EP3010834A1 - Rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles - Google Patents

Rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles

Info

Publication number
EP3010834A1
EP3010834A1 EP14736996.1A EP14736996A EP3010834A1 EP 3010834 A1 EP3010834 A1 EP 3010834A1 EP 14736996 A EP14736996 A EP 14736996A EP 3010834 A1 EP3010834 A1 EP 3010834A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
lid
inner frame
container
itself
wall
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP14736996.1A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3010834B1 (en
Inventor
Marco Ghini
Stefano Negrini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GD SpA
Original Assignee
GD SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GD SpA filed Critical GD SpA
Publication of EP3010834A1 publication Critical patent/EP3010834A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3010834B1 publication Critical patent/EP3010834B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

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
    • B65D85/1056—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge characterized by the lid
    • B65D85/10564—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge characterized by the lid having means for holding the lid in a closed position
    • 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
    • B65D2203/00—Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
    • B65D2203/12—Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means
    • 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
    • B65D2301/00—Details of blanks
    • B65D2301/10—Blanks mutually positioned to minimise waste material upon cutting out the individual blank from a continuous or large sheet

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles.
  • This invention can be advantageously applied to a rigid packet for cigarettes, to which this specification will hereinafter refer but without thereby limiting the scope of the invention.
  • Rigid, hinged-lid packets for cigarettes are currently the cigarette packets of the most widespread type on the market because they are simple to make, easy and practical to use and provide good mechanical protection for the cigarettes they contain.
  • a rigid, hinged-lid packet for cigarettes comprises a hollow container having an opening for taking out the cigarettes and a lid, which is joined to the container along a hinge allowing it to rotate relative to the container itself between a position where the opening is open and a position where it is closed.
  • the packet has an inner frame, which is folded into a U inside the container in such a way as to protrude partly from the opening and to engage a corresponding inside surface of the lid when the lid is in the closed position.
  • the main function of the inner frame is to create interference with the lid in order to prevent unwanted opening of the lid itself.
  • a C-shaped cut may be made at each of the corners of the inner frame to form a respective flap which, when the lid is closed, extends towards the inside surface of the sidewall of the lid itself and interacts therewith to increase the interference.
  • patent EP0884247-B1 discloses a rigid hinged lid packet for cigarettes, which has a snap coupling between the front inside surface of the lid and the front outside surface of the inner frame. More specifically, the snap coupling comprises a flap which extends from the front outside surface of the inner frame and which, when the lid is closed, engages a notch formed on the front inside surface of the lid. When the lid is closed, the flap on the inner frame snaps into the notch in the lid producing a click sound clearly audible to the user.
  • the inner frame In rigid cigarette packets of the type just described, the inner frame must be perfectly positioned, otherwise the flap cannot properly engage the notch formed on the front of the lid. If the two parts are not properly engaged, they will not snap shut and not only will the click sound be barely audible or not produced at all, but the lid closure will be unattractive and ineffective. In this regard, it is important to stress that the correct positioning of the inner frame relative to the container and lid is a result, which is technically very difficult to obtain. In particular, it should be noted that direct contact between the contents of the packet, that is, the group of cigarettes, and the inner frame during folding may in many cases cause displacement of the inner frame relative to the lid.
  • This invention has an aim to provide a rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles, which is highly practical, solves the above-mentioned problems perfectly and is at once easy and inexpensive to make.
  • This invention accordingly provides a rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles comprising the features described in one or more of the appended claims.
  • FIG. 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views of two different examples of packets made according to the invention.
  • FIG. 3 shows a blank which can be used to make a portion of the packets of Figures 1 and 2;
  • FIG. 4-7 show four respective embodiments of a blank which can be used in combination with the blank of Figure 3 to make four different embodiments of the packet according to the invention.
  • FIGS. 8-10 are schematic cross sections of a packet made according to the invention in three different situations of use.
  • the reference characters 1 and 1 ' respectively denote in their entirety two rigid hinged-lid packets, each containing a group of cigarettes (not illustrated) wrapped in an inner wrapper (not illustrated).
  • the cigarettes which are substantially cylindrical in shape, have a longitudinal axis of extension defining a main dimension of the packets 1 and 1 '.
  • the packets 1 and 1 ' extend in a vertical direction, that is to say, from the bottom up, coinciding in particular with the direction of the main dimension of the selfsame packets 1 and 1 '.
  • the packets 1 and 1 ' comprise an outer box-shaped body S which is the same for both of the packets 1 and 1 ' and which in turn comprises a bottom container 2 with an opening 3, and a lid 4 joined to the container 2 along a hinge line 5 to rotate between a position where the end 3 is open and a position where it is closed.
  • the container 2 comprises a rear wall 6, or back, two side walls 7, or flanks, a front wall 12, or front, and a base wall 8.
  • the lid 4 comprises a rear wall 9, or back, two sidewalls 10, or flanks, a front wall 13, or front, and a top wall 1 1 .
  • the above-mentioned walls may be joined to each other by sharp edges, as in the case of the packet of Figures 1 and 2, but they may also be joined to each other, in essentially known manner, by bevelled or rounded edges, or by a combination of sharp, bevelled or rounded or edges of any other shape.
  • the box-shaped body S is obtained, for both packets 1 and 1 ', from a flat blank 14 made of a flexible material, in particular a paper-like material, or plastic or a material of other suitable type, having a substantially rectangular elongate shape and whose parts, where possible, are denoted by primed reference numbers which are the same as the reference numbers used to denote the corresponding parts of the box-shaped body S itself.
  • the blank 14 has two longitudinal lines of weakness 15 and a plurality of transverse lines of weakness 16 which, between the pair of longitudinal lines of weakness 15 define a panel 12' which forms the front wall 12 of the container 2, a panel 8' which forms the base wall 8 of the container 2, a panel 6' which forms the rear wall 6 of the container 2, a panel 9' which forms the rear wall 9 of the lid 4 (the hinge line 5 coincides with a transverse line of weakness 16), a panel 1 1 ' which forms the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, a panel 13' which forms the front wall 13 of the lid 4 and an inside panel 17 forming a reinforcement wall of the front wall 13 of the lid 4.
  • the panel 12' bears a pair of side flaps 18 which form an outer portion of the side walls 7 of the container 2, are located on opposite sides of the panel 12' and are joined to the panel 12' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15.
  • the panel 6' bears a pair of side flaps 19 which form an inner portion of the side walls 7 of the box-shaped body S, are located on opposite sides of the panel 6' and are joined to the panel 6' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15.
  • Each flap 19 is connected along a transverse line of weakness 16 to an inner reinforcement tongue 20 for the base wall 8 of the container 2.
  • the panel 9' bears a pair of side flaps 21 which form an inner portion of the side walls 10 of the lid 4, are located on opposite sides of the panel 9' and are joined to the panel 9' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15.
  • Each flap 21 is connected along a transverse line of weakness 16 to an inner reinforcement tongue 22 for the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, designed to be folded against the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, inside the lid 4 itself.
  • the panel 13' bears a pair of side flaps 23 which form an outer portion of the side walls 10 of the lid 4, are located on opposite sides of the panel 13' and are joined to the panel 13' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15.
  • the packets 1 and 1 ' of Figures 1 and 2 also comprise a partly open inner box-shaped body, consisting of an inner frame, denoted in its entirety by the numeral 24, which is fixed (normally by gluing), folded transversely around at least one group of cigarettes (not illustrated) contained inside an inner wrapper (also not illustrated) inside the container 2 to protrude partly from the opening 3 and to engage a corresponding inside surface of the lid 4 when the lid 4 is in the closed position.
  • the inner frame 24 is obtained from a flat blank made of a flexible material, in particular a paper-like material such as cardboard or paperboard, and comprises (see in particular Figures 4-7) a front wall 25, in contact with the front wall 12 of the container 2, and two side walls 26 located on opposite sides of the front wall 25 and in contact with the side walls 7 of the container 2 itself.
  • the inner frame 24 is provided, in essentially known manner, with a pair of tabs 27, which protrude laterally to engage the sidewalls of the lid 4 by interference in such a way as to help keep the lid in the closed position when the packets 1 , 1 ' have to remain closed.
  • the inner frame 24, in the variant embodiments of it shown in Figures 4-7, is denoted by the reference characters 24', 24", 24"' and 24"", respectively.
  • the reference characters 24' and 24" denote the inner frames shown in Figures 4 and 5 and which are also associated with the box-shaped bodies S of Figures 1 and 2, respectively.
  • the sidewall 26 on the right in Figure 4 itself is connected, at a lateral edge of it defined by a line of weakness 28, to a substantially rectangular rear wall 29.
  • An upper edge of the rear wall 29, defined by a line of weakness 30, joins the rear wall 29 to an elastic tongue 31 above it, extending away from the line of weakness 30 which defines the selfsame upper edge and whose width is almost the same as that of the rear wall 29 itself.
  • the tongue 31 is hinged to the upper edge of the inner frame 24' along the line of weakness 30 and has the shape (by way of example) of an isosceles trapezium whose major base coincides with the line of weakness 30 itself and whose minor base defines a free upper edge 32 of the tongue 31 .
  • the tongue 31 is referred to as elastic because the material it is made of, preferably paperboard, gives it good elasticity properties, which are useful for the performance of its functions.
  • the lower edge of the rear wall 29 is identical in shape to the upper edge 32 of the tongue 31 (this feature relates to the entire upper and lower edges of the inner frame 24' and of the other inner frames 24", 24"' and 24"” taken into consideration in this description).
  • the side wall 26 on the left of the front wall 25 in Figure 4 is connected, at a lateral edge of it defined by a line of weakness 28', to a narrow, substantially rectangular rear wall 29'.
  • the tongues 22 are designed and proportioned in such a way that with the lid 4 assembled, one lateral edge 22' of them is spaced by a predetermined length from the rear wall 9 of the lid 4 itself. This feature applies to the tongues 22 (or to at least one of them) associated with a packet 1 ; 1 ' incorporating any one of the inner frames 24', 24", 24"' and 24"".
  • the inner frame 24' is folded transversely around the group of cigarettes (not illustrated) wrapped in an inner wrapper (also not illustrated), with the rear wall 29 adjacent to the rear wall 6 of the container 2 and the rear walls 29 and 29' superposed and glued to each other.
  • the tongue 31 when the packet 1 is closed, the tongue 31 is folded substantially at 90° around the line of weakness 30, in contact with the top wall 1 1 and oriented towards the front wall 13 of the lid 4, and is substantially positioned between the tongues 22, which are folded against the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, and the rear wall 9 of the lid 4 itself. If the tongues 22 and 31 are optimally dimensioned in such a way that they are in mutual contact along the corresponding edges 22' and 32 when the packet 1 is closed, this contact helps keep the lid 4 correctly in the closed position.
  • the elastic tongue 31 is engageable in the tongues 22 to be elastically displaced and released by the tongues 22 themselves as the lid 4 and the box-shaped body S rotate relative to each other, and only during the rotation of the lid 4 does the elastic tongue 31 interfere with the tongue 22.
  • the elastic tongue 31 can be dimensioned in such a way that when the lid 4 is fully closed it substantially ceases to be engaged in the tongues 22.
  • the inner frame 24' When fully assembled, therefore, the inner frame 24' is closed in a loop around the group of cigarettes and the rear wall 29 of the inner frame 24' is connected to both of the side walls 26 of the inner frame 24' itself, imparting stability to the elastic tongue 31 and guaranteeing the effectiveness of the snap coupling between the tongue 31 and the reinforcement tongues 22.
  • the inner frame 24" of Figures 5 and 2 differs from the inner frame 24' of Figures 4 and 1 in that the rear wall 29 and the tongue 31 which appear in the inner frame 24' are "cut” vertically into two halves which are connected to respective vertical edges of respective side walls 26 of the inner frame 24" itself.
  • each of the walls 26 is connected by a line of weakness 28 to a substantially rectangular rear wall 33, an upper edge of which, defined by a line of weakness 34, joins the selfsame rear wall 33 to an elastic tongue 35 above it, whose width is nearly the same as that of the rear wall 33 itself, which is delimited at the top by an edge 36 and which has the shape (for example) of a right angled trapezium whose major base coincides with the line of weakness 34.
  • the inner frame 24" is folded transversely around the group of cigarettes (not illustrated), with the two rear walls 33 positioned adjacent to the rear wall 6 of the box- shaped body S and spaced from each other by a predetermined length such that each of the elastic tongues 35 is located near a corresponding tongue 22 and acts in conjunction with the tongue 22, in exactly the same way as described above in connection with the action of the elastic tongue 31 on the tongues 22, to keep the lid 4 properly closed when the packet 1 ' has to remain closed and to make the clearly audible sound when the lid 4 is opened.
  • the inner frame 24"' shown in Figure 6 is similar to the inner frame 24' of Figure 4, labelled with the same reference numerals, but differs from the inner frame 24' itself in that the rear wall 29 and the tongue 31 of the inner frame 24"' are much smaller in width than those of the inner frame 24', so that the tongue 31 is in contact with and can engage only one of the tongues 22 of the lid 4.
  • the inner frame 24"' works in exactly the same way as the inner frame 24' described above.
  • the inner frame 24"" shown in Figure 7 is similar to the inner frame 24' of Figure 4, labelled with the same reference numerals, but differs from the inner frame 24' itself in that although its rear wall 29 is the same in width as the rear wall 29 of the inner frame 24', its tongue 31 is much smaller in width than that of the inner frame 24', so that the tongue 31 is in contact with and can engage only one of the tongues 22 of the lid 4.
  • the inner frame 24"" works in exactly the same way as the inner frame 24' described above.
  • the blank 14 instead of being provided with the tongues 22 acting in conjunction with the elastic tongues 31 or 35 in the manner described above, might be provided (in a manner not illustrated) with the aforementioned panel 17 of a length such that it can be folded into the lid 4 about the transversal line of weakness 16 and about a further line of weakness parallel to the transversal line 16 so as to be in contact with the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4 and to have a free edge 17' which is parallel to the transversal lines 16 and which is located at a position allowing it to act in conjunction with the edges 32 or 36, instead of, or in combination with, the tongues 22 and acting as abutment element in the manner described above.
  • the inner frame 24 might be folded longitudinally around the group of cigarettes wrapped in an inner wrapper.
  • This inner frame 24 is folded into a U shape and comprises at least a front wall 25, a base wall and a rear wall 29 aligned with, and adherent to, the corresponding walls 12, 8, 6 of the container 2 and the rear wall 9 of the lid 4.
  • the elastic tongue 31 connected to the rear wall 29 along the line of weakness 30 acts in conjunction with the tongues 22 of the lid 4 in exactly the same way as described above.
  • the packet 1 ; 1 ' has a hinge 5 by which the lid 4 is connected to the container 2 which is transversal to the axis of the cigarettes contained therein, that is to say, the hinge line 5 is perpendicular to the direction of the main dimension of the packet 1 ; 1 '.
  • the packet 1 ; 1 ' has a hinge line 5 which is parallel to the axis of the cigarettes and thus parallel to the direction of the main dimension of the packet 1 ; 1 '. Consequently, the inner frame 24 is folded longitudinally around the group of cigarettes wrapped in an inner wrapper.
  • the variant embodiments 24'; 24"; 24"'; 24"" of the inner frame can be effectively used also in this different embodiment of the packet 1 ; 1 ' which comprises an inner frame 24 folded longitudinally which, in use, works in the same way as the inner frame 24 described above folded transversely around the group of cigarettes.

Landscapes

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

Abstract

A rigid, hinged-lid packet (1; 1 ') for smokers' articles comprises a container (2) having an opening (3), a lid (4) hinged to the container (2) to rotate between a position where the opening (3) is open and a position where it is closed, and an inner frame (24) contained in, and attached to, the container (2), folded around a group of smokers' articles, which is housed in a wrapper inside the container (2), and protruding partly out of the opening (3); the lid (4) comprising inside it at least one abutment element (22), and the inner frame (24) comprising a plurality of side walls (25, 26, 29; 33) substantially aligned with and adherent to corresponding side walls (12, 7, 6) of the container (2), between which there is at least one rear side wall (29; 33) adjacent to a rear side wall (6) of the container (2), and at least one elastic tongue (31; 35) connected to an upper edge (30; 34) of the rear side wall (29; 33) of the inner frame (24), the tongue (31; 35) extending away from the upper edge (30; 34); the tongue (31; 35) being engageable in the abutment element (22) so as to be elastically displaced and released by the abutment element (22) itself when the lid (4) and the container (2) are rotated relative to each other.

Description

DESCRIPTION RIGID HINGED-LID PACKET FOR SMOKERS' ARTICLES
Technical field
This invention relates to a rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles. This invention can be advantageously applied to a rigid packet for cigarettes, to which this specification will hereinafter refer but without thereby limiting the scope of the invention.
Background art
Rigid, hinged-lid packets for cigarettes are currently the cigarette packets of the most widespread type on the market because they are simple to make, easy and practical to use and provide good mechanical protection for the cigarettes they contain.
Normally, a rigid, hinged-lid packet for cigarettes comprises a hollow container having an opening for taking out the cigarettes and a lid, which is joined to the container along a hinge allowing it to rotate relative to the container itself between a position where the opening is open and a position where it is closed. Usually, the packet has an inner frame, which is folded into a U inside the container in such a way as to protrude partly from the opening and to engage a corresponding inside surface of the lid when the lid is in the closed position.
Generally speaking, in rigid packets of the type described above, the main function of the inner frame is to create interference with the lid in order to prevent unwanted opening of the lid itself.
Several devices are known which are used to increase the interference and thus keep the lid as firmly as possible in the closed position after the packet has been opened for the first time.
For example, a C-shaped cut may be made at each of the corners of the inner frame to form a respective flap which, when the lid is closed, extends towards the inside surface of the sidewall of the lid itself and interacts therewith to increase the interference.
Despite this, after opening the packet the first time, the user has no way of being certain as to whether the lid is well closed or not and very often, this uncertainty leads the user to press too hard on the lid to make sure it is properly closed, thereby tending to damage the packet.
To provide a better solution to the above-mentioned problem, a special mechanical connection between the inner frame and the lid has been proposed which produces a clearly audible sound when the lid is opened and closed properly to tell the user that the lid is securely closed. That way, the user can immediately perceive when the lid is opened and when it is closed properly.
For example, patent EP0884247-B1 discloses a rigid hinged lid packet for cigarettes, which has a snap coupling between the front inside surface of the lid and the front outside surface of the inner frame. More specifically, the snap coupling comprises a flap which extends from the front outside surface of the inner frame and which, when the lid is closed, engages a notch formed on the front inside surface of the lid. When the lid is closed, the flap on the inner frame snaps into the notch in the lid producing a click sound clearly audible to the user.
In rigid cigarette packets of the type just described, the inner frame must be perfectly positioned, otherwise the flap cannot properly engage the notch formed on the front of the lid. If the two parts are not properly engaged, they will not snap shut and not only will the click sound be barely audible or not produced at all, but the lid closure will be unattractive and ineffective. In this regard, it is important to stress that the correct positioning of the inner frame relative to the container and lid is a result, which is technically very difficult to obtain. In particular, it should be noted that direct contact between the contents of the packet, that is, the group of cigarettes, and the inner frame during folding may in many cases cause displacement of the inner frame relative to the lid.
Moreover, the presence of the flap on the front of the inner frame make the rigid packets described above not only aesthetically unattractive but also difficult and expensive to make.
Disclosure of the invention
This invention has an aim to provide a rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles, which is highly practical, solves the above-mentioned problems perfectly and is at once easy and inexpensive to make.
This invention accordingly provides a rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles comprising the features described in one or more of the appended claims.
Brief description of the drawings
The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of it, and in which:
- Figures 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views of two different examples of packets made according to the invention;
- Figure 3 shows a blank which can be used to make a portion of the packets of Figures 1 and 2;
- Figures 4-7 show four respective embodiments of a blank which can be used in combination with the blank of Figure 3 to make four different embodiments of the packet according to the invention; and
- Figures 8-10 are schematic cross sections of a packet made according to the invention in three different situations of use.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the reference characters 1 and 1 ' respectively denote in their entirety two rigid hinged-lid packets, each containing a group of cigarettes (not illustrated) wrapped in an inner wrapper (not illustrated).
The cigarettes, which are substantially cylindrical in shape, have a longitudinal axis of extension defining a main dimension of the packets 1 and 1 '. In the accompanying drawings, the packets 1 and 1 ' extend in a vertical direction, that is to say, from the bottom up, coinciding in particular with the direction of the main dimension of the selfsame packets 1 and 1 '.
The packets 1 and 1 ' comprise an outer box-shaped body S which is the same for both of the packets 1 and 1 ' and which in turn comprises a bottom container 2 with an opening 3, and a lid 4 joined to the container 2 along a hinge line 5 to rotate between a position where the end 3 is open and a position where it is closed.
The container 2 comprises a rear wall 6, or back, two side walls 7, or flanks, a front wall 12, or front, and a base wall 8. Similarly, the lid 4 comprises a rear wall 9, or back, two sidewalls 10, or flanks, a front wall 13, or front, and a top wall 1 1 .
The above-mentioned walls may be joined to each other by sharp edges, as in the case of the packet of Figures 1 and 2, but they may also be joined to each other, in essentially known manner, by bevelled or rounded edges, or by a combination of sharp, bevelled or rounded or edges of any other shape.
As shown in Figure 3, the box-shaped body S is obtained, for both packets 1 and 1 ', from a flat blank 14 made of a flexible material, in particular a paper-like material, or plastic or a material of other suitable type, having a substantially rectangular elongate shape and whose parts, where possible, are denoted by primed reference numbers which are the same as the reference numbers used to denote the corresponding parts of the box-shaped body S itself.
The blank 14 has two longitudinal lines of weakness 15 and a plurality of transverse lines of weakness 16 which, between the pair of longitudinal lines of weakness 15 define a panel 12' which forms the front wall 12 of the container 2, a panel 8' which forms the base wall 8 of the container 2, a panel 6' which forms the rear wall 6 of the container 2, a panel 9' which forms the rear wall 9 of the lid 4 (the hinge line 5 coincides with a transverse line of weakness 16), a panel 1 1 ' which forms the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, a panel 13' which forms the front wall 13 of the lid 4 and an inside panel 17 forming a reinforcement wall of the front wall 13 of the lid 4. The panel 12' bears a pair of side flaps 18 which form an outer portion of the side walls 7 of the container 2, are located on opposite sides of the panel 12' and are joined to the panel 12' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15.
The panel 6' bears a pair of side flaps 19 which form an inner portion of the side walls 7 of the box-shaped body S, are located on opposite sides of the panel 6' and are joined to the panel 6' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15. Each flap 19 is connected along a transverse line of weakness 16 to an inner reinforcement tongue 20 for the base wall 8 of the container 2.
The panel 9' bears a pair of side flaps 21 which form an inner portion of the side walls 10 of the lid 4, are located on opposite sides of the panel 9' and are joined to the panel 9' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15. Each flap 21 is connected along a transverse line of weakness 16 to an inner reinforcement tongue 22 for the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, designed to be folded against the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, inside the lid 4 itself. The panel 13' bears a pair of side flaps 23 which form an outer portion of the side walls 10 of the lid 4, are located on opposite sides of the panel 13' and are joined to the panel 13' itself by the longitudinal lines of weakness 15.
The packets 1 and 1 ' of Figures 1 and 2 also comprise a partly open inner box-shaped body, consisting of an inner frame, denoted in its entirety by the numeral 24, which is fixed (normally by gluing), folded transversely around at least one group of cigarettes (not illustrated) contained inside an inner wrapper (also not illustrated) inside the container 2 to protrude partly from the opening 3 and to engage a corresponding inside surface of the lid 4 when the lid 4 is in the closed position. The inner frame 24 is obtained from a flat blank made of a flexible material, in particular a paper-like material such as cardboard or paperboard, and comprises (see in particular Figures 4-7) a front wall 25, in contact with the front wall 12 of the container 2, and two side walls 26 located on opposite sides of the front wall 25 and in contact with the side walls 7 of the container 2 itself. In Figures 1 , 2 and 4-7, the inner frame 24 is provided, in essentially known manner, with a pair of tabs 27, which protrude laterally to engage the sidewalls of the lid 4 by interference in such a way as to help keep the lid in the closed position when the packets 1 , 1 ' have to remain closed. The inner frame 24, in the variant embodiments of it shown in Figures 4-7, is denoted by the reference characters 24', 24", 24"' and 24"", respectively. The reference characters 24' and 24" denote the inner frames shown in Figures 4 and 5 and which are also associated with the box-shaped bodies S of Figures 1 and 2, respectively.
In the inner frame 24' of Figure 4, the sidewall 26 on the right in Figure 4 itself is connected, at a lateral edge of it defined by a line of weakness 28, to a substantially rectangular rear wall 29. An upper edge of the rear wall 29, defined by a line of weakness 30, joins the rear wall 29 to an elastic tongue 31 above it, extending away from the line of weakness 30 which defines the selfsame upper edge and whose width is almost the same as that of the rear wall 29 itself. The tongue 31 is hinged to the upper edge of the inner frame 24' along the line of weakness 30 and has the shape (by way of example) of an isosceles trapezium whose major base coincides with the line of weakness 30 itself and whose minor base defines a free upper edge 32 of the tongue 31 .
The tongue 31 is referred to as elastic because the material it is made of, preferably paperboard, gives it good elasticity properties, which are useful for the performance of its functions. To facilitate production of the inner frames 24' without waste by cutting off from a continuous web, the lower edge of the rear wall 29 is identical in shape to the upper edge 32 of the tongue 31 (this feature relates to the entire upper and lower edges of the inner frame 24' and of the other inner frames 24", 24"' and 24"" taken into consideration in this description). The side wall 26 on the left of the front wall 25 in Figure 4 is connected, at a lateral edge of it defined by a line of weakness 28', to a narrow, substantially rectangular rear wall 29'.
As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the tongues 22 are designed and proportioned in such a way that with the lid 4 assembled, one lateral edge 22' of them is spaced by a predetermined length from the rear wall 9 of the lid 4 itself. This feature applies to the tongues 22 (or to at least one of them) associated with a packet 1 ; 1 ' incorporating any one of the inner frames 24', 24", 24"' and 24"".
In the fully assembled packet 1 , the inner frame 24' is folded transversely around the group of cigarettes (not illustrated) wrapped in an inner wrapper (also not illustrated), with the rear wall 29 adjacent to the rear wall 6 of the container 2 and the rear walls 29 and 29' superposed and glued to each other.
As schematically shown in Figure 8, when the packet 1 is closed, the tongue 31 is folded substantially at 90° around the line of weakness 30, in contact with the top wall 1 1 and oriented towards the front wall 13 of the lid 4, and is substantially positioned between the tongues 22, which are folded against the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4, and the rear wall 9 of the lid 4 itself. If the tongues 22 and 31 are optimally dimensioned in such a way that they are in mutual contact along the corresponding edges 22' and 32 when the packet 1 is closed, this contact helps keep the lid 4 correctly in the closed position.
When the lid 4 starts turning about the hinge line 5 when the packet 1 is being opened (Figure 9), the upper edge 32 of the tongue 31 rests against the respective edges 22' of the tongues 22, which thus act as abutment elements, and is pressed against the edges 22' with a certain amount of force, which increases as the opening movement of the lid 4 continues. At a certain point of the opening movement of the lid 4, the tongues 22 are disengaged from the upper edge 32 of the tongue 31 , and slip over the tongue 31 itself, producing a distinctive sound the instant they come free and reach the fully disengaged condition corresponding to the open position of the lid 4 shown in Figure 10. Re-closing the lid 4 takes the packet 1 back to the condition shown in Figure 8. According to the foregoing, therefore, the elastic tongue 31 is engageable in the tongues 22 to be elastically displaced and released by the tongues 22 themselves as the lid 4 and the box-shaped body S rotate relative to each other, and only during the rotation of the lid 4 does the elastic tongue 31 interfere with the tongue 22. In effect, the elastic tongue 31 can be dimensioned in such a way that when the lid 4 is fully closed it substantially ceases to be engaged in the tongues 22.
When fully assembled, therefore, the inner frame 24' is closed in a loop around the group of cigarettes and the rear wall 29 of the inner frame 24' is connected to both of the side walls 26 of the inner frame 24' itself, imparting stability to the elastic tongue 31 and guaranteeing the effectiveness of the snap coupling between the tongue 31 and the reinforcement tongues 22.
The inner frame 24" of Figures 5 and 2 differs from the inner frame 24' of Figures 4 and 1 in that the rear wall 29 and the tongue 31 which appear in the inner frame 24' are "cut" vertically into two halves which are connected to respective vertical edges of respective side walls 26 of the inner frame 24" itself. Thus, each of the walls 26 is connected by a line of weakness 28 to a substantially rectangular rear wall 33, an upper edge of which, defined by a line of weakness 34, joins the selfsame rear wall 33 to an elastic tongue 35 above it, whose width is nearly the same as that of the rear wall 33 itself, which is delimited at the top by an edge 36 and which has the shape (for example) of a right angled trapezium whose major base coincides with the line of weakness 34.
In that case, in the packet 1 ' when fully assembled, the inner frame 24" is folded transversely around the group of cigarettes (not illustrated), with the two rear walls 33 positioned adjacent to the rear wall 6 of the box- shaped body S and spaced from each other by a predetermined length such that each of the elastic tongues 35 is located near a corresponding tongue 22 and acts in conjunction with the tongue 22, in exactly the same way as described above in connection with the action of the elastic tongue 31 on the tongues 22, to keep the lid 4 properly closed when the packet 1 ' has to remain closed and to make the clearly audible sound when the lid 4 is opened.
The inner frame 24"' shown in Figure 6 is similar to the inner frame 24' of Figure 4, labelled with the same reference numerals, but differs from the inner frame 24' itself in that the rear wall 29 and the tongue 31 of the inner frame 24"' are much smaller in width than those of the inner frame 24', so that the tongue 31 is in contact with and can engage only one of the tongues 22 of the lid 4. The inner frame 24"' works in exactly the same way as the inner frame 24' described above.
The inner frame 24"" shown in Figure 7 is similar to the inner frame 24' of Figure 4, labelled with the same reference numerals, but differs from the inner frame 24' itself in that although its rear wall 29 is the same in width as the rear wall 29 of the inner frame 24', its tongue 31 is much smaller in width than that of the inner frame 24', so that the tongue 31 is in contact with and can engage only one of the tongues 22 of the lid 4. The inner frame 24"" works in exactly the same way as the inner frame 24' described above.
It should be noted that the blank 14, instead of being provided with the tongues 22 acting in conjunction with the elastic tongues 31 or 35 in the manner described above, might be provided (in a manner not illustrated) with the aforementioned panel 17 of a length such that it can be folded into the lid 4 about the transversal line of weakness 16 and about a further line of weakness parallel to the transversal line 16 so as to be in contact with the top wall 1 1 of the lid 4 and to have a free edge 17' which is parallel to the transversal lines 16 and which is located at a position allowing it to act in conjunction with the edges 32 or 36, instead of, or in combination with, the tongues 22 and acting as abutment element in the manner described above.
In an alternative embodiment not illustrated, the inner frame 24 might be folded longitudinally around the group of cigarettes wrapped in an inner wrapper. This inner frame 24 is folded into a U shape and comprises at least a front wall 25, a base wall and a rear wall 29 aligned with, and adherent to, the corresponding walls 12, 8, 6 of the container 2 and the rear wall 9 of the lid 4. The elastic tongue 31 connected to the rear wall 29 along the line of weakness 30 acts in conjunction with the tongues 22 of the lid 4 in exactly the same way as described above.
It should be noted that the packet 1 ; 1 ' has a hinge 5 by which the lid 4 is connected to the container 2 which is transversal to the axis of the cigarettes contained therein, that is to say, the hinge line 5 is perpendicular to the direction of the main dimension of the packet 1 ; 1 '. In a different embodiment, not illustrated, the packet 1 ; 1 ' has a hinge line 5 which is parallel to the axis of the cigarettes and thus parallel to the direction of the main dimension of the packet 1 ; 1 '. Consequently, the inner frame 24 is folded longitudinally around the group of cigarettes wrapped in an inner wrapper.
The variant embodiments 24'; 24"; 24"'; 24"" of the inner frame can be effectively used also in this different embodiment of the packet 1 ; 1 ' which comprises an inner frame 24 folded longitudinally which, in use, works in the same way as the inner frame 24 described above folded transversely around the group of cigarettes.

Claims

1 . A rigid, hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles comprising a container (2) having an opening (3) for taking out the smokers' articles, a lid (4) hinged to the container (2) to rotate between a position where the opening (3) is open and a position where it is closed, and an inner frame (24) contained in, and attached to, the container (2), folded around at least one group of smokers' articles, which is housed in a wrapper inside the container (2), and protruding partly out of the opening (3) to engage a corresponding inside surface of the lid (4) when the selfsame lid (4) is in the closed position; the inner frame (24) comprising a plurality of side walls (25, 26, 29; 33) which are substantially aligned with, and adherent to, corresponding side walls (12, 7, 6) of the container (2); the packet (1 ; 1 ') being characterized in that the lid (4) comprises inside it at least one abutment element (22), and in that the inner frame (24) comprises at least one rear side wall (29; 33) adjacent to a rear side wall (6) of the container (2), and at least one elastic tongue (31 ; 35) connected to an upper edge (30; 34) of the rear side wall (29; 33) of the inner frame itself; the tongue (31 ; 35) extending away from the upper edge (30; 34); the tongue (31 ; 35) being engageable in the abutment element (22) so that, in use, it is elastically displaced and released by the abutment element (22) itself when the lid (4) and the container (2) are rotated relative to each other.
2. The pack according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic tongue (31 ; 35), in use, during the rotation of the lid (4), interferes with the at least one abutment element (22) of the lid (4); the elastic tongue (31 ; 35) and the at least one abutment element (22) ceasing to engage each other when the lid (4) is fully closed.
3. The packet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elastic tongue (31 ; 35) is hinged to an upper edge (30; 34) of the inner frame (24).
4. The packet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid (4) comprises two reinforcement tongues (22) defining respective abutment elements and folded against the top wall (1 1 ) of the lid (4) and inside the lid (4) itself.
5. The packet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid (4) comprises a panel (17) connected at its front edge and folded inside the lid (4) in such a way as to adhere to the front wall (13) thereof and partly to the top wall (1 1 ) thereof and in such a way that a free edge (17') of it is positioned so that it can act as an abutment element in conjunction with the at least one elastic tongue (31 ; 35).
6. The packet according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the inner frame (24'; 24"'; 24"") comprises a front wall (25), two side walls (26) parallel and in contact with respective side walls (7) of the container (2) and a rear wall (29) parallel and in contact with a rear wall (6) of the container (2) itself; an elastic tongue (31 ) being connected at the top to an edge (30) of the rear wall (29) of the inner frame (24'; 24"'; 24"") to act in conjunction, in use, with at least one abutment element (22).
7. The packet according to claim 6, wherein the rear wall (29) of the inner frame (24') is connected to both of the sidewalls (26) of the inner frame (24') itself.
8. The packet according to claim 6, wherein the rear wall (29) of the inner frame (24"') is connected to only one of the sidewalls (26) of the inner frame (24') itself.
9. The packet according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the inner frame (24") comprises a front wall (25), two sidewalls (26) connected to respective opposite edges of the front wall (25) and parallel to respective sidewalls (7) of the container (2) and two rear walls (33) connected to respective opposite edges of the sidewalls (26) and parallel to a rear wall (6) of the container (2) itself; two elastic tongues (35) being connected at the top to respective edges (34) of the rear walls (33) of the inner frame (24").
EP14736996.1A 2013-06-18 2014-06-17 Rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles Not-in-force EP3010834B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000305A ITBO20130305A1 (en) 2013-06-18 2013-06-18 RIGID PACKAGE WITH HINGED LID FOR SMOKE ITEMS.
PCT/IB2014/062292 WO2014203162A1 (en) 2013-06-18 2014-06-17 Rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3010834A1 true EP3010834A1 (en) 2016-04-27
EP3010834B1 EP3010834B1 (en) 2017-08-09

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EP14736996.1A Not-in-force EP3010834B1 (en) 2013-06-18 2014-06-17 Rigid hinged-lid packet for smokers' articles

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EP (1) EP3010834B1 (en)
IT (1) ITBO20130305A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2014203162A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2016146491A1 (en) * 2015-03-18 2016-09-22 Jt International Sa A package for smoking articles, corresponding blank and method for forming a such package
DE202017105838U1 (en) * 2017-09-26 2018-09-27 Mayr-Melnhof Karton Ag Packaging and cutting to produce a packaging
DE202019104106U1 (en) * 2019-07-25 2020-07-28 Mayr-Melnhof Karton Ag Inner collar for packaging and packaging

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US5366077A (en) 1993-07-20 1994-11-22 Philip Morris Incorporated Hinged-lid cigarette boxes with fold-in locks to facilitate consistent lid closure
DE19632764A1 (en) 1996-08-14 1998-02-19 Henkel Kgaa Dispenser pack for hygroscopic tablets
US6109516A (en) 1998-11-12 2000-08-29 G.D. S.P.A. Rigid packet with hinged lid for elongated elements
EP1441967A1 (en) 2001-11-05 2004-08-04 G.D Societ Per Azioni A rigid packet with hinged lid for tobacco products
DE102008022505A1 (en) 2007-05-07 2008-11-13 G.D S.P.A. Stiff packet for products for smoking, has cover hinged as flap on stiff container

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JPH10129656A (en) 1996-10-25 1998-05-19 Japan Tobacco Inc Hinged lid type pack
US6604676B2 (en) * 1999-12-29 2003-08-12 Unilever Home & Personal Care Usa, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Lip-lock carton for powders
US20080230410A1 (en) * 2007-03-22 2008-09-25 Wesley Steven Jones Cigarette package
GB2488595A (en) * 2011-03-04 2012-09-05 British American Tobacco Co Cigarette Pack with Recess and Locking Element

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US5366077A (en) 1993-07-20 1994-11-22 Philip Morris Incorporated Hinged-lid cigarette boxes with fold-in locks to facilitate consistent lid closure
DE19632764A1 (en) 1996-08-14 1998-02-19 Henkel Kgaa Dispenser pack for hygroscopic tablets
US6109516A (en) 1998-11-12 2000-08-29 G.D. S.P.A. Rigid packet with hinged lid for elongated elements
EP1441967A1 (en) 2001-11-05 2004-08-04 G.D Societ Per Azioni A rigid packet with hinged lid for tobacco products
DE102008022505A1 (en) 2007-05-07 2008-11-13 G.D S.P.A. Stiff packet for products for smoking, has cover hinged as flap on stiff container

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Title
See also references of WO2014203162A1

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3010834B1 (en) 2017-08-09
ITBO20130305A1 (en) 2014-12-19
WO2014203162A1 (en) 2014-12-24

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