GB2498732A

GB2498732A - Pack for smoking articles

Info

Publication number: GB2498732A
Application number: GB1201207.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven Holford; Mike Simpson
Original assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd; British American Tobacco Co Ltd; British American Tobacco Japan Ltd
Current assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd; British American Tobacco Japan Ltd
Priority date: 2012-01-25
Filing date: 2012-01-25
Publication date: 2013-07-31
Also published as: GB201201207D0

Abstract

A pack 10 for smoking articles has a body 11 with an open end, a lid 18 (figure 1) configured to open or close the open end, and locking means 29, 30 configured to be engageable to retain the lid in a closed position. A biasing means 32 is provided which biases the lid towards an open position and the locking means 29, 30 retains the lid in a closed position against the force of the biasing means. The lid is urged towards an open position by the biasing means 32 once the locking means 29, 30 is disengaged, this biasing action may only act over the initial range of motion of the lid opening. The biasing means 32 may include a first 33 end attached to the lid and a second free end 35 which engages the pack 10 body. The biasing means 32 may be integrally formed within the lid, or formed separately and adhered to the lid, which may be hingedly mounted on the pack body and pivotable between open and closed positions. The biasing means 32 may be a spring member, which may be a folded piece of card with a V-shaped cross-section.

Description

Pack for Smoking Articles

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pack for smoking articles and, more particularly, to a hinged-lid pack with a locking means.

Background

Packs for smoking articles are known which comprise a body with an open top end and a lid hingedly attached to the rear wall of the body and moveahle between an open position in which smoking articles within the body are accessible, and a closed position in which the lid closes the open end of the body. Tt is also known for such packs to include a mechanism to retain the lid in a closed position.

Summary

Embodiments of the invention provide a pack for smoking articles comprising a body with an open end, a lid configured to open or close the open end, and locking means configured to be engageable to retain the lid in a closed position, wherein a biasing means is provided and is configured to bias the lid towards an open position such that the locking means retains the lid in a closed position against the force of the biasing means, and the lid is urged toxvards an open position by the biasing means once the locking means is disengaged.

The lid may be hingedly mounted to the body and pivotable between open and closed positions. Cooperating locking means may be provided on the lid and the body.

The biasing means may include a first end connected to the lid and a second free end, said second free end engaging with the body as the lid is moved towards the closed position. The biasing means may he configured to only bias the lid towards JO an open position over an initial part of the range of movement of the lid from the closed position.

The biasing means may he spaced from the body and so does not exert a biasing force on the lid, when the lid is in a fully open position. Alternatively, the biasing means may be configured to bias the lid towards an open position over the entire range of movement of the lid. )

The biasing means may be formed integrally with the lid or may be a separate component to the lid and is adhered to the lid.

The biasing means may he a spring member and the spring member may comprise a folded piece of card of substantially V' shaped cross-section.

The biasing means may comprises at least one resilient tab formed integrally with a flap on an inside wall of the lid, and the pack may comprise two such resilient tabs, which may he provided on either side of the lid.

The pack may comprise front and rear walls joined by side walls, and the lid may comprise front and rear walls joined by side walls and a top wall, and the rear wall of the lid may he hingedly connected to the rear wall of the body, and the biasing means may he provided on the inside surface of the top wall of the lid.

The cooperating locking means may comprise a first tab provided on the pack body and a second tab provided on the lid.

One of the first and second tabs may be folded over and adhered to the wall of the pack body/lid.

The pack body may comprise an inner frame and the first tab may he formed on the inner frame.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in wInch: Figure 1 shows a pack according to a first embodiment of the invention in an open position; Figure 2 shows a cross-section along the line X-X of the pack of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows cross-section along the line X-X of the pack of Figure 1 but in a closed position; and Figure 4 shows a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 but of a pack according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to Figures t to 3, a pack! 0 of a first embodiment of the invention is shown comprising a body! ! having a front wall!2 and a rear wall!3 connected by side walls 14, 15 and bottom wall 16. The upper end of the body 11 is open to provide an access opening 17 for removal of smoking articles (not shown) to he contained in the pack 10.

A lid 18 is hingedly attached to the rear wall 13 of the body ii along a hinge line 19 and comprises a front wall 20 and a rear wall 21 which is hingedly attached to the rear wall 13 of the body 11, the lid front and rear walls 20, 21 being connected by side walls 22, 23 and a top wall 24. The lid 18 is hingedly moveable between an open position (shown in Figure 1) in which the lid 18 is pivoted away from the body 11 to allow access to the smoking articles within the pack 10, and a closed position in which the lid 18 covers the opening 17.

An inner frame 25 is provided inside the body 11 and includes a front wall 26 and side walls 27, 28 which lie against the body front and side walls 12, 14, 15 respectively. The inner frame 25 may be a separate component adhered to the inside of the body 11, or may he formed integrally with the body 11 as part of a single blank of card.

The pack 10 includes cooperating locking means configured to hold the lid 18 in the closed position, which comprises a resilient tab 29 formed on the front wall 26 of the inner frame 25 and extending downwards and outwardly, and an inner flap 30 folded over and adhered onto the inside of the front wall 20 of the lid 18, to define a lip 31 at the remote edge of the inner flap 30. In use, when the lid 18 is moved to the fully closed position, the resilient tab 29 rides over the inner flapS on the inside of the lid 18 and locates against the lip 31. As the inner flap 29 is resilient, it exerts a force acting away from the body 11 of the pack 10 further urging it into engagement against the lip 31 and maintaining the lid 18 in the closed position.

Despite the above-described configuration, it is intended within the scope of the invention that the pack 10 inay alternatively comprise any suitable means to retain the lid 18 in the closed position. For example, a lip may he provided on the front wall 26 of the inner frame 25 or on the front wall 12 of the body 11, and a resilient tab may he formed on the lid 18, for example on the inside of the front wall 20 of the lid 18, to engage the lip in a closed position. Alternatively, co-operating resilient tabs may be provided on both the lid 18 and the body ii or inner frame 25 of the pack 10 to hold the hd closed. Yet further, any such suitable means to retain thc lid 18 in the closed position may he formcd on the side of the body 11 and/or inner frame 25 and/or lid 18 of the pack 10.

The lid 18 further includes a spring clement 32 in the inside of the top wall 24. The spring element 32 comprises a card panel folded into a V'-shape in cross-section, xvith a first panel face 33 lying tiush against the inside of the top wall 24 of the lid 18, and the other, second panel face 34 extending resiliently away from the inside of the top wall 24 of the lid 18. The edge 35 of the second panel face is a free edge not adhered to or connected to any other part of the pack 10.

In use, as the lid 18 is pivoted towards the closed position, when the lid 18 nears the fully closed position, the free edge 35 of the spring element 32 abuts the top edge of the inner frame 25 and the smoking articles (not shoxvn) within the body 11 of the pack 10, and further movement of the lid toxvards the fully closed position is therefore against the resihent biasing force of the spring element 32. Therefore, xvhen the lid 18 is fully closed and held in the closed position by the cooperating locking means described above, the lid 18 is held closed against the biasing force of the spring element 32.

-D-

in subsequent opening of the pack 10, once the cooperating locking means is released, the spring element 32 biases the lid 18 open over the initial range of opening movement from the fully closed position. Further opening movement of the lid 18 is not influenced by the spring element 32 once the free edge 35 thereof is spaced from the top edge of the inner frame 25 and the smoking articles (not shown) within the body 11 of the pack 10.

The spring element 32 provides a more secure locking engagement for the cooperating locking means than would he achieved if no such spring element was present, because it biases the lip 3t of the lid 18 upwards against the lower edge of the resilient tab 29. Without the spring element 32, if there is any play in the lid t 8, particularly if it could move further in the closing direction beyond the point at which thc resilient tab 29 engages the lip 31 insidc the lid 18, then the lid 18 would be moveable in the closed position, possibly enabling the cooperating locking means to disengage, for example, when carried in a user's hag or pocket, and for the pack to come open. /\voiding such play in the lid 18 without the spring element 32 would require pack manufacture to much highcr tolerances and accuracy, which may involve significant changes to manufacturing processes and machinery and the costs associated therewith. However, the spring element 32 provides a secure and tactile closing force giving the technical benefits described above of a secure engagement of the cooperating locking means, but also a reassuring tactile sensation of a premium quality feel to the packaging. Furthermore, such packs can be manufactured within broader tolerances and so relatively economically produced.

Yet further, the arrangement of the spring element 32 being in an operable configuration within the lid and having a free edge 35 spaced from the body 11 of the pack and not connected thereto, makes the construction of the pack 10 more simple and therefore more cost effective than, for example, if the other edge 35 of the spring element 32 was fixed to a portion of the body 11 of the pack 10 in an operable position in order to exert a biasing force on the lid 18 relative to the pack body 11. it also means that the spring element 32 can he hidden more discretely within the lid 18, being less visible to the user when operating the pack 10, and less obstructive to the access opening 17 when a user wishes to remove a smoking article from the pack.

The spring element 32 shown and described above comprises a separate folded card element with one face 33 adhered, for example, by adhesive, to the inside of the pack lid, and the other side 34 extending away from the inside of the top wall 24 of the lid 18 to define a free edge 35 of the spring element 32. Ho\vever, it is intended within the scope of the invention that the spring element 32 could be formed integrally with the pack lid 18. For example, the spring element and the lid could be formed from a single blank of card which is folded into the configuration as shown in the Figures. The hd 18 may also preferably be formed integrally with the pack body 11 so that the body t t, lid t 8 and spring element 32 are all formed from a single blank of card. The inner frame 25 is preferably formed as a separate component subsequently glued to the inside of the pack body 11. Tlowever, it is intended within the scope of the invention that the inner frame 25 may also he formed integrally with the pack hody 11, so as to he formed from a single folded card blank.

The spring clement may he formed integrally with one or more hd inner flaps which are folded inwards onto the inside of the top and/or side wall of the lid. Such an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 4, which shows a pack 110 similar top that shown in Figure 1 and in which like features retain the same reference numerals. The pack 110 of Figure 4 differs from the pack of Figure 1 in that it comprises two separate spring elements 32' which comprise resilient tabs 36 formed integrally with inner lid tabs 37 which arc adhered to the inside of the hd top wall 24. The resilient tabs 36 extend avay from the lid inner tabs 37 and function in the same manner as the spring element 32 of the pack of the first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 -3 and described above. The lid inner tabs 37 maybe adhered to the inside of the top wall 24 of the lid 18, and may also he formed integrally with the side walls 22, 23 of the lid 18.

The embodiments of the invention shown and described above show the resilient locking tab 29 formed on the inner frame 25. 1 Iowever, it is intended within the scope of the invention that such a locking tab may alternatively be formed on the pack body 11, in the case where the lid 18 would overlap a portion of the pack body when in the fully closed position.

The configuration of the spring elements 32, 32' of the packs 10, 110 shown and described above is such that they only provides a biasing force against the closing of the lid 18 towards the final range of movement of the lid 18 towards the fully closed position. This is preferable with the configuration of spring elements 32,32' having a free edge 35, as it means the body of the spring elements 32, 32' can he more concealed within the lid 18. However, it is intended within the scope of the invention that the spring elements 32, 32' may alternatively be configured to engage the pack body! ! over a larger proportion, or all, of the range of pivoting movement of the lid 18 relative to the pack body 11.

The configuration of the spring elements 32, 32' of the packs 10, 110 shown and described above are folded resilient card members. However it is intended within the scope of the invention that alternative spring elements may he provided, such as a sponge element within the lid 18, or the spring element 32 may be made of an alternative material such as plastic, for example PET, and may comprise a folded or bowed strip within the lid 18.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may he practiced and provide for superior packs for smoking articles. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed principles. It should he understood that they are not representative of all claimed inventions. As such, certain aspects of the disclosure have not been discussed herein. That alternate embodiments may not have been presented for a specific portion of the invention or that further undescribed alternate embodiments may he available for a portion is not to be considered a disclaimer of those alternate embodiments. It will be appreciated that many of those undescribed embodiments incorporate the same principles of the invention and others are equivalent. Thus, it is to be understood that other embodiments may he utili2ed and modifications may he macic without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the discJosure. As such, all examples, impkmentations, and/or embodiments are deemed to be non-limiting throughout this disclosure. Also, no inference should be drawn regarding those embodiments discussed herein re'ative to those not discussed herein other than it is as such for purposes of reducing space and repetition. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disdosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. Some of the disclosed features, elements, implementation, etc., may he mutually contradictory, in that they cannot he simultaneously Presett in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features are applicable to one aspect of the disclosure, and inapplicable to others. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presemly claimed. Applicant reserves all rights in those presently unclaimed invcntions including the right to claim such inventions, file additiona' applications, continuations, continuations in part, divisions, and/or the like thereof. As such, it should he understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, function, features, structural, and/or other aspects of the disdosure are not to he considered limitations on the disdosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims.

Claims

<claim-text>Claims I. A pack for smoking articles comprising a body with an open end, a lid configured to open or close the open end, and locking means configured to be engageable to retain the lid in a closed position, wherein a biasing means is provided and is configured to bias the lid towards an open position such that the locking means retains the lid iii a closed position against the force of the biasing means, and the lid is urged towards an open position by the biasing means otice the locking means is disengaged.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A pack according to claim! wherein the lid is hingedly mounted to the body and is pivotahie between open and closed positions.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A pack according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the biasing means includes a first end connected to the lid and a second free end, said second free end engaging with the body as the lid is moved towards the closed position 4. A 1ack according to claim 3 wherein the biasing means is configured to only bias the lid towards an open position over an initial part of the range of movement of the lid from the closed position.5. A pack according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the free end of the biasing means is spaced from the body and so does not exert a biasing force on the lid, when the lid is in a fully open position 6. A pack according to any of claims I to 3 wherein the biasing means is configured to bias the lid towards an open position over the entire range of movement of the lid.7. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the biasing means is formed integrally with the lid. -10-8. A pack according to any of claim I -6 wherein the biasing means is a separate component to the lid and is adhered to the lid.9. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the biasing means is a spring member.10. A pack according to claim 9 wherein the spring member comprises a folded piece of card of substantially V' shaped cross-section.10! !. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the biasing means comprises at least one resilient tab formed integrally with a flap on an inside wall of the lid.12. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the pack comprises front and rear walls joined by side walls, and the lid comprises front and rear walls joined by side walls and a top wall, wherein the rear wall of the lid is hingedlv connected to the rear wall of the body, and the biasing means is provided on the inside surface of the top wall of the lid.13. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the cooperating locking means comprises a first tab provided on the pack body and a second tab provided on the lid.14. A pack according to claim 13 wherein one of the first and second tabs is folded over and adhered to the wall of the pack body/lid.13. A pack according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the pack body comprises an inner frame and the first tab is formed on the inner frame.</claim-text>