Container with resealable inner package

Abstract

A container ( 10; 60 ) comprises a housing ( 12; 62 ) comprising a box ( 14; 64 ) and a lid ( 16; 66 ) hinged to the box. An inner package ( 18; 68, 70 ) of consumer goods is housed in the box and comprises: an upper opening ( 20 ) through which goods can be removed when the lid ( 16 ) is in the open position; and a cover flap ( 22; 72, 74 ) occluding the opening. The container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label ( 24; 76 ) releasably affixed to the inner package ( 18; 68, 70 ). The reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) extends beyond the periphery of the opening and is affixed to the inner package ( 18; 68, 70 ) so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap ( 22; 72, 74 ) by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) extending about at least a front edge of the opening. A front tab of the reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) is permanently affixed to the lid ( 16 ), such that upon opening the lid ( 16 ) the reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) is lifted off the inner package to reveal the cover flap ( 22; 72, 74 ).

1 . A container for consumer goods comprising:
 an outer housing comprising:
 a box; and 
 a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing and pivotable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position; 
   an inner package of consumer goods, the inner package being housed in the box and comprising an upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position; wherein the inner package comprises a cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the inner package;   wherein the container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label releasably affixed to the inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap of the inner package, the reclosable adhesive label extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package and being affixed to the inner package so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening;   wherein a front tab of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the cover flap; and   wherein the cover flap is completely removable from the inner package.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a connection portion of the inner package by a permanent adhesive provided on a second area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label, wherein in the inner package the connection portion is adjacent the upper access opening of the inner package and located at the back of a top wall of the inner package. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein a third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label disposed between the first and second areas is substantially free of adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 1 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the box internally defines two or more volume portions, the inner package being housed in one of the volume portions; the container comprising at least one further inner package of consumer goods, the further inner package being housed in another one of the volume portions of the box and comprising a respective upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 5 , wherein the further inner package comprises a respective cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the further inner package, the single reclosable adhesive label being releasably affixed to the further inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap of the further inner package, the reclosable adhesive label extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the further inner package and being affixed to the further inner package so as to at least partly overlie the respective cover flap by a resealable adhesive provided on an area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening of the further inner package. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover flap comprises a cover adhesive label at least partially releasably affixed to the inner package by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the cover adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening of the inner package. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein a front tab of the cover flap is folded along a fold line by about 180 degrees onto the remainder of the cover flap. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 8  comprising an activatable, permanent adhesive element provided on the outer surface of the front tab, wherein the adhesive element can be selectively activated and the front tab can be affixed to the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label, such that upon opening the lid the cover flap is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the access opening. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the adhesive element is protected by a layer of backing material and the layer of backing material can be removed to expose and thereby activate the adhesive element. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 8 , wherein a fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label which, when the lid is in the closed position, overlies the front tab of the cover flap is substantially free of adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 8 , wherein the fold line along which the front tab of the cover flap is folded is below an upper edge of a front wall of the box or below an upper edge of a front wall of an inner frame received within the box, wherein the front wall of the inner frame extends beyond the upper edge of the front wall of the box. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 11 , wherein a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 1 mm greater than a height of the front tab of the cover flap. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumer goods are smoking articles.