US 8,555,605 B2Granted

Method of cigarette packaging and cigarette packaging system

AssigneeJT International SA

InventorReiner Schmitz

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Abstract

A method of cigarette packaging, the method comprising the steps of: Packing at least a first cigarette packet (52a) labeled with a first unique code (I2a) and a second cigarette packet (52b) labeled with a second unique code (I2b) into a first carton (10) and recording an information (56) that at least the two cigarette packets (52a,52b) with the first unique code (I2a) and the second unique code (I2b) are packed into the same carton (10) in a database; Packing the first carton (10) into a case (20); Detecting the first unique code (I2a) in the case (20) and reading from the database all the unique codes (I2b) of the cigarette packets (52b) that are packed into the same carton (10) as the detected first unique code (I2a). Furthermore, a method for tracking cigarette packets (52a,52b) and a cigarette packaging system is described.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A method of cigarette packaging, the method comprising the steps of:

packing at least a first cigarette packet labeled with a first unique code and a second cigarette packet labeled with a second unique code, wherein the unique code is provided on a cardboard, a poly film, a label, a sticker or a tax stamp of each cigarette packet, into a first carton with windows at the sides of the unique codes of the cigarette packets in the first carton;
detecting the unique codes of all the cigarette packets in the first carton after the packaging of at least the first cigarette packet and the second cigarette packet into the first carton, wherein the unique codes are detected in the first carton from the outside of the closed first carton;
using a control unit to record the at least two unique codes of the at least two cigarette packets into the first carton as part of an information that at least the two cigarette packets with the first unique code and the second unique code are packed into the same carton in a database;
packing the first carton and at least a second carton into a case, wherein at least a third cigarette packet labeled with a third unique code and a fourth cigarette packet labeled with a fourth unique code are packed into the second carton, and wherein the third and fourth unique codes are provided on a cardboard, a poly film, a label, a sticker or a tax stamp of each cigarette packet, the second carton having windows at the sides of the unique codes of the cigarettes packets in the second carton;
detecting the first unique code in the case by detecting the unique code of only one cigarette packet of each carton in the case;
and
using the control unit to input the detected first unique code into the database and to read from the database all the unique codes of the cigarette packets that are packed into the same carton as the detected first unique code.

4 more elements

A cigarette packaging system comprising:

a control device with a database;
a first packing machine that is designed to pack at least a first cigarette packet labeled with a first unique code and a second cigarette packet labeled with a second unique code, wherein the unique code is provided on a cardboard, a poly film, a label, a sticker or a tax stamp of each cigarette packet, into a first carton with windows at the sides of the unique codes of the cigarette packets in the first carton;
a first sensor unit that is designed to detect at least the first unique code and the second unique code in the first carton, wherein at least the first unique code and the second unique code are detected in the first carton from outside of the closed first carton, and to provide the at least two unique codes of the at least two cigarette packets into the first carton as part of an information that at least the two cigarette packets with the first unique code and the second unique code are packed into the same carton to the control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to record the provided information in the database;
a second packing machine that is designed to pack at least the first carton and a second carton into a case, wherein at least a third cigarette packet labeled with a third unique code and a fourth cigarette packet labeled with a fourth unique code are packed into the second carton, wherein the third and fourth unique codes are provided on a cardboard, a poly film, a label, a sticker or a tax stamp of each cigarette packet, the second carton having windows at the sides of the unique codes of the cigarette packets in the second carton;
and
a second sensor unit that is designed to detect the first unique code in the case by detecting the unique code of only one cigarette packet of each carton in the case and to transmit the detected first unique code to the control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to read from the database all the unique codes of the cigarette packets that are packed into the same carton as the detected first unique code.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/080,291Filed 5 Apr 2011 · continuation
Priority: EP 081659046 Oct 2008
Published: US 2011/0265428 A13 Nov 2011
Granted: 15 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

G06Q 10/08
Administration; Management: logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial