Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
  • B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
  • B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
  • B65D85/1036—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank
  • B65D85/1045—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge
  • B65D85/1048—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge characterized by the shape of the container
  • B65D85/10484—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge characterized by the shape of the container having rounded corners
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
  • B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
  • B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a pack for smoking articles and, more
• a pack comprising a box portion with an open upper end and a hinged lid connected to the box portion and moveable to open and close the upper opening in the box portion.
• Cigarettes may be sold in packs. The packs store and protect the cigarettes. Summary
• a pack for smoking articles comprising a front wall and a rear wall connected by opposing side walls, the pack comprising a box portion having an open end and a lid hingedly connected to the box portion along a hinge line on the rear wall of the pack and moveable to selectively open or close the open end, the lid including a front wall, a top wall, a rear wall and first and second opposing side walls, wherein at least a portion of the lower edge of the lid front wall extends horizontally and parallel to the hinge line, and wherein an angle between the rear wall and a mitre defined where the lower edge of the first lid side wall abuts the box upper edge on a first side wall of the pack is greater than a corresponding angle between the rear wall and a corresponding mitre defined where the lower edge of the second lid side wall abuts the box upper edge on a second, opposite side wall of the pack.
• the mitre on the first side wall may be shorter than the mitre on the second side wall.
• the pack may include an inner frame comprising a front panel and depending side panels, and the inner frame may be disposed within the box portion and projecting out of the open end, and the inner frame may include a projecting tab on each side of the front panel configured to frictionally engage the lid to help retain the lid in a closed position, and the projecting tab on one side of the inner frame may be smaller than the projecting tab on the opposite side of the inner frame.
• the proj ecting tab on the first side of the pack may be smaller than the proj ecting tab on the second side of the pack.
• the smaller proj ecting tab may have a shorter dimension in a longitudinal direction of the pack than the other proj ecting tab.
• the proj ecting tabs may proj ect from the inner frame by an equal distance.
• the front wall of the pack may include a cut-out section such that a portion of the inner frame is exposed when the lid is in the closed position.
• the pack may comprise a parallelepiped with maj or front and rear walls and minor side walls.
• the angle between the rear wall and the mitre on the first side wall of the pack may be between 70 and 80 degrees, and may be between 75 to 80 degrees, and may be around 77 degrees.
• the angle between the rear wall and the mitre on the second side wall of the pack may be between 50 - 65 degrees, and may be between 55 - 65 degrees, and may be around 60 degrees.
• the difference between the angle between the rear wall and the mitre on the first side wall of the pack and the angle between the rear wall and the mitre on the second side wall of the pack may be between 5 - 30 degrees, and may be between 10 - 25 degrees, and may be between 15 - 20 degrees, and may be around 17 degrees.
• the pack may further comprise a seal extending between the lid and the box portion over the mitre on the first side of the pack.
• the portion of the lower edge of the lid front wall that extends horizontally and parallel to the hinge line may be located centrally with respect to the width of the lid.
• a method of manufacturing a pack for smoking articles as described above comprising folding a card blank around a bundle of smoking articles in a pack manufacturing apparatus to form the pack containing smoking articles, and conveying the cigarette bundle and blank during and/or after folding of the blank to form the pack, through the apparatus with the second side wall, or parts of the blank forming the second side wall, leading with respect to the direction of conveyance and, the first side wall, or parts of the blank forming the first side wall, trailing with respect to the direction of conveyance.
• Folding of the pack blank to form the pack may comprise overlapping respective pairs of panels of the blank to form the first and second side walls respectively, and bonding the overlapping panels of each pair together with adhesive.
• the method may further comprise applying a seal over the mitre on the first side wall of the pack after the pack is formed.
• the seal may comprise a label adhered to the first side wall of the pack.
• the method may further comprise applying a cellophane outer wrap around the formed pack, wherein the step of applying the wrap may comprise conveying the pack into a sheet of cellophane with the second side wall leading and the first side wall trailing, folding the sheet of cellophane around the pack and sealing edges of the wrap together.
• Figure ⁇ shows a perspective view of a pack of a first embodiment in a closed position
• Figure 2 shows a right side view of the pack of Figure l
• Figure 3 shows a left side view of the pack of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the pack of Figures 1 - 3 in an open position
• Figure 5 shows a front view of the pack of Figures 1 - 4 in an open position
• Figure 6 shows a left side view of the pack of Figures ⁇ - 5 in a closed position with a tax stamp seal in place
• Figure 7 shows a schematic flow diagram of a manufacturing line for production of packs of smoking articles.
• Figure 8 shows a blank for forming the pack of Figures 1 - 6.
• a pack 10 of a first embodiment comprising a box portion 11 and a hinged lid 12.
• the pack comprises a front wall 13 and a rear wall 14 j oined by left and right side walls 15, 16, a top wall 17 and a bottom wall 18.
• the front and rear walls 13, 14 are maj or pack walls and are coplanar.
• the left and right side walls 15, 16 are minor pack walls relative to the front and rear walls 13, 14, and are coplanar.
• the front wall 13 comprises a box front wall 13a and a lid front wall 13b.
• the rear wall 14 and left and right side walls 15, 16 comprise box rear, left and right side walls 14a, 15a, 16a respectively and lid rear, left and right side walls 14b, 15b, 16b respectively.
• the lid 12 is hingedly connected to the box 11 at a hinge line 19 on the pack rear wall 14 where the lid rear wall 14b meets the box rear wall 14a.
• the hinge line 19 is horizontal and parallel to the pack top and bottom walls 17, 18.
• the box includes an opening 20 at its upper end for access to the pack contents, which is selectively opened or closed by pivoting the lid 12.
• An inner frame 21 is provided within the box 11 and comprises a front panel 22 and left and right side panels 23, 24 which respectively lie against the inside surfaces of the box front, left and right side walls 13a, 15a, 16a.
• the inner frame 21 is bonded in place and proj ects out of the opening 20 in the box 11.
• the inner frame 21 includes proj ecting locking tabs 25, 26 on the left and right edges 27, 28 of the inner frame 21 where the front panel 22 meets the left and right side panels 23, 24 respectively.
• the left locking tab 25 is shorter than the right locking tab 26, shown by di ⁇ d 2 in Figure 5.
• the upper edge 29 of the box 11 is formed in an asymmetrical configuration and includes a lowered recess 30 approximately positioned at the middle of the front wall 13a, a sloping edge 31 angled upwards from the left side of the recess 30 towards the left side wall 15a, and a level edge 32 extending horizontally from the right side of the recess 30 towards the right side wall 16a.
• the box upper edge 33 on the left side of the pack extends from the sloping edge 31 in a generally straight line towards the respective end of the hinge line 19, and the box upper edge 34 on the right side of the pack extends from the level edge 32 in a generally straight line towards the respective end of the hinge line 19.
• the angle 0 is between 70 0 - 8o° and the angle 0 2 is between 50 0 - 65 0 , although the invention is not limited to these specific angles. Accordingly the difference between 0 and 0 2 may be between 5 0 - 30 0 . In another embodiment, the angle 0 is between 75 0 - 8o° and the angle 0 2 is between 55 0 - 65 0 , and the difference between 0 and 0 2 may be between io° - 25 0 . In another embodiment, the angle 0 is between 75 0 - 8o° and the angle 0 2 is around 6o°, and the difference between 0 and 0 2 may be between 15 0 - 20 0 . In yet another embodiment, the angle 0 is around 77 0 and the angle 0 2 is around 6o°, and the difference between 0 and 0 2 may be around 17 0 .
• the lower lid side edges are shaped corresponding to the box upper side edges 33, 34 to abut against them when the lid is closed. Accordingly a shut-line or mitre 35, 36 is formed on each side of the pack where the lid lower side edges meet the box upper side edges 33, 34, respectively forming the same angles 0 , 02 with the rear wall 14. Due to the different angles 0 , 0 2 each mitre 35, 36 makes with the pack rear wall 14, the mitre 35 on the left side of the pack is shorter than the mitre 36 on the right side of the pack, as shown by li ⁇ 1 2 in Figures 2 and 3. In particular, ⁇ 1 is shorter than the mitre in conventional hinged-lid smoking article packs, such as the pack disclosed in WO 98/22367.
• Figure 8 shows a blank 39 which can be folded along fold lines (shown as dashed lines in Figure 8) to form the pack 10 of the first embodiment.
• the box front and rear walls 13a, 14a, lid front and rear walls 13b, 14b, and pack top and bottom walls 17, 18 retain the same reference numerals.
• the hinge line 19 is formed at a fold line between the box and lid rear walls 14a, 14b.
• a lid lower edge 37 is formed at a fold line between the lid front wall 13b and an inner tab 40 which is folded inwards into the inside of the lid 12.
• the blank includes left box side panels 41, 42 which, when the pack is formed, overlap and are adhered together to form the left box side wall 15a.
• the right box side wall 16a is formed by overlapping and adhering together right box side panels 43, 44, and the left and right lid side walls 15b, 16b are formed by overlapping and adhering together left and right lid side panels 45, 46 and 47, 48 respectively.
• the location of adhesive to bond the panels together is shown as cross-hatched areas 'G', and the plurality of parallel scored/embossed lines 'L' allow the rounded pack edges to be formed.
• Figure 7 shows a schematic flow diagram of an exemplary manufacturing line for production of packs 10 of smoking articles in which cigarettes Si are placed into a cigarette bed S2, and foil is fed from a foil supply S3 and wrapped around the cigarette bundle S4.
• An inner frame blank is fed from a blank reel S5 and placed over the foil-wrapped cigarette bundle S6.
• a pack blank 39 is fed from a blank stack S7 to a blank bed S8 and in a gluing operation S9, the inner frame and pack blank 39 are glued in the required locations G, and the pack blank 39 is placed on, and folded around the cigarette bundle to form the completed pack 10 in a folding and pressing step S10.
• the pack 10 is formed, it is wrapped and sealed in an outer cellophane wrap S11 to keep the contents fresh until opened by a consumer.
• the packs 10 are conveyed through the processing machinery with a pack side wall facing the direction of travel.
• the leading pack side is pressed and held against a retaining surface while the machinery fingers fold the remaining blank panels around the cigarette bundle to form the constructed pack. Therefore, overlapping pack panels at the leading side are continuously pressed in position allowing a secure adhesive bond and accurate alignment of the panels.
• the overlapping panels at the trailing side are only folded into position by the moving machinery fingers which are quickly retracted.
• the effect of any lateral panel mis-alignment is reduced. Accordingly, to achieve this, as the packs 10 are conveyed through the machinery, they are oriented so that the left side wall 15 is the trailing side wall and the right side wall 16 is the leading side wall.
• a smaller angle 0 between the pack rear wall and the mitre means the top of the box side wall adj acent the hinge line forms a sharper point which makes it more difficult to glue the pack side panels together right up to point, which renders the side panels susceptible to separation.
• the top of the box side wall 15a adj acent the hinge line 19 is less of a sharp point making it easier to glue together right up to this point, reducing likelihood of separation of overlying panels 41, 42.
• the pack of the present embodiment having different mitre angles on each side of the pack provides the benefits of both arrangements.
• Part of the pack manufacture process also involves placing a tax stamp 38 (see Figure 6) over the mitre at the pack edge.
• This stamp 38 may be an adhesive label or a label bonded to the pack, which must be broken upon initial pack opening and requires a force to be exerted on the lid 12 to effect this tear.
• Figure 6 shows the tax stamp 38 extending only over the left side wall 15 of the pack 10.
• the tax stamp 38 may equally be disposed across the shorter mitre 35 on the left side wall 15 of the pack and extend around the adjacent rear edge of the pack 10 around to the rear wall 14 and across the hinge line 19.
• the benefit of reducing the required tear force mentioned above is also enhanced by the asymmetrical configuration of the locking tabs 25, 26 on the inner frame 21.
• the left locking tab 25 being shorter than the right locking tab 26 exerts a reduced frictional force on the inside of the lid 12 and therefore, when the lid 12 is pivoted open upon initial opening of the pack 10, there is less frictional resistance to opening on the left side of the pack than on the right.
• This goes some way to compensate for the additional tearing force present on the left side of the pack than the right, provided by the tax stamp, but also encourages a slight initial tilt in the lid opening on the left side of the pack more than the right, which acts to promote initial tearing of the tax stamp. This also makes one-handed opening of the pack easier.
• the one-handed opening of the pack is further facilitated by the lower edge 37 of the lid front wall 13b being spaced from the upper edge 29 of the box front wall 13a in the region of the lowered recess 30 to expose a portion of the front panel 22 of the inner frame 21. This creates a step to enable a user to more easily engage the lid lower edge 37 with a finger or thumb to open the pack 10.
• 16 results in different heights for the lower edge of the front wall 13b of lid 12 on the opposing corners where the lid front wall 13b adjoins the two lid side wallsisb, 16b.
• One option would be to form the lower edge of the front face of the lid as a straight line slanting between these two different heights.
• an embodiment has a portion of the lower edge 37 of the lid front wall 13b horizontal and parallel to the pack top and bottom walls 17, 18 and the hinge line 19. This avoids there being a very small angle between the mitre and pack rear wall 14 that would otherwise result on one side of the pack if the lower edge of the lid front wall was angled downwards across the whole width of the front of the pack 10.
• the horizontal portion of the lower edge 37 of the lid front wall 13b means that the direction of pushing the lid open is aligned with (i.e. is perpendicular to) the hinge line 19, which gives a better performance and more natural opening operation than would be the case if the lower edge of the lid front wall was angled downwards across the whole width of the front of the pack, in which case the direction of pushing the lid open would be oblique to the hinge line 19.
• the horizontal portion of the lower edge 37 of the lid front wall 13b is preferably located at the central region of the lid front wall 13b which is the natural location for a user to push the pack lid 12 open and so makes for a natural and intuitive pack opening operation.
• pack 10 of the embodiment shown in the figures and described above has rounded edges on all four vertical pack edges
• the invention is not intended to be limited to this configuration and alternative pack embodiments may include different edge configurations, such as bevelled or square edges, or combinations of such configurations, for example rounded front edges and square rear edges.
• edge configurations such as bevelled or square edges, or combinations of such configurations, for example rounded front edges and square rear edges.
• the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for a superior pack.
• the advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=48627021

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2013
  • 2013-04-30 GB GBGB1307729.2A patent/GB201307729D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2014
  • 2014-03-21 EP EP14714312.7A patent/EP2991917B1/de active Active
  • 2014-03-21 WO PCT/GB2014/050901 patent/WO2014177834A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-03-21 RU RU2015151116A patent/RU2615623C1/ru active
  • 2014-03-21 JP JP2016511127A patent/JP2016520488A/ja active Pending
  • 2014-03-21 UA UAA201510493A patent/UA117582C2/uk unknown
• 2015
  • 2015-10-05 ZA ZA2015/07354A patent/ZA201507354B/en unknown
  • 2015-10-27 CL CL2015003159A patent/CL2015003159A1/es unknown
• 2018
  • 2018-04-19 JP JP2018080538A patent/JP6807344B2/ja active Active

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