Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Tobacco Packaging for a Personal Cigarette Manufacturing Device, a System
Consisting of a Tobacco Packaging and a Personal Cigarette Manufacturing
Device and a Supplying Method for a Personal Cigarette Manufacturing Device
The invention relates to a tobacco packaging for a personal cigarette
manufacturing
device, a system consisting of such a tobacco packaging and a personal
cigarette
manufacturing device, and a supplying method for such a device.
One specific application of the present invention is in the field of cigarette
machines
which are used by the consumer to manufacture individual cigarettes and/or a
multitude of individual cigarettes (as a supply). Such tabletop cigarette
machines are
more elaborately configured than simple known filling devices, allow a greater
supply
of tobacco to be processed and produce generally very high-quality, personally
manufactured cigarettes.
WO 2007/093417 discloses a device which can be used as a personal cigarette
manufacturing device and uses a tobacco packaging which can be attached to the
device as a separate unit, wherein latching and unlatching mechanisms are
described.
Against this background, it is the object of some embodiments of the present
invention to provide a tobacco packaging for a personal cigarette
manufacturing
device and a system and method which facilitate handling, in particular when
supplying the device with tobacco.
Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a tobacco packaging for a personal
cigarette manufacturing device, comprising: a cup-shaped tobacco receptacle
which
comprises a removable seal on its opening side; an adaptor element for
attaching the
packaging to the personal cigarette manufacturing device; and an unlatching
element
for a security latching on the personal cigarette manufacturing device,
wherein at
least one part of the unlatching element which is embodied such that it can be
detached from the tobacco packaging is connected to the seal, in order to
remove it.
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Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system consisting of a tobacco
packaging as described above and a personal cigarette manufacturing device to
which the tobacco packaging can be attached in order to supply the personal
cigarette manufacturing device with tobacco, and which comprises a security
latching
which prevents the device from being operated if it is not unlatched by means
of the
unlatching element of the packaging.
Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method for supplying a personal
cigarette manufacturing device with tobacco from a tobacco packaging
comprising a
cup-shaped tobacco receptacle which comprises a removable seal on its opening
side, an adaptor element for attaching the packaging to the personal cigarette
manufacturing device and an unlatching element for a security latching on the
personal cigarette manufacturing device, wherein once the packaging has been
attached to the personal cigarette manufacturing device and the security
latching has
been unlatched, the seal is removed from the tobacco packaging by being
removed
together with at least one part of the unlatching element which can be
detached from
the tobacco packaging and which the seal is connected to.
A tobacco packaging in accordance with the invention for a personal cigarette
manufacturing device has a cup-shaped tobacco receptacle which comprises a
removable seal on its opening side, an adaptor element for attaching the
packaging
to the personal cigarette manufacturing device and an unlatching element for a
security latching on the personal cigarette manufacturing device. In
accordance with
the present invention, at least one part of the unlatching element which can
be
detached from the tobacco packaging is connected to the seal, in order to
remove it.
Unlatching elements which can be at least partially detached are used in order
to
provide a security feature. Such unlatching elements are destroyed by being
detached and make it possible to ensure that the device can only be operated
with
the correct, corresponding tobacco packaging, so as to prevent damage to the
device
and to minimise the danger of injury to the end consumer which could arise if
packaging which does not correspond to the device or has already been used
once
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were used. The present invention has then recognised that the process of
detaching
the part of the unlatching element provided for this purpose can be combined
with
opening the seal, which elegantly simplifies handling.
In other words, the detachable part of the unlatching element, which is
connected to
the seal, is provided in accordance with the invention with the function of a
grip for
the seal, and when removing this part, it is possible to also open and/or
remove the
seal with the same movement. This simplifies the handling of the tobacco
packaging
and the system, and configures them to be more user-friendly.
In a specific embodiment of the invention, the tobacco receptacle forms a cup
with its
opening side turned downwards, on which the attaching adaptor element and the
unlatching element are arranged, wherein the attaching adaptor element can
comprise a lower projecting edge on the cup, in particular a guiding flange,
which can
then be inserted into a corresponding counter piece on the personal
manufacturing
device. This ensures that the tobacco packaging is correctly attached.
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If the unlatching element is arranged on a lower edge side of the tobacco
receptacle, it
will advantageously pass simply into engagement with latching mechanisms
attached to
the device after the tobacco receptacle has been attached to the device.
In accordance with one embodiment in accordance with the invention, the seal
comprises a removal grip portion, and the detachable part of the unlatching
element is
connected to this removal grip portion, such that the seal can be removed with
the aid of
the detachable and/or detached part which is positioned at the correct point
on the seal
as a "grip".
It is possible to provide the unlatching element with a part for holding the
latch open
which is connected to the tobacco receptacle, where it is designed to remain,
and
arranged adjacent to the detachable part. Embodying the unlatching element in
two
parts in this way is advantageous because it reflects the two separate
functions of
unlatching and holding open on the one hand, and the function as a grip for
the seal on
the other hand, wherein it is unimportant whether the detachable part of the
unlatching
element itself already has an unlatching function or is correspondingly
embodied. It is
thus possible for the part for holding the latch open to fulfil both
functions, namely that of
unlatching on the one hand and the function of holding the latch open on the
other hand,
while the detachable part is not involved in this. On the other hand, and as
described in
the adjoining example embodiment, the function of unlatching itself can be
performed by
the detachable part, while the part for holding the latch open, which remains
on the
tobacco packaging, then ensures that the device remains unlatched.
The detachable part of the unlatching element can only be connected to the
tobacco
receptacle via the seal. The integrity of the tobacco packaging is then
established in its
unused state by fixedly attaching the seal to the packaging, where the
detachable part
also therefore remains.
In another possible embodiment, a break-off connection between the seal and
the
tobacco receptacle is also additionally provided, and this can in particular
be
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advantageous when the connection via the seal alone may not be rigid enough
and it is
necessary to provide more dimensional stability.
In one embodiment of the present tobacco packaging, the seal comprises a
flexible
protective foil which can be drawn off; it is however also possible to use any
other
sealing technique, for example a rigid sealing plate or covers which are
destroyed when
opened.
The system in accordance with the invention comprises a tobacco packaging such
as
has been described above in various embodiments and a personal cigarette
manufacturing device to which the tobacco packaging can be attached in order
to supply
the personal cigarette manufacturing device with tobacco. It also comprises a
security
latching which prevents the device from being operated if it is not unlatched
by means of
the unlatching element of the packaging.
In the system, a latch which can be shifted can be provided for the security
device and is
set and/or biased in its initial position such that it blocks a tobacco
processing
movement of the device, and is shifted by its interaction with the unlatching
element of
the packaging, into a release position in which it allows a tobacco processing
movement
of the device.
Another possible embodiment of the system in accordance with the invention
provides
for a security latching which is arranged at a point on the device at which,
when the
tobacco packaging is attached, the security latching is initially passed by
the detachable
part of the unlatching element, and in particular thereby unlatched, after
which it passes
into engagement with a part of the unlatching element for holding the latch
open, which
maintains the unlatching even after the detachable part has been detached.
In the method in accordance with the invention for supplying a personal
cigarette
manufacturing device with tobacco, a tobacco packaging such as is described
above in
various embodiments can be used, wherein once the packaging has been attached
to
the personal cigarette manufacturing device and the security latching has been
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unlatched, the seal is removed from the tobacco packaging by being removed
together
with at least one part of the unlatching element which can be detached from
the tobacco
packaging and which the seal is connected to.
The system in accordance with the invention and the method embodiment in
accordance with, the invention naturally have the same advantages as have
already
been described above with reference to the tobacco packaging.
The invention is explained below in more detail on the basis of a preferred
embodiment.
It can comprise any of the features described here, individually and in any
expedient
combination, and can in particular also be regarded as the use of a described
tobacco
packaging with a personal cigarette manufacturing device and/or in a tobacco
supplying
method as respectively described here. It should also be noted that, although
the
present description is directed to tobacco processing in the course of
personal tobacco
manufacturing, the fundamental features of the invention are also applicable
in
processing devices for other bulk food and luxury food products. The enclosed
drawings
show:
Figures 1 to 3 an embodiment of a tobacco packaging in accordance with the
invention; and
Figures 4 and 5 inserting a tobacco packaging in accordance with the invention
into
a receptacle device of a personal cigarette manufacturing device
with an unlatching function.
The tobacco packaging 1 shown in various views in Figures 1 to 3 has the shape
of an
inverted cup which has rounded, right-angled corners and converges slightly
towards
the top. The packaging - which is shown obliquely from above in Figure 1, from
the side
in Figure 2 and obliquely from below in Figure 3 - is designed to be placed on
top of a
personal cigarette manufacturing device, and for this reason its opening side
is situated
at the bottom. Together with the design which converges slightly towards the
top, this
ensures that the tobacco is extracted optimally and completely. The tobacco is
situated
in the tobacco receptacle 2 which is also referred to below as the "cup". The
lower end
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of the cup 2 has a flange 3 which projects outwards and encloses the cup 2 at
the
bottom on three sides, i.e. it is not provided and open on the front side,
such that the
tobacco packaging 1 can be inserted together with the flange 3 into a
corresponding
guide on the personal tobacco manufacturing device, wherein the two lateral
portions of
the flange 3 support the fixed connection between the tobacco packaging and
the
device.
In the region of its opening, the front side of the cup 2 has a fortified
flange portion 4
connected to a part 5 for holding the latch open which protrudes upwards at
right angles
and the function of which will be explained further below. The removable part
6 of the
unlatching element 5, 6 is separated from the part 5 for holding the latch
open by the
gap 65 (Figure 2), wherein this wedge-shaped removable part can also be
referred to as
the unlatching part 6 and tapers towards the front. Its rear end is equally as
high as the
part 5 for holding the latch open.
Figure 3 also shows how the tobacco packaging 1 is sealed on the underside,
namely
with the aid of a sealing film which has been provided as a whole with the
reference sign
7. The lower opening of the tobacco receptacle 2 is actually sealed by the
first part 8A of
the sealing film 7, which is adhered to the lower edges of the flange 3 or has
been
fastened by heat treatment such that it can be drawn and/or peeled off from
the opening
with the aid of its folded-over portion 8B which again leads towards the
front. Thus, if the
portion 8B is pulled in the direction of the arrow at the front of the grip
portion of the
sealing film 7 which is marked with the reference sign 9, the actual sealing
part 8A is
peeled off from the underside of the flange and the tobacco provided in the
cup 2 can
fall out and into the personal cigarette manufacturing device, in order to be
processed in
the personal cigarette manufacturing device.
It is in particular also clear in Figure 3 that the grip portion 9 of the
sealing film 7 extends
both under the part 5 for holding the latch open and under the unlatching part
6 of the
unlatching element 5, 6. The unlatching element, in particular including its
unlatching
part 6, is thus connected to the sealing film 7.
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The unlatching part 6 can only be connected to the rest of the tobacco
packaging at all
via the sealing film 7; it is, however, also possible to provide break-off
connections,
which are shown in Figure 1 and have been marked with the reference sign 21.
Such
connections 21 help to maintain the shape and alignment of the unlatching part
6, even
in its unused state.
Figures 4 and 5 then show how such a tobacco packaging 1 can co-operate with a
personal cigarette manufacturing device. The personal cigarette manufacturing
device is
not show completely here, since only its unlatching mechanism is relevant to
the present
description and is to be discussed. It bears the reference sign 10 as a whole
and
comprises a housing 11 and a rotating drum 12 which can be rotated around the
axis
20, wherein the tobacco is circulated in the rotating drum and prepared for
portioning.
The rotating drum 12 has a shoulder 13 which is rotated with it and in which
an
engaging groove 18 (shown by a broken line in Figure 5) for a latch 14 is
provided.
Figure 4 shows the device in a state in which the drum 12 is prevented from
rotating by
the engagement of the latch; in Figure 5, the latch is shifted upwards, such
that it is
possible for the drum 12 to rotate.
The latch 14 is arranged in a cavity 17 of the housing, such that it can be
shifted, and
comprises a latch body 15 which has a passage opening 16. The latch is in
principle
biased and/or adjusted towards its latching position (Figure 4), either by
gravity or by a
spring force. The security latching as a whole has been provided with the
reference sign
19 in Figure 4.
Figure 4 shows the state before a tobacco packaging 1 which corresponds to the
device
is inserted, in which operating the device is not permitted because of the
latching by
the latch 14. In order to operate the device, the cup 2 is slid on top of the
device - in the
direction from left to right in Figures 4 and 5 - wherein the wedge-shaped
unlatching
part 6 is slid to the right, into the passage opening 16 of the latch body 15,
and the latch
14 is raised due to the oblique upper edge. The cup 2 is then shifted further
to the right,
into the security latching 19, until it is stopped by the abutment 22 and the
part 5 for
holding the latch open comes to rest in the passage opening 16. The latch 14
remains at
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the top and open in this state, and the device can be operated, i.e. the
rotating drum 12
can be rotated.
Proceeding from the state in Figure 5, the sealing film 7 - to which the
unlatching part 6,
i.e. the detachable part of the unlatching element 5, 6, is fastened - can
then be
removed. If the part 6 is bent downwards (arrow), the break-off point 21 (or
both break-
off points 21) break(s) first, and the part 6 can then be simply gripped by
hand, in order
to draw out the sealing film 7 to the right in the direction of the arrow and
therefore peel
it off from the lower opening. The tobacco can then fall into the rotating
drum 12 and be
processed. The detachable part 6 thus represents both an unlatching element
and a
convenient grip for opening the sealing film and thus assimilates a number of
functions
in a synergetic way, which optimises the handling of the system.
