EP3194297A1

EP3194297A1 - Pack for tobacco industry products

Info

Publication number: EP3194297A1
Application number: EP15766929.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Isaak MUSTAFA; Stephen Lewis
Original assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Current assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Priority date: 2014-09-15
Filing date: 2015-09-11
Publication date: 2017-07-26
Also published as: GB201416246D0; AU2015316578A1; PH12017500457A1; GB2530092A; ZA201701101B; CA2961299A1; WO2016042299A1

Abstract

A hinged-lid pack is disclosed. The hinged-lid pack has a base having a bottom wall and a lid having a top wall parallel to and spaced from the bottom wall by a side wall when the lid is closed. The lid is hinged to the base about a hinge line in the side wall. The pack is configured to receive a bundle of tobacco industry products that protrudes from the base into the lid and has a height which is less than the height of the pack between said bottom and top walls so that there is a void in the lid between an end of the bundle and said top wall when the lid is closed. Also, all of the tobacco industry products are spaced from the top wall of the lid.

Description

Pack for Tobacco Industry Products

Field

The present invention relates to a pack, particularly but not exclusively a pack for tobacco industry products such as cigarettes.

Background

Cigarette packs contain a bundle of cigarettes, typically 20, which is wrapped in foil and received within a hinged-lid container. The hinged-lid container has a base that receives the wrapped bundle of cigarettes such that the wrapped bundle protrudes from one end of the base. A hollow lid is hingedly attached to a rear wall of the base so that in the closed position the lid covers the protruding end of the wrapped bundle and in the open position the protruding end is exposed to allow a consumer to remove a cigarette from the pack. An inner frame is positioned in the base such that is protrudes from the end of the base and surrounds the sides of the protruding part of the wrapped bundle. The inner frame provides additional support and protection for the wrapped bundle and engages with the lid to provide additional rigidity to the pack in the closed position.

Summary

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, there is provided a hinged-lid pack comprising a base having a bottom wall and a lid having a top wall that is parallel to and spaced from the bottom wall by a side wall when the lid is closed, the lid being hinged to the base about a hinge line in the side wall, wherein the pack is configured to receive a bundle of tobacco industry products that protrudes from the base into the lid and has a height which is less than the height of the pack between said bottom and top walls so that there is a void in the lid between an end of the bundle and said top wall when the lid is closed and all of the tobacco industry products are spaced from the top wall of the lid. The height of said bundle may be at most 95% of the distance between the top and bottom walls.

The hinge line may be positioned at approximately the maximum distance from the top wall of the lid that allows the lid to pivot into the open position without fouling said bundle. The hinge line may be positioned within l millimetre of the maximum distance from the top wall of the lid that allows the lid to pivot into the open position without fouling said bundle. The hinge line may be spaced from the end of the bundle by at least 10 millimetres.

The hinged-lid pack may further comprise an inner frame that protrudes from the base and at least partially surrounds said bundle. The inner frame may protrude from the base by approximately the same amount as said bundle.

The pack may further comprise a line of closure formed between the lid and the base, said line of closure being angled with respect to the top and bottom walls such that said bundle protrudes further from the base at a second side wall of the pack than at the hinge line, said second side wall being opposite to the side wall comprising the hinge line.

The bundle may rest on the bottom wall of the base when said bundle is received within the pack.

The hinged-lid pack may further comprise a bundle of tobacco industry products received within the pack. The tobacco industry products may have a length of between 65 millimetres and 75 millimetres.

The void may comprise between 5% and 30% of the distance between the top and bottom walls. Alternatively, the void may comprise between 5% and 20% of the distance between the top and bottom walls. Preferably, the void may comprise between 10% and 20% of the of the distance between the top and bottom walls.

The tobacco industry products may be smoking articles. The bundle may comprise a collation of smoking articles and a wrapper surrounding said collation of smoking articles. The smoking articles may be cigarettes.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a one-piece blank for the body and the lid of the hinged-lid pack described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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

FIG. l shows a pack for tobacco industry products, with the lid in a closed position; FIG. 2 shows the pack of FIG. l with the lid in an open position;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the pack of FIGS, l and 2, showing the position of the wrapped bundle of tobacco industry products disposed within the pack; and,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the pack of FIGS. 1 to 3, with the lid shown in the closed position and also in a part-open position.

Detailed Description FIGS. 1 and 2 show a pack 1 of tobacco industry products, such as smoking articles, for example cigarettes. The pack 1 comprises a base 2 and a lid 3.

The base 2 comprises a front wall 4 and a rear wall 5, which are spaced apart by opposing side walls 6 and a bottom wall 7 such that the base 2 has a parallelepiped shape with one open end 8 which is opposite the bottom wall 7. A space is defined within the base 2 to receive a wrapped bundle 9 of 20 cigarettes such that a protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 protrudes from the open end 8 of the base 2.

The lid 3 comprises a front wall 11 and a rear wall 12 which are spaced apart by opposing side walls 13 and a top wall 14, such that the lid 3 has a parallelepiped shape with one open end 15. The rear wall 12 of the lid 3 is hingedly attached to the rear wall 5 of the base 2 about a hinge 16, formed for example from a score line or fold line, such that the open end 15 of the lid 3 closes over the open end 8 of the base 2. In the closed position the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 is received within the lid 3. The wrapped bundle 9 comprises a collation of cigarettes which is wrapped in a wrapper. The wrapper is made from a barrier material made from, for example, foil, paper, plastics or a laminate or one or more materials. At least a part of the barrier material, for example removable portion 17 shown in FIG. 2, can be removed after first opening of the pack 1 to provide access to the collation of cigarettes. Alternatively, the barrier material may comprise a re-sealable label that can be opened to expose an opening into the bundle and then re-closed over that opening.

Within the wrapped bundle 9 the cigarettes are arranged lengthways with the pack 1, i.e. the cigarettes, having an elongate shape, extend from the bottom wall 7 of the base 2 towards the top wall 14 of the lid 3. Each cigarette has a first end and a second end and within the wrapped bundle 9 each of the first ends and second ends, respectively, are aligned in the same plane. Therefore, the wrapped bundle 9 has a generally cuboid shape.

FIG. 1 shows the lid 3 in a closed position, where the front walls 4, 11 and the rear walls 5, 12 of the body 2 and the lid 3 are parallel and aligned such that the lid 3 covers the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9. In this position, the top wall 14 of the lid 3 and the bottom wall 7 of the base 2 are parallel to each other and spaced apart, with the wrapped bundle 9 disposed therebetween.

FIG. 2 shows the lid 3 in an open position, with the lid 3 pivoted about the hinge 16 such that the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 is exposed and can be accessed by a consumer for extraction of cigarettes therefrom.

Also shown in FIG. 2, an inner frame 18 is attached to the base 2 and the inner frame 18 has a front wall 19 and opposing side walls 20 which abut the inside of the front wall 4 and each opposing side wall 6, respectively, of the base 2. Therefore, the front wall 19 and the opposing side walls 20 of the inner frame 18 protrude from the open end 8 of the base 2.

As shown, the inner frame 18 may protrude from the base 2 by a similar amount to the wrapped bundle 9, such that the inner frame 18 surrounds the wrapped bundle 9 on three sides. The front wall 19 of the inner frame 18 may include a cut-out 24 to provide access to the cigarettes. Also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the line of closure formed between the open ends 8, 15 of the base and the lid is angled with respect to the top and bottom walls 14, 7.

Specifically, the hinge 16 is positioned further from the bottom wall 7 of the base 2 than the line of closure between the front walls 4, 11 of the base 2 and the lid 2. Therefore, when the pack 1 is open, as shown in FIG. 2, the front of the wrapped bundle 9 is accessible to the consumer and the cigarettes can be easily extracted from the pack 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wrapped bundle 9 is cuboid and received within the base 2 such that the wrapped bundle 9 is closely surrounded by the front wall 4, rear wall 5 and opposing side walls 6 of the base 2. Also, when the lid 3 is closed, the front wall 11, rear wall 12 and opposing side walls 13 of the lid 3 closely surround the wrapped bundle 9.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic front view of the pack 1 in the closed position, showing the base 2, the lid 3, the position of the hinge 16, and the wrapped bundle 9.

As shown, the wrapped bundle 9 is received in the base 2 such that an end 22 of the wrapped bundle 9 opposite to the protruding end 10 rests on the bottom wall 7 of the base 2. Also shown in FIG. 3, when the lid 3 is in the closed position the pack 1, particularly the base 2 and the lid 3, is longer than the wrapped bundle 9, such that a void 21 is formed between the top wall 14 of the lid 3 and the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9.

That is, when the lid 3 is in the closed position the distance between the top wall 14 of the lid 3 and the bottom wall 7 of the base 2 is longer than the distance between the opposing ends 10, 22 of the wrapped bundle 9 of cigarettes.

In one example, the pack 1 is a standard or common size and the cigarettes have a reduced length compared to standard or common cigarettes.

It may be advantageous to pack reduced length cigarettes in a standard size pack because many of the manufacturing and distribution networks, in particular the equipment used in these networks, and sales displays are designed to accommodate standard size packaging. Therefore, this pack avoids the need to adjust or replace large parts of the manufacturing, distribution and sales equipment in order to sell reduced length cigarettes. Moreover, legislation regarding packaging for tobacco industry products, particularly cigarettes, is becoming increasingly stringent and in many places this includes restrictions on the minimum size of a pack of cigarettes. Therefore, there is a need to package cigarettes in packs that are larger, i.e. longer, than the cigarettes themselves.

Cigarettes having reduced length are beneficial because they can be used as an aid to reduce smoking, or as a convenience product because they will take less time to smoke. Also shown in FIG. 3, the hinge 16 is spaced from the top wall 14 of the lid 3 such that an adequate amount of the wrapped bundle 9 protrudes above the hinge 16 and out of the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base 2, such that a consumer is able to grasp the ends of the cigarettes after opening the pack 1. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the pack 1 has a length of approximately 86 millimetres and contains a wrapped bundle 9 having a length of approximately 72 millimetres. Therefore, the void 21 formed in the lid 3, between the end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 and the top wall 14 of the lid 3, is approximately 14 millimetres. In this case, the hinge 16 may be spaced from the top wall 14 of the lid 3 by

approximately 26 millimetres, so that the end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 protrudes approximately 12 millimetres above the hinge 16, and further above the front wall (4, see FIG. 2) of the base 2 due to the angled closure line. Therefore, a consumer is able to easily grasp cigarettes to remove them from the pack 1, despite the cigarettes having a reduced length.

It will be appreciated that the above described pack 1 is appropriately sized to contain standard king size length cigarettes (85 millimetres), but has been adapted to contain shorter cigarettes (72 millimetres) by moving the hinge 16 further from the top wall 14 of the lid 3 so that more of the cigarettes protrude past the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base 3.

In other examples, the cigarettes, and therefore the wrapped bundle 9, may have a length (see FIG. 3) of between 60 millimetres and 80 millimetres, or between 65 millimetres and 75 millimetres, more preferably between 70 millimetres and 75 millimetres. In such examples, the pack 1 may have a length of between 63 millimetres and 85 millimetres, depending on the length of the cigarettes. In particular, the length of the pack 1 may be at least 5% longer than the length of the wrapped bundle 9, such that a void 21 is formed in the lid 3 when the lid 3 is in the closed position. In other words, the length of the wrapped bundle 9 is at most 95% of the length of the pack 1. Therefore, when the lid 3 is in the closed position, the void 21 comprises at least 5% of the length of the pack 1. For example, the void 21 may comprise between 5% and 30% of the length of the pack 1, or between 5% and 20%, or more preferably between 10% and 20% of the length of the pack 1. As explained above, the position of the hinge 16 is appropriate for the length of the cigarettes, and wrapped bundle 9, received within the pack 1. Therefore, the hinge 16 may be positioned between approximately 50% and 20% along the pack, from the top wall 13 of the lid 3. The hinge 16 may be positioned at least 10 millimetres lower (i.e. further from the top wall 14 of the lid 3) than the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9.

More preferably, the hinge 16 is between 10 millimetres and 20 millimetres lower than the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9, or most preferably approximately 15 millimetres lower than the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9.

However, as explained in more detail below, it will be appreciated that the lowest position of the hinge 16 will be determined by the geometry of the pack 1 because the lid 3 needs to be able to pivot into the open position without fouling the bundle 9. FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the pack 1, showing the base 2, the wrapped bundle 9, and the lid 3 in a closed position (solid lines) and in an open position (dotted lines).

As shown, in the closed position a void 21 is formed between the end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 and the top wall 14 of the lid 3, because the cigarettes are shorter than the pack 1. The hinge shown in FIG. 4 is positioned at approximately the maximum distance from the top wall 14 of the lid 3 that still allows the lid 3 to pivot into an open position over the wrapped bundle 9. As shown by the dotted lines (which represent the lid3) in FIG. 4, during movement of the lid 3 between the closed position and the open position the front wall 11 of the lid 3 clears a front edge 22 of the wrapped bundle 9 by a minimal amount, for example less than 1 millimetre.

Alternatively, the front wall 11 of the lid 3 may contact the wrapped bundle 9, but only by a minimal amount so that the front wall 11 of the lid 3, or the wrapped bundle 9, can flex and allow the lid 3 to move between the open and closed positions.

This position of the hinge 16 is preferable because it provides for maximum protrusion of the wrapped bundle 9 above the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base 2, while still allowing the lid 3 to pivot between the open and closed positions: if the hinge 16 was closer to the top wall 14 of the lid 3, less of the wrapped bundle 9 would protrude from the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base portion 2 when the lid 3 is in the open position; while if the hinge 16 was further spaced from the top wall 14 of the lid 3, the front wall 11 of the lid 3 would foul the wrapped bundle 9 and prevent the lid 3 moving into the fully open position.

Also shown in FIG. 4, the line of closure between the base 2 and the lid 3 is angled with respect to the top and bottom walls 14, 7. Specifically, the hinge 16 is positioned further from the bottom wall 7 of the base 2 than the line of closure 23 between the front walls 4, 11 of the base 2 and the lid 3. Therefore, when the pack 1 is open, as shown in FIG. 2, more of the cigarettes are accessible to the consumer through the cut-out (24, see FIG. 2) in the inner frame 18 and the cigarettes can be easily extracted from the pack 1.

It will be appreciated that the angle of the line of closure in the opposing side walls (6, 13, see FIG. 2) of the base 2 and lid 3 does not directly influence the position of the hinge 16, but can be changed to increase the protrusion of the wrapped bundle 9 above the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base 2, thereby increasing the access of the consumer. The angle of the line of closure in the opposing side walls (6, 13, see FIG. 2), with respect to the top wall 14 of the lid 3, maybe between 25 degrees and 45 degrees, or between 30 degrees and 40 degrees, or more preferably approximately 30 degrees. FIGS. 3 and 4 do not show the inner frame 18 as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, however, it will be appreciated that the inner frame is provided and protrudes from the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base 2 by an amount similar to, or slightly less than, the amount that the wrapped bundle 9 protrudes from the open end (8, see FIG. 2) of the base 2. Therefore, the top of the inner frame 18 and the end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 are approximately level with each other.

The inner frame 18 provides increased structural rigidity to the pack 1 and protection for the cigarettes. Moreover, the inner frame 18 may comprise protrusions that loosely engage with the lid 3 to hold the lid 3 in the closed position and prevent the pack from creeping open.

The pack 1 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 can be constructed from two parts: a blank for the pack outer, which includes the body 2 and the lid 3; and a blank for the inner frame 18.

The blank for the pack outer comprises the rear wall 5 of the body 2 and the rear wall 12 of the lid 3 being connected together by a score line that forms the hinge 16 after assembly of the pack 1. The other walls of the body 2 and lid 3 may extend from the rear walls 5, 12 of the body 2 and the lid 3, as well as tabs that are folded and adhered to other tabs and/ or walls of the pack 1 to hold the pack 1 in the formed shaped.

It will be appreciated that the score line that forms the hinge 16 of the pack is positioned between approximately 50% and 20% along the rear of the pack (rear walls 5, 12) from the top wall 14 of the lid 3, such that the hinge 16 is formed in the appropriate position on the formed pack 1. Therefore, the hinge 16 will be positioned at least 10 millimetres lower (i.e. further from the top wall 14 of the lid 3) than the protruding end 10 of the wrapped bundle 9 once the pack 1 is assembled.

When assembling the pack 1, the inner frame 18 is folded over three sides of the wrapped bundle 9 and the pack outer blank is then folded around the wrapped bundle 9 and inner frame 18. Adhesive can be used to attach the appropriate parts of the pack ι to each other, including for attaching the inner frame 18 to the base 2.

Alternatively, the pack outer can be partially formed and then combined with the wrapped bundle 9 and inner frame 18 to form the pack 1.

The assembled pack 1 maybe provided with a removable film overwrap that helps to maintain freshness until first opening of the pack. It will be appreciated that the above described pack 1 of cigarettes relates to a pack containing 20 cigarettes arranged in a collation of either: three rows - 7-6-7; or, two rows - 10-10. Therefore, as explained above, the wrapped bundle 9 will have an approximately cuboid shape. However, the pack 1 may be suitably adjusted to accommodate a different number of cigarettes, for example 10, 12, 14, 16 or 18, arranged in either two or three rows within the wrapped bundle 9, which may therefore have a non-cuboid shape. In this case, the shape and size of the base and lid can be changed as appropriate.

It will also be appreciated that, although the specific embodiments described above relate to a pack for cigarettes, the pack is also suitable for other tobacco industry products, particularly but not exclusively elongate tobacco industry products.

A tobacco industry product refers to any item made in, or sold by the tobacco industry, typically including a) cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes); b) non-smoking products incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes such as snuff, snus, hard tobacco, and heat-not-burn products; and c) other nicotine-delivery systems such as inhalers, aerosol generation devices including e- cigarettes, lozenges and gum. This list is not intended to be exclusive, but merely illustrates a range of products which are made and sold in the tobacco industry.

As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products and other nicotine delivery product such as aerosol generation devices including e-cigarettes. The smoking article may be provided with a filter for the gaseous flow drawn by the smoker.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for superior pack for tobacco industry products. 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. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/ or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

1. A hinged-lid pack comprising a base having a bottom wall and a lid having a top wall that is parallel to and spaced from the bottom wall by a side wall when the lid is closed, the lid being hinged to the base about a hinge line in the side wall, wherein the pack is configured to receive a bundle of tobacco industry products that protrudes from the base into the lid and has a height which is less than the height of the pack between said bottom and top walls so that there is a void in the lid between an end of the bundle and said top wall when the lid is closed and all of the tobacco industry products are spaced from the top wall of the lid.

2. The hinged-lid pack of claim l, wherein the height of said bundle is at most 95% of the distance between the top and bottom walls.

3. The hinged-lid pack of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the hinge line is positioned at approximately the maximum distance from the top wall of the lid that allows the lid to pivot into the open position without fouling said bundle.

4. The hinged-lid pack of claim 3, wherein the hinge line is positioned within 1 millimetre of the maximum distance from the top wall of the lid that allows the lid to pivot into the open position without fouling said bundle.

5. The hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim, wherein said hinge line is spaced from the end of the bundle by at least 10 millimetres.

6. The hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim, further comprising an inner frame that protrudes from the base and at least partially surrounds said bundle.

7. The hinged-lid pack of claim 6, wherein the inner frame protrudes from the base by approximately the same amount as said bundle.

8. The hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim, wherein the pack further comprises a line of closure formed between the lid and the base, said line of closure being angled with respect to the top and bottom walls such that said bundle protrudes further from the base at a second side wall of the pack than at the hinge line, said second side wall being opposite to the side wall comprising the hinge line.

9. The hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim, wherein said bundle rests on the bottom wall of the base when said bundle is received within the pack.

10. The hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim, further comprising a bundle of tobacco industry products received within the pack.

11. The hinged-lid pack of claim 10, wherein the tobacco industry products have a length of between 65 millimetres and 75 millimetres.

12. The hinged-lid pack of claim 11, wherein the void comprises between 5% and 30% of the distance between the top and bottom walls, or between 5% and 20% of the distance between the top and bottom walls, or preferably between 10% and 20% of the of the distance between the top and bottom walls.

13. The hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim, wherein said tobacco industry products are smoking articles.

14. The hinged-lid pack of claim 13, wherein said bundle comprises a collation of smoking articles and a wrapper surrounding said collation of smoking articles.

15. The hinged-lid pack of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein said smoking articles are cigarettes.

16. A one-piece blank for the body and the lid of the hinged-lid pack of any preceding claim.

17. A hinged-lid pack substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.