Rigid Smoking Pack Hinged Lid Closing Tab Restraining Element
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rigid packs for smoking articles with hinged lids face difficulties in cigarette extraction due to a small transverse size of the extraction opening, which is necessary for proper closure but restricts easy access to cigarettes, especially in standard-sized packs where cigarettes adjacent to the rear wall are covered by the closing tab.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a restraining element that ensures the closing tab remains tangent to the upper wall or forms a specific angle, preventing uncontrolled detachment and allowing for a larger extraction opening size without deforming the tab, thus facilitating easier cigarette extraction while maintaining proper closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the extraction opening size is increased to facilitate cigarette extraction, then the ease of operation is improved, but the closing tab cannot properly re-position on the extraction opening when the lid is closed
Solution Approach 1:
A restraining element is introduced as an intermediary component between the closing tab and the inner wrap. This restraining element has a guiding portion that contacts the closing tab and a restraining portion that contacts the upper wall, mediating the interaction to guide proper re-positioning while allowing larger opening sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from controlling only the transverse dimension of the opening to incorporating a longitudinal dimension constraint through the restraining element. The restraining element extends in the longitudinal direction and provides guidance along the extraction opening, adding a new dimensional aspect to the closure control mechanism
2Reliability
If the extraction opening transverse size is decreased to enable proper closing tab closure, then the closing reliability is improved, but the cigarette extraction becomes difficult especially for cigarettes adjacent to the rear wall
Solution Approach 1:
The closing tab is segmented into multiple portions: a first portion that contacts the restraining element's guiding portion, a second portion that extends along the extraction opening, and a third portion that contacts the inner wrap. This segmentation allows different portions to perform different functions during the closing process
Solution Approach 2:
The restraining element acts as a mediator that enables the closing tab to maintain proper contact with the upper wall even when the opening is larger. The guiding portion and restraining portion of the restraining element work together to ensure proper positioning without requiring a small opening size
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~6
AI summary
A pack (1) for smoking articles comprising: a group (18) of smoking articles; an inner wrap (3) wrapping the group (18) of smoking articles and having: an upper wall (26), a rear wall (27), and a smoking article extraction opening (23) obtained also through the upper wall (26); a rigid outer container (2) that is cup-shaped and housing the inner wrap (3); a lid (4) hinged to the outer container (2) along a hinge (5) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2) itself, between an open position and a closed position; and a closing tab (24) which is connected to the inner wrap (3), closes the smoking article extraction opening (23) and has an end connected to a wall (11) of the lid (4); and a restraining element (33) that is configured to maintain the closing tab (24) folded towards a front wall (7) of the outer container (2) at a rear corner (25) of the inner wrap (3) defined between the upper wall (26) and the rear wall (27).