Abstract
This patent disclosure relates to a snus container (1), comprising: a body (11) defining a first compartment (110); a first lid (12) pivotably coupled to the body (11) to be able to pivot about a first pivot axis (PI) to and from a closing position in which the first lid (12) closes the first compartment (110), the first lid (12) defining a second compartment (120) separated from the first compartment (110), and a second lid (13) pivotably coupled to the first lid (12) to be able to pivot about a second pivot axis (P2) to and from a closing position in which the second lid (13) closes the second compartment (120). A method (S0) of manufacturing said snus container (1) and a mould (100) to be used in said method (S0) are disclosed also.
Claims
1. A snus container, comprising: a body defining a first compartment; a first lid pivotably coupled to the body to be able to pivot about a first pivot axis to and from a closing position in which the first lid closes the first compartment, the first lid defining a second compartment separated from the first compartment, and a second lid pivotably coupled to the first lid to be able to pivot about a second pivot axis to and from a closing position in which the second lid closes the second compartment, wherein the snus container is a single continuous part.
2. The snus container according to claim 1, wherein the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are parallel.
3. The snus container according to claim 1, wherein the first lid is pivotably coupled to the body by means of a first pivot coupling, and the second lid is pivotably coupled to the first lid by means of a second pivot coupling, wherein the first and/or the second pivot coupling is/are located along an outwardly facing side edge of the first lid.
4. The snus container according to claim 3, wherein the first and second pivot couplings are located on opposite sides of the outwardly facing side edge of the first lid.
5. The snus container according to claim 3, wherein the first and/or second pivot coupling is a bendable strip.
6. The snus container according to claim 1, wherein the first lid and/or the second lid is provided with a latching mechanism for maintaining said lid or lids in the respective closed position in a latching manner.
7. A method of manufacturing the snus container according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: providing a mould defining a plurality of mould cavities corresponding to the shapes of the body, first lid and second lid of the snus container; injecting a material into the plurality of mold cavities, and once solidified, ejecting the snus container from the mould.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the snus container is formed as a single continuous part.
9. A mould defining a plurality of mould cavities corresponding to the shapes of the body, first lid and second lid of the snus container according to claim 1.
10. The snus container according to claim 1, wherein the snus container is a single continuous part made from a plastic or polymer material.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the snus container is a single continuous part made from a plastic or polymer material.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0027] FIGS. 2a, 2b show perspective views of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention when in an unfolded state;
[0028] FIGS. 3a, 3b show a top view and a bottom view of the snus container according to one embodiment of the invention when in an unfolded state;
[0029] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of the snus container according to one embodiment of the invention when in an unfolded state;
[0030] FIGS. 4b, 4c show zoomed in views of the pivot couplings of the snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0031] FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the snus container according to one embodiment of the invention when in a folded state;
[0032] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0033] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of a mould used during the method of manufacturing a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0034] The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The snus container 1 comprises a body 11 defining a first compartment 110. The snus container 1 further comprises a first lid 12. The first lid is pivotably coupled to the body 11 to be able to pivot about a first pivot axis P1 to and from a closing position in which the first lid 12 closes the first compartment 110. In FIG. 1, the first lid 12 is in the closed position, thereby closing the first compartment 110 defined by the body 11. The first lid 12 also defines a second compartment 120 separated from the first compartment 110. The snus container 1 further comprises a second lid 13 pivotably coupled to the first lid 12 to be able to pivot about a second pivot axis P2 to and from a closing position in which the second lid 13 closes the second compartment 120. In FIG. 1, the second lid 13 is in the closed position, thereby closing the second compartment 120.
[0036] As further shown in FIG. 1, the snus container 1 is substantially cylindrical in shape similar to the conventional design of current snus containers. Both the first lid 12 and the second lid 13 is adapted with a circular shape. Moreover, the top edge and bottom edge of the snus container are slightly curved. Such a design without any sharp edges makes it more comfortable to hold and carry around in a pocket of clothing. The snus container 1 is however not limited to such design and may be provided in alternative shapes as necessary.
[0037] FIGS. 2a, 2b show perspective views of a snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention when in an unfolded state. Unfolded state refers to the state when the body 11, the first lid 12, and the second lid 13 are aligned along a plane. Fully folded state refers to the state when both the first lid 12 and the second lid 13 are each in their respective closed position, i.e. the state shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, FIGS. 3a, 3b show a top view and a bottom view of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention when in said unfolded state.
[0038] As stated, the first lid 12 is pivotably coupled to the body 11 to be able to pivot about the first pivot axis P1 to and from a closing position in which the first lid 12 closes the first compartment 110. The second lid 13 is pivotably coupled to the first lid 12 to be able to pivot about the second pivot axis P2 to and from a closing position in which the second lid 13 closes the second compartment 120. In one embodiment, the snus container 1 is a single continuous part, preferably made from a plastic or polymer material. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first pivot axis P1 and the second pivot axis P2 are parallel.
[0039] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention when in an unfolded state. FIGS. 4b, 4c show zoomed in views of the pivot couplings 1112, 1213 of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The first lid 12 is pivotably coupled to the body 11 by means of a first pivot coupling 1112. The second lid 13 is pivotably coupled to the first lid 12 by means of a second pivot coupling 1213. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4a, both the first pivot coupling 1112 and the second pivot coupling 1213 are located along an outwardly facing side edge 123 of the first lid 12. Moreover, both the first and second pivot coupling 1112, 1213 are bendable strips. The bendable strips continuously extend from the body 11 to the first lid 12, and from the first lid 12 to the second lid 13 respectively. In order to facilitate bending of the bendable strips, predetermined cuts and/or folding lines may be provided.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention when in a folded state. As shown, when the snus container 1 is in the fully folded state, the first compartment 110 and the second compartment 120 are arranged next to each other or on top of each other but separated from one another by the first lid 12. Thus, unused snus portions and used snus portions may be stored in the same snus container without coming in contact with each other. Both the first compartment 110 and the second compartment 120 have substantially cylindrical shapes. The first compartment 110 has a larger diameter than the second compartment 120. The first compartment 110 also has height larger than the second compartment 120 as measured from a center of the bottom of each compartment in a vertical direction to the respective lid covering said compartment. The height ratio of the height of the first compartment 110 to the height of the second compartment 120 may be about 1-4. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, the height ratio is about 3.25. The larger compartment of the first compartment 110 and the second compartment 120 may be intended for storing unused snus portions. The smaller compartment of the first compartment 110 and the second compartment 120 may be intended for storing used snus portions. A smaller compartment may be preferred for storing used snus portions as a user only needs to store used snus temporarily, thus only a smaller space is needed.
[0041] Moreover, the first lid 12 and the second lid 13 are provided with a latching mechanism 111, 121 for maintaining said lids in the respective closed position in a latching manner. The latching mechanisms may be provided by a protrusion adapted to engage with a recess. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the first lid 12 comprises one such recess extending in a circumferential direction along a side surface facing towards a center of the first lid 12. The side surface facing towards the center of the first lid 12 is arranged on the opposite side of the outwardly facing side surface of the first lid 12. The body 11 comprises a protrusion extending in a circumferential direction along a side surface facing outwardly from a center of the body 11. Said recess of the first lid 12 is adapted to receive said protrusion of the body 11 and together form the first latching mechanism 111. As an alternative, the body 11 may be provided with a recess and the first lid 12 may be provided with a protrusion which together form the first latching mechanism.
[0042] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the first lid 12 comprises a recess extending in a circumferential direction along an inner wall of the second compartment 120. The second lid 13 comprises a protrusion extending in a circumferential direction along a side surface of a wall member of the second lid 13 adapted to be received in the second compartment 120 when the second lid 13 is in the closed position. The protrusion faces away from a center of the second lid 13. Said recess of the first lid 12 is adapted to receive said protrusion of the second lid 13 and together form the second latching mechanism 121. As an alternative, the first lid 12 may be provided with the protrusion and the second lid 13 may be provided with the recess.
[0043] Moreover, in order to facilitate opening the first lid 12, the body 11 may be designed with an indentation such that a side edge of the first lid 12 may be accessed. Likewise, in order to facilitate opening the second lid 13, the body 11 and/or first lid 12 may be designed with an indentation such that a tab 131 may be accessed.
[0044] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a method S0 of manufacturing a snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The method S0 comprises the steps of providing S1 a mould 100 defining a plurality of mould cavities 1021, 1022, 1023 corresponding to the shapes of the body 11, the first lid 12 and second lid 13 of the snus container 1; injecting a material into the plurality of mold cavities 1021, 1022, 1023, and once solidified, ejecting the snus container 1 from the mould 100. The snus container 1 is formed as a single continuous part, preferably made from a plastic or polymer material.
[0045] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of a mould 100 used during the method S0 of manufacturing a snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The mould 100 comprises an upper mould part 101 and a lower mould part 102. The lower mould part 102 is adapted in shape and size to define a plurality of recesses 1021, 1022, 1023 adapted to receive protrusions 1011, 1012, 1013 respectively of the upper mould part 101 when the upper mould part 101 and the lower mould part 102 are pressed together. The recesses and protrusions together define mould cavities corresponding to the body 11, first lid 12, and second lid 13 of the snus container 1. A nozzle 1014 guides material into the mould cavities. Once the snus container 1 has solidified, the snus container 1 is ejected by ejection pins 1024. Preferably, the material used is a plastic or polymer material.
[0046] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.
