Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Container making – Rigid container
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-19
2001-11-27
Kim, Eugene (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Container making
Rigid container
C493S183000, C493S910000, C493S911000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to improvements in so-called hinged-lid packets for arrays of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for making the lids of such packets. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for making hinged-lid packets of the type wherein the front panel of the lid is reinforced by an elongated strip which overlies the inner side of and, prior to conversion of a blank into a hinged-lid packet, is longer than the front panel.
Blanks for conversion into hinged-lid packets for arrays of parallel cigarettes or other rod-shaped smokers' products are normally made of lightweight cardboard. Such blanks are provided with fold lines so that they can be readily and accurately (predictably) draped around parallelepiped (block-shaped) contents normally consisting of arrays of say twenty parallel plain or filter cigarettes in an envelope of tinfoil or other suitable wrapping material. The lid of a finished hinged-lid packet is pivotable relative to the rear wall of the main portion of the packet so-that it can afford access to or can repeatedly confine the contents of the packet. The front panel of the lid is normally reinforced by a longitudinally extending strip which overlies the inner side of the front panel adjacent the free edge of the latter. Such free edge is adjacent the front wall of the major portion of the packet when the lid assumes its closed or confining position.
The reinforcing strip can be bonded to the inner side of the front panel of the lid, or it can be mechanically clamped or wedged between the lateral panels of the lid. In the latter case, that (first) part of a blank which is to constitute the reinforcing strip in a converted blank (i.e., in a finished hinged-lid packet) is somewhat longer than the neighboring (second) part of the blank which, is to constitute the front panel or the lid. Those (terminal) sections of the first part which extend beyond the adjacent end portions of the second part are deformed during conversion of the blank into a hinged-lid packet so that they are wedged between and bear against the adjacent lateral panels of the finished lid, i.e., it is not necessary to glue or to otherwise bond or positively secure the reinforcing strip to the front panel of the lid. Reference may be had, for example, to published German patent application No. 32 18 639 A1 which describes and shows hinged-lid packets wherein the reinforcing strip for the front panel of the lid is longer than the front panel and is not bonded to the front panel but is merely wedged or confined between the lateral panels of the lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,438 (granted May 15, 1979 to Sergnoli for “HIGH SPEED CONVEYOR FOR FEEDING PRESHAPED PIECES OF CARDBOARD”) discloses an apparatus for transporting or advancing a series of successive cardboard blanks which are to be converted into hinged-lid packets for arrays of cigarettes in a cigarette packing machine. The blanks which are to be transported in the apparatus of Seragnoli also include parts which are to constitute reinforcing strips for the front panels of the lids of hinged-lid packets; however, such parts are not longer than the front panels, i.e., the reinforcing strips must be bonded to the inner sides of the front panels.
The disclosures of all patents and patent applications which are mentioned in the present specification are incorporated herein by reference.
A drawback of presently known hinged-lid packets wherein the reinforcing strip is longer than the front panel of the lid and the terminal sections of such strip bear against the lateral panels of the lid is that the terminal sections effect a deformation of the lateral panels; this exerts an adverse influence upon the appearance of such hinged-lid packets.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of making hinged-lid packets of the type type wherein the reinforcing strips for the front panels of the lids of such packets are longer than the front panels.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method which ensures that the terminal sections of the reinforcing strips (which are longer than the front panels) cannot unduly (such as visibly) deform the lateral panels of the lids.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method which renders it possible to reliably maintain the reinforcing strip (which is longer than the front panel) in an optimum position without bonding the reinforcing strip to the front panel and without adversely affecting the strength and/or the appearance of the lid.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a hinged-lid packet which is obtained in accordance with the above outlined method.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved blank (such as a cardboard blank) which can be converted into a hinged-lid packet of the above outlined character.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for the practice of the above outlined method.
Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, compact and inexpensive apparatus which can convert blanks (such as lightweight cardboard blanks) into hinged-lid packets for arrays of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry at a high frequency and with a high degree of reproducibility.
An additional object of the invention is to provide the above outlined apparatus with novel and improved means for manipulating those parts of the blanks for conversion into hinged-lid packets which are to constitute the front panels and reinforcing strips for front panels of the lids forming part of hinged-lid packets of the type wherein the terminal sections of the reinforcing strip must be deformed in order to be properly confined in the lid.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette packing machine which embodies or cooperates with an apparatus of the above outlined character.
A further object of the invention is to provide a production line which embodies one or more apparatus of the above outlined character.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved hinged-lid packet which is obtained by resorting to an apparatus of the above outlined character.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a hinged-lid packet which embodies a novel and improved hinged lid and which can be utilized with particular advantage as a superior substitute for heretofore known packets serving to confine groups or arrays of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a method of manipulating a first elongated plate-like part which constitutes a first component of a blank to be converted into a hinged-lid packet for rod-shaped smokers' products, which has a first length and two spaced-apart first end portions, and which is to overlie one side of (and thus form a reinforcing strip for) a neighboring second elongated plate-like part constituting a second component of the blank, having a second length less than the first length, and having two second end portions each adjacent one of the first end portions with a terminal section or tip of each first end portion extending beyond the respective second end portion. The improved method comprises the step of folding the terminal sections relative to an elongated region of the first part between such terminal sections along predetermined fold lines extending transversely of the two elongated parts and being spaced apart from each other a distance less than the first length and close to the second length.
The method can further comprise the step of at least partially weakening the first end portion at the fold lines not later than in the course of the folding step. Such weakening can involve forming a row of perforations or slits and/or reducing the thickness of the first part along the fol
Kim Eugene
Kinberg Robert
Spencer George H.
Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
Venable
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