CN111183096A

CN111183096A - Package (I)

Info

Publication number: CN111183096A
Application number: CN201880063439.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 詹姆斯·斯威尼; 理查德·扬
Original assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2017-09-29
Filing date: 2018-10-01
Publication date: 2020-05-19
Also published as: RU2020111122A3; RU2020111122A; US20200262602A1; WO2019064028A1; GB201715903D0; EP3687909A1

Abstract

A package, comprising: a sleeve (3) and a reconfigurable container (4). A reconfigurable container (4) comprises a box (41) and a front flap (43) hinged together and pivotable between a folded-together configuration in which the front flap (43) abuts a front panel (411) of the box (41) and the container (4) is insertable into and removable from a sleeve (3), and an unfolded configuration in which an aperture (412) in the front panel (411) of the box (41) is accessible to allow access to a first compartment (421, 422) of the box (41). The printed document (5) is removably secured to a front surface (432) of the front flap (43) and the arrangement is such that when the container (4) is inserted into the sleeve (3), the sleeve (3) covers the printed document (5) and when the container (4) is removed from the sleeve (3), the printed document (5) is accessible and removable from the front flap (43).

Description

Package (I)

Technical Field

The present invention relates to packaging.

Background

The package may be used to protect the product prior to use by the user and to contain one or more ancillary items associated with the product that the user will require when using the product.

For example, when the product is a vaping device, the package may contain the vaping device and an auxiliary item, such as a charger for the vaping device.

Disclosure of Invention

According to some embodiments described herein, there is provided a package comprising: a sleeve; and a reconfigurable container comprising a box and a front flap hinged together and pivotable between (i) a folded-together configuration in which the front flap bears against the front panel of the box and the container is insertable into and removable from the sleeve, and (ii) a deployed configuration in which an aperture in the front panel of the box is accessible to allow access to the first compartment of the box; wherein the printed document is removably secured to the front surface of the front flap; and the arrangement is such that when the container is inserted into the sleeve, the sleeve covers the printed document, and when the container is removed from the sleeve, the printed document is accessible and removable from the front flap.

A product, such as a vaping device, may be stored in the first compartment.

The products may be sold in different countries (different markets) around the world, and each market may require its own particular version of the printed document, for example considering one or more local languages suitable for the market. Thus, the manufacturer of the product may produce a series of different market-specific printed documents, and while using the same container for all markets, the manufacturer may attach the correct market-specific printed document to the front surface of the front flap before inserting the container into the sleeve (which may also be market-specific, such as in terms of printing on the outside of the sleeve).

Printed documents for different markets may also vary in ways other than merely related to the language in which the text printed in the printed document is used. Some markets may require printed documents to include more information and therefore printed documents for different markets may have different numbers of pages.

When the container is in the sleeve, the printed document is covered by the sleeve and protected from damage or loss. The product in the first compartment of the cartridge is also protected by the sleeve.

When the container is removed from the sleeve, the printed document becomes accessible and it can be removed from the front flap of the container. Because the printed documents are stored on the front surface of the front flap and are not sandwiched between the front flap and the box, the presence of the printed documents becomes apparent to the person removing the container from the sleeve, and for this person, the printed documents can be removed and reviewed intuitively. The front flap is pivotable away from the front panel of the carton and the first compartment becomes accessible and product can be removed from the first compartment.

In some embodiments, the printed document is a booklet (booklet).

A booklet may be a printed document comprising a plurality of pages configured as a stack of pages that are all joined together on one side of the booklet (e.g., by stitching to form a spine on that side) or alternately joined together on one side of the booklet and then on the opposite side of the booklet (such that the booklet has, for example, a Z-shaped configuration).

In some embodiments, the hinge line between the box and the front flap includes one or more longitudinal cuts that define the location of the hinge line and reduce resistance to pivoting of the front flap relative to the box.

In some embodiments, the tray is positioned inside the cartridge, and the first compartment of the cartridge is provided by a recess (well) formed in a front surface of the tray.

Manufacturers can produce a range of different products having different shapes and depths. The total depth of the tray can be made greater than the maximum depth required for any product in the array. A series of trays can be produced with customized depressions to accommodate different products, but each tray in the series can fit in the same size box. This can result in significant cost savings as it may not be necessary to produce different sized cartridges for different products in the array.

In some embodiments, the front surface of the tray is provided by a deck surface of the tray; and the box has an edge panel that is an access flap for providing access behind the landing surface of the tray.

One or more auxiliary items may be stored in the box and located behind the tray.

In some embodiments, the arrangement is such that when the access flap is open, the tray can slide out of the box to provide access to the second compartment behind the platform surface of the tray.

One or more auxiliary items may be stored in the second compartment and may be accessed by a user sliding the tray out of the box.

In some embodiments, the sleeve has a closed bottom end and an open top end; and the arrangement is such that when the container is inserted into the sleeve, a removable security seal is placed across the open end of the sleeve. The access flap may be a box top flap, and the box top flap may be positioned at the open end of the sleeve when the container is inserted into the sleeve.

The sleeve can be considered to operate in a "vertical loading" mode with respect to the container and it has a closed bottom end. There is an opening (at the top end) and this opening can be closed with a removable security seal (such as a tax stamp) placed across the opening. The removable security seal may be in the form of a band or strip and may include a tamper-evident feature. The removable security seal may be used as an additional print bearing surface upon which market specific information may be printed and/or upon which product specific information related to a particular product included in the package may be printed.

In some embodiments, the vaping device is positioned in a recess of the tray; and one or more of a charger for the vaping device, an e-vaping bottle for resupplying the vaping device with e-vaping liquid, and a pack of vaping device components are positioned behind the platform surface of the tray.

In some embodiments, a cassette includes a front panel, a rear panel opposite the front panel, and first through fourth edge panels; and the tray is sandwiched between the front and rear panels of the case.

In this way, movement of the trays in the carton during transport of the package may be reduced, and the likelihood of damage to the products in the trays during transport may be reduced. The likelihood of damage to the product in the tray may be further reduced if the tray is also held in place laterally by the first through fourth edge panels immediately adjacent the box.

In some embodiments, the top edge of the back panel of the carton comprises a locking tab releasably engageable with the top flap of the carton to hold the top flap closed; and the arrangement is such that when the container is inserted into the sleeve, the sleeve prevents the locking tab from being removed from engagement with the top flap of the box.

In this way, it is not possible to open the top flap of the box when the box is in the container, and therefore it is not possible to remove the tray from the box when the box is in the container.

In some embodiments, the printed document is removably secured to the front surface of the front flap by one or more pairs of opposing retention tabs disposed on the front surface of the front flap and releasably engaging a perimeter of the printed document.

The front flap may have a rectangular array of first through fourth retention tabs on a front surface thereof that enable the printed document to be releasably secured to the front surface. Each retention tab may be formed by a cut line in the front flap and may be flexed outwardly along the fold line relative to the plane of the front surface. The flex may help insert the printed document behind the retention tab and then help grip the printed document to hold it in place in front of the front flap. The flex may also subsequently assist in removing or separating the printed document from the front flap.

Each cut line may have a curved shape to impart a convex curved shape to the free edge of a respective one of the retention tabs. For each cut line, the associated fold line may extend between the ends of the cut line. The side or longitudinal edges of each cut line may be parallel and have complementary or common shapes.

The printed document may be rectangular and may substantially match the rectangular shape of the array of first through fourth holding tabs. The printed document may be retained by the retention tabs at a central location on the front surface of the front flap, with each retention tab releasably securing a respective portion of the perimeter of the booklet. The width of the printed document may be less than the width of the front surface of the front flap occupied by the first and third retention tabs and may be less than the width of the front surface occupied by the second and fourth retention tabs. Thus, the corners of the printed document may be protected from damage by being covered by the retaining tabs.

In some embodiments, an edge of the front flap opposite the hinge line between the front flap and the box includes one or more side tabs that releasably engage a corresponding one or more cut lines in the box to retain the front flap against the front panel of the box in the folded-together configuration of the container.

In this way, the front flap is held closed by the engagement when the front flap is pivoted to its closed position and the one or more side tabs are releasably engaged with the respective one or more cut lines.

In some embodiments, a blank for forming the container is provided.

In some embodiments, there is provided a method of forming a package, comprising: providing a blank for a container; providing a molded tray; folding a blank for a container to form a container; and positioning the tray within the container.

The method may further comprise: providing a plurality of additional molded trays, wherein all of the trays have differently shaped recesses for receiving products of different depths, and the trays have been molded to have the same depth greater than the maximum recess depth; and selecting a desired one of the trays to suit the particular product to be contained in the container, and positioning the tray within the container.

The method may further include removably securing the printed document to a front surface of the front flap of the container.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic view of how a package according to a first embodiment can be opened by lifting the lid of the cover of the display carton, by lifting the kit (container in sleeve, with booklet attached to the front of the container, and product and auxiliary articles located within the container) out of the display carton, by lifting the container out of the sleeve to open the kit, by removing the booklet from the front of the container, and by opening the container to remove the product and auxiliary articles.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the package of the first embodiment when fully closed.

Fig. 3A is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment package with the lid of the display carton having been opened and the kit lifted out of the display carton and opened by removing the security seal from the top end of the sleeve to enable lifting of the container out of the sleeve.

Fig. 3B is a perspective view of the package of the first embodiment when the cover of the display carton has been completely removed such that all of the sleeves located in the base tray of the display carton are exposed.

Fig. 4-10 are perspective, front, rear, right side, left side, top and bottom views, respectively, of the display carton of the first embodiment, wherein the display carton is shown with the lid raised and the left and right portions of the inner front wall of the cover separated along a vertical line of weakness.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a blank used to form the display carton of the first embodiment.

Fig. 12-18 are perspective, front, rear, left, right, top and bottom views, respectively, of the container of the first embodiment, shown with the front flap of the container pivoted to an open position and without product in the recess of the tray of the container.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of a blank used to form the container of the first embodiment.

Fig. 20 is a plan view of a blank used to form the sleeve of the first embodiment.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the display carton of the first embodiment similar to that of fig. 4 but showing the left and right portions of the inner front wall of the cover still connected together along a vertical line of weakness.

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the container of the first embodiment similar to the container of fig. 12, but without a tray within the container and with a locking tab at the top of the rear wall of the container that unlocks from the top panel of the box of the container.

Fig. 23 and 24 are rear perspective views of the container of the first embodiment, showing an initial stage of accessing the top of the tray in the container (fig. 23) and a subsequent stage when the tray has been partially raised out of the container to allow access to a second compartment behind the tray (fig. 24) in which auxiliary items may be stored.

Detailed Description

The first embodiment of the package shown in fig. 1 of the drawings comprises a display carton 1 and four product kits 2 assembled within the display carton 1. The length of the display carton 1 from front to back can be varied to accommodate different numbers of sets 2.

In fig. 1, three kits 2 are still in the display carton 1. The foremost kit 2 has been removed from the display carton 1 and disassembled to show the main components of the kit 2, which are: a sleeve 3 having an open top end 31 and a closed bottom end 32; a container 4 which can be slidably inserted into and removed from the open top end 31 along an insertion/removal axis 33 of the sleeve 3; a printed document 5 (such as a booklet) which is removably secured to the container 4 when the container 4 is in the sleeve 3 and which is separable from the container 4 when the container 4 has been lifted out of the sleeve 3 (as shown in figure 1); a product 6 (e.g. a vaping device), which is shown diagrammatically in figure 1 as comprising a first part 61 and a second part 62; and an auxiliary item 7, such as a charger for the product 6. As will be explained later, the product 6 and the auxiliary item 7 may be stored in respective front and rear compartments of the container 4.

Figure 2 shows the closed (initial) configuration of the package of the first embodiment. This configuration may be employed when the cartridge 2 is moved from the factory to a location where it is intended for sale or use. At the location of intended sale or use, the display carton 1 may be partially opened (as shown in fig. 3A). The display carton 1 can be fully opened to adopt a final configuration (as shown in fig. 3B, and as will be explained in more detail later) such that a single kit 2 can be removed and sold or used.

The display carton 1 will now be described in more detail with reference to fig. 4 to 10, which are a perspective view, a front view, a rear view, a right side view, a left side view, a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of the display carton 1. Reference will also be made to fig. 11 which shows a single blank made of thin paperboard and foldable to form the display carton 1.

The display carton 1 comprises a base tray 11 and a cover 12 removably attached to the base tray 11.

The base tray 11 includes a bottom plate 110 (see fig. 10) and a front wall 111, a first side wall 112, a second side wall 113, and a rear wall 114 that extend upward from the bottom plate 110. The bottom panel 110 (see blank in fig. 11) is constructed from four sections 110A-110D that lock together when the blank is folded to form the display carton 1.

The cover 12 comprises a (first or inner) front wall 121, a first side wall 122, a second side wall 123 and a rear wall 124, which are located above the front wall 111, the first side wall 112, the second side wall 113 and the rear wall 114 of the base tray 11, respectively. The first or inner front wall 121 includes a left portion 121A and a right portion 121B that are initially connected together by a line of weakness 125A (see the blank shown in fig. 11 and the display carton perspective view shown in fig. 21). In fig. 4-10, the line of weakness 125A has been broken and the left and

right portions

121A, 121B are shown as having been rotated slightly forward.

The lid 12 also includes a lid 126 that is connected to the top of the back wall 124 of the lid by a hinge 1261 so that the lid projects forwardly from the back wall 124 when closed. The lid 126 includes a first or proximal panel 1262 that forms a top wall of the enclosure 12 when the lid is closed and a second or distal panel 1263 that forms an outer or second front wall when the lid is closed (e.g., as shown in fig. 2).

When the lid 126 is closed, the bottom end (distal end) 1263A of the panel 1263 tucks into the triangular groove 127 (see FIG. 21) that exists between the horizontal top edge 1111 of the front wall 111 of the base tray 11 and the bottom edges 121A1, 121B1 of the left and

right portions

121A, 121B of the inner front wall 121 of the cover 12. Edges 121a1, 121B1 slope upward toward line of weakness 125A in a symmetrical fashion such that line of weakness 125A is centrally located as a vertical line of weakness of inner front wall 121.

The hood 12 includes first and second side flaps 128A, 128B that are pivotally connected to top edges of the first and

second side walls

122, 123 by respective hinges 128A1, 128B1 to be pivotable between an inwardly directed (e.g., in fig. 4) and an outwardly directed (e.g., in fig. 1).

The display carton 1 further comprises lines of

weakness

125B, 125C, 125D that removably connect the cover 12 to the base tray 11.

The line of weakness 125B connects the top edge of the first side wall 112 of the base tray to the bottom edge of the first side wall 122 of the cover.

The line of weakness 125C connects the top edge of the second side wall 113 of the base tray to the bottom edge of the second side wall 123 of the cover.

The line of weakness 125D connects the top edge of the back wall 114 of the base tray to the bottom edge of the back wall 124 of the cover.

Breaking the three lines of

weakness

125B, 125C, 125D has the effect of separating the cover 12 from the base tray 11.

The rough handling involved may also break the vertical line of weakness 125A that connects the left and

right portions

121A, 121B of the inner front wall 121 of the cover 12 together during the act of removing the cover 12 from the base tray 11. Up to this point in time, the inner front wall 121 has provided structural rigidity to the front of the display carton 1 by structurally connecting together the first side wall 122 and the second side wall 123 of the cover 12. However, when the display carton is ready to display the kit 2, the cover 12 is no longer required, and the structural rigidity of the disposable upper portion (cover 12) of the display carton is no longer required.

With the cover 12 removed, the display carton 1 now includes only the base tray 11 (see fig. 3B) for displaying the kit 2 for purchase or use. Because the rear wall 114 of the base tray is higher than the front wall 111, the top edges of the

side walls

112, 113 of the base tray slope downwardly from the rear wall to the front wall of the base tray, so the base tray intuitively presents the set 2 adjacent the front wall 111 as a set that can be presented towards a prospective purchaser or user.

The blank of the display carton 1 (see fig. 11) comprises an extension 115 which is attached to the first side wall 112 of the base tray 11 and which may be provided with an adhesive such that when the blank is folded up to form the display carton, the extension 115 forms an adhesive connection between the first side wall 112 and the rear wall 114 of the base tray 11.

The container 4 will now be described in more detail with reference to fig. 12 to 18, which are a perspective view, a front view, a rear view, a left side view, a right side view, a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of the container 4. Reference will also be made to fig. 19 which shows a single blank made of thin paperboard and foldable to form the box 41 and front flaps 43 of the container 4.

The container 4 comprises a box 41, a tray 42 within the box 41, and a front flap 43 pivotally connected to the box 41 at a hinge line 431. In fig. 12-18, container 4 is shown with front flap 43 pivoted to the open position and no product stored in tray 42. In fig. 3A, the front flap 43 is closed.

The container 4 is reconfigurable between a folded-together (closed) configuration, in which the front flap 43 abuts the main front panel 411 of the box 41, and the container 4 is insertable into and removable from the sleeve 3 along the insertion/removal axis 33 (see fig. 3A) via the open top end 31 of the sleeve 3, and an unfolded (open) configuration, in which the aperture 412 in the front panel 411 of the box 41 is accessible to allow access to the first and

second recesses

421, 422 of the tray 42, which provide the first or front compartment of the box 41 (see fig. 12). The first recess 421 is intended to receive the first part 61 of the product 6, while the second recess 422 is intended to receive the second part 62 of the product 6.

The box 41 and front flap 43 are folded together from the blank shown in fig. 19. The box 41 includes a main front panel 411, a main rear panel 413, and first to fourth edge panels 414 to 417. The first edge panel 414 is located at the top of the box 41 and is in the form of a closable flap that provides access into the box 41. The first edge panel 414 is connected to the extension 414A via a fold line that includes a slit 414B. A locking tab 413A at the top edge of the back panel 413 may engage with the slot 414B to hold the first edge panel 414 closed.

The blank (see fig. 19) comprises an extension 411A which is attached to a side edge of the front panel 411 of the box 41 and which may be provided with adhesive such that when the blank is folded up to form the box and front flap, the extension 411A forms an adhesive connection between the front panel 411 and the fourth edge panel 417 such that the hinge line 431 between the front panel 411 and the front flap 43 of the box 41 is located along the side edge of the front panel 411.

The hinge line 431 includes a plurality of longitudinal cuts 431A-431C that help to precisely define the location of the hinge line 431 and reduce resistance to pivoting of the front flap 43 relative to the carton 41.

The front flap 43 has a rectangular array of first through fourth retention tabs 433A-433D on its front surface 432 that enable the booklet 5 to be releasably secured to the front surface 432. Each retention tab 433A-433D is formed by a cut line 434 in the front flap 43 and is outwardly flexible along a fold line 435 relative to the plane of the front surface 432. This folding may assist in inserting the booklet 5 behind the retention tabs 433A to 433D and then clamping the booklet to hold the booklet in place in the front of the container 4. The fold may also subsequently assist in removing or separating the booklet 5 from the container 4.

Each cut line 434 has a curved shape to impart a convex curved shape to the free edge of a respective one of the retention tabs 433A to 433D. For each cut line 434, the associated fold line 435 extends between the ends of the cut line. The side or longitudinal edges of each cut line 434 are parallel and have complementary or common shapes.

When the container 4 has been inserted into the sleeve, the first and

third holding tabs

433A, 433C are directed towards the closed end 32 of the sleeve 3, and these two tabs are positioned side by side in a direction transverse to the insertion/removal axis 33.

When the container 4 has been inserted into the sleeve, the second 433B and fourth 433D retention tabs point towards the open end 31 of the sleeve 3, and these two tabs are also positioned side by side in a direction transverse to the insertion/removal axis 33.

The set comprising the first and second

opposed retention tabs

433A, 433B and the set comprising the third and fourth

opposed retention tabs

433C, 433D are symmetrical with respect to the insertion/removal axis 33 (see fig. 19).

The booklet 5 is rectangular and matches (but is slightly smaller than) the rectangular shape of the array of first through fourth retention tabs 433A through 433D. The booklet 5 can be held in a central position on the front surface 432 of the front flap 43 by holding tabs, with each holding tab 433A to 433D releasably securing a respective portion of the perimeter of the booklet 5. The first to fourth peripheral portions 51 to 54 of the booklet 5 are shown in fig. 1. The width of the booklet 5 is smaller than the width of the front surface 432 of the front flap 43 occupied by the first and

third holding tabs

433A, 433C, and also smaller than the width of the front surface 432 occupied by the second and fourth holding

tabs

433B, 433D. Thus, the corners of the booklet 5 are protected from damage by being covered by the holding tabs 433A to 433D.

The products 6 may be sold in different countries (different markets) around the world and each market may require its own particular version of the booklet, for example considering one or more local languages suitable for the market. Thus, the manufacturer of the product 6 can produce a series of different market-specific booklets, and while using the same container 4 for all markets, the manufacturer can attach the correct market-specific booklet to the front of the container 4 before inserting the container into the sleeve (which may also be market-specific, such as in terms of any printing on the outside of the sleeve).

Booklets for different markets can also vary in ways other than merely related to the language used for the text printed in the booklet. Some markets may require booklets to include more information, so booklets for different markets may have different numbers of pages.

The front flap 43 includes a first side tab 436A and a second side tab 436B on the free edges of the flap remote from the hinge line 431. When the front flap 43 has been closed, the

side tabs

436A, 436B are releasably engageable with respective slits (cut lines) 418A, 418B in the underlying edge of the box 41 so that the front flap 43 is held closed by this engagement.

Fig. 22 shows the container 4 without the tray 42 inside the box 41, so that the internal cavity 419 of the box 41 is visible.

The manner in which the tray 42 can be slid into and out of the tray 41 will now be described in more detail with reference to fig. 23 and 24, which are rear perspective views of the container 4 showing an initial stage of accessing the top of the tray 42 in the container (fig. 23) and a subsequent stage when the tray 42 has been partially raised out of the container to allow access to a second compartment at the rear of the tray (fig. 24) in which the auxiliary items 7 can be stored.

The tray 42 is made of a molded plastic material and has dimensions (height, width and depth) that conform to the shape of the interior cavity 419 of the cassette 41. Therefore, when the tray 42 is located inside the cartridge 41, the tray 42 is sandwiched between the front panel 411 and the rear panel 413 of the cartridge. The tray 42 is also held in place laterally by abutting the first through fourth edge panels 414 through 417 of the cassette 41.

In fig. 23, the process of lifting the tray 42 out of the cassette 41 is started. The locking tab 413A has been released from the slot 414B of the top panel 414 of the box 41 and the top panel (top flap) 414 has been opened to enable access to the tray.

The tray 42 includes first 423 to fourth 426 side walls that support a platform surface 427, followed by an interior cavity 428 that provides a second or rear compartment of the container 4. The front surface of tray 42 is provided by a platform surface 427, and platform surface 427 has a first recess 421 and a second recess 422 molded therein that provide a first or front compartment of cartridge 41 (see fig. 12).

As previously described, the first part 61 of the product 6 may be stored in the first recess 421 and the second part 62 of the product 6 may be stored in the second recess 422. Auxiliary items 7, such as chargers for products 6, may be stored in the rear compartment 428 behind the platform surface 427. By lifting the tray 42 (moving from the configuration of fig. 23 to the configuration of fig. 24), access to the rear compartment 428 is gained and the auxiliary item 7 can be removed so that it can be used.

In fig. 24, a bottom surface 421A of the first recess 421 is visible, and a bottom surface 422A of the second recess 422 is visible. The depth of the

recesses

421, 422 matches the depth of the first and

second parts

61, 62 of the product 6, and the depth of the

recesses

421, 422 is less than the total depth of the tray 42.

The manufacturer can produce a series of different products 6 (either monolithic products or products made up of parts similar to the first part 61 and the second part 62) with the series having different shapes and depths. The total depth of the tray 42 can be made greater than the maximum depth required for any product in the array. Thus, a series of different custom trays may be molded to suit different products, but each tray of the series may fit within the same interior cavity 419 of the box 41. Thus, the same box 41 (and thus the same sleeve 3 and the same display carton 1) with front flaps 43 can be used for each product in the series of products. This results in a significant cost savings because the only structurally customized item required for a product in the array of products is the customization tray 42.

The sleeve 3 will now be described in more detail with reference to fig. 1 and 3A, which show the sleeve 3 in perspective view. Reference will also be made to fig. 20, which shows a single blank made of thin cardboard and foldable to form the sleeve 3.

The sleeve 3 comprises main front and

rear panels

34, 35 and first and

second side panels

36, 37 and a bottom 38 formed by four sections 38A to 38D which lock together to form the closed bottom end 32 when the blank is folded to form the sleeve 3. The top edges of the

side panels

36, 37 each include a

cutout

36A, 37A to aid the user in grasping the container 4 within the sleeve 3 so that the container 4 can be lifted out of the open top end 31 of the sleeve.

The sleeve 3 comprises an extension 34A which is attached to a side edge of the front panel 34 and which may be provided with adhesive such that when the blank is folded up to form the sleeve, the extension 34A forms an adhesive connection between the front panel 34 and the second side panel 37.

The interior of the sleeve 3 is free of any internal restraint structure that might prevent the container 4 from being completely removed from the sleeve. In particular, the inner surfaces of the main front and

rear panels

34, 35 and the first and

second side panels

36, 37 do not include any edges transverse to the insertion/removal axis 33 that may be caught by one of the retention tabs 433A to 433D of the front flap 43 when the container 4 is inserted into or removed from the sleeve 3.

The cartridge 3 operates in a "vertical loading" mode with respect to the container 4 and has a closed bottom end 32. This means that there is only one opening (at the top end 31) and that the opening can be closed with a tax stamp placed across the opening. The tax stamp may be in the form of a band or strip 39 and may include a tamper-evident feature. The tax banderoles 39 may be used as additional print bearing surfaces on which market specific information may be printed and/or on which product specific information relating to the specific product 6 included in the package may be printed.

When the package reaches its destination, it looks like the package in fig. 1. The cover 12 of the display carton 1 may then be removed by breaking the lines of weakness 125B-125D (and possibly also the line of weakness 125A). The package then looks like the package in fig. 2. A selected one of the product kits 2 can be removed from the base tray 11 of the display carton 1 and the product kit 2 can then be opened. As shown on the left side of fig. 3A, the tax stamp 39 can be removed from the sleeve 3. At this point, the container 4 is still inside the sleeve 3 and the booklet 5 in the front of the container 4 is covered by the sleeve 3.

When the container 4 is lifted out of the sleeve 3, the booklet 5 becomes accessible and can be removed from the front flap 43 of the container 4 by lifting one or more of the retention tabs 433A to 433D. The front flap 43 can be pivoted from its closed position to an open position and the products 6 (the first and second product parts 61, 62) can be removed from the first and

second recesses

421, 422 of the tray 42.

When container 4 is in sleeve 3, locking tabs 413A are covered by sleeve 3 and are inaccessible. As the container 4 is removed from the sleeve 3, the locking tab 413A is accessible and can be pivoted rearwardly so that it disengages from the slit 414B of the top flap 414 (top panel) of the box 41. The top flap 414 can then be opened and the tray 42 can be lifted out of the box 41 to provide access to the rear compartment 428 of the lower portion of the tray 42 so that the auxiliary item 7 can be removed for use in conjunction with the product 6.

The product 6 and the auxiliary product 7 can be returned to the front compartment (recesses 421, 422) and the rear compartment 428, respectively. The booklet 5 can be reattached to the front of the container 4 by plugging back under the retention tabs 433A to 433D and the front flap 43 can be closed and then the container 4 can be slid back down into the sleeve 3.

During removal of the container 4 from the sleeve 3, and during reinsertion of the container 4 into the sleeve 3, the booklet 5 and the retention tabs 433A to 433D will not catch or jam on the inner surface of the sleeve 3, since the major walls of the inner surface do not have laterally extending edges that protrude into the cavity of the sleeve 3.

The various embodiments described herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided merely as representative samples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, suitable combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, and the like, in addition to those specifically described herein. Additionally, the present disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. A package, comprising:

a sleeve; and

a reconfigurable container comprising a box and a front flap, the box and the front flap being hinged together and pivotable between (i) a folded-together configuration in which the front flap abuts a front panel of the box and the container is insertable into and removable from the sleeve, and (ii) a deployed configuration in which an aperture in the front panel of the box is accessible to allow access to a first compartment of the box;

wherein a printed document is removably secured to a front surface of the front flap; and is

The arrangement is such that: the sleeve covers the printed document when the container is inserted into the sleeve, and the printed document is accessible and removable from the front flap when the container is removed from the sleeve.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the printed document is a booklet.

3. The package of claim 1 or 2, wherein the hinge line between the box and the front flap comprises one or more longitudinal cuts that define the location of the hinge line and reduce resistance to pivoting of the front flap relative to the box.

4. A package according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein a tray is located inside the box and the first compartment of the box is provided by a recess formed in a front surface of the tray.

5. The package of claim 4, wherein:

the front surface of the tray is provided by a deck surface of the tray; and is

The box has an edge panel that is an access flap for providing access behind the landing surface of the tray.

6. A package according to claim 5, wherein the arrangement is such that: when the access flap is opened, the tray can slide out of the box to provide access to a second compartment behind the landing surface of the tray.

7. The package of claim 5 or 6, wherein:

the sleeve having a closed bottom end and an open top end;

the access flap is a top flap of the box; and is

The arrangement is such that: when the container is inserted into the sleeve, the top flap of the box is positioned at the open top end of the sleeve and a removable security seal is placed across the open top end of the sleeve.

8. The package of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein:

a vapor fume apparatus is positioned in the recess of the tray; and is

Positioned behind the deck surface of the pallet is one or more of: a charger for the vaping device, an e-vaping bottle for resupplying the vaping device with e-vaping liquid, and a pack of vaping device components.

9. The package of any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein:

the cassette includes the front panel, a rear panel opposite the front panel, and first through fourth edge panels; and is

The tray is sandwiched between the front panel and the rear panel of the case.

10. The package of claim 7 and claim 9, wherein:

a top edge of the back panel of the box comprises a locking tab releasably engageable with the top flap of the box to hold the top flap closed; and is

The arrangement is such that: the sleeve prevents the locking tab from being removed from engagement with the top flap of the box when the container is inserted into the sleeve.

11. The package of any of claims 1-10, wherein the printed document is removably secured to the front surface of the front flap by one or more pairs of opposing retention tabs disposed on the front surface of the front flap and releasably engaging a perimeter of the printed document.

12. The package of any of claims 1-11, wherein an edge of the front flap opposite the hinge line between the front flap and the box comprises one or more side tabs that releasably engage a respective one or more cut lines in the box in the folded-together configuration of the container to retain the front flap against the front panel of the box.

13. The container of any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A blank for forming a container according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A method of forming a package comprising:

providing a blank for a container;

providing a molded tray;

folding the blank for the container to form a container according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and

positioning the tray within the container.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a plurality of additional molded trays, wherein all of the trays have differently shaped recesses for receiving products of different depths, and the trays have been molded to have the same depth greater than the maximum recess depth; and

a desired one of the trays is selected to suit the particular product to be contained in the container, and the tray is positioned within the container.

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, further comprising removably securing a printed document to the front surface of the front flap of the container.