Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-1-
Container for tobacco industry products
Description
This invention relates to a container for tobacco industry products.
As used herein, the term tobacco industry product includes any item made in,
or
sold by the tobacco industry, typically including a) cigarettes, cigarillos,
cigars,
tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco,
/0 tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco
substitutes); b) non-smoking products incorporating tobacco, tobacco
derivatives,
expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes such as snuff,
snus,
hard tobacco, and heat-not-burn products; and c) smokeless products, including
oral tobacco products such as Snus, and nicotine delivery products. This list
is not
intended to be exclusive, but merely illustrates a range of products which are
relevant to the tobacco industry.
Conventional tobacco industry product containers often include an outer wrap
of
heat sealable clear film, most commonly polypropylene with an embedded tear
tape
to assist in easy opening. The outer film provides both functional and user
benefits.
The film acts as a moisture barrier and thereby contributes to the shelf life
stability
of the packaged product. Furthermore, for the user, the plastic film confirms
the
freshness of the tobacco industry product therein.
The present invention provides an improved container for tobacco industry
products.
The present invention provides a container for tobacco industry products, the
container being adjustable between an open configuration and a closed
configuration, comprising an interior region and first and second parts
adapted to
slidably fit together such that sliding one of said parts towards the other
part causes
the interior region to become pressurised to a pressure of greater than
atmospheric
pressure.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-2-
Sliding one of the parts towards the other part may cause the interior region
to
become pressurised to a pressure of greater than 1.1 bar. However, the
interior
region may become pressurised to a pressure of greater than 1.2 bar, or
greater than
1.5 bar. Preferably, said sliding causes the interior region to become
pressurised to
a pressure of between 1.1 and 2 bar.
The overpressure within the container improves the shelf life potential of the
/0 tobacco industry products therein by reducing the potential for spotting
and
staining of the cigarettes as compared with a corresponding container at
atmospheric pressure.
The present invention also provides a container for tobacco industry products,
the
container being adjustable between an open configuration and a closed
configuration and comprising an interior region and first and second parts
adapted
to slidably fit together such that sliding one of said parts towards the other
part
causes the interior region to become sufficiently pressurised so that pressure
is
perceivably released upon opening the container.
Thus, when a user opens the container, he or she may perceive a release of
pressure.
The release of pressure provides a cue to the user as to the freshness of the
tobacco
industry products in the container.
The present invention also provides a container for tobacco industry products,
the
container being adjustable between an open configuration and a closed
configuration, the container comprising an interior region and first and
second parts
adapted to slidably fit together such that sliding one of said parts towards
the other
part causes the interior region to pressurise and such that the pressure is
maintained
in the interior of the container until the pack is opened or until the seal is
broken.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-3-
Thus, the container may be arranged so that functional and user benefits of
the
pressurised container are preserved until the pack is opened or until the seal
is
broken
When the container is pressurised, the pressure forces therein tend to urge
the first
and second parts apart. In one example, the first and second parts are held in
place
against the pressure force by the frictional resistance therebetween. In
another
example, the container comprises a fastening mechanism adapted to hold the
first
and second parts in place after one of the parts has been slid towards the
other part.
Preferably, the container is a container for smoking articles. As used herein,
the
term "smoking article" includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars
and
cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco,
reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products.
The
smoking article may be provided with a filter for the gaseous flow drawn by
the
smoker.
In order that the invention may be more fully understood, embodiments thereof
will
now be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the
accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1a shows a perspective view of a tubular cigarette container.
Figure lb shows a cross-sectional view of the container of Figure 1a
Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d illustrate steps of a process to pressurise the
container of
Figure 1 a.
Figures 2e, 2f, 2g and 2h are cross-sectional views corresponding to Figures
2a, 2b,
2c and 2d respectively.
Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate a fastening mechanism.
Figures 4a and 4b illustrate steps of a process of fastening the lid and body
of a
tubular cigarette container, the cigarette container comprising a fastening
mechanism.
Figure 4c is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 4a, taken along
the line
A-A shown in Figure 4a.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-4-
Figure 4d is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 4b, taken along
the line
B-B shown in Figure 4b.
Figure 5 shows a hinged lid cigarette container.
Figure 6 shows elevations of the hinged lid cigarette container of Figure 5.
Figure 7 shows the hinged lid cigarette container in an open position.
Figure 8 shows the hinged lid cigarette container in a closed position.
Figures 1a and lb show a perspective view and sectional view of a tubular
container
for smoking articles such as cigarettes 20. The container 10 is preferably
made
/0 from moulded plastic, although it could alternatively be made from any
other
suitable material which is impermeable to air. Suitable materials for the
container
include, but are not limited to: metal, polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
styrene
acrylonitrile (SAN), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or Hardwood.
As shown in Figures 1a and 1b, the container 10 has a first part, in the form
of an
elongate body 30 and a second part, in the form of a tubular cap 40, which is
adapted to slidably fit together with the body 30. As described in more detail
below, the cap and the body fit together sufficiently tightly such that
sliding one
towards the other causes the interior 50 of the container 10 to become
positively
pressurised.
Referring in detail to the construction of the elongate body, as shown in
Figure 1,
the body 30 has a cylindrical lower section 60 and a cylindrical collar
section 70, the
collar section 70 having an outer diameter less than that of the lower section
60.
The lower section 60 comprises a closed cylindrical wall 65 having an annular
upper
face 66 and a closed bottom part 80. The bottom part 80 is integral with the
cylindrical wall 65 and is disposed at substantially right angles to the
longitudinal
axis of the elongated body.
The collar section 70 has a closed cylindrical wall 75 which is integral with
the
annular upper face 66 of the body 40. The inner space defined by the wall 75
is
open to the inner space defined by the wall 65 and in this way the walls 65,
75
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
5-
define an elongate space inside the container for the cigarettes 20. As shown,
the
collar section 70 has an open end 90 for accessing the cigarettes.
Although the collar 70, annular upper face 66, cylindrical wall 65 and bottom
part
80 are described above as being integral with one another, alternatively the
body
may be formed from two tubes, one fixed within the other, the inner tube
comprising the collar section, and the outer tube comprising the cylindrical
wall,
annular upper face and base.
/0 Referring to Figures 1a and 1b, the tubular cap 40 has an open end 110, a
cylindrical
wall 120, and a closed top 100, the top 100 being integral with the
cylindrical wall
120. The cylindrical wall 120 defines a receiving space for the cylindrical
collar
section 70 of the elongate body and is adapted so that the cap 40 can slidably
fit
onto the body 30.. As shown, the diameter of the inner surface 125 of the
cylindrical wall 120 of the cap 40 is the same as, or very slightly greater
than the
diameter of the outer surface 76 of the cylindrical wall 75 of the collar
section 70 so
that the cap 40 and body 30 fit together hermetically.
As is graphically described in Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, sliding the cap 40
and the
body 30 together causes the container 10 to become positively pressurised.
Figures
2e, 2f, 2g and 2h show cross-sectional views corresponding to Figures 2a, 2b,
2c and
2d respectively. As shown in Figures 2e and 2f, the cap 40 is placed over the
collar
region 70 such that the inner surface 125 of the wall 120 of the cap 40 and
the outer
surface 76 of the wall 75 of the collar region 70 just contact one another,
thereby
hermetically sealing a volume V, of air in the region enclosed by the body 30
and
the cap 40. As shown in Figure 2g and Figure 2h, sliding the cap and the body
together reduces the volume of the hermetically sealed region to a volume V2,
VZ
being less than V,. The hermetically sealed region is substantially or
completely
airtight, so that air does not escape, or does not substantially escape, upon
sliding
the cap and body together. Thus, the air in the hermetically sealed region is
compressed upon sliding the cap and body together, thereby increasing the
pressure
of the interior region of the container 10 above that of the surrounding air.
That is,
the container 10 becomes positively pressurised.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-6-
Sliding the cap 40 towards the body 30 may cause the interior region to become
pressurised to a pressure of greater than 1.1 bar. However, the interior
region may
become pressurised to a pressure of greater than 1.2 bar, or greater than 1.5
bar.
Preferably, the interior region becomes pressurised to a pressure of between
1.1 and
2 bar.
In the example shown in Figure 2e, 2f, 2g and 2h, the height L of the
cylindrical
collar section 70 of the body 30 is the same as the height of the cylindrical
inner
/0 wall 125 of the cap 40. The cap 40 and the body 30 are therefore slidable
over a
distance L. The distance L determines the pressure to which the container may
be
pressurised. For example, the distance L may be chosen so that upon sliding
the
cap and the body together, the interior of the container is pressurised to a
pressure
of greater than 1.1 bar. However, the length L may be chosen so that the
container
is pressurised to a pressure of between 1.5 and 3 bar.
Furthermore, the tight seal between the cap 40 and the body 30 preferably
allows a
positive pressure to be maintained within the container for an extended period
of
time, for example, I week, I month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year or longer.
In this way, the cap and the body may fit together sufficiently tightly such
that a
positive pressure of greater than atmospheric pressure is maintained within
the
container for a period of longer than, for example: I week, or longer than I
month;
longer than 3 months; longer than 6 months, or longer than 1 year.
The fully closed container is shown in Figure 2d and in cross-section of
Figure 2h.
The container has a compressed volume of air sealed therein, and the interior
of the
container has a positive pressure of greater than atmospheric pressure.
Although the illustrated pressurisation process shows sliding a second part,
in the
form of a tubular cap 40 towards a first part, in the form of a tubular body
30,
alternatively the container could be pressurised by sliding the tubular body
30
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-7-
towards the tubular cap 40 or by simultaneously sliding the body 30 and cap 40
towards one another.
Furthermore, the skilled person would understand that many different
adaptations
and shapes of the first and second parts are possible in order to achieve the
desired
positive pressure.
Once the container has been closed in this manner, the compressed air inside
the
container exerts a pressure force which tends to urge the body and the cap
apart.
90 The pressure force may, for example, be balanced by frictional resistance
between
the inner surface of the cap and the outer surface of the collar region. That
is,
frictional resistance may maintain the cap in place on the body in spite of
the
pressure force from the compressed air in the container.
However, alternatively or in addition, the container 10 may have a fastening
mechanism such as a bayonet-type fixing for holding the cap 40 and the
elongated
body 30 together.
Figures 3a and 3b show orthogonal sectional views of the cap 40 and Figure 3c
shows a perspective view of the body 30 of a container having such a fastening
mechanism. Referring to Figures 3a and 3b, the bayonet-type fastening
mechanism
comprises a protrusion 130, disposed on an inner surface 125 of the
cylindrical wall
120 of the cap 40, an elongated groove 150 in the wall 75 of the collar
section 70
for hermetically receiving the protrusion, and a rubber o-ring 155
circumscribing
the bottom edge of the collar section 70. As shown, the groove 150 comprises a
longitudinally extending portion 160 and a circumferentially extending portion
170.
Referring to Figures 4a and 4b, when fastening the cap 40 to the body, the cap
40 is
placed over the collar portion 70 such that the protrusion 130 is received in
the
longitudinally extending portion 160. The protrusion and the groove are
adapted so
that there is a hermetically tight fit therebetween so that sliding the cap
and the
body together pressurises the container in the manner described above. The cap
and the body are pushed together until the protrusion reaches the bottom of
the
longitudinal section, thereby compressing the o-ring 155, as shown in Figure
4b.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
8-
The cap 40 is then twisted, so as to guide the protrusion 130 into the
circumferentially extending portion 170, and is then released. When the cap is
released in this position, the restoring force from the compressed o-ring 155
urges
the protrusion 130 against the upper wall 175 of the circumferential portion
170 of
the groove 150 so that the lid and the body are securely held together. The
compressed o-ring 155 also provides a high quality hermetic seal between the
cap
and the base.
Although the closed container has been described hereinabove as containing a
90 positively pressurised volume of air, alternatively, the container could
contain a
positively pressurised volume of another gas, such as nitrogen. This could be
achieved by sliding the cap onto the base in a nitrogen atmosphere, thereby
hermetically sealing a volume of nitrogen in the container.
Moreover, in another, example, the height of the cylindrical collar section of
the
body is different to the height of the cylindrical inner wall of the cap 40.
In this
case, the distance L over which the cap 40 and body are 30 slidable is the
shorter of
these two heights.
The container 10 may further comprise an indicating element (not shown) for
indicating whether the container is pressurised. The indicating element may,
for
example, be a button or nipple disposed on the body 30 or cap 40, which
noticeably
protrudes from the surface of the container 10 when the container is
pressurised.
The container may be pressurised by a human or a machine packer prior to being
sold. The overpressure within the container improves the shelf life potential
of the
tobacco industry products therein by reducing the potential for spotting and
staining of the cigarettes as compared with a corresponding container at
atmospheric pressure. One possible, non-limiting explanation for this
improvement
is that the overpressure reduces the internal vapour pressure of the water and
other
volatile components. In addition, a purchaser opening the container for the
first
time may perceive a pressure release, thereby providing a cue to the freshness
of the
cigarettes.
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
-9-
Furthermore, each time the user closes the container, it becomes re-
pressurised, so
that the cigarettes can be stored with a reduced potential for spotting or
staining.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a variation of the smoking article container
shown in
Figure 1, which may also be formed from moulded plastic. Figure 5 shows a
container 180 comprising a first part, in the form of a body 190 for holding
cigarettes and having a lid 200. The body 190 has a main body part 220 and a
collar
part 230, integral with the main body part 220. The lid 200 is attached to the
body
/0 190 by a hermetically sealed hinge 210 located at the back of the
container. The
hinge line of hinge 210 may be formed as a weakened, bendable portion of the
plastic body 190. The hinge allows the lid to rotate between a closed position
(as in
Figure 5) and an open position (as in Figure 7). When the container is closed,
the
lid meets the body along a line of closure 215, located at the front of the
container
and parallel to the hinge 210.
Figure 6 shows front (Figure 6a), rear (Figure 6b) and side (Figure 6c, 6d)
elevations
of the smoking article container 180. As shown, the main body part 220 has
first
and second rectangular faces 240, 250, parallel to one another and connected
via
first and second parallel quadrilateral side walls 260, 270. The collar part
230 has
first and second rectangular faces 280, 290 parallel to one another and
connected
via first and second parallel rectangular side walls 300, 310. As shown, the
cross
sectional perimeter of the outer surface of the collar part is less than the
cross
sectional perimeter of the outer surface of the body part. The body 190 has a
latching mechanism for latching the body and the lid together hermetically,
which
may include a tab or protuberance (not shown) located on the lid 200, plus a
corresponding hole or recess (not shown) located in the body part 220. In this
way,
when the pack is shut, the tab can engage or enter the recess to hermetically
retain the
pack in the closed position.
Referring to Figure 5 and 6, the container 180 further comprises a second
part, in
the form of a substantially parallelepiped shaped closure member 320, adapted
to
slidably fit together with the collar portion 230. As shown, the closure
member has
CA 02743429 2011-05-11
WO 2010/063528 PCT/EP2009/064543
- 10-
first and second rectangular faces 330, 340, parallel to one another and
connected
via first and second parallel rectangular side walls 350, 360. The closure
member
further comprises an end wall 370, integral with the edges of the front faces
and
side walls 330, 340, 350, 360.
As shown in Figure 5, the cross sectional outer perimeter of the collar
portion 230
is the same as, or very slightly less than the cross sectional inner perimeter
of the
closure member 320 so that the closure member and the body fit together
hermetically. Thus, when the lid is hermetically latched to the body, sliding
the
90 closure member and the body together causes the interior of the container
to
become positively pressurised. The closed container is shown in Figure 8. Once
the container has been closed in this manner, the pressure force from the
compressed air inside the container may, for example, be balanced by
frictional
resistance between the closure member and the collar region. Alternatively,
however, the container 180 may have a fastening mechanism for holding the
closure
member 320 and the body 190 in place.
Many modifications and variations will be evident to those skilled in the art,
which
fall within the scope of the following claims:
