Package for Smoking Articles

Abstract

The present application relates to a package for smoking articles. The package has a container ( 2 ) for receiving smoking articles and a lid ( 3 ) hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed. In one aspect, a line of weakening ( 29 ) is defined along a juncture between the lid and the container prior to initial opening of the lid, and a tear element ( 90 ) is configured to act on the line of weakening to separate the lid from the container along the juncture to allow the lid to hinge relative to the pack. The present application also relates to a blank for a package for smoking articles and a blank for an inner frame of a package for smoking articles.

1 . A package for smoking articles comprising a container for receiving smoking articles, a lid hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed, a line of weakening defined along a juncture between the lid and the container prior to an initial opening of the lid, and a tear element disposed along an inner surface of the line of weakening which is configured to act on the line of weakening to separate the lid from the container along the juncture to allow the lid to hinge relative to the pack. 
     
     
         2 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a lid panel element and the container comprises a container panel element, the line of weakening being defined between the lid panel element and the container panel element. 
     
     
         3 . The package according to  claim 2 , wherein the lid panel element and the container panel element are integrally formed prior to the initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         4 . The package according to  claim 3 , wherein the lid panel element and the container panel element are formed from a single sheet of material prior to the initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         5 . The package according to  claim 4 , wherein the line of weakening is a line of reduced thickness formed in the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         6 . The package according to  claim 5 , wherein the line of reduced thickness is a partial cut or elongate channel formed in the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         7 . The package according to  claim 6 , wherein the tear element is disposed along an inner surface of the single sheet of material. 
     
     
         8 . The package according to  claim 4 , wherein the single sheet of material is coated, laminated or impregnated with a substance. 
     
     
         9 . The package according to  claim 2 , wherein the lid panel element is a lid front panel and the container panel element is a container front panel, the lid further comprising a side panel element extending from the lid front panel and the container further comprising a container side panel element extending from the container front panel, wherein the line of weakening extends along a juncture between the lid and container side panel elements. 
     
     
         10 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the tear element is a flexible cord. 
     
     
         11 . The package according to  claim 1 , further comprising an outer frame and an inner frame, the line of weakening being formed in the outer frame. 
     
     
         12 . The package according to  claim 11 , wherein the tear element is disposed between the inner frame and the outer frame prior to the initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         13 . The package according to  claim 12 , wherein the inner frame comprises an upper part attached to the lid and a lower part attached to the container, the line of weakening being a first line of weakening and a second line of weakening being defined along a juncture between the lower part and the upper part of the inner frame prior to the initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         14 . The package according to  claim 13 , wherein the second line of weakening is offset from the first line of weakening. 
     
     
         15 . The package according to  claim 13 , wherein the lid has a top panel and the container has a bottom panel, the upper part of the inner frame being attached to the top panel and the lower part being attached to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         16 . The package according to any of  claims 11 , wherein the inner frame is formed from a single sheet of material. 
     
     
         17 . The package according to  claim 16 , wherein the inner frame is coated, laminated or impregnated with a substance. 
     
     
         18 . The package according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first panel element with a first edge and a second panel element with a second edge, and a flap extending from the first edge and from the second edge, wherein the first and second edges are brought together when the package is assembled. 
     
     
         19 . A package for smoking articles comprising a shell in which smoking articles are receivable having a first panel element with a first edge and a second panel element with a second edge, and a flap extending from the first edge and from the second edge, wherein the first and second edges are brought together when the package is assembled. 
     
     
         20 . The package according to  claim 19 , wherein the flap is integrally formed with the first and second panel elements. 
     
     
         21 . The package according to  claim 20 , wherein a first fold line is defined along the first edge between the first panel element and the flap and a second fold line is defined along the second edge between the second panel element and the flap so that the flap is foldable relative to the first and second panel elements about the first and second fold lines. 
     
     
         22 . The package according to  claim 21 , wherein the flap comprises two flap portions which are foldable relative to each other along a flap fold line when the pack is assembled so that the flap sections locate against each other. 
     
     
         23 . The package according to  claim 22 , wherein the flap fold line extends at 45 degrees to the fold lines between the flap and each of the first and second panel elements. 
     
     
         24 . The package according to  claim 21 , wherein the first and second fold lines intersect at a corner, and the flap extends from the corner. 
     
     
         25 . The package according to  claim 19 , further comprising a third panel element wherein the first and second panel elements extend from perpendicular edges of the third panel element. 
     
     
         26 . The package according to  claim 19 , wherein the package is formed from a rigid cardboard material. 
     
     
         27 . The package according to  claim 19 , further comprising a container for receiving smoking articles, a lid hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed, a line of weakening defined along a juncture between the lid and the container prior to initial opening of the lid and a tear element configured to act on the line of weakening to separate the lid from the container along the juncture to allow the lid to hinge relative to the container. 
     
     
         28 . The package according to  claim 19 , wherein the shell comprises an outer frame and an inner frame, the first and second panel elements and the flap forming part of the outer frame. 
     
     
         29 . The package according to  claim 28 , wherein the inner frame comprises a first inner frame panel element having a first inner edge, a second inner frame panel element having a second inner edge, and a flap which extends from the first inner edge and from the second inner edge, wherein the first and second inner edges are brought together when the package is assembled. 
     
     
         30 . The package according to  claim 19 , wherein the shell comprises an outer frame and an inner frame, the first and second panel elements and the flap forming part of the inner frame. 
     
     
         31 . The package according to  claim 28 , wherein the inner frame comprises an upper part attached to the lid, a lower part attached to the container, and a line of weakening being defined along a juncture between the lower part and the upper part of the inner frame prior to initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         32 . The package for smoking articles according to  claim 19 , further comprising an outer frame and an inner frame and a tab extending from a lower side of the lid which is locatable in an aperture between the inner and outer frames when the lid is moved into a closed position. 
     
     
         33 . A package for smoking articles comprising a container for receiving smoking articles, a lid hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed, and two or more of the following:
 a line of weakening defined along a juncture between the lid and the container prior to an initial opening of the lid, and a tear element configured to act on the line of weakening to separate the lid from the container along the juncture to allow the lid to hinge relative to the pack;   an outer frame and an inner frame, wherein the inner frame comprises an upper part attached to the lid and a lower part attached to the container, the line of weakening being a first line of weakening and a second line of weakening being defined along a juncture between the lower part and the upper part of the inner frame prior to the initial opening of the package;   a first panel element with a first edge and a second panel element with a second edge, and a flap extending from the first edge and from the second edge, wherein the first and second edges are brought together when the package is assembled;   a tab extending from a lower side of the lid which is locatable in an aperture in the container when the lid is moved into a closed position;   the container and/or lid being formed from or partially formed from a sheet of material which is coated, laminated or impregnated with a substance.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A blank for a package for smoking articles comprising a first panel element with a first edge and a second panel element with a second edge, and a flap extending from the first edge and from the second edge, wherein the first and second edges are brought together when the package is assembled. 
     
     
         36 . A blank for a package for smoking articles comprising a section configured to form a container for receiving smoking articles and a section configured to form a lid hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed, wherein a line of weakening is defined along a juncture between the section configured to form a container and the section configured to form a lid, the line of weakening being configured to separate the section configured to form a container and the section configured to form the lid along the juncture when a tear element disposed along an inner surface of the line of weakening acts on the line of weakening. 
     
     
         37 . A blank for an inner frame of a package for smoking articles comprising an upper part configured to be attached to a lid and a lower part configured to be attached to a container, and a line of weakening is defined along a juncture between the lower part and the upper parts. 
     
     
         38 . The blank for a package for smoking articles according to  claim 36 , wherein the blank is formed from a sheet of material which is coated, laminated or impregnated with a substance. 
     
     
         39 . A package for smoking articles comprising a container for receiving smoking articles, a lid hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed, a first line of weakening defined along a juncture between the lid and the container prior to an initial opening of the lid, and a tear element configured to act on the first line of weakening to separate the lid from the container along the juncture to allow the lid to hinge relative to the pack, wherein the package has an outer frame and an inner frame, the first line of weakening being formed in the outer frame, and the inner frame comprising an upper part attached to the lid, a lower part attached to the container, and a second line of weakening defined along a juncture between the lower part and the upper part of the inner frame prior to the initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         40 . The package according to  claim 39 , wherein the tear element is disposed between the inner frame and the outer frame prior to the initial opening of the package. 
     
     
         41 . The package according to  claim 39 , wherein the second line of weakening is offset from the first line of weakening. 
     
     
         42 . The package according to  39 , wherein the lid has a top panel and the container has a bottom panel, the upper part of the inner frame being attached to the top panel and the lower part being attached to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         43 . The package according to  39 , wherein the inner frame is formed from a single sheet of material. 
     
     
         44 . The package according to  claim 43 , wherein the inner frame is coated, laminated or impregnated with a substance. 
     
     
         45 . A package for smoking articles comprising a container for receiving smoking articles, a lid hingedly attached to the container to enclose a space for smoking articles defined by the container when the lid is closed, a line of weakening defined along a juncture between the lid and the container prior to an initial opening of the lid, and a tear element configured to act on the line of weakening to separate the lid from the container along the juncture to allow the lid to hinge relative to the pack, wherein the lid comprises a lid panel element and the container comprises a container panel element, the lid panel element and the container panel element being integrally formed from a single sheet of material prior to the initial opening of the package, the line of weakening being defined between the lid panel element and the container panel element, and wherein the single sheet of material is coated, laminated or impregnated with a substance.