Container with adhesive label with adhesive free area

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container ( 100 ) for consumer goods. The container comprises an outer housing, wherein the outer housing comprises a box ( 102 ) and a lid ( 104 ) hinged to the box. An inner package ( 106 ) of consumer goods has an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed. An adhesive label ( 108 ) is provided to cover the access opening and extend beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package. The adhesive label ( 108 ) is at least partially releasably affixed to the inner package ( 106 ) by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area ( 112 ) of the inner surface of the adhesive label extending about at least the lower periphery of the access opening of the inner package. A second area ( 200 ) of the inner surface of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to the inner surface of the front wall of the lid of the outer container. A further, third area ( 202 ) of the inner surface of the adhesive label disposed between the first and second areas is substantially free of adhesive.

1 . A container for consumer goods comprising:
 an outer housing comprising:
 a box; and 
 a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the container; 
   an inner package of consumer goods within the outer housing comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed; and   an adhesive label covering the access opening of the inner package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package,   wherein the adhesive label is at least partially releasably affixed to the inner package by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label extending about at least the lower periphery of the access opening of the inner package, and wherein a second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to the inner surface of the front wall of the lid of the outer container; and   wherein a third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label disposed between the first and second areas is substantially free of adhesive.   
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is at least about 1 mm. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is at least about 90 percent of the width of the access opening of the inner package. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is substantially equal to or greater than the width of the access opening of the inner package. 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the third area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is substantially equal to or less than the height of the second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label. 
     
     
         6 . A container for consumer goods comprising:
 an outer housing comprising:
 a box; and 
 a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the container; 
   an inner package of consumer goods within the outer housing comprising an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed; and   an adhesive label covering the access opening of the inner package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package,   wherein the adhesive label is at least partially releasably affixed to the inner package by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label extending about at least the lower periphery of the access opening of the inner package, a second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label is substantially free of adhesive, and wherein a first area of the outer surface of the adhesive label is permanently affixed to the inner surface of the front wall of the lid of the outer container; and   wherein the second area of the inner surface of the adhesive label and the first area of the outer surface of the adhesive label at least partially overly each other.   
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the area of the second area of the adhesive label is between 100 percent and about 50 percent of the area of the first area of the outer surface of the adhesive label. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the access aperture of the inner package is defined by one or more lines of weakness in the inner package. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 8 , wherein the adhesive label comprises a further area of the inner surface of the adhesive label permanently affixed to the portion of the inner package bounded by the one or more lines of weakness. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the first area of the inner surface of the adhesive label extends about substantially the entire periphery of the access opening of the inner package. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the adhesive label is partially permanently affixed to the inner package. 
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive label is permanently affixed to the inner package by a connection portion extending about substantially the entire periphery of the adhesive label, wherein said portion is connected to the adhesive label along an edge of the adhesive label adjacent an edge of the access portion. 
     
     
         13 . A container according  claim 6 , further comprising an inner frame within the inner package. 
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 13 , wherein the inner frame is a U-shaped inner frame comprising a front wall and a pair of opposed side walls. 
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the consumer goods are smoking articles. 
     
     
         16 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the access aperture of the inner package is defined by one or more lines of weakness in the inner package. 
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive label comprises a further area of the inner surface of the adhesive label permanently affixed to the portion of the inner package bounded by the one or more lines of weakness. 
     
     
         18 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive label is partially permanently affixed to the inner package. 
     
     
         19 . A container according to  claim 18 , wherein the adhesive label is permanently affixed to the inner package by a connection portion extending about substantially the entire periphery of the adhesive label, wherein said portion is connected to the adhesive label along an edge of the adhesive label adjacent an edge of the access portion. 
     
     
         20 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumer goods are smoking articles.