Package making – Methods – Filling preformed receptacle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-17
2003-12-09
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Filling preformed receptacle
C053S400000, C053S431000, C206S213100, C131S274000, C426S124000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658822
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the packaging of smoking articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of packaging smoking articles whereby the resultant packaged smoking articles comprise a volatile flavourant.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Smoking articles comprising volatile flavourant (s), for example menthol or peppermint, are well known within the tobacco industry. Thus, for example, the smoking articles may be mentholated cigarettes. Numerous methods are available for the incorporation of volatile flavourant in smoking articles. For example, during the manufacture of smoking articles, e.g. cigarettes, volatile flavourant may be added to the cut tobacco prior to transfer thereof to a continuous smoking material rod making machine, or volatile flavourant may be added to the smoking material rod, e.g. tobacco rod, during the manufacture thereof in the making machine. Alternatively, volatile flavourant can be added to filter rods of such smoking articles during filter manufacture on a filter making machine. However, application of volatile flavourant during the manufacture of smoking articles or parts thereof, is disadvantageous. For example, such application results in contamination of machinery used in the manufacture of smoking articles or parts thereof. The contamination effects moreover downstream machinery including so-called tipping machinery which tipping machinery is operable to interattach smoking material rods and filter rods. Furthermore, packaging machinery used in the packaging of such smoking articles is also likely to be contaminated with the volatile flavourant. Such contamination is extremely undesirable, as prior to such contaminated machinery being used in respect of smoking articles absent the volatile flavourant, the machinery must be decontaminated. Such decontamination is, of course, extremely laborious and time-consuming, and can result in extensive periods in which the machinery is unusable. In addition, if flavourant, for example menthol, is applied to the cigarette paper during manufacture of the smoking article, smoking articles comprising volatile flavourants applied in such a manner have a greater propensity to adhere each with the other during the transfer thereof from making machinery to packaging machinery. Such adherence tends to occur whilst smoking articles are held in reservoirs, which reservoirs are situated between the making machinery and the packaging machinery.
In order to attempt to overcome such long standing problems resulting from application of volatile flavourants during smoking article manufacture, application of the volatile flavourants to the packaging of smoking articles has been contemplated, the intention being that subsequent to the packaging operation volatile flavourant migrates to the smoking articles.
During the packaging of smoking articles, cigarettes for example, a pre-determined number of smoking articles are arranged in a manner, an“assemblage”, suitable for being packaged in a smoking article pack. Usually, the smoking article assemblage is then enwrapped in a so-called inner wrap, the inner wrap typically comprising paper having a metallic layer applied thereto, such paper being commonly known as foil or foil tissue in the tobacco industry. Immediately prior to the foil being enwrapped about the smoking articles, the foil is embossed for the purpose of rendering the foil more susceptible to being folded and to enhance the aesthetics of the foil. The assemblage is then transferred onto an unassembled smoking article pack. The foil is anchored to the rear panel of the pack by adhesive. If the pack is of the type commonly known as a hinged-lid pack, the pack at this stage typically takes the form of a flat blank and prior to assembly thereof an inner frame is positioned on the assemblage. Whereas if the pack is of the type commonly known as a soft-cup pack, the pack at this stage typically takes the form of a flat label. The pack is subsequently assembled about the assemblage; that is to say the pack blank/label is folded about the assemblage, such that the pack is maintained in its assembled form by relevant panels of the pack being inter adhered by means of adhesive. Subsequently, the pack may be hermetically sealed; for example a polypropylene outer wrap may be applied about the pack.
Heretofore, volatile flavourants have been applied to the inner wrap, see for example EP 0 531 221. However, application of volatile flavourants to the foil or other inner wrap has many disadvantages. The volatile flavourants are applied to the foil prior to the foil being presented to the smoking article packaging machine, i.e. off-line. Foil with volatile flavourants applied thereto must then be stored in a sealed environment at low temperature until such time as the treated foil is required for use on the smoking article packaging machine. Furthermore, the foil must then be allowed to return to ambient temperature over a period of 2-3 days prior to being suitable for use. As stated above, following upon presentation of the foil to a smoking article packaging machine, the foil is embossed. Embossing flavourant loaded foil results in a condition of the embossing rollers referred to as“blinding”. That is to say, the embossing surfaces of the embossing rollers become covered in flavourant residue and thus the quality of the embossing effected by the rollers decreases. In an attempt to overcome such blinding of the embossing rollers, resort has been had to the expedient of blowing hot air onto the embossing rollers in order that the residue thereon evaporates. However, such measures result in substantial losses of volatile flavourant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of packaging smoking articles with the incorporation of volatile flavourant. It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for packaging smoking articles with the incorporation of volatile flavourant.
The present invention provides a method of packaging smoking articles, wherein on a smoking article packaging machine, a pack is assembled about an assemblage of smoking articles, characterised in that prior to said pack having been fully assembled about said assemblage, volatile smoking article flavourant is applied at a surface, which surface is a surface within the fully assembled pack, whereby within the fully assembled pack volatilised the flavourant may migrate from the surface to the smoking articles.
The present invention further provides, in combination, a smoking article packaging machine and volatile flavourant application means, the smoking article packaging machine being operable to assemble a pack about an assemblage of smoking articles, and the volatile flavourant application means comprising nozzle means and being operable to supply volatile flavourant to and through the nozzle means at a surface prior to the pack having been fully assembled, which surface is a surface within the fully assembled pack.
Preferably, the surface to which the flavourant is applied is an inner surface of the fully assembled pack. Alternatively, the surface may, instead of being a surface of the pack, be a surface of a pack insert which is disposed within the fully assembled pack. Such pack inserts take the form of coupons, cards or similar sheet like items.
Preferably, the volatile smoking article flavourant is applied directly to the surface.
The assemblage of smoking articles suitably comprises a number of smoking articles arranged in a compact configuration. Preferably, the assemblage or a portion thereof is enwrapped in an inner wrap. The inner wrap layer is preferably, foil or paper.
Advantageously, when the assemblage is enwrapped in an inner wrap, the inner wrap is anchored to the pack by means of an adhesive.
Much by preference, if the surface to which the volatile flavourant is applied is a surface of the pack, the volatile smoking article flavourant is applied to the pack prior to the commencement of the assembly of the pack
British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
Gerrity Stephen F.
Jones Tullar & Cooper PC
Paradiso John
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