Container having improved curved edge

Abstract

A container for consumer articles is at least partially formed from a cellulose-fiber based laminar blank having a thickness (T) and defining a portion of the container, which comprises at least a first planar wall and a second planar wall that are connected to one another by a curved edge portion. The curved edge portion has an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surface of the curved edge portion defines an ablation area (A), having a length (L) in the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion and a width (W) that extends across the curved edge portion. The ablation area comprises two or more ablated lines extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion. Each ablated line has a minimum residual thickness (RT) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank wherein the minimum residual thickness (RT) of each of the two or more ablated lines is at least about 30 percent and less than about 60 percent of the thickness (T) of the blank. The gap between the low points of two adjacent ablated lines is more than 0.2 millimetres and less than 1.6 millimetres.

1 . A container for consumer articles, the container being at least partially formed from a cellulose-fiber-based laminar blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank defining a portion of the container, which comprises at least a first planar wall and a second planar wall that are connected to one another by a curved edge portion;
 wherein the curved edge portion has an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surface of the curved edge portion defines an ablation area (A), the ablation area having a length (L) in the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion and a width (W) that extends across the curved edge portion;   wherein the ablation area comprises two or more ablated lines extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion, each ablated line having a minimum residual thickness (RT) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank;   wherein the minimum residual thickness (RT) of each of the two or more ablated lines is at least about 30 percent and less than about 60 percent of the thickness (T) of the blank;   wherein the gap between the low points of two adjacent ablated lines is more than 0.2 millimetres and less than 1.6 millimetres; and   wherein the thickness (T) of the laminar blank is from about 320 micrometres to about 360 micrometres.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the ablation area comprises five or more of said ablated lines over a substantial length at any longitudinal position of the curved edge portion. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank has a basis weight of from about 160 grams per square metre to about 300 grams per square metre 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more ablated lines has an ablated width (X) of less than about 0.5 millimetres, as measured transversely to the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the two or more ablated lines has an ablated width (X) of from about 0.1 millimetres to about 0.5 millimetres, as measured transversely to the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the width (W) of the ablation area is from about 2 millimetres to about 8 millimetres. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance between adjacent ablated lines in the ablation area is less than about 1.2 millimetres. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank has a stiffness in the bending direction of from about 50 milliNewtons to about 500 milliNewtons. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank has a residual stiffness in the bending direction of from about 25 milliNewtons to about 100 milliNewtons. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank has a surface roughness of from about 0.5 micrometres to about 1.5 micrometres. 
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar blank has a surface strength of from about 1 metres per second to about 2 metre per second. 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the ablation area comprises at least two ablated lines that extend in parallel over at least a part of the curved edge portion in its longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first planar wall is orthogonal to the second planar wall. 
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 1  comprising:
 a box portion comprising a box portion front wall, a box portion back wall, first and second box portion side walls, and a box portion bottom wall; and 
 a lid portion depending along a hinge line from a top edge of the box portion, wherein the lid portion is moveable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position. 
 
     
     
         16 . A cellulose-fiber based laminar blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the blank having a thickness (T) and defining a portion of the container, which comprises at least a first planar wall and a second planar wall that are connected to one another by a curved edge portion;
 wherein the curved edge portion has an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surface of the curved edge portion defines an ablation area (A), the ablation area having a length (L) in the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion and a width (W) that extends across the curved edge portion;   wherein the ablation area comprises two or more ablated lines extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the curved edge portion, each ablated line having a minimum residual thickness (RT) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank;   wherein the minimum residual thickness (RT) of each of the two or more ablated lines is at least about 30 percent and less than about 60 percent of the thickness (T) of the blank;   wherein the gap between the low points of two adjacent ablated lines is more than 0.2 millimetres and less than 1.6 millimetres; and,   wherein the thickness (T) of the laminar blank is from about 320 micrometres to about 360 micrometres.