Slide and shell container

• US 20080142578A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vickerstaff, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/125.37
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/728 for drawer-and-shell-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1054 combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid

Abstract

A slide and shell container, which finds particular application as a pack for smoking articles such as cigarettes. The container includes an outer shell having opposed first, front, and second, rear, walls connected by opposed third and fourth, side, walls and an inner slide in the outer shell for slidable movement relative thereto between a closed position and an open position. The inner slide comprises: a body having a first, rear, wall and a second, bottom, wall; and a lid having a first, rear, wall, a second, top, wall and opposed third and fourth, side, walls. The rear walls of the body and the lid are connected along a hinge line about which the lid is pivotable when the inner slide is in the open position. The distance from the top to the bottom of the side walls of the lid is greater than the distance from the top of the rear wall of the lid to the hinge line and the portions of the side walls of the lid below the level of the hinge line do not impinge on the front wall of the outer shell when the inner slide is in the closed position. The portion of the side walls of the lid limit pivoting of the lid about the hinge line by impinging on the front wall of the outer shell when the inner slide is in the open position.

Claims

1. A slide and shell container comprising:

an outer shell having opposed first, front, and second, rear, walls connected by opposed third and fourth, side, walls;

an inner slide in the outer shell for slidable movement relative thereto between a closed position and an open position, the inner slide comprising;

a body having a first, rear, wall and a second, bottom, wall; and

a lid having a first, rear, wall, a second, top, wall and opposed third and fourth, side, walls,

the rear walls of the body and the lid being connected along a hinge line about which the lid is pivotable when the inner slide is in the open position,

wherein the distance from the top to the bottom of the side walls of the lid is greater than the distance from the top of the rear wall of the lid to the hinge line and the portions of the side walls of the lid below the level of the hinge line do not impinge on the front wall of the outer shell when the inner slide is in the closed position and limit pivoting of the lid about the hinge line by impinging on the front wall of the outer shell when the inner slide is in the open position.

2. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 further comprising means to prevent the bottom ends of the side walls of the lid of the inner slide from leaving the top of the outer shell.

3. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 wherein the portions of the side walls of the lid of the inner slide below the level of the hinge line are narrower than the side walls of the outer shell and the portions of the side walls of the lid of the inner slide above the level of the hinge line are of similar width to the side walls of the outer shell.

4. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 wherein the portions of the side walls of the lid of the inner slide below the hinge line are tapered.

5. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 wherein the distance from the top to the bottom of the front wall of the outer shell is greater than the distance from the top to the bottom of the rear wall of the outer shell.

6. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 comprising a lid opening mechanism, the lid opening mechanism comprising:

an abutment edge projecting inwardly from the rear wall of the outer shell; and

a hook provided on a lower portion of a flap extending from the top wall of the lid of the inner slide between the rear wall of the outer shell and the rear walls of the lid and body of the inner slide,

slidable movement of the inner slide within the outer shell from the closed position to the open position causes the hook to engage the first abutment edge thereby pivoting the lid of the inner slide about the hinge line.

7. A slide and shell container according to claim 6 wherein the abutment edge is a free edge of an inwardly folded flap extending from the upper edge of the rear wall of the outer shell.

8. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 further comprising limiting means to prevent movement of the inner slide beyond the closed position.

9. A slide and shell container according to claim 8 wherein the limiting means comprises:

a first abutment edge projecting inwardly from the front wall or the rear wall of the outer shell; and

a second abutment edge projecting outwardly from the front wall or the rear wall of the body of the inner slide,

wherein the first abutment edge provided on the outer shell and the second abutment edge provided on the body of the inner slide abut one another when the inner slide is in the closed position.

10. A slide and shell container according to claim 9 wherein the first abutment edge is a free edge of an inwardly folded flap extending from the lower edge of the front wall of the outer shell and the second abutment edge is a free edge of an outwardly folded flap extending from the upper edge of a front wall of the body of the inner slide.

11. A slide and shell container according to claim 1 further comprising an inwardly folded flap extending from the upper edge of the front wall of the outer shell.

12. A blank for an inner slide of a slide and shell container, the inner slide comprising a body and a lid, the blank comprising:

a first, rear, lid wall panel foldably connected along a first edge to a first, rear, body wall panel and along a second edge opposite the first edge to a second, top, lid wall panel; and

third and fourth, side, lid wall panels foldably connected to the first rear, lid wall panel, along opposed second and third edges thereof,

wherein the side, lid wall panels extend beyond the rear lid wall panel alongside but not connected to the rear, body wall panel.

13. The blank according to claim 12, wherein the side lid wall panels are narrower at the portions thereof alongside the rear body wall panel.

14. The blank according to claim 12, wherein the side lid wall panels are tapered at the portions thereof alongside the rear body wall panel.

15. The blank according to claim 12, wherein the lid includes a flap panel extending from an edge of the top lid wall panel.

16. The blank according to claim 12, wherein the lid includes a bottom wall panel extending from an edge of the first rear body wall panel and a flap panel extending from an edge of the bottom wall panel.

17. The blank according to claim 12, wherein the shell container comprises a front panel, a rear panel smaller in height than the front panel, a first side panel between the front and rear panels, a second side panel on a side edge of the front panel, a third side panel on a side edge of the rear panel, a first flap panel on a top edge of the rear panel, a second flap panel on a top edge of the front panel and a third flap panel on a bottom edge of the front panel.