Improved blank for forming a container with non-square edges

Abstract

A blank ( 300 ) for forming a container for consumer articles comprises panels for forming corresponding walls of the container. First side panels ( 311 ) extend from the rear wall panel ( 312 ) and second side panels ( 310 ) extend from the front wall panel ( 308 ). When assembling the container, the first and the second side panels ( 311, 310 ) overlap to form at least part of left and right side walls. The first side panels ( 311 ) or the second side panels ( 310 ) or both are connected to the respective one of the rear wall panel ( 312 ) and the front wall panel ( 308 ) by modified edge portions ( 3110 ). Inner surfaces of the modified edge portions define ablation areas, each comprising one or more ablated zones with a reduced thickness. The blank comprises a pair of flaps ( 313, 319 ) extending from the first side panels ( 311 ) or the second side panels ( 310 ) or both.

1 . A laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the container the laminar blank having a thickness (T) and comprising:
 a bottom wall panel for forming a bottom wall of the container and a top wall panel for forming a top wall of the container;   a rear wall panel for forming at least part of a rear wall of the container and a front wall panel for forming at least a part of a front wall of the container;   two first side panels extending from the rear wall panel and two second side panels extending from the front wall panel, such that, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, the first and the second side panels overlap to form at least part of left and right side walls of the container;   the first side panels or the second side panels or both being connected to the respective one of the rear wall panel and the front wall panel by modified edge portions;   each of the modified edge portions having an inner and an outer surface and the inner surfaces of the modified edge portions defining respective ablation areas; each ablation area comprising one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank;   the laminar blank further comprising at least one pair of dust flaps extending from the first side panels or the second side panels or both, such that, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, the flaps in a pair overlap the bottom wall panel to form the bottom wall or the top wall panel to form the top wall;   wherein each dust flap in the at least one pair of dust flaps comprises a main flap portion depending along a fold line from a respective first or second side panel and a side flap portion extending laterally from the flap main portion beyond a peripheral edge of the respective first or second side panel;   wherein each ablation area has a length (L) in the longitudinal direction of the modified edge portion and a width (A) that extends transversely to the length (L) across the modified edge portion; and   wherein, in each dust flap in the at least one pair of dust flaps the side flap portion extends beyond the peripheral edge of the respective first or second side panel by at least about 25 percent of the width (A) of the ablation area.   
     
     
         2 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein, in each dust flap of the at least one pair of dust flaps, the side flap portion extends beyond the peripheral edge of the respective first or second side panel by less than about 75 percent of the width (A) of the ablation area (A). 
     
     
         3 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank is for forming a container having a maximum width and a maximum depth; and
 wherein the width (A) of the ablation area is at least about 0.025 times (W+2D), where W is the maximum width of the container and D is the maximum depth of the container.   
     
     
         4 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank is for forming a container having a maximum width and a maximum depth; and
 wherein the width (A) of the ablation area is less than about 0.07 times (W+2D), where W is the maximum width of the container and D is the maximum depth of the container.   
     
     
         5 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank is for forming a container having a maximum width and a maximum depth; and
 wherein, in each dust flap of the at least one pair of dust flaps, the side flap portion extends beyond the peripheral edge of the respective first or second side panel by a length (E) such that the overall maximum width of the laminar blank substantially equals (W+2D), where W is the maximum width of the container and D is the maximum depth of the container.   
     
     
         6 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the ablated zones has a residual thickness of at least about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. 
     
     
         7 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more ablated zones has a residual thickness of less than about 95 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. 
     
     
         8 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein each ablation area comprises a plurality of ablated zones, all the ablated zones extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion. 
     
     
         9 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein each ablation area comprises only a first and a second ablated zone extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion; and
 wherein each ablated zone is arranged proximate to a respective one of the rear panel and first side panel or a respective one of the front panel and second side panel.   
     
     
         10 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein each ablated zone has an ablated width (WA) of from about 0.01 millimetres to about 0.4 millimetres. 
     
     
         11 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein each ablated zone has an ablated width (WA) of from about 0.05 millimetres to about 0.2 millimetres. 
     
     
         12 . A laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein the blank has a spring-back force of less than about 10 milliNewton metres between any two panels that are connected by a modified edge portion. 
     
     
         13 . A container obtainable by folding a laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank forms at least a part of the container comprising a box portion having a box front wall, a box rear wall and box side walls extending between the box front wall and the box rear wall, and wherein the modified edge portions connect at least one of the box front wall and the box rear wall to the box side walls. 
     
     
         14 . A container obtainable by folding a laminar blank according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank forms at least a part of the container comprising a lid portion having a lid front wall, a lid rear wall and lid side walls extending between the lid front wall and the lid rear wall, and wherein the modified edge portions connect at least one of the lid front wall and the lid rear wall to the lid side walls.