Smoking Article Package With Folding Walls for Hygienic Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing smoking article packages face challenges in easy extraction, particularly for smaller articles like traditional cigarettes or cartridges, often leading to damage and hygiene issues, and existing solutions for singularization result in large package dimensions.

Innovation Solution

A package design with folding side walls and support walls featuring seats for smoking articles, allowing easy extraction and maintaining compact dimensions, with hygienic access through removable covering portions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If smoking articles are arranged side by side in close contact within the package, then the package dimensions are reduced, but the extraction of articles becomes difficult and may cause damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackage dimensionsVSAvoidextraction of smoking articles
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The package is divided into multiple compartments, each capable of holding one or more smoking articles. This segmentation allows articles to be stored in an organized manner while facilitating easy extraction of individual articles without affecting others, resolving the contradiction between compact storage and ease of extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A removable cover or partition acts as an intermediary element that can be selectively removed to access specific compartments. This intermediary mechanism enables users to extract articles without needing to handle or touch other articles, maintaining both compact dimensions and hygienic extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If solutions are designed to enable singularization of smoking articles for easy extraction, then extraction becomes easier, but the package dimensions increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction of smoking articlesVSAvoidpackage dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The package employs a segmented compartment structure where each compartment is designed to hold individual articles or small groups. This segmentation enables easy access to single articles without requiring the entire package to be opened or articles to be handled in bulk, thus avoiding increased dimensions while maintaining ease of extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The package utilizes a three-dimensional compartmental arrangement that optimizes space utilization. By arranging compartments in multiple layers or configurations, the design achieves easy article access without increasing the overall footprint or volume of the package significantly.

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

3Ease of operation

If users must touch smoking articles with fingers for extraction, then extraction is possible, but hygiene is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction of smoking articlesVSAvoidhygiene contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The package incorporates removable covers, partitions, or dispensing mechanisms that act as intermediaries between the user's fingers and the smoking articles. Users can open covers or activate mechanisms to extract articles without direct finger contact, maintaining hygiene while preserving ease of extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The design allows the cover or protective element to be completely removed or opened before extraction, enabling users to take out articles without touching them with fingers. This extraction of the protective barrier maintains hygiene while facilitating easy article removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4166468B1Package of smoking articles
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 GD SPA
  • EP4166468B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4166468B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4166468B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a package (1) of smoking articles (2) comprising: a front wall (3); a rear wall (4); a bottom (10); two side walls (11); and at least a first support wall (5), which has a first group of seats (50) for receiving, each one, a smoking article (2) and is arranged in proximity to the front wall (3) so as to be transversal to the front wall (3) and to the rear wall (4). Each side wall (11) has: a first portion (12) proximal to the front wall (3); a second portion (13) proximal to the rear wall (4); and a folding line (14) arranged between the first portion (12) and the second portion (13) so as to allow the folding of the first portion (12) on the second portion (13), or vice versa, causing the mutual distancing and approach of the front wall (3) and of the rear wall (4).