Abstract:
A hinge-lid box for cigarettes has a box part ( 10 ) and a lid ( 11 ). Hinge-lid boxes have, because of their design or structure, four vertical edges. These edges have a particular design, ie., two vertical edges are designed as rounded edges ( 24, 25 ), and the two other edges as angular edges ( 26, 27 ) with a rectangular cross-section. The rounded edges ( 24, 25 ) can be located in the area of one and the same side wall ( 14/19 ) or be in diagonally opposite positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to hinge-lid boxes (hinge-lid packs) for cigarettes or the like, comprising a box part, lid and collar, it being the case that a box rear wall is connected to a lid rear wall via a transversely directed articulation line, and the hinge-lid box is of an overall (more or less) cuboidal configuration with four upright pack edges as the lateral boundary of the box front wall and lid front wall, on the one hand, and the box rear wall and lid rear wall, on the other hand. The invention also relates to blanks for producing such hinge-lid boxes. 
     Hinge-lid boxes are among the commonest types of packs for cigarettes. In the case of this type of pack the (four) upright pack edges are intrinsically of cross-sectionally right-angled design. However, cigarette packs which are of this type and in which the upright pack edges, including corresponding collar edges, are of cross-sectionally rounded design, with a quarter-circle in cross section, or bevelled, with a corresponding bevelled formation, are already known (EP 204 933 and EP 205 766). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to develop and improve the configuration of hinge-lid boxes for cigarettes or other products, in particular to the effect that the surface areas available for printing, namely decorative or informative printed sections, are utilized in more optimum fashion. 
     In order to achieve this object, the hinge-lid box according to the invention is characterized in that two of the four pack edges are of cross-sectionally right-angled design and the other two pack edges are of cross-sectionally rounded design—forming a quarter-circle circle in the process—or bevelled design—forming a bevel formation in the process—the rounded or bevelled pack edges being adapted, in terms of the quarter-circle or bevel dimensioning, to the dimensions of a cigarette. 
     In hinge-lid boxes with (exclusively) rounded or bevelled pack edges, the interior of the packs is utilized more favourably, that is to say in accordance with the predetermined contour of the pack contents (cigarettes). The hinge-lid boxes designed according to the invention likewise have this advantage, but can provide larger free visible surfaces in the region of the front side and rear side, and in the region of the side surfaces, of the hinge-lid box. This is important or decorative or contents-related printing. The configuration of the hinge-lid box according to the invention is particularly advantageous if a printed section is to extend over an (upright) pack edge into the region of a (narrow) side wall. In this case, the printing may continue beyond the (one) rounded or bevelled pack edge. 
     The collar, which is preferably formed from a separate blank, is adapted to the configuration of the hinge-lid box, namely with one cross-sectionally right-angled collar edge and one rounded or bevelled collar edge. 
     A further special feature is the configuration of blanks for producing hinge-lid boxes according to the invention. Folding lines or scores (for rounded pack edges) are provided in selected regions by impressing operations. Folding tabs of the blank, in particular side tabs and corner tabs, are configured in a specific way in terms of their dimensions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further details of the hinge-lid boxes according to the invention and of the blanks for producing the same are explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a hinge lid box with two adjacent rounded pack edges, 
     FIG. 2 shows, likewise in perspective, an exemplary embodiment with diagonally opposite rounded pack edges, 
     FIG. 3 shows a hinge-lid box with bevelled pack edges in an arrangement analogous to FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 shows a hinge-lid box with bevelled pack edges analogous to FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 5 shows a spread-out blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 6 shows a blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 7 shows a vastly simplified cross section of a hinge-lid box from a blank according to FIG. 6, 
     FIG. 8 shows a blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 3, 
     FIG. 9 shows a vastly simplified cross section of a hinge-lid box from a blank according to FIG. 8, 
     FIG. 10 shows a blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 4, 
     FIG. 11 shows a vastly simplified cross section of a hinge-lid box from a blank according to FIG. 10, 
     FIG. 12 shows a collar for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, and 
     FIG. 13 shows a collar for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 1 or FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     The exemplary embodiments in the drawings relate to hinge-lid boxes (hinge-lid packs) of a classic basic construction, namely with a (bottom) box part  10  and a lid  11 . The box part  10  comprises a (large-surface-area) box front wall  12 , an opposite box rear wall  13  and narrow box side walls  14  and  15 . The box part  10  is closed off at the bottom by a base wall  16 . 
     Analogously to this, the lid  11  comprises a lid front wall  17 , lid rear wall  18  and lid side walls  19 ,  20 —each in extension of the corresponding walls of the box part. At the top, the lid  11  is closed off by an end wall  21 , located opposite the base wall  16 . 
     The box part  10  and lid  11  are connected to one another in a pivotable manner in the region of the box rear wall  13  and lid rear wall  18 , to be precise by a transversely directed articulation line  22 . In the closed position, the box part  10  and lid  11  butt against one another in the region of the front side along a transversely directed closing line  23 . This is continued, in the region of the box side walls  14 ,  15  and lid side walls  19 ,  20 , as an oblique line  65 , which slopes up obliquely from the front to the rear side. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The hinge-lid box, which is of an overall essentially cuboidal configuration, is bounded by four upright pack edges. In the present hinge-lid boxes, these are designed in a specific way. 
     In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in each case two upright pack edges in the region of the box part  10  and lid  11  are designed as round edges  24 ,  25 . The other two pack edges are configured as angular edges  26 ,  27 , namely with a right-angled cross section. 
     In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, two adjacent pack edges are round edges  24 ,  25 , which bound a box side wall  14  and the adjoining lid side wall  19 . These two adjacent round edges  24 ,  25  are cross-sectionally in the form of a quarter-circle, to be precise approximately in accordance with the diameter of a cigarette. The opposite angular edges  26 ,  27 , which bound the opposite box side wall  15  and lid side wall  20 , are of cross-sectionally rectangular design, as in the case of a conventional hinge-lid box. 
     In the hinge-lid box according to FIG. 2, the two round edges  24 ,  25 , on the one hand, and the two angular edges  26 ,  27 , on the other hand, are arranged as diagonally opposite pack edges. Accordingly, each side wall  14 / 19  and  15 / 20  is bounded, on the one hand, by a round edge  24  or  25  and, on the other hand, by an angular edge  26  or  27 . 
     The hinge-lid boxes according to FIG.  3  and FIG. 4 are configured in a manner analogous to the exemplary embodiments described above, but with bevelled edges  28 ,  29  instead of round edges. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, two adjacent pack edges bounding a side wall  14 / 19  are designed as bevelled edges  28 ,  29  and the two respectively opposite pack edges are designed as angular edges  26 ,  27 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the two bevelled edges  28 ,  29  are diagonally opposite pack edges. Accordingly, the two angular edges  26 ,  27  are likewise positioned diagonally opposite one another. 
     The hinge-lid boxes illustrated in the drawings are each provided with a collar  30 ,  31  made of a separate blank (FIG.  12  and FIG.  13 ). In terms of upright collar edges  32 ,  33 ,  34 , the collars  30 ,  31  are designed in a manner analogous to the cross-sectional configuration of the hinge-lid box. 
     Blanks—usually consisting of thin cardboard—for the abovedescribed hinge-lid boxes, on the one hand, and the collar  30 ,  31 , on the other hand, are designed in a specific way. 
     FIG. 5 shows a blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG.  1 . The basic construction of the blank is of conventional design, the box side walls  14 ,  15  each comprising (partially) overlapping side tabs  35 ,  36  and  37 ,  38 . Correspondingly, the lid side walls  19 ,  20  are formed from lid side tabs  39 ,  40  and  41 ,  42  with (partial) overlapping. Also important are, in principle, conventional corner tabs, to be precise base corner tabs  43 ,  44  and lid corner tabs  45 ,  46 . The abovementioned corner tabs  43 .. 46  are each connected to adjacent side tabs, namely inner side tabs  35  and  37  of the box part and inner lid side tabs  39  and  41 , respectively. In a folded hinge-lid box, the corner tabs  43 .. 46  each butt against the inside of the base wall  16  and of the end wall  21 . The blank of a hinge-lid box also contains a lid inner tab  47 , which, when the hinge-lid box is finished, butts against the inside of the lid front wall  17 . 
     The abovedescribed parts and/or regions of the blank or a hinge-lid box are separated off from one another by longitudinally and transversely directed folding lines and punched cuts. The transversely directed front edge  48  between the end wall  21 , on the one hand, and lid front wall  17 , on the other hand, and the transversely directed front edge  49  between the base wall  16 , on the one hand, and box front wall  12 , on the other hand, are of particular interest. Corresponding, parallel rear edges  50 ,  51  separate the end wall  21  off from the lid rear wall  18  and the base wall  16  off from the box rear wall  13 . 
     In the longitudinal direction of the elongate blank, the specifically designed pack edges run as corresponding folding lines. In order to form the cross-sectionally rectangular angular edges  26  and  27 , the blank is formed with a continuous folding line, interrupted by punched lines  52  in the region of the corner tabs  43  and  45 . 
     A continuous impressed strip  53  is arranged on the opposite side of the blank, in order to form the round edges  24 ,  25 . This strip comprises a plurality of parallel scores, that is to say impressed grooves located closely one beside the other. These cause and/or facilitate the formation of the round edges  24 ,  25  during folding of the blank. The impressed strip  53  does not extend in the region of the base wall  16  and of the end wall  21 . 
     A further special feature s the configuration of the side tabs  37 ,  38  and  40 ,  42  in the region of the round edges  24 ,  25 . The side tabs  37 ,  38  in the region of the box part  10  and the lid side tabs  40 ,  41  are designed with a smaller width than he respectively opposite and corresponding side tabs  35 ,  36  and lid side tabs  38 ,  39 . When the hinge-lid box is finished, this results in overlapping and connection of the (narrower) side tabs  37 ,  38  for forming the box side wall  14  on the one hand, and of the lid side tabs  40 ,  41  for forming the lid side wall  19 G on the other hand, merely in a region between the round edges  24 ,  25 . The hinge-lid box is of single-layered design in the region of the round edges  24 ,  25 . On the opposite side, that is to say in the region of the angular edges  26 ,  27 , the blank is designed in the manner of a conventional blank for a hinge-lid box. 
     There is a deviation from this design principle of the base corner tab  44  and lid corner tab  46  in the region of the round edges  24 ,  25 . These corner tabs  44 ,  46  are designed with the full width of the hinge-lid box (inner dimensions) in the transverse direction of the blank, that is to say in the same way as the corner tabs  43 ,  45 . In the folded position, a supporting edge  54  of the corner tab  44 ,  46  is thus supported on a pack wall, to be precise the base corner tab  44  has the supporting edge  54  butting against the rear edge  51  (on the rear side) of the hinge-lid box, while the supporting edge  54  of the lid corner tab  46  is supported on the rear edge  50  in the region of the lid  11 . 
     The corner tabs  44  and  46  are each designed with a round corner  55  in the region of a free, outer corner. Said round corner butts against the round edge  24  when the hinge-lid box is finished. 
     A punched cutout  56  is formed between the base corner tab  44 , on the one hand, and the (outer) side tab  38  of the box part. Said cutout is also provided analogously in the region of the lid corner tab  46 , opposite the outer lid side tab  40 . 
     A further punched-out section, namely a clearance  57 , is arranged in a sub-region of the punched line  52  of the base corner tab  44 , on the one hand, and of the lid corner tab  46 , on the other hand. The clearance  57  extends over part of the extent of the corner tabs  44 ,  46  such that the round corner formed in this region by the base wall  16  or the end wall  21 , respectively, is exposed. In this region, the relevant corner tabs  44 ,  46  avoid the otherwise inevitable formation of a gusset which tapers to a point, on account of the configuration of the base wall  16  and of the end wall  21 . 
     In an advantageous exemplary embodiment of a blank according to FIG. 5, the important dimensions of blank regions and folding tabs are as follows: the pack width  66 , which is illustrated in the region of the base wall  16  and end wall  21 , is approximately 55 mm. The lateral folding tabs arranged on the side of the corner edges  26 ,  27  determine the pack depth  67  at, in the present case, 21.5 mm. The side tabs  35 ,  36  and the lid side tabs  39 ,  40 , including the corner tabs  43 ,  45 , are dimensioned with this width throughout, that is to say with the dimension of the pack depth  67 . 
     In the region of the round edges  24 ,  25 , the impressed strips  53  are designed with the width of 6.55 mm throughout. The free width  68  of the side tabs  37 ,  38  and of the lid side tabs  41 ,  42  is considerably reduced, and is 13.5 mm. In this region, the associated side tabs  37 ,  38 ;  41 ,  42  butt against one another. The corner tabs in the region of the round edges  24 ,  25 , that is to say the base corner tab  44  and lid corner tab  46 , are dimensioned an accordance with the pack depth  67 , that is to say in this case at 21.5 mm. An cuter depth  69  of the hinge-lid box is 22.5 mm. 
     The blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 2 requires special design features. As shown in FIG. 6, in order to form the round edges  24  and  25  on diametrically opposite pack edges, a plurality of, namely three, impressed strips  58 ,  59 ,  60  are formed in the region of the blank. A first impressed strip  58  extends in the region of the box rear wall  13  and lid rear wall  18 . The other two impressed strips are arranged on the opposite side of the blank, namely in the region of the box front wall  12 , on the one hand, and of the lid front wall  17 , on the other hand. Correspondingly, sections of a rectilinear folding line are provided opposite in each case in order to form the angular edges  26 ,  27 . 
     The dimensions of the folding tabs are analogous to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG.  5 . The cross section of the folded hinge-lid box according to FIG. 7 is to be seen in conjunction therewith. The side tabs  35  . . .  38  and lid side tabs  39  . . .  42  are designed such that, in the region of the angular edges  26 ,  27 , the associated side tabs each extend into the angular edge, that is to say the inner side tab  35  and lid side tab  40  on one side, and the outer side tab  38  and lid side tab  41  extend to the associated angular edge  27 . Accordingly, in this exemplary embodiment, the free width of the side tabs  35 ,  42  outside the region of the impressed strips  58 ,  59 ,  60 , on the one hand, and the angular edges  26 ,  27 , on the other hand, correspond to 17.5 mm (analogous to the width  68  in FIG.  5 ). The radius of the rounded sections  61 ,  62  and, correspondingly, of the round edges  24 ,  25  is 4 mm. Otherwise, the explanations given in relation to FIG. 5 apply correspondingly. 
     The Impressed strips  53  (FIG. 8) or  58 ,  59  and  60  (FIG. 10) each comprise, in these exemplary embodiments, two parallel folding edges  63 ,  64 . These together form the bevelled edges  28 ,  29 . 
     As far as the dimensions of the side tabs  37  and  38  and lid side tabs  41  and  42  are concerned, the explanations in relation to FIG. 5 apply analogously. However, the free width of the side tabs  37 ,  38  and of the lid side tabs  41  and  42  is greater than in the abovementioned exemplary embodiment, and in this case is 18.5 mm (analogous to width  68 ). This dimension is obtained from a smaller width of the impressed strip  53  and/or of the spacing between the folding edges  63 ,  64 , and is 4.45 mm. Otherwise, the dimensions are as in FIG.  5 . As can be seen from FIG. 9, the side tabs  37 ,  38 ;  41 ,  42  overlap one another merely outside the bevelled edges  28 ,  29 . 
     Taking the predetermined design features into account, the blank according to FIG. 10 is designed in a manner analogous to FIG.  6 . Here too, the impressed strips  58 ,  59 ,  60  each comprise two parallel folding edges  63 ,  64  with the spacings according to FIG.  8 . The dimensioning of the side tabs  35  . . .  42  is coordinated therewith. Outside the impressed strips  58 ,  59 ,  60 , and/or in the region of the angular edges  26 ,  27 , it is 18.5 mm throughout. 
     A further special feature is the configuration of the collars  30  (for hinge-lid boxes with bevelled edges  28 ,  29 ) and  31  (for hinge-lid boxes with round edges  24 ,  25 ), said collars being formed here from separate blanks. The collars  30 ,  31 , which have conventionally configured contours, each have a conventional collar edge  32  on one side, this being defined in the present case by punched cuts. In all the types of pack, this collar edge  32  extends in each case in the region of a front-side angular edge  26 . In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12, a collar edge  33  designed as a bevelled edge, to be precise from two parallel folding lines  70 ,  71 , is defined on the opposite side of the collar. In the present case, said folding lines are also formed by punched cuts or perforations. A collar front wall  72  is separated off from collar side tabs  73 ,  74  by the collar edges  32 , on the one hand, and  33  or  34 , on the other hand. The collar edge  33 , which is designed as a bevelled edge, extends in each case in the region of a front-side bevelled edge  28  of the hinge-lid boxes according to FIG.  3  and FIG.  4 . 
     In the case of the collar  31  according to FIG. 13, the collar edge  34  comprises a number of parallel impressed lines or scores corresponding, for example, to FIG.  6 . These form a round edge of the collar  31  between the collar front wall  72  and collar side tab  73  in the region of a front-side round edge  24  of the packs according to FIG. 1 or FIG.  2 . 
     LIST OF DESIGNATIONS 
       10  box part 
       11  lid 
       12  box front wall 
       13  box rear wall 
       14  box side wall 
       15  box side wall 
       16  base wall 
       17  lid front wall 
       18  lid rear wall 
       19  lid side wall 
       20  lid side wall 
       21  end wall 
       22  articulation line 
       23  closing line 
       24  round edge 
       25  round edge 
       26  angular edge 
       27  angular edge 
       28  bevelled edge 
       29  bevelled edge 
       30  collar 
       33  collar 
       32  collar edge 
       33  collar edge 
       34  collar edge 
       35  side tab 
       36  side tab 
       37  side tab 
       38  side tab 
       39  lid side tab 
       40  lid side tab 
       41  lid side tab 
       42  lid side tab 
       43  base corner tab 
       44  base corner tab 
       45  lid corner tab 
       46  lid corner tab 
       47  lid inner tab 
       48  front edge 
       49  front edge 
       50  rear edge 
       51  rear edge 
       52  punched line 
       53  impressed strip 
       54  supporting edge 
       55  round corner 
       56  cutout 
       57  clearance 
       58  impressed strip 
       59  impressed strip 
       60  impressed strip 
       61  rounded section 
       62  rounded section 
       63  folding edge 
       64  folding edge 
       65  oblique line 
       66  pack width 
       67  pack depth 
       68  width 
       69  outer depth 
       70  folding line 
       71  folding line 
       72  collar front wall 
       73  collar side tab 
       74  collar side tab