Tobacco pouch

Abstract

 A smoker's article in which tobacco is separately wrapped and sealed in an envelope (15) which is subsequently enclosed and sealed in a pouch (16) so that no part of the envelope extends outside any part of the pouch.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to hand rolling and pipe tobacco generally sold packed in pouches made from polythene, sealed and overwrapped with a film. This has a two-fold purpose

a). It ensures that the tobacco does not dry out before it reaches the consumer;

b). It provides the consumer with a convenient means (i.e., the polythene pouch) of carrying the tobacco with him ready for immediate use.

[0002] The pouches are usually made from polythene or similar materials, they are printed and formed to a pouch by heat sealing. The overwrap is usually a clear film such as polypropylene.

[0003] There are other containers in use, such as tins and paper packages, but the above described pouch is in more common use.

[0004] These pouches are made on a so-called horizontal machine in which tobacco is fed into preformed wrappers which are then heat sealed. These machines are very costly.

[0005] Attempts have been made to make these pouches on the very much less costly and more readily available vertical machines such as those made by Wright Machinery Limited of Uxbridge, but these attempts have been abandoned mainly because the wrappers are made on the machine and it is impossible to avoid tobacco getting on to the heat sealing areas and accordingly the heat seals are not completely airtight.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to enable pouches to be made on a vertical machine.

[0007] According to the present invention a smoker's article comprises a quantity of tobacco wrapped and heat sealed in a plastics envelope which is completely enclosed inside the whole of a pouch which is closed and sealed so that no part of the envelope extends outside any part of the pouch.

[0008] This does not necessarily avoid tobacco particles getting into the heat sealing area of the envelope but this does not matter because the pouch being on the outside can be effectively sealed.

[0009] The invention includes a method of packaging tobacco which consists in feeding plastics sheeting on a vertical type machine, incorporating successive portions of tobacco in envelopes made from this sheeting, heat sealing the envelopes, forming a pouch around each envelope, and sealing the pouch.

[0010] The pouch may be sealed by heat sealing or by applying a self adhesive tab.

[0011] In the vertical machine the polypropylene or similar sheeting is fed off a roll and formed into a vertical tube which is sealed on horizontal sealing lines periodically and fed with tobacco between the sealing lines.

[0012] .The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:-

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a conventional pouch;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a pouch made in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 illustrates the method of wrapping tobacco in envelopes in accordance with the invention.

[0013] The known pouch as made on a horizontal machine comprises a pouch 10, having a self-adhesive closure tab 11, and an outer thin plastics envelope 11 which is heat sealed both longitudinally and at its ends and eventually discarded by the user while he continues to use the pouch.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the pouch of the present invention comprises an inner envelope 15 of thin plastics heat sealable material which is heat sealed longitudinally and at its ends and located within a pouch 16 of more substantial material (e.g., polythene or laminated materials). The pouch in this example is sealed by a separate self sealing tab 17. The pouch may be a polythene or laminated sheet with printing.

[0015] The method of manufacture is illustrated in Figure 3. A sheet 20 of thin plastics. material e.g., polypropylene is fed from a roll 21 to a vertical tube former 22. The vertical tube is sealed by a heat sealer 25 forming a vertical seam. Tobacco is fed at 24 into the tube at intervals and the tube is moved down step by step and sealed by double seals as at 27, 28 by heat sealing devices 29, 30. A tear strip may be included and fed from a roll 21A together with the sheet 20. The envelopes are separated by cutters 31. The envelopes are fed by a conveyer 32 to a wrapping device 33 in which each envelope is wrapped in a pouch which is closed by the sealing tab.

[0016] Instead of a horizontal wrapping machine 32, 33 for wrapping the envelope in a pouch, a vertical pouch wrapping machine may be used directly below the envelope wrapping machine.

[0017] In an alternative procedure an operator may insert the sealed envelopes into pre-made pouches or the sealed envelopes may be inserted by automatic means into pre-made pouches.

[0018] The envelopes are preferably made of thin plastics material which can be torn by means of a tear strip whereas the pouches are preferably made of thicker material and may be closed by a pull-off strip or tab

Claims

1. A smoker's article comprising a quantity of tobacco wrapped and heat sealed in a plastics envelope (15) which is completely enclosed inside the whole of a pouch (16) which is closed and sealed so that no part of the envelope (15) extends outside any part of the -pouch (16).

2. A smoker's article as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the envelope is provided with a tear strip (21A) by which it can be torn open and the pouch (16) is made of thicker material and is closed by. a separate pull-off tab (17).

3. A method of providing wrapped quantities of tobacco which consists in feeding plastics sheeting on a vertical type bag making machine, incorporating successive portions of tobacco in envelopes (15) made from this sheeting, heat sealing the envelopes and subsequently forming a pouch around each envelope and sealing the pouch.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the heat sealed envelopes are fed by a horizontal conveyor to a wrapping machine (32,. 33) which wraps successive envelopes in the pouches.

5. A method of providing a sealed quantity of tobacco which consists in heat sealing the tobacco in an envelope of tearable material provided with a tear strip (21A), and subsequently enclosing said envelope in a pouch of thicker material which can be opened by a separate self sealing tab (17).

Drawing