U.S. patent application number 10/262900 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-20 for pack for smoking articles.
Invention is credited to Luton, Colin Dennis, Taylor, Rodney George.
Application Number | 20030034255 10/262900 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8234961 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030034255 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Luton, Colin Dennis ; et
al. |
February 20, 2003 |
Pack for smoking articles
Abstract
A pack for smoking articles having a cut-away section in the
front which reveals a backing member. The backing member may be
hingedly connected to the front panel of the pack by Z-folds to
ensure identical color and location registration in the
cut-away.
Inventors: |
Luton, Colin Dennis;
(Bristol, GB) ; Taylor, Rodney George;
(Leicestershire, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LARSON & TAYLOR, PLC
1199 NORTH FAIRFAX STREET
SUITE 900
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
8234961 |
Appl. No.: |
10/262900 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10262900 |
Oct 3, 2002 |
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09744024 |
May 5, 2000 |
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6474469 |
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09744024 |
May 5, 2000 |
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PCT/GB99/02118 |
Jul 2, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/268 ;
206/271; 206/273 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2203/00 20130101;
B65D 85/1081 20130101; B65D 85/1045 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/268 ;
206/271; 206/273 |
International
Class: |
A24F 015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 22, 1998 |
EP |
98305845.4 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A pack for elongate smoking articles assembled from a flat blank
comprising: a lid, a body, and a hinge connection by which the lid
is hingedly connected to the body; front, rear and sides formed by
both the lid and the body each having a respective front panel,
rear panel, and a pair of side panels; the lid further having a top
panel remote from the body, and the body further having a base
panel remote from the lid; said hinge connection being defined by a
fold between the rear lid panel and the rear body panel and being
substantially parallel to top and bottom edges of the pack; the
front of the pack having a portion that is cut away to reveal a
backing member disposed within the pack when the pack is closed and
assembly is finished, wherein the portion is initially present in
the blank as the blank has a front lower edge of the front panel of
the lid disconnected from the front panel of the body; the hinge
connection also being substantially parallel to an imaginary
straight line extending between lowermost points of side edges of
the front panel of the lid; and a lower edge of the front lid panel
forms an upper extremity of the cut-away portion when the pack is
closed and assembly is finished.
2. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cut-away portion is
located in the body front panel or the lid front panel or in a
combination of both.
3. A pack as claimed in claim 2 wherein there is the cut-away
portion is located only in the front panel of the body.
4. A pack as claimed in claim 3 wherein said imaginary line
coincides with a lowermost edge of the lid front panel.
5. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cut-away portion
extends from one side panel to the other side panel. [but not shown
in the original drawings]
6. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower edge of the front
lid panel abuts an upper edge of the front body panel.
7. A pack as claimed in claim 6 wherein the backing member is
formed integrally with and is hingedly connected with respect to
the upper edge of the front body panel.
8. A pack as claimed in claim 7 wherein the backing member is
connected to the upper edge of the front body panel by two spaced
tabs which form Z-folds.
9. A pack as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cut-away portion
borders on the upper edge of the front body panel so that the
cut-away portion is open at the upper extremity thereof when the
pack is subsequently opened.
10. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the backing member is
hingedly connected to side members which lie inwardly of the
respective body side panels and project upwardly therefrom.
11. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein a part of the backing
member which lies behind the cut-away portion of the front body
panel has printed matter thereon.
12. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cut-away portion has
edges, with at least some of the edges defining the cut-away
portion having sections folded inwardly of the pack so that the
backing member is more inwardly recessed behind the front of the
pack.
13. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cut-away portion
borders on the upper edge of the front body panel so that the
cut-away portion is open at the upper extremity thereof when the
pack is subsequently opened.
14. A pack as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cut-away portion
extends completely between said body side panels.
15. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cut-away portion is
defined by cut edges.
16. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the backing member is an
insert separate from the blank from which the pack is constructed.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to packs for smoking
articles.
[0002] According to the present invention there is provided a pack
for elongate smoking articles comprising a lid hingedly connected
to a body, both the lid and the body each having front, rear and a
pair of side panels, the lid having a top panel remote from the
body which has a base panel remote from the lid, said hinge
connection being defined by a fold between the rear lid panel and
the rear body panel and being substantially parallel to the top and
bottom edges of the pack, the front of the pack having a portion
that is cut away to reveal a backing member disposed within the
pack and the hinge connection also being substantially parallel to
an imaginary line extending between the lowermost points of the
side edges of the front of the lid.
[0003] The cut-away portion may be located in the body front panel
or the lid front panel or in a combination of both. Where there is
no cutaway portion in the lid then said imaginary line coincides
with the lowermost edge of the lid front panel. In many embodiments
the cutaway portion is enclosed on all sides by the front panels of
the body and/or lid.
[0004] Preferably at least some of the edges defining the cut-away
portion have sections folded inwardly of the body so that the
backing member is more inwardly recessed behind the body front
panel. In further preferred arrangements all of the edges defining
the cut-away portion have inwardly folded sections, no cut edges
therefore being presented by the cut-away portion.
[0005] In some arrangements the upper extremity of the cut-away
portion is closed by the lower edge of the front lid panel when the
pack is closed, the lower edge of the front lid panel abutting the
upper edge of the front body panel. Conveniently the backing member
is formed integrally with and is hingedly connected with respect to
the upper edge of the front body panel.
[0006] A preferred feature is that the backing member is connected
to the upper edge of the front body panel by means of two spaced
tabs which form Z-folds.
[0007] In certain embodiments the cut-away portion is defined
wholly within the front body panel. In other arrangements the
cut-away portion borders on the upper edge of the front body panel
so that the cut-away portion is open at its upper extremity.
[0008] Preferably the backing member is also connected to a lower
edge of the cut-away portion by means of an intermediate tab which
also forms a parallel Z-fold, the longitudinal depth of the
intermediate tab being substantially the same as that of the two
spaced tabs. Also, the cut-away portion has a pair of lateral edges
extending between respective ends of the lower edge of the cut-away
portion and the upper edge of the front body panel such that the
cut-away portion is defined by its lateral edges and its lower
edge. Preferably said lateral edges have sections folded inwardly
of the body and in some cases the intermediate tab extends for the
full lateral width of the lower edge of the cut-away portion.
[0009] Conveniently the backing member is hingedly connected to
side members which lie inwardly of the respective body side panels
and project upwardly therefrom. Ideally, the part of the backing
member which lies behind the cut-away portion of the front body
panel has printed matter thereon.
[0010] With some embodiments there is also an inner frame provided
in the body of the pack.
[0011] In some packs, adjacent side, front and rear panels meet
each other at right angles. In others, adjacent side, front and
rear panels are interconnected by means of sub-panels such as
lengthwise bevel panels or lengthwise contoured panels which may
incorporate a number of parallel, lengthwise extending score
lines.
[0012] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more
detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a blank for producing a pack according to the
present invention,
[0014] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the pack formed from
the FIG. 1 blank in a closed position,
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of the pack during
assembly,
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled pack in an
open position,
[0017] FIGS. 5 to 8 are views similar to FIGS. 1 to 4 of a second
embodiment,
[0018] FIG. 9 shows a blank for an optional inner frame, and
[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the inner frame formed from
the blank of FIG. 9.
[0020] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a paperboard blank 50 for making a
generally rectangular pack 10 for a number of elongate smoking
articles such as cigarettes. The pack 10 shown is for twenty
cigarettes in two 2.times.5 bundles 12 of cigarettes. The pack 10
has a main body 13 and a lid 14 which is hingedly connected to the
main body 13 by means of a fold line 15.
[0021] The lid 14 has a front panel 16, side panels 17, 18, a rear
panel 19 and a top panel 20. In the blank 50 for producing the pack
10 there are a number of other panels 21 which form part of the lid
14 but which are located internally of the lid 14. These other
panels 21 are known from conventional pack technology and give a
folded lowermost edge to the lid.
[0022] The main body 13 also has a front panel 22, main side panels
23, 24, a rear panel 25 and a base panel 26. In the assembled pack
10 the panels 22 to 25 are substantially in alignment with the
associated panels 16 to 19 of the lid 14 when the pack is in a
closed position. Opening of the pack 10 is by relative rotation of
the lid 14 and the main body 13 about the fold line 15 linking the
two rear panels 19, 25.
[0023] An internal collar panel 27 having secondary side panels 28,
29 is foldably connected to the front panel 22 of the main body by
means of two spaced lateral tabs 30, 31 and a central intermediate
tab 32 disposed between the lateral tabs 30, 31. The heights of all
three tabs are the same but the intermediate tab 32 is hingedly
connected to the front panel 22 at fold line 33 which is lower than
the top edge 34 of the front panel 22 where the lateral tabs 30, 31
are hingedly connected. Upper fold lines 35, 36, 37 respectively
connect the tabs 30, 31, 32 to the collar panel 27.
[0024] The ends of the intermediate tab 32 are angled inwardly
towards the fold line 33 to make provision for sub-panels 38, 39
which are hingedly connected to the front panel 22 of the main body
13 at 40, 41.
[0025] An inner frame 60 may also be provided to support the two
bundles 12 of cigarettes in the finished pack and an example of
frame is shown in FIG. 10, the frame 60 being formed from the blank
61 shown in FIG. 9. The blank 61 is formed from paperboard and has
a number of creases 62 to enable the blank to be folded to form the
double channel section of the frame 60.
[0026] To assemble the pack 10, the sub-panels 38, 39 are folded
internally through 180.degree. about the folds 40, 41 so as to lie
against the inside of the front panel 22. The collar panel 27 and
its secondary side panels 28, 29 are folded inwardly of the front
panel 22 by virtue of the Z-folds created by the tabs 30, 31, 32,
upper fold lines 35, 36, 37, top edge 34 and fold line 33. The
collar panel 27, therefore, sandwiches the intermediate tab 32
against the inside of the front panel 22 with the lateral tabs 30,
31 sandwiching the sub-panels 38, 39 against the inside of the
front panel 22.
[0027] The pack panels can then be folded and glued in one of a
number of conventional methods around the bundles 12 of the
cigarettes.
[0028] It will be appreciated that the Z-folding of the collar
panel 27 relative to the front panel 22 and the folding back of the
sub-panels 38, 39 results in the formation of a "window" 42 which
is backed by the collar panel 27 and which is effectively closed at
its top edge by the lower edge of the front panel 16 of the lid 14.
The window is enclosed on all sides by the front panels of the
pack. The presence of the folded edges defining three of the sides
of the window 42 and the folded lower edge of the lid gives a
recessed quality when viewing the collar panel 27 through the
window. The collar panel 27 may have matter printed on it such as
words, logos or other graphics. The printing can be done at the
same time as printing the main panels of the pack thereby
guaranteeing a colour match when required and ensuring accurate
location of the printed matter in the window.
[0029] The size and shape of the window 42 can be varied of course
by making appropriate changes to the tab height, width and location
although it will be appreciated that with folded edges, only
straight edges are possible. Also, more than one window 42 could be
provided if the blank was made with more tabs at appropriate
locations. Other blank configurations are also possible. For
example the sub-panels 38,39 could be laterally shorter so that
they do not extend below the tabs 30,31. This would result in a
reduction in thickness in this part of the assembled pack.
[0030] In an alternative embodiment show in FIGS. 5 to 8, similar
parts have been given similar reference numerals. In the
alternative embodiment the window 42 is defined entirely within the
front panel 22 of the main body and has four sub-panels 43 which
are folded inwardly through 180.degree. to give depth to the recess
and to ensure there are no cut edges to the window. In this
arrangement the intermediate tab 32 between the two lateral tabs
30, 31 is not attached to the front panel 22 and the tabs 30, 31,
32 are of extended height so that the collar panel 27 when folded
reaches down to cover the space behind the window 42.
[0031] Again the window 42 could be of any chosen shape or size and
also the colour match and accurate location can be assured on the
backing part of the collar panel 27 which is visible through the
window, which has straight edges due to their folded nature.
[0032] Simpler arrangements could also be formed by omitting some
or all of the sub-panels 38, 39, 43 with the resulting change in
depth and edge quality of the window 42. Also the fold 33 could be
made into a cut to further modify the lower edge of the window. In
this way the movement of the intermediate tab 32 would still
produce a window but the lower edge would not be a folded one but a
cut one. Where the edges are not folded, they could be curved.
[0033] It is also possible to produce packs with windows by
omitting the hinge connections between the internal collar panel 27
and the remainder of the blank. The internal collar panel can be
provided as an insert between the cigarette bundles 12 and the
front panel 22. The edges of the window 24 can still be provided
with folded edges or without folded edges or with only some folded
edges. Folded edges can still only be straight edges in these
embodiments. Assembly of such packs may be easier but colour match
and accurate positioning in the window may not be guaranteed. Such
packs do, however, enable a full width window to be produced.
[0034] Furthermore the junctions between the main panels have been
shown as right angles but other constructions such as rounded
junctions or bevelled junctions are possible. Other cigarette pack
configurations could also incorporate the present invention such as
3-row 20 pack, 10 packs, 3-row 25 packs.
[0035] It will also be apparent that, by suitable changes to the
blank, the window could be provided in the lid instead of the body
or could be provided part in the lid and part in the body.
* * * * *