CONTAINER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CUT EDGES

Abstract

A container for consumer articles is at least partially formed from a blank having a thickness (T), a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least a portion of the blank is delimited by a plurality of cut edges that extend from the first surface of the blank to the second surface of the blank. At least one of the cut edges has a cut edge surface that extends along a plane (A) forming a non null angle () with a plane (O) that is orthogonal to the inner surface and the outer surface of the blank portion, the first and the second plane (A, O) belonging to a same sheaf of planes, wherein the axis of the sheaf of planes extends along the plane defined by the first surface of the blank, such that, at the at least one cut edge, the second surface of the blank portion extends beyond the periphery of the first surface of the blank portion.

Claims

1. A container for consumer articles, the container being formed from a cellulose-fibre-based laminar blank by folding the blank into the desired shape, the blank having a thickness (T), a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least a planar portion of the blank is delimited by a plurality of cut edges that extend from the first surface of the blank to the second surface of the blank; wherein at least one of the cut edges defines a segment of the periphery of a blank panel for forming a wall of the container or a segment of a cut out portion in a wall of the assembled container, the at least one cut edge being formed by cutting the blank with a laser beam and having a partially exposed cut edge surface that extends between the first surface and the second surface along a first plane (A) forming a non null angle () with a second plane (O) that is orthogonal to the first surface and the second surface of the blank portion, the first and the second plane (A, O) belonging to a same sheaf of planes, wherein the axis of the sheaf of planes extends along the plane defined by the first surface of the blank, such that, at the at least one cut edge, the second surface of the blank portion extends beyond the periphery of the first surface of the blank portion.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the blank portion is the inner surface of the blank portion and the second surface of the blank portion is the outer surface of the blank portion.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the blank portion is the outer surface of the blank portion and the second surface of the blank portion is the inner surface of the blank portion.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the angle () is at least about 10 degrees.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the angle () is less than about 60 degrees.

6. A container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cut edge defines a segment of the periphery of a wall of the container.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cut edge defines a segment of a cut out portion in a wall of the container.

8. A container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cut edge extends along a straight line, a curved line or a combination thereof.

9. A container according to claim 1, wherein the thickness (T) of the blank is at least about 200 micrometres.

10. A container according to claim 1, containing a plurality of smoking articles.

11. A blank for forming a container for consumer articles by folding the blank into the desired shape, the blank being formed from cardboard or paperboard and having a thickness (T) and at least a planar portion of the blank delimited by a plurality of cut edges, wherein the blank portion has a first surface and a second surface; wherein at least one of the cut edges in the plurality of cut edges defines a segment of the periphery of a blank panel for forming a wall of the container or a segment of a cut out portion in a blank panel for forming a wall of the container, is formed by cutting the blank with a laser beam, and has a cut edge surface that lies in a plane (A) forming a non null angle () with a plane (O) that is orthogonal to the first surface and the second surface of the blank portion, the first and the second plane (A, O) belonging to a same sheaf of planes, wherein the axis of the sheaf of planes extends along the plane defined by the first surface of the blank, such that, at the at least one cut edge, the second surface of the blank portion extends beyond the periphery of the first surface of the blank portion.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A blank according to claim 11, wherein the angle () is from about 10 degrees to about 60 degrees.

Description

[0054] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying FIG. 1, which depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of an edge portion of a blank in accordance with the present invention.

[0055] FIG. 1 illustrates a cutting operation in the manufacturing of a blank 10 for forming a container for consumer articles in accordance with the present invention. The blank 10 is formed from a laminar cardboard with a weight of between about 100 grams per square metre and about 350 grams per square metre and a thickness T of 200 micrometres. The blank 10 has an inner surface 12 and an outer surface 14.

[0056] A cut edge 16 of a portion of the blank 10 is formed by cutting through the laminar board with a laser beam 18 directed against the inner surface 12 of the blank 10 along a direction D forming an angle of about 30 degrees with a direction O orthogonal to the inner surface 12 and the outer surface 14 of the portion of the blank 10. Thus, at the cut edge 16 the outer surface 14 of the blank portion extends beyond the periphery of the inner surface 12 of the blank portion. By way of example, the cut edge 16 may become arranged at a peripheral edge of the assembled container, or it may at least partly delimit a cut out in a wall of the assembled container.

[0057] When a container is assembled from the blank 10, the blank is folded into the desired shape with the surface of the cut edge 16 arranged such as to face at least partially away from the consumer's gaze. Because the outer surface 14, which extends beyond the periphery of the inner surface 12, is directly exposed to the consumer, any local defect potentially caused by the laser on the surface of the cut edge 16, such as the partial deterioration of the blank material, is not visible from the outside. In practice, the surface of the cut edge 16 is hidden from sight by the outer surface 14. Accordingly, the consumer is advantageously presented with a blank surface that is substantially undamaged and unaltered.