Resealable container with improved reclosable adhesive label

Abstract

A resealable container for consumer goods comprises: a package of consumer goods with a cover portion partially separable from the remainder of the package to provide an access opening; and a reclosable adhesive label overlying the cover portion. The label comprises at least a bottom layer and a top layer. The bottom layer comprises a cut-out portion extending at least about the periphery of the cover portion and is affixed to the package by means of a permanent adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the bottom layer extending about the periphery of the cover portion. The top layer is at least partly permanently affixed to the package by means of a first adhesive provided on a back hinge area of the package, and at least partly releasably affixed to the bottom layer by means of a second adhesive provided on a peeling area of the inner surface of the top layer extending distal from the hinge area and at least over a region of the cover portion. Thus, the top layer is movable from a closed position, wherein the top layer overlies at least the cut-out portion of the bottom layer, and an open position, wherein the top layer is lifted off the bottom layer. In addition, a bottom layer height is less than a top layer height or a bottom layer width is less than a top layer width or both. Thus, the peeling area of the inner surface of the top layer extends at least partially beyond a periphery of the bottom layer to overlie the package.

Claims

1. A hinge lid container for consumer goods, comprising: a box; a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the container; and a resealable package located within the box for receiving consumer goods, the package comprising: a cover portion delimited by lines of weakness such that the cover portion is partially separable from the remainder of the package to provide an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed; and a reclosable adhesive label overlying the cover portion and extending beyond the periphery of the cover portion of the package, wherein the reclosable adhesive label comprises at least a bottom layer and a top layer of label material, the bottom layer having a bottom layer height and a bottom layer width, the top layer having a top layer height and a top layer width; the bottom layer being affixed to the package by means of a first, permanent adhesive provided on at least a portion of the inner surface of the bottom layer extending about the periphery of the cover portion, the bottom layer comprising a cut-out portion extending at least about the periphery of the cover portion of the package; and the top layer being at least partly permanently affixed to the package by means of a second, permanent adhesive provided on at least a portion of a hinge area of the inner surface of the top layer, and at least partly releasably affixed to the bottom layer by means of a third adhesive provided on at least a portion of the inner surface of the top layer extending distal from the hinge area and over at least a portion of the cover portion, such that the top layer is movable from a closed position, wherein the top layer overlies at least the cut-out portion of the bottom layer, and an open position, wherein the top layer is lifted off the bottom layer to reveal the cut-out portion; wherein the hinge area is located at a back end of the reclosable adhesive label such that edges of the top and bottom layers closest to the hinge area are respective back edges of the top and bottom layers; wherein the bottom layer height is less than the top layer height, such that the back edge of the top layer extends past the back edge of the bottom layer, such that the inner surface of the top layer directly overlies the package.

2. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein the third adhesive is a permanent adhesive and the resealable package further comprises a layer comprising a release agent provided between the bottom layer and the top layer, such that, in the closed position, the inner surface of the top layer at least partially overlies the layer of release agent.

3. A hinge lid container according to claim 2, wherein the layer comprising the release agent is applied on at least a portion of the outer surface of the bottom layer.

4. A hinge lid container according to claim 3, wherein the layer comprising the release agent covers the outer surface of the bottom layer.

5. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the front edge of the top layer and the front edge of the bottom layer is at least about 1 millimetre.

6. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein at least a side edge of the top layer extends past a side edge of the bottom layer, such that a side region of the inner surface of the top layer overlies the package.

7. A hinge lid container according to claim 6, wherein a distance between the side edge of the top layer and the side edge of the bottom layer is at least about 1 millimetre.

8. A hinge lid container according to claim 6, wherein the bottom layer has a first width substantially the same as a width of the overlying top layer and a second width distal from the first width, the second width being less than a width of the overlying top layer.

9. A hinge lid container according to claim 8, wherein a width of a front edge of the bottom layer is less than a width of a front edge of the top layer.

10. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein the reclosable adhesive label comprises a plurality of crease lines extending transversely across the reclosable adhesive label.

11. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion comprises a plurality of crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion.

12. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein the second, permanent adhesive and the third adhesive are the same adhesive.

13. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein the hinge area is the back end area of the inner surface of the top layer and a front edge portion of the top layer of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to an inner surface of the lid, such that upon opening the lid the top layer is moved from the closed position towards the open position to at least partly expose the cut-out portion.

14. A hinge lid container according to claim 1, wherein the resealable package has dimensions configured to receive smoking articles.

Description

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

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container in accordance with the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a cover portion and reclosable adhesive label in a closed position;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the outer surface of the bottom layer of the label of the container of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the inner surface of the bottom layer of the label of the container of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the outer surface of the top layer of the label of the container of FIG. 1; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of the inner surface of the top layer of the label of the container of FIG. 1.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a container 10 in accordance with the present invention. The container 10 comprises an outer housing 12 which is a rectangular parallelepiped and includes a box 14 and a lid 16. The lid 16 is hinged about a hinge line extending across a back wall of the housing 12 and is pivotable between an open position (as illustrated in FIG. 1) and a closed position (not shown). Further, the container 10 comprises an inner package 18 of smoking articles housed in the box 14. The inner package 18 comprises a cover portion 20 delimited by lines of weakness 22 such that the cover portion 20 is partially separable from the remainder of the package to provide an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3, the cover portion 20 extends across the top wall 17 and the front wall 19 of the inner package 18. The smoking articles contained in the inner package 18 can be removed through the access opening when the lid 16 is in the open position.

(9) The container 10 further comprises a reclosable adhesive label 24 extending beyond the periphery of the cover portion 20 of the inner package 18. As illustrated in more detail in FIG. 4, the reclosable adhesive label 24 comprises at least a bottom layer 26 and a top layer 28. The bottom layer 26 comprises polypropylene and has a thickness of about 30 micrometres. The top layer 28 comprises polyethylene terephthalate and has a thickness of about 50 micrometres.

(10) The reclosable adhesive label 24 comprises a plurality of crease lines 27 extending transversely across the reclosable adhesive label 24. The crease lines 27 are formed on the inner surface of the top layer 28. The cover portion 20 comprises a plurality of crease lines 27a extending transversely across the cover portion 20. Preferably, the crease lines 27a are formed on the inner surface of the cover portion 20.

(11) The bottom layer 26 comprises a cut-out portion 30 at least partially aligned with the cover portion 20 of the inner package 18 and is affixed to the inner package 18 by means of a first, permanent adhesive provided on a first area 32 of the inner surface of the bottom layer 26 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) extending about the periphery of the cover portion 20.

(12) The top layer 28 is at least partly permanently affixed to the inner package 18 by means of a first, permanent adhesive 33 provided on a back hinge area 34 of the inner surface of the top layer 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 6) and at least over a region 50 of the inner surface of the top layer overlying directly the cover portion 20.

(13) In addition, the top layer 28 is partly releasably affixed to the bottom layer 26 by means of a second adhesive 35 provided on a peeling area 36 of the inner surface of the top layer extending distal from the back hinge area 34 and at least over a region of the cover portion 20. Thus, the top layer 28 is movable between a closed position, wherein the top layer 28 overlies at least the cut-out portion 30, and an open position, wherein the top layer 28 is lifted off the bottom layer 24, which also causes the cover portion 20 to be moved away from the remainder of the inner package 18 to make the opening 60 accessible by the consumer.

(14) The second adhesive is a permanent adhesive. The top layer 28 is also permanently affixed to an inner surface of the lid 16 by means of adhesive 45 provided on a front edge portion 38 of the outer surface of the top layer 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 5), such that upon opening the lid 16 the top layer 28 of the reclosable adhesive label 24 is moved from the closed position towards the open position to lift the cover portion 20 and make the opening 60 in the package accessible.

(15) In addition, the resealable container 10 comprises a layer 40 comprising a silicone based release agent provided between the bottom layer 26 and the top layer 28, such that, in the closed position, a front end portion of the peeling area 36 of the inner surface of the top layer 28 at least partially overlies the layer 40 comprising the release agent. In more detail, the layer 40 comprising the release agent is applied by printing on a first area 42 of the outer surface of the bottom layer 26 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), the front end portion of the peeling area 36 of the inner surface of the top layer 28 at least partially overlying the first area 42 of the outer surface of the bottom layer 26.

(16) A height 26H of the bottom layer 26 is less than a height 28H of the top layer 28. In more detail, a back edge of the top layer extends past a back edge of the bottom layer. Thus, a portion of the peeling area 36 of the inner surface of the top layer 28 overlies the inner package 18.

(17) A width 26W of the bottom layer 26 is also less than a width 28W of the top layer 28.