Abstract:
In the method for producing a package for bar-shaped smoking articles that has at least one outer layer intended to receive the bar-shaped smoking articles and to hold the package together, a foil strip that is suitable for the outer layer and is taken from a reel is embossed and/or provided with creasing breaks online in time with the work cadence (P) of the packaging machine and subsequently cut to size. The resulting blank is then folded around the bar-shaped smoking articles in the packaging machine. On one hand, this method allows packaging the cigarettes directly in the outer wrapper without an innerliner, and on the other hand, to strongly rationalize and simplify the entire packaging process and to apply a large variety of signs of all kinds that are perceptible visually, tactually, acoustically or by olfaction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is the National Phase of PCT/EP2012/056459, filed Apr. 10, 2012, which claims priority to European Application No. 11162113.2, filed Apr. 12, 2011, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a method and a device for producing a package for bar-shaped smoking articles that has at least one outer layer. The term “bar-shaped smoking articles” is meant to include cigarettes, cigarillos, or cigars. For the sake of simplicity, mostly only cigarettes are mentioned in the following. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    According to the prior art, a cigarette package is generally composed of an inner package that may consist of paper, plastic material, metallized paper, or synthetic paper, in rare cases also of an aluminum foil, and of an outer package that may consist of thin cardboard as it is e.g. described in WO-2010/012370 A1, or generally of plastic material, or of different layers of paper and plastic material, that offers sufficient mechanical protection, and may or not be provided with a protecting layer that protects from desiccation and/or the influence of odors. According to the aforementioned PCT application, both the inner package and the outer package are supplied as blanks to the packaging machine where the cigarettes are wrapped in the inner package and introduced into the shaped outer package. 
         [0004]    Furthermore, if it is a so-called innerliner, the inner package can be embossed, i.e. satinized and provided with logos, according to known techniques. Supplying the two blanks synchronously to the cycle of the packaging machine requires complex synchronizing means, particularly when the inner package is being embossed and/or printed. 
         [0005]    Recently, increasing efforts have been made by governments and organizations to contain cigarette consumption particularly among adolescents, and attempts are being made to completely eliminate or substantially restrict publicity on cigarette packets, i.e. both on the inner package or inner side and on the outer package. Simultaneously, efforts are being made by the industry to make the production of cigarette packages more rational and more cost-effective both with regard to the material and to the production process. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    On the background of this prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for producing packages for cigarettes, cigarillos, or cigars which meet the various requirements with regard to such packages without using an inner package, on one hand, and on the other hand, enable a more rational production and allow to provide the package with a large diversity of visible or virtually invisible tactually, acoustically, or olfactorily perceptible signs that may also serve as authentication features. In the context of the present application, the term “sign” is meant to include any kind of logotypes, individual points, groups of points, colors, as well as combinations thereof which are produced by the embossing roller(s) and are visually, tactually, acoustically, or olfactorily perceptible. 
         [0007]    This object is attained by the method wherein the outer layer of the package is adapted to receive the bar-shaped smoking articles and to hold the package together, whereby a previously printed or unprinted foil strip that is suitable for the outer layer and is taken from a reel is online embossed and/or provided with creasing breaks in time with the work cadence (P) of the packaging machine and subsequently cut to size, and the resulting blank is folded around the bar-shaped smoking articles in the packaging machine, and by a device wherein it comprises a foil strip reel, an embossing unit and/or a creasing unit and a cutting unit, and is operatively connected to a packaging machine, the device comprising control and synchronizing elements in order to process a foil strip online in time with the work cadence of the packaging machine and to wrap the produced blank around bar-shaped smoking articles. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to drawings of exemplary embodiments. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  schematically shows the workflow of a process for producing a package from a foil strip and the associated device, 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  shows a first foil strip during processing, 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  shows an enlarged detail of  FIG. 1A , 
           [0012]      FIG. 1C  shows a larger foil strip during processing, 
           [0013]      FIGS. 2 to 7  show six roller assemblies of an embossing unit in a pinup-pinup configuration, 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  shows a roller assembly in a pinup-pindown configuration, 
           [0015]      FIG. 8A  shows a section according to line VIIIA-VIIIA in  FIG. 8 , 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  shows an exemplary embodiment of a creasing roller assembly, 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  shows a lateral view of  FIG. 9 , 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  shows an exemplary embodiment of a cutting roller assembly, 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  schematically shows a folded blank, 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  shows a portion of cigarettes, 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  shows the package of  FIG. 12  in the closed state, 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  shows a cigarette holder strip, and 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  shows an innerliner. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a simplified flow chart of a possible device for producing a package for cigarettes as it is illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 14 . Device  1  according to  FIG. 1  comprises a foil strip reel  2  with a foil strip  3  that runs first through an embossing unit  4 , then through a creasing unit  5 , and finally through a cutting unit  6  in order to subsequently reach a packaging machine  7  as a blank  19 . 
         [0025]    The packaging foil, i.e. the foil strip  3  for producing an outer package may consist of a light material, e.g. of paper, thin cardboard, of hybrid foils, i.e. foils having multiple coatings of different materials, or of plastics foils that may be metallized or otherwise coated, or for certain applications, in certain countries where it is still allowed, a metal foil. In the following, this will simply be designated by the term “foil”. 
         [0026]    As a first regulating unit  8 , device  1  comprises a synchronizing device that serves for adapting the operating cadence A1 of embossing unit  4  to the work cadence P of the packaging process. Work cadence P may e.g. be defined by a length of packaging foil  3  that is to be fed to the packaging machine per time unit and to which operating cadence A1 of embossing unit  4  has to be adjusted in the pretreatment of foil  3 . Thereto corresponds an accurate positioning of embossed surface structures on each length of foil  3  that is to be supplied. The surface structures may be structures of the embossed signs  23 S,  24 S. 
         [0027]    Synchronizing unit  8  comprises a detection device  9  for determining the operating cadence A1 of embossing unit  4 . This may e.g. include an optical detection of the position of surface structures  23  that have been embossed on foil  3  in embossing unit  4 . More specifically, the detection takes place on the transport path between embossing unit  4  and creasing unit  5 . 
         [0028]    The detected operating cadence A1 may subsequently be adapted to work cadence P in a positioning device  10 . For this purpose, a manual and/or automated adaptation procedure may be contemplated. The driven roller may be temporarily disengaged from the drive in order to thus lengthen the transport path of foil  3  by a desired amount that will be in conformity with work cadence P. The demand-driven lengthening of the transport path of foil  3  is compensated by a buffer unit  14   a  located downstream of embossing unit  4 . 
         [0029]    In order to determine and control the operating cadence A2 of creasing unit  5 , device  1  comprises a second regulating unit  11 . Regulating unit  11  comprises a comparing device  12  that allows detecting a quantitative deviation between operating cadences A1 and A2 of the embossing unit and of the creasing unit. This may e.g. be accomplished by means of an optical representation by a lamp that is arranged to irradiate the foil with light at regular time intervals in the manner of a strobe. The irradiation frequency preferably corresponds to work cadence P. In this manner, an optical representation of the relative position of the surface structures embossed in embossing unit  4  and of creasing breaks  21   a - e  formed on foil  3 , i.e. on blank  19  within creasing unit  5  is accomplished. 
         [0030]    The obtained information is subsequently used in a positioning device  13  in order to adapt operating cadence A2 to operating cadence A1 in such a manner that the resulting creasing breaks  21   a - e  are located at the desired relative positions on foil  3 . Positioning device  13  may e.g. be arranged for a manual and/or automated adjustment of the circumferential position of driven creasing roller  34  relative to foil  3 . For this purpose, a coupling for disengaging creasing roller  34  from roller drive  36  may be contemplated. In addition, this allows a demand-driven or process-dependent variation of the relative positions of creasing breaks  21   a - e  on foil  3 . 
         [0031]    Comparing device  21  may also be used for detecting the relative deviation of operating cadence A2 from work cadence P for an additional verification of the synchronization to the following packaging process. Furthermore, it is possible in this manner to obtain indirect indications of an involuntary deviation of operating cadence A2 from operating cadence A1 as operating cadence A1 is already synchronized to work cadence P by means of synchronizing unit  8 . 
         [0032]    For a demand-driven lengthening of the transport path of foil  3  in the case of an intervention of positioning device  13 , another buffer unit  14   b  is provided downstream of creasing unit  5 . 
         [0033]    Second regulating unit  11  is followed by a third regulating unit  15  for synchronizing the operating cadence A3 of cutting unit  6  to work cadence P. In analogy to second regulating unit  11 , third regulating unit  15  comprises a comparing unit  16  that allows detecting a quantitative deviation between operating cadences A2 and A3 of the creasing and cutting units, respectively. The signals may be acquired in analogy to the second regulating unit. The thus obtained information is subsequently used in a positioning device  17  in order to adapt operating cadence A3 to operating cadence A2 in such a manner that cuts  22   a - 22   f  are located at the desired relative positions on blank  19 . 
         [0034]    Foil strip  3 ,  3   b  may be previously printed or unprinted. However, it is also possible to arrange a printing unit upstream of the embossing unit in order to print the foil strip in time with work cadence P. The regulating unit provided for this purpose is similar to the described regulating units and allows synchronizing the operating cadence of the printing unit to the operating cadence of the other units and to the work cadence. Furthermore, a station for applying odorants may be integrated into the device, in which case an additional regulating unit ensures that this station operates in time with work cadence P. 
         [0035]    In the following packaging machine  7 , blank  19  provided with creasing breaks  21   a - e  is continuously supplied to the packaging machine in time with work cadence P. In the latter, blank  19  is directly folded around the cigarettes  18  to be packaged. Due to creasing breaks  21   a - e , only a small force has to be applied, whereby a destruction of the packaged goods is effectively prevented. Creasing breaks  21   a - c  are preferably located at the bottom of the thus formed package, where two creasing operations are performed along the creasing edges. In  FIGS. 9 to 11 , this operation is schematically illustrated. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 1C  a larger foil strip  3   b  is illustrated that is intended to receive the cigarettes in the transversal direction. Foil strip  3   b  is embossed, folded, and cut in a similar manner as foil strip  3  to obtain the blank  19   b  with the embossed signs  24 S, creasing breaks  25 , and cuts  26 . It is understood that both the embossing unit and the creasing and cutting units are adapted to the width of the foil strip. 
         [0037]    In certain applications or depending on the foil properties it is not necessary to fold the foil strip prior to wrapping, in which case the creasing unit is not used and the regulating units are adapted accordingly. In other applications it may not be necessary to emboss the foil strip, in which case the foil strip is directly supplied from the foil strip reel to the creasing unit. The regulating units are accordingly adapted in this case also. 
         [0038]    The number and the design of the rollers of embossing unit  4  is largely a function of the properties of the foil strip and of the desired kind of the embossed signs. If foils similar to innerliners are being processed, one side of which is metallized or has similar properties, known embossing rollers may be used which are defined in various patent specifications and applications to the applicant of the present invention, e.g. in WO 02/07671, and illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The latter are rollers in a pinup-pinup constellation where the signs are created by entirely or partly removing teeth on the embossing roller. Assemblies of two or three rollers are described, but the assemblies may also comprise more than three rollers. 
         [0039]    The rollers that are provided with signs and possibly with individual teeth are defined as being embossing rollers whereas the remaining rollers, whether driven via synchronizing means or directly or indirectly driven, are defined as being counter-rollers. However, this does not exclude that several rollers of a device may be provided with signs and are therefore embossing rollers. Moreover it is assumed that the foil strip is always passed between the rollers in the same orientation with respect to what will be its outside. 
         [0040]    Embossing assembly  4 A comprises three rollers, i.e. an embossing roller  53  that is driven by a drive  27  and a first counter-roller  32  and a second counter-roller  33 , the two counter-rollers being neither directly driven nor synchronized to the driven roller by synchronizing elements such as gearwheels, but only driven via foil strip  3 . 
         [0041]    In contrast to the large majority of roller assemblies of the prior art, the three rollers do not have the same structure. While the driven embossing roller  53  has teeth  31 , the first counter-roller  32  is provided with rings  32 R running around the entire circumference and arranged in parallel to each other such that the teeth  31  of embossing roller  53  engage in the grooves between the rings. Rings  32 R are outwardly tapered and flattened so as to engage between teeth  31 . 
         [0042]    The second counter-roller  33  has longitudinal ridges  33 L that are outwardly tapered and flattened like rings  32 R in such a manner that longitudinal ridges  33 L cooperate with teeth  31  of embossing roller  53 . Also, the rings or longitudinal ridges, respectively, may affect the appearance of the embossing patterns produced by the embossing roller provided with teeth. By means of such embossing roller assemblies it is possible, by variations of teeth  31  or of rings  32 R or of longitudinal ridges  33 L, i.e. by altering the height, the flanks, or the edges of the teeth, rings, or longitudinal ridges, or by applying patterns to their upper surfaces, to produce different embossing patterns or signs and to achieve a better breaking of the fibers of the foil paper. 
         [0043]    Roller assembly  4 B has the same drive  27  and the same driven embossing roller  53  as well as a counter-roller  29  having teeth  31 . Logos  23 L are obtained by removing or modifying teeth  31  in the corresponding locations. 
         [0044]    In the case of packaging foils that are not metallized and are furthermore to exhibit tactile or acoustic features, as the case may be, rollers are suitable where teeth are only provided in those locations where the logo is to be created, and the teeth are preferably provided on the non-driven roller. 
         [0045]    In  FIGS. 4 to 7 , four further embodiments of embossing unit  4  are illustrated. Embossing assembly  4 C according to  FIG. 4  is based on a pinup-pinup configuration that has been successfully used for embossing innerliners where all three rollers  28 ,  29  and  30  are provided with teeth  31  that project from the roller cylinder and one tooth of one roller engages between four teeth of the other rollers, whereby a self-synchronization is achieved and the embossing accuracy is improved and the drive mechanism simplified. First roller  28  is driven by a schematically illustrated drive  27  which may also be a motor. 
         [0046]    According to  FIG. 4 , three rollers are used for embossing foil strip  3 . Roller  28  that is driven via drive  27  is provided with logo lines  23 ,  23 A and at both edges with tooth rows  52  in order to achieve a better transmission of the driving force to the counter-rollers and to prevent a pitching movement of the embossing roller if only few embossing lines or rows are provided. “Embossing lines or rows” are meant to designate lines or rows on which any signs formed of teeth  31  are arranged. In this example, counter-rollers  29  and  30  only comprise teeth  31 . 
         [0047]    In contrast to the embossing rollers according to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , e.g. for embossing innerliners, in a process for embossing outer foils, teeth are only provided on the corresponding embossing roller in those locations where signs are to be embossed. In this case, the teeth of the counter-rollers may serve for breaking the fibers of the paper, as the case may be. 
         [0048]    In the process of satinizing and simultaneously embossing logos on innerliners, the metallized surface of the packaging foil is being embossed so that in almost all cases the driven roller is provided with the logos, whereas it may be advantageous when embossing outer foils to provide the signs on one of the non-driven embossing rollers in order to obtain positive salient signs on the foil, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In this manner, both tactually and acoustically acting signs can be created. In embossing assembly  4 D, one of the two non-driven rollers is the embossing roller  30 A that is provided with embossing lines  23 ,  23 A. 
         [0049]    This may also apply to the case where the embossing assembly  4 E only comprises two rollers, as illustrated in  FIG. 6  where embossing assembly  4 E comprises a driven roller  28 F and an embossing roller  29 A that is driven by the latter and provided with logo lines  23 ,  23 A. In the illustrated case, embossing roller  29 A has twice the circumference of driven roller  28 F. 
         [0050]    In the exemplary embodiments, teeth  31  are pyramidal with a square horizontal projection while their tips may be flattened up to 25%. However, a number of further pyramidal teeth having a variety of other horizontal projections and shapes are known in the art, e.g. pyramidal teeth having a rectangular horizontal projection which may e.g. have a longer footprint in the direction of the longitudinal axis than in the other direction. Alternatively, for certain applications where the counter-rollers are driven via synchronizing means, frustoconical or conical teeth may be provided. The teeth may have a pitch, i.e. a distance between tips, of 0.05 mm to 0.4 mm, for a theoretical height without the flattened portions of 0.03 mm to 0.3 mm. Furthermore, individual teeth or groups of teeth may be differently shaped, as it is known from the prior art. 
         [0051]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embossing assembly  4 F having a similar roller configuration as in  FIG. 2 , the driven embossing roller  28  cooperating with a first counter-roller  32  having rings  32 R and with a second counter-roller  33  having longitudinal ridges  33 L. In contrast to the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , embossing roller  28  is only provided with teeth  28  in those locations where embossing lines or rows  23 ,  23 A are to be created. 
         [0052]    The described and other embossing rollers that are known in the art per se allow embossing signs that are visible to the eye as patterns, colors, color patterns, or are almost invisible, serve as authentication features, are tactually perceptible, or may produce acoustic signals. 
         [0053]    In  FIG. 2 ,  4 ,  5 , or  7  it is symbolically indicated that both counter-rollers interlock with the embossing roller, but this is not necessarily always the case. It is also possible that the first or the second counter-roller, respectively, only interlocks or is only engageable with the first or the preceding roller, respectively. Furthermore it may be advantageous for certain applications to provide more than a total of three rollers having different surface structures. Furthermore, both the diameter and the length of the individual rollers may differ. In addition to the metal rollers, soft rollers may be used. 
         [0054]      FIG. 8  illustrates a roller assembly  4 G in a so-called pin up-pin down configuration, the raised embossing elements  23 R being provided on the driven roller  54  and the corresponding hollow embossing elements  23 H on the counter-roller  55 . The counter-roller is driven via synchronizing gears  56 ,  57 . Elevations  23 R and pits  23 H are illustrated in sectional view  8 A. 
         [0055]    In  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a possible arrangement of a creasing unit  5  is illustrated. This creasing unit comprises two creasing rollers  34  and  35 , creasing roller  34  being driven by a drive  36 . The second creasing roller  35  is driven and synchronized via synchronizing gears  41  and  42 . The two creasing rollers are substantially smooth and are provided with mutually complementary structures in order to obtain the desired creasing breaks. Creasing roller  35  is provided with both circular rings  37  and longitudinally arranged ridges  38   a - e  which engage in corresponding circular grooves  40  and longitudinal grooves  39   a - e  of creasing roller  34 . 
         [0056]    It is possible additionally to provide the creasing rollers with embossing elements, e.g. teeth or groups of teeth that may be arranged on one or on both rollers as in  FIGS. 2 to 7 , or embossing elements according to the roller assembly of  FIGS. 8 ,  8 A where the raised embossing elements  23 R are arranged on creasing roller  35  having the creasing tools and the hollow embossing elements  23 H on the other creasing roller  34 . 
         [0057]    Both the shape and the cross-sections and dimensions of the rings or ridges and of the grooves may differ depending on the material to be folded.  FIG. 10 , a lateral view of  FIG. 9 , illustrates the mutual engagement of the longitudinal ridges and longitudinal grooves. 
         [0058]    In  FIG. 11 , a possible arrangement of a cutting unit  6  is depicted. In the present case, the latter consists of two cutting rollers  43  and  44 , cutting roller  43  being driven via a drive  45  and driving the second cutting roller  44  via synchronizing gears  46  and  47 . In the present example, first cutting roller  43  is smooth while second cutting roller  44  has cutting blades  48  and  49   a - e  that are arranged so as to cut blank  19  according to  FIG. 1A  or  1 B. Also, like the creasing rollers, the cutting rollers may be provided with embossing teeth and/or embossing elements. 
         [0059]    Both the creasing rollers and the cutting rollers may be provided with means for preventing a pitching movement thereof, these means e.g. being rings or teeth. 
         [0060]    In  FIGS. 12 to 14 , the operation of packaging machine  7  is schematically illustrated.  FIG. 12  illustrates the operation of creasing blank  19  to receive cigarettes  18 , and  FIG. 14  the finished package  20 . If necessary, the cigarettes can be held together in a holder  50  according to  FIG. 15  and/or in an innerliner  51  according to  FIG. 16  that fits into the package  20 . 
         [0061]    As follows from the description, this device is particularly suitable for the online production of packages for smoking articles, the foil strip supplied from the reel being printed, embossed, and/or folded, as the case may be, and subsequently cut and the blank being folded, filled, and wrapped around the cigarettes, all these operations being performed in time with the cycle of the packaging machine. Moreover, an online processing of thin cardboard, paper, or plastics materials is facilitated, or made possible in the first place, by the counter-roller(s) which fold and break the fibers of those materials. The device may be provided with an integrated odorizing unit that applies odorants online prior to creasing. From the description of the rollers it is understood that any desired combination of embossing, creasing, and cutting elements on rollers is possible. 
         [0062]    Since all units operate in time with the cycle of the packaging machine, particularly the creasing and cutting operations require no additional positioning means as the package blank is synchronously embossed, folded, and cut directly from the reel. 
         [0063]    In the description it is assumed that the device either processes an outer or an inner package, but it is possible to use at least one more device online so that both a foil strip for the outer and a foil strip for the inner package are processed and both foil strips are folded in the packaging machine so as to form a double layer package. To this end, the regulating units are equipped accordingly so as to ensure the necessary synchronization to the operating cadences and the work cadence.