JP2018508431A - Package for smoking articles, corresponding blank and method for forming such a package - Google Patents

Abstract

A package for smoking articles, a blank for forming the collar and lid of the package, and a method for forming a package from such a blank are provided. The package includes a packet portion for storing a smoking article, a collar portion, and a lid portion. The packet portion is made of a substantially flexible material, and the collar portion and the lid portion are substantially formed. The collar portion is attached to the packet portion and partially overlaps the packet portion, and the lid portion takes out the smoking article stored in the packet portion. The lid portion is disposed so as to be relatively movable with respect to the collar portion and the packet portion between a closed position where the lid portion is blocked and an open position where the lid portion does not hinder the removal of the smoking article stored in the packet portion. . [Selection] Figure 1C

Description

  The present invention relates to a package for smoking articles.

  Box-type packages with hinged lids that store smoking items such as cigarettes are well known in the art, and various types have been proposed so far. These are often formed as cardboard packs with folded cardboard blanks and hinged lids, which can be removed by opening the lid, which can then be closed by the user in a pocket of clothing. The contents can be protected when it is carried in a bag. In this type of package, a hinge opening / closing lid is usually provided integrally with the upper end of a cardboard pack. Cigarettes are stored vertically, and the user can pick them up by opening the lid.

  In the technical field, flexible packages (soft packages) for storing smoking articles such as cigarettes are also known. These are made of a flexible material, wrapped around a smoking article to be stored and sealed at both ends. The user can break the seal at one end of the package (or unpack the package) and remove the smoking article from this soft flexible package.

  Packages for smoking articles such as cigarettes need to overcome various challenges. In particular, it is necessary not only to be inexpensive and compatible with mass production, but also to be safe enough to store smoking articles, prevent inadvertent dropout and leakage, and maintain sufficient freshness. In addition, ergonomic and practical design improvements are also desired for this type of package.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a package for smoking articles, the package comprising: a packet part for housing the smoking article; a collar part; a lid part, wherein the packet part is substantially flexible. The collar portion and the lid portion are made of a substantially rigid material, the collar portion is attached to the packet portion and partially overlaps the packet portion, and the lid portion is Between the closed position where the lid portion prevents the removal of the smoking article stored in the packet portion and the open position where the lid portion does not prevent the removal of the smoking article accommodated in the packet portion; It is arranged to be relatively movable with respect to the packet part. A very good package for smoking goods that combines robustness and ease of use by combining a substantially flexible material that makes the packet part and a substantially rigid material that makes the collar part and the lid part. Is provided. By using a substantially flexible material for the packet portion, the package can be partially deformed, which allows the package to be reconfigured to reduce the occupied volume depending on its internal volume (eg, After removing the smoking article from the package, the package can be slightly compressed). Since the packet part has flexibility in this way, the contents of the package can be manipulated through the packet part and can be easily taken out from the packet part. On the other hand, by using a substantially rigid material for the collar portion and the lid portion, the package is not easily deformed partially, which makes it easier to handle the package and more reliably protect the contents. Furthermore, since the lid portion has rigidity, the lid portion is difficult to be deformed, whereby the lid portion can be smoothly opened and closed, and the contents of the package can be more reliably maintained when in the closed position.

  In some embodiments of the present invention, the packet part is provided with an opening at one end in the longitudinal direction that allows the smoking article stored in the packet part to be taken out, and the lid part is in the closed position. Sometimes the lid at least partially overlaps the opening. A combination of the fact that the opening is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the packet part and the fact that the lid overlaps the opening when the lid is in the closed position causes smoking articles to be unprepared from the package. Can be prevented from falling off or leaking.

  In some embodiments of the present invention, the opening is defined by an openable and closable portion of the packet portion that has been previously cut. Defining the opening with an openable / closable portion that has been cut in advance is extremely suitable as a means for defining the opening, and it is easy for the user to break the packet and form the opening.

  In some embodiments of the present invention, the substantially flexible material comprises a heat sealable foil. The heat-sealable foil is a material particularly suitable for the purpose of forming the package part. In addition to being particularly suitable for the purpose of keeping the smoking article fresh by preventing moisture from entering the packet part, this material can be applied directly to the packet part, thus simplifying the manufacturing process. Because.

  In some embodiments of the invention, the lid is hinged to the collar. The lid hinged to the collar is more secure and easy to open (especially with one hand) because there is no risk of detachment from the package. Therefore, the user need only concentrate on opening the lid with the package, and does not need to worry about supporting the lid.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the lid portion overlaps the panel of the packet portion, and the panel of the packet portion is (a) 20% or (b) 40% or (c) in the longitudinal direction. ) Provide a front panel that covers more than 50%. A packet part panel, for example, a front panel that overlies the front panel and covers the panel in the longitudinal direction (a) longer than 20%, preferably (b) longer than 40%, more preferably (c) longer than 50%. The lid portion provided with can be reliably closed (that is, there is little possibility of being inadvertently opened due to its size), and when the lid portion is opened, the adjustment of the force is largely left to the user.

  In some embodiments of the invention, the lid or collar or both include cardboard. Cardboard is a very suitable material for forming the collar part and / or the cover part because it is easy to manufacture the package part using this as a material in addition to low cost and environmental friendliness. .

  In some embodiments of the invention, the collar forms a sleeve that wraps around at least a portion of the packet portion in a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the packet portion, the collar portion preferably The opening may be formed toward one end in the longitudinal direction of the packet part. The collar portion forming the sleeve that circulates at least a part of the packet portion in a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the packet portion defines the shape (or structure) over the entire cross section in the plane in which the sleeve is formed. This makes it easier to protect the contents of the packet part and to handle the package. Further, forming the collar portion as a sleeve toward one end in the longitudinal direction of the packet portion where the opening portion may be formed defines the shape of the portion of the packet portion where the opening portion may be formed. The shape of the opening becomes good, and the contents of the packet part can be easily taken out through the opening.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blank for forming the collar portion and the lid portion of the package according to the first side surface. The blank comprises a plurality of panels; a plurality of structural tabs; and a plurality of fold lines. Each panel is connected to at least one other panel along one fold line and / or one structural tab, and each structural tab is connected to at least one other sheet along one fold line. Connects to a structure tab, a panel, or both. Each structural tab is one surface of the plurality of panels or one of the plurality of structural tabs to which the structural tab is attached when the blank is folded along the fold line. It is arranged along the surface at or along both. The plurality of panels include a plurality of panels forming the collar portion and a plurality of panels forming the lid portion, and one of the plurality of panels forming the collar portion has a crease line as a boundary. And connected to one of the plurality of panels forming the lid.

  In some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of panels for forming the lid are a lid front panel; a lid ceiling panel connected to the lid front panel at a fold line; and the lid A lid rear panel connected to the lid ceiling panel, with a fold line on the opposite side of the lid ceiling panel as to the fold line connecting the ceiling panel and the lid front panel; A lid side surface panel connected to the lid front panel at the boundary; a fold line on a side facing the lid front panel with respect to the fold line connecting the lid side panel and the lid front panel; As a boundary, another lid side surface panel connected to the lid front panel is provided. The plurality of structural tabs for forming the lid portion include a lid side surface structure tab connected to the lid portion back panel with a fold line as a boundary; and the lid side surface structure tab and the lid back panel connected to each other. Another lid side structure tab connected to the lid rear panel with a fold line on the side facing the fold line facing the fold line as a boundary; and a lid side structure tab with the fold line as a boundary A lid ceiling tab to be connected; and another lid ceiling tab to be connected to the other lid side surface structure tab at the fold line.

  Further, in some embodiments, the plurality of panels for forming the collar include: a collar front panel; a collar side panel connected to the collar front panel at a fold line; and the collar A collar back panel connected to the collar side panel, with a fold line on the side facing the fold line connecting the side panel and the collar front panel facing the collar side panel; Another collar side panel connected to the collar back panel, with a fold line on the opposite side of the collar back panel as to the fold line connecting the back panel and the collar side panel; Prepare. The plurality of structure tabs include a collar structure tab connected to the collar front panel with one of the plurality of folding lines as a boundary. By arranging a plurality of panels, a plurality of structural tabs, and a plurality of fold lines in this manner, a blank suitable for forming the lid portion and the collar portion for the package of the present invention is provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a package according to the first aspect. The method includes a step of forming a packet portion for storing articles; a step of folding a blank on the second side surface to form a collar portion and a lid portion; and a step of attaching the collar portion to the packet portion. And comprising. This provides a simple and appropriate method for forming a package according to the present invention.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the method forms a substantially flexible material for the packet portion over a plurality of smoking articles, the upper end, the lower end and the longitudinal portion of the substantially flexible material. A step of forming the packet part by sealing and trimming a seam, thereby enclosing the smoking article in the packet part. This is particularly suitable as a method for forming the packet portion used in the package of the present invention.

  In some embodiments of the present invention, the collar is formed around the packet portion. Forming the collar portion around the packet portion is a very simple package forming method. This is because once the collar portion is formed, the step of placing the packet portion in the collar portion can be omitted.

  The blank is preferably made of cardboard, and the packet part is preferably made of heat-sealable foil.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1a is a schematic diagram illustrating the “closed” state of an exemplary package according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1b is a schematic diagram illustrating the “open” state of an exemplary package according to one embodiment of the present invention, where the packet portion is still sealed. FIG. 1c is a schematic diagram illustrating the “open” state of an exemplary package according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example blank folded up into an example collar and lid in the example package shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c.

  In the following description and in the figures, appropriate embodiments of the invention are described. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and some embodiments do not have all the requirements described below. It should be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

  1a, 1b and 1c are schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary package 100 (also referred to as a pack, container, box or carton) in various configurations or stages of use. The package 100 includes a packet part 110, a collar part 120, and a lid part 130.

  The packet unit 110 can store (or contain or hold) a smoking article such as a cigarette. In other words, the packet part 110 defines a volume for storing smoking articles. Smoking articles are usually stored in the packet unit 110 in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction). That is, the axis parallel to the longest side of the packet part 110 faces the same direction as the long axis of the smoking article. Here, the reference in the longitudinal direction (or axis) is intended to be an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of any smoking article housed in the packet part 110, and this axis is usually (not always), The direction is the same as the vertical axis of the packet unit 110. Therefore, this vertical axis may be considered as a direction for measuring the height of the package. The packet part 110 may be provided with an opening 140 for taking out a smoking article stored in the packet part 110, thereby enabling the smoking article to be taken in and out of the packet part 110. The packet part 110 may be sealed without providing the opening 140. In this case, it may be necessary to open the seal of the packet part 110 to form the opening part 140 so that the smoking article can be removed therefrom. For example, the packet part 110 can be sealed before the user's first use, and the user needs to break the seal to form the opening 140 in order to take out the smoking article stored therein. . The opening 140 may be an openable / closable part of the packet part 110 that has been cut in advance. In other words, the sealed packet part 110 may be a part that has been cut in advance, and this part may be opened by the user by breaking or further cutting to form the opening part 140 of the packet part 110. it can. After the user has used it for the first time, the opening 140 may be left in the packet part 110, so that the user can further remove the smoking article contained in the packet part without having to unopen the packet part 110 again. be able to. Alternatively, the packet unit 110 may include a resealable seal such as a resealable flap or tab. Thus, the user opens the resealable seal to form the opening 140, takes out the smoking article contained in the packet part 110, closes the resealable seal to close the opening 140, and the resealable seal Access to smoking items can be blocked until the next opening. The opening may be formed at one end of the packet part 110, such as one end in the longitudinal direction, and may be formed at the top of the packet part 110, for example.

  A collar portion (collar portion, collar portion) 120 is attached (or bonded, connected, or joined) to the packet portion 110. This means that the collar part 120 cannot substantially move with respect to the packet part 110. That is, the position of the collar portion 120 is fixed relative to the position of the packet portion 110. The collar portion 120 partially wraps (or overlaps or covers) the packet portion 110. The collar part 120 may form a sleeve (sheath) that goes around the packet part 110. This is a sleeve made of a continuous material that wraps around (or surrounds) the packet part 110 when viewed in cross-section across at least a portion of the packet part 110. Here, when the term “sleeve” is used, it refers to a state in which a material continuously surrounds the packet part 110 in a plane of a specific cross section. Therefore, as described above, the collar portion 120 does not completely surround the packet portion 110 when viewed as a whole, but when viewed from the specific cross section, the collar portion 120 is a packet that has been cut into the cross section. The portion 110 completely surrounds it.

  However, the collar portion 120 does not necessarily have to form a sleeve, and may only overlap a part or the whole of one panel (or side surface) of the packet portion 110. The collar portion 120 may be attached to the packet portion 110 over substantially the entire overlapping portion of the collar portion 120. As an example, an adhesive (or glue) can be applied to the entire adjacent surface of the collar 120 or the packet 110, or both, and the two can be bonded together.

  Alternatively, the collar portion 120 may only be attached to the packet portion 110 at a specific point or subarea of the overlapping portion. For example, the adhesive may be applied only to a part or a plurality of parts of the adjacent surface of the collar part 120 and / or the packet part 110.

  The packet portion 110 is made (or constructed, formed, or made) of a substantially flexible material, while the collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130, Is made of a substantially rigid material. Since the packet part 110 is made of a substantially flexible material, the rigidity of the packet part 110 is relatively low, and in particular, it is substantially rigid material, that is, more rigid than the constituent material of the packet part 110. Compared to the collar 120 and the lid 130 made of a high material. The substantially flexible material in the form used for manufacturing the packet part 110 has a smaller cross-sectional area (or thinner cross section) than the substantially rigid material in the form used for manufacturing the collar part 120 and the lid part 130. ) In fact, the materials used to manufacture the packet part 110, the collar part 120, and the lid part 130 may have the same Young's modulus. Alternatively, even the same material may be used, and in this case, the material may have different rigidity in each part by changing the thickness of the cross section in a form in which the material is used for manufacturing each part. Of course, the cross section of the material used for each part may be the same, and the rigidity of each part may be made different using materials having different Young's moduli. Alternatively, the difference in material rigidity in the packet part 110, the collar part 120, and the lid part 130 is a combination of the Young's modulus of the material used for each part and the cross-sectional thickness of the material in the form used for manufacturing each part. May be achieved.

The substantial flexible material from which the packet part 110 is manufactured may be single or several layers, and is preferably a laminate foil material having a thickness of 30 to 60 μm, and preferably a laminate foil having a thickness of 40 to 50 μm. More preferred. This foil material is preferably a heat-sealable foil. The substantially rigid material from which the collar 120 and / or lid 130 or both are fabricated has a basis weight (or paper density) of about 180 g / cm ² to about 240 g / cm ² , preferably about 200 g / cm. ^{2 to} 220 g / cm ² of paper or cardboard. Alternatively, the substantially rigid material from which the collar 120 and / or lid 130 or both are fabricated may be a foldable plastic material. As described above, the collar portion 120 is attached to the packet portion 110. The attachment of the collar portion 120 to the packet portion 110 in this manner has an effect on the rigidity of the packet portion 110 over the portion where the packet portion 110 is attached to the collar portion 120. In other words, the packet part 110 is effectively reinforced by the collar part 120 at a part attached to the collar part 120, and obtains higher rigidity than other parts of the packet part 110 not attached to the collar part 120. .

  The lid portion 130 is disposed (or configured) so as to be relatively movable with respect to the collar portion 120 and the packet portion 110 between a closed position and an open position.

  In the closed position, the lid portion 130 restricts access to the packet portion 110 and prevents the smoking article stored in the packet portion 110 from being taken out. In other words, in this closed position, the lid part restricts access to at least a part of the packet part including the part of the packet part from which the contents of the packet part can be taken out. On the other hand, in the open position, the lid 130 does not restrict access to the packet unit 110, and thus does not prevent the smoking article stored in the packet unit 110 from being taken out. For example, when the lid portion 130 is in the closed position, the lid portion 130 overlaps the opening portion 140 of the packet portion 110 and passes through (or communicates with) the smoking article in the packet portion 110. I) Block access. When the lid portion 130 is in the open position, the lid portion 130 is opened without obstructing the opening portion, or at least is opened so that the smoking article in the packet portion 110 can be taken out through the opening portion. Alternatively, as another example, when the lid 130 is in the closed position, the lid 130 overlaps at least partially over a resealable closure element such as a flap or tab of the packet portion 110 to cause the reseal. The possible seal may not be opened, and access to any smoking article stored in the packet part 110 may be prevented. When the lid portion 130 is in the open position, the lid portion 130 leaves the place of the resealable seal, or at least the resealable seal is unsealed to form the opening 140, and the packet is transmitted through the opening 140. Space is provided to such an extent that the smoking articles accommodated in the section 110 can be taken out.

  The lid portion 130 may be hinged to (or attached to) the collar portion 120. This means that the lid part 130 can be rotated relative to the collar part 120 and the packet part 110. This type of hinge 280 is formed by folding a continuous part of the material, making one part of the folded part a part of the collar part 120, and making the other part of the followed part a part of the lid part 130, The lid 130 can be pivoted around the crease line in a hinged manner. However, any form may be used for connecting the lid 130 to the collar 120 in a hinged manner.

  The lid 130 has a front panel 160 (or a lid front panel) that overlaps (or covers) the front panel 170 of the packet unit 110 in a longitudinal direction longer than 20% of the length of the front panel 170. In other words, the length of the front panel 160 of the lid portion 130 may be at least 20% of the longitudinal length of the front panel 170 of the packet portion 110. More preferably, when the lid portion 130 is in the closed position, the lid portion front panel 160 overlaps the front panel 170 of the packet portion 110 in the longitudinal direction for more than 40%. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the lid front panel 160 overlaps the front panel 170 of the packet unit 110 in the longitudinal direction for more than 50% when the lid 130 is in the closed position.

  In order to provide resistance to the movement of the lid 130 from the closed position to the open position, a holding mechanism 150 (or means or device) is provided between the collar 120 and the lid 130 (that is, the lid 130. It is also possible to apply resistance to the opening of the cover 100 so that the lid 130 stops at the closed position, thereby preventing the package 100 from being inadvertently opened). The simplest method is to apply a frictional force between single or multiple engaging surfaces or sides of the lid 130 that engages the collar 120 and / or the packet portion 110 or both. Alternative or additional retention mechanisms may be used. As an example, the collar 120 may include a retention tab 150. The holding tab 150 protrudes slightly from the collar portion and engages with the lid portion 130, and particularly when the lid portion 130 is in the closed position, it engages with a recess or notch formed in the lid portion 130. Thereby, an extra force is required to overcome the engagement between the holding tab 150 and the lid 130 and open the lid 130. As another example, a force for attracting the lid portion 130 toward the collar portion 120 using a magnet provided on each of the collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130 is applied, and the lid portion 130 is overcome by overcoming the attractive force between the magnets. You may make it require extra power to open. Any holding mechanism may be used for the purpose of imparting resistance to the movement of the lid 130 from the closed position to the open position.

  In use, the packet portion of the package 100 can store smoking articles such as cigarettes. The user can receive the package 100 with the smoking article already (or stored) in the packet part 110 of the package 100. The packet part 110 when the user first picks up may be sealed for the purpose of preventing moisture from entering, maintaining the freshness of the smoking article, and preventing unauthorized opening of the smoking article. This seal may be resealable. That is, the seal may be re-sealable after being opened, or may be a disposable (or single use) seal, i.e. a seal that cannot be re-sealed once it has been opened.

  Typically, the package 100, as obtained by the user, is in a “closed” state as shown in FIG. 1a. In this “closed” state, the lid 130 is in the closed position and covers the top of the packet part 110 where the seal or opening 140 is formed, thereby preventing the removal of smoking articles in the packet part 110 ( (Or restrict). In order to access the packet part 110 and the smoking articles contained therein, the user moves the lid part 130 from the closed position to the open position, thereby providing a package as shown in FIGS. 1b and 1c. 100 is transitioned from the “closed” state to the “open” state.

  In the state shown in FIG. 1b, the lid portion 130 is in the open position, but the packet portion 110 is still sealed, so the user cannot yet remove the smoking article in the packet portion 110. In order to take out the smoking article in the packet part 110, the user opens (or breaks) the seal in the packet part 110, and as shown in FIG. A portion 140 is formed. The opening 140 may be provided in the packet unit 110 from the beginning, or the user can remove the seal in the packet unit 110 when the package 100 is in an “open but sealed” state. It may be formed by opening. After removing one smoking article, the user may remove the package 100 again as desired for the purpose of maintaining the freshness of the smoking article and preventing the smoking article from inadvertently dropping or leaking from the package 100. It can be closed (i.e., the package 100 is returned to a "closed" state). If the packet portion 110 includes a resealable seal, the user may reseal the seal, thereby closing the opening 140. By resealing the seal, it is possible to prevent moisture from entering the packet part, maintain the freshness of the smoking article, and hold the smoking article in the packet part 110.

  The user subsequently moves the lid 130 from the open position to the closed position, causing the package 100 to transition to a “closed” state where the smoking article is safely held (or stored) within the package 100.

  If the packet part 110 does not have a resealable seal, for example, if the package has a disposable seal or simply has an opening 140 (or as an example, the packet part 110 may have a resealable seal. (If the user does not want to reseal the seal before closing the package 100), the user just needs to return the lid 130 from the open position to the closed position. As a result, the package 100 transitions from the “open” state to the “closed” state, and the smoking article is securely stored in the package 100.

  As described above, the usage of the package 100 has been described based on the frequent operation of taking one smoking article from the packet part 110 of the package 100. However, the smoking article is inserted into the packet part 110 of the package 100 (or re-applied). The user can follow the same procedure for operations that are rarely inserted and stored. Further, although the above-described procedure relates to one exemplary package 100, the user may take additional steps depending on the nature of the package 100 implementation. For example, there may be a case where the user needs to perform an unlocking operation to release the lock before opening the lid 130, or a case where it is necessary to remove the outer cover of the cellophane or the like before the lid 130 is opened.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example blank 200 folded into an example collar 120 and lid 130 in the example package 100 shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c. The illustrated blank 200 includes a plurality of panels (or walls), that is, a lid front panel 160, one lid ceiling panel 205, one lid rear (or rear) panel 210, one sheet. A lid side panel 215, another lid side panel 220, one collar front panel 250, one collar back (or rear) panel 255, one collar side panel. 260 and another collar side panel 265. The exemplary blank 200 also includes a plurality of structural tabs (or flaps or paper pieces): one lid ceiling structure tab 225, another lid ceiling structure tab 230, one lid side. A structural tab 235, another lid side structure tab 240, and a collar structure tab 270 are also provided. Further, the exemplary blank 200 may include a back panel (or reinforcement or reinforcement tab) 245.

  Blanks used to create (or manufacture) the collar 120 and the lid 130 are typically a plurality of panels 160, 205, 210, 215, 220, 250, 255, 260, 265, a plurality of structures, as described below. Tabs 225, 230, 235, 250, 270 and a plurality of fold lines are provided. The blank 200 must be cut from the material that outlines the blank 200, but if the blank 200 is available in a pre-cut state, it can simply be folded and attached with a structural tab as described below. . Normally, each panel or structural tab in the blank 200 is connected to at least one other panel or structural tab in the blank 200. For example, each panel or structural tab in the blank 200 is indirect. Be connected to other panels or structural tabs within the same blank 200, whether or not (ie, having one or more panels and / or structural tabs in between). The connection between one panel or one structural tab and another one panel or structural tab is defined for each of a plurality of folding lines. In these structural tabs, the blank 20 is folded along each of a plurality of fold lines, and the plurality of panels and / or the plurality of structural tabs to which the structural tabs are attached, or the inner surface (or the back surface) of both. Are arranged on the blank 200 so that they are arranged along (or matched with, covered with, or stacked on) each of the two. Usually, by attaching these structural tabs to a panel, other structural tabs, or both, the degree of freedom of the folded blank 200 is limited, and a shape (or modeling) is given to the portion. These structural tabs may be arranged so that the degree of freedom of the assembled site is zero when attached to the inner surface of the panel or structural tab that they snuggle or both. However, the degree of freedom of the assembled part may be greater than zero. For example, the collar part 120 and the lid part 130 are formed as a single part in the same blank, and both are hinged by a crease 280 formed therebetween. Connected to the formula. Details will be described later.

  The collar front panel 250, the collar back panel 255, the collar side panel 260, the other collar side panel 265, and the collar structure tab 270 constitute a part of the blank 200 for forming the collar 120.

  Lid front panel 160, Lid ceiling panel 205, Lid rear panel 210, Lid side panel 215 and other Lid side panel 220, Lid ceiling structure tab 225, Lid ceiling structure tab 230, Side The structural tab 235, the other side structural tab 240, and the back panel 245 constitute a part of the blank 200 for forming the lid 130.

  The portion of the blank 200 for forming the collar portion 120 (ie, the panels 250, 255, 260, 265, and the tab 270) is creased (or alternatively) on the portion of the blank 200 for forming the lid portion 130. (Bending line) 280 may be connected as a boundary. This means that the collar 120 and the lid 130 may be assembled as a single item. As an example, the collar back panel 255 may be connected to the lid back panel 210 with a crease line 280 as a boundary, and the crease line 280 causes the collar back panel 255 to go to one side and the lid back panel 210 to go to the opposite side. It is prescribed. The crease line 280 can be folded when the blank 200 is assembled to form a hinged connection between the collar 120 and the lid 130. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the part in the blank 200 for forming the collar part 120 and the part in the blank 200 for forming the lid part 130 are separated (or cut or independent). Of course, as will be described later, the collar 120 and the lid 130 can be assembled as separate members. In fact, separate blanks can be prepared for the collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130.

  In order to fold the above-described exemplary blank 200 to form the collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130, an appropriate material such as cardboard is cut into a blank shape and folded along the fold line (or creased). The structural tabs 225, 230, 235, 240, and 270 each secure (or attach or connect) to the inner surface of each panel of the exemplary blank 200 described above. For example, structural tabs 225 and 230 are attached to lid ceiling panel 205, while lid side panels 215 and 220 are attached to structural tabs 235 and 240, respectively, to form lid 130. Similarly, structural tabs 270 are affixed to the collar side panel 265 to form the collar 120. The back panel 245 is folded back and attached to the inner surface of the lid front panel 160.

  The structural tabs 225, 230, 235, 240, 270 can be secured to each panel using suitable fastening means, such as glue. By fixing these structural tabs 225, 230, 235, 240, and 270 to each panel, the relative positions of the individual panels with respect to the other panels are fixed, and the shapes of the assembled collar 120 and lid 130 are determined. On the other hand, by attaching the back panel 245 to the inner surface of the panel, the rigidity of the panel can be increased (or reinforced or reinforced). Of course, the structural tabs 225, 230, 235, 240, and 270 contribute to increasing the rigidity of the panel of either the collar 120 or the lid 130 in addition to performing the function of defining the shape of each part. Good. The blank 200 may further include other back panels, or may not include any back panels. Further, another reinforcing means may be used in place of or in addition to the back panel 245. As an example, a piece of rigid material that is a separate component from the blank 200 can be secured to the inner surface of any panel to provide additional rigidity to the structure. In the description in the text, when the inner surface (or side) of the panel is referred to, the panel portion is once incorporated into the finished package product, and when the package is closed, it is visible from the outside of the portion. It is intended to indicate the surface that will disappear.

  When the blank 200 includes a crease line 280 that connects a part in the blank 200 for forming the collar part 120 and a part in the blank 200 for forming the lid part 130, the crease line is folded (or 癖). The collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130 are connected in a hinged manner, and the lid portion 130 can be rotated with respect to the collar portion 120 around the hinge portion. Or when the collar part 120 and the cover part 130 are formed separately, the hinge coupling means which replaces this can be attached to the collar part 120 and the cover part 130, and both can be connected to each other in a hinged manner. However, when the collar 120 and the lid 130 are not intended to be hinged, for example, when the lid 130 is formed as a cap that is physically independent from the assembled package, the collar 120 and the lid 130 are formed. Can be simply placed side by side.

  The packet portion 110 can be made by molding a substantially flexible material, and the packet portion 110 is made from this material so as to surround a plurality of smoking articles contained therein. For example, the substantially flexible material for making the packet part 110 is laid flat, a smoking article is placed on the top surface of the substantially flexible material, and the substantially flexible material is wrapped around the smoking article. , Make a seam that overlaps, finally seal the seam and the upper and lower parts of the flexible material, cut out into the shape of a smoking article. In this way, the packet part 110 containing a plurality of smoking articles is formed. Of course, other methods may be employed for forming the packet part 110.

  To complete the package 100, the packet part 110, the collar part 120, and the lid part 130 are formed as described above, and the collar part 120 is hingedly connected to the lid part 130 as desired. The collar portion 120 is preferably formed on the assembled packet portion 110. Specifically, the collar portion 120 is preferably already in a correct positional relationship with the packet portion 110 at the time of assembly. That is, the assembled packet part 110 is placed on a blank and on one of the panels 250, 255, 260, and 265 of the collar part 120, and then the blank is folded so as to surround the packet part 110, and the packet part is The collar part 120 is formed so as to be included, but the collar part is already attached to the packet part 110 in the correct positional relationship. However, the collar part 120 may be formed independently of the packet part 110, and the collar part 120 assembled in this way may be arranged so as to have a correct positional relationship with the packet part 110. Finally, in a state where the collar portion 120 is arranged in a correct positional relationship with the packet portion 110, the collar portion 120 is attached to the packet portion 110 and the position thereof is fixed.

  As described above, the example blank 200 is a blank that can be folded to form both the collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130. However, in order to form the collar portion 120 and the lid portion 130 independently of each other, separate blanks are used. May be. By way of example, the blanks for forming the collar 110 are the example blank 200 with only the features of the example blank 200 that contribute to the formation of the collar 120: the collar front panel 250, the collar back panel. 255, a collar side panel 260, another collar side panel 265, and an exemplary blank with structural tabs 270. Similarly, the blank for forming the lid portion 130 includes only the features of the example blank 200 that contribute to the formation of the lid portion 130, ie, the lid front panel 160, the lid ceiling panel. 205, a lid back panel 210, a lid side panel 215, another lid side panel 220, and an exemplary blank with structural tabs 225, 230, 235, 240, and a back panel 245.

  While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be noted that other embodiments are possible. In particular, the particular shape and arrangement of the package can be modified or changed by those skilled in the art. In particular, the positions and dimensions of the structural tabs and back panel elements on the collar 120 and the lid 130 can be easily modified by those skilled in the art within a range that does not affect the functional behavior of the package of the present invention. it can. Other modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and variations may include known equivalent requirements and other requirements, which may be used instead of or in addition to the requirements described herein. The requirements set forth in separate embodiments may be provided together in one embodiment, or conversely, the requirements set forth in one embodiment may be provided separately or in appropriate subcombinations.

Claims (15)

A package (100) for a smoking article, the package comprising:
A packet part (110) for storing smoking articles;
The collar (120),
A lid (130),
The packet part is made of a substantially flexible material so that the package can be partially deformed,
The collar and the lid are made of a substantially rigid material;
The collar is attached to the packet part and partially overlaps the packet part;
The lid portion is between a closed position where the lid portion prevents removal of the smoking article housed in the packet portion, and an open position where the lid portion does not obstruct the removal of the smoking article housed in the packet portion. The collar portion and the packet portion are arranged to be relatively movable.
package.   The packet part is provided with an opening (140) at one end in the longitudinal direction to allow removal of a smoking article stored in the packet part, and when the lid part is in the closed position, the lid part is The package of claim 1, wherein the package overlaps at least partially over the opening.   The package according to claim 2, wherein the opening is defined by an openable and closable portion of the packet part that has been previously cut.   A package according to any preceding claim, wherein the substantially flexible material comprises a heat-sealable foil.   The package according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lid portion is hinged to the collar portion.   The lid part overlaps the panel of the packet part, and covers the panel of the packet part in the longitudinal direction longer than (a) 20%, (b) 40%, or (c) 50%. The package of claim 5 comprising:   The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid or collar, or both, comprise cardboard.   The collar portion forms a sleeve that circulates at least a part of the packet portion in a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the packet portion, and the collar portion may preferably be formed with an opening. The package according to claim 1, wherein the package is formed toward one end in a longitudinal direction of the portion. A blank (200) for forming the collar portion and the lid portion of the package according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A plurality of panels (160, 205, 210, 215, 220, 250, 255, 260, 265);
A plurality of structural tabs (225, 230, 235, 240, 270);
A plurality of folding lines,
Each panel leads to at least one other panel and / or one structural tab along one fold line,
Each structural tab leads to at least one other structural tab and / or one panel along one fold line,
Each structural tab is one surface of the plurality of panels or one of the plurality of structural tabs to which the structural tab is attached when the blank is folded along the fold line. The plurality of panels include a plurality of panels that form the collar portion and a plurality of panels that form the lid portion, and the plurality of panels that form the collar portion. One of the panels is a blank connected to one of the plurality of panels forming the lid portion with a crease line (280) as a boundary. The plurality of panels for forming the lid portion are:
A lid front panel (160);
A lid ceiling panel (205) connected to the lid front panel at the fold line;
A lid rear panel (210) connected to the lid ceiling panel at a fold line on a side facing the lid ceiling panel with respect to the fold line connecting the lid ceiling panel and the lid front panel. )When,
A lid side panel (215) connected to the lid front panel at a fold line;
Another lid side panel connected to the lid front panel at the fold line on the side facing the fold line connecting the lid side panel and the lid front panel on the lid front panel. (220)
The plurality of structural tabs for forming the lid are
A lid side structure tab (235) connected to the lid back panel at the fold line;
Another lid side surface connected to the lid rear panel, with a fold line on the side facing the fold line connecting the lid side surface structure tab and the lid rear panel opposed to the lid rear panel. A structure tab (240);
A lid ceiling structure tab (225) connected to the lid side surface structure tab at the fold line;
The blank according to claim 9, further comprising: another lid ceiling structure tab (230) connected to the other lid side surface structure tab at a fold line. The plurality of panels for forming the collar portion are:
A collar front panel (250);
A collar side panel (260) connected to the collar front panel at a fold line;
A collar back panel (255) connected to the collar side panel at a fold line on the side facing the collar side panel with respect to the fold line connecting the collar side panel and the collar front panel. )When,
Another collar side panel connected to the collar back panel at the fold line on the side facing the collar back panel with respect to the fold line connecting the collar back panel and the collar side panel (265), and
The plurality of structure tabs are
The blank according to claim 10, further comprising a collar structure tab (270) connected to the collar front panel at one of the plurality of fold lines. A method of forming a package (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising:
Forming a packet portion (110) for storing articles;
Folding the blank (200) according to any one of claims 9 to 11 to form a collar (120) and a lid (130);
Attaching the collar to the packet part;
A method comprising:   Forming a substantially flexible material for the packet portion over a plurality of smoking articles and sealing and trimming the upper, lower and longitudinal seams of the substantially flexible material. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a portion thereby encapsulating the smoking article within the packet portion.   The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the collar portion is formed around the packet portion.   The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the blank is made of cardboard and the packet part is made of a heat-sealable foil.

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