Hinged lid container with sliding device

• US 7,658,280 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bardet, Pierre-Alain, Brugger, Kevin, Bourgoin, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jr.; Jacob K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu; King M
• Application Number:
  US11/785,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20070251984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 206/267, 206/264, 206/266, 206/265, 206/268, 206/271, 206/273, 206/278, 229/125.37
• US Class Current: 206/267
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6688 the container body sliding in an outer sleeve B65D85/1054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1054 combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid

Abstract

A container includes a lower box portion, an upper lid portion, and a sliding portion. The lower box portion includes a box bottom wall, a box front wall and a box back wall. The upper lid portion is hinged to the box back wall. The sliding device at least partially covers the lower box portion. The container is opened by moving the sliding device in one direction and closed by moving the sliding device in a second, opposite direction along the lower box portion. The box back wall includes a first stopper flap to limit movement of the sliding device in the first direction, and a second stopper flap to limit movement of the sliding device in the second direction. The first and second stopper flaps are formed by a common cut or incision. Two blanks may be used for the box and sliding device.

Claims

1. A container comprising a lower box portion, an upper lid portion and a sliding device, wherein said lower box portion comprises a box bottom wall, a box front wall and a box back wall, wherein the upper lid portion is hinged to the box back wall, wherein the sliding device embraces at least partly the lower box portion, wherein the container is opened by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a first direction and closed by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a second, opposite direction, wherein the box back wall comprises a first stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the first direction and a second stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the second, opposite direction,

wherein the first stopper flap and the second stopper flap are formed by a common incision.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein said sliding device comprises a slide top edge, a slide bottom edge, a slide top flap extending from said slide top edge and a slide bottom flap extending from the slide bottom edge and wherein both slide flaps are bent inwardly into the sliding device.

3. The container according to claim 2,

wherein said hinge-lid comprises a lid flap extending from the lid top back edge downwardly beyond said hinge of said hinge-lid, said lid flap further comprising a lid end flap, extending from the lower end of said lid flap and being folded upward such that said slide top flap of said sliding device interlocks with said lid end flap when said sliding device is moved in the first direction so that said hinge-lid is opened.

4. The container according to claim 3,

wherein the movement of said sliding device is limited in said first direction by interlocking of the lower end of said lid flap into said first stopper flap and the movement of said sliding device is limited in said second direction by interlocking said bottom flap into the second stopper flap.

5. The container according to claim 1,

wherein said sliding device comprises a slide front panel and a slide inner front panel extending from the slide front panel, folded by 180 degrees into said sliding device.

6. The container according to claim 1,

wherein said hinge-lid comprises a top panel and a side panel, wherein said top panel extends sideways over said side panel to limit movement of the sliding device in said second direction.

7. The container according to claim 1,

wherein the box further comprises a friction element to increase the friction between the box and said sliding device during the movement of said sliding device in either said first direction or said second direction.

8. The container according to claim 1,

wherein said sliding device covers only part of said box.

9. The container according to claim 1,

wherein said box and said sliding device are made from separate blanks which are not adhered to each other.

10. The container according to claim 1,

wherein said lower box portion and said upper lid portion are made from separate blanks which are adhered to each other.

11. The container according to claim 1,

wherein the container is a cigarette container or a container for other smoking articles.

12. Blank for making a lower box portion for a container comprising a lower box portion, an upper lid portion and a sliding device, wherein said lower box portion comprises a box bottom wall, a box front wall and a box back wall, wherein the upper lid portion is hinged to the box back wall, wherein the sliding device embraces at least partly the lower box portion, wherein the container is opened by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a first direction and closed by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a second, opposite direction, wherein the box back wall comprises a first stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the first direction and a second stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the second, opposite direction,

wherein the first stopper flap and the second stopper flap are formed by a common incision,

wherein said blank comprises a panel forming said box back wall, said panel includes the incision forming the at least two stopper flaps, the stopper flaps pointing in opposite directions.

13. A container comprising a lower box portion, an upper lid portion and a sliding device, wherein said lower box portion comprises a box bottom wall, a box front wall and a box back wall, wherein the upper lid portion is hinged to the box back wall, wherein the sliding device embraces at least partly the lower box portion, wherein the container is opened by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a first direction and closed by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a second, opposite direction, wherein the box back wall comprises a first stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the first direction and a second stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the second, opposite direction,

and wherein the lower box portion is formed from a first blank and the upper lid portion is formed from a second blank.

14. A container comprising a lower box portion, an upper lid portion and a sliding device, wherein said lower box portion comprises a box bottom wall, a box front wall and a box back wall having a nominal length, wherein the upper lid portion is hinged to the box back wall, wherein the sliding device has a length less than the nominal length and embraces at least partly the lower box portion,

wherein the container is opened by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a first direction and closed by moving the sliding device longitudinally along the lower box portion in a second, opposite direction,

wherein the box back wall includes a first stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the first direction and a second stopper flap limiting the movement of the sliding device in the second, opposite direction, and

wherein the first stopper flap and the second stopper flap are formed by a common incision.