RU2630633C2 - Reinforcedly contained container having tactically feeled elements - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: packaging industry.

SUBSTANCE: re-sealable container for consumer products contains a package that has an access opening through which consumer products can be removed and an adhesive label covering the access opening and extending beyond the periphery of the packaging access opening. The adhesive label is at least partially removably secured to the package by means of a resealable adhesive material on the inner surface of the label continuing at least at the sealing portion of the package located at the periphery of the access opening. The sealing area is provided with a plurality of formations provided in a continuous repeating pattern and in spaced apart rows. The rows are perpendicular to the direction in which the label exfoliates from the package. A plurality of formations are designed to reduce the effective area of the sealing portion by about 10 to about 25%, wherein mentioned formations are pressed or pressed into the package.

EFFECT: group of inventions provides tactile sensations and gradual peeling of the label.

12 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to a re-sealable container for consumer products with a re-sealable adhesive label with multiple formations. The invention further relates to a container comprising a resealable container. The container finds particular use as a container for elongated smoking articles such as cigarettes.

Smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, are usually packaged in rigid packs with a hinged lid having a box and a lid connected to the box through a hinge line extending through the back wall of the container. Such hinged lid containers are typically made from solid laminated cardboard blanks. In use, the lid portion is rotated around the hinge line so as to open the container and so as to gain access to a group of smoking articles located in the box portion.

A group of smoking articles disposed in a box portion is typically wrapped in an inner shell of metallized paper, metal foil, or other flexible sheet material. To access a group of smoking articles in the inner shell, the consumer typically removes and discards the previously perforated upper portion of the inner shell when the container with the hinge lid is first opened.

However, in order to provide improved protection against entry and exit, for example, air, moisture, aromas and odors, it is also known to enclose a group of smoking articles in a re-sealed substantially airtight wrapper.

For example, EP-A-0944539 discloses a pack with a hinged lid of smoking articles, in which the smoking articles are enclosed in a sealed closure member of a layer of barrier material having an access opening defined therein. The access hole is closed by means of a cover layer with a permanently sticky surface that can adhere to the layer of barrier material to re-seal the cover element after the opening of the hole for the first time. A frame to which the cover layer can be pressed to ensure good re-sealing is provided in a sealed cover element between the smoking articles and the layer of barrier material. To facilitate opening and re-opening the sealed closure element, a non-adhesive tongue is provided at the lower edge of the closure layer.

WO-A-2008/142540 also discloses a pack with a hinged lid of smoking articles, in which the smoking articles are enclosed in an inner packaging with an extraction opening closed by a closure valve that is attached to the inner packaging by using a dry, re-adhesive adhesive material deposited on the inner closing valve surface. The inner or outer surface of the lower tongue of the closing layer is permanently and non-removably glued to the inner surface of the lid of the pack with a hinged lid so that opening and closing the lid also simultaneously opens and closes the closing valve.

When such a container is opened, the consumer may feel resistance to the removal force that must be overcome to separate the seal label from the underlying surface. When the cover layer or valve opens and closes many times, the tactile feel of the consumer may change during the opening of the cover layer or valve due to the uneven adhesive bond. In addition, the force required to open the cover layer or valve varies depending on the number of times the cover or valve is opened. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a resealable container for consumer products with improved opening characteristics, such as a more constant opening force or a tactile sensation for the user. It would also be desirable to provide a resealable container with a controlled opening force.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a resealable container for consumer products is provided. The resealable container contains packaging for containing consumer products. The packaging has an access opening through which consumer products can be removed. The resealable container also contains an adhesive label covering the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package. The adhesive label is at least partially removably attached to the package by means of a resealable adhesive material provided on the inner surface of the label, extending at least in the package sealing portion located at the periphery of the access opening. At least the packaging sealing section is provided with a plurality of formations provided in a continuous repeating pattern and in spaced apart rows. The specified many formations provides a decrease in the effective area of the sealing area.

The term "effective area" is used throughout the description of the invention to refer to the area of the sealing area, which mainly contributes to the removal force when the adhesive label is removed from the lower surface of the inner packaging.

The term "inner surface" is used throughout the description of the invention to refer to the surface of a component of an assembled container that faces toward the inside of the container, such as consumer products, when the container is in the closed position. Similarly, the term "outer surface" is used throughout the description of the invention to refer to the surface of a component of a container that faces outward of the container. For example, the inner frame comprises an outer surface that faces the outer casing of the container and an inner surface that faces the inner packaging of the container. It should be noted that the inner or outer surface is not necessarily equivalent to the specific side of the workpiece used in the assembly of the container. Depending on how the workpiece is folded around consumer products, the areas that are on the same side of the container can be turned either inward or outward.

Providing a sealing area with multiple formations provides the ability to control the removal force. Moreover, providing a sealing portion with multiple formations can improve the tactile feel for the user when opening the resealable container. In addition, providing a sealing portion with multiple formations can improve the opening quality of the resealable container. The opening quality can be improved by reducing the standard deviation of the lifting force over a plurality of opening operations. This is particularly preferred in an embodiment of a sealed package, where sealing and printing an adhesive label works in conjunction with opening and closing a lid of a hinged container, such as, for example, described in WO-A-2008/142540. It has been found that, preferably, despite a decrease in the effective sealing area, the moisture resistance property of the sealing is maintained.

The adhesive label provided for closing the access opening comprises a resealable adhesive material so that the label can be removed from the packaging sealing portion and reattached several times. This makes it possible to repeatedly open and close the packaging for individual access to consumer products. The resealable adhesive material on the adhesive label will preferably provide sufficient adhesion for the label to be reattached at least as many times as there are consumer products inside the package. This allows the consumer to open and re-seal the packaging until the packaging is empty.

Suitable re-sealable adhesive materials would be known to one of skill in the art, and a large variety of adhesive materials are commercially available from several suppliers. The selection of a suitable adhesive material may depend on the material forming the packaging sealing portion with respect to which the adhesive label is sealed and re-sealed during use.

The adhesive label preferably contains a surface area free of adhesive material, where this surface area free of adhesive material corresponds to the size of the access opening in the package. When the lid is in the closed position with an adhesive label sealed relative to the package, this surface free of adhesive material closes the access opening in the inner package. This will prevent dust or small particles, such as tobacco fines or other residues from consumer products in the packaging, from sticking to the adhesive label. This may occur if the adhesive label comes into contact with consumer products in the inner packaging.

A package access opening may be defined by one or more weakening lines in the package. In this embodiment, one or more weakening lines define a portion for access of the package. By providing a package with a predetermined access area, the package can be more securely sealed before the first opening of the resealable container. This can increase the shelf life of consumer products contained in a resealable container. In this embodiment, the adhesive label preferably comprises an additional area of the inner surface of the adhesive label permanently attached to the access area of the package, limited by one or more weakening lines. The access area for the package is preferably partially separated from the rest of the package along one or more lines of weakening when the adhesive label is first opened so that the access area for the package remains attached to the rest of the package during subsequent opening and closing of the adhesive label. A resealable adhesive material provided on a first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may extend substantially along the entire periphery of the access area of the package.

Preferably, the adhesive label is permanently attached to the package, at least over the area of the resealable package. More preferably, the adhesive label is permanently attached to the package by means of a connecting portion extending substantially along the entire periphery of the adhesive label. The connecting portion is connected to the adhesive label along the edge of the adhesive label near the edge of the access area. Preferably, the connecting edge is located towards the rear of the upper side of the package.

A plurality of spaced apart series of formations may be substantially linear, or they may be substantially non-linear. Rows may comprise a combination of substantially linear rows and substantially non-linear rows. Rows may alternate between substantially linear rows and substantially non-linear rows. Alternatively, a plurality of substantially linear rows may be provided with one substantially non-linear row provided, for example, on the longitudinal center line of the package. Any other suitable combination of substantially linear series and non-linear series may be contemplated.

Essentially non-linear rows can be waved rows, or they can be zigzag rows. Essentially non-linear wave-like rows can be essentially constant wave functions, for example a sine wave. Essentially non-linear zigzag rows can be essentially constant zigzag wave functions, for example a triangular wave function or a sawtooth wave function.

Many formations are provided in a continuously repeating pattern. Many formations can thus be more easily fabricated using conventional stamping or pressing equipment, or printing equipment. A continuous repeating pattern can provide the user with an improved tactile feel when opening a resealable container. These formations are preferably equidistant from each other in the sealing region. As used herein, “equidistant” means that the distances between each formation and its neighboring formations are substantially the same. A continuous repeating pattern, preferably, can simplify manufacturing and provide consistent sealing quality across the whole set of sequentially manufactured re-sealed packages by eliminating the requirement for precise alignment of the pattern with the opening borders in the re-sealed package.

By controlling the pattern of the formations, the tactile sensation of the user can also be controlled. In addition, sealing of the adhesive label relative to the package can be controlled by, for example, providing fewer formations substantially adjacent to the access opening to locally increase the surface area of the sealing portion, and thereby improve sealing in close proximity to the access opening.

The rows of formations may be parallel with respect to the direction in which the adhesive label is removed from the package. Alternatively, the rows may be perpendicular to the direction in which the adhesive label is removed from the package. In a further embodiment, a combination of rows parallel to the direction in which the adhesive label is removed and rows perpendicular to the direction in which the adhesive label is removed can be provided.

The adhesive label is removed from the packaging along the longitudinal direction, and so where the rows of formations are parallel with respect to the removal direction, they are parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the package. Where the rows are perpendicular to the direction of removal, they are parallel to the transverse axis of the package.

By providing rows of formations parallel to the removal direction, the force required to remove the label from the package can be substantially constant during the removal operation. However, where the rows of formations are provided perpendicular to the direction of removal, the force required to remove the label from the package can vary from small to large removal forces during the removal operation. The force can be controlled by setting, for example, the gap between the rows of formations. Thus, the user can experience the effect of the fastener to provide the user with an improved tactile feel. In addition, providing rows of formations perpendicular to the direction of removal may produce sound when the adhesive label is removed from the package. Sound is produced by changing the removal force, causing the adhesive label to vibrate. By controlling the distance between each row of formations and the width of each row, the resulting sound can change when the adhesive label is removed from the package. For example, a short sound, such as tinkling, may occur every time the adhesive label is removed from the packaging.

Many formations can be provided essentially along the entire front wall of the package. Providing a plurality of formations substantially along the entire front wall of the package may allow for easier manufacture of the package, since formations can form in a continuous process. Similarly, multiple formations can be provided on all walls of the package, and thus, the package can be made even easier.

Formations can reduce the effective area of the sealing area by at least about 10 percent, preferably at least about 15 percent, more preferably at least about 17 percent. In embodiments, formations can reduce the effective area of the sealing area up to about 25 percent. Formations reduce the effective area of the sealing portion by protecting sections of the sealing portion from contact with the adhesive label. This can be achieved, for example, by depressed structures or extruded structures in the surface of the package.

The term “depressed structure” is used to refer to a recessed structure formed inward towards the package. The term “extruded structure” is used to refer to a protruding structure formed outward from the package. In the extruded structure, the effective surface area is reduced and the extruded structure does not increase the removal force, since the adhesive material of the adhesive layer falls on the extruded structure only partially or does not fall at all. In the embodiment with depressed structures, the adhesive layer rests mainly on the non-depressed surface so that the sealing and moisture retention properties of the sealing element are preserved. In an embodiment with an extruded structure, the effective surface area is reduced substantially to the vertex area of the extruded structures. In this embodiment, the non-extruded “troughs” between the extruded structures do not significantly increase the removal force, if at all. In embodiments, a combination of extruded and depressed structures may be desirable. In embodiments, the entire surface of the package may be extruded or depressed.

By preventing the adhesive label from contacting the package sealing portion in a controlled manner, the force required to remove the adhesive label from the package can be reduced, but the sealing formed between the adhesive label and the package is not adversely affected. Reducing the force required to remove the adhesive label from the package provides the ability to reduce the standard deviation of the removal force during the removal operation. Reducing the standard deviation of the removal force has the effect that the operation of removing the adhesive layer from the package is more the same.

Alternatively, a reduction in peeling force could be achieved by reducing the strength of the adhesive material used on the adhesive label. However, it was found that the strength of the adhesive material decreases with each removal operation, and thus, if the strength of the adhesive material of the adhesive label is reduced initially, the adhesive label may not work properly after a number of removal operations. Thus, a decrease in the effective area of the package sealing area preferably allows the strength of the adhesive material to remain appropriately high, while reducing the force required to remove the adhesive label from the package.

The shape of each formation may be round, triangular, rectangular, or any other suitable polygonal shape. The formation form, as used here, is a two-dimensional projection form on the surface of the package. The formation may have a three-dimensional shape, such as a hemisphere, cone, pyramid, truncated cone, cuboid, trapezoidal prism, or any other suitable three-dimensional shape.

Formations can be formed by indenting (to form depressions) or extruding (to form protrusions) of the packaging material. The indentation or extrusion is preferably carried out before the assembly of the package, and so that essentially the entire package can be provided with many formations. Alternatively, formations may be printed on the package. When formations are obtained by printing, varnish may be used for this purpose.

The package may comprise an inner frame provided in the package, designed to increase the structural resilience of the package so that the adhesive label can more easily be sealed relative to the package.

Preferably, the inner frame is a U-shaped inner frame having a front wall and a pair of opposing side walls. The term "U-shaped" is used to refer to a form that contains three parts, in which the first and third parts are parallel relative to each other and extend in the same direction perpendicular to the second part.

Preferably, the front wall of the inner frame is provided adjacent to the front wall of the package. Preferably, an inner frame with a large surface area provided adjacent to the front wall of the package increases the structural strength of the package. The increased structural strength provided by the inner frame allows for more reliable closing of the adhesive label. This is especially preferred for subsequent closing operations when the packaging is no longer complete.

Preferably, the inner frame comprises a cutout in the upper portion of the front wall. The cutout preferably corresponds to an access opening, and is provided so that consumer products in a package can be more easily accessed. In the place where the inner frame contains a cutout, the height of the inner frame is set as the distance from the bottom of the inner frame to the cutout.

As used here, the terms "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "upper part", "lower part" and "side" refer to the relative positions of portions of the containers in accordance with the invention and their components when the container is in a vertical position with the lid of the outer casing in the closed position and the hinge line, where available, on the rear of the container. When describing containers in accordance with the present invention, these terms are used regardless of the orientation of the described container. The rear wall of the container is a wall containing a hinge line.

In a preferred embodiment, a consumer product container is provided that comprises a box configured to accommodate a resealable packaging as described herein. The container also includes a lid pivotally connected to the box along an articulated line extending through the rear wall of the container.

In this preferred embodiment, the adhesive label may be permanently attached to the inner surface of the front wall of the lid so that when the lid is opened, the adhesive label is removed so as to open an access opening. Essentially, when the user opens the lid of the container, the adhesive label automatically opens to open the access opening, and when the user closes the lid, the adhesive label automatically closes to reseal the access opening.

The term "longitudinal" refers to the direction from the bottom to the top or vice versa. The term "transverse" refers to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

As used here, the term "height" refers to the size of the corresponding portion of the adhesive label, measured in the longitudinal direction, when the adhesive label is attached to the inner packaging. The term "width" refers to the size of the corresponding portion of the adhesive label, measured in the transverse direction, when the adhesive label is attached to the inner packaging.

The container is preferably a rectangular box containing two wider walls spaced apart from each other by two narrower walls.

The term “hinge line” refers to a line around which the lid can be rotated to open the container. The hinge line may be, for example, a folding line, a fold line or a fault line in a panel forming the rear wall of the container.

The container may be formed from any suitable materials, including, but not limited to, cardboard, paper board, plastic, metal, or combinations thereof. Preferably, each outer casing is made of one or more folded laminated cardboard blanks and, preferably, the cardboard has a mass of from about 100 grams per square meter to about 350 grams per square meter.

Preferably, the inner packaging is made of metal foil or metallized paper. The inner material of the package can be made in the form of a layered material of a metallized plastic film and shell material. The sheath material may be supercalandered glassine. In addition, the inner packaging material may be provided with a pattern-coating topcoat.

As described above, the containers in accordance with the invention may be in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped with rectangular longitudinal and rectangular transverse edges. Alternatively, the container may comprise one or more rounded longitudinal edges, rounded transverse edges, beveled longitudinal edges, or beveled transverse edges, or a combination thereof. For example, a container in accordance with the invention may contain, without limitation:

- One or two longitudinal rounded or chamfered edges on the front wall, and / or one or two longitudinal rounded or chamfered edges on the back wall.

- One or two transverse rounded or chamfered edges on the front wall, and / or one or two transverse rounded or chamfered edges on the back wall.

- One longitudinal rounded edge and one longitudinal beveled edge on the front wall, and / or one transverse rounded edge and one transverse beveled edge on the rear wall.

- One or two transverse rounded or chamfered edges on the front wall, and one or two longitudinal rounded or chamfered edges on the front wall.

- Two longitudinal rounded or chamfered edges on the first side wall or two transverse rounded or chamfered edges on the second side wall.

Where the container contains one or more beveled edges, preferably the beveled edge has a width of from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, preferably from about 2 to about 6 mm. Alternatively, the container may comprise a double bevel formed by three parallel fold or fault lines that are spaced apart so that two separate bevels are formed at the edge of the container.

Alternatively, the container may have a non-rectangular cross section, for example polygonal, such as triangular or hexagonal, semi-oval or semicircular.

The containers in accordance with the invention find particular use as packages for elongated smoking articles, such as, for example, cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos. It should be understood that through appropriate selections of their sizes, containers in accordance with the invention can be made for different quantities of cigarettes of traditional size, large size, super large size, thin or super thin. Alternatively, other consumer products may be placed inside the container.

By appropriately selecting their sizes, containers in accordance with the invention can be configured to contain different total quantities of smoking articles, or different locations of smoking articles. For example, by appropriately selecting their sizes, containers in accordance with the invention may be configured to contain a total of ten to thirty smoking articles.

Smoking products can be sorted in different ways, depending on the total number of smoking products. For example, smoking articles can be sorted into one row of six, seven, eight, nine, or ten. Alternatively, smoking articles may be sorted in two or more rows. Two or more rows may contain the same number of smoking articles. For example, smoking articles can be sorted into: two rows of five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten; three rows of five or seven; or four rows of four, five or six. Alternatively, two or more rows may include at least two rows containing a different number of smoking articles relative to each other. For example, smoking articles can be sorted into: a row of five and a row of six (5-6); a row of six and a row of seven (6-7); a row of seven and a row of eight (7-8); the middle row of five and two outer rows of six (6-5-6); the middle row of five and two outer rows of seven (7-5-7); middle row of six and two outer rows of five (5-6-5); middle row of six and two outer rows of seven (7-6-7); the middle row of seven and two outer rows of six (6-7-6); the middle row of nine and two outer rows of eight (8-9-8); or the middle row of six with one outer row of five and one outer row of seven (5-6-7).

Containers in accordance with the present invention may contain smoking articles of the same type or brand, or of different types or brands. Additionally, filterless smoking articles can be contained, as well as smoking articles with various filter mouthpieces, as well as smoking articles of different lengths (e.g., from about 40 mm to about 180 mm), diameter (e.g., from about 4 mm to about 9 mm) . Additionally, smoking articles may vary in taste strength, puff resistance, and overall transfer of particulate matter. Preferably, the dimensions of the container are made to the length of the smoking articles and the sorting of the smoking articles. As a rule, the external dimensions of the container are from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm, larger than the sizes of the group or groups of smoking articles placed inside the container.

The length, width and depth of the containers in accordance with the invention can be such that, in the closed position of the lid, the resulting overall dimensions of the container are similar to the dimensions of a conventional disposable pack with a hinged lid for twenty cigarettes.

Preferably, the containers in accordance with the invention have a height of about 60 mm to about 150 mm, more preferably a height of about 70 mm to about 125 mm, the height being measured from the bottom wall to the top wall of the container.

Preferably, the containers in accordance with the invention have a width of about 12 mm to about 150 mm, more preferably a width of about 70 mm to about 125 mm, the width being measured from one side wall to the other side wall of the container.

Preferably, the containers in accordance with the invention have a depth of from about 6 mm to about 150 mm, more preferably a depth of from about 12 mm to about 25 mm, the depth being measured from the front wall to the back wall of the container (containing a hinge between the box and the lid).

Preferably, the ratio of container height to container depth ranges from about 0.3 to 1 to about 10 to 1, more preferably from about 2 to 1 to about 8 to 1, most preferably from about 3 to 1 to 5 to 1.

Preferably, the ratio of container width to container depth ranges from about 0.3 to 1 to about 10 to 1, more preferably from about 2 to 1 to about 8 to 1, most preferably from about 2 to 1 to 3 to 1.

Preferably, the ratio of the height of the back wall of the lid to the height of the back wall of the carton of the outer shell is from about 0 to 1 (the lid is located on the upper edge of the container) to about 1 to 1, more preferably from about 1 to 5 to about 1 to 10, most preferably from about 1 to 6 to about 1 to 8.

Preferably, the ratio of the height of the front wall of the cover of the outer shell to the height of the front wall of the box of the outer shell is from about 1 to 0 (the cover covers the entire front wall) to about 1 to 10, more preferably from about 1 to 1 to about 1 to 5, most preferably from about 1 to 2 to about 1 to 3.

Where the container contains smoking articles, the container may further comprise compartments for waste (e.g., ash or cigarette butts) or other consumer products, e.g., matches, lighters, extinguishing agents, breath fresheners, or electronics. Other consumer products may be attached to the outside of the container, contained in the container along with smoking products, in a separate compartment of the container, or a combination thereof.

The outer surfaces of the containers in accordance with the invention may be imprinted, depressed (with a deep relief), extruded (with a protruding relief) or otherwise decorated with logos, trademarks, slogans of the manufacturer or brand and other consumer information and images.

When filled, containers in accordance with the invention can be wrapped in shrink film or otherwise wrapped with a transparent polymer film, for example, of high or low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, cellophane, or combinations thereof in a conventional manner. Where the containers of the invention are wrapped, the wrapper may include one or more tear-off tapes. In addition, the wrapper can be printed with images, consumer information or other data.

Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any suitable combination. In particular, aspects of the method can be applied to aspects of the device, and vice versa. Moreover, any, some and / or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and / or all features in any other aspect, in any suitable combination.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container in accordance with the present invention with the lid in the open position;

FIG. 2 is an example of a tactile pattern provided on a container; and

FIG. 3 (a) and (b) are examples of a tactile pattern in the transverse direction of removal, and in the same direction of removal, respectively.

In FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container 100 containing a resealable package with a lid in an open position. The container 100 comprises a box 102, and a lid 104 pivotally connected to the box via a hinge line on the rear wall of the box. The box has a resealable package 106 provided inside. The resealable package 106 is provided with an adhesive label 108 for sealing the resealable package when the container is not in use. An adhesive label 108 is permanently attached to the inner surface of the front wall 110 of the cap portion 104. By permanently attaching the adhesive label to the portion of the lid, the adhesive label is automatically removed from the resealable package when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position shown in FIG. one.

In order to allow the adhesive label to be more securely and easily resealable relative to the resealable package, the inner frame 112 is provided in the re-sealable package 106. The inner frame is a cardboard element having a front wall and two opposite side walls. The side walls of the inner frame 112 work to reinforce the front wall of the resealable package. Thus, the resealable package is more able to withstand the forces exerted on the front wall of the re-sealable package when the adhesive label is re-sealed relative to the package. An access hole 114 is provided in an upper wall and a front wall of a resealable package. As can be seen, a plurality of formations 116 are provided on the front wall of the resealable package over the area that the adhesive label seals with the package when in the closed position. This area is the sealing area of the resealable package, and the formations work to reduce the effective area of the sealing area, which is discussed in more detail below.

In use, when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, the adhesive label is automatically removed from the package so as to open an access opening. As you can see, the adhesive label is removed in the direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the container.

In FIG. 2 shows an example of a material 200 used for a sealing portion 116 of a resealable package 106. In this example, formations 202 are provided in the material. Formations are performed by indentation or extrusion in a material by means of stamping equipment before the material is formed into a resealable packaging. Formations 202 are in the shape of a pyramid, but may have any other suitable three-dimensional shape. In a preferred embodiment, the formations reduce the effective surface area of the sealing portion by about 17 percent. As can be seen, formations 202 are provided in spaced apart rows. The orientation of the rows is described in more detail below.

Indented or extruded formations work to reduce the effective area of the packaging sealing portion by preventing the adhesive label from contacting the portion of material in the formation. This has the effect of reducing the force required to remove the adhesive label from the sealing portion. This allows the re-sealable adhesive material used to seal the adhesive label relative to the package to have standard strength, but reduces the variation in the average force required to remove the adhesive label during a single peeling operation. Therefore, an improved tactile feel is provided to the user. The use of re-sealable adhesive material having standard strength ensures that the adhesive label remains adequately adhesive to seal the label even after a number of opening operations.

In FIG. 3 (a) and 3 (b) show examples of a tactile pattern in the transverse direction of removal, and in the same direction of removal, respectively. The material 300 shown in FIG. 3 (a) is provided with a plurality of formations in spaced apart rows, as described above with respect to FIG. 2. As indicated by arrow 302, the direction of removal is substantially parallel with respect to the direction of the rows of formations. When the rows of formations are parallel with respect to the direction of removal, the force required to remove the adhesive label from the sealing portion of the resealable package remains substantially constant during one opening operation. The result of the presence of rows of formations parallel to the direction of removal is to provide the user with a smooth tactile sensation.

Alternatively, and as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the material 304 for the packaging sealing portion is provided with a plurality of formations in spaced apart rows that are substantially perpendicular to the removal direction 306. By providing formations in spaced apart rows perpendicular to the direction of removal, a so-called fastener effect can be created. The fastener effect is felt by the user as changing from a large to a small force when the adhesive label is removed from the packaging. The initial force is large due to the surface area in the area next to the adhesive label removal line, which is continuous and continuous by means of formations in the material. The removal line is an imaginary line created between the adhesive label and the resealable packaging; it runs across the width of the adhesive label. When the removal line crosses a series of formations, the removal force is reduced due to a decrease in the surface area of the adhesive label in contact with the re-sealed package. As soon as the removal line passes over a number of formations, the surface area of the adhesive label in contact with the resealable package increases due to the absence of formations. This process is repeated every time a number of formations are encountered, and in this way a varying withdrawal force is created. By changing the space between the rows and the width of each row, the frequency and amplitude of the varying lifting force can be adjusted to provide the user with an improved tactile and potentially sonic feel.

Claims (19)

1. Re-sealed container for consumer products, containing: packaging for containing consumer products, the packaging having an access opening through which consumer products can be removed; and an adhesive label covering the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package, the adhesive label being at least partially removably attached to the packaging by re-sealing adhesive material provided on the inner surface of the label, extending at least in the sealing area packaging located on the periphery of the access opening, wherein at least the packaging sealing area is provided with a plurality of formations provided in a continuous repeating pattern and in rows spaced from each other, these rows being perpendicular to the direction in which the label peels off the package, while many formations are made to reduce the effective area of the sealing area a value of from about 10 to about 25%, and these formations are pressed or squeezed out in the package. 2. The resealable container of claim 1, wherein the rows are substantially linear. 3. The resealable container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the formations reduce said effective area by at least about 15%, preferably at least about 17%. 4. A resealable container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape of each formation is rectangular, triangular or round. 5. The resealable container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the formations are printed on the package. 6. The resealable container of claim 1 or 2, wherein substantially all of the packaging is provided with a plurality of formations. 7. The resealable container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the consumer products are smoking articles. 8. A container with a hinged lid for consumer products, comprising a box, a lid pivotally connected to the box through a hinge line extending through the back wall of the container, and a resealable container for consumer products, wherein the resealable container placed inside the box contains: packaging for containing consumer products, the packaging having an access opening through which consumer products can be removed; and an adhesive label covering the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package, the adhesive label being at least partially removably attached to the packaging by re-sealing adhesive material provided on the inner surface of the label, extending at least in the sealing area packaging located on the periphery of the access opening, wherein at least the packaging sealing area is provided with a plurality of formations provided in a continuous repeating pattern and in rows spaced from each other, these rows being perpendicular to the direction in which the label peels off the package, while many formations are made to reduce the effective area of the sealing area by a value of from about 10 to about 25%, moreover, the adhesive label is permanently attached to the inner surface of the front wall of the lid so that when opening the lid, the adhesive label is removed so as to open an access opening. 9. The hinged lid container of claim 8, wherein the formations are depressed or extruded into the package. 10. The hinged lid container of claim 8 or 9, wherein the adhesive label forms a convex shape when the lid is moved to the open position. 11. The hinged lid container of claim 8 or 9, wherein the formations reduce said effective area by at least about 15%, preferably at least about 17%. 12. The hinged lid container of claim 8 or 9, wherein the consumer products are smoking articles.

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