CN209972997U

CN209972997U - Package (I)

Info

Publication number: CN209972997U
Application number: CN201690001176.1U
Authority: CN
Inventors: R.扬
Original assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Current assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Priority date: 2015-09-21
Filing date: 2016-09-20
Publication date: 2020-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-20
Also published as: JP3217805U; KR20180001156U; UA130650U; WO2017050735A1; ES1214344Y; ES1214344U; KR20190003259U; RO201800012U3; GB201516708D0; RO201800012U2

Abstract

A package is described that includes a single piece of material that includes a plurality of panels joined by lines of weakness in the material. The plurality of panels and the line of weakness are arranged such that the package is capable of being manipulated between an erected configuration in which the plurality of panels define a box and a non-erected configuration in which the plurality of panels define a substantially continuous sheet.

Description

Package (I)

Technical Field

The present invention relates to packaging.

Background

Many consumer products, such as replacement cartridges for electronic cigarettes, are sold to consumers in packages containing one or more of the consumer products.

It is desirable to provide a package that can be easily erected into a box for containing such consumer goods.

Disclosure of Invention

There is provided according to some embodiments described herein a package comprising: a single piece of material comprising a plurality of panels joined by a line of weakness in the material, wherein the plurality of panels and the line of weakness are arranged such that the package can be manipulated between an erect configuration in which the plurality of panels define a box, and a non-erect configuration in which the plurality of panels define a substantially continuous sheet.

The plurality of panels may comprise a plurality of pairs of first panels, wherein the panels of each pair of first panels together define a pair of adjacent walls of the box when the package is in the erected configuration, and the plurality of panels may further comprise a plurality of pairs of second panels, wherein the panels of each pair of first panels are connected by the panels of a respective pair of the pairs of second panels, wherein the panels of each pair of second panels are joined together along a respective one of the first lines of weakness of the lines of weakness in the material, wherein the panels of each pair of second panels are folded against each other within the box along a respective one of the first lines of weakness joining them when the package is in the erected configuration.

The first panels of each pair of first panels may be joined to the first panels of a respective pair of pairs of second panels along a respective one of the lines of weakness in the material, the respective pair connecting the pair of first panels, and the second panels of each pair of first panels are joined to the second panels of a respective pair of the pair of second panels along a respective one of the third lines of weakness in the material, the respective pair connecting the pair of first panels.

Drawings

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

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front side view of a package in an erected configuration;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective rear side view of the package in an erected configuration;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the package in a non-erected configuration;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the package between a non-erected configuration and an erected configuration;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the package between a non-erected configuration and an erected configuration;

fig. 6 shows a plan view of the package in an erected configuration with the lid panel open.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 3 show a package 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The package 1 comprises a single piece of any suitable material, for example a foldable material such as cardboard or paper. The single piece of material comprises a plurality of

panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 (not all of which are visible in figures 1 and 2), the plurality of

panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 being defined by a line of weakness a^、To t^、And (7) connecting.

A plurality of

panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 and lines of weakness a^、To t^、Arranged such that the package 1 can be manipulated, e.g. folded and unfolded, between an erected configuration (shown in fig. 1 and 2), in which the plurality of

panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 define a closed box, and a non-erected configuration (shown in fig. 3), in which the plurality of

panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 define a substantially continuous flat sheet.

When the package 1 is in the erected configuration, the first and

second panels

3, 5 opposite each other serve as side walls of the closure box, the third and

fourth panels

7, 9 opposite each other serve as front and rear walls of the closure box, respectively, and the fifth and

sixth panels

11, 13 opposite each other serve as top and bottom walls or bases of the closure box, respectively.

When the package 1 is in the erected configuration, the dimension L of the front wall 7, the rear wall 9, the top wall 11, the bottom wall 13 defines the length of the closure, the dimension W of the

side walls

3 and 5, the top wall 11 and the base wall 13 defines the width of the closure, and the dimension H of the

side walls

3 and 5, the front wall 7 and the rear wall 9 defines the height of the closure.

The

panels

3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 are all of rectangular shape, with opposing panels having the same cross-sectional area in the erected configuration, and the closure therefore takes the form of a conventional stand-square box when in the erected configuration. Of course, other shapes and cross-sectional areas are possible. In one example, opposing panels having the same cross-sectional area in the erected configuration may have a square cross-sectional area. If the

panels

3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 are all square and have the same cross-sectional area, the enclosure takes the form of a cube.

The

remaining panels

3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b and 11a are all internal panels, in the sense that they are arranged substantially inside the enclosure when the package 1 is in the erected configuration.

Line of weakness a^、To t^、May be provided by a crease line, a perforation line, a score line, or any other type of line of weakness, or combinations thereof.

As shown in fig. 3, the panels 13 follow respective weakening lines r^、、t^、、q^、And s^、Adjacent to the

panels

3, 5, 7 and 9. The panel 9 being along the line of weakness h^、Adjacent to the panel 11. The panel 11 is rectangular in shape.

The panel 7a is substantially quadrangular in shape and follows a weakening line a^、Adjacent to the panel 7 and along the weakening line b^、Adjacent to the panel 3 a. The panel 3a is substantially quadrangular in shape and is also contiguous with the panel 7a, along the weakening line c^、Adjacent to the panel 3. The panel 3 is also contiguous to the

panels

3a and 13, respectively, also along the weakening line e^、And d^、Adjacent to the panel 3c and the panel 3 b. The panel 3c is substantially trapezoidal in shape and has two rounded corners. The panel 3b is substantially quadrangularShaped and also contiguous with the panel 3, also along the weakening line f^、Adjacent to the panel 9 b. The panel 9b is triangular in shape and is also contiguous with the panel 3b, also along the weakening line g^、Adjacent to the panel 9.

The panel 11 is also contiguous to the panel 9, also along the weakening line i^、Adjacent to the panel 11 a. The panel 11a is substantially irregularly pentagonal in shape with three of its corners rounded off.

The

panels

9a, 5b and 7b are arranged in a substantially symmetrical arrangement with the

panels

9b, 3a and 7a, respectively. Thus, panel 9a and panel 9b have the same shape and size, panel 5a and panel 3b have the same shape and size, panel 5 and panel 3 have the same shape and size, panel 5b and panel 3a have the same shape and size and

panels

7b and 7a have the same shape and size.

The panel 9a being along the weakening line j^、Adjacent to the panel 9 and along the weakening line k^、Adjacent to the panel 5 a. The panel 5a is also contiguous to the panel 9a, also along the weakening line l^、Adjacent to the panel 5. Panel 5 is also contiguous with

panels

13 and 5a, also along weakening line m respectively^、And n^、Adjacent to the face plate 5c and the face plate 5 b. The panel 5b is also contiguous to the panel 5, also along the weakening line o^、Abutting against the panel 7 b. The panel 7b is also contiguous to the panel 5b, also along the weakening line p^、Adjacent to the panel 7.

The

panels

3, 5, 9 and 13 do not have free edges (i.e., cut edges). The remaining panels have free edges that together define the perimeter of the package 1 when the package 1 is in the non-erected configuration. These free edges are most clearly shown in fig. 3, but are not labeled in order to maintain the clarity of the drawing. The

panels

7, 9a and 9b each have a single straight free edge, but as will be discussed below, the free edge of the panel 7a has a small curved notch 7d formed therein. The

panels

3b, 3a, 5a and 5b each have two straight free edges, one of which is substantially longer than the other and which meet at a curved corner. The

panels

7a and 7b each have two straight free edges substantially perpendicular to each other and intersecting at a curved corner. The panel 11 has two free straight edges parallel and opposite to each other. The panel 11a has four free edges and three curved corners. The

panels

3c and 5c (which are both smaller than the other panels) each have three free edges with two curved corners.

It will be appreciated that in this example the curved corners essentially join the free edges, which improves the appearance of the package.

Figures 4 to 6 help illustrate how the

various panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 surround the various lines of weakness a, when the package 1 is manipulated between the erected and non-erected configurations^、To s^、Pivoting.

When moving from the erected configuration to the non-erected configuration, the package 1 is manipulated such that the

panels

3, 5, 7 and 9 each surround the line of weakness r^、、t^、、q^、And s^、Pivoting until

panels

3, 5, 7 and 9 are substantially perpendicular to panel 13.

When the

panels

3, 5, 7 and 9 are pivoted into a position in which they are substantially perpendicular to the panel 13, the

panels

3b and 9b, 7a and 3a, 5a and 9a and 7b and 5b are moved into a position as best shown in figure 6 in which the

panels

9b and 3b surround the line of weakness f^、Folded on top of each other, the

panels

3a and 7a surrounding the line of weakness b^、Folded on top of each other, the

panels

9a and 5a surround the line of weakness k^、Folded on top of each other and

panels

5b and 7b surround the line of weakness o^、Folded over each other.

Thus, on one side of the package 1, a pair of

panels

9b and 3b and a pair of

panels

3a and 7a are disposed within the interior of the carton and are oriented or angled inwardly from opposite edges of the carton toward a central longitudinal axis (indicated by dashed lines in fig. 6) of the carton. Similarly, on the other side of the package 1, a pair of

panels

9a and 5a and a pair of

panels

5b and 7b are arranged within the box and are also oriented or angled inwardly from opposite edges of the box toward the longitudinal axis of the box. On one side,

panels

3a and 3b are angled toward each other and sandwiched between

panels

9b and 7 a. On the other side,

panels

5a and 5b are angled toward each other and sandwiched between

panels

9a and 7 b.

In order to configure the package 1 completely in the erected configuration, the

panels

3c and 5c respectively surround the line of weakness e towards the inside of the box^、And m^、Pivoting until they are substantially perpendicular to the

panels

3 and 5, respectively. The panel 11 surrounds a weakening line h^、Pivoting and panel 11a is tucked into the box between panel 7 and

panels

7a and 7b until panel 11 is substantially perpendicular to

panels

9 and 11 a. In this position, the panel 11a serves to prevent the other panels from springing open and thus preventing the box from opening.

Thus, when the package 1 is in the erected configuration, the pair of

panels

9 and 3 define adjacent walls of the box, as do the pair of

panels

3 and 7, as do the pair of

panels

7 and 5, and as do the pair of

panels

5 and 9. The panels of each of these pairs of wall panels are connected by a respective pair of connecting panels (i.e.

panels

9b and 3b are a pair of connecting panels, like

panels

3a and 7a, like

panels

7b and 5b, and like

panels

9a and 5 a), which are along a first line of weakness (according to the specific case f)^、、b^、、o^、Or k^、) Folded against each other and extending inwardly at an angle into the box.

For a given pair of adjacent wall panels, one of the panels of the pair of connecting panels is adjoined to one of the wall panels along the second line of weakness and the other of the panels of the pair of connecting panels is adjoined to the other of the wall panels along the third line of weakness. For a given pair of adjacent wall panels and a pair of connecting panels thereof, the first, second and third lines of weakness converge at a respective one of the corners of the panel 13 which serves as a base panel. As best understood from fig. 3, because each of the four

wall panels

9, 3, 7 and 5 is itself contiguous with the base panel 3 along a respective line of weakness, the five lines of weakness converge or intersect at each of the corners of the base panel 13.

In one example, the line of weakness b^、、f^、、k^、And o^、Weaker than the other lines of weakness, in order to facilitate the relatively large amount of pivoting required to fold the

panels

7a, 3b, 9a, 5b, 7b of the pair of connected panels over each other. In one exampleLine of weakness b^、、f^、、k^、And o^、May be a line of perforations and the other line of weakness is a fold or crease line.

To return the pack 1 to the non-erected configuration, the panel 11a is pulled out of the interior of the box and the panel 11 is pivoted in the opposite sense to that used when closing the box. The

panels

3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 11a, 13 can then be fanned out by moving along a path that is generally opposite to the path along which the packages move when they are placed in the erected configuration.

As mentioned above, the free edge of the panel 7 has a curved notch 7d formed therein to facilitate the panel 11 being manipulated out of the box.

When opening package 1 into the non-erected configuration, package 1 is in the form of a continuous sheet, and therefore does not have any seams, which are cut into package 1 and used when handling package 1 into the erected configuration or holding package 1 in the erected configuration. Further, it should be understood that the one-piece design is self-supporting in that it can remain secure in the erected configuration without the aid of any additional adhesive or sticking agent, such as glue or tape.

Since no glue or tape is required to hold the package 1 in the erected configuration, the process of erecting the package 1 and filling it with any articles to be accommodated is facilitated, since no alignment of panels for gluing or adhering is required during assembly, and no special tools are required.

This facilitates the process of erecting the package into an erected configuration and filling it with the articles to be accommodated. When in the erected configuration, the package 1 is structurally rigid and provides good protection for the items inside the package 1.

Further, the consumer can easily open the package 1 into the non-erected configuration, and thus the entire inner surface of the package can be used to convey a visual message (e.g., instructions or advertising) to the consumer.

When in the erected configuration, the package 1 has a neat appearance, since the majority of the visible edges are folded edges and there is a relatively small amount of visible cut edges.

In one example, the package 1 is for containing a replacement cartridge of an electronic cigarette when in an upright configuration, but it should be understood that the package may be used to contain a variety of different articles.

The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching 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 their equivalents, and that other embodiments may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Various embodiments of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, suitable combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. other than those specifically described herein. Additionally, this disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. A package, comprising:

a single piece of material comprising a plurality of panels joined by a line of weakness in the material, wherein the plurality of panels and the line of weakness are arranged such that the package is manipulable between an erected configuration in which the plurality of panels define a carton and a non-erected configuration in which the plurality of panels define a substantially continuous sheet, wherein the carton is a closed carton in the erected configuration, and characterized in that the carton contains a replacement cartridge of electronic cigarettes, the plurality of panels comprising a plurality of pairs of first panels, wherein the panels of each pair of first panels together define a pair of adjacent walls of the carton when the package is in the erected configuration, and wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a plurality of pairs of second panels, and wherein the panels of each pair of first panels are connected by the panels of a respective pair of the pairs of second panels, and wherein the panels of each pair of second panels are joined together along a respective one of the first lines of weakness of the lines of weakness in the material, and wherein the panels of each pair of second panels are folded against each other within the box along the respective one of the first lines of weakness joining them when the package is in the erected configuration, a free edge of one of the first panels having a small curved notch formed therein,

wherein the plurality of panels comprises a panel that serves as a lid for the box when the package is in the erected configuration,

wherein the panel serving as a lid for the box when the package is in the erected configuration is joined to one of the first panels along a line of weakness,

wherein the plurality of panels comprises a tab panel adjoined to the panel by a line of weakness, the panel serving as a lid for the box when the package is in the erected configuration, the tab panel being substantially of irregular pentagonal shape with three of its corners rounded off, wherein the tab panel is adapted to fold into the interior of the box between two or more others of the plurality of panels when the package is in the erected configuration,

wherein the tab panels are adapted to be folded into the interior of the box between one of the first panels and two of the second panels, each of the two of the second panels abutting one of the first panels along a respective one of the lines of weakness, the two of the second panels being substantially quadrilateral in shape.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the first panel of each pair of first panels is joined to the first panel of said respective pair of said pair of second panels along a respective one of the second lines of weakness in said material, said respective pair connecting said pair of first panels, and the second panel of each pair of first panels is joined to the second panel of said respective pair of said pair of second panels along a respective one of the third lines of weakness in said material, said respective pair connecting said pair of first panels.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein, for a given pair of first panels and a pair of second panels connecting those first panels, a respective one of the first lines of weakness, a respective one of the second lines of weakness, and a respective one of the third lines of weakness converge at a point.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the point is a corner of another panel of the plurality of panels.

5. The package of claim 4, wherein the other panel serves as a base for the box when the package is in the erected configuration.

6. The package of claim 4 or 5 wherein the first panel of each pair of first panels is joined to the other panel along a respective one of the fourth lines of weakness of the lines of weakness in the material and the second panel of each pair of first panels is joined to the other panel along a respective one of the fifth lines of weakness of the lines of weakness in the material.

7. The package of claim 6 wherein, for a given pair of first panels and a pair of second panels connecting those first panels, a respective one of the first lines of weakness, a respective one of the second lines of weakness, a respective one of the third lines of weakness, a respective one of the fourth lines of weakness, and a respective one of the fifth lines of weakness converge at a point that is a corner of another panel of the plurality of panels.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein the tab panel serves to retain the package in the erected configuration.

9. The package of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first line of weakness is weaker than the others of the lines of weakness.

10. The package of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the line of weakness comprises at least one of a fold line, a crease line, a perforation line, and a score line.

11. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the box is self-supporting in the erected configuration.

12. The package according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the box is a cuboidal or cubic box.

13. The package according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the substantially continuous sheet is a substantially flat sheet.

14. The package of any of the preceding claims 1 to 5 wherein some of the lines of weakness are weaker than others of the lines of weakness.