DE19742537A1 - Method and device for producing cigarette packs in particular - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for Manufacture of packs, in particular cigarette packs, at which the package content in a packaging machine in we at least a pre-made one with a print Cutting from (thin) cardboard, paper, foil or coated Material is encased.

The preferred field of application of the invention is cigarettes packs. Two types of packs are widely used worldwide tion, namely folding boxes (hinge-lid packs) on the one hand and soft cup packs, on the other hand. Both types of pack is common that the package contents - a cigarette group - of is surrounded on all sides by an inner covering. This can be from Pa pier, tinfoil or other coated packaging material consist. The inner wrapping is on the outside with a Provide printing. This consists of a suitable material a colored print or from a (metal) vapor deposition. At Foil can also be embossed, in particular another a structured surface.  

The actual packaging itself is for folding boxes made of (thin) cardboard, for soft cup packs made of paper. Also these blanks are usually with colored printing see, both with ornamental representations as well with textual content.

The invention has for its object measures for the Ge to design and manufacture (cigarette) packs conditions that lead to cheaper, more rational manufacturing possibilities opportunities.

The method according to the invention is used to achieve this object characterized in that the at least in terms of loading Printing pre-made blanks in the area of loading Print have a print-free recess and that in Individual printing in the area of the packaging machine Area of this recess of the blanks is attached.

The invention is based on the knowledge that (cigarette ten-) packs with mostly uniform, consistent Design often in the field of printing individual un Different details require, depending on the market requirements individual legal regulations etc. This does not only apply regarding the use of ornamental details, but especially for text printing with informational content. It is superficially about the formulation of a prescription Warning about health risks of smoking. The content of this warning must differ from country to country be designed.

The essence of the invention is now how the blanks so far - in terms of color or other printing to be prepared in the factory and available to the packaging system supply. Only different details of the Be Printing, especially the warning, is carried out at Ferti omitted packaging material and only in the area attached to the packaging machine, according to the individual, requirements. The advantage of this measure be is that packaging with different designs manufactured essentially uniform packaging material can be.  

The device according to the invention, namely the packaging machine, is provided with a suitable printing unit, for example one Inkjet printer or one with dye (toner) working laser printer. This brings when the Packaging material to the packaging machine at a suitable Set the desired, adjustable, individual printing in the area of the recess. The Be Printing can be done both on ongoing, already enough printed material webs or on individual, prefabricated Blanks or partially manufactured packs are applied, the latter especially in the manufacture of cigarette packs of the folding box type.

Further details regarding the design of the packaging gene and the device are subsequently based on Ausfü tion examples explained in more detail. It shows:

Fig. 1 shows a cigarette pack of the open hinge-lid type in a perspective view;

Fig. 2 shows a portion of a web of material for the production of blanks for inner wrappings,

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of a material web, also for the production of inner wrappings,

Fig. 4 shows a portion of a web of material for the production of cigarette packs of the soft-carton type,

Fig. 5 shows a blank for a cigarette pack of the hinge-lid type,

Fig. 6 shows a device for the processing of blanks or material webs for inner wrappings in a schematic side view,

Fig. 7 shows a part of a packaging machine in top view for the production of cigarette packs of the hinge-lid type,

Fig. 8 shows a detail of the device of FIG. 7 in a greatly simplified side view.

The drawings relate to a preferred application area, namely the design and manufacture of cigarettes packs.

Fig. 1 shows a cigarette pack of the hinge-lid type. This type of pack is formed from a blank according to FIG. 5. The basic structure consists of a box part 10 and a lid 11 . The box part 10 is formed by a box front wall 12 , a box rear wall 13 , by box side tabs 14 and 15 and by a bottom 16 ge. The box side tabs 14 and 15 each form pairs of box side walls by overlapping and gluing together. External box side tabs 15 are attached laterally to the box front wall 12 .

Correspondingly, the lid 11 is designed with a lid front wall 17 , lid rear wall 18 and lid side tabs 19 and 20 . An upper end wall 21 is also provided. A lid-in tab 22 is folded in the finished hinged box against the inside of the lid front wall 17 and connected to it. The cover side tabs 19 , 20 also form cover side walls in pairs as a result of overlap and adhesive bonding to one another.

Box part 10 and lid 11 are hinged miteinan connected in the region of the rear walls by a transverse hinge line 23 .

The collapsible box also includes a collar 24 usually made from a separate blank. This consists of the collar front wall 25 and collar side tabs 26 . The collar 24 is anchored in the box part 10 , namely be fastened by gluing. In the area of a part of the box portion 10 of the collar 24 or the collar front wall 25 , a recess 27 with a rounded contour is provided.

The package contents, namely a cigarette group, is surrounded by an inner wrapper 28 and thus forms a cigarette block 29 .

A cigarette pack of the type described is therefore essentially formed from two blanks. The inner wrapper 28 consists of relatively thin packaging material, in particular paper, tinfoil or the like. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show two different embodiments for the inner wrapper 28th The blank according to FIG. 2 is designed according to the principle of the "cross-coil". Cutting surfaces for forming an inner front wall 30 , an inner side wall 31 and an inner rear wall 32 are arranged in succession in the longitudinal direction of the blank. Edge flaps 33 and 34 adjoin the inner front wall 30 on the one hand and the inner rear wall 32 on the other hand. In the fully folded inner wrapper 28, these lie against one another with partial overlap and result in an inner side wall opposite the inner side wall 31 .

Upper and lower folding strips 34 and 35 form end folds on the one hand and bottom folds on the other hand for the end wall and bottom wall of the inner wrapper 28 . The end wall - and accordingly the bottom wall - are designed so that tra pez shaped longitudinal tabs 36 , 37 partially overlap each other. Referring to FIG. 1, an external longitudinal tab 36 with the In nenvorderwand 30 of the inner wrapper 28 are connected.

The cut for the inner covering 28 according to FIG. 3 is designed analogously, namely according to the principle of the longitudinal winding. Inner front wall 30 and inner rear wall 32 are connected here by a continuous inner bottom wall 38 . Seitenstrei fen 39 , 40 extend over the full length of the elongated blank and serve to form inner walls by partial coverage. The inner end wall is formed by folding strips 41 , 42 which run at opposite ends of the blank. This folding strips 41, 42 are folded so that - as with the embodiment according to Figures 1 and 2 trapezoidal longitudinal tabs 36, 37 are formed as part of the In-NEN end wall...

The blanks for the inner covering 28 can be provided with printing and / or embossing over the entire surface. The latter is mainly used for inner wrapping made of tin foil, but can also be used for inner wrapping made of paper. In the examples shown, the inner wrappings 28 are provided with a print only in one part which protrudes from the packaging, that is to say from the hinged box, from the soft cup pack or from another pack. Accordingly, the blank according to FIG. 2 has a printing field only on one side, namely a printing strip 43 . This is factory-made in the manufacture of the inner envelope 28th This is made available as a continuous material web 44 , in a wound formation as Bo bine. The one-sided as a continuous strip Be printing strips 43 corresponds to the visible in the packaging surface of the inner wrapper 28 , including the security area.

The special feature is that the printing field, namely the printing strip 43 , has at least one recess 45 per cut. This in the present case rectangular field is therefore free of any printing, but if necessary prepared so far that printing later, namely in the area of a packaging machine, can be applied by a suitable printing unit.

The pressure-free recess 45 is brought in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2 in the upper region of the inner front wall 30 , namely in a region which at least in the opened state projects from the packaging. In a folding box according to FIG. 1 there is the recess 45 in the plane formed by the collar front wall 25 of recess 27. When opening the cover 11 , the recess 45 and thus a print arranged in its area can thus be recognized by the user.

The recess 45 extends in the present case with a portion within the inner end wall of the inner casing 28 , namely on the outside of the outer longitudinal tab 36th This creates a larger area for individual printing. On the other hand, it is ensured that the information conveyed by this special printing can be read both when looking at the front of the (opened) package and in the area of the end face.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, a material web 46 corresponds to the width of the blanks for the inner covering. Be printing fields 47 , 48 are each formed at the ends of the elongated blanks, namely on the opening side of the pack facing areas.

In each case at least one printing field 47 ) is provided with a cutout 45 , that is to say a printing-free area for accommodating individual printing in the area of the packaging machine. The recess 45 extends in this embodiment also in the area of the inner front wall 30 and the adjacent end wall or the front loading area 47 with the trapezoidal, outer longitudinal tab 36th

Another special feature of the blanks according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is that the bedruckungsfreie field, so the savings from 45 formed in the region of a flap 49, 50. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the flap is limited by a 49 win kelförmige perforation 51st In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, a transverse perforation line 52 extends over the full width of the blank or of the material web 46 in the region of the front printing field 47 . The attachment of the recess 45 and thus the individual printing in the area of the flap 49 , 50 is particularly advantageous when the flap 49 , 50 forms a coupon, for example for participation in competitions.

The blanks described above can also have a different coating instead of printing, for example a thin metal layer applied by vapor deposition. In the case of blanks formed in this way, the field to be individually printed, that is to say the cutout 45 , is kept free from vaporization during the vaporization process.

Outer wrappers, namely the blanks for soft-carton (Fig. 4) or hinge-lid packs (Fig. 5), may be formed in an analogous manner from.

Fig. 4 shows a portion of a material web 53 from something stronger paper or other suitable packaging material. Within this material web 53 are formed lined up blanks 54 for a soft-cup. The blanks 54 are continuously lined up within the material web 53 and provided with a print 55 corresponding to the brand or equipment of the packaging (hatched area). Ornamental representations 56 may also be present. These prints 55 and representations 56 are brought to the factory during the manufacture of the material web 53 . In the area of the packaging machine, the cuts 54 are separated from the material web 53 and fed to the packaging process.

The blank 54 is formed in the present case so that in the longitudinal direction of the material web 53 a first Seitenwandlap pen 57 , a front wall 58 , a second side wall 59 , a rear wall 60 and a second, inner side wall tab 61 follow one another. Bottom folding flaps 62 are formed on a long side of the material web 53 .

In the finished package, ie the folded soft cup, the bottom folding tabs 62 form a closed bottom. Be tenwandlappen 57 , 61 overlap each other and are connected by gluing. The package is open at the top.

Here too, a recess 63 is provided in the area of the printing 55 , that is to say a printing-free field. In this area, individual printings or texts can be applied in the packaging machine area. Since the blanks 54 are produced in the area of the packaging machine, the material web 53 can be seen in the recesses 63 with the individual printing before the blanks 54 are separated from the material web 53 . Alternatively, the printing can also be transferred to the blanks 54 that have already been separated from the material web 53 .

The recess 63 , which is designed as a rectangular field, can be provided at a suitable location on the cut 54 which is clearly recognizable from the outside. In the present preferred embodiment, the recess 63 for individual printing is in the upper region of the (closed) side wall 59 , that is to say adjacent to the open side of the cup.

Analogously, the blank is formed according to FIG. 5 for hinged chess. This blank is provided with a plurality of print areas 64 , 65 , 66 , indicated by hatching, and for example also with an ornamental representation 56 . A recess 67 is hen in an upper pressure region 64 , specifically on the lid 11 . The cover front wall 17 is mainly provided as a recess 67 . Factory-made printing remains only on the edge.

In the case of from blanks according to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 made packings which is provided with individual printing is off savings 63, 67 arranged on the outside in each case. The finished pack is usually surrounded by an outer cover made of transparent film. As a result, any information in the area of the recess 63 , 67 can be seen from the outside even when the pack is closed.

A unit for treating a material web according to FIG. 2 can be seen in simplified form in FIG. 6. With appropriate adaptation, this unit can also be used for the production of blanks according to FIG. 3 or according to FIG. 4.

The material web 44 is drawn off from a first, active bobbin 68 . A further replacement bobbin 69 is introduced into the production flow after the bobbin 68 has been used up .

The material web 44 passes through a splice unit 70 in the known known construction for connecting an expiring material web to a new one to be connected when changing bobbins. The running material web 44 is guided in the area of the splice unit 70 over a deflecting roller and then runs through a likewise known compensation pendulum 72 . This compensates for different conveying movements in individual areas of the material web 44 .

In the present exemplary embodiment, the material web 44 - in contrast to the illustration in FIG. 2 - is double-lined, that is to say twice the width. The printing strip 43 can either run as a double-wide printing strip in the middle of the double-wide material web 44 . Alternatively, the (double-wide) material web 44 can be provided with two printing strips 43 on the free edges. In any case, a continuous separating cut must be carried out in the longitudinal center of the material web in order to obtain two individual material webs 44 in the sense of FIG. 2.

For this purpose, the material web 44 runs through a cutting unit 73 . This is equipped with a disk-shaped, rotating cutting knife 74 for severing the material web in the longitudinal direction during the transport thereof.

The cutting unit 73 is preceded by an edge control 75 , also of a known type. This causes a constant monitoring and correct alignment of the material web on the cutting unit 73rd This ensures that the separating cut is made exactly in the middle of the material web 44 .

The two separate material webs 44 then pass through a further edge control 76 . This results in an exact alignment of the two individual webs with subsequent units.

A first treatment unit is an embossing device 77 . In this area, the material webs are embossed by means of embossing rollers with a corresponding surface structure, for example to achieve a matt surface structure with tin foil.

Following the embossing apparatus 77 , the material web runs or the two material webs 44 run past a printing unit 78 in the region of an upright conveyor line. This has the task of applying the necessary printing (text or ornament) in the area of the recess 45 . The printing unit 78 can, for example, be an inkjet printer. The precise application of the printing in the area of the recess 45 is effected by a print mark reader 79 connected in the conveying direction. This controls the functions of processing elements on the basis of print marks 80 on the material web 44 .

The material web 44 is then fed to a cutting unit 81 . This separates the individual blanks for the inner wrapping 28 according to FIG. 2 from the material web 44 . The exact positioning of the separating cuts is controlled by the print marks 80 . In the area of the blanking unit 81, the blanks prepared for packaging are kept ready in a vertical plane. The object to be wrapped is transported on a horizontal packing line 82 , in the present case a cigarette group. In the region of the cutting unit 81, this is first encased in a U-shape by the cutting. In the further course, the blank is finished folded to form the cigarette block 29 . This is then a further packaging unit or a packaging machine for attaching an outer wrapper, namely in particular to form a hinged box, supplied.

A similar procedure can be used when attaching blanks 54 for soft cup packs or using a device analogous to FIG. 6.

. 5, they are usually supplied as to cut staple in the production of hinge-lid boxes using blanks according to FIG. The individual printing in the area of the recess 67 can be carried out after the cuts 54 have been separated, for example in the region of a cut path during the transport of the cuts to the folding volver. The blanks 54 should be positioned so that the side with the printing areas 64 , 65 , 66 and the savings 67 point out during printing.

Fig. 7 shows details of a packaging machine with a folding turret 83 which is rotatably mounted in the horizontal plane. The folding turret is provided with pockets 84 , 85 arranged in pairs. Blanks 54 are introduced into these in pairs. In the region of a radially directed blank web 86 , the blanks 54 can be provided with printing in the region of the recess 63 .

An alternative looks so that the outer chess tel side tab 15 (or lid side tab 20 ) in the Druckbe rich 66 (or outside the same) are printed. The usual manufacturing technology for such folding boxes is used ge. The predominantly finished folding boxes are ejected in the radial direction from the folding turret 83 into a straight-line packaging web 87 . The hinged box is completed in the area of this packing track 87 .

The hinged boxes are folded so far when inserted into the packing web 87 that only in an upper level the outer box side tabs 15 and the outer lid-Be tenlappen 20 are wing-like to the side, in a horizontal plane. The outside of this folding tab is directed upwards ( Fig. 8). To apply individual printing in the area of the side walls of the hinged chute tel, specifically in particular in the area of the box side tabs 15 , a printing element 88 is arranged above the packaging web 87 . This printing element 88 , for example a ink jet printer or a laser printer working with toner, is positioned above the path of movement of one of the box side tabs 15 and transmits the imprint. Alternatively, two such printing elements 88 can be arranged next to one another for printing both box side tabs 15 .

The preparation of the blanks for the production of the inside Wraps or outer wrappings can also be made in this way gene that coated packaging material an interruption the coating or has a window within it, to apply a print without a local coating of the material.  

Reference list

10th

Box part

11

cover

12th

Box front wall

13

Box back wall

14

Box side tabs

15

Box side tabs

16

ground

17th

Lid front wall

18th

Lid back wall

19th

Lid side tabs

20th

Lid side tabs

21

Front wall

22

Inner lid lobes

23

Hinge line

24th

collar

25th

Collar front wall

26

Collar side tabs

27

deepening

28

Inner wrapping

29

Block of cigarettes

30th

Inner front wall

31

Inner side wall

32

Interior rear wall

33

Marginal lobe

34

Folding strips

35

Folding strips

36

Longitudinal lobes

37

Longitudinal lobes

38

Inside floor wall

39

Hard shoulder

40

Hard shoulder

41

Folding strips

42

Folding strips

43

Printing strips

44

Material web

45

Recess

46

Material web

47

Printing area

48

Printing area

49

Flap

50

Flap

51

perforation

52

Perforation line

53

Material web

54

Cutting

55

Oppression

56

presentation

57

Sidewall tabs

58

Front wall

59

Side wall

60

Back wall

61

Sidewall tabs

62

Floor folding rag

63

Recess

64

Pressure range

65

Pressure range

66

Pressure range

67

Recess

68

Bobine

69

Replacement bobbins

70

Splice aggregate

71

Deflection roller

72

Compensation pendulum

73

Cutting unit

74

Cutting knife

75

Edge control

76

Edge control

77

Embossing machine

78

Printing unit

79

Print mark reader

80

Print mark

81

Cutting unit

82

Packing lane

83

Folding turret

84

bag

85

bag

86

Cutting path

87

Packing lane

88

Printing element

Claims (12)

1. A process for the production of packs, in particular cigarette packets, in which the pack content is encased in a packaging machine in at least one prefabricated, printed blank from (thin) cardboard, paper, foil or other coated material, as characterized by that the prefabricated blanks ( 28 , 54 ) at least with respect to the printing each have a printing-free cutout ( 45 , 63 , 67 ) in the area of the printing and that in the area of the packaging machine an individual printing in the area of this cutout ( 45 , 63 , 67 ) the blanks are attached. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the case of blanks ( 28 , 54 ) made of paper or other thin, wrappable packaging material, this is provided as a continuous Ma material web ( 44 , 46 , 53 ) of the packaging machine, and in the area of the same the individual printing in the area of the cutouts ( 45 , 63 , 67 ) is attached to the continuous material web ( 44 , 46 , 53 ) and the blanks are then separated from the material web ( 44 , 46 , 53 ). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the recesses ( 45 ) for individual printing a In nenumhüllung ( 28 ) for cigarettes, a recess ( 45 ) in the loading area of a part of the packaging (hinged box or soft cup) outstanding Have inner casing ( 28 ), in particular in an upper region of an inner front wall ( 30 ) and / or inner end wall of the inner casing ( 28 ). 4. The method according to claim 3 or one of the other claims, characterized in that the recess ( 45 ) of the inner casing ( 28 ) for a hinged box in the region of a recess ( 27 ) of a collar front wall ( 25 ) of a collar ( 24 ) attached is. 5. The method according to claim 1 or one of the other claims, characterized in that a material web ( 44 ) for blanks to form inner coverings ( 28 ) a continuous, edge-side printing strip ( 43 ) with positionsge quite spaced recesses ( 45 ) or printing areas ( 47 , 48 ) formed at a distance from one another, likewise with cutouts ( 45 ). 6. The method according to claim 1 or one of the other claims, characterized in that in the case of blanks ( 54 ) for soft cups, a recess ( 63 ) for individual printing in the region of a (closed) side wall ( 59 ) of the blank, in particular in the upper region, is formed. 7. The method according to claim 1 or one of the other claims, characterized in that blanks with printing (printing areas 64 , 65 , 66 ) are manufactured in the factory for the production of hinged boxes and provided with at least one cut-out ( 67 ) for individual printing and that the blanks in the packaging machine before folding or after partial folding in the region of the recess ( 67 ) are provided with an individual printing and then the hinged box is completed. 8. The method according to claim 7 or one of the other claims, characterized in that in a hinged box or a blank for a hinged box, the recess ( 67 ) for individual printing in the region of a lid-front derwand ( 17 ) is formed. 9. The method according to claim 7 or one of the other claims, characterized in that an individual Be printing is attached to a folding box in the area of external box side tabs ( 15 ), preferably after the completion of the folding box before folding the box side tabs ( 15 ) from an extended, horizontal starting position to an upright folded position. 10. The method according to claim 1 or one of the other claims, characterized in that the recess ( 45 ) is in the region of a removable flap ( 49 , 50 ) in an inner wrapping ( 28 ). 11. Device for producing packs, in particular cigarette packs, in which the pack content in a packaging machine is wrapped in a printed blank of an inner wrapping ( 28 ) or a cup - blank ( 54 ) - the blanks being wrapped by a continuous material web ( 44 ) can be separated, characterized in that a printing unit ( 78 ) is preferably arranged in the region of a vertical conveying section of the material web ( 44 ), which, due to exact control in accordance with a print mark reader ( 79 ) arranged in the conveying direction, imprints on the material web ( 44 ) in the area of prepared cutouts ( 45 , 63 ) and that the material web ( 44 ) then passes through a cutting unit ( 81 ) for separating individual cuts. 12.Device for producing cigarette packs of the hinged box type in a folding turret ( 83 ), from which the largely fully folded hinged boxes can be pushed out in the radial direction into a packing web ( 87 ), in the area of which the folding of the hinged box can be completed, characterized in that in Area of the packing web ( 87 ) horizontally oriented outer side flaps ( 15 ) of the folding box are provided with printing by a printing member ( 88 ) arranged above the packing web ( 87 ).