Fine-Cut-Tobacco Portion Pack And Process For Producing Fine-Cut-Tobacco Portion Packs

Abstract

A fine-cut-tobacco portion pack ( 50 ) for use in making home-made cigarettes contains a wrapper ( 52 ) which encloses on all sides a fine-cut-tobacco filling with at least one separated tobacco portion for making a cigarette. The wrapper ( 52 ) is preferably provided with an opening device ( 58 ) for opening the wrapper ( 52 ).

1 . A fine-cut-tobacco portion pack for use in making home-made cigarettes, the fine-cut-tobacco portion pack comprising:
 a fine-cut-tobacco filling; and   a wrapper enclosing the fine-cut-tobacco filling on all sides thereof to provide at least one separated tobacco portion for making a cigarette.   
   
   
       2 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said wrapper enclosing the fine-cut-tobacco filling on all sides thereof to provide a single-cigarette tobacco portion for making a single cigarette.   
   
   
       3 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said wrapper enclosing the fine-cut-tobacco filling on all sides thereof to provide a plurality of separated tobacco portions for making a plurality of cigarettes.   
   
   
       4 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said wrapper including an opening device for opening the wrapper.   
   
   
       5 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 4 ,
 said wrapper having an elongate basic shape,   said opening device being selected from the group consisting of a tear-open strip, longitudinal perforations in the wrapper, a longitudinal seam in the wrapper bonded by spots of adhesive, transverse perforations in the wrapper, encircling transverse perforations at both ends of the wrapper, a notch, a torsional region on the wrapper, a lid, and any combination thereof.   
   
   
       6 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said wrapper is formed at least in part by a material selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, aluminium foil, metal foil, plastic film, aluminium-laminated papers, aluminium-coated papers, plastic-laminated papers, laminates, nonwovens, perforated material, non-smokable material, and any combination thereof.   
   
   
       7 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 2 ,
 said fine-cut-tobacco filling presenting a shape similar to a finished cigarette.   
   
   
       8 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 7 ,
 said wrapper presenting a cylindrical basic shape and including opposite ends,   said wrapper being sealed at a flat, transversely running seam zone at both ends.   
   
   
       9 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 7 ,
 said wrapper presenting a cylindrical basic shape and including opposite ends,   said wrapper being twisted or tied up at both ends.   
   
   
       10 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 7 ,
 said wrapper including opposite ends and longitudinal sides extending between the ends,   said wrapper being sealed along a flat, transversely running seam zone at both ends and along seals on both longitudinal sides.   
   
   
       11 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said at least one tobacco portion presenting a compact formation.   
   
   
       12 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ; and
 a tubular casing containing the at least one tobacco portion,   said at least one tobacco portion and the tubular casing presenting a cylindrical shape and being enclosed within the wrapper.   
   
   
       13 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 said cylindrical shape presenting a diameter and a length, with the diameter being at least as long as the length.   
   
   
       14 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said wrapper being a blister pack.   
   
   
       15 . In combination:
 a plurality of fine-cut-tobacco portion packs, each including a fine-cut-tobacco filling and a wrapper enclosing the fine-cut-tobacco filling on all sides thereof to provide at least one separated tobacco portion for making a cigarette,   said fine-cut-tobacco portion packs being arranged one beside the other; and   a fastening device connecting the plurality of fine-cut-tobacco portion packs to one another.   
   
   
       16 . The combination as claimed in  claim 15 ,
 said fastening device including at least one strip on which the fine-cut-tobacco portion packs are fixed.   
   
   
       17 . A process for producing fine-cut-tobacco portion packs which are intended for use in making home-made cigarettes, wherein each a fine-cut-tobacco portion pack includes a fine-cut-tobacco filling and a wrapper which encloses the fine-cut-tobacco filling on all sides thereof, said process comprising the steps of:
 (a) producing a continuous linear arrangement of fine-cut tobacco on an endless-rod machine;   (b) dividing up the fine-cut tobacco into individual portions; and   (c) wrapping the individual portions with the wrapper of the fine-cut-tobacco portion packs.   
   
   
       18 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 step (b) including the step of dividing the fine-cut tobacco into elongate individual portions.   
   
   
       19 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 step (b) including the step of interrupting the fine-cut tobacco at equal intervals.   
   
   
       20 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 step (b) including the step of enclosing the fine-cut tobacco for each individual portion in a casing which is open at both ends thereof.   
   
   
       21 . The process as claimed in  claim 20 ,
 step (b) including the step of removing the casings of the individual portions prior to the individual portions being wrapped.   
   
   
       22 . The process as claimed in  claim 21 ,
 said removing step including the steps of introducing a respective individual portion with casing into an accommodating space, retaining the respective individual portion therein and ejecting the individual portion out of the casing.   
   
   
       23 . The process as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said ejecting step including the steps of ejecting the respective individual portions onto a transporting device, and accommodating each of the individual portions in a corresponding depression of the device.   
   
   
       24 . The process as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said ejecting step including the step of discharging the individual portions from a rotating turret with a number of accommodating devices in an ejecting plane which differs from the introduction plane.   
   
   
       25 . The process as claimed in  claim 20 ,
 said ejecting step including the step of retaining said casings of the individual portions prior to the individual portions being wrapped.   
   
   
       26 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 said fine-cut tobacco being dimensionally stabilized prior to the dividing-up step.   
   
   
       27 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 step (c) including the step of introducing each individual portion into a separate wrapper, with an individual portion having a tobacco portion for making a single cigarette.   
   
   
       28 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 step (c) including the step of introducing a plurality of separated individual portions into a common wrapper.   
   
   
       29 . The process as claimed in  claim 27 ,
 step (c) including the step of configuring the respective wrappers as transversely running sections of an endless tubular bag which are located one beside the other and are separated by sealing seams.   
   
   
       30 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 step (c) including the step of enclosing the fine-cut tobacco, on a cigarette machine, in a continuous wrapper,   step (b) including the step of severing the wrapped rod at predetermined intervals, this resulting in wrapped individual portions, each for making a single cigarette, and   step (c) further including the step of closing the respective wrappers wrapper of each individual portion at both end sides.   
   
   
       31 . The process as claimed in  claim 30 ,
 said closing step including the steps of forcing the fine-cut tobacco contained in the wrapper into the interior of the wrapper at end sides thereof, and then pressing flat and closing the wrapper at both ends.   
   
   
       32 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 11 ,
 said at least one tobacco portion presenting a tablet-like formation.   
   
   
       33 . The fine-cut-tobacco portion pack as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 said tubular casing being made of paper.   
   
   
       34 . The combination as claimed in  claim 16 ,
 said at least one strip being made of paper.   
   
   
       35 . The process as claimed in  claim 17 ,
 said individual portions being dimensionally stabilized following the dividing-up step.   
   
   
       36 . The process as claimed in  claim 19 ,
 said interrupting step including the step of interrupting the fine-cut tobacco at equal intervals by means of two trimmer discs.   
   
   
       37 . The process as claimed in  claim 20 ,
 said casing including paper.   
   
   
       38 . The process as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said accommodating space being a bore.   
   
   
       39 . The process as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said retaining step including the step of retaining the respective individual portion therein by means of a negative pressure.   
   
   
       40 . The process as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said ejecting step including the step of pneumatically ejecting the individual portion out of the casing.   
   
   
       41 . The process as claimed in  claim 23 ,
 said transporting device being a transporting belt.   
   
   
       42 . The process as claimed in  claim 24 ,
 said accommodating devices being bores.   
   
   
       43 . The process as claimed in  claim 28 ,
 step (c) including the step of configuring the wrapper as transversely running sections of an endless tubular bag which are located one beside the other and are separated by sealing seams.