CIGARETTE/CD PACK

EMBALLAGE POUR ARTICLES COMPORTANT UN DISQUE COMPACT ET PROCEDE D'EMBALLAGE DE CES ARTICLES

English Abstract

A packaging (1) is provided, particularly for rolled smoking articles (8),
comprising a rectilinear container (2), said container having a substantially
flat wall with inner and outer surfaces, a compact disc carrying electronic
data assembled with said container, and holding means (16, 7) for holding said
compact disc (5) contiguous this inner or outer surface of said wall; wherein
said compact disc (5) comprises a shape having an outer edge and an annular
data-carrying zone (10) that is disposed wholly within said outer edge, and is
arranged such that said outer edge is disposed wholly within the area of said
inner or outer surface. A method of packaging a substance into a packaging (1)
in accordance with the invention is also provided.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un emballage (1), notamment pour des articles roulés à fumer(8), comprenant un récipient rectiligne (2) ayant une paroi sensiblement plate pourvue de surfaces intérieures et extérieures, un disque compact contenant des données électroniques assemblées avec ledit récipient et un dispositif de retenue (16, 7) servant à maintenir ledit disque compact (5) à proximité de la surface intérieure ou extérieure de ladite paroi. Ledit disque compact (5), qui présente une forme pourvue d'un bord extérieur et une zone de support de données annulaire (10) disposée complètement dans ledit bord extérieur, est arrangée de sorte que ledit bord extérieur soit disposé complètement dans la zone de ladite surface intérieure ou extérieure. L'invention concerne également un procédé permettant d'emballer une substance dans un emballage (1) selon l'invention.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A packaging, which packaging comprises a rectilinear container, said
container having a substantially flat wall with inner and outer surfaces,
which packaging comprises a compact disc carrying electronic data
assembled with said container, and holding means for holding said compact
disc contiguous the inner or outer surface of said wall; said compact disc
comprising a shape having an outer edge and an annular data-carrying zone
that is disposed wholly within said outer edge; said compact disc being
arranged such that said outer edge is disposed wholly within the area of said
inner or outer surface; characterised in that said compact disc has a shape
which corresponds to the shape of said wall and is arranged to entirely cover
said inner or outer surface of the wall.
2 A packaging for rolled smoking articles, which packaging comprises
a rectilinear container that is adapted to contain a plurality of rolled
smoking
articles, said container having a substantially flat wall with inner and outer
surfaces; characterised in that said packaging comprises a compact disc
carrying electronic data assembled with said container, and holding means
for holding said compact disc contiguous the inner or outer surface of said
wall; and said compact disc comprises a shape having an outer edge and an
annular data-carrying zone that is disposed wholly within said outer edge,
and is arranged such that said outer edge is disposed wholly within the area
of said inner or outer surface.
3 A packaging as claimed in claim 2, wherein said compact disc has a
shape which corresponds to the shape of said wall and is arranged to entirely
cover said inner or outer surface of the wall.
4 A packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said wall is
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rectangular in shape, and said compact disc also comprises a rectangular
shape, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the
rectangular shape of said wall.
5 A packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said
compact disc is adapted to carry up to 5MB or more of electronic data
6 A method of packaging a substance, material or articles, comprising
the steps of providing a rectilinear container adapted to contain said
substance, material or articles, said container having a substantially flat
wall
with inner and outer surfaces and placing said substance, material or articles
in said container; characterised by assembling a compact disc with said
container, such that said compact disc is held contiguous the inner or outer
surface of said wall by holding means; said compact disc carrying electronic
data, and having a shape with an outer edge and an annular data-carrying
zone that is disposed wholly within said outer edge, said shape
corresponding to the shape of said wall of the container; said compact disc
being assembled with said container such that said outer edge is disposed
wholly within the area of said inner or outer surface and such that said
compact disc entirely covers said inner an outer surface of the wall.
7 A method of packaging rolled smoking articles, comprising the steps
of providing a rectilinear container adapted to contain said rolled smoking
articles, said container having a substantially flat wall with inner and outer
surfaces and placing said rolled smoking articles in said container,
characterised by assembling a compact disc carrying electronic data with
said container, such that said compact disc is held contiguous the inner or
outer surface of said wall by holding means; wherein said compact disc
comprises a shape having an outer edge and an annular data-carrying zone
that is disposed wholly within said outer edge, and is assembled with said
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container such that said outer edge is disposed wholly within the area of said
inner or outer surface.

Description

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PACKAGE FOR ARTICLES COMPRISING AN ASSOCIATED COMPACT DISC AND METHOD OF
PACKAG
ING THE ARTICLES
The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to packaging,
in particular for rolled smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars and the
like. The invention further encompasses a method for packaging, and
packages, particularly packages of rolled smoking articles, produced
according to this method.
Conventionally, packaging for rolled smoking articles such as cigarettes
comprises a robust paper or cardboard packet. The packet may comprise a
box arranged to open at one end thereof; one such packet well known in the
art comprises a hinged top. Typically, the packet is cuboidal in shape,
having rectangular side, front and rear walls, and is sized to accommodate
between ten and twenty cigarettes. The packet is therefore conveniently sized
to be placed within the pocket or handbag of a user.
For various reasons, particularly to assist in combatting counterfeiting, it
is
desirable to enable the tracing of cigarette packets from manufacturer to
2 0 consumer, such that details of the time and place of sale and use of
particular packets or batches of packets can be made known to the
manufacturer, distributor, or another interested party. This may be
conveniently achieved by associating electronic data with each cigarette
packet, which data may subsequently be traced by the interested party. There
is a need in the art for a convenient means for enabling the association of
electronic data with a conventional cigarette packet.
According to one aspect of the present invention therefore there is provided
a packaging, which packaging comprises a rectilinear container, said
3 0 container having a substantially flat wall with inner and outer surfaces;
a
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compact disc carrying electronic data assembled with said container, and
holding means for holding said compact disc contiguous the inner or outer
surface of said wall; wherein said compact disc comprises a shape having an
outer edge and an annular data-carrying zone that is disposed wholly within
said outer edge, and is arranged such that said outer edge is disposed wholly
within the area of said inner or outer surface.
Said compact disc may carry electronic data associated with said packaging,
and may be formatted such that use of the disc by a consumer will enable
access by an interested third party to said data. Additionally or
alternatively,
said compact disc may carry electronic data to enable the user for example
to download or access software, information, music, or the like on the
Internet. Said compact disc may be adapted to carry up to SMB or more of
electronic data.
Said packaging may be handled without the risk of damaging said compact
disc, owing to the fact that said compact disc is held flat against said flat
wall, and is disposed wholly within the area of the inner or outer surface of
said flat wall so that no part of the compact disc protrudes outside the area
2 0 of the wall.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of
packaging a substance, material or articles, comprising the steps of providing
a rectilinear container adapted to contain said substance, material or
articles,
2 5 said container having a substantially flat wall with inner and outer
surfaces;
placing said substance, material or articles in said container; and assembling
a compact disc carrying electronic data with said container; such that said
compact disc is held contiguous the inner or outer surface of said wall by
holding means; characterised in that said compact disc comprises a shape
3 0 having an outer edge and an annular data-carrying zone that is disposed
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wholly within said outer edge, and is assembled with said container such
that said outer edge is disposed wholly within the area of said inner or outer
surface.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a package
for a substance, material or articles, comprising a substance, material or
articles packaged by a packaging in accordance with the present invention.
Typically, said container will be adapted to contain a plurality of rolled
smoking articles, and said packaging will comprise a packaging for rolled
smoking articles.
Preferably, said compact disc comprises a shape which corresponds to said
wall. In particularly preferred embodiments, said wall is rectangular in
shape,
and said compact disc also comprises a rectangular shape, the dimensions of
which correspond to the dimensions of the rectangular shape of said wall.
Thus, when assembled with said container, said compact disc entirely covers
said inner or outer surface of the wall.
2 0 In one aspect of the present invention, said holding means may be arranged
to hold said compact disc contiguous said outer surface of the wall. Said
holding means may comprise an outer wrapping, such as a plastic film
wrapping, which is arranged to envelope said container and said compact
disc, thereby holding said compact disc contiguous said outer surface of the
wall. l~Iternatively or additionally, said holding means may comprise an
adhesive, such as a hot-melt adhesive of the kind well known to those
skilled in the art, which is adapted to affix said compact disc directly to
said
outer surface of the wall. The exposed surface of said compact disc may
optionally be coloured and/or decorated, for example so as to resemble said
3 0 outer surface of the wall.
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In another aspect of the present invention, said holding means may be
arranged to hold said compact disc contiguous said inner surface of the wall.
Optionally, said holding means may comprise an inner wrapping which is
adapted to enfold said rolled smoking articles; the arrangement being such
that said compact disc is interposed said inner wrapping and said inner
surface of the wall.
Typically, said rolled smoking articles will comprise cigarettes or cigars.
Said rolled smoking articles may however comprise other substantially
cylindrical tobacco products, such as cigarillos.
Advantageously, said container may comprise a paper or cardboard packet,
preferably with a hinge- or flip-topped lid. In some embodiments, an inner
wrapping is provided for enfolding said rolled smoking products. Preferably,
said inner wrapping can be resealed, so as to preserve the freshness of said
rolled smoking articles.
Following is a description, by way of example only and with reference to
the accompanying drawings, of embodiments of the present invention.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective from above and to one side of a rear of a cigarette
package in accordance with the present invention, comprising a cigarette
~ 5 packet and a compact disc held contiguous the outer surface of the rear
wall
of the cigarette packet.
Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the cigarette package shown in
Figure 1, along the line II-II in Figure 1.
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Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of another cigarette package in
accordance with the present invention, comprising a cigarette packet and a
compact disc held contiguous the inner surface of the rear wall of the
cigarette packet.
A cigarette package 1 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a container 2
having an integral hinged lid 3 and a substantially flat rectangular rear wall
4; a compact disc 5; and an outer wrapping 6 which envelopes said compact
disc 5 and said container 2, thereby serving to hold said compact disc 5
contiguous the outer surface of said rear wall 4, and to seal the contents of
the container.
As shown in Figure l, said compact disc 5 has a rectangular shape which
corresponds to the rectangular shape of said rear wall 4, such that said
compact disc 5 covers substantially the whole of the outer surface of said
rear wall 4 but does not protrude outside the area of said rear wall 4. Said
compact disc 5 comprises an annular data-carrying zone 10, which is
disposed wholly within the area of said rear wall 4. Zone 10 carries
electronic data, optionally for enabling the tracing of said cigarette package
2 0 1, and/or fox enabling the user of said compact disc 5 to access or
download
information, music and the like from the Internet. Said compact disc 5
comprises an upper layer 11 which can be decorated with colourings,
graphics and the like, and a lower layer (not shown) which comprises a
protective transparent plastics material. Said compact disc 5 is oriented such
that said lower layer is disposed contiguous the outer surface of said rear
wall 4, whilst said upper layer 11 is exposed.
Said container 2 comprises an inner lining 7, and is adapted to accommodate
cigarettes 8. Container 2 is formed in a manner known to the skilled man
3 0 from a light robust material such as cardboard.
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Said outer wrapping 6 comprises a transparent plastics material, and is
shrink-wrapped around said compact disc 5 and said container 2 in a manner
well known in the art. When purchased by a consumer, said outer wrapping
6 can be removed from the container 2 and discarded, thereby allowing the
consumer to detach the compact disc 5 from the package 1.
A similar cigarette package in accordance with the present invention is
illustrated in Figure 3. Features of this embodiment which are identical to
those shown in Figures 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, said compact disc 5 is disposed
within said container 2, and is held contiguous the inner surface of said rear
wall 4, interposed said lining 7 and the rear wall 4. Upon removal of said
outer wrapping 6 by a consumer, said compact disc can be withdrawn from
the container 2 for use. Said compact disc can subsequently be replaced in
said container 2, for storage therein.
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Representative Drawing