Abstract:
A single-piece hinged-lid cigarette box which has a collar ( 12 ) connected to a main section ( 33 ), in the area of a front panel ( 13 ) of the box, by tabs ( 34, 35 ), the collar being part of the single-piece box. A front panel ( 30 ) of the collar is provided with recesses ( 41, 42 ) in order to avoid a multi-layer structure in the area of the tabs ( 34, 35 ) which are folded into a Z shape ( 34, 35 ). At least partial areas of the folded tabs ( 34, 35 ) fit into these recesses ( 41, 42 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a hinge-lid box (hinge-lid pack), in particular for cigarettes, comprising a single-piece blank made of (thin) cardboard for forming a box part with a box front wall, box rear wall, box side walls and base wall and for forming a lid with a lid front wall, lid rear wall, lid side walls and end wall, and also having a collar comprising a collar front wall and collar side tabs, the collar being connected, in the region of the collar front wall, to the box front wall via residual connections or webs which, when the blank is folded, can be folded in a Z-shaped manner such that the residual connections or webs butt against the inside of the box front wall. 
     Various designs are known for hinge-lid boxes comprising blanks in which the collar is connected integrally to a main blank for the box part and lid. In the case of the hinge-lid box according to EP 6 872, webs are arranged, as means for connection to the collar, on the upright sides of the box front wall. By virtue of its position relative to the box front wall being changed, said collar is folded into the pack-specific position, in which case the webs are moved into a Z-shaped folded position. 
     The hinge-lid box according to DE 27 59 178 is of similar configuration, the foldable connection between the box front wall and collar front wall extending over the entire width of the box front wall. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to develop further, and improve, hinge-lid boxes of the above described design such that production is made easier and the outer appearance of the finished hinge-lid box is improved. 
     In order to achieve this object, the hinge-lid box according to the invention is characterized in that the collar front wall, which butts against the (Z-shaped) folded webs on the inside, has a cutout or depression in the region of the webs, the relevant web passing at least partially into said cutout or depression. 
     The hinge-lid box according to the invention is based on the finding that the residual connections or webs in the folded position, that is to say in the position between the collar front wall and box front wall, create an additional material layer and thus a thickened formation. This is wholly or partially eliminated according to the invention by virtue of the cutout or depression in the collar front wall, in the region of the folded web, with the result that the latter is at least predominantly located in the cutout and a local thickened formation in the material is thus avoided. 
     According to the invention, the positioning and dimensions of the cutout are adapted to the dimensioning and positioning of the web when folded. By virtue of a specific configuration of the webs, namely by virtue of a transversely directed partial cut in the region of a folding articulation, the folded web can assume a clamping position in the cutout of the collar front wall and can thus fix the folded position of the collar or of the webs. 
     A further special feature of the invention consists in proposing an advantageous design of the single-piece blank for a special type of hinge-lid box, namely those with rounded longitudinal edges or bevelled longitudinal edges (of octagonal cross-section). 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further details regarding the configuration of single-piece hinge-lid boxes within the context of the invention are explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration, which is partially cut away, of a hinge-lid box with the lid open, 
     FIG. 2 shows, on a vastly enlarged scale, a detail of the hinge-lid box according to FIG. 1, namely a detail in the region of the collar, in the vertical section taken along section plane II—II of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 shows a spread-out blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 shows an illustration, analogous to FIG. 1, of another design of a hinge-lid box, 
     FIG. 5 shows a detail, analogous to FIG. 2, in the section taken along section plane V—V of FIG. 4, 
     FIG. 6 shows a spread-out blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 4, 
     FIG. 7 shows an illustration analogous to FIG. 1 for a hinge-lid box with rounded upright pack edges. 
     FIG. 8 shows an illustration of a hinge-lid box analogous to FIG. 7 with bevelled upright pack edges or with an octagonal cross-section, 
     FIG. 9 shows a spread-out blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 7, 
     FIG. 10 shows a spread-out blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 8, 
     FIG. 11 shows, on a vastly enlarged scale, a horizontal section of a detail of a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 7 in the collar/box-part region, and 
     FIG. 12 shows an illustration analogous to FIG. 11 for the hinge-lid box according to FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A typical hinge-lid box comprises a (relatively large) box part  10 , a lid  11  and a collar  12 . The box part  10  forms a box front wall  13 , a box rear wall  14  and narrow, elongate box side walls  15  and  16 . The box part  10  is bounded at the bottom by a base  17 . Analogously to this, the lid  11  comprises lid front wall  18 , lid rear wall  19 , lid side walls  20 ,  21  and a top end wall  22 . The lid  11  is connected pivotably to the box part  10 , to be precise via an articulation line  23  between the box rear wall  14  and lid rear wall  19 . 
     It is also typical of a hinge-lid box that the box side walls  15 ,  16  and the lid side walls  20 ,  21  are of double-layered design, that is to say each comprise an inner box side tab  24  and outer box side tab  25 . Analogously, the lid side walls  20  and  21  are of double-layered design, that is to say comprise an inner lid side tab  26  and an outer lid side tab  27 . The side tabs  24 ,  25  of the box part  10 , on the one hand, and the side tabs  26 ,  27  of the lid  11 , on the other hand, are separated off from one another by oblique closing edges  28 ,  29 . 
     A further important constituent part of the hinge-lid box is the collar  12 , with a collar front wall  30  and transversely directed collar side tabs  31  and  32 . The collar  12  is seated, by way of a bottom region, in the box part  10  and is anchored in the latter. A collar top part, which projects out of the box part  10 , is enclosed by the lid  11  when the hinge-lid box is in the closed position. The collar front wall  30  butts against the inside of the box front wall  13 , while the collar side tabs  31 ,  32  butt against the box side walls  15 ,  16  on the inside. 
     The hinge-lid box as a whole, that is to say including the collar  12 , comprises a single-piece blank (made of thin cardboard). The box part  10  and lid  11  form a main blank  33 . The collar  12  is connected to said main blank  33  in the region of the box front wall  13 , to be precise via residual connections, namely webs  34  and  35 . The rectangular or strip-like webs  34  and  35  are positioned in the lateral region of the box front wall  13 , on the one hand, and of the collar front wall  30 , on the other hand. Each web  34 ,  35  is bounded in the longitudinal direction by punch cuts  36 ,  37 . Folding lines  38 ,  39  extend transversely thereto. The folding line  39  which is at the bottom, or faces the box front wall  13 , is located in the top boundary of the box front wall  13 , that is to say in extension of a free transverse edge  40  of the box front wall  13 . 
     When the hinge-lid box has been folded, or the collar  12  is in the pack-specific position, the latter, in relation to the spread-out position of FIG. 3, has been displaced relative to the main blank  33 , to be precise in the direction of the base  17 . In this process, the webs  34 ,  35  are folded into a Z-shaped position (FIG.  2 ). In this case, the webs  34 ,  35  butt against the rearside of the box front wall  13 . The ifolding line  39 , which is at the top following the folding operation, is flush with the transverse edge  40 . The folding line  38  is located at a distance therebeneath. The webs  34 ,  35  are dimensioned such that, in this folded position (FIG.  2 ), the entire collar  12  has been moved, relative to the main blank  33 , into the position appropriate for the pack. 
     In order at least partially to avoid a three-layered arrangement in the region of the folded webs  34 ,  35 , the collar front wall  30  is provided, in the region of the webs  34 ,  35 , with a cutout  41 ,  42  which is produced by punching. The cutouts  41 ,  42  are positioned, configured and dimensioned such that a (top) part of the folded webs  34 ,  35  passes into the associated cutout  41 ,  42  (FIG.  2 ). This gives in said top region of the webs  34 ,  35 , a two-layered design, as is the case elsewhere where the collar front wall  30  butts against the box front wall  13 . 
     In the case of the present exemplary embodiments, the cutouts  41 ,  42  are of rectangular design, preferably of slightly greater width than that of the webs  34 ,  35 . 
     Further details of the configuration of the blank according to FIG. 3 are also designed in accordance with the special features of the present hinge-lid box. For example, the overall width  43  of the blank is greater (e.g. 98 mm) than the collar width  44  (95 mm). The wall width  45  is, for example, 55 mm. The width of the webs  34 ,  35  may be 6 mm and that of the associated cutouts  41 ,  42  6.5 mm. The web length  46  (from folding line  38  to folding line  39 ) is 7.5 mm in FIGS. 1 to  3 . A distance  47  between the folding line  38  (which was originally at the top) and a remote border of the cutout  41 ,  42  is provided as being 7 mm. The distance between the folding line  38  and the facing border of the cutout  41 ,  42  is approximately 3 mm here. 
     A further special feature in terms of the configuration of the blank is that there is a clear distance of at least 2 mm between an oblique edge  48  of the outer box side tab  25  and a corresponding oblique edge  49 , as bottom boundary of the collar side tab  31 ,  32 . This produces a free interspace  50 , which extends as far as an outer border of the respectively associated web  34 ,  35 . This renders more precise folding possible. In particular, the situation where the collar side tabs  31 ,  32  catch on the box side tabs  25  during folding of the webs  34 ,  35  and of the collar  12  is avoided. 
     In the folded position (FIGS. 1,  2 ), the collar  12  is connected to the box part  10 . In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the region of the collar front wall  30  is provided with spots of glue, to be precise two spots of glue  51 ,  52 , approximately level with the cutouts  41 ,  42 . The collar front wall  30  is anchored on the inside of the box front wall  13  with the aid of these spots of glue  51 ,  52 . In the case of this exemplary embodiment, the webs  34 ,  35  are expediently also anchored in the folded position (in particular FIG. 2) by adhesive bonding. The webs  34 ,  35  may be fixed by adhesive bonding to the facing, inner side of the box front wall  13 . 
     A further special feature is realized in the case of the hinge-lid box according to FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 . In this version, the webs  34 ,  35  are wider than in the case of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to  3 . Correspondingly, the cutouts  41 ,  42  are also dimensioned to be of a greater width, that is to say they are slightly wider than the webs  34 ,  35 . In the longitudinal direction of the blank, the cutouts  41 ,  42  are of smaller dimensions, namely are considerably shorter than the webs  34 ,  35 . 
     The webs  34 ,  35  are separated off from the main blank  33  or from the box front wall  13  by folding lines  39 , which are an extension of the transverse edge  40 . The opposite folding line, which faces the cutout  41 ,  42 , is modified. A preferably centrally arranged severing cut  53 ,  54  in the region of the (imaginary) folding line bounds a top end edge  55  of the web  34 ,  35 . The end edge  55  extends between narrow, lateral residual webs  56 ,  57 . A folding line which corresponds to the folding line  38  runs in the region of said residual webs  56 ,  57 . 
     When the collar  12  is in the folded position, at least a top region of the web  34 ,  35  passes through the associated cutout  41 ,  42 . In the region of the severing cut  53 ,  54 , the resulting end edge  55  or a facing region of the web  34 ,  35  butts against the rear side or inside of the collar front wall  30  (FIG.  5 ). This produces a clamping effect. The web  34 ,  35  is anchored on the collar by the clamping positioning of the top region. Additional adhesive bonding of the web  34 ,  35  in the folded position (to the box front wall  13 ) may be provided, but is dispensed with in the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to  6 . 
     In other respects, the hinge-lid box and blank of this exemplary embodiment correspond to that of FIGS. 1 to  3 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show specially designed hinge-lid boxes, namely ones with rounded longitudinal edges, that is to say round edges  58 ,  59  (FIG.  7 ), or with bevelled edges, that is to say oblique edges  60 ,  61  (FIG.  8 ). These types of pack are known in principle. The special feature is in the use of single-piece blanks for these types of pack and in the further special features which result therefrom. FIGS. 7 and 8 each show a cigarette block  62  (in chain-dotted lines) as an example of pack contents. Said cigarette block comprises a cigarette group which is enclosed by an inner wrapper, namely a tin-foil or paper blank. 
     Both hinge-lid boxes (FIGS. 7,  8 ) comprise single-piece blanks. The collar  12  is connected to the main blank  33  via webs  34 ,  35  in each case. In the case of the exemplary embodiments shown, the cutouts  41 ,  42  are also provided, although it is likewise possible for them to be dispensed with. Furthermore, the blanks may be designed in accordance with the details described in conjunction with FIGS. 4 to  6 . 
     An advantageous embodiment of a blank for a hinge-lid box according to FIG. 7 is shown in FIG.  9 . The round edges  58 ,  59  are defined by folding strips  63 ,  64  which separate off a central region of the main blank  33  from lateral folding tabs, that is to say box front wall  13 , box rear wall  14 , base  17 , lid front wall  18 , lid rear wall  19  and end wall  22 , on the one hand, from the box side tabs  24 ,  25  and lid side tabs  26 ,  27 , on the other hand. In terms of width, the folding strip  63 ,  64  corresponds to the dimensioning of the round edges  58 ,  59 . The folding strip  63 ,  64  comprises grooves  65  which run parallel, and at a small distance from one another, in the longitudinal direction of the blank. The grooves  65  are provided by appropriate stamping tools in the packaging machine or outside the latter. 
     Since the collar  12  has round edges  58 ,  59  as well, folding strips  66 ,  67  are also provided in the region of the collar  12 , to be precise preferably simultaneously with the folding strips  63 ,  64  in the region of the main blank  33 . The special feature is that the folding strips  63 ,  64 , on the one hand, and  66 ,  67 , on the other hand, run flush on the mutually facing sides. Towards the outside, that is to say towards the collar side tabs  31 ,  32 , the folding strips  66 ,  67  of the collar  12  are of a smaller width  68  than the width  69  of the folding strips  63 ,  64 . The dimensioning expediently differs by one groove  65 . 
     In the case of this type of hinge-lid box, the webs  34 ,  35  are positioned such that the outer punch cuts  37  are at a (small) distance from the facing grooves  65  or folding strips  63 ,  64  or  66 ,  67 . This distance may be 1.5 to 2 mm, and ensures that the grooves of the folding strips  63 , etc. do not run in the region of the webs  34 ,  35 . 
     Furthermore, the blank according to FIG. 9 is designed such that rounded corners allow the base  17  and end wall  22  to match with the shape of the round edges  58 ,  59 . It is only in the region outside the round edges  58 ,  59  that the box side tabs  24  and  25  and the lid side tabs  26  and  27  butt against one another or overlap one another. Said side tabs are connected to one another by adhesive bonding in said region. 
     Analogously, the blank according to FIG. 10 is designed for a hinge-lid box with oblique edges  60 ,  61 . In order to produce these oblique edges  60 ,  61 , two parallel folding lines  70 ,  71  are formed in the region of the blank. Said folding lines extend over the entire region of the main blank  33 , including the lid. The collar  12  is likewise coordinated with the (octagonal) cross-sectional configuration of the pack. Two parallel folding lines are provided for the purpose of separating off the collar front wall  30  from the collar side tabs  31 ,  32 . These folding lines, however, are parallel perforation lines  72 ,  73 . The respectively outer perforation lines  72  are interrupted in a top or outer region by a C-shaped punching  74 . The latter forms in each case a protrusion or overhang of the collar on the front side of the pack so that the lid  11  can be fixed in the closed position. The perforation lines  72 ,  73 , as predefined folding lines in the region of the collar  12 , are arranged such that the inner perforation lines  73  are spaced apart from one another by a smaller distance than the inner, mutually facing folding lines  70 . For example, the distance between the folding lines  70  may be 51.3 mm and the distance between the perforation lines  73  may be 50.3 mm. This then gives the position for the outer perforation lines  72 . The distance between the latter and the respectively adjacent inner perforation line  73  may be 7.9 mm and the distance between the two mutually associated folding lines  70 ,  71  8.9 mm. Consequently, the outer folding lines  71  are offset outwards with respect to the outer perforation lines  72 . 
     These geometrical interrelationships mean that adjacent walls run as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 shows a detail of the pack according to FIG. 7 in the region where the collar  12  and box front wall  13  overlap. The quarter-circle regions of the box front wall  13  and collar  12  are located concentrically with respect to one another, that is to say with the same (imaginary) centre point. This effect is ensured by the above described dimensions. Accordingly, in the region of the collar  12 , the round edge  58 ,  59  is of a smaller diameter than that of the box front wall  13 . 
     The hinge-lid box according to FIG. 8 is of analogous design in this region. (Upright) edges of the box front wall  13  formed by the folding lines  70 ,  71  are on a line with the edges formed by the perforation lines  72  and  73 . 
     In other respects, the hinge-lid boxes according to FIGS. 7 to  12  may be designed in a known manner and/or with all the details of the hinge-lid boxes according to FIGS. 1 to  6 , namely in terms of the connection of the collar  12  to the main blank  33 . 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 List of Designation 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10 
                 Box part 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 Lid 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 Collar 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 Box front wall 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 Box tear wall 
               
               
                   
                 15 
                 Box side wall 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 Box side wall 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 Base 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 Lid front wall 
               
               
                   
                 19 
                 Lid rear wall 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 Lid side wall 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 Lid side wall 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 End wall 
               
               
                   
                 23 
                 Articulation line 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 Inner box side tab 
               
               
                   
                 25 
                 Outer box side tab 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 Inner lid side tab 
               
               
                   
                 27 
                 Outer lid side tab 
               
               
                   
                 28 
                 Closing edge 
               
               
                   
                 29 
                 Closing edge 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 Collar front wall 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 Collar side tab 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 Collar side tab 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 Main blank 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 Web 
               
               
                   
                 35 
                 Web 
               
               
                   
                 36 
                 Punch cut 
               
               
                   
                 37 
                 Punch cut 
               
               
                   
                 38 
                 Folding line 
               
               
                   
                 39 
                 Folding line 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 Transverse edge 
               
               
                   
                 4i 
                 Cutout 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 Cutout 
               
               
                   
                 43 
                 Overall width 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 Collar width 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 Wall width 
               
               
                   
                 46 
                 Web length 
               
               
                   
                 47 
                 Distance 
               
               
                   
                 48 
                 Oblique edge 
               
               
                   
                 49 
                 Oblique edge 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 Interspace 
               
               
                   
                 5i 
                 Spot of glue 
               
               
                   
                 52 
                 Spot of glue 
               
               
                   
                 53 
                 Severing cut 
               
               
                   
                 54 
                 Severing cut 
               
               
                   
                 55 
                 End edge 
               
               
                   
                 56 
                 Residual web 
               
               
                   
                 57 
                 Residual web 
               
               
                   
                 58 
                 Round edge 
               
               
                   
                 59 
                 Round edge 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 Oblique edge 
               
               
                   
                 6i 
                 Oblique edge 
               
               
                   
                 62 
                 Cigarette block 
               
               
                   
                 63 
                 Folding strip 
               
               
                   
                 64 
                 Folding strip 
               
               
                   
                 65 
                 Groove 
               
               
                   
                 66 
                 Folding strip 
               
               
                   
                 67 
                 Folding strip 
               
               
                   
                 68 
                 Width 
               
               
                   
                 69 
                 Width 
               
               
                   
                 70 
                 Folding line 
               
               
                   
                 71 
                 Folding line 
               
               
                   
                 72 
                 Perforation line 
               
               
                   
                 73 
                 Perforation line 
               
               
                   
                 74 
                 Punching