CONTAINER FOR CONSUMER ARTICLES WITH IN DEPTH INNER FRAME

Abstract

A container for consumer articles (20) comprises a box portion (31) comprising a box front wall (32), a box rear wall (36) and two box side walls (38) extending between the box front wall and the box rear wall. The container further comprises an inner frame (10) comprising an inner frame front wall (12) and inner frame side walls (14), wherein the inner frame front wall (12) is arranged parallel and at a predefined distance to the box front wall (32). The container further comprises an additional flap (50) comprising at least two opposing side edges, the first side edge (52) being attached to an upper edge of the box front wall (32), the second side edge (54) contacting the lower edge (12d) of the inner frame front wall.

Claims

1. A container for consumer articles, the container comprising: a box portion comprising a box front wall, a box rear wall and two box side walls extending between the box front wall and the box rear wall; an inner frame comprising an inner frame front wall and inner frame side walls, wherein the inner frame front wall is arranged parallel and at a predefined distance to the box front wall, and wherein the container further comprises an additional flap comprising at least two opposing side edges, a first side edge being attached to an upper edge of the box front wall, a second side edge contacting a lower edge of the inner frame front wall wherein the additional flap is hingedly connected to the upper edge of the box front wall: and wherein the lower edge of the inner frame front wall is at a same height as the upper edge of the box front wall, such that the additional flap extending between the upper edge of the box front wall and the lower edge of the inner frame front wall is oriented orthogonal to the box front wall and the inner frame front wall.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein a length of the additional flap corresponds to the predefined distance between the box front wall and the inner frame front wall.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the additional flap comprises at least one protrusion at at least one of its outer corners at the second side edge, which protrusions are located behind the inner side walls of the inner frame, when the additional flap is folded towards the inner frame front wall.

6. A container according to claim 1, wherein the inner frame front wall comprises a reinforcing element for increasing rigidity of the inner frame front wall.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element is an additional flap attached to the lower edge of the inner frame front wall, the additional flap being folded by 180 degrees upwards and glued to the inner side of the inner frame front wall.

8. A container according to claim 1, further comprising a collation of consumer products, which is tightly held between the box rear wall and the inner frame front wall.

9. A container according to claim 8, wherein the collation of consumer products is wrapped in an inner liner.

10. A container according to claim 8, wherein the consumer products are cigarettes.

11. A process for preparing a container for consumer articles, comprising the steps of: (a) providing collation of consumer products; (b) providing a blank for forming an inner frame, the inner frame comprising an inner frame front wall and inner frame side walls, (c) forming an inner frame from the inner frame blank; (d) placing the inner frame on the collation of consumer products; (e) providing a main blank for forming a container comprising a box portion comprising a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls extending between the front wall and the rear wall, and an additional flap comprising at least two opposing side edges, a first side edge being attached to an upper edge of the box front wall, wherein the additional flap is hingedly connected to the upper edge of the box front wall; (f) forming a container from the main blank around the inner frame and collation of consumer products; (g) folding the additional flap such that the second side edge is in contact with a lower edge of the inner frame front wall, wherein the lower edge of the inner frame front wall is at a same height as the upper edge of the box front wall, such that the additional flap extending between the upper edge of the box front wall and the lower edge of the inner frame front wall is oriented orthogonal to the box front wall and the inner frame front wall.

12. The process of claim 11 for preparing a container for consumer articles, wherein the additional flap is folded by 90 degrees towards an interior of the container, such that the additional flap covers a gap between the upper edge of the box front wall and the lower edge of the inner frame front wall.

13. The process of claim 12 for preparing a container for consumer articles, wherein the additional flap is folded by 90 degrees before step (f).

14. The process of claim 12 for preparing a container for consumer articles, wherein the additional flap is folded by 90 degrees after step (f).

15. The process of claim 11 for preparing a container for consumer articles, wherein an additional flap is attached to the lower edge of the inner frame front wall, the additional flap being folded by 180 degrees inwards and glued to the inner side of the inner frame front wall.

16. A container according to claim 4, wherein the additional flap comprises at least one protrusion at at least one of its outer corners at the second side edge, which protrusions are located behind the inner side walls of the inner frame, when the additional flap is folded towards the inner frame front wall.

17. A container according to claim 4, wherein the inner frame front wall comprises a reinforcing additional flap attached to the lower edge of the inner frame front wall, the reinforcing additional flap being folded by 180 degrees upwards and glued to the inner side of the inner frame front wall and the reinforcing additional flap increasing rigidity of the inner frame front wall.

18. A container according to claim 5, wherein the inner frame front wall comprises a reinforcing additional flap attached to the lower edge of the inner frame front wall, the reinforcing additional flap being folded by 180 degrees upwards and glued to the inner side of the inner frame front wall and the reinforcing additional flap increasing rigidity of the inner frame front wall.

19. A container according to claim 4, further comprising a collation of consumer products, which is tightly held between the box rear wall and the inner frame front wall, the collation of consumer products is wrapped in an inner liner.

20. A container according to claim 5, further comprising a collation of consumer products, which is tightly held between the box rear wall and the inner frame front wall, the collation of consumer products is wrapped in an inner liner.

21. A container according to claim 18, further comprising a collation of consumer products, which is tightly held between the box rear wall and the inner frame front wall, the collation of consumer products is wrapped in an inner liner.

22. A container according to claim 21, wherein the consumer products are cigarettes.

Description

[0045] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a laminar blank for an inner frame to be used in a container according to the present invention;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows the inner frame of FIG. 1 after folding;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows the inner frame of FIG. 2 placed on a collation of cigarettes;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a laminar blank for a hinged lid container to be assembled with the inner frame of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0050] FIG. 5 shows the blank of FIG. 4 being formed around the inner frame and collation of cigarettes, where the additional flap is not folded yet;

[0051] FIG. 6 shows pack blank of FIG. 4 being formed around the inner frame and collation of cigarettes after the additional flap is folded;

[0052] FIGS. 7 and 8 cross-sectional views of the inner frame front wall and the upper end of the box portion front wall;

[0053] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the laminar blank for the inner frame before (FIG. 1) and after folding (FIG. 2). The laminar blank 10 comprises an inner frame front wall 12 and left and right inner frame side walls 14. By folding the left and right inner frame side walls 14 along folding lines 16, the inner frame front wall 12 is set back from the front edge 18 of the inner frame side walls 14 by a distance corresponding to the width of the connection tabs 14a.

[0054] The lower part 12b of inner frame front wall 12 represents a reinforcing flap which is folded upward by 180 degrees along folding line 12c (as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2) and is glued to the upper part 12a of the inner frame front wall 12. Inner frame front wall 12 is thus formed from a double layer of the inner frame material, increasing the stiffness and stability of the inner frame 10.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows the inner frame 10 of FIG. 2 placed on a bundle of consumer articles 20. The bundle of consumer articles 20 is wrapped by an inner liner 22 and has a generally rectangular shape. The dimensions of the inner frame 10 correspond to the dimensions of the bundle of consumer articles 20. Accordingly the width of bundle 20 is such that it smoothly fits within the inner frame side walls 14. The depth of bundle 20 corresponds to depth of the inner frame 10 defined by the distance between the rear edge 14c of the inner frame side walls 14 and the inner frame front wall 12. Further, the upper edges 14b of the inner frame 10 and the upper face 24 of bundle 20 are aligned with respect to each other.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a laminar blank 30 for a hinge-lid pack according to the present invention. The blank 30 and the hinge-lid pack produced from it possess, in the region of the box portion 31, a box front wall 32, adjoining the latter a box bottom wall 34 and a box rear wall 36. Lateral box side walls 38 are each formed by two side tabs 38a and 38b overlapping one another. The side tabs 38b connected to the box front wall 32 are located on the outside.

[0057] The lid portion 40 of the hinge lid pack consists of a lid rear wall 42, of a lid top wall 44 and of a lid front wall 46. Lid side tabs 48a, 48b overlapping one another serve for forming lid side walls 48. The lid portion 40 is connected to the rear wall 36 of the box portion 31 in the region of the lid rear wall 42 via a hinged connection.

[0058] An additional flap 50 is provided adjacent to the box front wall 32. The additional flap comprises first and second side edges 52, 54. The additional flap 50 is provided adjacent to the edge of the box front wall 32 which corresponds to the upper edge of the box front wall 32 when the blank 30 is folded to a pack. In the embodiment shown the first side edge 52 of the additional flap 50 is hingedly connected to the upper edge of box front wall 32.

[0059] At the corners of the second edge 54 of the additional flap 50, protrusions 54a are provided. When the box portion is folded onto the cigarette bundle 20 and the inner frame 10, the protrusions are located behind connection tabs 14a and assist in maintaining the additional flap 50 in the desired position.

[0060] In FIG. 5 the pack blank 30 of FIG. 4 is being formed around the inner frame 10 and the bundle of consumer articles 20. The outer dimensions of the inner frame 10 correspond to the inner dimensions of the box portion 31 of the container. The bundle of consumer articles 20 is tightly held in the space defined by the inner frame side walls 14, the inner frame front wall 12 and the box rear wall 36. In FIG. 5 the additional flap 50, provided adjacent to the upper edge of the box front wall 32, is not yet folded towards the inner frame front wall 12.

[0061] FIG. 6 corresponds to the container shown in FIG. 5, whereby the additional flap 50 is folded by 90 degrees towards the interior of the container. The second side edge 52 of the additional flap 50 abuts the lower edge 12d of the inner frame front wall 12, such that the additional flap 50 substantially covers the opening between the inner frame front wall 12 and the box front wall 32.

[0062] FIGS. 7 and 8 show cross-sectional views of the inner frame front wall 12 and the box front wall 32. The upper edge 32a of the box front wall is substantially on the same height as the lower edge 12d of the inner frame front wall 12. By folding the additional flap 50 towards the inner frame front wall 12 by 90 degrees the second side edge 52 of the additional flap 50 is locked under the lower edge 12d of the inner frame front wall 12. The length of the additional flap 50 corresponds to the distance between the inner frame front wall 12 and the box front wall 32.

[0063] Folding of the additional flap 50 can be done at different steps of the manufacturing process, namely before or after the box front wall 32 is folded onto the bundle of consumer articles 20. In the exemplary manufacturing process illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, the additional flap 50 is folded after the box front wall 32 is folded onto the bundle of consumer articles 20. Due to the natural elasticity of the card board material of the container, additional flap 50 will slightly bend when pressure is applied thereto, as indicated with the bold arrow in FIG. 7. Eventually the second side edge 52 of the additional flap 50 will reach the lower edge 12d of the inner frame front wall 12 and will get locked there below.

[0064] Alternatively the additional flap 50 could be folded by at least 90 degrees before the box front wall 32 is folded onto the bundle of consumer articles 20. After folding the box front wall 32 the additional flap 50 will tend to revert back to its coplanar position with respect to the box front wall 32. However, the additional flap 50 will be stopped when the second side edge 52 of the additional flap 50 abuts against the lower edge 12d of the inner frame front wall 12 as shown in FIG. 8.