Patent Publication Number: US-6220430-B1

Title: Rigid wrapper with hinged lid for tobacco products

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a rigid wrapper with a hinged lid for tobacco products. 
     Concerning tobacco products, explicit reference is made throughout the specification to articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like, albeit with no limitation in scope implied. 
     In general, a cigarette packet of the rigid type with a hinged lid appears substantially as a box like wrapper of rectangular parallelepiped shape, proportioned to accommodate an ordered group of cigarettes enveloped by an inner wrapper normally of metal foil paper. 
     The rigid wrapper comprises a container of cupped embodiment surmounted by a similarly cupped lid hingedly attached to a rear edge of the container and rotatable thus between positions in which the container is open and shut, respectively. The rigid wrapper will normally present a top face, a bottom face, a rear face appearing as a continuous panel divided into two parts by a transverse hinge crease along which the lid is connected to the container, also a front face composed of two separate portions coinciding respectively with the front face of the container and the front face of the lid, and two flank faces each composed of two separate portions coinciding respectively with a flank face of the container and a flank face of the lid. 
     The container and the lid are fashioned typically by bending a single flat diecut blank of paperboard or similar material to the requisite shape. 
     Rigid wrappers of the type mentioned are provided usually with a reinforcing frame also of paperboard or similar material, part of which is positioned inside the container and disposed in contact with the relative front face and flank faces. 
     The portion of the frame that projects from the container functions as a supporting and restraining element for the lid when in the closed position. 
     It is conventional practice to manufacture rigid wrappers of the type described above on packaging machines by which the cigarettes are ordered first into groups, whereupon the groups are directed onto a first section of a packaging line and enveloped each in the relative wrapper of metal foil paper. 
     Thereafter, the groups of cigarettes advance to a station at which the frames are applied. As each group passes into the station, a respective frame bent to assume a ‘U’ profile is associated with the metal foil paper wrapper and the resulting assembly then advances together with a relative blank onto a second section of the packaging line, along which the blank is folded around the assembly to fashion the container and hinged lid of the rigid wrapper and thus complete the packet of cigarettes. 
     It will be gathered from the above outline that the conventional packaging machines in question normally comprise two conveying lines synchronized one with the other, one for the blanks, the other for the frames. 
     In order to simplify the structure of packaging machines as described above, and in particular to allow of dispensing with the frame conveying line, prior art methods embrace the use of flat diecut blanks with a frame already incorporated, obtained by shaping and punching respective longitudinal sheets cut from a continuous strip of paperboard or similar material. 
     In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,105 teaches the use of a diecut blank illustrated for convenience in FIG. 1, of which a central panel A, corresponding to the front face of the rigid wrapper ultimately obtained, is connected longitudinally at one end B to a frame denoted C; more exactly, the end B in question coincides with a bottom front corner edge of the erected wrapper and is joined to the frame C by way of an intermediate panel D. The frame C is composed of a longitudinally disposed end panel E of the blank, and two wings F projecting on either side of the panel E in a Tee formation. In a blank of this design, the intermediate panel D is bent double along a median transverse crease line G to provide a bottom end fold, and the longitudinal end panel E flattened against and fixed to the inside surface of the central panel A. 
     The blank described above and indicated in FIG. 1 is somewhat costly in that it involves cutting a relatively long sheet from the continuous strip of paperboard. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a rigid wrapper with a hinged lid fashioned from a flat diecut blank with integral frame, shaped and punched in such a manner as to be obtainable from a relatively short length of strip material and thus relatively economical. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The stated object is duly realized according to the invention in a rigid wrapper with hinged lid for tobacco products of the type presenting a front, a back, two flanks, a top and a bottom, comprising a container and a lid both of cupped embodiment hinged together along respective rear edges, also a reinforcing frame positioned partly inside the cupped container and secured thus to a front face and to two flank faces of the selfsame container; wherein the wrapper is fashioned from a flat diecut blank of substantially rectangular shape with a predominating longitudinal axis that comprises, arranged along the longitudinal axis, a main portion providing the container and the lid, and a longitudinal appendage providing the frame. 
     To advantage, the main portion of the diecut blank incorporates an end panel providing the back, a first intermediate panel providing the top, a central panel providing the front and two lateral panels providing the flanks of the wrapper, and the appendage is substantially U-shaped, appearing as two lateral arms and a transverse panel of which the arms are hingedly attached to the respective lateral panels of the main portion, and disposed in such a way as to circumscribe a free longitudinal extremity of the main portion that affords a second intermediate panel providing the bottom, and two side flaps and a longitudinal end flap functioning as end folds by which the bottom is secured. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the plan view of a diecut blank with integral frame of conventional type, used to manufacture a rigid wrapper with a hinged lid; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the rigid wrapper with hinged lid according to the present invention, viewed in perspective and with parts cut away for clarity; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the wrapper of FIG. 2, viewed with the lid in the closed position; 
     FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the diecut blank with integral frame used to manufacture the wrapper of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the rigid wrapper with hinged lid according to the present invention, viewed in perspective and with parts cut away for clarity; 
     FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the diecut blank with integral frame used to manufacture the wrapper of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a third embodiment of the rigid wrapper with hinged lid according to the present invention, viewed in perspective; 
     FIG. 8 is the section through VIII—VIII in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the diecut blank with integral frame used to manufacture the wrapper of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, respectively,  1  and  1 ′ denote a rigid packet, in its entirety, containing an ordered group  2  of cigarettes  3  enveloped by a wrapper  4  of metal foil paper. 
     In each case the packet  1  and  1 ′ includes a rigid external wrapper  5  of box construction appearing parallelepiped in shape, which in turn comprises a container  6  of cupped embodiment with an open top end  7  and, surmounting the container, a similarly cupped lid  8  attached hingedly to the container  6  and rotatable thus between a position in which the top end  7  is open (FIGS. 2 and 5) and a position in which the top end is closed (not illustrated). 
     The cupped container  6  presents a front face  9  and a rear face  10  mutually opposed and parallel, two mutually opposed and parallel flank faces  11  perpendicular to the front and rear faces  9  and  10 , and an end face  12  disposed orthogonally to the front, rear and flank faces  9 ,  10  and  11 . 
     The lid  8  presents a front face  13  and a rear face  14  mutually opposed and parallel, two mutually opposed and parallel flank faces  15  perpendicular to the front face  13  and the rear face  14 , and an end face  16  orthogonal to the front, rear and flank faces  13 ,  14  and  15 . 
     The rear faces  10  and  14  present corresponding joined edges  17  and  18  permanently associated one with another and combining to afford a transverse hinge crease  19  about which the lid  8  is rotatable between the open position and the closed position mentioned above, whilst the front faces  9  and  13  and the flank faces  11  and  15  present corresponding free edges  20 ,  21  and  22 ,  23  which combine when the lid  8  is in the closed position (not illustrated) to establish a line of separation between the lid  8  and the container  6 . 
     The erected wrapper  5  presents a front  24  composed of the front faces  9  and  13 , a back  25  composed of the rear faces  10  and  14 , two flanks  26  composed each of a set of flank faces  11  and  15 , a top  27  coinciding with the top end face  16  and a bottom  28  coinciding with the bottom end face  12 . 
     Finally, the wrapper  5  incorporates a reinforcing frame  29 , fixed to the container  6 , which presents a portion  30  disposed internally of the container  6  and a remaining portion  31  that projects beyond the open top end  7  and functions thus as a supporting and restraining element for the lid  8  when in the closed position. 
     The frame  29  comprises a central breast piece  32  presenting a bottom edge  33  directed toward and disposed parallel with the bottom end face  12 , and a top edge  34  essentially of ‘U’ outline directed toward the lid  8  and creating a central cutaway portion  35  with two lateral shoulders  36  extending away from the container  6 . The breast piece  32  is fixed to the inside of the front face  9 , from which the central portion  35  and the lateral shoulders  36  project together with two side pieces  37  fixed to the corresponding inside surfaces of the respective flank faces  11 . The side pieces  37  each present one end  38  extending toward the lid  8  from the relative flank face  11  and an opposite end  39  that extends down to the bottom end face  12  of the container  6 . The container  6 , the lid  8  and the frame  29  of the wrapper  5  making up each of the packets  1  and  1 ′ in FIGS. 2 and 5 are fashioned by folding relative flat diecut blanks  40  and  40 ′, illustrated respectively in FIGS. 4 and 6, which are obtained by shaping and punching longitudinal sheets (not illustrated) cut from a continuous strip of paperboard or similar material (not illustrated). 
     In the interests of convenience, the illustrated parts of the blanks  40  and  40 ′ will be referred to where possible in the description that now follows using the same numbers, primed, as those used to identify the corresponding faces of the wrapper  5 . 
     The diecut blank  40  of FIG. 4 is substantially rectangular in shape, relative to a predominating longitudinal axis  41  substantially of symmetry, and is composed essentially of two parts arranged along the selfsame axis  41 , namely a main portion  42  that will provide the container  6  and the lid  8 , and a longitudinal appendage  43  providing the frame  29 . The appendage  43  appears substantially ‘U’ shaped and is joined to the main portion  42  by way of two arms  37 ′ hinged along two lateral end portions of a transverse crease line  44  extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  41 . 
     The blank  40  also exhibits a plurality of further transverse crease lines denoted  45  . . .  48  extending parallel to the crease line  44  first mentioned, and two longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50  extending parallel to the axis  41 . The longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50  combine with the transverse crease lines  44  . . .  48  to establish panels coinciding with the aforementioned faces of the container  6 , the lid  8  and the frame  29 . 
     More exactly, the transverse lines  44  . . .  48  serve to define a succession of panels compassed between the longitudinal lines  49  and  50 : an end panel  25 ′ extending from the line denoted  46  to the extremity remote from the appendage  43 ; a first intermediate panel  27 ′ extending between two lines  46  and  47 ; a central panel  24 ′ extending between two lines  47  and  44 ; a second intermediate panel  28 ′ extending between two lines  44  and  48 , also an end flap  51  extending from the line denoted  48  and terminating in a free edge  33 ′ parallel to this same line  48 . 
     The line denoted  45  coincides with the transverse hinge line  19  enabling the rotation of the lid  8 , and divides the end panel  25 ′ into two portions  10 ′ and  14 ′ associated respectively with a first and a second pair of flaps  52  and  53  located externally of the two longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50 . 
     The flaps  52  of the first pair appear trapezoidal in outline and are hinged each by a longer base to the relative portion  10 ′ of the panel  25 ′ along the respective longitudinal crease line  49  and  50 ; each flap  52  is separated from the adjoining flap  53  by an oblique notch of substantially triangular shape and terminates at the end remote from the notch  54  in a right edge  77  disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  41 . 
     Each of the second flaps  53  is trapezoidal in outline, hinged by a shorter base to the relative portion  14 ′ of the panel  25 ′ along the respective longitudinal crease line  49  and  50  and comprising a right edge  55  remote from the notch  54  aligned with a relative transverse crease line  46 ; the longer base appears as an oblique edge  56  that forms a predetermined angle Al with the right edge  55 . 
     The first intermediate panel  27 ′ is associated in like manner with a third pair of flaps  57  located externally of the longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50 , each hinged to the panel  27 ′ along a line  58  coinciding with the relative longitudinal crease line  49  and  50  and separated from the transverse crease line  47  bordering the central panel  24 ′ by a predetermined longitudinal distance L. Each flap  57  is separated from the edge  55  of the adjoining second flap  53  by a cut  59 , also by a substantially triangular oblique notch  60  of which one vertex coincides with one end of the cut  59 , and delimited further by an outer edge  61  disposed parallel to the longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50 , and on the side opposite the cut  59  by an oblique edge  62  that forms a predetermined angle A 1  with the hinge  58 . Similarly, the central panel  24 ′ is associated with a pair of lateral panels  26 ′ positioned externally of the longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50  which together with the central panel  24 ′ are pierced transversely across the full width of the blank by a line  63  constituting the aforementioned line of separation between the lid  8  and the container  6 . 
     The pierced line  63  divides and delineates two portions  9 ′ and  13 ′ of rectangular outline on the central panel  24 ′ and two portions  11 ′ and  15 ′ of trapezoidal outline on each lateral panel  26 ′. 
     The second intermediate panel  28 ′ is associated with a pair of flaps  64  located externally of the longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50 , appearing trapezoidal in shape and hinged along the selfsame crease lines  49  and  50  by way of the longer bases. The two flaps  64  combine with the intermediate panel  28 ′ and with the end flap  51  to afford a free longitudinal extremity  65  extended from the main portion  42 , which is delimited and separated from the appendage  43  by a continuous punched line  66 . 
     The appendage  43  skirts the borrowed extremity  65  peripherally along the continuous punched line  66  and is joined to the two lateral panels  26 ′ along the aforementioned transverse line  44  by way of the two lateral arms  37 ′, which are rendered distinct in their turn by the longitudinal crease lines  49  and  50  from a transverse panel  32 ′ that constitutes the endmost part of the blank and coincides with the breast piece  32  of the frame  29 . 
     Each arm  37 ′ is delimited at the end remote from the corresponding panel  26 ′ by an edge  67  parallel to the interconnecting crease line  44  and of length marginally less than the distance L aforementioned, also by an oblique edge  68  forming an angle with the transverse edge  67  that is equivalent to 180° minus the angle denoted A 1 . 
     The arms  37 ′, lateral panels  26 ′ and first flaps  52  are bordered laterally by relative edges  69 ,  70  and  71  extending parallel to the longitudinal axis  41 . 
     In addition, the arms  37 ′ are proportioned with a longitudinal dimension substantially identical to the longitudinal dimension of the panels  26 ′ and a transverse dimension, apart from the portion that skirts the relative flap  64 , substantially equal to the difference between the transverse dimension of one panel  26 ′ and the transverse dimension of one first flap  52 . 
     The appendage  43  will ultimately be bent double over the main portion  42  along the interconnecting crease line  44  and fixed to the surfaces of the portions  9 ′ and  11 ′ directed toward the inside of the packet  1 . 
     Thereafter, the first and second flaps  52  and  53  on either side, and each lateral panel  26 ′ together with a relative arm  37 ′ bent double and fixed to the respective lateral portion  11 ′, will be bent at right angles to the end panel  25 ′ and the central panel  24 ′ and overlapped by rotating the panels  25 ′ and  24 ′ about the intermediate panel  27 ′ toward one another, whilst the third flaps  57  are bent inwards at right angles and brought thus into contact with the inward facing surfaces of the adjoining second flaps  53 . 
     Observing FIG. 3, it will be seen that the first flap  52  and the arm  37 ′ on each side are caused to overlap with the corresponding portion  11 ′ of the lateral panel  26 ′, adjoining though not overlapping one another, whereas the second flap  53  and third flap  57  are overlapped both with one another and with the corresponding portion  15 ′ of the panel but make no contact with the respective arm  37 ′. 
     Finally, the second intermediate panel  28 ′ will be bent at right angles to the central panel  24 ′ to provide the bottom  28  of the wrapper  5 , whilst the end flap  51  and the adjoining flaps  64  are bent at right angles to the panel  28 ′ and placed in contact with the inside surfaces presented respectively by the corresponding portion  10 ′ of the end panel  25 ′ and by the relative arms  37 ′, thus providing the end folds of the bottom  28 . 
     The blank  40  is obtained, advantageously from the standpoint of cost, by cutting a relatively short length of the selected continuous strip material (not illustrated). This is due essentially to the fact that the bottom  28  and the relative end folds are cut from the same longitudinal portion of the length of strip (not illustrated) that provides the frame  29 . 
     The blank  40 ′ of FIG. 6 differs only in small measure from the blank  40  of FIG. 4, and accordingly the parts are indicated with the same reference numbers as used to denote the corresponding parts of the blank  40  described above. More exactly, the second blank  40 ′ differs from the first blank  40  in that the transverse dimension of the first flap  52  and of the arm  37 ′ is substantially the same as the transverse dimension of the lateral panel  26 ′, i.e. the edges  69 ,  70  and  71  are aligned longitudinally on each side. Thus, the flaps  52  and the arms  37 ′ overlap fully in the finished wrapper  5  and combine with the relative portions  11 ′ of the two lateral panels  26 ′ to produce a flank face  11  of thickness three times the thickness of the blank  40 ′, with clear advantages in terms of the rigidity afforded by the container  6 . 
     A rigid wrapper obtained from a blank according to the invention can also be used advantageously to fashion a carton containing a plurality of packets of cigarettes. 
     In FIG. 7 of the drawings,  11 ″ denotes a rigid carton containing an ordered group  72  of packets  73  of cigarettes stacked in such a way that the front face of the one is breasted in contact with the rear face of the next. 
     The carton  1 ″ comprises a rigid outer wrapper  5  of box construction entirely similar in shape and in design to that of FIGS. 2 and 5, and accordingly the parts of the wrapper  5  and the relative blank, denoted  40 ″ in FIG. 9, are indicated using the same reference numbers as utilized for the packets  1  and  1 ′ already described. 
     The packets  73  are disposed in the wrapper  5  with the front and rear faces parallel to the bottom  28  and the top and bottom end faces in contact with the flanks  26 . 
     The carton blank  40 ″ differs from the blank  40  of FIG. 4 not only in terms of dimensions but also in that the arms  37 ′, the bottom end fold flaps  64  and the first, second and third flaps  52 ,  53  and  57  are shaped differently. In particular, the arms  37 ′ terminate at the ends remote from the two lateral panels  26 ′ in two entirely oblique edges  74 , whilst the trapezoidal third flaps  57  are separated from the adjoining second flaps  53  and from the lateral panels  26 ′ respectively by substantially triangular notches  75  and  76 ; also, the outer edges  56  and  61  of these same flaps  53  and  57  are aligned with the edges  71  of the first flaps  52 , and each first flap  52  terminates at the end remote from the triangular notch  54  in an oblique edge  78 . 
     Observing FIG. 8, it will be seen that the various flaps  52 ,  53 ,  57  and  64  are shaped and proportioned such that in the finished wrapper  5 , the flaps  52  and  64  of the container and the flaps  53  and  57  of the lid are disposed adjoining one another but not overlapping. Moreover, still referring to FIG. 8, the lid flaps  53  and  57  and the arms  37 ′ are shaped and proportioned in such a manner that when united with the relative portions  15 ′ to fashion the flank face  15  they make no contact with the corresponding arms  37 ′. 
     In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated) of the blank  40 ″ shown in FIG. 9, the first flaps  52  and arms  37 ′ could exhibit a transverse dimension substantially identical to the transverse dimension of the lateral panels  26 ′, i.e. in the same manner as already described with reference to FIG. 6, so that the longitudinal edges  69 ,  70  and  71  will be mutually aligned on either side. In the finished wrapper  5 , accordingly, the first flaps  52  and the arms  37 ′ will overlap completely and combine thus with the corresponding portions  11 ′ of the lateral panels  26 ′ to produce a flank face  11  of thickness substantially three times that of the blank  40 ″, with obvious advantages in terms of the rigidity afforded by the container  6 .