U.S. patent application number 14/010067 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-26 for method of forming score lines on blank, method of manufacturing package using same, and package.
This patent application is currently assigned to JAPAN TOBACCO INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is JABAN TOBACCO INC.. Invention is credited to Toshihiko IMAMURA, Kazuo OSAMURA, Hitoshi TAMBO.
Application Number | 20130341380 14/010067 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46929677 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130341380 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAMBO; Hitoshi ; et
al. |
December 26, 2013 |
METHOD OF FORMING SCORE LINES ON BLANK, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING
PACKAGE USING SAME, AND PACKAGE
Abstract
A blank forming step for forming a sheet-shaped resin blank able
to be formed into a box by folding and bending, and a score line
forming step of forming score lines in score line forming areas of
the blank which are to be bent to form outer edges of the box, to
extend in the direction in which the outer edges should extend. In
the score line forming step, the score lines are formed in a manner
causing grooves to be produced on the back side of each score line
forming area, along the score lines, through plastic deformation.
The blank therefore does not undergo tensile stress pulling on the
blank to either side of each groove, and thus, does not undergo
warping as a whole. The blank thus retains its sheet shape and can
be steadily supplied to a packaging machine.
Inventors: |
TAMBO; Hitoshi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; IMAMURA; Toshihiko; (Tokyo, JP) ;
OSAMURA; Kazuo; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JABAN TOBACCO INC. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
46929677 |
Appl. No.: |
14/010067 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/JP2011/057286 |
Mar 25, 2011 |
|
|
|
14010067 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
229/100 ;
493/339 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B31B 2100/00 20170801;
B31B 50/252 20170801; B31B 2241/003 20130101; B65D 85/1045
20130101; B65D 85/10484 20200501; B65D 5/66 20130101; B31B 2110/20
20170801 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/100 ;
493/339 |
International
Class: |
B65D 5/66 20060101
B65D005/66 |
Claims
1. A method of forming score lines on a blank, comprising steps of:
forming a sheet-shaped resin blank able to be formed into a box by
folding, and forming score lines in score line forming areas of
said blank which are to be bent to form outer edges of the box, to
extend in a direction in which the outer edges should extend,
wherein in said score line forming step, said score lines are
formed in a manner causing grooves to be produced on a back side of
each score line forming area, parallel to said score lines, through
plastic deformation.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the grooves are formed
along the respective score lines in a manner corresponding to the
respective score lines.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the box to be formed
comprises a box-shaped container open at the top and a box-shaped
lid connected to a top edge of the container functioning as a hinge
to open and close the container, said blank comprises a main
section for forming the container, extending in one direction, and
a sub-section for forming the lid, connected to an edge of the main
section which is to form the hinge, the main section includes a
front main panel, a bottom panel and a rear main panel for forming
a front wall, a bottom wall and a rear wall of the container,
aligned in the direction and delimited by transverse fold lines,
and outer and inner side main flaps for forming an outer and an
inner layer of each side wall of the container, connected to either
side of the front main panel and of the rear main panel, the
sub-section includes a rear sub-panel, a top panel and a front
sub-panel for forming a rear wall, a top wall and a front wall of
the lid, aligned in the direction and delimited by transverse fold
lines, and inner and outer side sub-flaps for forming an inner and
an outer layer of each side wall of the lid, connected to either
side of the rear sub-panel and of the front sub-panel, and said
score line forming areas are provided between the front main panel
and the outer side main flap, between the rear main panel and the
inner side main flap, between the rear sub-panel and the inner side
sub-flap, and between the front sub-panel and the outer side
sub-flap, respectively.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in said blank forming
step, a printed layer for providing information about items to be
contained in the box in a manner recognizable from the score line
forming area side is formed on a side of said blank opposite to
said score line forming area side.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said blank is made of
polyethylene terephthalate.
6. A method of manufacturing a package using the score line forming
method according to claim 1, wherein after said score line forming
step, said blank is formed into the box by folding and bending said
blank with the score-lined surface outside.
7. A package with rounded edges manufactured by the package
manufacturing method according to claim 5.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of forming score
lines on a blank, a method of manufacturing a package using same,
and a package.
background art
[0002] Generally, packages of this type are called hinged-lid
packages. The hinged-lid package is cuboidal in shape and has four
longitudinal angular edges. The package with angular edges does not
fit comfortably in the hand of a user who holds the package. The
package with rounded edges in place of angular edges is therefore
preferable. A blank (plastic sheet) for forming a package with
rounded edges is known (see patent document 1, for example).
[0003] According to patent document 1, score lines are formed on
the blank by pressing blades against the blank, and the resulting
score-lined areas are bent into rounded edges.
[0004] The forming of score lines in the manner shown in patent
document 1, however, stretches the score-lined surface, so that the
blank warps in the manner that the score-lined surface bulges. Such
warped blank is not allowed to be supplied to a packaging machine
to package items, such as cigarettes, in the blank. If the package
is formed using such warped blank, the inner side of each rounded
edge, namely the back side of each score-lined area stores the
power to return to the original state, so that the whole package is
swollen and distorted. Such distorted package is regarded as
poor-quality and thus cannot be put on the market.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Document
[0005] Patent Document 1: JP 2004-98586 A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problems to be solved by the Invention
[0006] The present invention intends to provide a method of forming
score lines on a blank in a manner not causing deformation, such as
warping, of the whole blank so that the score-lined blank can be
steadily supplied to a packaging machine and formed into a package
without distortion, and a method of manufacturing a cigarette
package with rounded edges using same, and a cigarette package.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0007] The present invention provides a method of forming score
lines on a blank, comprising steps of:
[0008] forming a sheet-shaped resin blank able to be formed into a
box by folding, and
[0009] forming score lines in score line forming areas of the blank
which are to be bent to form outer edges of the box, to extend in a
direction in which the outer edges should extend, wherein in the
score line forming step, the score lines are formed in a manner
causing grooves to be produced on a back side of each score line
forming area, along the score lines, through plastic
deformation.
[0010] Desirably, the box to be formed comprises a box-shaped
container open at the top and a box-shaped lid connected to a top
edge of the container functioning as a hinge to open and close the
container; the blank comprises a main section for forming the
container, extending in one direction, and a sub-section for
forming the lid, connected to an edge of the main section which is
to form the hinge; the main section includes a front main panel, a
bottom panel and a rear main panel for forming a front wall, a
bottom wall and a rear wall of the container, aligned in the
direction and delimited by transverse fold lines, and outer and
inner side main flaps for forming an outer and an inner layer of
each side wall of the container, connected to either side of the
front main panel and of the rear main panel; the sub-section
includes a rear sub-panel, a top panel and a front sub-panel for
forming a rear wall, a top wall and a front wall of the lid,
aligned in the direction and delimited by transverse fold lines,
and inner and outer side sub-flaps for forming an inner and an
outer layer of each side wall of the lid, connected to either side
of the rear sub-panel and of the front sub-panel; and the score
line forming areas are provided between the front main panel and
the outer side main flap, between the rear main panel and the inner
side main flap, between the rear sub-panel and the inner side
sub-flap, and between the front sub-panel and the outer side
sub-flap, respectively.
[0011] Desirably, in the blank forming step, a printed layer for
providing information about items to be contained in the box in a
manner recognizable from the score line forming area side is formed
on a side of the blank opposite to the score line forming area
side.
[0012] Desirably, the blank is made of polyethylene
terephthalate.
[0013] The present invention also provides a method of
manufacturing a cigarette package with rounded edges using the
aforementioned score line forming method, wherein after the score
line forming step, the blank is formed into the box by folding and
bending the blank with the score-lined surface outside.
[0014] The present invention also provides a cigarette package with
rounded edges manufactured by the aforementioned cigarette package
manufacturing method.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The method according to the present invention comprises a
blank forming step of forming a blank able to be formed into a box
by folding, and a score line forming step of forming score lines in
areas of the blank which are to be bent to form outer edges of the
box, to extend in a direction in which the outer edges should
extend, and in the score line forming step, the score lines are
formed in a manner causing grooves to be produced on a back side of
each score line forming area, along the score lines, through
plastic deformation. The score lines are thus formed on one side of
the blank which is to form the outer surface of the box, and the
forming of the score lines on one side of the blank simultaneously
and automatically causes the production of grooves on the other
side of the blank through plastic deformation. The blank therefore
does not undergo tensile stress pulling on the blank to either side
of each groove, and thus, does not undergo warping as a whole.
Since the blank retains its sheet shape, it can be steadily
supplied to a packaging machine. From the blank prevented from
warping, a package can be formed without distortion.
[0016] When the blank is configured to have a main section and a
sub-section so as to be applied to a cigarette package (so-called
hinged-lid package), the resulting cigarette package has rounded
edges formed by bending the score-lined areas. Such package fits
comfortably in the hand.
[0017] In the blank forming step, a printed layer is formed on the
side of the blank opposite to the score line forming area side,
which means that the score lines are not formed directly on the
printed layer.
[0018] When made of polyethylene terephthalate, the blank is easy
to handle and easy to form score lines thereon.
[0019] A cigarette package with rounded edges can be produced from
the blank having undergone the score line forming step, by bending
the blank with the score-lined surface outside, thereby forming the
blank into a box, where each score-lined area can be bent into a
rounded edge utilizing the score lines. The cigarette package with
rounded edges fits comfortably in the hand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cigarette package
according to the present invention in a closed state.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the package shown in
FIG. 1, in an open state.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a blank to which score
lines forming method according to the present invention has been
applied.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the process of
forming score lines.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the process of
forming score lines.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another blank to which
the score lines forming method according to the present invention
has been applied.
[0026] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an inner frame to
which the score lines forming method according to the present
invention has been applied.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0027] A cigarette package (box) 1 shown in FIG. 1 is, as a whole,
cuboidal in shape and covered with a transparent film (not shown).
The covering film has a tear tape. The package is partly exposed by
opening the covering film along the tear tape. The cigarette
package 1 includes a container 2. The container 2 is open at the
top. The open top is closed with a lid 6. The lid 6 is connected to
the rear top edge of the container which functions as a hinge 4.
The lid is therefore able to be rotated on the hinge 4 to open or
close the container. More specifically, as seen from FIG. 2, the
container 2 has inclined top edges. The container 2 has further a
U-shaped inner frame 10. The inner frame 10 is arranged to project
from the top of the container 2 to define the top opening 12 of the
container 2. The inner frame 10 has an access opening 14 in the
front wall thereof. The access opening 14 has an approximately U
shape.
[0028] The lid 6 is in the shape of a box whose bottom edges define
an inclined opening. The lid 6 is designed to close the top opening
12 in the manner that the lid 6 lies over the projecting part of
the inner frame 10. In the closed state, the bottom edges of the
lid 6 meet the top edges of the container 2. While in common
packages, the container has four longitudinal angular edges, the
container 2 of the present invention has rounded edges 16 in place
of angular edges. In the transverse cross-section of the container
2, each rounded edge 16 shows a circular arc shape. The lid 6 has
similar rounded edges 18 corresponding to the rounded edges 16,
respectively. As seen from FIG. 1, in the container closed with the
lid 6, each rounded edge 16 is in alignment with the corresponding
rounded edge 18 so that they constitute a longitudinal edge of the
package 1. As will be described later, the inner frame 10 has two
rounded edges 24.
[0029] To obtain the cigarette package 1 with rounded edges, the
present invention provides a manufacturing method described
below.
[0030] The cigarette package 1 is formed by folding a sheet-shaped
blank 3 (see FIG. 3). The blank 3 has transverse fold lines 5
formed to make the blank 3 easy to fold at intended locations. The
blank 3 is, in advance, cut into a desired shape so that the blank
3 can be formed into the intended box shape by folding. The blank 3
is formed by a known blank forming process. It is to be noted that
in the blank forming step, fold lines for forming the longitudinal
edges (referred to as "longitudinal fold lines") are not
formed.
[0031] In the present invention, a score line forming step is
performed, in which score lines 7 are formed in each score line
forming area 8 of the blank 3, which is an area to be folded into a
longitudinal edge of the box 1, that is, an area in which normally
a longitudinal fold line is formed, to extend in the direction in
which the edge should extend. The score lines 7 are formed on that
side of the blank which is to form the outer surface of the box 1.
In other words, the score lines forming areas 8 are on that side of
the blank which is to form the outer side of the box, so that the
score lines 7 are formed only on that side of the blank.
[0032] In the score line forming step, the forming of the score
lines 7 causes grooves 9 (see FIG. 5) to be produced on the back
side of each score line forming area, along the score lines 7,
through plastic deformation. In other words, although the score
lines 7 are formed only on that side of the blank 3 which is to
form the outer surface of the box 1 as mentioned above, the forming
of the score liens 7 on one side of the blank simultaneously and
automatically causes the production of grooves 9 on the other side
of the blank through plastic deformation. Such production of the
grooves 9 is brought on by using a cutting device 11 as shown in
FIG. 4. The cutting device 11 is a rotary die cutter having ten
parallel blades 13 at approximately 0.8 mm intervals, for example.
The score lines 7 and grooves 9 are formed by pressing each score
line forming area 8 with the blades 13. Specifically, score lines 7
are formed on one side of the blank 3 by pressing the score line
forming area 8 with the blades 13. During this step, when the
blades penetrate to a certain depth, the blank is pulled on to
either side of each score line 7 and plastically deformed. Grooves
9 are thus automatically formed on the back side of the score line
forming area 8, at positions corresponding to the bottoms 7a of the
score lines 7. The grooves 9 extend along the score lines 7 as
mentioned above. More specifically, the grooves 9 develop along the
respective score lines 7 in a manner corresponding to the
respective score lines 7. The depth D of the score lines 7 is
134.74 .mu.m in the case that the blank is 307.97 .mu.m thick, for
example. The blank 3 with the groove 8 produced this way does not
undergo tensile stress pulling on the blank 3 to either side of
each groove 9, and thus, does not undergo warping as a whole. The
blank 3 thus retains its sheet shape, and can be steadily supplied
to a packaging machine. From the blank thus prevented from warping,
the package 1 can be formed without distortion.
[0033] During the blank forming step, a printed layer 15 is formed
on the side of the blank opposite to the score line forming area
side to provide information about items to be contained in the box
1 in a manner recognizable from the score line forming area side
(outer surface of the formed box 1). Cutting work on the printed
layer 15 should be avoided as much as possible. Since the printed
layer 15 is on the side of the blank opposite to the score line
forming area 8 side, score lines 7 are not formed directly on the
printed layer 15. When the blank 3 is made of polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), the blank 3 is easy to handle and easy to form
score lines 7 thereon.
[0034] The blank 3 for forming the cigarette package 1 has the
following configuration:
[0035] The blank 3 comprises a main section 19 for forming the
container 2, extending in one direction (bottom-to-top direction in
FIG. 3), and a sub-section 20 for forming the lid 6, connected to
an edge of the main section 19 which is to form the hinge 4. The
main section 19 includes a front main panel 21, a bottom panel 22
and a rear main panel 23 for forming a front wall 21a, a bottom
wall (not shown) and a rear wall 23a of the container 2, aligned in
the aforementioned direction and delimited by transverse fold lines
5. Further, outer and inner side main flaps 25, 26 for forming an
outer and an inner layer of each side wall of the container 2 are
connected to either side of the front main panel 21 and of the rear
main panel 23. The main flaps 25, 26 are connected to their
associated main panels 21, 23 by a score line forming area 8. To
each inner side main flap 26 is connected an inner bottom flap 33
by a transverse fold line 5. The inner bottom flaps 33 are members
for reinforcing the bottom panel 22, and form an inner layer of the
bottom wall of the container 2.
[0036] The sub-section 20 includes a rear sub-panel 27, a top panel
28 and a front sub-panel 29 for forming a rear wall 27a, a top wall
28a and a front wall 29a of the lid 6, aligned in the
aforementioned direction and delimited by transverse fold lines 5.
Inner and outer side sub-flaps 30, 31 for forming an inner and an
outer layer of each side wall of the lid 6 are connected to either
side of the rear sub-panel 27 and of the front sub-panel 29. The
sub-flaps 30, 31 are connected to their associated sub-panels 27,
29 by a score line forming area 8. To each inner side sub-flap 30
is connected an inner top flap 32 by a transverse fold line 5. The
inner top flaps 32 are members for reinforcing the top panel 28,
and form an inner layer of the top wall of the lid 6.
[0037] The score line forming area 8 is thus provided between the
front main panel 21 and the outer side main flap 25, between the
rear main panel 23 and the inner side main flap 26, between the
rear sub-panel 27 and the inner side sub-flap 30, and between the
front sub-panel 29 and the outer side sub-flap 31, each, so that
the longitudinal edges of the box 1 are all formed from the score
line forming areas 8. The score lines 7 are formed in each score
line forming area 8 as described above, and the resulting
score-lined areas are each bent into a rounded edge. As a result,
the box 1 has longitudinal edges 16, 18 each formed as a rounded
edge.
[0038] After the score line forming step, the blank is formed into
the box 1 by folding the blank with the surface with score lines 7
outside, where each score line forming area 8 is bent utilizing the
score lines 7 so that the resulting cigarette package 1 has rounded
edges 16, 18. The package 1 with the rounded edges is easy to hold
and fits comfortably in the hand. While FIGS. 1 and 2 show a hinged
lid package to which the present invention is applied, the present
invention is applicable to a tongue lid package in a similar
manner.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 6, taking into consideration the restoring
force opposing the bending when the blank 3 is formed into the box
1 by folding or bending, the score line forming areas 8 may include
non-forming parts 34 in which the score lines 7 are not formed. For
example, the score line forming area 8 provided between the rear
main panel 23 and each inner side main flap 26 may include a
triangular non-forming part 34a at the bottom panel 22-side end.
The score line forming area 8 provided between the rear sub-panel
27 and each inner side sub-flap 30 may include a triangular
non-forming part 34b at the top panel 28-side end, for example. The
score line forming area 8 provided between the front main panel 21
and each outer side main flap 25 may include a rectangular
non-forming part 34c at the bottom panel 22-side end, for
example.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 7, the score line forming method according
to the present invention is applied also to the inner frame 10.
Specifically, a score line forming area 8 is provided between the
main panel 17 and each flap 35, and score lines 7 are formed in
each score line forming area 8 in the same way as described with
respect to the blank 3. As a result, the inner frame 10 has rounded
edges 24.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0041] 1 Cigarette package (box) [0042] 2 Container [0043] 3 Blank
[0044] 4 Hinge [0045] 5 Transverse fold line [0046] 6 Lid [0047] 7
Score lines [0048] 8 Score line forming area [0049] 9 Groove [0050]
10 Inner frame [0051] 11 Cutting device [0052] 12 Top opening
[0053] 13 Blade [0054] 14 Access opening [0055] 15 Printed layer
[0056] 16 Rounded edge [0057] 17 Main panel [0058] 18 Rounded edge
[0059] 19 Main section [0060] 20 Sub-section [0061] 21 Front panel
[0062] 22 Bottom panel [0063] 23 Rear panel [0064] 24 Rounded edge
[0065] 25 Outer side flap [0066] 26 Inner side flap [0067] 27 Front
sub-panel [0068] 28 Top panel [0069] 29 Rear sub-panel [0070] 30
Inner side sub-flap [0071] 31 Outer side sub-flap [0072] 32 Inner
top flap [0073] 33 Inner bottom flap [0074] 34 Non-forming part
[0075] 35 Flap
* * * * *