Container having improved appearance

Abstract

There is provided a container ( 10 ) for consumer goods, the container ( 10 ) being at least partially formed from a blank ( 100 ) having a thickness (T). The container ( 10 ) comprises a top wall ( 12 ), a bottom wall, a front wall ( 14 ), a rear wall ( 16 ), and first and second side walls ( 18, 20 ). A top wall front edge ( 22 ), a bottom wall front edge ( 30 ), a first side wall front edge ( 38 ), and a second side wall front edge ( 42 ) together extend along a first plane. A top wall rear edge ( 24 ), a bottom wall rear edge ( 32 ), a first side wall rear edge ( 40 ), and a second side wall rear edge ( 44 ) together extend along a second plane. At least one of the front wall ( 14 ) and the rear wall ( 16 ) comprises an ablation area, wherein any ablation area on the front wall ( 14 ) comprises at least one ablated line ( 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 ) extending across the inner surface of the front wall ( 14 ) to define a portion ( 56 ) of the front wall ( 14 ) that is spaced outwardly from the first plane, and wherein any ablation area on the rear wall ( 16 ) comprises at least one ablated line ( 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 ) extending across the inner surface of the rear wall ( 16 ) to define a portion of the rear wall ( 16 ) that is spaced outwardly from the second plane. Each ablated line has a residual thickness (RT1) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank ( 100 ).

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A container for consumer goods, the container being at least partially formed from a blank having a thickness (T), the container comprising:
 a top wall comprising a top wall front edge, a top wall rear edge, and first and second top wall side edges;   a bottom wall comprising a bottom wall front edge, a bottom wall rear edge, and first and second bottom wall side edges;   a front wall extending from the top wall front edge to the bottom wall front edge;   a rear wall extending from the top wall rear edge to the bottom wall rear edge;   a first side wall extending between the first top wall side edge and the first bottom wall side edge, the first side wall being connected to the front wall by a first side wall front edge and the first side wall being connected to the rear wall by a first side wall rear edge; and   a second side wall extending between the second top wall side edge and the second bottom wall side edge, the second side wall being connected to the front wall by a second side wall front edge and the second side wall being connected to the rear wall by a second side wall rear edge;   wherein the top wall front edge, the bottom wall front edge, the first side wall front edge, and the second side wall front edge together extend along a first plane;   wherein the top wall rear edge, the bottom wall rear edge, the first side wall rear edge, and the second side wall rear edge together extend along a second plane;   wherein at least one of the front wall and the rear wall comprises an ablation area, wherein any ablation area on the front wall comprises at least one ablated line extending across the inner surface of the front wall to define a portion of the front wall that is spaced outwardly from the first plane, and wherein any ablation area on the rear wall comprises at least one ablated line extending across the inner surface of the rear wall to define a portion of the rear wall that is spaced outwardly from the second plane;   wherein each ablated line has a residual thickness (RT1) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank; and   wherein at least one ablated line of any ablation area on the front wall extends from at least one of the top wall front edge, the bottom wall front edge, the first side wall front edge, and the second side wall front edge, and wherein at least one ablated line of any ablation area on the rear wall extends from at least one of the top wall rear edge, the bottom wall rear edge, the first side wall rear edge, and the second side wall rear edge.   
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein any ablation area on the front wall comprises a first front ablated line extending from the intersection of the top wall front edge and the first side wall front edge, and a second front ablated line extending from the intersection of the top wall front edge and the second side wall front edge, and wherein any ablation area on the rear wall comprises a first rear ablated line extending from the intersection of the top wall rear edge and the first side wall rear edge, and a second rear ablated line extending from the intersection of the top wall rear edge and the second side wall rear edge. 
     
     
         18 . A container according to  claim 17 , wherein any first front ablated line extends to the intersection of the bottom wall front edge and the first side wall front edge, wherein any second front ablated line extends to the intersection of the bottom wall front edge and the second side wall front edge, wherein any first rear ablated line extends to the intersection of the bottom wall rear edge and the first side wall rear edge, and wherein any second rear ablated line extends to the intersection of the bottom wall rear edge and the second side wall rear edge. 
     
     
         19 . A container according to  claim 17 , wherein any ablation area on the front wall further comprises:
 a third front ablated line extending from the intersection of the bottom wall front edge and the first side wall front edge;   a fourth front ablated line extending from the intersection of the bottom wall front edge and the second side wall front edge; and   a fifth front ablated line intersecting each of the first, second, third and fourth front ablated lines; and   
       wherein any ablation area on the rear wall further comprises:
 a third rear ablated line extending from the intersection of the bottom wall rear edge and the first side wall rear edge; 
 a fourth rear ablated line extending from the intersection of the bottom wall rear edge and the second side wall rear edge; and 
 a fifth rear ablated line intersecting each of the first, second, third and fourth rear ablated lines. 
 
     
     
         20 . A container according to  claim 19 , wherein any fifth front ablation line defines a continuous loop and wherein any fifth rear ablation line defines a continuous loop. 
     
     
         21 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, or both the first and second side walls comprise a bevelled or rounded edge. 
     
     
         22 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein each ablated line has a residual thickness (RT1) of less than 50 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. 
     
     
         23 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein each ablated line has a residual thickness (RT1) of at least 5 percent of the thickness (T) of the laminar blank. 
     
     
         24 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the thickness (T) of the laminar blank is between 200 micrometres and 350 micrometres. 
     
     
         25 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the laminar blank has a basis weight of between 100 grams per square metre and 350 grams per square metre. 
     
     
         26 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the laminar blank has a spring-back force of less than 10 milliNewton metres between adjacent walls. 
     
     
         27 . A container according to  claim 16 , further comprising a box portion and a lid portion depending along a hinge line from a top edge of the box portion, the lid portion being moveable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
         28 . A container according to  claim 16  containing smoking articles. 
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a container for consumer goods, the container being at least partially formed from a blank having a thickness (T), the method comprising:
 providing a laminar blank having a thickness (T), the laminar blank having a first set of ablated lines defining a plurality of panels of the laminar blank, each ablated line having a residual thickness (RT1) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank;   folding the laminar blank about the first set of ablated lines to form a container having:
 a top wall comprising a top wall front edge, a top wall rear edge, and first and second top wall side edges; 
 a bottom wall comprising a bottom wall front edge, a bottom wall rear edge, and first and second bottom wall side edges; 
 a front wall extending from the top wall front edge to the bottom wall front edge; 
 a rear wall extending from the top wall rear edge to the bottom wall rear edge; 
 a first side wall extending between the first top wall side edge and the first bottom wall side edge, the first side wall being connected to the front wall by a first side wall front edge and the first side wall being connected to the rear wall by a first side wall rear edge; and 
 a second side wall extending between the second top wall side edge and the second bottom wall side edge, the second side wall being connected to the front wall by a second side wall front edge, and the second side wall being connected to the rear wall by a second side wall rear edge; 
   wherein the laminar blank is folded such that top wall front edge, the bottom wall front edge, the first side wall front edge, and the second side wall front edge together extend along a first plane;   wherein the laminar blank is folded such that top wall rear edge, the bottom wall rear edge, the first side wall rear edge, and the second side wall rear edge together extend along a second plane;   wherein the laminar blank further comprises at least one ablation area so that at least one of the front wall and the rear wall of the container comprises the at least one ablation area, wherein any ablation area on the front wall comprises at least one ablated line extending across the inner surface of the front wall, wherein any ablation area on the rear wall comprises at least one ablated line extending across the inner surface of the rear wall, and wherein each ablated line has a residual thickness (RT1) that is less than the thickness (T) of the laminar blank, and wherein at least one ablated line of any ablation area on the front wall extends from at least one of the top wall front edge, the bottom wall front edge, the first side wall front edge, and the second side wall front edge, and wherein at least one ablated line of any ablation area on the rear wall extends from at least one of the top wall rear edge, the bottom wall rear edge, the first side wall rear edge, and the second side wall rear edge; and   wherein, during the step of folding, the laminar blank is at least partially folded along the at least one ablated line of each ablation area, so that any ablation area on the front wall defines a portion of the front wall spaced outwardly from the first plane and so that any ablation area on the rear wall defines a portion of the rear wall spaced outwardly from the second plane.