Packaging

Abstract

A package (1) comprises a container enveloped in a wrapper (80) The wrapper (80) comprises a film (81) with overlapping portions which are sealed together. The wrapper (80) further comprises a tear strip (82) extending at least partially around the container and having an end tab. The wrapper is configured such that pulling the tab causes a tear to propagate through the film and the tear strip to come away from the container and the entire film to come away from the container attached to the tear strip. The tear strip (82) is defined by two reinforcing tear tapes (83a, 83b) on either side of the tear strip. Each tear tape (83a, 83b) has a respective first remote end (84a, 84b) at the tab, and the two tear tapes extend from the tab and diverge away from each other at least partially around the container such that the width of the tear strip enlarges around at least a part of the perimeter of the container. The tear tapes (83a, 83b) have respective second remote ends (86a, 86b) which are spaced from each other and spaced from the tab.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to packaging and, more particularly, wrappers for packaging and packaging including such wrappers.

BACKGROUND

Packaging is known which includes a sealed outer wrapper to be removed upon initial opening of the packaging. Such wrappers may include a tear-off strip to aid removal of the wrapper and which separates the wrapper into two portions, at least one of which is to be removed from the pack. The tear strip may remain adhered to one portion of the separated wrapper so that it is removed from the pack, leaving the other portion of the separated wrapper in place over a portion of the pack.

SUMMARY

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, there is provided a package comprising a container enveloped in a wrapper, the wrapper comprising a film with overlapping portions which are sealed together, the wrapper further comprising a tear strip extending at least partially around the container and having an end tab, the wrapper configured such that pulling the tab causes a tear to propagate through the film and the tear strip to come away from the container and the entire film to come away from the container attached to the tear strip, wherein the tear strip is defined by two reinforcing tear tapes on either side of the tear strip, each tear tape having a respective first remote end at the tab, and the two tear tapes extend from the tab and diverge away from each other at least partially around the container such that the width of the tear strip enlarges around at least a part of the perimeter of the container, and wherein the tear tapes have respective second remote ends which are spaced from each other and spaced from the tab.

The tear strip may extend from an edge of the film at the overlapping portion, and the tab portion may be provided at the edge of the film.

The first and second remote ends of the tear tapes may be disposed on the same side of the container, or the first and second remote ends of the tear tapes may be disposed on different sides of the container.

The tab portion may be spaced equidistantly from each of the second remote ends of the tear tapes.

The tear tapes may constantly diverge away from each other along their length, or may diverge away from each other along part of their length, and extend parallel to each other along part of their length.

The package may comprise tobacco industry products and/or cigarette packaging.

The present invention also provides a wrapper for use in a package as described above, comprising a film having first and second edges on opposite sides of the film, and third and fourth edges on opposite side of the film between the first and second edges, wherein a tear strip extends across at least a part of the film between the first and second edges, and a tab portion is provide at an end of the tear strip, wherein the tear strip is defined by two reinforcing tear tapes on either side of the tear strip, each tear tape having a respective first remote end at the tab, and the two tear tapes extend from the tab and diverge away from each other such that the width of the tear strip enlarges along at least a part of its length, and wherein the tear tapes have respective second remote ends which are spaced from each other and spaced from the tab.

The tab may be provided at the first edge and the tear tapes may extend across the film such that the respective second remote ends are disposed at the second edge of the film. Alternatively, the tab may be provided at the first edge and the tear tapes may extend across the film such that the respective second remote ends stop short and are spaced from the second end of the film.

The tear tapes may constantly diverge away from each other along their length, or may diverge away from each other along part of their length, and extend parallel to each other along part of their length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompany drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a pack including a wrapper of a first embodiment of the invention partially unwrapped therefrom;

FIG. 2 shows a wrapper of a second embodiment of the invention laid flat; and

FIG. 3 shows a wrapper of a third embodiment of the invention laid flat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a pack 1 having a wrapper 80 of a first embodiment of the invention. The wrapper 80 comprises a film 81 and is shown fully wrapped around a pack 1 of smoking articles. First and second opposite sides of the film 81 overlap at one side wall 2 of the pack 1 and are heat sealed together. The wrapper 80 comprises a tear strip 82 extending around the perimeter of the pack 1. The tear strip 82 is defined by two reinforcing tear tapes 83a, 83b on upper and lower edges of the tear strip 82, which are permanently adhered to the film 81 and are disposed between the film 81 and the pack 1. Each tear tape 83a, 83b includes a first remote end 84a, 84b, and the first remote ends 84a, 84b meet at an end 85 of the tear strip 82, at an edge of the film 81 on one side wall 2 of the pack 1. The two tear tapes 83a, 83b diverge from the end 85 of the tear strip 82 across the front face of the pack, and then extend parallel to each other at the top and bottom of the pack across the side, rear and opposite side walls of the pack, terminating at respective second remote ends 86a, 86b at an edge of the film 81 opposite to the edge at which the end 85 of the tear strip 82 is located. On the wrapped pack 1, prior to unwrapping, the second remote tear tape ends 86a, 86b are spaced from each other, and are spaced from the first remote tear tape ends 84a, 84b. Also, the first and second remote tear tape ends 84a, 84b, 86a, 86b are disposed on the same side face 2 of the pack 1.

To remove the wrapper 80 from the pack 1, a user pulls the end 85 of the tear strip 82 in the direction of arrow B which detaches from around the pack 1 along the tear tapes 83a, 83b by tearing the film 81, causing the film 81 to separate into an upper portion 81a and a lower portion 81b. As the tear strip 82 reaches the opposite side of the front face of the pack 1, it extends over the entire height of the pack 1 and then continues across the side wall, rear wall and opposite side wall of the pack 1, and finally the upper and lower portions 81a, 81b of the film 81 come away from the pack 1 with the tear strip 82. Therefore, the entire film 81 is removable from the pack 1 in a single unwrapping step.

In the first embodiment described above, having diverged away from each other initially, the tear tapes 83a, 83b of the tear strip 82 extend around a portion of the pack 1 parallel to each other. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to this configuration and alternative configurations are intended to fall within the scope of the invention. Such an alternative wrapper 90 of a second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2 as a flat sheet prior to wrapping around a pack. Here, the wrapper 90 comprises a film 91 having a tear strip 92 defined by two reinforcing tear tapes 93a, 93b which are permanently adhered to the film 91. As with the first embodiment, each tear tape 93a, 93b includes a first remote end 94a, 94b which meet at an end or tab portion 95 of the tear strip 92, at an edge of the film 91 which, when wrapped around a pack 1, would be disposed on one side wall 2 of the pack 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The second embodiment differs in that the two tear tapes 93a, 93b diverge from the end 95 of the tear strip 92 and continue diverging away from each other along their length to their respective second remote ends 96a, 96b at an edge of the film 91 opposite to the edge at which the end 95 of the tear strip 92 is located. Therefore, the tear tapes 93a, 93b diverge from each other across the front, side, rear and opposite side faces of the pack 1. As with the first embodiment, however, on the wrapped pack 1, prior to unwrapping, the second remote tear tape ends 96a, 96b are spaced from each other, and are spaced from the first remote tear tape ends 94a, 94b. Also, the first and second remote tear tape ends 94a, 94b, 96a, 96b are disposed on the same side face 2 of the pack 1.

It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the tear tapes 93a, 93b are straight lines on the film 91 when in its flat form prior to being wrapped around the pack 1. This makes manufacture of the wrapper 90 and the wrapping process and apparatus to make wrapped packs 1 simpler. It will also be appreciated that in a manufacturing process, the film 91 may be provided as a single continuous strip and the two tear tapes 93a, 93b fed onto the film 91 from separate bobbins, and the film cut into individual sheets as shown in FIG. 2.

In the first and second embodiments described above, the second remote ends of the tear tapes 86a, 86b, 96a, 96b terminate at an edge of the film 81, 91. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to this configuration and alternative configurations are intended to fall within the scope of the invention. Such an alternative wrapper 100 of a third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3 as a flat sheet prior to wrapping around a pack. Here, the wrapper 100 is similar to the wrapper 90 of the second embodiment, and comprises a film 101 having a tear strip 102 defined by two reinforcing tear tapes 103a, 103b which are permanently adhered to the film 101. Each tear tape 103a, 103b includes a first remote end 104a, 104b which meet at an end 105 of the tear strip 102, at an edge of the film 101 which, when wrapped around a pack 1, would be disposed on one side wall 2 of the pack 1, as shown in FIG. 1. As with the second embodiment, the tear tapes 103a, 103b of the third embodiment diverge from the end 105 of the tear strip 102 and continue diverging away from each other along their length to their respective second remote ends 106a, 106b. However, the third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the second remote ends 106a, 106b of the tear tapes 103a, 103b do not terminate at an edge of the film 101 opposite to the edge at which the end 105 of the tear strip 102 is located, but instead terminate short of such opposite edge of the film 101. This distance by which the second remote ends 106a, 106b stop short of the film edge is shown as dimension ‘d’ in FIG. 3. Therefore, on the wrapped pack 1, prior to unwrapping, the second remote tear tape ends 106a, 106b are spaced from each other, and are spaced from the first remote tear tape ends 104a, 104b, but unlike in the first and second embodiments, the first and second remote tear tape ends 104a, 104b, 106a, 106b may not be disposed on the same side face 2 of the pack 1, and the second remote tear tape ends 106a, 106b may instead be disposed on the rear face of the pack, for example. The further ensures that the entire wrapper 100 is removed with the single pull of the tear strip 102 as it ensures upper and lower portions of the wrapper 100 are not separated from the tear strip 102 but remain attached to the tear strip 102.

It can be seen from FIG. 3 that the tear tapes 103a, 103b are straight lines on the film 101 when in its flat form prior to being wrapped around the pack 1. This makes manufacture of the wrapper 100 and the wrapping process and apparatus to make wrapped packs 1 simpler. Also, since, in a manufacturing process, the film 101 may be provided as a single continuous strip and the two tear tapes 103a, 103b fed onto the film 101 from separate moving bobbins, or moving feed arms, and the film cut into individual sheets as shown in FIG. 3, having the distance ‘d’ between the second remote ends 106a, 106b of the tear tapes 103a, 103b and the film edge allows time for the manufacturing apparatus to reset the tear tape feed bobbins or feed arms back to a start position for the next wrapper 100 as the film 101 is conveyed as a continuous strip past the point where the tear tapes 103a, 103b are provided on the film 101.

Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described above in relation to wrappers enveloping a single pack of smoking articles, such wrappers of the invention are intended to be usable as an outer wrapping around alternative configurations of packaging, such as around multiple packs of smoking articles bundled together, either ‘naked’ or in a carton holding, for example, 10 or 20 packs of smoking articles, or around tins or other containers, such as snus containers. Furthermore, such container(s) to be wrapper with wrappers of the invention, do not necessarily need to be parallelepiped in shape, and may comprise other shapes, for example, cylindrical container(s). The various embodiments of the invention are shown and described above as wrappers for packs of smoking articles, or smoking article packaging having various embodiments of outer wrapper. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to such use and it will be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to wrappers and packaging for any other, non-tobacco industry use.

In the embodiments described above, the wrappers are described as being heat sealed along a seam at an overlap of the wrapper. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to such sealing means, and alternatives are intended within the scope of the invention, such as glue or other adhesive. Furthermore, some of the embodiments are described above as comprising oriented film, although such film may be used as the film in wrappers of any of the embodiments of the invention described herein, and may be particularly suitable for wrappers without tear tapes extending around the entire perimeter of a wrapped pack, or those wrappers intended to tear in locations other than directly adjacent the edge of a tear tape.

In the embodiments described above, the tear tapes are described as being adhered to the respective film, although the invention is not intended to be limited to such construction and the tear tapes may alternatively be heat sealed to the respective film or comprise other means of sealing thereto. Additionally, although in many of the embodiments described above, the tear tapes are described as being provided on the inside surface of the wrapper when wrapped around a pack, the tear tapes may equally be provided on the outside of the respective wrapper.

The film and tear strips/tapes of the wrappers of the invention described above may be made of a variety of materials, including, but no limited to, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cellulose acetate film, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene oxide (PEOX), polyethylene, cellophane, Natureflex™ or polyactic acid (PLA). Furthermore, combinations of such materials may be used for the film/tear strip(s)/tear label(s) respectively. In addition, the film and/or the tear strip/tape material used in the wrappers may be of approximately 200 microns in thickness to approximately 4 microns in thickness.

As used herein, the term “smoking article” includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products. The smoking article may be provided with a filter for the gaseous flow drawn by the smoker.

A tobacco industry product refers to any item made in, or sold by the tobacco industry, typically including a) cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes); b) non-smoking products incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes such as snuff, snus, hard tobacco, and heat-not-burn products; and c) other nicotine-delivery systems such as inhalers, lozenges and gum. This list is not intended to be exclusive, but merely illustrates a range of products which are made and sold in the tobacco industry.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for superior packaging wrappers. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed principles. It should be understood that they are not representative of all claimed inventions. As such, certain aspects of the disclosure have not been discussed herein. That alternate embodiments may not have been presented for a specific portion of the invention or that further un-described alternate embodiments may be available for a portion is not to be considered a disclaimer of those alternate embodiments. It will be appreciated that many of those un-described embodiments incorporate the same principles of the invention and others are equivalent. Thus, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. As such, all examples, implementations, and/or embodiments are deemed to be non-limiting throughout this disclosure. Also, no inference should be drawn regarding those embodiments discussed herein relative to those not discussed herein other than it is as such for purposes of reducing space and repetition. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. Some of the disclosed features, elements, implementation, etc., may be mutually contradictory, in that they cannot be simultaneously present in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features are applicable to one aspect of the disclosure, and inapplicable to others. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed. Applicant reserves all rights in those presently unclaimed inventions including the right to claim such inventions, file additional applications, continuations, continuations in part, divisions, and/or the like thereof. As such, it should be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, function, features, structural, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims.

Claims

1. A package comprising a container enveloped in a wrapper, the wrapper comprising a film with overlapping portions which are sealed together, the wrapper further comprising a tear strip extending at least partially around the container and having an end tab, the wrapper configured such that pulling the tab causes a tear to propagate through the film and the tear strip to come away from the container and the entire film to come away from the container attached to the tear strip, wherein the tear strip is defined by two reinforcing tear tapes on either side of the tear strip, each tear tape having a respective first remote end at the tab, and the two tear tapes extend from the tab and diverge away from each other at least partially around the container such that the width of the tear strip enlarges around at least a part of the perimeter of the container, and wherein the tear tapes have respective second remote ends which are spaced from each other and spaced from the tab.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the tear strip extends from an edge of the film at the overlapping portion.

3. A package according to claim 2 wherein the tab portion is provided at the edge of the film.

4. A package according to any of claims 1-3 wherein the first and second remote ends of the tear tapes are disposed on the same side of the container.

5. A package according to any of claims 1-3 wherein the first and second remote ends of the tear tapes are disposed on different sides of the container.

6. A package according to any of claims 1-5 wherein the tab portion is spaced equidistantly from each of the second remote ends of the tear tapes.

7. A package according to any of claims 1-6 wherein the tear tapes constantly diverge away from each other along their length.

8. A package according to any of claims 1-6 wherein the tear tapes diverge away from each other along part of their length, and extend parallel to each other along part of their length.

9. A package according to any of claims 1 to 8 comprising tobacco industry products and/or cigarette packaging.

10. A wrapper for use in a package according to any of claims 1 to 9 comprising a film having first and second edges on opposite sides of the film, and third and fourth edges on opposite side of the film between the first and second edges, wherein a tear strip extends across at least a part of the film between the first and second edges, and a tab portion is provide at an end of the tear strip, wherein the tear strip is defined by two reinforcing tear tapes on either side of the tear strip, each tear tape having a respective first remote end at the tab, and the two tear tapes extend from the tab and diverge away from each other such that the width of the tear strip enlarges along at least a part of its length, and wherein the tear tapes have respective second remote ends which are spaced from each other and spaced from the tab.

11. A wrapper according to claim 10 wherein the tab is provided at the first edge and the tear tapes extend across the film such that the respective second remote ends are disposed at the second edge of the film.

12. A wrapper according to claim 10 wherein the tab is provided at the first edge and the tear tapes extend across the film such that the respective second remote ends stop short and are spaced from the second end of the film.

13. A wrapper according to any of claims 10-12 wherein the tear tapes constantly diverge away from each other along their length.

14. A wrapper according to any of claims 10-12 wherein the tear tapes diverge away from each other along part of their length, and extend parallel to each other along part of their length.