WO2016046702A1

WO2016046702A1 - Container for consumer articles, in particular cigarettes

Info

Publication number: WO2016046702A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/057158
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lorena D'ALFONSO; Stefano Negrini
Original assignee: G. D S.P.A.
Priority date: 2014-09-25
Filing date: 2015-09-17
Publication date: 2016-03-31
Also published as: CN107074399A; CN107074399B

Abstract

This invention relates to a container for consumer articles, in particular cigarettes, comprising an outer case (7) with a longitudinal axis (A) and having four side walls (3,4,5; 3a, 4a, 5a) and an open top end (7a); an intermediate case (8) is housed in the outer case (7), and contains an inner case (9) which encloses the consumer articles (11); the intermediate case (8) can rotate relative to the outer case (7), about a transversal axis of rotation (T1; T2) between a closed position of the container (1) and an open position of the container (1) where the inner case (9) is partly extracted from the outer case (7); the intermediate case (8) has a side opening (76) extending to one of its side walls and a base portion (77) of the intermediate case (8) is hinged to the inside face (2a) of a base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7); the base portion (77) comprises a first tongue (50) and a second tongue (52) which are hinged to each other along a line of weakness (51) coinciding with the transversal axis of rotation (T1; T2) so that during the rotations of the intermediate case (8) only the side opening (76) is crossed by at least part of the inner case (9) and a free edge of the first tongue (50) is forced to change its level, moving towards and away from the inside face (2a) of the base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7), thereby constraining the inner case (9) to rise, since the second tongue (52) is glued to the inside face (2a) of the base wall (2).

Description

DESCRIPTION

CONTAINER FOR CONSUMER ARTICLES, IN PARTICULAR

CIGARETTES

Technical field

This invention relates to a container for consumer articles, in particular cigarettes.

The invention relates to a container used to house articles of various kinds such as, for example, confectionery products, hygiene products, or smokers' articles - in particular cigarettes - provided at the top with a lid which is movable transversely to a longitudinal direction of extension of the container itself so as to allow opening and closing an opening at the top of the container through which the articles can be taken out.

In this specification, for simplicity, reference is made to a container for cigarettes without thereby losing in generality.

Background art

Known from patent documents CN201023854Y, CN201338813Y and CN202897192U are containers consisting of cigarette packets provided with a lid which can be moved transversely to a direction of longitudinal extension of the containers themselves so as to allow opening and closing an opening at the top of the container through which the cigarettes can be taken out. More specifically, the lids of these packets can slide in both directions in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of extension of the packets.

In these packets, the lid is connected to an upper portion of the box- shaped body which houses the cigarettes and has portions which are slidably engaged with grooves which the upper portion itself is provided with. Making the connection between the lid and the grooves when making the container involves non-negligible constructional complications for the packing machines used to make packets of this kind.

Moreover, particularly after the lid has been opened several times, the grooves and the portions of the lid engaged therein tend to slacken and prevent the lid from closing properly each time a cigarette is taken out. Patent US 2,958,418 discloses a cigarette packet consisting of an outer case obtained from a blank including a zone defined by two cutting lines which lead to a hinge line. The aforesaid zone defines for the packet a lid which can rotate about the hinge line made on one of the two small walls. Onto this zone is glued a corresponding zone of a frame located inside the packet, between the outer container and an inner case enclosing a group of cigarettes. The frame lifts the inner case when the lid is rotated from the closed to the open position.

This type of packet does not have an outer case with four side walls and an open top end. It does not have an intermediate case housed inside the outer case and also provided with four side walls, designed to contain an inner case enclosing the group of cigarettes.

Also, in the packet of patent US 2,958,418, the top end is defined by the zone of the blank from which the outer case is obtained.

The inner frame defines two large side walls which are parallel to each other and closed by the top end above and by a bottom wall below. The inner frame glued to the upper part of the outer container is completely missing the two opposite walls perpendicular to the two aforesaid side walls. The frame is thus completely open on both of its small sides and during rotation of the lid, the inner case crosses right through both of the small sides of the inner frame, from one side to the other.

This type of packet is difficult to make and is not easy to reproduce with current packing machines. Disclosure of the invention

The aim of this invention is to provide a container for smokers' articles, which is provided at the top with a lid which is movable transversely to a longitudinal direction of extension of the container itself in order to open and reclose a top opening for taking out the articles, and which does not have the disadvantages described above.

The above aim is achieved by this invention in that it relates to a container for smokers' articles, comprising an outer case with a longitudinal axis and having four side walls parallel to the longitudinal axis and an open top end, an intermediate case housed in the outer case, and an inner case enclosing a group of articles; the intermediate case also being provided with four side walls, being designed to contain the inner case and being capable of rotating relative to the outer case about a transversal axis of rotation between a closed position of the container and an open position where the intermediate case is partly extracted from the outer case; the intermediate case comprises a grip portion to allow it to rotate in both directions and has a side opening extending to one of its four side walls and made on the side wall located upstream with reference to the direction of rotation of the intermediate case as it passes from the closed position to the open position of the container, the side opening being crossed by at least part of the inner case during each rotation in one direction and the other of the intermediate case.

Advantageously, the grip portion of the intermediate case defines a lid for the container.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base portion of the intermediate case hinged to a base portion of the outer case changes its level relative to the base portion of the outer case during the rotations of the inner case.

In another preferred embodiment, the smokers' articles are enclosed within an inner case placed in contact with the base portion of the intermediate case hinged to a base portion of the outer case, in such a way that when the base portion of the intermediate case changes level, the articles enclosed within the inner case undergo changes of level relative to the base portion of the outer case.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment of it and in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the cigarette container according to this invention in the closed condition;

- Figure 2 shows an outer case forming part of the cigarette container of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 shows an intermediate case forming part of the cigarette container of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3a shows an inner case which encloses a group of cigarettes, which is made, for example, of foil paper and which can be housed in the intermediate case of Figure 3;

- Figure 4 is a blank which can be used to make the embodiment of the outer case of Figure 2;

- Figure 5 is a blank which can be used to make the embodiment of the intermediate case of Figure 3;

- Figure 6 shows an inner case made, for example, of foil paper and defining an inner case able to be housed in the intermediate case of Figure 3;

- Figures 7, 7a and 7b show variant embodiments of sheets which can be used to make the inner case of Figure 6;

- Figures 8-10 schematically illustrate the cigarette container according to the first embodiment of this invention in three different use conditions; - Figures 1 1 and 12 are perspective views of details of the cigarette container of Figure 1 ;

- Figures 13 and 14 are cross sections of the details of Figures 1 1 and 12 in two different use conditions;

- Figures 15, 16 and 17 are schematic perspective views of a second embodiment of the cigarette container of this invention;

- Figures 18 and 19 schematically illustrate the cigarette container of Figures 15, 16 and 17 in two different use conditions. Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to Figure 1 , the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a first embodiment of a container consisting of a cigarette container which, in its closed condition, is substantially in the shape of a right-angled parallelepiped extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis A.

Hereinafter in this description of the container 1 , reference will be made to the positions of portions of the container 1 using terms such as "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "above" and "below" assuming that that the container 1 is standing upright, with its longitudinal axis A vertical, and its top and bottom walls located above and below, respectively.

The container 1 is defined by a bottom wall or base 2 and four side walls 3, 4 and 5 parallel to the axis A.

In the first embodiment, illustrated in Figures 1 to 14, the four side walls consist of a rear wall 3, a front wall 4 and two side walls 5. The container also has an upper wall or top 6.

In this embodiment, for reasons which will become clearer as this description continues, the walls referred to as front wall 3 and rear wall 4 are the two small walls and those referred to as side walls are the two large walls 5.

The container 1 comprises an outer case 7 and an intermediate case 8, made preferably of paperboard.

The intermediate case 8 contains an inner case 9 (illustrated in Figure 3a), made preferably of foil paper, which encloses a group 10 of consumer articles, consisting in particular of cigarettes 1 1 , arranged in parallel with the axis A (see Figure 6, where the inner case 9 is drawn with dashed lines).

As shown in Figure 2, the outer case 7 comprises a box-shaped body 12 which is substantially in the shape of a parallelepiped, having a top opening 7a.

The outer case 7 is defined at the bottom by the aforementioned bottom wall 2 and laterally by the four side walls 3, 4 and 5. The free upper edges 13 of the large side walls 5 are equal to each other and are arcuate in shape, with centres of curvature located below the edges 13 themselves. The ends of the upper edges 13 adjacent to the small front wall 4 are located at a level below the ends which are adjacent to the small rear wall 3.

The outer box-shaped body 12 of the outer case 7 is obtained from a blank 15 illustrated in Figure 4.

The blank 15 has a longitudinal line of weakness 16 and a plurality of transverse lines of weakness 17.

The lines of weakness 16 and 17 define a first end panel 18, a first large panel 19, a middle panel 20, a second large panel 21 and a second end panel 22.

The first and second large panels 19, 21 define the two large side walls 5, the middle panel 20 defines the small rear wall 3, while the first end panel

18 combines with the second end panel 21 to define the small front wall 4.

It should be noted that both the first and the second large panel 19 and 21 are delimited by the aforementioned arcuate edges 13.

The length of the panel 22, measured along the direction of the lines 17, is slightly greater than the length of the panel 18 (for example, 1 -5 mm greater).

The two transverse lines of weakness 17, which respectively define the hinge lines between the panels 18 and 19 and between the panels 22 and 21 , each have at the respective ends of them opposite to the longitudinal line of weakness 16, a respective notch 17' directed towards the line 16 itself and preferably between 1 and 5 mm in length.

The longitudinal line of weakness 16 acts as hinge between the panels 19 and 21 and the respective rectangular panels 23 and 24 which will, in combination, as clarified below, define the bottom wall 2 of the box- shaped body 12.

The longitudinal line of weakness 16 acts as a hinge between the panels 20 and 22 and respective stabilizing tabs 25 and 26 on the bottom wall 2 of the box-shaped body 12.

As shown in Figure 3, the intermediate case 8 comprises a box-shaped body 14.

The intermediate box-shaped body 14 is delimited by side walls which define its substantially parallelepipedal overall shape. The shape of the box-shaped body 14 is described in more detail below.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the box-shaped body 14 of the intermediate case 8 is obtained from a blank 27.

The blank 27 has two longitudinal lines of weakness 28 and 29 and a plurality of transverse lines of weakness 30.

The lines 28, 29 and 30 define a first large panel 31 , a middle panel 33, and a second large panel 35.

The longitudinal line of weakness 29 acts as a hinge between the large panels 31 and 35 and respective elongate panels 37 and 38. The longitudinal end portion of the panel 38 directed towards the panel 37 has a tab 39. The longitudinal line of weakness 29 acts as a hinge between the panel 33 and a tab 40.

On the side opposite to the one delimited by the line 29, each of the large panels 31 and 35 is provided with a substantially triangular first indentation 41 , located substantially in proximity to a transverse line of weakness 30 and extending towards the line 29 itself, and with a second indentation 42, also substantially triangular in shape, also extending towards the line 29 and located in proximity to an edge 43 of the respective panel 31 , 35 parallel and opposite to the respective line 30. Each indentation 41 is defined, starting from an end of it located on the longitudinal line of weakness 28, by a first line 44 substantially parallel to the line 30 adjacent thereto and having the other end located in proximity to the line 29. Each line 44 is connected by an arcuate stretch 45 to one end of a second line 46 which is inclined relative to the line 44 itself, whose other end is connected by an arcuate stretch 47 to one end of a third line 48 delimiting the indentation 42 and terminating at an end point of the respective edge 43. Accordingly, therefore, each of the panels 31 and 35 is delimited, on the side opposite to the one delimited by the line 29, by a line which is substantially in the shape of a stylized "S" and which is defined as a whole by the lines 44, 46, 48 and the arcuate stretches 45 and 47.

At an end portion of it connected to a line 48, each of the edges 43 of the panels 31 , 35 is connected by a line of weakness 49, coinciding with that portion of the edge 43 itself, to one side of a rectangular tongue 50.

Each tongue 50, as will become clearer as this description continues, is designed to be folded by 90° about the respective line 49 to be juxtaposed and glued to the tongue 50 of the other panel 31 , 35.

Connected to each of the tongues 50 along a line of weakness 51 running perpendicularly to the line of weakness 49 there is a respective rectangular tongue 52. After the tongues 50 have been folded about the respective lines 49, each tongue 52 is juxtaposed and glued to the tongue 52 associated with the other panel 31 , 35, as will become clearer as this description continues. In an alternative embodiment of the blank 27, not illustrated, a tongue 52 is connected to only one tongue 50. More specifically, only the tongue 50 to be glued to the bottom wall 2 of the case 7 has a tongue 52 connected along the line of weakness 51 .

The longitudinal line of weakness 28 acts as a hinge connecting the panels 31 , 33 and 35 to respective tongues 53, 54 and 55 which are substantially rectangular in shape.

As shown in particular in Figure 5, a portion of the tongue 54 opposite to the one connected to the panel 33 is centrally provided with two slits 56 which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal line 28. The portion 57 of the side of the tongue 54 parallel to the longitudinal line 28 and included between the slits 56 is in the shape of an arc whose convexity is directed towards the outside of the tongue 54 itself, and protrudes from the body of the tongue 54 by a stretch of predetermined length.

The length of protrusion from the body of the tongue 54 is preferably between 0.3 and 3 mm.

The aforementioned first and second large panels 31 and 35 define the two large side walls 31 ' and 35' of the box-shaped body 14.

The panel 33 defines the top wall 33' of the box-shaped body 14.

The panel 55 defines the small side wall 55' of the box-shaped body 14. The aforementioned elongate panels 37 and 38 are designed to be folded along the line 29 against the inside surfaces of the panels 31 ' and 35' of the box-shaped body and to be glued to these surfaces.

The tab 39 is also designed to be folded about the transverse line 30 against the inside surface of the top wall 33' of the box-shaped body 14. And, lastly, the tab 40 is also designed to be folded against a portion of the panel 33.

As illustrated in Figures 7, 7a, and 7b, the aforementioned inner case 9 is obtained from a substantially rectangular sheet 58 which has two longitudinal lines of weakness 59 end 60 and four transverse lines of weakness 61 .

As illustrated in Figure 7, the longitudinal lines 59 and 60 delimit, in the case 9 of the assembled container 1 , a panel 62 defining a first large side wall 63, a panel 64 defining a first small side wall 65, a panel 66 defining a second large side wall 67 and a panel 68 defining a second small side wall 69.

A further panel 70 is connected to the panel 68 and, when the case 9 is assembled, is fixed to the large panel 62 in order to close the inner case 9.

It should be noted that the lines of weakness 59, 60 and 61 might not be "impressed" on the sheet 58 before it is wrapped around the group 10 of cigarettes 1 but might simply be the result of folding the sheet 58 around the group 10.

As shown in Figure 7, at a zone of the sheet 58 between the longitudinal lines of weakness 59 and 60, there is a partly cut line 71 running the full length of the sheet 58.

Tearing the line 71 when the container 1 is opened for the first time allows the user to remove the portion 58' of the sheet 58 which defines the top of the case 9 so that the cigarettes 1 1 can be taken out.

In the variant embodiment of the sheet 58 shown in Figure 7a, a partly cut line 72 similar to the line 71 runs only along an intermediate zone of the sheet 58 and, more precisely, transversely crosses the panel 64 and crosses only partly the panels 62 and 66.

The ends of the line 72 are connected to the ends of respective partly cut lines 73, perpendicular to the line 72 itself and whose other ends are located on the free edge of the sheet 58 located in proximity to the longitudinal line of weakness 59.

Tearing the line 72 and the lines 73 when the container 1 is opened for the first time allows removing a portion 58' of the sheet 58 which, in this case, defines only a part of the top of the case 9.

In the variant embodiment of the sheet 58 shown in Figure 7b, a zone of the partly cut line 71 located at the centre line of the panel 64 has connected to it one end of a further partly cut line 74 which is perpendicular to the line 71 and whose other end is located on the free edge of the sheet 58 located in proximity to the longitudinal line of weakness 59. Tearing the line 74 and one of the two portions of the line 71 located on opposite sides of the line 74 itself when the container 1 is opened for the first time allows removing - if necessary at different times - respective portions of the sheet 58, each of which defines only a lateral part of the top of the case 9.

The outer case 7, shown in its entirety in Figure 2, is made from the blank 15 by first folding the panels 23 and 24 and the tabs 25 and 26 at right angles about the longitudinal line of weakness 16 in the same direction of rotation and then folding the panels 19 and 21 about the transverse lines of weakness 17 which separate them from the panel 20, thereby juxtaposing them with, and connecting them with adhesive to, the panels 23 and 24. At the same time, the tab 25 is positioned inside the case 7, above the panels 23 and 24. The panels 18 and 22 are then folded at right angles about the respective lines 17, juxtaposed and glued to each other in such a way that the tab 26 is superposed on the panels 23 and 24, on the inside of the case 7.

In an alternative embodiment, the sequence of operations involves first folding the tabs 25 and 26 at right angles about the longitudinal line of weakness 16 in the same direction of rotation and then folding the panels 19 and 21 at right angles about the transverse lines of weakness 17 in opposite directions of rotation. Next, the panels 18 and 22 are folded at right angles about the lines 17 in opposite directions of rotation and one after the other, thereby superposing and gluing the panel 22 onto the panel 18, and the panels 23 and 24 are folded at right angles about the line 16 in opposite directions of rotation and one after the other, thereby superposing the panel 23 onto the tabs 25 and 26 and superposing and gluing the panel 24 onto the panel 23.

The intermediate case 8, shown in its entirety in Figure 3, is made from the blank 27 by first folding the panels 37 and 38 and the tab 40 by 180° about the longitudinal line of weakness 29 in the same direction of rotation and connecting them with adhesive to the panels 31 , 35 and 33, respectively, thereby juxtaposing the tab 39 with the panel 33 and gluing it thereto. The panels 31 and 35 are then folded at right angles about the transverse lines of weakness 30 which separate them from the panel 33. The tongues 50 are then folded at right angles about the lines 49 which connect them to the panels 31 and 35, respectively, thereby juxtaposing and gluing to each other the tongues 50 and the tongues 52 connected thereto. The tongue 54 is then folded towards the inside of the case 8 being constructed at right angles about the longitudinal line of weakness 28 and the tongues 53 and 55 are in turn folded one after the other at right angles towards each other in such a way as to juxtapose them and glue them to each other and to attach them with adhesive to the tongue 54.

The panel 30, in combination with the portions of the panels 31 and 35 adjacent thereto, and with the tongues 53, 54 and 55, defines the lid 75 of the container 1 .

The inner case 9, which encloses the group 10 of cigarettes 1 1 in such a way that their axes are parallel to the transverse lines of weakness 61 , is made from the sheet 58 as shown in Figure 6 and according to a method which is not described here because it is well known.

The container 1 is assembled by inserting the inner case 9 into the intermediate case 8. The intermediate case 8 enclosing the case 9 is then placed inside the outer case 7, positioning it in such a way that the tongues 50 and the tongues 52 are in contact with the face 2a of the bottom wall 2 of the case 7 itself.

In an alternative sequence of assembling the container 1 , the blank 27 of the box-shaped body 14 is wrapped around the case 9 to make the case 8 and the blank 15 of the box-shaped body 12 is then wrapped around the case 8, thereby making the case 7 and positioning the tongue 50 and the tongues 52 of the blank 27 in contact with the face 2a of the bottom wall 2 of the case 7 itself.

The tongues 52, glued to each other as specified above and juxtaposed with the bottom wall 2 of the outer case 7, are connected by adhesive to the wall 2 itself.

After assembling in this way, the tongues 50 and 52 constitute a base portion 77 of the intermediate case 8.

The base portion 77 is hinged to the face 2a of the wall 2 of the case 7, about a transverse axis of rotation labelled T1 .

In use, the closed container 1 (Figure 8) is opened by operating manually on the lid 75 in such a way as to rotate the intermediate case 8 about the lines of weakness 51 which connect the tongues 50 to the tongues 52 (Figures 9 and 10). Obviously, the lines of weakness 51 coincide with the axis of rotation T1 .

This rotation causes the top end of the case 9 enclosing the group 10 of cigarettes 1 1 to be progressively exposed, shown in two successive stages in Figures 9 and 10, and the tongues 50 which the base of the case 9 rest on to rotate upwards progressively about the lines of weakness 51 .

During rotations of the inner case, the free edges of the tongues 50, opposite to the lines of weakness 51 , thus change their level relative to the wall 2 constituting the base portion of the outer case 7. As a result of this rotation, the case 9 is pushed upwards progressively, changes its level relative to the wall 2 of the base of the outer case 7 and its top end is made to protrude by a short stretch from the top opening of the outer case 7 itself.

As may be observed from Figure 10, the rotation of the intermediate case 8 ends when the arcuate stretch 45 of the box-shaped body 14 meets the upper edge 13 of the box-shaped body 12 of the outer case 7. In other words, the arcuate stretch 45 and the upper edge 13 define a rotation endpoint of the intermediate case 8 relative to the outer case 7.

Another rotation endpoint is defined by the meeting of the third line 48 of the indentation 42 of the panels 31 and 35 of the box-shaped body 14 of the intermediate case 8 with the inside face 2a of the bottom wall 2 of the box-shaped body 12 of the outer case 7 (Figure 10).

In the conditions of the container 1 shown in Figures 9 and 10, the cigarettes 1 1 can be easily taken out once the top end of the case 9 of the portion/portions of the sheet 58 covering the cigarettes 1 1 is removed the first time the container 1 is opened.

The container 1 can be reclosed by moving the lid 75 back to the position shown in Figure 8, where it is over the cigarettes 1 1 inside the case 9. It should be noted that that the container 1 can be opened in the manner described above because the intermediate case 8 (see Figure 3) is provided with a side opening 76 defined by the longitudinal line of weakness 29 about which the panels 37 and 38 are folded against the panels 31 and 35, respectively.

In the first embodiment of the container 1 , the side opening 76 extends substantially to only one entire flank of the intermediate case 8, located upstream with reference to the direction of rotation of the intermediate case 8 as it passes from the closed position to the open position of the container 1 . During this rotation, only the side opening 76 is crossed by at least some of the cigarettes 1 1 constituting the group 10 during each rotation of the intermediate case 8 about the lines of weakness 51 of the tongues 50.

It should also be noted that the presence of the aforementioned first and second indentations 41 and 42 on the blank 27 allows rotating the intermediate case 8 about the lines of weakness 51 in the manner described without the outer case 7 and the intermediate case 8 interfering with each other.

As shown in Figures 1 1 and 12, the aforementioned portion 57 of the side of the tongue 54 which is parallel to the longitudinal line 28 between the slits 56 and which, as specified above, protrudes from the body of the tongue 54 and constitutes a lower edge of the grip portion or lid 75, when the container 1 is closed, is positioned in abutment against the upper edge of the panel 22, which defines an upper edge of the outer case 7 and prevents unwanted opening of the lid 75. At the start of each operation of opening the lid 75 and also at the moment the lid 75 returns to the closed position of the container 1 , the portion 57 momentarily interferes elastically with the upper edge of the panel 22 (Figures 13 and 14), moves past it by slightly bending the portion of the panel 22 itself delimited laterally by the slits 17', and emits a light clicking sound which tells the smoker that opening/closing has occurred.

The second embodiment illustrated in Figures 15-19 differs from the first embodiment in that in the outer case 7, the front wall 4a is a large wall, the rear wall 3a is a large wall and the two side walls 5a are the small walls and constitute the flanks of the packet 1 .

The outer case 7 is defined at the bottom by the aforementioned bottom wall 2 and the arcuate upper edges 13 are the free upper ends of the two small walls 5a instead of the free upper ends of the two large walls 5 of the first embodiment.

As a result, therefore, the two side walls of the intermediate case 8, labelled 31 ' and 35' in this embodiment, too, are in contact with the respective small side walls 5a of the outer case 7.

Similarly to what is described in connection with the first embodiment, the container 1 is assembled by inserting the case 9 into the intermediate case 8. The intermediate case 8 is then placed inside the outer case 7, positioning it in such a way that the tongues 50 and the tongues 52 are in contact with the face 2a of the bottom wall 2 of the case 7. The tongues 52, glued to each other as specified above and juxtaposed with the bottom wall 2, are connected by adhesive to the wall 2 itself.

The base portion 77 is hinged to the face 2a of the bottom wall 2 of the case 7, about a transverse axis of rotation labelled T2. As illustrated in particular in Figures 18 and 19, the intermediate container thus rotates about a hinge line 51 which coincides with the axis T2.

It should be noted that in the second embodiment, the side opening 76 extends substantially to only one large wall of the intermediate case 8, located upstream with reference to the direction of rotation of the intermediate case 8 as it passes from the closed position to the open position of the container 1. During this rotation, only the side opening 76 is crossed by at least some of the cigarettes 1 1 constituting the group 10 during each rotation of the intermediate case 8 about the lines of weakness 51 of the tongues 50.

In both embodiments of the container 1 , the passage from the closed position to the open position by means of a rotational movement imparted by the user to the intermediate case 8 by moving the lid 75 sideways causes the inner case 9 to be lifted and to move out laterally of the intermediate case 8 and above the outer case 7.

Claims

1 . A container for consumer articles, in particular cigarettes, comprising an outer case (7) with a longitudinal axis (A) and having four side walls (3,4,5; 3a, 4a, 5a) parallel to the longitudinal axis (A) and an open top end (7a), an intermediate case (8) housed in the outer case (7), and an inner case (9) enclosing a group (10) of articles (1 1 ); the intermediate case (8) also has four side walls, is designed to contain the inner case (9) and can rotate relative to the outer case (7), about a transversal axis (T1 ; T2) between a closed position of the container (1 ) and an open position where the inner case (9) is partly extracted from the outer case (7); the intermediate case (8) comprises a grip portion (75) to allow it to rotate in both directions and has a side opening (76) extending to one of its four side walls and made on the side wall located upstream with reference to the direction of rotation of the intermediate case (8) as it passes from the closed position to the open position of the container (1 ), only the side opening (76) being crossed by at least part of the inner case (9) during each rotation in one direction and the other of the intermediate case (8); the intermediate case (8) is housed partly and slidably in the outer case (7) and the grip portion of the intermediate case (8) constitutes a lid for the container (1 ).

2. The container according to claim 1 , characterized in that a base portion (77) of the intermediate case (8) is hinged to the inside face (2a) of a base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7).

3. The container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner case (9) is positioned in contact with the base portion (77) of the intermediate case (8) hinged to an inside face (2a) of a base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7), so that as the intermediate case (8) rotates relative to the outer case (7) about a transversal axis (T1 ; T2), the base portion (77) itself is forced to change level, thereby constraining the inner case (9) to undergo changes in level relative to the base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7).

4. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the base portion (77) of the intermediate case (8) comprises a first tongue (50) and a second tongue (52) which are hinged to each other; the second tongue (52) being fixed to an inside face (2a) of a base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7) and a free edge of the first tongue (50) being forced to change its level, moving towards and away from the inside face (2a) of the base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7) while the intermediate case (8) rotates.

5. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inner case (9) encloses a group (10) of rod-shaped smokers' articles (1 1 ), the inner case (9) being made by folding a sheet (58) of wrapping material around the group (10).

6. The container according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the inner case (9) is positioned in contact with the first tongue (50) of the base portion of the intermediate case (8), so that while the free edge of the first tongue (50) itself changes level, the group (10) of smokers' articles (1 1 ) enclosed within the inner case (9) also undergoes changes of level relative to the inside face (2a) of the base wall or bottom (2) of the outer case (7).

7. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that two opposite side walls (31 ', 35') of the intermediate case (8) perpendicular to the side opening (76) are provided with indentations (41 , 42) which allow the intermediate case (8) itself to rotate without interfering with side walls of the outer case (7).

8. The container according to claim 7, characterized in that the indentations (41 , 42) are two in number, substantially triangular in shape and defined by mutually connected lines (44, 46, 48) defining, in their entirety, a line which is substantially in the shape of a stylized "S".

9. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the outer case (7) has an upper edge at its open top end (7a) and the grip portion (75) of the intermediate case (8) has a lower edge which momentarily interferes elastically with the upper edge during each rotation of the intermediate case (8) itself between the closed and open positions of the container (1 ).

10. The container according to claim 9, characterized in that each time the lower edge of the grip portion (75) of the intermediate case (8) comes free of the upper edge of the outer case (7) after elastically interfering therewith, a click sound is made which tells the user of the container (1 ) that the container (1 ) has been opened/closed.

1 1 . The container according to any one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the sheet (58) of wrapping material defining the inner case (9) has on it at least one partly cut line (71 -74) which can be torn when a portion of the sheet (58) itself is pulled the first time the container (1 ) is used, allowing the user of the container (1 ) to remove a portion of the sheet (58) which at least partly defines a top of the inner case (9) and thus making it possible to take out the rod-shaped smokers' articles (1 1 ) housed therein.

12. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1 , comprising an outer case (7) with a longitudinal axis (A) and having four side walls

(3,4,5) parallel to the longitudinal axis (A) and defining a small front wall (3), a small rear wall (4) and two large walls (5), characterized in that the intermediate case (8) has a side opening (76) extending to its small front wall (3) or to its small rear wall (4).

13. The container according to claim 12, characterized in that the intermediate case (8) can rotate relative to the outer case (7) about a transversal axis (T1 ) perpendicular to the two large walls (5).

14. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1 , comprising an outer case (7) with a longitudinal axis (A) and having four side walls (3,4,5) parallel to the longitudinal axis (A) and defining a large front wall (3a), a large rear wall (4a) and two small walls or flanks (5a), characterized in that the intermediate case (8) has a side opening (76) extending to its large front wall (3a) or to its large rear wall (4a).

15. The container according to claim 14, characterized in that the intermediate case (8) can rotate relative to the outer case (7) about a transversal axis (T2) perpendicular to the two small walls or flanks (5a).