Container for Smoking Articles

• US 20200130912A1
• Filed: 04/09/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JT International SA (Japan Tobacco Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JT International SA (Japan Tobacco Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Tim, Franzen, Jens
• Application Number:
  US16/603,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130912A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00962 inserted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5838 combined with separate fixed tearing means, e.g. tabs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5855 Peelable seals
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/10484 having rounded corners
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/10568 opening of the lid opens simultaneously an inner package within the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1081 Inserts or accessories added or joined to the container, e.g. coins, pens, cards, spacers B65D85/1009 takes precedence

Abstract

A container for smoking articles has an outer housing including a hinged lid rotatable between open and closed positions. An inner package has an access opening through which smoking articles can be removed. The access opening can be covered by a reclosable flap when the hinged lid is in the closed position. With the lid in the closed position, the reclosable flap forms an overlap region with a surface of the inner package that extends around the periphery of the access opening. An outer surface of the reclosable flap is attached to a first lid panel of the hinged lid. When the hinged lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, a pivoting movement is provided about the first lid panel whereby the first lid panel pivots against the inner package along a pivot line, and wherein non-adhering region of the overlap region includes the pivot line.

Claims

1. A container for consumer goods, comprising:

an outer housing comprising a hinged lid rotatable between open and closed positions, wherein the hinged lid comprises a first lid panel and a second lid panel, the first lid panel being movable relative to the second lid panel during movement of the hinged lid between the open and closed positions;

an inner package of consumer goods within the outer housing comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed; and

a reclosable flap arranged to cover the access opening, wherein, in the closed position, an inner surface of the reclosable flap forms an overlap region with an outer surface of the inner package that extends around a periphery of the access opening, the overlap region comprising a non-adhering region;

wherein an outer surface of the reclosable flap is attached to the first lid panel at an attachment region that is provided opposite the non-adhering region;

wherein the non-adhering region is at least the same size as the attachment region.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the non-adhering region is larger than the attachment region.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the attachment region is provided at a free end of the reclosable flap.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the first lid panel rotates about a rotation axis relative to the second lid panel during movement of the lid between the open and closed positions.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the first lid panel is initially fixed relatively to the second lid panel.

6. The container of claim 1, further comprising an inner frame within the outer housing.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the inner frame is positioned inside the inner package.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein, when the hinged lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, a pivoting movement is provided about the first lid panel whereby the first lid panel pivots against the inner package along a pivot line, and wherein the non-adhering region includes the pivot line.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the overlap region further comprises an adhering region to releasably affix the outer surface of the inner package and the inner surface of the reclosable flap, the adhering region including, in the closed position, at least a portion of the periphery of the access opening.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the adhering region includes at least a portion of a top wall of the inner package.

11. The container of claim 9, wherein the adhering region includes a portion of a front wall of the inner package.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the adhering region includes a portion of the front wall that extends away from a front, top edge of the inner package.

13. The container of claim 9, wherein, in the closed position, the non-adhering region includes a portion of the periphery of the access opening.

16. The container of claim 10, wherein the adhering region includes a portion of a front wall of the inner package.

14. A method of forming a container for consumer goods, comprising the steps of:

providing an inner package of consumer goods comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed;

providing a reclosable flap to cover the access opening of the inner package, wherein, in the closed position, an inner surface of the reclosable flap forms an overlap region with an outer surface of the inner package, wherein the overlap region comprises a non-adhering region;

folding a blank about the inner package to form an outer housing with a hinged lid;

attaching an outer surface of the reclosable flap to a first lid panel of the hinged lid so that the reclosable flap overlaps the first lid panel within the non-adhering region;

wherein the step of folding the blank comprises a step of forming the hinged lid in a way such that the first lid panel can move relative to a second lid panel when the container is in use.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising the additional step of:

positioning the reclosable flap on the inner package with respect to the access opening such that the non-adhering region includes a pre-defined portion of a periphery of the access opening.