Method of packaging cigarettes and package

Abstract

A cigarette package formed by the steps of placing a group of cigarettes in a foil wrapper, forming a foil bundle, and placing the foil bundle with an inner frame, wherein the foil bundle and inner frame form a framed bundle. The framed bundle is inserted through an open end of an outer box to fill the outer box, and the end flaps of the outer box are closed to form the cigarette package.

1 . A method of packing cigarettes, comprising (a) forming a foil bundle by placing a group of cigarettes in a foil wrapper, (b) forming a framed bundle by placing the foil bundle with an inner frame, (c) filling an outer box by inserting the framed bundle through an open end of the outer box, and (d) closing end flaps of the outer box.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the framed bundle is moved along a first feed path and the outer box is fed along a second feed path parallel to the first feed path, the framed bundle being inserted into the outer box by a plunger which moves in a direction perpendicular to the first and second feed paths.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of framed bundles are moved along a first feed path and a plurality of outer boxes are fed along a second feed path parallel to the first feed path, each of the framed bundles being inserted into a respective one of the outer boxes by a plunger which moves in a direction perpendicular to the first and second feed paths.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding a collapsed outer box along the second feed path, moving opposed side edges of the collapsed box towards each other to open the box, and bending flaps at one end of the box outwardly to form the open end of the outer box.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the framed bundle through a tapered shoe opening aligned with the open end of the outer box.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the end flaps are closed at the open end of the outer box prior to closing the end flaps at the opposite end of the outer box.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outer box is a hinged-lid box.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the foil bundle is placed with the inner frame by wrapping the inner frame around the foil bundle.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during insertion of the framed bundle into the open end of the outer box, a plunger contacts a bottom panel of the framed bundle.  
   
   
       10 . A cigarette package comprising an outer box, an inner frame and a foil bundle, the inner frame including a front panel, an optional rear panel, at least one side panel and a bottom panel.  
   
   
       11 . The cigarette package of  claim 10 , wherein the outer box includes a hinged top.  
   
   
       12 . The cigarette package of  claim 10 , wherein the inner frame includes a first side panel, a second side panel, a front panel extending between the first and second side panels, and a bottom panel extending from the front panel.  
   
   
       13 . The cigarette package of  claim 10 , wherein the front and rear panels include a top edge, which is higher on one side thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The cigarette package of  claim 10 , wherein the outer box includes a left panel having a free edge, a front panel attached to the left panel at a fold line, a right panel attached to the front panel at a fold line, a back panel attached to the right panel at a fold line, and a glue panel extending from the back panel at a fold line, the glue panel being glued to the underside of the left panel.  
   
   
       15 . The cigarette package of  claim 14 , wherein the outer box further includes top and bottom left flaps extending from the left panel, top and bottom front flaps extending from the front panel, top and bottom right flaps extending from the right panel, top and bottom back flaps extending from the back panel, the left, right and back flaps being glued to the underside of the front flaps.  
   
   
       16 . The cigarette package of  claim 12 , wherein the outer box includes a back panel having a free edge, a left panel attached to the back panel at a fold line, a front panel attached to the left panel at a fold line, a right panel attached to the front panel at a fold line, and a glue panel extending from the right panel at a fold line, the glue panel being glued to the underside of the back panel.  
   
   
       17 . The cigarette package of  claim 16 , wherein the outer box further includes a bottom left flap extending from the left panel, a bottom front flap extending from the front flap, a bottom right flap extending from the right flap, a bottom back flap and a cover panel extending from the back panel, the cover panel having an outside panel, an inside panel, and a top panel, the top panel connecting the outside panel to the back panel via a pair of fold lines, the bottom back flap being glued to the underside of the bottom front flap.  
   
   
       18 . The cigarette package of  claim 10 , wherein the outer box includes a right panel having a free edge, a front panel attached to the right panel at a fold line, a left panel attached to the front panel at a fold line, a back panel attached to the left panel at a fold line, and a glue panel extending from the back panel at a fold line, the glue panel being glued to the underside of the right panel.  
   
   
       19 . The cigarette package of  claim 18 , wherein the outer box further includes top and bottom left flaps extending from the left panel, top and bottom front flaps extending from the front panel, top and bottom right flaps extending from the right panel, top and bottom back flaps extending from the back panel, the left, the right and back flaps being glued to the underside of the front flaps.  
   
   
       20 . A cigarette package comprising an outer box, an inner frame and a foil bundle, the inner frame including a first side panel, a second side panel, a rear panel extending between the first and second side panels, and a top panel and a bottom panel extending from the rear panel.  
   
   
       21 . The cigarette package of  claim 20 , wherein the outer box includes a back panel, a left panel attached to the back panel at a fold line, a front panel attached to the left panel at a fold line, a right panel attached to the front panel at a fold line, a glue panel extending from the right panel at a fold line, an upper front flap extending from the front panel, and a second glue panel extending from the back panel at a fold line.  
   
   
       22 . The cigarette package of  claim 21 , wherein the outer box further includes top and bottom second glue flaps extending from the second glue panel, top and bottom left flaps extending from the left panel, and top and bottom back flaps extending from the back panel, the top and bottom second glue flaps and the top and bottom left flaps being glued to the underside of the top and bottom back flaps.  
   
   
       23 . The cigarette package of  claim 20 , wherein the outer box includes a left panel, a front panel, a right panel, a back panel, an inside front panel having a free edge, and a glue panel, the glue panel extending from the back panel and attaching to an underside of the right panel.  
   
   
       24 . The cigarette package of  claim 20 , wherein the outer box includes a right panel having a free edge, a front panel attached to the right panel at a fold line, a left panel attached to the front panel at a fold line, a back panel attached to the left panel at a fold line, and a glue panel extending from the back panel at a fold line, the glue panel having an outer glue panel and an inner glue panel, and a fold line separating the outer glue panel from the inner glue panel.  
   
   
       25 . The cigarette package of  claim 24 , wherein the outer box further includes a bottom left flap extending from the left panel, a bottom front flap extending from the front panel, a bottom right flap extending from the right panel, and a bottom back flap extending from the back panel, the bottom back flap having a pair of glue flaps, the bottom front flap having a pair of front flaps, wherein the pair of front flaps receive the pair of glue flaps when assembled.  
   
   
       26 . A cigarette packing apparatus including a foil bundle feed line feeding foil bundles, an inner frame feed line feeding inner frames, an outer box feed line feeding outer boxes, a first device which sequentially forms framed bundles by placing one of the foil bundles with one of the inner frames, and a second device which forms cigarette packages by inserting one of the framed bundles in an open end of one of the outer boxes.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the second device includes a plunger which contacts an end of the framed bundle and pushes the framed bundle at least partially into the outer box.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein a collapsed outer box is fed along the outer box feed line, the apparatus including a third device which manipulates the collapsed outer box such that front and back panels thereof are moved apart to form the open end of the outer box.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising a bundler module wherein cigarettes are wrapped in a foil wrapper.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising a wrapper module wherein the cigarette packages are wrapped in a polymer film.  
   
   
       31 . An inner frame of a cigarette package comprising a front panel, an optional rear panel, at least one side panel and a bottom panel.  
   
   
       32 . The inner frame of  claim 31  wherein bottom panel is adapted to receive a plunger during packing operations.