IMPROVED HINGE LID CONTAINER WITH LID FLAP

Abstract

A hinge lid container (10) for consumer articles comprises a box (12) and a hinge lid (14) connected to the box along a hinge line and pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an open position. The hinge lid comprises a first lid wall (16) and a lid flap (18) depending from the first lid wall along an edge fold line, the lid flap being folded inward towards the inner surface of the first lid wall. The container is at least partially formed from a blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank defining an edge fold portion of the container connecting the first lid wall and the lid flap. The inner surface of the edge fold portion defines an ablation area (A) having a length in the longitudinal direction of the edge fold portion and a width (W) extending transversely to said length.

Claims

1. A hinge lid container for consumer articles comprising: a box; and a hinge lid connected to the box along a hinge line and pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an open position, wherein the hinge lid comprises a first lid wall and a lid flap depending from the first lid wall along an edge fold line, the lid flap being folded inward towards the inner surface of the first lid wall; wherein the container is at least partially formed from a blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank defining an edge fold portion of the container connecting the first lid wall and the lid flap; the inner surface of the edge fold portion defining an ablation area (A) having a length in the longitudinal direction of the edge fold portion and a width (W) extending transversely to said length; wherein the ablation area (A) comprises one or more ablated zones each having a residual thickness that is less than about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and wherein the one or more ablated zones have a combined width of at least about 1.5 times the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the width (W) of the ablation area is at least about 0.5 mm.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the width (W) of the ablation area is less than about 2 mm.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more ablated zones has a residual thickness of less than about 30 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

5. 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.

6. A container according to claim 1, wherein the ablation area comprises two or more ablation zones extending in parallel along a substantially straight line across the edge fold portion of the container.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the ablation area comprises a single ablation zone having a width at least about 2 times the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

8. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container has a spring-back force of less than about 80 grams per centimetre between the lid front wall and the lid flap.

9. A laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the blank having a thickness (T) and comprising: a box-defining blank portion for forming a box portion of the container; and a lid-defining blank portion for forming a lid portion of the container; the lid-defining blank portion comprising a lid front wall panel for forming a front wall of the lid and a lid flap panel depending from the lid front wall panel along an edge fold line; wherein the laminar blank defines an edge fold portion hingedly connecting the lid front wall panel and the lid flap panel; one surface of the edge fold portion defining an ablation area (A) having a length in the longitudinal direction of the edge fold portion and a width (W) extending transversely to said length; wherein the ablation area (A) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness that is less than about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and wherein the one or more ablated zones have a combined width of at least about 1.5 times the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

10. A container for consumer articles comprising a first wall and a second wall depending from the first wall along an edge fold portion, the first wall being folded about the edge fold portion towards the inner surface of the second wall by an angle greater than 90 degrees; wherein the container is at least partially formed from a laminar blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank defining an edge fold portion of the container hingedly connecting the wall and the flap; the inner surface of the edge fold portion defining an ablation area (A) having a length in the longitudinal direction of the edge fold portion and a width (W) extending transversely to said length; wherein the ablation area (A) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness that is less than about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and wherein the one or more ablated zones have a combined width of at least about 1.5 times the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

11. A container according to claim 10, wherein the width (W) of the ablation area is at least about 0.5 mm.

12. A container according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the width (W) of the ablation area is less than about 2 mm.

13. A container according to claim 10, wherein the ablation area comprises two or more ablation zones extending in parallel along a substantially straight line across the edge fold portion of the container.

14. A container according to claim 10, wherein the ablation area comprises a single ablation zone having a width at least about 2 times the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

Description

[0059] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0060] FIG. 1 depicts a sample portion of a laminar blank for use in determining the spring-back force of the blank;

[0061] FIG. 2 depicts an apparatus for determining the spring-back force of a blank;

[0062] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a container according to the present invention;

[0063] FIG. 4 is a photograph of a detail of a blank for forming a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention (Example 1);

[0064] FIG. 5 is a photograph of a detail of a blank for forming a container according to a second embodiment of the present invention (Example 2); and

[0065] FIG. 6 is a photograph of a detail of a blank for forming a container according to a Comparative Example.

[0066] The container 10 shown in FIG. 3 is a rectangular parallelepiped and comprises a box 12 and a hinge lid 14 connected to the box 12 along a hinge line and pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an open position. The hinge lid 14 comprises a lid front wall 16 and a lid flap 18 depending from the lid front wall 16 along an edge fold line 20.

[0067] The container is assembled from a laminar blank having a thickness T and defining an edge fold portion 22 of the container connecting the lid front wall 16 and the lid flap 18. When the container 10 is assembled from the blank, the lid flap 16 is folded inward towards the inner surface of the lid front wall 16 and bonded, e.g. by means of an adhesive, to the inner surface of the first wall of the lid. This increases the strength of the lid. This also provides an improved appearance to the lower edge of the lid front wall.

[0068] As shall be described in more detail with reference to the drawings of FIGS. 4 and 5, the inner surface of the edge fold portion 22 defining an ablation area A having a length in the longitudinal direction of the edge fold portion 22 and a width W extending transversely to said length. The ablation area A comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness that is less than the thickness T of the laminar blank. Further, the one or more ablated zones have a residual thickness of about 20 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. As shall be described in more detail with reference to the Examples below, the one or more ablated zones have a combined width of more than 1.5 times the thickness (T) of the laminar blank.

EXAMPLE 1

[0069] A first embodiment of the laminar blank 200 according to the present invention is depicted in FIG. 4. As illustrated therein, the ablation area A comprises two ablation zones 202, 204 extending in parallel along a substantially straight line across the portion of the blank 200 for forming the edge fold portion 22 in a container. The two ablated zones 202, 204 have a combined width of about 0.7 millimetres. Each ablated zone has a width of 0.35 millimetres. The ablation zone A has a width of 0.9 millimetres. Thus, there is a gap of about 0.2 millimetres between the two ablated zones 202, 204.

[0070] When a container 10 was formed from the laminar blank 200, a spring-back force of about 39 grams per centimetre was measured between the lid front wall and the lid flap.

EXAMPLE 2

[0071] A second embodiment of the laminar blank 300 according to the present invention is depicted in FIG. 4. As illustrated therein, the ablation area A comprises a single ablation zone 302 extending along a substantially straight line across the portion of the blank 300 for forming the edge fold portion 22 in a container. The single ablated zone 302 has a width of about 0.5 millimetres. Thus, the ablation zone also has a width of about 0.5 millimetres.

[0072] When a container 10 was formed from the laminar blank 300, a spring-back force of about 73 grams per centimetre was measured between the lid front wall and the lid flap.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1

[0073] A first reference laminar blank 400 is depicted in FIG. 5. As illustrated therein, the ablation area A comprises a single ablation zone 402 extending along a substantially straight line across the portion of the blank 400 for forming the edge fold portion 22 in a container. The single ablated zone 402 has a width of about 0.1 millimetres. Thus, the ablation zone also has a width of about 0.1 millimetres.

[0074] When a container 10 was formed from the laminar blank 400, a spring-back force of about 113 grams per centimetre was measured between the lid front wall and the lid flap.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2

[0075] A second reference laminar blank (not illustrated) has also been prepared and tested. The blank second reference laminar included a single conventional creasing line extending along a substantially straight line across the portion of the blank for forming the edge fold portion in a container. The creasing line has been formed by conventional machinery that mechanically deforms a portion of the blank.

[0076] When a container was formed from the second reference laminar blank, a spring-back force of about 40 grams per centimetre was measured between the lid front wall and the lid flap.

[0077] Thus, it shall be appreciated that in blanks and containers according to the present invention, the force necessary when assembling the container for folding the lid flap inwards and towards the inner surface of the lid front wall can be advantageously reduced. It can also be appreciated that for blanks and containers according to the present invention, this force can be advantageously reduced to a value that is comparable to the value for conventional creasing folds, and thus can be reduced to a value that is more likely to be compatible with existing machinery.