Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D50/00—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures
  • B65D50/02—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions
  • B65D50/04—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one
  • B65D50/045—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one where one action elastically deforms or deflects at least part of the closure, the container or an intermediate element, e.g. a ring
  • B65D50/046—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one where one action elastically deforms or deflects at least part of the closure, the container or an intermediate element, e.g. a ring and such deformation causes the disengagement of locking means, e.g. the release of a pawl-like element from a tooth or abutment, to allow removal of the closure by simultaneous rotation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F23/00—Cases for tobacco, snuff, or chewing tobacco
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D43/02—Removable lids or covers
  • B65D43/0202—Removable lids or covers without integral tamper element
  • B65D43/0204—Removable lids or covers without integral tamper element secured by snapping over beads or projections
  • B65D43/0212—Removable lids or covers without integral tamper element secured by snapping over beads or projections only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2215/00—Child-proof means
  • B65D2215/02—Child-proof means requiring the combination of simultaneous actions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00064—Shape of the outer periphery
  • B65D2543/00074—Shape of the outer periphery curved
  • B65D2543/00092—Shape of the outer periphery curved circular
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00259—Materials used
  • B65D2543/00296—Plastic
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00481—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container
  • B65D2543/0049—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container on the inside, or a part turned to the inside of the mouth of the container
  • B65D2543/00527—NO contact
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00481—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container
  • B65D2543/00537—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00592—Snapping means
  • B65D2543/00601—Snapping means on the container
  • B65D2543/00675—Periphery concerned
  • B65D2543/00694—Segments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00592—Snapping means
  • B65D2543/00712—Snapping means on the lid
  • B65D2543/00722—Profiles
  • B65D2543/0074—Massive bead
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00592—Snapping means
  • B65D2543/00712—Snapping means on the lid
  • B65D2543/00787—Periphery concerned
  • B65D2543/00805—Segments

Definitions

• snuff or “snuff products” are generally packaged in small, handy containers, each container being designed to contain several portions of unused snuff and optionally including a disposal compartment for temporary storage of used snuff.
• the containers are designed for convenient use by a snuff consumer and is sized and configured to be carried by a user in a pocket or a handbag until all snuff products packaged in the container have been used. When the snuff products have been used, the emptied container is commonly discarded and replaced with a new container with fresh snuff products.
• a further object may be to offer a simple and reliable child resistant snuff container which can be produced by cost efficient manufacturing methods such as injection-moulding.
• Yet a further object may be to offer a slim locking arrangement for a child resistant snuff container, thus providing the snuff container with a maximized inner packaging space.
• the locking arrangement on the snuff container comprises locking features in the form of ridges arranged at two different levels on the inner surface of the lid side wall and on an outer surface of the base side wall.
• the locking features co-operate in keeping the snuff container in a locked configuration with the lid part attached to the base part in all rotational positions.
• the lid part can be rotated on the base part to any one of two release positions in which the lid part can be squeezed by hand between two pressure areas on the side wall to deform the lid and disengage locking features on the lid part from locking features on the base part, whereafter the lid part can be removed from the base part.
• the snuff container as disclosed herein is provided with child resistance by cooperating protruding locking features in the form of ridges which are arranged around the base and the lid.
• the ridges are arranged on two different heights on the outer surface of the base side wall and on the inner surface of the lid side wall.
• the top level of the locking features on the base is constituted by a circumferentially extending locking ridge having two pairs of interruptions in two different sizes. The sizes of these interruptions correspond to the sizes of the paired ridges arranged on the inner surface of the lid side wall.
• the snuff container can only be opened when the smaller ridges on the lid side wall are matched with the smaller interruptions in the locking ridge on the base side wall and the larger ridges on the lid side wall are matched with the larger interruptions in the locking ridge on the base side wall.
• the circumferential locking ridge on the base side wall will prevent the larger ridges on the lid side wall from moving past the circumferential locking ridge.
• the pair of large ridges on the lid side wall cannot pass through the pair of small interruptions in the circumferential locking ridge on the base side wall.
• the release position indicator may comprise or consists of visual indication means, sensory indication means, sound indication means or a combination of two or more such indication means.
• Visual indication means include arrows, matching graphical elements and colours. Matching graphical elements may be decorative images, logos, text, etc.
• Sensory indication means may be three-dimensional indicators, such as arrows, knobs, etc.
• Sensory indication means include haptic indications means. Haptic indication means include a change in the resistance to rotate the container lid on the container base, a sudden "popping" sensation when an obstruction is overcome, vibrations, etc. Sound indication means may include popping sounds, click sounds, etc.
• a distance in the axial direction between the circumferentially extending locking ridge on the base side wall and the third pair of ridges on the base side wall may be from 3 mm to 7 mm, preferably from 4.5 mm to 6.5 mm.
• a distance in the axial direction between the first pair of ridges on the lid side wall and the second pair of ridges on the lid side wall may from 3 mm to 7 mm, preferably from 4.5 mm to 6.5 mm.
• the distance in the axial direction between the two levels of protruding locking features on the inner surface of the lid side wall and the outer surface of the base side wall may typically be in the order of from 3 mm to 7 mm, preferably from 4.5 mm to 6.5 mm to provide deformation room for the lid side wall when correctly squeezed in the release position.
• the lid will not be sufficiently deformed to allow the second pair of ridges on the inner surface of the lid side wall and the third pair of ridges on the base side wall to become disengaged, so that the lid can be removed from the base.
• the lid is squeezed on or close to where the second pair of ridges on the inner surface of the lid side wall are located the second pair of ridges will be pressed firmly against the base side wall and lock more into place below the third pair of ridges on the outer surface of the base side wall, thus effectively preventing opening of the snuff container.
• the snuff container as disclosed herein may comprise a pressure area indicator, the pressure area indicator indicating the location of an area in which pressure should be applied when opening the snuff container.
• the pressure area indicator may comprise or consists of any suitable indication means such as visual indication means and sensory indication means or a combination of two or more such indication means.
• Visual indication means include arrows, graphical elements and colours.
• Sensory indication means may be three-dimensional indicators, such as arrows, knobs, surface texture, etc.
• a protrusion may be arranged at each end of one or both of the ridges in the third pair of ridges, the protrusions being positioned below the ridge in the third pair of ridges and are arranged to cooperate with the second pair of ridges on the lid side wall to haptically and/or audially signal alignment of the second pair of ridges with the third pair of ridges.
• the protrusions may be in the form of small bumps or knobs providing a small and discrete haptic feedback for when the rotational orientation of the lid in relation to the base is correct for opening of the snuff container, i.e. to signal that the release position has been reached.
• Rotating the lid on the base until the first protrusion is felt means that the lid part and the base part are correctly aligned in the release position. If the lid is rotated further, and the second protrusion is reached, the lid part is brought to a position in which the snuff container cannot be opened.
• the haptic feedback from the protrusions allows the user to locate a correct alignment between the lid part and the base part without looking at the snuff container.
• the container may have a diameter of from 45 mm to 80 mm and a height of from 10 mm to 30 mm, such as a diameter of from 45 mm to 75 mm and a height of from 17 mm to 27 mm.
• a continuous gasketing flange may be arranged along the circular base side wall edge, the gasketing flange being arranged above the circumferentially extending locking ridge on the base side wall.
• the gasketing flange When closing the snuff container by pressing down the lid part on the base part, the gasketing flange bends and conforms to the inner surface of the lid part to produce an inner gasketing seal between the base part and the lid part.
• the gasketing seal contributes to protecting the product packed in the snuff container from outside moisture or dehydration. Further sealing between the lid part and the base part may be provided by a label applied over a split-line between the lid part and the base part which is located on the outer surface of the snuff container.
• a circumferentially extending inclined sliding surface may be arranged on the base part, the inclined sliding surface being arranged below the third pair of ridges on the outer surface of the base side wall and being arranged to cooperate with the lid side wall edge to promote upward movement of the lid part when opening the snuff container.
• the inclined sliding surface may have a curvature in the axial direction of the snuff container to create a smooth upward movement of the lid part.
• the initial quick upward movement created by the inclined sliding surface will be transferred to the user's hand as a haptic signal that the lid has become disengaged from the base.
• the pressure-induced upward movement of the lid part contributes to an initial opening of snuff container and thereby facilitates lifting the lid part off the base part of the snuff container.
• the snuff storage compartment may contain pouched snuff products, such as 5 to 30 pouched snuff products.
• a child resistant snuff container as disclosed herein may be opened by a method comprising the steps of:
• the lid side wall is resiliently deformable by manual force such that squeezing the lid part by simultaneously applying an inward directed force on the pressure areas causes the lid side wall to bulge away from the base side wall, thereby moving the second pair of ridges on the inner surface of the lid side wall out of engagement with the third pair of ridges on the outer surface of the base side wall.
• the ridges in the first and second pairs of ridges are aligned with the corresponding interruptions in the first and second pairs of interruptions in the circumferential locking ridge, which means that the ridges on the lid part can move in the axial direction through the interruptions in the locking ridge on the base part.
• the snuff container as disclosed herein is suitable for smokeless tobacco products as well as tobacco free snuff products, or snuff products having a low tobacco content.
• tobacco free or almost tobacco free snuff products may contain an active substance such as nicotine and are usually flavored compositions comprising a filling material which may e.g., comprise microcrystalline cellulose and/or fiber material derived from plants other than tobacco.
• snuff products are used in the oral cavity of a consumer to provide a user with the benefits of an active substance such as nicotine, caffeine, and/or different flavors.
• a common type of nicotine containing snuff products is oral smokeless tobacco products.
• Such products generally comprise water, salt, pH adjuster(s) and additional components such as flavors and humectants.
• snuff product for oral use
• oral pouched product are interchangeably used to refer to a portion of a smokeless composition containing saliva extractables and being packed in a saliva-permeable pouch material.
• Oral pouched products as disclosed herein are intended for use in the oral cavity.
• An oral pouched snuff product as disclosed herein is sized and configured to be completely accommodated in the oral cavity and to be comfortably and inconspicuously placed e.g., between the upper or lower gum and the lip or cheek.
• a pouched snuff product may also be referred to as a portion-packed snuff product for oral use.
• a snuff container as disclosed herein may alternatively contain a snuff product in bulk form, i.e., not being packed in individual portion-sized pouches.
• a "user container” as referred to herein is a consumer package having a shape and a size adapted for conveniently carrying the consumer package in a pocket or in a handbag.
• the user container may be used for packaging any known type of snuff product for use in the oral cavity, such as loose snuff, pouched snuff products and moulded snuff products.
• a user container as disclosed herein may typically contain in the range of 10-30 pouched products, such as in the range of 20-25 pouched products.
• the pouched products may be placed randomly in the user container or in a pattern, for instance as described in WO 2012/069505 A1 .
• the user container as disclosed herein may include a disposal compartment for storage of used oral pouched products.
• the disposal compartment is separated from the snuff storage compartment where the fresh snuff product is stored up until use.
• the disposal compartment may be arranged in the lid part or in the base part of the snuff container.
• the disposal compartment is commonly closed with a lid which is separate from the lid part of the snuff container.
• the terms “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, “upward”, “downward”, “inner” and “outer”, etc. refer to a snuff container when rested with the bottom wall on a horizontal surface.
• the upward direction of the snuff container coincides with a vertical axis of the snuff container and is the vertical direction toward the top wall of the snuff container.
• the downward direction is the vertical direction towards the bottom wall of the snuff container.
• a "flexible component”, as used herein, is a component which may be bent or flexed by manual force.
• a resilient component is a component which may be deformed by application of a force, but which will fully, or at least substantially fully, return to its non-deformed state as soon as the force is removed.
• a resiliently flexible component will flex back to its non-flexed position when the flexing force ceases.
• the lid side wall of the snuff container as disclosed herein is preferably made of a resiliently flexible polymeric material.
• Suitable polymeric materials include thermoformable polymers, such as polyolefins, polyesters, and the like.
• the snuff containers as disclosed herein have a cylindrical shape.
• the primary function of a snuff container as disclosed herein is to contain fresh ready-to-use snuff products.
• the bottom surface and the top surface may be disc shaped or have a modified disc shape, such as a non-planar disc shape.
• Non-planar disc shapes as used herein include profiled shapes comprising embossed or raised profile elements such as figurative elements and/or functional elements. Figurative elements may be symbols, letters, patterns, etc. and functional elements may be stacking elements, a recess for used snuff products, etc.
• the lid part is attached to the base part and covers the access opening of the snuff storage compartment.
• the lid part is arranged to be rotatable both clockwise and anti-clockwise in relation to the base part when the snuff container is closed with the lid part attached to the base part.
• the lid part may be freely rotated on the base part, which means that the connection between the lid part and the base part does not comprise a threaded connection.
• the lid part and base part are set in a release position and the lid is correctly squeezed to cause the locking arrangement to become disabled, the snuff container remains closed and with the locking arrangement in a locked configuration in all rotational positions of the lid part in relation to the base part.
• the locking arrangement can only be disabled at two select release positions along the circumference of the snuff container. If the lid part and the base part are not in a release position, they can be moved to a release position by relative rotation between the parts.
• the child resistant snuff container 101 which is shown in Fig. 1 comprises a base part 102 and a lid part 103.
• the snuff container 101 has a generally cylindrical shape.
• the closed snuff container 101 has an axial direction A coinciding with a vertical direction when the snuff container is placed with the base part 102 on a horizontal surface, a radial direction R coinciding with a horizontal direction when the snuff container 101 is placed with the base part 102 on a horizontal surface, the radial direction R being perpendicular to the axial direction A, and a circumferential direction C.
• the base part comprises a bottom wall 108 and a base side wall 109 which extends in the axial direction A from the bottom wall 108 to a circular base side wall edge 110.
• the lid part 103 comprises a top wall 112 and a lid side wall 113 which extends from the top wall 112 to a circular lid side wall edge 114.
• a snuff storage compartment 105 having an access opening 107 is arranged in the base part 102.
• the lid part 103 is applied to the base part 102 with the lid side wall 113 overlapping the base side wall 109 and with an inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 facing an outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• the snuff container 101 as disclosed herein can be closed by applying the lid part 103 to the base part 102 in any rotational position of the lid part 103 in relation to the base part 102.
• the access opening 107 is closed by the lid part 103 and the lid part 103 can be freely rotated on the base part 102 in the circumferential direction C. Rotation can be performed both clockwise and anti-clockwise.
• the snuff container 101 comprises a child resistant locking arrangement comprising a first set of locking features arranged on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 and a second set of locking features arranged on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• the first and second sets of locking features are arranged to co-operate with each other to keep the snuff container in the closed configuration and requires the performance of a three-step procedure for opening the snuff container 101.
• the locking features on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 snaps into locking engagement with the locking features on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• the locking arrangement comprises a first pair of ridges 121 being arranged diametrically opposite each other and extending in the circumferential direction C parallel with the lid side wall edge 114 on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 and a second pair of ridges 122 being arranged diametrically opposite each other and extending parallel with the lid side wall edge 114 on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113, the first pair of ridges 121 being arranged perpendicular to the second pair of ridges 122 along in the circumferential direction C of the lid side wall 113.
• Each ridge of the first pair of ridges 121 has a first ridge length and is arranged adjacent the top wall 112 and each ridge of the second pair of ridges 122 has a second ridge length and is arranged adjacent the lid side wall edge 114.
• the first ridge length is greater than the second ridge length. It can be noted that only one of the ridges 121 in the first pair of ridges 121 and one of the ridges 122 in the second pair of ridges 122 are visible in the view shown in Fig. 4 . Both ridges 121 in the first pair of ridges 121 are visible in Fig. 7 and both ridges 122 in the second pair of ridges 122 are visible in Fig. 6 .
• the locking arrangement further comprises a circumferentially extending locking ridge 130 which is arranged adjacent the circular base side wall edge 110 and which is parallel to the circular base side wall edge 110.
• the circumferentially extending locking ridge 130 is arranged on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• a first pair of interruptions 131 and a second pair of interruptions 132 are arranged in the locking ridge 130.
• the first pair of interruptions 131 are arranged perpendicular to the second pair of interruptions 132 in the circumferential direction C of the base side wall 109.
• Each interruption 131 in the first pair of interruptions 131 has a first interruption length and each interruption in the second pair of interruptions has a second interruption length.
• the first interruption length is equal to or preferably greater than the first ridge length and the second interruption length is equal to or preferably greater than the second ridge length and is smaller than the first ridge length. It can be noted that only one of the interruptions 131 in the first pair of interruptions 131 and one of the interruptions 132 in the second pair of interruptions 132 are visible in the view shown in Fig. 2 . Both interruptions 131 in the first pair of interruptions 131 are visible in Fig. 6 and both interruptions 132 in the second pair of interruptions 132 are visible in Fig. 3 .
• a third pair of ridges 135 are arranged adjacent the bottom wall 108 of the base part 102 and are parallel to the circular base side wall edge 110, the third pair of ridges 135 being arranged on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• Each ridge 135 of the third pair of ridges 135 is aligned in the axial direction A with a corresponding interruption 132 in the second pair of interruptions 132.
• the second pair of ridges 122 on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 are arranged to pass below the third pair of ridges 135 when the lid part 103 of the closed snuff container 101 is rotated on the base part 102.
• the distance d B in the axial direction A between the circumferentially extending locking ridge 130 on the base side wall and the third pair of ridges 135 on the base side wall 111 may be from 3 mm to 7 mm, preferably from 4.5 mm to 6.5 mm.
• the distance d L in the axial direction A between the first pair of ridges 121 on the lid side wall 113 and the second pair of ridges 122 on the lid side wall 113 may be from 3 mm to 7 mm, preferably from 4.5 mm to 6.5 mm.
• the locking features on the base part 102 and on the lid part 103 are preferably arranged such that the first pair of ridges 121 on the lid part 103 are in direct contact with the circumferential locking ridge on the base part when the snuff container 101 is in a closed configuration and the lid part 103 and the base part 102 are not in a release position.
• the second pair of ridges 122 on the lid part 103 are preferably in direct contact with the third pair of ridges 135 on the base part 102 when the snuff container 101 is in a closed configuration and the lid part 103 and the base part 102 are in a release position.
• Such arrangement of the locking features keeps the lid firmly in place in the axial direction A, preventing rattling of the lid part 103 and minimizing the size of a split-line 180 between the lid part 103 and the base part 102.
• a tight fit between the lid part 103 and the base part 102 may be further enhanced by a mechanical interference fit between the circular base side wall 109 and the lid.
• a circumferential groove 138 for receiving the lid wall edge 114 is arranged at the split-line location on the base side wall 109.
• the circumferential locking ridge 130 and the ridges 135 in the third pair of ridges 135 may have inclined upper surfaces to improve the ease of closing the child resistant snuff container 101.
• the snuff container may comprise a release position indicator.
• the release position indicator which is illustrated in Fig. 1 is a visual release position indicator 140 and comprises a lid position indicator 140' and a base position indicator 140".
• the lid position indicated is a three-dimensional pointer formed as a relief in the outer surface 116 of the lid part 103 and the base position indicator 140" is a small square marking formed on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• the release position indicator 140 is arranged to indicate that the lid part 103 is in a rotational position in relation to the base part 102 in which the locking arrangement can be disabled and the snuff container 101 can be opened. This position is referred to herein as a release position.
• a further type of release position indicator is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 .
• the release position indicator which is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is a sensory release position indicator 150 which conveys a haptic signal indicating that a release position has been attained.
• the sensory release position indicator 151 which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a pair of protrusions 151', 151".
• the protrusions 151'. 151" are arranged directly below each end of the ridges 135 in the third pair of ridges 135.
• the protrusions 151' is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 .
• the release position indicator may comprise or consists of visual indication means, sensory indication means, sound indication means or a combination of two or more such indication means.
• a release position indicator is an optional but preferred feature of a snuff container as disclosed herein.
• the lid part 103 When opening a closed child resistant snuff container such as the child resistant snuff container shown in Fig. 1 , the lid part 103 is first rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise in the circumferential direction C until a release position has been reached, i.e., until the second pair of ridges 122 on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall are aligned with the second pair of interruptions 132 in the circumferentially extending locking ridge 130 on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109 and with the third pair of ridges 135 on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109.
• any release position indicator 140, 151 provided may be used.
• the lid side wall is deformed by applying pressure at two diametrically opposite pressure areas 160 on the outer surface 116 of the lid side wall 113.
• the pressure areas 160 are the portions on the outer surface 116 of the lid side wall 113 which are located below the first pair of ridges 121 on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 as indicated in Fig. 4 .
• the pressure areas 160 are also located below the first pair of interruptions 121 on the outer surface of the base side wall 109.
• the pressure areas 160 may be provided with pressure area indicators to facilitate for a user to identify the location of the pressure areas 160.
• the lid side wall 113 is resiliently deformable by manual force such that squeezing the lid part 102 by simultaneously applying an inward directed force P on the pressure areas 160 causes the lid side wall 113 to bulge away from the base side wall 109, thereby moving the second pair of ridges 122 on the inner surface 115 of the lid side wall 113 out of engagement with the third pair of ridges 135 on the outer surface 111 of the base side wall 109. Accordingly, by squeezing the lid between the pressure points 160 when the snuff container is in the release position, the locking arrangement is disabled and the lid part 103 can be lifted away from the base part 102.
• the ridges 121, 122 in the first and second pairs of ridges 121, 122 are aligned with the corresponding interruptions 131, 132 in the first and second pairs of interruptions in the circumferential locking ridge 130, which means that the ridges on the lid part 103 can move in the axial direction A through the interruptions 131, 132 in the locking ridge 130 on the base part 102.
• a protruding guide rail 165 may be arranged at each end of one or both of the ridges in the third pair of ridges.
• the guide rails extend upward in the axial direction A from the ridges 135 in the third pair of ridges 135 and are arranged to maintain axial alignment of the lid part 103 and the base part 102 of the snuff container 101 during opening of the snuff container 101, after the lid part and the base part 102 have been set in the release position and the lid part 103 has been squeezed to disable the locking arrangement.
• the snuff container may be provided with a circumferentially extending inclined sliding surface 170 is arranged on the base part 102.
• the inclined sliding surface is arranged in the axial direction A below the third pair of ridges 135 on the outer surface of the base side wall and are arranged to cooperate with the lid side wall edge 114 to promote upward movement of the lid part 103 when opening the snuff container 101.
• the snuff container 101 may be provided with a continuous gasketing flange 175 which is arranged along the circular base side wall edge 110.
• the gasketing flange 175 is arranged above the circumferentially extending locking ridge 130 on the base side wall and may form the circular base side wall edge 110.
• the gasketing flange 175 bends and conforms to the inner surface of the lid part to produce an inner gasketing seal between the base part and the lid part as can be seen in Fig. 7 .
• the gasketing seal contributes to protecting the product packed in the snuff container from outside moisture or dehydration.
• a snuff container as disclosed herein may be a snuff container which is delivered to a user in a filled state.
• Commercially available filled snuff containers commonly contain in the order of from 5 to 30 pouched snuff products or a corresponding amount of loose snuff.

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Citations (3)

• 2024
  • 2024-03-19 EP EP24164638.9A patent/EP4620853A1/fr active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-02-26 WO PCT/EP2025/055156 patent/WO2025195733A1/fr active Pending

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