Cigarette box comprising a hinged lid

Disclosed is a closing aid for cigarette packs of the hinged lid type, comprising vertical webs (31) of a collar (12) and an inner lid fold (25) located on the interior face of a front wall (19) of the lid. Said inner lid fold (25) is provided with lateral recesses (37) whose relative position is selected such that the threading process of the webs (31) into an interlocked position with the inner lid fold (25) is initiated when a maximum edge pressure is attained on top transversal edges (35) of the collar (12).

This application is a 371 of PCT/EP/09633, filled on Sep. 8, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a hinged carton for, in particular, cigarettes, having a carton part, a lid articulately attached to a carton rear wall, and a collar which is disposed in the carton part and has a collar front wall and collar side walls and whose upper region projecting from the carton part, in the closing position, is embraced by the lid and whose collar front wall has webs for the delimitation of a recess, wherein attached to the inner side of a lid front wall is a lid inner tab, which on at least one side margin has a recess into which a web of the collar front wall enters in such a way when the lid is closed that a partial area of the web makes its way into the region between the lid inner tab and the lid front wall.

The recesses disposed on, preferably, both side margins of the lid inner tab serve, in conjunction with the webs of the collar front wall, as a closing aid for the lid (EP 0 434 962 B1). The invention is concerned with improving the aforesaid closing aid.

The object of the invention is accordingly to configure a hinged carton with closing aid such that the process of introducing the webs of the collar front wall into the interlocking position is reliably ensured even after repeated opening of the hinged lid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For the achievement of this object, the hinged carton according to the invention is characterized in that the relative position of the recess is chosen such that the entry of the web into the interlocking position is initiated once a maximum edge pressure against the collar is reached, the edge pressure being determined by bearing contact of the lid front wall or of the lid inner tab against an upper transverse edge of the collar during the closing motion of the lid.

The invention is based on the recognition that, during the closing motion of the lid, an optimal position is given for the start of the threading of the webs of the collar into the interlocking position. This is given when, during the closing operation, a maximum edge pressure is in force in the region of the upper, transversely directed edges of the collar front wall, i.e. in the region of upper transverse edges. At the moment of this maximum edge pressure, according to the invention an upper margin of the webs, namely a rounding of the same, must be at a set position within the recess of the lid inner tab.

According to the invention, the maximum edge pressure is geometrically definable, namely is given when an (imaginary) reference plane, which runs through a joint, namely a linear joint, between the lid and the carton part on the one hand, and through the transverse edges of the collar on the other hand, is directed parallel to an upper end wall of the lid.

In addition, structural interrelationships of the pack are of importance, namely a compression measure, in order that a sufficient (maximum) edge pressure is applied to the lid inner tab at the moment of threading of the interlocking members. The compression measure is the (theoretical) deformation of the upper, free region of the collar or of the collar front wall as the lid is opened and closed.

A further peculiarity of the invention is the shaping of the recesses, namely the contour of the same, out of a plurality of successive circular-arc-shaped recess edges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The hinged carton represented in the drawings usually consists of a (lower) carton part10and an (upper) lid11. In addition, a collar12is part of the hinged carton.

The carton part10and the lid11consist of a one-piece blank (FIG. 1) having precut regions for the formation of a carton front wall13, carton rear wall14and base wall15. The carton front wall13and the carton rear wall14respectively have (outer) side tabs16and (inner) side tabs17disposed on both sides. On the inner side tabs17in extension of the same, base corner tabs18are formed, which, in the case of the folded, finished hinged carton, bear against the base wall15on the inside.

Analogously, the lid11consists of a lid front wall19, a lid rear wall20and an end wall21. The lid front wall19and the lid rear wall20have lid side tabs22and lid side tabs23. These form lid side walls. Attached to the lid side tabs23are lid corner tabs24, which bear against the inner side of the end wall21.

On the free margin of the lid front wall19there is a lid inner tab25. In the finished pack, this bears against the inner side of the lid front wall19. A common folding edge forms a frontal lid closing edge26of the lid11. When the lid11is closed, said closing edge bears against a counter-closing edge27serving as the upper limit of the carton front wall13.

The collar12, consisting of a separate blank (FIG. 2), forms a collar front wall28and collar side tabs29. In the finished hinged carton, the collar front wall28bears against the carton front wall13on the inside. The collar side tabs29are supported against the carton side walls, namely against the internal side tabs17. The collar12is connected to the carton part10in such a way that an upper collar piece juts out from the carton part10. This collar piece is embraced by the lid11in the closing position, so that an upper part of the collar front wall28bears against the lid inner tab25.

In the region of the collar front wall28, the collar12has an indentation30. This is delimited by lateral webs31. An (upper) contoured collar edge32forms in the region of the webs31obliquely directed, upwardly diverging, substantially vertical web edges33. These are respectively adjoined by a circular-arc-shaped transition34into transversely or horizontally directed transverse edges35, which extend to the margin of the collar side tabs29.

In interaction with the lid11, namely the lid inner tab25, the collar12forms a closing aid to ensure an exact closing position of the lid (FIG. 3,FIG. 9). For this purpose, the lid inner tab25is configured such that a mutual engagement, namely an interlocking, with the collar12takes place, to be precise with the marginal webs31. The lid inner tab25is provided with contoured side margins36. These respectively define recesses37on both sides of the lid inner tab25. The aim of the closing aid is an interlocking of the webs31with the lid inner tab25or with a marginal clamping tab38, adjoining the recess37, of the lid inner tab25. The clamping tab38is demarcated from the other part of the lid inner tab25by an embossed line39. At least in the region of the clamping tab38, the lid inner tab25is not glued to the lid front wall19. In the clamping position of the closed lid, an upper part-region of the webs31, facing the transverse edge35, lies between the clamping tab38and the lid front wall19, i.e. in a clamping position (FIG. 4).

The point is that, even after repeated actuation of the lid11in the closing motion, the clamping or interlocking position between the collar12and the lid11is reliably ensured. For this purpose, an exact relative position of the recesses37is provided, to be precise in dependence on the dimensions of the hinged carton. It is imperative that, at the moment of a maximum edge compression against the transverse edges35of the collar12, the interlocking position of the webs31is threaded into place (FIG. 6). The transition34of the webs31lies in this phase congruent with the rounded part-edge43of the clamping flap38.

The edge pressure or edge compression is, according to definition, the pressure applied by the lid11during the closing motion to the transverse edges35of the collar12due to bearing contact of the lid front wall19or lid inner tab25against the transverse edges35. The position of the lid11when the maximum edge pressure is reached is geometrically representable. For this, an imaginary transverse plane, namely a reference plane40, should be taken into account. This extends through a linear joint41, formed on the rear side of the pack, for the pivotable connection of the lid11to the carton part10in the region of the lid rear wall20and carton rear wall14. Opposite thereto, the reference plane40runs along the upper transverse edges35of the lid front wall19. The maximum edge pressure, i.e. the pressure exerted in the region of the transverse edges35by the inner side of the lid front wall19, is given when the end wall21of the lid11is directed parallel to the defined reference plane40. In terms of their relative position, the recesses37are positioned in such a way on the lid inner tab25that, when the defined maximum edge pressure is reached, the process of threading the interlocking members31,38into place is initiated. This position is shown inFIG. 5. In this position, the webs31bear essentially with the region of the (round) transition34under elevated pressure against the inner side of the lid front wall19, to be precise firstly in a region outside the lid inner tab25or in the region of the recess37. The contact pressure of the upper contour of the webs31against the inner side of the lid inner tab25serves to ensure that, as the closing motion continues, a region of the web31, which region is particularly discernible inFIG. 4, pushes under the clamping tab38.

For the process of the secure threading of the interlocking members, a specific edge pressure is necessary. To ensure that this is given irrespective of the dimensions of the hinged carton, the latter must have a specific, selectable compression measure44. This is obtained from the geometric specifications of the hinged carton, namely the width and depth of the end wall21on the one hand, and the height of the lid rear wall20on the other hand. The compression measure44represented inFIG. 7andFIG. 8on the basis of schematized hinged cartons is the distance between the upper limits, i.e. the upper transverse edges35of the collar front wall28, and a reference point49of the lid front wall19. This (imaginary) reference point49is located on the inner side of the lid front wall19or of the lid inner tab25, to be precise level with the reference plane40with a closed lid11(FIG. 8). As the lid is opened—and, conversely, as it is closed—the reference point49shifts on a circular-arc-shaped path, so that, when the transverse edges35of the collar front wall28are reached, an (imaginary) offset between the reference point49and the transverse edges35is given. This distance is the compression measure44, which produces a corresponding deformation of the upper region of the webs31and hence the generation of a sufficient edge compression to induce the interlocking position. The compression measure44amounts to between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm. A range from 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm is optimal.

A further peculiarity is the shaping of the recesses37, i.e. the course of the side margins36of the lid inner tab25. The clamping tab38is delimited by the circular part-edge43. This passes into an inner edge45as the deepest region of the recess37. The inner edge45is likewise configured in a circular-arc shape, in the opposite direction to the part-edge43. There then follows an outwardly directed or sideways directed arc-shaped projection46. This produces a (second) clamping edge for the web31(FIG. 4). The projection46is adjoined by a further circular-arc-shaped edge piece47as the bottom closure of the recess37. The dimensions of the recesses37are chosen such that the webs31extend in the region of the indentation formed by the inner edge45, yet at a distance from the inner edge45(FIG. 4). The aim is to ensure that, during the threading of the interlocking members and/or in their end position, no pressure is transmitted to the collar12or to the free edges of the webs31. For the improvement and securement of the threading, the clamping tabs38can be preformed, namely prefolded, along the embossed line39.

Particularly advantageous is the described closing aid for hinged cartons having round edges48, i.e. having rounded, vertical pack edges. As pack content, a cigarette block50is shown, i.e. a group of cigarettes wrapped in a paper or tin-foil inner blank.

Revised relative to the original version of 16 Sep. 2004

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