Method and device for producing a package for smoking articles

Abstract

In the method for producing a package for bar-shaped smoking articles that has at least one outer layer intended to receive the bar-shaped smoking articles and to hold the package together, a foil strip that is suitable for the outer layer and is taken from a reel is embossed and/or provided with creasing breaks online in time with the work cadence (P) of the packaging machine and subsequently cut to size. The resulting blank is then folded around the bar-shaped smoking articles in the packaging machine. On one hand, this method allows packaging the cigarettes directly in the outer wrapper without an innerliner, and on the other hand, to strongly rationalize and simplify the entire packaging process and to apply a large variety of signs of all kinds that are perceptible visually, tactually, acoustically or by olfaction.

1 . A method for producing a package for bar-shaped smoking articles that has at least one outer layer, wherein the outer layer of the package is adapted to receive the bar-shaped smoking articles and to hold the package together, whereby a previously printed or unprinted foil strip that is suitable for the outer layer and is taken from a reel is online embossed and/or provided with creasing breaks in time with the work cadence (P) of the packaging machine and subsequently cut to size, and the resulting blank is folded around the bar-shaped smoking articles in the packaging machine. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the embossing operation produces signs on the foil strip that are visually and/or tactually and/or acoustically perceptible and/or serve as authentication features. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer layer of the package consists of a light material such as paper, thin cardboard, hybrid foils, foils having multiple coatings of different materials, or paper or plastic foils that may be metallized or otherwise surface-coated, or is a metal foil. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking articles, which are cigarettes, cigarillos, or cigars, are inserted into the package consisting of the outer layer without an inner packaging. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating cadence of the embossing unit is synchronized to the work cadence of the packaging machine, the operating cadence of the creasing unit or the operating cadence of the cutting unit to the operating cadence of the embossing unit, and the operating cadence of the cutting unit to the operating cadence of the creasing unit or to the operating cadence of the embossing unit. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating cadence of the creasing unit is synchronized to the work cadence of the packaging machine and the operating cadence of the cutting unit to the operating cadence of the creasing unit. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the foil strip is printed prior to embossing, the operating cadence of the printing unit being synchronized to the work cadence of the packaging machine and to the operating cadences of the other units. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein more than one device is used in order to process both a foil strip for the outer package and a foil strip for the inner package and to assemble them into a multi-layer package in the packaging machine online in time with the work cadence. 
     
     
         9 . A device for implementing the method according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises a foil strip reel, an embossing unit and/or a creasing unit and a cutting unit, and is operatively connected to a packaging machine, the device comprising control and synchronizing elements in order to process a foil strip online in time with the work cadence of the packaging machine and to wrap the produced blank around bar-shaped smoking articles. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the embossing unit comprises a roller assembly having at least two rollers provided with logos, teeth, or raised embossing elements that are arranged in lines or rows or individually in order to emboss signs on the foil. 
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 10 , wherein rollers are provided with teeth that project from the roller cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 10 , wherein one roller is provided with raised embossing elements and the counter-roller with indentations assigned to said raising embossing elements. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 10 , wherein one of the counter-rollers is provided with circumferential rings and/or one of the counter-rollers with longitudinal ridges. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the creasing unit comprises two creasing rollers that are provided with mutually complementarily shaped creasing tools. 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 14 , wherein one creasing roller is provided with circumferential grooves and longitudinal grooves and the other creasing roller with circumferential rings and longitudinal ridges. 
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the cutting unit comprises two cutting rollers of which one is a smooth roller and the other roller is provided with cutting tools. 
     
     
         17 . A device according to  9 , wherein rollers are provided with creasing or cutting and/or embossing teeth or embossing elements. 
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein at least the embossing rollers, the creasing rollers, or the cutting rollers are provided with means for preventing a pitching movement thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the synchronizing and control elements comprise regulating units in order to synchronize the operating cadences of the printing, embossing, creasing, cutting, and odorizing units to the work cadence of the packaging machine and to one another. 
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 19 , wherein the second and third regulating units comprise positioning devices for adjusting the circumferential positions of the creasing rollers and of the cutting rollers relative to the packaging foil. 
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 19 , wherein the second and third regulating units comprise comparing devices for detecting quantitative deviations between the operating cadences of the embossing unit, the creasing unit, and the cutting unit. 
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 19 , wherein upstream and/or downstream of the creasing unit and the cutting unit, at least one buffer unit is arranged for the demand-driven deflection of the packaging foil.