Container for consumer goods with reclosable flap

Abstract

A container for consumer goods, such as smoking articles, includes an outer housing with a hinged lid that houses an inner package of consumer goods. The inner package has an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed and that is covered by a reclosable flap, which is attached to a first lid panel that is relatively movable to a second lid panel throughout rotation of the lid between lid open and closed positions. Blanks for forming the outer housing and a method of forming the container are also provided.

Claims

1. A container for consumer goods, comprising: an outer housing comprising a hinged lid rotatable between open and closed positions, the hinged lid comprising a first inner lid panel and a second inner lid panel; an inner package of consumer goods within the outer housing defining an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed, the access opening being covered by a reclosable flap; and wherein the reclosable flap is attached to the first inner lid panel of the hinged lid, and wherein the first inner lid panel moves relative to the second inner lid panel when the lid is moved between the open and closed positions.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the reclosable flap and the first inner lid panel cooperate to generate a biasing force on the hinged lid.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the first inner lid panel rotates about a rotation axis relatively to the second inner lid panel throughout movement of the lid between the open and closed positions.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the first inner lid panel is initially fixed relative to the second inner lid panel.

5. The container of claim 1, further comprising an inner frame within the outer housing.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the inner frame is positioned inside the inner package.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein, in the closed position, the reclosable flap and the inner package are provided next to one another around a periphery of the access opening at a coupling region, the coupling region having a resealable adhesive to releasably affix the inner package and the reclosable flap.

8. The container of claim 5, wherein the first inner lid panel comprises an edge that is configured to pivotally contact the inner package or the inner frame during movement of the lid between the open and closed positions.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the reclosable flap is attached to the inner package and is movable relative to the inner package about a hinge line.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the reclosable flap extends beyond a periphery of the access opening.

11. A blank for forming the outer housing of the container of claim 1, comprising a box portion and a lid portion, the lid portion comprising the first inner panel hingedly connected to the second inner panel, where the first inner panel is connected to a third panel by one or more breakable connections.

12. A blank for forming the outer housing of the container of claim 1, comprising a box portion and a lid portion, the lid portion comprising the first inner panel, the second inner panel and a third panels, the first inner panel and the third panels connected to the second inner panel, wherein the first inner panel is surrounded by the second inner panel and the third panels.

13. A method of forming a container for consumer goods, comprising the steps of: providing an inner package of consumer goods comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed, the access opening being covered by a reclosable flap; folding a blank about the inner package to form an outer housing with a hinged lid; attaching the reclosable flap to a first inner lid panel of the hinged lid; wherein the step of folding the blank comprises a step of forming the hinged lid in a way such that the first inner lid panel can move relative to a second inner lid panel when the container is in use.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of forming the hinged lid comprises not applying permanent adhesive to fix the first inner lid panel to any other lid panel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of forming the hinged lid comprises folding the first inner lid panel against the second inner lid panel without permanently adhering the first and second inner lid panels.

16. The blank of claim 11, wherein the one or more breakable connections are disposed along edges of the first inner panel that are inclined with respect to an axis of rotation between the first inner panel and the second inner panel.

17. The blank of claim 16, wherein the one or more breakable connections are positioned at a distance of 0.3 mm or more to an axis of rotation between the first inner panel and the second inner panel.

18. The blank of claim 11, wherein the one or more breakable connections are provided substantially symmetrically with respect to the first inner panel.

19. The blank of claim 11, wherein the one or more breakable connections each has a width that is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a container of the present invention in a lid open position;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detail of the container of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the container of FIG. 1 with the lid in an intermediate position;

(5) FIGS. 4A and 4B show a first embodiment of a blank for forming an outer housing of the present invention, the one in FIG. 4A without breakable connections, the one in FIG. 4B showing a preferred embodiment with breakable connections;

(6) FIGS. 5 and 6 show, respectively, second and third embodiments of a blank for forming an outer housing of the present invention;

(7) FIGS. 7A and 7B show two different embodiments of a blank for forming an inner package of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a blank for forming an inner frame of the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 9 shows a system for forming an inner package of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) The hinge lid container 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a box 2 and a lid 3 that is hinged to the box 2 along a hinge line. FIG. 1 shows the container 1 with the lid 3 in an open position. A bundle of cigarettes, wrapped in an inner package 5, is housed in the box 2 of the container 1.

(11) The box 2 has a box front wall, a box left side wall, a box right side wall, a box back wall, and a box bottom wall. The upper side of the box 2 is open, to provide an upper opening through which the cigarettes can be removed.

(12) The lid 3 has a lid front wall, a lid left side wall, a lid right side wall, a lid back wall and a lid top wall. When the container 1 is closed, the free edges of the walls of the lid 3 abut the free edges of the walls of the box 2 along a line of abutment. In the closed position, the walls of the lid 3 therefore form extensions of the corresponding walls of the box 2 to define the walls of the outer housing 1.

(13) The inner package 5 includes an access opening 6 through which the cigarettes can be removed. When the inner package 5 of cigarettes is in place within the box 2, the access opening 6 is positioned at the open, upper end of the box 2. The access opening 6 includes a cut line that defines a flap 7 that covers the access opening 6. The flap 7 is movable to cover and uncover the access opening 6 and thus negate or allow access to the cigarettes. A line of weakness may be provided instead of the cut line so that the flap 7 separates from the inner package 5 only upon first opening of the container 1. Alternatively, the access opening 6 is a cut-out.

(14) An inner frame 4 (shown in FIG. 9) is mounted within the inner package 5 of the container 1. The inner frame 4 comprises an inner frame front wall, an inner frame left side wall and an inner frame right side wall which are positioned proximate the inner surface of the inner package front wall, inner package left side wall and inner package right side wall, respectively. The inner frame 4 may be optionally connected, for example, glued, to the inner package 5. The inner frame front wall includes a rectangular cut-out at the top free edge, in order to facilitate removal of the cigarettes from the box 2. The rectangular cut-out substantially corresponds to a front wall portion of the access opening 6 in the inner package 5. The walls of the inner frame extend above the upper edges of the box 2.

(15) A reclosable flap 8 is attached to the outer surface of the inner package 5 so that it covers the access opening 6 in the inner package 5. The reclosable flap 8 is affixed to the inner package 5 at the upper, back edge of the inner package 5, which provides a hinge line about which the reclosable flap 8 can be pivoted to open and close the access opening 6. The reclosable flap 8 extends beyond the periphery of the access opening and is also affixed to the inner package flap 7.

(16) The reclosable flap 8 in this embodiment is a self-adhesive label. The label includes a resealable adhesive on its inner surface, which overlies a portion of the inner package 5 substantially around the periphery of the access opening 6. When the lid 3 is in the closed position the resealable adhesive affixes the adhesive label to the inner package 5.

(17) The resealable adhesive may also be used to affix the inner package flap 7, although it is preferred to use a permanent adhesive to prevent the inner package flap 7 from peeling off the label after a number of openings. The resealable adhesive may be a pressure sensitive adhesive. The permanent adhesive may be a UV-cured pressure sensitive adhesive.

(18) As shown in FIG. 2, the lid front wall comprises a lid outer front panel 31 and two lid inner front panels 32, 33 connected to the lid outer front panel 31 by a crease line. A first lid inner front panel 32 is connected to the lid outer front panel 31 only by the crease line, which defines a rotation axis 32′ about which the first lid inner front panel 32 may rotate relative to the lid outer front panel 31. The first lid inner front panel 32 is, thus, rotatable about the lower front edge of the lid 3 relative to the lid outer front panel 31. A second lid inner front panel 33 is connected to the lid outer front panel 31 by the crease line and by permanent adhesive so that the lid outer front panel 31 and the second lid inner front panel 33 do not move relatively.

(19) The outer surface of the label is permanently affixed at its free end 9 to the first lid inner front panel 32, for example with a permanent adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive. As a result, movement of the lid 3 causes movement of the label and of the first lid inner front panel 32, which rotates relatively to the lid outer front panel 31. The inner surface of the free end 9 of the label may be substantially free of resealable adhesive to reduce the force required to open the lid 3. Alternatively, the resealable adhesive applied to the inner surface of the label may extend to its free end 9 to firmly close the lid 3.

(20) In order to access the cigarettes within the inner package 5, the hinge lid 3 is moved from the closed position to the open position shown in FIG. 1. As the lid 3 is moved from the closed position, an edge 32″ of the first lid inner front wall 32 is brought into pivotal contact with the outer surface of the inner package 5. This causes the first lid inner front wall 32 to pivot about the edge 32″ from an initial position in which the first lid inner front wall 32 is substantially parallel to the lid outer front wall 31 to a position in which the first lid inner front wall 32 is approximately perpendicular to the lid outer front wall 31, as can be appreciated in FIG. 3. Further rotation of the hinge lid 3 peels off the label from the inner package 5, thereby uncovering the access opening 6 in the inner package 5 through which one or more cigarettes can be removed.

(21) Therefore, the container 1 of the present invention provides a two-stage opening of the lid 3. In a first stage, the free end 9 of the reclosable flap or label is pivoted about the inner package 5. In a second stage, the reclosable flap or label is peeled off the inner package 5, thereby uncovering the access opening 6 in the inner package 5. In the first stage the reclosable flap or label preferably does not even partially uncover the access opening 6.

(22) In order to close the container 1, the hinge lid 3 is moved from the open position to the closed position. As the lid 3 is moved from the open position, the label is rolled over the inner package 5, thereby covering the access opening 6 in the inner package 5. The first lid inner front panel 32 extends the label reach in the open position and tensions the label during lid closing, thereby ensuring the precise repositioning of the adhesive label against the inner package 5. The edge 32″ of the first lid inner front wall 32 comes into contact with the inner package 5 at a stop motion position shown in FIG. 3. Further rotation of the hinge lid 3 causes the first lid inner front wall 32 to pivot about the edge 32″ from an initial position in which the first lid inner front wall 32 is approximately perpendicular to the lid outer front wall 31 to a position in which the first lid inner front wall 32 is substantially parallel to the lid outer front wall 31, thereby closing the container 1.

(23) Therefore, the container 1 of the present invention provides a two-stage closing of the lid 3. In a first stage, the reclosable flap or label is rolled over the inner package 5, thereby covering the access opening 6 in the inner package 5. In a second stage, the free end 9 of the reclosable flap or label is pivoted about the inner package 5.

(24) The lid 3 is therefore movable about the box 2 between open and closed positions through an intermediate, stable position shown in FIG. 3. Movement of the lid 3 between the closed position and the intermediate position, or vice versa, requires overcoming a biasing force, which may be generated by cooperation of the reclosable flap 8 and a movable lid panel, the first lid inner front panel 32 in this embodiment.

(25) FIGS. 4A and 4B show a blank 10 for forming the outer housing 1 represented in FIGS. 1 to 3. The blank 10 is divided into two blank portions, a box portion 20 and a lid portion 30. Each blank portion comprises a plurality of panels in which each individual panel is connected to at least another panel, for example, by a crease or fold line.

(26) The box portion 20 comprises a box front panel 21, box outer and inner left side panels 22′, 22″, box outer and inner right side panels 23′, 23″, a box back panel 24, a box bottom panel 25 and two box gluing flaps 26. Although in FIGS. 4A and 4B the connections of the box front panel 21 and the box back panel 24 to the box outer and inner left and right side panels 23′, 23″, 24′, 24″ are shown as a plurality of parallel longitudinal crease lines, these connections could equally be made by single longitudinal crease lines. The remaining panel connections are single transverse crease lines.

(27) In order to assemble the box 2 of the outer housing 1, the box gluing flaps 26 are glued to the box bottom panel 25 to form the box bottom wall. To form the box left side wall, the box inner left side panel 22″ is glued to the box outer left side panel 22′. The box inner right side panel 23″ is glued to the box outer right side panel 23′ to form the box right wall.

(28) The lid portion 30 comprises a lid outer front panel 31, two lid inner front panels 32, 33, lid outer and inner left side panels 34′, 34″, lid outer and inner right side panels 35′, 35″, a lid back panel 36, a lid top panel 37 and two lid gluing flaps 38. The lid back panel 36 is hingedly connected (e.g. by a crease line) to box back panel 24.

(29) Although in FIGS. 4A and 4B the connections of the lid outer front panel 31 and the lid back panel 36 to the lid outer and inner left and right side panels 34′, 34″, 35′, 35″ are shown as a plurality of parallel longitudinal crease lines, these connections could equally be made by single longitudinal crease lines. The remaining panel connections are single transverse crease lines.

(30) In this embodiment, both the first and second lid inner front panels 32, 33 are connected to the lid outer front panel 31 as the first lid inner front panel 32 is surrounded by the second lid inner front panel 33. As shown in FIG. 4B, the first and second lid inner front panels 32, 33 may be connected by one or more breakable connections. These one or more breakable connections may be provided along at least one of the edges of the first lid inner front panel 32 that are not connected to the lid outer front panel 31. Although not shown in FIG. 4B, the one or more breakable connections may be provided at least along an edge 32″, which is opposite the edge 32′ of the first lid inner front panel 32 that is connected to the lid outer front panel 31.

(31) However, it is preferred to provide the one or more breakable connections along edges 32′″ that are inclined with respect to the axis of rotation 32′, as shown in FIG. 4B. By providing the breakable connections between respective edges 32′″ of the first and second lid inner front panels 32, 33 and the third panel that are inclined with respect to the axis of rotation 32′, the breakable connections can be broken more easily when a pulling force is applied to the first lid inner front panel 32 by tension in the adhesive label. The breakable connections can be ruptured more effectively in this arrangement than if they were provided between edges that were parallel to the axis of rotation 32′.

(32) During manufacturing, the blank 30 is manipulated by machinery at different stages and is subject to some pull forces within the plane of the blank 30, particularly during printing. By providing the breakable connections between edges 32′″ that are inclined relative to the axis of rotation 32′, these breakable connections are less vulnerable to accidental rupture within the machinery due to pulling forces within the plane of the blank 30 during manufacture, particularly during printing. Advantageously this can help to ensure that the container 1 is in its intended configuration prior to the first opening of the hinged lid 3.

(33) When the one or more breakable connections are provided between respective edges 32′″ of the first and second lid inner front panels 32, 33, it is preferred that these edges 32′″ are provided at angles comprised between 30° and 150° relative to the axis of rotation 32′, such as at angles comprised between 60° and 120°. It is further preferred that edges 32′″ are substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 32′.

(34) The one of more breakable connections may be positioned along edges 32′″ adjacent the axis of rotation 32′. By placing the breakable connections close to the axis of rotation 32′, they can be broken easily when a force is applied on them by the adhesive label during opening of the hinged lid 3. Preferably, the one or more breakable connections are provided close to but not at the axis of rotation 32′ to avoid any visible board fibres when the lid 3 is closed. To this end, the one or more breakable connections may be positioned at a distance to the axis of rotation 32′ of about 0.3 mm, or about 0.5 mm.

(35) Preferably, a plurality of breakable connections are provided substantially symmetrically with respect to the first lid inner front panel 32. This can ensure that the breakable connections experience force evenly when an opening force is applied.

(36) The one or more breakable connections may each have a width that is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm. The strength of the breakable connections may be influenced in part by their width. The strength of the breakable connections is selected to balance competing interests. In particular, the breakable connections are preferably strong enough to withstand forces experienced during manufacture, but weak enough to rupture without requiring the user to apply excessive force during first opening of the hinged lid 3.

(37) The blank 30 of FIG. 4B is preferably formed by a fibrous material having a grain direction defined by an average orientation of the fibres that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 32′. It has been found that this arrangement provides the desired strength to the breakable connections along edges 32″. In another configuration a cross-grain may be provided in which the grain direction is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 32′.

(38) To form the lid 3, both lid inner front panels are folded 180° with respect to the lid outer front panel 31 so that they contact, but only the lid outer front panel 31 and the second lid inner front panel 33 are glued together. The lid gluing flaps 38 are glued to the lid top panel 37 to form the lid top wall. The lid left side wall is formed by gluing the lid inner left side panel 34″ to the lid outer side panel 34′. Finally, the lid inner right side panel 35″ is glued to the lid outer right side panel 35′.

(39) Preferably, an adhesive-free region is defined around the periphery of the first lid inner front panel 32 to prevent adhesive trickling into the first lid inner front panel 32. The average width of the adhesive-free region may be of at least 1 mm, for example of about 2 mm.

(40) FIGS. 5 and 6 show alternative blanks 11, 12 for forming an outer housing 1 similar to the one represented in FIGS. 1 to 3. For the sake of brevity, only differences between the blanks will be explained below and the same numbering used for the blank 10 of the first embodiment will be used to refer to similar elements.

(41) The blank 11 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 differs from the blank 10 of the first embodiment in that the lid portion 30 has only one lid inner front panel 32. When the lid 3 is formed, the lid inner front panel 32 is folded 180° with respect to the lid outer front panel 31 so that they contact, but no glue is applied to adhere those two panels.

(42) The blank 12 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6 differs from the blank 10 of the first embodiment in that the first lid inner front panel 32 is connected at one edge 32′ to the lid outer front panel 30 by a crease or fold line and to the second lid inner front panel 33 at another, opposite edge 32″ by a line of weakness, such as a row of perforations. The line of weakness 32″ may be formed during a step of forming the outer housing 1, preferably before any panels of the blank 12 are folded, for example with a rotary scoring tool.

(43) When the lid 3 is formed, the first lid inner front panel 32 is folded 180° with respect to the lid outer front panel 31 so as to contact. As the second lid inner front panel 33 is connected to the first lid inner front panel 32, by folding the first lid inner front panel 32 with respect to the lid outer front panel 31, the second lid inner front panel 33 and the lid outer front panel 31 also contact. These latter panels are adhered together.

(44) Preferably, an adhesive-free region is defined around the periphery of the first lid inner front panel 32 to prevent adhesive trickling into the first lid inner front panel 32. The average width of the adhesive-free region may be of at least 1 mm, for example of about 2 mm.

(45) When the reclosable flap 8 is affixed to the first lid inner front panel 32 and the container 1 is opened for the first time, the opening force breaks the line of weakness 32″ that connects the first and second lid inner front panels 32, 33, thereby movilising the first lid inner front panel 32, which becomes rotatable about the crease line 32′ that connects it to the lid outer front panel 31. The second lid inner front panel 33 remains attached to the lid outer front panel 31.

(46) FIGS. 7A and 7B show two alternative blanks for forming the inner package 5 represented in FIGS. 1 to 3. The inner package blanks 50 are made from a substantially rectangular sheet of wrapping material that is folded along the longitudinal and transverse dashed lines represented in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

(47) The inner package blank 50 comprises an inner package front panel 51, inner package outer and inner left side panels 52′, 52″, inner package outer and inner right side panels 53′, 53″, an inner package back panel 54, an inner package bottom panel 55 and an inner package top panel 56. Although in FIGS. 7A and 7B the separation of the inner package front panel 51 and the inner package back panel 54 from the inner package outer and inner left and right side panels 53′, 53″, 54′, 54″ is shown each as two parallel longitudinal fold lines, this separation could equally be made by a single longitudinal fold line.

(48) The inner package blank 50 represented in FIG. 7A includes a cut line 57 that defines a flap 58. A line of weakness may be provided instead of the cut line so that the flap 7 separates from the inner package 5 only upon first opening of the container 1.

(49) To form an inner package 5 from any of the blanks 50 represented in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the inner package outer and inner left side panels 52′, 52″ are connected (e.g. by glue application or heat-sealing) to each other to form the inner package outer left wall. The inner package right wall is formed by connecting the inner package outer and inner right side panels 53′, 53″.

(50) In the inner package blank 50 represented in FIG. 7B, the cut line 57 defines a cut-out 59.

(51) FIG. 8 shows a blank 40 for forming the inner frame housed in the inner package 5 of FIGS. 1 to 3. The inner frame blank 40 comprises an inner frame front panel 41, an inner frame left side panel 42 and an inner frame right side panel 43. Although in FIG. 8 the connections of the inner frame front panel 41 to the inner frame left and right side panels 42, 43 are shown as a plurality of parallel longitudinal crease lines, these connections could equally be made by single longitudinal crease lines.

(52) The inner frame front panel 41 includes a rectangular cut-out 44 at the top free edge, in order to facilitate removal of the cigarettes from the box 2 when the inner frame is assembled from the blank 40. The rectangular cut-out 44 substantially corresponds to a front wall portion of the access opening 6 in the inner package 5.

(53) To form the inner frame, the inner frame left and right side panels 42, 43 are folded approximately 90° with respect to the inner frame front panel 41. In the assembled condition, the inner frame front panel 41 corresponds to the inner frame front wall, and the inner frame left and right side panels 42, 43 correspond, respectively, to the inner frame left and right side walls.

(54) FIG. 9 shows a system or apparatus 100 for forming an inner package 5 housing smoking articles, such as cigarettes or the like, according to one embodiment of this invention. A series of inner frames 4, each of which is respectively combined with a charge of cigarettes, is transported in direction of arrow A along a packaging path by apparatus 100. The framed charged cigarettes G are conveyed under a continuous sheet of wrapping material 500 (e.g. a metallised plastics laminate film) which is fed from a supply roll (not shown). The wrapping sheet 500 has pre-formed reclosable flaps 8 for alignment with the respective access apertures 44 in the inner frame front panel 41 of each inner frame 4 transported under the wrapping sheet 500.

(55) Rollers 101 arranged below the serially progressing inner frames 4 draw the wrapping sheet 500 tautly over the front and back faces of the framed charge of cigarettes G and against opposite ends of the framed charge of cigarettes G, thereby wrapping the same to form inner package front, top, back and bottom walls. The rollers 101 then cooperate with a sealing head 102 to fuse or seal the drawn wrapping sheet 500 to form a transverse seam at the inner package back wall (not shown). A further elongate sealing head 103 (or pair thereof) following the rollers 101 then operate(s) to clamp and fuse a lateral seam (e.g. as a “fin seal”) in the barrier sheet 500 between each of the framed charge of cigarettes G to form the inner package left and right side walls. Trimmers 104 and rollers 105 may then trim and flatten the seams 13, 14 to complete the individual inner packages 5.

(56) A set of blanks for forming the outer housing 1 according to any of the embodiments represented in FIGS. 4 to 6 are folded and glued about the inner package 5 to form the box 2 and lid 3, as previously explained. A permanent adhesive is applied at the outer surface of the reclosable flap 8, particularly at its free edge 9, to connect the reclosable flap 8 to the first lid inner front panel 32.

(57) As a result, a container for consumer goods according to the invention is formed.