Packaging container for a tobacco product

• US 9,790,020 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Sebastian, Andries D., Phillips, Percy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US15/097,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20170291757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/12 Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1045 having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 44/00 Circuit arrangements for operating electroluminescent light sources for operating light emitting diodes H05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A packaging container for a tobacco product is provided. The packaging container comprises a housing including a flexible wall portion having an electrical device printed or placed on an exterior surface thereof, and a power source contained within the interior of the housing and configured to power the electrical device. The flexible wall portion comprises a layer including a nanocellulose coating configured to level the exterior surface for receipt of the electrical device, and a layer including a moisture vapor barrier configure to resist diffusion of moisture through the exterior surface and into an interior of the housing.

Claims

1. A packaging container comprising:

a housing including a flexible wall portion having an electrical device printed or placed on an exterior surface thereof, the flexible wall portion comprising;

a layer including a nanocellulose coating configured to level the exterior surface for receipt of the electrical device; and

a layer including a moisture vapor barrier configure to resist diffusion of moisture through the exterior surface and into an interior of the housing; and

a power source contained within the interior of the housing and configured to power the electrical device.

2. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein the moisture vapor barrier has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of less than 4 grams per meter squared per day.

3. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the electrical device through and without disruption of the moisture vapor barrier.

4. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein the electrical device includes an electroluminescent (EL), electrochromic (EC), light-emitting diode (LED) or electrochemical cell (LEC) light source.

5. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein the electrical device includes a light source, and

wherein the packaging container further comprises a control component contained within the interior of the housing, operatively coupled to the electrical device, and configured to cause the light source to illuminate in response to an external trigger.

6. The packaging container of claim 5, wherein the external trigger includes user interaction with the packaging container.

7. The packaging container of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the housing is touch-sensitive, and the user interaction includes user contact with the touch-sensitive portion.

8. The packaging container of claim 5, wherein the external trigger includes wireless communication with the control component.

9. The packaging container of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication includes receipt by the control component of a near-field communication (NFC) trigger from an NFC transponder disposed proximate shelving configured to at least temporarily store the packaging container, and the control component is configured to receive the NFC trigger in response to the packaging container being stored on the shelving.

10. The packaging container of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

an outer casing including the flexible wall portion;

an inner frame protruding from an upper end of the outer casing and defining an opening thereof, the inner frame being configured for storing a plurality of tobacco products; and

a lid having an inner lid surface integrally jointed to a rear edge of the opening via a self-hinge mechanism.

11. A method for controlling a packaging container, the method comprising:

providing the packaging container comprising a housing including a flexible wall portion having an electrical device printed or placed on an exterior surface thereof, and a power source contained within an interior thereof, the flexible wall portion comprising a layer including a nanocellulose coating configured to level the exterior surface for receipt of the electrical device, and a layer including a moisture vapor barrier configure to resist diffusion of moisture through the exterior surface and into the interior of the housing; and

powering the electrical device using the power source.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the moisture vapor barrier has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of less than 4 grams per meter squared per day.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein powering the electrical device using the power source includes electrically coupling the power source to the electrical device through and without disruption of the moisture vapor barrier.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical device includes an electroluminescent (EL), electrochromic (EC), light-emitting diode (LED) or electrochemical cell (LEC) light source.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical device includes a light source, and the packaging container further comprises a control component contained within the interior of the housing and operatively coupled to the electrical device, and

wherein the method further comprises, at the control component, causing the light source to illuminate in response to an external trigger.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the external trigger includes user interaction with the packaging container.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the housing is touch-sensitive, and the user interaction includes user contact with the touch-sensitive portion, and causing the light source to illuminate in response to an external trigger includes causing the light source to illuminate in response to detecting the user contact with the touch-sensitive portion.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the external trigger includes wireless communication with the control component.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless communication includes receipt by the control component of a near-field communication (NFC) trigger from an NFC transponder disposed proximate shelving configured to at least temporarily store the packaging container, and the causing the light source to illuminate in response to an external trigger includes causing the light source to illuminate in response to receiving the NFC trigger, the NFC trigger being received in response to the packaging container being stored on the shelving.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises:

an outer casing including the flexible wall portion;

an inner frame protruding from an upper end of the outer casing and defining an opening thereof, the inner frame being configured for storing a plurality of tobacco products; and

a lid having an inner lid surface integrally jointed to a rear edge of the opening via a self-hinge mechanism.