Container with a bevelled edge and an adjacent transverse curved edge

Abstract

A container for consumer goods and a laminar blank (300) for forming such a container. The laminar blank defines a portion of the container, which comprises: a first planar wall (322); a second planar wall (314) connected to the first planar wall (322) by a first modified edge portion (3140) forming a bevelled edge portion of the container; and a third planar wall (316) connected to the first planar wall (322) by a second modified edge portion (3130) forming a curved edge portion of the container. The longitudinal direction of the first modified edge portion (3140) being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second modified edge portion (3130); the first modified edge portion (3140) and the second modified edge portion (3130) forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edge portions of the container meeting at a junction.

Claims

1. A container for consumer articles, the container being at least partially formed from a laminar blank, the laminar blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises: a first planar wall; a second planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a first modified edge portion forming a bevelled edge portion of the container; and a third planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a second modified edge portion forming a curved edge portion of the container; the longitudinal direction of the first modified edge portion being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second modified edge portion; the first modified edge portion and the second modified edge portion forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edge portions of the container meeting at a junction; wherein each of the first modified edge portion and the second modified edge portion has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective modified edge portion and a respective width that extends transversely to the length; wherein the first modified edge portion has a perimeter, the perimeter comprising: a first line of weakness and a second line of weakness each extending in the longitudinal direction of the first modified edge portion, and a free edge extending between a tip of the first line of weakness and a tip of the second line of weakness at the junction with the second modified edge portion; wherein the second modified edge portion has a perimeter, the perimeter comprising: a first line of weakness and a second line of weakness each extending in the longitudinal direction of the second modified edge portion, and a free edge extending between the tip of the first line of weakness and the tip of the second line of weakness at the junction with the first modified edge portion; and wherein the free edge of at least one of the first modified edge portion and the second modified edge portion comprises a curved free edge portion and a straight free edge portion.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the free edge of the first modified edge portion comprises a curved free edge portion and a straight free edge portion.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the straight free edge portion extends from the first line of weakness of the first modified edge portion, and wherein the curved free edge portion extends from the straight free edge portion.

4. A container according to claim 2, wherein the first line of weakness of the first modified edge portion comprises a straight portion and a curved portion.

5. A container according claim 4, wherein the curved portion-of the first line of weakness defines the tip of the first line of weakness.

6. A container according to claim 2, wherein the free edge of the second modified edge portion has a substantially s-shaped profile.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the free edge of the second modified edge portion comprises a curved free edge portion and a straight free edge portion.

8. A container according to claim 7, wherein the straight free edge portion extends from the second line of weakness of the second modified edge portion, and wherein the curved free edge portion extends from the straight free edge portion.

9. A container according to claim 7, wherein each of the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness of the first modified edge portion is substantially straight.

10. A container according to claim 1, wherein the second modified edge portion further comprises a plurality of additional lines of weakness disposed between the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness of the second modified edge portion, the plurality of additional lines of weakness extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the second modified edge portion.

11. A container according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of additional lines of weakness of the second modified edge portion comprise a third line of weakness, and wherein the free edge of the second modified edge portion extends from the third line of weakness.

12. A container according to claim 11, wherein the third line of weakness is disposed adjacent to the first line of weakness of the second modified edge portion.

13. A container according to claim 1, wherein the lines of weakness of the first modified edge portion are a plurality of ablated lines on the inner surface of said modified edge portion.

14. A container according to claim 1, wherein the lines of weakness of the second modified edge portion are a plurality of creasing lines in the laminar blank.

15. A laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the laminar blank comprising: a first planar wall; a second planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a first modified edge portion forming a bevelled edge portion of the container; and a third planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a second modified edge portion forming a curved edge portion of the container; the longitudinal direction of the first modified edge portion being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second modified edge portion; the first modified edge portion and the second modified edge portion forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edge portions of the container meeting at a junction; wherein each of the first modified edge portion and the second modified edge portion has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective modified edge portion and a respective width that extends transversely to the length; wherein the first modified edge portion has a perimeter, the perimeter comprising: a first line of weakness and a second line of weakness each extending in the longitudinal direction of the first modified edge portion, and a free edge extending between a tip of the first line of weakness and a tip of the second line of weakness at the junction with the second modified edge portion; wherein the second modified edge portion has a perimeter, the perimeter comprising: a first line of weakness and a second line of weakness each extending in the longitudinal direction of the second modified edge portion, and a free edge extending between the tip of the first line of weakness and the tip of the second line of weakness at the junction with the first modified edge portion; and wherein the free edge of at least one of the first modified edge portion and the second modified edge portion comprises a curved free edge portion and a straight free edge portion.

Description

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

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a sample portion of a laminar blank for use in determining the spring-back force of the blank;

(3) FIG. 2 depicts an apparatus for determining the spring-back force of a blank;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a laminar blank for the manufacture of a container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4A shows a magnified view of a portion of the laminar blank of FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 4B shows a further magnified view of the portion of the laminar blank shown in FIG. 4A; and

(7) FIG. 5 shows a magnified view of a portion of a laminar blank for the manufacture of a container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 3 is a view of a cardboard laminar blank 300 for forming a container for consumer goods according to the invention.

(9) The blank 300 comprises a box blank portion 3001 for forming a box portion of the container, and a lid blank portion 3002 for forming a lid portion of the container. The box blank portion 3001 depends from the lid blank portion 3002 along hinge line 3003.

(10) The box blank portion 3001 comprises a front wall panel 308, a rear wall panel 312 and a bottom wall panel 309. Two side wall panels 310 extend from front wall panel 308, two side wall panels 311 extend from rear wall panel 312, and two box dust flaps 313 extend from side wall panels 311. When the box portion of the container is assembled from the box blank portion 3001, the front wall panel 308 forms the container front wall, the rear wall panel 312 forms the container rear wall, the side wall panels 310, 311 overlap to form left and right side container walls, and the box dust flaps 313 overlap the bottom wall panel 309 to form the container bottom wall. The side wall panels 310, 311 are substantially the same size and shape as each other. When the container is formed, the side wall panels 310, 311 directly overlie each other with their free edges substantially aligned, such that the inner side wall panel is barely visible. The box dust flaps 313 are smaller than the bottom wall panel 309. When the container is formed, the box dust flaps 313 lie inside the bottom wall panel 309. They provide additional structural support for the container bottom wall of the container but are not visible from the outside of the container.

(11) The lid blank portion 3002 comprises a front wall panel 322, a rear wall panel 320 and a top wall panel 314. Two side wall panels 316 extend from the front wall panel 322, two side wall panels 317 extend from the rear wall panel 320, and lid dust flaps 319 extend from the side wall panels 317. When the lid portion of the container is assembled from the lid blank portion 3002, the front wall panel 322 forms the container front wall, the rear wall panel 320 forms the container rear wall, the side wall panels 316,317 overlap to form right and left container side walls, and the lid dust flaps 319 overlap top wall panel 314 to form the lid top wall. The side wall panels 316, 317 are substantially the same size and shape as each other. When the container is formed, the panels 316, 317 directly overlie each other with their free edges substantially aligned, such that the inner side wall panel is barely visible from the exterior of the container. The lid dust flaps 319 are smaller than the top wall panel 314. When the container is formed, the lid dust flaps 319 lie inside the top wall panel 314. They provide additional structural support for the container (lid) top wall, but are not visible from the outside of the container.

(12) The side panels 310, 311, 317 and 316 are connected by modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130 to front wall panel 308, the rear wall panel 312, front rear wall panel 320, and front wall panel 322, respectively. Each of the modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130 has an inner and an outer surface. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130 each comprise seven creasing lines extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of their respective modified edge portion 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130. Consequently, when the laminar blank 300 is folded about the modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130 a curved edge portion is formed on the container between the walls connected by the modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130. It will be appreciated that the modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130 could alternatively each comprise seven ablated lines extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of their respective modified edge portion 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130, where material had been ablated from the inner surface of the modified edge portions 3100, 3110, 3120 and 3130, for example by a laser ablation tool.

(13) The top wall panel 314 is connected to the lid front wall panel 322 by a modified edge portion 3140. As can be best seen in the enlarged views of the laminar blank 300 in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the modified edge portion 3410 meets the modified edge portion 3130 at a junction.

(14) With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the modified edge portion 3410 is defined by a first line of weakness 3141 in the form of a first ablated line 3141 and a second line of weakness in the form of a second ablated line 3142. That is, the perimeter of the modified edge portion 3140 comprises the first ablated line 3141, the second ablated line 3142 and a free edge 3143 that extends between the tip of the first ablated line 3141 and the tip of the second ablated line 3142 at the junction with the modified edge portion 3130. Not all of the perimeter of the modified edge portion 3410 is shown in FIG. 4A or 4B.

(15) When the laminar blank 300 is folded about the modified edge portion 3140 a bevelled edge portion is formed on the container between the top wall of the container formed by top wall panel 314 and the lid front wall of the container formed by lid front wall panel 322.

(16) As best seen in FIG. 4B, the free edge 3143 has a curved free edge portion 3143b and a straight free edge portion 3143a. The curved free edge portion 3143b extends from the tip of the second ablated line 3142, and the straight free edge portion 3143a extends from the tip of the first ablated line 3141. The first ablated line 3141 has a curved portion 3141a that defines the tip of the first ablated line 3141, and a straight portion 3141b that extends from the curved portion 3141a of the first ablated line 3141. The second ablated line 3142 is straight.

(17) Modified edge portion 3130 has a perimeter comprising a first creasing line 3131, a second creasing line 3132, and a free edge 3133 that extends between the tip of the first creasing line 3131 and the tip of the second creasing line 3132 at the junction with the modified edge portion 3140. Not all of the perimeter of the modified edge portion 3410 is shown in FIG. 4A or 4B. The free edge 3133 of modified edge portion 3130 comprises a first curved free edge portion 3133b having a centre of curvature that is located on the same side of the junction as the centre of curvature of the first curved free edge portion 3143b of the modified edge portion 3140. Furthermore, the free edge 3133 of the modified edge portion 3130 further comprises a second curved free edge portion 3133c, the second curved free edge portion 3133c having a centre of curvature that is located on the opposite side of the junction to the location of the centre of curvature of the first curved free edge portion 3133b of modified edge portion 3130, and the location of the centre of curvature of the first curved free edge portion 3143b of modified edge portion 3140. As such, the free edge 3133 of the modified edge portion 3130 has a substantially s-shaped profile. The substantially s-shaped profile extends from a third creasing line 3134 to the second creasing line 3132. The third creasing line 3134 is located between the first creasing line 3131 and the second creasing line 3132. The third creasing line 3134 is the closest creasing line of all the creasing lines in the modified edge portion 3130 to the first creasing line 3131. The tip of the third creasing line 3134 abuts the tip of the second ablated line 3142.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a magnified view of a portion of a laminar blank 300A for the manufacture of a container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The magnified view of the portion of laminar blank 300A in FIG. 5, corresponds to the magnified view of the portion of laminar blank 300 in FIG. 4B. As shown in FIG. 5, the first ablated line 3141 is a straight line. The second ablated line 3142 is a straight line. The free edge 3143 of modified edge portion 3140 now consists of a curved profile that extends from the tip of the first ablated line 3141 to the tip of the second ablated line 3142.

(19) The free edge 3133 of modified edge portion 3130 now has a curved free edge portion 3133b and a straight free edge portion 3133a. The curved free edge portion 3143b extends from the tip of the third creasing line 3134, and the straight free edge portion 3133a extends from the tip of the second creasing line 3142. The curved free edge portion 3133b adjoins the straight free edge portion 3133a at a point between the longitudinal position of a fourth creasing line 3135 and the longitudinal position of a fifth creasing line 3136.

(20) It will be appreciated that the first ablated line 3141 could alternatively be in the form of a creasing line and the second ablated line 3142 could alternatively be in the form of a creasing line.