The invention concerns a tobacco pouch.

Tobacco pouches serve the purpose of storing loose tobacco, in order to roll individual cigarettes from it if required. These days, tobacco pouches are produced by machine in large quantities, from plastic film. They have a front panel and a back panel, which are connected with one another at the lower edge by a folding line and laterally by sealed seams. A compartment for tobacco is accessible through an opening between the upper edges of the front panel and the back panel. The rear panel is connected at the edge of the opening with a wrapping flap, which can be connected to the front panel or the back panel with the aid of a resealable adhesive strip, in order to prevent the seeping out of tobacco. In order to avoid the seeping out of tobacco, moisture and flavourings, tobacco pouches are generally provided with a freshness seal that can be broken open. Furthermore, designs are known with a plastic zip at the opening, which enables repeated opening and closing of the tobacco pouch.

GB 2 208 351 A describes a tobacco pouch which comprises a compartment for storing tobacco, with adhesive receiving and holding in position a packet of cigarette papers. The user must store filter pieces, a lighter or other utensils separately.

EP 1 913 826 Bl discloses a tobacco pouch made of foil or other similar packing material, having a pocket for tobacco and a wrapping flap, wherein an additional pocket made of foil or another thin packaging material, for objects such as cigarette paper, lighter or the like, is arranged on the inside of the wrapping flap. As the additional pocket is arranged on the inside of the loose wrapping flap, removal of objects from the additional pocket and insertion of objects into the additional pocket are inconvenient. Moreover, objects may drop out of the additional pocket, when the opening of the additional pocket is directed towards the floor, especially when the wrapping flap is folded against the rear panel or the front panel of the pouch.

US 3,394,870 A discloses a tobacco pouch made of flexible flat material with a front panel and a back panel, which are folded against each other on the lower edge around a first lower folding line and are connected with each other at the two lateral edges and include a main compartment for tobacco, which is accessible from the outside through a main compartment opening between the upper edges of the front panel and the back panel. A first wrapping flap connected with the upper edge of the back panel is foldable towards the front panel, and at least one arrangement of a first panel and a second panel, which are folded against each other around a second lower folding line at its lower edge and are connected with each other at both lateral edges. The first panel and second panel include a secondary compartment for utensils, which is accessible from outside through a secondary compartment opening between the upper edges of the first panel and the second panel and which is arranged on the outside or of the back panel.

Against this background, the object of the invention is to create a tobacco pouch with a main compartment for tobacco and a secondary compartment for utensils and a more convenient handling.

The object is solved by a tobacco pouch with the characteristics of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The tobacco pouch according to the invention made of flexible flat material has a front panel and a back panel, which are folded against each other at the lower edge around a first lower folding line and are connected with each other at the two lateral edges and comprise a main compartment for tobacco, which is accessible from the outside through a main compartment opening between the upper edges of the front panel and the back panel, a first wrapping flap connected with the upper edge of the back panel and foldable towards the front panel around a first upper folding line, characterized by at least one arrangement of a first panel and a second panel, which are folded against each other around a second lower folding line on its lower edge and are connected with each other at the two lateral edges and comprise a secondary compartment for utensils, which is accessible from the outside through a secondary compartment opening between the upper edges of the first panel and the second panel and which is arranged on the inside or the outside of the front panel or of the back panel.

In the case of the tobacco pouch according to the invention, the secondary compartment is located on the inside or the outside of the front panel or of the back panel but not on the wrapping flap. As a result, the secondary compartment is accessible as easily as the main compartment. As the second compartment opening is provided between the upper edges of the first panel and the second panel, dropping out of utensils from the secondary compartment is prevented, when the main compartment opening faces upwards. Opening and closing of the wrapping flap does not change the position of the secondary compartment opening and does not cause dropping out of utensils.

According to a further embodiment, the secondary compartment is located on the inside of the front panel or on the inside or the outside of the back panel. According to a further embodiment, the secondary compartment is located on the inside of the front panel and a further secondary compartment is located on the inside or the outside of the back panel. As the secondary compartment does not cover the front panel, an imprint on the outside of the front panel is not disturbed by the secondary compartment. According to an alternative, the secondary compartment is located on the outside of the front panel and covers the front panel entirely so that an imprint on the outside of the compartment is not disturbed. According to a further alternative, the secondary compartment covers the front panel only partly and an imprint on the front panel is continued on the outside of the secondary compartment.

The secondary compartment may be used for storing utensils such as cigarette paper, cigarette paper booklets, lighters, filter tips, bank notes or other articles.

According to a further embodiment, the front panel, the back panel and the first and second panels of the secondary compartment are connected with each other on the two lateral edges by seams, especially by sealing (sealing seams) and/or by glueing (adhesive seams) and/or by embossing (embossing seams) and/or by stitching (stitching seams). A particularly easy production of the tobacco pouch is hereby enabled.

According to a further embodiment, the first panel of the secondary compartment is connected with the upper edge of the front panel via a second upper folding line. This enables the production of the tobacco pouch from a one-piece blank of foldable flat material. According to another embodiment, the first panel of the secondary compartment is connected with the upper edge of the back panel via a second upper folding line, wherein the secondary component is arranged either on the inside or on the outside of the back panel. This also enables the production of the tobacco pouch from a one-piece blank of foldable flat material. Alternatively, the tobacco pouch is formed from several blanks of foldable material, e.g. in that the front panel, the back panel and the first wrapping flap are formed from a first blank of foldable material and the first and the second panel of the secondary compartment from a second blank of foldable material. The two blanks can be interconnected through folding, laying them on top of each other and edge- side sealing. According to a further embodiment, several secondary compartments are formed through several arrangements of overlapping first and second panels, wherein the first and second panels of each arrangement are connected with each other on the lower edge through a second lower folding line and neighbouring first and second panels of different arrangements on the upper edge are connected with each other through a second upper folding line. This enables a particularly simple design of several secondary compartments.

According to one embodiment, the main compartment opening and the second compartment opening are arranged on the same level. According to a further embodiment, the secondary compartment opening is arranged offset with respect to the height of the main compartment opening. The access to tobacco and utensils is hereby facilitated and the risk that they will get into the wrong compartment is reduced.

According to a further embodiment, the secondary compartment openings of several secondary compartments are offset in terms of their heights. Through the height- offset arrangement of the secondary compartment openings, the access to the utensils is facilitated and the risk that they get into the wrong compartment is reduced.

According to a further embodiment, at least one first openable fastener is present at the main compartment opening and/or at least one second openable fastener is present at the secondary compartment opening for the closing of the secondary compartment opening. According to a further embodiment, several first openable fasteners are present at different heights in the main compartment and/or several second openable fasteners are present at different heights in the secondary compartment for dividing the main compartment and/or the secondary compartment into several openable partitions.

According to a further embodiment, the first fastener and/or the second fastener are not reclosable.

According to a further embodiment, the first fastener is a reclosable fastener and/or the second fastener is is a reclosable fastener.

The first fastener and/or the second fastener is preferably a sealed seam or an adhesive seam or a zip fastener or a Velcro fastener or a micro suction structure.

The zip fastener is preferably a plastic zip. Suitable plastic zips, which are suitable for use in the present invention, are described in EP 1 017 593 Bl, which is incorporated herein by reference. Velcro fasteners, which are suitable for use in the present invention, are marketed under the brand name "Velcro ®" by the company Velcro GmbH. Micro suction structures, which are suitable for use in the present invention, are marketed under the brand name "Yupo Tako ®" by the company Yupo Europe GmbH.

A sealed seam and an adhesive seam and an embossing seam and a stitching seam serve preferably to produce a non-reclosable first fastener and/or second fastener. A reclosable first fastener and/or second fastener is preferably a zip fastener or a Velcro fastener or a micro suction structure.

An openable and non-reclosable first fastener and/or second fastener serve in particular as freshness seal or as tamper-evident fastener. A reclosable first fastener and/or second fastener serves in particular to avoid the loss of tobacco or utensils and can also prevent the tobacco from losing moisture and flavourings.

According to a further embodiment, the heights of first fastener and the second fastener are offset. Through the height-offset arrangement of the first fastener and second fastener, material accumulations are avoided, which can make it harder to produce and use the tobacco pouch.

According to a further embodiment, the first fastener is fastened (a) on the insides of the second panel and of the back panel or (b) on the insides of the upper front panel and of the first wrapping flap or (c) on the insides of the second panel and of the front panel or (d) on the insides of the first panel and of the back panel.

According to a further embodiment, a secondary compartment and/or the main compartment arranged on the inside of the front panel or of the back panel on the lower edge is connected with the front panel or the back panel. This prevents tobacco from accumulating between the secondary compartment and the front panel or the back panel. The secondary panel on the lower edge is preferably connected with the front panel or the back panel through sealing or glueing or embossing, most preferably by a continuous sealing seam or adhesive seam or embossing seam or stitching seam. E. g. the vertically extending seam is an exclusively vertical extending seam or an inclined seam. Further, the seam is e. g. straight or curved.

According to a further embodiment, the secondary compartment is divided in at least two partitions by at least one vertically extending seam. Preferably, the vertically extending seam is a sealing seam or an adhesive seam or an embossing seam or a stitching seam. According to a further embodiment, the first wrapping flat at the outer edge has a second wrapping flap, which is foldable towards the outside of the back panel.

According to a further embodiment, a tertiary compartment is defined by the first panel, the front panel and the connection between the secondary compartment and the front panel, the tertiary compartment being accessible through a tertiary compartment opening within the front panel. The tertiary compartment is accessible as easy as the main compartment and the secondary compartment. As the tertiary compartment opening is provided within the front panel, dropping out of utensils from the tertiary compartment is prevented when the first wrapping flap is folded towards the front panel. The tertiary compartment may be used for storing utensils such as a cigarette paper, cigarette paper booklets, filter pieces, lighters, bank notes etc.

Advantageously, the connection between the secondary compartment and the front panel defines the bottom of the tertiary compartment and at the same time prevents tobacco from accumulating between the secondary compartment and the front panel. According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the tertiary compartment is defined by a continuous sealing seam or adhesive seam or embossing seam or stitching seam.

According to a further embodiment, the tertiary compartment opening comprises a horizontal slit. Length and width of the horizontal slits are preferably adapted to the articles to be inserted into respectively withdrawn from the tertiary compartment through the horizontal slit, especially to the length and thickness of the articles.

According to a further embodiment, the tertiary compartment opening comprises at least one vertical slit. The length and the width of the vertical slit is preferably adapted to the height of the articles to be inserted into and extracted from the tertiary compartment through the vertical slit.

According to a preferred embodiment, the tertiary compartment opening comprises a horizontal slit and at least one vertical slit beneath the horizontal slit. The vertical slit may be used for an inserting a booklet comprising cigarette paper into the tertiary compartment and the horizontal slit may be used for extracting single cigarette papers from the booklet within the tertiary compartment. Preferably, vertical slits are arranged on both sides of the horizontal slit.

According to a further embodiment, the tobacco pouch is manufactured from a single- or multi-ply film material.

According to a further embodiment, the tobacco pouch is manufactured from a single- or multi-ply plastic film. According to a preferred embodiment, the tobacco pouch is made fully or partially of a heat-sealable material.

According to a further embodiment, the flexible flat material consists of plastic or paper or metal or any combination of these materials. According to a further embodiment, the flexible flat material is single- or multi-ply with one or more layers made of plastic or paper or metal or any combination of these materials. A multi-ply film material can have one or more layers made of a material that is inert for tobacco. An outer layer can be made of a material that is well suited for imprinting. Preferably one or more layers are impermeable for humidity and flavour. Furthermore, at least one of the materials is preferably heat-sealable. The film material is for example a multi-ply material, which contains a layer of OPP (oriented polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene). The multi-ply material is preferably a laminate. The plastic film material is e.g. a metallized film material. According to a further embodiment, the film material is a bioplastic film material. According to a further embodiment, the film material is a biodegradable film material.

The sealed seams are preferably manufactured in that two film materials are fused together through the use of an increased temperature and from pressure at least on the surface and subsequently being cooled again. Through suitable selection of temperature, pressure and dimensions, fixed sealed seams can be produced permanently, for example at both lateral edges of the tobacco pouch. Furthermore, it is possible to select temperature, pressure and dimensions such that bonds that can be broken open are established, for example in the case of the sealed seams at the main compartment opening or at the secondary compartment opening.

The adhesive seams can be made using a biodegradable adhesive.

The embossing seams are preferably manufactured by impressing a multitude or series of embossments or punchinga multitude or series of holes into superimposed layers of a flexible flat material to be connected by the embossing seam.

The stitching seams are preferably manufactured by attaching superimposed layers of a flexible flat material using a series of stitches made with a needle and a thread.

According to one embodiment, one or more folding lines of the tobacco pouch are sharp lines, which are formed through impression into the flexible flat material or bending of the flat material. Furthermore, it is possible that one or more folding lines of the tobacco pouch are bending lines, which are formed through the bending of neighbouring sections of the flat material around a line without impressing or bending the flat material along the line. Preferred dimensions of the tobacco pouch are as follows:

Length at least 5 cm and height at least 3 cm and/or length at most 20 cm and height at most 12 cm. Preferred embodiments have a length of 8 cm and a height of 5 cm or a length of 13,5 cm and a height of 8,2 cm or a length of 8,8 cm and a height of 8,8 cm.

According to an embodiment, the front panel and the back panel are rectangular. According to another embodiment, the front panel and the back panel are quadratic.

According to a further embodiment, the width of the secondary compartment is 40 - 200 mm and/or the height of the secondary compartment is 10 - 100 mm.

In the present application, the terms "top" and "bottom" , "upper" and "lower", "horizontal" and "vertical" as well as words derived from them refer to an alignment of the tobacco pouch, in which the main compartment opening is arranged above the lower edges of the front panel and the back panel.

The invention is explained in greater detail below based on the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments. The drawings show:

Fig. 1 a blank of a first design spread flat in a top view;

Fig. 2 the blank during folding of the tobacco pouch;

Fig. 3 the blank in an advanced state during folding of the tobacco pouch;

Fig. 4 the folded finished tobacco pouch with open first wrapping flap; Fig. 5 the tobacco pouch in the same state as in Fig. 4 in a roughly schematic vertical cut;

Fig. 6 the tobacco pouch in the closed state in a roughly schematic vertical cut;

Fig. 7 another exemplary embodiment of the tobacco pouch with plastic zip on the upper edge of the back panel in the opened state in a roughly schematic vertical cut;

Fig. 8 a further exemplary embodiment of the tobacco pouch with several secondary compartments on the inside of the front panel in the opened state in a roughly schematic vertical cut;

Fig. 9 a further exemplary embodiment of the tobacco pouch with a secondary compartment on the outside of the back panel in the opened state in a roughly schematic vertical cut;

Fig. 10 a blank of another embodiment spread flat in a top view;

Fig. 11 the blank during folding of the tobacco pouch;

Fig. 12 the blank in an advanced state during folding of the tobacco pouch;

Fig. 13 the folded finished tobacco pouch with open first wrapping flap;

Fig. 14 the tobacco pouch in the same state as fig. 13 in a roughly schematic vertical cut;

Fig. 15 the tobacco pouch in a closed state in a roughly schematic vertical cut.

In the below explanation of different exemplary embodiments, the same reference numbers are used for components with the same names. According to Fig. 1, a one-piece blank 1 made of a flexible flat material comprises a front panel 2 and a back panel 3, which are connected with each other on a lower edge along a first lower folding line 4. On the upper edge of the back panel 3, a first wrapping flap 6 is connected with the back panel 3 via a first upper folding line 5.

The upper edge of the front panel 2 is connected with a first panel via a second further upper folding line 7. The first panel 8 is connected with a secondpanel 10 via a second lower folding line 9. The second panel 10 is connected with an upper front panel 12 via a second upper folding line 11. A first element 13 of a plastic zip 14 is affixed on the upper front panel 12, for example through heat sealing.

At a short distance from the first upper folding line 5, a second element 15 of the plastic zip 14 is affixed to the inside of the first wrapping flap 6, e.g. through heat sealing. The two elements 13, 15 of the plastic zip 14 are complementary to each other so that they are interconnectable.

Finally, the first wrapping flap 6 on the outer edge is connected with a second wrapping flap 17 via a third lower folding line 16. It is preferably provided with an adhesive strip on the outside, which has a section protruding outward from the second wrapping flap 17, which can be repeatedly adhered to the flat material. This is hereby e.g. a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

The blank 1 is preferably made of a sealable film material.

For assembling the tobacco pouch, according to Fig. 2, the first panel 8 can first be folded around the second upper folding line 7 against the front panel 2 and the second panel 10 around the second lower folding line 9 against the first panel 8. According to Fig. 3, the second panel 10 can then be folded against the inside of the back panel 3 and the upper front panel 12 against the outside of the second panel 10.

According to Fig. 4, the front panel 2, back panel 3 and the first and second panels 8, 10 are then connected with each other at the lateral edges through sealed seams 18, 19. The sealed seams 18, 19 extend up to the upper edge of the upper front panel 12 and include both ends of the elements 13, 15 of the plastic zip 14.

In this state, the tobacco pouch 20 according to Fig. 5 has a main compartment 21 with a main compartment opening 22 on the upper edge between front panel 2 and back panel 3, which is closed by the plastic zip 14. Furthermore, the tobacco pouch 20 has a secondary pouch 23 between the first and second panel 8, 10, which has a secondary compartment opening 24 on the top.

The main compartment 21 is fillable with loose tobacco and the secondary compartment 23 with utensils.

According to Fig. 6, the tobacco pouch 20 is completely closed, in that the first wrapping flap 6 together with the upper front panel 12 is folded against the outside of the front panel 2 and the second wrapping flap 17 is folded around the first lower folding line 4 so that its outer edge rests on the outside of the back panel 3. The second wrapping flap 17 can be affixed to the outside of the back panel 3 by means of an adhesive strip. The secondary compartment opening 24 is hereby closed.

The design of Fig. 7 differs from the previously described design in that the second panel 10 of the secondary compartment 23 does not have an upper front panel 12 and the plastic zip 14 is connected with the upper edge of the second panel 10 and the upper edge of the back panel 3. As a result, the plastic zip 14 does not fold against the outside of the front panel 2 during closing of the first wrapping flap 6, but remains in the illustrated position.

The design of Fig. 8 differs from the design according to Fig. 1 to 6 in that two secondary compartments 23 are formed by two pairs of first and second panels 8, 10. In the case of the first pair, the first panel 8 is connected with the front panel 2 via a second upper folding line and the second panel with the first panel 8 via a second lower folding line 7. The first panel 8 of the second pair is connected with the upper edge of the second panel 10 of the first pair via a second upper folding line 7. The second panel 10 of the second pair is connected with the lower edge of the first panel 8 of the second pair via a second lower folding line 9. The second panel 10 of the second pair has an element 13 of the plastic zip 14 on the upper edge.

This design enables the separate storage of different utensils in separate secondary compartments 23.

The design of Fig. 9 differs from the design of Fig. 1 to 6 in that the secondary compartment 23 is arranged on the inside of the back panel 3. The first panel 8 of the secondary compartment 23 is connected with the upper edge of the back panel 3 via a second upper folding line 7. The second panel 10 of the secondary compartment 23 is connected with the lower edge of the first panel 8 via second lower folding line 9 and has an element 15 of the plastic zip 14 on the upper edge on the inside. The other element 13 of the plastic zip 14 is affixed to the upper edge of the front panel 2 on the inside of the front panel 2.

In the case of this design, the secondary compartment 23 is accessible from the outside even if the first wrapping flap 6 is closed. Further embodiments of the tobacco pouch are provided with at least one secondary compartment 23 on the inside of front panel 2 according to any of figures 1 to 8 and a further secondary compartment 23 on the inside of back panel 3 according to figure 9.

Preferably, secondary compartments 23 are connected at their lower edge with a front panel 2, e. g. by a sealing seam as referenced in Fig. 7 by numeral 25, or with a back panel, e. g. by a sealing seam as referenced in Fig. 9 by numeral 25, to prevent tobacco from accumulating between the secondary compartment 23 and the front panel 2 or the back panel 3.

The design of fig. 10 to 15 differs from the design of fig. 7 in that the front panel 2 is provided with a horizontal slit 26 and vertical slits 27, 28 on both sides of the horizontal slit 26. The ends of the horizontal slit 26 and the ends of the vertical slits 28, 27 are rounded to prevent tearing thereof.

The length and width of the horizontal slit 26 corresponds to the length and width of an opening in a cigarette paper booklet for extracting single cigarette papers.

The height of the vertical slits 27, 28 corresponds or slightly exceeds the height of a cigarette paper booklet.

As shown in fig. 10 to 13, the assembly of the tobacco pouch corresponds to an assembly of the tobacco pouch as described in figures 1 to 6.

Additionally, the tobacco pouch of figure 10 to 15 is provided with a sealing seam 25 between a secondary compartment 23 and front panel 2, in accordance with a design of fig. 7. First panel 8, front panel 2, second upper folding line 7 and sealing seam 25 define a tertiary compartment 28. Tertiary compartment 28 is provided with a tertiary compartment opening 29. The tertiary compartment opening 29 consists of horizontal compartment opening 25 and vertical compartment openings 26, 27.

Utensils such as a cigarette paper booklet may be inserted through the vertical compartment openings 26, 27 into a tertiary compartment 28. Single cigarette papers may be extracted from the cigarette paper booklet through the horizontal compartment opening 25.

List of References

1 Blank

2 Front panel

3 Back panel

4 First lower folding line

5 First upper folding line

6 First wrapping flap

7 Second upper folding line

8 First panel

9 Second lower folding line

10 Second panel

11 Second upper folding line

12 Upper front panel

13 First element

14 Plastic zip

15 Second element

16 Third lower folding line

17 Second wrapping flap

18 Sealed seam

19 Sealed seam

20 Tobacco pouch

21 Main compartment

22 Main compartment opening

23 Secondary compartment

24 Secondary compartment opening

25 Sealing Seam

26 Horizontal compartment opening Vertical compartment opening Vertical compartment opening Tertiary compartment Tertiary compartment opening