Patent Publication Number: US-7588143-B2

Title: Pack with tear-open thread, and process and apparatus for producing the same

Description:
This is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 10/489,356 filed Mar. 24, 2005, which is a National Stage Entry, filed on Mar. 12, 2004 of PCT/EP02/10240 filed on Sep. 12, 2002. The entire disclosure of the prior application Ser. No. 10/489,356 is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     The invention relates to a cuboidal pack, in particular a cigarette pack, with an outer wrapper made of film, and with an open-ended tear-open thread or a weakened line fitted on the outer wrapper. The invention also relates to a process and to an apparatus for producing packaging material configured in the aforementioned manner. 
     Packs of different shapes and forms are frequently provided, in order to protect the pack contents, with an outer wrapper made of film or of a comparable packaging material. In order to open the pack or the outer wrapper, the latter is frequently provided with a tear-open thread or tear-open strip, which is fastened on the outer wrapper by adhesive bonding or sealing. This outer wrapper can be severed, and thus removed, by virtue of the tear-open thread being gripped at a grip end. 
     The invention is concerned with such packs, to be precise, in particular with cigarette packs configured as a cuboidal rigid pack (made of thin cardboard). 
     The object of the invention is to fit a tear-open thread or tear-open strip, or a weakened line, on the outer wrapper of a pack such that, when the tear-open thread or weakened line is actuated, the entire outer wrapper is reliably removed. 
     In order to achieve this object, the pack according to the invention is characterized in that the tear-open thread or the weakened line, in the region of the large-surface-area front wall and/or rear wall, extends at an oblique or approximately diagonal direction from one (bottom) pack corner to a diagonally opposite (top) pack corner. 
     The (more or less) diagonal course taken by the tear-open thread or the weakened line in the region of at least one of the large-surface-area pack walls ensures that the outer wrapper is optimally severed when the pack is opened for the first time, with the result that the remaining parts of the wrapper can easily be drawn off from the pack corners. The invention is thus suitable, in particular, for cigarette packs of the hinge-lid-box type with shrink film as the outer wrapper. 
     A special feature is the weakened line of the outer wrapper, which is configured as a film or the like. This line forms a weakening of the wall thickness of the packaging material while maintaining its tightness. The film can be easily severed in the region of the linear material weakening. As an option, this feature can incorporate a double line, i.e. two parallel weakened lines, which define a material strip of the film that can be stripped away or a single weakened line, which can be severed manually for opening the wrapper. 
     The tear-open thread or the weakened line is preferably arranged such that a transverse, rectilinear section is formed in the region of the narrow, upright side surfaces, to be precise adjacent to an end wall, on the one hand, and to a base wall, on the other hand, and that, by means of these sections, diagonal sections of the front wall and rear wall, these running in the same direction in each case, are connected to one another. 
     One special feature is the production of a (film) web with a continuous tear-open thread or tear-open strip, or with a continuous weakened line, and of blanks for outer wrappers. According to a particular embodiment, the tear-open thread or tear-open strip, or the weakened line, is applied to the material web, made of film, paper or the like, during continuous transportation of the same, the tear-open thread being moved by precisely controlled thread guides, in accordance with the thread configuration which is to be produced, transversely to the conveying direction of the (film) web. 
     According to another important embodiment, thread sections, that is to say tear-open threads or tear-open strips which are completed in terms of shape and length, are applied to the continuous (film) web. The tear-open strips are severed from a thread web by a contoured cut and positioned on the web directly in accordance with the position of a blank for the outer wrapper. 
     The apparatus according to the invention for applying a continuous tear-open thread or tear-open strip to a continuously moving web has a particular guide element for the tear-open thread, namely with a guide roller. This has a double function, that is to say it serves for positioning the tear-open thread on the web and, at the same time, as a guide element. The guide roller is moved, by a controlled gear mechanism, in the direction transverse to the web or transverse to the conveying direction of the same, with the result that the tear-open thread is transferred onto the web in a curved configuration. It is also the case that the operation of driving the tear-open thread, which is drawn off from a thread reel, is controlled with account being taken of the relative movement between, on the one hand, the web, which is preferably conveyed continuously and at uniform speed, and, on the other hand, the tear-open thread. 
     The apparatus according to the invention for applying contoured thread sections or complete tear-open threads has a contoured, that is to say curved, severing cutout by means of which in each operating cycle, during a momentary standstill of the web or of a web section, a tear-open thread which is shaped according to the invention is cut off from a transversely fed thread web and positioned precisely on the (film) web, to be precise in the region of a blank which is to be cut off from the latter. 
     Both processes and apparatuses are expediently set up for double-web operation. 
    
    
     
       Further details of the pack according to the invention, of the process for producing the outer wrapper, and of the apparatus are explained more specifically hereinbelow with reference to the patent drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective illustration of a pack, namely a cigarette pack, with outer wrapper, 
         FIG. 2  shows a section of a web with applied tear-open thread for producing blanks as outer wrapper, 
         FIG. 3  shows an apparatus, namely packaging machine, for fitting outer wrappers on cigarette packs, 
         FIG. 4  shows a detail of the packaging machine according to  FIG. 3 , namely a subassembly, for applying tear-open threads to a (film) web, 
         FIG. 5  shows a view, in detail form, of the subassembly according to  FIG. 4  along section plane VI-VI, 
         FIG. 6  shows a view, in detail form, of the subassembly according to  FIG. 4  along a section plane V-V, 
         FIG. 7  shows a further view of the subassembly according to  FIG. 4 , this time in the direction of arrow VII, 
         FIG. 8  shows a detail of the illustration according to FIG.  7 —region VIII on an enlarged scale, 
         FIG. 9  shows a further detail, this time as a side view, from  FIG. 7  in the direction of arrow IX, 
         FIG. 10  shows a simplified illustration, analogous to  FIG. 4 , of an alternative configuration of the subassembly, 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective illustration of another embodiment of a pack with outer wrapper, namely a cigarette multipack, 
         FIG. 12  shows a blank for an outer wrapper for the pack according to  FIG. 11 , 
         FIG. 13  shows a section of a (film) web with prefabricated tear-open threads or strips applied in sections, 
         FIG. 14  shows a side view of a sub-region of an apparatus for producing and applying tear-open threads according to  FIG. 13 , 
         FIG. 15  shows a detail of the apparatus according to  FIG. 14  in horizontal section or in a plan view corresponding to horizontal section XV-XV in  FIG. 17 , and 
       
         FIG. 16 
       
       and 
         FIG. 17  show a detail of the apparatus according to  FIG. 14  with elements in different positions, in a vertical section corresponding to section plane XVI-XVI in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 18  shows a section of a (film) web) with a continuous weakened line according to  FIG. 2 , 
         FIG. 19  shows a perspective view of a cigarette pack of the hinge-lid type with an outer wrapper made from a film web pursuant to  FIG. 18 , 
         FIG. 20  shows a section of a film web with a single, continuous weakened line. 
     
    
    
     The drawings shows cigarette packs as the preferred application cases, to be precise a hinge-lid box  10  (hinge-lid pack) and a multipack for cigarette packs, namely a cigarette multipack  11  ( FIG. 11 ). The abovementioned packs are rigid packs made of (thin) cardboard and are each enclosed by an outer wrapper. The latter consists of a thin, transparent plastic film, in particular shrink films made of cellophane, although it may also consist of some other packaging material, for example paper. 
     A blank  12 ,  13  for forming the outer wrapper comprises a front wall  14 , rear wall  15  and side walls  16 ,  17 . The blanks  12 ,  13  also form end walls  18  and a base wall  19  (hinge-lid box  10 ). The side wall  16  is positioned as a continuous material strip between the front wall  14  and rear wall  15 , while the opposite side wall  17  comprises an outer side flap  20  and an inner side flap  21 . The two side flaps  20 ,  21  overlap one another and are connected to one another by sealing or adhesive bonding. The end wall  18  and base wall  19  comprise end flaps  22 ,  23  which extend over the entire length of the blank  12 ,  13 . 
     The resulting blank  12 ,  13 , in a first folding step, is folded in a U-shaped manner, as is known, around the pack, namely hinge-lid box  10  or cigarette multipack  11 . The side flaps  20 ,  21 , which initially project beyond the pack, are folded one after the other, with partial overlapping ( FIGS. 1 and 11 ). The end flaps  22 ,  23  are then folded in order to form the end wall  18  and the base wall  19 , respectively. 
     In order to open the pack unit or the outer wrapper, a tear-open thread  24  pursuant to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 17  is fitted on the pack or on the outer wrapper thereof. The possibly strip-like tear-open thread  24  is connected, preferably to the inside of the blank  12 ,  13 , by adhesive bonding or sealing. Integrally formed at one end of the open-ended tear-open thread  24  is a grip tab  25  which is formed from the blank  12 ,  13  and, when the pack is complete, extends at the border of the side wall  17  or the side flap  20  and can thus be gripped by hand. With the aid of this grip tab  25 , the tear-open thread  24  can be drawn off, the outer wrapper or the blank  12 ,  13  being severed in the process. 
     The tear-open thread  24  is fitted on the blank  12 ,  13  in a particular configuration, such that the outer wrapper is severed essentially diagonally in the region of the large-surface-area pack sides by the cut-off tear-open thread  24 . This allows corner caps of the outer wrapper which are formed to be easily drawn off diagonally. 
     The (single-piece) tear-open thread  24  is positioned on the blank  12 ,  13  such that, in the region of the front wall  14 , on the one hand, and of the rear wall  15 , on the other hand, it follows a more or less diagonal course (in a common imaginary diagonal plane). Accordingly, thread sections  26 ,  27  extend approximately from one bottom pack corner  28  to the diagonally opposite pack corner  29 . In the case of the actual example, the thread section  26 ,  27  runs at a small distance in each case from the relevant pack corner  28 ,  29 , and thus from the base  19 , on the one hand, and the end wall  18 , on the other hand. In the region adjacent to these pack corners  28 ,  29 , that is to say at the ends of the thread sections  26 ,  27  in each case, the tear-open thread forms a rounded portion  30  as a transition into transversely directed, rectilinear thread sections  31 ,  32 . A continuous thread section  31  extends, in the region of the single-piece side wall  16 , transversely beyond the latter and directly adjacent to, and above, the base wall  19 . The other thread section  32  extends in the top region—adjacent to the end wall  18  and beneath the same—in the region of the side wall  17 . This thread section  32  comprises two partially overlapping sub-sections. Accordingly, the tear-open thread is arranged such that its ends overlap. In the region of the outer side flap  20 , a grip tab  25  is provided on the segment of the thread section  32 . 
     One special feature is the production of the blanks  12 ,  13  from a continuous web  33 , from which blanks  12 ,  13  are cut off along a severing cut  68  in a blank subassembly  34  of the packaging machine ( FIG. 3 ). The tear-open thread  24  is applied to the continuous web  33 , preferably with continuous conveying movement. In this case, the likewise continuously fed tear-open thread  24  is guided, and positioned on the web  33 , so as to achieve a more or less meandering or undulating configuration of the tear-open thread  24  ( FIG. 2 ). The resulting thread sections  31 ,  32 , which run in the longitudinal direction of the web  33 , are of different lengths. On account of the side flaps  20 ,  21  located one beside the other, the thread section  32 , which is directed toward the end wall  18 , is longer than the thread section  31  in the region of the side wall  16 . 
     The operation of applying the tear-open thread  24  to the continuous web  33  involves a process-related and equipment-related special feature. The tear-open thread  24  is transferred to the web  33  by a guide element, in the present case by a rotating guide roller  35 , the latter being fitted on a mount. The tear-open thread  24  is fed such that a sufficient thread section butts against the circumference of the guide roller  35 . The latter can be moved transversely to the continuously conveyed web  33  by a particular, controlled gear mechanism such that the tear-open thread  24  is applied to the web  33  so as to follow a course which is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 12  or one which is similar. 
     An apparatus for applying the tear-open thread  24  to the web  33  is expediently a constituent part of the packaging machine ( FIG. 3 ). The subassembly is indicated as detail IV. Accordingly, the web  33 , which is drawn off from reels  38 , is fed to a thread unit  39 . This is shown, by way of example, in  FIG. 4 . 
     The tear-open thread  24  is drawn off from a thread reel  40 . The tear-open thread  24  is expediently provided with adhesive on one side, namely on the side which is directed toward the web  33 . The thread reel  40  is driven in rotation, to be precise, in the case of this example, with a constant conveying speed of the drawn-off tear-open thread  24 . The tear-open thread is guided over compensating rollers  41 , which can be moved relative to one another and bring about conveying compensation to the tear-open thread  24  during start-up and stoppage of the packaging machine, that is to say in operating situations which differ from the standard operating procedure. 
     The actual thread subassembly comprises two gear units  42 ,  43 . The gear unit  42  serves for compensating for the conveying speed of the tear-open thread  24  on account of the relative movement between the web  33  and tear-open thread  24 . The gear unit  43  executes the controlled transverse movements of the transfer element, that is to say of the guide roller  35 , for the tear-open thread  24 . 
     With a constant drawing-off speed of the tear-open thread  24  in the region of the thread reel  40 , the gear unit  42  has to provide an increased conveying speed of the tear-open thread  24  during formation of the thread section  26  and  27 . In the region of the thread sections  31  and  32 , the conveying speed of the tear-open thread  24  essentially corresponds to that of the web  33 . 
     The gear unit  42  forms an alternating thread-length supply which, at increased conveying speed, is reduced and, at the lower conveying speed, is built up again. This thread supply comprises a thread loop as a result of deflection about a movable dancer roller  44 . The latter is fitted in a displaceable manner on a carrier  45 , namely in a slot guide  46 . Two further, fixed deflector rollers  47 ,  48  for the tear-open thread are fitted on the carrier  45 . The dancer roller  44  is mounted centrally between the deflecting rollers  47 ,  48 , albeit in an offset manner in relation to the same, with the result that, when the dancer roller  44  is displaced, the distance from the deflecting rollers  47 ,  48  increases or decreases. 
     The dancer roller  44  is controlled in precise correspondence with the movement sequence of the web  33  and tear-open thread  24 . For this purpose, the dancer roller  44  is assigned a servomotor  49  as drive element. This is connected to the dancer roller  44  via a gear mechanism, to be precise via a crank mechanism  50 .  FIG. 9  shows that side of the carrier  45 , with the crank mechanism  50 , which is directed away from  FIG. 4 , a connecting rod  51  being connected to the dancer roller  44 . The servomotor  49  acts on a crank  52 . 
     The gear unit  43  controls the movements of the guide roller  35 , to be precise doubly so: on the one hand, in respect of the necessary movements of the guide roller  35  transverse to the web  33  and, on the other hand, in respect of the correct angle position of the guide roller  35  such that the latter is aligned with the angle position of the tear-open thread  24  in relation to the web  33 . 
     The guide roller  35  is fitted on a transversely movable carrier, namely on a guide carriage  53 , for the transverse movement. This guide carriage can be displaced on a transverse guide  54 . Driving takes place via a tie rod  55 , which may be driven by a servomotor or is controlled, via a supporting roller, by a cam. 
     The guide roller  35  is fastened on the guide carriage  53  by way of a carrying component  56 , that is to say it is mounted on the carrying component  56  by way of a fork-like, pivotable mount  57 . The mount  57  can be rotated or pivoted with the guide roller  35  about an axis, namely transversely to the axis of the guide roller  35 . It is thus possible for the guide roller  35  to assume different angle positions. Fitted beneath the carrying component  56  is a pivoting gear mechanism, which comprises a connecting rod  58  which is connected to a pivoting arm  60  of the mount  57  via an articulation  59 . It is also the case that the control of the connecting rod  58  is not shown here, and it takes place analogously to the control of the tie rod  55 , such that the guide roller  35  is always oriented in the feed direction of the tear-open thread  24 .  FIG. 6  shows a position of the guide roller  35  during formation of the obliquely directed thread section  26 ,  27 . 
     The guide roller  35  is of particular design, with the result that it can perform a double function, that is to say, on the one hand, that of guiding the tear-open thread  24  and, on the other hand, that of pressing the same onto the web  33 . This is because the guide roller  35  has lateral elevations which do not take effect in the region where the tear-open thread  24  butts against the web  33 . For this purpose, the guide roller  35  comprises three individual rollers  61 ,  62 ,  63 . The central individual roller  62  accommodates the tear-open thread  24  on the circumference, while the lateral individual rollers  61 ,  63  perform the function of flanged wheels. The individual rollers  61 ,  62 ,  63  can be rotated independently of one another and are mounted on a fixed carrying spindle  64  by means of rolling-contact bearings. The carrying spindle  64  comprises offset sections, in a manner similar to a crankshaft. The individual rollers  61 ,  62 ,  63  are arranged such that the central individual roller  62  rotates centrally in relation to an imaginary axis, while the lateral individual rollers  61 ,  63  rotate in an offset manner, with the result that, in the region where the tear-open thread  24  is transferred to the web  33 , the individual rollers  61 ,  62 ,  63  always have their circumferential surfaces aligned in a circumferential plane ( FIG. 8 ). 
     In order that the tear-open thread  24  achieves a sufficient region of wrap around the guide roller  35 , a supporting roller  36  is fitted beneath the guide roller, namely beneath the carrying component  56 , and deflects the tear-open thread  24  to a slight extent, and guides it, in relation to the guide roller  35 . 
     The conveying movement of the tear-open thread  24  in the region of transfer to the web  33  is achieved by the conveying speed of the web  33 . The latter draws along the tear-open thread  24  with it as a result of the adhesive connection. The transfer of the tear-open thread  24  to the web  33  takes place in the region of a deflecting roller  65  of the web  33 . The guide roller  35  butts against the same. The deflecting roller  65  is mounted in an elastic manner, namely on a pivoting arm  66 , which is loaded in the direction of the guide roller  35  by a compression spring  67 . 
       FIG. 10  shows an alternative to the thread unit  39  according to  FIG. 4 . The gear unit  43  here corresponds to the embodiment according to  FIG. 4 . A modification has been made in the region of the gear unit  42 . The dancer roller  44  with servodrive is replaced by a compensating element which exclusively rotates. This rotating compensating disk  37 , the tear-open thread  24  butting against its circumference, as a result of its eccentric shape, during each revolution, brings about length compensation in accordance with the different conveying speeds of the tear-open thread  24 . 
     In the case of the present example, the packaging machine and its subassemblies are set up for double-web operation. The (double-width) web  33  comprises two blank webs. Accordingly, the thread unit  39  is set up for the operation of fitting two tear-open threads  24  at the same time. Correspondingly, two identically equipped thread reels  40  are also provided, that is to say are arranged one above the other. The rest of the elements of the thread unit  39  and/or of the gear units  42  and  43  are set to processing of the two tear-open threads  24  either by appropriate dimensioning or by being provided in a double arrangement. In particular, two guide rollers  35  are thus provided, these being actuated and/or adjusted simultaneously by common elements. 
     The cigarette multipack  11  according to  FIG. 11  is produced in an analogous manner to the hinge-lid box  10  as far as the outer wrapper is concerned. The blank  12  ( FIG. 12 ) is designed such that the obliquely directed thread sections  26 ,  27  have a proportionally greater length in relation to the thread sections  31 ,  32 . Otherwise, the outer wrappers are of corresponding design. 
     It is also possible for the tear-open thread  24  or tear-open strip to be produced in sections and fed to an individual blank  12  or the web  33  made of film or the like ( FIGS. 13 to 17 ). In this case, respectively complete tear-open threads  24  are produced and positioned on the web  33 . In the case of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 13 , the individual tear-open threads  24  have the same contour as in the exemplary embodiment according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . However, the tear-open thread has part of the thread section  32  extending into the grip tab  25 . Another end of the thread section  32  is spaced apart from the grip tab  25  of the adjacent blank  12 , with the result that the tear-open thread  24 , overall, is fitted in an offset manner on the blank  12 . 
     Since the tear-open thread  24  of the present contour is produced in complete form, other configurations are also possible, in particular without rounded portions  30 , that is to say, for example, in zigzag form or with different corners. 
     The thread unit  39  for producing and fitting tear-open threads  24  in  FIG. 13  operates with (at least) one severing cutter, namely a thread cutter  69 ,  70 , for cutting off a contoured tear-open thread  24  from the leading end of the material web, namely of a thread web  71 ,  72 . The thread cutter  69 ,  70  corresponds in shape to that of the tear-open thread  24  which is to be cut off, that is to say, in the present case, it is approximately V-shaped or of meandering form. 
     The thread web  71 ,  72  is fed to a cutting block  73  of the thread unit  39  transversely to the web  33 . The thread cutter  69 ,  70  can be moved up and down within the cutting block  73 . A leading end of the thread web  71 ,  72  is held ready as a projection, corresponding to the width of the tear-open thread  24  which is to be cut off, within the cutting block  73 . The thread web  71 ,  72 , within the cutting block  73 , runs in a slot-like guide  74  and/or between a top and bottom guide roller  75 ,  76 . For the severing cut, the thread cutter  69 ,  70  is moved upward out of a bottom, starting position ( FIG. 17 ). Formed above the thread web  71 ,  72  is a fixed mating cutter  77 , which has the same contour as the thread cutter  69 ,  70 . The severing cut is executed as a result of the relative movement, a tear-open thread  24  thus being cut off as the leading end of the thread web  71 ,  72 . 
     The thread cutter  69 ,  70  feeds the cut-off tear-open thread  24 , as (upward) movement continues, directly to the web  33  and positions the tear-open thread  24  on the underside of the web  33  and presses it against the same ( FIG. 16 ). For this purpose, the thread cutter  69 ,  70  is designed as a (shaped, contoured) carrier or bar  85  which can be moved up and down in an upright, likewise contoured recess  78  of the cutting block  73 . In order to retain the tear-open thread  24 , the bar  85  is provided with suction bores  79  on the top side adjacent to the thread cutter  69 ,  70 . The suction bores  79  are connected to a negative-pressure source at least during the transporting phase of the tear-open thread  24 . 
     The web  33  is conveyed throughout the cutting block  73  in a (top) guide slot  80 . On the side located opposite to the severing cutter  69 ,  70 , an (elastic) pressure-exerting component  81  is formed in the cutting block  73  as an abutment when the tear-open thread  24  is pressed on. The pressure-exerting component  81  may be heated in order for the tear-open thread  24  to be attached by sealing. 
     It is also the case with this exemplary embodiment that the web  33  is conveyed continuously. A web section  82  in the region of thread unit  39  and/or of the cutting block  73 , however, is controlled such that a temporary standstill takes place, that is to say as the tear-open thread  24  is being fitted. For this purpose, the web  33  is guided via two pivotably mounted compensating pendulum arrangements  83 ,  84  which can be moved back and forth synchronously. This mechanism, which is known per se, brings about a momentary standstill of the web section  82  despite essentially continuous driving operation. 
     The contoured bars  85  as carriers of the thread cutters  69 ,  70  have their ends fitted on a (horizontal) carrying arm  86  in each case. The latter is mounted in a machine framework and can be moved up and down in a slot  87 , in order to allow the operation of severing the tear-open strip  24  and of feeding the same to the web  33 . 
     The apparatus which is illustrated in  FIGS. 14 to 17  is likewise set up for two-web operation. Accordingly, two thread webs  71 ,  72  are fed to a correspondingly designed cutting block  73 , to be precise in a manner in which they are arranged one above the other. The top thread web  71  is led directly into the cutting block  73 , while the bottom thread web  72  initially runs beneath the cutting block  73  and is subsequently directed upward, via deflecting rollers  88 , and then into a horizontal plane. The web  33  is a double width, with the result that in each case two blanks  12  are located one behind the other in the transverse direction. 
     A particular alternative to the described exemplary embodiments with a tear-open strip is shown in  FIG. 18  to  FIG. 20 . The packaging material itself, i.e. in particular the film for the outer wrapper of the (cigarette) pack is provided with one or more continuous or unbroken weakened lines  89 ,  90  or  91 . These represent a linear weakening of the wall thickness of the packaging material while, however, maintaining (at the inner side) a tight and continuously closed film. The cross-sectional weakening or the thereby created weakened line  89 ,  90 ,  91  facilitates an easy, manual severing of the film in this region. Preferably the weakened lines  89 ,  90 ,  91  are applied by means of laser technology. A laser beam can be controlled with such precision that it is possible to create a linear weakening of material even in the case of films having a very thin wall thickness. The course of the one or more weakened lines  89 ,  90 ,  91  corresponds to the course of the tear-open thread  24  in the previous exemplary embodiments, whereby the sub-parts of the tear-off thread designated as the thread section are here the line sections of the weakened line  89 ,  90 ,  91 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment pursuant to  FIG. 18  and  FIG. 19 , two parallel weakened lines  89 ,  90  are provided as continuous lines. The two weakened lines  89 ,  90  run parallel to and at a small distance from one another, with the result that a material strip  92  is created between the two weakened lines. Said material strip  92  can be pulled by hand from the walls of the outer wrapper or of the blank  12  in the manner of a tear-off strip. Provided here—analogous to the exemplary embodiment pursuant to FIG.  2 —is a grip tab  25  which facilitates the tear-open process. The shape and course of the weakened lines  89 ,  90  corresponds to the described exemplary embodiments. 
       FIG. 20  shows a special embodiment having a single weakened line  91 , which is preferably produced by laser as well. This weakened line is severed by pulling apart (manually) the adjacent regions of the film or of the blank  12 , i.e. without the use of a tear-open tab. 
     In the laser-assisted production of the weakened lines  89 ,  90  or  91 , the web  33 , which is conveyed in the longitudinal direction preferably in a continuous manner, has above it a laser which can be moved transversely relative to the web  33  in a controlled manner and in agreement with the conveying movement of the web  33  such that is the desired formation of the weakened lines  89 ,  90 ,  91  is generated. The device for moving the laser head can be configured analogously to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 . 
     LIST OF DESIGNATIONS 
     
         
           10  Hinge-lid box 
           11  Cigarette multipack 
           12  Blank 
           13  Blank 
           14  Front wall 
           15  Rear wall 
           16  Side wall 
           17  Side wall 
           18  End wall 
           19  Base wall 
           20  Side flap 
           21  Side flap 
           22  End flap 
           23  End flap 
           24  Tear-open thread 
           25  Grip tab 
           26  Thread section 
           27  Thread section 
           28  Pack corner 
           29  Pack corner 
           30  Rounded portion 
           31  Thread section 
           32  Thread section 
           33  Web 
           34  Blank subassembly 
           35  Guide roller 
           36  Supporting roller 
           37  Compensating disk 
           38  Reel 
           39  Thread unit 
           40  Thread reel 
           41  Compensating roller 
           42  Gear unit 
           43  Gear unit 
           44  Dancer roller 
           45  Carrier 
           46  Slot guide 
           47  Deflecting roller 
           48  Deflecting roller 
           49  Servomotor 
           50  Crank mechanism 
           51  Connecting rod 
           52  Crank 
           53  Guide carriage 
           54  Transverse guide 
           55  Tie rod 
           56  Carrying component 
           57  Mount 
           58  Connecting rod 
           59  Articulation 
           60  Pivoting arm 
           61  Individual roller 
           62  Individual roller 
           63  Individual roller 
           64  Carrying spindle 
           65  Deflecting roller 
           66  Pivoting arm 
           67  Compression spring 
           68  Severing cut 
           69  Thread cutter 
           70  Thread cutter 
           71  Thread web 
           72  Thread web 
           73  Cutting block 
           74  Guide 
           75  Guide roller 
           76  Guide roller 
           77  Mating cutter 
           78  Recess 
           79  Suction bore 
           80  Guide slot 
           81  Pressure-exerting component 
           82  Web section 
           83  Compensating pendulum arrangement 
           84  Compensating pendulum arrangement 
           85  Bar 
           86  Carrying arm 
           87  Slot 
           88  Deflecting roller 
           89  Weakened line 
           90  Weakened line 
           91  Weakened line 
           92  Material strip