KR20190073352A - A resealable container comprising a release element - Google Patents

Abstract

A container for consumer goods, comprising a housing (12) comprising a box (14) and a lid (20) hingedly attached to the box. The box includes a box front wall surface 16 and an inner box volume. The lid includes a lid front wall surface (24). The container also includes a sealed inner package (30) that is at least partially disposed within the inner box volume to define an inner sealed volume for receiving the consumable material. The container also includes a resealable flap (44) configured to open and close the sealed inner package when the lid of the housing is opened and closed. The resealable flap (44) is positioned to cover an access opening (54) in a sealed inner package that extends at least partially over the upper wall surface of the inner package. The container also includes at least one emissive element (72) positioned within the inner sealed volume of the sealed inner package, even after the sealed inner package is opened and closed.

Description

A resealable container comprising a release element

The present invention is directed to a consumer container having a resealable inner package that includes one or more release elements to provide the consumer with a sensory enhancing component such as flavor, humidification, or both. The container has a specific use as a container for a smoking article such as a cigarette.

Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars are typically sealed during manufacture by shrink wrapping the outer wrapper around the cardboard package. The resealable package has provided some control means, but wants to be able to further control the moisture, flavor, or both of the article.

International patent applications WO 2009/092823 and WO 2005/070241 both relate to packs for tobacco industry products comprising capsules containing substances such as flavorings. Upon opening the pack, the flavor material is released manually from the capsule and absorbed by the products placed in their packs to evoke their flavor. However, the shrink wrapped outer wrapper is at least partially removed by the time the pack is opened, so flavor or moisture added by the capsule is quickly lost.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container for consumer goods which provides the possibility of activating additional flavor or moisture to the consumer, but permits retention of the further released material over an extended amount of time.

The present invention relates to a container for a consumer article, comprising a housing including a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box, wherein the box comprises a box front wall surface and an inner box volume, wherein the lid comprises a lid front wall surface and an interior And a sealed inner package that is at least partially disposed within the box volume and defines an inner sealed volume for receiving the consumable material. The resealable flap is configured to open and close the sealed inner package when the lid of the housing is opened and closed. The resealable flap is positioned to cover the access opening in the sealed inner package and the access opening extends at least partially over the upper wall surface of the inner package. The at least one release element is located within the inner sealed volume of the sealed inner package even after the sealed inner package is opened and closed.

In one aspect of the invention, the emissive element or emissive element may be enclosed within a resealable inner package and thus does not interfere with the opening or closing of the inner package. In another aspect of the invention having two or more release elements, the release or release elements may be independently adjusted to release flavors or flavors, water, or both contained in each element.

In another aspect of the invention, the innerliner may include an indication of the location, entities, or both of the emissive element or emissive elements.

In a further aspect of the invention, the discharge element or discharge elements may be arranged between the inner stiffener and the inner liner of the resealable inner package such that the article in the resealable inner package is subjected to a pressure In order to prevent damage.

Various aspects of the present invention may provide one or more advantages over currently available or previously described vessels. For example, one or more release elements or release elements can provide flavor, humidification, or both to the consumer article in the resealable package. The flavor, humidification or both can be maintained after the container is opened for the first (and subsequent) time. In addition, the ability to include more than one emissive element or emissive element that can be operated independently can provide the ability to tailor the flavor imparted to the consumer. Additionally, the indicia on the inner liner can indicate the location, entities, or both of one or more emissive elements or emissive elements.

The present invention is applicable to any suitable container for consumer goods such as, for example, three-way smoking articles. It is known to package consumer goods, such as for example three-piece smoking articles, in a container formed of folding stacked blanks. For example, elongated smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars are commonly sold as hinge lid packs with a box for receiving smoking articles and a lid connected to the box around a hinge line extending across the rear wall of the container .

The container may take any suitable form for receiving the consumer goods. For example, as already mentioned, the container may include a housing which may be described as a flip-top type hinge lid container having a hinged lid connected to a box that houses a consumer item. In one or more embodiments, the vessel may be a slide-shell vessel having an inner slide for receiving a consumer material mounted within an outer shell. If the container is a slide-shell container, the outer shell or inner slide may include one or more hinged lids. The container may be formed of any suitable material including, but not limited to, cardboard, paperboard, plastic, metal, other materials, or combinations thereof. The paperboard may have a weight of about 100 g / m 2 to about 350 g / m 2.

The container described herein will generally have the same or similar shape as the housing. As described above, the housing according to the present invention may be in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having a rectangular longitudinal edge and a rectangular lateral edge. Alternatively, the housing may include one or more round longitudinal edges, round transverse edges, bevelled longitudinal edges or inclined transverse edges, other types of edges, or combinations thereof. For example, a housing according to the present invention may include without limitation one or more of the following features:

, The front wall and one or round two longitudinally on at least one of the rear wall or an inclined edge;

, The front wall and one or two round, transverse direction on at least one of the rear wall or an inclined edge;

A front wall, a length of one rounded edge in the longitudinal direction and one direction on the inclined edge, or a rounded lateral edge and a lateral inclined edges on the back wall;

A front wall, the one longitudinal direction of the longitudinal direction and a rounded edge around the picture edge, and a lateral rounded edges and a lateral inclined edges on the back wall;

, One or two lateral round edges or oblique edges and one or two round edges or oblique edges of the longitudinal direction of the front wall surface of the front wall; And

· The first two lateral round edges or oblique edges of the two longitudinal side edges rounded or beveled edge or the second side wall surface of the wall.

When the housing comprises more than one rounded edge, preferably the blank forming the housing is provided with three, four, five, six or seven new scoring lines to form rounded edges, respectively, Or a creasing line. The new wire or crease may be inside the housing or outside the housing. Preferably, the fresh or creased lines are spaced from one another by about 0.3 mm to 4 mm.

Preferably, the gaps or creases are a function of the thickness of the foil blank. Preferably, the clearance between the pleats or creases is about 0.5 to about 4 times greater than the thickness of the foil blank.

Where the housing comprises more than one tapered edge, preferably the tapered edge has a width of from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, preferably from about 2 mm to about 6 mm. In one or more embodiments, the housing may include a double bevel formed by three parallel spikes or crease lines spaced such that two distinct bevels are formed on the edge of the container . If the housing comprises a beveled edge, the diagonal lines may be formed by two parallel pleats or strands of the lamination blank in which the container is formed. The corrugated or swirled lines may be arranged symmetrically to the edge between the first wall surface and the second wall surface. Alternatively, the corrugated or swirled lines may be arranged asymmetrically with respect to the edge between the first wall surface and the second wall surface such that the oblique lines reach the first wall surface of the container rather than the second wall surface of the housing.

Alternatively, the housing may have a non-rectangular cross-section, such as a triangular or hexagonal, or polygonal cross-section, such as an oval, semi-elliptical, circular or semicircular.

The container according to the invention finds particular application as packs for elongated smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, cigars or cigars. In other embodiments, the consumer material may be an aerosol-generating article such as an article that heats but does not burn the cigarette. It will be appreciated that the container according to the present invention may be designed for a different number of conventional size, king size, super-king size, slim or super-slim cigarettes, through a suitable choice of its dimensions. The containers or housings according to the present invention can be designed to maintain a total number of different smoking articles, or an array of different smoking articles, by appropriately selecting their dimensions. For example, a container or housing according to the present invention can be designed to hold a total of 10 to 30 smoking articles by appropriately selecting their dimensions.

The container may further include other consumer items such as a match, a lighter, a fire extinguisher, a breath-freshener or an electronic device as well as accommodating a bundle of smoking articles. Other consumer items may be attached to the outside of the container, contained in the container with the smoking article, in the container of the container, or any combination thereof.

The disclosed container includes a housing. The housing has an inner surface and an outer surface. The housing also has a rear wall surface, a front wall surface and two sidewall surfaces. The housing includes a lid and a box.

The lid of the housing is attached to the box in a hinged manner and is adapted to be manipulated between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the consumer can access the consumer goods disposed within the housing. The lid is hingedly attached to the box along a hinge line extending across the rear wall of the housing or the upper edge of the rear wall of the housing. The hinge line may be, for example, a fold line or a scale line of the panel forming the rear wall surface of the housing. Lids and boxes are further defined by open lines. The open line refers to the contour between the lid and the box starting at one end of the hinge line and terminating at the other end of the hinge line, across the right side of the housing, the front of the housing and then the left side of the housing.

Preferably, the lid includes a lid front wall surface, a lid left wall surface, a lid right wall surface, a lid rear wall surface, and a lid upper wall surface. The lid has an inner surface and an outer surface. The front wall of the lid also has a lower edge.

Preferably, the box includes a box front wall surface, a box left wall surface, a box right wall surface, a box rear wall surface, and a box bottom wall surface. The box has an inner surface and an outer surface. The front wall surface of the box has an upper edge that at least partially meets the lower edge of the lid when the container is closed. The box defines the internal box volume.

The container also contains an inner package. Preferably, the inner package is initially sealed and can be resealed after opening; As such, the inner package can be referred to as a sealed inner package or a resealable inner package. The inner package is disposed within the housing of the container. More specifically, the sealed inner package is disposed at least partially within the inner box volume. The sealed inner package defines a sealed inner volume inside. The inner package may be configured to receive or retain the consumable. Exemplary consumer goods may include smoking articles such as elongated smoking articles. Certain exemplary elongated smoking articles may include, for example, cigarettes, cigarettes, cigars, cigarettes, consumer goods such as aerosol-forming articles that heat but not burn cigarettes, or combinations thereof.

Preferably, the sealed inner package is made of any suitable material, for example a polymeric material, a metal foil, another material, or a combination thereof. The sealed inner package preferably comprises a polymeric material such as a polyethylene film, a polyolefin film, a polylactic acid (PLA) film, or some combination thereof. Preferably, the sealed inner package may include a first layer and a second layer, which are attached at least about the periphery thereof to form a package having an inner sealed volume. The inner sealed volume is substantially the same as before housed and after resealing when housed within the housing.

Preferably, the sealed inner package includes an upper wall surface, a lower wall surface, a front wall surface, a rear wall surface, a right wall surface and a left wall surface when housed in the housing. The sealed inner package includes an access opening that allows access to the consumed material contained therein when the sealed inner package is opened. A resealable flap connected to the sealed inner package covers the access opening when the container and the resealable flap are in the closed position. The access opening is at least partially exposed when the container and the resealable flap are in the open position. The access opening can be cut, for example, during manufacture. Preferably, the resealable flap forms a curved S-shape with at least two inflection points when the resealable flap is opened.

The access opening may extend at least partially across the top wall surface of the sealed inner package. Preferably, the access opening may extend at least partially through the front wall surface of the inner package, the back wall surface of the inner package, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, the access opening may extend at least into a region of the sealed inner package over the top edge of the box front wall surface.

The container also includes resealable flaps. The resealable flap may be formed from a sealed inner package, for example, from a multilayer sealed inner package, or it may be a separate label configured to operate with an inner package sealed to seal and reseal the sealed inner package have. In some embodiments, the first layer of the multilayer inner package forms a resealable flap. The integrally formed resealable flap may be affixed to the inner surface of the lid by way of an adhesive or otherwise. In some embodiments, the resealable flap can be a separate label attached to an interior surface of the lid having one or more adhesive portions configured to seal and reseal the sealed interior package.

In some embodiments, the sealed inner package, or preferably a portion of the sealed inner package that is part of the access opening, may include or be associated with a resealable label. The resealable label can be configured to attach a portion of the sealed inner package to the inner surface of the lid as well as to reseal the sealed inner package. In such an embodiment, when opening the lid and the sealed inner package, a portion of the second layer attached to the flap, the sealing area, is separated from each other along the first and second cutting lines to expose the access opening. The resealable label may be attached to the lid using any suitable technique, for example mechanical attachment, adhesive, heat or ultrasonic bonding. Preferably, the resealable label may be attached to the lid using an adhesive, more preferably a permanent adhesive. The resealable label can be configured to reattach the flap and the second layer when the lid of the container is in the closed position.

The resealable label enables repeated opening and closing of the sealed inner package to provide individual access to the consumer. Preferably, the resealable label provides sufficient adhesive force to allow the access opening to be opened and closed at least several times with the consumable material in the sealed inner package. Preferably, the resealable label allows the consumer to open and reseal the sealed package until the sealed inner package empties the consumer.

The resealable label has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface of the resealable label may be configured to permanently affix a label and a portion of the sealed inner package in some embodiments to the inner surface of the front wall surface of the lid.

The inner surface of the resealable label may include at least a bonded portion and a non-bonded portion. The adhesive portion may be such that when the lid moves between the open position and the closed position, the access opening of the sealed inner package and the sealed inner package itself move simultaneously between the open position and the closed position. In the closed position, the flap and label cover the access opening of the sealed inner package and are resealably attached to the inner package sealed by the resealable adhesive. In the open position, the flap and label are at least partially separated from the sealed inner package, and the access opening of the sealed inner package is at least partially exposed or open. For example, an adhesive, preferably a pressure-sensitive adhesive, may be used for the adhesive portion of the label. The non-adhesive portion of the inner surface of the label may be located at the bottom of the label, which will face the lower edge of the lid. The non-adhesive portion can make the reseal adhesive portion more easily open.

The disclosed container also includes at least one emissive element. Any suitable release element may be used in the vessel as described herein. Preferably, the release element may comprise a water or moisture release agent, at least one sensation enhancer, at least one moisturizer, at least one lipid compound, at least one additional compound, or any combination thereof. Preferably, when the release element comprises a core, the core is preferably a mixture of at least one of water or a moisture release agent, at least one sensory enhancer, or a combination thereof; One or more humectants; One or more lipid compounds; And optionally one or more additional compounds.

Some release elements may include water, a moisture release agent, or both. Such an emission element may be useful to enable continuous control of the humidity level within the sealed inner package. Preferably, the water or moisture release agent may be contained in a water-insoluble core that releases water or a moisture release agent into the sealed inner package when pressure is applied thereto.

Some release elements may include a sensation enhancer in place of or in place of either water or a moisture release agent. Any suitable sensory enhancer may be included in the release element. Suitable sensory enhancers include flavors and sensory agents. Suitable flavoring agents include aromatic molecules or fragrance molecules conventionally used in the preparation of flavor or fragrance compositions.

These sensory enhancers with limited small or medium solubility in water will benefit from high concentrations of lipid compounds in the mixture of cores, such that when the core is used in a release element, Since it may be more usable within the < / RTI > These sensation enhancers with high solubility in water are likely to be present in the hydrophilic portion of the core, such as in hydrophilic moisturizers, when the core is used in a release element.

The concentration of the sensory enhancer in the emissive element may be adjusted or modified to provide the desired amount of sensory enhancer. Thus, the concentration of the sensory enhancer in each emissive element may be the same or may vary depending on the desired sensory outcome.

A preferred release element may comprise a core and a shell. Some such release elements may include wetting agents, lipids, other ingredients, or a combination thereof, in combination with water or a moisture release agent, a sensation enhancer, or both.

Preferably, the molecule is one in which at least one of the humectants in the core is hydrophilic, i. E. The humectant can be at least partially polarized and hydrogen bonded, thereby being more readily soluble in water than oil. As used herein, "hydrophilic" means having a solubility in water of at least 25 grams per 100 ml at 25 ° C. Thus, "hydrophobic" means having a solubility in water of less than 25 grams per 100 ml at 25 < 0 > C. In many cases, the humectant has a solubility in water of at least about 40 grams per 100 ml at 25 캜, such as at least about 50 grams per 100 ml at 25 캜.

The humectant may be present in the core or in the mixture at any suitable concentration. For example, the cumulative concentration of one or more humectants in the mixture may range from about 1% to about 20%. Preferably, the cumulative concentration of one or more humectants in the mixture ranges from about 2% to about 15%. More preferably, the cumulative concentration of one or more humectants in the mixture ranges from about 7% to about 10%. Preferably, the mixture contains only one humectant.

Preferably, the mixture comprising at least one lipid compound and at least one moisturizing agent comprises an emulsion. The one or more humectants may optionally be dissolved in a suitable solvent prior to mixing the one or more lipid compounds with the flavor form of the emulsion. Similarly, one or more lipid compounds may be optionally dissolved in an appropriate solvent prior to mixing with one or more humectants. The mixture of one or more lipid compounds and one or more humectants may comprise any suitable lipid compound.

The emissive element may comprise a core and a shell. Any suitable shell that can be destroyed through the application of a reasonable force can be used. For example, the shell of the release element may comprise one or more hydrocolloids which may be, for example, gelatin or plant components. For example, the shell may be gelatin; Modified starch; Polysaccharide materials such as pectin or alginate; gelatin; Paraffin wax; Agar; Algin; Glycerol; Arabia Gua; Kara Jian; Vegetable gums such as guti gum, pullulan gum, mannan gum; Or any other suitable material or combination thereof. Preferably, the shell contains alginate.

The shell may further include one or more fillers. As used herein, "filler" is any suitable material that can increase or decrease the percentage of dry matter in the shell, or change the viscoelastic properties of the shell (such as a plasticizer). Increasing the amount of dry matter in the shell can solidify the shell and make the shell more resistant to deformation. Preferably, the filler is selected from the group comprising starch derivatives such as dextrin, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin (alpha, beta or gamma). Dextrin is the preferred filler. The amount of filler in the shell is generally less than 98.5 wt%, preferably from about 25 wt% to about 95 wt%, more preferably from about 40 wt% to about 80 wt%, even more preferably from about 50 wt% To about 60% by weight.

In some preferred embodiments, the shell comprises one or more humectants. The one or more humectants may occupy any suitable weight percent of the shell. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the shell comprises alginate and a humectant.

The shell of the emissive element may have any suitable thickness. In some embodiments, the shell thickness of the capsule is from about 10 占 퐉 to about 500 占 퐉, preferably from about 20 占 퐉 to about 150 占 퐉, more preferably from about 30 占 퐉 to about 80 占 퐉.

The release element according to the teachings herein may have any suitable ratio of the weight of the shell to the weight of the release element. For example, the ratio of the weight of the shell to the total weight of the release element may be from about 5% to about 15%, preferably from about 6% to about 10%, more preferably from about 8% Lt; / RTI >

The core may represent any suitable weight percent of the emissive element. For example, the core of the release element may comprise from about 85% to about 95%, preferably from about 90% to about 94%, by weight of the total weight of the release element, more preferably from about 92% ≪ / RTI >

The release element may have any suitable gross weight. The total weight of the release element may be from about 5 mg to about 60 mg, preferably from about 10 mg to about 50 mg, more preferably from about 15 mg to about 40 mg. For example, a 3.5 mm diameter emissive element may have a weight of 22 mg and a 3.0 mm diameter emissive element may have a weight of 17 mg.

The discharge element according to the teachings herein may have any suitable outer diameter dimension. In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the emissive element ranges from about 2 mm to about 7 mm, preferably from about 3 mm to about 6 mm, and more preferably from about 4 mm to about 5 mm.

It will be appreciated that there are a number of processes for making the emissive element. Thus, the emissive element may vary in size and shape and may differ in resistance to mechanical or thermal forces that destroy or rupture the emissive element, and may include alternative compositions and components.

In some embodiments, the release element may be a seamless capsule obtained through a coextrusion process. The co-extrusion process may be coextrusion of two liquids in an external and hydrophilic liquid phase, and an internal and lipophilic liquid phase. Preferably, the coextrusion process comprises three main steps: compound droplet formation, shell solidification, and capsule collection. The compound droplets are spheres of a liquid filled phase inside the shell. The liquid filling phase constitutes the core. The shell image constitutes a shell. The emissive element of the present invention can be prepared by any suitable co-extrusion process, such as those described in EP 1906775 or EP 513603.

In some embodiments, the release element may be any one or more of dripping, drop casting, electrostatic drop, coaxial air flow technology, liquid-jet fracture technology, vibration jet (nozzle) Such as, but not limited to, dropping a core emulsion and a shell solution into a gelatin bath, such as disk atomization.

Preferably, the release element can be pulverizable. As used herein, a comminuting release element is a release element having a compressive strength of from about 0.01 kp to about 5 kp, preferably from about 0.5 kp to about 2.5 kp. The crushing strength of the release element can be measured by continuously applying a load vertically on one release element until it ruptures. The crushing strength of the release element can be measured using a LLOYD-CHATILLON digital force gauge, model DFIS 50, with a capacity of 25 Kg, a resolution of 0.02 Kg, and an accuracy of +/- 0.15%. The force gauge can be attached to the stand; The discharge element can be arranged in the middle of the plate being moved up by the manual screw-screw device. The pressure can then be applied manually. The gauge records the maximum force applied at the moment the release element is ruptured (measured, for example, in Kg or Lb). Rupture of the emissive element causes release of the core contents.

Additional methods for characterizing the release element include, for example, the crushing force, which is the maximum compressive force measured by Newton which the release element can withstand before rupture; And the distance at break, which is the dimensional change of the emissive element, i.e. deformation due to compression upon failure. It can also be expressed, for example, as a ratio between the dimensions of the emissive element (e. G., The emissive element diameter) and the dimensions of the emissive element measured in the direction of compressive force when compressed to the point of failure. Compression is generally applied towards the bottom by a compression plate of an automatic or manual compression tester. Such machines are well known in the art and are commercially available.

The release element should have properties that allow water or a moisture release agent, a sense enhancer, or both to be released into the sealed inner package without damage to the container, the consumer material within the container, or both.

In a preferred embodiment, the release element has a compressive strength of from about 0.6 kp to about 2 kp, preferably from about 0.8 kp to about 1.2 kp, before being introduced into the vessel. Preferably, the emissive element has a maximum breakdown resistance of about 17 N, preferably about 14 N. The maximum breaking resistance is typically obtained when a universal tensile / compression tester (e.g., Instron or equivalent) equipped with a 100 N tensile load cell is operated at 22 ° C under 60% relative humidity at a rate of about 30 mm / min . An example of a manual tester is the Alluris FMI-220C2 digital force gauge with a measurement range from 0 to 200 N and the supplier is Alluris GmbH & Co.

The one or more release elements may be located at various locations within the vessel. The emissive element is always positioned so that it is in the sealed inner package even after the inner package is resealed. In some embodiments, the one or more release elements may be positioned such that the sealing and resealing of the inner package is unaffected by their presence. In some embodiments, the at least one release element is located above the portion of the box where the resealable portion of the lid is in contact with the box. In some embodiments, the at least one release element is positioned between the inner liner and the optional pressure resistant element. In some embodiments, the at least one release element can be located within a portion of the sealed inner package within the lid.

In some embodiments, the one or more release elements can be located in a portion of the sealed inner package adjacent the side wall of the lid or box, or both. In some embodiments, the one or more release elements can be positioned within a portion of the sealed inner package adjacent the lid, the box, or both of the rear wall surfaces. In some embodiments, the one or more release elements may be located within a portion of the sealed inner package adjacent the front wall surface of the lid, box, or both. In some embodiments, the one or more release elements may be located within the pores of the smoking article contained within the inner package.

Such an embodiment may be advantageous because the overall thickness of the package will not be affected and the container will not need to be deformed to compensate for the thickness of the emissive element. In some embodiments, the at least one emissive element is located in any combination of positions. The at least one emissive element may have the same or different shape. The shape of the desired release element may depend in part on the position of the release element in the container.

The vessel may also include a pressure resistance element. The pressure resistant element may provide resistance to the force required to release the material from the emitting element. In some embodiments, the pressure resistant element may be an optional inner frame disposed within the sealed inner package. The inner wall surface may be disposed adjacent to, for example, the front wall surface, the rear wall surface, the right wall surface, the left wall surface, the upper wall surface, and the lower wall surface of the sealed inner package. In some embodiments, the inner frame may be disposed adjacent a portion of the same sealed inner package as the emissive element. For example, if the emissive element is adjacent to the front wall surface of the sealed inner package, the inner frame may also be adjacent to the front wall surface of the sealed inner package. Advantageously, the inner frame having a large surface area provided adjacent to the front wall surface of the sealed inner package increases the structural strength of the entire container. The optional inner frame may also provide resistance to the force required to release the material from the emissive element. This may be particularly advantageous when the container is subsequently used in a state where it is no longer full.

The container may also optionally include an internal stiffener as a pressure resistant element. The internal stiffener can be a piece of cardboard, cardboard, plastic, metal, or other material that can function to protect the consumer goods contained in the sealed inner package, particularly during the manufacture of the container, and more specifically during the sealing operation. have. Such internal stiffeners may be disposed adjacent the front wall surface, rear wall surface, right side wall, left side wall surface, top wall surface, bottom wall surface, or any combination thereof of the sealed inner package. In some embodiments, the internal stiffener may be disposed adjacent a portion of the same sealed inner package as the discharge element. For example, if the discharge element is adjacent to the front wall surface of the sealed inner package, the inner stiffener may also be adjacent to the front wall surface of the sealed inner package. Advantageously, the internal stiffener having a large surface area provided adjacent the front wall surface of the sealed inner package increases the structural strength of the entire container. The optional internal stiffener may provide resistance to the force required to release the material from the discharge element. This may be particularly advantageous when the container is subsequently used in a state where it is no longer full.

In some embodiments, the container may include a visible indicia representing the location, the instance, or both of the one or more emissive elements. For example, the indicia may be positioned on an outer surface of the sealed inner package to indicate a location, an entity (e.g., flavor type, moisture release or water), or both. For example, the indicia can indicate a location, an entity (e.g., flavor type, a moisture release agent or water), or both, positioned on the exterior surface of the box, the exterior surface of the lid, or both. Optionally, the portion of the housing (lid, box, or both) that rests on the release element can be engraved or thinned to compensate for the pressure of the release element or elements.

A carton comprising a lid and at least one sidewall surface may comprise a plurality of containers as described herein. The carton comprises at least one container and accommodates or holds it. The cartons may contain only the disclosed container, or may include other items as well as the disclosed container. In some preferred embodiments, the carton comprises 5 to 10 disclosed vessels and accommodates or holds them.

A method for forming the disclosed container is also disclosed herein. The method includes forming a sealable inner package or precursor into a sealable inner package; Placing at least one emissive element in or on the sealable inner package; Disposing at least one consumer material in the sealable inner package; And sealing the sealable inner package to allow the at least one consumer material and the at least one discharge element to be contained therein to form the container. The step of forming the sealable inner package or precursor into an encapsulable inner package may be performed once (e.g., by folding, squeezing, cutting, gluing, or otherwise (E.g., plastic, paper, foil, or other material as described above) that forms a sealable or sealed inner package. The features of the sealed inner package, emissive element, consumer goods and other features of the container described above can all be used in the disclosed method.

The term "inner surface" is used throughout this specification to refer to the interior surface of a container, for example, the surface of a component of an assembled container facing the consumer article when the container is in the closed position. For example, the outer film includes an inner surface facing the housing of the container.

The term "outer surface" is used throughout this specification to refer to the surface of a component of a container facing outwardly of the container. For example, the outer film includes an outer surface facing away from the housing of the container. It should be noted that the inner or outer surface need not necessarily be equivalent to the particular aspect of the blank used in the assembly of the container. Depending on how the blank collapses around the consumer material, the area on the same side of the container may face toward the inside or outside of the container.

The terms "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "upper", "lower" and "side" Refers to the relative position of the portion of the container and the component thereof in accordance with the present invention when it is rearward. When describing a container according to the invention, these terms are used irrespective of the orientation of the container being described. The rear or rear wall of the container includes a hinge line.

All scientific and technical terms used herein have the meaning commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are intended to facilitate an understanding of certain terms frequently used herein.

Referring now to the drawings, some aspects of the present invention are illustrated.
1 is a schematic perspective view of a container in an open position, wherein the container comprises at least one emissive element;
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the container side of Figure 1 in the open position.
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the container front of Figure 1 in the closed position.
4 is a schematic perspective view of a container in a closed position wherein the container includes an indication of the location and substance of the discharge element;

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a container 10 for consumer products. The container includes a housing 12 including a lid 20 hingedly attached to the box through a box 14 and a hinge line (not shown). The box has a front wall surface (16) and a rear wall surface (18). The front wall surface of the box has an upper edge (21). The box also has an inner surface (17) and an outer surface (19). The hinge line extends across the rear wall surface 18 of the box 14 of the container 10 so that the lid 20 is at an open position as shown in Figures 1 and 2 in the closed position (Figure 3) . The lid 20 has a front wall surface 24 having an inner surface 22 and an outer surface 26. The lid 20 also has a lower edge 25.

The inner package (30) is disposed within the housing (12). The inner package 30 at least partially defines an internal volume or a sealed volume for receiving the consumable product. The inner package 30 may be made of a barrier material or materials for hermetically sealing the consumer material before the container is first opened. The barrier material may be a metal foil or a plastic and metal laminate. The inner package 30 includes a front wall surface 32, a rear wall surface 34, a bottom wall surface 35, a top wall surface 36, a right wall surface 37, and a left wall surface (not shown). The inner package (30) includes an outer surface (33).

The inner package 30 includes an access opening 54, and the consumer material (not shown) can be removed through this access opening. When the flap is in the closed position, the access opening 54 is covered by the flap 44 (Fig. 3). The access opening 54 is also at least partially exposed when the flap 44 is in the open position. The flap may include or be associated with a label. The label includes a sealing area and a non-sealing area. Flaps and labels can not be distinguished in the figures, and element 44 is considered to refer to both. The flap 44 may be attached to the top wall surface 36 along the hinge line 49 (FIG. 2). When the lid is opened, portions (55) of the second layer (50) of the sealed inner package (30) attached to the flap and flap are sealed inside the first and second perforations (not shown herein) The flap 44 is also attached to the inner surface 22 of the front wall surface 24 of the lid 20 so as to separate the package 30 and expose the access opening 54 (FIG. 2). The flap 44 is adapted to overlap the access opening 54 to the sealing region 75 so that the flap attaches to the second layer 50 within the sealing region 75 when the flap is in the closed position. Figure 1 also shows an optional pressure resistance element (70). The pressure resistant element (70) is located within the sealed inner package (30).

Referring to Fig. 2, there is shown a schematic cross-sectional view of the container 10 of Fig. 1 in which the lid 20 and the flap 44 are in the open position. The inner package 30 is shown disposed within the box 14 of the housing 12. The flap 44 is attached to the lid 20. In the open position, the flap 44 forms an S-shape. The geometry of the container 10 allows the flap 44 to be automatically resealed to the sealed inner package 30 when the flap (and lid 20) is returned to the closed position.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a schematic perspective view of the container 10 of Fig. The lid 20 of the container 10 and the flap 44 of the inner package 30 are in the closed position. The flap 44 is attached to the second layer 50 when the flap is in the closed position.

All of the figures also show emission elements 72. Emissive elements 72 are positioned to be within the sealed internal volume when the sealed inner package 30 is closed. 1-3, the release elements 72 are positioned above the upper edge 21 of the box 14 and below the lower edge 25 of the lid 20 when the lid is in the closed position. In particular embodiments shown in Figs. 1-3, (Fig. 3). Emissive elements 72 are also located above the sealing area.

Although Figures 1, 2 and 3 show three emissive elements 72, any number of emissive elements may be used in the disclosed vessel.

Figure 4 shows the emissive elements 72 positioned adjacent the inner surface of the front wall surface 16 of the box 14. The outer surface 19 of the front wall surface 16 of the box 14 includes entity indicia 83, 84 and 85 as well as position indicia 80, 81 and 82.

Claims (13)

As containers for consumer goods,
A housing including a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box, wherein the box includes a box front wall surface and an inner box volume, the lid including a lid front wall;
A sealed inner package disposed at least partially within the inner box volume and defining an inner sealed volume for receiving the consumer material;
A resealable flap configured to open and close the sealed inner package when the lid of the housing is opened and closed, wherein the resealable flap is positioned to cover an access opening in the sealed inner package Wherein the access opening extends at least partially over an upper wall surface of the inner package;
At least one emissive element located within the inner sealed volume of the sealed inner package after the sealed inner package is opened and closed; And
A pressure resistant element located within the sealed inner package,
Wherein the pressure resistant element and the at least one discharge element are positioned such that a force applied from the outside of the vessel can cause the at least one discharge element to release at least some of the substance therefrom. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the front wall surface of the box includes an upper edge of the box front wall surface and the front wall surface of the lid comprises a lower edge of the lid front wall surface and the at least one emission element is located on the upper edge of the box front wall surface, And is positioned above the lower edge of the front wall. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealed inner package further comprises a front wall surface, a rear wall surface, a right wall surface, a left wall surface, a top wall surface, and a bottom wall surface, wherein the at least one emission element includes the front wall surface, The right wall, the left wall, the top wall, the bottom wall, or a combination thereof. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the pressure resistant element and the at least one discharge element are positioned adjacent to the same wall or wall surfaces of the sealed inner package, And a pressure resistance element. The container of claim 1, wherein the pressure resistant element is an inner frame, an inner stiffener, or both. The container of claim 1, wherein the access opening also extends at least partially over a front wall surface, a rear wall surface, or both of the sealed inner package. 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the resealable flap comprises a label adhered to the sealed inner package. The container of claim 1, wherein the resealable flap is integrally formed from the sealed inner package. 9. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the release element comprises a water or moisture release agent, a sensation enhancer, or a combination thereof. 9. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the emissive element has a maximum resistance to breakdown of 17N. 9. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the container comprises at least two emissive elements. 9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sealed inner package comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface positioning the at least one discharge element, ≪ RTI ID = 0.0 > or < / RTI > both. A method of forming a container, the method comprising:
Forming a sealable inner package;
Disposing at least one emissive element in the sealable inner package;
Disposing at least one consumer item in the sealable inner package; And
Sealing the sealable inner package such that the at least one consumer material and the at least one release element are contained therein to form the container.

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