Technical field

This invention relates to a cigarette packet.

More specifically, this invention has for an object a hard, hinged-lid packet for cigarettes.

Background art

Hard, hinged-lid packets for cigarettes are currently the cigarette packets of the most widespread type on the market because they are simple to make, easy and practical to use and provide good mechanical protection for the cigarettes they contain.

To protect the tobacco the cigarettes are made of, cigarette packets are known where the inner wrapper comprises a sheet of impermeable wrapping material placed around a group of cigarettes.

The inner wrapping sheet has an opening for taking out the cigarettes and which can be opened and closed with a resealable label.

More precisely, the label has strips of adhesive material which allow it to be resealed numerous times after cigarettes have been taken out of the inner wrapper.

The continuing development of cigarette packets having an inner wrapper which can be reclosed using a reseable label has focussed attention more and more on the production of cigarette packets which can be "customized", so to speak, where the consumer can open and close the inner wrapper in a preferred manner.

This can be explained by the fact that some consumers are more fussy than others about protecting the cigarettes inside a packet that has already been opened. Disclosure of the invention

The aim of this invention is to provide a cigarette packet comprising an inner wrapper which can opened and closed at the consumer's discretion, directly or indirectly, with a resealable label.

This invention accordingly provides a cigarette packet as claimed in any of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of it, and in which:

- Figure 1 is a front perspective view showing a first embodiment of a cigarette packet according to the invention in a closed condition;

- Figure 2 shows the cigarette packet of Figure 1 during removal of a removable tongue;

- Figure 3 shows the cigarette packet of Figure 1 in an open condition;

- Figure 4 is a scaled-up perspective view of a detail from Figures 2 and 3

- Figure 5 is a front perspective view showing a second embodiment of the cigarette packet according to the invention in a closed condition;

- Figure 6 shows the packet of Figure 5 during removal of a removable tongue;

- Figure 7 shows the cigarette packet of Figure 5 in an open condition;

- Figure 8 is a front perspective view showing a third embodiment of the cigarette packet according to the invention in a closed condition;

- Figure 9 shows the packet of Figure 8 after removal of the removable tongue;

- Figure 10 is a front perspective view showing the packet of Figure 5 in a closed condition with an outer wrapper of heat-sealable material in a closed condition; - Figure 1 1 shows the cigarette packet of Figure 10 in an open condition;

- Figure 12 is a front perspective view showing a variant embodiment of the cigarette packet of Figure 10 in a closed condition;

- Figure 13 is a front perspective view, with some parts cut away, showing a fourth embodiment of the cigarette packet in a closed condition;

- Figure 14 shows the packet of Figure 13 during removal of a removable tongue;

- Figure 15 shows the packet of Figure 13 with an outer wrapper of heat- sealable material in a closed condition;

- Figure 16 shows the cigarette packet of Figure 15 in an open condition.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to Figures 1 to 9, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a hard cigarette packet comprising an outer container 2 and an inner wrapper 3 housed inside the container 2.

Preferably, the outer container 2 is made of stiff card or paperboard.

The outer container 2 has a lid 7 which is joined to the container 2 along a hinge 8 allowing it to rotate relative to the container 2 itself between an open condition and a closed condition and vice versa.

When the packet 1 is in the closed condition, the lid 7 gives the outer container 2 the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a top wall 9 and a bottom wall 10 which are parallel and opposite to each other, two large side walls 1 1 and 12 which are parallel and opposite to each other and two small side walls 13 which are parallel and opposite to each other. More specifically, the large side walls 1 1 and 12 are the walls of the packet 1 with the largest extent and defining, respectively, a front wall 1 1 and a rear wall 12 of the packet 1 .

The small side walls 13, which connect the large side walls 1 1 and 12 to each other, define the flanks 13 of the packet 1 . It should be noted that the lid 7 comprises a front wall 23 which, in the closed condition of the packet 1 , combines to form the front wall 1 1 of the packet 1 .

The front wall 23 has an inside face 24, directed towards the inner wrapper 3 and in contact therewith when the packet 1 is in the closed condition.

The front wall 23 has a lower edge 25, constituting the free end of the lid 7.

The lid 7 comprises two side walls 32 which, in the closed condition of the packet 1 , combine to form the respective flanks 13 of the packet 1 .

In the four embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the packet 1 does not have an inner frame, but without thereby excluding alternative embodiments, not illustrated, where the packet 1 does have an inner frame

The packet 1 comprises a group of cigarettes 6 wrapped in an inner wrapper 3.

At the top and front of it, the inner wrapper 3 has an opening 4 for taking out the cigarettes 6.

A label 5 allows opening and closing the inner wrapper 3, making it possible to take out the cigarettes 6 through the opening 4.

The label 5 is fixed to the inner wrapper 3 by a resealable adhesive 14.

More specifically, the label 5 comprises an inside face 5a, directed towards the group of cigarettes 6, and an outside face 5b, directed towards the lid 7, opposite to the inside face 5a.

The inside face 5a of the label 5 has the resealable adhesive 14 on it.

More specifically, when the packet 1 is in the closed condition, the adhesive 14 is located around the upper edges and the front edge of the opening 4.

It should be noted that a portion 27 of the precut inner wrapper 3 is fixed to the adhesive 14 on the inside face 5a of the label 5, thus sealing the cigarettes 6.

When the packet 1 is opened for the first time, the portion 27 of the wrapper 3 is removed by means of the label 5, thus defining the opening 4 of the inner wrapper 3, as illustrated in particular in Figures 3 and 7.

The label 5 comprises a removable tongue 18.

When the packet 1 is in the closed condition, the tongue 18 is located at least partly under the front wall 23 of the lid 7.

Preferably, the tongue 18 has a gripping tab 20 which makes it easier to remove the label 5.

In the first embodiment of the packet 1 , the label 5 comprises at least two layers 15 and 16 of wrapping material, the first on the outside and the second on the inside relative to the group of cigarettes 6, defining the outside face 5b and the inside face 5a of the label 5, respectively, as shown in Figure 4.

A layer 17 of adhesive material is interposed between the first and the second layer 15 and 16.

The tongue 18 is defined as removable in that it is separate from the label 5 along at least one cutting line 19 which defines one of its edges.

More precisely, the cutting line 19 involves the first layer 15 of the label 5. Consequently, the tongue 18 is defined by a portion of the first layer 15 located at least partly on top of the layer 17 of adhesive material

In effect, when the tongue 18 is removed, the underlying layer 17 of adhesive material is uncovered.

In practice, the tongue 18 is obtained from the label 5 by means of the cutting line 19.

It should be noted that when the packet 1 , in the first embodiment of it, is closed, the tongue 18 and the gripping tab 20 are hidden by the lid 7 and, more specifically, by its front wall 23.

Thus, in order to remove the tongue 18 from the label 5, the consumer has to lift the lid 7. Preferably, in the first embodiment of the packet 1 , the tongue 18 is removed along a direction transversal to the main longitudinal extension of the packet 1

Alternatively, in the second and third embodiments of the packet 1 , in particular when the packet 1 is in the closed condition, the tongue 18 extends at least partly outside the outer container 3. More specifically, the tongue 18 extends outside the lid 7.

Preferably, in these embodiments, the layer 17 of adhesive material is located on the face 5b of the label 5 directed towards the front wall 23 of the lid 7.

More precisely, the layer 17 of adhesive material is located on the outside face 5b of the label 5.

Advantageously, as may be observed in Figures 5, 6 and 8, at least the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18 extends outside the lid 7, so as to allow the tongue 18 to be removed without having to open the lid 7.

The gripping tab 20 protrudes outside the outer container 3 from the lower edge 25 of the front wall 23 of the lid 7.

More specifically, the gripping tab 20 extends from the lower edge 25 of the lid 7 towards the bottom wall 10 of the packet 1 .

In these embodiments, the tongue 18 can be removed while keeping the packet 1 in the closed condition because the tongue 18 is folded at least partly on itself, forming a fixing face 26 by which it is fixed to the layer 17 of adhesive material, and the gripping tab 20 is located on the opposite side with respect to the to the fixing face 26.

In practice, the gripping tab 20 is folded by 180° on the remaining portion of the tongue 18 comprising the fixing face 26.

Advantageously, the tongue 18 folded in the manner described above can be removed by simply pulling the gripping tab 20 downwards, that is, towards the bottom wall 10 of the packet 1 , in the direction indicated by the arrow F in the drawing. In other words, the tongue 18 extends in a direction parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of the packet 1 .

With reference in particular to Figures 8 and 9, in the third embodiment of the packet 1 , the lid 7 has a shaped slot 22 through which the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18 protrudes.

More precisely, the shaped slot 22 is formed on the front wall 23 of the lid 7 so it is visible to the consumer.

Advantageously, the slot 22 further facilitates removal of the tongue 18.

In use, removal of the tongue 18 from the label 5 by means of the gripping tab 20 is at the consumer's discretion.

Advantageously, when the tongue 18 is removed, leaving uncovered the underlying layer 17 of adhesive material, the label 5 sticks automatically to the lid 7 so that the inner wrapper 3 is opened or closed by the simultaneous opening and closing of the lid 7.

To make sure the lid 7 sticks to the label 5 by means of the layer 17 of adhesive material, the consumer can press the front wall 23 of the lid 7 itself.

That way, the inside face 24 of the front wall 23 of the lid 7 is fixed to the layer 17 of adhesive material.

The operation by which the lid 7 is connected to the label 5 thus takes place with the label 5 in the position where it closes the inner wrapper 3.

It should be noted that once the lid 7 is connected to the label 5, the consumer can open and close the inner wrapper 3 by simply acting on the lid 7, as shown in Figures 3, 7 and 9.

It should be noted that to guarantee that the lid 7 and the label 5 are fixed securely to each other, the width of the layer 17 of adhesive material must be defined in relation to the main longitudinal extension of the packet 1 , allowing the layer 17 of adhesive material and the inside face 24 of the front wall 23 of the lid 7 to stick to each other well.

Should the consumer decide not to remove the tongue 18 from the label 5, the inner wrapper 3 can be opened and closed manually by the consumer by removing and resealing the label 5.

Advantageously, the cigarette packet 1 described above is customizable in the sense that the consumer can decide the preferred mode of opening and closing the inner wrapper 3.

Furthermore, removing the tongue 18 by means of the gripping tab 20 and fixing the label 5 to the lid 7 by means of the layer 17 of adhesive material allow the inner wrapper 3 to be opened or closed in a single movement. Alternatively to the second and third embodiments of the packet 1 , in an embodiment not illustrated of the packet 1 , the layer 17 of adhesive material, with the tongue 18 on top of it, is located on the inside face 24 of the front wall 23 of the lid 7.

With reference to Figures 10 to 12, the packet 1 is enclosed in an outer wrapper 28 of thermoplastic material.

The thermoplastic material is preferably polypropylene.

More specifically, as shown in Figures 10 and 1 1 , the outer wrapper 28 has an opening tongue 29 connected to the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18.

Preferably, the opening tongue 29 is connected to the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18 by a glue-based adhesive substance 30.

In use, removing the tongue 29 of the outer wrapper 28 simultaneously causes the tongue 18 of the label 5 to also be removed.

With reference to Figure 12, the gripping tab 20 of the label 5 is at least partly connected to the outer wrapper 28.

The outer wrapper 28 of the packet 1 of Figure 12 comprises an opening tongue (not illustrated). More specifically, the opening tongue, unlike what is shown in Figures 10 and 1 1 , is not even partly on top of the gripping tab

20 of the tongue 18.

Preferably, the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18 is at least partly coupled to the outer wrapper 28 by a glue-based adhesive substance 30. In use, removing the outer wrapper 28 simultaneously causes the tongue 18 of the label 5 at least partly coupled thereto to also be removed.

The connection between the outer wrapper 28 and the tongue 18 of the label 5 further facilitates opening the packet 1 .

It should be noted that the outer wrapper 28 can be fixed to the tongue 18 of the label 5 only in the case where the tongue 18 extends outside the outer container 2.

Lastly, Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the packet 1 . More specifically, the fourth embodiment of the packet 1 may be considered as an alternative to the second and third embodiments illustrated in Figures 5 and 8.

In effect, the tongue 18 extends in a direction transversal to the direction of longitudinal extension of the packet 1 .

In this embodiment, too, the tongue 18 is folded at least partly on itself, forming the fixing face 26 by which it is fixed to the layer 17 of adhesive material, and the gripping tab 20 is located on the opposite side with respect to the fixing face 26.

In this case, the lid 7 has an opening 31 into which the tongue 18 is inserted and the tab 20 extends from the opening 31 towards the outside of the packet 1 .

More specifically, the opening 31 is made in one of the side walls 32 of the lid 7.

Advantageously, the tongue 18 folded in the manner described above can be removed by simply pulling the gripping tab 20 outwards away from the side wall of the packet 1 , as indicated by the arrow F in Figure 14, in a direction transversal to the direction of longitudinal extension of the packet 1 .

Figures 15 and 16 show the packet of Figure 13 wrapped in the outer wrapper 28 of thermoplastic material.

The outer wrapper 28 is provided with the opening tongue 29 which is connected to the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18.

Preferably, the opening tongue 29 is connected to the gripping tab 20 of the tongue 18 by a glue-based adhesive substance 30.

In use, removing the tongue 29 of the outer wrapper 28 simultaneously causes the tongue 18 of the label 5 to also be removed.

Alternatively, the gripping tab 20 of the label 5 is at least partly connected to the outer wrapper 28.

It should be noted that the foregoing applies not only to packets 1 with sharp edges but also to packets with rounded and chamfered edges.