IMPROVED CONTAINER WITH NON-SQUARED EDGES

Abstract

There is provided a container for consumer articles, the container being at least partially formed from a blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises a first planar wall; a second planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a first edge portion; and a third planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a second edge portion. The longitudinal direction of the first edge portion is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion. The first edge portion and the second edge portion form, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction. Each of the first and the second edge portions have an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the first and second edge portions define a first ablation area (A1) and a second ablation area (A2), respectively. Each ablation area (A1, A2) comprises one or more ablated zones with a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion and a respective width extending transversely to the length. At least one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion. The end portion tapers from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).

Claims

1. A container for consumer articles, the container being at least partially formed from a laminar blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises: a first planar wall; a second planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a first edge portion; and a third planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a second edge portion; the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion; the first edge portion and the second edge portion forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction; wherein each of the first and the second edge portions have an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the first and second edge portions define a first ablation area (A1) and a second ablation area (A2), respectively; wherein each ablation area (A1, A2) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank, and each ablation area (A1, A2) has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion and a respective width that extends transversely to the length; wherein at least one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion, the end portion tapering from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein both the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprise a respective first portion and a respective end portion extending from the respective first portion and tapering from a width of the respective first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein each ablation area comprises a first ablated zone and a second ablated zone extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion within the first portion of the ablation area; and wherein each of the first and second ablated zones is arranged proximate to a respective one of the first planar wall and the first or second planar wall.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first ablation area (A1) and the second ablation area (A2) comprises a plurality of ablated zones, all the ablated zones extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion within the first portion of the ablation area.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein at least one ablated zone extends in the longitudinal direction of the modified edge portion over at least part of the tapering end portion of the first ablation area (A1) or the second ablation area (A2).

6. A container according to claim 3, wherein at least one ablated zone comprises a slanted section extending, over part of the tapering end portion of the ablation area, along a direction forming a non null angle with the longitudinal direction of the modified edge portion.

7. A container according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first ablation area (A1) and the second ablation area (A2) comprises a first pair of ablated zones extending in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion over at least part of the tapering end portion of the ablation area; and a second pair of ablated zones comprising respective slanted sections forming a non null angle with the first pair of ablated zones; wherein the ablated zones in the second pair of ablated zones are symmetrical with respect to the ablated zones in the first pair of ablated zones.

8. A container according to claim 1, wherein each of the ablated zones has a residual thickness of less than about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

9. A container according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more ablated zones has a residual thickness of at least about 5 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

10. A container according to claim 1 wherein the first ablation area (A1) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion and tapering from a width of the first portion to a point at the junction with the second ablation area (A2), and wherein the second ablation area (A2) comprises a plurality of ablated zones extending in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion over the whole length of the second ablation area (A2).

11. A container according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a third edge portion, the longitudinal direction of the third edge portion being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion and substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion, such that, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, the first edge portion and the third edge portion form adjacent edges of the container meeting at a second junction; wherein the third edge portion has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the third edge portion defining a third ablation area (A3) with a length in the longitudinal direction of the third edge portion and a width that extends transversely to said length; and wherein the third ablation area (A3) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and the first ablation area (A1) comprises a first portion and two opposite end portions extending from the first portion, each end portion tapering from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with a respective one of the second and third ablation areas (A2, A3).

12. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container has a spring-back force of less than about 10 milliNewton metres between the first planar wall and at least one of the first or second planar walls.

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

14. A laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the laminar blank having a thickness (T) and comprising: a first wall panel for forming a first planar wall of the container; a second panel connected to the first wall panel by a first edge portion for forming a second planar wall of the container; and a third wall panel connected to the first planar wall by a second edge portion for forming a third planar wall of the container; the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion being transversal to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion; the first edge portion and the second edge portion forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction; wherein the first and the second edge portions have an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the first and second edge portions define a first ablation area (A1) and a second ablation area (A2), respectively; wherein each ablation area (A1, A2) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank, and each ablation area (A1, A2) has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion and a respective width that extends transversely to the length; wherein at least one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion and tapering from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).

15. A laminar blank according to claim 14, wherein both the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprise a respective first portion and a respective end portion extending from the respective first portion and tapering from a width of the respective first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).

Description

[0061] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0062] FIG. 1 depicts a sample portion of a laminar blank for use in determining the spring-back force of the blank;

[0063] FIG. 2 depicts an apparatus for determining the spring-back force of a blank;

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a detail of a first embodiment of a laminar blank for the manufacture of a container in accordance with the present invention; and

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of a detail of a second embodiment of a laminar blank for the manufacture of a container in accordance with the present invention.

[0066] FIG. 3 depicts the surface of a cardboard laminar blank 100, which has a thickness (T) of about 300 micrometres. It comprises a first wall panel 101 for forming a first planar wall of a container, a second wall panel 102 for forming a second planar wall of the container, and a third wall panel 103 for forming a third planar wall of the container. A first edge portion 104 connects the first wall panel 101 and the second wall panel 102. A second edge portion 105 connects the first wall panel 101 and the third wall panel 103. The longitudinal direction of the first edge portion 104 is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion 105. When the container is assembled from the blank, the first edge portion 104 and the second edge portion 105 form adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction.

[0067] The surfaces of the first and the second edge portions 104, 105 define a first ablation area A1 and a second ablation area A2, respectively. As shall be explained in more detail below, each ablation area A1, A2 comprises a plurality of ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. The ablated zones define areas of weakness, such that the blank 100 can be easily bent when assembling the container and rounded corners of the container can be formed. Each of the ablated zones has a residual thickness of about 20 percent of the thickness T of the blank. The ablated zones are formed in the blank 100 by laser ablation.

[0068] Each ablation area A1, A2 has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion 104, 105 and a respective width that extends transversely to the length.

[0069] The first ablation area A1 comprises a first portion 106 and an end portion 107 extending from the first portion 106 and tapering from a width of the first portion 106 to a point at the junction with the second ablation area A2.

[0070] The first ablation area A1 comprises a first ablated zone 201 and a second ablated zone 202 which extend in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion 104 within the first portion 106 of the ablation area A1. The first and the second ablated zones 201 and 202 taper over the end portion 107 to end at the junction point with the second ablation area A2.

[0071] The first ablated zone 201 is arranged proximate to the first wall panel 101 and the second ablated zone 202 is arranged proximate to the second wall panel 102. Further, the first ablation area A1 comprises 4 ablated zones 203, 204, 205, 206 that extend in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion 104 within the first portion 106 of the ablation area.

[0072] The pair of ablated zones formed by the ablated zones 204 and 205 extends in the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion 104 further into part of the tapering end portion 107 of the first ablation area A1. In contrast, the pair of ablated zones 203 and 206 comprises respective slanted sections 2031 and 2061 forming an angle of about 10 degrees with the ablated zones 204 and 205. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the ablated zones 203 and 206 are symmetrical with respect to the pair formed by the ablated zones 204 and 205.

[0073] The second ablation area A2 comprises a plurality of ablated zones 300 extending in the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion 105 over the whole length of the second ablation area A2. Thus, a corner portion of the first planar wall panel 101 is delimited by the substantially straight ablated zone 300 of the second ablation area A2 and by the tapered portion of ablated 201 zone of the first ablation area A1.

[0074] FIG. 4 depicts the surface of another cardboard laminar blank 400. The cardboard laminar blank 400 will be described below only insofar as it differs from the cardboard laminar blank 100 and parts of the blank 400 having the same features and function of corresponding parts of the laminar blank 100 are referred to, wherever possible by the same numerals.

[0075] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the blank 400 differs from the blank 100 because the second ablation area A2 also comprises a first portion 406 and an end portion 407 extending from the first portion 406 and tapering from a width of the first portion 406 to a point at the junction with the first ablation area A1. The mutual arrangement of the ablated zones 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506 within the second ablation area A2 corresponds to the mutual arrangement of the ablated zones 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206 within the first ablation area A1 as described above.

[0076] Thus, in the blank 400 a corner portion of the first planar wall panel 101 is delimited by the tapered portion of ablated zone 501 of the second ablation area A2 and by the tapered portion of ablated 201 zone of the first ablation area A1.