Slide-open package with a lid having a plurality of hinged caps

Abstract

A slide-open package comprises: an inner container (3) suitable for housing at least one item (7) and having an open upper end (5) through which the item (7) can be extracted from or introduced into the inner container (3); a lid (2) comprising a plurality of caps (6), wherein each cap (6) is hinged on the inner container (3) along a respective hinge (8) obtained in a respective side wall (9, 20) of the inner container (3) to rotate, with respect to the inner container (3), between a closed position (C) and an open position (O); an outer container (4) arranged to house the inner container (3) to allow the inner container (3) to slide between a retracted position (W), in which the inner container (3) is inserted inside the outer container (4) and said caps (6) are in the closed position (C), and an extracted position (E)

Description

SLIDE-OPEN PACKAGE WITH A LID HAVING A PLURALITY OF HINGED CAPSTechnical field

[0001] The invention relates to a slide-open package and with a lid having a plurality of hinged caps suitable for containing objects and enabling these objects to be accessed by rotating the caps. The package is usable in particular in the tobacco industry, for example to contain cigarettes, or in the cosmetics industry or in the food industry.Background to the invention

[0002] In the packaging industry, there is a continuous demand to customize packages to enable a user to have easier access to the contained items after opening of the package and at the same time in order to make the packages more attractive.

[0003] In cigarette packages, the product is difficult to reach, to grasp and to extract because it is usually wrapped in at least three protective layers that limit accessibility to the product, i.e. a wrapper, an inner container and an outer container. Access to the product becomes even more difficult in the case of cigarettes of small dimensions, which are usually packaged in packets of particularly reduced dimensions, as in packages that provide cigarettes arranged only on two rows.

[0004] As in other manufacturing industries, also in the smoking items industry, the appearance of a packet may lead the user to choose a product that is deemed to be more pleasant or more original than other packets with a more traditional appearance.

[0005] In order to meet these needs, stiff packets of cigarettes with sliding opening and lid formed by two hinged caps instead of a single lid have been proposed. These stiff packets of cigarettes comprise an inner container, which receives a bundle of cigarettes wrapped in a foil wrapper sheet that is provided with two caps that are rotatable around a respective hinge obtained on a wall of the outer container. The inner container is slidably inserted into the outer container, the latter having a cut on the bottom through which a finger of a user can reach and press the inner container to slide the inner container upwards from a closed configuration in which the inner container is inserted inside the outer container, and an open configuration, in which the inner container is partially extracted from the outer container to expose the bundle of cigarettes to the user. A respective drive tab for each cap is obtained from a respective wall of the inner container by incision or punching; each drive tab is substantially stiff and provided with inflexion lines along which the drive tab is rotatable. A free end of the drive table tab is glued to an inner wall of the respective cap. By moving the inner container with respect to the outer container, the drive tab folding along the inflectionlines rotates the respective cap, moving the cap from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

[0006] A stiff packet of cigarettes of this type is disclosed in EP 2029446.

[0007] One drawback of the packets as disclosed above lies in the fact that the caps in the open configuration are rather bulky, making it difficult to be able to access the cigarettes positioned against the greater inner sides of the packet.

[0008] A further drawback of the aforesaid packet lies into the fact that the packet has to be reclosed by the user by pressing on a part of the inner container that is outside the outer container; nevertheless, whilst the user presses the inner container, the closing rotation of the caps induced by the drive tab takes the caps to the finger of the user, preventing the user from having access to the inner container until the end of the stroke and thus making the closing operation incomplete. The user is forced to act externally on the caps to complete closing, which operation is fiddly in addition to being inconvenient, with the risk that excessive force is exerted on the caps and causes undesired deformation also of the drive tab, compromising the subsequent operation thereof.

[0009] IT M020090052 discloses a stiff packet with opening with vertical slide and hinged lid in which the packet comprises two caps hinged on the walls of lesser extent of an outer casing of the packet. The packet comprises an inner casing that is slidable inside the outer casing and a movement tab that is obtained on a wall of the inner casing. A free end of the movement tab is fixed by glue points to an inner surface of the respective cap. In order to be able to have a certain structural stiffness, the movement tab has an “L” or “U”-shaped cross section as it comprises a flat main flap connected to a wall of the inner container by a hinge, and one or two side flaps folded orthogonally with respect to the main flap. The stiffness of the tab enables the user to act both on the inner container, pushing the latter outside during opening step, and on the lid, rotating the latter. Nevertheless, owing to the stiffness of the tab, the two caps can remain partially spaced apart during the closing operation; for this reason, the packet is provided with a sleeve, within which the outer container can slide, which acts on the hinges of the caps, forcing the caps to rotate towards one another as far as the closed position, this making the drive more complicated and the appearance of the packet less pleasing.

[0010] The packets disclosed until now provide two caps hinged on the outer casing and in the case of the packet disclosed in document IT M020090052 the caps can be used todrive opening and closing of the packet; accordingly, in the packets disclosed above, the caps are exposed to possibly involuntary shocks, which could damage the caps.

[0011] In packets with two caps of known type, although the caps in open position enable the central part of the packet to be reached easily, which is freed from the lid, they do not yet enable the content of the packet in peripheral zones to be reached easily, where, by occupying a certain space, the caps in addition to limiting the visibility of the content, hinder the transit of the fingers of the user desiring to reach the content arranged in peripheral zones of the packet. Such packets do not therefore appear to be suitable for being produced in reduced dimensions, for example to house cigarettes of small diameter, generally arranged in two rows.

[0012] WO2013 / 168142 discloses a stiff packet having a parallelpipedon shape on a triangular base with a lid having a single cap hinged on an inner container, which is slidable inside an outer container. The lid, although it is exposed, is rotatable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, “automatically” without the user having to touch the lid; through a window obtained on a side wall of the outer container, the user can reach the inner container and push the inner container upwards. A first connecting tab is obtained in the diecut sheet of the inner container so as to have an end thereof integral with the lid and the other opposite end folded into a “U” shape to connect to a second tab obtained in the die-cut sheet of the outer container in the shape of an upturned “U”. An appendage is obtained on the first tab that determines a stop position for opening the lid.

[0013] Although the packet disclosed in WO2013 / 168142 combines a certain drive efficacy and an attractive shape, the need is still felt to provide a package in which access to the items contained in the package is more facilitated.

[0014] In addition, in all the prior-art packets disclosed above, the drive tab that enables each cap to be rotated from the closed position to the open position is obtained from the same die-cut element of the inner container or of the outer container and is folded in various modes to act substantially as an articulated lever that occupies a not insignificant space inside the packet, forcing the walls of the inner container and of the outer container to remain at a certain reciprocal distance.

[0015] Further, a drive tab that is an integral part of one of the two containers is easily subjected in use to deforming forces with consequent weakening at the hinges of the drive tab, following repeated opening and closing actions, compromising the rotation of the caps; this means that the caps may not return correctly to the closed position, with the risk that theitem exits the package in an uncontrolled manner and at an uncontrolled moment, or that the caps do not open correctly, causing a feeling of annoyance and frustration in the user, who does not succeed to accessing the contained items and is forced to intervene incorrectly on the package.

[0016] Lastly, providing a drive tab in the die-cut element of one of the containers may significantly increase the waste of material during production of the die-cut element, which generally occurs by punching a card, which has to be of sufficient dimensions for containing the extent of the drive tab.

[0017] One object of the invention is to improve packages with sliding opening and lid having a plurality of hinged caps of known type.

[0018] A further object of the invention is to provide a slide-open package and lid having a plurality of hinged caps that are able to surmount the limits or drawbacks of the prior art.

[0019] A further object of the invention is to provide a slide-open package and lid having a plurality of hinged caps that allows easy access to the items inside and has a pleasing and original shape.

[0020] Still another object is to provide a slide-open package and lid having a plurality of hinged caps in which there is a drive tab that occupies a limited space.

[0021] Such objects are achieved by the package according to one or more of the claims set out below.

[0022] Owing to the invention, it is thus possible to obtain a slide-open package and lid having a plurality of hinged caps that thus enables the user to reach the items contained in the package more easily.

[0023] Further, owing to the invention it is possible to provide package having an original aspect.

[0024] Owing to the invention it is then possible to reduce the space occupied by the drive tab.

[0025] Owing to the invention it is further possible to reduce the rejects in the production of die-cut elements of the inner container or of the outer container.Short description of the drawings

[0026] The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the appended drawings that illustrate some non-limiting embodiments thereof in which:Figure l is a top frontal prospective view of a slide-open package and with a double hinged cap in a closed position;Figure 2 is a prospective view like that of Figure 1 illustrating the package in an open position;Figure 3 A is a frontal perspective view of the package of Figure 1 in the open position, driven by a user;Figure 3B is an interrupted perspective view from the right of the package of Figure 1 in the open position;Figures 4A, 4B, 4C are enlarged and schematic partial sections of a package, which can be like that of Figure 1, illustrating a cap of the package respectively in the closed position, in a transitional position and in the open position;Figure 5 is a front prospective view of a first alternative embodiment of an inner container that can be provided in the package of Figure 1;Figure 6 is a plan view of a die-cut element from which to form the inner container of Figure 5;Figure 7 is a prospective view of the inner container obtained from the die-cut element of Figure 6;Figure 8 is a plan view of a die-cut element from which to form an outer container that can be provided in the package of Figure 1;Figure 9 is a prospective view of the die-cut element of Figure 8 that is partially folded to form the outer container;Figures 10A and 10B are prospective views of a second alternative embodiment of the inner container;Figure 11 A is an enlarged detail of the inner container of Figure 10A;Figure 11B is an enlarged detail like that of Figure 11A illustrating a third alternative embodiment of the inner container;Figure 12 is a top prospective view of a fourth alternative embodiment of the inner container during an assembly step thereof;Figure 13 is a prospective view of an enlarged detail of a fifth alternative embodiment of the inner container during an assembly step thereof;Figures 14 to 20 are schematic plan views of further embodiments of the inner container, that differ from one another by shape and / or number of caps.Detailed description

[0027] For the sake of simplicity of exposition, identical elements of different embodiments will be indicated below by the same reference numbers.

[0028] In Figures 1 to 5, a package 1 with slide opening is shown, in particular with vertical sliding, and with a lid 2 having a plurality of hinged caps 6 that can be used in the tobacco industry for smoking items, for example can be used as cigarette packets, but also in the food industry or in the cosmetics industry.

[0029] In particular, the plurality of caps comprises two caps, a first cap 6a and a second cap 6b, but a number of caps greater than two can be provided, as illustrated in the embodiments of Figures 18-20.

[0030] Below, in the embodiments with two caps 6a, 6b, the numeric references of identical elements can be used as such, to refer generically to these elements or can be accompanied by the letter “a” or by the letter “b” to refer respectively to the first cap 6a or to the second cap 6b.

[0031] The package 1 comprises an inner container 3 suitable for housing at least one item 10 (Figure 2), which in the illustrated embodiment is a bundle of cigarettes wrapped in a wrapper 11 of metallized paper or metal foil. Instead of the bundle of cigarettes, the item 10 housed in the inner container 3 can be a food product or a cosmetics product, which may be provided with a casing.

[0032] The inner container 3 has an open upper end 5 through which the item 10 can be extracted from or introduced into the inner container 3. The lid 2 having due caps 6 is a part of the inner container 3, each cap 6 being hinged on the inner container 3 along a respective hinge 8 (Figure 2) obtained in a respective longitudinal wall 9 (Figure 2), 20 (Figure 3B) of the inner container 3 to rotate, with respect to the inner container 3, between an open position O, shown in Figure 2, and a closed position C, shown in Figure 1, opening and closing respectively the open upper end 5.

[0033] As will be disclosed in greater detail below, each cap 6 consists of only three walls, this enables a greater portion of the item 10 to be exposed in the open position O than with prior-art packages.

[0034] The open position O of the package 1 and the movement of the caps 6 during opening are also said to be “flower-shaped”, because the opening movement of the caps 6 is reminiscent of the movements of the petals of a flower that opens.

[0035] The package 1 further comprises an outer container 4 arranged to house the inner container 3 to allow the inner container 3 to slide between a retracted position W, shown in Figure 1 and in Figure 4A, in which the inner container 3 is inserted inside the outer container 4 and the caps 6 are in the closed position C, and an extracted position E, shown in Figure 2and in Figure 4C, in which the inner container 3 is at least partially extracted from the outer container 4 and the caps 6 are in the open position O (in other words, are rotated to the outside of the package 1 to expose the item 10 to a user). The closed position C of the caps 6 corresponds to the retracted position W of the inner container 3 (and vice versa) and the open position O of the caps 6 corresponds to the extracted position E of the inner container 3 (and vice versa).

[0036] The outer container 4 is cup-shaped with an upper opening 14 that is traversable by the inner container 3 and with an opposite base wall 12, against which the inner container 3 can rest in the retracted position W; in particular, the outer container 4 is parallelpipedon- shaped with a square cross section comprising, in addition to the base wall 12, a front vertical wall 15, a rear vertical wall 16 (Figure 3B) that is opposite and parallel to the front vertical wall 15, a first side wall 17 and a second side wall 18, opposite and parallel to the first side wall 17, these latter side walls 17 and 18 being interposed between the front vertical wall 15 and the rear vertical wall 16.

[0037] The outer container 4 is provided with a through slot 13 that enables a side surface of the inner container 3 to be accessed to push the inner container 3 between the retracted position W and the extracted position E. As shown in Figure 3A, through the slot 13, the user can exert with the thumb a thrust on the inner container 3 to slide the inner container 3 with respect to the outer container 4: a thrust upwards enables the caps 6 to be rotated and the package 1 to be opened and, once the package 1 is opened, a thrust in the opposite direction enables the caps 6 and thus the package 1 to be closed again without the user having to touch the caps 6 of the lid 2, which are thus rotated “automatically”. The slot 13 is formed through two adjacent walls, i.e. the front vertical wall 15 and the first side wall 17 of the outer container 4; in other words, the slot 13 extends around a portion of a longitudinal edge 19 of the front vertical wall 15 that connects the front vertical wall 15 and the first side wall 17 of the outer container 4. The longitudinal edge 19 of the outer container 4 is rounded but can also be squared.

[0038] In a different embodiment that is not illustrated, the slot 13 extends only through a single wall, for example the front vertical wall 15.

[0039] In another embodiment that is not illustrated, the slot 13 extends through the front vertical wall 15 and the base wall 12. In this embodiment, the user can press on the inner container 3 accessing through the slot a portion of a bottom wall of the inner container 3.

[0040] The package 2 further comprises a connecting element 30 (Figures 3A and 3B) for each cap 6, for example a tab or a strip or a tape, to connect mechanically a respective cap 6 of the inner container 3 to the outer container 4 so as to open the respective cap 6 of the lid “automatically”. By cooperating with the outer container 4, each connecting element 30 transforms the corresponding sliding movement between the inner container 3 and the outer container 4 into a rotating movement of the respective cap 6.

[0041] With reference to Figures 4A-4C, the connecting element 30 comprises a flexible strip, for example of rectangular shape that, in the retracted position W shown in Figure 4A, is folded on itself at 180°, indicated below as a “U” shape, meaning an upturned “U” having two parallel straight parts of equal length and a curved part that acts as an inflection region (it remains understood that it is not compulsory for the two straight parts to be of equal length). The connecting element 30 has a first end 31 - on one straight part of the “U” - glued to an inner surface of a vertical wall of the outer container 4; in particular, a gluing zone on the outer container 4 is provided on an end edge portion 29, bounding a portion of the upper opening 14 of the outer container 4. The end edge portion 29 can be obtained by folding an end flap 180° respectively on the front vertical wall 15 and on the rear vertical wall 16, which are thus reinforced. The connecting element 30 has a second end 32 - on the other straight part of the “U” - opposite the first end 31 and glued to a corresponding part of the respective cap 6; in particular a gluing zone on the inner container 3 is provided on a main wall 25 of the cap 6, for example in a central region of an outer surface of the main wall 25, as Figure 3A shows. The gluing zone on the end edge portion 29 of the outer container 4 faces the main wall 25 of the cap 6 in closed position C.

[0042] In Figures 4A-4C, in the thickness of the connecting element 30 two dark lines are plotted that show schematically the extent in height of the layer of glue present - naturally not applied to the thickness of the connecting element 30, but - to the interface surfaces respectively between the connecting element 30 and the outer container 4 and the connecting element 30 and the inner container 3, as indicated above, these extensions in height being measured considering as a reference the first end 31 and the second end 32 respectively and that the package 1 is in an upright position, as shown in Figures 4A-4C. A layer of glue of height LI is applied between the connecting element 30 and the respective cap 6 and a layer of glue of height L2 is applied between the connecting element 30 and the outer container 4. Each layer of glue can be extended over the entire length of the connecting element 30 or can be a strip of glue or a strip of adhesive of lesser width, applied in set zones. The heightLI is less than or the same as the height of the respective straight part of the “U”. The height L2, on the other hand is greater than half the height of the respective straight part of the “U and, in particular, is substantially equal to the height of the respective straight part of “U2”. The curved part of the “U”, which folded by 180° has a height L3, is on the other hand devoid of the layer of glue.

[0043] Accordingly, on the connecting element 30 there are defined a first glued portion 33, that extends from the first end 31 over most of the height of the respective straight part of “U”, i.e. over half of the total length of the connecting element 30 when extended, a second glued portion 34, that extends from the second end 32 up to almost a quarter of the total length of the connecting element 30 when extended (the length LI of the glued portion 34 is such as to enable the cap 6 to open, as will be clearer below in this document with reference to the description of Figures 4A-4C), and a free end 35, i.e. devoid of glue, which includes the curved part of the “U”. The second end 32 is arranged on the main wall 25 near the hinge 8.

[0044] It is noted that the surfaces of the connecting element 30 that receive the layer of glue are arranged on the same face of the connecting element 30. In this manner, in the extracted position E, the free end 35, which is free of the glue, extends beyond the opening 14 and forms a fold with the second glued portion 34, this fold hiding the second end 32 of the connecting element 30 from the view of the user. Further, during the manufacture of the package 1, the glue can be applied to the same side of the connecting element 30 extending on a plane, this facilitating the operations of assembling of the package 1.

[0045] Figures 4 A - 4C show the form adopted by the connecting element 30 in different moments of the operation of opening the caps 6.

[0046] Figure 4A shows the cap 6 in the closed position C, the inner container 3 in the retracted position W and the connecting element 30 is in the upturned “U” configuration.

[0047] Figure 4B shows a transitional position between the retracted position W and the extracted position E of the inner container 3, in which the inner container 3 is moved upwards for a certain stroke, and the cap 6 exits the upper opening 14 of the outer container 4, but is still in the closed position C. This occurs because the hinge 8 of the cap 6 is at a height that is below the height corresponding to the upper opening 14 with respect to the base wall 12 of the outer container 4, this height being measured along a longitudinal axis of the inner container 3 with respect to the bottom wall 7. Accordingly, the vertical wall 15, 16 of the outer container 4 prevents the main wall 25 of the cap 6 from rotating around the hinge 8. Inthe transitional position, the connecting element 30 is also partially outside the upper opening 14 through the effect of the partial unwinding and extending of the free end 35 and the two straight parts of the “U” have lengths that are very different from one another in this position; in fact, the length of the straight part of the “U” that contains the first end 31 is “lengthened” by the stroke performed by the inner container 3 and the straight part of the “U” that contains the second end 32 is correspondingly “shortened” by this stroke; the curved part of the “U” is now further from the first end 31 and nearer the second end 32.

[0048] In the transitional position, the upward translation movement of the inner container3 has not yet finished. By continuing to move the inner container 3 upwards, the position of the hinge 8 exceeds the height of the upper opening 14 and the free end 35 reaches maximum extent. Under the further thrust of the user in the direction of the arrow of Figures 4B and 4C, the free end 35, which has reached its maximum extent, exerts a pulling force on the main wall 25 of the cap 6 which starts to rotate around the hinge 8 and open owing to the presence of the curved part of the “U”, which generates an arm and thus a torque moment of the pulling force with respect to the hinge 8.

[0049] Figure 4C shows the inner container 3 in the extracted position E and the cap 6 in the open position O. The free end 35 of the connecting element 30 flexes around the upper opening 14 and extends obliquely beyond the upper opening 14 outside the outer container4 until it joins the second glued portion 34 through the curved part. The second glued portion 34, which in the closed position C extends vertically, in open position O, is on the other hand rotated by a certain angle, for example by at least 90°, around an edge of the upper opening 14. The second glued portion 34 rotates together with the cap 6 to which it is fixed the second portion 34 being glued pulled by the free end 35 that has reached its maximum extent. In the open position O it is possible to remove the item 10 contained in the inner container 3 easily.

[0050] During the operation of opening the package 1, two different movements occur: initially a translation movement of the inner container 3 and subsequently a rotation movement of the caps 6. Through the upward translation movement, the inner container 3 lifts up and partially exits the outer container 4. When the hinge 8 on the inner container 3 becomes free to rotate, i.e. is no longer inside the outer container 4, the rotation movement of the caps 6 starts.

[0051] Once the open position O is reached, in order to return the package 1 to the closed position C, the user, by acting through the slot 13, exerts a downward pressure on the inner container 3 (Figure 3 A); the cap 6 lowers for a certain distance and when the hinge 8 reachesthe height of the upper opening 14 of the outer container 4, the cap 6 rotates in a direction opposite the opening operation, i.e. towards the inside of the package 1, until it returns to the closed position C whilst the inner container 3 is still in the transitional position with respect to the outer container 4. The further downward pressure exerted by the user on the inner container 3, returns the inner container 3 to the retracted position W and the connecting element 30 returns to the upturned “U” configuration.

[0052] The connecting element 30, in addition to enabling the caps 6 to be opened, also performs the function of determining the position of maximum extraction of the inner container 3 from the outer container 4 and of also retaining the caps 6 in the open position O, without the caps being able to rotate further outwards and fall against the respective front vertical wall 15 or rear vertical wall 16. Owing to the conformation of the connecting element 30 it is no longer necessary to provide any additional stop element to lock the opening of the caps 6 when they have reached the open position O, or when it is necessary in certain packets of cigarettes of known type.

[0053] As the connecting element 30 is a distinct element applied to the inner container 3 and to the outer container 4, it is possible to differentiate the yieldability of the connecting element 30 with respect to the connecting tabs of the known prior-art packets obtained in the same die-cut element as the outer container or as the inner container. In fact, it is possible to choose a shape and dimensions that are not constrained by the punching of a die-cut element and further, with the same shape and dimensions it is possible to choose a different thickness, for example a lesser thickness, to reduce the overall dimensions of the connecting element 30. Further, having a connecting element 30 that is distinct, i.e. not integral with the walls of the inner container 3 or of the outer container 4 but applied thereto by glue or adhesive enables a different material to be chosen from that used for the inner container 3 and the outer container 4. For example, instead of card, the connecting element 30 can be made of paper or of plastics or of nonwoven fabric or of a combination thereof. In particular, a multilayer material can be provided for the connecting element 30.

[0054] In the embodiment disclosed so far, a single connecting element 30 is provided for each cap 6, the connecting element 30 being shaped as a strip of flexible material with the second end 32 arranged near the hinge 8 and with the second glued portion 34 placed in a central zone in the width of the main wall 25 of the respective cap 6.

[0055] In one embodiment that is not shown, each cap 6 can be driven by a strip that is not positioned in a central zone in the width of the main wall 25 of the corresponding cap 6, butin another zone of the main wall 25. Alternatively or additionally, two or more strips can be present for each cap 6 to drive the cap 6, i.e. more than one connecting element 30, which are fixed to the main wall 25.

[0056] In the embodiments disclosed so far, the connecting elements 30 of each cap 6 are the same as one another, this meaning that all the caps 6 open simultaneously.

[0057] In embodiments that are not shown, the connecting elements 30 can be different from one another, in terms of structure or material, to obtain a different opening and closing movement of the caps 6, for example if it is desired for the caps to open in sequence and / or for some caps 6 to perform an angle of rotation greater than other caps 6 during opening of the package 1. For example, by choosing different connecting elements 30, it is possible to generate different pulling forces on the respective caps 6. Connecting elements with the same structure and material can differ only by the extent LI, L2 of the glued portions 33, 34; if, for example, the height LI of the second glued portion 35 is less in one connecting element than another, the extent of the respective free end 35 is consequently greater, thus generating a lesser pulling force on the relative cap 6, with a consequent delay in the opening of the corresponding cap 6, creating a sequential rather than simultaneous opening effect of the caps 6.

[0058] Figure 5 shows an embodiment in closed configuration C of the inner container 3 that can be comprised in the package 1. This embodiment differs from the inner container of Figures 1-3 exclusively through an upper closing wall of the caps 6, as will be disclosed in greater detail here below. Accordingly, the other parts of the inner container 3 disclosed with reference to Figure 5 are the same as those of the embodiment of Figures 1-3. The inner container 3 has the shape of a right-angled or parallelpipedon prism with a square cross section, and is cup-shaped with a bottom wall 7 closed and opposite the open upper end 5. The inner container 3 further comprises four side walls of which the longitudinal wall 9 - which is frontal - and a further longitudinal wall 20 - which is rear - project on opposite sides of the bottom wall 7; on the longitudinal walls 9 and 20 the respective hinge is provided 8 for the rotation of the respective cap 6. Between the two longitudinal walls 9 and 20, the front and real longitudinal wall respectively, of the inner container 3 a first side wall 21 and a second side wall 22 (Figure 7) are present. 6a indicates the cap 6 obtained in the longitudinal wall 9 (also called the first cap 6a) and 6b indicates the cap 6 obtained in the further longitudinal wall 20 (also called the second cap 6b).

[0059] The first side wall 21 and the second side wall 22 end with a respective upper margin 23 arranged to abut on a corresponding edge of the corresponding cap 6 in the closed position C. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-7, the upper margin 23 is rectilinear and lies on a tilted plane with respect to the bottom wall 7. The upper margin 23 referring to the first side wall 21 descends from an apex 24 further from the bottom wall 7 and nearer the longitudinal wall 9, as far as a point 36, nearer the bottom wall 7, and nearer the further longitudinal wall 20 in a region in which, in the further longitudinal wall 20, the hinge 8 is present (Figure 3B). The first side wall 21 and the second side wall 22 thus have a trapezium shape, in which the upper margin 23 delimits a portion of wall that projects with respect to the margin of the open upper end 5 at the caps 6 in the open position O. This projecting portion of wall enables the item 10 to be contained laterally once the package 1 has been opened. This containing function is particularly appreciated if the item 10 contains loose products, as in the case in which the package l is a packet of cigarettes. In this case, in fact, after a certain period of use, the remaining cigarettes dispose of more space in the inner container and are free to recline. Owing to the projecting portions of wall on the first side wall 21 and on the second side wall 22, the cigarettes are prevented from being able to rest inside the inner container 3, which would make extracting the cigarettes from the package 1 more difficult, or the reclining cigarettes are prevented from exiting partially from the volume of the package 1 and constituting an obstacle to closure of the caps 6.

[0060] As indicated previously, each cap 6, 6a, 6b consists of only three walls. The three walls are: the main wall 25, which is substantially flat and connected to the respective longitudinal wall 9, 20 of the inner container 3 by the respective hinge 8; an upper closing wall 27, arranged to close at least partially the open upper end 5 of the inner container 3 and connected to and folded with respect to the main wall 25; a secondary wall 26 connected to and folded with respect to the main wall 25 and arranged to abut on a side wall of the inner container 3 adjacent to the longitudinal wall 9; in particular, the adjacent side wall is the first side wall 21 considering the first cap 6a or the first side part 22 considering the second cap 6b (Figure 5).

[0061] With reference to Figure 3B, the upper closing wall 27 is formed by an upper flap 27’ ’ intended to be more external and thus visible in the closed position C and by an auxiliary flap 27’ arranged below and glued to the upper flap 27”, so as to be inside the cap 6, 6a, 6b. The auxiliary flap 27’ is connected to and folded with respect to the secondary wall 26.

[0062] In a plan view of the package 1, the lid 2 is divided into the plurality of caps 6 substantially along a line that is oblique to a side of the cross section of the inner container 3. In particular, the lid 2 is divided into the two caps 6a, 6b substantially along a diagonal of the square cross section of the inner container 3. In other words, upper closing walls 27a and 27b comprise respective closing edges 37a and 37b, facing one another, that run transversely to a side of the square cross section of the inner container 3 and substantially parallel to the diagonal of the square cross section. Naturally, apart from dimensional tolerances, the respective closing edge 37a and 37b of the caps 6a and 6b can coincide with this diagonal, so that the closing edges 37a, 37b are in reciprocal contact in the closed position C. Accordingly, the upper closing walls 27a and 27b have a shape that is very close to a rectangular isosceles triangle in which a cathetus of the triangle is bounded by a fold 39 (Figure 5) between the upper closing wall 27a, 27b and the main wall 25 and the base of the triangle is bounded by the respective closing edge 37a, 37b. Each upper closing wall 27a, 27b thus comprises two vertices placed substantially on the respective fold 39 and a respective free vertex 38a, 38b that is further from the respective hinge 8 and thus travels a longer trajectory during the rotation of the corresponding cap 6a, 6b.

[0063] In the embodiment of the inner container 3 of Figure 5 each free vertex 38a, 38b is rounded. In other embodiments, naturally, the shape of the vertices 38a, 38b can be chamfered or acute or the same as or different from one another.

[0064] For example, in the embodiment of the inner container 3 in Figures 1-3 the free vertex 38a is chamfered whereas the free vertex 38b is rounded (Figure 1 and Fig. 3 A). The chamfer of the vertex 38a makes the plan shape of the upper closing wall 27a of the cap 6a similar to a rectangular trapezium, the chamfered vertex 38a of which forms the lesser base, although of reduced dimensions, whereas the plan shape of the upper closing wall 27b of the cap 6b is considerable triangular. Accordingly, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3, the closing edge 37a and 37b of the caps 6a and 6b does not run exactly at the diagonal of the square cross section of the inner container 3, but along a line tilted by a few degrees with respect to the diagonal (for example by an angle comprised in the range 0.1°-2°) and the upper closing walls 27a and 27b have plan shapes that are not exactly the same as one another but are complementary to one another with respect to the cross section of the inner container 3. In this embodiment of the inner container 3, the trapezium shape plan extent of the upper closing wall 27a of the first cap 6a is thus greater than the triangular shape plan extent of the upper closing wall 27b of the second adjacent cap 6b.

[0065] Regardless of the specific shape of the upper closing wall 27, as the caps 6 of the package 1 consists of only three walls, the package 1 enables the item 10 to be accessed along a greater portion of the perimeter of the item 10 that is exposed in the open position O and which the user can access immediately already after the first opening of the package 1.

[0066] In known packets having two caps, the caps in the open position are rather bulky and hinder the user who desires to reach the content arranged in a peripheral zone of the packet. On the other hand, the package 1 that is the object of the invention with the caps 6 having only three walls enables the user to be exposed to parts of the item 10 arranged near two opposite angles of the package 1 in the open position O, something that is not obtainable with packets of known type.

[0067] Figure 6 shows a die-cut element 103 (blank) that can be used to form the inner container 3 of Figure 5. Figure 6 shows an inner surface of the die-cut element 103 in an extended configuration and Figure 7 shows an assembly configuration that the die-cut element 103 adopts during assembly of the inner container 3. Parts of the die-cut element 103 corresponding to parts of the inner container 3 will be indicated, where possible, by the same numeric references increased by 100 and possibly with apices with respect to those used for the inner container 3.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, on the die-cut element 103, made of card or a similar material, longitudinal folding lines 40 are obtained and a plurality of transverse folding lines 41, 43; two inner panels 109 and 120 and a central panel 107 are defined therebetween, the central panel 107 being interposed between the inner panels 109 and 120. The two inner panels 109 and 120 form respectively the (frontal) longitudinal wall 9 and the further (rear) longitudinal wall 20 of the inner container 3. The central panel 107 forms the bottom wall 7 of the inner container 3. Through the longitudinal folding lines 40 two side panels 121”, 122” are connected to the opposite sides of the inner panel 109 and two side panels 121’ and 122’ are connected to the opposite sides of the inner panel 120. The side panels 121’ and 122’ form relative inner portions and the side panels 121” and 122” form relative outer portions respectively of the first side wall 21 and of the second side wall 22 of the inner container 3. During assembly, the two side panels 121” and 122” are folded, superimposed and glued to the side panels 121’ and 122’ respectively to form the first side wall 21 and the second side wall 22 of the inner container 3.

[0069] Each side panel 121’, 122’ has a reinforcing wing 42 that is separated from the respective side panel 121’, 122’ by a transverse folding line 41. During assembly, eachreinforcing wing 42 is folded 90° with respect to the respective side panel 121’, 122’ and is lastly fixed to an inner surface of the central panel 107.

[0070] The die-cut element 103 further comprises two outer panels 125a and 125b, i.e. further outside the inner panels 109, 120, which form the main walls 25a and 25b of the respective caps 6a, 6b, these outer panels 125a and 125b being connected to the inner panels 109, 120 by a transverse folding line 108 corresponding to the hinge 8 of each cap 6a, 6b and being separated from the respective side panels 122’, 121 ” by a longitudinal cutting line45 aligned with the respective longitudinal folding line 40; a first triangular flap 127a”, 127b” that is connected to the outer panel 125a, 125b by an outer transverse folding line 43 and forms the upper flap 27’ ’ of the upper closing wall 27a, 27b of each cap 6a, 6b; a second triangular flap 126a, 126b that is connected to the outer panel 125a, 125b by a longitudinal folding line 40 is separated from the respective side panel 122”, 121’ by a tilted cutting line46 and forms the secondary wall 26a, 26b, of each cap 6a, 6b.

[0071] From the second triangular flap 126a, 126b a third triangular flap 127a’, 127b projects outwards, connected to the second triangular flap 126a, 126b by the outer transverse folding line 43 and separated from the first triangular flap 127a, 127b by a longitudinal cutting line 44. The third triangular flap 127a’, 127b’ forms the auxiliary internal flap 27’ of the upper closing wall 27a, 27b of the corresponding cap 6a, 6b, being folded by 90° with respect to the second triangular flap 126a, 126b and fixed to an inner surface of the first triangular flap 127a”, 127b”.

[0072] The corresponding first triangular folds 127a”, 127b”, the corresponding second triangular folds 126a, 126b and the corresponding third triangular folds 127a’, 127b’ are arranged symmetrically to one another according to a central symmetry with the centre in the centre of the die-cut element 103. In other words, the folds that form a cap (for example the first cap 6a) are symmetrical to the folds that form the other cap (for example the second cap 6b) with respect to the centre of the die-cut element.

[0073] The side panel 121” is symmetrical with the side panel 122’ with respect to the centre of the die-cut element 103 (central symmetry). The longitudinal cutting line 45 separates a triangular prolongation side panel 121”, 122’ from the respective outer panel 125a, 125b.

[0074] Also the side panel 122” is symmetrical with the side panel 122’ with respect to the centre of the die-cut element 103 (central symmetry), apart from a cut 47 obtained in the side panel 121’.

[0075] Figures 8 and 9 show a die-cut element 104 (blank) made of card or a similar material, that can be used to make an outer container 4 that is the same as the outer container 4 shown in Figures 1-3B less the position of the slot 13, which in this embodiment extends between the front vertical wall 15 and the second side wall 18, rather than between the front vertical wall 15 and the first side wall 17 as Figures 1-3B show. Figure 8 shows an inner surface of the die-cut element 104 in an extended configuration and Figure 9 shows an assembly configuration that the die-cut element 104 adopts during assembly by folding of the outer container 4. Parts of the die-cut element 104 corresponding to parts of the outer container 4 will be indicated, where possible, by the same numeric references increased by 100 and possibly with apices with respect to those used for the outer container 4.

[0076] The die-cut element 104 has two longitudinal folding lines 50, and a plurality of transverse folding lines 51; between which two inner panels 115 and 116 and a central panel 112 are defined, which central panel 112 is interposed between the inner panels 115 and 116. The two inner panels 115 and 116 form respectively the front vertical wall 15 and the rear vertical wall 16 and the central panel 112 forms the base wall 12 of the outer container 4.

[0077] Through the longitudinal folding lines 50, two side panels 118”, 117” are connected to the opposite sides of the inner panel 115 and two side panels 118’ and 117’ are connected to the opposite sides of the inner panel 116. The side panels 118’ and 117’ form relative inner portions and the side panels 118” and 117” form relative outer portions respectively of the second side wall 18 and of the first side wall 17 of the outer container 4. During assembly, the two side panels 118” and 117” are folded, superimposed and glued to the side panels 118’ and 117’ respectively to form the second side wall 18 and the first side wall 17 of the outer container 4.

[0078] Each side panel 118’, 117’ has a reinforcing wing 52, which is connected to the respective side panel 118’, 117’ by a transverse folding line 51. During assembly, each reinforcing wing 52 is folded 90° with respect to the respective side panel 118’, 117’ and is lastly fixed to an inner surface of the central panel 112.

[0079] Each inner panel 115, 116 is connected to an end wing 129 by a transverse folding line 51. During assembly, the end wing 129 is folded 180° against the wall of the respective inner panel 115, 116, so as to form the end edge portion 29 respectively on the front vertical wall 15 and on the rear vertical wall 16; the first end 31 of the respective connecting element 30 is fixed to each end edge portion 29.

[0080] A window 113 is obtained in the side panel 118” and partially in the inner panel 115 to a slot 13 on the outer container 4, which is identical to the one illustrated in Figures 1-3 A, but located through a further longitudinal edge of the front vertical wall 15 parallel to the longitudinal edge 19. On the side panel 118’ a cut 113’ is provided correspondingly that is the same as the portion of window 113 obtained on the side panel 118”, but symmetrical with respect to the centre of the die-cut element 104 (central symmetry), so as to be able to align with a portion of window 113 once the side panel 118” lies against the side panel 118’ to form the second side wall 18.

[0081] Figures 10A, 10B and 11A show the inner container 3 according to an alternative embodiment. As in the previously disclosed embodiments, the inner container 3 of Figures 10A-10B, shown here during an assembly step, comprises two caps 6, each cap 6a, 6b consisting of only three walls 25, 26, 27, in which letters “a” and “b”, added to the same reference number in the Figures, refer to the same element, but belonging respectively to the cap 6a or to the cap 6b. Unlike the preceding embodiments, the following elements of the container 3 of this embodiment differ: in the shape of each upper closing wall 27, which in this embodiment is trapezium-shaped and equal in both caps 6a, 6b; in the shape of the secondary wall 26 of the two caps 6, which has a substantially rectangular shape with a lower and non-tri angular edge 55 55 as in the embodiments illustrated in the preceding Figures; in the presence of an opening 54 in the first and second side wall 21, 22; and lastly in order to have the hinge 8 divided into two portions that are coaxial but spaced apart from one another.

[0082] In this embodiment, the first side wall 21 and the second side wall 22 end with a respective upper margin 53 arranged to abut on the corresponding lower edge 55 of the secondary wall 26 of the corresponding cap 6a, 6b in the closed position C. In the embodiment illustrated in 10A, 10B and 11 A, the upper margin 53 is rectilinear and lies on a plane substantially parallel to the bottom wall 7. The upper margin 53 is interrupted by the opening 54, which enables a greater side portion of the item 10 to be exposed, facilitating the transit of the fingers of the user to remove the item 10 laterally.

[0083] Each of the elements listed with reference to the embodiment of Figures 10A, 10B and 11 A, can be provided or be absent, in isolation or in any combination compatible with the other listed elements, can be provided or absent, in isolation or in any combination compatible with all the embodiments of the inner container 3. For example, the substantially rectangular shape of the secondary wall 26 of the cap 6 can be provided with a cap having the upper wall of triangular shape and with the walls the first side wall 21 and the secondside wall 22 devoid of the opening 54 or where the opening 54 is present in just one of the side walls 21 and 22.

[0084] In the embodiments disclosed so far of the inner container 3 with two caps 6, the two upper closing walls 27 are complementary with respect to the cross section of the inner container 3, because the respective closing edges 37a, 37b face one another and, apart from dimensional tolerances, can be in reciprocal contact in the closed position C.

[0085] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 IB, the upper closing wall 27b of the second cap 6b, in addition to having a greater plan extent of the upper closing wall 27a of the first (adjacent) cap 6a, is partially superimposed on the upper closing wall 27a, covering the respective closing edge 37a (thus not visible in the figure) in the closed position C. In this embodiment, the package 1 thus has an outer step 28 obtained with the prolongation of one of the two upper folds 27b” on the other 27a’ ’ and having a free edge that forms the closing edge 37b of the upper flap 27b” of greater extent. In order for the upper flap 27b” to be superimposable on the other upper closing wall 27a, one of the following conditions has to occur. One condition is that with caps 6 of the same dimensions the hinge 8b of the second cap 6b is positioned higher than the first cap 6a; accordingly, by indicating with H2 in Figure 1 lb the height of the hinge 8b and with Hl the height of the hinge 8a, where the height of the hinges 8 is measured with respect to the bottom wall 7 of the inner container 3 along a longitudinal axis of the inner container 3, then H2 must be greater than Hl. The other condition is that, with the same position of the respective hinge 8, i.e. H2 = Hl, the second cap 6b has the main wall 25b with a height D2 greater than the corresponding height DI of the main wall 25a of the first cap 6a, (or the first cap 6a has a height DI less than D2), considering measuring the height of the main walls 25 with respect to the bottom wall 7 along a longitudinal axis of the inner container 3.

[0086] The dimensional difference (height) will be at least equal to the thickness of the upper closing wall 27a (i.e. of the wall of the inner container 3). For example, if the dimensional difference is equal to the thickness of the upper closing wall 27a, and in the closed position C, the closing edge 37a of the first cap 6a faces an edge of the auxiliary flap 27b’, whereas the closing edge 37b of the second cap 6b corresponds to that of the outer step 28. The plan dimension of the auxiliary flap 27b’ can be complementary to the plan dimension of the upper flap 27a”, so that the closing edge 37a of the first cap 6a not only faces but is also in contact with the edge of the auxiliary flap 27b’.

[0087] This embodiment enables it to be avoided that small portions of product present in the item 10, for example grains of sugar in sweetmeats or particles of tobacco can insert themselves between the two transverse edges and exit the package 1 in the closed position C. This embodiment is equally effective in preventing the item 10 being able to be reached by light beams from outside the package 1 through the closing edge 37 of the caps 6. In this manner, this embodiment ensures that the item 10 remains hidden from the eyes of the user in the closed position C.

[0088] Although Figure 1 IB shows substantially rectangular secondary walls 26 and the presence of an opening in the first and second side wall, as in the embodiment in Figures 10A-11A, the solution with an upper flap 27b” superimposable on the other upper closing wall 27a can be also be provided in embodiments of the inner container 3 with secondary walls and side walls having a different shape, like for example those illustrated in Figures 1 and 5.

[0089] Figure 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the package 1 with two caps 6a, 6b in an assembly configuration, in which the first cap 6a is already fitted, whereas the second cap 6b has the upper flap 27b”and the auxiliary flap 27b’ not yet folded (and not yet glued together). In this embodiment, the auxiliary flap 27a’ of the first cap 6a has an extent greater than the upper flap 27a”. Accordingly, the upper closing wall 27a has an inner step defined by a protruding portion 48 of the auxiliary flap 27a’ that projects beyond the closing edge 37a of the upper flap 27a” and below the upper flap 27a”. The protruding portion 48 has a free edge 49 that runs substantially parallel to the closing edge 37a defined by the upper flap 27a”. The plan dimension of the upper closing wall 27a of the first cap 6a is thus greater than the plan dimension of the upper closing wall 27b of the second cap 6b because of the presence of the protruding portion 48. In the closed position C, the closing edge 37b of the second cap 6b, which coincides with the edge of the respective upper flap 27b”, faces the closing edge 37a of the upper flap 27a”, as in the embodiments of Figures 1-11 A, whereas the free edge 49 of the protruding portion 48 remains hidden and covered by a portion of the upper closing wall 27b.

[0090] This embodiment has the same advantages as the embodiment of Figure 11B and, as in the embodiment of Figure 1 IB, limits or even prevents small parts of the item 10 getting dispersed when exiting the package 1 and ensures that the item 10 remains hidden from the eyes of the user in the closed position C, the protruding portion 48 being able to act as a screen for the light of an environment outside the package 1. In addition to these advantages,in this embodiment the profile of the package 1 in the closed position C is regular and unaltered with respect to the profile of the previously disclosed embodiments with reference to Figures 1-11 A, so the hinges 8, just like the main walls 25, are equal in the two caps 6a, 6b.

[0091] Naturally, the protruding portion 48 can also be provided in the other embodiments of the inner container 3 disclosed previously, regardless of the shape of the secondary walls 26, of the shape of the side walls 21, 22 of the inner container 3 and of the shape of the hinges 8. In particular, a protruding portion 48 can also be provided in the embodiment of Figure 1 IB in which the upper flap 27b” of the second cap 6b devoid of a protrusion is more extended and is superimposed on the upper wall 27 of the first cap 6a in which the protrusion is provided 48. In this case, the free edge 49 of the protrusion 48 is covered by the auxiliary flap 27b’ of the more extended second cap 6b.

[0092] Figure 13 shows an embodiment of the package 1 which is similar to that of Figure 1 IB by the fact that it has the upper flap 27b” of the second cap 6b that, at the moment of fitting the inner container 3, has greater extent and extends above the upper flap 27a” of the first cap 6a, but differs from the embodiment of Figure 1 IB by the fact that the upper flap 27b” having a greater extent is glued above the upper flap 27a” of the first cap 6a, in addition to being glued to the auxiliary flap 27b’ thereof. In this manner, the upper flap 27b” having a greater extent joins together the two caps 6a, 6b of the package 1, and, as soon as it is fitted, does not reveal the presence of two caps 6. As Figure 13 shows, three walls of the first cap 6a, are already fitted, whereas two walls of the second cap 6b are in a position adopted during assembly, namely the secondary wall 26b abuts on the further longitudinal wall 20 and the auxiliary flap 27b’ is folded positioned so as to partially close the open upper end 5 whereas the upper flap 27b” is lifted (not yet being folded and glued). The closing edge 37a of the upper flap 27a’ ’ of the first cap 6a faces a transverse edge 56 of the auxiliary flap 27b’, identically to how the upper closing edges 37 of the previously disclosed embodiments are arranged.

[0093] On the upper flap 27b” having a greater extent an opening 60 antitampering device is provided arranged so as to enable, after the first violation (opening) of the package 1, the two caps 6a, 6b to be separated so as to be able to drive the rotation of the two caps 6a, 6b and access the contents of the package 1. The opening 60 antitampering device can comprise an intended breaking line, for example obtained by perforations or cuts separated by dashes on the upper flap 27b” (which is the flap having a greater extent), or a removable tear stripobtained on the upper flap 27b” having a greater extent, for example by appropriate knives or engraving tools. The opening 60 antitampering device extends on the upper flap 27b” so as to be substantially superimposed on the closing edge 37a of the upper wall 27a of the cap 6a and on the transverse edge 56 of the auxiliary flap 27b’ of the cap 6b. During the first opening of the package 1, the user drives the opening 60 antitampering device and the upper flap 27b” having a greater extent is divided into two parts, a first part and a second part, each part remaining fixed to the respective cap 6a, 6b and being an integral part of each one thereof. After the first opening of the package 1, the upper wall 27a of the first cap 6a is thus formed by three layers, one of which is a first outermost layer is formed by the first part of the upper flap 27b” that is separated from the upper flap 27b”, acting on the opening 60 antitampering device, and which is superimposed on the upper flap 27a” which shapes the second layer; the third layer, the innermost layer, is formed by the auxiliary flap 27a’ which remains below the upper flap 27a’ ’ . The wall 27b of the second cap 6b is, on the other hand, formed by two superimposed layers as in the preceding embodiments, in which a more external layer is formed by the second part of the upper flap 27b” that is separated from the upper flap 27b” during opening, and which is superimposed on the corresponding auxiliary flap 27b’.

[0094] As disclosed above, in the embodiment of Figure 13, the upper flap 27b” having a greater extent has a plan shape that is substantially equal to the cross section of the inner container 3. In this manner, the package 1, which has just been produced, or before being opened for the first time, has a single “full” surface that covers entirely the top of the inner container 3. It is naturally possible to provide for the upper flap 27b” having a lesser extent than the cross section of the inner container 3, whereas the opening 60 antitampering device must nevertheless be imposed on the closing edge and on the transverse edge of the underlying folds to enable the caps 6a, 6b to subsequently move.

[0095] Figures 14 to 17 show schematic alternative embodiments of the closing edges of the inner container 3 provided with two caps 6a, 6b. In the preceding embodiments disclosed until now, in the plan view the respective closing edge 37a and 37b of the caps 6a and 6b is a straight line. The respective closing edge 37 can on the other hand be a curved line, as for example in the embodiment of Figure 14 or a broken line, as for example in the embodiment of Figure 16, or according to one variant that is not shown, a mixed line.

[0096] The inner container 3 of Figure 15 is a prism with a square cross section and has the two upper closing walls 27a, 27b the same as a rectangular isosceles triangle and thesame as one another as in the embodiment in Figures 5-7; however, with respect to the embodiment in Figures 5-7, the closing edges of the caps 6 of Figure 15 run along the other diagonal of the square cross section.

[0097] In the embodiments of Figures 16 and 17, the inner container 3 has a rectangular cross section; the two embodiments differ from one another through the fact that the closing edges 37 extend mainly along two different diagonals of the same rectangular cross section and that the closing edges 37 of the embodiment of Figure 16 are irregular, whereas the closing edges of the embodiment of Figure 17 are rectilinear and divide the lid into two rectilinear scalene triangles that are equal to one another. The hinges 8 are positioned on the greater sides of the rectangular cross section, but can be alternatively provided on the lesser sides of the rectangular section. In these embodiments the outer container 4 can have a plan shape that is rectangular and, in particular, proportionally greater than the rectangular cross section of the inner container 3, or a plan shape other than that of the inner container 3.

[0098] Figures 18 and 20 show embodiments of inner containers 3 having more than two caps, respectively three caps in Figure 18; four caps in Figure 19 and six caps in Figure 20. In these embodiments, the inner container 3 has the shape of a right-angled prism having a regular polygon as a base, in particular a hexagon in Figure 18, an octagon in Figure 19 and a dodecagon in Figure 20. The outer container 4 can have a tubular body closed at one end by the base wall 12 and can have a plan shape that is the same as but of greater or other dimensions that those of the inner container 3.

[0099] In the embodiments in which the cross section of the inner container 3 has the shape of a regular polygon and has an even number of sides, like those shown in Figures 18-20, the number of caps is the same as half the number of sides of the regular polygon. In each of these embodiments, in the closed position, two adjacent caps abut reciprocally substantially along a line or diagonal passing through the radius of the circumscribed circumference of the regular polygon.

[0100] Obviously, the number of sides of the right-angled prism can be different from those illustrated here and also the number of caps that divides the cross section can be the desired cross section.

[0101] As in the two-cap embodiment, also in all the embodiments of lid having more than two caps, each cap consists only of three walls.

[0102] Further, although packages having more than two caps are more complex, owing to a greater number of elements present, the drive and operation structure of packages havingmore than two caps is identical to that disclosed in relation to the embodiments with two caps and can refer to the embodiments with two caps.

[0103] The disclosed embodiments of the package have numerous advantages.

[0104] First, the presence of just three walls 25, 26, 27 enables free access to be left to a greater portion of the perimeter zone, increasing the portion of the item that is exposed in the open position.

[0105] Further, as each cap occupies a space that is mainly near an upper angle of the package, the user can reach perimeter zones of the item with greater facility in the open position, like for example the corners left uncovered by the caps. This is not possible with the caps of the known prior-art packets, which in the open position occupy a space around all the corners of the package, covering the corners and limiting access to the content in those spaces or making it inconvenient to reach the spaces.

[0106] Second, the shape and the position of the caps in the package give the package an original and pleasing appearance, in particular in the open position.

[0107] Together with the “automatic” opening and closing of the caps, the shape and the position of the caps create an effect that surprises the user in the transit from the closed position in which the caps are not visible, apart from an upper surface of the upper wall, to the open position in which the caps are pushed to exit the outer container and adopt the shape that is reminiscent of that of a flower opening, thus increasing the pleasure and satisfaction of the user in handling the package.

[0108] In addition, as the caps are inserted into the package in the closed position C, the caps do not suffer accidental blows that might unintentionally damage the caps. Further, even accidental opening is thus avoided, the caps being protected by the outer container.

[0109] Third, the fact that the connecting element is an element separated from the die-cut elements of the inner container and of the outer container enables a different position to be used from that used for the containers, with different yieldability and flexibility features of different thickness, thus reducing the space occupied by the connecting element in the package and thus optimizing the space in the outer container, reducing the risks of breakage of the connecting element and increasing the performance of the package during use.

[0110] Further, as the connecting element does not have to be provided on the die-cut elements, it enables the quantity of waste material to be reduced that is produced during punching of the die-cut elements, thus reducing package production costs.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Slide-open package comprising: an inner container (3) suitable for housing at least one item (7) and having an open upper end (5) through which said item (7) can be extracted from or introduced into said inner container (3); a lid (2) comprising a plurality of caps (6), wherein each cap (6) is hinged on said inner container (3) along a respective hinge (8) obtained in a respective side wall (9, 20) of said inner container (3) to rotate, with respect to said inner container (3), between a closed position (C) and an open position (O) and closing and opening respectively said open upper end (5); an outer container (4) arranged to house said inner container (3) to allow said inner container (3) to slide between a retracted position (W), in which said inner container (3) is inserted inside said outer container (4) and said caps (6) are in the closed position (C), and an extracted position (E), in which said inner container (3) is at least partially extracted from said outer container (4) and the caps (6) are in the open position (O); at least one connecting element (30) for each cap (6), connecting a respective cap (6) of said inner container (3) to a respective surface (29) of said outer container (4) and having a first end (31) glued to said respective surface (29) of said outer container (4) and a second end (32) opposite the first end (31) and glued to a main wall (25) of said respective cap (6), so that the sliding movement of said inner container (3) with respect to said outer container (4) between said retracted position (W) and said extracted position (E) produces a corresponding rotation of each cap (6) around said respective hinge (8) between said closed position (C) and said open position (O).

2. Package (1) according to claim 1, wherein each cap (6) comprises, in particular consists of, three walls (25, 26, 27) which are: said main wall (25) connected to said respective side wall (9, 20) of said inner container (3) by said respective hinge (8); an upper closing wall (27) arranged to at least partially close said open upper end (5) of said inner container (3) and connected to and folded with respect to said main wall (25); a secondary wall (26) connected to and folded with respect to said main wall (25), arranged to about a further side wall (21, 22) of said inner container (3), said further side wall (21, 22) being adjacent to said respective side wall (9, 20).

3. Package (1) according to claim 2, wherein said upper closing wall (27) includes an upper flap (27") intended to be more external in said closed position (C) and an auxiliary flap (27') glued to an internal surface of said upper flap (27").

4. Package (1) according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary flap (27a1) of a first cap (6a) of said plurality of caps (6) projects below the upper flap (27a") to form a step (48); and wherein, in the closed position (C), the upper flap (27b") of a second cap (6b) of said plurality of caps (6) overlaps said step (48).

5. Package (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the upper flap (27b") of a / the second cap (6b) has a plan extension greater than the plan extension of a / the upper flap (27a") of a / of the first cap (6a).

6. Package (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, in the closed position (C), the upper flap (27b") of a / the second cap (6b) at least partially covers the upper flap (27a ") of a / the first cap (6a).

7. Package (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein, before a first opening of said package (1), the upper flap (27b") of a / the second cap (6b) is glued to the upper flap (27a") of a / the first cap (6a).

8. Package (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the upper flap (27b") of a / the second cap (6b) comprises a first portion stably fixed to the auxiliary flap (27b1) of the second cap (6b) and a second portion fixed to the upper flap (27a") of a / the first cap (6a) so that, upon first opening of the package (1), the second portion of the upper flap (27b") of the second cap (6b) remains fixed to the first cap (6a).

9. Package (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said inner container (3) has the shape of a right prism.

10. Package (1) according to claim 9, wherein said right prism has a regular polygon base; in particular, said regular polygon base has an even number of sides and the number of said caps (6) is the same as half the number of sides of said regular polygon base.

11. Package (1) according to claim 10, wherein a / the first cap (6a) and a / the second cap (6b), in closed position (C), face each other along a respective closing edge (37a, 37b) to at least partially close said open upper end (5) of the inner container (3).

12. Package (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said right prism has a square cross section and said plurality of caps (6) comprises a / the first cap (6a) and a / the second cap (6b) opposite one another, at least one cap of said two caps (6a, 6b) having said upper closing wall (27) with a plan view shape chosen between a triangular shape anda trapezoidal shape.

13. Package (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said connecting element (30) comprises a strip of thickness and / or material different from a thickness and / or material of said inner container (3) and of said outer container (4).

14. Package (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said connecting element (30) is folded into an inverted "U" shape when said inner container (3) is in the retracted position (W).

15. Package (1) according to claim 14, wherein said second end (32) of said connecting element (30) is glued to said main wall (25) of said respective cap (6) by applying glue for a length (LI ) which is shorter than the length of the part of the connecting element(30) facing the main wall (25) when the cap (6) is in the closed position (C), in which said length (LI) is measured along a longitudinal axis of said inner container (3).

16. Package (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said second end (32) of said connecting element (30) is glued to said main wall (25) of said respective cap (6) at an immediately higher level to a further height occupied by said hinge (8).

17. Package (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said outer container (4) comprises a slot (13) through which said inner container (3) is accessible by a user to open and / or close said package (1).

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