Dual-Lid Cigarette Pack Design for Promotional Surface Area

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cigarette packs have a reduced surface area for promotional messages and images due to regulatory requirements for health warnings, limiting the available space for branding and aesthetics.

Innovation Solution

A rigid cigarette pack design with two hinged lids, where one lid is absent from the front wall, allowing for increased surface area on the inner containing element for promotional content and enabling independent access to each group of cigarettes to preserve freshness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid and front wall is used, then protection and structural integrity are improved, but the surface area available for promotional messages and images is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidsurface area for promotional content
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the front wall from the pack structure, extracting the element that was limiting promotional surface area. This allows the inner containing element to be fully visible and accessible through the transparent overwrapping, maximizing the surface area available for promotional messages and images while maintaining structural integrity through the rear wall and lid configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the transparent overwrapping as a dimensional extension, allowing promotional content to be displayed on the inner containing element's surface that is visible from the exterior. This transforms the limited exterior surface area into a larger effective promotional surface by using the interior element's surface area through transparency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If a single compartment pack with front wall is used, then protection is improved, but the ability to preserve freshness by enabling selective access is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveprotectionVSAvoidselective access to preserve freshness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the pack into two separate compartments: a first compartment containing a first group of cigarettes and a second compartment containing a second group of cigarettes. Each compartment has its own lid that can be opened independently, allowing selective access to preserve freshness by enabling the user to open only the compartment containing the cigarettes to be consumed, while keeping the other compartment closed and protected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If health warning coverage of at least 26% is applied to outer walls, then regulatory compliance is improved, but the surface area available for promotional messages is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregulatory complianceVSAvoidsurface area for promotional messages
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the front wall from the pack structure, which was the primary surface constrained by health warning requirements. This extraction allows promotional content to be displayed on the inner containing element's surface that is visible through the transparent overwrapping, effectively bypassing the limitation imposed by health warning coverage requirements on the exterior outer walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent shifts the promotional content display from the exterior outer walls (constrained by health warning requirements) to the interior inner containing element's surface (visible through transparent overwrapping). This dimensional transition allows promotional messages to be displayed on a larger effective surface area that is not subject to the same health warning coverage restrictions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3914536B1Pack for smoking articles
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 GD SPA
  • EP3914536B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3914536B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3914536B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A pack (1) for smoking articles comprising: two groups (4) of smoking articles arranged adjacent to each other; an inner containing element (2) surrounding the two groups (4), having two distinct and separate extraction openings (12) to access the respective groups (4) of smoking articles, and comprising a front wall (13), two side walls (14) and/or a rear wall (15); an outer containing element (3) arranged around the inner containing element (2), surrounding the two groups (4), and comprising a rear wall (17); and two lids (18), which are hinged at opposite ends of the rear wall (17) of the outer containing element (3), rotate between an open and closed position of the corresponding extraction openings (12), and each comprise a rear wall (23) hinged to the rear wall (17) of the outer containing element (3), two side walls (24), one front wall (25) and one end wall (26).