Sealed container for dispensing consumer goods

Abstract

A container for consumer goods is provided, including a housing to receive a plurality of consumer goods and including an aperture to dispense consumer goods from the housing. First and second sealing flaps extend across the aperture and are biased towards each other to form a seal across the aperture for sealing the plurality of consumer goods within the housing. The container includes a dispensing mechanism to dispense the plurality of consumer goods through the aperture when activated by a consumer, the dispensing mechanism configured so that actuation of the dispensing mechanism advances one of the consumer goods between the first and second sealing flaps and through the aperture. The first and second sealing flaps are configured so that they are biased towards each other after each of the consumer goods is dispensed so that the consumer goods remaining in the housing are re-sealed within the container.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A container for consumer goods, the container comprising:
 a housing configured to receive a plurality of consumer goods, the housing comprising an aperture configured to dispense the plurality of consumer goods from the housing;   a first sealing flap comprising a first edge secured to the housing adjacent a first side of the aperture and a second edge extending across a first part of the aperture;   a second sealing flap comprising a first edge secured to the housing adjacent a second side of the aperture and a second edge extending across a second part of the aperture, wherein the second edges of the first and second flaps are biased towards each other to form a seal across the aperture configured to seal the plurality of consumer goods within the housing; and   a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense the plurality of consumer goods through the aperture when activated by a consumer, the dispensing mechanism being further configured so that actuation of the dispensing mechanism advances one of the consumer goods between the second edges of the first and second sealing flaps and through the aperture, and the first and second sealing flaps being configured so that the second edges of the first and second sealing flaps are biased towards each other after each of the consumer goods is dispensed so that the consumer goods remaining in the housing are re-sealed within the container.   
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein the aperture is an elongate aperture having a ratio of length to width of at least 2 to 1. 
     
     
         18 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein the first and second sealing flaps are formed from a resilient material. 
     
     
         19 . The container according to  claim 18 , wherein each of the first and second sealing flaps has a curved shape so that the second edges of the sealing flaps are biased together. 
     
     
         20 . The container according to  claim 16 , further comprising an inner liner configured to receive the plurality of consumer goods and being contained within the housing, the inner liner comprising an opening adjacent the aperture, wherein the first and second sealing flaps cooperate with the inner liner to form a continuous seal between the sealing flaps and the edge of the inner liner opening. 
     
     
         21 . The container according to  claim 20 ,
 wherein the inner liner further comprises first and second portions biased towards each other, the inner liner opening extending between the first and second portions, and   wherein each of the first and second portions comprises a protrusion spaced apart from the aperture so that the protrusions on the first and second end portions form a restriction that is configured to facilitate step-wise dispensing of the consumer goods through the aperture.   
     
     
         22 . The container according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a piston arranged to slide within the housing and towards the aperture, and   wherein the container is configured to receive the plurality of consumer goods between the aperture and the piston.   
     
     
         23 . The container according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the housing further comprises an elongate slot extending along a first wall of the housing,   wherein the dispensing mechanism further comprises a button disposed outside of the housing and a shaft extending through the elongate slot, and   wherein the shaft comprises a first end connected to the button and a second end connected to the piston.   
     
     
         24 . The container according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a plurality of ratchet teeth disposed on an inner surface of the first wall and extending parallel to the elongate slot; and   a pawl extending between the shaft and the piston and being configured to connect the second end of the shaft to the piston,   wherein the pawl is biased towards the plurality of ratchet teeth, and   wherein the pawl engages successive ratchet teeth as the piston is advanced towards the aperture.   
     
     
         25 . The container according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein the pawl is a flexible pawl, and   wherein the dispensing mechanism is further configured so that pushing the button towards the first wall disengages the flexible pawl from the ratchet teeth to permit sliding movement of the piston away from the aperture.   
     
     
         26 . The container according to  claim 16 , further comprising a moveable panel moveable between a closed position for sealing a plurality of consumer goods within the container and an open position in which one or more consumer goods can be inserted into the container. 
     
     
         27 . The container according to  claim 16 , further comprising the plurality of consumer goods received within the container. 
     
     
         28 . The container according to  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of consumer goods is a plurality of elongate consumer goods each having a ratio of length to width of at least 2 to 1. 
     
     
         29 . The container according to  claim 28 ,
 wherein each of the consumer goods comprises a first end and a second end,   wherein the plurality of elongate consumer goods is arranged within the container so that a length of each of the consumer goods is substantially parallel to the aperture, and   wherein the first and second ends of each of the consumer goods are advanced through the aperture substantially simultaneously each time one of the consumer goods is dispensed from the container.   
     
     
         30 . The container according to  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of consumer goods is a plurality of aerosol-generating articles.