Hinge Lid Package

• US 20130284623A1
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Groulx, Jean-Claude, LaBelle, Paul, Da Costa, Antonio, Major, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/508,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20130284623A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/268
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/00 Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6691 the container being provided with an internal frame or the like for maintaining the lid in the closed position by friction
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/10564 having means for holding the lid in a closed position

Abstract

The present invention pertains to hinge lid packages, for example cigarette packages, with features that reduce the force required to open and close the package, keep the lid tightly closed when not in use and/or improve the luxurious feel of the package during opening and closing, in comparison to similar packages that do not include these features.

Claims

1. A package comprising:

a box part having a pair of opposed front and rear panels, a pair of opposed side panels and a bottom panel;

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;

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;

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

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, the forward facing edge of said cam panel comprising a lower latching tab lifting zone and an upper wedging zone, said lower latching tab lifting zone being adapted to engage the rearward facing surface of said latching tab when said lid is moved from said open position toward said closed position and said upper wedging zone being configured to engage and the rearward facing surface of secure said latching tab within said latching tab retaining zone when said lid is in said closed position.

2. The package according to claim 1, wherein the forward facing edge of said cam panel comprises a maximum interference zone between said lower latching tab lifting zone and said upper wedging zone, said maximum interference zone adapted to engage the rearward facing surface of said latching tab when said lid is moved from said closed position to said open position.

3. The package according to claim 1, wherein said upper wedging zone is defined by a portion tapering toward said front panel to less than the thickness of said latching tab and said lower latching tab lifting zone is defined by a substantially linear, or linear, portion sloping downwardly and inwardly from said upper wedging zone.

4. The package according to claim 1, wherein each of said latching tabs is integrally formed from said inner frame and comprises a latching tab edge defined by a cut line in said side panel that intersects said fold line at upper and lower intersection points.

5. The package according to claim 4, wherein said latching tab edge comprises an exit ramp portion sloping outwardly and downwardly from said upper intersection point.

6. The package according to claim 5, wherein said latching tab edge comprises an inlet ramp portion sloping outwardly and upwardly from said lower intersection point.

7. The package according to claim 6, wherein said latching tab edge comprises a bearing area between said exit ramp portion and inlet ramp portion adapted to be frictionally engaged by the inside of said lid side panel.

8. The package according to claim 7, wherein a portion of the rearward facing surface of the latching tab adjacent the bearing area is adapted to engage the forward facing edge of said cam panel, and wherein a portion of the forward facing surface of the latching tab adjacent the bearing area is adapted to engage one of the inside of said front panel, and the ridge formed between one of the side panels and the front panel.

9. The package according to claim 7, wherein said bearing area is positioned at a point approximately midway between said upper and lower intersection points.

10. The package according to claim 7, wherein said front, rear and side panels of said box part each have a top edge, which together define a top edge of said box part, and each said inner frame side panel has an upper edge that intersects said fold line connecting said front panel to said side panel at a forward corner, and wherein each said latching tab is positioned such that each bearing area is located above the midway point between said forward corner and said top edge of said box part.

11. The package according to claim 1, wherein each said inner frame side panel has an upper edge, said upper edge being beveled downwardly to intersect said fold line connecting said front panel to said side panel at a forward corner.

12. The package according to claim 10, wherein said package has an interference between said lid front panel and said forward corners of less than about 8% of the depth of said package.

13. The package according to claim 12, wherein said interference is about 2.5% of the depth of said package.

14. The package according to claim 12, wherein said pivot axis between the rear panels of said lid and box part is more than about 8 mm below said top panel of said lid.

15. The package according to claim 14, wherein said pivot axis is about 10.5 mm below said top panel of said lid.

22. The package according to claim 11, wherein said package has an interference between said lid front panel and said forward corners of less than about 8% of the depth of said package.

23. The package according to claim 1, wherein the lid and the box part are formed from a first blank and the inner frame is formed from a second blank.

25. The package according to claim 1, wherein the lid, the box part and the inner frame are formed from a single blank.

16. A package comprising:

a box part having a pair of opposed front and rear panels, a pair of opposed side panels and a bottom panel;

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;

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;

a pair of latching tabs integrally formed from said inner frame, each latching tab extending outwardly from one of said fold lines and being formed from side panel material, each said latching tab comprising a latching tab edge defined by a cut line in said side panel which intersects said fold line at upper and lower intersection points, said latching tab edge comprising an exit ramp portion sloping outwardly and downwardly from said upper intersection point, an inlet ramp portion sloping outwardly and upwardly from said lower intersection point and a bearing area between said exit ramp portion and inlet ramp portion adapted to be frictionally engaged by the inside of said lid side panel;

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 in corresponding latching tab retaining zones.

24. The package according to claim 16, wherein the lid and the box part are formed from a first blank and the inner frame is formed from a second blank.

26. The package according to claim 16, wherein the lid, the box part and the inner frame are formed from a single blank.

17. A package comprising:

a box part having a pair of opposed front and rear panels, a pair of opposed side panels and a bottom panel;

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 movable 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;

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;

a pair of latching tabs integrally formed from said inner frame, each latching tab extending outwardly from one of said fold lines and being formed from side panel material, each said latching tab comprising a latching tab edge defined by a cut line in said side panel which intersects said fold line at upper and lower intersection points, said latching tab edge comprising an exit ramp portion sloping outwardly and downwardly from said upper intersection point, an inlet ramp portion sloping outwardly and upwardly from said lower intersection point and a bearing area between said exit ramp portion and inlet ramp portion adapted to be frictionally engaged by the inside of said lid side panel;

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 in corresponding latching tab retaining zones,

wherein each said inner frame side panel has an upper edge, said upper edge being beveled downwardly to intersect said fold line connecting said front panel to said side panel at a forward corner and wherein said package has an interference between said lid front panel and said forward corners of less than about 8% of the depth of said package.

18. The package according to claim 17, wherein said interference is about 2.5%.

19. The package according to claim 17, wherein the lid and the box part are formed from a first blank and the inner frame is formed from a second blank.

20. The package according to claim 17, wherein the lid, the box part and the inner frame are formed from a single blank.

21. A method of optimizing opening and closing capabilities of the package comprising:

a box part having a pair of opposed front and rear panels, a pair of opposed side panels and a bottom panel;

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;

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;

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

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, the forward facing edge of said cam panel comprising a lower latching tab lifting zone and an upper wedging zone, said lower latching tab lifting zone being adapted to engage the rearward facing surface of said latching tab when said lid is moved from said open position toward said closed position and said upper wedging zone being configured to engage and the rearward facing surface of secure said latching tab within said latching tab retaining zone when said lid is in said closed position;

said method comprising;

selecting overall package dimensions;

minimizing the distance between said pivot axis and said top panel of said lid while maintaining a comfortable gripping zone on the lid rear panel;

selecting a distance between the forward corners of the inner frame from the top edge of said box part based on a pre-selected interference percentage;

determining a zero interference trajectory for both a damaged and an undamaged or fully deployed latching tab;

configuring the latching tabs by positioning the outermost point of each latching tab as close as possible to the lid top panel and selecting the distance between the outermost point of each latching tab and a line defined by the corresponding fold lines, to allow the latching tabs to engage the corresponding cam panels without bending when the package is in the closed position; and

configuring the cam panels by;

(i) positioning the lowermost point of each of said cam panels inside the zero interference trajectory for the damaged latching tab;

(ii) selecting a cam inclination angle between 15° and

45°

;

(iii) positioning the height of the upper wedging zone of said cam panels to correspond with the position of the latching tab when the lid is in the closed position; and

(iv) modifying the profile of the cam panel forward facing edge to form a latching tab retaining zone that is sufficiently narrow to retain the latching tab between the forward facing edge of the cam panel and the inside of the front panel, or the ridge formed between each of the side panels and the front panel when the lid is in the closed position.