Package of smoking articles with a sliding opening and a hinged lid

• US 9,211,996 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
• Original Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
• Inventors: Petrucci, Luca, Squarzoni, Michele
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weinerth, Gideon
• Application Number:
  US14/272,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20140238877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 206/255, 206/273, 206/250, 206/252, 206/270, 206/249, 206/242, 206/261, 206/268, 229/129.1, 229/160.1, 229/160.2, 229/125.37, 229/125.08, D27186-191
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1009 provided with proffering means B65D85/1054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1054 combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid

Abstract

A package of tobacco articles including an inner container which houses a group of tobacco articles, and has an open top end, and a lid hinged to close the open top end, an outer container housing the inner container to allow the inner container to slide with respect to the outer container between a closed configuration and an open configuration, and a sealing flap hinged to a top edge of a front wall of the outer container and movable between a work position, in which the sealing flap is perpendicular to the front wall of the outer container and located beneath a top wall of the lid of the inner container, and a rest position, in which the sealing flap is parallel to the front wall of the outer container.

Claims

1. A package of tobacco articles, comprising:

an inner container which is adapted to house a group of tobacco articles, having an open top end and a lid hinged to the inner container to close the open top end;

an outer container housing the inner container to allow the inner container to slide with respect to the outer container between a closed configuration, in which the inner container is inserted inside the outer container, and an open configuration, in which the inner container is partly extracted from the outer container;

a sealing flap hinged to a top edge of a front wall of the outer container and movable between a work position, in which the sealing flap is perpendicular to the front wall of the outer container and located beneath a top wall of the lid of the inner container, and a rest position, in which the sealing flap is parallel to the front wall of the outer container;

a first actuating tab integral with a front wall of the inner container and projecting towards the front wall of the outer container; and

a second actuating tab, which is connected mechanically to the sealing flap, is located between the front wall of the outer container and the front wall of the inner container, and is engaged by the first actuating tab, when the inner container moves into the closed configuration, to draw the sealing flap into the work position, using the movement of the inner container.

2. The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second actuating tab has a central through opening which is engaged by the first actuating tab.

3. The package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first actuating tab engages the through opening in the second actuating tab to lock onto and draw the second actuating tab.

4. The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second actuating tab is connected to the sealing flap by a connecting flap hinged on one side to the second actuating tab, and on the opposite side to the sealing flap.

5. The package as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second actuating tab has a central through opening which is engaged by the first actuating tab and also extends through the connecting flap.

6. The package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first actuating tab is defined by a portion of the front wall of the inner container, which is separated from the rest of the front wall of the inner container by a U-shaped through cut, and by a fold line joining the two ends of the U-shaped through cut.

7. The package as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner container comprises a lift tab separated from the first actuating tab by the fold line.

8. The package as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lift tab is folded 180°

about the fold line onto an inner surface of the front wall of the inner container.