WO2020212081A1 - Packaging comprising tamper evidencing opening means - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cigarette packaging (100) for housing a charge of smoking articles (1), comprising an outer packaging (1A) and an inner packaging (2A) for housing the charge of smoking articles, comprising a top opening for accessing the charge of smoking articles contained therein, wherein the inner packaging is at least partially positioned inside an inner volume of the outer packaging so that the outer packaging is at least partially housing the inner packaging, the inner packaging having a closing flap (20A) overlapping the top opening and being movable between a closed position, wherein in the closed position the lid of the outer packaging, overlaps at least partially the closing flap of the inner packaging to prevent movement thereof from its closed to its open position, wherein the closing flap of the inner packaging comprises a tamper evident tear tape (21A), which has a prolonged ending (22A) being accessible from outside of packaging and arranged under the lid (10A) of the outer packaging before first opening the packaging, such that the first opening of both the lid and closure flap is only permitted by breaking the tear tape.

Description

Packaging comprising tamper evidencing opening means

Description

The present invention generally relates to the packing of smoking articles, for example ciga rettes, cigarillos and / or cigars, as well as heat-not-burn sticks. In particular, the invention concerns a packaging for housing a charge of smoking articles. In order to protect packaged smoking articles and preserve the taste and freshness, it is prior art to wrap an outer foil-type package around a, in particular carton-type, package. To gain access to the smoking articles, the outer foil-type package has to be opened. After having opened a lid of the package, the smoking articles are usually easily accessible for the smok er after removal or opening of an inner protective liner material such as a metallized or plas- ticized paper foil.

To enhance preservation of aromas and overall freshness of the packaged smoking articles during storage and also after opening it has also been proposed to package a charge of smoking articles into an inner resealable packaging made of an envelope or fin-sealed seal- able foil material. The inner resealable packaging is further packaged in a standard outer cardboard packaging to further protect the smoking articles while offering all standard shape and regulatory format for commercialization. The inner resealable package comprises an access opening which is located substantially below the outer packaging lid and is covered with a resealable label that a user can easily manipulate to access and close the access opening once the outer packaging lid has been opened. Such packaging thus offers a multi layered protection of smoking articles, which is of particular importance for consumers in cer tain harsh climates areas (either very dry or very humid). However, those resealable packaging also require usually a further outer wrapping in a transparent foil to serve, in particular, as tamper evidence of a first opening before or after sale.

However, such a well-known package assembly requires substantial amounts of outer wrap ping material for the wrapping process, and therefore substantial costs.

Thus, in view of the above, it would be desirable to be able to offer smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigarillos and / or cigars packed in a releasable pack, which maintains overall pro tective effect for the smoking articles as well as provides reduced production costs and at the same side preserves the aroma and freshness of the smoking articles.

It would also be desirable to provide a package for a user having a new opening functionality.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cigarette packaging for housing a charge of smoking articles being producible at low cost as well as the sealing of the smok ing articles inside the cigarette packaging being improved.

This object is solved by the cigarette packaging according to the features of claim 1.

Accordingly, the present invention proposes a cigarette packaging for housing a charge of smoking articles comprising an outer packaging, in particular a cardboard box, made of a first packaging material, the outer packaging having a lid movable between a closed position into which an inner volume of the outer packaging is inaccessible and an open position into which the inner volume of the outer packaging is accessible, an inner packaging for housing the charge of smoking articles made of a second packaging material and comprising a top open ing for accessing the charge of smoking articles contained therein, wherein the inner packag ing is at least partially positioned inside an inner volume of the outer packaging so that the outer packaging is at least partially housing the inner packaging, the inner packaging having a closing flap overlapping the top opening and being movable between a closed position, wherein the closing flap fully covers the top opening of the inner packaging to prevent access to the charge of smoking articles, and an open position, wherein the closing flap is at least partially removed from the top opening to grant access to the charge of smoking articles through the top opening, wherein in the closed position the lid of the outer packaging over laps at least partially the closing flap of the inner packaging to prevent movement thereof from its closed to its open position.

Inventively the closing flap of the inner packaging comprises a tamper evident opening means, in particular a tear tape, which has a prolonged ending being accessible from outside of packaging and arranged under the lid of the outer packaging before first opening the packaging, such that the first opening of both the lid and closure flap is only permitted by breaking the tear tape.

By choosing such an arrangement, in particular by introducing such a tamper evident tear tape having its origin from within the outer packaging, one cannot only gain access to the smoking articles very easily but in particular can open the outer package while the smoking articles are still fully wrapped up within the inner package.

An inner area of the lid of the outer packaging facing the inner packaging can comprise a fastening element. By way of this fastening element the lid can be fastened and fixed onto the outer surface of the inner packaging. Such a fastening connection can be released through pulling the lid of the outer package in direction away from the inner package. The fastening element can be a glue or glued element.

In other words and according to at least one embodiment, the closing flap comprises a re- sealable adhesive (e.g. a glue) arranged on an inner surface of the closing flap facing a sur face of the inner packaging so as to allow a resealable closure of the closing flap about the top opening. This guarantees that when delivering and using the packaging, the closing flap of the inner packaging is not losing contact with the outer surface of the inner packaging so that the smoking articles are always protected and sealed against the environment.

Alternatively, said fastening element can also be attached onto the area of the side facing towards the inner lid’s surface. Also, onto both sides such a fastening element can be at tached. The once released fastening connection between the lid of the outer package and the outer surface of the inner package can be destroyed permanently or the connection can be reestablished by just pressing the lid of the outer package onto the closing flap of the in ner package. According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the free end of the tear tape is grasp- able by a user so that by gripping the free end of the tear tape and tearing it away the lid is lifted to open up the lid of the outer packaging while releasing the closing flap to an openable state.

By proposing such a lifting mechanism, in particular by introducing such a tamper evident tear tape having its origin within the outer packaging, one cannot only gain access to the smoking articles very easily but in particular can open the package within one movement, meaning a movement of the tear tape lifting both the lid of the outer packaging as well as also the closing flap or at least a part of the closing flap of the inner packaging. Therefore, also a two-in-one opening process is hereby proposed.

According to at least one embodiment, the free end extends over an outside surface of the outer packaging.

Such an arrangement guarantees that the user can very easily grasp the free end and lift the lid of the outer packaging as well as opening up the inner packaging.

According to at least one embodiment, the free end is releasably adhered onto the outer packaging surface, said free end being releasable from the outer packaging surface by using mechanical pulling force, in particular by the user’s hand, so that the free end is graspable by the user’s hand.

To that concern, the free end can be glued onto the outer surface by a non-water-soluble glue so that also moisture within the package or from outside the package cannot destroy the glue and its gluing effect.

Once the user has grasped the free end, the connection between the free end and the outer packaging surface is destroyed by pulling the free end away from the outer package. In that context, it is imaginable that the once destroyed connection is not being able to be reusable so that after releasing the tear tape, pulling the tear tape onto the outer surface again would not result into a permanent sticking and gluing effect once the connection has been de stroyed. Contrary to that, it is also imaginable that the gluing connection is reusable at least once, meaning that once the tear tape has been detached from the outer packaging surface, the gluing connection is interrupted and / or partly destroyed, but after pushing the tear tape against the packaging surface, this may result into a restrengthening of the gluing connection so that the user can restick the free end onto the outer surface of the packaging surface. In that sense, the glue would be considered as being reusable.

According to at least one embodiment, an adhesive is arranged onto the free end and/or onto the outside surface of the outer packaging to maintain the free end onto the outer packaging surface before first opening of the packaging, said adhesive being configured for the free end to be detachable manually by a user..

In that context, the fixing element can be placed onto the free end instead of using the above-mentioned glue connection or it can be placed onto the free end in addition to the glue connection. Also, the fixing element can be glued onto the outer packaging surface, for ex ample by the same glue as also the free end is fixed onto the outer packaging surface.

Therefore, the fixing element can act as a single fixing means (instead of the glue connec tion) or as an additional fixing means.

According to at least one embodiment, the outer packaging has at least one opening in one of its walls through which the free end is protruding outwards to the outside of the packaging.

This opening ensures that also during a production process of the packaging, the tear tape and its free end cannot only be guided outwards of the outer packaging very easily but that also the user can visibly and haptically find, inter alia also via that opening, the outwards pro truding free end of the tear tape. The opening within the outer packaging can be an annular, elliptical or round or otherwise shaped opening.

For example, the opening within the outer packaging is introduced and/or formed over a rim line of the opening of the outer packaging once the lid of the outer packaging is opened.

Such a rim side introduced opening therefore is not surrounded by the packaging material on each of its sides but rather is formed as a rim-sided recess and is at least partially open to the opening of the outer packaging. Such a rim side introduced opening is different from a hole-like opening within a wall of the outer packaging, such a hole being surrounded by the wall material of the outer packaging on all sides.

According to at least one embodiment, the opening is being a slit or a hole within a bottom part, and in particular within a side wall of the bottom part, of the outer packaging.

The above-mentioned recess therefore can be formed as a slit. Such a slit usually is easier to produce than a fully protruding hole.

According to at least one embodiment, the tear tape is arranged within an opening end of the closing flap attached to a front surface of the inner packaging and is detachable from said opening end of the closing flap along a first and a second perforation line extending over a full width of the opening end of the closing flap.

By arranging such a tear tape within an opening end of the closing flap, it is possible to ar range the tear tape below a lower end of the lid of the outer packaging so that within one movement of the tear tape, both the closing flap of the inner packaging and also the lid of the outer packaging can be lifted to get access to the smoking articles by just one grasping step.

According to at least one embodiment, the tear tape is arranged within a portion of the open ing end that is not attached to the front surface of the inner packaging such that upon tearing of the tear tape a free opening tab of the closing flap is formed that can be grasped by a user to move the closing flap from the closed to the open position thereof. This enables the two-in one opening process even better.

According to at least one embodiment, the tear tape reaches under the split between the bottom part and a top part, in particular the top part being the flap lock. This arrangement guarantees that by just one movement of the tear tape in direction away from the package the latter is opened and the user has free access to the smoking articles.

According to at least one embodiment, the closing flap comprises a metallized foil material.

In the context of the application a“Metallized foil material” can be constituted by a polymer film covered with a thin layer of metal, usually aluminum. This offers a glossy metallic ap pearance of an aluminum foil of a reduced weight and cost. The metal is therefore heated and evaporated under vacuum. This condenses on the polymer film and this coating is much thinner than a metal foil could be made in the range of 0.5 pm.

According to at least one embodiment, the inner packaging is made of a foil-type material. It is thinkable that the inner packaging is made of the same material as also the closing flap and therefore also comprises or is made of a metallized foil material.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the outer packaging is made of a carton type, paper type and / or cardboard type material, which enables a very easy and cost effective production process.

The developments, improvements and enhancements described above may be arbitrarily combined with each other whenever this makes sense. Other possible enhancements and implementations of the invention comprise combinations of features of the invention that have been described above or will be described in the following in relation to the detailed description of embodiments even where such a combination has not been expressly men tioned.

In the following, the present invention will be explained with reference to the schematic fig ures of the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

In the figures

Fig. 1 A and 1 B show respectively a schematic view of the inner (Fig. 1 A) as well as of the outer packaging (Fig. 1 B) described including the hereby proposed tear tape (see the enhanced arrow feature); in Fig. 2 a fully combined cigarette packaging which is hereby proposed is depicted by a schematic and perspective view.

The enclosed drawings are intended to illustrate embodiments of the invention so that the invention may be further understood. The drawings in conjunction with the description serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the ad- vantages described may be inferred from the drawings. Elements of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Elements, features and components which are identical or which have the same function or effect have been labelled in the drawings using the same reference signs except where ex plicitly stated otherwise.

In figure 1 A, B, as already indicated above, schematic and perspective views of an inner packaging 2A as well as of an outer packaging 1 A are depicted.

As one may discern from figure 1 B, the outer packaging 1 A is a cardboard box and made of a first packaging material, wherein the outer packaging 1 A has a lid 10A movable between a closed position into which an inner volume (not visible in the figures) of the outer packaging 1 A is inaccessible and an open position into which the inner volume of the outer packaging 1A is accessible.

On figure 1 A, the inner packaging 2A is depicted for housing a charge of smoking articles, made of a second packaging material and comprising a top opening for accessing the charge of smoking articles contained therein.

The inner packaging 2A has a closing flap 20A, overlapping a top opening and being mova ble between a closed position, wherein the closing flap 20A fully covers the top opening of the inner packaging 2A to prevent access to the charge of smoking articles wherein the clos ing flap 20A is at least partially removed from the top opening to the charge of smoking arti cles.

A tear tape 21 A is arranged within an opening end of the closing flap 20A attached to a front surface of the inner packaging 2A and is detachable from said opening end of the closing flap 20A along a first and a second perforation lines delimiting said tear tape 21 A within the opening end of the flap 20A and extending over a full width of the opening end of the closing flap 20A.

In the closed position, the lid 10A of the outer packaging 1 A overlaps at least partially the closing flap 20A of the inner packaging 2A. In more detail, in figure 1 A (depicting the inner packaging 2A) the tamper evident tear tape 21 A has a prolonged ending 22A arranged to be accessible from outside of the outer pack aging 1 A when the inner packaging 2A is inserted in said outer packaging. The tear tape 21 A is arranged in the closing flap 20A to be located in use under the lid 10A of the outer pack aging 1 A such that access to the inner volume of the inner packaging 2A is only permitted by breaking the tear tape 21 A (see also figure 2).

In particular, figure 2 describes the outer packaging 1 A and also depicts an alternative con figuration of the outer packaging 1 A, wherein the prolonged ending 22A of the tamper evi dent tear tape 21 A protrudes outwards beginning from the inner packaging 2A. The tear tape 21 A is graspable by a user so that by gripping the free end 210A of the tear tape 21 A and tearing it away, the lid 10A is lifted to open up the lid of the outer packaging 1 A while releas ing the closing flap 20A to an openable state. The free end 210A extends over an outside surface 1 A1 of the outer packaging 1 A.

Also figure 2 very clearly depicts the hereby proposed package 100 that the free end 210A extends over an outside surface 1 A1 of the outer packaging 1 A.

To that context and to guide the tear tape 21 A outwards from the inner packaging 2A through the outer packaging 1 A, the outer packaging 1 A comprises an opening 23A in the form of a recess made from a rim side of the opening of the outer packaging 1 A. In Figure 2, therefore, the inner packing 2A is tightly fitted into the outer packaging 1 A.

The tear tape 21 A reaches under the split between the bottom part 1 A2 and a top part 1 A3.

Although the invention is completely described above with reference to preferred embodi ments, the invention is not limited thereto but may be modified in various ways.

For example, the invention is not limited to the packaging of cigarettes but may also be used for the packaging of cigars or cigarillos or e-cigarettes or heat-not-burn sticks.

The number of smoking articles 1 that form the charge can vary. The pack of the invention may contain, for example, 19 or 20 smoking articles, however, in other embodiments the number of smoking articles 1 contained in the pack may be greater or smaller. Reference signs

1 smoking articles

1A outer packaging

2A inner packaging

10A lid

10B inner volume

100 packaging

20A closing flap

21 A tear tape

22A prolonged ending

23A recess / opening

21 OA free end

1 A1 outside surface of the outer packaging 1 A 1A2 bottom part

1 A3 top part

Claims

Packaging comprising tamper evidencing opening means Claims

1. Cigarette packaging (100) for housing a charge of smoking articles (1), compris ing

- an outer packaging (1A), in particular a cardboard box, made of a first packag ing material, the outer packaging (1A) having a lid (10A) movable between a closed position into which an inner volume (10B) of the outer packaging (1A) is inaccessible and an open position into which the inner volume (10B) of the outer packaging (1A) is accessible,

- an inner packaging (2A) for housing the charge of smoking articles (1), made of a second packaging material, and comprising a top opening for accessing the charge of smoking articles (1) contained therein, wherein

- the inner packaging (2A) is at least partially positioned inside an inner volume (10B) of the outer packaging (1A) so that the outer packaging (1A) is at least partially housing the inner packaging (2A),

- the inner packaging (2A) having a closing flap (20A) overlapping the top open ing and being movable between a closed position, wherein the closing flap (20A) fully covers the top opening of the inner packaging (2A) to prevent ac cess to the charge of smoking articles (1) and an open position wherein the closing flap (20A) is at least partially removed from the top opening to grant access to the charge of smoking articles (1) through the top opening, wherein

- in the closed position the lid (10A) of the outer packaging (1A), overlaps at least partially the closing flap (20A) of the inner packaging (2A) to prevent movement thereof from its closed to its open position,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t

- the closing flap (20A) of the inner packaging (2A) comprises a tamper evident tear tape (21 A), which has a prolonged ending (22k) being accessible from outside of packaging (100) and arranged under the lid (10A) of the outer packaging (1A) before first opening the packaging (100), such that the first opening of both the lid (10A) and closuring flap (20A) is only permitted by breaking the tear tape (21A).

2. Packaging (100) according to claim 1,

characterized in that

a free end (210A) of the tear tape (21A) is graspable by a user so that by gripping the free end (210A) of the tear tape (21A) and tearing it away, the lid (10A) is lift ed to open up the lid of the outer packaging (1A) while releasing the closing flap (20A) to an openable state.

3. Packaging (100) according to claim 2,

characterized in that

the free end (210A) extends over an outside surface (1A1) of the outer packaging (1A).

4. Packaging (100) according to claim 2 or 3,

characterized in that

the free end (210A) is releasably adhered onto the outer packaging surface (1A1), said free end (210A) being releasable from the outer packaging surface (1A1) by using mechanical pulling force, in particular by the user’s hand, so that the free end (210A) is graspable by the user’s hand.

5. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the claims 2 to 4,

characterized in that

an adhesive is arranged onto the free end (210A) and/or onto the outside surface (1A1) of the outer packaging to maintain the free end (210A) onto the outer packaging surface (1A1) before first opening of the packaging, said adhesive be ing configured for the free end (210A) to be detachable manually by a user.

6. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the claims 2 to 5,

characterized in that

the outer packaging (1A) has at least one opening (23A) in one of its walls through which the free end (210A) is protruding outwards to the outside of the packaging (100).

7. Packaging (100) according to claim 6,

characterized in that the opening is being a slit or a hole within a bottom part (1A2), and in particular within a side wall of the bottom part (1A2), of the outer packaging (1 A).

8. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the tear tape (21A) is arranged within an opening end of the closing flap (20A) at tached to a front surface of the inner packaging (2A) and is detachable from said opening end of the closing flap (20A) along a first and a second perforation line extending over a full width of the opening end of the closing flap (20A).

9. Packaging (100) according to claim 8,

characterized in that

the tear tape is arranged within a portion of the opening end that is not attached to the front surface of the inner packaging (2A) such that upon tearing of the tear tape (21 A) a free opening tab of the closing flap (20A) is formed that can be grasped by a user to move the closing flap (20A) from the closed to the open po sition thereof.

10. Packaging (100) according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that

the closing flap (20A) comprises a resealable adhesive arranged on an inner sur face of the closing flap (20A) facing a surface of the inner packaging so as to al low a resealable closure of the closing flap (20A) about the top opening.

11. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the tear tape (21A) reaches under the split between the bottom part (1 A2) and a top part (1A3), in particular the top part (1A3) being the flap lock (10A).

12. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the closing flap (20A) comprises a metalized foil material.

13. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the inner packaging (2A) is made of a foil-type material.

14. Packaging (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the outer packaging (1A) is made of a carton-type, paper-type and/or cardboard- type material.