Container with top curved bevelled edge

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) for consumer articles comprises a box portion ( 12 ) and a lid portion ( 14 ) connected to the box portion ( 12 ) along a hinge line ( 16 ) extending across a container back wall. The lid portion ( 14 ) is pivotable about the hinge line ( 16 ) between a closed position and an open position, and comprises a lid top wall ( 30 ), a lid back wall ( 28 ), and a lid back edge portion ( 34 ) connecting the lid top wall ( 30 ) and the lid back wall ( 28 ). The lid back edge portion ( 34 ) extends between an upper edge ( 36 ) of the lid back wall ( 28 ) and a back edge ( 38 ) of the lid top wall ( 30 ). Further, the upper edge ( 36 ) of the lid back wall ( 28 ) and the back edge ( 38 ) of the lid top wall ( 30 ) are curved, the upper edge ( 36 ) of the lid back wall ( 28 ) being convex towards a top of the container when the container ( 10 ) is in the upright position and the back edge ( 38 ) of the lid top wall ( 30 ) being convex towards a front of the container ( 10 ) when the container ( 10 ) is in the upright position and viewed from the top of the container ( 10 ).

1 . A container for consumer articles, the container comprising:
 a box portion; and   a lid portion connected to the box portion along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the container, the lid portion being pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an open position, and comprising a lid top wall, a lid back wall, and a lid back edge portion connecting the lid top wall and the lid back wall;   wherein the lid back edge portion extends between an upper edge of the lid back wall and a back edge of the lid top wall; and   wherein the upper edge of the lid back wall and the back edge of the lid top wall are curved, the upper edge of the lid back wall being convex towards a top of the container when the container is in the upright position and viewed from the back of the container, and the back edge of the lid top wall being convex towards a front of the container when the container is in the upright position and viewed from the top of the container.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1  comprising a first line of weakness defining the upper edge of the lid back wall and a second line of weakness defining the back edge of the lid top wall, wherein at least one of the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness comprises an ablated line or a creasing line. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness is defined by a circular arc having constant curvature. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein both the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness are defined by respective circular arcs, each circular arc having constant curvature. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness have the same radius of curvature or wherein the radius of curvature of the first line of weakness is greater than the radius of curvature of the second line of weakness. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein a distance between a maximum of the first line of weakness and a maximum of the second line of weakness is at least about 1 millimetre. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein a distance between a maximum of the first line of weakness and a maximum of the second line of weakness is less than about 15 millimetres. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein a distance between a maximum of the first line of weakness and the box back wall is at least about 0.5 millimetres and a distance between the maximum of the first line of weakness and the lid front wall is at least about 2 millimetres. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein a distance between a maximum of the second line of weakness and the box back wall is at least about 1 millimetre and a distance between the maximum of the second line of weakness and the lid front wall is at least about 1 millimetre. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid portion further comprises a lid front wall connected to the lid top wall by a first modified edge portion forming a bevelled or rounded edge portion of the container. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the box portion comprises a box front wall and the lid portion comprises a lid front wall such that, when the lid portion is in the closed position, the lid front wall overlies an upper portion of the box front wall. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 8  comprising at least a retention tab extending laterally and outwardly from the box front wall, the retention tab interacting with the lid portion of the container when the lid portion is moved between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the lid portion comprises lid side walls extending between the lid front wall and the lid back wall; the lid portion further comprising at least a cut out in one of the lid side walls, the cut out interacting with the retention tab when the lid portion is moved between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 1 , the container comprising smoking articles. 
     
     
         15 . A blank for forming a container for consumer articles, the blank comprising:
 a box-defining blank portion for forming a box portion of the container;   a lid-defining blank portion for forming a lid portion of the container;   wherein the box-defining blank portion comprises a back box wall panel for forming a back wall of the box portion and the lid-defining blank portion depends from the box-defining blank portion along a lid hinge line extending across the back box wall panel;   wherein the lid-defining blank portion comprises:
 a top lid wall panel and a top back wall panel for forming a lid top wall and a lid back wall, respectively; 
 a first line of weakness defining an upper edge of the lid back wall panel and a second line of weakness defining the back edge of the lid top wall panel, an edge-defining blank portion extending between the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness for forming a lid back edge portion that connects the lid top wall and the lid back wall in the assembled container; 
   wherein the first line of weakness and the second line of weakness are both concave towards the box-defining blank portion.