WO2018122739A1

WO2018122739A1 - Hinge lid container comprising a corrugated structure

Info

Publication number: WO2018122739A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/058430
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothee CAILLEAUX; Elise KALLARAIKAL NOBERT
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
Priority date: 2016-12-29
Filing date: 2017-12-27
Publication date: 2018-07-05

Abstract

A container (10) for consumer goods includes a housing (12) comprising a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box. The housing includes a corrugated metal or polymeric layer (210), a first film (220) and a second film (230). The first film is disposed across a first major surface of the corrugated layer. The second film is disposed across the second major surface of the corrugated layer such that the first and second films (220, 230) are on opposing sides of the corrugated layer (210). The containers may provide improved thermal insulation and moisture barriers, particularly in arid environments.

Description

HINGE LID CONTAINER COMPRISING A CORRUGATED STRUCTURE

This disclosure relates to hinge lid containers for consumer products such as smoking articles. More particularly, the disclosure relates to insulating containers. The quality of smoking articles can deteriorate when stored in containers under extreme environmental conditions. For example, smoking articles can dry out when containers that include the smoking articles are stored in hot and arid conditions. Qualities such as taste and mouth fullness attributed to aerosol generated from smoking articles that include tobacco typically suffer when the tobacco becomes too dry. Containers for smoking articles often include liners having moisture barrier properties to prevent or slow the rate at which smoking articles stored in the containers dry out. However, it would be desirable to store smoking articles in containers that include thermal insulation and improved moisture barrier properties as well as improved rigidity. It would be desirable to provide a premium housing in terms of temperature and moisture control as well as pressure or crush resistance for consumer articles in particular for cigarettes or heat-not-born products.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thermally insulating hinge lid container for consumer goods, such as smoking articles. Another object of the present invention is to provide hinge lid containers for smoking articles having improved moisture barrier properties. Yet another object of the invention is to provide hinge lid containers having improved structural rigidity. Preferably, the hinge lid containers of the present invention provide two or three of (i) thermal insulating properties, (ii) improved moisture barrier properties, and (iii) improved structural rigidity.

In various aspects of the present invention there is provided a container for consumer goods. The container includes a housing comprising a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box. The housing comprises (i) a corrugated metal or polymeric layer having first and second opposing major surfaces; (ii) a first film disposed across the first major surface of the corrugated layer; and (iii) a second film disposed across the second major surface of the corrugated layer. Preferably, the containers are containers for smoking articles.

Various aspects of the containers of the present invention may have one or more advantages relative to currently available containers for consumer goods such as smoking articles. For example, the containers may provide improved thermal insulation due, in part, to the corrugated structure. Some examples of containers of the present invention may provide improved moisture barrier properties, depending in part on the materials selected and the construction employed. For example, certain metallic or polymeric corrugated layers may be effective moisture barriers. The barriers may be so effective that the inner liner typically used in such containers may be omitted in some examples of containers of the present invention. Some examples of containers of the present invention may have improved structural rigidity relative to some currently available containers. The improved structural rigidity not only may serve to better protect consumer goods stored in the container, but also may aid in retaining improved moisture barrier properties, temperature insulating properties, or both improved moisture barrier properties and temperature insulating properties. Hinge lid containers of the present invention comprise a housing having a corrugated structure. The corrugated structure comprises a corrugated layer having first and second opposing major surfaces. A first film is disposed across the first major surface, and a second film is disposed across the second major surface. Air channels are created between the first film and the first major surface of the corrugated layer and between the second film and the second major surface of the corrugated layer. The air channels may serve to provide enhanced thermal insulation because the thermal conductivity of air in the channels may be lower that the material forming the corrugated structure.

Preferably, the corrugated structure has moisture barrier properties. For example, the corrugated structure has a water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of less than about 1.0 g/m²/24 h at 38°C, 90% relative humidity, and one atmosphere24 hours at 38°C and 90% relative humidity when determined by ISO 2528: 1995. Preferably, the corrugated structure has a WVTR of less than about 0.1 g/m²/24 h at 38°C, 90% relative humidity, and one atmosphere. More preferably, the corrugated structure has a WVTR of less than about 0.01 g/m²/24 h at 38°C, 90% relative humidity, and one atmosphere. The moisture barrier properties may be distributed among the corrugated layer, the first film, and the second film. Preferably, the corrugated layer is primarily responsible for the moisture barrier properties. For example, the corrugated layer may have a WVTR of less than about 1.0, preferably less than about 0.1 , or more preferably less than about 0.01 g/m²/24 h at 38°C, 90% relative humidity, and one atmosphere. The corrugated structure preferably provides the hinge lid container with sufficient rigidity to resist crushing of the container during storage, transportation and handling before and during use by a consumer. For example, the corrugated structure preferably has a rigidity from about 20 to about 60 ECT. ECT is a measure of edge compression strength determined by ISO 3037:2013 [Corrugated fibreboard - Determination of edgewise crush resistance (unwaxed edge method)].

The materials and structure of the layers forming the corrugated structure may be selected to impart the desired properties on the corrugated structure and the container.

The corrugated layer may comprise any suitable metallic material or polymeric material. Preferably, the corrugated layer itself imparts moisture barrier properties and rigidity to the container. For example, the corrugated layer may be formed from any one or more of aluminium, tin, zinc, copper, brass, and various metal alloys, particularly soft metal alloys. Preferably, the corrugated layer comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of aluminium. However, the relatively high thermal conductivity of aluminium may, to a small extent, detract from the thermal insulating property of air within the corrugated structure.

Accordingly, in some examples, the corrugated layer may comprise, for example, a thermoplastic polymer. Preferably, the thermoplastic polymer has suitable moisture barrier and rigidity properties. Examples of polymers suitable for use as barrier layers include ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), fluoropolymers like polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polyolefins such as HDPE, LLDPE and cyclic olefin copolymers (COC). The polymer layers may be metallized, such as by vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition to enhance their moisture barrier properties. Any suitable metallic material, such as aluminium or aluminium oxide, may be deposited on a polymeric layer.

The thickness of the corrugated layer may be selected to provide the desired combination of the performance properties sought, such as moisture barrier properties and rigidity. The layer forming the corrugated layer may be of any suitable thickness. For example, the layer forming the corrugated layer may have a thickness of from about 5 micrometers to about 200 micrometers; preferably from about 10 micrometers to about 30 micrometers.

The corrugated layer may have any suitable overall thickness due to the corrugation. For example, the overall thickness of the corrugated layer may be from about 500 micrometers to about 1500 micrometers, such as from about 800 micrometers to about 1200 micrometers.

The first and second films of the corrugated structure may be may be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials. The materials of the first and second films may be the same or different. Preferably, the first and second films are formed from the same material. Preferably, the first and second films comprise a thermoplastic polymer. The films may be formed ion any suitable manner such as casting and extruding. Preferably, the films are extruded.

Examples of suitable materials for forming the films include one or more of polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, high density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and poly lactic acid. Preferably the films comprise polypropylene or poly lactic acid. The films may be uni-axially or bi-axially oriented to provide one or more of greater stiffness, higher tensile strength, improved optical properties, and improved barrier properties.

The thickness of the corrugated layer may be selected to provide the desired combination of the performance properties sought, such as moisture barrier properties, rigidity, and ease of handling. The layer forming the corrugated layer may be of any suitable thickness. For example, the layer forming the corrugated layer may have a thickness of from about 20 micrometers to about 200 micrometers; preferably from about 50 micrometers to about 150 micrometers. The corrugated structure may be formed in any suitable manner. Preferably, the first and second films are laminated to opposing major surfaces of the corrugated layer. For example, lamination processes employed with corrugated cardboard should be readily adaptable for laminating the first and second films to the corrugated layer.

The corrugated structure comprises a plurality of channels formed between a first major surface of the corrugated layer and the first film and formed between a second major surface of the corrugated layer and the second film, due to corrugation of the corrugated layer. The thermal insulating ability of air is greater than most materials from which the corrugated structure may be made. That is, the thermal conductivity of air is relatively low. For example, the thermal conductivity of air is about 0.024 W/(mK) at 25°C, while the thermal conductivity of polypropylene is about 0.1 to about 0.22 W/(mK) at 25°C and the thermal conductivity of aluminium is about 205 W/(mK) at 25°C. Accordingly, most of the volume of the corrugated structure is preferably occupied by air.

As previously mentioned, containers for consumer goods of the present invention include a housing comprising a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box. The housing may comprise a corrugated structure as described above. For example, the housing may comprise a corrugated metal or polymeric layer and first and second films. The first film is disposed across a first major surface of the corrugated layer, and the second film is disposed across a second major surface of the corrugated layer.

The container may be a slide and shell container having an inner slide for housing the consumer goods mounted within an outer shell. Where the container is a slide and shell container, the outer shell or the inner slide may include one or more hinge lids.

Through an appropriate choice of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed to hold different total numbers of consumer goods, such as smoking articles, or different arrangements of consumer goods, such as smoking articles. For example, through an appropriate choice of the dimensions thereof, containers according to the invention may be designed to hold a total of between ten and thirty smoking articles.

The lid of the housing is adapted to be manipulated between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the consumer can access the consumer goods disposed within the housing. The lid can be hingedly attached to the box along a hinge line that extends across a rear wall of the container. The term "hinge line" refers to a line about which the lid may be pivoted to open the container. A hinge line may be, for example, a fold line or a score line in the panel forming the back wall of the housing. One or more perforations may be added to enhance foldability.

An inner package containing the consumer goods may optionally be disposed within the housing. The inner package may at least partially define an interior volume in which one or more consumer goods may be disposed. In some preferred embodiments, the inner package includes a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer.

The first layer can include an inner surface and an outer surface. The first layer can also include a line of weakness formed in the first layer that defines a flap of the inner package. The line of weakness can take any suitable shape or combination of shapes. Preferably, the line of weakness defines a flap that has three sides that separate the flap from the first layer, and a fourth side that forms a hinge line between the flap and the first layer. In some embodiments, the flap can be attached to an inner surface of the lid of the box such that upon opening the lid the flap is separated from the inner package along the line of weakness.

The line of weakness can be continuous or discontinuous (for example, perforated). Further, the line of weakness can be formed using any suitable technique or combination of techniques, for example, laser cutting or mechanical cutting (for example, die cutting or kiss cutting). The line of weakness can include any suitable depth in a direction transverse to the inner and outer surfaces of the first layer. The inner package may be securely sealed along the line of weakness before the first opening of the container. This may increase the storage life of the consumer goods contained within the container.

The second layer can include an inner surface and an outer surface. The second layer can also include an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed. The access opening is covered by the flap formed in the first layer when the flap is in the closed position. Further, the access opening is at least partially uncovered when the flap of the first layer is in the open position. In one or more embodiments, the access opening is completely uncovered when the flap is in the open position.

The access opening may be disposed in any suitable location on the second layer. For example, the access opening may be disposed on the second layer such that it is located on a front wall of the inner package. By way of further example, the access opening may be disposed on the second layer such that it is located on a top wall of the inner package. In another example, the access opening may be disposed on the second layer such that it is located across a portion of the front wall and the top wall of the inner package.

An inner frame may be optionally disposed within the box. The inner frame may be disposed between the inner package, if present, and the front wall of the box or within the inner package. When disposed within the inner package, the inner frame may be positioned such that a front wall of the inner package is between the inner frame and the front wall of the box. The inner frame includes a front wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls. Preferably, the inner frame is U-shaped. The term "U-shaped" is used herein to refer to a shape that includes three parts, wherein the first part and the third part are parallel to each other and extend in the same direction perpendicular to the second part.

Preferably, the inner frame includes a cut-out at the top of the front wall. The cut-out preferably substantially corresponds to the access opening, and is provided such that the consumer goods within the inner package, if present, may be more easily accessed. Where the inner frame includes a cut-out, the height of the inner frame may be defined as the distance from the bottom of the inner frame to the cut-out.

A carton that includes a lid and at least one sidewall can contain multiple containers as described herein.

Any consumer good can be packaged within a container of the present invention. Preferably, the consumer good is a consumer good for which freshness is maintained or freshness is perceived when the product is stored in an environment having a relative humidity within a desired range. Examples of such consumer good include food products, smoking articles, and tobacco-containing products. Preferably, the consumer goods are smoking articles.

The term "smoking article" includes cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and other articles in which a smoking composition, such as a tobacco composition, is lit and combusted to produce smoke. The term "smoking article" also includes those in which the smoking composition is not combusted such as but not limited to smoking articles that heat the smoking composition directly or indirectly, without burning or combusting the smoking composition, or smoking articles that neither combust nor heat the smoking composition, but rather use air flow or a chemical reaction to deliver nicotine, flavor compound or other materials from a smokable material such as tobacco.

A smoking article, particularly a smoking article comprising tobacco, is preferably stored in an environment having a relative humidity in a range from about 50% to about 80%; more preferably from about 60% to about 70%. Packagings of the invention can be manufactured to produce sealed interior volumes having desired relative humidities in accordance with the teachings presented herein.

It is known to package consumer goods such as, for example, elongate smoking articles in containers formed from folded laminar blanks. For example, elongate smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigarillos and cigars, are commonly sold in hinge lid packs having a box for housing the smoking articles and a lid connected to the box about a hinge line extending across the back wall of the container.

The consumer goods within the container may be wrapped in an inner liner that may be sealed to form an inner package. The container may also include an inner frame disposed either within the inner package or between the inner package and the box of the housing. Prior to first opening, the filled container may be wrapped in an outer wrapper.

The terms "front," "back," "upper," "lower," "side," "top," "bottom," and other terms used to describe relative positions of the components of containers refer to the container in an upright position with the lid at the top end and the consumer goods accessible from the upper end at the front. The terms "left" and "right" can be used with reference to side walls of the container when the container is viewed from the front in its upright position.

The drawings are now referred to, in which some aspects of the present invention are illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a corrugated structure of a housing of a container in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a corrugated structure of a housing of a container in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a container in an open position, where the container includes a housing and an inner package disposed within the housing.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a container in an open position, where the container includes a housing and an inner frame containing smoking articles disposed within the housing.

FIG. 5 is a graph of temperature inside various containers over time.

FIG. 6 is a graph of relative humidity inside various containers over time.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a corrugated structure 200 that may form a housing or a part of a housing of a container is shown. The corrugated structure 200 includes a corrugated layer 210, first film 220 and a second film 230. The first film 220 is disposed across a first major surface of the corrugated layer 210. The second film 230 is disposed across a second major surface of the corrugated layer 210 such that the first 220 and second 230 films are on opposing sides of the corrugated layer 210. A plurality of channels 240 are formed between the first major surface of the corrugated layer 210 and the first film 220 and are formed between the second major surface of the corrugated layer 210 and the second film 230. Air within the channels 240 may provide enhanced thermal insulation to housings of containers that contain the corrugated structure 200. The corrugated layer 210 may comprise any suitable metallic or polymeric material, such as those described above. The first 220 and second 230 films may be formed from any suitable material, such as the polymeric materials described above. The materials selected, the thicknesses and the structure of elements of the of the corrugated structure 220 may be selected to achieve desired moisture barrier and rigidity properties.

As shown in FIG. 2, the corrugated structure may have a thickness, H_Cs, and the corrugated layer 210 may have an overall thickness, HCL, due to the corrugation of the corrugated layer 210. The thickness of the material forming the corrugated layer 210 is less than the overall thickness, HCL, of the corrugated layer 210.

FIG. 3 illustrates a select embodiment of a container 10 for consumer goods of the present invention. However, it will be appreciated that present invention may be embodied in any suitable container.

The container 10 depicted in FIG. 3 includes a housing 12, which may comprise a corrugated structure 200 as depicted in FIG. 1 or 2, that includes a box 14 and a lid 20 hingedly attached to the box via a hinge line (not shown). The hinge line extends across a back 18 of the box 14 of the container 10, and acts to allow the lid 20 to be moved from a closed position (FIG. 5) to an open position as shown in FIG. 3. An inner package 30 is disposed within the housing 12. The inner package 30 at least partially defines an interior volume for housing consumer goods. The inner package 30 may be made from a barrier material or materials to hermetically seal the consumer goods before the container is opened for the first time. The barrier material may be a metal foil or a plastic and metal laminate.

The inner package 30 includes a front wall and a back wall. The inner package 30 also includes a first layer 40 and a second layer 50 attached to an inner surface of the first layer 40. The first layer 40 includes a line of weakness that defines a flap 44. Further, the second layer 50 includes an access opening 54 through which the consumer goods (not shown) can be removed. The access opening 54 is covered by the flap 44 when the flap is in the closed position. Further, the access opening 54 is at least partially uncovered when the flap 44 is in the open position. The flap 44 is attached to the first layer 40 along a hinge line. In one or more embodiments, the flap 44 is also attached to an inner surface of the lid 20 such that upon opening the lid the flap is separated from the inner package 30 along the line of weakness 42 to at least partially uncover the access opening 54.

The container 10 also includes an inner frame 70 disposed within the inner package 30. The inner frame 70 can include a reinforcing element 72 disposed between the inner frame and an inner surface of the inner package 30.

Referring now to FIG. 4, another example of a container 10 in accordance with aspects of the present invention is shown. The container 10 includes a housing 12 comprising a box 14 and a lid 20 hingedly attached to the box 14. The housing 12 comprises a corrugated structure 200, such as shown in FIGS. 1-2. An inner frame 70 containing consumer goods, in this case smoking articles 300, is disposed in the container 10.

All scientific and technical terms used herein have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently herein.

As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" encompass embodiments having plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

As used herein, "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term "and/or" means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements.

As used herein, "have", "having", "include", "including", "comprise", "comprising" or the like are used in their open ended sense, and generally mean "including, but not limited to". It will be understood that "consisting essentially of, "consisting of, and the like are subsumed in "comprising," and the like.

The words "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, including the claims.

A non-limiting example illustrating certain aspects of containers described in this disclosure is provided below.

EXAMPLE

Temperature and relative humidity inside a test container and a reference container was measured over time to evaluate the moisture barrier and thermal insulting properties of the containers.

The test container was as a laboratory prototype as follows. A precut blank of aluminum was folded by hand to produce a corrugated structure having overall thicknesses of about 1 mm. The overall thickness of the corrugated structure may be reduced when using mass manufacturing processes. Precut blanks of oriented polypropylene were laminated to opposing major surfaces of the corrugated aluminum and the overall structure of the container was achieved by appropriate folding.

A data logger from Testo SE & Co. KGaA was placed into each of the test container and the reference container and one data logger was placed outside of the containers. The containers and external data logger were placed in an over at 43°C and 15% RH and temperature and relative humidity were measured by the three data loggers for 90 minutes.

The results of the temperature measurements are shown in FIG. 5, and the results of the relative humidity measurements are shown in FIG. 6, in which the test container is "corrugated", the reference container is "regular", and the external data logger is "reference".

As shown in FIG. 5, the difference of temperature between the test and reference containers is similar. For the first twenty minutes the average temperature difference between the test and the reference was 0.40°C. The temperature difference reduced down to about 0.10°C after 1 hour. It is assumed that a greater difference would have been observed if the containers were first placed in a refrigerator as the layer of air trapped in the corrugated wall would have been cold and likely would have taken longer to warm up. In many Arabic countries, packs of cigarettes are often stored in refrigerators.

As shown in FIG. 6, an initial 2% difference in relative humidity was observed between the test and reference containers, which reduced down to about 1.4% after about an hour.

Based on the data presented in this Example, a conclusion may be reached that corrugated containers of the present invention may better protect consumer goods from outside aridity.

Thus, CORRUGATED HINGE LID CONTAINERS are described. Various modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are apparent to those skilled in packaging manufacturing and cigarette manufacturing; or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container for consumer goods, comprising:

a housing comprising a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box, wherein the housing comprises (i) a corrugated metal or polymeric layer having first and second opposing major surfaces; (ii) a first film disposed across the first major surface of the corrugated layer; and (iii) a second film disposed across the second major surface of the corrugated layer.

A container according to claim 1 , wherein the corrugated layer has a water vapor transmission rate of less than 1.0 g/m²/24 h at 38°C, 90% relative humidity, and one atmosphere.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the corrugated layer comprises aluminum.

A container according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the corrugated layer has thickness from about 500 micrometers to about 1500 micrometers.

5. A container according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the corrugated layer has a thickness from about 800 micrometers to about 1200 micrometers.

6. A container according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the material forming the

corrugated layer has a thickness from about 5 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

7. A container according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the material forming the

corrugated layer has a thickness from about 10 micrometers to about 30 micrometers.

8. A container according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein one or both of the first and second films are thermoplastic films.

9. A container according to any one of claim 1-8, wherein one or both of the first and

second films comprise polypropylene or polylactic acid.

10. A container according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein one or both of the first and second films are oriented films.

11. A container according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein one or both of the first and second films are biaxially oriented polypropylene films.

12. A container according to any one of claims 1-11 , wherein the first and second film each independently have a thickness from about 20 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

13. A container according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the first and second film each independently have a thickness from about 50 micrometers to about 150 micrometers.

14. A container according to any one of claims 1-13, where the lid is attached to the box by a living hinge.

15. A pack of smoking articles comprising:

a container according to any one of claims 1-14, and

smoking articles disposed in the container.