Innerframe and Apparatus for Producing an Improved Innerframe

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an apparatus for securely packing cigarettes and other rod-like articles securely within a fixed size container.

2. Description of the Related Art

A typical cigarette package is usually designed to contain ten to twenty individual cigarettes in various packing configurations. Such a typical package is shown in FIG. 1 and includes an outer carton 10 having a conventional innerframe 20 surrounding, for example, ten individual cigarettes 15. Typically, cigarettes 15 are first wrapped in a foil package 12 on which conventional innerframe 20 is applied (See FIG. 3A), and foil package 12 with surrounding innerframe 20 is thereafter packaged in outer carton 10. A typical method for packaging cigarettes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,865 issued to Schmermund.

Conventional innerframe 20 is shown specifically in FIGS. 2A-2C. An innerframe blank 22 is manufactured from a flat sheet of formable material, such as cardboard, by forming perforations 14 and tabs 13 through a cutting or stamping process. Perforations 14 and tabs 13 form a central region 16 and two side regions 18. As shown in FIG. 2A, innerframe blank 22 is folded along perforation lines 14 such that sides 18 are arranged to be perpendicular to the plane defined by central portion 16 to resemble the cross-section shown in FIG. 2C. Conventional innerframe 20 is now suitable for placement around foil wrapped cigarette bundle 12 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Innerframe 20 is typically wrapped around foil wrapped cigarette bundle 12 which surrounds, for example, ten cigarettes (FIG. 3A). Conventional innerframe 20 is then adhesively secured to the inside of outer carton 10 which is generally referred to as a "hinged lid pack" to provide the structure shown in FIGS. 1A-1C.

Cigarettes and other types of rod-like articles come in myriad lengths and diameters. Using conventional innerframe 20, separate individual sizes of innerframes and outer cartons would be required for as many different packaging schemes and sizes of cigarettes as are desired to be packaged. Such customization would require a plethora of machinery and increased production costs for each different cigarette type or packaging arrangement.

Further, conventional innerframe 20 provides only a minimum amount of additional buffering or retention force on individual cigarettes within the outer carton 10. Specifically, innerframe 20 provides support for the upper portion of those cigarettes once near the front of the outer carton lid opening the lid is open as shown in FIG. 1A, and generally cigarettes 15 are packed quite tightly within the outer carton 10 to prevent damage during shipment.

It is desireable to maintain standardized outer carton sizes to simplify manufacture of both the innerframe and the outer carton. It is further desireable to maintain constant carton sizes for a wide variety of cigarette sizes. Further, it is desireable for the innerframe to provide support for the cigarettes within the carton to avoid damage during shipping and loss of cigarettes upon first opening the outer carton.

The invention comprises a frame for securely retaining a bundle of elongated members, as for example cigarettes, within a container having a bottom box panel, a top lid box panel, opposing right and left side box panels, and opposing front and back box panels. The frame is inserted into the container and comprises: a front frame panel portion defined by a left side and a right side, and a top and bottom margin; a left side frame panel connected to the front panel along the left side of said front panel, said left side panel including a left side biasing portion formed therein; and a right side frame panel connected to the front frame panel along the right side of said front panel, said right side panel including a right side biasing portion formed thereupon. The frame is erected and inserted into the box so that the front fame panel is contiguous with the front box panel, the left frame panel is contiguous with the left side box panel, and the right frame panel is contiguous with the right side box panel.

FIGS. 1A and 1C are perspective views of a bundle of cigarettes contained within an outer carton having an open lid and a closed lid, respectively.

FIG. 1B is a top view of the bundle of cigarettes depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1C.

FIGS. 2A-2C are perspective and plan views of a conventional innerframe for use with the cigarette pack depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are perspective and plan views of the conventional innerframe depicted in FIGS. 2A-2C surrounding a foil bound bundle of cigarettes.

FIGS. 4A-4C are perspective and plan views of the innerframe of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective and plan views of the innerframe of the present invention surrounding foil bound bundle of cigarettes.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective and plan views of the innerframe of the present invention utilized with an outer carton for packaging cigarettes.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of the cutting mechanism for preparing an innerframe blank depicted in FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are plan views of the cutting mechanism for providing the innerframe of the present invention depicted in FIG. 4B.

FIGS. 9A-9C are plan and perspective views of the formation roller of the present invention for use with the innerframe cutting apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of an embodiment of the innerframe of the invention; FIG. 10B is a plan view of the blank for making the innerframe of FIG. 10B.

The present invention comprises an improved innerframe and apparatus for providing the improved innerframe. The innerframe of the present invention provides greater stability in packaging various sizes of cigarettes or other rod-like elements to be stored in a container. The present invention allows for various diameters of rod-like elements and various stacking arrangements of elements to be packaged within a single size container.

The innerframe of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4A-4C. FIG. 4B depicts an innerframe blank 39 which is manufactured from a formable material, such as cardboard. It should be noted that any material which may be cut and formed as discussed herein is suitable for use in forming blank 39. Innerframe blank 39 has tabs 33 and perforations 34 formed therein which divide innerframe blank 39 into central region 36 and left and right side portions 38a-b. In addition, biasing tabs 35a-b are provided by horizontal cuts 37. As will be discussed below, biasing tabs 35a-b act to provide a tension force on cigarettes 15 to maintain cigarettes 15 within an outer carton or box. Preferably blank 39 is manufactured to have a length 1' greater than length 1 of conventional innerframe 20 to provide greater area for biasing tabs 35a-b. Biasing element 35b includes side 31a which extends beyond edge 31 of the innerframe blank 30. Likewise, biasing element 35a includes a side 32a which extends beyond edge 32 of the innerframe blank 30.

As shown in FIG. 4A, biasing elements 35a-b are each designed to have an arcuate shape toward the interior of innerframe 30 to provide the necessary biasing force.

As shown specifically in FIGS. 5A and 5B, interior surfaces 39a and 39b of innerframe 30 biasing elements 35a and 35b provide the surface area necessary to transmit the biasing force to the cigarette foil bundle 12. Once innerframe 30 is formed around bundle 12, front portion 36, and left and right side walls 38a-b provide engagement with the interior of outer carton 10 as shown in FIGS. 6A-6B. As shown specifically in FIG. 6B, edges 31a and 32a of biasing elements 35b and 35a, respectively, engage the corners 11a and 11b of outer carton 10 to ensure biasing elements 35a and 35b maintain their arcuate shape. This arcuate shape of elements 35a-b, the engagement of biasing elements 35a in this manner, and the structural rigidity of the formable material provides the biasing force on foil wrapped cigarette bundle 12.

An apparatus for providing the improved innerframe is discussed with reference to FIGS. 7A-9C. FIGS. 7A and 7B show a conventional innerframe cutting apparatus 40. The apparatus includes a cutting roller 42 and a plane roller 44, between which a blank sheet of cardboard or other formable material having a width roughly equal to the cutting roller is passed to form innerframe blanks. Cutting mechanism 40 generally includes a single source drive motor coupled to a gear arrangement (not shown) to provide drive power which allows rollers 42 and 44 to synchronously rotate in opposite directions as shown in FIG. 7B. Rollers 42 and 44 are provided in engagement with each other with sufficient force such that when a sheet of formable material is passed therethrough in the direction of arrow 45, innerframe blanks with the desired perforations and cuts are yielded. Cutting roller 42 includes cutting die 46 which has raised portions 48 for providing the cuts and perforations in the formable material as the material is passed through rollers 42 and 44. Rollers 42 and 44 are preferably comprised of stainless steel, although any other durable hard metal will suffice.

The apparatus of FIGS. 7A and 7B produces the conventional innerframe blank 20 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C.

An apparatus for forming the improved innerframe of the present invention is discussed with reference to FIGS. 8A-9C. Common reference numerals are used to refer to those elements of the improved cutting mechanism 50 in common with conventional innerframe cutting mechanism 40.

Improved innerframe cutting mechanism 50 includes a plane roller 44 and a cutting roller 52 for passing a formable material therethrough. Cutting roller 52 includes cutting die 56 having an improved blade configuration. Cutting die 56 includes blade portion 58 somewhat similar to that of conventional innerframe cutting mechanism 40, but with a different die structure which includes horizontal blades 59 to provide the biasing elements 35 in the innerframe of the present invention. Plane roller 44 may have a textured surface to ensure that the formable material is securely passed through mechanism 50.

In the conventional cutting apparatus 40 discussed with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the width of the conventional innerframe is roughly equal the width from the edge side 18a to the edge side 18. As shown in FIG. 4B, the width W of the formable material passed through roller 44 and 52 in the improved cutting apparatus equals the width from side 31a to side 32a and is wider than a conventional innerframe blank for the same sized container. Consequently, cutting die 56 must be wider than cutting die 46 to form biasing elements 35a-b and to allow for excess material to be trimmed from the formable material. Furthermore, the conventional cutting apparatus 40 yields approximately seven (7) innerframe blanks per one 360.degree. revolution of the cutting roller 42. Improved innerframe cutting apparatus yields only five (5) innerframe blanks per 360.degree. revolution. This is due to the desire to provide for additional length (1') for innerframe 30 to provide for longer sidewalls 38a-b and greater material for providing biasing elements 35 to enhance the holding effectiveness of innerframe 30. It will, however, be recognized by those skilled in the art that any size or types of rollers may be used to generate any number of innerframe blanks per single revolution of cutting rollers. Furthermore, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a improved innerframe cutting roller die 56 may be substituted for a conventional innerframe cutter 46 to provide a modification of conventional machinery utilized in the art. Such a conversion requires modification of the gearing which drives the plane roller and the cutting roller to ensure synchronization between the two rollers. Such synchronization of gearing is well known to one skilled in the art.

Subsequent to the formation of improved innerframe blanks 39 by innerframe mechanism 50, improved innerframe blank 39 is passed through formation apparatus 60 to provide the arcuate shapes to biasing elements 35a-b. Formation apparatus 60 is discussed with reference to FIGS. 9A-9C.

Formation apparatus 60 includes a first roller 62 and a second roller 64 which may be placed adjacent to the plane roller 44 and improved cutting roller 52 of the improved cutting apparatus 50 of the present invention. Roller 64 includes eccentric elements 66 mounted in grooves 65. Roller 62 includes grooves 63 which correspond in horizontal placement to grooves 65 in roller 64. Rollers 62 and 64 are caused to synchronously rotate in opposite directions such that when improved innerframe blank 39 is caused to pass between roller 62 and 64, as shown in FIG. 9C, biasing elements 35a-b are given their desired arcuate shape. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, rollers 62 and 64 are coupled to the same single drive power motor as plane roller 44 and cutting roller 52. Further in the preferred embodiment, rollers 62 and 64 are geared to be synchronized with rollers 44 and 52 to rotate one revolution for each 72.degree. revolution of the rollers 52 and 44 such that one improved innerframe blank 30 passes through rollers 62 and 64 per revolution.

FIGS. 10a and 10b shown an alternative embodiment of the approved innerframe of the present invention. Innerframe blank 72 includes perforation 74 and tab 73 forming a central region 76 and two side regions 78a and 78b. As shown in FIG. 10B, the width w" is wider than the width w of a conventional innerframe as shown in FIG. 2B. As shown in FIG. 10A, this allows side 78 to be crimped and edges 78a and 78b to provide engagement with the interior corners of outer carton 10. Alternative embodiment 70 of the improved innerframe of the present invention provides biasing force concentrated in two regions on each interior side of innerframe 70 as shown in FIG. 10A. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that any number folds in side 78 may be provided to provide varying degrees and surfaces of biasing force.

The many features and advantages of the improved innerframe and innerframe cutting apparatus of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the specification and the claims. The innerframe described herein provides a secure structure for storing cigarettes or other rod-like structures within a particular outer container. Numerous variations are possible as will be apparent to those skilled in the art; such variations are intended to be within the scope of the invention as defined by this specification and the following claims are intended to cover all the modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention.