Package for tobacco-related articles

• US 8,464,867 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Holloway, Steve, Collins, Tim, Knorr, Solvey, Southey, Neil, Wolfgramm, Regine, Gurke, Inga, Novak, Slavomir, Devivier, Guillaume, Jenkins, Paul, Buckingham, Alistair
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K
• Application Number:
  US13/510,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20120261285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 206/249, 206/250, 206/255, 206/265, 206/268, 206/270, 206/271, 206/273
• US Class Current: 206/250
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1009 provided with proffering means B65D85/1054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1048 characterized by the shape of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1054 combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1056 characterized by the lid

Abstract

A package (1) for tobacco-related articles comprises an outer shell (2), a lid (4) which is adapted to close the top side of the outer shell (2) and can be swivelled about a hinge line, and an inner shell (6). The inner shell (6) accommodates a plurality of tobacco-related articles and can be shifted in the outer shell (2) from a retracted position to an advanced position, which enables access to the tobacco-related articles. A cutout (20) in the outer shell (2) exposes part of the inner shell (6) and enables transmitting a force onto the inner shell (6) for moving the inner shell (6). A connector (50) pushes the lid (4) into its opened state when the inner shell (6) is moved into its advanced position and pulls the lid (4) into its closed state when the inner shell (6) is moved into its retracted position.

Claims

1. A package for tobacco-related articles, said package comprising:

an outer shell including an outer front wall, an outer rear wall, and two outer lateral walls opposite to each other and connecting the outer front wall and the outer rear wall, said outer shell including a top side;

a lid adapted to close the top side of the outer shell when in a closed state,

said lid being swivelably connected to the outer rear wall or one of the outer lateral walls at a lid hinge line and being swivelable about the lid hinge line for transfer between the closed state and an opened state;

an inner shell adapted to accommodate a plurality of tobacco-related articles and shiftably mounted in the outer shell,

wherein the inner shell is moveable from a retracted position to an advanced position that enables access to the tobacco-related articles;

a cutout in at least one wall selected from the group consisting of the outer front wall, the outer rear wall, and the two outer lateral walls,

wherein the cutout is adapted to expose a part of the inner shell and to enable transmission of a force onto the inner shell for moving the inner shell; and

a connector extending between a portion of the inner shell and the lid,

wherein the connector engages the lid at a distance from the lid hinge line smaller than a dimension of the lid in a direction perpendicular to the lid hinge line,

said connector being adapted to shift the lid into the opened state when the inner shell is moved into the advanced position and to shift the lid into the closed state when the inner shell is moved into the retracted position,

wherein the lid comprises a top wall including a front edge, a rear edge, two lateral edges, and a bottom side,

said lid hinge line being located at the rear edge or at one of the lateral edges of the top wall.

2. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the outer shell includes an outer bottom wall,

wherein the two outer lateral walls and the outer bottom wall connect the outer front wall and the outer rear wall.

3. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the inner shell, in the retracted position, is housed inside the outer shell.

4. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the connector is a hinged connector.

5. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the inner shell comprises an inner rear wall having an upper edge or a lateral wall having an upper edge,

wherein the connector extends from said upper edge such that a first connector hinge line is defined at or adjacent said upper edge,

wherein a second connector hinge line is defined at the bottom side of the top wall.

6. Package according to claim 5,

wherein a distance between the first connector hinge line and the second connector hinge line is greater than a distance between the lid hinge line and the second connector hinge line.

7. Package according to claim 5,

wherein, in the closed state of the lid, a ratio of a distance between the first connector hinge line and the lid hinge line to a distance between the lid hinge line and the second connector hinge line is in the range from 0.5 to 1.0.

8. Package according to claim 1,

wherein a beveled edge wall extends from at least a first edge of the top wall, said first edge being positioned opposite to the lid hinge line,

wherein the beveled edge wall fits into the outer shell when the lid is in the closed state.

9. Package according to claim 8,

wherein the beveled edge wall extends from a plurality of edges of the top wall.

10. Package according to claim 8,

wherein the beveled edge wall is folded from a blank of the outer shell that includes a blank of the lid.

11. Package according to claim 1,

wherein an edge wall extends from at least a first edge of the top wall, said first edge being positioned opposite to the lid hinge line,

wherein the edge wall extends generally perpendicularly with respect to the top wall of the lid and is visible when the lid is in the closed state.

12. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the inner shell comprises an inner front wall providing a free access area, which is adapted to facilitate access to a content of the inner shell when the inner shell is in the advanced position.

13. Package according to claim 12,

wherein, when the inner shell is in the retracted position, the free access area of the inner shell does not overlap with the cutout of the outer shell.

14. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the inner shell comprises an inner front wall, an inner rear wall, two inner lateral walls opposite to each other, and an inner bottom wall connecting the inner front wall and the inner rear wall.

15. Package according to claim 12,

wherein the inner front wall comprises a reinforced structure.

16. Package according to claim 1,

wherein a reinforcement insert is inserted into the inner shell.

17. Package according to claim 16,

wherein the reinforcement insert is formed as a plastic container.

18. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the inner shell is designed as a plastic container.

19. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the cutout of the outer shell is provided in the outer front wall.

20. Package according to claim 19,

wherein the cutout of the outer shell is located in a side area of the outer front wall.

21. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the cutout is adapted to enable exertion of a force onto the inner shell for moving the inner shell.

22. Package according to claim 21,

wherein the cutout is formed from a blank of the outer shell in which at least part of the blank of the cutout area is folded back to an inner face of the outer shell.

23. Package according to claim 21,

wherein, opposite to the cutout of the outer shell, the inner shell includes a grip-enhancing surface.

24. Package according to claim 1,

said package including an actuator for moving the inner shell,

wherein the actuator is attached to the inner shell and protrudes through the cutout.

25. Package according to claim 24,

wherein the inner shell is lockable in the retracted position and releasable by means of the actuator.

26. Package according to claim 25,

wherein the cutout comprises a slot extending in parallel to a moving direction of the inner shell, as well as a widened area at a lower end of the slot,

wherein a part of the actuator is lockable in the widened area of the cutout and releasable by pressing the actuator.

27. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the outer shell comprises a plurality of rounded edges.

28. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the outer shell is hexagonal or octagonal in cross-sectional shape,

wherein a plurality of side panels are folded from the outer lateral walls or from the outer front wall along a corresponding plurality of fold lines running in parallel to a longitudinal axis of the package.

29. Package according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the outer shell and the inner shell is folded from a respective blank.

30. Package according to claim 29,

wherein the blank is made from cardboard in a weight range from 180 g/m2 to 290 g/m2.

31. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the package comprises a material selected from the group consisting of cardboard, laminated cardboard, coated cardboard, cardboard in a weight range from 180 g/m2 to 290 g/m2, cardboard in a thickness range from 250 μ

m to 500 μ

m, cardboard in a stiffness range from 5 mN to 25 mN, flat material in a thickness range from 50 μ

m to 2000 μ

m, plastics materials, metals, and aluminum.

32. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the connector is formed in a manner selected from the group consisting of folded by a part of a blank of the outer shell and by a part of a blank of the inner shell and both parts being glued together, folded by a part of a blank of the outer shell and glued to the inner shell, folded by a part of a blank of the inner shell and glued to the lid, provided as a metal part connected to the inner shell and to the lid, provided as a wire connected to the inner shell and to the lid, and provided as a plastic part connected to the inner shell and to the lid.

33. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the package includes a noise-producing mechanism adapted to be operated when the lid is swivelled in at least a manner selected from the group consisting of from the closed state to the opened state and from the opened state to the closed state.

34. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the package includes at least two inner shells which are arranged side by side.

35. Package according to claim 34,

wherein the lid is swivelably connected to the outer rear wall.

36. Package according to claim 35,

wherein the lid is foamed from at least two separate lid parts, which are arranged side by side and are swivelably connected to the outer rear wall,

wherein each of the separate lid parts is associated with a corresponding one of the inner shells.

37. Package according to claim 36,

wherein the front wall of the outer shell is provided with at least one cutout adapted to expose a part of each of the inner shells and to enable transmission or exertion of a force onto each of the inner shells for moving a respective one of the inner shells and actuating a respective part of the lid via a connector or hinged connector.

38. Package according to claim 1,

wherein the package contains tobacco-related articles,

wherein the tobacco-related articles are selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco-containing rods, smokeless tobacco, simulated smoking devices, inhalors without combustion of tobacco, and aroma reservoirs.

39. Package according to claim 6,

wherein the distance between the first connector hinge line and the second connector hinge line is greater than the distance between the lid hinge line and the second connector hinge line by an amount in a range from 0.4 mm to 1.8 mm.

40. Package according to claim 39,

wherein the amount is about 0.7 mm.

41. Package according to claim 7,

wherein the ratio of the distance between the first connector hinge line and the lid hinge line to the distance between the lid hinge line and the second connector hinge line is in the range from 0.70 to 0.85.

42. Package according to claim 41,

wherein the ratio of the distance between the first connector hinge line and the lid hinge line to the distance between the lid hinge line and the second connector hinge line is about 0.78.

43. Package according to claim 10,

wherein the beveled edge wall has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, quadrangular, polygonal, and shape including at least one curved face.

44. Package according to claim 15,

wherein the reinforced structure comprises cardboard selected from the group consisting of double-layer cardboard and triple-layer cardboard.

45. Package according to claim 17,

wherein the plastic container is formed by injection molding.

46. Package according to claim 18,

wherein at least part of the connector is formed as part of the plastic container.

47. Package according to claim 20,

wherein the inner shell comprises an inner front wall providing a free access area which does not overlap with the cutout of the outer shell when the inner shell is in the retracted position.

48. Package according to claim 23,

wherein the grip-enhancing surface includes at least one feature selected from the group consisting of relief structure, cutout structure, high-friction coating, and rubber-like coating.

49. Package according to claim 25,

wherein the inner shell is biased by a spring device toward the advanced position.

50. Package according to claim 27,

wherein a first longitudinal edge between the outer front wall and a first one of the outer lateral walls is rounded,

wherein a second longitudinal edge between the outer front wall and a second one of the outer lateral walls is rounded.

51. Package according to claim 33,

wherein the noise-producing mechanism comprises at least one of a tab arranged at the lid interacting with a counterpart arranged at the outer shell and a tab arranged at the outer shell interacting with a counterpart arranged at the lid.