RS51149B - PACKAGING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE FRESH LENGTH OF SMOKE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a pack (10) with increased gas pressure inside the pack (10) compared to the gas pressure surrounding the pack (10). The pack (10) contains one or more oblong articles, such as elongate tobacco products, in particular cigarettes.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND STATE OF THE ART

The invention relates to packaging for preserving freshness. Such packages are particularly suitable for oblong objects, especially for elongated tobacco products.

Different types of packaging are used to preserve the freshness of products whose quality may be compromised, for example, due to exposure to air or light, loss of moisture or aroma, or absorption of unpleasant odors. Known measures to preserve the freshness of such products include, for example, wrapping the contents of the package in an inner plastic bag or wrapping the package itself in a suitable impermeable film. For example, cigarette packs are usually supplied with a cellophane or polypropylene wrapper. Previous documents showing packages designed to extend the shelf life and preserve the freshness of the packaged products: WO 99/28212 A1 describes a resealable solid package for tobacco products with a protective material sealed around the package. A rigid package has a potential or actual access opening, which extends from the top side of the package to the front side of the package. The protective material has a line of separation or weakening, which defines a tab that is in contact with the access opening.

EP 0 392 737 A1 shows a package for preserving freshness with a hinged lid. The package contains a mechanical means for preserving freshness between the inner surface of the front wall of the lid and the outer surface of the front wall of the package. The mentioned tool creates a click sound when closing the package to indicate the freshness preservation feature to the user.

GB 1 447 233 A1 shows an air-tight tubular package made of a rectangular base consisting of a multi-layered air-tight material.

DE 27 43 048 A1 shows a package made of multilayer cut sheets, the cut sheets providing bendable tabs which can be connected to each other by the application of heat or pressure. The outer surface of the package consists of aluminum foil. The package cannot be resealed.

WO 01 / 83326 A1 discloses the application of negative pressure in packaging containing tobacco products to avoid mold and micro-organisms and to control humidity in the packaging.

There is still a need for improved packaging that maintains the freshness of the packaged contents, especially before the first opening of the package. It is desirable that after the first opening of the package, the user or consumer can check the quality and integrity of the package to preserve freshness.

The object of the present invention is to fulfill these and other requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention provides a package containing one or more oblong objects for smoking, in particular cigarettes, wherein the package is under pressure before the first opening, as defined in claim 1. In said unopened and sealed state, the package is impermeable to gases. It is desirable that when opening the package for the first time, an appropriate sound is produced that highlights the quality and integrity of the package to preserve freshness.

In the context of the present invention, the term "pressurized package" means that before the first opening, the pressure in the package is higher than the pressure outside the package, i.e. atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure can vary e.g. between 900 and 1080 mbar at sea level. It is desirable that the difference between the pressures is large enough to create a sound when the package is first opened. It is useful that the pressure in the package is at least 50 mbar higher than the pressure outside the package, i.e. relevant atmospheric pressure, i.e. preferably above 1130 mbar. On the other hand, the pressure inside the package should be low enough that when atmospheric pressure drops, e.g. during transport to another location, the packaging does not burst. It is desirable that the pressure inside the package is not more than 500 mbar higher than the atmospheric pressure (for an atmospheric pressure of 1000 mbar, the pressure inside the package should be less than 1500 mbar in that case). A pressure difference of 100 to 250 mbar (between internal pressure and atmospheric pressure of 1000 mbar) is particularly desirable.

The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the package is achieved by supplying the package (including its contents) with a suitable gas, such as, for example, argon, carbon dioxide or nitrogen. Preferably, the gas is an inert gas. The most preferred gas is nitrogen. It is useful for the package to be at least partially vacuum-sealed before filling with the aforementioned gas. It is preferable that the package is vacuum-sealed to at least 50%.

The packages according to the subject invention have an exceptional quality of preserving freshness during an extended period of time, and especially before the first opening of the package, thereby effectively maintaining the quality of the packaged items. For example the desired moisture content or humidity level, as well as the unique aroma of the packaged items are largely preserved until the package is opened for the first time. Exchange between the contents of the package and various external factors such as air, light or unpleasant odors is avoided. The contents of the package are effectively protected from drying out, losing their original aroma or taking on other aromas. One of the advantages of the packaging provided by the present invention is that the outer wrapper or inner foil is redundant.

The package according to the invention contains a lower part, an upper part and an envelope or sleeve that forms the body of the gravure part of the package and envelops the contents of the package. The three parts are interconnected so that the package is gas-tight (and preferably light-tight) and has the desired characteristics of preserving freshness. Although it is contemplated that the lower part or the upper part or both may be formed as a casing, it is preferred that the three parts are structurally identifiable and separated prior to their integration into the package. Optionally, the package can also contain an inner frame.

Typically, the bottom provides a place for gas to enter during package manufacturing. Such a place for the gas inlet is suitable for introducing gas into the package and achieving the desired pressure in the package. Suitable places for gas entry are known in the art and include e.g. a valve or, more preferably, a small opening that is completely closed, preferably sealed, after the gas filling process is complete. A small opening can be provided via a charging port, e.g. small pipes. It is desirable that the place for the gas inlet is inconspicuous on the finished package.

Advantageously, the top portion includes at least one existing or potential opening that allows the packaged item to be removed by the user. An example of an existing opening is a lid, eg a hinged lid that allows the package to be opened and closed repeatedly. A potential opening is an opening created by the user after the first opening of the package and can be defined by a dividing line or a removable label. It is useful that the opening, or openings, of the package is designed so as not to compromise the freshness preservation characteristic of the package.

If the upper part of the package contains a lid, it can be additionally supplied with a seal, preferably a seal under the lid, which is preferably of the hinged type. Preferably, the seal is such that the package is permeable to water even after the first opening of the package. The gasket may be made of any suitable conventional sealing material, e.g. material based on polyethers, polyurethanes or polyesters. A silicone gasket is preferred.

The lower part, the upper part and the envelope are made of materials which are gas-tight, or which can be combined to provide a gas-tight package if it consists of separate parts. Procedures for suitably combining packaging components are known and include e.g. sealing, especially thermal sealing or induction sealing. Preferably, the elevated pressure within such a gas-tight package is maintained for a longer period, preferably at least 6 months, and even more preferably at least one year. In addition, the materials must be strong, rigid and thick enough so that the package does not inflate when under pressure, nor shrink when the pressure is reduced. It is desirable that the package according to the invention has a strength and stability similar to that of a conventional hinged lid cardboard package.

The casing is made of material in the form of a film, of sufficient strength and thickness to achieve the desired characteristics of the package, especially gas retention in the package. Suitable materials are commercially available. Preferably, the casing is made of a multi-layer film containing at least one plastic material, e.g. polyolefin. Preferably the mesh has a thickness between 100 and 400 microns. It is desirable that the sheath has a metallic appearance. The cover can be written, embossed, marked or decorated in some other way according to desire or request. It is desirable that the cover has the effect of a slight shine.

The package according to the invention contains one or more oblong objects for smoking, as defined in claim 1. It is preferable that the oblong object, or objects, has a solid structure and has a ratio of length to width of at least 3 to 1. It is preferable that it gives a ratio of length to width between 5 to 1 and 20 to 1. Preferred oblong objects are cigars, cigarillos or cigarettes. The most preferred package according to the invention contains cigarettes.

In a preferred solution, the subject invention provides a package with one or more oblong objects, which is under pressure before the first opening and where the lower part is formed from the first lid with the associated rim, the upper part is formed from the second lid with the associated rim and the sheath or sleeve is wrapped over and attached to the rims of the first and second lids. It is useful for each rim to extend over a portion of one or more oblong objects in the package.

The first cover provides a gas inlet, preferably in the form of a sealing integral fitting as described earlier. The second cover includes an opening covered by an integral hinged cover, optionally with an audible click when closing and/or with a gasket. Before opening for the first time, the thermally sealed cover under the hinged cover ensures gas tightness. It is preferable that this cover is made of thermally sealed foil such as layered aluminum foil and that it can be removed, ie. it is intended to be removed by the user after first opening the package. After that, the integral hinged lid allows the package to be opened and closed. It is useful that the opening in the second cover extends over less than half of the surface of the second cover, preferably less than a third.

The covers can have any suitable shape, e.g. they can be oval, rounded or angular. It goes without saying that the shape of the lids determines the final shape of the package. Therefore, the shape of the lids is selected in accordance with the desired shape of the package. While the lids may have different shapes, it is preferred that they have the same or similar shape. It is useful for the lids to be designed in such a way as to ensure the organization of the contents if the package contains a large number of oblong objects, for example between 10 and 20 cigarettes. This may include ribs in the upper and, or lower part. It is desirable that the covers are made of the same material. The preferred material is plastic, especially hard plastic, which is strong enough to provide adequate package stability. The material is selected to maintain the connection of the jacket to the covers using a conventional sealing method, e.g. thermal sealing or induction sealing. It is useful that the plastic material is polyethylene or polypropylene. The caps can be made by a conventional process such as injection molding. If desired, the covers can be painted or have a special surface treatment. Covers should preferably be light-tight.

The sheath is wrapped over the last part of the rim of the lids forming a structure in the form of a tube or sleeve. It is crucial that the jacket connection to both covers is gas tight and that the component materials are selected to meet this requirement. Preferably, the sheath has a multi-layered structure containing at least one layer of plastic material such as polyolefin, especially polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). For example a suitable multilayer structure includes a three-layer film, including laminates with polyolefin forming the outer layers. It is preferable that the casing is metal, e.g. including aluminum (Al) and that it is opaque to light. Particularly preferred materials for the sheath are three-layer films, preferably laminates, having the structure PE/A1/PE or PP/A1/PP. Another suitable sheath material is multi-layer extruded aluminum foil. The wrapper is sufficiently rigid or strong and thick so that it does not wrinkle when the pressure in the package is reduced after the first opening. It is preferable that the envelope is written and cannot be easily scratched.

Suitable machines and technologies for making packages according to the present invention are known to those skilled in the art. For example the cigarette packaging according to the present invention can be made as described below.

The pack of cigarettes is packaged in a package that has two hard plastic covers and a wrap around the cigarettes and around the rim of the covers. The lid forming the top part of the package includes a hinged lid for the user to remove the cigarettes. A foil is provided on the hinged lid, which the user needs to remove when opening the package. The envelope is sealed and air is removed from the package which is then filled with nitrogen to obtain a pressurized package according to the invention.

Cigarettes are fed into the collecting core, it is easily useful to fill several cores, e.g. 3-6 simultaneously, the process is described for one core. The core has a number of openings arranged to define the shape of the bundle to be packed. It is useful to transfer the cigarettes from the funnel to the openings one by one, eg using a push rod. The bundle is then transferred from the core to the molded pocket, where the cigarettes are no longer separated from each other and are ready to be packed. Transfer to the molded pocket is accomplished by means of a group of parallel push rods. The filled molded pockets are then moved to the package filling station where the caps are placed over the ends of the cigarettes and the wrapper is wrapped around the cigarette bundle and the rim of the caps.

The casing is secured from the rolls and transported via a group of tension rollers to the casing preparation and cutting station. This station ensures that the wrapper is cut to the correct length required by the package. Forming the sheath around the bundle is achieved by first forming a sleeve of the sheath which is then slid over the bundle and covers. The sleeve is formed by folding the sheath, cut to the appropriate length, around the core and sealing it lengthwise. Any conventional sealing method can be used, e.g. gluing or thermal bonding. The sleeve is then slid over the lids and cigarette bundles, and the ends of the sleeves are then joined to the lids. Any conventional type of joint can be used, preferably a thermal joint. The air in the package is then removed through a small opening or port on the bottom, the port also being used to fill with an inert gas, preferably nitrogen. The opening is then sealed by heating and melting the surrounding plastic. The pressure pack is then marked as desired.

Optionally, the packages according to the invention include an internal frame that can further increase the stability of the package. Such an inner frame can also be used to divide the package into separate sections, preferably two or three. The inner frame represents the supporting structure inside the package and can be made of solid materials, such as rigid paper, cardboard, laminate, metal, plastic, or a combination of the aforementioned. It is preferable to use cardboard or plastic. For example, the inner frame can be designed to connect the lower and upper parts in one or more, preferably two, corresponding positions. Suitable connecting means may include one or more, preferably two, rod-like structures. In order to accept the means of connection, the inner surfaces of the upper and lower parts may have openings or cutouts, suitably adapted to receive and secure the means of connection, for example by means of a friction fit. After assembling the package, the connecting means are inserted into the corresponding openings or sections of the upper and lower parts, connecting them to each other in this way. The connecting means can be made of the same or different material as the upper and lower parts. It is particularly desirable that the connecting means are made of the same material as the upper and lower parts and that material is plastic.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will be illustrated by means of a sample package, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The example should not be understood as a limitation of the invention, but rather the invention is limited only by the scope of the patent claims.

The drawings show:

Drawing 1 - pack (10) of cigarettes in open position,

Drawing 2 - a package (10) used in the invention, with a sleeve (23) and a top (22). The upper part (22) contains an opening (40) for access to the contents, which is covered by a hinged cover (41). The hinged cover (41) contains outlets (43) that produce a click when opening and closing the package (10). The sleeve (23) is made of thin plate.

Claims (14)

1. A package (10) containing an oblong object or a number of oblong objects for smoking, especially cigarettes, wherein the package (10) is under pressure before the first opening, indicated by the fact that before the first opening the pressure inside the package (10) is greater than the pressure outside the package (10). 2. The package (10) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the pressure inside the package (10) is greater than the pressure outside the package (10) by at least 50 mbar, and preferably by no more than 500 mbar. 3. Package (10) according to any of the previous requirements, indicated by the fact that the pressure difference inside the package (10) and outside the package (10) is approximately 100 mbar, and preferably around 250 mbar. 4. A package (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by being gas impermeable. 5. Package (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the pressure difference inside and outside the package (10) is achieved by introducing a suitable gas, preferably an inert gas, preferably nitrogen into the package (10) together with its contents, preferably through a valve or an opening that can be closed. 6. A package (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains a lower part, an upper part (22) and an envelope or sleeve (23). 7. Packaging (10) according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the three parts are interconnected. 8. A package (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises an inner frame. 9. Packaging (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by the fact that a place for gas supply is provided on the lower part. 10. A package (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the upper part (22) includes at least one actual or potential opening (40). 11. The package (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the lower part is formed by the first lid with the associated rim, the upper part (22) is formed by the second lid with the associated rim, and the sheath or sleeve (23) is wrapped over and attached to the rims of the first and second lids. 12. A package (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that each rim extends over a portion of one or more oblong objects in the package. 13. Packaging (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that the casing (23) has a multi-layer structure containing at least one layer of plastic material, preferably polyolefin, and especially polyethylene or polypropylene. 14. A method for producing a package (10), according to any of the preceding requirements, which includes: - packaging of cigarettes in a package (10), wherein the package (10) contains two solid plastic lids and a wrapper (23), wrapped around the cigarettes and around the rim of the lids, wherein the lid forming the upper part (22) of the package (10) includes a hinged lid (41), placing the foil on the mentioned hinged cover (41), sealing of said casing (23). extraction of air from the mentioned package (10) through the opening, filling the package (10) with nitrogen through the mentioned opening and - closing the mentioned opening by sealing.