IT201800009102A1 - Smoking items package including a coupon and method for making it - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the industrial invention entitled:

"Packet of smoking items including a coupon and method for making it"

The present invention falls within the technical sector of packages of smoking articles, for example cigarettes. In detail, the invention relates to a package of smoking items including a coupon and a method for its realization.

As is known, the use of information coupons is often provided for in packages of smoking items, for example packets of cigarettes, as the external surface of the packages itself is often insufficient to contain the information to be reported (health risks , advertisements, brief description of the product, etc ..).

A package of known types of smoking articles, for example of a rigid, sealed and resealable type, comprises: a container, a lid hinged to the container and a casing that wraps the smoking articles, which is arranged in the container. The casing is provided with an opening to make smoking items accessible.

The package also includes a repositionable adhesive label, applied at the opening, and movable to make it accessible and close at each use.

Generally, the coupon is placed between the container and the wrapper that wraps the smoking items. In detail, the coupon is arranged in the front part of the package, so as to be visible by rotating the lid with respect to the container. In this way, when the package is first opened, the coupon is immediately available to the user. However, the user can decide to extract the coupon from the package at a later time, leaving it positioned between the container and the wrapper.

It is essential that the coupon does not interfere with the repositionable label when opening the package. For example, document WO2015011621 describes a package for smoking items in which the coupon and the repositionable label have a complementary profile, so as not to overlap each other.

However, the solution described above has some drawbacks.

In fact, the solution described above requires the use of non-standard coupons and labels, ie suitably shaped with respect to each other to obtain the effect of non-overlapping of the parts. In addition, the preparation of the coupon and the label, precisely because of their particular shape, is complicated. A further technical problem related to the need to shape the label in a complementary way to the protruding portion of the coupon is the consequent reduction in the size of the cigarette extraction opening.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

This object is achieved by proposing a package of smoking articles comprising a coupon and a method for its realization in accordance with the attached claims.

Advantageously, the package and the proposed method allow the use of a standard type label, which means that it does not require special shaping. Consequently, the realization of the package is simpler with respect to the known art package described above.

Further advantages will be made evident in the following discussion, where reference will be made to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closed packet of smoking articles according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of an open package for smoking articles, according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- figure 3 is a front view of the package of figure 2, closed, in which some internal parts have been highlighted with dashed lines, for greater clarity;

- Figures 4 and 5 are views respectively similar to those of Figure 2 and Figure 3, in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, according to a different variant;

- figure 7 is a front view of the package of figure 6, closed, in which some internal parts have been highlighted with dashed lines, for greater clarity;

Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 4, according to a variant.

With reference to the figures, 1 indicates a packet of smoking articles S according to the present invention. In the attached figures, the smoking articles are S cigarettes and are visible in figures 2, 4,6 and 8.

Package 1 includes: a container 2; a lid 3 hinged to the container 2; a casing 4 that wraps the smoking articles S, arranged in the container 2 and provided with an opening 40 to make the smoking articles S accessible.

By wrapper 4 is meant the sheet (for example made of thermoplastic material) which is wrapped around a group of smoking articles S to form a wrapping.

The package 1 also comprises a repositionable adhesive label 5, which can be moved to make the opening 40 of the casing 4 accessible and closed. In detail, the repositionable adhesive label 5 comprises an edge 51 with a fixing portion 50 fixed to the lid 3, so that by rotating the lid 3 with respect to the container 2 the repositionable adhesive label 5 is simultaneously moved (and therefore the opening 40 is made accessible or closed).

The package 1 also comprises at least a first coupon 6 (for example consisting of a sheet of paper or other material), interposed between a front wall 20 of the container 2 and a front wall 41 of the envelope 4 (see in particular the figures 3, 5, 6 and 7).

Furthermore, the packet 1 comprises: a first gripping element 7, connected to the first coupon 6, which can be gripped by a user once the packet 1 has been opened to extract the first coupon 6 from the container 2.

In particular, the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5 further comprises a first free portion 52 released from the lid, contiguous and adjacent to the fixing portion 50 (which is instead constrained to the lid 3, in particular to an internal surface of the lid 3).

Furthermore, on the first opening of the packet 1, when the packet 1 is closed, the first gripping element 7 is interposed between the lid 3 and the first free portion 52 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5 (see in particular the figures 3 and 5).

With reference to the figures, the edge 51 is arranged at one end of the repositionable adhesive label 5 and is substantially a strip of the repositionable adhesive label 5 which develops transversely to the development of the entire package 1.

The first coupon 6 is interposed between the front wall 20 of the container 2 and the front wall 41 of the envelope 4, and, in detail, between the internal surface of the front wall 20 of the container 2 and the external surface of the front wall 41 of the casing 4. With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4, the front wall 20 of the container 2 means the wall opposite to that to which the lid 3 is hinged. The front wall 41 of the casing 4 means that wall which in the absence of the first coupon 6 faces the front wall 20 of the container 2.

The first gripping element 7, at the first opening of the package 1, when this is closed, is interposed between the repositionable adhesive label 5 and the lid 3, and in particular between the first free portion 52 of the edge 51 of the repositionable label 5 and the lid 3. Unlike the prior art, the first gripping element 7 is at least partially superimposed on the repositionable adhesive label 5 (see Figures 3 and 5) in correspondence with the first free portion 52 of the edge 51, which is released from the cover 3.

The package 1 according to the present invention therefore ensures that the first coupon 6 does not interfere with the repositionable adhesive label 5 and, at the same time, that the label 5 is of the standard type, that is, that it does not require particular shapes.

Therefore, package 1 is simple to manufacture, unlike the known art.

When the packet 1 is opened, by rotating the lid 3 with respect to the container 2 and then moving the repositionable adhesive label 5, the first coupon 6 remains in position, and so also the first gripping element 7, which "slips" from its starting position. When the packet 1 is closed again, if the first coupon 6 has not been extracted, the first gripping element 7 is interposed between the external surface of the front wall 41 of the wrapper 4 the external surface of the repositionable adhesive label 5, i.e. that surface that does not counterfeit the lid 3.

With reference to the embodiment of figures 2 and 3, the first free portion 52 is arranged centrally along the development of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5 (i.e. it is arranged substantially in correspondence with the longitudinal development axis of the packet 1 and first coupon 6). In this case, the first gripping element 7 is arranged centrally with respect to the first coupon 6.

With reference to the embodiment of figures 4 and 5, the first free portion 52 is arranged laterally along the development of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5. In this case, the first gripping element 7 is arranged laterally with respect to the first coupon 6.

Preferably, the packet 1 comprises at least one trace of glue 8 (schematically represented in Figures 3-5) arranged in correspondence with the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5. The trace of glue 8 binds permanently the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5 to the lid 3. The trace of glue 8 is instead not arranged in the first free portion 52 of the edge 51, for the reasons explained above.

Preferably, the glue track 8 is defined by a plurality of glue points; alternatively, the glue trace 8 is defined by a glue strip.

The trace of glue 8 is preferably applied to the repositionable adhesive label 5, but can also be applied at the internal surface of the lid 3 which will counter-face the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51.

In accordance with the attached figures, the trace of glue 8 is applied in correspondence with the surface of the repositionable adhesive label which faces the lid 3. In correspondence with the opposite surface, the application of "repositionable glue" is foreseen, ie glue that allows the repositionable adhesive label 5 to close and open the opening 40 several times. Given the presence of the first coupon 6, the repositionable glue is arranged so as not to interfere with the first coupon 6 itself when the repositionable adhesive label 5 closes the opening 40. In other words, the repositionable glue is not arranged at the peripheral edge of the repositionable adhesive label 5, but more internally than the extension of the repositionable adhesive label 5. The first gripping element 7 forms, for example, an appendix (as in the illustrated case).

Preferably, with reference to the attached figures, the first gripping element 7 is made in a single body with the first coupon 6 (see, in detail, Figures 2 and 4), and is therefore of the same material as the first coupon 6. In in this case, therefore, the first gripping element 7 constitutes an extension of the first coupon 6 itself. Advantageously, in this way, the first coupon 6 and the first gripping element 7, in fact, constitute a single object and, therefore, it is not necessary to first realize and fix the two distinct objects together in a second time. Alternatively, the first coupon 6 and the connecting element 7 can be two distinct objects, fixed to each other.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the package 1 further comprises anchoring means (not shown), for fixing a portion of the first coupon 6 to the front wall 41 or to the bottom 42 of the casing 4 (for example the portion of the first coupon opposite to the first gripping element 7).

Advantageously, in this way the first coupon 6 remains stationary until extraction by the user.

In detail, the anchoring means can comprise for example a strip connected to the aforementioned portion of the first coupon 6 and fixed to the front wall 41 or to the bottom 42 of the casing 4 (for example by glue), and a pre-fracture line ( or a line, even partial, comprising one or more cuts / incisions), arranged between the strip and the portion of the first coupon 6. In this way, the extraction of the first coupon 6 by a user is facilitated. For example, if the strip is fixed to the bottom 42 of the casing 4, the pre-fracture line can be arranged at the edge between the bottom 42 and the front wall 41 of the casing 4.

Preferably, the strip is made in a single body with the first coupon 6 and is made of the same material as the first coupon 6.

Alternatively, the anchoring means can consist of a trace or a point of "low strength" glue (the so-called "weak glue"), arranged for example between the front wall 41 of the casing 4 and the portion of the first coupon 6 (situation not illustrated).

With reference to the attached figures, and in particular to figures 3 and 5, the first coupon 6 has a transversal dimension slightly lower than that of the container 2. Alternatively, according to a variant not illustrated, the first coupon 6 has a transversal dimension greater than that of the container 2. of the container 2 and is folded back on itself (for example once or twice) to be inserted into the container 2. In this case, the first coupon 6 provides more surfaces for printing.

According to the embodiment illustrated in figures 6 and 7, the package 1 further comprises a second coupon 60, interposed between the front wall 20 of the container 2 and the front wall 41 of the envelope 4; and a second gripping element 70, connected to the second coupon 60, which can be gripped by a user once the package 1 has been opened.

In this embodiment, the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5 also comprises a second free portion 53 released from the lid 3, contiguous and adjacent to the fixing portion 50. When the package 1 is first opened, the second gripping element 70 is interposed between the lid 3 and the second free portion 53 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5.

Advantageously, the presence of the second coupon 60 makes more printing surfaces available (therefore more space for information), and, at the same time, the second gripping element 70 does not interfere in any way with the repositionable adhesive label 5 when the package is first opened. 1.

With reference to the embodiment described above, when the package 1 is opened for the first time, by rotating the lid 3 with respect to the container 2 and then moving the repositionable adhesive label 5, the first coupon 6 and the second coupon 60 remain in position, and thus also the respective gripping elements 7, 70 which "withdraw" from their initial position. When the packet 1 is closed again, if the first coupon 6 and / or the second coupon 60 have not been extracted from the container 2, the relative gripping element 7, 70 will be interposed between the external surface of the front wall 41 of the casing 4. external surface of the repositionable adhesive label 5, i.e. the surface that does not counter-face the lid 3.

As regards the second coupon 60 and the second gripping element 70, reference should be made to what has already been said for the first coupon 6 and the first gripping element 7 (shape, arrangement, presence of the anchoring means, etc.).

The lid 3 generally comprises, in correspondence with the relative front wall (i.e. the one opposite the hinge which makes it rotatable with respect to the container 2), an end flap 30 hinged to the relative front wall, illustrated only in Figures 4 and 8 for clarity. flap 30 is folded inside the lid 3, and therefore is not visible from the outside, at least when the package 1 is closed.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the label 5 is fixed to this flap 30 of the lid 3.

According to a first alternative, the flap 30 is glued internally to the lid 3 itself (i.e. to the internal front wall of the lid 3), thus being fixed with respect to the lid 3 and folded inside the lid 3 during the opening and closing operations of the package. 1 (therefore also when package 1 is open, see figure 4).

According to another alternative, the flap 30 is hinged to the front wall of the lid 3, but is not glued to the inside of the lid 3 itself, thus being movable with respect to the lid 3 during the opening and closing operations of the package 1 (see figure 8). In detail, according to this alternative, when the packet 1 is closed, the flap 30 is folded inside the lid 3 itself (as in the previous case), while when the packet 1 is opened, and the lid 3 is rotated with respect to the container 2, the flap 30 is rotated outside the lid 3 (situation illustrated in Figure 8).

According to the latter alternative, the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the label 5 is fixed to the surface of the flap 30 facing the smoking articles S when the package 1 is closed.

Again with reference to the latter alternative, when the coupon 6 is positioned in the packet 1 and the packet 1 is closed (i.e. the lid 3 is closed), the development of the first gripping element 7, considered according to the longitudinal development direction of the packet 1, i.e. its protrusion with respect to the first coupon 6, is not greater than the development of the flap 30 of the lid 3, considered according to the longitudinal direction of the packet 1. In other words, the first gripping element 7 does not extend beyond the flap 30 of the lid 3. This feature ensures that the first gripping element 7 is removed from the label 5 at the first opening of the package 1. Clearly, this also depends on the position of the first coupon 6 with respect to the front wall 20 of the container 2. The correct positioning of the first coupon 6 and therefore of the first gripping element 7 can be facilitated by the presence of the anchoring means described above.

Even if reference has been made to figures 4 and 8 in which only the first coupon 6 is present, the same characteristics can be present if there is also the second coupon 60.

The invention further relates to a method for making a package 1 of smoking items S with a first coupon 6 described above.

The method includes the steps of:

a) engrave a sheet of wrapping (not illustrated) intended to define the wrapper 4, in order to identify the opening 40 to make the smoking items available S;

b) apply the repositionable adhesive label 5 in correspondence with the opening area 40, so that the repositionable adhesive label 5 can be moved to make the opening 40 accessible and close;

c) wrap the sheet around the smoking articles S, so as to form the envelope 4 with the sheet;

d) position the first coupon 6 so that it is arranged at the front wall 41 of the envelope 4 and so that the first gripping element 7 is superimposed on the first free portion 52 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5; e) folding a blank around the wrapper 4 containing the smoking items S and the first coupon 6, so as to form the container 2 and the lid 3 of the package 1;

f) constrain the cover 3 to the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5.

With the aforementioned method, it is possible to create package 1 using a standard type repositionable adhesive label 5. In particular, the first coupon 6 and the repositionable adhesive label do not require particular shapes with respect to each other and, at the same time, the first coupon 6 does not constitute an obstacle to the handling of the repositionable adhesive label 5.

The step f) listed above may include the step of applying at least a trace of glue 8 in correspondence with the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5 (as previously described). Alternatively, step f) may provide for applying a trace of glue 8 at the internal surface of the cover 3 which will counter-face the fixing portion 50 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5.

Alternatively to step a), the method may include the step of feeding a sheet of wrapping or a pre-engraved tape, in which the incision identifies the access opening 40 of the smoking articles S.

Note that, preferably, the aforementioned step a) is performed at the beginning of the process, while steps b) to f) can be performed in a different order than that in which they were presented above, although the order presented is the preferred embodiment of the method.

The method may comprise the further step of applying anchoring means (not shown) to anchor the first coupon 6 to the front wall 41 of the casing 4. For example, the method may include the step of applying a point or a trace of “low strength” glue, ie non-permanent glue (the so-called “weak glue”), between the aforementioned sheet and the first coupon 6 (situation not illustrated). This specification guarantees the stability of the first coupon 6. In fact, the first coupon 6 remains in a stable position in the time lapse between its positioning on the wrapper 4 (or on the sheet, as explained above) and the formation of the container 2 (as well as up to the extraction of the first coupon 6 from package 1).

In particular, this embodiment is particularly advantageous in the case in which, during step d), the first coupon 6 is arranged on the part of the sheet intended to constitute the front wall 41 or the bottom 42 of the wrapper 4 (as described above ). In fact, in this way, the first coupon 6 is prevented from lifting and / or moving from the sheet during subsequent operations. In particular, in this way it is ensured that, during the formation of the packet 1, the first coupon 6 does not interfere with the operations of formation of the wrapper 4 and / or of the container 2, nor does it give rise to unwanted creases of the first coupon 6 itself. . In detail, in this way it is ensured that, during the formation of the packet 1, the first coupon 6 does not interfere with the folding members / means of an automatic packaging machine 1.

Alternatively, the method can provide for the step of applying anchoring means 13 different with respect to the glue trace, according to the embodiments previously described with regard to the package 1.

The invention also relates to a method for making a package 1 in accordance with the second embodiment described above, in which the second coupon 60 is also present.

According to this embodiment, the method further comprises the step of:

- position the second coupon 60 so that it is arranged in correspondence with the front wall 41 of the casing 4 and so that the second gripping element 70 does not overlap the first gripping element 7 and so that the second gripping element 70 overlaps the second free portion 53 of the edge 51 of the repositionable adhesive label 5.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS 1) Packet (1) of smoking articles (S) comprising: a container (2); a lid (3) hinged to the container (2); a casing (4) that wraps the smoking items (S), arranged in the container (2) and provided with an opening (40) to make the smoking items accessible (S); a repositionable adhesive label (5), which can be moved to make the opening (40) of the casing (4) accessible and closed; the repositionable adhesive label (5) comprises an edge (51) with a fixing portion (50) which is constrained to the lid (3), so that by rotating the lid (3) with respect to the container (2) the '' repositionable adhesive label (5); a first coupon (6), interposed between a front wall (20) of the container (2) and a front wall (41) of the envelope (4); a first gripping element (7), connected to the first coupon (6), which can be gripped by a user once the package (1) has been opened; characterized by the fact that: the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5) further comprises a first free portion (52) released from the lid, contiguous and adjacent to the fixing portion (50), and by the fact that: upon first opening of the package (1), the first gripping element (7) is interposed between the lid (3) and the first free portion (52) of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5). 2) Package (1) according to claim 1, in which the first free portion (52) is arranged centrally along the development of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5) and the first gripping element (7) is arranged centrally with respect to the first coupon (6). 3) Package (1) according to claim 1, in which the first free portion (52) is arranged laterally along the development of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5) and the first gripping element (7) is arranged laterally with respect to the first coupon (6). 4) Package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least a trace of glue (8) arranged at the fixing portion (50) of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5). 5) Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first gripping element (7) is made in one piece with the first coupon (6). 6) Package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising anchoring means, to anchor a portion of the first coupon (6) to the front wall (41) or to the bottom (42) of the envelope (4). 7) Package (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the anchoring means comprise a strip of material made in a single body with the first coupon; and a pre-breaking line to allow easy separation of the first coupon. 8) Package (1) according to any of the previous claims, further comprising a second coupon (60), interposed between the front wall (20) of the container (2) and the front wall (41) of the envelope (4); and a second gripping element (70), connected to the second coupon (60), which can be gripped by a user once the package (1) has been opened; and in which the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5) further comprises a second free portion (53) released from the lid (3), contiguous and adjacent to the fixing portion (50); and in which, on the first opening of the package (1), the second gripping element (70) is interposed between the lid (3) and the second free portion (53) of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5) . 9) Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (3) comprises an end flap (30) hinged to the front wall of the lid (3); the fixing portion (50) of the edge (51) of the label (5) is fixed to this flap (30) of the lid (3); the flap (30) is: folded inside the lid (3) when the package (1) is closed and is rotated outside the lid (3) when the package (1) is opened. 10) Package (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein, when the package (1) is closed, the first coupon (6) is arranged so that the development of the first gripping element (7), considered in the direction of development length of the package (1), does not extend beyond the flap (30) of the lid (3), considered in the longitudinal development direction of the package (1). 11) Method for making the package (1) of smoking articles (S) of claim 1, comprising the steps of: a) engrave a wrapping sheet intended to define the envelope (4), in order to identify the opening (40) to make the smoking items available (S); b) apply the repositionable adhesive label (5) in correspondence with the opening area (40), so that the repositionable adhesive label (5) can be moved to make the opening accessible and close (40); c) wrap the sheet around the smoking items (S), so as to form the envelope (4); d) position the first coupon (6) so that it is arranged in correspondence with the front wall (41) of the casing (4) and so that the first gripping element (7) is superimposed on the first free portion (52) of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5); e) fold a blank around the wrapper (4) containing the smoking items (S) and the first coupon (6), so as to form the container (2) and the lid (3) of the package (1); f) constrain the lid (3) to the fixing portion (50) of the edge of the repositionable adhesive label (5). 12) Method according to the previous claim, wherein the step f) comprises the step of: g) apply a trace of glue (8) on the fixing portion (50) of the edge (51) of the repositionable adhesive label (5).