EP2455295A1

EP2455295A1 - Container with dispensing device

Info

Publication number: EP2455295A1
Application number: EP10251944A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bodo-Werner Lutzig
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Current assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Priority date: 2010-11-17
Filing date: 2010-11-17
Publication date: 2012-05-23
Also published as: WO2012065746A1

Abstract

A container (10) for consumer goods comprises: a housing (12) having a hinge lid (34) and comprising one or two elongate slits (56,58); and a dispensing device (14,16) for dispensing a portion of the consumer goods (18) from the container. The dispensing device comprises a sliding element (14) mounted in the one or two elongate slits (56,58) of the housing for movement therein; and a lifting element (16) connected to the sliding element. The dispensing device is moveable between a first dispenser position, in which the portion of consumer goods is fully within the housing, and a second dispenser position in which the portion of consumer goods is at least partially protruding from the housing (12).

Description

The present invention relates to a container for consumer goods comprising a dispensing device. The container of the present invention finds particular application as a container for housing smoking articles.
It is known to package elongate smoking articles and other consumer goods in containers formed from folded laminar blanks. Elongate smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, are commonly sold in hinge-lid packs having a box for housing the smoking articles and a lid connected to the box about a hinge line extending across the back wall of the container. Such packs are typically constructed from one-piece laminar cardboard blanks. In use, the lid is pivoted about the hinge line to open the pack and so gain access to the smoking articles held in the box.
Also known are slide and shell containers with or without a hinge lid. For example, US-A-3 858 788 and US-A-3 933 299 describe hinge lid containers comprising an inner slide with a hinge lid housed within an outer shell. The outer shell has the form of a sleeve surrounding the inner slide. When the outer shell and inner slide are moved relative to each other the lid may open or close.
In order to remove a smoking article from one of these known hinge lid containers, the consumer must first open the hinge lid and then draw a smoking article from the bundle of smoking articles housed within the container. Since the smoking articles are typically all of the same length and positioned at the same height, the removal of a single smoking article from the container without also contacting the other smoking articles around it may be difficult, in particular when the container is relatively full.
It would be desirable to provide a novel container with a sliding element, which is adapted to facilitate the dispensing of the consumer goods within the container. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a novel container with a sliding element, which enables the dispensing of a single item or a small group of items from the container.
According to the present invention there is provided a container for consumer goods comprising: a housing and a dispensing device for dispensing a portion of the consumer goods from the container. The dispensing device is formed of a lifting element and a sliding element connected to the lifting element. The housing comprises a hinge lid and one or two elongate slits. The sliding element is mounted in the one or two elongate slits of the housing for movement in the one or two slits. The lifting element is mounted within the housing and comprises a base wall capable of supporting the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed. The dispensing device is moveable between a first dispenser position, in which the portion of consumer goods is fully within the housing, and a second dispenser position, in which the portion of consumer goods is at least partially protruding from the housing. Furthermore, the dispensing device is connected to the hinge lid such that movement of the dispensing device between the first dispenser position and the second dispenser position brings about pivotal movement of the hinge lid between a closed lid position and an open lid position.
In the following description of the invention the terms "front", "back", "upper", "lower", "side", "top", "bottom" and other terms used to describe relative positions of the components of containers according to the invention refer to the container in an upright position with the lid at the top end and the hinge on the back. When describing containers according to the present invention, these terms are used irrespective of the orientation of the container being described.
The terms "left" and "right" are used with reference to side walls of the container when the container is viewed from the front in its upright position. The term "longitudinal" refers to a direction from bottom to top or vice versa. The term "transverse" refers to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
Similarly, the terms "upwards" and "downwards" are used to describe the movement of the sliding element and lifting element relative to the housing of the container when the container is in an upright position.
The term "hinge line" refers to a line about which the hinge lid may be pivoted in order to open the container. A hinge line may be, for example, a fold line or a score line in the panel forming the back wall of the container. Alternatively, a hinge line may be a fold line or a score line in a piece of material connecting a wall of the lid or the hatch to a corresponding wall of the box. Such a piece of material may be, for example, a label that is permanently or removably attached to the back wall of the lid and the back wall of the box.
In containers according to the present invention, the dispensing device is arranged such movement of the dispensing device from the first dispenser position to the second dispenser position simultaneously opens the hinge lid of the housing and causes the lifting element to move in such a way that the portion of consumer goods mounted or supported on the base wall of the lifting element are at least partially lifted out from the housing, away from the remaining consumer goods. This arrangement not only facilitates the dispensing of a portion of the consumer goods from the container but also ensures that the remaining consumer goods within the housing are protected. This may be advantageous for a number of reasons, including for example hygiene reasons, or to optimise the freshness of the consumer goods.
In containers according to the present invention, the one or two elongate slits allow a connection between the lifting device inside the housing and the sliding element on the outside of the housing. Therefore, a consumer may operate the sliding element on the outside of the housing to move the lifting element on the inside of the housing. At the same time, the one or two elongate slits allow for guidance and stability of the lifting element and the sliding element during movement.
Containers according to the invention are adapted to dispense a portion of the consumer goods within the housing. The container preferably contains a total number of consumer goods corresponding to a plurality of portions. The size of each portion will typically be determined by the size of the base wall of the lifting element.
Preferably, the container is adapted to dispense the consumer goods one at a time, so that the portion of consumer goods is a single item. However, the container may also be adapted to dispense a portion of more than one of the consumer goods at a time. For example, the container may dispense a portion of two, three or four consumer goods each time the dispensing device is moved to the second dispensing position. Typically, the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed by the dispensing device will be a relatively small fraction of the total number of consumer goods within the housing, for example, 10% or less. However, the size of the portion to be dispensed will depend upon the type of consumer goods within the container and the size of the portion of those consumer goods that will typically be consumed at any one time.
Where the containers according to the present invention are used to house a plurality of smoking articles, it may be desirable to be able to dispense a single smoking article, for example, if the consumer wishes to share the smoking articles, or offer a smoking article to another person. With the lifting element in the second position, the smoking article can be easily grasped and removed from the pack without the remaining smoking articles being touched by the consumer. However, the container may also be adapted to dispense two or more smoking articles at the same time.
The hinge lid of containers according to the present invention is preferably provided at the top end of the housing and is pivotable about a hinge line extending at least part way across the back wall of the housing. The width of the hinge lid may correspond to the width of the housing, where the "width" refers to the distance between the two side walls of the housing. In this case the top wall of the hinge lid provides the top wall of the container. Alternatively, the width of the hinge lid may be less than the width of the housing. In this case, the top wall of the hinge lid forms only a part of the top wall of the container. For example, the hinge lid may be provided at one side, or corner of the housing.
The dispensing device is connected to the hinge lid in such a way that movement of the dispensing device between the first dispensing position and the second dispensing position brings about pivotal movement of the hinge lid. In the first dispensing position, the hinge lid is closed and in the second dispensing position, the hinge lid is open to allow for the protrusion of the portion of consumer goods out of the housing. This arrangement ensures that the hinge lid is always open when the portion of consumer goods on the base wall of the lifting element is dispensed, thereby preventing any contact between the consumer goods and the top wall of the hinge lid.
The housing includes an opening through which the consumer goods housed within are accessed. The opening is positioned beneath the hinge lid such that when the hinge lid is closed, it fully covers the opening. The lifting element is typically positioned within the housing beneath the opening, such that the portion of consumer goods supported on the lifting element is able to pass through the opening as the dispensing device is moved to the second dispensing position.
Preferably, the size of the opening corresponds approximately to the size of the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed from the housing each time the lifting element is moved to the second dispensing position. For example, where the containers according to the invention are used to house smoking articles, the lifting element preferably dispenses a single smoking article at a time and the opening is preferably only slightly larger than the cross section of the smoking article. In this way, only the smoking article on the lifting element can be accessed and removed from the housing, whilst the remaining smoking articles remain relatively protected within the housing. Particularly preferably, where the container is for smoking articles, the opening is provided in an upper corner of the housing.
The hinge lid may be connected to either the lifting element or the sliding element of the dispensing device and may be connected using any suitable means. In a first preferred embodiment, the hinge lid is connected to the lifting element by means of an opening flap which extends from a wall of the lifting element and is connected to an inside wall of the hinge lid. Preferably, the opening flap extends from a front wall of the lifting element and is adhered to the inner surface of the top wall of the hinge lid. When the hinge lid is closed and the lifting element is in the first position within the housing, the opening flap lies flat between the lifting element and the hinge lid. As the lifting element is moved upwards towards the second position, the opening flap is also caused to move upwards. This in turn pushes the top wall of the hinge lid upwards and causes the hinge lid to pivot open about the hinge line extending across the back wall of the housing.
The opening flap needs to be of sufficient stiffness that it transmits the upwards force from the lifting element to the hinge lid, rather than crumpling or buckling. However, it also needs to be sufficiently flexible that it can bend as necessary in order to allow the hinge lid to pivot backwards. When the dispensing device is in the second dispensing position and the hinge lid is open, the opening flap will typically need to curve from the front wall of the lifting element towards the hinge lid, which has been pivoted backwards away from the housing.
As set out above, the dispensing device comprises two different elements, the sliding element and the lifting element. The sliding element is mounted on the outside of the housing and is the part of the dispensing device which will be moved by the consumer in order to open the hinge lid and dispense the consumer goods. The lifting element is mounted within the housing and will typically not be visible or accessible to the consumer during normal use. However, the lifting element and the sliding element are connected together through the one or two elongate slits in the housing in such a way that the movement of the sliding element brings about a corresponding movement of the lifting element, and therefore the portion of consumer goods supported on the base wall of the lifting element.
The sliding element and the lifting element may be integral to each other such that the dispensing device is formed of a single part. Alternatively, the sliding element and lifting element may be separate components that are connected together in some way in order to achieve the dispensing function described above.
The function of the lifting element of the dispensing device is to raise a portion of consumer goods out of the housing, so that the consumer goods are at least partially protruding from the container. Preferably, in the first dispensing position the lifting element of the dispensing device is positioned at the bottom of the housing with its base wall against the base wall of the housing. Preferably, the lifting element is moved in an upwards direction in order to move it from the first dispensing position to the second dispensing position, since the opening through which the consumer goods are to be dispensed will typically be provided in the upper end of the housing.
The base wall of the lifting element supports the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed as the lifting element is moved between the first dispensing position and the second dispensing position. It should therefore be of a suitable size and shape to accommodate the desired number and size of the consumer goods in the portion to be dispensed.
The lifting element preferably comprises at least one additional wall extending from the base wall in order to improve the support of the one of more consumer goods as they are being ejected from the housing. However, the upper end of the lifting element must be open, in order to allow access of the consumer goods supported on the base wall. The form and cross section of the lifting element will depend upon the shape and number of the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed. In preferred embodiments, the lifting element comprises a front wall, a back wall and a side wall extending upwards from the base wall. The consumer goods supported on the base wall are therefore supported on three sides. This means that the consumer goods are held stably and securely on the lifting element during movement of the lifting element between the first and second dispensing positions.
Preferably, the coefficient of friction between the contacting surfaces of the portion of consumer goods and the walls of the lifting element is relatively high. This may be achieved through the use of a high friction material to form the walls of the lifting element. Alternatively, one or more friction elements may be provided on the contacting surfaces of the lifting element. It may be particularly advantageous for the coefficient of friction between the consumer goods and the lifting element to be higher than the coefficient of friction between contacting consumer goods. This will facilitate the return of the consumer goods into the housing in the event that they are not removed from the housing after being dispensed. This enables the consumer to offer the portion of consumer goods on the lifting element, but to readily return them to the housing upon refusal of the offer. In addition, the consumer may withdraw the portion of offered consumer goods back into the container without having touched them. This is advantageous from a hygiene perspective.
In order to dispense the portion of consumer goods from the container, the consumer goods must first be positioned onto the base wall of the lifting element. This may be achieved manually, for example, by shaking the container in such a way that the consumer goods are shaken into place.
However, containers according to the present invention preferably further comprise mounting means for facilitating the mounting of the portion of consumer goods onto the base wall of the lifting element during use. The mounting means may take any suitable form and may function automatically, or may be such that the consumer must apply a force to the mounting means in order to manually force the consumer goods onto the lifting element. For example, the container may further comprise a pusher, which is mounted within the housing, around the consumer goods. The pusher is accessible through an open end of the housing and may be pushed into the housing in order to push the consumer goods towards the lifting element.
In a preferred embodiment, the mounting means comprises a resilient member made of foam. A suitable foam material is, for example, polyurethane. Preferably, this resilient member is a block of foam with substantially the same outer dimensions in the uncompressed state as the inner dimensions of the empty housing. When the container is filled with consumer goods, the resilient member is compressed such that the restoring force is directed primarily towards the lifting element, for example substantially to the left of the container.
Where the resilient member is a block of foam, the block of foam preferably comprises additional transverse through holes which are perpendicular to the primary direction of the restoring force. Preferably, the transverse through holes are normal to the front and back wall of the container. Preferably, the transverse through holes are arranged in a set pattern. Preferably, the transverse through holes have a scale which is between 5 to 50 times larger than regular holes in the foam. The transverse through holes reduce the amount of material that needs to be compressed and can be thus used to define the restoring force of a given foam material. In addition, the direction of the transverse through holes focuses the restoring force into the direction of the lifting element.
Particularly preferably, the mounting means comprises a resilient member arranged within the housing such that during use the consumer goods within the housing are resiliently biased towards the lifting member. This arrangement ensures that a new portion of consumer goods is automatically loaded onto the lifting element, once the portion of consumer goods previously on the lifting element has been dispensed.
In one preferred embodiment, the mounting means comprises a panel of sheet material having one or more folds therein. The panel is preferably arranged between the consumer goods within the housing and a wall of the housing such that when the container is full or substantially full, the panel is in a compressed state. As the consumer goods are removed from the housing, the panel expands back towards its unfolded state and in doing so, forces the consumer goods away from the wall and towards the lifting element. The consumer goods furthest from the folded panel are forced onto the base wall of the lifting element, in preparation for their subsequent dispensing.
In the first dispensing position, the base wall of the lifting element preferably lies against the base wall of the housing. Typically, the consumer goods within the housing will sit on the base wall of the housing until they are pushed onto the base wall of the lifting element. Due to the thickness of the base wall of the lifting element, there will typically be a small difference between the level of the base wall of the lifting element and that of the housing. In order to facilitate the movement of the consumer goods onto the base wall, the thickness of the base wall of the lifting element is preferably minimised.
Preferably, the base wall has a shaped edge facing the consumer goods inside the housing that facilitates the movement of the consumer goods onto the base wall. For example, the shaped edge facing the consumer goods may have an arcuate or "c" shape.
In certain embodiments, the housing of containers according to the present invention comprises a spacer element, which is provided at the bottom of the housing in order to raise the consumer goods to the height of the base wall of the lifting element, or above. This advantageously ensures a smooth movement of the consumer goods onto the lifting element and reduces the force necessary to push the consumer goods onto the base wall. The spacer may be of any suitable construction but could be, for example, a single or folded layer of paper or cardboard having a thickness comparable to, or greater than, the thickness of the base wall of the lifting element. The spacer element may be an integral part of the housing, or may be a separate component that is incorporated into the housing during assembly of the container.
The movement of the lifting element and the hinge lid of the housing are brought about through the sliding movement of the sliding element. The sliding element preferably covers only a part of the housing.
The mounting of the sliding element within the one or two elongate slits in the housing provides an effective way to limit the movement of the sliding element relative to the housing. Advantageously, this ensures that the sliding element is retained in place on the container and cannot be inadvertently removed. Preferably, the one or two elongate slits are arranged vertically and are parallel to the longitudinal edges of the container.
In certain embodiments of the present invention, the sliding element is mounted within a single, elongate slit in the housing. The single slit may be provided on any wall of the housing, but is preferably provided on a side wall. In such embodiments, the sliding element may be formed of a single panel or wall, connected to the lifting element through the single elongate slit.
In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the sliding element is mounted within a pair of two substantially parallel, opposed elongate slits. Preferably, the opposed elongate slits are provided on the front and back walls of the housing. In such embodiments, the sliding element preferably comprises a front wall, a side wall and a back wall, such that the sliding element extends around the housing, between the two opposed elongate slits.
Preferably, the lifting element and sliding element are arranged such that in the first dispensing position the sliding element is at one end of the one or two elongate slits and in the second dispensing position the sliding element is at the opposed end of the one or two elongate slits. This arrangement makes it particularly simple to move the sliding element between the positions corresponding to the first and second dispensing positions of the dispensing device. The sliding element and lifting element may be arranged such that the movement of the sliding element in one direction brings about the movement of the lifting element in the same or a different direction. Preferably, a movement of the sliding element in a given direction within the one or two elongate slits brings about a corresponding movement of the lifting element in the same direction.
In particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention, in the first dispensing position the sliding element is positioned at the lower end of the one or two vertical, elongate slits, whilst in the second dispensing position the sliding element is positioned at the upper end of the one or two vertical, elongate slits. In such embodiments, the sliding element is therefore moved in an upwards direction in order to open the hinge lid and dispense the portion of consumer goods, and in a downwards direction in order to close the hinge lid and return the lifting element to the first position within the housing.
The sliding element may be connected to the lifting element in any suitable way to achieve the desired movement of the lifting element.
In certain embodiments, as well as being mounted in the one or two elongate slits in the housing, the sliding element is also mounted in one or two elongate slits in the lifting element. The one or two slits in the lifting element are preferably positioned directly beneath the one or two elongate slits in the housing and parallel thereto. Preferably, the lifting element is provided with a pair of two opposed elongate slits, which are positioned beneath a pair of two opposed elongate slits in the housing. The one or two slits in the lifting element are preferably of a similar length to the sliding element such that substantially no movement of the sliding element within the one or two slits in the lifting element is possible. The elongate slits in the lifting element are therefore shorter in length than the elongate slits in the housing. This construction means that as the sliding element moves within the slits in the housing, the lifting element is moved along with it. It also helps to ensure that the lifting element remains in the correct position within the housing.
In alternative embodiments, the sliding element is integral to the lifting element and the sliding element and the lifting element can therefore advantageously be formed of a single laminar blank. The sliding element and lifting element are then folded and mounted within the housing such that the sliding element is provided on the outside of the housing whilst the lifting element remains within the housing. In contains according to this embodiment of the present invention, the housing preferably comprises a single, elongate slit through which the lifting element and the sliding element are connected to each other.
Advantageously, the sliding element of containers according to the invention may be movable using a single finger, or thumb. In such cases, it may therefore be possible to open the container using only one hand. Preferably, the area of the sliding element to which a force will be applied by the consumer has one or more friction elements to increase the level of friction between the consumer's finger or thumb and the sliding element. This ensures a better grip. This may be achieved, for example, by providing the sliding element with a plurality of embossed or debossed lines or dots, such that the surface becomes roughened. Alternatively, the surface may be coated with a high friction material, e.g. gum or rubber.
The sliding element may be mounted within the one or two elongate slits in the housing and the lifting element, where necessary, using any suitable means or method. For example, the sliding element may be mounted in the elongate slits by inserting a retention tab of the sliding element through at least one slit to the opposite, inner side of the housing or lifting element such that this retention tab of the sliding element cannot pass back through the slit.
Preferably, in embodiments in which the housing comprises a pair of two substantially parallel, opposed elongate slits, the sliding element comprises two retention tabs which are inserted through each of the elongate slits in the housing and lifting element and folded back towards the sliding element, against the inner surfaces of the walls of the lifting element. When the housing is filled with consumer goods, such as a plurality of smoking articles, the retention tabs preferably lie between the walls of the lifting element and the outer surface of the consumer goods.
Preferably, in embodiments in which the sliding element is integral to the lifting element, the sliding element comprises a single panel having a width greater than the width of the one or two elongate slits. The single panel may be passed sideways through the one or two elongate slits during assembly but when positioned flat against the housing, will not be able to pass back through the elongate slits.
Preferably, at least one wall of the sliding element comprises an inner panel and an outer panel. The inner panel may, for example, be formed from one or more tabs extending from the edges of the outer panel and adhered to the inner surface of the outer panel. The inner panels strengthen the sliding element and may also reduce the wear on the edges of the sliding element, which may occur as a result of movement of the sliding element during use. In addition, folding the inner panels inwards creates a visible outer edge that may be printed. This avoids visible cut edges on the outer surface of the container.
The housing may be formed of a single part, or may be formed of two or more parts that fit inside each other. In certain preferred embodiments, the housing comprises an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion mounted within the outer housing portion. The inner housing portion contains the consumer goods and comprises the opening through which the portion of consumer goods is dispensed. The outer housing portion comprises the hinge lid.
The one or two elongate slits in which the sliding element is mounted may be provided in the inner housing, or the outer housing, or may extend through both the inner housing and the outer housing. Where the sliding element is mounted in one or two elongate slits in the inner housing, at least a part of the outer housing is cut away in order to allow for the movement of the sliding element. The first and second dispensing positions may be defined by the ends of the one or two elongate slits, as described above, or alternatively may be defined by the ends of the cut out in the outer sleeve.
At least one of the inner housing and the outer housing may be in the form of a sleeve, with one or more open sides or ends, for example, to allow for the relative movement of the parts of the container.
The housing may include an elongate cut out extending across a wall of the housing, which enables consumer goods within the housing to be viewed. This allows the consumer to see how many of the consumer goods remain within the housing. In addition, the provision of a cut out may be advantageous in the case that the consumer is required to manually position the consumer goods onto the lifting element.
Preferably, the container further comprises at least one friction element to increase the friction between the housing and the sliding element during the movement of the sliding element between the first position and the second position. The friction element ensures that the sliding element remains in position until a positive force is applied by the consumer. Advantageously, the risk that the container is inadvertently opened between uses is therefore reduced.
Alternatively or in addition to the at least one friction element, suitable retention means may be provided to keep the container in the closed or open position. For example, the retention means may include one or more magnets, Velcro® strips, low-tack adhesives, embossed or debossed areas on the sliding element, the housing or both the sliding element and the housing.
The housing of containers according to the present invention may, if desired, further comprise a second hinge lid pivotable about a second hinge line extending across the back wall of or a different wall of the housing. In such a case, the container may further comprise a second dispensing device, with a second sliding element and a second lifting element. The second dispensing device preferably functions in the same way as the dispensing device described above. In containers where two hinge lids and two dispensing devices are provided, consumer goods can be independently dispensed from two positions in the housing.
In containers according to the invention comprising two hinge lids and two dispensing elements, the sliding element of the first dispensing device may be mounted within the same elongate slits as the sliding element of the second dispensing device. Alternatively, the sliding elements may be mounted in different elongate slits to each other.
Containers according to the invention comprising two lids may, if desired, contain two different types of consumer goods, such that a first type is dispensed through the first lid and a second type is dispensed through the second lid. For example, the housing may contain two separate types of smoking articles.
The containers of the present invention may be formed from blanks of any suitable materials including, but not limited to, cardboard, paperboard, plastic, metal, or combinations thereof. Where the container is formed of cardboard, preferably, the cardboard has a weight of between about 100 grams per square metre and about 350 grams per square metre.
Preferably, the sliding element and the lifting element are formed from one or more separate blanks to the one or more blanks used to form the housing. The blanks for forming the housing, the sliding element and the lifting element may be made from the same or different materials. If desired the sliding element may be at least partially formed from a substantially transparent material so that the surface of the housing can be seen through it. Preferably, the container is formed from one or more folded laminar blanks, more preferably from one or more folded laminar cardboard blanks.
Containers according to the invention may be in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, with right-angled longitudinal and right-angled transverse edges. Alternatively, the container may comprise one or more rounded longitudinal edges, rounded transverse edges, bevelled longitudinal edges or bevelled transverse edges, or combinations thereof. For example, the container according to the invention may comprise, without limitation:

One or two longitudinal rounded or bevelled edges on the front wall, and/or one or two longitudinal rounded or bevelled edges on the back wall.
One or two transverse rounded or bevelled edges on the front wall, and/or one or two transverse rounded or bevelled edges on the back wall.
One longitudinal rounded edge and one longitudinal bevelled edge on the front wall, and/or one transverse rounded edge and one transverse bevelled edge on the back wall.
One or two transverse rounded or bevelled edges on the front wall and one or two longitudinal rounded or bevelled edges on the front wall.
Two longitudinal rounded or bevelled edges on a first side wall or two transverse rounded or bevelled edges on the second side wall.

Where the container comprises one or more rounded edges and is made from one or more laminar blanks, preferably the blanks comprise three, four, five, six or seven scoring lines or creasing lines to form each rounded edge in the assembled container. The scoring lines or creasing lines may be either on the inside of the container or on the outside of the container. Preferably, the scoring lines or creasing lines are spaced from each other by between about 0.3 mm and 4 mm.
Preferably, the spacing of the creasing lines or scoring lines is a function of the thickness of the laminar blanks. Preferably, the spacing between the creasing lines or scoring lines is between about 0.5 and about 4 times larger than the thickness of the laminar blanks.
Where the container comprises one or more bevelled edge, preferably the bevelled edge has a width of between about 1 mm and about 10 mm, preferably between about 2 and about 6 mm. Alternatively, the container may comprise a double bevel formed by three parallel creasing or scoring lines that are spaced such that two distinct bevels are formed on the edge of the container.
Where the container comprises a bevelled edge and is made from one or more laminar blanks, the bevel may be formed by two parallel creasing lines or scoring lines in the laminar blank. The creasing lines or scoring lines may be arranged symmetrically to the edge between a first wall and a second wall. Alternatively, the creasing lines or scoring lines may be arranged asymmetrically to the edge between the first wall and the second wall, such that the bevel reaches further into the first wall of the container than into the second wall of the container.
Alternatively, the container may have a non-rectangular transversal cross section, for example polygonal such as triangular or hexagonal, semi-oval or semi-circular.
Containers according to the invention find particular application as packs for elongate smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos. It will be appreciated that through appropriate choices of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed for different numbers of conventional size, king size, super-king size, slim or super-slim cigarettes. Alternatively, other consumer goods may be housed inside the container.
Through an appropriate choice of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed to hold different total numbers of smoking articles, or different arrangements of smoking articles. For example, through an appropriate choice of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed to hold a total of between ten and thirty smoking articles.
The smoking articles may be arranged in different collations, depending on the total number of smoking articles. For example, the smoking articles may be arranged in a single row of six, seven, eight, nine or ten. Alternatively, the smoking articles may be arranged in two or more rows. The two or more rows may contain the same number of smoking articles. For example, the smoking articles may be arranged in: two rows of five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten; three rows of five or seven; or four rows of four, five or six. Alternatively, the two or more rows may include at least two rows containing different number of smoking articles to each other. For example, the smoking articles may be arranged in: a row of five and a row of six (5-6); a row of six and a row of seven (6-7); a row of seven and a row of eight (7-8); a middle row of five and two outer rows of six (6-5-6); a middle row of five and two outer rows of seven (7-5-7); a middle row of six and two outer rows of five (5-6-5); a middle row of six and two outer rows of seven (7-6-7); a middle row of seven and two outer rows of six (6-7-6); a middle row of nine and two outer rows of eight (8-9-8); or a middle row of six with one outer row of five and one outer row of seven (5-6-7).
Containers according to the present invention may hold smoking articles of the same type or brand, or of different types or brands. In addition, both filterless smoking articles and smoking articles with various filter tips may be contained, as well as smoking articles of differing length (for example, between about 40 mm and about 180 mm), diameter (for example, between about 4 mm and about 9 mm). In addition, the smoking articles may differ in strength of taste, resistance to draw and total particulate matter delivery. Preferably, the dimensions of the container are adapted to the length of the smoking articles, and the collation of the smoking articles. Typically, the outer dimensions of the container are between about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm larger than the dimensions of the bundle or bundles of smoking articles housed inside the container.
The length, width and depth of containers according to the invention may be such that, in the closed lid position, the resultant overall dimensions of the container are similar to the dimensions of a typical disposable hinge-lid pack of twenty cigarettes.
Preferably, containers according to the invention have a height of between about 60 mm and about 150 mm, more preferably a height of between about 70 mm and about 125 mm, wherein the height is measured from the bottom wall to the top wall of the container.
Preferably, containers according to the invention have a width of between about 12 mm and about 150 mm, more preferably a width of between about 70 mm and about 125 mm, wherein the width is measured from one side wall to the other side wall of the container.
Preferably, containers according to the invention have a depth of between about 6 mm and about 150 mm, more preferably a depth of between about 12 mm and about 25 mm wherein the depth is measured from the front wall to the back wall of the container.
Preferably, the ratio of the height of the container to the depth of the container is in between about 0.3 to 1 and about 10 to 1, more preferably between about 2 to 1 and about 8 to 1, most preferably between about 3 to 1 and 5 to 1
Preferably, the ratio of the width of the container to the depth of the container is in between about 0.3 to 1 and about 10 to 1, more preferably between about 2 to 1 and about 8 to 1, most preferably between about 2 to 1 and 3 to 1.
The interior surfaces or exterior surfaces of containers or both interior and exterior surfaces of containers according to the invention may be printed, embossed, debossed or otherwise embellished with manufacturer or brand logos, trade marks, slogans and other consumer information and indicia.
The consumer goods within the containers according to the invention may be individually wrapped, or the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed by the container may be separately wrapped. This has the advantage that once the container according to the invention is opened and a first portion of consumer goods is removed, the remainder of the consumer goods are still wrapped and remain such protected from dust, sunlight or other environmental influences.
Once filled, containers according to the invention may be shrink wrapped or otherwise over wrapped with a transparent polymeric film of, for example, high or low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, cellulose film, or combinations thereof in a conventional manner. Where containers according to the invention are over wrapped, the over wrapper may include one or more a tear tapes. In addition, the over wrapper may be printed with images, consumer information or other data.
Where the container comprises smoking articles, the container may further comprise waste-compartments (for example for ash or butts) or other consumer goods, for example matches, lighters, extinguishing means, breath-fresheners or electronics. The other consumer goods may be attached to the outside of the container, contained within the container along with the smoking articles, in a separate compartment of the container or combinations thereof.
The invention further is directed to a method of accessing consumer goods from a container comprising the steps of providing a container comprising a housing for housing consumer goods, a sliding element on the outside of the container and a lifting element in the inside of the container, wherein the sliding element is connected to the lifting element and wherein the lifting element is adapted to move a portion of the consumer goods, wherein the container further comprises a hinged lid and wherein the hinged lid and the lifting element are connected or correlated such that the movement of the lifting element opens and closes the hinged lid. The method according to the invention further comprises the step of moving the sliding element from a first position to a second position, thereby simultaneously moving the lifting element upwards, opening the hinged lid and lifting a portion of the consumer goods such that the consumer goods are at least partially protruding from the housing. The method according to the invention further comprises the step of moving the sliding element from the second position to the first position, thereby simultaneously moving the lifting element downwards, closing the hinged lid and lowering the portion of the consumer goods such that unused consumer goods are returned to the inside of the container.
The invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a container according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention with the hinge lid open and the lifting element in the second position;
Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the container of Figure 1, from the back;
Figures 3a, b and c show laminar blanks suitable for forming the housing and lifting element of the container of Figures 1 and 2; and
Figures 4a, b and c show laminar blanks suitable for forming a container according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The reference numerals used in Figures 1 and 2 correspond to those used in Figures 3a, b and c, such that each panel of the blanks has been labelled with the reference numeral used to refer to the wall, flap or tab formed by that panel in the assembled container 10, and vice versa.
The container 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is rectangular parallelepipedal in shape and comprises a housing 12 and a dispensing device formed of a sliding element 14 and a lifting element 16. The housing 12 contains a plurality of cigarettes 18. As seen most clearly in the exploded view of Figure 2, the housing 12 is formed of an outer sleeve 20 and an inner sleeve 22.
The outer sleeve 20 comprises an outer sleeve left side wall 24, an outer sleeve right side wall 26, an outer sleeve back wall 28, an outer sleeve top wall 30, an outer sleeve front wall 32 and an outer sleeve bottom wall 33. The outer sleeve 20 is cut along the top wall 30, right side wall 26 and back wall 28 so as to provide a hinge lid 34 in the top right corner. The hinge lid 34 comprises a hinge lid top wall 36, a hinge lid right side wall 38 and a hinge lid back wall 40. The hinge lid 34 is pivotable about a hinge line 42 extending approximately halfway across the outer sleeve back wall 28, from the right side of the outer sleeve back wall 28. The hinge line is positioned approximately 1 cm below the upper edge of the outer sleeve 20.
A cut out section is provided at the right hand side of the outer sleeve, that section extending across a portion of the outer sleeve front wall 32, the outer sleeve right side wall 26 and the outer sleeve back wall 28. The missing section is to provide sufficient space to allow movement of the sliding element 14.
The outer sleeve 20 further comprises a viewing window 44 in the outer sleeve back wall 28. The viewing window 44 is provided by an elongate cut out which extends horizontally across the back wall 28, a short distance below the upper edge of the back wall 28.
The inner sleeve 22 comprises an inner sleeve right side wall 46, an inner sleeve back wall 48, an inner sleeve top wall 50 and an inner sleeve front wall 52. The left side and bottom side of the inner sleeve 22 are both open. An access opening 54 is provided in the top right corner of the inner sleeve 22. The access opening 54 is of a sufficient size to allow only a single, conventional cigarette to pass through it.
Each of the inner slide front wall 52 and the inner slide back wall 48 comprises a substantially vertical, elongate slit 56, or cut out. The elongate slits 56 are substantially the same length and width as each other and are substantially opposed to each other. The inner sleeve 22 also includes a viewing window 58 which corresponds approximately in size, shape and position to the viewing window 44 in the outer sleeve 20 such that when the container 10 is assembled, the viewing windows 44,58 substantially coincide with each other.
A rectangular cut out 60 is also provided at the upper end of the inner sleeve 22. The rectangular cut out 60 extends over a portion of the inner sleeve front wall 52 and the inner sleeve top wall 50. The purpose of this cut out 60 will be described below.
The sliding element 14, or slider, comprises a slider right side wall 62, a slider front wall 64 and a slider back wall 66 opposed to the slider front wall. The length of the sliding element 14 is approximately two thirds of the length of the elongate slits 56 in the inner sleeve 22. As can be seen from Figure 2, the sliding element 14 includes a pair of two additional retention tabs 68, extending from the edges of the slider front wall 64 and the slider back wall 66, respectively. After assembly of the container, as described below, the retention tabs 68 are each folded inwards by approximately 180 degrees, towards the inner surface of the sliding element 16.
The lifting element 16, or lifter, comprises a lifter right side wall 70, a lifter back wall 72, a lifter front wall 74 and a lifter base wall 76. The dimensions of the lifter base wall 76 are such that a single cigarette of a conventional size can be supported on the lifter base wall 76. The lifter base wall 76 therefore only extends a short distance from the lifter right side wall 70. The lifter base wall has a "c"-shaped edge that faces towards the smoking articles. The "c"-shape of the edge prevents that the lower edge of the smoking articles is damaged when they are moved onto the lifting element. At the same time, it provides a guide for the lifting element along the remaining smoking articles that are still within the housing and that are biased against the lifting element by the resilient member.
Each of the lifter front wall 74 and lifter back wall 72 comprises a substantially vertical, elongate slit 78, or cut out. The lifter elongate slits 78 are substantially the same length and width as each other and are substantially opposed to each other. The lifter elongate slits 78 are positioned such that when the container 10 is assembled, they lie directly beneath the elongate slits 56 of the inner sleeve 22. However, the length of the lifter elongate slits 78 substantially corresponds to the length of the sliding element 14 and so the lifter elongate slits 78 are shorter than those in the inner housing 22.
The lifting element 16 further comprises an opening tab 80 extending upwards from the lifter front wall 74. When the container 10 is assembled, with the lifting element 16 mounted within the inner sleeve 22, the opening tab 80 passes through the rectangular cut out 60 in the inner housing 22. The end of the opening tab 80 is adhered to the inner surface of the lid top wall 36. As can be seen from Figure 3c, the opening tab 80 includes two fold lines extending across it, which facilitates the opening of the hinge lid, as described above.
The container 10 further includes a spring member 82, which is formed from a single sheet of fibrous material that has been folded several times in the form of a concertina. This means that at each fold the sheet is folded back on itself to form panels of substantially the same width as each other. The fold lines are substantially parallel to each other and lie substantially vertically when the container is assembled. The spring member 82 is positioned within the housing, between the cigarettes in the inner sleeve 22 and the outer sleeve left side wall 24. When the container 10 is full, the spring member 82 is compressed. As the cigarettes 18 are removed from the container 10 and the remaining cigarettes occupy less space within the inner sleeve 22, the spring member 82 reverts towards its original size and shape. In doing so, it pushes the cigarettes 18 towards the lift element 16 such that a single cigarette 18 is automatically positioned on the lifter base wall 76. The uncompressed size of the spring member 82 is such that it extends from the left side of the container 10 to at least the edge of the lift base wall 76 to ensure that even when the container 10 is almost empty, a cigarette 18 is forced onto the lift element 16.
The container 10 also further comprises a spacer element 84, which is positioned against the outer sleeve bottom wall 34, with one end abutting the outer sleeve right side wall 24 and the opposite end adjacent the lifter base wall 76, when the lifting element 16 is in the first dispensing position. The spacer element 84 is formed of a single sheet of fibrous material which has been folded back on itself to provide a rectangular strip, two layers in thickness and approximately the same width as the outer sleeve base wall 34. Once the container is assembled, the spacer element 84 raises the level of the cigarettes 18 such that the bottom of the cigarettes is level with or above the level of the lifter base wall 76.
The container 10 houses two rows of cigarettes 18 which are staggered relative to each other so that the cigarettes nest together. This arrangement also ensures that only a single cigarette 18 at a time will be pushed onto the lifter base wall 76.
The inner sleeve 22, outer sleeve 20 and lifting element 16 of the container 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 are assembled from the laminar cardboard blanks 122,120,116 shown in Figures 3a, b and c, respectively.
During assembly of the container 10, the lifting element 16 is mounted within the inner housing 22 such that the lifter right wall 70 is against the inner sleeve right wall 46 and the lifter elongate slits 78 are substantially aligned with the elongate slits 56 in the inner housing 22. The opening tab 80 is inserted through the rectangular cut out 60 in the inner housing.
The retention tabs 68 of the sliding element 14 are then inserted through the overlying elongate slits 56,78 and folded backwards by 180 degrees against the lifter front 64 and back 66 walls.
A plurality of cigarettes 18, the spring member 82 and the spacer element 84 are put in place within the inner housing 22, as described above. Once the container 10 has been filled, the retention tabs 68 of the sliding element 14 lie between the lifting element and the cigarettes.
Finally, the outer sleeve 20 is assembled around the filled inner housing 22 with the cut out in the right side of the outer sleeve 20 overlying the sliding element 14. The end of the opening tab 80 is adhered to the inner surface of the hinge lid top wall 36.
Once the container 10 is fully assembled, the sliding element 14 is moveable within the elongate slits 56 between a first slider position, in which the sliding element 14 is moved as far downwards as possible, and a second slider position (shown in Figure 1), in which the sliding element 14 is moved as far upwards as possible. The upper and lower edges of the cut out at the right hand side of the outer sleeve 20 determine the first and second slider positions of the sliding element, although the positions could equally be determined by the opposed ends of the elongate slits.
The sliding element 14 is connected to the lifting element 16 and therefore as the sliding element 14 is moved upwards in the elongate slits 58 the lifting element is also moved upwards within the inner sleeve 22. As the lifting element 16 moves upwards, the opening tab pushes upwards on the hinge lid top wall 36, causing the hinge lid to pivot backwards about the hinge line 42, thereby exposing the access opening in the housing. The cigarette 18 supported on the lifter base wall 76 is lifted upwards and out through the opening. In the second slider position, approximately one third of the cigarette 18 protrudes from the access opening such that it can easily be grasped and removed from the container 10. Alternatively, the cigarette 18 can be returned to the housing by moving the slider element 14 back downwards to the first slider position.
Figures 4a, b and c show laminar cardboard blanks 220, 222, 216 for forming the outer sleeve 20', inner sleeve 22' and lifting element 16', respectively, for a container according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the sliding element 14' is an integral part of the lifting element 16' and the sliding element 14' and the lifting element 16' are formed of the single laminar blank 216 shown in Figure 4c.
The outer sleeve 20' comprises an outer sleeve left side wall 24', an outer sleeve right side wall 26', an outer sleeve back wall 28', an outer sleeve top wall 30', an outer sleeve front wall 32' and an outer sleeve bottom wall 33'. It may be formed from the laminar blank 220 shown in Figure 4a. A hinge lid 34' is provided in the top right corner of the outer sleeve 20', in the same way as described above for the outer sleeve 20 of the container shown in Figures 1 and 2.
As can be seen from Figure 4a, the outer sleeve 20' comprises a single, vertical elongate slit 56 extending from the bottom edge of the outer sleeve right side wall 26' approximately two thirds of the way up towards the top edge of the outer sleeve right side wall 26'.
The inner sleeve 22' comprises an inner sleeve back wall 48', an inner sleeve top wall 50', an inner sleeve front wall 52' and an inner sleeve left side wall 53'. It may be formed from the laminar blank 222 shown in Figure 4b. The right side and bottom side of the inner sleeve 22' are both open. An access opening 54' and a rectangular cut out 60' are provided in the inner sleeve 22' as described above in relation to the first embodiment.
The lifting element 16', or lifter, and sliding element 14', or slider are formed together from the single laminar blank 216 shown in Figure 4c. The combined lifting and sliding element 14', 16' comprises a lifter right side wall 70', a lifter back wall 72', a lifter front wall 74' and a lifter base wall 76'. The lifter base wall 76' is of the same configuration as described above in relation to the first embodiment. Between the lifter right side wall 70' and the lifter back wall 72' are provided a slider outer panel 71', with a slider inner panel 73' on either side, each having approximately half the width of the slider outer panel 71'. The slider inner panels 73' are folded inwardly towards the slider outer panel 71' and are glued against the inner surface of the slider outer panel 71' to form a double layer sliding element 14'.
The lifting element 16' further comprises an opening tab 80' having the same configuration and function as described above in relation to the first embodiment.
In the assembled container formed from the laminar blanks 220, 222 and 216, the combined lifting and sliding element 16', 14' is mounted within the inner 22' and outer 20' sleeves such that the lifting element 16' is within the inner sleeve 22' and the sliding element is inserted through the elongate slit 56' and positioned against the outer sleeve right side wall 26'.
The sliding element 14' is moveable within the single elongate slit 56' between a first slider position, in which the sliding element 14' is moved as far downwards as possible, and a second slider position, in which the sliding element 14' is moved as far upwards as possible. The container functions to dispense a cigarette in a similar way to that described above in relation to the first embodiment of the invention.
If desired, containers according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further comprise at least one of a spring member 82 and a spacer element 84, as described above.

Claims

A container for consumer goods comprising:
a housing having a hinge lid and comprising one or two elongate slits; and

a dispensing device for dispensing a portion of the consumer goods from the container, the dispensing device comprising:
a sliding element mounted in the one or two elongate slits of the housing for movement in the one or two slits; and

a lifting element connected to the sliding element, wherein the lifting element is mounted within the housing and includes a base wall for supporting the portion of consumer goods to be dispensed,
wherein during use the dispensing device is moveable between a first dispenser position, in which the portion of consumer goods is fully within the housing, and a second dispenser position in which the portion of consumer goods is at least partially protruding from the housing, and wherein the dispensing device is connected to the hinge lid such that movement of the dispensing device between the first dispenser position and the second dispenser position brings about pivotal movement of the hinge lid between a closed lid position and an open lid position.
A container according to claim 1 wherein the lifting element is connected to the hinge lid by means of an opening flap extending from a first wall of the lifting element and affixed to an inside wall of the hinge lid.
A container according to claim 1 or 2 wherein in the first dispensing position the sliding element is at one end of the one or two elongate slits and in the second dispensing position the sliding element is at the opposed end of the one or two elongate slits.
A container according to any preceding claim wherein the housing comprises a pair of two substantially parallel, opposed elongate slits.
A container according to any preceding claim wherein the sliding element is integral to the lifting element.
A container according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the lifting element comprises one or two elongate slits and wherein the sliding element is mounted in the one or two elongate slits of the lifting element.
A container according to any preceding claim further comprising mounting means for mounting the portion of consumer goods onto the base wall of the lifting element during use.
A container according to any preceding claim further comprising a spacer within the housing, wherein during use the spacer lies between the consumer goods and the housing in order to bring the consumer goods to the level of the base wall when the lifting element is in the first position.
A container according to any preceding claim wherein the housing comprises an outer portion having the hinge lid and an inner portion between the outer portion and the lifting element.
A container according to any preceding claim wherein the housing further comprises a cut out extending across a wall of the housing such that at least part of the consumer goods within the housing can be viewed during use.
A container according to any preceding claim formed from one or more laminar blanks of a fibrous sheet material.
A container according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of smoking articles within the housing.
A container according to claim 12 wherein the base wall of the lifting element is adapted such that a single smoking article is dispensed when the lifting element is moved from its first dispenser position to its second dispenser position.
A container according to claim 12 or 13 wherein the lifting element is adapted such that during use the smoking article may be returned to the housing by moving the lifting element from the second dispenser position back to the first dispenser position.
A method of accessing consumer goods from a container comprising the steps of
providing a container comprising a housing for housing consumer goods, a sliding element on the outside of the container and a lifting element in the inside of the container, wherein the sliding element is connected to the lifting element and wherein the lifting element is adapted to move a portion of the consumer goods, wherein the container further comprises a hinged lid and wherein the hinged lid and the lifting element are connected such that the movement of the lifting element opens and closes the hinged lid;
moving the sliding element from a first position to a second position, thereby simultaneously moving the lifting element upwards, opening the hinged lid; and lifting a portion of the consumer goods such that the consumer goods are at least partially protruding from the housing; and
moving the sliding element from the second position to the first position, thereby simultaneously moving the lifting element downwards, closing the hinged lid and lowering the portion of the consumer goods such that unused consumer goods are returned to the inside of the container.