Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a snus container provided with a locking arrangement comprising a first latch member and a second latch member, wherein a first lid is adapted to be rotatable relative a body about a rotational axis between a first closed position where the first latch member and the second latch member are latched together to axially fix the first lid to the body, and an unlocked position where the first lid is axially displaced relative its first closed position, wherein the locking arrangement is adapted to counteract rotation of the first lid from the first closed position towards the unlocked position until the first lid is rotated to a position where the first latch member is forced to axially dislodge from the second latch member, thereby allowing the first lid to freely rotate to the unlocked position and be releasable from the body. A method for releasing a first lid from a body of a snus container is also disclosed.
Claims
1. A snus container, comprising: a body defining a first compartment; a first lid adapted to be releasably attached to the body to close the first compartment; the snus container further comprising a locking arrangement comprising a first latch member and a second latch member, wherein the first latch member is arranged to a lid side portion of the first lid and the second latch member is arranged to a body side portion of the body, wherein the first lid is adapted to be rotatable relative the body about a rotational axis between a first closed position where the first latch member and the second latch member are latched together to axially fix the first lid to the body, and an unlocked position where the first lid is axially displaced relative its first closed position, wherein the locking arrangement is adapted to counteract rotation of the first lid from the first closed position towards the unlocked position until the first lid is rotated to a position where the first latch member is forced to axially dislodge from the second latch member, thereby allowing the first lid to freely rotate to the unlocked position and be releasable from the body, and wherein one of the body and the first lid comprises a gripping space edge adapted in shape and size to form a gripping space between the gripping space edge and a surface of the other of the body and the first lid, wherein said gripping space edge is in a position to prevent access to said gripping space when the first lid is in the first closed position and in a position to allow access to said gripping space when the first lid is in the unlocked position.
2. Snus container according to claim 1, wherein one of the body and the first lid comprises an engagement element adapted to engage with at least one sloping edge portion provided by the other of the body and the first lid so that when the first lid rotates relative the body from the first closed position to the unlocked position, the engagement element slides along said at least one sloping edge portion, thereby forcing the first lid to displace relative its first closed position so that the first latch member axially dislodges from the second latch member.
3. Snus container according to claim 2, comprising at least one pair of sloping edge portions arranged proximate to each other to form a respective ridge, wherein one ridge preferably comprises a plateau arranged between the sloping edge portions of said ridge.
4. Snus container according to claim 1, wherein one of the body and the first lid is made of a first material, and the other of the body and the first lid is made of a second material different from the first material.
5. Snus container according to claim 1, wherein one of the first latch member and the second latch member is a protrusion and the other of the first latch member and the second latch member is a recess adapted in shape and size to receive said protrusion.
6. Snus container according to claim 5, the locking arrangement is adapted to provide a first interface between the first latch element and the second latch element which is acutely angled relative a rotational plane of the snus container 1.
7. Snus container according to claim 1, wherein the first lid defines a second compartment, wherein the snus container further comprises a second lid adapted to be releasably attached to the first lid to close the second compartment.
8. A mould is adapted in shape and size to define a plurality of cavities corresponding to at least the body and the first lid of the snus container according to claim 1.
9. A method for releasing a first lid from a body of a snus container, the method comprising the steps of: rotate the first lid relative the body from a first closed position, engaging an engagement element with a sloping edge portion, disengaging a first latch member from a second latch member, wherein the body comprises the first latch member and the first lid comprises the second latch member, rotate the first lid relative the body into an unlocked position.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the body comprises the sloping edge portion and the first lid comprises the engagement element.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of engaging the engagement element with the sloping edge portion comprises sliding the engagement element onto the sloping edge portion.
12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sloping edge portion is a portion of a ridge.
13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of disengaging the first latch member and the second latch member comprises that the first latch member and the second latch member are axially dislodged from each other.
14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of rotating the first lid relative the body into the unlocked position comprises sliding the engagement element onto a plateau of the ridge.
15. The method according to claim 9, wherein a step precedes the step of rotating, the step comprises: rotate the first lid relative the body from a second closed position into the first closed position, wherein the first lid remains axially fixed to the body.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:
[0045] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0046] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0047] FIG. 3 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0048] FIGS. 4A-4C show cross-sectional views of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention when the first lid is in the respective first and second closed position and the unlocked position;
[0049] FIGS. 5A-5B show perspective views of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention where a portion of the first lid has been omitted from view to more clearly illustrate the snus container when the first lid is moved from the second closed position to the unlocked position;
[0050] FIGS. 6A-6B show a perspective view and a bottom view of the first lid of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0051] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a body of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0052] FIG. 8A shows a perspective view of a first lid of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0053] FIG. 8B shows a perspective view of a body of a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0054] FIG. 9A-9B show a respective flow chart of a method for releasing a first lid from a body of a snus container and of a method of manufacturing a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0055] FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional side view of a mould used during the method of manufacturing a snus container according to one embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0056] 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.
[0057] A general embodiment of the snus container will now be discussed. Although the general embodiment is discussed in reference to FIGS. 1-7, features shown to be comprised in the preferred embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 but not discussed in the following may be optional. In the general embodiment, the snus container 1 may comprise a body 11 defining a first compartment 110. The snus container 1 may comprise a first lid 12 adapted to be releasably attached to the body 11 to close the first compartment 110. The snus container 1 may comprise a locking arrangement 112, 122 for locking the first lid 12 to the body 11. The locking arrangement 112, 122 may comprise a first latch member 122 and a second latch member 112. The first latch member 122 may be arranged to the first lid 12. The first latch member 122 may be arranged to a lid side portion 121 of the first lid 12. The second latch member 112 may be arranged to the body 11. The second latch member 122 may be arranged to a body side portion 111 of the body 11. The first lid 12 may be adapted to be rotatable relative the body 11 about a rotational axis R between a first closed position P1 where the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 are latched together, and an unlocked position P2 where the first lid 12 is releasable from the body 11. When the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 are latched together, the first lid 12 may be axially fixed to the body 11. When the first lid 12 is in the unlocked position P2, the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 may be disengaged or axially dislodged from one another. When the first lid 12 is in the unlocked position P2, the first lid 12 may be axially displaced relative its first closed position P1. The first lid 12 may be freely rotatable to the unlocked position P2 when the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 are disengaged or axially dislodged from one another. The locking arrangement 112, 122 may be adapted to counteract rotation of the first lid 12 from the first closed position P1 towards the unlocked position P2 until the first lid 12 is rotated to a position where the first latch member 122 is forced to disengage or axially dislodge from the second latch member 112, thereby allowing the first lid 12 to freely rotate to the unlocked position P2 and be releasable from the body 11.
[0058] The snus container 1 may thus provide a simple and cost-efficient design. More particularly, by coupling the process of unlocking the locking arrangement 112, 122 to the rotation of the first lid 12 relative the body 11, a more intuitive solution is provided, which does not rely on a separately operated and complex locking arrangement 112, 122. Rather, the first lid 12 may be axially fixed to the body 11 be means of a structurally simpler locking arrangement 112, 122 comprising two latching members 112, 122 which can be adapted in shape and size to provide a desired latching effect that a user must overcome in order to unlock the snus container 1 so that it may be opened. Due to this simple design, the snus container 1 allows a wide variety in how it may be adapted to achieve a desired design purpose, such as providing a child resistant snus container.
[0059] One of the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 may be integrally formed in one of the first lid 12 and the body 11 whereas the other of the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 is provided as a separate element arranged to the other of the first lid 12 and the body 11. Preferably, both the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 are integrally formed in the first lid 12 and the body 11 respectively. By this, the snus container 1 may be more efficiently manufactured which may reduce manufacturing costs. Alternatively, both the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 may be provided as separate elements arranged to the first lid 12 and the body 11, respectively.
[0060] One of the body 11 and first lid 12 may be made of polypropylene homopolymer, PPH, and the other of the body 11 and the first lid 12 may be made of polypropylene copolymer, PPC. By this, the friction between the body 11 and the first lid 12 may be particularly reduced. The body 11 may be made of PPH or PPC. The first lid 12 may be made of PPH or PPC. Alternatively, polypropylene random copolymer, PPR-C may be used instead of PPH or PPC in the body 11 or the first lid 12. The snus container may comprise a second lid 13 adapted to releasably attach to the first lid 12 to close a second compartment defined by the first lid 12. The second lid 13 may be made of PPH, PPC, or PPR-C. The body 11 may be made of a first material and the first lid 12 may be made of a second material different from the first material. The second lid 13 may be made of the first material, the second material, or a third material different from the first material and the second material.
[0061] Preferred embodiments illustrated in the figures will now be discussed in more detail.
[0062] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the invention wherein the snus container 1 comprises a generally cylindrical shape much like conventional snus containers. The snus container 1 comprises a body 11, a first lid 12 and a second lid 13. The first lid 12 is releasably attached to the body 11 to close a first compartment defined by the body 11. The second lid 13 is releasably attached to the first lid 12 to close a second compartment defined by the first lid 12. The snus container 1 comprises a gripping region 14 provided as a recessed region of the first lid 12 where a user is provided access to an edge 131 of the second lid 13. A user may thus grip the edge 131 and pull off the second lid 13 to allow access into the second compartment. In order to access the first compartment, the first lid 12 is rotated from a first closed position to an unlocked position, which rotation forces a locking arrangement of the snus container 1 to unlock. Said unlocking may involve overcoming a latching force provided by a first latch member latched together with a second latch member which axially dislodges the first latch member from the second latch member from one another. This may allow the first lid 12 to be freely rotatable to the unlocked position where it may be removed from the body 11 to allow access to the first compartment.
[0063] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The snus container 1 comprises a first compartment 110 defined by a body 11 and a second compartment 120 defined by a first lid 12. Used and unused snus portions may be stored in either the first compartment 110 and/or the second compartment 120. One of the first compartment 110 and the second compartment 120 may be adapted in shape and size to provide a compartment of smaller volume than the other. The smaller compartment may be used to store used snus portions whereas the larger compartment may be used to store unused snus portions or vice versa. The first compartment 110 may be larger than the second compartment 120 or vice versa. The first compartment 110 may have a substantially cylindrical shape as illustrated in FIG. 2 and extend along a cylindrical axis. The second compartment 120 may have a substantially cylindrical shape as illustrated in FIG. 2 and extend along a cylindrical axis. The first lid 12 and the body 11 may be adapted so that the cylindrical axes of their respective compartments are aligned. The first lid 12 may be rotatable about a rotational axis R relative the body 11 between the first closed position and the unlocked position. The snus container 1 may be adapted so that the rotational axis R is aligned with the cylindrical axes of the respective first and second compartments 110, 120.
[0064] The snus container 1 shown in FIG. 2 further comprises a second lid 13. The first lid 12 and the second lid 13 may be adapted so that the second lid 13 is adapted to be received in a recessed manner in the first lid 12 so that a portion of the first lid 12 extends at least partially up from the first lid 12 along an outer edge 131 of the second lid 13. This may prevent the outer edge 131 of the second lid 13 from being gripped. The first lid 12 may comprise a gripping recess 14 which enables access to a portion of said outer edge 131 of the second lid 13, allowing it to be gripped. This may enable removal of the second lid 13 from the first lid 12.
[0065] FIG. 3 shows a perspective cross-sectional 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 and a first lid 12 adapted to be releasably attached to the body 11 to close the first compartment 110. The snus container 1 comprises a second lid 13 adapted to be releasably attached to the first lid 12 to close a second compartment 120 defined by the first lid 12. The snus container 1 is adapted with a substantially cylindrical shape and the cross section is a plane intersecting the rotational axis R and extending along the rotational axis R. The snus container 1 further comprises a locking arrangement 112, 122. The locking arrangement 112, 122 comprises a first latch member 122 arranged to a lid side portion 121 of the first lid 12 and a second latch member 112 arranged to a body side portion 111 of the body 11. The first latch member 122 may be integrally formed in the first lid 12. The second latch member 112 may be integrally formed in the body 11. The snus container 1 may be adapted so that when the first lid 12 is attached to the body 11 to close the first compartment 110, the body side portion 111 and the lid side portion 121 extend axially in a parallel manner so that the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 latch together to axially fix the first lid 12 to the body 11. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the first latch member 122 is provided as a recess 122 in the first lid 12 and the second latch member 112 is provided as a protrusion in the body 11, thereby enabling the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 to latch accordingly in a tight fit as indicated in FIG. 3. As an alternative embodiment, the first latch member 122 may be provided as a protrusion and the second latch member 112 is provided as a recess. Irrespective of which first latch member 122 and second latch member 112 is provided as a protrusion or a recess, the recess is adapted in shape and size to receive the protrusion in a latching manner. As an example, the protrusion may have a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and extend longitudinally in a circumferential direction of the snus container 1. The recess may be adapted with a corresponding shape so that it is enabled to receive the protrusion in a latching manner. The protrusion and recess may be adapted to extend in a circumferential direction in a corresponding manner, either wholly along the circumferential of the snus container or in a plurality of separate segments.
[0066] The first lid 12 and the body 11 may be adapted in shape and size so that their respective outer side surfaces are substantially aligned with one another, as indicated in FIG. 3. By this, the snus container 1 may reduce the number of available gripping regions a user may interact with for the purpose of forcibly open the snus container 1 while the first lid 12 is in a closed position.
[0067] The second lid 13 may be adapted to releasably attach to the first lid 12 by means of a latching mechanism. The latching mechanism may comprise a first latch element arranged to or provided by the second lid 13 and a second latch element arranged to or provided by the first lid 12. The first latch element and the second latch element of the latching mechanism may be a protrusion and a recess adapted to receive said protrusion or vice versa. In the embodiment show in FIG. 3, the first latch element is a protrusion, and the second latch element is a recess, which together form the latching mechanism adapted to retain the second lid 13 to the first lid 12 in a closed position. The second lid 13 may be formed by an at least partially flexible material that enables it to flexibly be inserted or removed from the first lid 12.
[0068] FIG. 4A-4C illustrate a cross sectional view of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The snus container 1 comprises a body 11 defining a first compartment and a first lid 12 adapted to releasably attach to the body 11 to close the second compartment. The snus container 1 comprises a second lid 13 adapted to releasably attach to the first lid 12 to close a second compartment defined by the first lid 12. The first lid 12 is adapted to be rotatable relative the body 11 along the rotational axis R between a first closed position P1 and an unlocked position P2. These positions are illustrated in FIGS. 4B and 4C respectively. In the first closed position P1, the first lid 12 is axially fixed to the body 11 by means of a locking arrangement 112, 122 comprising a first latch member 122 and a second latch member 112. In the unlocked position P2, the first lid 12 is axially displaced relative the first closed position P1 so that the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 have been axially dislodged. The snus container 1 may be further adapted so that the first lid 12 is rotatable relative the body 11 between the first closed position P1 and a second closed position P0, during which rotation the first lid 12 remains axially fixed to the body 11 by means of the locking arrangement 112, 122. By allowing the first lid 12 to be rotatable relative the body 11 while being axially fixed thereto, it may allow the first lid 12 to be releasably attached to the body 11 irrespective of the first lids 12 rotational orientation relative the body 11. Thus, it may facilitate closing the first compartment of the snus container 1.
[0069] The snus container 1 may further be adapted so that the first lid 12 comprises a gripping space edge 123 adapted in shape and size to form a gripping space 113 between the gripping space edge 123 and the body side portion 111, wherein said gripping space edge 123 is in a position to prevent access to said gripping space 113 when the first lid 12 is in the first closed position P1 and in a position to allow access to said gripping space 113 when the first lid 12 is in the unlocked position P2. Thus, while axially displacing the first lid 12 from the body 11 by rotating the first lid 12 from the first closed position P1 to the unlocked position P2, the gripping space may become exposed which enables the first lid 12 to be gripped by a user (see FIG. 4C), thereby facilitating the first lid 12 to be released from the body 11. Likewise, when the first lid 12 is in the first closed position P1, the gripping space 113 may be prevented from being accessible so that no gripping edge is provided. As a consequence, the first lid 12 and the body 11 may present a substantially connected outer side which prevents any edge from serving as a gripping edge (see FIG. 4A, 4B). When the first lid 12 is in first closed position P1 or in the second closed position P0, the first lid 12 and the body 11 may be radially flush so as to present an even surface to avoid enablement of the gripping space 113. This makes it more difficult to forcibly open the snus container 1 while the first lid 12 is in a closed position P0, P1. The gripping space 113 may be at least partly bounded by a surface of the gripping space edge 123 and a surface of the body side portion 111. The body 11 may provide an abutting surface 125 to which the gripping space edge 123 is adapted to abut when the first lid 12 is in in a closed position. Alternatively, the abutting surface 125 is provided by a separate member adapted to be arranged between the body 11 and the gripping space edge 123. The gripping space 113 may also be least partly bounded by the abutting surface 125. Said surface of the body side portion 111 and said surface of the gripping space edge 123 may be acutely angled relative each other. The acute angle between said surface of the body side portion 111 and said surface of the gripping space edge 123 may be in the interval of 15 to 75. In FIG. 4A-4C, the snus container 1 is illustrated with said surface of the body side portion 111 being angled to said surface of the gripping space edge 123 by an acute angle of approximately 30.
[0070] The body side portion 111 may comprise a ridge 1110 comprising at least one sloping edge portion. The first lid 12 may comprise an engagement element 124 adapted to engage with said at least one sloping edge portion such that when the first lid 12 rotates relative the body 11 from the first closed position P1 to the unlocked position P2, the engagement element 124 slides along said at least one sloping edge portion, thereby forcing the first lid 12 to displace relative its first closed position P1 so that the first latch member 122 axially dislodges from the second latch member 112. The at least one sloping edge portion may be angled relative a plane through which the rotational axis R intersects at a right angle in a curved and smooth manner. The sloping edge portion may comprise a maximally sloping portion which is angled relative said plane by an acute angle within the interval of 1 and 25. By such a slope, the slope of the sloping edge portion may provide little resistance as the engagement element 124 slides along its surface, so that most of the counteracting force is provided by the locking arrangement 112, 122.
[0071] The second lid 13 may be adapted to releasably attach to the first lid 12 by means of a latching mechanism 126, 132. The latching mechanism 126, 132 may comprise a first latch element 132 arranged to or provided by the second lid 13 and a second latch element 126 arranged to or provided by the first lid 12. The first latch element 132 and the second latch element 126 of the latching mechanism 126, 132 may be a protrusion and a recess adapted to receive said protrusion or vice versa. In the embodiment show in FIG. 3, the first latch element 132 is a protrusion, and the second latch element 126 is a recess, which together form the latching mechanism 126, 132 adapted to retain the second lid 13 to the first lid 12 in a closed position. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, the second latch element 126 extends only partially in a circumferential direction, which is why it is not shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C. The second latch element 126 may comprise two portions arranged on opposite sides of the second compartment. The first latch element 132 may extend fully in a circumferential direction or partly so as to match the positions of the second latch element 126 when the second lid 13 is releasably attached to the first lid 12 to close the second compartment. The second lid 13 may be formed by an at least partially flexible material that enables it to flexibly be inserted or removed from the first lid 12.
[0072] FIGS. 5A and 5B show perspective views of the snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The snus container 1 comprises a body 11 defining a first compartment and a first lid 12 adapted to be releasably attached to the body 11 to close the first compartment. The first lid 12 is adapted to be rotatable relative the body 11 about a rotational axis between a first closed position P1 and an unlocked position P2 where the first lid 12 is freely releasable from the body 11 so that the first compartment is accessible. When the first lid 12 is in the unlocked position P2, it has been axially displaced relative its first closed position P1. FIG. 5A shows the snus container 1 when the first lid 12 is in the first closed position P1 and FIG. 5B shows the snus container 1 when the first lid 12 is in the unlocked position P2. Moreover, in both FIGS. 5A and 5B, a portion of the first lid 12 has been omitted from view in order to show the functionality of how the snus container 1 according to one embodiment enables the first lid 12 to displace itself relative the body 11 when rotated from the first closed position P1 to the unlocked position P2.
[0073] The first lid 12 comprises an engagement element 124 adapted to engage with at least one sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b provided by the body side portion 111 so that when the first lid 12 rotates relative the body 11 from the first closed position P1 to the unlocked position P2, the engagement element 124 slides along said at least one sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b, thereby forcing the first lid 12 to axially displace relative its first closed position P1 so that the first latch member 122 axially dislodges from the second latch member 112. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A-5B, the body 11 is provided with a pair of sloping edge portions 1110a, 1110b arranged proximate to each other to form a respective ridge 1110. By this, the first lid 12 may be rotatable relative the body 11 in any direction in order to move the first lid 12 to an unlocked position P2. The ridge 1110 further comprises a plateau 1110c arranged between the sloping edge portions 1110a, 1110b of said ridge 1110. By this, the engagement element 124 may be positioned at a substantially leveled region when in the unlocked position P2, which may be favorably when removing the first lid 12 from the body 11. The ridge or ridges 1110 may alternatively be arranged to or provided by the first lid 12 while the engagement element or engagement elements 124 are arranged to or provided by the body 11.
[0074] The snus container 1 further comprises a locking arrangement 122, 112 comprising a first latch member 122 arranged to the first lid 12 and a second latch member 112 arranged to the body 11. When the first lid 12 is in a closed position P0, P1, the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 are latch together to axially fix the first lid 12 to the body 11. When the first lid 12 rotates from a closed position to the unlocked position, the locking arrangement 112, 122 counteracts said rotation by means of the latching force provided by the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 when latched together. However, when the first lid 12 is forced to rotate against this latching force a portion of the way between the first closed position P1 and the unlocked position P2, the engagement element 124 slides along one of the sloping edge portions, thereby forcing the first lid 12 to displace relative its closed position P1, by which movement the first latch member 122 is forced to axially dislodge from the second latch member 112, thereby enabling the first lid 12 to freely rotate to the unlocked position P2.
[0075] According to one embodiment, the locking arrangement is adapted so as to provide an interface between the first latch element 122 and the second latch element 112 which is acutely angled relative a rotational plane of the snus container 1. By rotational plane, it may be meant a plane through which the rotational axis intersects at a right angle. By this acutely angled interface, it may facilitate the first latch member 122 to dislodge from the second latch member 112 when the first lid 12 rotates to a position between the first closed position P1 and the unlocked position P2.
[0076] In one embodiment, the snus container 1 comprises a plurality of engagement elements 124 adapted to engage with a respective ridge 1110 of the body 11. The respective ridges 1110 may preferably be arranged symmetrically along the body side portion 111. FIGS. 6A and 6B show the first lid 120 according to one embodiment, a perspective view and a bottom view respectively, wherein said first lid 12 comprises three engagement elements 124 arranged symmetrically along the lid side portion in a circumferential direction. Preferably, the body side portion 111 will provide an identical number of ridges 1110, in this case three, which are arranged symmetrically about the body side portion 111, see FIG. 7. The first lid 12 is not limited to comprising three engagement elements 124, but may alternatively comprise 1, 2, 4, 5, or more engagement elements 124. The body 11 may comprise a similar or different number of ridges 1110. A snus container 1 with a first lid 12 comprising a fewer number of engagement elements 124 may be cheaper to produce while a snus container 1 with a first lid 12 comprising more engagement elements 124 may distribute forces more evenly, thereby increasing the snus containers 1 longevity.
[0077] According to one embodiment, the first lid 12 comprises a plurality of support bars 127 arranged proximate the gripping space edge 121 of the first lid 12. The support bars 127 may extend radially from a first lid position 128 to a second lid position 129 radially outward from the first lid position. By radially, it may mean a direction radially from a center of the first lid 12. The center of the first lid may coincide with a point where the rotational axis intersects the first lid 12. The support bars 127 may enable the first lid 12 to reduce the flexibility of the first lid 12. Thus, by this, the first lid 12 may be more securely attached to the body to prevent the first lid 12 from being forcibly released from the body 11 when the first lid 12 is in a closed position. The support bars 127 may extend at least partly or wholly along a bottom surface of the first lid. The support bars may extend through an intermediate side portion 130. The support bars 127 may be integrally formed in the first lid 12. The plurality of support bars 127 may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 or more support bars. The support bars 127 may be symmetrically arranged about the first lid 12.
[0078] FIG. 8A show the first lid 12 according to one embodiment and FIG. 8B show the body 11 according to one embodiment. The body 11 and the first lid 12 may each comprise orientation indicators 15a, 15b which are adapted to axially align in matching pairs to indicate to a user whenever the first lid 12 is in a closed position. Said closed position may be said second closed position P0 or the first closed position P1. The orientation indicators may be structurally defined, see e.g. FIGS. 8A-8B.
[0079] According to one embodiment, the body 11 may comprise a plurality of support structures 114. The support structures 114 may extend along a side wall of the body 11 in a direction at least partially or substantially parallel to the rotational axis R of the snus container 1. The support structures 114 may be grouped together as a plurality of support structures 114 to form a group of support structures 114. The snus container 1 may comprise a plurality of groups of support structures 114. Each group of support structures 114 may comprise two, three, four, five, or more support structures 114. At least one group of support structures 114 may be arranged proximate a ridge 1110 of the snus container 1. The group of support structures 114 may be symmetrically arranged about the body 11, preferably each proximate to a respective ridge 1110. A support structure may have a bar shape. By these support structures, it may increase the rigidity of the body 11 to prevent it from flexing too much in a manner that allows the first lid 12 to be removed from the body 11 when the first lid 12 is in a closed position.
[0080] FIG. 9A shows a flow chart of a method M0 for releasing a first lid 12 from a body 11 of a snus container 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The method comprising the steps of: rotate M1 the first lid 12 relative the body 11 from a first closed position P1, engaging M2 an engagement element 124 with a sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b, disengaging M3 a first latch member 122 from a second latch member 112, wherein the body 11 comprises the first latch member 112 and the first lid 12 comprises the second latch member 122, and rotate M4 the first lid 12 relative the body 11 into an unlocked position P2.
[0081] The body 11 may comprise the sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b and the first lid 12 comprises the engagement element 124.
[0082] The step of engaging M2 the engagement element 124 with the sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b may comprise sliding the engagement element 124 onto the sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b. The sloping edge portion 1110a, 1110b may be a portion of a ridge 1110.
[0083] The step of disengaging M3 the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 may comprise that the first latch member 122 and the second latch member 112 are axially dislodged from each other.
[0084] The step of rotating M4 the first lid 12 relative the body 11 into the unlocked position P2 may comprise sliding the engagement element 124 onto a plateau 1110c of the ridge 1110.
[0085] The method may comprise a step M1a that precedes the step of rotating M1, the step M1a comprises: rotate M1a the first lid 12 relative the body 11 from a second closed position P0 into the first closed position P1, wherein the first lid 12 remains axially fixed to the body 11.
[0086] FIG. 9B 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 parts at least the body 11 and the first lid 12 of the snus container 1; injecting S2 a material into each of the plurality of mould cavities 1021, 1022, 1023 a material, and once solidified, ejecting S3 the snus container 1 from the mould 100, wherein preferably one of the body 11 and first lid 12 is made of a first material and the other of the body 11 and the first lid 12 is made of a second material different from the first material. The method S0 may also include manufacturing a second lid 13 adapted to be releasably attached to the first lid 12 to close a second compartment defined by the first lid 12. The body 11, the first lid 12 and the optional second lid 13 may be provided in accordance with any of the embodiments or contemplated variations previously discussed. As first material or second material, PPH, PPC, or PPR-C may be used or any other materials herein mentioned.
[0087] FIG. 10 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 optionally the second lid 13 of the snus container. 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. Here, parts of the snus container 1 includes a body 11 defining a first compartment and a first lid 12 adapted to be releasably attached to the body 11 to close the first compartment. Parts may also include a second lid 13 adapted to be releasably attached to the first lid 12 to close a second compartment defined by the first lid 12. The body 11, the first lid 12 and the optional second lid 13 may be provided in accordance with any of the embodiments or contemplated variations previously discussed.
[0088] 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.
