Resealable container including release elements

Abstract

A container for consumer goods that comprises a housing (12) comprising a box (14) and a lid (20) hingedly attached to the box. The box comprises a box front wall (16) and an interior box volume. The lid comprises a lid front wall (24). The container also comprises a sealed inner package (30) disposed at least partially within the interior box volume and defining an interior sealed volume for housing consumer goods. The container also comprises a resealable flap (44) configured to open and close the sealed inner package when the lid of the housing is opened and closed. The resealable flap (44) being positioned to cover an access opening (54) in the sealed inner package that extends at least partially across the top wall of the inner package. The container also comprises at least one release element (72) positioned within the interior sealed volume of the sealed inner package even after the sealed inner package has been opened and closed.

1 . A container for consumer goods, comprising:
 a housing comprising a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box, wherein the box comprises a box front wall and an interior box volume and wherein the lid comprises a lid front wall;   a sealed inner package disposed at least partially within the interior box volume and defining an interior sealed volume for housing consumer goods;   a resealable flap configured to open and close the sealed inner package when the lid of the housing is opened and closed, wherein the resealable flap is positioned to cover an access opening in the sealed inner package, where the access opening extends at least partially across the top wall of the inner package;   at least one release element positioned within the interior sealed volume of the sealed inner package even after the sealed inner package has been opened and closed; and   a pressure resistant element positioned inside the sealed inner package,   wherein the pressure resistant element and the at least one release element are positioned such that a force applied from the outside of the container can cause the at least one release element to release at least some material therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the front wall of the box comprises a box front wall upper edge and the front wall of the lid comprises a lid front wall lower edge and the at least one release element is positioned above the box front wall upper edge and above the lid front wall lower edge. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealed inner package further comprises a front wall, a back wall, a right side wall, a left side wall, a top wall and a bottom wall and the at least one release element is positioned adjacent at least one of the front wall, the back wall, the right side wall, the left side wall, the top wall, the bottom wall, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein the pressure resistant element and the at least one release element are positioned adjacent the same wall or walls of the sealed inner package and the at least one release element is located between the sealed inner package and the pressure resistant element. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to any of  claims 1 , wherein the pressure resistant element is an inner frame, an inner stiffener or both. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claims 1 , wherein the access opening also extends at least partially across the front wall, the back wall, or both of the sealed inner package. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to any of  claims 1 , wherein the resealable flap comprises a label adhered to the sealed inner package. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to any of  claims 1 , wherein the resealable flap is integrally formed from the sealed inner package. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the release element comprises water or a humidity release agent, a sensory-enhancing agent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the release element has a maximum resistance to breaking of 17 N. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises at least two release elements. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealed inner package comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and the outer surface comprise indicia that locates the at least one release element, identifies the at least one release element, or both. 
     
     
         13 . A method of forming a container, the method comprising:
 forming a sealable inner package, the sealed inner package comprising an access opening that extends at least partially across a top wall of the sealed inner package;   disposing at least one release element in or on the sealable inner package;   disposing at least one consumer good in the sealable inner package;   disposing a pressure resistant element inside the sealed inner package, wherein the pressure resistant element and the at least one release element are positioned such that a force applied from the outside of the container can cause the at least one release element to release at least some material therefrom;   positioning a resealable flap to cover the access opening of the sealed inner package, the resealable flap configured to open and close the sealed inner package when the lid of the housing is opened and closed;   sealing the sealable inner package so that the at least one consumer good and the at least one release element are contained therein;   forming a housing, the housing comprising a box and a lid hingedly attached to the box, wherein the box has an interior box volume, wherein the sealed inner package is disposed at least partially within the interior box volume to form the container.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one release element is disposed the sealable inner package. 
     
     
         15 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the release element has a maximum resistance to breaking of 17 N. 
     
     
         16 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the container comprises at least two release elements. 
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 11 , wherein the sealed inner package comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and the outer surface comprise indicia that locates the at least two release elements, identifies the at least two release elements, or both. 
     
     
         18 . The container according to  claim 11 , wherein the sealed inner package comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and the outer surface comprise indicia that both locates the at least two release elements and identifies the at least two release elements.