EP1441968B1

EP1441968B1 - Rigid container for tobacco articles, with rounded or beveled transverse and longitudinal edges

Info

Publication number: EP1441968B1
Application number: EP02798800A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fiorenzo Draghetti; Francesco Bertuzzi
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2001-09-14
Filing date: 2002-09-12
Publication date: 2005-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2022-09-12
Also published as: DE60207750D1; BR0212891A; KR20040044928A; ITBO20010554A1; CN1555329A; DE60207750T2; JP4205580B2; WO2003024839A1; RU2004111288A; KR100902858B1; CN1291898C; US20050029131A1; ATE311333T1; ITBO20010554A0; JP2005503298A; EP1441968A1; RU2287467C2

Abstract

A rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped container for tobacco articles, having two, respectively top and bottom, end walls (7, 8); a lateral surface (6) bounded by the end walls (7, 8) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (10, 11), and by two minor lateral walls (9); four longitudinal edges (13), each defined between a major lateral wall (10; 11) and a minor lateral wall (9); and eight transverse edges (14), each defined between an end wall (7; 8) and a lateral wall (9; 10; 11); the two transverse edges (14) of the front wall (10) and the two longitudinal edges (13) of the rear wall (11) are nonsquare edges, while the other transverse and longitudinal edges (14, 13) are sharp square edges.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a rigid container for tobacco articles.

BACKGROUND ART

In the following description, reference is made, purely by way of a non-limiting example and for the sake of brevity, to rigid containers defined by packets of cigarettes.

Rigid hinged-lid packets of cigarettes are normally in the form of a rectangular-section parallelepiped, and comprise two major lateral walls defined by a front wall and a rear wall; and two minor lateral walls, each connected to both the major lateral walls at respective sharp square longitudinal edges.

Rigid packets of the above type, i.e. in the form of a rectangular-section parallelepiped, have several drawbacks by being unanatomical in shape, and by causing rapid wear of any clothing fabrics with which they come into contact.

Rigid, rectangular-section parallelepiped packets also have the drawback of being fairly rigid at the minor lateral walls and in the square longitudinal edge regions, but less so at the major lateral walls, which tend to deform inwards when a transparent cellophane overwrapping is applied and shrunk (by the application of heat) about the packet.

Inward deformation of the major lateral walls, caused by the inward pressure exerted by the transparent overwrapping on the packet, compresses and maintains a compressed configuration of the cigarettes inside the packet, so that the first cigarette is particularly difficult to extract. Moreover, deformation of the major lateral walls, and particularly the rear lateral wall, deforms the hinge joining the lid to the bottom shell, so that the lid is hard to open unless the whole transparent overwrapping is removed (normally torn off) from the packet.

The above drawbacks are at least partly eliminated by packets of the type described in patents EP-B1-0204933 and EP-B1-0205766, in which the packets have four beveled or rounded longitudinal edges, and eight sharp square transverse edges. Packets with beveled or rounded edges of the above type, however, have the further drawback of the lid failing to close the cup-shaped bottom container properly, on account of the difficulty in forming two coincident rounded or beveled edges, and, not being particularly anatomical in shape, are relatively awkward to handle.

EP-A1-0764594 discloses a rigid cigarette packet defined by a cup-shaped container, and by a cup-shaped lid hinged to an open top end of the container so as to rotate between an open and closed position respectively opening and closing the container; the packet presents a front wall, and two lateral walls connected to the front wall by two connecting walls presenting a curved cross section with a radius of curvature equal to about 1.5 times the radius of curvature of a normal cigarette.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid hinged-lid packet of cigarettes, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid container for tobacco articles as recited in the attached Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view in perspective of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention and in the closed configuration;

Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet in the open configuration;

Figure 3 shows a rear view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet in the closed configuration;

Figure 4 shows a front view of the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 5 shows a right-side view of the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 6 shows a top plan view of the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 7 shows a rear view of the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 8 shows a left-side view of the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 9 shows a bottom plan view of the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 10 shows a plan view of a blank used to produce the Figure 1 packet;

Figure 11 shows a front view in perspective of a further embodiment of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 12 shows a front view in perspective of a further embodiment of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 13 shows a rear view in perspective of an alternative embodiment of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a container for tobacco articles, defined by a rigid packet of cigarettes normally containing an orderly parallelepiped-shaped group of cigarettes (not shown for the sake of simplicity) wrapped in a sheet of foil wrapping material.

Packet 1 comprises a cup-shaped bottom container 2 having an open top end 3; and a cup-shaped top lid 4 hinged to container 2 along a hinge 5 to rotate, with respect to container 2, between an open position (Figure 2) and a closed position (Figures 1 and 3) respectively opening and closing end 3.

In the closed position, lid 4 imparts to packet 1 a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape defined by a lateral surface 6, and by two facing, respectively top and bottom,

end walls

7 and 8, which are flat, identical and parallel and define lateral surface 6.

Lateral surface 6 comprises two parallel, facing, flat minor lateral walls 9; and two flat, facing major

lateral walls

10 and 11 crosswise to minor lateral walls 9. More specifically, one major lateral wall 10 defines a front wall of packet 1, and the other major lateral wall 11 defines a rear wall of packet 1.

Packet 1 also comprises a collar 12, which is folded into a U and fitted (glued) inside cup-shaped container 2 so as to project partly outwards of end 3 and engage a corresponding inner surface of lid 4 when lid 4 is closed (as shown in Figure 1).

Four longitudinal edges 13 are defined between minor lateral walls 9 and major

lateral walls

10, 11; and eight transverse edges 14 are defined between

end walls

7, 8 and

lateral walls

9, 10, 11, are divided into major transverse edges 14a and minor transverse edges 14b, and are crosswise to longitudinal edges 13. The two major transverse edges 14a of front wall 10 and the two longitudinal edges 13 of rear wall 11 are rounded edges, i.e. each defined by a quarter cylindrical surface, to connect respective walls 7-11 with a constant radius of curvature, while the other edges 13 and 14 are square sharp edges.

In a further embodiment not shown, as opposed to being rounded, the major transverse edges 14a of front wall 10 and the longitudinal edges 13 of rear wall 11 are beveled edges, i.e. defined by respective flat surfaces forming respective 45° angles with and connecting respective walls 7-11.

As shown in Figure 10, packet 1 in Figures 1 and 2 is formed from a corresponding flat, substantially elongated rectangular blank 15, the parts of which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding parts of packet 1.

Blank 15 (which has a central longitudinal axis 16) comprises two longitudinal crease lines 17; and a number of transverse crease lines 18 defining, between the two longitudinal crease lines 17, a panel 10' forming a top portion of front wall 10 (and in particular the portion forming part of lid 4), a panel 7' forming top end wall 7, a panel 11' forming rear wall 11, a panel 8' forming bottom end wall 8, and a panel 10" forming a bottom portion of front wall 10 (and in particular the portion forming part of container 2).

Each panel 10', 10", 11' has two lateral wings 9' and 9" located on opposite sides of relative panel 10', 10", 11' and separated from relative panel 10', 10", 11' by longitudinal crease lines 17. Panel 10' has a reinforcing flap 19; and each wing 9', 9" of panel 11' has rectangular longitudinal appendixes 20 located at opposite ends of wing 9', 9" and aligned longitudinally with each other.

Between panels 10' and 7' and between panels 8' and 10", a number of transverse crease lines 18 are provided to round the two respective major transverse edges 14a of front wall 10; and, between panel 11' and respective wings 9' and 9", a number of longitudinal crease lines 17 are provided to round the two respective longitudinal edges 13 of rear wall 11.

When forming each packet 1, the lateral wings 9' and the lateral wings 9" are superimposed and glued together to define the minor lateral walls 9 of packet 1; and each longitudinal appendix 20 is folded squarely with respect to relative lateral wing 9' or 9", and is superimposed on and glued to an inner surface of a relative panel 7' or 8' to define an inner portion of a

relative end wall

7 or 8 of packet 1 respectively.

Various tests have shown that packet 1 of cigarettes as described above produces relatively little wear of clothing fabrics coming into contact with packet 1, and at the same time is anatomically shaped for easy handling.

Moreover, packet 1 is relatively less rigid at minor lateral walls 9 and at rounded or beveled longitudinal edges 13, thus avoiding excessive compression of the cigarettes in packet 1, so that the first cigarette is easy to extract from packet 1, and lid 4 opens easily.

Finally, the longitudinal edges 13 of front wall 10 being square sharp edges, and since it is relatively easy to form two coincident square edges, lid 4 provides for accurately closing cup-shaped bottom container 2.

In a further embodiment shown in Figure 11, as opposed to contacting each other when lid 4 is closed, the bottom edge 21 of lid 4 and the top edge 22 of container 2 are sized to remain a given distance apart and expose a band 23 of the underlying collar 12. More specifically, the exposed band 23 of collar 12 may extend along front wall 10 only, or also along part of minor lateral walls 9.

In a further embodiment shown in Figure 12, as opposed to being straight and parallel to transverse edges 14, the bottom edge 21 of lid 4 and the top edge 22 of container 2, particularly at front wall 10, are more or less curved.

In the packet 1 shown in the accompanying drawings, the two major transverse edges 14a of front wall 10 and the two longitudinal edges 13 of rear wall 11 are rounded or beveled. Alternatively, however, the two major transverse edges 14a of rear wall 11 and the two longitudinal edges 13 of front wall 10 of packet 1 may be rounded or beveled; or the two major transverse edges 14a of rear wall 11 and the two longitudinal edges 13 of rear wall 11 of packet 1 may be rounded or beveled; or the two major transverse edges 14a of front wall 10 and the two longitudinal edges 13 of front wall 10 of packet 1 may be rounded or beveled; Even more generally, packet 1 may comprise one or more beveled or rounded longitudinal edges 13, and one or more beveled or rounded transverse edges 14.

As shown in Figure 13, front wall 10, minor lateral walls 9, and

end walls

7 and 8 are flat walls, while rear wall 11 is outwardly convex, is connected to the two minor lateral walls 9 along respective sharp longitudinal edges 13, and forms, with the two minor lateral walls 9, respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles.

Rear wall 11 comprises a flat, substantially rectangular central portion 24; and two lateral bands 25 located on opposite sides of central portion 24 and between portion 24 and corresponding longitudinal edges 13. Each lateral band 25 is precreased internally by longitudinal crease lines 26, so as to curve with its concavity facing inwards to connect central portion 24 to the corresponding minor lateral wall 9, and to form respective sharp longitudinal edge 13 and the respective obtuse dihedral angle with minor lateral wall 9.

Alternatively, rear wall 11 may be flat, and front wall 10 may be outwardly convex, may be connected to the two minor lateral walls 9 along respective sharp longitudinal edges 13, and may form respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles with the two minor lateral walls 9.

In a further embodiment not shown, front wall 10, rear wall 11, and

end walls

7 and 8 are flat, and at least one minor lateral wall 9 is partly outwardly convex, forms a substantially obtuse dihedral angle with rear wall 11, and forms a right-angle with front wall 10.

In a preferred embodiment, longitudinal crease lines 17 (also referred to as main longitudinal crease lines) are weaker than longitudinal crease lines 26 (also referred to as secondary longitudinal crease lines) on account of longitudinal crease lines 17 defining sharp longitudinal edges 13, whereas longitudinal crease lines 26 serve to slightly curve lateral bands 25 with no sharp edges. To achieve different degrees of weakness,

longitudinal crease lines

17 and 26 are defined by respective incisions of different shapes and/or sizes.

In packet 1, therefore, at least one longitudinal edge 13 and at least one transverse edge 14 are nonsquare edges, while the other longitudinal and transverse edges 13, 14 are sharp square edges. Preferably, the two longitudinal edges 13 of rear wall 11 and the two major transverse edges 14a of front wall 10 are nonsquare edges, while the other transverse and longitudinal edges 14, 13 are sharp square edges.

A nonsquare longitudinal edge 13 can be formed in three ways: a rounded longitudinal edge 13 may be formed; a beveled longitudinal edge 13 may be formed; or a respective

lateral wall

9, 10 or 11 bounded by longitudinal edge 13 comprises at least one outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to the other adjacent

lateral wall

9, 10 or 11 bounded by longitudinal edge 13, and forms, with the adjacent

lateral wall

9, 10 or 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle (in this case, longitudinal edge 13 is a sharp edge).

A nonsquare transverse edge 14 can be formed in four ways: a rounded transverse edge 14 may be formed; a beveled transverse edge 14 may be formed; a respective

lateral wall

9, 10 or 11 bounded by transverse edge 14 comprises at least one outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to the

adjacent end wall

7 or 8 bounded by transverse edge 14, and forms, with the

adjacent end wall

7 or 8, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle (in this case, transverse edge 14 is a sharp edge); or a

respective end wall

7 or 8 bounded by transverse edge 14 comprises at least one outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to the adjacent

lateral wall

9, 10 or 11 bounded by transverse edge 14, and forms, with the adjacent

lateral wall

9, 10 or 11, a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle (in this case, transverse edge 14 is a sharp edge).

Given the numerous advantages of packet 1 of cigarettes described above, the form of packet 1 may also be applied integrally to the manufacture of a carton of cigarettes, which is substantially identical to packet 1 described above, except that it contains a group of packets of cigarettes as opposed to a group of cigarettes (not shown).

Claims

A rigid, substantially parallelepiped-shaped container for tobacco articles, comprising two, respectively top and bottom, end walls (7, 8); a lateral surface (6) bounded by the end walls (7, 8) and defined by two, respectively front and rear, major lateral walls (10, 11), and by two minor lateral walls (9); four longitudinal edges (13), each defined between a major lateral wall (10; 11) and a minor lateral wall (9); and eight transverse edges (14), each defined between an end wall (7; 8) and a lateral wall (9; 10; 11); the container (1) is characterized in that at least one longitudinal edge (13) and at least one transverse edge (14) are nonsquare edges, while the other longitudinal and transverse edges (13, 14) are sharp square edges.
A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two longitudinal edges (13) of a same major lateral wall (10; 11) and the two transverse edges (14) of a same major lateral wall (10; 11) are nonsquare edges, while the other transverse and longitudinal edges (14, 13) are sharp square edges.
A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two longitudinal edges (13) of a same major lateral wall (10; 11) and the two transverse edges (14) of the other major lateral wall (11; 10) are nonsquare edges, while the other transverse and longitudinal edges (14, 13) are sharp square edges.
A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two longitudinal edges (13) of the rear major lateral wall (11) and the two transverse edges (14) of the front major lateral wall (10) are nonsquare edges, while the other transverse and longitudinal edges (14, 13) are sharp square edges.
A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one said nonsquare longitudinal or transverse edge (13; 14) is a rounded edge.
A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one said nonsquare longitudinal or transverse edge (13; 14) is a bevelled edge.
A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one lateral wall (9; 10; 11) has at least one outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to at least one adjacent lateral wall (9; 10; 11) along a respective sharp longitudinal edge (13), and forms, with said adjacent lateral wall (9; 10; 11), a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle, so that the respective longitudinal edge (13) is nonsquare.
A container as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said lateral wall (9; 10; 11) having at least one outwardly convex half-profile comprises a respective flat central portion (24), and at least one lateral band (25) precreased by longitudinal crease lines (26); which lateral band (25) is curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion (24) to the corresponding lateral wall (9; 10; 11) and to form, with the lateral wall (9; 10; 11), a respective said substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
A container as claimed in Claim 8, wherein at least one lateral wall (9; 10; 11) has an outwardly convex profile and comprises a respective flat central portion (24), and two lateral bands (25) precreased by longitudinal crease lines (26); each lateral band (25) being curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion (24) to the corresponding lateral wall (9; 10; 11) and to form, with the lateral wall (9; 10; 11), a respective said substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
A, container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one lateral wall (9 ; 10; 11) has at least one outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to at least one adjacent end wall (7; 8) along a respective sharp transverse edge (14), and forms, with the adjacent end wall (7; 8), a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle, so that the respective transverse edge (14) is nonsquare.
A container as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said lateral wall (9; 10; 11) having at least one outwardly convex half-profile comprises a respective flat central portion, and at least one lateral band precreased by transverse crease lines; which lateral band is curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding end wall (7; 8) and to form, with the end wall (7; 8), a respective said substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
A container as claimed in Claim 11, wherein at least one lateral wall (9; 10; 11) has an outwardly convex profile and comprises a respective flat central portion, and two lateral bands precreased by transverse crease lines; each lateral band being curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding end wall (7; 8) and to form, with the end wall (7; 8), a respective said substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one end wall (7; 8) has at least one outwardly convex half-profile, is connected to at least one adjacent lateral wall (9; 10; 11) along a respective sharp transverse edge (14), and forms, with the adjacent lateral wall (9; 10; 11); a respective substantially obtuse dihedral angle, so that the respective transverse edge (14) is nonsquare.
A container as claimed in Claim 13, wherein said end wall (7; 8) having at least one outwardly convex half-profile comprises a respective flat central portion, and at least one lateral band precreased by transverse crease lines; which lateral band is curved with its concavity facing inwards to connect the central portion to the corresponding lateral wall (9; 10; 11) and to form, with the lateral wall (9; 10; 11), a respective said substantially obtuse dihedral angle.
A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized by comprising a cup-shaped bottom container (2) having an open top end (3); and a cup-shaped top lid (4) hinged to the bottom container (2) along a hinge (5) to rotate, with respect to the bottom container (2), between an open position and a closed position respectively opening and closing the open top end (3).
A container as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said eight transverse edges (14) are divided into four major transverse edges (14a) and four minor transverse edges (14b); said hinge (5) being located along said rear major lateral wall (11) and being parallel to the major transverse edges (14a).
A container as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said eight transverse edges (14) are divided into four major transverse edges (14a) and four minor transverse edges (14b); said hinge (5) being located along a said minor lateral wall (9) and being parallel to the minor transverse edges (14b).
A container as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said eight transverse edges (14) are divided into four major transverse edges (14a) and four minor transverse edges (14b); said hinge (5) being located along said top end wall (7) and being parallel to the minor transverse edges (14b).
A container as claimed in one of Claims 15 to 18, wherein said bottom container (2) and said lid (4) have respective edges (22, 21) facing each other, and which are spaced apart when said lid (4) is in said closed position.
A container as claimed in one of Claims 15 to 19, wherein said bottom container (2) and said lid (4) have respective edges (22, 21) facing each other, and which are curved.
A container as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein said container is a cigarette carton and contains a group of packets of cigarettes.
A container as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein said container is a cigarette packet and contains a group of cigarettes.