WO2005032962A1

WO2005032962A1 - A pack, method for making the pack and use of the pack

Info

Publication number: WO2005032962A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/003142
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sandro Quadrelli
Original assignee: Dreamer S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-10-02
Filing date: 2004-09-28
Publication date: 2005-04-14
Also published as: ITBO20030569A1

Abstract

A pack (10) for holding an edible product in pieces such as, for example, coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like. The pack (10) comprises containing mean for holding the product and having an opening and means for closing the opening. the containing means are made of a paper material and the closing means are made of plastic. Means are also provided for securely connecting the containing means (12) to the closing means (14).

Description

A pack, method for making the pack and use of the pack

Technical field The present invention relates to a pack for holding a product . The pack is designed especially to hold a product in pieces . The product is preferably an edible product consisting, for example, of coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like.

Background art According to prior art, a pack for holding an edible product in pieces such' as, for example, coated chewing gum, comprises a box-shaped container body, made of a paper material, from which there extends a lid, also made of a paper material, the lid engaging with the body by a snap shut closing system. These prior art packs, known in the trade as flip-top packs, have the disadvantage of not sealing the product efficiently during use. Further, the packs do not always remain closed securely, which, in some cases, results in unwanted spilling of the product contained. Also known in prior art are packs with box-shaped container bodies made of rigid plastic and dispenser tops, also made of rigid plastic, which efficiently seal the product inside but which, because they are made of plastic, constitute litter that has a negative impact on the environment.

Summary of the invention This invention therefore provides a pack for holding a product, preferably a product in pieces, in particular an edible product, such as coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like. The pack comprises containing means for holding the product and means for closing the pack and is characterised in that the containing means are made of a paper material, in that the closing means are made of plastic and in that it comprises means for securely connecting the containing means to the closing means . This provides a pack capable of efficiently sealing the product contained and which, at the same time, has a low impact on the environment since only the closure of the pack is made of plastic and is , in any case, easy to dispose of; whilst the remaining part of the pack is made of a paper material, that is, an easily biodegradable material, and is therefore not harmful to the environment . Other advantageous aspects of the pack according to the present invention are set out in the other claims . The present invention also relates to the use of this pack and to the method for making the pack. The invention also relates to a method for making the pack and to the specific use of this pack.

Brief description of the Drawings The technical characteristics of the invention are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of trie pack according to the present invention; - Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section showing the top of the preferred embodiment of the pack according to the invention through line II - II of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the closing means at the top of the preferred embodiment of the pack according to the invention; - Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the box- shaped containing means at the bottom of the preferred embodiment of the pack according to the invention; - Figure 5 illustrates the way the preferred embodiment of the pack according to the invention is used; - Figure 6 is a schematic cross-section, similar to that of Figure 2, showing the top of a second preferred embodiment of the pack according to the invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention In Figure 1 the character " " denotes a conventional longitudinal reference axis . With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 denotes a preferred embodiment of a pack according to the invention for holding a product, preferably a product in pieces.

The product is preferably an edible product such as, for example, coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like. The pack 10 comprises containing means for holding the product. More specifically, the containing means consist of a box- shaped container body 12 open at an upper end or face 16 and having flat quadrangular sides, preferably, rectangular in shape, as illustrated. As illustrated, in Figure 5, the size of the pack is such that it can be held in one hand, leaving one finger or, more specifically, the thumb, free to open the dispenser top to allow the product in the container to drop out, for example on the user's other hand. Other pack sizes are also imaginable, however. The containing means are advantageously made of a paper material, preferably card, and comprise a bottom wall 18 and a plurality of side walls 20, 22, 24, 26, defined by respective panels, from which there extend respective tabs 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a, as illustrated in the drawings and as described in more detail below. More specifically, the side walls comprise a small front wall, defined by a respective panel 20, from which there extends upwardly a respective tab 20a, and a small rear wall, parallel to the wall 20 and defined by a respective panel 22, from which there extends upwardly a respective tab 22a. The side walls also comprise a first and a second large side wall, which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the small side walls 20, 22, and which are defined by respective panels 24, 26, from which there extend upwardly respective tabs 24a, 26a. The tabs 24a, 26a exert a considerable retaining action. This box-shaped container body has an open top, with an opening 16' at the upper end of the container body itself. All the upwardly extending tabs 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a are separated from the respective panels 20, 22, 24, 26 by respective crease or fold lines 20b, 22b, 24b, 26c that define the perimeter of the upper opening 16 ' . As illustrated in detail in Figures 2 and 4, each of the tabs 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a is folded by 180° towards the inside face of the respective panel or wall 20, 22, 24, 26 and positioned over the side of the latter that faces the inside of the box-shaped container body. Means are also provided for closing the opening 16 ' of the box-shaped container body. This embodiment of the pack according to the invention therefore comprises a closing element or cap 14 which closes the opening 16' and which is advantageously made of a rigid material, preferably plastic . The element 14 for closing the opening 16' comprises an upper or outside portion 141, which comprises a part 145 for dispensing the product in pieces and having a cover 147 that can be opened and closed over an outlet 14 ' for the passage of the products . The product outlet 14' preferably gives onto or extends along a side wall of the container to facilitate the passage of the product which slides along the respective inside surface of the container side wall and along the inside face of the respective side wall of the container closing element. The cover 147 is made in such a way that it can be opened or closed using only the thumb of the hand used by the user to hold the pack 10 and without having to use the other hand at all. As illustrated, the product dispensing part is made on the top face of the pack. The dispensing part might, however, also be made at other points on the pack. The upper portion 141 of the plastic closing element extends past the free edges 20b, 22b, 24b, 26b of the box-shaped body and has an underside 141a resting on these free edges of the box- shaped body. The element 14 for closing the opening 16' also comprises a lower portion 143 for coupling to the container body of paper material, this lower portion also constituting an element by which the closing element is inserted into the container body. The insertion portion 143 of the closing element comprises a plurality of side walls with flat quadrangular sides, normally rectangular in shape, consisting, more specifically of a small front wall 151, a small rear wall 153 and a first and a second large side wall 155, 157. Means are also advantageously provided for securely or permanently coupling or connecting the containing means 12 to the closing means 14 during use. In practice, during normal dispensing of the product, the connecting means continue to keep the closing means securely connected to the containing means. Looking in more detail, the connecting means comprise engagement means on the container body and engagement means on the closing element. As illustrated, the engagement means on the closing means consist of at least one respective horizontal engagement surface transversal to the insertion axis "L" of the means for closing the containing means . In particular, the engagement means on the closing means comprise tooth means in the form of at least one retaining tooth, having a respective transversal protruding engagement surface, made on the closing element and extending from one of the walls of the closing element and, more specifically, from the free lower end of the wall. As illustrated, the tooth means consists of a first tooth 151a, which extends from the closing element's flat front face 151, a second tooth 153a, which extends from the closing element's flat rear face 153, a third tooth 155a, which extends from one the closing element's larcje flat faces 155, and a fourth tooth 157a, which extends from the closing elemen ' s other large flat face 157. Each of these retaining teeth is essentially in the shape of a saw tooth comprising" a transversal face and, more specifically, a horizontal engagement face, labelled respectively 151b, 153b, 155b, 157b in the drawings. Below this transversal engagement surface, each tooth has an inclined or oblique surface which converges downwardly (that is to say, towards the inside of the container) and which, together with the oblique portions of the other teeth, constitute convenient means for inserting the closing element into the top of the container body. In the accompanying drawings, these inclined insertion surfaces are labelled 151c, 153c, 155c and 157c. In this preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the transversal engagement surfaces 151b, 153b, 155b, 157b, like the respective teeth, extend for the full length of the respective walls 151, 153, 155, 157. When the cap 14 is inserted into the box-shaped container body, these downwardly converging oblique surfaces engage the upper edges and the inside faces of the folded back tabs of the containing means, facilitating insertion of the cap 14 into the opening 16', while also pushing the side walls of the container body outwards . As illustrated, the engagement means on the containing means comprise at least one respective horizontal engagement surface which is transversal to the direction of insertion of the closing means and which faces and engages with a respective engagement surface on the closing means. Looking in more detail, the connecting means between the closing element and the container body further comprise respective transversal surfaces or free lower end edges 20c, 22c, 24c, 26c of the folded tabs 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a, which, when in the engaged condition, rest on the opposite horizontal or transversal faces of the respective engagement portion of the containing means . In this preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the surfaces 20c, 22c, 24c, 26c for engaging with the respective tabs 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a extend for almost the full length of the respective walls 20, 22, 24, 26 of the containing means. In the engaged condition, the inside faces 20'a, 22'a, 24'a, 26 'a of the folded tabs are in contact with the opposite outside faces 151', 153', 155', 157' of the respective side walls of the plastic closing element. The folded tabs thus constitute means for thickening the walls of the box:-shaped container body at the zone of connection. Obviously, although this embodiment is especially preferred and advantageous, thickening of the walls might be accomplished in other ways . This type of connection by inserting the closing element into the container body longitudinally for a certain length and also connecting its side walls to those of the container body, in particular at an upper edge of the container body itself, also constitutes means for reinforcing or stiffening the side walls of the pack. Since the container body is made of card, rough handling of the pack or a poor connection between the two parts of it would otherwise lead to breakage of the pack or detachment of the closing element resulting in loss or contamination of the product contained. The dispenser type closing element, which is made of plastic, is thus fixredly attached in a particularly secure and effective manner to t ie container body, which is made of card. A connection of this type avoids the use of glue between the plastic element 14 and the container body 12 made of card. However, connecting means optionally comprising means of adhesion between the container body 12 and the closing element 14 might also be imagined. More specifically, the means of adhesion might be provided between the outside surfaces 151', 153', 155', 157' of the side walls 151, 153, 155, 157 of the closing element 14 and the opposite inside faces 20'a, 22'a, 24'a, 26'a of the folded tabs 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a and, preferably, consist of a thin, limited layer of glue . In practice, a preferred method of making the pack according to the invention comprises a step of placing the container body with the opening in the open condition and a step of inserting the closing element into the opening. The insertion of the closing element is made possible by the "elastic" widening or yielding of the opening in the container body. During insertion, the tabs, which are already partly folded, are folded even further back by the closing unit. The outside perimeter of the closing element matches the inside profile of the container body almost exactly in size so that, in the engaged condition, the container body is pushed elastically against the outside surface of the closing element. In this way, each radially protruding tooth is retained or held by the lower edge of the respective tabs . The outside face of the cap may thus rest against the respective tab, preventing it from bending. The resting of the lower edge 141a of the top of the dispenser cap 14 against the upper edges 20b, 22b, 24b, 26b of the container body constitutes a means of two-way retention in a longitudinal direction which holds the element 14 securely in the position where it closes the opening 16'. The cap that closes the opening 16' is thus held firmly in place. Although the container body described above is rectangular in shape, it might also be made in a circular or rounded shape or even in the shape of a polygon with more than four sides . In the same way, the dispenser 145, 147 might be located on one of the side walls of the container and not necessarily in the position described above, although this is especially preferred. According to another aspect, the container body might also be made of a semi—rigid or elastically yielding plastic, that is to say, a material capable of resuming its normal shape after being deformed and of cold bending without cracking or breaking. Examples of such a material are acetate, PET or the like, which permit best use to be made of the system of connecting the container body to the closing element even in the case of packs with container bodies not made of a paper material . It will be understood, however, that a container body made of a paper material, especially card, is the most suitable for the connection method according to the invention for joining the container body. By way of example, the pack according to the invention has a width (or length of the small side wall) of 20 mm, a depth (or length of the large side wall) of 50 mm and a height of 70mm, making it easy for a user to hold it in one hand. In a second preferred embodiment, illustrated in Figure 6, the means for closing the opening 16' comprise an upper or outside portion 241, which comprises a part 245 for dispensing the product in pieces and having a cover 247 that can be opened and closed over an outlet for the passage of the products. The product outlet preferably gives onto or extends along a side wall of the container to facilitate the passage of the product which slides along the respective inside surface of the container side wall and along the inside face of the respective side wall of the container closing element. The upper portion 241 of the plastic closing element extends transversally past the free edges 224b, 226b of the box-shaped body and has an underside 241a resting on these free edges of the box-shaped body. As illustrated the container body in this preferred embodiment is substantially the same as the one of the preferred embodiment described above and has a small front wall (not illustrated in Figure 6), a small rear wall 222, and first and a second large side wall 224, 226. The element 214 for closing the opening 216 also comprises a lower portion 243 for coupling to the container body of paper material or other suitable material, this lower portion also constituting an element by which the closing element is placed over the outside surface of the container body. The portion by which the closing element is placed over the container body comprises a plurality of side walls, consisting, more specifically of a small front wall, a small rear wall (not illustrated in Figure 6) , 153 a first and a second large side wall

255, 257. Means are also advantageously provided for securely or permanently coupling the containing means 212 to the closing means 214. The connecting means comprise engagement means on the container body and engagement means on the closing element . As illustrated, the connection means comprise tooth means in the form of at least one retaining tooth made on the closing element and extending from one of the walls of the closing element and, more specifically, from the free lower end of the wall. The tooth means consists of a first tooth which extends inwardly from the closing element's flat front face and a second tooth which extends inwardly from the closing element ' s flat rear face (the first tooth and the second tooth not being illustrated in Figure 6) . The tooth means further comprise a third tooth 255a which extends inwardly from one the closing element ' s large flat faces 255, and a fourth tooth 257a, which extends from the closing element's other large flat face 257. Each of these retaining teeth is essentially in the shape of a saw tooth comprising a transversal face and, more specifically, a horizontal engagement face. Only the transversal faces 255b and 257b of the teeth on the respective faces 255 and 257 are illustrated in the drawings . Below this transversal engagement surface, each tooth has an inclined or oblique surface which diverges downwardly and which, together with the oblique portions of the other teeth, constitute convenient means for placing the closing element over the top of the container body. Only the transversal faces 255c and 257c of the teeth on the respective faces 255 and 257 are illustrated in Figure 6. When the cap 214 is placed over the box-shaped container body, these downwardly diverging oblique surfaces engage the upper edges and the outside faces of the tabs, to be folded outwardly by 180°, thus facilitating the placing of the cap 214 over the opening 216, while also pushing the side walls of the container body inwards . The connecting means between the closing element and the container body further comprise respective free lower end edges of the folded tabs which, when in the engaged condition, rest on the opposite horizontal or transversal faces of the respective tooth. Figure 6 shows only the lower edges 224c, 226c of the side tabs 224a, 226a which extend from the side walls 255 and 257 of the container body. In the engaged condition, the outside faces of the tabs are in contact with the opposite inside faces of the respective side walls of the plastic closing element. The method for making the second preferred embodiment comprises a step of positioning the container body with the opening 216 open to the outside and a step of placing the closing element over the side of the container body where that opening is located. The methods for making both the first and second preferred embodiments also comprise steps of: feeding the container body in flattened tubular form; erecting the container body to form a tubular body defined by the side walls of the container, substantially as illustrated in Figure 4, thus creating the opening at the top of the container; and inserting or placing the closing element into or over the container body to cover the opening. The method may also comprise a step of further folding the tabs as the closing element engages the tabs while it is being inserted into the opening in, or placed over the side walls of, the container body, the tabs having been previously folded through a limited angle by suitable folding means. It has been therefore provided a pack in which, during normal use, the means for coupling the containing means to the closing means define a secure, non-disengageable connection between the containing means and the closing means. Thus, the closing means can be removed from the containing means only by pulling the closing means and the containing means apart by applying a force not normally required to take the product out of the pack. It will be understood that the invention can be adapted and modified in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept . Moreover, all of the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. A pack (10) for holding a product, preferably a product in pieces, in particular an edible product, such as coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like, the pack (10) comprising containing means for holding the product and means for closing the pack (10) and being characterised in that the containing means are made of paper material, in that the closing means are made of plastic and in that there are means for securely connecting the containing means (12) to the closing means (14).

2. The pack (10) according to claim 1 or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the containing means consist of a box-shaped container body (12) .

3. The pack (10) according to either of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the containing means have flat quadrangular sides.

4. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the containing means have flat rectangular sides .

5. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the size of the containing means is such that they can be held in one hand.

6. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the containing means are made of an elastically yielding, flexible material .

7. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the containing means are made of card.

8. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the containing means comprise a plurality of side walls and an opening (16') .

9. The pack (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that the containing means comprise an opening (16') lying transversally between the side walls.

10. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims 8 or 9, characterised in that the containing means comprise an opening (16') which occupies the substantially the whole of the side of the containing means in which it is made.

11. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the means for closing the containing means consist of an element (14) for closing the opening (16') made in the containing means (12) .

12. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means are made of a rigid material .

13. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means (14) comprise a portion (141, 241) which extends on the outside of the containing means, at the opening (16'), to form a surface for engaging a respective transversal edge that delimits the opening (16') .

14. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means (14) comprise means (145, 245) for dispensing the product .

15. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the means (14, 214) for closing the opening (16') comprise a portion (143, 243) for coupling to the containing means.

16. The pack (10) according to claim 15, characterised in that the portion (143) for coupling to the containing means constitutes a means of inserting the closing means into the product containing means .

17. The pack (10) according to claim 16, characterised in that the portion (243) for coupling to the containing means constitutes a means of placing the closing means over the product containing means .

18. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means comprise a plurality of side walls (151, 153, 155, 157; 255, 257) .

19. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means comprise at least one side wall or surface (151, 153, 155, 157; 255, 257) which extends longitudinally for a certain length along a respective side wall of the container body.

20. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the means (14, 214) for closing the opening (16') comprise a portion (143, 243) for coupling to the containing means and constituting means for stiffening the containing means.

21. The pack (10) according to claim 20, characterised in that the means (14, 214) for closing the opening (16') comprise a portion (143, 243) for coupling to the containing means and constituting means for stiffening at least one of the side walls of the containing means .

22. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that there are connecting means between the containing means and the closing means, these connecting means comprising engagement means on the container body and on the closing element .

23. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that of being provided connecting means operating between at least one side wall of the containing means and at least one side wall of the closing means .

24. The pack (10) according to claim 23, characterised in that the connecting means operate between the facing large side walls

(155, 157) of the closing means and the facing large side walls (24, 26) of the containing means.

25. The pack (10) according to claim 23 or 24, characterised in that the connecting means operate between the facing walls (151, 153) of the closing means and the facing small side walls (20, 22) of the containing means .

26. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 22 to 25, characterised in that the engagement means on the closing means comprise at least one transversal surface for engaging with a longitudinally opposite transversal surface of the containing means .

27. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 22 to 26, characterised in that the engagement means on the closing means comprise at least one protruding transversal engagement surface.

28. The pack (10) according to claim 27, characterised in that the transversal engagement surface protrudes towards the outside of the pack.

29. The pack (10) according to claim 27 or 28, characterised in that the transversal engagement surface protrudes towards the inside of the pack.

30. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 22 to 29, characterised in that the connecting means comprise tooth means comprising at least one retaining tooth on the closing means .

31. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 22 to 30, characterised in that the engagement means on the closing means extend from a side face of the coupling element.

32. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 22 to 31, characterised in that the tooth means on the closing means extend from a lower end of the closing element.

33. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 30 to 32, characterised in that the retaining tooth is essentially in the shape of a saw tooth.

34. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the lower end of the closing element has a transversal engagement surface .

35. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the lower end of the closing means has an inclined surface constituting an element by which the closing element is inserted into the top of the container body.

36. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the lower end of the closing means has an inclined surface constituting an element by which the closing element is placed over the top of the container body.

37. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the tooth means comprise a first and a second tooth (151a, 153a) which extend from opposite faces of the closing element.

38. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the tooth means comprise a third tooth (155a) which extends from one of the large side walls (157a) of the closing element .

39. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the tooth means comprise a fourth tooth which extends from the other large side wall of the closing element, opposite the large side wall with the third tooth.

40. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the connecting means comprise retaining tooth means on the containing means .

41. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the connecting means comprise respective free edges (20c, 22c, 24c, 26c) of the tabs on the containing means .

42. The pack (10) according to claim 41, characterised in that the connecting means comprise respective free edges (20c, 22c, 24c, 26c) of the tabs positioned on the inside of the containing means .

43. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims 41 or 42, characterised in that the connecting means comprise respective free edges of the tabs positioned on the outside of the containing means.

44. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 41 to 43 , characterised in that the free end of each tab constitutes means for supporting the opposite horizontal face of the opposite tooth on the container body.

45. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the connecting means comprise tooth means comprising a plurality of engagement surfaces on opposite walls of the containing means .

46. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the engagement means are defined by the free edges of opposite tabs on the containing means.

47. The pack (10) according to claim 46, characterised in that the retaining tabs (24a, 26a) are located on the large side walls (24, 26) of the containing means.

48. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims 46 or 47, characterised in that the retaining tabs (20a, 22a) are located on the small side walls (20, 22) of the containing means.

49. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the connecting means comprise a plurality of tabs (20a, 22a, 24a, 26a) that rest on the transversal faces of the retaining teeth on the closing means opposite them.

50. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that each retaining tab extends from a panel defining a respective wall of the container body.

51. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the extension tabs are separated from the respective panels (20, 22, 24, 26) by respective crease or fold lines (20b, 22b, 24b, 26c) that define the perimeter of the opening of the container body.

52. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that each extension tab is folded by 180° towards the inside of the respective panel.

53. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that each extension tab is folded by 180° towards the outside of the respective panel .

54. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the connecting means comprise means of adhesion between the container body (12) and the closing element (14) .

55. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means are made of a rigid material.

56. The pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the closing means are connected to the containing means by connecting means that cannot be disengaged during normal use.

57. Use of a pack (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the pack is designed to hold a product in pieces.

58. The use according to claim 57 or according to the preamble to claim 57, characterised in that the product is an edible product.

59. The use according to any of the foregoing claims 57 or 58, characterised in that the product consists of coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like.

60. A method for making a pack (10) for holding a product, preferably a product in pieces, in particular an edible product, such as coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like, the method being characterised in that it comprises a step of positioning the container body with the opening in the open condition and in that it comprises a step of inserting the closing element into the opening in the container body.

61. A method for making a pack (10) for holding a product, preferably a product in pieces, in particular an edible product, such as coated sweets, pastilles, tablets or the like, the method being characterised in that it comprises a step of positioning the container body with the opening in the open condition and in that it comprises a step of placing the closing element over the opening in the container body.

62. The method according to claim 60 or 61, characterised in that it comprises the steps of: feeding the container body in the folded condition; opening the container body in order to define an opening in the container; and inserting or placing the closing element into or over the container body to cover the opening.

63. The method according to any of the foregoing claims from 60 to 62 for making a pack (10) , characterised in that the tabs extending from the side walls of the container body are folded while the closing element is inserted into or placed over the container body.