HIGH BARRIER PACKAGES FOR SMOKING ARTICLES AND OTHER PRODUCTS

• Main Authors: KOSCHAK, MATTHEW S, SHEARER, PETER P, POWELL, MARK S, HEIN, CARL C., III, WONG, MILLY M. L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.12.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; STORING; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A high barrier sealable packaging material and a high barrier heat sealed package for smoking articles, such as cigarettes and the like, are disclosed. The packaging material comprises a base layer of a polymeric film, such as a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film which has been metallized on one surface thereof with a layer of metal, such as aluminum. The metallized film is then imprinted with ink with a design and/or printed matter on either the metallized or unmetallized surface. Subsequently to or concurrently with the printing, a heat seal layer is applied to the printed and/or unprinted surface for forming a heat seal about which the material is wrapped. In one embodiment, the high barrier packaging material is used as an overwrap for a cigarette package having a tear type for removing one end of the overwrap. In another embodiment, the high barrier packaging material is used as an overwrap for a carton containing a plurality of cigarette packages and having a tear tape for removing one end of the carton overwrap.