JP5986582B2 - Hinged lid container with hermetic seal - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a hinged container having a sealable coating layer that hermetically seals the container prior to initial opening. The container of the present invention is particularly useful as a container for smoking articles such as a cigarette with a filter.

  It is known to pack consumer goods in a container with a hinge lid formed from a folded laminated blank. For example, generally, elongated smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars are placed in a hinged lid pack having a box for containing the smoking article and a lid connected to the box about a hinge line extending to the rear wall of the container. Sold. Usually, such packs are composed of a single laminated cardboard blank. In use, the lid is pivoted about the hinge line to open the pack so that the smoking article in the box can be accessed.

  In general, hinged containers are used to package cigarettes and other consumer goods that are adversely affected by prolonged exposure to air or moisture. Thus, the filled container is typically packaged in an outer wrapper that provides a barrier layer against the entry, exit, and exit of air, moisture, odors, or flavors into the container during storage prior to initial opening. In general, a transparent plastic material such as polypropylene is used for this purpose. Providing the outer wrapper ensures that the consumer goods are kept fresh for a long time and that the shelf life of the consumer goods is extended. However, when the outer wrapper is folded and sealed, the effectiveness of the outer wrapper depends on the quality of the seal provided at the container end.

  Conventional cigarette box packaging is configured by wrapping a cigarette bundle in a paper / metal foil laminate sheet and storing it in a container usually formed of carton paperboard. The container typically has a hinge lid to allow access to the cigarette bundle. In many cases, the container is formed from a preprinted blank blank that is folded to wrap the cigarette bundle. The container is packaged with a heat-sealable transparent film, usually polypropylene, which incorporates an opening tape to facilitate opening.

  Of these packaging components, only the outermost film contributes greatly to the longevity of the packaged cigarette. Although this plastic film functions as a moisture barrier, its effectiveness largely depends on whether sufficient sealing is obtained in the folded and overlapping areas of the film package. Nevertheless, the low moisture barrier permeability through the plastic film is such that when the packaged cigarette is exposed to an environment where the relative humidity is either higher or lower than the internal humidity of the cigarette pack, Helps maintain initial moisture and other volatile components at the time of manufacture. For outer wrapping, polypropylene films have generally been used, whereas other film materials that exhibit low moisture permeability, such as vacuum metallized plastic films, have also been used, but these materials still serve containers. The folded and overlapping area of the film when wrapped will depend largely on whether a proper seal is achieved.

  For example, International Publication No. 2009/083344 proposes applying a continuous plastic coating layer on a container filled with contents in order to improve the sealing performance.

  It would be desirable to provide a novel method for preventing air, moisture, odors or flavors from entering or leaving a container during storage.

  According to the present invention, a box for containing consumer goods, an inner frame mounted in the box and having an upper portion extending above the upper edge of the box, and connected to the box along a hinge line, A consumer goods container is provided having a hinge lid pivotable between an open position and a closed position about a hinge line, the inner surface of the hinge lid being in contact with the upper outer surface of the inner frame. The inner surface of the hinge lid and the upper outer surface of the inner frame are at least partially covered by a sealable coating layer of sealable material. This material can be sealed to itself or can be sealed to other areas not covered by the sealable coating layer of the container, such as coated cardboard. It can also be sealable to both itself and other uncovered areas of the container. Before the hinge lid is first opened, the sealable coating layers on the contact surface between the hinge lid and the inner frame adhere to each other to form a hermetic seal.

  The “inner surface” of the component of the container of the present invention is an inward surface with respect to the consumer goods in the container and in the box. Usually this inner surface forms the inner surface of the container when the hinge lid is in the closed position. Container components include a container box and lid, and an inner frame.

  The “outer surface” of the constituent material of the container of the present invention is an outward surface away from the consumer goods in the box in the outward direction of the container. In some cases, the outer surface of a component such as a box can provide the outer surface of the container both when the hinge lid is in the open position and in the closed position. Also, in some cases, when the outer surface of the component cannot form the outer surface of the container in both the open and closed positions, and instead the hinge lid is in the open or closed position, or both, The outer surface of the component can be covered by a panel of other components of the container. For example, the outer surface at the top of the inner frame is covered by the hinge lid when the hinge lid is in the closed position. The remaining part of the outer surface of the inner frame is covered by the box wall in both positions.

  The term “sealable” is used to indicate a type of adhesive material that can form a seal when exposed to certain conditions such as heat, pressure, ultrasound, or ultraviolet light. Typically, the sealable material does not adhere to itself or other surfaces of the container before being exposed to these particular conditions. This means that this sealable material can be conveniently applied to a laminated blank for forming a container according to the present invention during the production of the blank prior to filling and assembly of the container. In the container of the present invention, a sealable material is used to secure the hinge lid in the closed position until the container is opened for the first time and provide a water vapor tight hermetic seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame. A seal can be made to itself or other areas of the container.

  An “airtight seal” in accordance with the present invention is a water vapor seal chain that substantially prevents moisture and moisture from passing through the container into the interior housing the consumer goods and from the interior of the container toward the exterior of the container. It is a shape. This ensures that the moisture inside the container is kept substantially constant while the container is closed. Thereby, the advantage that the shelf life of the consumer goods accommodated in the container is extended is obtained.

  The moisture permeability of the hermetic seal of the container according to the present invention is preferably less than 15 grams of water per square meter per day when measured according to ASTM method D3079-94. More preferably, the moisture vapor transmission rate of the hermetic seal of the container according to the present invention is from about 0.2 grams of moisture per square meter of seal surface area to about 8 grams of moisture per day per square meter of seal surface area.

  In a closed hinge lid container, the main path through which a gas such as oxygen or water vapor can invade consumer goods contained in the container box is any gap between the hinge lid and the box or inner frame. It is highly possible that Accordingly, in the container with a hinge lid according to the present invention, a sealable coating layer is provided on the contact surface between the hinge lid and the inner frame in order to provide a hermetic seal that prevents gas from entering the container through such a gap. .

  The hermetic seal provided by this sealable coating layer provides the advantage of providing an effective barrier layer that eliminates the need for an outer wrapper or coating layer to achieve the desired level of freshness of the consumer goods in the container. Have Accordingly, the final step of overwrapping the container can be eliminated from the packaging process. As a result, neither an overwrapping device nor a packaging material is required. Therefore, the container manufacturing process according to the present invention is more efficient than existing processes in terms of time and cost.

  Furthermore, the hermetic seal formed by applying this sealable coating layer allows the consumer to tell whether the container has already been opened or has been tampered with in some way. It has the advantage of providing an explicit seal shape. At the point of sale of filled containers, this hermetic seal should be intact and consumers must break it to gain access to consumer goods. The presence of an unbroken seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame indicates that the hinge lid has not yet been opened and consumer goods have not yet been accessed. This can also indicate to the consumer that the consumer goods in the container are still fresh since the hermetic seal has not yet been broken.

  Advantageously, this sealable coating material is used on the surface of the container during the production of the laminated blank so that the assembly and filling process of the container according to the invention can be carried out using conventional equipment and methods. You can also. The only necessary modification to the process is to expose the filled container to requirements such as heat or pressure to create a bond between the sealable coating layer on the hinge lid and the inner frame. Alternatively, the panels are continuously sealed together in separate sealing steps.

  To provide a water vapor tight seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame, a sealable coating layer covers the entire surface area of the outer surface of the inner frame and the inner surface of the hinge lid that contact each other when the hinge lid is in the closed position. preferable. This further prevents gas from entering the container through any gaps or breakage points in the seal.

  By coating the entire surface of one or more laminated blanks used to form the hinge lid and inner frame, complete coverage of the sealable coating layer can be conveniently achieved. For example, the inner surface of the laminated blank for forming the hinge lid (and optionally the box) of the container according to the invention can be completely covered with a coating layer of sealable material. The “inner surface” of the laminated blank means the surface of the blank that forms the majority of the inner surface of the hinge lid and box when the container is assembled. Usually, most of the outer surface on the opposite side is printed with pictures and characters to be displayed on the exterior of the assembled container.

  The sealable material should provide a tight enough seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame at the time of sealing to remain airtight and ensure that the hinge lid stays in place before the first opening of the container. It is. On the other hand, in order to access the consumer goods without damaging the container, the consumer must also be able to easily break this seal to separate the hinge lid from the inner frame. Accordingly, the sealing force between the hinge lid and the inner frame is preferably 2 Newton to 7 Newton, and preferably about 2 Newton to 4 Newton.

  This sealable coating layer is below the free edge height of the box so that a sealable coating layer on the outer surface of the inner frame can be further used to provide a hermetic seal between the inner frame and the inner surface of the box. Preferably it extends. This is particularly advantageous when the inner surface of the laminated blank or blanks forming the hinge lid and box is completely coated with a sealable material. This also has the advantage that the positioning of the inner frame within the box is simplified since there is a sealable material below and above the upper edge of the box front wall. Sealing between the inner frame and the box ensures that the inner frame stays in place in the box and further improves the sealability of the container before the first opening.

  The sealable coating layer can be formed of any suitable sealing material capable of sealing under certain conditions that can be conveniently provided without adversely affecting the consumer goods in the container during manufacture of the filler container. Preferred sealable materials include heat-sealable materials that can be sealed when heated to produce tackiness. Suitable sealable materials include non-aqueous materials or aqueous materials that can later be resistant to water or water vapor. For example, suitable sealable materials include, but are not limited to, polyolefins, PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride) resins and adhesive waxes. The outer wrapper is preferably coated with a sealable polyolefin such as one or a combination of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, ethylene propylene copolymer, propylene butylene copolymer, ethylene butylene copolymer, ethylene propylene butylene terpolymer.

  The sealable coating layer is preferably applied in the form of an aqueous emulsion or dispersion of at least one of the solvents, oils or coating materials mentioned above. The dry weight of the coating layer is preferably from about 1 gram per square meter to about 100 grams per square meter (gsm).

  Containers according to the present invention typically have a conventional construction by folding one or more laminated blanks around consumer goods and sealing the overlapping panels of laminated blanks together to hold the container in an assembled shape. Assembled in the way. This assembly can be done using conventional glue or adhesive. However, methods that use standard gluing methods typically do not apply the adhesive used to seal the overlapping panels of the container to the entire surface area of the contact surface. Thus, even though the overlapping panels are well secured to each other, a gap or passage without adhesive may extend between the exterior of the container and the interior of the container. This means that the seal between the overlapping panels is not completely water vapor tight and thus air or moisture can enter the container and adversely affect the consumer goods.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one wall of each container includes an inner panel and an outer panel overlying the inner panel, and the contact surface of the inner panel and the outer panel is hermetically sealable. Covered by a sealable coating layer of material, the sealable coating layers on the contact surfaces of the inner and outer panels adhere to each other to form a hermetic seal. The area covered by the sealable coating is preferably about 100 percent of the contact surface. Alternatively, less coverage, such as about 30 percent to about 100 percent of the contact surface, can be achieved through appropriate pattern selection. The sealable material between the overlapping inner and outer panels is preferably the same material used to provide a hermetic seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame, as described above.

  In addition to sealing the hinge lid and inner frame, this sealable material is preferably used in place of conventional adhesives to hermetically seal all overlapping panels of the container. For example, in a hinged container of conventional construction, this sealable material can be used to seal the overlapped panels that form the side and bottom walls of the box and the side and top walls of the hinge lid. In this way, all the seals provided in the container become water vapor tight, and the intrusion of moisture into the container can be further reduced.

  The sealable material, as well as the contact surface between the hinge lid and the inner frame, ensures that there are no gaps or breakage points in the resulting seal that may allow air or moisture to penetrate; It should preferably cover the entire surface area of the contact surface with the overlying outer panel.

  The sealing force between the overlapping panels should be adjusted so that this seal remains airtight and the container is strong enough to withstand the stresses that can be experienced in the supply chain or during use. Is preferred. Unlike the seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame, it is generally undesirable for the seal between the overlapping panels of the container to be breakable by the consumer. Furthermore, this seal should remain intact when the force required to break the seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame is applied. Accordingly, the sealing force between the overlapping panels is at least about 4 Newtons, preferably at least the same as the sealing force between the hinge lid and the inner frame, and more preferably greater.

  The sealable coating layer is preferably applied to the corresponding panel of one or more laminated blanks forming the box and hinge lid so that it completely covers the panel. In a preferred embodiment, as described above, the inner surface of one or more laminated blanks is completely covered with a sealable coating layer. Also, the outer surface of the panel forming the hinge lid and the inner panel of the overlapping panels in the box must be completely covered with a sealable coating layer. If necessary, one or more laminated blanks can be completely covered with a sealable coating layer on both sides.

  The consumer goods in the container box according to the invention are preferably packaged in an inner liner to further ensure that their freshness is preserved during storage. The inner liner may include one or more weak lines that form an open tab separable from the rest of the inner liner to provide an access opening in the inner liner through which consumer goods can be removed. preferable. If necessary, a resealable adhesive label can be provided on the open tab of the inner liner so that the open tab can be resealed in the closed position between uses.

  In some preferred embodiments, the release tab of the inner liner is glued to the inner surface of the hinge lid so that when the hinge lid is moved to the open position, the release tab separates from the rest of the inner liner to form an access opening. Like that. The open tab may be adhered directly to the inner surface of the hinge lid or may be adhered to the surface by an adhesive label.

  Preferably, the inner liner is at least partially in contact with the box and the outer surface of the inner liner and the inner surface of the box are at least partially covered by a sealable coating layer of sealable material. The sealable coating layers on the inner liner and box contact surfaces preferably adhere to each other. The sealing force between the inner liner and the box is preferably at least about 4 Newtons. The sealable material used to attach the inner liner and box is preferably the same as that used to form a hermetic seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame. The sealable material secures the inner liner to the box so that the open tab can be easily separated from the rest of the inner liner without shifting the inner liner or pulling the entire inner liner out of the box.

  The inner liner is preferably formed of metal foil or metallized paper.

  In a preferred embodiment, as described above, the laminated blank for forming the box is already completely covered on the inner surface with a sealable coating layer. To achieve a seal between the inner liner and the box, at least a portion of the outer surface of the inner liner should be provided with a sealable coating layer.

  The container according to the present invention comprises a layer of resealable adhesive that releasably seals the hinge lid in a closed position applied over a sealable coating layer in one or more regions on the outer surface of the inner frame. Furthermore, it is preferable to include. When the hermetic seal is broken, this resealable adhesive allows the hinge lid to be sealed in the closed position between uses. By doing so, the hinge lid does not open unintentionally. This ensures that the freshness of the consumer goods is kept as much as possible after the initial opening of the container and prevents dust or other foreign objects from entering the container and contacting the consumer goods. .

  Resealable adhesives can be used to re-seal the hinge lid to the closed position over and over as long as consumer goods are present in the container so that it can be used to reseal the hinge lid until the container is empty. It is preferable to provide a sufficient adhesive force.

  Those skilled in the art are familiar with materials suitable for use as resealable adhesives. In one example of the present invention, the resealable adhesive includes an acrylate component. The resealable adhesive is preferably used in the form of an aqueous emulsion or dispersion containing an adhesive component. The dry weight of the resealable adhesive is preferably from about 1 gram per square meter to about 50 grams per square meter (gsm).

  The front wall of the hinge lid preferably includes a pull tab extending from the free edge of the front wall. The front wall of the box includes a notch in its free edge that corresponds in size, shape and position to the pull tab on the hinge lid so that the pull tab can be located in the notch when the hinge lid is in the closed position. It is preferable to become. This pull tab facilitates opening of the hinge lid, and in particular, facilitates breaking the hermetic seal between the hinge lid and the inner frame during the initial opening of the container. If necessary, a pull tab can be connected to the front wall along a hinge line, such as a fold line, to further facilitate the grasping of the pull tab by the consumer during use. The pull tab may extend partway along the free edge of the front wall of the hinge lid or may extend over the entire free edge. If the pull tab extends only halfway along the free edge, it is preferably provided substantially in the center of the free edge of the front wall.

  In some preferred embodiments of the invention, a container is applied over one or more of the hinge lid free edges before the hinge lid is first opened to seal the hinge lid in the closed position. An adhesive opening tape. This adhesive tear tape provides an additional hermetic seal around at least a portion of the junction of the hinge lid and the inner frame or corresponding box free edge when the hinge lid is in the closed position. Thereby, the sealing performance of the hinge lid is further improved. This adhesive tear tape must be removed from the container to allow the hinge lid to move to the open position.

  The adhesive opening tape preferably extends at least along the junction of the edge of the front wall of the hinge lid and the free edge of the inner frame or box front wall. Optionally, the adhesive opening tape covers the entire length of the hinge lid free edge along the junction of the hinge lid sidewall edge and the corresponding free edge of the inner frame or box sidewall. It can also extend. When the adhesive opening tape extends along the junction of the side walls of the container, the hinge lid side walls and the free edge of the front wall are preferably substantially horizontal. In this way, the junction between the hinge lid and the inner frame or box extends in a substantially straight line around the container. This facilitates application and removal of the adhesive opening tape.

  Those skilled in the art will be aware of suitable materials for forming the opening tape. In one example, an opening tape of OPP (oriented polypropylene) is provided.

  Apart from or in addition to the adhesive opening tape, the container according to the present invention is provided on the free edge of the hinge lid, the adhesive label connecting the hinge lid to the box before the container is first opened The label includes a weak line that substantially matches the free edge of the hinge lid so that the label is separated along the weak line when the hinge lid is first moved to the open position. become. Since the presence of an intact adhesive label provides evidence that the container is unopened or tampered with, the adhesive label provides another form of an open-sealing seal.

  The container according to the present invention preferably further comprises a cut extending from each of the opposite ends of the hinge line across the back wall to the adjacent side edge of the back wall of the container. Each incision preferably extends only about 2 mm from the side edge. Conventional hinged containers are typically provided with similarly positioned cuts to improve the opening and closing of the hinge lid. However, in the container of the present invention, the length of the cut is shorter than that of the conventional container. For example, the incision in the container according to the present invention is preferably about half as long as the incision in a conventional container. Reducing the length of the cut further reduces any potential path into the container where oxygen, moisture or other gases may enter during storage. Thus, shortening the cut further improves the sealing provided by the container according to the present invention before the first opening.

  As mentioned above, the container according to the present invention is preferably formed of one or more laminated blanks with a sealable coating layer applied to an appropriate surface of one or more blanks.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a laminated blank material comprising a box forming portion and a hinge lid forming portion for forming a container according to any preceding claim, wherein the inner surface of the hinge lid forming portion is hermetically sealed. Covered with a sealable coating layer of possible sealable material. The laminated blank material of the present invention is a laminated blank for forming an inner frame, which is mounted in a container box and has a sealable coating layer applied to the sealable coating layer on the inner surface of the hinge lid. Used in combination with materials.

  According to the present invention there is also provided a method of hermetically sealing a consumer goods container according to the present invention as described above, comprising the steps of applying a sealable coating layer on the inner surface of the hinge lid and the outer surface of the inner frame, Providing a consumer product therein, moving the hinge lid to a closed position, and depositing a sealable coating layer on a contact surface of the inner frame and the hinge lid to provide a hermetic seal. The deposition step of the method of the present invention preferably includes exposing the coating layer to heat, pressure or both to adhere the sealable material.

A container according to the present invention may have a rectangular shape with a right vertical edge and a right horizontal edge. Alternatively, the container may have one or more rounded longitudinal edges, rounded transverse edges, slanted longitudinal edges or slanted lateral edges, or combinations thereof. It can also be included. For example, without limitation, containers according to the present invention may include:
-One or two longitudinally rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and / or one or two longitudinally rounded or beveled edges on the rear wall.
One or two laterally rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and / or one or two laterally rounded or beveled edges on the rear wall.
-One longitudinally rounded edge and one longitudinally angled edge on the front wall and / or one laterally rounded edge and one lateral direction on the rear wall The beveled edge.
-One or two laterally rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and one or two longitudinally rounded or beveled edges on the front wall.
Two vertical rounded or beveled edges on the first side wall, or two lateral rounded or beveled edges on the second side wall.

  If the container includes one or more rounded edges and is made from one or more laminated blanks, the blank forms each rounded edge in the assembled container. Thus, it is preferred to include three, four, five, six, or seven score lines or fold lines. The score line or fold line may be on the inside of the container or on the outside of the container. The score lines or fold lines are preferably spaced from each other by about 0.3 mm to 4 mm.

  The spacing between the fold lines or score lines is preferably a function of the thickness of the laminated blank. The spacing between the fold lines or score lines is preferably about 0.5 to about 4 times larger than the thickness of the laminated blank.

  Where the container includes one or more angled edges, the width of the angled edges is preferably about 1 mm to about 10 mm, preferably about 2 mm to about 6 mm. Alternatively, the container may include a double bevel formed by three parallel fold or score lines spaced so that two different bevels are formed on the edge of the container.

  If the container includes beveled edges and is made from one or more laminated blanks, the bevel can be formed by two parallel fold or score lines in the laminated blank. . The fold lines or score lines can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the edge between the first wall and the second wall. Alternatively, a fold line or score line is asymmetrically arranged with respect to the edge between the first wall and the second wall, so that the slope is the first wall of the container rather than the second wall of the container. It is also possible to make it enter more greatly.

  Alternatively, the container may have a non-rectangular cross section such as, for example, a polygon such as a triangle or hexagon, or an oval, semi-elliptical, circular, or semi-circular.

  The container according to the invention is particularly useful as a pack for elongated smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a hermetically sealed pack of smoking articles comprising a container according to the present invention as described above, wherein a plurality of smoking articles are contained in the box of the container, and a sealable coating layer on the inner surface of the hinge lid. And an airtight seal without compromising the adhesion between the outer frame and the sealable coating layer on the outer surface of the inner frame.

  It will be understood that containers according to the present invention can be designed for different numbers of normal, king, super king, slim or super slim cigarettes, with appropriate selection of their dimensions.

  Containers according to the present invention can be designed to hold different numbers of smoking articles or different arrangements of smoking articles by appropriate selection of their dimensions. For example, a container according to the present invention can be designed to hold a total of 10 to 30 smoking articles by appropriate selection of its dimensions.

  The smoking articles in the container can be arranged in different collations depending on the number of smoking articles. For example, smoking articles can be arranged in a row of 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. Alternatively, the smoking articles can be arranged in two or more rows. The same number of smoking articles can be accommodated in these two or more rows. For example, smoking articles are arranged in 5 rows, 6 rows, 7 rows, 8 rows, 9 rows or 10 rows, 5 rows or 7 rows, or 4 rows, 5 rows or 6 rows. can do. Alternatively, two or more rows can include at least two rows containing a different number of smoking articles. For example, a smoking article has 5 rows and 6 rows (5-6), 6 rows and 7 rows (6-7), 7 rows and 8 rows (7-8). 5 rows in the center and 6 rows outside the center (6-5-6), 5 rows in the center and 7 rows outside the center (7-5-7), 6 in the center And two outer rows (5-6-5), six central rows, two outer rows (7-6-7), and seven central rows The outer six rows (6-7-6), the middle nine rows and the outer eight rows (8-9-8), or the middle six rows and the outer It can be arranged in 5 rows and 7 rows (5-6-7).

  Containers according to the present invention can hold smoking articles of the same type or brand, or can hold smoking articles of different types or brands. It can also accommodate both unfiltered smoking articles and various filter tip smoking articles, as well as smoking articles of different lengths (eg, about 40 mm to about 180 mm) and diameters (eg, about 4 mm to about 9 mm). . Also, the flavor intensity, suction resistance, and total particulate matter delivery amount of the smoking article may be different. The dimensions of the container are preferably adapted to the length of the smoking article and the order of arrangement of the smoking article. Typically, the outer dimensions of the container are about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm larger than the dimensions of the bundle or bundles of smoking articles contained within the container.

  The length, width and depth of the container according to the present invention is such that, in the closed position, the overall dimensions of the resulting container are similar to the dimensions of a typical 20 cigarette disposable hinged lid pack. it can.

  The height measured from the top wall to the bottom wall of the container according to the present invention is preferably about 60 mm to about 150 mm, and more preferably about 70 mm to about 125 mm.

  The width measured from one side wall to the other side wall of the container according to the present invention is preferably about 12 mm to about 150 mm, and more preferably about 70 mm to about 125 mm.

  The depth measured from the front wall to the rear wall of the container (including the hinge portion between the box and the lid) according to the present invention is preferably about 6 mm to about 100 mm, more preferably about 12 mm to about 25 mm. .

  The ratio of container height to depth is preferably about 0.3: 1 to about 10: 1, more preferably about 2: 1 to about 8: 1, and about 3: 1 to 5: 1. Most preferably.

  The ratio of container width to depth is preferably about 0.3: 1 to about 10: 1, more preferably about 2: 1 to about 8: 1, and about 2: 1 to 3: 1. Most preferably.

  Although the container according to the present invention is sealed, when the contents are filled, the transparent polymer is formed of, for example, high density or low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, cellulose film, or a combination thereof. The film can be shrunk or otherwise overwrapped in a conventional manner. When overwrapping the container according to the present invention, the overwrapping material may include one or more opening tapes. Also, pictures, consumer information, or other data can be printed on the overwrapping material. This additional outer wrapper can advantageously protect the surface of the container, for example, against wear during handling.

  The container not only contains a bundle of smoking articles, but can further include other consumer goods such as, for example, matches, lighters, fire extinguishing means, fresheners or electronics. These other consumer goods can be attached to the outside of the container, can be housed in a separate compartment within the container with the smoking article, or a combination thereof.

  Manufacturer or brand logos, trademarks, slogans, and other consumer information and displays can be decorated on the exterior of the container according to the present invention by printing, embossing, debossing, or otherwise.

  The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

International Publication WO2009 / 083344

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a container with a hinge lid according to the present invention with the hinge lid in an open position. It is a top view of the lamination | stacking blank material for forming the box and hinge lid of the container of FIG. It is a top view of the lamination | stacking blank material for forming the inner side frame of the container of FIG. FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of another hinged lid container according to the present invention with the hinge lid in the closed position.

  The container 2 with hinge lid shown in FIG. 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped and includes a box 10 and a lid 20 hinged to the box 10 along a hinge line 45 extending substantially horizontally along the rear wall of the container 2. . The box 10 of the container 2 accommodates a bundle (not shown) of packaged cigarettes. The overall size and construction of the box 10 and lid 20 of the container 2 is substantially the same as that of a standard hinged cigarette pack.

  The box 10 has a box front wall 12, a box left wall 14, a box right wall 15, a box rear wall, and a box bottom wall. The upper part of the box 10 is opened to form an upper opening from which the cigarette can be removed. The box front wall 12 includes a semicircular cutout 16 at the upper free edge 18. Each of the box sidewalls 14, 15 is formed by an inner panel 14a, 15a and an overlying outer panel 14b, 14a, which are sealed together as described below.

  The terms “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “side”, “top”, “bottom” used to describe the relative positions of the components of the container 2 according to the invention, And other terms refer to an upright container with a lid 20 at the top and a hinge at the rear. The terms “left side” and “right side” are used with respect to the side wall of the container 2 when viewed from the front. When the container in the upright position is opened, the cigarette accommodated in the box 10 can be taken out from the upper end of the container 2.

  The lid 20 includes a lid front wall 22, a lid left side wall 24, a lid right side wall 25, a lid rear wall, and a lid top wall. A semicircular pull tab 26 extends from the free edge 28 of the lid front wall 22. The pull tab 26 corresponds in size, shape and position to the semicircular cutout 16 in the box front wall 12. Each of the lid side walls 24, 25 is formed by an inner panel 24a, 25a and an overlying outer panel 24b, 24a, which are sealed together as described below.

  When the container 2 is closed, the free edge of the wall of the lid 20 contacts the free edge of the wall of the box 10 along the contact line, and the pull tab 26 fits into the semicircular cutout 16. Thus, in the closed position, the wall of the lid 20 forms an extension of the corresponding wall of the box 10 to form the wall of the container 2.

  An inner frame 30 is mounted in the box 10 of the container 2. The inner frame 30 includes an inner frame front wall 32, an inner frame left wall 34, and an inner frame right wall, which are connected to the inner surface of the box front wall 12, the box left wall, and the box right wall 14, respectively. In order to facilitate removal of the cigarette from the box 10, the inner frame front wall 32 includes a rectangular cutout 36 at its upper free edge. The inner frame front wall 32 has a sufficient length extending below the notch 16 provided in the box front wall 12.

  The box 10 and the lid 20 of the container 2 are formed from a single laminated blank 102 shown in FIG. 2a. A dotted line shows the folding line of a blank material. The laminated blank 102 includes a box forming portion 110 and a lid forming portion 120 connected along the hinge line 45. The inner surface of the laminated blank 102 is completely coated with a sealable coating layer formed of a sealable polyolefin material. The inner surface of the laminated blank 102 provides the hinge lid 20 and the inner surface of the box 10, so that the inner surface of the assembled container 2 is covered with a sealable coating layer. The outer surface of the laminated blank 102 shown in FIG. 2a is further coated with a sealable coating layer on the panel shown in diagonal lines in FIG. 2a. In the assembled container, these panels correspond to the inner panels 14a, 15a on the box side walls and the inner panels 24a, 25a on the lid side walls.

  The inner frame 30 of the container 2 is formed of a laminated blank material 130 shown in FIG. 2b. A dotted line shows the folding line of a blank material. The outer surface of the laminated blank 130 shown in FIG. 2b is coated with a sealable coating layer 138 in the region of the frame front wall 32 and the frame sidewalls 34, 35 located in the assembled container close to the free edge of the box. . The sealable coating layer also extends below the front wall of the frame so as to cover the area of the wall that contacts the front wall of the box in the assembled container. Similar to FIG. 2a, in FIG. 2b the sealable coating layer is shown with diagonal lines.

  During the assembly of the container with these laminated blanks 102, 130, the inner frame 30 is mounted on the box portion such that the sealable coating layer 138 is in the correct position close to the free edge of the box 10. The sealable coating layer at the bottom of the frame front wall 32 is brought into contact with the sealable coating layer on the inner surface of the box front wall 12 and then these sealable coating layers are heated so that these layers adhere to each other and are attached to the front of the frame. The space between the wall 32 and the box front wall 12 is hermetically sealed.

  After assembling the container 2 from the laminated blank and filling the container with a bundle of smoking articles, the hinge lid 20 is such that the sealable coating layer on the inner surface of the hinge lid 20 contacts the sealable coating layer on the outer surface of the inner frame 30. Close. The sealable coating layers are then heated so that the layers adhere to each other and provide a hermetic seal between the hinge lid 20 and the inner frame 30.

  To open the container 2 for the first time, the consumer grasps the pull tab 26 and pulls the hinge lid 20 to break the hermetic seal between the hinge lid 20 and the inner frame 30, and then towards the open position shown in FIG. The hinge lid 20 can be pivoted backwards.

  In another embodiment of the container 2, it can be resealed at least on the frame front wall 32 so that the hinge lid can be resealed in the closed position between uses even after the hermetic seal provided by the coating layer has been broken. Give glue.

  The container 50 shown in FIG. 3 is similar in structure to the container 2 shown in FIG. 1, and includes a hinge lid 20 'connected to a box 10' for containing smoking articles. As described above with respect to the container 2, the hinge lid is hermetically sealed to the inner frame as a result of the adherence of the sealing coating layer. Moreover, in the container 50, the opening tape 52 is provided on the contact line between the free edge of the hinge lid 20 'and the free edge of the box portion 10'. This contact line is different from the contact line of the container 2 because it extends in a straight horizontal line across the front wall and both side walls of the container. As a result, the position of the hinge line 45 is higher than the height at which the free edge of the lid side wall contacts the rear wall of the container in the closed position of the hinge lid. To maintain a straight line of contact, there are no pull tabs or cutouts on the lid and the front wall of the box.

  In FIG. 3, the container 50 is shown with the opening tape 52 partially peeled off. As described above, to open the container 50 for the first time, the opening tape 52 must be completely removed from the container to break the hermetic seal between the hinge lid 20 'and the inner frame.

2 Container with hinge lid 10 Box 12 Box front wall 14 Box left wall 16 Notch 18 Upper free edge 20 Lid 22 Lid front wall 24 Lid left wall 26 Pull tab 28 Free edge 30 Inner frame 32 Inner frame front wall 34 Inner frame left wall 36 Notch 138 Sealable coating layer

Claims (8)

A consumer goods container,
A box for containing the consumer goods;
An inner frame mounted in the box and having an upper portion extending above the upper edge of the box;
A hinge lid connected to the box along a hinge line and pivotable between an open position and a closed position about the hinge line;
The inner surface of the hinge lid contacts the outer surface of the upper portion of the inner frame,
The inner surface of the hinge lid and the outer surface of the upper portion of the inner frame are at least partially covered by a sealable coating layer of sealable material, and the hinge lid and the hinge lid before the hinge lid is first opened. The sealable coating layers on the contact surface with the inner frame adhere to each other to form a hermetic seal ;
A sealable coating layer located on the outer surface of the inner frame below the height of the free edge of the box to hermetically seal between the inner frame and the inner surface of the box ;
A container characterized by that. The sealable material is selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, PVDC, or adhesive wax;
The container according to claim 1. At least one wall of the container includes an inner panel and an outer panel overlying the inner panel, and a contact surface of the inner panel and the outer panel is covered by a sealable coating layer of the sealable material. The sealable coating layers on the contact surfaces of the inner and outer panels adhere to each other to form a hermetic seal;
The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The hinge lid and the box are formed from one or more laminated blanks, and the inner surface of the one or more laminated blanks is completely covered by the sealable coating layer;
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The consumer goods are packaged in an inner liner that is at least partially in contact with the box, wherein an outer surface of the inner liner and an inner surface of the box are at least partially covered by a sealable coating layer of the sealable material; The sealable coating layers on the contact surface of the inner liner and the box adhere to each other;
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The sealing force of the adhesion between the sealable coating layer on the inner surface of the hinge lid and the sealable coating layer on the outer surface of the inner frame is between 4 Newtons and 7 Newtons;
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein Provided on the own acquaintance of the hinge lid further includes an adhesive label to be connected to the box portion of the hinge-lid before the container is opened for a first time, the label is free edge substantially of the hinge lid By including a weak line that coincides with each other, the label is separated along the weak line when the hinge lid is moved to the open position for the first time.
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein A hermetically sealed pack of smoking articles, comprising a container according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein a plurality of smoking articles are contained in the box portion of the container, and the sealing of the inner surface of the hinge lid Providing a hermetic seal without impairing the adhesion between a possible coating layer and the sealable coating layer on the outer surface of the inner frame;
An airtight sealed pack characterized by that.

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