GB2264483A - Packet for blocks of cigarettes and the like - Google Patents

Description

2264483 PACKET FOR BLOCKS OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE The invention relates

to enclosures or packets for block-shaped arrays of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. Typical examples of such packets are those which serve for reception of blocks of twenty plain or filter cigarettes, cigars, cigarill'os or cheroots. More specifically, the invention relates to improvements in packets of the type known as soft packs (in contrast to so-called hard packs or hinged- lid packs) Packets of the type known as soft packs are often made from several discrete blanks consisting of different materials. Such packets are rather expensive, not only because they consist of plural blanks but also because the assembly of such packets is a time-consuming procedure. Attempts to overcome such drawbacks of soft packs which must be assembled from several discrete blanks include the provision of packets each of which is made of a single blank of relatively soft and pliable sheet material. Such single blank can comprise a suitably configurated sheet of paper at least one side of which is coated with a film of material serving to render the blank impermeable to liquids and/or gases. Thus, if the single blank is converted into a soft packet or pack which fluidtightly surrounds a block-shaped array of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, the film prevents escape of moisture and/or aroma so that the condition of confined articles remains unchanged until a purchaser decides to open the packet. The external surface of the packet consist-ing of a single blank of pliable sheet material can carry indicia in the form of trademarks, name of the manufacturer, name of the distributor, warnings as prescribed by the health 4 authorities in certain C0UJ.1L_r.,__ -her information.

S and/or olL R7, drawback of a soft packet which is made from a s.-ingle blank of pl-Jable is that it does not 2.

exhibit a desirable resistance to deformation, i.e., the confined rodshaped articles are likely to be squashed, bent and/or otherwise deformed. Moreover, the confined articles are likely to lose tobacco particles at their tobacco-containing ends, i.e., confined filter cigarettes are likely to lose tobacco at the ends which are remote from the respective filter tips.

3.

The invention resides in the provision of a packet for reception of a substantially block-shaped array of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. The improved packet comprises a substantially blockshaped envelope having a first and a second end portion, and a reinforcing liner for at least one of the end portions.

The envelope and the liner preferably have rectangular shapes, and the envelope preferably surrounds and at least partially conceals the liner. The arrangement may be such that the internal surface of the envelope completely surrounds the liner.

The envelope can be made of a first material (e.g., a blank of paper or the like which is coated, at least at one side, with a layer serving to render the envelope impermeable to gases and liquids), and the liner can be made of a second material which may but need not be different from and can be stiffer or softer than the first material, depending on the stiffness (i.e., resistance to deformation) of the envelope.

The at least one end portion of the envelope normally includes five sides, and the liner then comprises five portions (e.g., in the form of strips, panels and/or flaps) each of which is adjacent a different side of the at least one end portion.

The liner can comprise or can consist of cardboard, paperboard, stiff paper, metallic foil or other suitable sheet material.

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, the liner comprises an elongated median panel or strip and two elongated lateral panels or strips which flank the median panel. The lateral panels are disposed at one side of the median panel and are located in planes substantially at right angles to the plane of the median panel. The panels include elongated main portions and 4. first and second end portions. The first end portions of the panels overlap each other and together constitute a first transverse wall between the main portions of the lateral panels, and the second end portions of the panels also overlap each other and together constitute a second transverse wall between the main portions of the lateral panels. The liner is preferably provided with fold lines between the median panel and the two lateral panels and also between the main portion and the end portions of each panel.

If the rod-shaped articles are filter cigarettes, the liner surrounds those ends of the cigarettes which are remote from the respective filters.

The envelope can but need not comprise a plurality of layers.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved packet itself, however, both as to its construction and the mode of applying the same, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a packet which embodies one form of the invention and confines a rectangular block-shaped array of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, a portion of the envelope being broken away at that end portion which surrounds the liner; FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line II-II in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a the like which can be the improved packet.

plan view of a blank of cardboard or converted into a liner for use in FIG. 1 shows a packet 1 of the type known as soft pack. This packet comprises a hollow rectangular block-shaped envelope 3 and a cup- or capshaped reinforcing liner or insert 6 which is installed in one end portion of the envelope 3, namely in that end portion which receives the tobacco-containing end portions 4 of plain or filter cigarettes 2 in the envelope. The latter is assumed to surround and fluidtightly confine a blockshaped array of twenty filter cigarettes 2. The filter tips of the cigarettes 2 are located in the lower end portion of the envelope 3 as seen in FIG. 1.

The envelope 3 preferably constitutes a converted one-piece blank of relatively soft and readily pliable sheet material, e.g., a sheet of paper one side of which (namely the inner side of the envelope 3) is coated with one or more films of a material which renders the blank impermeable to gases and liquids. This ensures that, as long as the packet 1 remains sealed, the confined cigarettes 2 retain their aroma as well as their optimum moisture content.

The liner 6 can be made of a material which is the same as the material of the envelope 3 if the upper end portion of the envelope (as viewed in FIG. 1) and the properly inserted liner are capable of jointly shielding the rather sensitive tobacco-containing end portions 4 of the cigarettes 2 from anticipated stresses, i.e., from stresses which arise during draping of a blank around the block-shaped array of cigarettes 2 to form the envelope 3, during manipulation of the packet 1 subsequent to completed confinement of cigarettes 2 in the envelope 3 as well as in actual u6e of the packet, i.e., subsequent to the purchase of the packet 1 by a smoker. For example, the packet 1 can be opened to expose the end portions 4 of the cigarettes 2 by separating the elongated --claps 11 7.

shown at the top of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and by thereafter removing a portion Of Or Lhe entire liner 6.

It is equally possible, and often preferred, to make the liner 6 of a material which is stiffer than the material of the envelope 3; this even further reduces the likelihood of damaging the end portions 4 of the cigarettes 2, e.g., by squashing or otherwise deforming such end portions and by thus causing them to lose tobacco particles. Certain presently preferred materials for the liner 6 are stiff paper, cardboard or the like.

A blank which can be converted into a liner 6 is shown in FIG. 3. This blank comprises an elonaated median panel or strip 7 having two end portions 9 in the form of relatively small flaps, and two elongated lateral panels or strips 8 each of which also comprises two end portions in the form of relatively small flaps 9. The lateral panels 8 can be pivoted relative to the median panel 7 along two parallel fold lines 10 which are indicated by broken lines. Similar fold lines 12 are provided between the elongated median portion of each of the three panels and the respective end portions 9.

When the liner 6 is to be placed around one end portion of a block-shaped array of cigarettes 2, the lateral panels 8 of the blank shown in FIG. 3 are pivoted to one side of the median panel 7 along the respective fold lines 10 so that the thus pivoted panels 8 are located in two parallel planes which are normal to the plane of the median panel 7. The righthand flaps 9 of the three panels 7, 8, 8 are then pivoted along the respecti-ve fold lines 12 so that they overlap each other and form a first transverse wall between the elongated median portions of the lateral panels 8. Analogously, the left-hand -flaps 9 of FIG. 3 are pivoted along the her and t respective fold lines 12 to overlap each ot 1-o jointly constitute a second trans:-erse wall extendin 8.

between the median portions of the lateral panels 8. Such manipulation of the blank of FIG. 3 can take place during application of the liner 6 around the respective end face and the adjacent portions of the four peripheral surfaces of the block of cigarettes 2, namely around the rather sensitive tobacco-containing end portions 4. It will he noted that the properly applied liner 6 has five portions (including the elongated median portions of the three panels 7, 8, 8, the overlapping three left- hand flaps 9 of FIG. 3, and the overlapping three right-hand flaps 9 of FIG. 3) each of which is adjacent a different side of the block of cigarettes 2.

Instead of draping the blank of FIG. 3 around one end nortion of the block-shaped array of cigarettes 2, it is equally possible to introduce the one end portion of the array (namely the end portion including the end portions 4 of the cigarettes 2) into a preassembled liner 6 wherein the overlapping flaps 9 at both ends of the median portions of the three panels may but need not be glued and/or otherwise secured to each other.

The properly inserted liner 6 is completely surrounded by the internal surface of the envelope 3, i.e., the liner cannot detract from the appearance of the packet 1 even if its color and/or its finish departs from or clashes with the color and/or finish of the envelope.

IE the envelope 3 confines plain cigarettes, it JL can be assembled with two cup- or cap-shaped liners 6, one at each end of the block-shaped array of plain cigarettes.

An important advantage of the improved packet 1 is that it adequately p2; otects the tobacco-containing end portions of rod-shaped articles (which can be plain or filter cigarettes 2 or any other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry). Furthermore, the r-- the liner 6 can be selected with a view to material oJ_ ensure that, in conjunctLon with the respective end 9.

portion of the envelope 3, the liner will adequately protect the tobaccocontaining end portions of confined articles against squashing, bending and/or other types of deformation and hence against undesirable loss of tobacco particles at the tobacco-containing ends.

The external surface of the envelope 3 can carr customary information including standard warnings which are prescribed by health authorities in certain countries, the trademark or trademarks of the maker, the name of the maker, the name of the distributor, decorative material and/or others. The invention can be embodied in packets which are designed to receive block-shaped arrays of four, five, ten, twenty, twentyone or any other number of relatively long or short, thick or thin, cylindrical or oval rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry.

10.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.

11.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS:

   1. A packet for reception of a substantially block-shaped array of rodshaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a substantially blockshaped envelope having a first end portion and a second end portion; and a reinforcing liner for at least one of said end portions.

   2. The packet of claim 1, wherein said envelope and said liner have rectangular shapes.

   3. The packet of claim 1, wherein said envelope surrounds said liner.

   12- 4. The packet of claim 1, wherein said envelone consists of a first material and said liner consists of a material having a stiffness which is different from that of said first material.

   5. The packet of claim 1, wherein said at leastone end portion has five sides and said liner includes five portions each adjacent a different side of said at least one end portion.

   6. The packet of claim 1, wherein said liner comprises cardboard.

   13.

   7. The packet of claim 1, wherein said liner includes an elongated median panel and two elongated lateral panels flanking said median panel; said lateral panels being disposed substantially at right angles to and at one side of said median panel.

   8. The packet of claim 7, wherein said panels include elongated main portions and first and second end portions; the first end portions of said panels overlapping each other and together constituting a first transverse wall between the main portions of said lateral panels, the second end portions of said panels overlapping each other and together constituting a second transverse wall between the main portions of said lateral panels.

   9. The packet of claim 7, wherein said liner has fold lines between said median panel and each of said lateral panels.

   14 10. The packet of claim 1 for reception of articles having tobaccocontaining end portions, said liner surrounding the tobacco-containing end portions of articles in said envelo-pe.

   11. The packet of claim 1, wherein said envelope comprises a plurality of layers.

   12. The packet of claim 1, wherein said at leas-L one end portion of said envelope has an internal surface which completely surrounds said liner.

   13. A packet for reception of a substantially block-shaped array of rodshaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.