Patent Application
20130284623
The present invention pertains to the field of hinge lid packages and to blanks for making such packages. In particular, the present invention pertains to a hinge lid package with good opening and closing capabilities.
In the past, considerable effort has been invested in producing cigarette packages that are lightweight, easy to open and close and which are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Conventional hinge lid cigarette packages are well known in the art and are usually produced from a either a single blank or two blanks as outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,600, U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,648 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,773 and constructed of paperboard substrate which may be coated with a fluidized mixture of finely particulated minerals and binders resulting in a smooth luxurious appearance.
There are several problems that occur with extended use of prior art hinge lid cigarette packages. Such problems include damage to the paper-board material as a result of repeated openings and closings of the package lid and “smiling” which is defined in the art as a “popping open” or slight separation of the lid away from a fully closed position. Smiling is generally observed as soon as the outer wrapping is removed from the package and will increase following the initial opening of the package. The degree to which smiling occurs usually increases with extended use of the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,600 attempts to solve the problem of “smiling” by providing a container comprising a round-corner body and lid wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the body along a curved perimeter. However, although the curved hinge lid reduces the occurrence of “smiling” the package becomes difficult to open and close due to the curvature of the lid perimeter.
Similarly, others, for example as described in German patent DE 39 26 621 A1, have attempted to overcome this problem by increasing the pivot point height of the hinge to above the intersection point of the rear lid panel and rear box panel. However, as with U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,600, the force required to open and close the lid of such a cigarette package as disclosed in DE 39 26 621 A1 is much greater than for other types of prior art cigarette packages. This results in damage to the cigarette package itself, for example ripping and tearing, as well as damage to the contents (cigarettes) housed within the package.
Another problem associated with prior art cigarette packages is that they can be difficult to open, and excessive force is often required to open the package lid either because there is internal interference, or the lid distorts sideways from its closing position when opened. Further, prior art cigarette package lids routinely “hang-up” or become snagged by interfering or catching on the inner frame or collar when being opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,581 discloses inclined slits that are provided at the ends of the hinge line to facilitate easier opening of the lid. Attempts have been made to facilitate hinge lid cigarette packages that are easier to open and which remain completely closed when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,773 discloses a blank having collar side tabs angled off to an oblique edge which, when assembled, are intended to ensure easy opening and closing of the lid. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,648 discloses a package made from a blank with collar side tabs designed with special contours such that recesses are formed that result in inner side webs with less height, in an attempt to simplify the extraction of the cigarettes and reduce interference between the collar and lid when opening the cigarette package.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,648 discloses the use of material webs formed by punching perforations in corresponding regions between the front wall of the main blank and the inner lid of the collar or inner frame blank. Although these material webs retain the lid in a tightly closed position, once these webs are broken upon the initial opening of the hinge lid of the package it becomes difficult to properly close the lid. In order to close the hinge lid a user must ensure that each web tab properly aligns with its corresponding web cavity before closing the lid. Not only is this a difficult and arduous task, but if used incorrectly this configuration prevents proper full closure of the lid onto the box part or main frame of the cigarette package.
GB 2 151 212 discloses that an inclination of the side and front edges of the blank facilitates closure of the packet by the effective removal of the front upper corners of the collar which would otherwise engage the reinforcing panel during closure. In addition to this type of package it is also known to employ an inner frame that is tapered, in that it grows larger as you move toward the top of the pack as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,905. However, the ever-widening shoulder of this type of package although functional, is not aesthetically appealing which is a major consideration in the field of tobacco packaging.
There remains a need, therefore for cigarette packages having improved opening and closing capabilities that require reduced force to open and which prevent “smiling” of the package during use. In addition, these packages must remain tightly closed when stored as well as maintain a luxurious feel and an aesthetically appealing appearance throughout the lifetime of the product.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a hinge lid package, for example a cigarette package, that requires less force to open and close than conventional hinge lid packages while preventing the occurrence of package “smiling”. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge lid package with an improved opening and closing mechanism comprising a cam assembly as illustrated in
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a package having a hinge lid assembly, a cam resting in the interior portion of the lid, and a set of latching tabs comprising an unconventionally modified profile that provides a smooth and progressive frictional engagement with the cam assembly within the lid of the main package frame and that co-operate to provide a cigarette package having a lid with improved opening and closing properties.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge lid package comprising a cam resting in the interior portion of the lid, and a set of latching tabs comprising a modified profile that provides a smooth and progressive frictional engagement with the cam assembly within the lid of the main package frame and a modified raised hinge lid pivot point that co-operate to provide a cigarette package having a lid with improved opening and closing properties.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a hinge lid package having a cam assembly frictionally engageable with an modified latching tab profile, a modified inner frame profile and a raised hinge lid pivot point that provides a hinge lid cigarette package that requires significantly less force to open and close, decreases the occurrences of package “smiling” and has a luxurious feel and elegant appearance.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a package comprising: (a) a box part having a pair of opposed front and rear panels, a pair of opposed side panels and a bottom panel; (b) a lid having a pair of opposed front and rear panels, a pair of opposed side panels and a top panel, said lid being pivotally moveable between an open and a closed position about a hinge connection defined by a pivot axis along a fold between the rear panels of said lid and box part and being substantially parallel to said top and bottom panels; (c) an inner frame closely received in and having a portion projecting upwardly from said box part, said inner frame having a front panel and a pair of opposed side panels each connected to an opposite end of the front panel along a fold line substantially parallel to said side panels, said projecting portion being closely received by said lid when in the closed position; (d) a pair of latching tabs, each latching tab extending outwardly from one of said fold lines of said inner frame and having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface; and (e) a pair of cam panels, each cam panel being secured to the inside of each lid side panel and having a forward facing edge in closely spaced relation to the inside of said front panel, or a corresponding ridge formed between each of the side panels and said front panel, and defining a latching tab retaining zone therebetween, whereby when said lid is moved from said open position to said closed position, said latching tabs are closely received and wedged within said corresponding latching tab retaining zones.
The invention is illustrated in particular by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The numbers in bold face type serve to identify the component parts that are described and referred to in relation to the drawings depicting various embodiments of the invention. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.
The present invention provides a hinge lid cigarette package that requires less force to open and close than conventional hinge lid cigarette packages and significantly reduces the occurrence of package “smiling”.
The hinge lid package (hereinafter referred to as “package”) of the instant invention comprises some of the features of a standard flip top cigarette package, for example those found in the package of U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,905. With reference to
Analogous to the box part 10, the lid 20 comprises a lid front panel 50, a lid rear panel 52 (
Box part 10 and lid 20 are pivotally connected to one another along a fold line at which box rear panel 32 meets lid rear panel 52. The fold line forms pivot axis 102, one end of which is identified by the arrow in
A further constituent part of most conventional flip top cigarette packages is inner frame 80, or collar, which comprises inner frame front wall 90, having top front corners 92, and inner frame side walls 100 (only one of which is shown in
As shown in
In the closed configuration, box part 10 and lid 20 abut one another at the box front top edge 36 and box side edges 38 (only one side edge shown in
Box part 10 and lid 20 of the conventional cigarette package depicted in
The package of the present invention contains the features of the conventional cigarette package described above and it additionally contains features that are not found in conventional cigarette packages. The additional features maximise the degree to which a package according to the present invention remains closed when not in use and, at the same time, minimise the force required to open the package to obtain one or more units contained within the package.
The additional features that act individually or collectively to achieve these desired results include: latching tabs projecting outwardly from the inner frame; cam panels in place of inside lid side frame panels 72 of the conventional package, each having a cam shape that engages a corresponding latching tab during the closing of the lid to maintain the package in the closed position; a modified inner frame profile; and a raised lid pivot axis or hinge.
It has now been found that, in place of the non-engaging curved profile, a lid side panel modified to include an angled camming portion to engage latching tab 140, which latching tab acts as a cam follower, both minimises damage to latching tab 140 and the propensity for lid 20 to “hang-up” during the opening action of lid 20. In addition, packages comprising such a cam panel exhibit an improvement in the degree of “smiling” observed in comparison to analogous packages comprising standard inside lid side panels 72.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a package that includes two cam panels in the interior of the lid for engaging two corresponding latching tabs on the inner frame. Said cam panels provide a smooth and progressive lid locking action. The cam panel profile can vary in shape, as described herein, and functions to engage the corresponding latching tab to provide smooth opening and closing action of the lid while minimising the force required to open the lid, occurrences of smiling, and unintentional opening of the package lid.
As depicted in
During package closing, cam panels 150 act to guide, progressively engage and, ultimately, wedge the latching tabs 140 at the wedging zones of cam panels 150.
In an alternative embodiment there is no ridge 78 at the corner formed by lid front panel 50 and lid side panel 70, for example, if crease line 76 is replaced by a score line. In this embodiment, the latching tab retaining zone is defined by the inside face of lid front panel 50 and camming edge 160.
In a preferred embodiment, six specific segments define the profile of the camming edge 160 of cam panel 150. These segments are identified by profile points A, B, C, D, E, F and G in
As used herein in relation to latching tabs, “deployed” refers to the operable position of the latching tab. When initially formed by the packer the latching tab may not be fully deployed, but rather in an inoperable position wherein the tab is not outwardly projecting from the inner frame. During use, operation of cam panel 150 acts to move an undeployed latching tab into an operable, deployed state.
The cam panel of the present invention has an angled profile defined by a first linear segment along the axis defined by points A and B and a second linear segment along the axis defined by points F and G. In order to act effectively, it has been found that the angle between the first and second linear segment (hereinafter the “inclination angle”), as shown in
At an inclination angle of greater than about 45°, it was found that the latching tab will not properly engage the cam panel during the closing action of lid 20 and will not act as a cam follower. Instead, the latching tab will override the cam panel, by moving along the inside facing surface of the cam panel. This results in damage of the latching tab, for example, by delamination in the case of a latching tab constructed from paperboard. As depicted in
An inclination angle of 15° or less generally was found to result in a cam panel that does not exert sufficient pressure on the latching tab during opening and closing of lid 20 to increase the friction between latching tab 140 and the inside face of lid front panel 50 and to wedge latching tab 140 between the ridge 78 or the inside face of lid front panel 50.
Generally an inclination angle of greater than 15° and less than 45°, or more preferably between 20° and 40°, has been found to be suitable.
As demonstrated in
In selecting the dimensions of the cam panel it is important to consider the situation in which the latching tab is damaged or is not fully deployed. In order to ensure that the latching tab will be able to engage the cam panel, the position of the cam panel is determined on the basis of the theoretical zero interference trajectory 167 of a damaged or not fully deployed latching tab.
Profile point A of a cam panel according to the present invention is located inside the latching tab trajectory 168 defined for a latching tab that is not fully deployed or is damaged. Cam profile segments AB and BC clear the inner frame latching tab during the opening and closing action of the lid and minimise damage of the latching tab and the propensity for lid 20 to “hang-up” or snag during the opening action of lid 20. In addition, during the closing action, the cam profile segment BC is positioned and angled to straighten the inner frame latching tab if it is damaged or not fully cut and/or properly deployed, for example, by the cigarette packer during packaging.
During closing action, the cam profile segment CD progressively lifts the inner frame latching tab and progressively creates friction and interference with cam panel edge 160 and ridge 78 or the inside face of lid front panel 50. In response, the latching tab partially bends toward ridge 78 or the inside face of lid front panel 50 (See, for example,
Segment CD is defined by an arc extending from point C to point D. The radius of the arc extending from point C to point D is determined, in part, by the limitations of the equipment used to manufacture and cut the blanks used to make the package. The smaller the radius, the larger the wedging zone (i.e., segment DE), however, a small radius is also more difficult to tool. In designing a cam panel according to the present invention, the radius of the arc defined by points C and D is selected by taking into consideration (i) the need to maximise the size of the wedging zone; (ii) the limits of the equipment used to manufacture and cut the blanks; and (iii) the material used to manufacture the cam panels and the latching tabs. The type of material is an important consideration since the amount of damage (e.g., delamination) caused to the latching tabs and cam panels during use will vary depending on the thickness and rigidity of the material.
Cam profile segment CD is also positioned to compensate for the lower limit of the inner frame 80 vertical position play. When the package is assembled by a packer, the inner frame is incorporated within box part 10 as described above. The position of the inner frame 80 relative to box front top edge 36 of box front panel 30 can vary within an upper and lower design limit. This variation is referred to as the vertical position play of the inner frame. The lower limit of the inner frame 80 vertical position play is the lowest position of inner frame 80 relative to box front top edge 36 of box front panel 30 that can be tolerated. Segment CD must be positioned such that it properly interferes with the latching tab, even when the inner frame is at the lowest allowable position.
As described in more detail below, the latching tabs are an integral part of, or are secured to, the inner frame. Thus, the vertical position of the latching tabs relative to box front top edges 36 is dependent on the position of the inner frame within box part 10. The existing variation in the design, available settings and speed of the packing machinery used to assemble a package according to the present invention determines the magnitude of the vertical position play of the inner frame and, consequently, the latching tabs. It is important to evaluate the amount of vertical position play (e.g., by observation, measurement of packages produced at different packer speeds, etc.) in order to properly position cam profile segment CD to ensure that it is able to interfere with the latching tab when the inner frame is at the lowest position within the observed or measured vertical position play.
Cam profile segment DE is referred to as the “wedging zone” and wedges the latching tab between camming edge 160 and ridge 78, or the inside face of lid front panel 50, when lid 20 is in a closed position, thereby minimising the occurrence of “smiling”. The wedging zone can comprise a straight edge or a curved edge. In the case of a cam profile segment DE that is curved outwardly, the maximum distance of the edge of the curve from the straight line between point D and point E is approximately equivalent to the three times the thickness of the material used in the construction of the latching tab. In the case of a cam profile segment DE that is curved inwardly, the maximum distance of the edge of the curve from the straight line between point D and point E is approximately equivalent to the thickness of the material used in the construction of the latching tab. As would be readily appreciated by a worker skilled in the art, the actual dimensions of the inward or outward curve in relation to the straight line between point D and point E is partially dependent on the rigidity of the material used to construct the latching tabs. This is especially important in the case of an inwardly curved segment DE.
An inwardly curved segment DE can be designed to create a recessed cavity that engages the latching tab upon closing of the lid. An outwardly curved segment DE can be used in order to increase the degree of wedging of the latching tab that the cam panel is capable of in comparison to that of a straight segment DE.
As illustrated in
Finally, cam profile segments EF and FG abut and, consequently, support the inside of lid front panel 50 or ridge 78, thereby facilitating vertical alignment of lid front panel 50 and box front panel 30. These cam profile segments provide support to the front of lid 20 and thereby maintain the configuration of the lid 20 such that when the package is closed lid 20 will be flush with box part 10. Segments EF and FG do not taper away from or toward lid front panel 50, but rather are positioned such that they form a straight edge approximately parallel to the inside surface of lid front panel 50. In accordance with a specific embodiment of the invention, segments EF and FG define a straight edge spaced from the inside face of lid front panel 50 or ridge 78 a distance that is within ¼ to ½ of the thickness of the material used to manufacture the lid.
Prior to its first use the package is typically assembled by a packer in such a way that the latching tabs are located between the cam panel edge 160 and ridge 78 or the inside face of lid front panel 50. The profile of the cam panels 150 creates the desired level of friction and interference with the latching tabs to maintain the package in a closed position. It should be understood that varying levels of friction can be created by varying the configuration, angles and/or profile of the cam panels within the limits defined above.
During package opening, the latching tabs act as cam followers and will follow the segments of the cam profile on cam panel edges 160 from segment DE to AB. During package closing, the latching tabs again act as cam followers and will follow the segments of the cam profile on the cam panel edges 160 from segment AB to DE.
Cam panels 150 and 190 can be used with any latching tab and are not limited to use with latching tabs 140 and 210 described herein.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a package that includes a pair of cam panels and a corresponding pair improved latching tabs. The improved latching tabs can vary in shape, as described herein, but always function in combination with the corresponding cam panels to provide smooth opening and closing action of the lid while minimising the force required to open the lid, occurrences of smiling, and unintentional opening of the package lid.
As indicated above, standard cigarette packages often include a pair of latching tabs 140, each extending outwardly from along a portion of each of the perforation lines 130 of inner frame 80. Latching tabs 140 frictionally engage the inside of lid side frame panels 70 and/or 72, and thereby contribute to the force required to open and close lid 20. Latching tabs 140 are formed from an integral portion of the inner frame 80 and have a front face 216 and a rear face 217.
It has now been found that an improved latching tab comprising an inlet ramp, a bearing area and an exit ramp can be formed from an integral portion of inner frame 80. As with the latching tabs 140 found in standard cigarette packages, the improved latching tabs 210 depicted in
Latching tab 210 consists of three segments, which define the profile of the latching tab edge 211. These segments are identified by profile points X, Y, Z and Q as depicted in
The uppermost portion of latching tab edge 211 comprises an exit ramp defined by points Z and Y. Segment ZY is inclined to slope down and away from top front corner 92 of inner frame 80. Latching tab 210 further comprises a bearing area along latching tab edge 211 at segment YX and an inlet ramp at segment XQ, which are depicted in more detail in
Inlet and exit ramps XQ and ZY, respectively, and radius W of the arc defining the bearing area YX combine to improve the functionality and operation of lid 20 by reducing the force required to open the package, decreasing the tendency of package to open spontaneously when a user does not require access to the contents of the package and at the same time preserving the aesthetic appearance of the cigarette package. It would be readily appreciated, however, by a worker skilled in the art that the geometry of X and Z, can be modified in order to properly balance the force required to open the lid 20 with that required to maintain the lid 20 in a closed position when the package is not in use.
With reference to
Exit ramp ZY also influences the required level of rigidity and flexibility to permit latching tab 210 to flex and thereby permit rear face 217 to act as a cam follower over cam panel 150 without damaging latching tab 210. Exit ramp ZY is defined by a straight line, an arc or a combination of a straight line and an arc. When all or a portion of exit ramp ZY consists of an arc, the arc is an extension of the arc defining bearing area YX. Further, with reference to
Bearing area YX is the portion of latching tab edge 211 that bears the greatest pressure from frictional engagement of latching tab 210 and the inside of the lid side panel 70. With reference to
The initial contact point between latching tab 210 and lid 20, is the point at which the bottom edge of lid side panel 70 first comes into contact with latching tab 210 during closing of the package. Lid side panel 70 is flush with box side panel 40 when the bottom edge of lid side panel 70 is in contact with latching tab 210 at the initial contact point.
In one embodiment of the present invention, all or a portion of exit ramp ZY is defined by an arc that extends to also define bearing area YX and the initial contact point is on the arc. In this case, the radius of the arc determines the latching tab contact surface angle T at the lid side edge 58 upon closing of the package. In particular, the contact surface angle T is the angle between lid side panel 70 and the tangent at the initial contact point between latching tab 210 and lid side edge 58.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, all or a portion of exit ramp ZY is defined by a straight line and the initial contact point is on a straight portion of exit ramp ZY. In this case, the latching tab contact surface angle T is the angle between the lid side panel 70 and the straight line defining the straight portion of exit ramp ZY.
Irrespective of the configuration of exit ramp ZY it has been found that latching tab contact surface angle T must be less than about 60° in order to avoid “hang-up” during opening of lid 20. It has also been found that latching tab contact surface angle T must be less than about 50° in order to provide smooth operation of lid 20 during opening and closing. Latching tab 210 having an angle T of less than about 50°, is able to smoothly engage cam panel 150 as a cam follower during opening and closing of lid 20.
The interference level between latching tab 210 and the inside of side panel 70 is one parameter that contributes to the lid holding force and can be adjusted by adjusting the geometry of the latching tab.
As noted above, one embodiment of the present invention provides latching tab 210 having an exit ramp ZY comprising at least portion defined by a straight line. Angle V is the angle between this straight line and a line parallel to box front top edge 36 (not shown in
It has also been found that the material used to form the inner frame limits the tolerable geometry of latching tabs 210, which are formed from an integral portion of the inner frame. For example, in the case where the inner frame is formed from paperboard, the paperboard foldability and thickness, as well as the delaminating resistance will have an effect on the limits of tolerable geometry of latching tabs 210.
In contrast, latching tab 214 has a preferred angle T that allows lid side panel 70 to slide along exit ramp ZY during closing of lid 20, such that latching tab 214 is then able to frictionally engage cam panel 150. It has been found that angle T should be less than about 60°, or more preferably less than about 50°, in order for the latching tab to smoothly engage cam panel 150 as a cam follower during opening and closing of lid 20. Similarly, when the distance P between the outermost point S of bearing area YX is maintained and radius W is varied, the force required to open and close the package will be altered.
The following table summarises the effects of altering various components of the latching tab geometry:
The components of latching tab 210 act in combination, therefore, it is possible to optimise the latching tab configuration depending on the material used to construct the inner frame, the application of the package and the configuration of the lid and cam panel of the package.
As described above, latching tab 210 acts as a cam follower during opening of lid 20 from box part 10, and will follow the cam profile segments on the cam panel edge 160 of the cam panel 150 from segment EF through to segment AB. Upon closing, latching tab 210 reverses its course following the cam profile of cam panel 150, from segment AB to segment EF. Cam profile segment DE creates the required level of friction and engagement between rear bearing area 219 of latching tab 210 and camming edge 160 and between front bearing area 218 and ridge 78, or the inside face of lid front panel 50, to maintain the package in a closed configuration until application of an external force.
During engagement with the cam panel, the outermost portion of bearing area YX of latching tab 210 is in contact with the inner surface of side panel 70. As depicted in
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a cigarette package that includes an improved inner frame profile, which has been modified in order to reduce the interference between the lid inside front panel 54 and the top edge 92 of the inner frame.
As depicted in
The incorporation of bevelled front corners 230 reduces the interference between inner frame 220 and lid front panel 54, in comparison to the same package including a standard inner frame 80, during opening and closing of the package. In addition, the configuration of bevelled front corners 230 maintains inner frame top edge 232 close to the inside of lid frame panels 74, thereby minimising the extent to which the lid side panels 70 “hang-up” or snag behind side panels 234 of the inner frame 220.
A specific embodiment of the present invention provides a packages comprising standard box part 10 and lid 20 having the dimensions commonly used in cigarette packages, wherein the maximum reduction of the height of top corners 230 is approximately 4.25 mm from the existing standard of 0.75 mm from the top edge 232 of the inner frame 80.
The shape and degree of downward incline of bevelled front corners 230 can vary widely. The dashed lines in
The position of top edge 232 of inner frame 220 should be at or near the top of the lid 20 such that it is close to the inside surface of lid frame panels 74. However, the position of top edge 232 relative to lid frame panels 74 is partially dependent upon the thickness of the package, the length of the extension panel 54 and the location of the lid pivot axis 102 in relation to the top of package. A friction fit must exist between lid 20 and top edge 232 of inner frame 220 that is sufficiently loose to permit lid 20 to slip past inner frame 220 and, when present, to facilitate engagement of the cam panels with the corresponding latching tabs.
A plurality of inner frames 220 can be produced from one continuous strip of material, such as paperboard. In order to make the production economical and reduce material waste, it is desirable to make the top and bottom profiles of the inner frame of the same shape. In this way, one inner frame in its unfolded configuration will nest into another. This is depicted in the top and bottom profiles of inner frame 220 depicted in
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a package that includes a pivot axis that is raised in comparison to the pivot axis used in conventional cigarette packages. As in standard packages raised pivot axis 240 is defined by a fold line between box rear panel 32 and lid rear panel 52, which extends from one side of the package to the other side in order to pivotally connect box part 10 to lid 20.
As depicted in
The use of raised pivot axis 240 in a standard cigarette package would result in the occurrence of increased smiling. In accordance with the present invention, however, raised pivot axis 240 can be incorporated into the package without causing an increase in the occurrence of smiling.
The pivot axis 240 can be raised closer to the top of lid 20 by an amount that is just enough to change the trajectory of lid 20 during opening and closing of the package and, thereby, reduce the interference between the lid inside front panel 54 and bevelled front corners 230. A minimum distance must be maintained between pivot axis 240 and the top of the package, to allow the user to securely grasp lid 20. The portion of lid 20 defined by pivot axis 240 and the top of the lid can be referred to as a “gripping zone” since this portion of the lid is gripped by the user during opening of the package. In packages having the dimensions commonly used in cigarette packages, the minimum distance from pivot axis 240 to the top of the package has been found to be approximately 10.5 mm. At this minimum distance reduction of force required to open and close the package is maximised while maintaining a comfortable gripping zone on lid 20. The term “comfortable gripping zone” as used herein refers to a gripping zone that is sufficiently large to permit the user to comfortably grip the lid during opening of the package.
As would be readily apparent to the skilled worker, the minimum distance between the pivot axis and the top of lid 20 can vary depending on the overall dimensions of the package and the nature of the material used to construct the package. For example, the exterior surface of the package can be selected to have a rough texture, which would improve the ability of the user to grip lid 20 during opening and closing. This, in turn, could permit a smaller minimum distance between pivot axis 240 and the top of the package to be functional and still provide a comfortable gripping zone.
In a related embodiment of the present invention, the elevated or raised lid pivot axis 240 and the modified profile of the inner frame 220 together contribute to reduce the interference between the lid inside front panel 54 and front corners 230 and/or with cigarette bundle 11 within the package.
This advantage is further demonstrated in
To further demonstrate the findings noted above, interferences were calculated between inner frame front corners and lid inside panel 54, using a Computer Aided Design drawing program, in packages having the overall dimensions of a standard hinge lid 25—100 mm—Slims cigarette package except for varying pivot axis heights and varying heights of the inner frame front corners. The results are summarised in the following table:
The four improvements described above operate individually or in combination to provide a package wherein the degree to which the package remains closed when not in use is maximised, while the force required to open the package is minimised. During opening of conventional packages there is almost no force required initially such that the maximum force required to open the package occurs when the package is partially open. The fact that almost no initial force is required causes the “smiling” to occur. In contrast, the package of the present invention comprises a pair of cam panels that interact with a corresponding pair of latching tabs and thereby increase the initial force required to open the package. This effect is more pronounced when, as depicted in
As depicted in
Package 320 depicted in
The present invention further provides a method of designing a package having improved opening and closing capabilities in comparison to conventional packages. The steps of this method are outlined below and are not necessarily performed in the order in which they are listed.
Once the overall package dimensions are selected, for example, based on the dimensions required to accommodate the desired contents of the package, the position of the pivot axis can be determined. The pivot axis is positioned at the highest possible location while maintaining an acceptable gripping zone for the user.
The acceptable interference level between the inner frame and the lid is determined and the inner frame is modified such that the interference does not go beyond the acceptable interference level. As indicated previously, the term “interference” is used herein to refer to the length of the portion of lid inside front panel 54 that contacts the inner frame front corners during opening and closing of the package. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the acceptable interference is less than 10% of the package depth. More particularly, the acceptable interference can be less than 8% of the package depth or, even more particularly, approximately 2.5% of the package depth. It should be recognized that some degree of interference should be maintained since it is useful for guiding the lid to the correct position during closing to allow the camming action between the cam panels and latching tabs.
The inner frame is modified by lowering the top front corners to reduce the interference between the inner frame top front corners and the lid inside front panel to an acceptable level. Although the inner frame is modified by lowering the top front corners, the inner frame position must be maintained as high as possible within the box part of the package.
The profile of the edge of the latching tab is selected based on required interference between the cam panel and the latching tab. When the package includes a modified latching tab as described herein, the latching tab is designed by first locating the outermost point S as close as possible to the package top panel. The latching tab protrusion, or distance between the perforation lines on the inner frame and the outermost point S, is selected such that the latching tab will engage the cam panel and will interfere with the lid side panel with minimal bending and damage.
The cam panel profile is designed by first determining the latching tab zero interference trajectory for both the damaged (or not fully deployed) and undamaged (and fully deployed) latching tab. Cam profile point A is positioned inside the damaged latching tab trajectory. The cam inclination angle is adjusted in relation with the desired wedging zone and the required latching tab flexibility based on the material used to manufacture the latching tab. The location and size of the required wedging zone is determined in order to compensate for inner frame vertical position play. The radius of cam segment CD is selected in order to minimise damage (e.g. delamination) of the cam panel and the latching tab and to optimise the wedging zone. Finally, cam segments EF and FG are positioned to support the lid inside front panel.
Example 4 demonstrates the use of the above method to design a package according to the present invention.
The cigarette package of the present invention is constructed of a paperboard substrate or any other material which is known or used in the manufacture of cigarette packages. For example, the box part blank and the inner frame can be manufactured from 10 to 14 points (a point is used to specify paperboard caliper; 1 point=1 thousandth of an inch) clay coated board, which can be printed and laminated with foil, such as 7 micron foil, or 0.35 mm thick lined/coated manila backed board having a weight of 215-230 g/m2. In the case of a package formed from a single blank that include the inner frame, it may be necessary to use thinner material to allow for the additional folding required.
The blank used to manufacture the lid and box parts, with or without the inner frame, can by made from a substance such as, but not limited to, 0.006-0.009 mm gold foil laminated-white lined hard rolled manila back board having a thickness of 0.33-0.39 mm and a weight of 220-248 g/m2; 0.27-0.30 mm coated solid bleached sulfate board having a weight of 220-248 g/m2; polycoated board; direct/indirect metallized board (e.g. 250 micorn, 235 g/m2 Tako Hilioboard). These materials can be laminated or not, depending on the application of the package.
In an alternative embodiment, the package according to the present invention can be manufactured from a plastic, or combination of plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or the like.
The package of the present invention can be constructed from a blank plus an inner frame, or a single blank, using standard techniques in the art. For example, in the case of a cigarette package of the present invention, which is formed from a blank plus an inner frame, the method of construction comprises the following steps: (i) grouping the cigarettes to be stored in the package into the desired formation (e.g. a first row of 8, plus a row of 9, followed by a second row of 8); (ii) embossing, if necessary, and cutting the required length of material from a foil or a paper roll; (iii) wrapping the cigarette group from step (i) in the cut foil or paper from step (ii) to form a cigarette bundle; (iv) cutting the inner frame; (v) folding the inner frame into the suitable configuration for assembly within the box part; (vi) providing a printed and precreased blank for the box part; (vii) assembling the box part with the inner frame; (viii) forming the package around the cigarette bundle by the use of a series of folding and adhering steps; and (ix) compressing and heating the package until adhesive used in step (viii) is cured. Suitable adhesives for use in construction of the package of the present invention are well known to workers skilled in the art. For example, a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive, such as, but not limited to, IPACOLL™ LP2931, can be used in the construction of the package.
The hinge lid package of the present invention can be assembled manually or by an automated method using a packer machine. An example of a packer that is suitable for assembly of packages according to the present invention is the Hinge Lid Packer 350 S from Focke & Co. A packer can be used to assemble cigarette packages according to the method outlined above.
To gain a better understanding of the invention described herein, the following examples are set forth. It should be understood that these examples are for illustrative purposes only. Therefore, they should not limit the scope of this invention in any way.
The following test was designed in order to test the occurrences of package “smiling”. Measurements of the degree of smiling were completed on cigarette packages according to the present invention, including packages comprising: (i) a cam panel only; (ii) a cam panel and improved latching tab only; and (iii) a cam panel, improved latching tab, improved inner frame and a raised pivot axis. Conventional cigarette packages currently on the market, which did not contain any of the four improvements described herein, served as controls.
Each package was dropped from an elevation of 10 cm six times, and the degree of smiling measured with a ruler. In each case the package was dropped so that it would land with its back panel 32 facing downwards. The gap or opening between the bottom edge 56 of the lid front panel 50 and the top edge 36 of the box front panel 30 was considered to be the smile, as illustrated in
As expected the degree of smiling increases with the number of openings for conventional packages as illustrated in
Surprisingly, packages having either all four improvements or the cam panel and improved latching tab combination only, exhibited no significant difference between the degree of smiling that occurred after the first 5 openings compared to that following 25 openings (
The following test was used to determine the degree of opening force required to open a cigarette package. Again, measurements of the degree of force required to open a package were completed on cigarette packages according to the present invention, including packages comprising: (i) a cam panel only; (ii) a cam panel and improved latching tab only; and (iii) a cam panel, improved latching tab, improved inner frame and a raised pivot axis. Conventional cigarette packages currently on the market, which did not contain any of the four improvements described herein, served as controls. The force required to open a package was measured a total of six times for each package using a conventional Packaging corporation of America (PCA) score bend tester as illustrated in
Briefly, packages were placed in a holder so that box part 10 was immobile, and lid 20 was clamped either on one side (as in most tests) or in the middle (
The observed force required to open the packages was measured in grams, which can be converted to Newton meters (Nm) using standard calculations. The average forces for the first opening of the package samples as illustrated in greater detail in
The following inner frame and package blank new profiles were tested in different combinations on a Focke 350S high-speed hinge lid packer:
a standard inner frame profile (STD)
a standard box part blank (STD)
(As depicted in
The results, which are summarised in Table 7, demonstrate that the standard inner frame combined with the standard box part blank did not produce packages having consistent opening properties, in fact the packages were sometimes easy and sometimes difficult to open. The same inconsistencies were observed with respect to package smiling; sometimes there was no smiling and sometimes there was severe smiling. Therefore, this combination gave unpredictable results.
All packages made using package blank 2, having the non-engaging curved profile and any latching tab configuration, were easy to open and exhibited no wedging of the latching tabs.
The packages made using the latching tab profile “E” demonstrated the least smiling.
The overall proportions of the package were as follows:
Package width=65% of package height (what is the package height? 100 mm?)
Package depth=21% of package height
Package depth/width ratio=0.32
Lid junction line with package box part at 25% of package height.
The lid pivot axis was raised to 10.5 mm from the top of the package, or 51% of lid top panel depth.
The acceptable interference level between the inner frame top front corners and the lid inside front panel was determined to be 0.525 mm, or 2.5% of lid top panel depth. Therefore, the distance of the inner frame top front corners to the lid inside top panel (in closed position) was set at 6.57 mm, or 25% of lid front panel height. The distance of inner frame top edge to lid inside top panel was 2 mm, or 7.7% of lid front panel height.
The modified latching tab was selected and the distance from outermost point S to lid inside top panel was set at 13.7 mm, or 53% of lid front panel height. The latching tab protrusion P was set at 1 mm, which was equivalent to 3.3 times the thickness of the board used to manufacture the cam panel.
The latching tab zero interference trajectories were determined and the cam profile point A was set at a distance of 0.5 mm, or 1.9% of lid front panel height, from the zero interference trajectory of the damaged latching tab. The cam inclination angle was set at 33.8° to allow for the flexibility of the latching tab material.
The wedging zone of the cam panel was designed to have the following dimensions:
length=3 mm (11.5% of lid front panel height)
distance from point E to lid inside front panel=10.4 mm (40% of lid front panel height)
radius of segment CD=2 mm (7.7% of lid front panel height)
Finally, cam panel segments EF and FG were positioned to support the lid inside front panel by using a distance of 10.4 mm (40% of lid front panel height) between point E and point G.
All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this Specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains and are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent applications was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP10/65474 | 10/14/2010 | WO | 00 | 12/21/2012 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61258061 | Nov 2009 | US |
