Container for tobacco material

Abstract

Container of the tobacco-processing industry for tobacco material and process for storing containers and weighing tobacco material held in container. The container includes a lid surface and a base surface. The lid surface is smaller than the base surface, and at least one of the lid surface and the base surface is closable. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1 . A container of the tobacco-processing industry for tobacco material, comprising: 
 a lid surface; and    a base surface,    wherein the lid surface is smaller than the base surface, and at least one of the lid surface and the base surface is closable.    
     
     
         2 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein, when the at least one closable lid surface and base surface is closed, the container is stackable, and 
 wherein, when the at least one closable lid surface and base surface is open, the container is nestable.    
     
     
         3 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one closable lid surface and the base surface comprises at least one of a closing device and a seal.  
     
     
         4 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the base surface comprises a foot part.  
     
     
         5 . The container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the foot part is structured and arranged to allow an object to run under the foot part.  
     
     
         6 . The container in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the foot part comprises casters.  
     
     
         7 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one of a lid for the lid surface and a base for the base surface are composed of a plurality of parts.  
     
     
         8 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a gripping device and spacing elements.  
     
     
         9 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising ventilation holes.  
     
     
         10 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the container is made of plastic.  
     
     
         11 . The container in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the plastic is composed of one of polyethylene or polypropylene.  
     
     
         12 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein inside surfaces comprise smooth surfaces.  
     
     
         13 . A process for storing a number of the containers in accordance with  claim 1 , the process comprising: 
 at least one of opening or closing the at least one closable lid surface and base surface; and    placing the containers one atop the other container,    wherein, when the at least one closable lid surface and base surfaces are closed, the containers are stacked on atop the other, and when the at least one lid surface and base surface are open, the containers are nested on atop the other.    
     
     
         14 . A process for holding tobacco material in the container in accordance with  claim 1 , the process comprising: 
 opening the at least one closable lid surface and base surface;    supplying the tobacco material into the container; and    closing the at least one closable lid surface and base surface.    
     
     
         15 . The container in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a weighing device structured and arranged for recording a weight of the tobacco material held in the container.  
     
     
         16 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising a position recording device structured and arranged to determine a position of the container.  
     
     
         17 . The container in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the position recording device comprises an inclination detector.  
     
     
         18 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the weighing device comprises an analysis unit structured and arranged to determine the weight of the tobacco material held in the container.  
     
     
         19 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the weight of the tobacco material is determinable depending on the recorded position of the container.  
     
     
         20 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the weight of the tobacco material is determinable depending on the inclination of the container.  
     
     
         21 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising a reference weighing device.  
     
     
         22 . The container in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the weight of the tobacco material is determinable depending on measurements of the reference weighing device.  
     
     
         23 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor structured and arranged to measure a temperature of the tobacco material, wherein the weight of the tobacco material is determinable depending on the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor.  
     
     
         24 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the base part comprises a foot part, and the weighing device is arranged in at least one of the base part and the feet part.  
     
     
         25 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the weighing device comprises at least one of pressure sensors, load cells, and coil springs.  
     
     
         26 . The container in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the weighing device and the analysis unit include a display field.  
     
     
         27 . The container in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein measurement data of the tobacco material is transmittable to an external analysis device.  
     
     
         28 . The container in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the measurement data is collected by at least one of the weighing device, a reference weighing device, a position recording device, and an analysis unit, and the measurement data is transmittable in a non-contact manner.  
     
     
         29 . A process of determining characteristics of tobacco material held in a container of the tobacco-processing industry, comprising: 
 recording a weight of a tobacco material held in the container.    
     
     
         30 . The process in accordance with  claim 29 , further comprising recording a position of the container.  
     
     
         31 . The process in accordance with  claim 30 , wherein the recorded position is an inclination of the container.  
     
     
         32 . The process in accordance with  claim 29 , further comprising determining the weight of the tobacco material with an analysis unit.  
     
     
         33 . The process in accordance with  claim 30 , further comprising determining the weight of the tobacco material depending on the recorded position.  
     
     
         34 . The process in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the determination of the weight of the tobacco material depends on the recorded inclination of the container.  
     
     
         35 . The process in accordance with  claim 29 , further comprising determining the weight of the tobacco material depending on measurements of a reference weighing device.  
     
     
         36 . The process in accordance with  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 measuring a temperature of the tobacco material; and    determining a weight of the tobacco material depending on the measured temperature.    
     
     
         37 . The process in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein the container includes a base part having feet, and a weighing device, structured and arranged to record the weight of the tobacco material, is located in one of the base part and the feet.  
     
     
         38 . The process in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein the weighing device comprises at least one of pressure sensors, load cells, and coil springs.  
     
     
         39 . The process in accordance with  claim 32 , wherein the analysis unit comprises at least a part of a weighing device, and at least one of the weighing device and the analysis unit include a display field.  
     
     
         40 . The process in accordance with  claim 29 , further comprising transmitting measurement data of the tobacco material to an external analysis device.  
     
     
         41 . The process in accordance with  claim 40 , wherein the measurement data is collected by at least one of a weighing device, a reference weighing device, a position recording device, and an analysis unit, and the measurement data is transmitted in a non-contact manner.