Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This patent application is related to Italian Patent Application No. 102022000015084 filed on July 19, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a box, in particular a snus box, with a child-proof safety opening.

Prior Art

Snus is a Swedish term used to indicate a moist powder tobacco for oral use, produced by means of a steam humidification process, or a powder material with added nicotine. Snus is generally packaged in small permeable bags (made of the same material as tea bags) that each contain a pre-packaged dose of an incoherent, moist oral nicotine product.

Currently, snus bags are grouped to form groups of 4-30 snus bags that are placed in boxes made of a plastic material (or more rarely of a metal material). As described, for example, in patent applications WO2014124939A1 and WO2016202594A1, a snus box is generally cylindrical in shape and comprises a container which is closed by a removable lid and which defines, together with the lid, a chamber intended to house the group of snus bags. In some cases, an auxiliary chamber is created in the central area of the main lid, which is closed by an auxiliary lid and is intended to house used snus bags.

One of the demands of the market, also in response to specific legislation, is to have a snus box having a child-proof safety opening; in other words, in order to remove the lid and thus access the contents of the box, it is necessary to perform a plurality of simultaneous operations with one’s fingers that require manual dexterity generally superior to that of a child.

The patent application US2002084239A1 describes a child-proof and elderly-friendly vial/cap system in which a locking protrusion located on the vial or on the cap is engaged by a latch located on the other vial or on the cap.

The patent application US2019344937A1 describes a child-proof container that comprises a lid and a base with saw-shaped latches.

Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a box, in particular a snus box, with a child-proof safety opening that provides a high guarantee of safety relative to the manual dexterity of a child and, at the same time, is (relatively) easy and intuitive for an adult to open.

According to the present invention, a box, in particular a snus box, with a child-proof safety opening is provided as claimed in the appended claims.

The claims also form an integral part of the present description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snus box provided in accordance with the present invention;

• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a container of the snus box of Figure 1;

• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lid of the snus box of Figure 1;

• Figure 4 is a side view of the snus box of Figure 1;

• Figure 5 is a view of the snus box of Figure 1 in cross-section according to the section line V-V;

• Figure 6 is a different side view of the snus box of Figure 1;

• Figure 7 is a view of the snus box of Figure 1 in cross-section according to the section line VII- VII;

• Figure 8 is a perspective view of a variant of the snus box of Figure 1;

• Figure 9 is a perspective view of a further variant of the snus box of Figure 1;

• Figures 10 and 11 are two front views of the snus box of Figure 9 with the lid in two different angular positions relative to the container;

• Figure 12 is a perspective view of part of the container of the snus box of Figure 9;

• Figure 13 is a perspective view of part of the lid of the snus box of Figure 9; and

• Figure 14 is a view of the snus box of Figure 9 in cross-section.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

In Figure 1, reference number 1 indicates, as a whole, a snus box (or package) with a child-proof safety opening and containing a group (not illustrated) of 4-30 snus bags; i.e. the snus box 1 comprises a group of snus bags (not illustrated) housed inside said snus box 1. Preferably, the snus box 1 is made of a printed plastic material.

The snus box 1 illustrated in the accompanying figures has a cylindrical shape that develops symmetrically along a longitudinal axis A. According to a different embodiment not illustrated, the snus box 1 has a prismatic shape that develops along the longitudinal axis A and has a base shaped, for example, like a regular polygon; by way of example, the base of the snus box 1 could be polygonal in shape with four or more sides.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the snus box 1 comprises a container 2 which defines a housing chamber 3 in which the group of snus bags (not illustrated) is arranged. The container 2 is cup-shaped and thus has an open upper end that is closed by a lid 4 (illustrated in Figures 1 and 3); i.e. the lid 4 is coupled to the container 2 to close the open upper end of the container 2 and must be removed to gain access to the group of snus bags (not illustrated).

As illustrated in Figure 2, the container 2 comprises an inner side wall 5 (which is preferably cylindrical in shape but which can also have other shapes, e.g. of a parallelepiped) laterally delimiting the housing chamber 3 and a lower wall 6 (which is preferably circular in shape but which can also have other shapes, e.g. polygonal with four or more sides) delimiting the housing chamber 3 at the bottom and lying opposite the open upper end. In addition, the container 2 comprises an outer side wall 7 (which is preferably cylindrical in shape but which can also have other shapes, e.g. of a parallelepiped) which is arranged around the inner side wall 5 and at a given distance from the inner side wall 5; in other words, the outer side wall 7 of the container 2 has a diameter greater than a diameter of the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 so that an annular space is defined between the two side walls 5 and 7.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 has a greater height (i.e. axial extension) than the outer side wall 7 of container 2; i.e. the outer side wall 7 of the container 2 is lower than the inner side wall 5 of the container 2.

The outer side wall 7 of the container 2 has two opposite interruptions, i.e. the outer side wall 7 of the container 2 is absent (interrupted) in two opposite areas; a respective locking element 8 is present in the area of each interruption of the outer side wall 7 of the container 2.

As illustrated in Figure 5, a connection element 9 is provided, which connects, in a rigid manner and without permitting relative movements, the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 to the outer side wall 7 of the container 2; i.e. the connection element 9 establishes a rigid and permanent connection between the two side walls 5 and 7 of the container 2. According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the connection element 9 (as well as the outer side wall 7 of the container 2) is only interrupted in the area of the locking elements 8, i.e. in the area of the interruptions of the outer side wall 7 of the container 2. According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, the connection element 9 is arranged perpendicularly to both side walls 5 and 7 of the container 2. In other words, the two (cylindrical) side walls 5 and 7 of the container 2 are joined by the connection element 9, which is perpendicular to both (cylindrical) side walls 5 and 7 of the container 2 and which partially occupies the empty space delimited between the two (cylindrical) side walls 5 and 7 of the container 2; the connection element 9 is a circular crown interrupted in the area of the locking elements 8 (i.e. in the area of the interruptions of the outer side wall 7 of the container 2).

As illustrated in Figures 3, 5 and 7, the lid 4 (which is coupled to the container 2 to close the open upper end) laterally has an annular cavity 10 that runs along the entire periphery of the lid 4 (i.e. it has an uninterrupted annular shape). According to less preferred variant embodiments not illustrated, the cavity 10 of the lid 4 may have interruptions. In such a case, it is important that, when the lid 4 is coupled to the container 2, the cavity 10 is at least in the area of the locking elements 8.

As illustrated in Figure 7, each locking element 8 (which is arranged in the area of an interruption of the outer side wall 7 of the container 2) supports a tooth 11, which is configured to be inserted into the cavity 10 of the lid 4; i.e. the size and the shape of each tooth 11 allow the tooth 11 to engage the cavity 10 of the lid 4. In other words, the teeth 11 engaging the cavity 10 allow the lid 4 to be locked to the container 2.

According to a preferred embodiment, each tooth 11 has a rectangular shape in crosssection with softened (rounded) corners; in particular, the softened (rounded) profile of the teeth 11 makes it easier for the teeth 11 to enter and exit the cavity 10, i.e. the softened (rounded) profile of the teeth 11 facilitates the entry and the exit of the teeth 11 into/out of the cavity 10.

As illustrated in Figure 7, each locking element 8 is connected to the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 in order to move between an active position (illustrated on the right in Figure 7) in which the tooth 11 is inserted in the cavity 10 of the lid 4, thus preventing the lid 4 from being separated from the container 2, and a deactivated position (illustrated on the left in Figure 7) in which the tooth 11 is completely outside the cavity 10 of the lid 4, thus allowing the lid 4 to be separated from the container 2. In other words, normally (i.e. in the absence of external intervention) the locking elements 8 are in the active position (illustrated on the right in Figure 7) and thus prevent the lid 4 from being separated from the container 2; in order to be able to separate the lid 4 from the container 2 (i.e. in order to be able to open the box 1), it is necessary to press down on the locking elements 8 to move the locking elements 8 from the active position (illustrated on the right in Figure 7) to the deactivated position (illustrated on the left in Figure 7). In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, in cases where two locking elements 8 are present, in order to open the box 1 and separate the lid 4 from the container 2, it is necessary to press down on the locking elements 8 simultaneously in order to move the locking elements 8 simultaneously from the active position to the deactivated position. As illustrated in Figure 7, the cavity 10 of the lid 4 faces the outer side wall 7 and each locking element 8 moves the tooth 11 from the inside of the box 1 to the outside of the box 1 (i.e. from the inner side wall 5 to the outer side wall 7) when it is moved from the active position (illustrated on the right in Figure 7) to the deactivated position (illustrated on the left in Figure 7), so as to extract the tooth 11 from the cavity 10 of the lid 4.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, each locking element 8 is hinged to the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 so as to rotate around a fulcrum interposed between the tooth 11 and a pressing area 12 of the locking element 8 configured to be pushed by the fingers of a user during the opening of the lid 4. In particular, the pressing area 12 of each locking element 8 is arranged close to (essentially at) the lower wall 6 of the container 2; i.e. in each locking element 8, the tooth 11 is arranged higher up (i.e. towards the lid 4), the pressing area 12 is arranged lower down (i.e. towards the lower wall 6 of the container 2), and the fulcrum is located in the middle. According to a preferred embodiment, in the area of each pressing area 12, the outer surface of each locking element 8 has raised ribs that perform the function of visually identifying the pressing area 12 as well as of locally increasing friction in order to facilitate the application of pressure by means of one’s fingers.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, each locking element 8 is connected to the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 by means of a connection element 13 which is designed to deform elastically and which constitutes the fulcrum of the hinge. In other words, each connection element 13 is connected to the locking element 8 at a first end and is connected to the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 at a second end arranged lower down, i.e. axially closer to the lower wall 6 of the container 2, than the first end. In other words, each connection element 13 has a first end which is arranged higher up (closer to the lid 4) and a second end which is opposite the first end and which is arranged lower down (closer to the lower wall 6 of the container 2).

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, each connection element 13 is arranged so as to be inclined relative to the locking element 8 and to the inner side wall 5 of the container (and is also inclined relative to the outer side wall 7 of the container 2) and forms acute and obtuse angles with the locking element 8 and the inner side wall 5 of the container 2.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, each connection element 13 consists of a flat plate.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the lid 4 has, at the bottom, a wedge-shaped body 14, which is arranged under the cavity 10, is located (when the lid 4 is coupled to the container 2) between the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 and the outer side wall 7 of the container 2, and has an increasing thickness towards the cavity 10; in other words, the wedge-shaped body 14 delimits the cavity 10 of the lid 2 at the bottom. When the lid 4 is coupled to the container 2, the wedge-shaped body 14 fits into the space between the side walls 5 and 7 of the container 2 and through the space between the locking element 8 and the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 and its inclined surface comes into contact with the teeth 11 ; as the lid 4 enters the container 2, the wedge-shaped body 14 progressively pushing down on the teeth 11 causes a progressive elastic deformation of the locking elements 8 until the teeth 11 pass the wedge-shaped body 14 and thus enter by elastic springback into the cavity 10 and cause the locking of the lid 4 to the container 2.

In the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the wedge-shaped body 14 is solid, i.e. it has no internal cavities; according to a different embodiment not illustrated, the wedge-shaped body 14 has an internal cavity (potentially open towards the top), which increases its capacity for elastic deformation in a radial direction.

According to a preferred embodiment, at its lowest point (i.e. closest to the lower wall 6 of the container 2), the wedge-shaped body 14 has a maximum width that equals (i.e. is equal to or greater than) the distance between the teeth 11 and the inner side wall 5 of the container 2 so that the lid 4 fits into the container more readily (i.e. unhindered).

According to a possible embodiment, notches can be provided along the inclined surface of the wedge-shaped body 14 in order to facilitate an inward contraction (i.e. an elastic deformability in a radial direction) during the insertion of the lid 4 into the container 2. According to a possible embodiment, each locking element 8 is initially connected to the outer side wall 7 of the container 2 by means of some weak bridges, which are broken when the locking element 8 is moved for the first time, i.e. when the lid 4 is opened for the first time. One function of these weak bridges is to ensure an increased stability of the locking elements 8 (which are in fact secured to the side wall 7 of the container 2) during the assembly of the box 1. A further function of these weak bridges is to make it a little more difficult to open the lid 4 the first time (inasmuch as a little more force must be applied to the pressing area 12 of the locking elements 8 to break the weak bridges), thus providing the user with conclusive evidence that the lid 4 has never been opened before. In other words, the lid 4 has a rather simple geometry with a perfect cylindrical symmetry around the longitudinal axis A, i.e. the lid 4 has a profile that performs a complete revolution around the longitudinal axis A.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the lid 4 has a rounded upper edge, while in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 8, the lid 4 has a squared upper edge. It remains understood that the shape of the edges of the lid 4 is not relevant for the object of the present invention.

In accordance with an embodiment not illustrated, the lid 4 comprises an auxiliary chamber that is dimensioned to contain used snus. This auxiliary chamber is cup-shaped and has an open upper end. In this embodiment, the lid 4 comprises a closing element dimensioned to close the open upper end of the auxiliary chamber and movable between a closed position in which it closes the open upper end of the auxiliary chamber and an open position in which it allows access to the auxiliary chamber.

In accordance with an embodiment not illustrated, the box 1 includes safety means that prevent the lid 4 and the container 2 from separating, in the event that the box 1 is overturned and the locking elements 8 are pressed in.

In this embodiment, the lid 4 can be shaped to include said safety means; in this case, the lid 4 includes a sealing edge and/or a releasable latch (not illustrated) that prevents the lid 4 from disengaging from the container 2 in the event that the box 1 is overturned and the locking elements 8 are pressed in. Alternatively, the container 2 can be shaped to include said safety means in particular in the area of the inner side wall 5; in this case, the container 2 includes a sealing edge and/or a releasable latch (not illustrated and preferably arranged in the area of the inner side wall 5) which prevents the lid 4 from disengaging from the container 2 in the event that the box 1 is overturned and the locking elements 8 are pressed in. In the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the outer side wall 7 of the container 2 has (exactly) two opposite interruptions so that two locking elements 8 are present; according to other embodiments, the number of locking elements 8 (and thus of interruptions in the outer side wall 7 of the container 2) may be different and can vary from a minimum of a single locking element 8 to a maximum of three to four locking elements 8 (increasing the number of locking elements 8 also increases the difficulty of opening the lid 4 and thus increases the certainty that it is child-proof). The locking elements 8 can also be arranged in a non- symmetrical manner around the longitudinal axis A.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-8, the lid 4 has a perfect symmetry around the longitudinal axis A so that its angular position relative to the container 2 is entirely indifferent to its opening (removal); i.e., the lid 4 can be freely rotated relative to the container 2 and around the longitudinal axis A without producing any change in the possibility of opening (removing) the lid 4. In contrast, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 9-14, the lid 4 does not have a symmetry around the longitudinal axis A so that the opening (removal) of the lid 4 is only permitted if the lid 4 is in a precise angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2; i.e., in order to open (remove) the lid 4, it is necessary to rotate the lid 4 relative to the container 2 around the longitudinal axis A until the lid 4 is in a precise angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2, otherwise it is not possible to open (remove) the lid 4.

The angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) of the lid 4 relative to the container 2 is signalled (detected) by the alignment between (at least) one cursor 15 arranged on the lid 4 and (at least) one cursor 16 arranged on the container 2; in other words, when the cursor 15 is not aligned with the corresponding cursor 16 (as illustrated in Figure 11), the lid 4 is not in the angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, the cursors 15 and 16 have the shape of a right-angled triangle so that they have the shape of an isosceles (or equilateral) triangle when they are aligned. The preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached figures includes (for each locking element 8) two cursors 15 arranged on the lid 4 and two cursors 16 arranged on the container 2: when the lid 4 is in the angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2, each cursor 15 is aligned with a corresponding cursor 16. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the two cursors 16 are arranged on opposite sides of a corresponding interruption of the outer side wall 7 of the container 2, i.e. on opposite sides of a corresponding locking element 8.

The two cursors 15, 16 can be in the form of a graphic sign and/or a protuberance.

Each locking element 8 has an upper protuberance 17 (visible in Figures 11, 12 and 14) which projects upwards from a top of the locking element 8; moreover, the lid 4 has a lower edge 18 (visible in Figures 9-11 and 13-14) which, when the lid 4 is coupled to the container 2, is radially arranged more on the outside than the upper protuberances 17 of the locking elements 8 and radially overlaps the upper protuberances 17 of the locking elements 8 in order to avoid a radial outward movement of the upper protuberances 17 of the locking elements 8 (and thus a radial outward movement of the locking elements 8). The lower edge 18 of the lid 4 has two interruptions (windows, openings) 19, each of which having a circumferential extension similar (i.e. substantially equal or rather slightly greater in order to take into account construction tolerances) to a circumferential extension of the upper protuberances 17 of the locking elements 8: when the lid 4 is in the angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2, each interruption 19 is aligned with the upper protuberance 17 of a corresponding locking element 8 and thus allows the locking element 8 to move radially outward (inasmuch as the upper protuberance 17 can pass through the interruption 19 to move radially outward). In other words, the lower edge 18 of the lid having the two interruptions 19 and the upper protuberances 17 of the locking elements 8 constitute a stop system, which prevents the locking elements 8 from moving (thus the lid 4 from opening) when the lid 4 is not in the angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2, i.e. which only allows the movement of the locking elements 8 (and thus the opening or removal of the lid 4) when the lid 4 is in the angular opening position (illustrated in Figures 9 and 10) relative to the container 2.

In the embodiment described in the foregoing, the box 1 contains snus, but according to other embodiments, the box 1 can contain any other type of product of the tobacco processing industry or even any other type of product of another industry (e.g. a food product or a medicine).

The embodiments described here can be combined with one another without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. The box 1 described in the foregoing has numerous advantages.

First, the box 1 described in the foregoing, in particular a snus box, has a child-proof safety opening that provides a high guarantee of safety relative to the manual dexterity of a child.

In addition, the box 1 described in the foregoing is (relatively) easy and intuitive for an adult to open; in fact, the container 2 can be grasped at the bottom (i.e. near the lower wall 6) in a particularly simple and intuitive manner with the fingers of one hand, whereby it is possible to apply a direct inward pressure on the pressing areas 12 of the locking elements 8 while the lid 4 is grasped and pulled upwards with the other hand.

Finally, the box 1 described in the foregoing is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, inasmuch as the container 2 and the lid 4 can be readily manufactured by means of plastic material printing.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS IN THE FIGURES

1 snus box

2 container

3 housing chamber

4 lid

5 inner side wall

6 lower wall

7 outer side wall

8 locking element

9 connection element

10 cavity

11 tooth

12 pressing area

13 connection element

14 body

15 cursor

16 cursor

17 upper protuberance

18 edge

19 interruption

A longitudinal axis