Container with slide-actuated closure

Abstract: A container having substantially parallel walls (2-5) and openable closure (8) means for at least one end (7), said closure means comprising at least three closure flaps (30,31) pivoted to a slidable sleeve (9) surrounding said side walls (3-5) and operating means which close said flaps when said sleeve is moved to a first position and which open said flaps to reveal the interior of the container when the sleeve is moved to a second position.

Description: This invention relates to a container which is particularly although not exclusively for use for enclosing a cluster of elongate objects arranged parallel to each other for example a cluster of smoking articles such as cigarettes or cigars. A disadvantage with current cigarette packs is that although the well known type of "flip top" lid can be folded back it is sometimes difficult to extricate the cigarettes from the pack. Attempts have been made to provide cigarette packs in which the cigarettes are more fully exposed, for example by cutting down the front wall at the top of the pack. It has also been proposed, for example as shown in US-A-3 329 346, to provide a container having an opening controlled by movement of a sliding sleeve upwards over the end of the container to be opened, to move closure flaps from their closed positions to form vertical extensions of the container side walls. Thus opening the container increases the overall height of the walls making the container contents difficult to access. US-A-3 773 245 provides a pack which has a dispensing opening controlled by a sliding sleeve surrounding the upper part of the packet and arranged so that when the sleeve is moved to an opening position two flaps are moved apart and the upper ends of the cigarettes are exposed. A disadvantage with this construction is that although the side edges of the flaps where they are adjacent the front and back walls of the packet provide enclosure the ends of the flaps where they are adjacent the side walls of the container do not seal therewith which can allow entry of moisture, dust and other unwanted matter. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of pack which reduces the possibility of the entry of foreign matter. According to the present invention a container has substantially parallel walls and openable closure means for at least one end, said closure means comprising at least three closure flaps pivoted to a slidable sleeve surrounding said side walls, the closure means being operable to close said flaps when said sleeve is moved towards the end of the container to be closed, to a first position and to open said flaps to reveal the interior of the container when the sleeve is moved away from the end of the container to be opened, to a second position, the containers being characterised in that at least one of the closure flaps is drawn over two others of the closure flaps to overlap them in the closing position. The container can have three or more side walls and more than three flaps but if the container has four side walls and is provided with the three flaps as set out above then the flaps can be arranged so that there is only one non-sealed flap edge when the container is closed thus reducing the possibilities of entry of foreign matter. One of the flaps overlaps the other two flaps when closed and thus, the overlapping flap can optionally be connected at each of its ends to one of the other flaps by a flexible hinge. The overlapped flaps can be arranged to assist to close the overlapping flap when the sleeve is moved to the first position by the means of Claim 3. Preferably the container has front, back and side walls, said closure means closing the said one end of the container and at least part of the front and back walls when the sleeve is in the first position. With this arrangement said front and back walls may have cut-outs adjacent the open end and the closure means may include flexible skirts which extend from the sleeve to points respectively adjacent the ends of the cut-outs on the front and back walls. In a preferred embodiment four closure flaps are included as two opposed pairs, a first pair of flaps overlapping the second pair when closed. With this construction the spaced apart ends of each flap can be connected to the adjacent ends of adjacent flaps by a flexible hinge. Preferably the configuration of the closure flaps provide an over-centre action being to snap the flaps to a closed position when the sleeve reaches a predetermined position. The invention also includes a pair of blanks for forming a container as set forth above and comprising a first blank which can be formed into a rectangular casing with a closed bottom wall, a second blank which can be formed into a rectangular sleeve, and said second blank being provided with a skirt portion which is scored to render it flexible and the end of which is adapted to be secured to a front or back wall of the assembled rectangular casing, and also having score lines to provide interconnected end closure flaps at the end of said assembled sleeve adjacent said skirt portion. In a preferred embodiment the second blank includes two skirt portions provided on said second blank, which are adapted to be secured respectively to the front and back walls of the assembled rectangular casing. Also included within the invention is a single blank which can alternatively be used to form the container as set forth above and which comprises a first portion which can be formed into a rectangular casing with a closed bottom wall, a second portion which can be formed into a sleeve surrounding the rectangular casing said first and second portions being interconnected by a skirt portion which is scored with substantially parallel score lines to provide a flexible skirt between the first and second portions, and the second portion having score lines to provide interconnected end closure flaps at the end of said sleeve adjacent said flexible skirt portion. As with the double blank construction, if desired, the single blank can have two skirt portions provided on said second portion. The invention can be performed in various ways and two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a side elevation of a container according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the container showing the closure means beginning to open; Figure 5 is an isometric view of the container in the position shown in Figure 4; and, Figures 7 to 12 are isometric views of the container showing the various stages of opening to fully opened as shown in Figure 12. Figure 13 is a plan view of one of a pair of blanks of thin card which can be used to form the container; Figure 14 is a plan view of a second blank for use with the blank shown in Figure 13; Figure 15 is a plan view of an alternative single blank which can be used to form the container; and, Figure 16 is an isometric view of an alternative construction showing the container partly open. As shown in the drawings the container is in the form of a package for enclosing a cluster of elongate objects, in this case cigarettes, arranged parallel to each other and the packet comprises a rectangular outer casing 1 having a front wall 2 a back wall 3 and side walls 4 and 5 made from a blank of thin card. A first end is enclosed by a bottom wall 6 and the second end 7 is open. This second end 7 is closed by closure means indicated generally by reference numeral 8 which can comprise three closure flaps but which in the embodiment being described consists of four closure flaps in the form of two pairs, to be described in more detail hereafter. The flaps are actuated by operating means which include a sliding sleeve 9 which fits over the front, back and side walls of the outer casing 1. The closure means 8 act to close the second end 7 of the outer casing 1 and at least part of the front and side walls of the casing when the sleeve is in the first position shown in Figure 1. When the sleeve is moved to the second position as shown in Figure 12 the closure means are opened to reveal the interior of the container and its contents. The front wall 2 and back wall 3 of the casing 1 have cut outs 10 and 11 adjacent the second end 7 and the operating means include two flexible skirts 13 one on each side of the container. The end of each skirt is connected to the adjacent end of the sleeve 9 and the other upper end 35 of each skirt is secured to a tab 14 as shown in Figure 12. This tab 14 is provided by cutting slots 15 at the lower ends of the cut outs 10 and 11 and folding the tab downwards. The tab is secured by any convenient means, for example an adhesive. As is most clearly seen in Figure 12 the sleeve 9 comprises a band having a front wall 20, a rear wall 21 and side walls 22 and 23. The skirts 13 are provided by extensions of the upper ends of the front and rear walls 20, 21. Various parts of the sleeve 9 are scored to allow them to bend and in order to assist in understanding the construction the score lines are shown as chain dot lines when the material on which they are marked is flat. When the material is bent along the score lines however the lines are shown as full lines. The outer casing, sleeve and closure means can be made from a blank of thin card and as will be seen from Figure 12 each of the skirts is provided with a series of parallel scored fold lines 24. The upper end of the band which forms the sleeve carries scored fold lines on each of its walls and the end walls 22 and 23 are provided with additional fold lines 26 which extend from an upper mid point 27 in the width of the wall at an angle to points 28 on the side edges of the wall which are aligned with the fold lines 25. The corner portion 29 of the upper part of the band above the fold line 25 are also scored so that they can bend but because they never achieve a straight position, forming the corners, they are shown in solid lines. Because of the configuration and their dimensions the portion of the band above the fold line 25 provide a first pair of flaps 30 which overlap a second pair of flaps 31 in a manner to be described when the sleeve 9 is in the first closure position. As shown in Figure 12 the packet is in its open position and contains cigarettes 50 which have been pre-packed or parcelled in a wrapper indicated by broken lines 51. It will be seen that cigarettes contained therein can be easily removed as the cut outs 10 and 11 enable the upper side ends of the cigarettes to be grasped. The sleeve in this Figure is in its second or open position. In order to close the packet the sleeve is moved upwardly and as it does so the fold lines 24 in the skirts 13 allow the skirts to move outwardly to the position shown in Figure 11, at this stage the upper end of the skirts have pivoted about the fold line extending along the bottom of the cut outs 10 and 11 where the tab 14 joins the outer casing. Further upward movement achieves the position shown in Figure 10. The upper end of each of the skirts 13, indicated by reference numeral 35 in Figure 12 is now parallel with the front and back walls 2 and 3, the remainder of the skirt is hinging itself in the manner of a slatted roller blind. Further upward movement to the position shown in Figure 9 causes the skirt to flex along the fold lines 24 and when the position shown in Figure 8 is achieved only the two remaining portions between the score lines 24 of the sleeve remain projecting upwardly. As the sleeve moves further upward these also commence to fold inside as shown in Figure 7. When the upward movement reaches the position shown in Figure 6 the tension in the skirts has started to pull the pair of flaps 30 inwardly and simultaneously the result of this inward movement activates the score lines 26 so that they bend and the second pair of flaps 31 also start to move inwardly until the position shown in Figures 4 and 5 is achieved. The arrows 36 in Figure 4 show the inward movement. The finally closed position is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The flaps 31 are now folded inwardly beneath flaps 30 which closely engage one another. The result of the configuration of the end flaps 31 is that when the sleeve reaches a predetermined position as, for example, in Figure 4 the hinges provided by the score lines 26 provide over-centre action tending to snap the end flaps 31 to the closed position and for them to remain closed. The packet thus remains closed when the sleeve in in the upper position. In order to open the packet the sleeve is moved downwardly to the position shown in Figure 12 the opening action being in reverse of the closing action. It will be seen that the end walls of the container are now effectively closed inwardly and there is only one line contact between the flaps which is not sealed. Figures 13 and 14 show a pair of blanks of thin card which can be used to form the container. The same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts as in Figures 1 to 12. Figure 13 shows the first blank, indicated by reference numeral 60, and this is provided with various score lines 61 to enable it to be bent into the shape of a rectangular casing. Two tabs 62 are provided which can be bent appropriately and secured to the bottom wall 6. The outer side walls are formed by the portions 4 and 5 and the portions 4a and 5a adjacent the tabs 62 and 63 are folded inwardly and secured to the side wall portions 4 and 5 by adhesive. The second blank, which is also made of thin card, is shown in Figure 14 and again the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts to those shown in Figures 1 to 12. This second blank has a pair of tabs 63, 64 at one end which, when the blank has been bent into a sleeve shape, are secured to the other end of the blank in the positions indicated by reference numerals 63a, 64a. In order to make up the container the sleeve is assembled onto the casing formed by the first blank and the upper ends of the skirts 13, indicated by reference numeral 35, are secured by adhesive to the tabs 14. Figure 15 shows a single blank which can be used to form the container, again the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts as in Figures 1 to 14. This blank comprises a main portion 65 which is used to make up into a casing in a similar manner to that described with regard to Figure 13 and a second portion 66 which makes up into a sleeve. With this blank the skirts 13 are formed by slots 67 in the main portion 65 which, at the same time as producing the cuts outs 10, 11, also provide the skirts 13. Each of the spaced apart ends of the second portion 66 are provided with tabs 68 so that when the second portion is bent along the appropriate crease lines the tabs 68 can be fastened to the lower end of a portion 69 provided at the end of the main portion 65 and spaced away from the second portion 66. This portion 69 again provides the appropriate skirt and flaps 30, the second pair of flaps 31 being provided on the second portion 66. It will be appreciated that by using a single blank the tabs 14 are not required as the skirts 13 are directly connected to the front wall 2 and back wall 3. Figure 16 shows an alternative construction in which the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts. In this arrangement however only three closure flaps are used. The two end flaps 40, 41 and a third cover flap 42. The cover flap is again connected by a skirt 43 in a similar manner to the earlier construction but the end flaps 40 and 41 only have a single score line 44. The action is similar to that described with regard to the construction shown in Figures 1 to 12 and the single flap 42 folds over the side flaps 40, 41, the outer edge 45 of the folded down flap 42 contacting the upper edge portion 46 of the sleeve 9. Once again only a single line of contact of the closure means is not sealed. It will be appreciated that the construction shown in Figure 16 can be made from two blanks or a single blank similar to those shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15 but one of the skirts 13 is omitted from the blank and the end flaps 40 are of a different shape and require different scoring. Thus the sleeve blank shown in Figure 14 would have one of the skirts removed so that it provided the upper edge portion 46 of the sleeve 9 shown in Figure 16. With regard to the blank shown in Figure 15 the portion 69 would not be included and there would be no cut outs 67 at that end of the blank so as to provide a straight upper wall. The second portion 66 of the blank would however have an extra panel to provide the front wall 21 and one set of tabs 68 would be deleted. With this construction the general shape of the second portion 66 would be somewhat similar to the shape of the sleeve blank shown in Figure 14 but it would not include one of the skirts 13. The construction can be used with containers of other cross sections, for example, the corners of the container can be chamfered, the container could be square and the invention could be applied to containers of polygonal cross-section by arranging the various flaps appropriately. Thus, in a multi-sided container two sets of flaps such as those shown in Figure 13 could be provided or a series of flaps could be arranged so that they came together, for example, so that they contacted each other over only part of their length providing a bifurcated line of contact.

Claims: A container having substantially parallel walls (2,3,4,5) and openable closure means (8) for closing at least a closable end (7) of the container, the closure means comprising at least three closure flaps (30,31,40,41,42) pivoted to a slidable sleeve (9) surrounding the walls (2,3,4,5) of the container and at least one of the flaps being linked to a wall, the closure means (8) being operable to move the closure flaps (30,31,40,41,42) to the closing position by movement of the sleeve (9) toward the closable end (7) of the container into a first position and to open the closure flaps (30,31,40,41,42) to an opened position to reveal the interior of the container by movement of the sleeve (9) away from the closable end (7) of the container, into a second position, characterised in that at least one (30,42) of the closure flaps is drawn over two others (31,40,41) of the closure flaps to overlap them in the closing position. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the at least one overlapping flap (30,42) is connected at each of its ends to the other closure flaps (31,40,41) respectively, by a flexible hinge (26,29,44). A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the flexible hinge comprises panels hinged together by fold lines (26,29,44) oppositely scored so that closing of the at least one overlapping flap (30) by movement of the sleeve (9) to the first position is preceded by closure of the other closure flaps (31) to lie beneath the overlapping flap. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which said container has front (2), back (3) and side walls (4,5), the front and back walls having parts cut-out therefrom, said closure means closing the said one closable end (7) of the container and the cut-out parts (10,11) of the front and back walls (2,3) when the sleeve (9) is in the first position. A container as claimed in claim 4 in which the closure means (8) includes flexible skirts (13) which extend from the sleeve (9) to points respectively adjacent the ends of the cut-outs (10,11) on the front and back walls (2,3). A container as claimed in claims 1 to 5 including four closure flaps (30,31) as two opposed pairs, a first pair of flaps (30) overlapping the second pair (31) when closed. A pair of blanks for forming a container as claimed in claim 1 comprising a first blank (60) which can be formed into a rectangular casing with a closed bottom wall (6) and an open top wall and, a second blank which can be formed into a rectangular sleeve (9), said second blank being provided with a skirt portion (13) which is scored to render it flexible and the end of which is adapted to be secured to a front (2) or back wall (3) of the assembled rectangular casing, said second blank also having score lines (26,29) to provide end closure flaps at the end of said assembled sleeve adjacent said skirt portion (13) interconnected thereto by hinge portions. A pair of blanks as claimed in claim 9 in which two skirt portions (13) are provided on said second blank, which skirt portions are adapted to be secured respectively to the front and back walls (2,3) of the assembled rectangular casing. A blank for forming a container as claimed in claim 1 comprising a first portion (65) which can be formed into a rectangular casing with a closed bottom wall and an open top wall and a second portion (66) which can be formed into a sleeve (9) surrounding the rectangular casing, said first (65) and second portions (66) being interconnected by a skirt portion (13) which is scored with substantially parallel score lines to provide a flexible skirt (13) between the first and second portions, and the second portion having score lines to provide end closure flaps at the end of said sleeve adjacent said flexible skirt portion interconnected thereto by hinge portions. A blank as claimed in claim 9 in which two skirt portions (13) are provided on said second portion (66).

Inventors: HARRISON GUY, HARRISON, GUY
Applicants: ROTHMANS INTERNATIONAL LTD, ROTHMANS INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LIMITED
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B65D1
IPC codes: B65D5, B65D85