CONTAINER WITH IMPROVED OPENING

Abstract

A container (100) for consumer articles, the container (100) comprising a box (20) comprising a box front wall (22), a box back wall, a box bottom wall, and first and second box side walls (24a, 24b); and a lid (40) comprising a lid front wall (42), a lid back wall, a lid top wall (46), and first and second lid side walls (44a, 44b). A lower edge of the lid back wall depends along a hinge line from a top edge of the box back wall, with the lid being moveable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position, in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the first lid side wall (44a) abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the first box side wall (24a), and in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the lid front wall (22) abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the box front wall (42). The first box side wall (24a) is connected to the box front wall (22) by a first box edge portion (25), and the first lid side wall (44a) is connected to the lid front wall (42) by a first lid edge portion (45). The shape of the first lid edge portion (45) is different from the shape of the first box edge portion (25), such that, when the lid (40) is in the closed position, the lower edge (47) of the first lid edge portion (45) is disposed beyond the upper edge (27) of the first box edge portion (25) in a transverse direction of the container (100).

Claims

1. A container for consumer articles, the container comprising: a box comprising a box front wall, a box back wall, a box bottom wall, and first and second box side walls; and a lid comprising a lid front wall, a lid back wall, a lid top wall, and first and second lid side walls; wherein, a lower edge of the lid back wall depends along a hinge line from a top edge of the box back wall, with the lid being moveable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position, in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the first lid side wall abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the first box side wall, and in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the lid front wall abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the box front wall; wherein the first box side wall is connected to the box front wall by a first box edge portion, and the first lid side wall is connected to the lid front wall by a first lid edge portion; and wherein the shape of the first lid edge portion is different from the shape of the first box edge portion, such that, when the lid is in the closed position, the lower edge of the first lid edge portion is disposed beyond the upper edge of the first box edge portion in a transverse direction of the container; and wherein the first box edge portion comprises a substantially triangular shape, wherein one side of the substantially triangular shape forms the upper edge of the first box edge portion.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first box edge portion comprises a bevelled or curved shape.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the width and length of the box bottom wall is substantially the same as the width and length of the lid top wall.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the maximum length and width of the container are substantially the same as the width and length of the box bottom wall and the width and length of the lid top wall.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge of the first box edge portion has a length of at least two times the length of the lower edge of the first lid edge portion.

6. A container according to claim 1, wherein the box and lid are at least partially formed from a folded laminar blank, and wherein shape of the first lid edge portion and the shape of the first box edge portion are each defined by one or more respective lines of weakness in the laminar blank.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first lid edge portion is defined by a single line of weakness extending in a longitudinal direction of the container between the first lid side wall and the lid front wall.

8. A container according to claim 6, wherein the first box edge portion comprises an upper section defined by two lines of weakness extending from the upper edge of the first box edge portion towards the box bottom wall and tapering towards one another, and a lower section defined by one or more lines of weakness extending from the lower end of the upper section towards the box bottom wall.

9. A container according to claim 6, wherein the one or more lines of weakness are defined by one or more ablated lines on the inner surface of the laminar blank.

10. A container according to claim 9, wherein the laminar blank has a thickness (T) and each ablated line has a minimum residual thickness (RT) of from about 15 percent to about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the blank.

11. A container according to claim 9, wherein each ablated line has an ablated width (X) of from about 0.1 millimetres to about 0.5 millimetres, as measured transversely to the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion.

12. A container according to claim 1, wherein when the lid is in the closed position, the lower edge of the first lid edge portion is disposed beyond the upper edge of the first box edge portion by a distance of at least about 1 mm in the transverse direction of the container.

13. A container according to claim 1 containing smoking articles.

14. A laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the laminar blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises: a box comprising a box front wall, a box back wall, a box bottom wall, and first and second box side walls; and a lid comprising a lid front wall, a lid back wall, a lid top wall, and first and second lid side walls; wherein, a lower edge of the lid back wall depends along a hinge line from a top edge of the box back wall, with the lid being moveable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position, in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the first lid side wall abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the first box side wall, and at least a portion of the lower edge of the lid front wall abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the box front wall; wherein the first box side wall is connected to the box front wall by a first box edge portion, and the first lid side wall is connected to the lid front wall by a first lid edge portion; and wherein the shape of the first lid edge portion is different from the shape of the first box edge portion, such that, when the lid is in the closed position, the lower edge of the first lid edge portion is disposed beyond the upper edge of the first box edge portion in a transverse direction of the container; and wherein the first box edge portion comprises a substantially triangular shape, wherein one side of the substantially triangular shape forms the upper edge of the first box edge portion.

Description

[0065] The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which:

[0066] FIG. 1 is a side view of a container for consumer goods, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, shown in an open configuration;

[0067] FIG. 2 is a side view of a container for consumer goods, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, shown in a closed configuration;

[0068] FIG. 3 is an overhead view of an unfolded laminar blank for forming a similar container to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a container 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The container 100 contains a wrapped bundle of consumer goods 60, such as a bundle of cigarettes. The container is formed from a folded laminar blank and has a lid portion 40 and a box portion 20. The lid portion has a first lid side wall 44a, a second lid side wall 44b, and a lid top wall 46. The lid portion also has a lid front wall 42 and a lid back wall (not shown in FIG. 1). The box portion 20 has a box front wall 22, and a first box side wall 24a. The box portion 20 also has a box bottom wall, a box back wall and a second box side wall (not shown in FIG. 1). The lid 40 depends along a hinge line (not shown in FIG. 1) from a top edge of the box back wall, and is movable about the hinge line between an open position (as shown in FIG. 1) and a closed position. An inner frame 50 is attached to the inside of the box 20 and includes a first inner frame side wall (54a), a second inner frame side wall (not shown in FIG. 1), and an inner frame front wall 52.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 1, the first box side wall 24a is connected to the box front wall by a first box edge portion 25. The first lid side wall 44a is connected to the lid front wall 42 by a first lid edge portion 45.

[0071] The first box edge portion 25 has a triangular shape, with one side of the triangular shape forming the upper edge 27 of the first box edge portion 25. As will be seen more clearly in FIG. 2, the first lid edge portion 45 is defined by a single line of weakness extending in the longitudinal direction of the container between the first lid side wall 44a and the lid front wall 42. This effectively, results in the lower edge 47 of the of the first lid edge portion 45 forming a single point in the container, that defines a right-angle turning point between the first lid side wall 44a and the lid front wall 42.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows the container of FIG. 1 with the lid 40 now moved to the closed position. In this position, at least a portion of the lower edge of the first lid side wall 44a abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the first box side wall 24a, and at least a portion of the lower edge of the lid front wall 42 abuts at least a portion of the upper edge of the box front wall 22.

[0073] As is clear from FIG. 2, the shape of the first lid edge portion 45 and the shape of the first box edge portion 25 are such that, in the closed position of FIG. 2, the lower edge 47 of the first lid edge portion 45 is disposed beyond the upper edge 27 of the first box edge portion 45 in a transverse direction of the container. Consequently, an overhang is created between the lid 40 and the box 20 about the first lid edge portion 45 and the first box edge portion 25. A consumer can therefore place their finger on the triangular surface of the first box edge portion 25 and under the overhanging portion of the lid 40 that is defined by the first lid edge portion 45 and simply push directly upwards on the lid 40, to thereby pivot it about the hinge line into an open position, such as that shown in FIG. 1. The box bottom wall and the lid top wall 46 have substantially the same width and length as one another, and this corresponds to the maximum width and length of the container 100. Consequently, the introduction of a gap or overhang at the first lid edge portion 45 and the first box edge portion 25 does not affect the maximum width or length of the container 100.

[0074] FIG. 3 shows a laminar blank 101 for forming a container similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Solid line represent cut lines, and dashed lines of weakness that have been formed by ablated lines on the inner surface of the blank 101, along which the laminar blank 101 is folded or deformed to form the container 100.

[0075] The laminar blank 101 comprises a box bottom panel 152, a box front panel 154 depending along an ablated line 156 from the box bottom panel 152, and a box rear panel 158 depending along an ablated line 160 from the box bottom panel 152. Inner box side panels 162 depend along ablated lines 164 from the box rear panel 158 and outer box side panels 166a, 166b depend along ablated lines 168b from the box front panel 154 respectively. Two box dust flaps 170 depend along ablated lines 172 from the first box side panels 162. When the laminar blank 101 is folded to form the container 10, the box bottom panel 152 in combination with the box dust flaps 170 forms the container bottom wall.

[0076] The laminar blank 101 further comprises a lid rear panel 174 depending along an ablated line 176 from the box rear panel 158, a lid top panel 142 depending along an ablated line 178 from the lid rear panel 174, and a lid front panel 180 depending along an ablated line 182 from the lid top panel 142. A lid front under panel 184 depends along an ablated line 186 from the lid front panel 180. The laminar blank 100 also comprises first lid side flaps 188 depending along ablated lines 190 from the lid rear panel 174, first and second dust flaps 138, 140 depending along ablated lines 194 from the respective first lid side flaps 188, and second lid side flaps 196 depending along ablated lines 198 from the lid front panel 180. When the laminar blank 100 is folded to form the container 10, the lid top panel 142 in combination with the first and second dust flaps 138, 140 forms the container top wall. Each first box side panel 162 in combination with the respective second box side panel 166, first lid side flap 188 and second lid side flap 196 forms the respective container side wall. The box rear panel 158 and the lid rear panel 174 together form the box rear wall. The box front panel 154 in combination with the lid front panel 180 and the lid front under panel 184 forms the container front wall.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 3, the ablation area 168a separating the box front panel 154 from the first inner box side wall 166 comprises an upper section defined by two ablated lines that extend from the upper edge of the first box edge portion 125, and a lower section defined by a single ablated line that extends from the lower end of the upper section towards the box bottom panel 152.