WO2018019950A1

WO2018019950A1 - Container with radio frequency element

Info

Publication number: WO2018019950A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/069054
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothee CAILLEAUX
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
Priority date: 2016-07-27
Filing date: 2017-07-27
Publication date: 2018-02-01

Abstract

A reclosable container for consumer goods is provided. The container comprises a box; a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the container; and a package of consumer goods within the box, the package comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed. The container further comprises an adhesive label covering the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package. The adhesive label comprises a radio frequency element (RFE). A front end of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the adhesive label is lifted off the package.

Description

CONTAINER WITH RADIO FREQUENCY ELEMENT

The present invention relates to a container for consumer goods comprising a radio frequency element (RFE).

Smoking articles are typically packaged in rigid hinge-lid containers. The bundle of smoking articles housed in the box is commonly wrapped in an inner liner, or package, of metallised paper, metal foil or other flexible sheet material. A sealed condition of the inner package is appreciated by consumers as proof that the goods inside the package are preserved in their original state at least until the first opening of the container.

Containers are known, for example from WO-A-2008/142540, wherein smoking articles are enclosed in an inner package with an extraction opening removably closed by a cover flap that is releasably affixed to the inner package using non-dry adhesive applied to the underside of the cover flap. This makes the inner package reclosable. A portion of the cover flap is glued permanently and non-removably to an inner surface of the front wall of the lid so that opening and closing of the lid results in the simultaneous opening and closing of the cover flap and the extraction opening can be revealed and covered repeatedly.

RFEs are known for allowing large amounts of information to be stored without the need for the information to be printed. It is known to add RFEs to containers for consumer products to store information concerning, for example, the provenance of the consumer product in question. This information may help identify counterfeit consumer products. However, providing RFEs on containers for consumer products can be expensive, especially if different RFEs need to be provided on different varieties of the same container. Additionally, it may not be desirable for the RFE to be visible on the external surface of the container since this space may be better spent on branding or other printed information. Furthermore, it may be desirable for the consumer to access information once the consumer has purchased the container of consumer products.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a reclosable container for consumer goods comprising a means for storing information. It would further be desirable that the means for storing information can be altered without the need to substantially alter the design of the container. It would further be desirable to provide a means for storing information that is not visible on the external surface of the container.

According to the present invention, there is provided a reclosable container for consumer goods. The container comprises an outer housing comprising a box and a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing. In addition, the container comprises a package of consumer goods within the box, wherein the package comprises an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed. The container further comprises an adhesive label covering the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package. The adhesive label comprises a radio frequency element (RFE). A front end of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the adhesive label is lifted off the package.

As used herein, the term "radio frequency element" (RFE) refers to any device capable of storing information readable by a radio frequency reader. RFEs may be active devices. RFEs may be passive devices. As used herein the terms 'active' and 'passive' refer to devices that either do or do not require their own power source to function.

As used herein, the terms "front", "back", "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom" and "side", refer to the relative positions of portions of containers according to the invention and components thereof when the container is in an upright position with the adhesive label in a closed position. When describing containers according to the present invention, these terms are used irrespective of the orientation of the container being described. The access opening of the package is arranged in an upper portion of the package, such that the access opening extends at least partly across a top wall of the package. Where the whole of the access opening is formed in the top wall of the package, the front edge of the access opening is in a front portion of the top wall of the package. Where the access opening extends across the top wall and the front wall of the package, the front edge of the access opening is also the lower edge of the access opening and is located in a upper portion of the front wall of the package.

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

The term "width" is used to describe the dimension of an element of a label or flap of a container as measured in the transverse direction. The term "height" is used to describe the dimension of an element of a label or cover flap of a container as measured in a direction perpendicular to the width of the element. When describing a label or elements of a label, reference is generally made to the label in a flat state.

The term "inner surface" is used throughout the specification to refer to the surface of a component of the assembled container that is facing towards the interior of the container, for example towards the consumer goods, when the container is in the closed position. Likewise, the term "outer surface" is used throughout the specification to refer to the surface of a component of the container that is facing towards the exterior of the container. For example, the reclosable adhesive label comprises an outer surface that, in some embodiments, is facing the outer hinge lid housing of the container and an inner surface that is facing the inside of the package and the consumer goods. It should be noted that the inside or outside surface is not necessarily equivalent to a certain side of a blank used in assembly of the container. Depending on how the blank is folded around the consumer goods, areas that are on the same side of the container can either face towards the inside or the towards the outside of the container.

The term "hinge line" refers to a line about which the lid may be pivoted in order to open the container. A hinge line may be, for example, a fold line or a score line in a panel forming a wall of the container.

The term "line of weakness" is used herein to refer to a line along the laminar blank forming the package that has been mechanically deformed, for example by creasing, scoring, ablation, perforation or pre-cutting, such that a portion of the laminar blank at least partially delimited by the line of weakness can be easily partially separated from the remainder of the laminar blank, whilst remaining attached to the remainder of the laminar blank during use. By way of example, the lines of weakness may delimit the package portion of the sealing cover member on three sides, such that a rectangular flap is formed that can be partially separated from the remainder of the laminar blank. Thus, one such rectangular flap becomes free to pivot about a hinge line connecting the ends of the side lines of weakness. It will be understood that the package portion of the sealing cover member may be of different shapes and sizes.

As used herein, the term "overlays" means that at least a portion of a first element of the invention is located above at least a portion of a second element of the invention in a longitudinal direction, between the lower surface of the container and the upper surface of the container. The first element of the invention may be in direct contact with the second element of the invention. Alternatively, there may be an intermediate element between the first element of the invention and the second element of the invention. For example, the first element of the invention may be a portion of the reclosable adhesive label. For example, the second element of the invention may be the access opening of the package. For example, a portion of the reclosable adhesive label may overlay the access opening of the package.

A reclosable container in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention comprises an outer housing comprising a box and a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing. A package of consumer goods is received within the box, the package being formed from a laminar blank and comprising an access opening at a top portion of the package through which consumer products can be removed. Further, the container comprises an adhesive label movable between a position where the container is closed, in which the adhesive label covers the access opening, and a position where the container is open, in which consumer goods may be removed through the access opening. The adhesive label has a larger area than the area of the access opening such that the adhesive label extends beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package when the adhesive label is in the closed position. The adhesive label comprises a RFE. A front end of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing. Thus, upon opening the lid, the adhesive label is lifted off the package.

The provision of the adhesive label comprising a RFE means that the RFE is not taking up space on the outer surface of the packaging. This advantageously means space on the outer surface of the packaging is available for other features, for example printed information and branding. This provision also means the RFE is not visible without opening the container.

This may be advantageous in situations where the RFE is being used to combat counterfeiting.

In some embodiments, the RFE may be integrated in the adhesive label. This has the further advantage of combining two distinct functions into a single component of the container.

The provision of the adhesive label in particular comprising the RFE allows different

RFEs to be used in different containers without the need to alter any aspect of the package.

Instead, different adhesive labels comprising different RFEs may be applied to substantially the same packages simplifying the manufacturing process.

The RFE may store information related to the consumer goods held within the container. For example, the RFE may store information intended to be read by those involved in the distribution and sale of the consumer goods. This information may relate to the provenance of the consumer goods and may include the date on which the consumer products were produced, the location where they were produced, the batch number or quality control information. Information may be included to distinguish genuine consumer products from imitation or counterfeit consumer products.

The RFE may store information intended to be accessed by the end user of the consumer goods. The RFE may store marketing information, user guides relating to the consumer products, or contact details for the producer or supplier of the consumer product.

The RFE may be used as part of a promotional competition.

The RFE may store uniform resource locator (URL) information which may allow the

RFE reader to access specific information when the RFE reader is connected to the internet.

This is particularly useful where the amount of information is too large to fit onto the RFE itself.

The URL may direct the user to the website or social media site of the producer or the supplier of the consumer product.

The RFE may be any RFE. For example the RFE may be a Radio Frequency

Identification (RFID) device or a Near Field Communication (NFC) device. The RFE may be a NFC tag.

The RFE may be a separate element applied to the adhesive label. As an alternative, the RFE may be incorporated in the adhesive label. This is advantageous in that a single component of the container serves a double purpose.

The RFE may be a printed RFE. In such embodiments, the adhesive label comprises a piece of planar material onto which the RFE is printed. The planar material may be any planar material. For example, the planar material may comprise paper, cardboard, metal foil or a polymeric material. Preferably the planar material is flexible. The planar material may comprise a substantially transparent or translucent portion. This may advantageously allow the RFE to be visible from both sides of the adhesive label.

The printing may occur before or after the adhesive label is affixed to the package. Using a printed RFE advantageously removes the need for a separate standalone RFE component and removes the need for a manufacturing step of applying a standalone RFE component to the piece of planar material. Printed RFEs are advantageously thinner and lighter than non-printed RFEs since they do not require additional substrates. Printed RFEs may be more flexible than non-printed RFEs. This is particularly advantageous in the context of the adhesive label which needs to be able to flex from a closed to an open position. Printed RFEs may bend smoothly during opening and closing of the container. In some preferred embodiments, the RFE is a RFID tag comprising an antenna including a plurality of wire loops. By way of example, the RFID tag may comprise a rectangular loop coil. As an alternative, the RFID tag may comprise a substantially circular loop coil.

The RFE may be located on the inner surface of the adhesive label. In this embodiment, the RFE may become visible only when the container is in the open position. This may keep the RFE concealed until the user opens the container. This may advantageously provide a novel way of interacting with the container for the consumer, who would be encouraged to use a suitable device capable of reading the content of the RFE, such as, for example, a mobile phone. Locating the RFE on the inner surface of the adhesive label may also advantageously protect the RFE from damage and keep it hidden if it is undesirable that the RFE is visible before the container is opened.

The RFE may be applied to the adhesive label after other printed information is applied on the label, such as on the outer surface of the label, and even after the connection between the adhesive label and the hinge lid has been provided. Thus, when the RFE becomes visible upon opening the container, more up-to-date information carried by the RFE can advantageously be presented to the consumer.

The RFE may be located on the outer surface of the adhesive label. Because it is effectively positioned inside the hinge lid, the RFE may be obscured by the hinge lid when the container is in both the open and closed positions. This may be advantageous if the RFE is not intended for consumer use.

Besides, the RFE may be of a type that is readable by means of a radio frequency device, for example when the consumer holds the radio frequency device at a small distance from the container. In such case, ensuring that the RFE is hidden from the consumer's sight may be desirable for the container to have a certain visual impact, the information stored on the RFE being however accessible for the consumer.

The RFE may be located on a portion of the adhesive label that, when the container is closed, overlays the access opening of the package. This makes it easy to locate and read the RFE if it is being read through the adhesive label. This is particularly advantageous if there are several containers packed together with only the access opening visible. The RFE may overlay more than just he access opening. The RFE may only overlay the access opening such that, when the container is in the closed position, all of the RFE overlies the access opening. Where the RFE is located on the inner surface of the adhesive label, this may advantageously help the adhesive label to adhere to the package since the RFE will not come between the adhesive label and the surface of the package. The provision of the RFE on a portion of the adhesive label that overlays the access opening may also provide some added protection for the consumer products within the package.

The RFE may be located on a portion of the adhesive label that, when the container is closed, overlays a top surface of the package. Preferably the RFE is located on the top wall of the package. The RFE may be located on a portion of the adhesive label that, when the container is closed, only overlays a top surface of the package. This ensures that the RFE is located in a single plane parallel to the top surface of the package. This advantageously means the RFE does not need to bend over the edges of the package when the container is closed. This would be undesirable since the portion of the adhesive label comprising the RFE is likely to be less flexible than the remainder of the adhesive label. Forcing the RFE round an edge of the package could therefore either damage the RFE or impede the closure of the container. This also further makes the RFE easier to locate and read since the top surface of the package (along with the bottom surface) is the smallest surface of the package.

The RFE may be located centrally on the portion of the adhesive label that overlays the top surface of the package. This further makes the RFE easier to locate and read since the centre is an intuitive location. The central location also allows for the largest possible RFE to be used. Additionally, the provision of the RFE in a central location advantageously ensures the adhesive label opens and closes consistently and evenly since the provision of the RFE may impact the opening and closing characteristics of the adhesive label.

A rear edge of the RFE may be located at a distance from a rear edge of the adhesive label. The rear of the adhesive label may be disposed on a back wall of the container. In this case, it is likely that locating the RFE close to the rear edge of the adhesive label will cause the RFE to interfere with the opening and closing of the container. Additionally, where the adhesive label is fixed to the package by a permanent adhesive, the location of the RFE near the rear edge of the adhesive label may interfere with the layer of adhesive bonding the label to the package. The rear edge of the RFE is preferably more than about 0.5 millimetres from a rear edge of the adhesive label; more preferably more than about 1 millimetre from a rear edge of the adhesive label. Still more preferably, the rear edge of the RFE is more than about 5 millimetres from the rear edge of the adhesive label. Even more preferably, the rear edge of the RFE is more than about 10 millimetres from the rear edge of the adhesive label.

The surface area of the RFE may be less than the surface area of the adhesive label. This advantageously prevents the RFE overlapping any of the edges of the label. This in turn minimises the interference between the RFE and the opening and closing of the adhesive label and ensures the RFE does not get in the way if the user tries to peel open the adhesive label.

The surface area of the RFE is preferably less than about 70 percent of the surface area of the inner surface of the adhesive label. The surface area of the RFE is more preferably less than about 50 percent of the surface area of the inner surface of the adhesive label. The surface area of the RFE is still more preferably less than about 30 percent of the surface area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

The surface area of the RFE may be less than the surface area of the portion of the adhesive label that, when the container is closed, overlays the top surface of the package.

The adhesive label may be permanently affixed to the package by a permanent adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label. The provision of permanent adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label advantageously provides a convenient way of attaching the adhesive label to the package. This first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label thus defines an attachment area. This means that different labels can be attached to the package allowing different RFEs to be used in different packages simply by changing the adhesive label. This provision also allows the adhesive label to be applied to the package after the RFE has been applied to the adhesive label. This makes manufacturing of the adhesive label more convenient.

This provision also advantageously ensures a solid and stable bond between the adhesive label and the package, and a strong hinge is effectively provided for the adhesive label to pivot and be lifted off the package whilst remaining securely connected to the package at all times.

The first (attachment) area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is preferably located at the rear-most portion of the adhesive label. The first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may be a strip running transversely across the rear-most portion of the adhesive label. The first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may be any width. Optionally, the first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may be between about 4 millimetres and about 15 millimetres wide. When the adhesive label is in place on the package, the first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may extend over a portion of the back wall of the package. The first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may extend over a portion of the top wall of the package. The first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may extend over a portion of both the back wall and the top wall of the package. The first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may not extend over the access opening of the package.

A second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label distal from the first (attachment) area may be provided with reclosable adhesive. A third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is defined between the first area and the second area, the RFE being located at least partially within the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

The provision of reclosable adhesive advantageously ensures that the adhesive label is able to seal the package each time it is closed. This keeps moisture out of the package and maintains the freshness of the package. The use of reclosable adhesive also allows the user to repeatedly open and close the container to remove successive consumer goods.

When the adhesive label is in place on the package and the package is closed, the second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may correspond to a portion of the adhesive label that does not overlay the access opening of the package. The second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may extend over a portion of the front wall of the package. The second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may extend over a portion of the top wall of the package. Preferably, the second area is positioned and sized such that, when the adhesive label is in place on the package, the second area extends over at least a portion of the outer surface of the package about the periphery of the access opening.

The second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may be spaced apart from the first area of the adhesive label. At least one portion of the second area of the adhesive label may abut the first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

The second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may comprise a strip running transversely across the front-most portion of the adhesive label. Alternatively or in addition, the second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may comprise at least one strip running longitudinally along a side edge of the inner surface of the adhesive label. The second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may include a strip running around the entire periphery of the inner surface of the adhesive label other than the portion of the inner surface of the adhesive label that comprises the first area of the inner surface. This advantageously ensures that the adhesive label can be removably adhered to the pack around its entire periphery.

The second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may not extend to the front edge of the inner surface of the adhesive label. There may be an adhesive free transverse strip at the front edge of the inner surface of the adhesive label with the second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label being disposed behind the adhesive free strip. This advantageously allows users to more conveniently peel back the adhesive label without getting adhesive on their hands.

A third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is defined between the first and second areas described above. The third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may be free from adhesive. The third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may overlay the access opening of the package. The absence of adhesive on the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label advantageously prevents the consumer products contained within the package from adhering to the inner surface of the adhesive label.

Alternatively, the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label may be provided with adhesive.

The RFE may be located at least partially within the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label. This means that the RFE does not overlap with the areas of the inner surface of the adhesive label that are either permanently or removably adhered to the package. This is advantageous since the RFE would interfere with the behaviour of the adhesive label by, for example, increasing its stiffness which would make the adhesive label less able to adhere to the package.

The RFE may be located fully within the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

The package may be formed from a laminar blank comprising lines of weakness at least partly delimiting a cover portion of the package such that the cover portion is at least partly detachable from the remainder of the package to form the access opening, the adhesive label being permanently affixed to the outer surface of the cover portion. The cover portion of the package may comprise one or more crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion.

The provision of a cover portion advantageously provides additional protection for the consumer products contained within the package. The cover portion may be attached to the remainder of the package along a crease line. The crease line may be at the back of the access opening. The outer surface of the cover portion may be attached to the inner surface of the adhesive label. The outer surface of the cover portion may be attached to the inner surface of the adhesive label by a permanent adhesive. The outer surface of the cover portion may be at least partially located within the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

The provision of cover portion comprising one or more crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion advantageously increases pliability of the cover portion. This is advantageous since cover portion can more easily bend during opening and closing. In particular, the crease lines may increase the inherent flexibility of the cover portion. Without wishing to be bound to theory, it is understood that crease lines in the cover portion have the advantageous effect of locally making the laminar blank material from which the package is formed substantially at least as flexible as the material of which the adhesive label is made, such that the cover portion and the adhesive label can effectively bend as one.

In different embodiments of containers according to the invention, crease lines may be formed in the reclosable adhesive label, in the cover portion, or in both. Regardless of their specific arrangement in the cover portion, the crease lines enhance the inherent flexibility of the cover portion. This is advantageous since it is easier for the consumer to gradually detach the cover portion from the package and expose the access opening without causing any significant deformation or any damage to the package.

The increase in flexibility is particularly advantageous as the inclusion of a RFE may stiffen the adhesive label. The one or more crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion may help to mitigate the negative impact the RFE has on the flexibility of the adhesive label and the cover portion.

In those embodiments where the RFE is provided as an RFID tag comprising a rectangular loop coil antenna, the antenna is preferably arranged with the longer sides of the rectangular loops extending parallel to the crease lines.

By varying certain features of the crease lines, such as depth, width or mutual distance, it is possible to impart different levels of pliability to different portions of the cover portion. Accordingly, it is advantageously possible to tune the resistance to opening offered by the cover portion and even more finely tune the curvature of the cover portion when the cover portion is in the open position. Thus containers in accordance with the present invention may additionally have a distinctive impact on the consumer, for example in terms of greater or lesser resistance to opening depending on the opening angle or the opening speed or both.

The one or more crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion may be located anywhere on the cover portion. The one or more crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion may be located on a portion of the cover portion that overlays the RFE. The one or more crease lines may not overlay the RFE. This may be advantageous since the provision of crease lines overlaying the RFE may disadvantageously weaken the RFE and could lead to it being damaged.

In some embodiments, the one or more crease lines may be formed on the inner surface of the cover portion. As an alternative, the one or more crease lines may be formed on an outer surface of the cover portion. This not only enhances the pliability of the laminar material from which the cover portion is formed, but may also imparts a desirable preliminary curvature on the package portion.

In embodiments of the invention comprising a cover portion, the RFE may be located between the inner surface of the adhesive label and the outer surface of the cover portion. This provision may advantageously protect the RFE on both sides and help prevent the RFE from becoming dislodged from the adhesive label through repeated opening and closing of the container. This provision may also keep the RFE hidden when the container is in the open position which may be advantageous if the RFE is not for consumer use.

The RFE may be located fully between the inner surface of the adhesive label and the outer surface of the cover portion such that none of the RFE extends beyond the cover portion. This advantageously ensures that the RFE is not visible. The RFE may be spaced away from the edge of the outer surface of the cover portion on all sides. This means that a portion of the outer surface of the cover portion does not overlay the RFE. This may advantageously ensure efficient adhesion between the outer surface of the cover portion and the inner surface of the adhesive label.

There may be a printed indication of the RFE on the inner surface of the cover portion should the RFE be intended for consumer use.

The RFE may be located on the outer surface of the adhesive label. This may advantageously allow the RFE to be visible to the consumer and may improve the connection between the cover portion and the adhesive label.

The adhesive label may comprise one or more crease lines extending transversely across the adhesive label. This may advantageously provide more control over the pliability of the adhesive label especially in view of the RFE which may limit the pliability of the adhesive label.

The crease lines extending transversely across the adhesive label may have all or some of the same properties of the crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion described above.

The consumer goods may be smoking articles. Containers according to the invention find particular application as containers for elongate smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos. It will be appreciated that through appropriate choices of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed for different numbers of conventional size, king size, super-king size, slim or super-slim cigarettes. Alternatively, other consumer goods may be housed inside the container.

Through an appropriate choice of the dimensions, containers according to the invention may be designed to hold different total numbers of smoking articles, or different arrangements of smoking articles. For example, through an appropriate choice of the dimensions, containers according to the invention may be designed to hold a total of between ten and thirty smoking articles. The smoking articles may be arranged in different collations, depending on the total number of smoking articles.

Containers in accordance with the present invention may be manufactured by a method comprising a first step of providing a liner to be folded around the consumer goods to form the package and a second step of forming lines of weakness in the liner to define a flap of the liner for forming a cover portion in the assembled package, such that the flap is at least partly detachable from the remainder of the liner.

Further, one such method comprises a third step of applying an adhesive label on the liner, the adhesive label extending beyond the periphery of the flap of the liner and comprising an RFE.

In some embodiments, the method comprises a further step of applying the RFE on a surface of the adhesive label prior to the third step of applying the adhesive label on the liner.

By way of example, a plurality of adhesive labels comprising RFEs may be manufactured by sequentially applying a plurality of RFEs to a strip of label material wound in a bobbin. As the wound strip is then unwound, predetermined lengths of label material, each comprising an

RFE, may be cut from the strip and applied onto the liner.

In alternative embodiments, the RFE is integrated in the adhesive label or effectively is the label, and so the RFE is applied to the liner during the third step. The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a container according to a second aspect of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the inner surface of an adhesive label of a container of Figure 1 .

Figure 1 shows a container 1 according to a second aspect of the invention. The container 1 comprises an outer housing 2 which is a rectangular parallelepiped and includes a box 3 and a lid 4. The lid 4 is hinged about a hinge line extending across a back wall of the housing 2 and is pivotable between an open position that is shown in Figure 1 and a closed position. Further, the container 1 comprises a package 5 of smoking articles 6 housed in the box 3. The package 5 comprises an access opening 7 extending across the top wall and the front wall of the package 5. The smoking 6 articles contained in the package 5 can be removed through the access opening 7 when the lid 4 is in the open position.

The container 1 further comprises an adhesive label 8 having an inner surface and an outer surface. The rear portion of the inner surface of the adhesive label 8 is attached to the rear portion of the top wall of the package by a permanent adhesive. The front portion of the outer surface of the adhesive label 8 is attached to the inner surface of the lid 4 by a permanent adhesive. This allows the adhesive label 8 to open and close as the lid 4 opens and closes.

The adhesive label 8 comprises a piece of flexible material. The adhesive label 8 further comprises a printed RFE 9.

Figure 2 shows in more detail the location of various features of the adhesive label 8.

Figure 2 shows the inner surface of the adhesive label 8. The inner surface of the adhesive label 8 includes a first area 801 comprising an amount of permeant adhesive. The permanent adhesive on first area 801 is what attaches the adhesive label 8 to the top wall of the package 5. The inner surface of the adhesive label 8 further comprises a second area 802 comprising an amount of reclosable adhesive. The second area 802 of the inner surface of the adhesive label 8 extends over a portion of the top surface of the package 5 when the container is in the closed position. The first 801 and second 802 areas of the inner surface of the package define a third area of the inner surface of the package 803 comprising the printed RFE 9. The third area of the inner surface of the package 803 is not provided with adhesive. The printed RFE 9 is located centrally in a transverse direction. The printed RFE 9 overlays the access opening 7 when the container 1 is in the closed position. The printed RFE 9 does not overlay the edge of the access opening 7 when the container 1 is in the closed position.

The boundary between the first 801 and second 802 areas of the inner surface of the package defines a hinge line 804 about which a first portion of the adhesive label 8 may pivot in relation to a second portion of the adhesive label 8. A portion of the adhesive label pivots about the hinge line 804 when the container is opened and closed.

The inner surface of the adhesive label 8 further comprises an portion substantially free from adhesive 805. This portion 805 is located at the front edge of the adhesive label and allows the user to conveniently open and close the container without getting adhesive on their fingers.

Claims

1 . A container for consumer goods comprising an outer housing comprising

a box;

a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing; and a package of consumer goods within the box, the package comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed; and

an adhesive label covering the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package,

wherein the adhesive label comprises a radio frequency element (RFE); and wherein a front end of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the adhesive label is lifted off the package.

2. A container according to claim 1 , wherein the front end of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to an inner surface of a front wall of the lid.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the RFE is located on the inner surface of the adhesive label.

4. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the RFE is located on the outer surface of the adhesive label

5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the RFE is located on a portion of the adhesive label that, when the container is closed, overlays the access opening of the package.

6. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the surface area of the RFE is less than about 50 percent of the surface area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

7. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive label is permanently affixed to the package by a permanent adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

8. A container according to claim 7, wherein a second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label extending distal from the first area is provided with reclosable adhesive, a third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label being defined between the hinge area and the second area, the RFE being located at least partially within the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label.

9. A container according to claims 1 to 8, wherein the package is formed from a laminar blank comprising lines of weakness at least partly delimiting a cover portion of the package such that the cover portion is at least partly detachable from the remainder of the package to form the access opening, the adhesive label being permanently affixed to the outer surface of the cover portion.

10. A container according to claim 9 wherein the cover portion of the package comprises one or more crease lines extending transversely across the cover portion.

1 1 . A container according to claim 10, wherein the RFE is located between the inner surface of the adhesive label and the outer surface of the cover portion or on the outer surface of the adhesive label.

12. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive label comprises one or more crease lines extending transversely across the adhesive label.

13. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the consumer goods are smoking articles.

14. A method of manufacturing a container according to claim 1 comprising: providing a liner to be folded around the consumer goods to form the package;

forming lines of weakness in the liner to define a flap of the liner for forming a cover portion in the assembled package, such that the flap is at least partly detachable from the remainder of the liner; and

applying an adhesive label on the liner, the adhesive label extending beyond the periphery of the flap of the liner and comprising an RFE.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising a step of applying the RFE on a surface of the adhesive label prior to the third step of applying the adhesive label on the liner.