CONTAINER INCLUDING COVER FILM AND RECEPTACLE

Abstract

A container includes a housing and a cover film. The housing extends along a longitudinal axis and includes an outer surface. The container also includes a cover film that encloses the housing on one or more sides on the outer surface of the housing. The cover film includes a covering portion and a receiving portion. The receiving portion forms a receptacle that is adapted to receive an accessory.

Claims

1. A container for consumer goods, comprising: a housing extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising an outer surface; and a single piece cover film enclosing the housing on all sides on the outer surface of the housing, wherein the cover film comprises a covering portion and a receiving portion, wherein the receiving portion forms a receptacle that is adapted to receive an accessory, wherein the receptacle comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the receptacle further comprises an attachment element disposed on an outer surface of the receptacle, wherein the attachment element is adapted to temporarily connect the outer surface of the receptacle to an outer surface of the cover film such that the receptacle is in a folded configuration, and further wherein a region of the receiving portion of the cover film is sealed together to form a bottom wall of the receptacle.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein a first region of the receiving portion is connected to at least one of a second region of the receiving portion and a first region of the covering portion.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the first region of the receiving portion is connected to at least one of the second region of the receiving portion and the first region of the covering portion by a heat seal.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the covering portion of the cover film comprises a lid region and a box region, wherein the lid region is disposed over a lid of the housing and the box region is disposed over a box of the housing.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein the cover film further comprises a tear tape.

6. A container according to claim 5, wherein the tear tape extends from a side edge of the cover film.

7. A container according to claim 5, wherein the tear tape is disposed on the single piece cover film such that removing the tear tape will create access to the inside of the receptacle.

8. A container according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle comprises a cylinder comprising an opening disposed in a top wall of the receptacle that is adapted for insertion of the accessory.

9. (canceled)

10. A container according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is disposed adjacent a side wall of the housing.

11. A container according to claim 1, wherein a bottom edge of the receptacle is disposed at a first distance from a bottom edge of the housing as measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

12. (canceled)

13. A container according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the receptacle comprises a retaining element comprising a textured region with an increased static coefficient of friction.

14. A container according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the receptacle comprises a retaining element comprising an adhesive disposed on the inner surface of the receptacle.

15. A container according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle comprises a height that is less than a height of the housing as measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Description

[0041] Referring now to the drawings, in which some aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container that includes a housing and a cover film.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 with the receptacle in a folded configuration.

[0044] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the container of FIG. 1 with the receptacle in an unfolded configuration.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the container in FIG. 1 with the receptacle in the folded configuration.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a blank that is utilized to form the cover film of the container of FIG. 1.

[0047] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment of a blank that can be utilized to form a cover film.

[0048] FIGS. 1-4 are various views of one embodiment of a container 10. The container 10 includes a housing 20 having an outer surface 21, a box 22, and a lid 24 hingedly attached to the box via a hinge line 25 (FIG. 4). The housing 20 extends along a longitudinal axis 2. The hinge line 25 extends across a rear wall 30 of the box 22 of the container 10, and acts to allow the lid 24 to be moved from a closed position as shown in the figures to an open position (not shown). The housing 20 also includes a front wall 32, a rear wall 30, a first side wall 26, a second side wall 28, a bottom wall 34, and a top wall 36. The box 22 and the lid 24 are defined by an opening line 37. The hinge line 25 has two end points on the rear wall 30 of the housing 20 from which the opening line 37 begins and goes around the housing circumferentially.

[0049] The container 10 also includes a cover film 40. In one or more embodiments, the cover film 40 is a single piece cover film. In one or more embodiments, the cover film 40 includes two or more pieces. The cover film 40 encloses the housing 20 on one or more sides on the outer surface 21 of the housing. In one or more embodiments, the cover film 40 encloses the housing 20 on all sides on the outer surface 21 of the housing. Once the housing 20 has been opened, one or more portions of the cover film 40 can be removed. For example, in one or more embodiments, a lid region 46 (FIG. 5) of the covering portion 42 of the cover film 40 that covers the lid 24 can be removed while a box region 48 of the covering portion of the cover film that covers the box 22 can remain in place. Preferably, the cover film 40 is snug or tight around the housing 20 of the container 10.

[0050] The cover film 40 includes a covering portion 42 and a receiving portion 44. The receiving portion 44 of the cover film 40 forms a receptacle 70 that is adapted to receive an accessory 90. The receptacle 70 includes an inner surface 72 and an outer surface 74.

[0051] The receiving portion 44 of the cover film 40 includes a first region 76 that is connected to at least one of a second region 43 of the receiving portion and a first region 78 of the covering portion 42 (FIG. 5). In one or more embodiments, the first region 76 of the receiving portion 44 is connected to at least one of the second region 43 of the receiving portion and the first region 78 of the covering portion 42 by a heat seal 77.

[0052] The covering portion 42 of the cover film 40 includes the lid region 46 and the box region 48 as shown in FIG. 5. The lid region 46 is disposed over the lid 24 of the housing 20. Further, the box region 48 is disposed over the box 22 of the housing 20. The lid region 46 of the covering portion 42 includes a tear tape 92. The tear tape 92 extends from a side edge 50 of the cover film 40 as shown in FIG. 5. In one or more embodiments, the tear tape 92 is disposed on the cover film 40 such that removing the tear tape provides access to the inside of the receptacle 70.

[0053] The receptacle 70 includes a cylinder shape that includes an opening 82 disposed in a top wall (not shown) of the receptacle that is adapted for insertion of the accessory 90. The receptacle 70 also includes an attachment element 86 disposed on an outer surface 84 of the receptacle. The attachment element 86 is adapted to temporarily connect the outer surface 84 of the receptacle 70 to the outer surface 43 of the cover film 40 such that the receptacle is in a folded configuration as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

[0054] The receptacle 70 is disposed adjacent the first side wall 26 of the housing 20. As used herein, the term adjacent means that the receptacle 70 is disposed closer to the first side wall 26 than to front wall 32, rear wall 30, or second side wall 28 of the housing 20. A bottom edge 88 of the receptacle 70 is disposed at a first distance 4 from a bottom edge 27 of the housing 20 as measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 of the housing as can be seen in FIG. 3.

[0055] In one or more embodiments, a region 80 of the receiving portion 44 of the cover film 40 can be sealed together to form a bottom wall 89 of the receptacle 70. Any suitable technique or combination of techniques can be utilized for form the bottom wall 89 of the receptacle 70, for example, heat sealing the region 89 of the receiving portion 44 to form a fin seal (not shown).

[0056] Further, in one or more embodiments, the inner surface 72 of the receptacle 70 can include a retaining element 83 that is adapted to at least partially retain the accessory 90 within the receptacle 70. In one or more embodiments, the retaining element 83 can include a textured region that can include an increased static coefficient of friction. The textured region can have any suitable coefficient of friction. In one or more embodiments, the retaining element can include an adhesive disposed on the inner surface 72 of the receptacle 70.

[0057] The receptacle 70 includes a height 6, and the housing 20 includes a height 8 as measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 as is shown in FIG. 3. The height 6 of the receptacle 70 is less than the height 8 of the housing 20.

[0058] The cover film 40 can be formed from any suitable blank or preform. For example, FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank 100 that can be utilized to form the cover film 40 of the container 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. The blank 100 includes fold or score lines 102 that can be utilized to fold the blank such that it covers one or more portions of the outer surface 21 of the housing 20. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the receiving portion 44 is a panel that extends from a second side edge 52 of the cover portion 42 of the cover film 40. The receiving portion 44 can extend from the second side edge 52 of the covering portion 42 in any suitable location along such edge. The receiving portion 44 also includes a tear region 93 that can be removed from the receiving portion when the tear tape 92 is torn and removed from the cover film 20.

[0059] FIG. 6 is another embodiment of a blank 104 that can be utilized to form a cover film 106 of a container. The cover film 106 includes a covering portion 108 and a receiving portion 110. All of the design considerations and possibilities regarding the cover film 20 of FIGS. 1-5 apply equally to the cover film 106 of FIG. 6. One difference between cover film 106 and cover film 40 is that the receiving portion 110 can have a height 114 that is the same as a height 112 of the covering portion 108.