EP2125573B1 - Method for producing packs of cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

An inner blank (40) that is initially formed in one piece and is processed in this form is used for the production of (cigarette) packs comprising a box part (11) and a lid (12), which are completely separate from each other, wherein the lid (12) is displaceable in relation to the box part (11). The inner blank (40) forms on the one hand a collar (33) and on the other hand a sliding tab (30). After completion of an inner pack by processing the inner blank (40), the sliding tab (30) and the collar (33) are separated from each other by means of a separating cutter (60).

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing packages of rigid packaging material, in particular of thin cardboard, for a group of articles, in particular cigarettes, consisting of a box part, a separate lid and a collar, wherein the lid slidable on a free part of the collar Connecting piece or a sliding latch has to limit the movements of the lid relative to the box part.

Packs with the aforementioned features are known by EP 1 466 844 A1 , In this known packing with a sliding lid, the packing parts, namely lid, box part, collar and sliding flap consist of separate blanks. The sliding latch is connected by gluing with a rear wall of the lid on the one hand and with the box part via a thread on the other hand. Production and functionality of the package thus formed are difficult.

The invention has for its object to propose measures for a powerful industrial manufacturing of packages with the features described in the introduction.

1. a) ein aus dem Kragen und der Schiebelasche bestehender einstückiger Innenzuschnitt wird um den Packungsinhalt, insbesondere um einen Zigarettenblock herumgefaltet, insbesondere unter Bildung einer etwa becherförmigen Umhüllung des Zigarettenblocks,
2. b) Kragen und Schiebelasche werden sodann durch einen quer gerichteten Trennschnitt voneinander getrennt,
3. c) danach wird die so gebildete Innenpackung mit unveränderter Relativstellung von Kragen und Schiebelasche in einen Außenzuschnitt eingehüllt.

To solve this problem, the production method according to the invention is characterized by the following features:

1. a) a one-piece inner blank consisting of the collar and the sliding tab is folded around the contents of the package, in particular around a cigarette block, in particular forming an approximately cup-shaped envelope of the cigarette block,
2. b) collar and sliding tab are then separated by a transverse separating cut,
3. c) then the inner pack thus formed is wrapped with unchanged relative position of collar and sliding tab in an outer panel.

It will therefore proceed in the present case that collar and sliding tab are originally designed as a one-piece blank. By separating cut during the manufacturing process, the separately handled packing parts are separated from each other.

The subclaims relate to method steps which make it possible to produce such packages with the aid of standard packaging machines, namely with a first and a second folding turret.

Fig. 1

einen ausgebreiteten Zuschnitt, nämlich Außenzuschnitt für eine Packung,

Fig. 2

einen zweiten ausgebreiteten Zuschnitt, nämlich Innenzuschnitt,

Fig. 3

ein Zwischenprodukt einer Packung mit Innenzuschnitt, nämlich eine Innenpa- ckung in perspektivischer Darstellung,

Fig. 4

die fertige Packung in Schließstellung, ebenfalls perspektivisch,

Fig. 5

die Packung gemäß Fig. 4 bei teilweise geöffnetem Deckel in Rückansicht,

Fig. 6

die Packung gemäß Fig. 4 bei geöffnetem Deckel in Frontansicht,

Fig. 7

den Ablauf der Fertigung einer Packung gemäß Fig. 4 in schematischem, perspektivischem Fließbild,

Fig. 8

einen Teil einer Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Packungen gemäß Fig. 4 in Draufsicht,

Fig. 9

einen ersten Fertigungsabschnitt, nämlich die Anbringung des Innenzuschnitts, in perspektivischem Fließbild,

Fig. 10

eine Überführungsstrecke für (Innen-)Packungen als Zwischenprodukt, ebenfalls als perspektivisches Fließbild,

Fig. 11

einen Ausschnitt XI der Fig. 10 in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 12

einen zweiten Fertigungsbereich, nämlich für die Anbringung des Außenzu- schnitts, als schematisches Fließbild,

Fig. 13

eine Transferstrecke für fertiggestellte Packungen als schematisches Fließbild.

Further details of the manufacturing method will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

an unfolded blank, namely outer cut for a package,

Fig. 2

a second spread blank, namely interior blank,

Fig. 3

an intermediate product of a pack with inner blank, namely a Innenpa- ckung in perspective view,

Fig. 4

the finished package in the closed position, also in perspective,

Fig. 5

the pack according to Fig. 4 with partially opened lid in rear view,

Fig. 6

the pack according to Fig. 4 with lid open in front view,

Fig. 7

the process of manufacturing a package according to Fig. 4 in a schematic, perspective flow chart,

Fig. 8

a part of an apparatus for producing packages according to Fig. 4 in plan view,

Fig. 9

a first manufacturing section, namely the attachment of the inner blank, in perspective flow chart,

Fig. 10

a transfer line for (inner) packages as an intermediate product, also as a perspective flow chart,

Fig. 11

a section XI the Fig. 10 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 12

a second production area, namely for the attachment of the outer section, as a schematic flow diagram,

Fig. 13

a transfer line for finished packages as a schematic flow diagram.

It is about the manufacture of packages, in particular cigarette packs made of thin cardboard or similar packaging material, the peculiarity of the pack is that due to the structure and / or operation within the pack at least two opening and closing the package cooperating, separate, ie separate blanks are arranged.

In the Fig. 4 . Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 Pack 10 shown is a modified cigarette pack of the hinge lid type (Hinge Lid). It consists in the basic structure of a lower packing part, namely box part 11 and an upper packing part, namely a lid 12. These packing parts are separated from each other in the finished package. Box part 11 and cover 12 are delimited from each other at about half the height of the pack by a dividing line 13 running around it. Both pack parts 11 and 12 form around running, facing each other and in closed pack ( Fig. 4 ) adjacent closing edges 14, 15th

The lower box part 11 consists of a large box front wall 16, an opposite box rear wall 17 and two narrow box side walls 18 arranged between them. These consist of two each Covering and interconnected by gluing box side tabs 20, 21. The box part 11 also includes a lower bottom wall 19th

The lid 12 is composed of lid front wall 22, lid rear wall 23 and lid side walls 24, the latter of lid side tabs 26, 27. As the upper end, an end wall 25 is provided.

The cover 17 is displaceable relative to the box part 11, such that the closing edges 14, 15 are spaced from each other ( Fig. 5 ). In an upper end position, the lid 12 in a rearward inclination ( Fig. 6 ) are pivoted. In this open position the free access to the contents of the package is guaranteed. This preferably consists of a group of cigarettes, which is surrounded by an inner sheath 28 to form a cigarette block 29.

Within the package 10 are arranged organs for guiding the lid 12 and for limiting the movement relative to the box part 11. It is a piece of material which is connected to the cover 12 and is displaceable between the package contents and the box part 11 during the movements of the cover 12. The piece of material is a sliding tab 30, which is arranged in the rear region of the pack 10. A cover piece 12 facing tab piece 31 is connected to the lid rear wall 23 by gluing on the inside thereof. A lower T-shaped trained area of the sliding latch 30 serves to limit the movement of the lid 12. For this purpose, at least one stop tab 32 is attached to the sliding latch 30, which rests in an upper end position of the lid 12 on a counter-stop. The stop tabs 32 arranged here on both sides extend through corresponding angling in the area of the box side walls 18.

Another component of the pack 10 is a specially trained collar 33. This consists of a collar front wall 34 with collar tabs 35 on both sides. The collar front wall 34 is dimensioned so that it extends in the region of the front side of the package 10 to the bottom wall 19 of the box part 11. At the bottom of the collar front wall 34 is a collar bottom 36 which rests on the bottom wall 19 of the box part 11 with a corresponding fold. The collar tabs 35 extend in the area of the box side walls 18 and in the region of the lid side walls 24. In a lower region, the collar tabs 35 are formed with a smaller width than the respective side walls of the package. In an upper region close to the collar tabs 35 lateral guide tabs 37 at. These are folded at the correct position pack against the back of the cigarette block 29 ( Fig. 3 ) In the upper end position of the lid 12, the stop tabs 32 abut with a portion of an edge 38 on a downwardly directed opposite edge 39 of the guide tabs 37.

A special feature is that two pack parts with different functions, namely collar 33 on the one hand and sliding lug 30 on the other hand are combined to form a common blank, namely corresponding to an inner blank 40 Fig. 2 , This is designed so that the sliding latch 30 in the region of a folded edge 41 of the collar bottom 36 connects to the collar 33. This is provided in the region of the collar bottom 36 with lateral collar-corner tabs 42 which rest on the inside of the collar bottom 36 when the inner blank 40 is folded in ( Fig. 3 ). The collar-corner tabs 42 are separated by punching cuts 43 from the collar bottom 36. Immediately following the collar gussets 42 are the laterally directed stop tabs 32 which are delimited by the L-shaped die cut 43 from the adjacent collar gussets 42.

The inner blank 40 thus formed is folded around the contents of the cup like a cup ( Fig. 3 ). For the function of the collar 33 on the one hand and the sliding latch 30 on the other hand, these parts of the inner panel 40 must be separated from each other. For this purpose, a transverse separating cut 44 is applied, which is guided adjacent to the folding edge 41 parallel to the latter over the full width of the sliding tab 30. The separating cut 44 is therefore mounted (slightly) above the collar bottom 36 (FIG. Fig. 3 ). The distance of the separating cut 44 corresponds at least to the thickness of two layers of the packing material. The stop tabs 32 are arranged at a distance of preferably about 2 mm from the collar bottom 36.

The according to Fig. 3 prepared packing unit, namely inner pack 73, is then in the outer panel 45 for the (outer) pack 10, namely in a blank according to Fig. 1 shrouded. This is provided with a dividing line 46 approximately in a central region. The outer panel 45 according to Fig. 1 is initially as an inner pack processed until the production of the complete package 10. Then the outer panel 45 is severed to form the box part 11 and cover 12 in the region of the dividing line 46.

A special feature is the process for the preparation of the blanks according to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 In essence, two packaging machines or packers 47, 48 are combined to form an inside manufacturing package 73, wherein the packers 47, 48 largely match and correspond to conventional packaging machines for the production of hinged lid boxes. An example of such a folding unit with folding turret and cutting unit is in EP 0 791 539 to find.

The packers 47, 48 are arranged in conjunction with other machines and units so that a schematically in Fig. 7 given production process is given. The separately produced package contents, namely the cigarette blocks 29, are transported along a first conveying path, namely along a block path 49 and inserted in the radial direction into a first folding turret 50 of the packer 47 for the inner blank 40. A special feature consists in that the cigarette blocks 29 are transported with their front side facing downwards, ie with a downwardly facing flap 51 for opening the cigarette block 29.

In the region of the folding turret 50, the inner blank 40 is prepared by partial folding for receiving the package contents. The folding turret 50 has, for this purpose, a plurality of pockets 52 arranged along the circumference. In each of these, an inner blank 40 is introduced in a basically known manner, namely by a punch 53. The latter engages in each case an inner blank 40 prepared above a pocket 52 to be loaded in the region of a blank part, here in the region of the collar front wall 34. By downward movement of the punch 53 with inner blank 40 this passes into the pocket 52, wherein run during the entry of several folding steps. Thus, the lateral collar tabs 35 together with guide tabs 37 are aligned. Furthermore, a leg is erected on the radially inner side, which consists of the collar bottom 36 and the sliding latch 30. At the same time, the collar corner tabs 42 are folded against the inside of the collar bottom 36. The folding turret 50 and the pockets 52 are preferably approximately in the sense of EP 0 869 065 educated.

In the region of a plug-in station 54, the cigarette blocks 29 are inserted into an associated pocket 52 or into the partially folded inner blank 40 ( Fig. 9 ). Upon further transport through the folding turret 50, the upright leg, namely the sliding tab 30 is folded as part of the inner panel 40 against the top of the package contents.

On the side opposite the insertion station 54 side of the folding turret 50, the inner packs 73 of the package contents and partially folded inner blank 40, so inner packs 73, are pushed out and transferred to an intermediate web 55. In the area of the same, the guide tabs 37 are folded from the erected position against the package contents or against the sliding tab 30. Furthermore, the stop tab 32 are folded over, namely against side surfaces, namely against the collar tabs 35. Thus, the inner blank 40 is finished folded. The formed inner pack 73 is transferred to a turning member, namely a transfer turret 56. This is provided with four receptacles 57 for each inner pack 73. The transfer turret 56 which rotates in an upright plane, ie about a horizontal axis, receives the inner packings 73 with the downwardly directed receptacle 57. After half a turn, the inner packs 73 are pushed out of the upwardly directed receptacle 57 in the axis-parallel direction, that is, on a higher, offset plane. The transfer turret 56 also has the task of turning the inner packings 73 by 180 ° so that subsequently the inner packs 73 are transported with the collar front wall 34 facing upwards.

The inner packs 73 now pass into a transverse path 58, in the region of which the inner packs 73 are transported with transversely oriented longitudinal extent. The inner packs 73 arrive at the end of the cross track 58 in an upright packing tower 59, which lowers the superimposed inner packs 73 in a lower level. During transport in the transverse position, ie in the region of the transverse web 58, the separating cut 44 is made at a slight distance above the collar bottom 36. The inner pack 73 is positioned so that the sliding latch 30 is directed downwards. For example, a fixed separating knife 60 in the region of the transverse web 58 performs the separating cut 44 due to relative movement of the inner pack 73 relative to the separating knife 60. Alternatively, a relative to the inner packs Movable cutting knife are used, for example, at the bottom of the packing tower 59, so that the separating cut 44 is performed before the inner packs 73 leave the packing tower 59.

During transport of the inner packs 73 and also within the pack tower 59, the folding laps, which are preferably not glued together, are fixed in the position of the inner pack 73. In the packing tower 59, moreover, the stop tabs 32 are folded over against the collar tabs 35 and fixed in this position during the further transport.

Parallel to the block track 49 and to the intermediate track 55, but in the reverse conveying direction, the inner pack 73 are now fed along a feed track 61 in the region of the second packer 48 to a second folding turret 62. This is constructed in a similar manner as the folding turret 50. In the area of a loading station, a spread outer cut 45 is respectively grasped by a punch 63 and introduced by downward movement into a pocket 64 of the folding turret 62. The outer panel 45 is also partially folded upon insertion into a pocket 64. The pocket 64 is formed so that the area of the box back wall and the lid rear wall 23 are caught by the punch 63 and pressed against a bottom of the pocket 64. An existing from bottom wall 19 and box front wall 16 region of the outer panel 45 is erected. Likewise, the box side flaps 20, 21 and lid side flaps 26, 27 are erected laterally.

In the outer preform 45 thus preformed, the inner package 73 is inserted in the region of a feed station 65. During the subsequent rotational movement of the folding turret - as in the production of a conventional folding box - box part 11 and cover 12 completed, except for the outer box side tabs 21 and lid side tabs 27. These are in a subsequent to the folding turret 62 packing web 66th glued on its underside in the region of a glue unit 74 and folded against the already folded inner side flaps 20, 26 and so connected to these.

The basically finished packs 10 now pass into a drying turret 67 and are then transported along a transfer path 68 of a film wrapping machine (not shown). supplied for attaching an outer wrapping of foil. In the area of the transfer path 68, the outer cut 45 is severed along the parting line 46. The packing side having this parting line 46 is directed upwards, so that the separation is carried out by means of a separating knife 69 arranged above the transfer path 68 due to the relative movement of the packs 10 transported in a transverse position. In a subsequent test station 70, the package parts are moved apart, namely box part 11 and cover 12 and back to the closed position to check the operability of the package. The subsequent film wrapping machine is formed in the usual way.

Method and apparatus enable the introduction of package items, eg. B. of coupons 71 in the pack 10. In a positioning of a coupon 71 within the pack at the front between collar front wall 34 and cigarette block 29 coupon 71 is introduced in the region of a coupon station 72 in a pocket 52 of the first folding turret 50, and Although in the already partially folded inner panel 40. The coupon 71 is located on top of the collar front wall 34 before the cigarette block 29 is inserted. As a result, in the finished package 10, the coupon 71 is positioned between the collar 33 and the cigarette block 29.

That in particular in Fig. 7 shown layout of the system can also be designed in other ways. The present arrangement with the parallel tracks for transporting the inner packages 73 or packages in a substantially rectangular field is also advantageous in terms of monitoring and maintenance.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

pack

11

box part

12

cover

13

parting line

14

closing edge

15

closing edge

16

Box front wall

17

Box rear wall

18

Box side wall

19

bottom wall

20

Box side tabs

21

Box side tabs

22

Lid front wall

23

Lid rear wall

24

Lid sidewall

25

bulkhead

26

Lid side tabs

27

Lid side tabs

28

inner wrapping

29

cigarette block

30

sliding tab

31

ear piece

32

stop tab

33

collar

34

Collar front wall

35

collar cloth

36

collar floor

37

guide tabs

38

edge

39

counter-edge

40

inner blank

41

fold

42

Collar corner tabs

43

chad

44

separating cut

45

outer panel

46

parting line

47

packer

48

packer

49

block path

50

folding turret

51

Flap

52

bag

53

stamp

54

insertion station

55

between railway

56

Transfer turret

57

admission

58

cross Web

59

pack tower

60

separating knife

61

feed track

62

folding turret

63

stamp

64

bag

65

feeding

66

packing sheet

67

drying turret

68

transfer route

69

separating knife

70

inspection

71

coupon

72

coupon station

73

interior package

74

glue assembly

Claims (11)

1. Method for producing packs from stiff packaging material, in particular from thin cardboard, for a group of articles, in particular cigarettes, comprising a box part (11), a separate lid (12) and a collar (33), wherein the lid (12), which can be displaced on a free part of the collar (33), has a connecting piece or a sliding flap (30) for limiting the movements of the lid (12) relative to the box part (11), characterized by the following features:

   a) a single-piece inner blank (40), which comprises the collar (33) and the sliding flap (30) is folded around the pack contents, in particular around a cigarette block (29), in particular to form an approximately cup-like wrapper for the cigarette block (29),

   b) the collar (33) and sliding flap (30) are then separated from one another by a transversely directed severing cut (44),

   c) thereafter, the resulting inner pack (73) is wrapped in an outer blank (45), with the positioning of the collar (33) and sliding flap (30) relative to one another remaining the same.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the severing cut (44) is executed during transportation of the inner pipe (73), in particular by means of a fixed-location severing blade (60) in the region of a transverse path (58), with the cuboidal inner packs (73) being oriented transversely.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following features:

   a) the pack contents, in particular cigarette blocks (29), are fed at intervals from one another to a first folding subassembly, in particular to a first folding turret (50),

   b) in the region of the first folding turret (50), a single-piece inner blank (40), comprising a collar (33) and sliding flap (30), is folded around the pack contents,

   c) following the folding turret (50), the resulting inner packs (73) are turned through 180° such that the initially downwardly directed collar (33) is oriented upwards,

   d) the severing cut (44) is then executed in order to sever the collar (33) and sliding flap (30),

   e) the inner packs (73) are then fed to a second folding turret (62) and, in the region of the same, wrapped in an outer blank (45) to form a pack (10) with a box part (11) and lid (12),

   f) the initially single-piece outer blank (45) is severed in the region of a severing line (46) to form a box part (11) and lid (12) which are not connected to one another.
4. Method according to Claim (1) or one of the further claims, characterized in that the pack contents, in particular cigarette block (29), on the one hand and collar (33) on the other hand have arranged between them a printing carrier or coupon (71) which, in the region of the first folding turret (50), following partial folding of the inner blank (40), is introduced into the same, or into a pocket (52) of the folding turret (50), and deposited on the inside of the collar (33).
5. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized by the following features:

   a) the inner blanks (40) are introduced into a pocket (52) of the folding turret (50) with the collar (33) or a collar front wall (34) directed downwards such that the collar front wall (34) butts against a base of the pocket (52),

   b) the cigarette blocks (29) are fed to the folding turret (50), or a pocket (52) of the same, with the front sides directed downwards, in particular with a flap (51) oriented downwards, such that the downwardly directed front side of the cigarette block (29) butts against the inside of the collar front wall (34) in the pocket (52).
6. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, when the inner pack (73) is pushed out of the (first) folding turret (50) into an adjoining intermediate path (35), guide tabs (37) arranged on lateral flaps (35) of the collar (33) are folded against the upwardly directed sliding flap (30).
7. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the inner packs (73), following completion, are turned through 180° by an endless conveyor, in particular by a transfer turret (56) on account of being transported along half a revolution, and are transferred in particular at a level of an adjoining transverse path (58) which is elevated in accordance with the diameter of the transfer turret (56).
8. Method according to Claim 7 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, following the transverse path (58), the turned inner packs (73) are introduced into an upright pack tower (59), which conveys the packs (10) downwards to a second folding turret (62) by virtue of downward movement onto the plane of the adjoining feed path, wherein folding tabs of the sliding flap (30), namely stop tabs (32), are folded preferably in the region of the pack tower (59).
9. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the single-piece outer blank (45) is folded around the inner pack (73) in the region of a second folding turret (62), wherein the single-piece outer blank (45) is introduced into a pocket (64) of the folding turret (62) such that a box rear wall (17) and a lid rear wall (23) butt against a base of the pocket (64).
10. Method according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the box part (11) and lid (12) of the (outer) pack (10) are separated from one another in the region of a transfer section (68) for transferring the packs (10) to a packer for applying an outer wrapper, the two being separated in particular by a fixed-location severing blade (69) above the transfer section (68), with transversely directed transporting positioning of the cuboidal packs (10).
11. Method according to Claim 10 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, once the box part (11) and lid (12) have been separated, the box part (11) and lid (12) are moved relative to one another, that is to say spaced apart from one another and moved back into the closed position, in the region of a checking station (70).

Images