ES2674104T3 - Container that has internal separator element - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10) for consumer items, the container comprises: a box portion (12) comprising a bottom wall of the box (24) and a rear wall of the box (22); a lid portion (14) connected to the box portion (12) along a lid hinge line which extends through a rear wall of the container and rotates around the lid hinge line between a closed position and an open position, the lid portion (14) comprising an upper wall of the lid (34), a front wall of the lid (30), a rear wall of the lid (32) and side walls of the lid (36) extending between the front wall of the lid (30) and the rear wall of the lid (32); and an inner separator element (16) mounted within the box portion (12), wherein the inner separator element comprises an upper separator panel (40) fixed to the inner surface of the lid portion (14); a lower spacer panel (44) positioned against the inner surface of the lower wall of the box (24); and a rear spacer panel (42) extending between the upper spacer panel (40) and the lower spacer panel (44), wherein, when the lid portion (14) is in the closed position, the rear spacer panel ( 42) is separated from the rear wall of the box (22) to define a front compartment (48) for consumer items within the box portion (12), the front compartment (48) has a volume smaller than the volume internal of the box portion (12); characterized in that the height of the rear partition panel (42) corresponds essentially to the internal height of the container (10) so that in the closed position of the lid portion (14) the rear partition panel (42) is essentially parallel to the wall back of the box (22).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Container that has internal separator element

The present invention relates to a novel flip lid container for consumer articles comprising an internal separator element. The container of the present invention finds particular application as a container for consumer items, such as smoking article.

The packaging of elongated smoking articles and other consumables in containers formed from folded laminar starting pieces is known. Elongated smoking items, such as cigarettes and cigars, are commonly sold in flip-top packages that have a box to house smoking items and a lid attached to the box around a hinge line that extends through the wall container rear Such packages are typically constructed from cardboard sheet pieces. In practice, the lid revolves around the hinge line to open the package and thus have access to the smoking articles stored inside the box. Such a container, for example, is known from WO 2011/051076 A1.

Since the consumer items are progressively removed from a container, the empty space inside the container increases and the remaining consumer items may no longer be held in their safe place as in the unopened container. Therefore, the remaining consumable items are likely to move around and can be agitated during transportation of the container, which can damage the consumer items. In the case of cigarettes, this can cause some loose tobacco material that comes out of the tobacco rods.

In some cases, there is a need to provide containers of larger size than the volume occupied by the consumer items within the container. This can result in an empty space inside the container so that consumer items are more likely to move and shake inside the container during transport, as described above. Such a container, for example, is known from EP 0 443 365 A2.

It would be convenient to provide a novel container for consumer items that essentially retains the consumer items in their position within the container, where the consumer items occupy only a portion of the internal space of the container. In particular, it would be convenient to provide a container that provides means for retaining consumer items in their position within the container after some of the consumer items have been removed. It would be particularly convenient to provide such a container that can be easily produced without significant modifications of existing container designs or packaging equipment.

In accordance with the invention, a container for consumer items is provided, the container comprises: a box portion comprising a bottom wall of the box and a rear wall of the box; a lid portion connected to the box portion along a hinge line of the lid that extends through a rear wall of the container and rotates around the hinge line of the lid between a closed position and a Open position, the lid portion comprises an upper wall of the lid, a front wall of the lid, a rear wall of the lid and side walls of the lid extending between the front wall of the lid and the rear wall of the lid. top; and an internal separator element mounted within the box portion. The internal separator element comprises an upper separator panel, a lower separator panel and a rear separator panel that extends between the upper separator panel and the lower separator panel. The upper separator panel is fixed to an inner surface of the lid portion. The bottom separator panel is positioned against the inner surface of the bottom wall of the box. When the lid is in the closed position the rear separator panel is separated from the rear wall of the box to define a front compartment for consumer items within the box portion, the front compartment has a smaller volume than the internal volume of the box portion. The height of the rear separator panel essentially corresponds to the internal height of the container so that in the closed position of the lid portion the rear separator panel is essentially parallel to the rear wall of the box.

In the following description of the invention, the terms "side", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", and other terms used to describe Relative positions of the components of the containers according to the invention refer to the container in an upright position with the lid portion at the top and the bottom wall of the box at the bottom. When the containers are described in accordance with the present invention, these terms are used regardless of the orientation of the container described. The hinge line of the lid that allows to open the portion of the lid of the container by means of a rotating movement is located in the "rear" part of the container. On the other hand, the "front" part of the container refers to the side of the container opposite the "rear" part of the container.

The terms "height", "width" and "depth" refer to the external dimensions of the container or a component of the container along three perpendicular axes. For example, the "height" of the container refers to the vertical distance between the upper wall and the lower wall, the "width" of the container refers to the distance between the opposite side walls of the container and the "depth" of the container is refers to the distance between the front wall and the back wall. The terms "internal height", "internal width" and "internal depth" refer to the

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corresponding dimensions inside the container or component. The difference between the external dimensions of the container and the internal dimensions of the container is determined by the thickness of the material, the number of layers and additional separating elements, such as the thickness of an adhesive.

The term "hinge line" refers to a line in which approximately two elements can rotate in a relationship with each other. A hinge line can be, for example, a bending line, a perforation line or a tear line in a wall or panel of the container. When the hinge line is a perforation line, the perforation line can be used to remove parts of the container, for example the parts of the separator element.

In the containers according to the invention, an internal separator element is incorporated into the container to divide the space within the box portion and define a front compartment having a smaller volume than the box portion. This advantageously allows the consumer items to occupy less space than the total volume of the container to be held in its place more securely within the box portion. In practice, in the containers according to the invention, when the lid is in the closed position, the consumer articles housed in the front department are positively separated from the back wall of the box. The movement of consumer items within the container can be minimized during storage to avoid damage to consumer items. Elongated consumer articles, such as smoking articles, can be advantageously contained in an upright position and in substantial alignment with each other to facilitate access and removal of consumer items from the container.

In certain embodiments of the invention, as described above, the construction of the internal separator element can be adapted so that it is capable of exerting a retention force on the consumer items within the box portion, to further improve the retention of the position of consumer items.

The containers according to the invention are particularly suitable for containing a group or set of consumer articles that is smaller than the internal volume of the container, for example, which has a smaller depth. The containers according to the invention are also suitable for use in retaining consumer items instead when one or more items have been removed from the initial group or assembly, regardless of whether the initial group essentially occupies all or only part of the internal volume of the container.

The internal separator element can be advantageously incorporated into a wide variety of container sizes and designs, without the need to significantly modify the overall construction of the container. In addition, the position of the internal separator element can be easily adjusted so that the container can be adapted to contain different numbers or sizes of consumer items, without changing the overall dimensions of the container.

In the containers of the present invention, the internal separator element is mounted within the box portion and extends into the lid portion so that the upper separator panel can be fixed to an internal surface of the lid portion. The entire upper separator panel can be fixed to the lid portion, or only a portion of the upper separator panel can be fixed. Fixing the internal separator element inside the lid portion holds the internal separator element in place and increases the structural strength of the container, in particular, the lid portion of the container. The stability of the lid portion during its movement between the open and closed positions is further improved by fixing the internal separator element inside the lid portion.

Due to the fixation of the internal separator element to the lid portion, the internal separator element will typically be pushed back when the lid portion moves towards the open position. The rear separator panel will therefore typically be pushed away from consumer items within the front compartment. This advantageously increases the volume of the front compartment and the size of the opening at the upper end. This advantageously facilitates the removal of consumable items by opening.

The extension of the internal separator element within the lid portion of the container further reduces the visual impact of the internal separator element when the lid portion is open, since the internal separator element effectively integrates within the lid portion and will cover the space formed behind the rear separator panel. The upper separator panel and at least a portion of the rear separator panel, however, will typically be visible to the consumer in the open position. These separator panels therefore provide additional internal surfaces within the container in which information or graphics may be present for the consumer, which will be disclosed after the opening of the container.

The upper separator panel can be fixed to one or more of the walls of the lid portion. Preferably, the upper separator panel is fixed to the inner surface of the upper wall of the lid. The upper separator panel is preferably connected to the rear separator panel along a hinge line that extends through the internal separator element. Due to the fixing of the upper separator panel to the inner surface of the lid portion, the hinge line between the upper separator panel and the rear separator panel will typically extend through the wall of the lid portion to which the panel upper separator is fixed. The position of this line of

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hinge will determine the position of at least the top of the rear separator panel in the closed lid portion. The position of the hinge line will also affect the degree of movement of the internal separator panel when the lid portion moves towards an open position.

Preferably, the hinge line between the upper separator panel and the rear separator panel extends through the upper wall of the lid and particularly and preferably, the hinge line extends through the upper wall of the lid at a distance from the rear edge of the top wall of the lid. This allows at least the upper part of the rear separator panel to move from the rear wall of the container in the closed position of the lid.

Preferably, the upper separator panel projects in a forward direction from the rear separator panel when the lid portion is in the closed position. In alternative embodiments, the upper separator panel can project in a backward direction.

The lower separator panel of the internal separator element is positioned against the lower wall of the box in the closed position of the lid. The lower separator panel is preferably connected to the rear separator panel along a hinge line that extends through the internal separator element. In the closed position of the lid when the bottom separator panel is positioned against the bottom wall of the box, the hinge line between the bottom separator panel and the rear separator panel will typically extend through the bottom wall of the box, to a distance from the rear edge of the bottom wall of the box. The position of this hinge line will determine the displacement between at least the bottom of the rear separator panel and the rear wall of the box in the closed lid portion.

Preferably, the lower separator panel projects in a forward direction from the rear separator panel and therefore forms all or a part of the lower wall of the front compartment. Consumables within the front compartment, therefore, will be supported at least partially on the bottom separator panel. In alternative embodiments, the lower separator panel can project in a backward direction from the rear separator panel.

The lower separator panel can project in the same direction or in a different direction from the upper separator panel. Particularly and preferably, both the upper separator panel and the lower separator panel project in a forward direction from the rear separator panel.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the bottom separator panel can be fixed to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the box. In such embodiments, there is no movement of the lower separator panel when the lid portion moves between the open and closed positions.

In alternative embodiments, the bottom separator panel covers the bottom wall of the box in the closed position but is not fixed to the bottom wall of the box so that the bottom partition panel is free to move relative to the bottom wall of the box during opening and closing of the lid portion. Typically, when the lid portion is moved to the open position and the upper separator panel is pushed back along with the lid portion, the lower separator panel will be pushed in an upward direction toward the opening of the box portion. When the lower separator panel projects forward from the rear separator panel to form all or a portion of the lower wall of the front compartment, the upward movement of the lower separator panel provides a lifting effect, since the lower separator panel will push the Consumer items supported on it upwards when the lid portion is open. This facilitates the removal of consumer items from within the box portion. This can be particularly advantageous when the hinge line creates a defined point of the height at which the assembly can be raised.

In even more embodiments, a portion of the bottom separator panel can be fixed to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the box, with the remaining portion free to move. For example, the front portion of the bottom separator panel can be fixed to the bottom wall of the box, with the rear portion of the bottom separator panel free to rotate upward to a certain extent, thus providing some lifting effect when the lid portion is open, as described above.

Preferably, when the box portion contains a group or package wrapped of consumer items, the bottom separator panel is fixed to the bottom of the package wrapped. This ensures the position of the internal separator element at the bottom of the box portion, in particular where the bottom separator panel is not fixed to the bottom wall of the box. In such cases, fixing the lower separator panel to the wrapped assembly can further improve any lifting effect provided by the lower separator panel when the lid portion is open.

The rear separator panel of the internal separator element extends between the upper separator panel and the lower separator panel and is connected to each of the lower and upper separator panels along a respective hinge line, as described above. The internal separator element is mounted with the rear separator panel displaced from the rear wall of the box so that the internal separator element sits between the rear wall of the box and the front wall of the box. When consumer items are in their

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place inside the box portion, the rear separator panel sits behind consumer items. The rear separator panel therefore acts to retain the consumer items in their position within the front compartment.

Depending on the size of the group of consumer items within the box portion, the rear separator panel may or may not come into contact with the consumer items in the open and closed positions of the lid portion. Preferably, at least a part of the rear separator panel is in contact with the consumer items when the lid is in the closed position, to minimize the movement of the consumer items within the container during storage.

Preferably, the rear separator panel projects back towards the rear wall of the box when the lid portion is in the open position. This will typically result from the movement of the upper separator panel in a backward direction when the lid portion is open, which in turn will push at least the upper part of the rear separator panel to the rear. As described above, this increases the size of the opening of the front compartment to improve access to consumer items within the front compartment.

Preferably, the rear separator panel includes a separating hinge line that extends therethrough, which defines the upper and lower portions of the rear separator panel that are rotatable relative to each other around the separating hinge line. Preferably, the separating hinge line is positioned so that in the closed position of the lid, it falls below the hinge line of the lid between the box portion and the lid portion. This allows the upper portion of the rear separator panel to rotate backward from the lower portion after opening the lid portion so that the lid portion can move without restriction between the open and closed positions.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the separating hinge line is positioned below the lid hinge line when the lid portion is in the closed position. The distance between the separating hinge line and the lid hinge line can be varied to control the movement of the internal separator element within the box portion during opening and closing of the lid portion. Preferably, the distance between the separating hinge line and the lid hinge line when the lid portion is in the closed position corresponds to between about 0.1 percent and about 5 percent of the internal height of the container. In particular, this may allow the lower rear separator panel to be essentially vertical in the open position of the container, or, depending on the preferences, in the closed position of the container. Alternatively, the hinge on the rear separator panel can be located above the hinge line between the box and the lid of the container.

The construction and arrangement of the internal separator element, as described above, allows the position to be changed after the movement of the lid portion between the open and closed positions, respectively. In the closed position of the lid portion, the internal separator element adopts a first position in which the rear separator panel acts to retain the consumer articles in their position within the front compartment. Preferably, in this first position the rear separator panel adjoins the consumables within the front compartment and is able to exert a forward pressure against them. In the open position of the lid portion, the internal separator element adopts a second different position in which the rear separator panel is pushed back and the contact between the internal separator element and the consumer articles is released to facilitate the removal of Consumer items, as described above.

In certain embodiments, the internal separator element can gradually move between these two positions described above when the lid portion moves between the open and closed positions. Alternatively, the internal separator element can only be stable in the first and second positions and can effectively exit or jump from the first position to the second position when the lid portion has moved a certain amount from the closed position to The open position.

In the containers according to the invention, the height of the rear separator panel is essentially the same as the internal height of the container when the lid portion is in the closed position. The rear separator panel is therefore essentially vertical and straight in the closed position, with the rear separator panel positioned essentially parallel to the rear wall of the case. Preferably, when the front compartment includes a wrapped assembly of consumable items, the rear separator panel borders the rear surface of the wrapped assembly along essentially the entire height of the rear separator panel when the lid portion is in a closed position.

The "height" of the rear separator panel refers to the height of the panel when it is flat in the vertical direction.

In a different container, which is not part of the invention, the rear separator panel may have a height (as described above) that is greater than the internal height of the container, so that in the closed position of the lid the separator panel Rear bends or tilts to fit inside the container. Before the first opening of the container, the rear separator panel can be curved towards the front or rear of the

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container. However, after the first opening of the container, the rear separator panel will typically be curved in a forward direction in the closed position of the lid, as a result of the bending of the rear separator panel around the separating hinge line.

This forward curvature of the rear separator panel in the closed position of the lid can advantageously cause the rear separator panel to exert a force on the consumables inside the container, helping to retain them in position towards the front of the box portion . The shape of the curved rear separator panel will be advantageously adapted depending on the number of consumer items within the front compartment. The retention force on the consumer items can therefore be maintained even when the consumer items are removed from the container. Due to the curved shape of the inner separator element in the closed position of the lid, only the portion of the rear separator panel that extends beyond toward the front of the container will typically be able to collide with the consumer items. It will be appreciated that the adjacency of the rear separator panel against the consumer items may cause some distortion of the curved shape of the rear separator panel. Preferably, the curve is in the form of a single arc, however, in addition to curves with one or multiple pivot points such as a wave or S-shape as a curve is possible.

When the lid portion is open and the upper separator panel is pushed back, the rear separator panel will tend to straighten when more space is available and the curvature will therefore decrease. In some cases, the internal separator element will produce a spring effect on the lid portion, since the rear separator panel will tend to return to the straight shape provided in the open lid position. The lid portion will therefore be pushed towards the open position.

The internal separating element of the containers that are not part of the invention can be advantageously formed of a material having a natural elasticity or flexibility, such as cardboard or plastic, to optimize the effect of the curvature of the rear separator panel when retaining the articles of consumption inside the container An increased elasticity of the internal separator element will further increase the spring effect on the lid portion, as described above.

In containers that are not part of the invention, the rear separator panel may comprise one or more additional weakness lines below the separating hinge line, to control the shape of the curvature of the rear separator panel in the closed position of the top.

In containers that are not part of the invention, the height of the rear separator panel when measured in a flattened state is preferably between about 0.5 percent and about 6 percent greater than the internal height of the container.

The containers according to the invention can incorporate an internal separator element that extends through essentially the entire internal width of the container, between the opposite side walls. Alternatively, the containers according to the invention may incorporate an internal separator element that is smaller than the internal width of the container and therefore extends through only a part of the container. This may be convenient, for example, to reduce the width of the front compartment relative to the internal width of the container.

In certain embodiments, the internal separator element may comprise separator panels on opposite sides extending from the side edges of the rear separator panel. These side separator panels can fall against the internal surfaces of the side walls of the box, when the internal separator element extends across the entire width of the container. Alternatively, the side separator panels can be moved from the side walls of the box to define a front compartment that has a reduced width compared to the internal width of the container. This allows the container to more efficiently retain the position of a group of consumer items that is smaller than the container.

As described above, the internal separator element divides the space within the box portion to define a front compartment that has a reduced volume compared to the overall internal volume of the box portion. In particular, the front compartment has at least a reduced depth compared to the overall internal depth of the box portion. Preferably, the depth of the front compartment is between about 50 percent and about 95 percent of the overall internal depth of the box portion. The depth of the front compartment can be adjusted by placing the internal separator element and in particular, the positioning of the respective hinge line between the rear separator panel and the lower and upper separator panels. The container can therefore be easily adapted to provide a front compartment of adequate size to accommodate a group of consumer items that is smaller than the internal space within the box portion.

By dividing the space within the box portion, the internal separator element further defines a rear compartment between the rear separator panel and the rear wall of the box. The rear compartment can optionally be used to accommodate additional consumables. Access to consumer items within the

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Rear compartment can be provided by a cut or opening in the rear separator panel, or in the back wall of the case. Alternatively or additionally, the rear wall of the box can be provided with a transparent window that allows the interior of the rear compartment and any of the consumer items contained within the rear compartment to be viewed from the rear of the container.

The containers according to the invention preferably further comprise an internal frame mounted within the box portion. The inner shell may extend over the upper edges of the box portion in the opening of the box portion.

Preferably, the containers according to the invention further comprise a group of consumer articles housed within the front compartment. Particularly and preferably, the group of consumer items is a wrapped set of smoking articles. Preferably, the wrapped set of smoking articles has a depth that is less than the internal depth of the container. For example, the wrapped assembly preferably has a depth that is between about 50 percent and about 95 percent of the internal depth of the container. The depth of the front compartment can be adapted as described above depending on the depth of the wrapped assembly that is housed within the box portion.

The containers of the present invention may be formed from starting pieces of any of the suitable materials, including, but not limited to, cardboard, cardboard, plastic, metal, or combinations thereof. When the container is formed of cardboard, preferably, the cardboard has a weight of between approximately 100 grams per square meter and approximately 350 grams per square meter.

Preferably, the box portion and the lid portion are formed from a single sheet starting piece. The internal separator element is preferably formed from a separate laminar blank. The internal separator element can be incorporated into the container during or after assembly of the box portion and the lid portion.

The containers according to the invention can take the form of a rectangular parallelepiped with longitudinal and transverse edges at right angles. Alternatively, the container may comprise one or more round longitudinal edges, one or more round transverse edges, one or more bevelled longitudinal edges, one or more beveled transverse edges or combinations thereof. For example, in accordance with the invention, the container may non-limitatively comprise the following:

- One or two round or beveled longitudinal edges on the front wall, and / or one or two round or beveled longitudinal edges on the rear wall.

- One or two round or beveled transverse edges on the front wall, and / or one or two round or beveled transverse edges on the rear wall.

- A round longitudinal edge and a beveled longitudinal edge on the front wall, and / or a round transverse edge and a beveled transverse edge on the rear wall.

- One or two round or beveled transverse edges on the front wall and one or two round or beveled longitudinal edges on the front wall.

- Two round or beveled longitudinal edges on a first side wall or two round or beveled transverse edges on the second side wall.

Where the container comprises one or more round edges and is manufactured from one or more laminar starting pieces, preferably the starting part comprises three, four, five, six or seven tearing lines or folding lines to form the round edge of the assembled container. The tearing lines or folding lines can be inside the container or outside. Preferably, the tear lines or the fold lines have a separation between them of approximately 0.3 mm and 4 mm.

Preferably, the separation of the folding lines or the tearing lines is a function of the thickness of the laminar starting pieces. Preferably, the separation between the folding lines or tearing lines is between approximately 0.5 and 4 times larger than the thickness of the laminar starting pieces.

When the container comprises one or more beveled edges, preferably the beveled edge has a width between about 1 mm and about 10 mm, preferably between about 2 and about 6 mm. Alternatively, the container may comprise a double bevel formed by three parallel torn or folded lines that are separated so that two distinct bevels are formed at the edge of the container.

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Where the container comprises a beveled edge and is manufactured from one or more laminar starting pieces, the bevel can be formed by two folding lines or parallel tearing lines in the sheet piece. The folding lines or tearing lines can be arranged symmetrically to the edge between a first wall and a second wall. Alternatively, the folding lines or the tearing lines can be arranged asymmetrically to the edge between the first wall and the second wall, so that the bevel extends more towards the first wall of the container than towards the second wall of the container.

Alternatively, the container may have a non-rectangular cross-section, for example polygonal such as triangular or hexagonal, semi-oval or semicircular.

The containers according to the invention preferably house a plurality of longitudinal consumer articles having a longitudinal axis that extends perpendicularly to the lower wall, such that one end of the consumer articles is supported on the lower wall and the opposite end protrudes through the access opening.

The containers according to the invention have a particular application as packages for elongated smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars or cigars. Preferably, the box portion of the containers according to the invention houses a set of elongated smoking articles. Preferably, the set of smoking articles is wrapped in an inner liner, which must be removed at least partially before the smoking articles are accessed.

It will be appreciated that with the appropriate choices of the dimensions thereof, the front compartment according to the invention can be designed for different numbers of conventional sizes, large, very large, thin or super thin cigarettes. Alternatively other consumer items can be housed inside the container.

By means of an appropriate choice of the dimensions of the front compartment, in accordance with the invention, the containers can be designed to contain different total quantities of smoking articles or different arrangements of smoking articles. For example, by means of an appropriate choice of the dimensions thereof, in accordance with the invention, the containers can be designed to contain a total of between ten and thirty smoking articles.

Smoking articles can be arranged in different collections, depending on the total number of smoking articles. For example, smoking articles may be arranged in a single row of six, seven, eight, nine or ten articles. Alternatively, smoking articles may be arranged in two or more rows. The two or more rows may contain the same number of smoking articles. For example, smoking articles may be arranged in: two rows of five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten; three rows of five or seven; or four rows of four, five or six. Alternatively, the two or more rows may include at least two rows that contain a different amount of smoking articles with each other. For example, smoking articles can be arranged in: a row of five and a row of six (5-6); a row of six and a row of seven (6-7); a row of seven and a row of eight (7-8); an average row of five and two outer rows of six (6-5-6); an average row of five and two outer rows of seven (7-5-7); an average row of six and two outer rows of five (5-6-5); an average row of six and two outer rows of seven (7-6-7); an average row of seven and two outer rows of six (6-7-6); an average row of nine and two outer rows of eight (8-9-8); or an average row of six with an outer row of five and an outer row of seven (5-6-7).

The containers according to the present invention may contain smoking articles of the same type or brand, or of different type or brand. In addition, they can contain both non-filter smoking articles and smoking articles with various filter tips, as well as smoking articles of different length (for example, between about 40 mm and about 180 mm), of different diameter (for example, between about 4 mm and about 9 mm). In addition, smoking articles may differ in flavor intensity, extraction resistance and total particle material supply.

The length, width and depth of the containers according to the invention can be such that the total dimensions resulting from the container are similar to the dimensions of a typical disposable flip lid of twenty cigarettes.

Preferably, the containers according to the invention have a height of between about 60 mm and about 150 mm, more preferably a height of between about 70 mm and about 125 mm, wherein the height is measured from the bottom wall to the wall container top.

Preferably, the containers according to the invention have a width between about 12 mm and about 150 mm, more preferably, a width between about 70 mm and about 125 mm, wherein the width is measured from a side wall to the another side wall of the container.

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Preferably, the containers according to the invention have a depth of between about 6 mm and about 150 mm, more preferably a depth of between about 12 mm and about 25 mm where the depth is measured from the front wall to the rear wall of the container.

Preferably, the ratio of the height of the container to the depth of the container is between about 0.3 to 1 and about 10 to 1, more preferably, between about 2 to 1 and about 8 to 1, with the highest preference, between approximately 3 to 1 and 5 to 1.

Preferably, the ratio of the width of the container to the depth of the container is between about 0.3 to 1 and between about 10 to 1, more preferably between about 2 to 1 and between about 8 to 1, with the highest preference between approximately 2 to 1 and 3 to 1.

The inner surfaces or the outer surfaces or both the outer and inner surfaces of the containers according to the invention may be printed, embossed, embossed or otherwise adorned with the manufacturer's or brand's logos, trademarks , slogans and other information and consumer coded brands.

The consumer items within the containers according to the invention can be individually wrapped, or wrapped together in a single wrapper or can be wrapped in multiple groups of consumer items, for example, two, three or four groups of consumer items, wrapped in a respective wrap. Typically, the wrapper is removed before the consumer items are accessed.

Once filled, the containers according to the invention can be wrapped with a shrink film or otherwise wrapped with a transparent polymer film of, for example, high or low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, film of cellulose, or combinations thereof in a conventional manner. Where the containers according to the invention are wrapped, the wrap may include one or more tear tapes. In addition, the inner wrap can be printed with images, consumer information or other data.

When the container comprises smoking articles, the container may further comprise waste compartments (for example for ash or cigarette butts) or other consumables, for example matches, lighters, extinguishing media, breath fresheners or electronic devices. The other consumable items may be attached to the outside of the container, be contained within the container together with the smoking articles, in a separate compartment of the container, in the rear compartment within the container or combinations thereof.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a container in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 show side cross-sectional views of the container of Figure 1 with the lid portion in the open and closed positions, respectively;

Figure 4 shows a side cross-sectional view of an example of a container that is not part of the present invention before opening; Y

Figures 5 and 6 show side cross-sectional views of the container of Figure 4 with the lid portion in the open position and with the lid portion in the closed position (after the first opening), respectively.

The container 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, when assembled, and comprises a box portion 12, a lid portion 14 connected to the box portion 12 and an internal separator element 16 mounted within the box portion 12. The box portion 12 contains a set of cigarettes 18 which is less than the internal depth of the box portion 12.

The box portion 12 comprises a front wall of the box 20, a rear wall of the box 22, a bottom wall of the box 24, and opposite side walls of the box 26. The upper side of the box portion is open to provide an access opening through which cigarettes 18 are removed when the lid portion 14 is in an open position. An inner bushing 28 (not shown in Figures 2 and 3) is mounted inside the box portion 12 and extends over the upper edges of the box portion 12.

The lid portion 14 comprises a front wall of the lid 30, a rear wall of the lid 32, an upper wall of the lid 34 and opposite side walls of the lid 36. The lid portion 14 is connected to the box portion 12 along a hinge line 38 that extends through the rear wall of the container and rotates around the hinge line 38 between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, shown in Figure 2, the lid portion 14 covers the access opening and the walls of the lid portion 14 form extensions of the corresponding walls of the box portion 12. In the open position, shown in the figure

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3, the lid portion 14 projects backwards from the box portion 12 and the access opening at the upper end of the box portion 12 is fully uncovered.

The internal separator element 16 comprises an upper separator panel 40, a rear separator panel 42 connected to the upper separator panel 40 along a first hinge line and a lower separator panel 44 connected to the rear separator panel 42 along a second hinge line. The upper separator panel 40 and the lower separator panel 44 extend from the rear separator panel 42 in a forward direction. The rear separator panel 42 includes a separating hinge line 46 that extends through the panel and divides the panel 42 into two portions that are rotatable relative to each other around the separating hinge line 46. The height of the panel rear separator 42, when flat, essentially corresponds to the internal height of the container 10.

In the assembled container shown in Figures 2 and 3, the internal separator element 16 is mounted inside the box portion 12 with the upper separator panel 40 fixed to the internal surface of the upper wall of the lid 34 and the lower separator panel 44 covers the bottom wall of the box 24 and is fixed to the bottom surface of the smoking article set 18. The rear edges of each of the upper separator panel 40 and of the lower separator panel 44, along which they are connected The respective panels to the rear partition panel 42 are separated from the rear wall of the box 22 so that the rear panel 42 moves from the rear wall of the box 22, as described in more detail below. The internal separator element 16 therefore divides the internal space within the box portion 12 into a front compartment 48 and a rear compartment 50. The wrapped assembly of smoking articles 18 is supported on the bottom separator panel 44, in the front compartment 48.

In the closed position shown in Figure 2, the rear separator panel 42 is essentially vertical and essentially parallel to the rear wall of the box 22. The rear separator panel 42 travels from the rear wall of the box 22 a distance corresponding to approximately one third of the internal depth of the container 10. The depth of the front compartment 48 is therefore approximately twice the depth of the rear compartment 50. In this closed position, the separating hinge line 46 falls below the position of the line hinge 38 between cover portion 14 and case portion 12.

In the closed position shown in Figure 2, the rear separator panel 42 abuts the rear part of the package wrapped in smoking articles 18 so that the assembly is retained in its position within the container 10, despite having a depth that It is significantly less than the internal depth of the container.

When the lid portion 14 rotates backward to the open position shown in Figure 3, the upper separator panel 40 is further pushed back. This, in turn, pushes the upper part of the rear separator panel 42 back, away from the wrapped assembly of smoking articles 18, thereby increasing the size of the opening of the front compartment 48. When the rear separator panel 42 is pushed back , this is folded around the separating hinge line 46 so that the upper portion of the rear separator panel 42 extends backward from the lower portion. In the open position shown in Figure 3, the separating hinge line 46 essentially covers the hinge line 38.

The movement of the internal separator element 16 when the lid portion 14 is open causes the lower separator panel 44 to be pushed up towards the opening. The wrapped assembly of smoking articles 18 therefore rises away from the bottom wall of the box 24, as shown in Figure 3.

The box portion 12 and the lid portion 14 of the container 10 are formed from a single sheet starting piece and can be assembled using conventional apparatus and methods. The internal separator element 16 is formed from a separate sheet starting piece and can be incorporated into the container 10 after or during assembly of the box portion 12 and the lid portion 14.

The container 110 shown in Figures 4 to 6, which is not part of the present invention, comprises a box portion 112 and a lid portion 114 having the same construction as those described above in relation to the container 10 The container 110 further comprises an internal lifting element 116 having a construction similar to that described above for the container 10, with a corresponding arrangement of an upper separator panel 140, a rear separator panel 142 and a lower separator panel 144. The internal separator element 116 is further mounted in the container 110 in the same manner as described above for the internal separator element 16 of the container 10, with the upper separator panel 140 fixed to the internal surface of the upper wall of the lid 134.

The internal separator element 116 differs, however, from that described in the rear separator panel 142 has a height, when flat, which is greater than the internal height of the container 110.

The height of the rear separator panel 142 increased relative to the internal height of the container means that in the closed position of the lid portion, the rear separator panel 142 is forced to adopt a configuration

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curved Prior to the first opening of the lid portion, the rear separator panel 142 is positioned as shown in Figure 4 and curves back towards the rear wall of the case 122. In this initial position, the rear separator panel 142 has minimal or essentially none contact with the set of smoking articles 18.

When the lid portion 114 moves to the open position shown in Figure 5, the internal separator element 116 is pushed back, as described above, and has more space in which it straightens. In the open position, the upper part of the rear separator panel 142 will move away from the smoking article set 18 while the lower part of the rear separator panel will keep in contact with the assembly, as shown.

When the lid portion 114 is closed sequentially, the rear separator panel 142 will again adopt a curved configuration, but will now be curved forward towards the set of smoking articles 18, as shown in Figure 6. The rear separator panel 142 will collide therefore with the rear of the smoking article set 18 and will apply forward pressure, to retain the assembly in position. The curvature of the rear separator panel 142 will be adapted depending on the depth of the assembly 18. The curvature will therefore change when the smoking articles are progressively removed from the assembly, maintaining the forward pressure in the assembly. Figure 6 shows the container 110 after some smoking articles have been removed from the assembly 18 and the depth of the assembly has been reduced.

The internal separator element 116 is formed of a sheet of elastic material, such as cardboard. As a result of the elasticity of the material, the internal separator element 116 will tend towards the right position shown in Figure 5, with the lid portion 114 open. This produces a spring effect, with the internal separator element 116 that pushes the lid portion 114 towards the open position once the lid portion 114 has been released from the closed position shown in Figure 4.

The container 110 can be formed from laminar starting pieces as described above with reference to the container 10.

Claims (11)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 65 1. A container (10) for consumer items, the container comprises: a box portion (12) comprising a bottom wall of the box (24) and a rear wall of the box (22); a lid portion (14) connected to the box portion (12) along a hinge line of the lid that extends through a rear wall of the container and rotates around the hinge line of the lid between a closed position and an open position, the lid portion (14) comprising an upper wall of the lid (34), a front wall of the lid (30), a rear wall of the lid (32) and side walls of the cover (36) extending between the front wall of the cover (30) and the rear wall of the cover (32); and an internal separator element (16) mounted within the box portion (12), wherein the internal separator element comprises an upper separator panel (40) fixed the inner surface of the lid portion (14); a bottom separator panel (44) positioned against the inner surface of the bottom wall of the box (24); Y a rear separator panel (42) extending between the upper separator panel (40) and the lower separator panel (44), wherein, when the lid portion (14) is in the closed position, the rear separator panel (42) is separated from the rear wall of the box (22) to define a front compartment (48) for consumer items within the box portion (12), the front compartment (48) has a smaller volume than the internal volume of the box portion (12); characterized in that the height of the rear separator panel (42) essentially corresponds to the internal height of the container (10) so that in the closed position of the lid portion (14) the rear separator panel (42) is essentially parallel to the wall rear of the box (22). 2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the upper separator panel (40) is fixed to the upper wall of the lid (34). 3. A container according to claim 1 wherein the lower separator panel (44) of the internal separator element (16) is fixed to the internal surface of the lower wall of the box (24). 4. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the rear separator panel (42) of the internal separator element projects backward towards the rear wall of the box (22) when the lid portion (14) is in the open position . A container according to any preceding claim wherein the rear separator panel (42) comprises a separating hinge line that extends through the rear separator panel (42), wherein the separating hinge line is positioned below the hinge line of the lid when the lid portion (14) is in the closed position and where preferably the distance between the hinge line of the lid and the separating hinge line corresponds to between 0.5 percent and 5 percent of the internal height of the container (10). 6. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the upper separator panel (40) and the lower separator panel (44) are each projected forward from the rear separator panel (42). 7. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the internal separator element extends through essentially the entire internal width of the box portion. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the internal separator element (16) further comprises separator panels on opposite sides extending from the rear separator panel (42) wherein the separator panels laterals are positioned to define a front compartment (48) that has a width that is smaller than the internal width of the box portion (12). A container according to any preceding claim wherein the rear separator panel (42) comprises a cut to provide access to a defined rear compartment within the box portion (12) between the rear wall of the box (22) and the rear separator panel (42). 10. A container according to any preceding claim further comprising an internal shell mounted on the box portion (12). 11. A container according to any preceding claim further comprising a group of consumer items housed within the front compartment (48) of the box portion (12), wherein in the closed position of the lid portion (14) the rear separator panel (42) adjoins the consumer items. A container according to claim 11 wherein a wrapped set of smoking articles is housed within the front compartment (48) of the box portion (12). image 1 image2 10 30 Figure 2 twenty 30 Figure 3 image3 image4 image5 image6 Figure 6