Hinge lid container

Abstract

A hinge lid container for smoking articles having a front wall, a rear wall and opposed side walls extending therebetween comprises: a box portion; and a lid portion hinged to the box portion along a hinge line extending across a rear wall of the container. At each side wall of the container, the angle □ between the front edge of the side wall of the lid portion and the lower edge thereof is greater than the angle □ defined between the rear edge of the side wall and a straight line extending between a first point (A) where the hinge line meets the side wall and a second point (B) where the upper edge of a front wall of the box portion meets the side wall.

1 . A container comprising
 a front wall, a rear wall, opposed side walls extending therebetween, and a top wall, the container further including   first portions of the front wall, rear wall and opposed side walls defining a box portion;   second portions of the front wall, rear wall and opposed side walls defining a lid portion hinged to the box portion along an integral hinge line extending across the rear wall of the container, and spaced from the top wall, and   an inner frame substantially surrounded by the box portion and extending above the hinge line;   wherein at each side wall of the container, an angle φ defined between the front edge of the side wall of the lid portion and the lower edge thereof is greater than an angle θ defined between the rear edge of the side wall and a straight line extending between a first point (A) where the hinge line meets the side wall and a second point (B) where the upper edge of a front wall of the box portion meets the side wall; and   wherein each side wall of the container is formed from an inner wall of the inner frame and an outer wall and wherein the line of abutment extending along the inner wall between the first point A and the second point B is different from the line of abutment extending along the outer wall, and   wherein the ratio of the length of the front wall of the lid portion to the length of the front wall of the box portion is greater than 30:60.   
   
   
       2 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the angle φ is at least 10 degrees greater than the angle θ. 
   
   
       3 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the angle θ is between 35 degrees and 60 degrees. 
   
   
       4 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein when the container is closed the free edges of the lid portion abut the free edges of the box portion meet such that the line of abutment extending between the first point A and the second point B comprises at least two linear portions, extending at different angles to each other. 
   
   
       5 . A container according to  claim 4  wherein the line of abutment comprises a first linear portion extending along a vertical edge of the side wall and a second linear portion extending between that edge and the opposed vertical edge of the side wall. 
   
   
       6 . A container according to  claim 5  wherein the first linear portion of the line of abutment extends from the first point A along the rear edge of the side wall of the container. 
   
   
       7 . A container according to  claim 5  wherein the first linear portion of the line of abutment extends along the front edge of the side wall of the container from the second point B to the point where the first portion meets the front wall of the container. 
   
   
       8 . A container according to  claim 4  wherein the at least two portions of the line of abutment both extend across the side wall of the container between the rear edge and the front edge thereof.