This application is a National Stage Entry entitled to and hereby claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§365 and 371 corresponding to PCT Application No. PCT/GB2008/000050, titled, “A Pack for Smoking Articles,” filed Jan. 8, 2008, which in turn claims priority to British Application Serial No. GB 0700744.6, filed Jan. 15, 2007, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a pack for smoking articles such as cigarettes.
It is very common to sell cigarettes in a hinged-lid (HL) carton or pack made of cardboard or other such material. A HI, pack is generally provided with a transparent outer cellophane wrapping. This wrapping is then removed by a consumer in order to gain access to the cigarettes or other smoking articles contained in the pack.
A HL pack is usually rectangular in shape and comprises a body portion and a lid portion having a hinged attachment to one another. The body comprises opposing front and back panels, two opposing side panels, and a bottom panel, while the lid comprises opposing front and back panels, two opposing side panels, and a top panel opposing the bottom panel of the body. The back panels of the lid and body are joined together by the hinged attachment. The side panels and front panel of the body abut corresponding side and front panels of the lid when the lid is closed. The hinge line between the back panels is generally higher (nearer the top of the pack) than the line of abutment between the front panels, so the lines of abutment between the lid and body side panels slope diagonally downwards towards the front of the pack.
HL packs are generally provided with an inner frame which is glued to the inside of the body portion of the pack. The inner frame typically comprises a front panel and opposing side panels which extend past the line of abutment between the body and the lid. Consequently, if the lid does not mate exactly with the body of the pack, the inner frame prevents the product inside the pack from being exposed.
One known problem with existing HL packs is that the lid may not always stay completely shut, especially after the cellophane wrapping has been removed. Most frequently, the lid may sit slightly ajar of the pack, although in more extreme cases, the lid may flop open completely. This tendency is sometimes known as yawning. Such yawning can assist unwanted ingress/egress to/from the pack—e.g. moisture loss from the cigarette tobacco. If the lid becomes very loose, there is a risk that some of the contents may fall out when the pack is lifted. In addition, a pack with an improperly closed lid generally has a low quality appearance.
Yawning tends to become an increasing problem as cigarettes or other smoking articles are consumed from the pack. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, movement of the lid may be opposed by frictional engagement with the inner frame. However, this frictional engagement is generally reduced by repeated opening and closing of the lid (to access products in the pack), for example as the cardboard of the pack becomes worn and/or bent. Secondly, a pack is normally designed such that there is a slight interference (usually less than 1 mm) between the product in the pack (when full) and the opening action of the lid. In other words, opening the lid of a full pack of cigarettes requires a slight, temporary compression of some of the cigarettes in the pack. However, after some of the cigarettes have been removed from the pack, this allows space for the remaining cigarettes to move at least partly towards the rear of the pack, thereby removing any interference between the cigarettes and the opening action of the lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,244 discloses a hinge-lid carton for cigarettes with a closure aid to help keep the pack shut. The closure aid involves inner side tabs that extend up from the side walls of the body of the pack to engage inner side tabs within the lid of the pack. Another known mechanism to address yawning is to provide outwardly facing lugs or ears on the inner frame where it extends above the body of the pack. These lugs frictionally engage the lid when it is closed, and thereby help to hold the lid in place to prevent yawning. An example of such ears can be seen in WO 96/09230. However, such lugs are not always effective, and they can sometimes lead to creasing of the inner frame (which may be formed of a less rigid material than the main body of the pack).
Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention provides a hinged-lid pack for smoking articles. The pack comprises a body and a lid each having respective front, back and opposing side panels. The back panel of the lid is hinged to the back panel of the body. At least one side panel of the lid is provided with an inner tab extending substantially coplanar with the side panel of the lid to resist opening of the lid. The inner tab may therefore serve as a form of anti-yawn mechanism to help ensure that the pack remains properly closed.
In one embodiment, the pack further comprises an inner frame attached to the inside of the body. The inner tab is received between the inner frame and the side panel of the body when the pack is closed. This configuration between the inner frame and the body side panel helps to avoid the inner tab from becoming bent or folded. In addition, friction between the inner tab and the inner frame and side panel helps to resist opening of the pack.
In one embodiment, the inner tab engages the front panel of the body when the pack is closed. For example, the inner tab may have an overlap with the front panel of the body, where the overlap is in the range 0.3-3 mm, or more particularly 0.5-2 mm, for example, approximately 1 mm. Other embodiments may have a different degree of overlap, as appropriate.
In one embodiment, the inner tab is provided with a corner to engage the front panel of the body when the pack is closed to resist opening of the lid. The inner tab is further provided with a curved edge extending away from the corner. The curved edge is shaped to remain substantially clear of the front panel of the body during opening of the lid. Consequently, once the initial resistance to opening the lid has been overcome and the corner has disengaged from the front panel, the lid can then be opened further without significant additional resistance from the inner tab.
In the above embodiment, the engagement between the inner tab and the front panel resists opening of the lid. In other embodiments, opening of the lid may be resisted by some other mechanism, such as by friction between the inner tab and the interior of a corresponding side panel of the body portion of the pack. For example, in one embodiment, the inner tab of the lid side panel is shaped to engage a restraining member having a complementary shape on the inside of the corresponding body side panel. The inner tab includes a protrusion that engages a complementary notch in the restraining member. In this embodiment, each body side panel may comprise an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the restraining member forms part of the inner layer.
In one embodiment, the portion of the inner tab adjacent the back of the pack lid extends below and within the side panel of the body adjacent the back of the pack. This configuration helps guide the inner tab to the inside of the pack body as the pack is being closed, from which position it can then engage the front panel of the body.
In one embodiment, the front panel of the body portion extends diagonally upwards adjacent the side panel where the front panel is engaged by the inner tab. (In one particular embodiment, the diagonal extension comprises a continuation at the same angle of a diagonal forming the top edge of the side panel of the body). The diagonal extension helps to deflect the inner tab inwardly as the lid is closed. This therefore facilitates overcoming any engagement between the inner tab and the front panel to close the pack, and also helps to guide the inner tab to the appropriate location between the side panel and the inner frame.
In one embodiment, the inner tab is formed from material folded in from the back panel of the lid, for example, by modifying a panel that is already present in many existing HL packs (although in conventional HL packs this panel is fully contained inside the lid). Accordingly, it is relatively easy to make a pack having such an inner tab using existing machinery.
In one embodiment, each of the two side panels of the lid is provided with an inner tab to engage the front panel of the body to resist opening of the lid when the pack is closed. In general the two inner tabs are the same, to provide symmetrical resistance, and may share any of the features described above.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a blank for manufacturing such a hinged-lid pack. Such a blank may be formed by modifying a blank for a conventional HL pack, such that the size and shape of some of the panels in the blank are changed (along with the overall size and shape of the blank).
Various embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example only with reference to the following drawings:
When the pack is closed, the body front panel 12 abuts the lid front panel 22 along line 36, which is generally parallel to the bottom of the pack. The body side panels 11A, 11B abut corresponding lid side panels 21A, 21B along lines 37A and 37B respectively. Hinge line 38 is generally higher (nearer the top of the pack) than the line of abutment 36 between the body and lid front panels, so that the lines of abutment 37A, 37B between the lid and body side panels slope diagonally downwards towards the front of the pack.
When the pack is opened, the lid portion 5 pivots around hinge line 38. This causes lid front panel 22 to separate from the front panel 12 of the body portion, and likewise for the side panels, thereby giving access to the contents of the HL pack 1.
In one embodiment, line 46A is a continuation of line 37A on the side of the panel, and likewise line 46B is a continuation of line 37B. In other words, the angle of inclination for line 46A (to the vertical or horizontal) is the same as for line 37A, and the angle of inclination for line 46B is the same as for line 37B. Another possibility is that the angle of inclination for line 46A to the vertical is more acute than for line 37A (likewise for line 46B).
In one embodiment, the length of lines 46A and 46B is in the range 1-3 mm, for example approximately 2 mm, and the inclination angle of lines 46A and 46B to line 36 is in the range 30 to 60 degrees, for example approximately 40 degrees. It will be appreciated that other embodiments may have a different length and/or inclination angle for lines 46A and 46B. For example, the angle of lines 46A and 46B will vary depending on the length of the lid (short lid or extended lid) and the format of the pack.
The front 112 and side panels 111A, 111B of the inner frame 102 extend above the body portion 4 of the HL pack. One reason for providing the inner frame 102 is that due to manufacturing tolerance, the body front panel 12 may not abut exactly against lid front panel 22; in other words, there may be a slight gap at line of abutment 36. Likewise, there may be a slight gap at line of abutment 37A between body side panel 11A and lid side panel 21A and/or at line of abutment 37B between body side panel 11B and lid side panel 21B. The inner frame 102 therefore serves as backing cover for any such gap along lines of abutments 36, 37A, and/or 37B. This then prevents the cigarettes or other smoking articles inside the HL pack from being exposed to view, which would degrade the product appearance. The inner frame also acts as a barrier for ingress/egress to/from the pack, adds strength to the pack (especially when glued to the body portion), and helps to keep the lid closed.
Tab 201B is sized and shaped so that the corner 210B of the tab sits slightly below the corner 15B of the body portion 4 of the HL pack. (Corner 15B represents the point where the top of the body front panel 12 meets the top of the body side panel 11B; this also corresponds to the junction of line 46B and line 37B). This overlap between the body front panel 12 and the tab 201B provides resistance to opening the lid 5. Accordingly, tab 201B serves as an anti-yawn mechanism to keep the lid portion 5 fully closed against the bottom portion 4.
The degree of overlap between the body front panel 12 and the tab 201B is approximately 1 mm, although this may vary from one embodiment to another. This amount of overlap allows the HL pack to be opened, given that an HL pack is generally made of a relatively compliant material such as cardboard. In particular, when the consumer applies suitable force, the HL pack deforms slightly for the tab 201B to disengage from the front panel, thereby permitting the lid to be opened. The amount of deformation is small enough that the pack returns resiliently to its initial configuration after the lid is opened. A similar, temporary, deformation occurs when the lid is closed again, thereby allowing tab 201B to return to the position shown in
The resilient deformation of the HL pack when the lid is opened and closed is assisted by the upturned ends 46A, 46B of line 36. Thus the main portion of the top of the body front panel, as indicated by line 36, is lower than the corner portion of the top of the body front panel at corner 15B. As an attempt is made to open the HL pack, tab 201B is guided by side panel 11B and body front wall 12 adjacent corner 15B to deflect inwards, towards the region where the top of the front panel is lower (corresponding to line 36). This then allows tab 201B to clear the body front panel 12, thereby permitting the lid to be opened.
The upturned ends of the body front panel 36 are also of assistance when closing the lid 5, as shown in
In another embodiment, there is no overlap between the body front panel 12 and the tab 201B. In this embodiment, resistance to opening the pack is provided by friction between the tab 201B and the internal surface of the corresponding side panel 11B of body portion 4. For example, with reference to
The overlap helps to ensure that when the lid is closed, tab 201B is received inside (rather than outside) the body side panel 11B. Although there is no overlap when the lid is fully open (as shown in
Both
The following are the main points of distinction between the blank of
a) in the blank of
b) in the blank of
c) in the blank of
It will appreciated that since the blank of
The rounded nature of these edges renders it less effective for the front edge of inner tabs 201A and 201B to engage the top of front panel 12. Accordingly, the blank of
If a user tries to open the pack, the protrusion 812 abuts (edge-to-edge) against the extension 815 to resist opening of the pack. As slightly more force is applied to open the pack, protrusion 812 and/or extension 815 deforms (resiliently), so that they are no longer in the same plane. This allows protrusion 812 to therefore slide past extension 815, thereby permitting the lid to open. When the pack is closed, the protrusion 812 and extension 815 return to the positions shown in
Although various embodiments of the invention have been described, many further variations and modifications will be readily apparent to the skilled person. For example, although the present approach has been described generally in the context of cigarettes, it can be applied to a wider range of smoking articles, e.g. cigars. In addition, the embodiments described and illustrated herein refer to packets in which the edges are formed by the panels at right angles with rounded edges. However, a packet could also be formed with any other shape known in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0700744.6 | Jan 2007 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/GB2008/000050 | 1/8/2008 | WO | 00 | 1/22/2010 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2008/087378 | 7/24/2008 | WO | A |
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4569475 | Cassidy | Feb 1986 | A |
4753383 | Focke et al. | Jun 1988 | A |
4753384 | Focke et al. | Jun 1988 | A |
5341925 | Fleenor | Aug 1994 | A |
5366077 | Pham | Nov 1994 | A |
5904244 | Focke et al. | May 1999 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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1078934 | Mar 1960 | DE |
1078934 | Mar 1960 | DE |
1103369 | May 2001 | EP |
1615830 | Jul 2008 | EP |
Entry |
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Notice of Opposition, issued from the European Patent Office on Sep. 30, 2011 for European Patent No. EP 2 125 539 B1, granted Dec. 29, 2010. |
‘Annex to the Communication—Opposition’ for related application EP2125539, dated Jan. 9, 2013. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20100126889 A1 | May 2010 | US |