TWI565634B - Hinge lid container having hermetic seal and method of hermetically sealing a container - Google Patents

Description

Pivot lid container with sealing portion and method for sealing container

The present invention is directed to a pivotal lid container having a sealable coating that provides a seal to the container prior to first opening of the container. The container of the present invention is derived from a special application as a tobacco container such as a filter cigarette.

It is well known to package consumer goods in pivotal lid containers composed of folded blanks. For example, long-shaped smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars are usually sold in a pivotal lid package having a box for containing the smoking article and a cover, the cover being along a A pivot line extending from the back wall of the container connects the case. The package is generally constructed from a single piece of blank cardboard. In use, the cover rotates about the pivot line to open the package to obtain the smoking article contained in the case.

Pivot lid containers are commonly used to package cigarettes and other consumer goods that have a detrimental effect on prolonged exposure to air or moisture. Therefore, the filled container is usually wrapped in an outer package before being first opened. The outer package provides a barrier to prevent air or moisture from intruding into the container from the outside to the inside during storage, or the odor and fragrance are dissipated from inside the container. Transparent plastic materials, such as polypropylene, are commonly used for this purpose. The use of the outer packaging ensures that the consumer product remains fresh for a long time and increases the shelf life of the consumer product. However, the benefits of the outer packaging depend on the sealing quality of the outer packaging of the container on its end.

Traditional cigarette box packaging, wrapped in paper/metal foil The cigarette pack is composed of a container that is generally formed of cardboard. The container typically has a pivotal cover to provide access to the cigarette pack. The container is often formed from a pre-printed and wrapped cardboard material that is folded over and wrapped around the cigarette pack. The container is then wrapped in a heat-sealable transparent film, the heat-sealed transparent film, most commonly a polypropylene having an embedded tear-off tape, which facilitates its easy opening. .

Of these packaging components, only the outermost film provides significant benefits in stabilizing the shelf life of the packaged cigarette. As a moisture barrier, the benefits of plastic film are highly dependent on its adequate sealing on the folded, overlapping areas. Nevertheless, the low moisture permeability of the plastic film can help to maintain the manufacturing time when the cigarette is packaged, in an environment exposed to the humidity of the cigarette case, whether it is higher or lower than the internal humidity of the cigarette case. Initial humidity and other volatile substances that maintain the cigarette. While polypropylene films are commonly used in exterior packaging, other film materials, such as vacuum metallized plastic films, are still used to reduce moisture permeability. However, these materials are also highly dependent on the proper sealing of the folded, overlapping areas of the film as it wraps around the container.

The above has been filed, for example in WO-A-2009/083344, which claims a plastic coating of a continuously filled container to provide a better seal.

It is desirable to provide a new way to prevent air or moisture from intruding into the container from the outside to the inside during storage of the container, or to dissipate the odor and fragrance from the inside of the container.

According to the present invention, a container for a consumer product is provided, comprising: a case for containing the consumer goods; an inner frame mounted in the case and having a case in the case An upper portion extending above the upper edge of the body; and a pivoting cover body coupled to the casing along a pivotal connection and pivotable about the pivotal connection between an open position and a closed position, wherein the closed position An inner surface of the pivotal cover is in contact with the upper outer surface of the inner frame. The inner surface of the pivoting cover and the outer surface of the upper portion of the inner frame are partially covered by a sealable coating made of a sealable material. The sealable material can be adhered to itself or to other areas of the container that are not covered by the sealable coating. For example, the cardboard coated with the sealable material can be used as an example. The material can be sealed, or one of the areas is an uncovered area on the container. The sealable coating on the contact surface between the pivotal cover and the inner frame is coupled to each other to form a hermetic seal before the pivotal cover formed with the sealable coating is first opened.

The "inner surface" of the container assembly of the present invention refers to the surface facing the interior of the container and the consumer goods in the casing. The "inner surface" is generally provided on the inside surface of the container when the pivotal cover is in the closed position. The assembly of the container includes the case, the cover of the container, and the inner frame.

The "outer surface" of the container assembly of the present invention refers to the exterior facing the exterior of the container and away from the surface of the consumer product in the casing. In some cases, the outer surface of the component, such as the outer surface of the casing, may also provide an outer surface of the container when the pivoting cover is in either the open or closed position. In some cases, the outer surface of the component is in the The pivoting cover is not in the open position or the closed position, or both, and does not form the outer surface of the container, but conversely, when the pivotal cover is in the open position or the closed position, or both, Covered by a sheet of other components of the container. For example, when the pivoting cover is in the closed position, the outer surface of the upper portion of the inner frame is shielded by the pivotal cover. The remaining portion of the outer surface of the inner frame is shielded by the wall of the casing when the pivotal cover is in either the open position or the closed position.

The term "sealable" is used to refer to a type of adhesive material that can be exposed to specific conditions, such as heat, pressure, ultrasonic or ultraviolet light, and then form a seal. The sealable material generally does not adhere to itself or other surfaces of the container prior to exposure to these particular conditions. This means that it can be conveniently applied to the blank during the production of the board prior to filling and assembly of the container to form a container according to the invention. In the container of the present invention, the sealable material can be intimately attached to itself or other areas of the container, thereby securing the pivotal cover in the closed position and prior to opening the container for the first time. A moisture-tight seal is provided between the cover and the inner frame.

The "airtight seal" provided by the present invention is a waterproof gas sealing member which greatly blocks the moisture and moisture on the container from migrating from the outside to the inside of the accommodating consumer goods, or from the container Internal to external migration. This ensures that the humidity within the container remains substantially constant during the closure of the container. This is advantageous in increasing the shelf life of the consumer goods contained in the container.

Preferably, through the hermetic seal of the container of the present invention, the moisture transfer rate is less than 200 square meters per day according to ASTM method D3079-94. 15 grams of water. More preferably, through the hermetic seal of the container of the present invention, the moisture transfer rate is between about 0.2 grams of water per square meter per day to about 8 grams of water per square meter per day, said per square meter. In terms of the surface area of the hermetic seal.

The main way in which the container in the closed state of the pivotal cover, such as oxygen or moisture, penetrates into the consumer goods contained in the container case may be between the pivot cover and the case or the inner frame. The gap. Therefore, in the pivotal lid container according to the present invention, a sealable coating is provided on the contact surface of the pivotal cover and the inner frame to provide a hermetic seal so that the gas can no longer enter through the gap. In the container.

Advantageously, the hermetic seal provided by the sealable coating provides an effective barrier that eliminates the need for external packaging or coating to achieve the desired level of shelf life in the container. Therefore, the last step of wrapping the container can be omitted from the product packaging program. Therefore, no matter whether it is wrapping equipment or packaging materials, it is no longer needed. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the container according to the present invention is more efficient than the existing program, both in terms of time and cost.

In addition, the hermetic seal formed by the combination of the sealable coatings advantageously provides a form of seal that is clearly tamper-evident to allow the consumer to discern whether the container was previously opened or tampered in any manner. The filled seals sold at the point of sale should have a hermetic seal that is intact and the consumer must destroy the hermetic seal to obtain consumer goods. There is a perfect seal between the pivotal cover and the inner frame, which indicates that the pivotal cover has not been opened and the consumer goods have not been taken. use. This can also be reflected to the consumer, since the airtight seal has not been destroyed, the consumer goods in the container are still fresh.

Advantageously, the seal coat material can be applied to the surface of the container during the preparation of the blank, so the procedure for assembling and filling the container of the present invention can be accomplished using conventional apparatus and methods. The only necessary procedural modification is to place the filling container under the necessary conditions, such as heat or pressure, to form a sealable seal between the pivoting cover and the inner frame. In addition, the sheet system is successively bonded in different sealing steps.

In order to provide a waterproof gas seal between the pivotal cover and the inner frame, the sealable coating preferably covers the outer surface of the inner frame and the entire surface area of the inner surface of the pivotal cover, the outer surface of the inner frame and the pivot The inner surface of the cover is in contact with each other when the pivotal cover is in the closed position. This further prevents gas from entering the container via any gaps or breaches in the seal.

A full coverage of the sealable coating can be conveniently accomplished by applying the entire surface to a blank or paperboard used to form the pivotal cover and inner frame. For example, the inner surface of the blank used to form the pivotal cover of the container of the present invention (optionally including a casing) may be entirely coated with a sealable material. The "inner surface" of the blank refers to the cardboard side surface that forms the pivotal cover and most of the interior surface of the casing after assembly of the container. Typically, most of its opposite, outer surface will be printed with a pattern and text to be displayed on the exterior of the assembled container.

Once sealed, the sealable material should provide a seal of sufficient strength between the pivotal cover and the inner frame to maintain airtightness and maintain the pivotal cover in place prior to the first opening of the container. However, it must also The consumer can easily break the seal without breaking the container and separate the pivotal cover from the inner frame to obtain consumer goods. Accordingly, the sealing force between the pivotal cover and the inner frame is preferably between 2 Newtons and 7 Newtons, and preferably between about 2 Newtons and about 4 Newtons.

Preferably, the sealable coating on the outer surface of the inner frame extends below the free edge of the casing such that the sealable coating can also be used to provide a hermetic seal between the inner frame and the inner surface of the casing. In a particularly convenient manner, the inner surface of the blank or paperboard forming the pivotal cover and the casing is completely coated with the sealable material. Advantageously, the simplification of the positioning of the inner frame in the casing is also provided when the sealable material is over and under the upper edge of the front wall of the casing. The seal between the inner frame and the casing ensures that the inner frame maintains its position within the casing and, in turn, enhances the seal of the container prior to first opening.

The sealable coating can be formed from any suitable sealing material that can be sealed in some cases, and the sealing material can be conveniently provided during the production of the filled container without consumable consumption in the container. Goods have an adverse effect. A preferred sealable material includes a heat sealable material that becomes viscous and can be adhered after heating. Suitable sealable materials include non-aqueous or water-based materials that can later become water or water vapor resistant. For example, suitable sealable materials include, but are not limited to, polyolefins, PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), resins, and viscous waxes. Preferably, the outer package is coated with a sealable polyolefin, or a combination of: polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, propylene-butene copolymer, ethylene-butene copolymer, Ethylene-propylene- Butene copolymer.

The sealable coating is preferably applied as a solvent, oil or aqueous emulsion or as a dispersed solution of at least one of the above coating materials. The dry weight of the coating is preferably between about 1 gram per square meter and about 100 grams per square meter (GSM).

Containers according to the present invention are typically assembled in a conventional manner by wrapping more than one blank around a consumer product and then overlapping the sheets of the blank together to maintain the assembled shape of the container. This can be done by the use of conventional glue or adhesive. However, when using standard bonding techniques, the adhesive used to seal the container laminate is typically not applied over the entire surface area of the contact surface. Therefore, even if the laminated sheets are successfully joined, it is possible that the unbonded portions may contain slits or passages extending inside and outside the container. This means that the sealing between the laminated sheets is not completely waterproof, so that air or moisture can still invade the container, adversely affecting the consumer goods.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one wall of each container includes an inner flap and a flap folded over the inner flap, wherein a contact surface of the inner flap and the outer flap is covered In a sealable coating, the sealable coating is made of a sealable material capable of being used as a seal, and wherein the inner flap and the sealable coating on the outer flap are combined to form a hermetic seal unit. Preferably, the area covered by the seal coat is approximately 100% of the contact surface. In addition, a lower coverage can be achieved by appropriate selection of the shape of the region, for example between about 30% and about 100% of the contact surface. The sealable material between the folded inner and outer flaps is preferably as described above for providing airtightness between the pivotal cover and the inner frame The same material of the seal.

Preferably, the sealable material replaces the conventional adhesive, and is used to seal the pivotal cover and the inner frame, and is used to hermetically close all the stacked sheets of the container. For example, in the conventional construction of the pivotal lid container, the sealable material can be used to closely bond the side wall body and the bottom wall body of the box body, or the laminated body of the side wall body and the top wall body of the pivotal cover body. In this manner, the seals in the container are made of a water-repellent gas, which further reduces the migration of moisture into the container.

In the case of being applied to the contact surface of the pivotal cover and the inner frame, the sealable material preferably covers the entire surface area of the contact surface between the inner flap and the outer folded sheet, thereby completing In the rear seal, there will be no gaps or breaks that allow air or moisture to penetrate.

Preferably, the sealing force between the laminated sheets is adjusted to maintain the seals airtight and of sufficient strength to withstand the stresses encountered in the supply chain or during use. The seal between the container-folded sheets, unlike the seal between the pivotal cover and the inner frame, is generally undesirable for damage by the user. In addition, the seal should still be intact when the necessary stress is applied to break the seal between the pivotal cover and the inner frame. Therefore, the sealing force between the laminated sheets is at least about 4 Newtons, preferably at least the same as the sealing force applied to the pivotal cover and the inner frame, the stronger the better.

Preferably, the sealable coating is applied to the sheet of the corresponding green sheet or paperboard used to form the box and the pivotal cover, thus completely covering the sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the inner surface of the blank or paperboard is completely covered by a sealable coating, as described above. In addition, the pivot cover and the box The inner flap in the laminated body of the body must be completely covered on the outer surface of the sheet to seal the coating. If desired, the blank or paperboard can be completely covered to seal the coating.

Preferably, the consumer product within the container of the container of the present invention is wrapped in an inner liner to further ensure that the consumer product remains fresh during storage. Preferably, the liner comprises more than one tear line defining an opening tab, wherein the opening tab is separated from the remainder of the liner to provide a consumer on the liner Import and export of sex goods can be taken out. If desired, a resealable adhesive label can be placed over the opening tab of the liner such that the opening tab can be resealed to the closed position during multiple uses.

In some preferred embodiments, the opening tab of the inner liner is adhered to the inner surface of the pivoting cover body, so that the pivoting of the pivoting cover body to the open position can simultaneously cause the opening tab to be separated from the opening. The remaining part of the liner is lined to form an inlet and outlet. The opening tab can be directly adhered to the inner surface of the pivoting cover body, and can also be adhered to the surface via a viscous label or the like.

Preferably, the inner liner is at least partially in contact with the casing, and the outer surface of the inner liner and the inner surface of the casing are at least partially covered with a sealable coating made of a sealable material. Preferably, the sealable coating on the contact surface of the liner and the casing is bonded to each other. The sealing force between the liner and the casing is preferably at least about 4 Newtons. The sealable material for joining the inner liner to the casing is preferably the same as the sealable material used for the hermetic seal between the pivotal cover and the inner frame. The sealable material secures the liner to the casing, so the open tab can be easily separated from the remainder of the liner without having to replace the liner or pull the entire liner from the casing Out.

Preferably, the lining is formed of metal foil or metal paper.

In a preferred embodiment, the blank used to form the casing has an inner surface that has been covered by a sealable coating, as described above. In order to achieve a seal between the liner and the casing, the sealable coating should also be applied to the outer surface of at least a portion of the liner.

Preferably, the container according to the present invention further comprises a layer of resealable adhesive applied to the sealable coating of at least one region of the outer surface of the inner frame, wherein the resealable adhesive detachably seals the The pivot cover is in the closed position. Once the hermetic seal is broken, the resealable adhesive allows the pivotal cover to be resealed in the closed position during use. In this way, the pivotal cover can be prevented from being inadvertently opened. This ensures that the consumer goods, when the container is first opened, retains as much freshness as possible and also prevents dust or other foreign particles from entering the container and accessing the consumer goods.

Preferably, the resealable adhesive will provide sufficient adhesion to the pivotal cover to allow it to be resealed in the closed position at least multiple times when there is still a consumer item in the container, so that the container is empty. Previously, the pivotal cover can be resealed.

Suitable materials for use as resealable adhesives are known to the skilled person. In one example of the invention, the resealable adhesive comprises an acrylic composition. Preferably, the resealable adhesive is applied as an aqueous emulsion or a dispersion solution comprising a viscous component. The dry weight of the resealable adhesive is preferably between about 1 gram per square meter and about 50 grams per square meter (GSM).

Preferably, the front wall of the pivotal cover includes a pull tab extending from the free edge of the front wall. Preferably, the front wall of the box body includes a cutout portion on the free side, and the shape, the size and the position thereof correspond to the pull tab of the pivoting cover body, so the pull tab is in the closed position of the pivotal cover body. It can be attached to the cutout portion. The pull tab facilitates the opening of the pivotal cover and, in particular, facilitates the breaking of the seal between the cover and the inner frame when the container is first opened. If desired, the pull tab can be attached to the front wall along a pivot line (e.g., a fold line) to further assist the consumer in grasping the pull tab during use. The pull tab may be in a state of extending only a part of the free edge of the front wall of the pivotal cover body, or may extend in a state in which all free edges extend. Wherein, when the pull tab is in a state in which only a part of the free edge extends, the pull tab is preferably located substantially at the center of the free side of the front wall body.

In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the container further includes a viscous tear strip that is disposed on more than one free edge of the pivotal cover before the pivotal cover is first opened, thereby The cover is sealed in the closed position. The viscous tear strip provides an additional hermetic seal at least at a junction between the pivotal cover and the inner frame or the corresponding free edge of the casing when the pivotal cover is in the closed position. unit. This further improves the sealing of the pivoting cover closure. The viscous tear strip must first be removed from the container and the pivotal cover is rotated to the open position.

Preferably, the viscous tear strip extends at least at the interface between the front wall of the pivotal cover body and the inner frame, or the corresponding free edge of the casing. Alternatively, the viscous tear strip can also be extended along the boundary between the edge of the pivotal body of the cover body and the inner frame, or the corresponding free edge of the side wall of the box body. Thus, the viscous tear strip covers the length of the free edge of the entire pivotal cover. Preferably, the viscous tear strip extending along the boundary between the side wall of the container and the side wall of the pivotal cover and the free edge of the front wall is substantially horizontal. In this way, the interface extending around the container and located between the pivotal cover and the inner frame or the casing is substantially in a straight line. This facilitates the laying and removal of the viscous tear strip.

Suitable materials for forming the viscous tear strip are well known to those skilled in the art. In one example, a viscous, tear-off tape made of an OPP (Oriented Polypropylene) is provided.

In addition to or in addition to the viscous tear strip, the container according to the present invention may further have a viscous label disposed on the free side of the pivotal cover and connected to the pivotal cover before the container is first unsealed. To the casing, wherein the adhesive label comprises a tear line, the tear line substantially overlapping the free side of the pivotal cover body, such that the first time the pivotal cover is rotated to the open position, the adhesive The sexual label can be separated along the tear line. Since the intact adhesive label represents that the container has not been opened or tampered, the adhesive label provides another form of seal that prevents tampering.

Preferably, the container according to the present invention further includes a port extending from opposite ends of the pivot line across the back wall to the side edges of the adjacent container back wall. Preferably, each slit extends no more than about 2 millimeters from the side. Typically, conventional pivotal lid containers also have a similarly incision for improving the opening and closing of the pivotal lid. However, the slit in the container of the present invention is relatively short in length compared to the slit in the conventional container. For example, the length of the slit in the container of the present invention is preferably half the length of the slit in a conventional container. The length is shortened The mouth can further reduce the chance of oxygen, moisture or other gases entering the container through any potential route during storage. Thus, the shortened slit further enhances the seal of the container of the present invention prior to first opening.

As mentioned above, the container according to the invention is preferably formed from more than one blank having a sealable coating applied to the paper or a suitable surface of the paperboard.

According to the present invention, a blank for forming a container as claimed above is provided, the paperboard comprising a box forming portion and a pivoting lid forming portion, wherein the inner surface of the pivoting lid forming portion The cover is covered with a sealable coating made of a sealable material that can be used for sealing. The blank of the present invention is used for combination to form a green sheet for forming an inner frame, the blank of the inner frame is disposed inside the container case, and the outer surface thereof has a surface for pivoting the inner surface of the cover. A sealable coating that combines a sealable coating.

According to the invention, it is also provided a method for hermetically sealing a container for consumer goods, as described above, the method comprising: on the inner surface of the pivotal cover and the inner frame Providing a sealable coating on the outer surface; providing a consumer product at the casing; moving the pivoting cover to a closed position; and combining the inner frame with the sealable coating on the contact surface of the pivotal cover, To form a hermetic seal. The bonding step in the method of the present invention preferably includes exposing the coating to heat, pressure, or both to impart adhesion to the sealable material.

The container according to the present invention may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a right-angled longitudinal side and a right-angled lateral side. In addition, the container may include one to Upper longitudinal round, lateral rounded, longitudinally rounded or transversely rounded, or a combination thereof. For example, a container in accordance with the present invention may include, but is not limited to:

- one or two longitudinal rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and/or one or two longitudinal rounded or beveled edges on the rear wall.

- one or two transverse rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and/or one or two transverse rounded or beveled edges on the rear wall.

- one or two longitudinal rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and/or one or two transverse rounded or beveled edges on the rear wall.

- one or two transverse rounded or beveled edges on the front wall and one or two longitudinal rounded or beveled edges on the front wall.

- two longitudinal rounded or beveled edges on the front side wall or two transverse rounded or beveled sides on the second side wall.

Wherein the container comprises one or more rounded edges composed of one or more blanks, preferably the cardboard has three, four, five, six or seven crease lines or creasing lines to form the assembled Each rounded edge of the container. The crease line or creasing line may be inside or outside the container. Preferably, the crease line or the indentation line is spaced apart from each other by between about 0.3 mm and 4 mm.

Preferably, the spacing of the crease lines or creasing lines is a function of the thickness of the blank. Preferably, the spacing between the crease lines or the indentation lines is between about 0.5 and about 4 times the thickness of the blank.

Where the container comprises more than one bevel, preferably the bevel has a width of between about 1 mm and about 10 mm, preferably between about 2 mm and about 6 mm. Alternatively, the container may include a double beveled configuration that is separated by three parallel crease lines or creasing lines. The arrangement is formed by forming two different bevels on the edge of the container.

Wherein the container having a beveled edge and consisting of more than one blank, the bevel may be formed by two parallel crease lines or indentation lines on the blank. The crease line or the creasing line can be symmetrically arranged on a corner between a first wall and a second wall. Or, the crease line or the creasing line may be symmetrically arranged on a corner between the first wall body and the second wall body, and the inclined surface on the first wall of the container is compared to the second wall body The upper slope is deeper into the first wall.

Alternatively, the container may have a non-rectangular transverse cross-section, such as a triangle or hexagon, or an ellipse, a semi-ellipse, a circle or a semi-circle, and the like.

The application derived from the container according to the invention is as a package for long-form smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos.

A hermetically sealed package of a smoking article according to the present invention, comprising a container according to the present invention, as described above, having a plurality of smoking articles housed in the casing, wherein the inner surface of the pivoting cover and the inner frame are The sealable coating between the surfaces is intact to provide a hermetic seal.

Preferably, the container of the present invention can also be designed for use with varying degrees of conventional size cigarettes by size, suitably selected: large, oversized, thin or ultra-thin.

By appropriately selecting the size thereof, the container according to the invention can be designed to contain different total quantities of smoking articles, or differently designed smoking articles. For example, the container of the present invention can be designed to contain ten to thirty cigarettes by appropriately selecting its size.

The smoking items in the container can be arranged in different ordering rules, depending on The total number of cigarettes. For example, smoking products may be arranged in a row of six, seven, eight, nine or ten. In addition, smoking may be arranged in two or more rows. In two or more rows, the same number of smoking items can be included. For example, the smoking article may be arranged such that the two rows each comprise five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten; or the three rows each comprise five or seven; or the four rows each comprise four, five or six. In addition, among the two or more cigarettes, at least two rows may contain different amounts of tobacco products from each other. For example, smoking products may be arranged as: five in a row and six in a row (5-6); six in a row and seven in a row (6-7); seven in a row and eight in a row (7-8); The five and two outer rows have six (6-5-6); one central bank has five and two outer rows have seven (7-5-7); one central bank has six and two outer rows have five ( 5-6-5) The central bank has seven and two outer rows with seven (7-6-7); one central bank has seven and two outer rows with six (6-7-6); The nine and two outer rows have eight (8-9-8); one central bank has six, one outer row has five and one outer row has seven (5-6-7).

A container according to the invention can accommodate smoking articles of the same type or brand, or of different types or brands. In addition, whether it is a filterless smoking article and a smoking article having various filters, it is of a different length (for example, between about 40 mm and about 180 mm) and a diameter (for example, between about 4 mm and about 9 mm). Between the smoke products, can accommodate. In addition, smoking products may have different tastes, suction resistance and total particulate matter supply. Preferably, the size of the container can be adapted to match the length or stacking of the smoking article. Typically, the outer diameter of the container is greater than about 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

The container according to the present invention may have a length, width and depth such that, in the closed position, the final overall size of the container is close to the size of a disposable flip-top package of a typical twenty cigarette.

Preferably, the container of the present invention has a height of between about 60 mm and 150 mm, preferably between about 70 mm and about 125 mm, wherein the height is measured from the top of the container. The wall to the bottom wall are measured.

Preferably, the container of the present invention has a width of between about 12 mm and 150 mm, preferably about 70 mm and about 125 mm, wherein the width is measured from one side wall of the container to the other side wall. The body is measured.

Preferably, the depth of the container of the present invention is between about 6 mm and 100 mm, and preferably, the depth is between about 12 mm and about 25 mm, wherein the depth is measured by The front wall body of the container is measured to the back wall body (including a pivotal portion between the box body and the cover body).

Preferably, the height to depth ratio of the container is between about 0.3 to 1 and about 10 to 1, preferably between about 2 to 1 and about 8 to 1, preferably between about 3 to 1 and about 5 to 1.

Preferably, the width to depth ratio of the container is between about 0.3 to 1 and about 10 to 1, preferably between about 2 to 1 and about 8 to 1, preferably about 2 Between 1 and 3 to 1.

Although sealed, the container of the present invention, once filled, will be shrink wrapped or otherwise coated with a transparent polymer film, for example, low density or high density polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, Polyvinylidene chloride, cellulose film, or a combination thereof in a conventional manner. this The inventive container may also have an outer wrap that may contain more than one viscous tear strip. In addition, images, consumer data or other data can be printed on the external packaging. This additional outer packaging can facilitate the protection of the container, such as protection against surface wear during handling.

Like the containment of a smoking roll, the container can further contain other consumer goods such as matches, lighters, fire extinguishing tools, breath fresheners or electronic items. The other consumer goods may also be attached to the tobacco product in a container and attached to the exterior of the container in the form of a component separate from the container or in a combined form.

The outer surface of the container of the present invention may be printed, embossed, embossed or otherwise adorned with manufacturer information or brand logos, trademarks, slogans and other consumer information.

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

The pivotal lid container (2) shown in Fig. 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped comprising a box body (10) and a lid body (20) pivotally connected to the box body along a pivot line (45). (10) The pivot line extends substantially horizontally along the back wall of the container (2). A wrapped cigarette roll (not shown) is received in the casing (10) of the container (2). The total volume and structure of the casing (10) and the cover (hereinafter also referred to as the pivotal cover) (20) of the container (2) are substantially the same as those of the general pivotal cover cigarette.

The box body (10) has a box front wall body (12), a box left side wall body (14), a box right side wall body (15), a box body back wall body, and a box bottom wall body. . The top side of the box (10) is open to provide a For the upper opening of the cigarette. The box front wall (12) includes a semi-circular cutout (16) on its upper free edge (18). Each of the casing side walls (14), (15) is formed by an inner flap (14a), (15a) and a superposed outer flap (14b), (14a), wherein the inner flap is The outer flaps are sealed together as described below.

The terms "before", "after", "upper", "lower", "side", "top", "bottom", and other terms used to describe the relative position of the components of the container (2) of the present invention are based on The container is set up vertically with the cover (20) at the top and the pivot at the back. The terms "left" and "right" are used as a reference for the side wall of the container when the container (2) is vertically set and viewed from the front. When the vertically set container is opened, the cigarette contained in the case (10) can be taken out through the top of the container (2).

The cover body (20) has a cover front wall body (22), a cover left side wall body (24), a cover right side wall body (25), a cover body back wall body and a cover top wall body. . A semi-circular pull tab (26) extends from the free edge (28) of the front body (22) of the cover. The pull tab (26) has a size, shape and position corresponding to the slit (16) of the front wall (12) of the casing. Each of the cover body walls (24), (25) is formed by an inner flap (24a), (25a) and a superposed outer flap (24b), (24a), wherein the inner flap is The outer flaps are sealed together as described below.

When the container (2) is closed, the free edge of the wall of the cover (20) and the free edge of the wall of the case (10) abut each other along an abutting edge line, and the pull tab (26) is adapted In the semicircular incision (16). In the closed position, the wall of the cover (20) thus forms an extension on the wall of the corresponding casing (10) to construct the wall of the container (2).

An inner frame (30) is mounted in the casing (10) of the container (2). The inner frame (30) includes an inner frame front wall body (32), an inner frame left side wall body (34) and an inner frame right side wall body respectively joined to the box front wall body (12) and the left side of the box body. The wall and the inner surface of the right side wall (14) of the casing. The inner frame front wall (32) is provided with a rectangular cutout (36) on its top free edge for facilitating removal of the cigarette from the casing (10). The inner frame front wall (32) is of sufficient length to extend below the slit (16) of the front wall (12) of the casing.

The casing (10) and the lid (20) of the container (2) are formed by a single green sheet (102) shown in Fig. 2a. The dashed line indicates the fold line in its cardboard. The blank (102) includes a box forming region (110) and a lid forming region (120) that are interconnected along a pivot line (45). The inner surface of the blank (102) is completely coated with a sealable coating made of a polyolefin material to enable sealing. The inner surface of the green sheet (102) serves as the inner surface of the pivotal cover (20) and the casing (10), and thus, the sealable coating covers the inner surface of the assembled container (2). The outer surface of the blank (102), as shown in Figure 2a, is additionally attached to the sheet and coated in a slantable region as disclosed in Figure 2a with a sealable coating. Among the assembled containers, the sheet systems correspond to the inner flaps (14a), (15a) which are the side wall bodies of the case, and the inner flaps (24a), (25a) which are the side wall bodies of the cover.

The inner frame (30) of the container (2) is composed of a green sheet (130) as shown in Fig. 2b. The dashed line indicates the fold line in the cardboard. The outer surface of the green sheet (130), as shown in Fig. 2b, is located on the frame front wall body (32) and the inner frame side wall bodies (34), (35), and is located near the free side of the assembled container. This area is coated with a sealable coating (138). The sealable coating also extends down the front wall of the frame to cover the area of the wall that is accessible to the front wall of the assembled container. As shown in Figure 2a, the sealable coating is the shaded area shown in Figure 2a.

In the process of assembling the container from the blanks (102), (130), the inner frame (30) is installed in the box portion, so that the sealable coating (138) can be set In the correct position close to the free end of the casing (10). A sealable coating on a portion below the front wall (32) of the frame is in contact with a sealable coating on the inner surface of the front wall (12) of the casing, and the sealable coatings are subsequently heated and bonded to each other To provide a hermetic seal between the front wall of the frame (32) and the front wall (12) of the casing.

After the container (2) is assembled through the blank and the container is filled with the smoking roll, the pivoting cover (20) is closed to allow the sealable coating on the inner surface of the pivoting cover (20) The sealable coating on the outer surface of the inner frame (30) is in contact. The sealable coatings are then heated to bond them to each other to provide a hermetic seal between the pivotal cover (20) and the inner frame (30).

When the container (2) is opened for the first time, the consumer can grasp the pull tab (26) and pull the pivot cover (20) to break the gas between the pivotal cover (20) and the inner frame (30). The sealing portion is rotated, and then the pivoting cover (20) is rotated toward the open position shown in FIG.

In another embodiment, the resealable adhesive of the container (2) is disposed on at least the front wall (32) of the frame, such that, between multiple uses, even if the coating is formed The hermetic seal has been broken and the pivotal cover can still be resealed from the closed position.

The container (50) shown in Fig. 3 is similar in structure to the container (2) shown in Fig. 1, and includes a pivotal cover (20') connected to the case for containing tobacco products. Body (10'). The pivotal cover is hermetically sealed to the inner frame as a result of the bonding between the seal coatings, as described above with respect to the container (2). In addition, in the container (50), a viscous tear strip (52) is disposed on the abutting edge between the free edge of the pivotal cover (20') and the free edge of the box portion (10'). Above. The abutting edge line is different from the abutting edge of the container (2) in the form of a straight horizontal line extending across the front wall and the sides of the container. As a result, the position of the pivot line (45) is above the height of the free edge of the side wall of the cover body of the container back wall body when the pivotal cover is in the closed position. In order to maintain the straightness of the abutting edge, no pull tab or slit is provided on the cover body and the front wall of the casing.

The container (50) shown in Fig. 3 has its viscous tear strip (52) partially detached. To open the container (50) for the first time, the viscous tear strip (52) must be completely removed from the container and break the hermetic seal between the pivotal cover (20') and the inner frame, as above Said.

2‧‧‧ Container

10‧‧‧Box

12‧‧‧ front wall of the box

14‧‧‧ left side wall of the box

14a‧‧‧ inner/outer flaps

14b‧‧‧Outer Folds

15‧‧‧The right side wall of the box

15a‧‧‧ inner flap

16‧‧‧Incision

18‧‧‧Free side

20‧‧‧ cover/pivot cover

22‧‧‧ front wall of the cover

24‧‧‧The left side wall of the cover

24a‧‧‧ inner/outer flaps

24b‧‧‧outer flaps

25‧‧‧The right side wall of the cover

25a‧‧‧ inner flap

26‧‧‧ Pulling

28‧‧‧Free Side

30‧‧‧Internal framework

32‧‧‧Inner frame front wall

34‧‧‧The left side wall of the inner frame

35‧‧‧Inner frame sidewall body

36‧‧‧Rectangular incision

45‧‧‧ pivot cable

50‧‧‧ container

20'‧‧‧ cover/pivot cover

10'‧‧‧Box

52‧‧‧Adhesive tear strip

102‧‧ ‧ blanks

110‧‧‧Box forming area

120‧‧‧ Cover forming area

130‧‧ ‧ blanks

138‧‧‧ Sealable coating

1 is a perspective view of a pivotal lid container according to the present invention, showing a pivotal lid in an open position; and 2a is a top view of a blank sheet for forming a box and a hub of the container shown in FIG. 2b is a top view of the blank, which is used to form the inner frame of the container shown in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another pivotal cover container according to the present invention, which reveals the pivotal connection The cover is in the closed position.

2‧‧‧ Container

10‧‧‧Box

12‧‧‧ front wall of the box

14‧‧‧ left side wall of the box

16‧‧‧Incision

18‧‧‧Free side

20‧‧‧ cover/pivot cover

22‧‧‧ front wall of the cover

24‧‧‧The left side wall of the cover

26‧‧‧ Pulling

28‧‧‧Free Side

30‧‧‧Internal framework

32‧‧‧Inner frame front wall

34‧‧‧The left side wall of the inner frame

36‧‧‧Rectangular incision

138‧‧‧ Sealable coating

Claims (14)

A container for consumer goods, comprising: a box for accommodating the consumer goods; an inner frame mounted in the box and having an extension over the upper edge of the box An upper portion; and a pivotal cover body coupled to the casing along a pivotal connection and pivotable about the pivotal connection between an open position and a closed position, wherein the inner surface of the pivotal cover body is pivoted Contacting the upper outer surface of the inner frame; wherein the inner surface of the pivotal cover and the outer surface of the upper portion of the inner frame are partially covered by a sealable coating, and wherein the pivotal cover is first opened Previously, the sealable coating on the contact surface between the pivotal cover and the inner frame was coupled to each other to form a hermetic seal. The container of claim 1, wherein the sealable coating is made of a sealable material selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) or viscous wax. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one wall of the container comprises an inner flap and an outer flap superposed on the inner flap, wherein the inner flap is in contact with the outer flap The surface is covered by a sealable coating of the sealable material, and wherein the inner flap is bonded to the sealable coating on the contact surface of the outer flap to form a seal. The container of claim 1, wherein the pivotal cover and the box system are composed of more than one thin blank, and wherein the one The inner surface of the above thin blank is completely covered by the sealable coating. The container of claim 1, wherein the consumer goods are packaged in a liner, the liner comprising one or more tear lines defining an opening tab; wherein the opening tab is bonded Up to an inner surface of the pivotal cover body, the action of rotating the pivotal cover body to the open position causes the open ear piece to be separated from the remaining portion of the inner liner to provide an inlet and outlet on the inner liner . The container of claim 1, wherein the consumer product is packaged in an inner liner at least partially in contact with the casing, wherein the outer surface of the inner liner and the inner surface of the casing are at least partially Covered by a sealable coating made of the sealable material, and wherein the sealant is bonded to the sealable coating on the contact surface of the case. The container of claim 1, further comprising a layer of resealable adhesive applied to more than one region of the sealable coating, the sealable coating More than one region is positioned on the outer surface of the inner frame, wherein the resealable adhesive detachably seals the pivotal cover in the closed position. The container of claim 1, wherein the front wall of the pivotal cover includes a pull tab extending from a free edge of the front wall. The container of claim 1, further comprising a viscous tear strip applied to one or more free edges of the pivotal cover prior to first opening of the pivotal cover to seal the The pivot cover is in the closed position. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is used The sealing force on the inner surface of the pivoting cover and the sealable coating on the outer surface of the inner frame are between 4 Newtons and 7 Newtons. The container of claim 1, further comprising a viscous label disposed on the free side of the pivotal cover and connecting the pivotal cover before the container is first unsealed Up to the box portion, wherein the adhesive label comprises a tear line substantially coincident with a free edge of the pivotal cover body, such that the adhesive label is first moved to the open position of the pivotal cover At the time, it is separated along the tear line. The container of claim 1, comprising a mouth extending from the opposite end of the pivot wire through the back wall of the container to an adjacent side of the back wall body, wherein each slit is The side extends no more than 2 mm. A sealed package for a smoking article, comprising a container according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein a plurality of cigarettes are housed in the box body, wherein the inner surface of the pivoting cover is The bond between the seal coat and the sealable coating on the outer surface of the inner frame is intact to provide a seal. A sealing method for sealing a container for a consumer product according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the method comprising: on the inner surface of the pivotal cover and on the outer surface of the inner frame Providing a sealable coating; setting the consumer product in the box portion; Moving the pivotal cover to a closed position; and sealing the sealable coating on the contact surface of the inner frame and the pivotal cover to provide a seal.