Laminate for a wrapped bundle of tobacco industry products
View Patent ↗A laminate for a wrapped bundle of tobacco industry products is disclosed. The laminate comprises an outer layer ( 3 ) having a first cut ( 5 ) that defines an outer layer region bounded by said first cut, and an inner layer ( 4 ) having a second cut ( 6 ) that defines an inner layer region bounded by said second cut. The inner layer region lies within the outer layer region. The outer layer region comprises a tab ( 17 ) having a remote edge, the tab being for lifting the outer layer region to cause the inner and outer layers to delaminate in a peripheral region between the first and second cuts ( 5,6 ) to create an opening in the laminate. The laminate is configured such that said remote edge is exposed. A wrapped bundle ( 22 ) of tobacco industry products, and a pack ( 27 ), comprising the laminate is also disclosed, together with a method of manufacturing a laminate for a wrapped bundle of tobacco industry products.
1 . A hinged-lid pack and a group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack,
wherein the hinged-lid pack comprises a base portion in which the wrapped bundle is received and a lid hingedly mounted to the base portion,
the laminate comprising
an outer layer having a first cut that defines an outer layer region bounded by said first cut, and
an inner layer having a second cut that defines an inner layer region bounded by said second cut, the inner layer region lying within the outer layer region,
wherein the outer layer region comprises a tab engageable by a user after the lid has been rotated into an open position to enable the user to lift the outer layer region to cause the inner and outer layers to delaminate in a peripheral region between the first and second cuts to create an opening in the laminate,
wherein the laminate comprises a recess formed in said outer layer and said tab comprises an exposed remote edge that partially bounds the recess such that a user can engage said exposed remote edge of the tab via the recess to lift the outer layer region;
wherein the laminate is not connected to the lid that is hingedly-mounted to the base portion of the hinged-lid pack so that the opening is not created in the pack when the lid is rotated into the open position.
2 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein the entire edge of the tab is exposed.
3 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack according of claim 1 , wherein said recess is additionally partially bounded by an opposing edge of said outer layer that faces the exposed remote edge of the tab, said exposed remote edge of the tab and opposing edge of the outer layer being spaced from each other.
4 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 3 , wherein said opposing edge of the outer layer is angled relative to the remote edge of the tab.
5 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises a line of weakness defining an edge of the tab.
6 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 5 , wherein the tab is folded about the line of weakness.
7 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive-free region between the outer layer and inner layer of the laminate, the adhesive-free region being coincident with the tab.
8 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 7 , wherein the adhesive-free region covers the recess.
9 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein at least the peripheral region of the laminate comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive between the inner layer and the outer layer such that the outer layer can be re-adhered to the inner layer in the peripheral region.
10 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer region and the outer layer region are attached to each other using a permanent adhesive.
11 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein the laminate comprises a third layer, disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, and wherein either the first cut or the second cut extends through the third layer.
12 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 11 , wherein the first cut extends through the third layer, and wherein the recess extends through the first layer and at least partially through the third layer.
13 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 12 , wherein the recess extends entirely through the third layer.
14 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer and/or the outer layer comprise polyethylene terephthalate.
15 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack according of claim 1 , wherein the first cut and the second cut are formed by laser cutting.
16 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed by laser ablation.
17 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack of claim 3 , wherein said opposing edge of the outer layer and the remote edge of the tab are parallel.
18 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack according of claim 1 , wherein the recess extends through the entire thickness of the outer layer.
19 . The hinged-lid pack and group of tobacco industry products wrapped in a laminate to form a wrapped bundle received within the hinged-lid pack according of claim 1 , wherein the recess extends only partially through the thickness of the outer layer.