CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER AND CONTAINER ASSEMBLY
20260096597 · 2026-04-09
Inventors
Cpc classification
B65D2209/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D51/28
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
A cylindrical container and a container assembly that includes a main container intended to hold a first consumer product, such as snus pouches are provided. The cylindrical container is intended to hold a second complementing consumer product, such as oral health products. The cylindrical container is completely contained in a compartment in a cover of the main container.
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18: A container assembly comprising: a main container comprising: a main compartment; and a main container cover arranged to close the main compartment, wherein the main container cover comprises: a secondary compartment accessible from an upper surface of the main container cover; and an inner cover arranged to close the secondary compartment, wherein the secondary compartment is separated from the main compartment; and a secondary container, wherein the secondary container comprises: a base; and lid arranged to close the base, wherein the secondary container is removably contained in the secondary compartment of the main container cover.
19: The container assembly according to claim 18, wherein the main container is cylindrical.
20: The container assembly according to claim 18, wherein the secondary compartment is configured to contain used smokeless tobacco products.
21: The container assembly according to claim 18, wherein the main compartment is configured to contain a smokeless tobacco product, and wherein the secondary container is configured to contain auxiliary smokeless tobacco product or a pouched tobacco-free consumer product.
22: The container assembly according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary smokeless tobacco product comprises a flavor different than any flavor comprised in the smokeless tobacco product; and/or the auxiliary smokeless tobacco product has a different nicotine concentration than the smokeless tobacco product; and/or the auxiliary smokeless tobacco product is an auxiliary pouched oral tobacco product and the smokeless oral tobacco product is a main pouched oral tobacco product having a different pouch size than the auxiliary pouched oral tobacco product; and/or the auxiliary smokeless tobacco product is an auxiliary pouched oral tobacco product and the smokeless oral tobacco product is a main pouched oral tobacco product having a different weight than the auxiliary pouched oral tobacco product.
23: The container assembly according to claim 21, wherein the pouched tobacco-free consumer product is a pouched oral health product, a pouched tobacco-free, nicotine-containing oral product or a pouched tobacco-free, nicotine-free oral product.
24: The container assembly according to claim 18, wherein the lid is arranged to slidably close the base.
25: The container assembly according to claim 18, wherein the base is cylindrical and has an open upper end.
26: The container assembly according to claim 18, wherein the lid has a first portion forming a half circle with a first diameter and with a first thickness and a second portion forming a half circle with a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, and wherein the lid is provided with a guiding tip positioned on the midpoint of the half circle with the first diameter.
27: A container assembly comprising: a main container comprising: a main compartment containing a smokeless tobacco product; and a main container cover arranged to close the main compartment, wherein the main container cover comprises: a secondary compartment accessible from an upper surface of the main container cover; and an inner cover arranged to close the secondary compartment, wherein the secondary compartment is separated from the main compartment; and a secondary container containing an auxiliary smokeless tobacco product or a pouched tobacco-free consumer product, wherein the secondary container comprises: a base; and lid arranged to close the base, wherein the secondary container is removably contained in the secondary compartment of the main container cover.
28: A container comprising: a cylindrical base having an open upper end provided with an upstanding rim forming a half circle on the open upper end of the base, wherein the upstanding rim comprises, on its inner side, a circumferential groove positioned so that a lower part of the groove is flushed with a surface of the open upper end of the base that is not covered by the upstanding rim; and a lid arranged to slidably close the base, wherein the lid has a first portion forming a half circle with a first diameter and with a thickness smaller than the height of the groove and a second portion forming a half circle with a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, and wherein the lid is provided with a guiding tip positioned on the midpoint of the half circle with the first diameter, wherein the groove is arranged to receive a portion of the lid, wherein the upstanding rim of the base is provided with a guiding recess positioned in the groove and at the midpoint of the half circle formed by the upstanding rim, and wherein the guiding recess is arranged to receive the guiding tip in a closing operation and to accommodate the guiding tip when the lid is in a closed position.
29: The container according to claim 28, wherein the second portion of the lid comprises a skirt extending towards the base and partially enclosing the base in the closed position.
30: The container according to claim 29, wherein the skirt of the lid extends to a bottom of the base.
31: The container according to claim 28, wherein the container comprises a locking arrangement arranged to secure the lid in the closed position, and wherein the locking arrangement comprises a protrusion arranged on one of the base and the lid and a matching recess arranged on the other of the base and the lid.
32: The container according to claim 31, wherein the second portion of the lid comprises a skirt extending towards the base and forming a half circle partially enclosing the base in the closed position, and wherein the locking arrangement is of snap-fit type and comprises a first pair of a first protrusion and a first matching recess provided in connection with one end of the half circle formed by the skirt of the lid when the lid is in the closed position and a second pair of a second protrusion and a second matching recess provided in connection with the other end of the half circle formed by the skirt of the lid when the lid is in the closed position.
33: The container according to claim 32, wherein the skirt has an outwards flexibility providing for the first protrusion and the second protrusion being moveable from their respective resting positions in the first matching recess and the second matching recess.
34: The container according to claim 31, wherein the locking arrangement is of snap-fit type and comprises a pair of a protrusion and a matching recess arranged on the guiding tip and in the guiding recess.
35: The container according to claim 28, wherein the base and the lid enclose a compartment in the closed position, and wherein the compartment comprises a smokeless oral tobacco product or a pouched tobacco-free consumer product.
36: The container according to claim 28, wherein the container has a height selected within an interval of from 5 up to 7 mm, and wherein the container has a diameter selected within an interval of from 45 up to 65 mm.
37: A container assembly comprising: a main container comprising a main compartment and a main container cover, wherein the main container cover comprises a secondary compartment; and the container according to claim 26 completely contained in the secondary compartment of the main container cover.
Description
DRAWINGS
[0025] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, wherein
[0026]
[0027]
[0028]
[0029]
[0030] All the figures are schematic, not necessarily to scale, and generally only show parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the respective embodiments, whereas other parts may be omitted or merely suggested. Any reference number appearing in multiple drawings refers to the same object or feature throughout the drawings, unless otherwise indicated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Terms such as top, bottom, upper, lower, below, above etc. are used merely with reference to the geometry of the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and/or during normal operation or mounting of the device/devices and are not intended to limit the invention in any manner.
[0032] The container assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated in
[0033] The intention with the container assembly 1 according to the invention is to distribute a main product and a complementing product in one unit, for example a smokeless oral tobacco product and another smokeless oral tobacco product or a pouched tobacco-free consumer product in one unit. The main product, the smokeless oral tobacco, is provided in the main container 100 and the complementing product is provided in the cylindrical container 200, which in turn is accommodated in the secondary compartment 121 of the main container cover 120. Thereby the consumer is provided with one product unit and that product unit can be distributed in the established way. Starting to use the product unit, the consumer may remove the cylindrical container 200 from the secondary compartment 121 and store it separately in order to use the secondary compartment 121 for waste, typically the used (pouched) tobacco.
[0034] In a typical embodiment, the amount or the number of portions of the smokeless oral tobacco product or the pouched tobacco-free consumer product in the cylindrical container 200 is typically lower than the corresponding amount or number of portions of the smokeless oral tobacco product in the main container 100. For instance, if both the main container 100 and the cylindrical container 200 comprises pouched products then the number of pouches is typically larger in the main compartment 111 of the main container 100 as compared to the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200.
[0035] The available space in the secondary compartment 121 as well as the use of the cylindrical container 200 put high demands on its design and functionality. The cylindrical container 200 needs to be small but should still be easy to handle, preferably by one hand, and preferably also have a smooth outer surface.
[0036] An aspect of the invention thereby relates to a container assembly 1 comprising a main container 100 comprising a main container base 110 with a main compartment 111, which is covered and closed by a main container cover 120. The main container cover 120 comprises a secondary compartment 121 accessible from an upper surface of the main container cover 120 and covered and closed by an inner cover 126. The secondary compartment 121 is separated from the main compartment 111. The container assembly 100 also comprises a cylindrical container 200 according to the invention completely contained in the secondary compartment 121 of the main container cover 120.
[0037] The main container 100 thereby comprises two main components, the main container base 110 and the main container cover or lid 120. The main container cover or lid 120 is designed to be attached to the main container base 110 to thereby enclose a main compartment 111 of the main container base 110.
[0038] As is best seen in
[0039] The main container cover 120 is designed to be releasably attached to the main container base 110 to thereby enclose the main compartment 111 as shown in
[0040] The main container cover 120 comprises a circular bottom 122 and a cylinder wall 124 attached to the circular bottom 122. The circular bottom 122 and the cylinder wall 124 of the main container cover 120 define the secondary compartment 121. The secondary compartment 121 is enclosed by an inner cover or lid 126 designed to be releasably attached to the cylinder wall 124 of the main container cover 120.
[0041] The main container 100 is typically a so-called cylindrical snus or snuff container, also referred to as snus or snuff box or can. Such snus or snuff containers are traditionally used to contain smokeless oral tobacco products in their main compartment 111. These smokeless oral tobacco products could be in the form of pouched oral tobacco products, i.e., snus or snuff pouches or bags, or pouchless snus or snuff, i.e., snus or snuff in loose form. The snus or snuff pouches then contain, among others, ground tobacco, water, taste enhancers, such as sodium chloride, pH adjuster, such as sodium carbonate, humectant, such as propylene glycol, and optionally flavor, enclosed in a semi-permeable pouch having an overall size and shape for allowing it to be effectively placed in the intended place of the oral cavity, preferably under the lip and between the lip and the teeth of the user.
[0042] The secondary compartment 121 has dual purposes. Initially, the secondary compartment 121 comprises the cylindrical container 200 to form the container assembly 1 comprising the main container 100 and the cylindrical container 200. However, during use, the user typically removes the cylindrical container 200 from the secondary compartment 121 to utilize the secondary compartment 121 as a waste compartment to house used pouched oral tobacco products or used snus or snuff in loose form.
[0043] The cylindrical container 200 could then contain an auxiliary product as a complement to the main product contained in the main container 100. Illustrative, but non-limited, examples of such auxiliary products include smokeless oral tobacco products and pouched tobacco-free consumer products. Examples of smokeless oral tobacco products include pouched oral tobacco products, i.e., snus or snuff pouches, and snus or snuff in loose form. Examples of pouched tobacco-free consumer products include tobacco-free, nicotine-containing oral products, such as tobacco-free, nicotine-containing snus pouches sometimes referred to as white pouches in the art, tobacco-free, nicotine-free oral products, such as tobacco-free, nicotine-free pouches, or pouched oral health products, also referred to as pouched oral care products. The tobacco-free, nicotine-free oral products may optionally include specific ingredients including, but not limited to, cannabidiol (CBD), sometimes referred to as CBD snus, and/or ingredients with beneficial health effects, such as vitamins, etc.
[0044] As an example, the main product contained in the main compartment 111 of the main container 110 could be a main smokeless oral tobacco product, such as a main pouched oral tobacco product. The auxiliary product contained in the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200 could then be an auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product, such as an auxiliary pouched oral tobacco product. For instance, the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product could then be a flavored smokeless oral tobacco product if the main smokeless oral tobacco product is unflavored, or the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product could comprise a flavor different than a flavor comprised in the main smokeless oral tobacco product. Alternatively, or in addition, the main and auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco products could comprise different nicotine concentrations also referred to as different nicotine strengths in the art. For instance, the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product could have a higher or lower nicotine strength (nicotine concentration) than the main smokeless oral tobacco product. Alternatively, or in addition, the main and auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco products could be pouched smokeless oral tobacco products having different pouch sizes, such as different pouch lengths, pouch widths and/or pouch thicknesses, and/or different weights. For instance, smaller and/or lighter snus or snuff pouches could be contained in the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200 as compared to the snus or snuff pouched contained in the main compartment 111 of the main container 110. It is also possible combine these alternatives to have different flavors and different nicotine concentrations, different flavors and different pouch sizes, different flavors and different pouch weights, different nicotine concentrations and different pouch sizes, different nicotine concentrations and different pouch weights, different pouch sizes and different pouch weights, different flavors, different nicotine concentrations and different pouch sizes, different flavors, different nicotine concentrations and different pouch weights, different flavors, different pouch sizes and different pouch weights, different nicotine concentrations, different pouch sizes and different pouch weights or indeed different flavors, different nicotine concentrations, different pouch sizes and different pouch weights for the main and auxiliary (pouched) smokeless oral tobacco products.
[0045] In another example, the main product contained in the main compartment 111 of the main container 110 could be snus or snuff in loose form, whereas the auxiliary product contained in the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200 could then be a pouched oral tobacco product, i.e., pouched snus or snuff. Alternatively, the main product contained in the main compartment 111 of the main container 110 could be a pouched oral tobacco product, i.e., pouched snus or snuff, whereas the auxiliary product contained in the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200 could then be snus or snuff in loose form.
[0046] A further example is to have a main product contained in the main compartment 111 of the main container 110 in the form of snus or snuff in loose form or preferably as pouched snus or snuff, whereas the auxiliary product contained in the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200 is a tobacco-free, nicotine-containing pouched product, sometimes referred to as tobacco-free snus in the art, or a tobacco-free, nicotine-free pouched product, sometimes referred to as tobacco-free and nicotine-free snus in the art.
[0047] It is also possible to have the main and auxiliary products in the form of different types of snus or snuff products comprising different tobacco ingredients and/or other ingredients, such as CBD, vitamins, etc.
[0048] A pouched oral health or care product could be used as auxiliary product. Such a pouched oral health product could then comprise a composition for oral health. Oral health are in particular important for people using smokeless oral tobacco products as such products may have a negative effect on the oral health. Such a pouched oral care product is preferably tobacco free and nicotine free. An example of such a tobacco-free and nicotine-free oral pouched product is a saliva-permeable pouch enclosing an oral formulation or composition comprising a tooth re-mineralizing agent as disclosed in WO 2023/140765.
[0049] The various embodiments disclosed herein regarding the main and auxiliary product could be combined. For instance, the discussion above regarding usage of different flavors, strength, size and/or weight for the main and auxiliary products could be applied to the various product types of main and auxiliary products, for instance in terms of tobacco-containing products; tobacco-free, nicotine-containing products; tobacco-free, nicotine-free products; tobacco-free, nicotine-free products comprising at least one health promoting agent; CBD products; and oral health products, where appropriate.
[0050] The snus or snuff user could then alternate between using the main product, such as main smokeless oral tobacco product, contained in the main compartment 111 of the main container 100 and the auxiliary product, such as auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product or pouched tobacco-free consumer product, contained in the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200. Thereby the user will have the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product or pouched tobacco-free consumer product ready at hand while consuming the main smokeless oral tobacco product and complement the use of the main smokeless oral tobacco product with the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product or pouched tobacco-free consumer product.
[0051] The cylindrical container 200 according to the invention comprises a base 210 and a lid or cover 220 and is schematically illustrated in
[0052] In the closing operation, the lid 220 is first supported by the part of the base 210 not provided with the upstanding rim 216 and then guided by the groove 213, thereby the closing operation of the cylindrical container 200 is well controlled. The closing operation can, hence, be seen as having three phases, a first phase wherein the lid 220 is supported by the part of the base 210 not provided with the upstanding rim 216, a second phase wherein the lid 220 is guided by the groove 213, and a third phase wherein the final positioning of the lid 220 is controlled by guiding tip 221 interacting with the guiding recess 215. The guiding tip 221 may have a rectangular shape with rounded corners as depicted, alternatively the guiding tip 221 may have a triangular shape or forming part of a circle or an oval as illustrative, but non-limiting, examples.
[0053] According to one embodiment, the lid 220 is an essentially flat and circular. According to one embodiment, the lid 220 has a general circular shape as shown in
[0054] In an embodiment, the second portion 224 of the lid 220 comprises a skirt 223 extending towards the base 210 and partially enclosing the base 210 in the closed position. The skirt 223 of the lid 220 may extend all the way to a bottom 212 of the base 210 so that in the closed position the side surface of the cylindrical container 200 is smooth. Hence, the skirt 223 becomes flush with the outer surface of the portion of the base 210 provided with the upstanding rim 216 as best seen in
[0055] According to one embodiment, the cylindrical container 200 comprises a locking arrangement 230, 250 arranged to secure the lid 220 in the closed position, see
[0056] In an embodiment, the base 210 and lid 220 of the cylindrical container 200 is provided with a snap fit lock to ensure that the lid 220 does not accidently slide open. According to one embodiment, schematically illustrated in
[0057] An alternative embodiment of a snap-fit arrangement 250 is schematically illustrated in
[0058] The lid 220 may on its upper surface be provided with a high friction section 240 to increase the friction to a finger of the user and thereby ease the sliding operation. The high friction section 240 may be ribbed, grooved or surface treated by other means to increase the friction. In the same manner, the base 210 may on its outer bottom surface be provided with a similar high friction section.
[0059] The base 210 of the cylindrical cylinder 200 is in formed as a flat cylinder having an open upper end. The base 210 thereby comprises a circular bottom 212 and a cylindrical wall 214 attached to the circular bottom 212. The upstanding rim 216 is provided on half the circumference of the cylindrical wall 214. The circular bottom 212 and the cylindrical wall 214 define a compartment 211 that is closed by the lid 220 in the closed position. This compartment 211 is designed to comprise the above-mentioned pouched oral health product.
[0060] The invention also relates to a container assembly 1 comprising a cylindrical snus container 100 comprising a main container base 110 comprising a main compartment 111 comprising a smokeless oral tobacco product. The cylindrical snus container 100 also comprises a main container cover 120 arranged to cover and close the main compartment 111. The main container cover 120 comprises a waste compartment 121 accessible from an upper surface of the main container cover 120 and covered and closed by an inner cover 126. The container assembly 1 also comprises a cylindrical container 200 completely contained in the wase compartment 121 and comprising a base 210 and a lid 220 enclosing a compartment 211 comprising another smokeless oral tobacco product or pouched tobacco-free consumer product.
[0061] In an embodiment, the smokeless oral tobacco product is a pouched oral tobacco product, such as a snus or snuff pouch or bag.
[0062] In an embodiment, the main compartment 111 comprises a main smokeless oral tobacco product, preferably a main pouched oral tobacco product, and the compartment 211 of the cylindrical container 200 comprises an auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product, preferably an auxiliar pouched oral tobacco product, different from the main smokeless oral tobacco product.
[0063] In a particular embodiment, the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product comprises a flavor different than any flavor comprised in the main smokeless oral tobacco product, and/or the auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco product has a different nicotine concentration than the main smokeless oral tobacco product, and/or the main and auxiliary smokeless oral tobacco products are pouched smokeless oral tobacco products having different pouch sizes and/or having different weights.
[0064] In an embodiment, the pouched tobacco-free consumer product is a pouched oral health product, a pouched tobacco-free, nicotine-containing oral product or a pouched tobacco-free, nicotine-free oral product, such as CBD snus or CBD pouches, a pouched tobacco-free, nicotine-containing oral product comprising health promoting ingredients, such as vitamins.
[0065] In an embodiment, the pouched oral health product is a tobacco-free and nicotine-free oral pouched product, preferably a tobacco-free and nicotine-free oral pouched product comprising a saliva-permeable pouch enclosing an oral formulation or composition comprising a tooth re-mineralizing agent.
[0066] The cylindrical container 200 in this aspect could be designed as shown in
[0067] The embodiments described above are to be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. It will be understood that those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and changes may be made to the embodiments. In particular, different part solutions in the different embodiments can be combined in other configurations, where technically possible.