Folded blank for the manufacture of a rigid wrapper

Abstract

A folded blank ( 1 ) used to manufacture a rigid packet ( 2 ) is prepared from a flat diecut blank ( 3 ) presenting a first panel ( 6 ) and a second panel ( 8 ), pairs of lateral panels ( 10, 11, 30 ) hinged respectively to the first and second panels ( 6, 8 ), and two end panels ( 12, 14 ). The flat blank ( 3 ) is also scored with a fold line ( 5 ) separating a first part ( 16 ) and a second part ( 17 ) that are bent double and flattened one against the other to produce an initially collapsed configuration. Each of the lateral panels ( 10, 11, 30 ) associated with the first or second part ( 16, 17 ) is divided by a preferential fold line ( 25 ) to create a first inner portion ( 26 ) and a second outer portion ( 27 ), so that when bent along this same line ( 25 ), at least one portion ( 26, 27 ) can be offered and fixed to the corresponding lateral panel ( 10, 11 ) of the other part ( 17, 16 ), and when the folded blank ( 1 ) is then fully erected to form the packet ( 2 ), the lateral panels ( 10, 11 ) will overlap and conceal the respective preferential fold lines ( 25 ).

1 . A folded blank for the manufacture of a rigid packet ( 2 ), obtainable from a flat diecut blank ( 3 ) presenting a first panel ( 6 ) and a second panel ( 8 ) coinciding respectively with the front ( 7 ) and the back ( 9 ) of the packet ( 2 ), pairs of lateral panels ( 10 ,  11 ,  30 ) hingedly attached respectively to the first and second panels ( 6 , 8 ) and establishing the flanks ( 60 ) of the packet ( 2 ), and end panels ( 12 ,  14 ) establishing the top end face ( 13 ) and the bottom end face ( 15 ) of the packet ( 2 ), characterized in that the flat diecut blank ( 3 ) is bent double along at least one fold line ( 5 ) to create a first part ( 16 ) and a second part ( 17 ) flattened one against the other in such a manner that the folded blank ( 1 ) presents a collapsed configuration initially; in that each of the lateral panels ( 10 ,  11 ,  30 ) associated with one of the two parts ( 16 ,  17 ) of the blank presents a preferential fold line ( 25 ) delimiting a first inner lateral portion ( 26 ) and a second outer lateral portion ( 27 ), positioned such that the second outer portions ( 27 ) can be bent along the preferential fold line ( 25 ) and at least one portion ( 27 ) of one part ( 16 ,  17 ) offered to the corresponding lateral panel ( 11 ,  10 ) of the other part ( 16 ,  17 ) so that when the folded blank ( 1 ) is erected to form the packet ( 2 ), the corresponding lateral panel ( 11 ,  10 ) will overlap and cover the preferential fold line ( 25 ).  
   
   
       2 . A folded blank as in  claim 1 , wherein the second outer portion ( 27 ) of a lateral panel ( 10 ,  11 ) presented by one part ( 17 ,  16 ) of the blank ( 1 ), offered to the panel ( 10 ,  11 ) that will ultimately overlap the preferential fold line ( 25 ), is fastened permanently to the opposite part ( 16 ,  17 ) of the blank.  
   
   
       3 . A folded blank as in  claim 2 , wherein the second outer portion ( 27 ) is fastened permanently to the corresponding lateral panel ( 10 ,  11 ) presented by the opposite part ( 16 ,  17 ) of the blank.  
   
   
       4 . A folded blank as in  claim 3 , wherein the preferential fold line ( 25 ) coincides with an axis of symmetry of the lateral panel ( 10 ,  11 ,  30 ).  
   
   
       5 . A folded blank as in  claim 4 , wherein the second outer portions ( 27 ) of each lateral portion are substantially flattened against the respective first inner portions ( 26 ) when the blank is in the initially collapsed configuration.  
   
   
       6 . A folded blank as in  claim 5 , referable to a predominating axis ( 4 ) disposed transversely to a predominating axis ( 4 ′) of the flat diecut blank ( 3 ) 
 and extending parallel to the fold line ( 5 ) of the selfsame blank ( 3 ).    
   
   
       7 . A folded blank as in  claim 6 , wherein the preferential fold line ( 25 ) of the lateral panel ( 10 ,  11 , 30 ) coincides with the fold line ( 5 ) of the flat blank ( 3 ), and the lateral panel ( 30 ) is hinged on opposite sides of the preferential fold line ( 25 ) to the first panel ( 6 ) and the second panel ( 8 ).  
   
   
       8 . A folded blank as in  claim 5 , referable to a predominating axis ( 4 ) coinciding with a predominating axis ( 4 ′) of the flat diecut blank ( 3 ) and extending transversely to the fold line ( 5 ) of the selfsame blank ( 3 ).  
   
   
       9 . A folded blank as in  claim 8 , wherein the fold line ( 5 ) is applied to an end panel ( 14 ) hinged on opposite sides of the selfsame fold line ( 5 ) to the first panel ( 6 ) and the second panel ( 8 ).  
   
   
       10 . A folded blank as in  claim 9 , wherein the second outer portions ( 27 ) of the lateral panels ( 11 ) associated with the second panel ( 8 ) are positioned such that when the folded blank ( 1 ) is erected to form the packet ( 2 ), each lateral panel ( 10 ) associated with the first panel ( 6 ) will overlap the corresponding preferential fold line ( 25 ).  
   
   
       11 . A folded blank as in  claim 9 , wherein the second outer portions ( 27 ) of the lateral panels ( 10 ) associated with the first panel ( 6 ) are positioned such that when the folded blank ( 1 ) is erected to form the packet ( 2 ), each lateral panel ( 11 ) associated with the second panel ( 8 ) will overlap the corresponding preferential fold line ( 25 ).  
   
   
       12 . A folded blank as in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of first crease lines ( 20 ,  24 ) functioning as hinges between the lateral panels ( 10 ,  11 , 30 ) and the first and second panels ( 6 , 8 ).  
   
   
       13 . A folded blank as in  claim 12 , comprising a plurality of second crease lines ( 19 ,  22 ,  23 ) functioning as hinges between the end panels ( 12 ,  14 ) and the first and second panels ( 6 , 8 ).  
   
   
       14 . A method of preparing a folded blank ( 1 ) as in  claim 13 , characterized in that it comprises the steps of: —bending the lateral panels ( 10 , 11 ,  30 ) associated with the first panel ( 6 ) or the second panel ( 8 ) along the preferential fold line ( 25 ); —bending the first part ( 16 ) of the folded blank ( 1 ) flat over the second part ( 17 ) in such a way that the second outer portions ( 27 ) of the lateral panels ( 10 ,  11 ) associated with one part ( 17 , 16 ) are positioned, relative to the corresponding lateral panels ( 10 , 11 ) of the other part ( 16 , 17 ), so that when the folded blank ( 1 ) is erected to form the packet ( 2 ), each lateral panel ( 10 , 11 ) will overlap a corresponding preferential fold line ( 25 ); —fastening the second outer portion ( 27 ) to the other part ( 16 , 17 ).  
   
   
       15 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein the overlapping step includes the step of bending the first and second parts ( 16 ,  17 ) of the flat diecut blank ( 3 ) along the fold line ( 5 ).  
   
   
       16 . A folded blank as in  claim 1 , referable to a predominating axis ( 4 ) disposed transversely to a predominating axis ( 4 ′) of the flat diecut blank ( 3 ) and extending parallel to the fold line ( 5 ) of the selfsame blank ( 3 ).  
   
   
       17 . A folded blank as in  claim 1 , referable to a predominating axis ( 4 ) coinciding with a predominating axis ( 4 ′) of the flat diecut blank ( 3 ) and extending transversely to the fold line ( 5 ) of the selfsame blank ( 3 ).  
   
   
       18 . A folded blank as in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of first crease lines ( 20 ,  24 ) functioning as hinges between the lateral panels ( 10 ,  11 ,  30 ) and the first and second panels ( 6 , 8 ).  
   
   
       19 . A folded blank as in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of second crease lines ( 19 ,  22 ,  23 ) functioning as hinges between the end panels ( 12 ,  14 ) and the first and second panels ( 6 , 8 ).  
   
   
       20 . A method of preparing a folded blank ( 1 ) as in  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises the steps of: —bending the lateral panels ( 10 , 11 ,  30 ) associated with the first panel ( 6 ) or the second panel ( 8 ) along the preferential fold line ( 25 ); —bending the first part ( 16 ) of the folded blank ( 1 ) flat over the second part ( 17 ) in such a way that the second outer portions ( 27 ) of the lateral panels ( 10 ,  11 ) associated with one part ( 17 , 16 ) are positioned, relative to the corresponding lateral panels ( 10 , 11 ) of the other part ( 16 , 17 ), so that when the folded blank ( 1 ) is erected to form the packet ( 2 ), each lateral panel ( 10 , 11 ) will overlap a corresponding preferential fold line ( 25 ); —fastening the second outer portion ( 27 ) to the other part ( 16 , 17 ).