Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Pack

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a pack of smoking articles. The method comprises providing a planar blank of an inner support frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel connected by a bottom panel, and folding the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel to form an inner support frame in a receiving configuration. In the receiving configuration, the front and rear panels diverge in a direction away from the bottom panel and define an opening remote from the bottom panel. The method includes inserting a bundle of smoking articles through the opening into the inner support frame and folding the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel from the receiving configuration to an enclosed configuration to enclose the bundle of smoking articles. The method includes wrapping the bundle of smoking articles and inner support frame with a film to form a sealed pack of smoking articles. Also an apparatus for manufacturing a pack of smoking articles according to such a method.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for manufacturing a pack for smoking articles, particularly but not exclusively, for manufacturing a wrapped pack including an inner support frame around a bundle of smoking articles.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Packs for cigarettes or other smoking articles may comprise a bundle of cigarettes in a generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration, an inner frame of card across the front and side faces of the bundle, and an outer wrapper of film or other barrier material enclosing the bundle of cigarettes. Such packs may include an access aperture for a user to remove cigarettes from the pack, and a removable and re-sealable cover over the access aperture.

[0003] The inner frame provides a degree of support and mechanical protection to the bundle of cigarettes during packaging, transport, storage and use. However, problems exist with pack manufacturing apparatuses and methods when inserting the cigarette bundle into the inner frame, as precise alignment of the bundle and inner frame may be required. Furthermore, the mechanical protection of the cigarettes in such packs can be unsatisfactory.

[0004] The present invention seeks to provide an alternative apparatus and method for manufacturing smoking article packs.

SUMMARY

[0005] According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a pack of smoking articles comprising providing a planar blank of an inner support frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel connected by a bottom panel, folding the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel to form an inner support frame in a receiving configuration, in which the front and rear panels diverge in a direction away from the bottom panel and define an opening remote from the bottom panel, inserting a bundle of smoking articles through the opening into the inner support frame, folding the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel from the receiving configuration to an enclosed configuration to enclose the bundle of smoking articles, and wrapping the bundle of smoking articles and inner support frame with a film to form a sealed pack of smoking articles.

[0006] At least one of the front and rear panels may include side panels extending from lateral side edges thereof either side of the bottom panel, and the method may include folding the side panels relative to the front and/or rear panels to form side panels of the inner support frame between the opening and the bottom panel.

[0007] The front panel may comprise first side panels connected to its lateral side edges, and the rear panel may comprise second side panels connected to its lateral side edges, and the method may include folding the first and second side panels relative to the respective front and rear panels before folding the front and rear panels together, such that the part of the first side panels overlaps the second side panels in the receiving configuration of the inner support frame.

[0008] The method may comprise applying adhesive to the first and/or second side panels to bond the adjacent first and second panels together once the inner support frame is in the enclosed position.

[0009] The method may further comprise feeding the inner support frame in the receiving configuration into a pocket of an assembly wheel of a packaging apparatus, and inserting the bundle of smoking articles into the inner support frame and folding the inner support frame into the enclosed configuration within the pocket.

[0010] The assembly wheel may include a plurality of walls, at least one wall comprising a plate which is moveable to alter the size of the pocket, and wherein the front and rear panels may be folded together from the receiving configuration to the enclosed configuration by movement of the plate from a first position to a second position.

[0011] The at least one plate may be pivotable about one end of the plate between the first and second positions.

[0012] Two opposing walls defining the pocket of the assembly wheel may comprise plates which are moveable towards and away from each other to alter the size of the pocket.

[0013] The assembly wheel may comprise an actuation mechanism operable to move the at least one plate from the first position to the second position.

[0014] The assembly wheel may be rotatable to move the pocket between a plurality of pack assembly positions and the actuation mechanism may be operated to move the at least one plate from the first position to the second position upon rotation of the assembly wheel from a first assembly position to a second assembly position.

[0015] The first assembly position may comprise an insertion position at which the bundle of smoking articles is inserted into the inner support frame, and the second assembly position may comprise an ejection position at which the bundle of smoking articles enclosed within the inner support frame is ejected from the pocket.

[0016] The method may comprise retaining the inner support frame within the pocket of the assembly wheel by suction force.

[0017] The inner support frame blank may be folded such that the front and rear panels diverge by an angle greater than 10 degrees in the receiving configuration.

[0018] The method may comprise cutting the planar blank for the inner support frame from a continuous web of material.

[0019] The present invention also provides an apparatus for manufacturing a pack of smoking articles including a planar blank of an inner support frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel connected by a bottom panel, the apparatus comprising a folding station configured to fold the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel to form an inner support frame in a receiving configuration in which the front and rear panels diverge away from the bottom panel and define an opening remote from the bottom panel, an assembly apparatus configured to receive the inner support frame in the receiving configuration, and an insertion mechanism configured to insert a bundle of smoking articles through the opening into the inner support frame, a closing mechanism configured to fold the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel from the receiving configuration to an enclosed configuration to enclose the bundle of smoking articles, and a wrapping station configured to wrap the bundle of smoking articles and inner support frame with a film to form a sealed pack of smoking articles.

[0020] The apparatus may be configured to receive a blank in which at least one of the front and rear panels includes side panels extending from lateral side edges thereof either side of the bottom panel, and the folding station may be configured to fold the side panels relative to the front and/or rear panels to form side panels of the inner support frame between the opening and the bottom panel.

[0021] The apparatus may be configured to receive a blank in which the front panel comprises first side panels connected to its lateral side edges, and the rear panel may comprise second side panels connected to its lateral side edges, and the folding station may be configured to fold the first and second side panels relative to the respective front and rear panels before folding the front and rear panels together, such that the part of the first side panels overlaps the second side panels in the receiving configuration of the inner support frame.

[0022] The apparatus may comprise an adhesive applicator configured to apply adhesive to the first and/or second side panels to bond the adjacent first and second side panels together once the inner support frame is in the enclosed position.

[0023] The folding station may include a folding mechanism, and the folding mechanism may comprise a pair of spaced walls and a lifting arm moveable between a first and a second position, the lifting arm configured to convey an inner support frame blank between the spaced walls such that the side panels are folded relative to the front panel by contact with the spaced walls.

[0024] The spaced walls may comprise guide portions having a contact surface and, as the lifting arm conveys the inner support frame blank between the spaced walls, the first side panels may be folded by contact with the spaced walls and the second side panels may be folded by contact with the contact faces of the guide portions.

[0025] The guide portions may be configured to fold the second side panels relative to the rear panel by a greater angle than the first side panels are folded relative to the front panel.

[0026] The contact faces of the guide portions may extend inwardly beyond a respective inner face of the spaced walls.

[0027] The assembly apparatus may comprise an assembly wheel comprising a pocket configured to receive the inner support frame in the receiving configuration.

[0028] The closing mechanism may be configured to fold the inner support frame into the enclosed configuration within the pocket.

[0029] The pocket of the assembly wheel may include a plurality of walls and the closing mechanism may comprise at least one wall of the pocket comprising a plate which is moveable between a first and a second position to alter the size of the pocket.

[0030] The at least one plate may be pivotable about one end of the plate between the first and second positions.

[0031] Two opposing walls defining the pocket of the assembly wheel may comprise plates which are moveable towards and away from each other to alter the size of the pocket.

[0032] The closing mechanism may comprise an actuation mechanism for moving the at least one plate, and the assembly wheel may be rotatable to move the pocket between a plurality of pack assembly positions, and the actuation mechanism may be configured to move the at least one plate from the first position to the second position upon rotation of the assembly wheel from a first assembly position to a second assembly position.

[0033] The actuation mechanism may comprise a piston connected to the assembly wheel and to the at least one plate.

[0034] The assembly apparatus may include a suction mechanism configured to retain the inner support frame within the pocket by force of suction.

[0035] The suction mechanism may comprises one or more suction holes formed in at least one wall of the pocket and fluidly connected to a vacuum source.

[0036] The apparatus may comprise a cutting station configured to receive a continuous web of material and to cut the planar blank for the inner support frame from the continuous web of material.

[0037] The wrapping station may comprise a vacuum mechanism configured to form the pack as a sealed contained with an at least partial vacuum within the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a pack of smoking articles, with a section of the outer wrap cut-away, manufactured in accordance with an apparatus and method of a first embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a bundle of smoking articles and an inner frame of the pack shown in FIG. 1;

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective view of the bundle of smoking articles and inner frame of FIG. 2;

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a blank for the inner frame shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sequence of steps of a process for manufacturing the pack of FIG. 1;

[0044] FIGS. 6A to 6C show a schematic sequence of folding steps of an inner frame blank as part of the process of FIG. 5;

[0045] FIG. 7 shows part of a smoking article pack manufacturing apparatus of a first embodiment of the invention;

[0046] FIG. 8 shows part of a smoking article pack manufacturing apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention;

[0047] FIGS. 9a to 9f show sequential folding steps of an inner frame blank by a first embodiment of a folding mechanism of a manufacturing apparatus of an embodiment of the invention; and

[0048] FIGS. 10a to 10c show sequential folding steps of an inner frame blank by a second embodiment of a folding mechanism of a manufacturing apparatus of an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a pack 1 of smoking articles 2 manufactured using an apparatus and method for manufacture of an embodiment of the invention. (For the purposes of brevity of the description, smoking articles 2 will hereafter be referred to as "cigarettes 2").

[0050] The pack 1 comprises a generally cuboidal bundle of cigarettes 2 and an inner support frame 3 (referred to hereafter as "inner frame 3") extending around the bundle of cigarettes 2. The pack 1 comprises parallel front and rear faces 1a, 1b, which are the largest faces of the pack. Parallel elongate side faces 1c, 1d extend between the front and rear faces 1a, 1b on opposite sides of the pack 1. Parallel top and bottom faces 1e, 1f extend between the front and rear faces 1a, 1b, and side faces 1c, 1d of the pack 1 and comprise the smallest faces of the pack 1.

[0051] The inner frame 3 extends over the cigarette bundle on at least part of the front, rear, side and bottom faces 1a-1e of the pack 1. The inner frame 3 is formed from a single-piece flat blank of card 3', as shown in FIG. 4. The blank 3' comprises a number of connected panels separated by fold lines 4. The fold lines 4 are lines of weakening formed in the blank 3' and are shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4. The blank 3' may be cut from a continuous web 5 of card by a cutting machine (not shown). The cutting machine may also provide the fold lines 4 by an embossing tool, creasing knife or scoring blade.

[0052] The blank 3' comprises a bottom panel 3e connected between a front panel 3a and a rear panel 3b. First side panels 3c, 3d extend from side edges of the front panel 3a. Second side panels 3g, 3h extend from side edges of the rear panel 3b. Top flaps 3f extend from an end edge of each of the outer side panels 3c, 3d remote from the bottom panel 3e. Hereafter, the first side panels 3c, 3d are referred to as outer side panels 3c, 3d, and the second side panels 3g, 3h are referred to as inner side panels 3g, 3h. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the relative position of the first and second side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h in the inner frame 3 within the pack 1.

[0053] In the pack 1, the front and rear panels 3a, 3b extend across the cigarette bundle in the front and rear faces 1a, 1b. The bottom panel 3e extends across the bottom ends of the cigarettes 2 at the bottom face 1e of the pack 1. The inner side panels 3g, 3h extend across the sides of the cigarette bundle at the side faces 1c, 1d of the pack, and the outer side panels 3c, 3d extend across and in contact with the inner side panels 3g, 3h. The top flaps 3f are folded down to extend across the tops of the cigarettes 2 at the sides of the top face 1f of the pack 1.

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a sequential schematic view of a method and apparatus for manufacturing a pack 1 of cigarettes, according to an embodiment of the invention. A continuous web 5 of card to form the inner frame blanks 3' is supplied from a roll to a cutting station 6. The cutting station 6 cuts individual inner frame blanks 3' from the web 6 and also forms the fold lines 4 as lines of weakening in the blank 3'. The cutting station 6 may include a creasing knife to form the lines of weakening in the blank 3'.

[0055] The blank 3' is then fed to a folding station 7 where the blank 3' is folded into a receiving "clam-shell" configuration in preparation for receiving a bundle of cigarettes 2 in a later stage of the manufacturing process. The folding steps of the inner frame blank 3' are shown in more detail in FIGS. 6A to 6C. The blank 3' starts in the flat configuration shown in FIG. 6A. The outer side panels 3c, 3d and the inner side panels 3g, 3h are folded by approximately 90 degrees to extend approximately at right angles to the front and rear panels 3a, 3b respectively, as shown in FIG. 6B. The front and rear panels 3a, 3b are then folded towards each other about the bottom panel 3e into the clam-shell receiving configuration shown in FIG. 6C. The front panel 3a of the blank 3' is slightly wider than the rear panel 3b. This is shown in FIG. 4 by dimension `a` being slightly greater than dimension `b`. This enables the blank 3' to be accurately folded into the receiving configuration, with the inner side panels 3g, 3h sitting inside the outer side panels 3c, 3d. This helps prevent the inner and outer side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h abutting during the folding of the blank 3'.

[0056] In the receiving configuration of the folded blank 3', the front and rear panels 3a, 3b are not parallel to each other but diverge away from the bottom panel 3e. The front and rear panels 3a, 3b may extend at an angle .theta. relative to each other by around 10 to 20 degrees. This divergence provides a wider opening 8 opposite the bottom panel 3e (see FIGS. 6C and 7) for insertion of a cigarette bundle in a later manufacturing step described below. This provides a tolerance to compensate for blank 3'/cigarette bundle misalignment in the manufacturing process. This means that manufacturing jams are avoided, the machinery requires less precise calibration which allows for more cost-efficient machinery. Also, higher-speed of manufacture is achievable.

[0057] In addition to the above, in the receiving configuration of the folded blank 3', the edge of each outer side panel 3c, 3d proximate the bottom panel 3e overlies the respective edge of the inner side panel 3g, 3h proximate the bottom panel 3e. Although the outer and inner side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h do not entirely overlap, their adjacent edges overlapping is sufficient to ensure that when the inner frame blank 3' is closed around a cigarette bundle in a subsequent manufacturing process (described below), the outer and inner side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h slide over each other and do not abut or snag on each other.

[0058] An exemplary folding mechanism 23 of the folding station 7 of the invention is shown in FIGS. 9a to 9f. These figures illustrate the sequential steps of the folding mechanism 23 folding the inner fame blank 3' from the planar configuration as shown in FIG. 4, to the receiving configuration shown in FIG. 6C. The folding mechanism 23 comprises a pair of spaced parallel walls 24. A lifting arm 25 is disposed between the parallel walls 24. The lifting arm 25 is pivotable between a first, horizontal position (shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b) and a second, vertical position (shown in FIGS. 9e and 9f). In the horizontal position, an upper face 26 of the lifting arm is disposed slightly lower than a lower edge 27 of the parallel walls 24. A planar inner frame blank 3' may thereby be received on the upper face 26 of the lifting arm 25 and lie beneath the lower edges 27 of the parallel walls 24. This configuration of the planar inner frame blank 3' lying between the lifting arm 25 and the parallel walls 24 is shown in FIG. 9b.

[0059] The folding mechanism 23 includes guide portions 28. One guide portion 28 is disposed on an upper portion of each of the parallel walls 24. The guide portions 28 each include a sloping contact face 29 that extends from proximate an outer face 30 of the respective parallel wall 24 to a position inwardly of an inner face 31 of the respective parallel wall 24.

[0060] The upper face 26 of the lifting arm 25 includes a plurality of suction ports 32 (only one is shown, in FIG. 9a). The suction ports 32 are connected to a vacuum source (not shown). A cross bar 33 extends between the parallel walls 24 at an upper portion of the parallel walls 24. A pusher rod 34 is disposed proximate the cross bar 33 and is vertically moveable in a direction shown by arrow 35 in FIG. 9f.

[0061] In operation of the folding mechanism 23, the lifting arm 25 is initially in the horizontal position shown in FIG. 9a. A flat inner frame blank 3' is fed to the folding mechanism 23 is located on the lifting arm 25 with the front panel 3a against the lifting arm, as shown in FIG. 9b. The blank 3' is held in place on the lifting arm 25 by force of suction from the suction ports 32.

[0062] The lifting arm then pivots upwards towards the vertical position. The parallel walls 24 are spaced apart by a distance equal to or slightly greater than the width "a" of the front panel 3a of the blank 3'. The outer side panels 3c, 3d abut a lower edge 27 of the respective parallel wall 24 and are caused to be folded inwards by around 90 degrees as the lifting arm 25 moves towards the vertical position. This is shown in FIG. 9c.

[0063] As the lifting arm 25 continues to pivot towards the vertical position, the inner side panels 3g, 3h come into contact with a respective guide portion 28. The contact face 29 of each guide portion 28 causes the inner side panels 3g, 3h to be folded inwards. This is shown in FIG. 9d, and the folded blank 3' configuration at this point is shown in FIG. 6b. Since the contact faces 29 extend inwardly of the respective inner face 31 of the parallel walls 24, the inner side panels are folded by slightly more than 90 degrees from the starting flat blank position.

[0064] As the lifting arm 25 reaches the vertical position, as shown in FIG. 9e, the bottom panel 3e of the blank 3' abuts the cross bar 33 and causes the bottom panel 3e and the connected rear panel 3b and inner side panels 3g, 3h to be folded by around 90 degrees relative to the front panel.

[0065] Finally, the pusher rod 34 moves downwards in the direction shown by arrow 35. The pusher rod 34 contacts the rear face 3b of the inner frame blank 3' and folds the rear panel 3b and connected inner side panels 3g, 3h relative to the bottom panel 3e. This is shown in FIG. 9f. The inner frame blank 3' is thereby folded into the receiving configuration. During this last folding step, since the inner side panels 3g, 3h had previously been folded inwards more than the outer side panels 3c, 3d, the inner side 3o panels 3g, 3h locate inside the outer side panels 3c, 3d (as shown in FIGS. 9f and 6C) and do not abut the edges of the outer side panels 3c, 3d.

[0066] Once the folded blank 3' is formed as described above into the receiving configuration, it is then fed into a pocket 9 of an assembly wheel 10 of a packaging apparatus. This may be achieved by a pusher arm (not shown) elevating the folded blank 3' in the receiving configuration into the pocket 9. In an embodiment of the invention, the cross bar 33 may be moveable to allow the inner frame blank to be conveyed into the pocket of the assembly wheel 10. The cross-bar may be moveable out of the way of a pusher arm, or may be moveable with or connected to a pusher arm which conveys the blank 3' into the pocket 9. Alternatively, the folding mechanism 23 may be configured such that the lifting arm 25 is positioned behind or off-set from the cross bar 33 when in the vertical position, although still between the parallel walls 24, such the vertical path for the folded blank 3' to be lifted into the pocket 9 is not obstructed by the cross bar 33. That is, the folded blank 3' is clear of the cross bar 33 when the lifting arm 25 is in the vertical position.

[0067] The assembly wheel 10 is shown in more detail in FIG. 7 and includes four pockets 9 disposed radially at 90 degree spacing around the circumference of the assembly wheel 10. Each pocket 9 comprises a recess in the assembly wheel 10. Two opposing walls of each pocket 9 are defined by moveable plates 11. The plates 11 are part of a pocket closing mechanism which includes actuators 12 connected to the plates 11 and configured to enable the plates 11 to be moved towards and away from each other to alter the size of the pocket 9. The plates 11 include suction holes 18 fluidly connected to a source of vacuum `V`.

[0068] The folded blank 3' is fed into the pocket 9 at a first position P1 of the assembly wheel 10. In the first position P1, when the folded blank 3' is fed into the pocket 9, the moveable plates 11 are disposed in a first position in which they are spaced apart to accommodate the folded blank 3' in its clam-shell, receiving configuration with the front and rear panels 3a, 3b divergent at an angle .theta. relative to each other. That is, the moveable plates 11 are similarly divergent in the first position P1 of the assembly wheel 10. In the first position of the plates 11, the pocket 9 is a generally truncated or frusto-triangular prism in shape. The folded blank 3' is retained within the pocket 9 by suction, as the vacuum from the vacuum source V acts upon the front and rear panels 3a, 3b of the blank 3' via the suction holes 18. It should be noted that the folded blank 3' is shown spaced from the plates 11 in FIG. 7 only for ease and clarity of illustration. In operation, the folded blank 3' would be held against the plates 11.

[0069] The assembly wheel 10 then rotates 90 degrees to a second position P2. The following pocket 9 thereby moves into the first position P1 to be aligned to receive a subsequent folded blank 3'.

[0070] Once the pocket 9 has rotated through 90 degrees into the second position P2, a pre-formed cuboidal bundle of cigarettes 2 is inserted through the opening 8 and into the folded blank 3'. The assembly wheel 10 then rotates through a further 90 degrees into a third position P3. During, or at the end of, this rotation, the actuators 12 move the plates 11 towards each other into a second position, to close the clam-shell inner frame blank 3' from the receiving configuration into an enclosed configuration. The blank 3' thereby closes about the cigarette bundle to form the inner frame 3. The top flaps 3f are also folded down flat across the top of the cigarette bundle. This may be achieved by curved walls (not shown) extending around the assembly wheel 10 between the second position P2 and third position P3. The top flaps 3f may lie against the curved walls which are shaped so that the top flaps 3f are folded flat against the top of the cigarette bundle once the pocket 9 reaches the third position P3. The bundle of cigarettes 2 is thereby enclosed within the formed inner frame 3. With the plates 11 in the second position, the pocket 9 is generally cuboidal in shape.

[0071] The assembly wheel 10 rotates again through 90 degrees to a fourth position P4 and a pusher arm 13 ejects the cigarette bundle with inner frame 3 out of the pocket 9. The cigarette bundle with inner frame 3 is pushed into a section of packaging film 14 which is fed to lie adjacent the opening of the pocket 9. The cigarette bundle with inner frame 3 and the film 14 are fed to a wrapping station 17 which wraps and seals a section of the film 14 around the cigarette bundle and inner frame 3 to form a pack 1 as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the pack 1 is wrapped with fin seals along its elongate side faces 1c, 1d and comprises an airtight sealed pack 1.

[0072] The film 14 is fed from a continuous web with preformed cuts to define access apertures which are covered by label 15. The film 14 is positioned such that when wrapped around the cigarette bundle and inner frame 3, the label 15 and access aperture extend over the top and front faces 1f, 1a of the pack 1, and are aligned with the recess 16 in the inner frame 3.

[0073] The pack 1 may then proceed to a further packaging station (not shown) to be enclosed within an outer card pack in a further packaging process. For example, the pack 1 may be provided within a card hinged lid box. The box may be further wrapped in an outer film in a known packaging process.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum may be applied to the interior of the pack 1 as part of the wrapping and sealing process, or subsequently to the wrapping and sealing process. This may provide at least a partial vacuum within the sealed pack 1 which may help preserve the flavour and freshness of the cigarettes. The at least partial vacuum can be created by evacuating at least some of the air from the enclosure. This partial vacuum may be provided by performing at least part of the pack wrapping and sealing process in a low-pressure environment. Alternatively, the pack 1 may be provided with a one-way valve and a vacuum may be applied to the valve after wrapping and sealing the pack 1 to evacuate at least some of the air from within the pack 1. The pack 1 may be sufficiently sealed to allow low pressure to be maintained within the pack 1 until the pack 1 is opened. The film 14 material may therefore be impermeable to air, and the pack 1 may be hermetically sealed.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment in which the interior of the pack 1 is provided with a partial vacuum, the inner frame 3 extending around the both the front and rear faces 1a, 1b, as well as the side faces 1c, 1d of the pack 1 provides reinforcement over at least part of all four sides of the entire perimeter of the cigarette bundle. This supports the film 14 and prevents the inward force acting on the film 14 from compressing, crushing or otherwise mechanically deforming the cigarettes 2 along their long sides.

[0076] Further to the above, the inner frame 3 also includes the bottom panel 3e and the top flaps 3f which extend at least partially across the ends of the cigarettes in the bundle. The bottom panel 3e and top flaps 3f further support the film 14 to help prevent the inward force acting on the film 14 from compressing, crushing or otherwise mechanically deforming the cigarettes 2 at their ends in a longitudinal buckling direction.

[0077] A recess 16 is provided in the front panel 3a of the inner frame blank 3'. This recess 16 is aligned with the access aperture covered by the label 15 of the pack 1. Therefore, when the label 15 is peeled back the access aperture, the recess 16 facilitates access to the cigarettes 2 within the pack 1.

[0078] The inner frame 3 is made from a rigid or semi-rigid material that has sufficient strength to mechanically protect the cigarettes within the pack 1 from mechanical damage, as described above. For example, the inner frame 3 may comprise card, multiple layers of card, plastics, or other suitable material. The material of the inner frame 3 may be card of between 150 grams per square meter and 300 grams per square meter. The card may be coated or laminated, for example with a polymer, or tin or aluminium foil. The laminate may provide barrier properties and prevent the card from absorbing substances that may be present within the cigarettes 2.

[0079] In an embodiment of the invention, the inner frame blank 3' may be provided with adhesive to adhere the outer and inner side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h together once in the closed and assembled state. FIG. 7 shows the apparatus of the invention including an adhesive station for providing such adhesive. The adhesive station comprises a reservoir 19 of adhesive, connected to a nozzle 20. The adhesive station is configured such that adhesive 21 may be applied from the nozzle 20 from the reservoir 19 to the inner side panel 3g, 3h of the blank 3'. The adhesive station is configured to apply the adhesive 21 as the blank 3' is disposed within the pocket 9 of the assembly wheel 10. However, the apparatus of the invention is not intended to be limited to such a configuration of adhesive station. The adhesive may be alternatively be applied at an adhesive station as part of the cutting station 6 or as part of the folding station 7. Alternatively, the adhesive may be applied to the blank 3' at an adhesive station after the blank 3' is formed at the cutting station 6. Yet further, the adhesive may be applied to the web 5 at an adhesive station before the web 5 is cut into blanks 3' at the cutting station 6. The adhesive may help the inner frame 3 retain its shape. The adhered outer and inner side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h may help increase the structural rigidity of the inner frame 3.

[0080] The folding mechanism shown in FIGS. 9a to 9f is configured to fold the inner side panels 3g, 3h inwards by a greater angle that the angle by which the outer side panels 3c 3d are folded inwards. This is achieved using the guide portions 28 with contact faces 29 that extend inwardly of the respective inner face 31 of the parallel walls 24. The rear panel 3b of the blank 3' is able to pass between the guide portion 28 as its width "b" is less than the width "a" of the front panel 3a. In use, the rear panel 3b may also deform slightly to pass between the guide portions 28.

[0081] An alternative second embodiment of a folding mechanism 123 is provided according to the invention, and is shown in FIGS. 10a to 10c. The second embodiment of folding mechanism 123 is similar to the first embodiment of folding mechanism 23 and like features retain the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will not be repeated. FIGS. 10a to 10c showing the second embodiment of folding mechanism 123 are analogous to FIGS. 9d to 9f showing the first embodiment of folding mechanism 23.

[0082] As with the first embodiment of folding mechanism 23, the second embodiment of folding mechanism 123 includes guide portions 128 having a sloping contact face 129 that extends from proximate an outer face 30 of the respective parallel wall 24. However, the contact faces 129 extend to a position flush with the inner face 31 of the respective parallel wall 24.

[0083] In addition to the above, the guide portions 128 comprise primary guide portions 128, and the folding mechanism 123 includes secondary guide portions 130, one disposed on an upper portion of each of the parallel walls 24 between a respective primary guide portion 128 and the cross bar 33. The secondary guide portions 130 each include a sloping contact face 131 that extends inwardly of the inner face 31 of the respective parallel wall 24.

[0084] Operation of the second embodiment of folding mechanism 123 is the same as that of the first embodiment over the initial steps shown in FIGS. 9a to 9c. After the outer side panels 3c, 3d have been folded inwards by the parallel walls 24, the lifting arm 25 continues to pivot towards the vertical position and the inner side panels 3g, 3h come into contact with a respective primary guide portions 128 and are folded inwards as shown in Figure boa. As the contact faces 129 of the primary guide portions 128 are level with the inner face 31 of the respective parallel wall 24, the inner side panels are folded by around 90 degrees from the starting flat blank position. Also, the rear panel 3b of the blank 3' easily passes between the primary guide portions 128.

[0085] As the lifting arm 25 reaches the vertical position, as shown in Figure bob, the inner side panels 3g, 3h pass over and clear the secondary guide portions 130. The bottom panel 3e of the blank 3' abuts the cross bar 33 and causes the bottom panel 3e and the connected rear panel 3b and inner side panels 3g, 3h to be folded by around 90 degrees relative to the front panel.

[0086] Finally, the pusher rod 34 moves downwards in the direction shown by arrow 35. The pusher rod 34 contacts the rear face 3b of the inner frame blank 3' and folds the rear panel 3b and connected inner side panels 3g, 3h relative to the bottom panel 3e. This is shown in FIG. 10c. The inner frame blank 3' is thereby folded into the receiving configuration. During this last folding step, the inner side panels 3g, 3h contact the with the contact faces 131 of the secondary guide portions 130. Since the since contact faces 131 of the secondary guide portions 130 extend inwardly of the inner face 30 of the respective parallel wall 24, the inner side panels 3g, 3h are folded further inwards, to a position in which they are inwardly folded by more than the outer side panels 3c, 3d. The inner side panels 3g, 3h are thereby able to locate inside the outer side panels 3c, 3d (as shown in FIGS. 10c and 6C) and do not abut the edges of the outer side panels 3c, 3d. Thereafter, the blank 3' in the receiving configuration is conveyed to the pocket 9 of the assembly wheel 10, 110 for the further pack manufacturing steps as described previously. It will be appreciated that in both the exemplary first and second embodiments of the folding mechanism 23, 123, guide portions 28, 130 fold the inner side panels 3g, 3h inwardly, and are folded inwardly further than the outer side panels are folded inwards.

[0087] The assembly wheel 10 of the apparatus of the invention shown in FIG. 7 and described above comprises pockets 9 with two opposite walls of the pocket comprising moveable plates 11. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to this particular configuration of pocket and the pockets may comprise only one moveable plate 11 with the opposite wall of the pocket comprising a fixed wall. Such an alternative, second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 8 which comprises an assembly wheel no. The assembly wheel no of the second embodiment of the invention is similar to that of the first embodiment and like features retain the same reference numerals and detailed description of like features will not be repeated. A difference of the assembly wheel no of the second embodiment is that the pockets 9 comprise one wall comprising a moveable plate 11 and an opposite wall 22 as a fixed element. The fixed wall 22 extends substantially parallel to the moveable plate 11 when the plate is in the second position for enclosing the inner support frame 3 about the cigarette bundle. As with the first embodiment, both the fixed walls 22 and the moveable plates 11 include suction holes 18 connected to a vacuum source V to hold the blanks 3' in place within the pockets 9. Operation of the apparatus of the invention including the second embodiment of assembly wheel no is the same as that described previously with the first embodiment of the invention, except that only the one moveable plate 11 of each pocket 9 moves to fold the blank 3' around the cigarette bundle from the receiving configuration to the enclosed configuration.

[0088] The moveable walls 11 of the pockets 9 of the assembly wheels 10, no are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and described above, as being pivotable between the first and second positions. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to this particular configuration of moveable plate 11. In alternative embodiment, the moveable plates 11 may be otherwise moveable between the first and second positions, for example by translation, such as by sliding. However, an advantage of a pivoting movement of the moveable plates 11 is that the closing mechanism of the assembly wheel is relatively simple, and also that the pivoting of the plates 11 mirrors the folding of the blank 3' such that the change in shape of the pocket 9 follows the change in shape of the blank 3' from the receiving configuration to the enclosed configuration.

[0089] The plates 11 are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and described above, as being moved by actuators 12. The actuators may comprise pistons, such as hydraulic or pneumatic pistons within the scope of the invention. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to this particular configuration of actuator. In alternative embodiments, different types of actuation mechanism may be used in place of the actuators to move the plates 11. For example, the actuation mechanism may comprise electric motors coupled to a gear mechanism. The actuation mechanism may alternatively comprise one of a cam surface or cam follower on a portion of the plate, and the other of a cam surface or cam follower on a portion of the apparatus relative to which the assembly wheel 10, 110 rotates. Movement of the plates 11 may thereby be actuated by the cam follower travelling along the cam surface as the assembly wheel 10, 110 rotates from the second position P2 to the third position P3.

[0090] The apparatuses of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and described above comprise an assembly wheel 10, 110. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to an apparatus comprising an assembly wheel and other forms of assembly apparatus may be used in place of an assembly wheel. For example, an assembly apparatus may comprise an assembly belt and a plurality of pockets may be formed on the assembly belt. The assembly belt pockets may receive the inner support frame blanks in the receiving configuration and the cigarette bundles and enclose the cigarette bundles in the inner support frame as described above. In a yet further alternative, the assembly apparatus may comprise a plurality of pockets formed in an alternative conveyance mechanism, such as a linearly moveable conveyor.

[0091] In the apparatuses and methods of the invention described above, the inner frame blank 3' includes first and second pairs of side panels 3c, 3d, 3g, 3h. However, the invention is not limited to use of this configuration of inner frame blank and the blank 3' may only comprise one pair of side panels extending from either the front panel 3a or the rear panel 3b. Such a configuration would still provide protection to the side faces 1c, 1d of the pack 1. However, within the scope of the invention, the side panels may be omitted entirely and the method and apparatus may comprise forming the pack 1 with an inner frame only including a front panel 3a and a rear panel 3b connected by a bottom panel 3e.

[0092] In the methods and operation of the apparatuses of the invention described above, the front and rear panels 3a, 3b are described as being folded towards each other about the bottom panel 3e. That is, the front panel 3a is folded relative to the bottom panel 3e about the fold line 4 between the front panel 3a and the bottom panel 3e. Also, the rear panel 3b is folded relative to the bottom panel 3e about the fold line 4 between the rear panel 3b and the bottom panel 3e. However, it should be appreciated that such a folding process of the invention is not limited to the front and rear panels 3a, 3b both being manipulated relative to a stationary bottom panel 3e. The method is also intended to encompass the inner frame blank 3' being folded by only the front panel 3a or the rear panel 3b being manipulated relative to the other of the front panel 3a or rear panel 3b remaining stationary, so that the blank 3' is folded into the receiving and/or enclosed configuration.

[0093] The pack manufacturing apparatuses of the invention shown schematically in FIG. 5 and described above comprises a cutting station 6 to receive a continuous web of material and form blank 3' to be fed directly to the folding station 7. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to this particular configuration of apparatus. In an alternative embodiment, the blanks 3' may be produced in a separate process and the pre-formed blanks 3' may then be supplied to the folding station 7.

[0094] The blank 3' shown in FIG. 4 includes a stepped rear panel 3b and in which the inner side panels 3g, 3h do not extend to the same height as the rear panel 3b. However, this is an exemplary embodiment of inner frame blank only and in a variant, the rear panel 3b and inner side panels 3g, 3h may together form a rectangular shape. That is, the rear panel 3b and inner side panels 3g, 3h may all be rectangles and the inner side panels 3g, 3h may be of the same height as the rear panel 3b. The height may be substantially the height of the pack 1 such that the rear and inner side panels 3b, 3g, 3h substantially extend over the entire height of the pack 1.

[0095] As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products and other nicotine delivery product such as aerosol generation devices including e-cigarettes. The smoking article may be provided with a filter for the gaseous flow drawn by the smoker.

[0096] As used herein, the term "partial vacuum" means that pressure has been reduced by removing at least a part of the gas from within a space, for example the enclosure within the pack 1.

[0097] In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for superior smoking article pack and apparatus and method of manufacture of such a smoking article pack. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a pack of smoking articles comprising providing a planar blank of an inner support frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel connected by a bottom panel, folding the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel to form an inner support frame in a receiving configuration, in which the front and rear panels diverge in a direction away from the bottom panel and define an opening remote from the bottom panel, inserting a bundle of smoking articles through the opening into the inner support frame, folding the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel from the receiving configuration to an enclosed configuration to enclose the bundle of smoking articles, and wrapping the bundle of smoking articles and inner support frame with a film to form a sealed pack of smoking articles.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the front and rear panels includes side panels extending from lateral side edges thereof either side of the bottom panel, the method including folding the side panels relative to the front and/or rear panels to form side panels of the inner support frame between the opening and the bottom panel.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the front panel comprises first side panels connected to its lateral side edges, and the rear panel comprises second side panels connected to its lateral side edges, the method including folding the first and second side panels relative to the respective front and rear panels before folding the front and rear panels together, such that the part of the first side panels overlaps the second side panels in the receiving configuration of the inner support frame.

4. (canceled)

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising feeding the inner support frame in the receiving configuration into a pocket of an assembly wheel of a packaging apparatus, and inserting the bundle of smoking articles into the inner support frame and folding the inner support frame into the enclosed configuration within the pocket.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the pocket of the assembly wheel includes a plurality of walls, at least one wall comprising a plate which is moveable to alter the size of the pocket, and wherein the front and rear panels are folded together from the receiving configuration to the enclosed configuration by movement of the plate from a first position to a second position.

7. (canceled)

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein two opposing walls defining the pocket of the assembly wheel comprise plates which are moveable towards and away from each other to alter the size of the pocket.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein the assembly wheel comprises an actuation mechanism operable to move the at least one plate from the first position to the second position, and wherein the assembly wheel is rotatable to move the pocket between a plurality of pack assembly positions and wherein the actuation mechanism is operated to move the at least one plate from the first position to the second position upon rotation of the assembly wheel from a first assembly position to a second assembly position.

10. (canceled)

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the first assembly position comprises an insertion position at which the bundle of smoking articles is inserted into the inner support frame, and the second assembly position comprises an ejection position at which the bundle of smoking articles enclosed within the inner support frame is ejected from the pocket.

12. A method according to claim 5 comprising retaining the inner support frame within the pocket of the assembly wheel by suction force.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the inner support frame blank is folded such that the front and rear panels diverge by an angle greater than 10 degrees in the receiving configuration.

14. (canceled)

15. An apparatus for manufacturing a pack of smoking articles including a planar blank of an inner support frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel connected by a bottom panel, the apparatus comprising a folding station configured to fold the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel to form an inner support frame in a receiving configuration in which the front and rear panels diverge away from the bottom panel and define an opening remote from the bottom panel, an assembly apparatus configured to receive the inner support frame in the receiving configuration, and an insertion mechanism configured to insert a bundle of smoking articles through the opening into the inner support frame, a closing mechanism configured to fold the front and rear panels together about the bottom panel from the receiving configuration to an enclosed configuration to enclose the bundle of smoking articles, and a wrapping station configured to wrap the bundle of smoking articles and inner support frame with a film to form a sealed pack of smoking articles.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 configured to receive a blank in which at least one of the front and rear panels includes side panels extending from lateral side edges thereof either side of the bottom panel, the folding station being configured to fold the side panels relative to the front and/or rear panels to form side panels of the inner support frame between the opening and the bottom panel.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 configured to receive a blank in which the front panel comprises first side panels connected to its lateral side edges, and the rear panel comprises second side panels connected to its lateral side edges, the folding station configured to fold the first and second side panels relative to the respective front and rear panels before folding the front and rear panels together, such that the part of the first side panels overlaps the second side panels in the receiving configuration of the inner support frame.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 comprising an adhesive applicator configured to apply adhesive to the first and/or second side panels to bond the adjacent first and second side panels together once the inner support frame is in the enclosed position.

19. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the folding station includes a folding mechanism, the folding mechanism comprising a pair of spaced walls and a lifting arm moveable between a first and a second position, the lifting arm configured to convey an inner support frame blank between the spaced walls such that the side panels are folded relative to the front panel by contact with the spaced walls.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 when dependent on claim 17, wherein the spaced walls comprise guide portions having a contact surface, and wherein, as the lifting arm conveys the inner support frame blank between the spaced walls, the first side panels are folded by contact with the spaced walls and the second side panels are folded by contact with the contact faces of the guide portions.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the guide portions are configured to fold the second side panels relative to the rear panel by a greater angle than the first side panels are folded relative to the front panel.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the contact faces of the guide portions extend inwardly beyond a respective inner face of the spaced walls.

23. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the assembly apparatus comprises an assembly wheel comprising a pocket configured to receive the inner support frame in the receiving configuration.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the closing mechanism is configured to fold the inner support frame into the enclosed configuration within the pocket.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the pocket of the assembly wheel includes a plurality of walls and the closing mechanism comprises at least one wall of the pocket comprising a plate which is moveable between a first and a second position to alter the size of the pocket.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the at least one plate is pivotable about one end of the plate between the first and second positions.

27. An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein two opposing walls defining the pocket of the assembly wheel comprise plates which are moveable towards and away from each other to alter the size of the pocket.

28. An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the closing mechanism comprises an actuation mechanism for moving the at least one plate, and wherein the assembly wheel is rotatable to move the pocket between a plurality of pack assembly positions, and wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to move the at least one plate from the first position to the second position upon rotation of the assembly wheel from a first assembly position to a second assembly position.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a piston connected to the assembly wheel and to the at least one plate.

30. An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the assembly apparatus includes a suction mechanism configured to retain the inner support frame within the pocket by force of suction.

31.-32. (canceled)

33. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the wrapping station comprises a vacuum mechanism configured to form the pack as sealed contained with an at least partial vacuum within the container.