Improved container with non-squared edges

Abstract

There is provided a container for consumer articles, the container being at least partially formed from a blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises a first planar wall; a second planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a first edge portion; and a third planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a second edge portion. The longitudinal direction of the first edge portion is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion. The first edge portion and the second edge portion form, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction. Each of the first and the second edge portions have an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the first and second edge portions define a first ablation area (A1) and a second ablation area (A2), respectively. Each ablation area (A1, A2) comprises one or more ablated zones with a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion and a respective width extending transversely to the length. At least one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion. The end portion tapers from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).

1 . A container for consumer articles, the container being at least partially formed from a laminar blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises:
 a first planar wall;   a second planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a first edge portion; and   a third planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a second edge portion;   the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion; the first edge portion and the second edge portion forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction;   
       wherein each of the first and the second edge portions have an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the first and second edge portions define a first ablation area (A1) and a second ablation area (A2), respectively; 
       wherein each ablation area (A1, A2) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank, and each ablation area (A1, A2) has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion and a respective width that extends transversely to the length; 
       wherein at least one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion, the end portion tapering from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2). 
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein both the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprise a respective first portion and a respective end portion extending from the respective first portion and tapering from a width of the respective first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2). 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein each ablation area comprises a first ablated zone and a second ablated zone extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion within the first portion of the ablation area; and
 wherein each of the first and second ablated zones is arranged proximate to a respective one of the first planar wall and the first or second planar wall.   
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one of the first ablation area (A1) and the second ablation area (A2) comprises a plurality of ablated zones, all the ablated zones extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion within the first portion of the ablation area.   
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one ablated zone extends in the longitudinal direction of the modified edge portion over at least part of the tapering end portion of the first ablation area (A1) or the second ablation area (A2). 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one ablated zone comprises a slanted section extending, over part of the tapering end portion of the ablation area, along a direction forming a non null angle with the longitudinal direction of the modified edge portion. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first ablation area (A1) and the second ablation area (A2) comprises a first pair of ablated zones extending in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion over at least part of the tapering end portion of the ablation area; and a second pair of ablated zones comprising respective slanted sections forming a non null angle with the first pair of ablated zones;
 wherein the ablated zones in the second pair of ablated zones are symmetrical with respect to the ablated zones in the first pair of ablated zones.   
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the ablated zones has a residual thickness of less than about 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more ablated zones has a residual thickness of at least about 5 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the first ablation area (A1) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion and tapering from a width of the first portion to a point at the junction with the second ablation area (A2), and wherein the second ablation area (A2) comprises a plurality of ablated zones extending in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion over the whole length of the second ablation area (A2). 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth planar wall connected to the first planar wall by a third edge portion, the longitudinal direction of the third edge portion being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion and substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion, such that, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, the first edge portion and the third edge portion form adjacent edges of the container meeting at a second junction;
 wherein the third edge portion has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the third edge portion defining a third ablation area (A3) with a length in the longitudinal direction of the third edge portion and a width that extends transversely to said length; and   wherein the third ablation area (A3) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank and the first ablation area (A1) comprises a first portion and two opposite end portions extending from the first portion, each end portion tapering from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with a respective one of the second and third ablation areas (A2, A3).   
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container has a spring-back force of less than about 10 milliNewton metres between the first planar wall and at least one of the first or second planar walls. 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 1  containing smoking articles. 
     
     
         14 . A laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the laminar blank having a thickness (T) and comprising:
 a first wall panel for forming a first planar wall of the container;   a second panel connected to the first wall panel by a first edge portion for forming a second planar wall of the container; and   a third wall panel connected to the first planar wall by a second edge portion for forming a third planar wall of the container;   
       the longitudinal direction of the first edge portion being transversal to the longitudinal direction of the second edge portion; the first edge portion and the second edge portion forming, when the container is assembled from the laminar blank, adjacent edges of the container meeting at a junction; 
       wherein the first and the second edge portions have an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the first and second edge portions define a first ablation area (A1) and a second ablation area (A2), respectively; 
       wherein each ablation area (A1, A2) comprises one or more ablated zones having a residual thickness less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank, and each ablation area (A1, A2) has a length in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge portion and a respective width that extends transversely to the length; 
       wherein at least one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprises a first portion and an end portion extending from the first portion and tapering from a width (W) of the first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2). 
     
     
         15 . A laminar blank according to  claim 14 , wherein both the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2) comprise a respective first portion and a respective end portion extending from the respective first portion and tapering from a width of the respective first portion to a point at the junction with the other one of the first and second ablation areas (A1, A2).