Glue point 12th Sealing packing 44 Glue nozzle 13th Film web 45 opening 14th Foil front wall 46 Opening leg 15th Foil back wall 47 Fold line 16 Foil side wall 48 Fold line 17th Foil front wall 49 Strip of material 18th Foil bottom wall 50 Sealing and separating station 19th Side seam 51 free space 20th fin 52 free space 21 Connecting seam 54 gore 22nd End leg 55 Folding fork 23 fin 56 Collar side flaps 24 Opening tab 25th Actuation strips 26th Removal opening 27 Outer packing 28 Box part 29 cover 30th collar 31 Lid front wall 32 Lid inner flap 33 Inner collar 34 Inside front wall 35 Inside rear wall 36 Inside bottom wall 37 inner lateral lobe 38 outer lateral lobe 39 Corner flaps 40 Recess 41 unit

Claims (11)

1. A cigarette pack (10) with a sealed pack (12) in which cigarettes are contained as a ready formed cigarette group (11), wherein the sealed pack (12) has side seams (19) formed as sealing seams arranged on narrow upright film side walls (16), preferably formed as fin seams folded over against the relevant pack wall, wherein the side seams (19) have at least partially a multilayer configuration, and wherein a cardboard inner collar (33), which at least partially surrounds the cigarette group, is arranged inside the sealed pack (12) as a supporting or retaining element and is configured as a cup-shaped wrapping of the cigarette group (11), namely with an inner front wall (34), an inner rear wall (35), an inner base wall (36) and with mutually overlapping side tabs (37, 38) in the region of the film side walls (16) for the formation of the inner side walls, wherein the inner collar (33) arranged inside the sealed pack (12) has depressions in the region of material thickenings on account of the side seams of the sealed pack (12) to form free spaces (52) in which the side seams (19) are at least partially accommodated, characterized in that

   a) the outer side tabs (38), preferably connected to the inner front wall (34), are configured with a width extending across their complete length or height that is smaller than the inner side tabs (37), preferably with a width that is somewhat smaller than half of the width of the inner side tab (37) or half of the width of a film side wall (16) of the film material pack (12), in such a way that a depression running across the height of the inner side wall is created on the outer side of the inner collar next to the outer side tabs (38) to form a free space (52) to accommodate the material thickenings on account of the side seams (19), and that

   b) the material thickenings of the sealed pack (12) due to the respective side seam (19) extend in each case at least with partial regions into the free space (52) formed by the outer side tabs (38).
2. The pack as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the inner collar (33) has an inner rear wall (35), which preferably extends over the full dimension of the cigarette group (11), in particular over the length of the cigarettes (10), and which is provided with an opening (45) formed as a recess or punched-out portion in the region of the transversely directed connecting seam (21) extending along a film rear wall (15), wherein the dimensions of the opening (45), in particular the width or height thereof, is selected such that the connecting seam (21) extends completely inside the opening (45), preferably in a free space (51) formed by the opening (45) with a larger width than the connecting seam (21).
3. The pack as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the inner collar (33) has side tabs (37, 38) that are connected to the inner rear wall (35) and which extend inside the sealed pack (12) in the region of film side walls (16), wherein the opening (45) extends at least partially into the region of the associated side tabs (37) - connected to the inner rear wall (35) - to form an opening limb (46).
4. The pack as claimed in claim 1 or any one of the further claims, characterized in that the free space (52) formed next to the outer side tabs (38) is of slit-shaped design and has a width of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, preferably a width of 0.3 mm to 1 mm, in the region of the film side walls (16).
5. The pack as claimed in claim 1 or any one of the further claims, characterized in that the side tabs (37, 38) of the inner collar (33) for the formation of inner side walls are connected to each other by adhesive bonding, in particular by a plurality of glue points (43) extending in the longitudinal direction of the side tabs (37, 38).
6. The pack as claimed in claim 1 or any one of the further claims, characterized in that the outer, narrow side tabs (38) have at the ends material partitions, in particular bevelled edges (42), such that the side tabs (38) have a preferably approximately trapezoidal shape, wherein the material partitions, in particular the bevelled edges (42), are adapted to the dimensions and shapes of in particular triangular-shaped gussets (54) after folding against the inside of film side walls (16).
7. The pack as claimed in claim 1 or any one of the further claims, characterized in that the inner collar (33) has contoured, upright folding edges, in particular bevelled edges, these consisting of an obliquely directed material strip (49) in the region of the inner front wall (34) and/or of the inner rear wall (35) and bounded by parallel folding lines (47, 48), wherein the side tabs (37, 38) of smaller width formed outside the region of the lateral folding lines (48) partially overlap one another in such a way that the free space (52) created corresponds approximately to half the width or depth of the inner collar (33).
8. A method for producing packs as claimed in claim 1 for cigarettes (10) with a cigarette group (11) arranged in a sealed pack (12) and surrounded by an inner collar (33), wherein the inner collar (33) has a cup-like shape with an inner front wall (34), inner rear wall (35), inner base wall (36) and side tabs (37, 38) for the formation of inner side walls, characterized by the following features:

   a) the side tabs (37, 38) are joined together by glue during production of the inner collar (33), in particular after a cigarette group (11) has been inserted into the partially folded inner collar (33),

   b) for joining the side tabs (37, 38), glue, in particular glue points (43), is/are applied to the free outer side of the inner side tabs (37) after the folding thereof and before the folding of the outer side tabs (38), wherein these outer side tabs (38) have a shortening, i.e. a shorter width, extending across their complete length or height in such a way that next to the outer side tabs (38) in each case a free space (52) is created for receiving a respective material thickening of the sealed pack (12) due to a side seam of the sealed pack (19) and in which the respective side seam (19) of the sealed pack (12) is at least partially accommodated,

   c) then the outer side tabs (38), preferably in a downward direction, are folded over against the glued areas of the inner side tabs (37).
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the glue, in particular the glue points (43), is/are applied on the basis of relative movement between packs or inner collars (33) on the one hand and a gluing unit on the other hand, preferably by stationary glue nozzles (44) on both sides of the movement path of the inner collar (33) for applying the glue or glue points (43) to the side tabs (37) while the cyclically transported packs or inner collars (33) are at a standstill.
10. The pack as claimed in claim 1 or any one of the further claims, characterized in that the sealed pack (12) has an opening aid with a reusable opening flap (24), which is fastened by an actuating strip (25) to an inner side of a lid (29) of the outer pack (27) designed as a hinge-lid box, in such a way that the opening flap (24) can be moved into an open position by actuating the lid (29).
11. The pack as claimed in claim 1 or any one of the further claims, characterized in that the outer pack (27), which is designed as a hinge-lid box, has a collar (30) which uses collar side tabs (56) to cover side seams (19) of the sealed pack (12) in an end face or upper region of film side walls (16).

Images