Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/38—Drawer-and-shell type containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
  • B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
  • B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
  • B65D85/1036—Containers formed by erecting a rigid or semi-rigid blank

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a rigid package of tobacco articles.
• the present invention may be used to particular advantage in a rigid packet of cigarettes, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
• BACKGROUND ART Rigid, slide-open packets of cigarettes are known of the type described in Patent Application FR-2499947-A3, Patent US-4534463-A1, or Patent US-5080227- Al.
• a rigid, slide-open packet of cigarettes comprises a first container, which contains a group of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of foil, and is housed inside a second container so as to slide, with respect to the second container, between a closed position, in which the first container is fully inserted inside the second container, and an open position, in which part of the first container projects from the second container.
• Rigid, slide-open packets of cigarettes of the type described above are marketed, by being relatively easy to produce and popular with smokers, but have been found to be mechanically fragile when of larger than normal size to contain a large number of (normally over 25) cigarettes.
• Figure 1 shows a front view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of a rigid packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention and in a closed configuration
• Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 rigid packet of cigarettes in a partly-open configuration
• Figure.,3 shows an exploded view in perspective, with parts removed.
• Figure 1 rigid packet of cigarettes
• Figure 4 shows a plan view of a blank by which to form an inner container of the rigid packet of cigarettes in Figures 1-3
• Figure 5 shows a plan view of a blank by which to form an outer container of the rigid packet of cigarettes in Figures 1 -3
• Figures 6-10 show front views in perspective of further embodiments of a rigid packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention and in a partly- open configuration.
• each group 3 of cigarettes comprises 12 to 20 cigarettes normally arranged in two parallel rows, so that packet 1 contains a total of 24 to 40 cigarettes.
• container 4 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall 5, a top end wall 6, and a lateral surface 7 bounded by end walls 5 and 6.
• Lateral surface 7 is defined by two opposite, parallel major lateral walls 8; by a minor lateral wall 9 separated from major lateral walls 8 by two longitudinal edges 10; and by an open end 11 opposite minor lateral wall 9 and enabling passage of containers 2 between said closed position (Figure 1) and said open position ( Figure 2).
• Lateral walls 8 and 9 of container 4 are separated from end walls 5 and 6 by transverse edges 12, which comprise major transverse edges 12 located between major lateral walls 8 and end walls 5 and 6, and minor transverse edges 12.
• Each container 2 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall 13, a top end wall 14, and a lateral surface 15 bounded by end walls 13 and 14.
• Lateral surface 15 is defined by two opposite, parallel major lateral walls 16, and by two opposite, parallel minor lateral walls 17 separated from major lateral walls 16 by four longitudinal edges 18.
• Lateral walls 16 and 17 of container 2 are separated from end walls 13 and 14 by eight transverse edges 19, which comprise four major transverse edges 19 located between major lateral walls 16 and end walls 13 and 14, and four minor transverse edges 19 located between minor lateral walls 17 and end walls 13 and 14.
• Top end wall 14 of container 2 has an open portion 20, which also extends over part of major lateral walls 16 to permit withdrawal of the cigarettes from container 2 when container 2 is in said open position ( Figure 2).
• a major lateral wall 8 of container 4 faces and is aligned with a corresponding major lateral wall 16 of container 2
• minor lateral wall 9 of container 4 faces and is aligned with a corresponding minor lateral wall 17 of container 2.
• Each container 2 and contamer 4 are sized to house group 3 of cigarettes and containers 2 respectively, with a minimum amount of clearance, thus minimizing the packing material required to make containers 2 and 4, and also movement of group 3 of cigarettes inside each container 2, and movement of containers 2 inside container 4.
• the clearance between group 3 of cigarettes and container 2, and between containers 2 and container 4 cannot be eliminated entirely.
• Minor lateral wall 9 of container 4 has two push holes 21, each shaped and sized to permit insertion of at least a finger of the user.
• the purpose of push holes 21 is to assist expulsion of containers 2 from container 4 by enabling the user to push .
• each push hole 21 extends on both minor lateral wall 9 and a major lateral wall 8 of container 4; the portion of each push hole 21 on minor lateral wall 9 of container 4 is semicircular; and the portion of each push hole 21 on major lateral wall 8 of container 4 is rectangular and terminates with a semicircular portion.
• Each push hole 21 preferably extends over a limited portion of minor lateral wall 9 of container 4, so as to only expose a portion of minor lateral wall 17 of one respective container 2, and so that each push hole 21 can only be used to push out one respective container 2.
• the two push holes 21 are offset vertically to increase the size, and therefore the mechanical strength, of the strip of minor lateral wall 9 of container 4 separating the two push holes 21.
• push holes 21 (or at least one of push holes 21) are initially covered (or at least partly covered) by respective tear-off tabs, each of which is attached to container 4 along a tear line, and must be torn off when first expelling respective container 2.
• a further embodiment, not shown, comprises one push hole 21 involving only minor lateral wall 9 of container 4, or involving both minor lateral wall 9 and major lateral walls 8 of container 4.
• each major lateral wall 8 of container 4 has a recess close to open end 11 to assist extraction of each container 2 from container 4, as of the closed position, by enabling the user to grip and exert pull on the corresponding major lateral wall 16 of container 2.
• Packet 1 comprises stop means for limiting slide of containers 2 with respect to container 4, and so preventing detachment of containers 2 from container 4.
• the stop means are defined by two tabs 22 projecting from major lateral walls 16 of each container 2, and by two tabs 23 projecting from major lateral walls 8 of container 4.
• each container 2 tab 22 facing a major lateral wall 8 of container 4 projects outwards of container 2 from respective major lateral wall 16 of container 2, while each tab 23 projects inwards of container 4 from a respective major lateral wall 8 of container 4, and is located close to open end 11 of container 4. Moreover, each tab 22 feeing a major lateral wall 8 of container 4 is so located as to engage the corresponding tab 23 as container 2 slides out of container 4, thus preventing detachment of container 2 from container 4. It should be pointed out that each container 2 is arrested by a single tab 22 (i.e. the tab 22 facing a major lateral wall 8 of container 4), while the other tab 22 (i.e. the tab 22 feeing the other container 2) is ineffective.
• each container 2 comprises both tabs 22, then both containers 2 are identical and can be formed from identical blanks 24; whereas, if each container 2 comprises only the effective tab 22, the two containers 2 differ (in particular,, one has tab 22 on the right, and the other has tab 22 on the left) and must therefore be formed from different blanks 24.
• each container 2 is formed from a flat blank 24 substantially in the form of an elongated rectangle, and tl-te component parts of which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding parts of container 2.
• Blank 24 comprises two longitudinal fold liaes 25; and a number of transverse fold lines 26 defining, between longitudinal fold lines 25, a panel 14' defining an outer portion of top end wall 14, a panel 16>' defining one major lateral wall 16, a panel 13' defining bottom end wall 13, a panel 16" defining the other major lateral wall 16, and a panel 14" defining an inner portion of top end wall 14.
• Panel 16' has two wings 17' located on opposite sides o * f panel 16', separated from panel 16' by longitudinal fold lines 25, and defining outer portions of minor lateral walls 17; panel 16" has two wings 17" located on opposite sides of panel 16", separated from panel 16" by longitudinal fold lines 25, an defining inner portions of minor lateral walls 17; and to wings 17" are connected two tabs 13" defining inner portions of bottom end wall 13.
• container 4 is formed from a flat, substantially rectangular blank 27, the component parts of which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as "jfor the corresponding parts of container 4.
• Blank 27 comprises two transverse fold lines 28; and a number of longitudinal fold lines 29 defining, between transverse fold lines 28, a panel 8' defining one major lateral wall 8, a panel 9' defining minow lateral wall 9, and a panel
• Panel 8' conrprises two wings 5' and 6' located at opposite ends of panel 8', separated from panel 8' by transverse fold lines
• panel 9' comprises two wings 5" and 6" located at opposite ends of panel 9', separated from panel 9' by transverse fold lines 28, and defining inner portions of end walls 5 and 6; and panel 8" comprises two wings 5'" and 6'" located at opposite ends of panel 8", separated from panel 8" by transverse fold lines 28, and defining outer portions of end walls 5 and 6.
• wings 5' and 6' and wings 5" and 6" are so shaped as not to be superimposed when folded onto wings 5'" and 6'" to define end walls 5 and 6 of container 4.
• Container 4 preferably houses two containers 2, each containing a group 3 of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of foil.
• container 4 houses three or four containers 2, each containing a group 3 of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of foil.
• the cigarettes in both containers 2 are normally the same, i.e. the same type, but may differ in the sense that one container 2 contains one type of cigarette, and the other container 2 contains a different type of cigarette.
• the two containers 2 may also differ, i.e. one container 2 may be larger than the other.
• longitudinal edges 18 of containers 2, transverse edges 19 of containers 2, longitudinal edges 10 of container 4, and transverse edges 12 of container 4 are all square edges.
• the two longitudinal edges 10 of container 4 are non-square, rounded edges, and transverse edges 12 and 19 of containers 4 and 2 are square.
• one of or both longitudinal edges 10 of container 4 and/or one or more longitudinal edges 18 of containers 2 may be square, so as to have both non-square, rounded longitudinal edges 10 and 18, and square longitudinal edges 10 and 18.
• some transverse edges 12 of container 4 and/or some transverse edges 19 of containers 2 may be non-square, rounded edges, so as to have both non-square, rounded transverse edges 12 and/or 19, and non- square, rounded longitudinal edges 10 and/or 18.
• each major lateral wall 16 of containers 2 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each minor lateral wall 17 along a respective sharp longitudinal edge 18, and subtends with each minor lateral wall 17 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
• Each major lateral wall 16 of containers 2 in Figure 8 comprises a flat central portion, and two lateral strips with preformed longitudinal fold lines; each lateral strip is curved with its concavity feeing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding minor lateral wall 17, and to subtend with the minor lateral wall 17 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle; and each end wall 13, 14 is substantially rectangular, and has bevelled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of major lateral walls 16.
• Each major lateral wall 8 of container 4 in Figure 8 has an outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to minor lateral wall 9 along a respective sharp longitudinal edge 10, and subtends with minor lateral wall 9 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
• each major lateral wall 8 of container 4 in Figure 8 comprises a flat central portion, and a lateral strip with preformed longitudinal fold lines; the lateral strip is curved with its concavity feeing inwards to connect the central portion to minor lateral wall 9, and to subtend with minor lateral wall 9 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle; and each end wall 5, 6 is substantially rectangular, and has two bevelled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex half- profile of major lateral walls 8.
• the Figure 8 embodiment resembles the packet of cigarettes described in Patent Application EP-A1- 1066205.
• each major lateral wall 16 of containers 2 has an outwardly convex profile, is connected to each end wall 13, 14 along a respective sharp transverse edge 19, and subtends with each end wall 13, 14 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each major lateral wall 16 of containers 2 in Figure 9 comprises a flat central portion, and two lateral strips with preformed longitudinal fold lines; each lateral strip is curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding end wall 13, 14, and to subtend with end wall 13, 14 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle; and each minor lateral wall 17 is substantially rectangular, and has bevelled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex profile of major lateral walls 16.
• Each major lateral wall 8 of container 4 in Figure 9 has an outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to end wall 5, 6 along a respective sharp transverse edge 12, and subtends with end wall 5, 6 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle. More specifically, each major lateral wall 8 of container 4 comprises a flat central portion, and two lateral strips with preformed longitudinal fold lines; each lateral strip is curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to end wall 5, 6, and to subtend with end wall 5, 6 a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle; and minor lateral wall 9 is substantially rectangular, and has bevelled corners to adapt to the outwardly convex half-profile of major lateral walls 8.
• the Figure 9 embodiment resembles the packet of cigarettes described in Patent Application IT-BOO 1A000584.
• packets 1 in Figures 8 and 9 such as forming partly convex walls, or only one convex wall, as opposed to two opposite feeing convex walls.
• longitudinal edges 10 of container 4 and longitudinal edges 18 of containers 2 are square edges
• major transverse edges 12 of container 4 and major transverse edges 19 of containers 2 are non-square, rounded edges.
• major transverse edges 12 of container 4 and major transverse edges 19 of containers 2 may be non-square, bevelled edges.
• the Figure 10 embodiment resembles the packet of cigarettes described in Patent Application EP-A1 -0764595.
• Packet 1 as described above is particularly strong, by comprising two independent containers 2, which impart to packet 1 a high degree of rigidity. Moreover, each container 2 houses a group 3 containing a limited number of cigarettes, and therefore poses no difficulty in extracting the last cigarettes. Given the numerous advantages of packets 1 of cigarettes as described above, the form of packets 1 may also be applied integrally to the manufecture of other types of rigid containers for tobacco articles, such as cartons of packets of cigarettes, or cigar packets.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)
• Pyrane Compounds (AREA)
• Glass Compositions (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34961384

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (15)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (14)

• 2004
  • 2004-03-11 IT IT000136A patent/ITBO20040136A1/it unknown
• 2005
  • 2005-03-10 AT AT05716988T patent/ATE455044T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-03-10 JP JP2007502347A patent/JP4740229B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-03-10 CN CNA2005800076673A patent/CN1930042A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-03-10 ES ES05716988T patent/ES2339781T3/es active Active
  • 2005-03-10 EP EP05716988A patent/EP1725460B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2005-03-10 DE DE602005018903T patent/DE602005018903D1/de active Active
  • 2005-03-10 US US10/592,328 patent/US20070278115A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-03-10 WO PCT/EP2005/051080 patent/WO2005090172A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (5)

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