EP2985238B1

EP2985238B1 - Package

Info

Publication number: EP2985238B1
Application number: EP13878553.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Keisuke Nakata
Original assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Current assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Priority date: 2013-03-19
Filing date: 2013-03-19
Publication date: 2017-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-19
Also published as: CN105050920A; KR20150120474A; CN105050920B; EP2985238A1; EP2985238A4; RU2634882C2; JPWO2014147751A1; RU2015144674A; WO2014147751A1; JP5923217B2; KR101698714B1

Description

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to a package according to anyone of claims 1-6.

[Background Art]

As a package that contains an object to be contained such as a tobacco product, there has been conventionally known a soft package, a hard package and the like. Ordinary soft packages include wrapping paper, internal wrapping paper coated with aluminum, sealing paper and the like, and are formed by further wrapping them with outer wrapping films. In such soft packages, opening portions cannot be closed after being unsealed.
Further, there is proposed a soft package having an adhesive member which is bondable to and detachable from a part of a main body or sealing paper, and enabling a lid to be closed even after being unsealed (see Patent documents 1 and 2).

[Citation List]

[Patent document]

[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent No. 3365454
[Patent document 2] Japanese Patent-Laid Open No. 07-203938
[Patent document 3] JP S55 80223 U
[Patent document 4] JP 2009 292518 A
[Patent document 5] US 2 950 060 A
[Patent document 6] US 3 977 520 A
[Patent document 7] JP S47 32633 U
[Patent document 8] JP H03 13076 U

The prior art is also disclosed in WO 2012/073141 A1 and US 1 951 274 A .

[Summary of Invention]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Conventionally, a soft package in which a lid member is provided and is made openable and closable has been proposed. However, a soft package the lid of which can be opened with one hand after the soft package is unsealed has never existed.
The present invention is made in the light of the problem as above, and has an object to provide a soft package a lid of which can be opened with one hand.

[Means for solving the Problems]

In order to solve the above described problem, a package includes a main body that wraps a contained object, a lid member that covers an extraction port provided in the main body, and a belt-shaped member that is connected to the lid member. The belt-shaped member is provided so that at least a part thereof is exposed to a surface of the main body, and is capable of being operated to slide along the main body, and the lid member is openable or closable in an interlocking manner with the slide operation.
In doing as above, the lid member can be opened or closed by sliding the belt-shaped member. In particular, such an operation that slides the member along the main body surface is enabled even with one finger. For example, a user grips the package with one hand, and can slide the belt-shaped member while pressing the belt-shaped member against the main body with a thumb. Accordingly, the user can open the lid with one hand.
Further, a part of the main body has a multilayer structure portion in which the belt-shaped member is sandwiched by means of multilayered wrapping, the multilayer structure portion has an opening portion that is an opened region, in a part of the wrapping on a main body surface side, and a part of the belt-shaped member may be provided to be exposed to the surface of the main body from the opening portion, and to be capable of being operated to slide. In doing as above, the belt-shaped member can be compactly contained in the multilayer structure portion, and the user can operate the belt-shaped member exposed from the opening portion.
Furthermore, a tear tab that is usable as a knob at a time of unsealing the extraction port may be connectively provided at one end of the lid member. In doing as above, the user picks up the tear tab and pulls the tear tab in the predetermined direction, and thereby can easily unseal the extraction port.
Further, the package may have an insertion port in which the tear tab is insertable, at a position where the tear tab is insertable and removable in a lid closed state, in a part of the main body. The insertion port is present at the position where the tear tab is insertable and removable in the lid closed state, and therefore, by inserting the tear tab into the insertion port, the lid member connectively provided at the tear tab can be fixed in the closed state. If the lid member is fixed in the closed state, the contained object can be restrained from dropping out.
Further, the package may have magnetized regions, respectively on the tear tab, and a portion that is a part of the main body and is in contact with the tear tab in the lid closed state. Since the magnetized region exists in the portion which is in contact with the tear tab in the lid closed state, the magnetized region adheres, closes the lid member, and can fix the lid member which is connectively provided at the tear tab in the closed state. If the magnetized region is caused to adhere, the user also can perform the lid closing operation with one hand. Further, if the lid member is fixed in the closed state, the contained object can be restrained from dropping out.
The main body may further have a direction regulating portion that restricts a direction in which the belt-shaped member slides. In doing as above, the direction in which the belt-shaped member slides can be restricted. For example, if the lid member is restricted so as to slide in the direction to be able to open or close the lid member, a slide operation can be more easily performed.
Further, the main body may be formed from a material having a gas barrier property, and the contained object may be hermetically sealed by the main body when the package is still sealed. In doing as above, an aroma of the contained object is restrained from being dispersed and lost, and external smell is restrained from permeating into the contained object. Thereby, freshness of the contained object can be kept without further wrapping the outside of the package with a film or the like.
Further, in the belt-shaped member, a region that is exposed to the surface of the main body from the opening portion may have a friction coefficient higher than a friction coefficient of at least a back surface thereof. In doing as above, the user can perform slide operation more easily.
Note that the object to be contained in the package according to the present invention is not specially limited, and, for example, a tobacco product can be preferably illustrated as the object to be contained. As the tobacco products, for example, cigarettes (filter cigarettes, plain cigarettes (without filters)), cigars (rolls of tobacco leaves), cigarillos, snus, snuff, chewing tobacco, electronic cigarettes and the like can be illustrated. Further, the soft package may be a package containing candies, chewing gum and the like, for example.
Further, the means for solving the problem can be adopted by being combined wherever possible.

[Effects of the invention]

The soft package the lid of which can be opened with one hand can be provided.

[Brief Description of the Drawings]

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a lid closed state of a package according to an embodiment.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a lid opened state of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a view illustrating one example of a development of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a view illustrating one example of a development of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a belt-shaped member of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a perspective view for explaining an unsealing operation of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a perspective view for explaining the unsealing operation of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a perspective view for explaining a lid opening operation of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a perspective view for explaining a lid closing operation of the package according to the embodiment.
[Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a lid closed state of a package according to a modification.
[Fig. 12] Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a lid opened state of the package according to the modification.
[Fig. 13] Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the package according to the modification.
[Fig. 14] Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a belt-shaped member of the package according to the modification.
[Fig. 15] Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one example of the package according to the modification seen from a rear.
[Fig. 16] Fig. 16 is a view for explaining an opening and closing operation of the package according to the modification.
[Fig. 17] Fig. 17 is a view for explaining an opening and closing operation of the package according to the modification.
[Fig. 18] Fig. 18 is a view for explaining the opening and closing operation of the package according to the modification.

[Description of Embodiments]

Next, an embodiment of a soft package according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. An object to be contained that is contained in the package to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a specific object, and in this case, a case of containing cigarettes in the package will be described as an example.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are respectively perspective views of a soft package (also simply called "a package") 1 according to the embodiment. The package 1 envelops contained objects 2. Further, Fig. 1 illustrates a lid closed state in which an extraction port 14 is closed by a lid member 15, and Fig. 2 illustrates a lid opened state in which the lid member 15 is opened and the extraction port 14 is opened.
Note that as illustrated in the drawings, in each of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an up and down direction in the drawing is set as the vertical direction in a space, a lower left direction is set as a front (foreground) direction, an upper right direction is set as a back (depth) direction, an upper left direction is set as a left direction, and a lower right direction is set as a right direction in the same way, for convenience. That is to say, in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a front surface, a top surface and a right side surface of the package 1 are seen. Further, the extraction port 14 is provided on the top surface of the package 1, and an opening portion 16 is provided on the front surface. Hereinafter, the same shall basically apply to the perspective views, and with respect to perspective views seen from different directions, the directions are illustrated anew in the drawings.
The package 1 according to the present embodiment can be preferably formed of film-laminated wrapping paper (also simply called "wrapping paper") that has a film laminated on at least one surface of the paper, and is made heat-sealable. If wrapping paper that is less permeable to gas (namely, having "a gas barrier property") is used, and sealing is performed by heat sealing, performance of keeping freshness of the contained object 2 is improved. That is to say, an aroma of the contained object 2 can be restrained from being dispersed and lost outside the package 1, and an external aroma can be restrained from permeating to the contained object 2. Furthermore, the contained object 2 may be protected from moisture by causing the wrapping paper to have water resistance or water repellency. Note that the package 1 may be formed with paper, a film or the like as a material. Further, in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the package 1 is formed into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape by folding and pasting the wrapping paper, but an outer shape of the package 1 is not limited to the shape like this.
The package 1 according to the present embodiment includes a main body 11, and a belt-shaped member 12 connected to the main body 11. The main body 11 has a folded portion 13, the extraction port 14, the lid member 15 and the opening portion 16. Further, the belt-shaped member 12 has a folded portion 17 and a tear tab 18.
The main body 11 has a double structure portion in which the wrapping paper is wounded in two layers on a front surface, side surfaces and a part of a rear surface. A perspective view of the double structure portion of the main body 11 being developed is illustrated in Fig. 3. The main body 11 includes an inside portion 111, and a surface side portion 112 that covers a part of the inside portion 111. The inside portion 111 is a portion in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape which envelops the contained object 2, is provided with gussets at a top surface and a bottom surface, and has both side surfaces butt-seamed. The surface side portion 112 covers the front surface, the side surfaces and a part of the rear surface of the main body 11. One end of the surface side portion 112 is connectively provided at to the side surface of the inside portion 111. Further, at the other end side of the surface side portion 112, a bonding portion 113 is included, which extends in the vertical direction along an edge, and has glue, for example, put thereon to be bonded to the inside portion 111. In the present embodiment, in a region on the front surface of the main body 11, a region around the extraction port 14 of the main body 11, in the back surface and the like, the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 are not bonded to each other. A part of the belt-shaped member 12 is inserted in a gap which is not bonded, between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112, on the front surface of the main body 11.
Further, on the front surface of the main body 11, the opening portion 16 is provided by the surface side portion 112 being cut out into a rectangular shape. In the present embodiment, the opening portion 16 is provided in such a manner that a part of the belt-shaped member 12 sandwiched between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 of the package 1 is exposed to a surface of the package 1. Since the belt-shaped member 12 is exposed to the surface of the package 1, a user can operate the belt-shaped member 12 from outside of the package 1. Note that if only a part of the belt-shaped member 12 can be exposed to the surface of the package 1, a shape and a number of the opening portion 16 are not specially limited. For example, the shape of the opening portion 16 may be a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, a star shape, the other shapes, shapes of animals and plants and the like, and two or more of the opening portions may be disposed.
Further, on the front surface of the inside portion 111, the folded portion 13, which is made by butt-seaming the edge of the wrapping paper and folding back the butt-seamed edge downward in the vertical direction, is provided along a vicinity of a center in the vertical direction. The folded portion 13 is covered with the surface side portion 112, and does not appear on the surface of the package 1. Further, the folded portion 13 of the main body 11 and the folded portion 17 of the belt-shaped member 12 are engaged with each other, so that the belt-shaped member 12 does not slide beyond a predetermined position. In the present embodiment, the folded portion 13 of the main body 11 is provided in the vicinity of the center in the vertical direction in the main body 11, and the folded portion 13 functions as a stopping portion that restrains slide of the belt-shaped member 12 so that the belt-shaped member 12 does not slip out from a space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112.
Further, the main body 11 has the extraction port 14 for extracting the contained object, in a part of the top surface. In the present embodiment, the extraction port 14 is in a shape like a so-called "home plate". Note that the shape of the extraction port 14 may be a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, a star shape, the other shapes, shapes in animals and plants and the like. In the present embodiment, the extraction port 14 in the home-plate shape is provided at an end of the top surface of the main body 11 so that one side sandwiched by two right angles of the outer shape of the home plate is disposed at the front surface side of the main body 11. Before being unsealed, the extraction port 14 is in such a state that a half-cut work in a predetermined shape is applied to the wrapping paper, and is hermetically sealed, for example. In the present embodiment, the wrapping paper is not cut out at the one side at the main body 11 front surface side, in the extraction port 14, at a time of unsealing, and after unsealing, the lid member 15 in the home-plate shape with the one side connectively provided at the main body 11 is formed.
Note that a half-cut work refers to a work that makes cuts (slits) that do not penetrate to a back surface, on paper, a film or the like. Here, the half-cut work which is applied to the film-laminated wrapping paper is preferably applied in such a manner as to leave a paper layer or at least one film layer. In the film-laminated wrapping paper, it is the film layer that secures the gas barrier property, and therefore, the film layer is left without cuts made therein, whereby even when the half-cut work is applied, the gas barrier property as the entire package at a sealed time can be ensured, and the contained object can be protected more effectively. The user can unseal the package 1 along the half-cut shape. Further, after unsealing, the user can open the lid member 15, and extract the contained object 2 from the extraction port 14.
The lid member 15 is a part of the wrapping paper forming the main body 11, and also can cover the extraction port 14 even after being unsealed. Further, after being unsealed, the lid member 15 is connectively provided at the main body 11 at the one side at the main body 11 front side, and is provided rotatably with the one side as a support point. Note that the one side of the lid member 15 peripheral edge that is provided connectively to the main body 11 is also called "a hinge 151" for convenience. After being unsealed, the lid member 15 rotates with the hinge 151 as the support point, and opens and closes.
Further, the package 1 has the belt-shaped member 12 which is connected to the lid member 15. The belt-shaped member 12 is a rectangular member. A ratio of lengths of two sides perpendicular to each other of the rectangle is not specially limited, but in order to perform a slide operation that will be described later, a belt-shape or band shape is preferable. In the present embodiment, the belt-shaped member 12 is connected onto the lid member 15, and hangs down on the front surface side of the main body 11 along the inside portion 111 of the main body 11.
The belt-shaped member 12 illustrated in Fig. 3 is folded back at an upper end of a region assigned with "D" (also called "a region D"), and a back surface of the region D is bonded to a surface that is laid thereon by heat sealing, an adhesive or the like. The bonded portion is called the tear tab 18. Details of the tear tab 18 will be described later. Further, the belt-shaped member 12 is bonded to a region (a slashed region in Fig. 3) at a side (a side apart from the hinge 151) facing the hinge 151, in the lid member 15. In the present embodiment, in the lid member 15 in the home-plate shape, a triangular region existing at a side opposite from the one side sandwiched by the two right angles, and a portion which is folded back to a back side of a region assigned with "C" (also called "a region C") of the belt-shaped member 12 are bonded to each other. Note that in Fig. 3, hatching by oblique lines is applied to the regions to be bonded.
It is not the entire lid member 15, but is preferably a part at the side apart from the hinge 151 that is bonded to the portion which is folded back onto the back surface of the region C of the belt-shaped member 12, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In doing as above, when the user slides the belt-shaped member 12 downward, the lid member 15 is turned up from the side apart from the hinge 151, and when the user slides the belt-shaped member 12 further downward, the lid member 15 is more smoothly contained between the inside portion 111 and the surface portion 112.
Further, an end at a side of a region assigned with "A" (also called "a region A") in the belt-shaped member 12 forms the folded portion 17 which is folded back in an inside direction of the package 1, and is engaged with the folded portion 13 of the main body 11. As also described above, the folded portion 13 of the main body 11 and the folded portion 17 of the belt-shaped member 12 are engaged with each other, whereby the belt-shaped member 12 can be restrained from slipping out from the space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 of the main body 11.
The belt-shaped member 12 is sandwiched between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 of the main body 11, and a part of the belt-shaped member 12 is exposed to the surface of the package 1 from the opening portion 16. In the present embodiment, the user can slide the belt-shaped member 12 which is exposed from the opening portion 16 along the surface of the main body 11 with a finger or the like. Further, in a process of the belt-shaped member 12 sliding, the region A to the region C of the belt-shaped member 12 are exposed to the surface of the package 1 from the opening portion 16. The region A to the region C which are operated to slide by the user are called an operation portion 121 for convenience.
Note that a picture or a design of something, a color that changes in a gradational manner or the like may be added to the belt-shaped member 12. As described above, in the process of the belt-shaped member 12 sliding from the lid closed state in Fig. 1 to the lid opened state in Fig. 2, the region A to the region C of the belt-shaped member 12 are exposed in sequence to the surface of the package 1 from the opening portion 16 of the main body 11. For example, different pictures may be added to the respective regions A to C, and the respective pictures may be made visible in sequence from the opening portion 16, or one picture may be added to the region A to the region C as a whole, and parts of the picture may be made visible in sequence from the opening portion 16.
Further, in the present embodiment, the tear tab 18 is formed at the side facing the hinge 151, of the lid member 15. The tear tab 18 is capable of being inserted in and removed from the space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 of the package 1 which has a double structure. By inserting the tear tab 18 into a gap, opening of the lid member 15 can be restrained. Note that the gap between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 into which the tear tab 18 can be inserted in the lid closed state is also called an insertion port 114 for convenience.
The region folded back, which continues to the upper end of the region D in Fig. 3, can reinforce the region D and the region C. The back surface of the region D is reinforced by being bonded to the region folded back, and insertion of the tear tab 18 into the insertion port 114 becomes easier. However, the region to be folded back, which is provided connectively to the upper end of the region D illustrated in Fig. 3 does not have to be provided. Even when the region to be folded back is not provided, if the material of the tear tab 18 has predetermined rigidity or more which is approximately similar to the case of being folded back and bonded, for example, insertion of the tear tab 18 into the insertion port 114 becomes easy. When the region to be folded back is not provided, the lid member 15 is bonded to the back surface of the region C.

The package 1 according to the present embodiment can be produced by using a main body development D1 for forming the main body 11, and a belt shape development D2 for forming the belt-shaped member 12. Fig. 4 illustrates the main body development D1, and Fig. 5 illustrates a belt-shaped development D2. Mountain folds are made along folding lines illustrated by broken lines, valley folds are made along folding lines illustrated by alternate long and short dash lines, predetermined spots are bonded by heat sealing, pasting or the like, whereby the package 1 is formed from the developments. Note that the wrapping paper which is stamped out into a shape of the development is also called a blank. Further, as directions are illustrated in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, connection relations of regions included in the developments will be described based on an up, a down, a left and a right directions in the drawings.
The main body development D1 is in a T-shape, and front surface regions 1002 and 1003 that are located on a front surface of the main body 11 to be the inside portion 111, and surface side regions 1004 to 1006 that cover the surface of the main body 11 in two layers connect to three sides of a rear surface region 1001 to be a rear surface of the main body 11, via regions to be the top surface, the bottom surface or the side surfaces of the main body 11. Note that the respective regions are substantially rectangular respectively.
In more detail, to four sides (upper, lower, left and right edges in Fig. 4) of the rear surface region 1001, a top surface region 1007 to be the top surface of the main body 11, a bottom surface region 1008 to be the bottom surface of the main body 11, a right side surface region 1009 to be a right side surface of the main body 11, and a left side surface region 1010 to be a left side surface of the main body 11 connect. Perimeter sides of the rear surface region 1001 are all folded into mountain folds, for example. Further, to the top surface region 1007 and the bottom surface region 1008, the front surface regions 1002 and 1003 continue at sides opposite from the rear surface region 1001 respectively. 1002 and 1003 have edges bonded by heat sealing to be the front surface of the main body 11. A half-cut work is applied to the top surface region 1007 so that the user easily unseals the extraction port 14. A thick solid line existing in the top surface region 1007 in Fig. 4 represents a spot to which half-cut is applied. In the present embodiment, sides other than the one side sandwiched by the two right angles in the home-plate shape are half-cut. A boundary line between the top surface region 1007 and the front surface region 1002, and a boundary line between the bottom surface region 1008 and 1003 are also folded into mountain folds, for example. Further, to a side edge of the front surface region 1002, a right side surface region 1011 to be a right side surface of the main body 11, and a left side surface region 1012 to be a left side surface connect. Similarly, to side edges of the front surface region 1003, a right side surface region 1013 to be a right side surface of the main body 11 and a left side surface region 1014 to be a left side surface connect. Boundary lines between the front surface region 1002, and the right side surface region 1011 and the left side surface region 1012, and boundary lines between the front surface region 1003, and the right side surface region 1013 and the left side surface region 1014 are also folded into mountain folds, for example. Further, right side surface folding regions 1015 and 1017 that are folded to the right side surface are present between the right side surface regions 1009 and 1011, and between 1009 and 1013. Similarly, left side surface folding regions 1016 and 1018 that are folded to the left side surface are present between the left side surface regions 1010 and 1012, and between 1010 and 1014.
Vicinities of upper ends of the front surface region 1002, the right side surface region 1011 and the left side surface region 1012, and vicinities of lower ends of the front surface region 1003, the right side surface region 1013 and the left side surface region 1014 (regions painted in a dot pattern in Fig. 4) are butt-seamed and heat-sealed. Note that the bonded spot is folded back downward in the vertical direction to form the folded portion 13 of the main body 11.
Further, a region along a left end of the wrapping paper in the right side surface region 1009, and regions along the left end of the wrapping paper in the right side surface regions 1011 and 1013 (the regions painted in a dot pattern in Fig. 4) are butt-seamed and heat-sealed, and regions at right sides of the right side surface regions 1009, 1011 and 1013 form the right side surface of the main body 11. At this time, in the regions 1015 and 1017, centers of sides along the end of the wrapping paper are folded into valley folds respectively, boundaries from the right side surface regions 1009, 1011 and 1013 are folded into mountain folds, whereby the regions 1015 and 1017 are folded onto the right side surface of the main body 11. Note that in the region 1015, a line from a center to an upper right end and a line from the center to a lower right end are folded into valley folds, and a line from the center to a lower end is folded into a mountain fold, whereby the region 1015 is folded onto the right side surface so that the shape of the package 1 becomes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. Similarly, in the region 1017, a line from a center to an upper right end and a line from the center to a lower right end are folded into valley folds, and a line from the center to an upper end is folded into a mountain fold, whereby the region 1017 is folded onto the right side surface so that the shape of the package 1 becomes the substantially rectangular parallelepiped.
Further, a region at a right side in the left side surface region 1010, regions at right sides in the left side surface regions 1012 and 1014 (regions painted in a dot pattern in Fig. 4) are butt-seamed and heat-sealed, and regions at the left sides of the left side surface regions 1010, 1012 and 1014 form the left side surface of the main body 11. At this time, in the regions 1016 and 1018, centers of sides along the right side of the wrapping paper are folded into valley folds respectively, boundaries from the left side surface regions 1010, 1012 and 1014 are folded into mountain folds, whereby the regions 1016 and 1018 are folded onto the left side surface of the main body 11. Note that in the region 1016, a line from the center to an upper left end and a line from the center to a lower left end are folded into valley folds, and a line from the center to an upper end is folded into a mountain fold, whereby the region 1016 is folded onto the left side surface so that the shape of the package 1 becomes the substantially rectangular parallelepiped. Similarly, in the region 1018, a line from a center to an upper left end and a line from the center to a lower left end are folded into valley folds, a line from the center to a lower end is folded into a mountain fold, whereby the region 1018 is folded onto the left side surface so that the shape of the package 1 becomes the substantially rectangular parallelepiped.
As above, in the main body 11, the side surfaces are also butt-seamed and heat-sealed, and hermetically sealed. Note that a sequence in which heat-sealing is performed is not specially limited, but the object 2 to be contained is filled in before everything is bonded.
Fig. 5 illustrates an example of the belt-shaped development D2 for forming the belt-shaped member 12. The belt-shaped development D2 has, at one end thereof, a bonding region 1021 including a region (a slashed portion) that is bonded to an interior of the region subjected to a half-cut work in the top surface region 1007 by pasting or the like. Further, to one end of the bonding region 1021, tear tab regions 1022 and 1023 that form the tear tab 18 by being folded and pasted together connect. As illustrated in Fig. 6, a boundary between the tear tab regions 1022 and 1023 is folded into a mountain fold, for example, and the tear tab regions 1022 and 1023 are bonded by heat-sealing, pasting or the like. Further, operation regions 1024 to 1026 are further connected to the tear tab region 1023. The operation regions 1024 to 1026 form the operation portion 121 (the regions A to C) which the user touches to perform a slide operation of the belt-shaped member 12. Further, a folding region 1027 is further connected to the operation region 1026. A boundary between the operation region 1026 and the folding region 1027 is folded into a mountain fold, for example, and the folding region 1027 forms the folded portion 17.
Further, in Fig. 4, the surface side regions 1004, 1005 and 1006 are sequentially connected to the right end of the left side surface region 1010. A part of the surface side region 1004 is cut out into a rectangular shape, and the opening portion 16 is provided. A rectangle in a thick solid line existing in the surface side region 1004 in Fig. 4 represents a portion to be cut. Further, respective boundaries among the left side surface region 1010, the surface side regions 1004, 1005 and 1006 are folded into mountain folds, for example. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the surface side regions 1004 to 1006 form the surface side portion 112 that envelops the side surface, the front surface, the right side surface and a part of the rear surface of the inside portion 111. That is to say, the surface side region 1004 covers the front surface of the main body 11, the surface side region 1005 covers the right side surface of the main body 11, and the surface side region 1006 covers a part of the rear surface of the main body 11. Further, in the surface side region 1006, a region at an end at a side opposite from the surface side region 1005 is bonded to the rear surface of the main body 11 by pasting, for example. At this time, the operation regions 1024 to 1026 of the belt-shaped member 12 are sandwiched between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112, and the folded portion 13 of the main body 11 and the folded portion 17 of the belt-shaped member 12 are engaged with each other. Further, the tear tab 18 of the belt-shaped member 12 is folded along the outer side of the package 1, for example.
The above described developments are examples, and as the developments for forming the package 1, various developments can be adopted. The illustrated main body 11 is formed of a single blank, but may be formed of a plurality of blanks by using divided developments. Further, instead of the wrapping paper with the film laminated on one surface of the paper, wrapping paper with films laminated on both surfaces of the paper may be adopted. By using wrapping paper like this, every bonding spot can be bonded by heat-sealing.

With use of Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, an operation at a time of unsealing by a user will be described. As illustrated in Fig. 7, the user turns the tear tab 18 which is provided connectively to the lid member 15 and exists along the rear surface of the package 1, with a connecting portion to the lid member 15 as a starting point, and raises the tear tab 18 so as to be able to pick up the tear tab 18 with fingers. As illustrated in Fig. 8, the user picks up the tear tab 18, and unseals the extraction port 14 along the half-cut. In this manner, the tear tab 18 is used in an unsealing operation, and the user can easily unseal the package 1. Here, the half-cut is provided in such a shape (the home-plate shape) that a width is gradually increasing from a vertex existing at the tear tab side, and therefore, unsealing along the half-cut with the vertex as the starting point is facilitated. Note that at the time of unsealing, the tear tab 18 functions as a knob, and after unsealing, the tear tab 18 functions as a locking portion that restrains the lid from opening by being inserted into the insertion port 114 of the main body 11.
Further, with use of Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, a lid opening operation and a lid closing operation of the user after unsealing will be described. As illustrated in Fig. 1, in the lid closed state, the lid member 15 covers the extraction port 14. Note that the tear tab 18 is assumed to be inserted in the insertion port 114. In the lid closed state as above, the lid member 15 can restrain the contained object 2 from dropping out of the extraction port 14 of the package 1, for example.
In the lid closed state in Fig. 1, the user rubs the region A which is a part of the belt-shaped member 12 exposed from the opening portion 16 vertically downward (also called "a lid opening direction") with a finger, and slides the belt-shaped member 12. The region C of the belt-shaped member 12 lies on the lid member 15 in the lid closed state, and is connected to the side facing the hinge 151 in the lid member 15. Therefore, when the belt-shaped member 12 slides in the direction to the hinge 151, the lid member 15 is turned up with the hinge 151 as a starting point in an interlocking manner with the slide. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 9, when the belt-shaped member 12 is slid in the lid opening direction, the tear tab 18 slips out of the insertion port 114, and the lid member 15 is turned up while bending in an interlocking manner with the slide, and can be opened. Thereafter, the region C is drawn into the space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112. At this time, the region assigned with "B" (also called the region B) of the belt-shaped member 12 is exposed from the opening portion 16, and the user operates the region B. Furthermore, the lid member 15 which is laid on the region C in the lid closed state inversely turns with the hinge 151 as the starting point, and is drawn into the space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 together with the tear tab 18, and the lid opened state illustrated in Fig. 2 is brought about. In this manner, the user can open the lid of the package 1 by operating the operation portion 121 of the belt-shaped member 12. In the lid opened state, the region C is exposed from the opening portion 16, and the user can operate the region C. Further, the lid member 15 is connected to an edge of the extraction port 14 at the hinge 151, and therefore, in the lid opened state illustrated in Fig. 2, sliding the belt-shaped member 12 further in the lid opening direction is restricted.
Further, in the lid opened state, the user rubs the region C which is exposed from the opening portion 16 upward in the vertical direction (also called the lid closing direction), and can slide the belt-shaped member 12 along the surface of the main body 11. When the belt-shaped member 12 is slid in the lid closing direction, the lid member 15 is brought into a state slipping out upward from the space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112, as illustrated in Fig. 10. In the present embodiment, the folded portion 13 of the main body 11 and the folded portion 17 of the belt-shaped member 12 are engaged with each other, and the end of the belt-shaped member 12 is restricted from sliding in the lid closing direction from the vicinity of the center in the vertical direction of the main body 11. Further, the user covers the extraction port 14 with the lid member 15 and inserts the tear tab 18 into the insertion port 114 in the state illustrated in Fig. 10, and thereby can close the lid of the package 1.

The package 1 according to the present embodiment includes the lid member 15, and the lid can be closed even after being unsealed. If the lid can be closed, the contained object 2 can be restrained from dropping out of the extraction port 14. Especially when cigarettes or the like are contained in the package 1, fine shredded pieces of tobacco sometimes fall in the package 1, but by closing the lid of the package 1, the shredded pieces of tobacco that fall can be restrained from dropping outside the package 1.
Further, in the package 1 according to the present embodiment, the user slides the belt-shaped member 12 connected to the lid member 15, whereby the lid can be easily opened in an interlocking manner with the slide. The user can perform such an operation that slides the belt-shaped member 12 along the surface of the main body 11 with only a thumb, for example, in a state gripping the main body 11. That is to say, the user can open the lid of the package 1 easily with one hand.
Further, a part of the main body 11 is formed into a double structure, and the belt-shaped member 12 is sandwiched between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112, whereby the belt-shaped member 12 can be compactly contained into the package 1, and movement of the belt-shaped member 12 can be limited to the direction necessary for the opening and closing operation of the package 1. Further, the surface side portion 112 is provided with the opening portion 16 so that the belt-shaped member 12 is exposed to the surface of the package 1, and the user can operate the belt-shaped member 12. Further, the belt-shaped member 12, the tear tab 18 and the lid member 15 are contained between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 in the lid opened state. Therefore, when the user does not want use of the lid, the belt-shaped member 12, the tear tab 18 and the lid member 15 do not become obstacles even if the user uses the package 1 in the lid opened state.
Further, at the time of unsealing, the user picks up the tear tab 18, and can easily perform the unsealing operation. Further, after unsealing, the tear tab 18 is inserted into the insertion port provided at a part of the main body, whereby the lid closed state can be kept.
Further, the package 1 is sealed by heat-sealing with use of the film-laminated wrapping paper with a gas barrier property as the material. Therefore, the freshness of the contained object 2 can be kept without hermetically sealing the outside of the package 1 with a film or the like. Further, the package 1 is formed of only the film-laminated wrapping paper, and therefore, simplification of the production process and reduction in material cost can be expected as compared with, for example, the conventional soft packages using wrapping paper, aluminum sheet, sealing paper, an enveloping film and the like.
Furthermore, in the package 1, any portion does not have to be cut off at the time of unsealing. For example, unlike the conventional soft packages in which parts of the films with which the outer sides are wrapped need to be discarded, or parts of the inner wrapping paper coated with aluminum need to be discarded, garbage is not made at the time of unsealing in the package 1 according to the present embodiment. Further, at the time of discarding the entire package 1, separating the members is not needed if the package is formed of the single material such as the film-laminated wrapping paper. As above, according to the structure of the package 1 according to the embodiment, convenience for the user can be improved.
A pattern or the like may be given to the belt-shaped member 12. In doing so, the pattern which is visible from the opening portion 16 changes, when the belt-shaped member 12 slides. Therefore, pleasure at the time of operating the package 1 can be provided to the user.

Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 illustrate perspective views of a package 1A according to a modification. Further, Fig. 13 illustrates a perspective view in which the package 1A according to the modification is expanded. In the package 1A, the inside portion 111 of a main body 11A envelops the contained object 2. Note that common portions in the package 1 and the package 1A are assigned with the same reference numerals and symbols in the drawings. Fig. 11 illustrates a lid closed state in which the extraction port 14 is closed by the lid member 15. Further, Fig. 12 illustrates a lid opened state in which the lid member 15 is opened and the extraction port 14 is opened. Hereinafter, the package 1A will be described mainly about a difference from the package 1.
The package 1A differs from the package 1 in an outer portion 112A, a belt-shaped member 12A and the like, in particular, a mechanism for opening and closing the lid member 15. More specifically, the surface side portion 112A of the package 1A includes two opening portions 16A. Further, the package 1A includes sealing paper 19. Furthermore, the belt-shaped member 12A of the package 1A includes an operation portion 121A that is a pulling handle member on which a user rests a finger when sliding the belt-shaped member 12A, and a lid closing guide 122 that is sandwiched between the main body 11A and the sealing paper 19. Further, a tear tab 18A and the main body 11A include magnets in flat plate shapes on surfaces which are in contact with each other in the lid closed state, so that the magnets attract each other in the lid closed state. Note that the belt-shaped member 12A of the package 1A does not have the folded portion 17. Hereinafter, the respective elements will be described in more detail.
In the examples in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, the two opening portions 16A are provided along the up and down direction of the package 1 substantially parallel with each other. The two opening portions 16A are respectively in substantially the same shapes. A length in the up and down direction of the opening portion 16A can have such a dimension that allows the belt-shaped member 12A to slide, and a width of the opening portion 16A can have such a dimension as an extent of a cut being applied to the wrapping paper. Further, a space between the two opening portions 16A is substantially the same as the width of the belt-shaped member 12A. Note that the opening portion 16A is common to the opening portion 16 of the package 1 in that a part of the belt-shaped member 12A is exposed to the surface of the package 1A via the opening portion 16A. In the present modification, a direction in which the belt-shaped member 12A slides is restricted to a direction in which the opening portions 16A extend (namely, the up and down direction of the package 1A). Note that in the surface side portion 112A, a belt-shaped region existing between the two opening portions 16A is also called "a guide belt" or "a direction regulating portion" for convenience.
A part of the belt-shaped member 12A is sandwiched between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112A. Further, one end of the belt-shaped member 12A is connected to the lid member 15. The other end side of the belt-shaped member 12A extends out to the surface of the package 1A from the respective two opening portions 16A, is laid in layer and bonded, on the surface of the package 1A, and forms an operation portion 121A. As illustrated in Fig. 14, the other end side of the belt-shaped member 12A is in a state wound around the guide belt. The belt-shaped member 12A and the guide belt are not bonded to each other, and the belt-shaped member 12A is slidable along the direction in which the guide belt and the opening portions 16A extend. Further, since an end at the operation portion 121A side in the belt-shaped member is in the state wound around the guide belt, a moving range is restricted to a region between both ends in the up and direction of the guide belt.
Further, as illustrated in Fig. 15, at the other end side of the belt-shaped member 12A, the tear tab 18A is formed, and to the tear tab 18A, a magnet 181 in a flat plate shape is bonded. Meanwhile, a magnet 115 in a flat plate shape is also bonded to a position that is laid on the tear tab 18A in the lid closed state, on the surface of the main body 11A. The magnets are bonded so that polarities attracting each other face each other, and in the lid closed state illustrated in Fig. 11, a magnetized region of the tear tab 18A and a magnetized region on the main body 11A surface attract each other. Note that instead of bonding the magnets, printing may be applied by using a magnetic ink or the like. If magnetized regions are provided in at least a part of the tear tab 18A, and a portion corresponding to the package 1 surface, and the polarities attracting each other face each other, the package 1A has the lid closed by the magnetic force, and can keep the lid closed state. Note that either one of at least a part of the tear tab 18A, or the portion corresponding to the package 1 surface may be formed as a magnetized region, and for the other portion, a ferromagnetic material such as iron which is attracted by the magnet may be used. Further, the user can pick up the tear tab 18A, and unseal the package 1A.
Furthermore, the package 1A includes the sealing paper 19. The sealing paper 19 is provided to cover a part of the top surface from the front surface to the rear surface of the package 1A. Further, in the sealing paper 19, an end portion at the package 1A front surface side and an end portion at the rear surface side are respectively bonded to the package 1A, for example.
Further, at a side edge portion of the belt-shaped member 12A, the lid closing guide 122 which is protruded to the sealing paper 19 side may be provided. The lid closing guide 122 is located between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112A, or between the sealing paper 19 and the top surface of the main body 11A. Therefore, when the belt-shaped member 12A is slid in the lid opening direction and the lid closing direction, the lid closing guide 122 moves along an inner side of the sealing paper 19 (namely, along the surface of the package 1A).

A lid opening and a lid closing operations of the package 1A will be described based on Fig. 11, Fig. 12 and Fig. 16 to Fig. 18. When the user slides the operation portion 121A of the package 1A in the up and down direction with a finger, the lid closing guide 122 which is protruded from the belt-shaped member 12A moves along the surface of the package 1. In the lid closed state in Fig. 11, the user slides the belt-shaped member 12A in the lid opening direction, first. Thereby, as illustrated in Fig. 16, the magnet of the tear tab 18A is separated from the magnet on the main body 11A surface. Further, as illustrated in Fig. 17, the lid closing guide 122 passes the inner side of the sealing paper 19, and therefore, the belt-shaped member 12A which is connected to the lid closing guide 122 moves along the surface of the main body 11A. Further, in an interlocking manner with the slide, the lid member 15 is turned up while bending, and the lid can be opened. Thereafter, as illustrated in Fig. 18, the lid member 15 which is laid on the region C in the lid closed state is turned inversely with the hinge 151 as the starting point, and is drawn into a space between the inside portion 111A and the surface side portion 112A together with the tear tab 18A. Subsequently, the lid opened state illustrated in Fig. 12 is brought about. In this manner, the user can open the lid of the package 1A by operating the operation portion 121A of the belt-shaped member 12A. In the lid opened state, the operation portion 121A is also exposed from the opening portions 16A, and can be operated by the user. Further, the lid member 15 is connected to the edge of the extraction port 14 at the hinge 151, and therefore, in the lid opened state illustrated in Fig. 2, the belt-shaped member 12A is restricted from being further slid in the lid opening direction.
Meanwhile, in the lid opened state, the user slides the operation portion 121A which is exposed from the opening portions 16A in the lid closing direction along the surface of the main body 11A. When the belt-shaped member 12A is slid in the lid closing direction, the tear tab 18A and the lid member 15 slip out of the space between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112A in sequence illustrated in Fig. 18, Fig. 17 and Fig. 16. At this time, the lid closing guide 122 passes the inner side of the sealing paper 19, and therefore, the belt-shaped member 12A which is connected to the lid closing guide 122 moves along the surface of the main body 11A. In the present modification, the sealing paper 19 and the lid closing guide 122 make guidance so that the magnetized region of the tear tab 18A moves to a vicinity of the magnetized region at the main body 11A side. When the magnetized region of the tear tab 18A moves to the vicinity of the magnetized region at the main body 11A side, the lid can be closed by attraction by the magnetic force. Therefore, in the package 1A according to the modification, the user also can close the lid with one hand.

The package 1 and the package 1A respectively include the opening portion 16 and the opening portions 16A at the right sides when facing the front surface. The shapes as above are preferable for users to perform slide operations with the thumbs of the right hands while gripping the packages with the right hands, for example. However, the shape of the package (1 or 1A) is not limited to the example as above. For example, the opening portion (16 or 16A) may be provided on the side surface of the package. Furthermore, the tear tab (18 or 18A) is fixed on the top surface of the package, and the lid closed state may be enabled to be kept. Note that fixation of the tear tab may be performed with use of an adhesive which is capable of re-adhesion, instead of inserting the tear tab into the insertion port 114 and providing the magnetized region at the tear tab. Further, the length, the width and the like of the belt-shaped member (12 or 12A) illustrated in the drawings and the like may be properly changed.
Further, in the embodiment and the modification, the example in which the belt-shaped member (12 or 12A) is connected to the side facing the hinge 151 in the lid member 15 is described, but the belt-shaped member can be connected to a region other than the hinge 151 in the lid member 15. If the belt-shaped member is connected to the region other than the hinge 151, the lid member 15 can be turned with the hinge 151 as the starting point in the interlocking manner with the belt-shaped member.
Further, the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112 of the package 1 according to the embodiment may be bonded in such a manner as to restrict the direction in which the belt-shaped member 12 slides. If the periphery of the belt-shaped member 12 is bonded along the vertical direction, for example, a gap (also called the direction regulating portion) extending in the direction in which the belt-shaped member 12 slides can be provided between the inside portion 111 and the surface side portion 112. According to the direction regulating portion, the direction in which the belt-shaped member 12 slides can be restricted to the lid opening direction or the lid closing direction.
Further, in the belt-shaped member 12 or 12A, the region which the user touches and operates may be made to have a friction coefficient higher than the friction coefficient of at least the back surface thereof. For example, matt varnish, fine sandpaper or the like is used for the operation portion 121 (the regions A to C) of the belt-shaped member 12, or the operation portion 121A of the belt-shaped member 12A. In doing so, when the user performs a slide operation, the finger of the user and the operation portion (121 or 121A) hardly slip. Meanwhile, the back surface thereof may be coated with silicon, a lubricating coating agent or the like, for example. In doing so, the slide operation becomes smoother.
Further, when the shape of the lid member 15 is such that the width gradually increases from the vertex existing at the tear tab side, the user can easily unseal the package 1 by picking up the tear tab 18 or 18A and pulling the tear tab 18 or 18A in the predetermined direction. As the shape in which the width gradually increases from the vertex existing at the tear tab side, a triangle, a trapezoid, the other polygonal shapes and the like may be adopted, besides the illustrated home-plate shape.
Further, unsealing may be enabled by a slide operation of the belt-shaped member 12 or 12A. For example, the half-cut around the lid member is provided in the shape in which the width gradually increases toward the hinge 151 direction from a certain vertex, and the depth of the half-cut is adjusted, whereby unsealing may be enabled easily along the half-cut by sliding the belt-shaped member in the lid opening direction.
Note that the package 1 is described as being a soft package, but may be the one in which the belt-shaped member is connected to the lid portion of a hard package. Even if a hard package is adopted, the effect of being able to open the lid easily in an interlocking manner with slide of the belt-shaped member is provided.
Further, in each of the packages according to the embodiment and the modification, the region of a double structure in which the wrapping paper is wound in multiple layers is provided, but a multiple structure in three layers or more may be adopted. If the belt-shaped member can be contained inside the multiple structure, the belt-shaped member does not become a hindrance. Conversely, the region of a multiple structure does not have to be provided. Even if the whole of the belt-shaped member is exposed to the surface of the package, the user can slide the belt-shaped member by pressing the belt-shaped member against the main body surface with a finger, for example. That is to say, even in the package like this, the lid can be opened with one hand.
Further, in the present embodiment, as the contained object which is contained in the package, a tobacco product such as filter cigarettes and plain cigarettes is cited, but the contained object is not limited to filter cigarettes and plain cigarettes, and may be, for example, candies, chewing gum and the like.

[Description of the Reference Numerals and Symbols]

1, 1A · · · Package
11, 11A · · · Main body
111 · · · Inside portion
112, 112A · · · Surface side portion
114 · · · Insertion port
12, 12A · · · Belt-shaped member
121, 121A · · · Operation portion
122 · · · Lid closing guide
13 · · · Folded portion
14 · · · Extraction port
15 · · · Lid member
151 · · · Hinge
16, 16A · · · Opening portion
17 · · · Folded portion
18, 18A · · · Tear tab
19 · · · Sealing paper

Claims

A package (1, 1A), comprising:
a main body (11, 11A) that wraps a contained object (2);

a lid member (15) that covers and can be sealed with an extraction port (14) provided in the main body (11, 11A); and

a belt-shaped member (12, 12A) that is connected to the lid member (15),

wherein the belt-shaped member (12, 12A) is provided so that at least a part thereof is exposed to a surface of the main body (11, 11A), and is capable of being operated to slide along the main body (11, 11A), and the lid member (15) is openable and closable in an interlocking manner with the slide operation, wherein a part of the main body (11, 11A) has a multilayer structure portion in which the belt-shaped member (12, 12A) is sandwiched by multilayered wrapping,

the multilayer structure portion has an opening portion (16, 16A) that is an opened region, in a part of the wrapping on a main body (11, 11A) surface side, and

a part of the belt-shaped member (12, 12A) is provided to be exposed to the surface of the main body (11, 11A) from the opening portion (16, 16A), and to be capable of being operated to slide, said package being characterized in that a tear tab (18, 18A) usable as a knob for unsealing the extraction port (14) is connectively provided at one end of the lid member (15).
The package according to claim 1, further comprising:
an insertion port (114) in which the tear tab (18, 18A) is insertable, at a position where the tear tab (18, 18A) is insertable and removable in a lid closed state, in a part of the main body (11, 11A).
The package according to any claim 1 or 2, further comprising:
magnetized regions, respectively on the tear tab (18, 18A), and a portion that is a part of the main body (11, 11A) and is in contact with the Tear tab (18, 18A) in the lid closed state.
The package according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
wherein the main body (11, 11A) further has a direction regulating portion that restricts a direction in which the belt-shaped member (12, 12A) slides.
The package according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
wherein the main body (11, 11A) is formed from a material having a gas barrier property, and
the contained object (2) is hermetically sealed by the main body (11, 11A) when the package (1, 1A) is still sealed.
The package according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
in the belt-shaped member (12, 12A), a region that is exposed to the surface of the main body (11, 11A) from the opening portion (16, 16A) has a friction coefficient higher than a friction coefficient of at least a back surface thereof.