Resealable container for consumer articles with improved moisture control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10377548-B2
Application number	US-201615571062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A package ( 18 ) of consumer goods has an opening for removing the goods and a reclosable adhesive label ( 22 ) occluding the opening. The label ( 22 ) comprises a bottom layer ( 24 ) and a top layer ( 26 ). The bottom layer ( 24 ) is affixed to the package ( 18 ) by means of permanent adhesive provided on a first area ( 30 ) of the inner surface of the bottom layer extending about the periphery of the opening, the bottom layer comprising a cut-out portion ( 28 ) at least partly aligned with the opening of the package. The top layer ( 26 ) is at least partly affixed to the bottom layer ( 24 ) by permanent adhesive provided on a back hinge area ( 32 ) of the inner surface of the top layer, and at least partly releasably affixed to the bottom layer by means of a second adhesive provided on a peeling area ( 34 ) of the inner surface of the top layer extending distal from the hinge area ( 32 ). Thus, the top layer ( 26 ) is movable from a closed position, wherein it overlies at least the access opening, and an open position, wherein it is lifted off the bottom layer ( 24 ) to reveal the cut-out portion ( 28 ). The second adhesive is a permanent or semi-permanent adhesive and a layer of a release agent is provided between the bottom layer ( 24 ) and the top layer ( 26 ). In the closed position, a front end portion of the peeling area ( 34 ) of the inner surface of the top layer ( 26 ) at least partially overlies the release agent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A resealable container for consumer goods comprising:
a package of consumer goods, the package having an access opening through which consumer goods can be removed; and
a reclosable adhesive label occluding the access opening of the package and extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the package,
wherein the reclosable adhesive label comprises at least a bottom layer and a top layer of labelling material;
the bottom layer being affixed to the package by a first, permanent adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the bottom layer extending about the periphery of the access opening, the bottom layer comprising a cut-out portion at least partly aligned with the access opening of the package; and
the top layer being at least partly permanently affixed to the bottom layer by a permanent adhesive provided on a back hinge area of the inner surface of the top layer, and at least partly releasably affixed to the bottom layer by a second adhesive provided on a peeling area of the inner surface of the top layer extending distal from the hinge area, such that the top layer is movable from a closed position, wherein the top layer overlies at least the access opening, and an open position, wherein the top layer is lifted off the bottom layer to reveal the cut-out portion;
wherein the second adhesive is a permanent adhesive and the resealable container further comprises a layer comprising a release agent provided between the bottom layer and the top layer and applied on a first area of the outer surface of the bottom layer, such that, in the closed position, a front end portion of the peeling area of the inner surface of the top layer at least partially overlies the first area of the outer surface of the bottom layer and the layer of release agent; wherein the first area of the outer surface of the bottom layer comprises at least a first region and a second region, the second region being at the back of the first region; and wherein a release agent coverage percentage in the first region is greater than a release agent coverage percentage than in the second region.

2. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the layer comprising the release agent is printed on the first area of the outer surface of the bottom layer.

3. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the release agent percentage coverage in the first region is from about 65 percent to about 95 percent.

4. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the release agent percentage coverage in the second region is from about 40 percent to about 60 percent.

5. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein a second area of the outer surface of the bottom layer underlying the back hinge area of the inner surface of the top layer is substantially free of release agent.

6. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the cut-out portion in the inner layer is defined by lines of weakness at least partially delimiting a cover portion of the inner layer, such that the cover portion is partially separable from the remainder of the inner layer to be lifted off the top of the package to reveal the access opening, at least a portion of the outer surface of the cover portion being substantially free of release agent; and wherein the container comprises a layer of a permanent adhesive provided on a securing area of the inner surface of the top layer, a periphery of the securing area being entirely comprised within the periphery of the cover portion of the inner layer, such that the cover portion is permanently affixed to the outer layer.

7. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the package is formed from a thermosealable flexible material having a moisture vapour transmission rate (MTVR) of less than about 1 gram/square meter per 24 hours.

8. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the package is formed from a thermosealable flexible laminate material comprising two or more layers, wherein one of the two or more layers comprises aluminium and has a thickness of at least about 4 micrometers.

9. A resealable container according to claim 1 , wherein the consumer goods are smoking articles.

10. A hinge lid container according to claim 8 , wherein the top layer of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to an inner surface of the lid, such that upon opening the lid the top layer of the reclosable adhesive label is moved from the closed position towards the open position to at least partly reveal the access opening.

11. A hinge lid container according to claim 9 , wherein the resealable container comprises a layer of a primer provided on a first area of the outer surface of the top layer arranged at the front end of the top layer.

12. A hinge lid container according to claim 9 , wherein a peak peeling force of the reclosable adhesive label is less than about 10 Newtons.

13. A hinge lid container for consumer goods, comprising:
a box;
a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the hinge lid container; and
a resealable container according to claim 1 within the box.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Bourgoin Philippe
• Rutzinger Elke
• Slooff Arjen Hamilcar

Classifications

• B65D85/1054

  combined with an outer sleeve connected to the lid · CPC title

• B65D85/1027

  Opening devices · CPC title

• B65D75/5838 Primary

  combined with separate fixed tearing means, e.g. tabs · CPC title

• B65D85/1045

  having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge · CPC title

• B65D2575/586

  with means for reclosing · CPC title