CONTAINER WITH TOP CURVED BEVELLED EDGE

Abstract

A container (10) for consumer articles comprises a box portion (12) and a lid portion (14) connected to the box portion (12) along a hinge line (16) extending across a container back wall. The lid portion (14) is pivotable about the hinge line (16) between a closed position and an open position, and comprises a lid top wall (30), a lid back wall (28), and a lid back edge portion (34) connecting the lid top wall (30) and the lid back wall (28). The lid back edge portion (34) extends between an upper edge (36) of the lid back wall (28) and a back edge (38) of the lid top wall (30). Further, the upper edge (36) of the lid back wall (28) and the back edge (38) of the lid top wall (30) are curved, the upper edge (36) of the lid back wall (28) being convex towards a top of the container when the container (10) is in the upright position and the back edge (38) of the lid top wall (30) being convex towards a front of the container (10) when the container (10) is in the upright position and viewed from the top of the container (10).

Claims

1. A container for consumer articles, the container comprising: a box portion; and a lid portion connected to the box portion along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the container, the lid portion being pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an open position, and comprising a lid top wall, a lid back wall, and a lid back edge portion connecting the lid top wall and the lid back wall; wherein the lid back edge portion extends between an upper edge of the lid back wall and a back edge of the lid top wall; and wherein the upper edge of the lid back wall and the back edge of the lid top wall are curved, the upper edge of the lid back wall being convex towards a top of the container when the container is in the upright position and viewed from the back of the container, and the back edge of the lid top wall being convex towards a front of the container when the container is in the upright position and viewed from the top of the container.

2. The container according to claim 1 comprising a first line of weakness defining the upper edge of the lid back wall and a second line of weakness defining the back edge of the lid top wall, wherein at least one of the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness comprises an ablated line or a creasing line.

3. The container according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness is defined by a circular arc having constant curvature.

4. The container according to claim 3, wherein both the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness are defined by respective circular arcs, each circular arc having constant curvature.

5. The container according to claim 4, wherein the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness have the same radius of curvature or wherein the radius of curvature of the first line of weakness is greater than the radius of curvature of the second line of weakness.

6. The container according to claim 2, wherein a distance between a maximum of the first line of weakness and a maximum of the second line of weakness is at least about 1 millimetre.

7. The container according to claim 2, wherein a distance between a maximum of the first line of weakness and a maximum of the second line of weakness is less than about 15 millimetres.

8. The container according to claim 2, wherein a distance between a maximum of the first line of weakness and the box back wall is at least about 0.5 millimetres and a distance between the maximum of the first line of weakness and the lid front wall is at least about 2 millimetres.

9. The container according to claim 2, wherein a distance between a maximum of the second line of weakness and the box back wall is at least about 1 millimetre and a distance between the maximum of the second line of weakness and the lid front wall is at least about 1 millimetre.

10. The container according to claim 1, wherein the lid portion further comprises a lid front wall connected to the lid top wall by a first modified edge portion forming a bevelled or rounded edge portion of the container.

11. The container according to claim 1, wherein the box portion comprises a box front wall and the lid portion comprises a lid front wall such that, when the lid portion is in the closed position, the lid front wall overlies an upper portion of the box front wall.

12. The container according to claim 8 comprising at least a retention tab extending laterally and outwardly from the box front wall, the retention tab interacting with the lid portion of the container when the lid portion is moved between the open position and the closed position.

13. The container according to claim 9, wherein the lid portion comprises lid side walls extending between the lid front wall and the lid back wall; the lid portion further comprising at least a cut out in one of the lid side walls, the cut out interacting with the retention tab when the lid portion is moved between the open position and the closed position.

14. The container according to claim 1, the container comprising smoking articles.

15. A blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the blank comprising: a box-defining blank portion for forming a box portion of the container; a lid-defining blank portion for forming a lid portion of the container; wherein the box-defining blank portion comprises a back box wall panel for forming a back wall of the box portion and the lid-defining blank portion depends from the box-defining blank portion along a lid hinge line extending across the back box wall panel; wherein the lid-defining blank portion comprises: a top lid wall panel and a top back wall panel for forming a lid top wall and a lid back wall, respectively; a first line of weakness defining an upper edge of the lid back wall panel and a second line of weakness defining the back edge of the lid top wall panel, an edge-defining blank portion extending between the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness for forming a lid back edge portion that connects the lid top wall and the lid back wall in the assembled container; wherein the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness are both concave towards the box-defining blank portion.

Description

[0070] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings of the accompanying Figures, wherein:

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a container for consumer articles in accordance with the present invention;

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the container of FIG. 1; and

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a blank for forming a variant of a container in accordance with the present invention.

[0074] The container 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is essentially rectangular parallelepiped in shape and comprises a box portion 12 and a lid portion 14 connected to the box portion 12 along a hinge line 16 extending across the back wall of the container 10. The container 10 is formed from a single blank. The overall size and construction of the box 12 and lid 14 of the container 10 are substantially the same as that of a standard hinge lid cigarette pack. The box portion 12 comprises a box front wall 20, a box back wall 22, a box bottom wall, a box left side wall 24 and a box right side wall. The lid portion 14 comprises a lid front wall 26, a lid back wall 28, a lid top wall 30, a lid left side wall 32 and a lid right side wall. The lid portion 14 is pivotable about the hinge line 16 between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid portion 14 covers an access opening of the container 10 and the side walls of the hinge lid form extensions of the corresponding side walls of the box portion, whereas the lid front wall 26 partially overlaps the box front wall 20. In the open position (not shown), the lid portion 14 is pivoted to project backwardly from the box portion 12 and the access opening at the top end of the box portion 12 is fully uncovered.

[0075] Further, the lid portion 14 comprises a lid back edge portion 34 connecting the lid top wall 30 and the lid back wall 28. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lid back edge portion 34 extends between an upper edge 36 of the lid back wall 28 and a back edge 38 of the lid top wall 30. The upper edge 36 of the lid back wall 28 and the back edge 38 of the lid top wall are curved. The upper edge 36 of the lid back wall 28 is convex towards the lid portion 14 of the container, and the back edge 38 of the lid top wall 30 is convex towards a front of the container.

[0076] The upper edge 36 of the lid back wall 28 and the back edge 38 of the lid top wall 30 are defined by respective lines of weakness, which are formed by laser ablation on the inner surface of the blank from which the container 10 is formed.

[0077] The box portion 12 and lid portion 14 of a variant of a container according to the present invention may be formed together from the single laminar blank 300 shown in FIG. 3. The laminar blank 300 may be assembled and filled using standard apparatus. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the laminar 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] The lid blank portion 3002 comprises a front wall panel 314, a rear wall panel 318 and a top wall panel 320. Two side wall panels 316 extend from the front wall panel 314, two side wall panels 317 extend from the rear wall panel 318, 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 314 forms the container front wall, the rear wall panel 318 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 320 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. The lid dust flaps 319 are smaller than the top wall panel 320. When the container is formed, the lid dust flaps 319 lie inside the top wall panel 320. They provide additional structural support for the container (lid) top wall, but are not visible from the outside of the container.

[0080] Further, the lid blank portion 3002 comprises a first line of weakness 322 defining an upper edge of the lid back wall panel 318 and a second line of weakness 321 defining a back edge of the lid top wall panel 320. In addition, the lid blank portion 3002 comprises an edge-defining blank portion 324 extending between the first line of weakness 321 and the second line of weakness 322 for forming a lid back edge portion that, in the assembled container, connects the lid top wall and the lid back wall.

[0081] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, each one of the first line of weakness 321 and the second line of weakness 322 comprises an ablated line.

[0082] A cut line 315 is formed in the box blank portion 3001, such that the cut line 309 intersects a fold line along which one of the side wall panels 310 depends from the front wall panel 308. In the assembled container, the cut line 315 defines and a retention tab which extends outwardly from the box front wall such that, when the lid portion is moved between the open position and the closed position, the retention tab interacts with the lid portion.

[0083] Further, a cut out 325 is formed in the lid blank portion 3002, at a location such that, in the assembled container, the retention tab defined by the cut line 315 interacts with the cut out 325 when the lid portion is moved between the open position and the closed position. In particular, in the assembled container, the cut out defines a recess into which the retention tab may be partially received. Cooperation between the retention tab and the cut out helps retain the lid in the closed position and may be associated with the production of an audible indication of closing.

[0084] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the blank for forming a container in accordance with the present invention may comprise further scoring lines or ablated lines defining modified edge portions of the container, such as between the box bottom wall panel 309 and the box front wall panel 308 and box back wall panel 312, respectively. One more such modified edge portion is also provided in the embodiment of FIG. 3 between the lid top wall panel 320 and the lid front wall panel 314. By virtue of the score lines or ablated lines provided at such locations, when the blank 300 is folded to form a container, rounded edges are obtained. The provision of a rounded front top edge of the lid contributes, in connection with the lid back edge portion, to give a particularly ergonomic shape to containers in accordance with the present invention.