ITBO20130614A1 - RIGID PACKAGE WITH HINGED LID - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Field of application

The present invention relates to a rigid package with a hinged lid and to a corresponding wrapping method.

In the following description, reference will be made, for the sake of brevity, to a rigid packet of cigarettes with a hinged lid without the present invention having to lose generality.

Known art

Normally, a rigid packet of cigarettes with a hinged lid comprises an internal wrapping which encloses a group of cigarettes and a rigid external container which houses the inner wrapping inside it.

It is common practice, to better optimize the space made available by the package itself, to create an internal wrapping that is contained to size within the external container, that is, the package is completely occupied by the group of cigarettes that are contained in the internal wrapping.

When a packet is made that contains a group of cigarettes of limited number, for example ten cigarettes, this packet has an external container of proportionately reduced dimensions, therefore it substantially occupies half the space of a container having a double number of cigarettes, for example twenty cigarettes.

A problem of rigid cigarette packets having a reduced size is constituted by the fact that the space that remains available on the external surface is consequently reduced, therefore the information that can be reported on the external surfaces of these small packets will also be limited. In addition, in countries where legislation requires a certain minimum surface area to be made available for "health warning" messages, it is possible on the one hand that small packages do not offer the minimum required surface area and on the other hand that there is no space enough to be able to enter other desired information.

The technical problem underlying the present invention is, therefore, that of devising a rigid package for smoking articles, in particular cigarettes, which solves the aforementioned drawbacks of the known art, and in particular which is extremely practical, easy to handle, in terms of scope of a simple and rational constructive solution.

The object of the present invention is to satisfy the aforesaid need and at the same time to obviate the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the known art.

Summary of the invention

This object is achieved by a rigid package for smoking articles, in accordance with claim 1 of the present invention.

The dependent claims outline preferred and particularly advantageous embodiments of the package according to the invention.

Furthermore, this object is also achieved by a wrapping method for making a rigid package of the type defined above.

Further characteristics and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description given below of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying figures, given by way of non-limiting example.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a rigid package for smoking articles with the lid partially open, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1B shows a perspective view of the package of Figure 1A with the internal wrapping removed and the cigarettes in view;

figure 2 shows a side view of the package of figure 1A;

figure 3 shows a top view of the package of figure 1A, with the lid completely open;

Figures 4 and 5 show a respective perspective view of the package of Figure 1A with the lid closed, the internal wrapping removed and with the cigarettes visible;

figure 6 shows a side view of the package of figures 4 and 5; Figures 7A - 7D show respectively front, side, rear and top views of a collar for the package according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

figure 8 shows a perspective view of the rigid package for smoking articles with the lid partially open, according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 9A and 9B show perspective views of a collar for the package of Figure 8 together with a group of cigarettes whose internal wrapping has been removed;

Figures 10 and 11 show a blank, folded and stretched, respectively, for making the collar of Figures 9A and 9B;

figure 12 shows a perspective view of the rigid package for smoking articles with the lid partially open, according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 13A and 13B show perspective views of a collar for the package of Figure 12 together with a group of cigarettes whose internal wrapping has been removed;

Figures 14 and 15 show a blank, folded and stretched, respectively, for making the collar of Figures 13A and 13B.

Detailed description

With reference to Figures 1-6, we generally identify with 1 a rigid package for smoking articles, in particular cigarettes. The package 1 comprises an external container 2 made of cardboard or rigid and cup-shaped cardboard and an internal wrapping 3 housed inside the container 2. The internal wrapping 3 encloses a group 4 of parallelepiped-shaped cigarettes (Fig. 4) .

The external container 2 has an open upper end 21 and is provided with a lid 22, which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the container 2 along a hinge 23 to rotate, with respect to the container 2 itself, between an opening position and a closed position of the open upper end 21.

The lid 22, when in its closed position, gives the outer container 2 a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper wall and a lower wall parallel and opposite to each other, two major side walls parallel and opposite to each other, and two minor side walls 26 parallel and opposite to each other. In particular, a major side wall defines a front wall 24 of the external container 2, while the other major side wall defines a rear wall 25 of the external container 2. Four longitudinal edges are defined between the side walls 26 and the front 24 and rear 25 walls, in the example straight, while eight transverse edges are defined between the upper and lower walls and the front 24, rear 25 and side 26 walls.

The package 1 also comprises a rigid collar 5 (i.e. made of cardboard or rigid cardboard), which is folded around the internal wrapping 3 to at least partially cover an upper portion of the inner wrapping 3 and is fixed (normally by gluing) to the outer container 2 or the inner wrapping 3 itself or also both the inner wrapping 3 and the outer container 2. The inner wrapping 3 is in turn fixed by gluing to the outer container 2 in a point where the collar 5 is not present, which is interposed between the inner wrapping 3 and the outer container 2. The collar 5 partially protrudes outside the open upper end 21 (together with the internal wrapping 3 which it partially covers) and engages a corresponding internal surface of the lid 22 when the lid 22 itself is arranged in the closed position. Preferably, the collar 5 is provided with a pair of claws 6 which protrude laterally to engage the side walls of the lid 22 by interference in order to keep the lid 22 in the closed position.

Advantageously, between the internal wrapping 3 and the external container 2 there is at least one empty interspace 7.

In practice, the internal wrapping 3 is smaller than the external container 2.

The internal wrapping 3 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape presenting a front wall 31, which is externally arranged facing the front wall 24 of the external container 2; two side walls 32, which are arranged laterally with respect to the front wall 31, are arranged facing the side walls 26 of the external container 2; an upper wall 33, which, when the lid 22 is in the closed position, is externally disposed in contact with the upper wall of the external container 2; and a rear wall 34, which faces the interspace 7.

The collar 5 is interposed between the internal wrapping 3 and the external container 2.

The collar 5 comprises a front wall 51, which is internally arranged in contact with the front wall 31 of the internal wrapping 3 and is externally arranged in contact with the front wall 24 of the external container 2; two side walls 52, which are arranged laterally with respect to the front wall 51, are externally arranged in contact with the side walls 26 of the external container 2 and internally in contact with the side walls 32 of the internal wrapping 3; a rear wall 54, which is internally arranged in contact with the rear wall 34 of the internal wrapping 3 and is externally arranged facing the interspace 7; two pairs of fins 55, each pair departs from the side wall 32 of the collar 5, in a direction parallel to the side wall 26 itself and in an overhanging continuation, the edge of the fins 55 going to contact the internal side of the rear wall 25 of the container 2 external.

In practice, the collar 5 completely wraps the internal wrapping 3 containing the cigarettes and the fins 55 allow the rigid collar to be spaced from the rear wall 25 of the external container 2 so as to form the interspace 7.

The gap 7 is the free space that is formed between the rear wall 34 of the internal wrapping 3 and the rear wall 25 of the external container 2; the distance between these two rear walls is kept constant by the tabs 55 of the collar 5.

In this way the space dedicated to the group 4 of cigarettes is less than that available in the external container 2, this space is in fact delimited by the collar 5 made according to the present invention.

According to what is illustrated in Figures 7A-7D, the collar 5 is constituted by a single blank 50 which is folded around the internal wrapping 3. The blank 50 includes: a main panel 51 'which constitutes the front wall 51 of the collar 5; two panels 52 'which constitute the side walls 52 of the collar 5, are arranged on opposite sides of the main panel 51', and are divided from the main panel 51 'by two longitudinal weakening lines 60; and two panels 54 'which constitute the rear wall 54 of the collar 5, each arranged alongside the panel 52', and are divided from the panel 52 'by a longitudinal weakening line 61. Furthermore, the blank 50 has U-shaped notches 55 'made on the two panels 54' which constitute the rear wall 54 of the collar 5, each of these notches 55 'are made in such a way as to create the tab 55 by rotating the cut portion along the line 61 longitudinal weakening which separates the panel 52 'from the panel 54'.

In order to better lock the position of the smaller internal package 3 placed inside the larger external container 2, the fins 55 of the collar 5 are arranged with their own edge in contact with the rear wall 25 of the external container 2 so as to distance the internal wrapping 3 from the external container 2 at the interspace.

In particular, the distance between the rear wall 25 of the external container 2 and the rear wall 34 of the internal wrapping 3 is kept fixed by the tabs 55 of the collar 5 which are arranged precisely between the rear wall 25 of the external container 2 and the wall 54. rear of the collar 5.

Since in the embodiment illustrated, the rear wall 54 of the collar 5 is directly in contact with the rear wall 34 of the internal wrapping 3, when reference is made to the interspace 7, the rear wall 54 of the collar 5 or the rear wall 34 of internal wrapping 3.

The rear wall 54 of the collar 5 is placed parallel to the rear wall 34 of the internal wrapping 3, and parallel to the rear wall of the external container 2, while the fins 55 extend perpendicular to these rear walls.

Thanks to this arrangement, the internal wrapping 3 does not move inside the larger outer container 2 and the collar 5 holds the inner wrapping 3 firmly and well positioned in the outer container 2.

Of course, it is also possible to provide a different position of the internal wrapping 3 with respect to the external container 2.

For example, the interspace 7 can be obtained in the front part, between the front wall 31 of the internal wrapping 3 (corresponding to the front wall 51 of the collar 5) and the front wall 24 of the external container 2.

In accordance with a first alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 8-11, the rigid package for smoking articles can have a collar 8 having a different configuration from that of the collar 5 described above, all the rest remaining the same.

The collar 8 comprises a front wall 81, which is internally arranged in contact with the front wall 31 of the internal wrapping 3 and is externally arranged in contact with the front wall 24 of the external container 2; two side walls 82, which are arranged laterally with respect to the front wall 81, are internally in contact with the side walls 32 of the internal wrapping 3; a U-shaped flap 85 departs from one of the side walls 82 of the collar 8 with the edges of the flap 85 contacting the inner side of the rear wall 25 of the outer container 2.

In practice, the collar 8 has a portion which completely envelops the inner wrapping 3 containing the cigarettes and the flap 85 which allows the inner wrapping to be locked inside the outer container 2, although the inner wrapping 3 is of dimensions lower than the external container 2, leaving a gap 9 free.

The interspace 9 is the free space that is formed within the U-shaped fin 85 placed on the side of the internal wrapper 3.

The U-shaped fin 85 is formed by three walls, a front wall 86 in contact with the front wall 24 of the external container 2 and a pair of opposing side walls 87 spaced from the front wall 86. A first of these side walls 87 of the flap 85 is in contact with the side wall 26 of the outer container 2, a second of these side walls 87 of the flap 85 is in contact with the side wall 82 of the collar 8. Inside of this U-shaped fin 85 the interspace 9 is formed which in the example is placed laterally with respect to the internal wrapping 3.

In this way, the space dedicated to the group 4 of cigarettes is less than that available in the external container 2, this space is in fact delimited by the portion of the collar 8 that wraps the internal envelope 3.

According to what is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, the collar provided with a U-shaped fin 85 is constituted by a single blank 80, a part of which is folded around the internal wrapping 3. The blank 80 includes: a main panel 81 'which constitutes the front wall 81 of the collar 8; two panels 82 'which constitute the side walls 82 of the collar 5, are arranged on opposite sides of the main panel 81', and are divided from the main panel 81 'by two longitudinal weakening lines 62; and three panels that make up the U-shaped fin 85 placed in succession alongside the panel 82 ', and are divided from the panel 82' by a longitudinal weakening line 63. The three panels that make up the U-shaped fin 85 are formed by a central panel 86 'and two side panels 87'; the two side panels 87 'are divided from the central panel 86' by a respective longitudinal weakening line 64.

In order to better lock the position of the smaller internal package 3 placed inside the larger external container 2, the flap 85 of the collar 8 is arranged with its own edge in contact with the rear wall 25 of the external container 2 so as to distance the inner wrapping 3 from the outer container 2 at the interspace.

In particular, the distance between the side wall 26 of the external container 2 and the side wall 32 of the internal wrapping 3 at the interspace 9 is kept fixed by the flap 85 of the collar 8.

The walls that form the U-shaped fin 85 are placed parallel to the side walls 82 of the collar 8.

Thanks to this arrangement, the internal wrapping 3 does not move inside the larger outer container 2 and the collar 8 holds the inner wrapping 3 firmly and well positioned in the outer container 2.

Of course, it is also possible to provide a different position of the internal wrapping 3 with respect to the external container 2.

For example, the interspace 9 can be obtained on both sides of the internal wrapping 3 by creating a pair of U-shaped fins 85 always starting from a single blank, in the same way as described above.

In accordance with a second alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 12-15, the rigid package for smoking articles can have a collar 10 having a different configuration from that of the above-described collars 5 and 8, all the rest remaining the same.

The collar 10 comprises a front wall 11, which is internally arranged in contact with the front wall 31 of the internal wrapping 3 and is externally arranged in contact with the front wall 24 of the external container 2; two side walls 12, which are arranged laterally with respect to the front wall 11, are internally in contact with the side walls 32 of the internal wrapping 3; a flap 15 which starts from one of the side walls 12 of the collar 10 with the edge of the flap 15 that comes into contact with the internal side of the side wall 26 of the external container 2.

In practice, the collar 10 wraps around the inner wrapping 3 containing the cigarettes and the flap 15 allows the inner wrapping 3 to be locked inside the outer container 2, although the inner wrapping 3 is smaller than the container 2 outside, leaving a gap 17 free.

The interspace 17 is the free space delimited by the fin 15, the side wall 12 of the collar and the external container 2.

The fin 15 is formed by a wall that rests on the rear wall 25 of the external container 2.

According to what is illustrated in figures 14 and 15, the collar 10 consists of a single blank 90. The blank 90 comprises: a main panel 11 'which constitutes the front wall 11 of the collar 10; three panels 12 ', 12' and 12 'which make up the side walls 12 of the collar 10, are arranged on opposite sides of the main 11' panel; the side panel on the right in figure 15 is divided from the main panel 11 'by a longitudinal weakening line 65 and forms one of the two side walls 12 of the collar 10, while the remaining two side panels 12' 'and 12' 'form the remaining side wall 12 of the collar 10. The first of these remaining two side panels, indicated by 12 '' ', is separated from the central panel by a longitudinal weakening line 66 interrupted by a transverse cut 67; the second of these remaining two side panels, indicated by 12 '' is separated from the central panel by a longitudinal weakening line 68 also interrupted by the transverse cut 67. The two weakening lines 66 and 68 are parallel and spaced apart. Next to the panel indicated with 12 'there is a panel 15' which constitutes the fin 15 and which is separated from the panel indicated with 12 'by a longitudinal weakening line 69 interrupted by the transverse cut 67. The longitudinal weakening line 69 is arranged in substantial continuation of the longitudinal weakening line 66.

In order to better lock the position of the smaller internal package 3 placed inside the larger external container 2, the flap 15 of the collar 10 is arranged with its own edge in contact with the side wall 26 of the external container 2 so as to distance the inner wrapping 3 from the outer container 2 at the interspace 17.

In particular, the distance between the side wall 26 of the external container 2 and the side wall 32 of the internal wrapping 3 is kept fixed by the flap 15 of the collar 10 which is arranged precisely between the side wall 26 of the external container 2 and the wall 32 side of the internal wrapper 3.

Thanks to this arrangement, the internal wrapping 3 does not move inside the larger outer container 2 and the collar 10 holds the inner wrapping 3 firmly and well positioned in the outer container 2.

Of course, it is also possible to provide a different position of the internal wrapping 3 with respect to the external container 2.

For example, the interspace 17 can be obtained on both sides of the internal wrapping 3 by creating a pair of fins 15 always starting from a single blank, in the same way as described above.

As can be appreciated from what has been described, the rigid packaging for smoking articles according to the present invention allows to satisfy the needs and to overcome the drawbacks mentioned in the introductory part of the present description with reference to the known art.

In fact, it is possible to use an external container of standard size, for example for twenty cigarettes, also to contain a smaller number of cigarettes, for example ten, inside it, while preserving at the same time an orderly and functional arrangement within an internal wrapping dimensioned in such a way. appropriate, and held in place inside a larger external container by a collar made according to the invention.

Obviously, a person skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent and specific needs, may make numerous modifications and variations to the invention described above, all of which are contained within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS A rigid packaging for smoking articles comprising: a group (4) of articles; an internal wrapping (3) that encloses the group (4) of articles; a rigid outer container (2) which houses the inner wrapper (3) and has an open end (21); And a rigid collar (5) that partially protrudes from the open end (21) of the external container (2), said collar (5) being interposed between the internal wrapping (3) and the external container (2); the packaging (1) is characterized by the fact that: between the internal wrapping (3) and the external container (2) there is an empty interspace (7) and the fact that the collar (5) includes at least one fin (55) facing the interspace (7) with its own edge in contact with the outer container (2) to distance the inner wrapping (3) from the outer container (2) and block the inner wrapping (3) with respect to the outer container (2) in a fixed position with respect to the container ( 2) external, so as to keep the interspace (7) fixed. Package (1) according to claim 1, wherein said flap (55) is arranged in cantilever fashion and in contact with a wall of the external container (2). Package (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which said interspace (7) develops between a rear wall (54) of the collar (5) and an opposite rear wall (25) of the external container (2) and between two side walls (26) of the outer container (2). Packaging (1) according to claim 3, wherein the rear wall (54) of the collar (5) extends parallel to the rear wall (34) of the inner wrapping (3) and on one side is in contact with the wrapping (3) inside and on the other side it faces the cavity (7). Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collar (5) comprises at least a pair of fins (55) arranged on the opposite sides of the internal wrapping (3) and in contact with two opposite side walls (26) of the outer container (2). Package (1) according to claim 5, in which said fins (55) project from the side walls (52) of the collar (5), said side walls (52) of the collar (5) being in contact with the opposite side walls (26) of the external container (2). Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the inner wrapping (3) is fixed to the outer container (2), in a point where the collar interposed between the inner wrapping (3) and the container is not present (2) external. 8. Package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which the collar (5) consists of a single blank (50) which is folded around the internal wrapping (3), the blank (50) comprises: a first panel (51 ') which constitutes a front wall (51) of the collar (5); two second panels (52 ') which constitute the side walls (52) of the collar (5), are arranged on opposite sides of the first panel (51'), and are divided from the first panel (51 ') by two lines (60) longitudinal weakening. two third panels (54 ') that make up the rear wall (54) of the collar (5), each third panel (54') being divided from the second panel (52 ') by a respective longitudinal weakening line (61). Packaging (1) according to claim 8, wherein the blank (50) comprises two pairs of tabs (55 ') which constitute the tabs (55), each tab (55') being obtained from a U-shaped notch made on said third panel (54 '). 10. Wrapping method for making a rigid cigarette pack; the wrapping method includes the steps of: prepare an internal wrapping sheet; folding the wrapping sheet around a group (4) of articles to make an internal wrapping (3) which encloses the group (4) of articles; folding a first blank around the internal wrapping to make a rigid outer container (2) which houses the inner wrapping (3); folding a second blank (50) which forms a collar (5) around the inner wrapping (3) before folding the first blank around the inner wrapping (3), the wrapping method is characterized by understanding the further steps of fold two pairs of tabs (55 ') of the second blank (50) so as to make a respective pair of fins (55), cantilevered with respect to the side walls (52) of the collar (5) so that one of their edges contacts the outer container (2) to distance the inner wrapping (3) from the outer container (2) in correspondence with an interspace (7) placed between the inner wrapping (3) and the outer container (2).