The present disclosure generally relates to the field of packaging, for example for tobacco products. More particularly, the disclosure relates to the field of cigarette packaging.

It is an on-going requirement to improve the ergonomic and practical design of packaging. One area in which such a requirement is prevalent is the provision of packaging for tobacco products such as cigarette packaging.

Cigarette packaging must meet a range of challenging requirements. In particular, not only should the packaging be cheap and capable of mass production, but it should also be sufficiently robust to keep the cigarettes safe, maintain their freshness and retain its integrity over multiple sequences of opening and closing the packaging.

A common design for cigarette packaging today consists of a hinged lid packet. This is typically a cardboard packet with a hinged lid integrally formed at an upper end. The cigarettes are disposed longitudinally such that a user can remove the cigarettes by their ends when the lid is open.

For such packaging closure means have already been proposed providing a locking force the user has to overcome to open the pack. However, such closure means can make opening and closing packets difficult, in particular when the packaging is full. Having said this, said closure means often do not exert sufficient retaining force on the lid to hold it properly in the closed position when the packaging is partially, almost or entirely emptied of its contents.

The present invention addresses the problem of consistent and efficient closure of such hinged-lid packaging and aims at providing in particular packaging of the hinged-lid type with an improved closure arrangement.

According to a first aspect, there is provided packaging comprising: a housing for containing products, said housing comprising an opening arranged to allow access to such products; a lid movable with respect to the housing between a closed position in which said lid prevents access to said opening and an open position in which the opening is accessible; magnetic closing components arranged to hold the lid in the closed position by magnetic force; wherein: the housing and the lid are formed respectively by folding of at least one blank of sheet material; the magnetic closing components are printed/coated onto at least one surface of the sheet material; and at least one of the magnetic closing components has a pull force to surface area ratio of at least 5 g/cm ² . Said magnetic closing components could have a shear force to surface area ratio of at least 5 g/cm ² .

The magnetic closing components could have a surface magnetic field strength of at least 150 G.

Said magnetic closing components could be provided by a first magnetic component comprised in the housing and a second magnetic component comprised in the lid. Said first and second magnetic components could be at least partly located in regions of the housing and lid respectively which overlap in the closed position.

The first and second magnetic components could have a total surface area of at least 2 cm ² . The first and second magnetic components could have a total surface area of between 4 and 10 cm ² . The first and second magnetic components could have a total surface area of between 4 and 8 cm ²

The first and second magnetic components The first and second magnetic components could have a total surface area of comprise the same magnetic material.

At least a part of the lid could be pivotable with respect to the housing about a hinge to effect movement between the open and closed positions. At least one of the magnetic components could comprise a surface protective layer including at least one of an ink, a varnish, a wax or any combination thereof.

The packaging could further comprise a peelable foil or sheet material applied over at least one of the magnetic components.

The housing and the lid could be formed from folding of a blank of sheet material. The magnetic closing components could be applied either on one surface of the blank of sheet material or on two opposing surfaces of the blank of sheet material.

The housing could be an open-topped box comprising a front wall, a bottom wall, a back wall and two side walls. The lid could be attached along a hinge line to the back wall of the housing and could comprise a top wall, a front wall and two side walls. The lid could be arranged such that its front and side walls at least partially overlap the front and side walls of the housing in the closed position. A first magnetic closing component could be applied to the front wall of the housing. A second magnetic closing component could be applied to an inner face of the front wall of the lid. The housing could be an open-topped box comprising a front wall, a bottom wall, a back wall and two side walls. The lid could be attached along a hinge line to the back wall of the housing and could comprise a top wall, a front wall and two side walls. The lid could be arranged such that its front and side walls at least partially overlap front and side walls of an inner frame extending from an open top end of the housing in the closed position. A first magnetic closing component could be applied to the front wall of the inner frame. A second magnetic closing component could be applied to an inner face of the front wall of the lid.

Said magnetic closing components could comprise one or more of: permanent magnets, ferromagnetic coatings, ferromagnetic metals, composite ferromagnetic materials or rare-earth magnets.

Each of said magnetic closing components could comprise a series of aligned North-South poles. Such packaging can for example be used for tobacco products/smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, in particular cardboard cigarette packets. However their use is not limited to this field. For example, their use could be envisaged for other packets such as sweets packets or toothpick dispensers. The packaging could be constructed from cardboard, plastic, metal, wood or other suitable materials.

The magnetic closing components could be provided by two magnetised components arranged to attract one another, or by one magnetised component and one magnetisable component.

Aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures:

Figure 1A shows an example hinged lid packet in an open position;

Figure 1 B shows a blank for use in the production of the hinged lid packet of

Figure 1A;

Figure 1 C shows a blank for an inner frame for use in the production of the hinged lid packet of Figure 1 A;

Figure 2A shows another example hinged lid packet;

Figure 2B shows a blank for use in the production of the hinged lid packet of Figure 2A;

Figure 3A shows another example hinged lid packet; and

Figure 3B shows a blank for use in the production of the hinged lid packet of Figure 3A.

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the system, and is provided in the context of a particular application. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Where the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "top", "bottom", "side" etc. are used in the following description and claims, they are used merely to designate particular locations corresponding to those shown in the figures as presented and are not intended to tie interpretation of the claims to any particular orientation. Referring to Figure 1 , there is shown example packaging 100 in the form of a hinged lid packet. The packet 100 comprises a housing 1 10 and a lid 120. The housing 1 10 has an opening 1 1 1 through which contents of the packaging, for example cigarettes, can be accessed when the lid 120 is in the open position as shown. The lid 120 can be closed, preventing access to the contents of the housing 1 10, by pivoting it forwards about a hinge 130.

The hinge 130 is suitably formed by a fold line in a cardboard blank as shown in Figure 1 B, the housing 1 10 and lid 120 being integrally formed. Alternatively, the housing 1 10 and lid 120 could be separate elements connected by a hinge joint 130 of any suitable construction. For example one of the housing 1 10 and lid 120 could carry a cylinder which receives a pin carried by the other of the housing 1 10 and lid 120, the cylinder and the pin being coaxial and extending along hinge line 130. The lid can be held in the closed position by means of magnetic closing components 15, 25.

Figure 1 B illustrates a cardboard blank to form the packet 100 (without the inner frame 140) by folding. The faces shown are principally the outer faces, i.e. the faces that define the outer contours of the pack of Figure 1 A once the blank is assembled.

The blank comprises a front wall 1 13 and a back wall 1 17 which oppose one another when the packet 100 is formed. The front wall and the back wall are connected by a middle bottom wall part 1 16c.

When the packet is formed, front side wall parts 1 14a which extend as transverse flaps from front wall 1 13 are glued or otherwise attached to back side wall parts 1 14b which extend as transverse flaps from back wall 117. When the packet is formed, left and right bottom wall parts 1 16b and 1 16a respectively, which extend as longitudinal flaps from left and right back side wall parts 1 14b, are glued or otherwise attached to middle bottom wall part 1 16c. Hinge 130 is formed by a fold line separating back wall 1 17 of the housing from a back wall 127 of the lid. Left and right back side wall parts 124b of the lid extend as longitudinal flaps from lid back wall 127. Left and right lid top wall parts 128a and 128c respectively in turn extend as flaps from left and right lid back wall parts 124b, such that they lie longitudinally adjacent middle top wall part 128b of the lid when the blank is unfolded. Middle lid top wall part 128b extends as a transverse flap from lid back wall 127. An outer lid front wall part 123a extends as a transverse flap from middle lid top wall part 128b. Left and right front side wall parts 124a extend as longitudinal flaps from outer lid front wall part 123a. An inner lid front wall part 123b, which carries magnetised component 125, extends from outer lid front wall part 123a as a transverse flap. Magnetised component 125 can be, for example, extruded onto or affixed to or embedded, e.g. printed (for example using gravure printing techniques) into the inner lid front wall part 123b. When the lid 120 is formed inner lid front wall part 123b is glued or otherwise attached to outer lid front wall part 123a. Left and right top wall parts 128a and 128c are glued or otherwise attached to middle top wall part 128b. Left and right front side wall parts 124a are respectively glued or otherwise attached to left and right back side wall parts 124b.

Figure 1 C illustrates a cardboard blank to form the inner frame 140 of the packet 100 by folding. Inner frame side walls 144 extend as longitudinal flaps from inner frame front wall 143. Magnetised components 1 15 can be, for example, extruded onto or affixed to or embedded, e.g. printed (for example using gravure printing techniques) into the inner frame front wall 143.

Extrusion and printing techniques for applying the magnetic components to the blanks for forming packet 100 and inner frame 140 offer flexibility in terms of location, shape, size and thickness of magnetic components 1 15, 125 on the blanks and therefore in the packet 100 once assembled. They further have manageable impact on the manufacturing speeds of the blanks depending on the thickness of the magnetic components applied and they further have the benefit of allowing the magnetic components to be tinted and/or to be overprinted, thereby not hindering the marketing design opportunities in the packet.

When the packet 100 is formed, inner frame front wall 143 is glued or otherwise attached to the interior side of housing front wall 1 13. Inner frame side walls 144 are glued or otherwise attached to the interior sides of housing side walls 1 14.

Magnetic closing components 1 15, 125 could alternatively or additionally be applied to one or both side walls 144, 124 respectively of the inner frame and the lid, for example to panels 144 and 124b. Referring to Figure 2, there is shown further example packaging 200. This consists again of a hinged lid packet, this time without any inner frame.

The packet 200 comprises a housing 210 and a lid 220. The housing 210 has an opening 21 1 through which contents of the packaging, for example cigarettes, can be accessed when the lid 220 is in the open position as shown. A cut-out 212 is also provided in this example to make access to the contents easier, especially when the packet is full or nearly full. The lid 220 can be closed, preventing access to the contents of the housing 210, by pivoting it forwards about a hinge 230.

The hinge 230 is suitably formed by a fold line in a cardboard blank as shown in Figure 1 B, the housing 210 and lid 220 being integrally formed. Alternatively, the housing 210 and lid 220 could be separate elements connected by a hinge joint 230 of any suitable construction. For example one of the housing 210 and lid 220 could carry a cylinder which receives a pin carried by the other of the housing 210 and lid 220, the cylinder and the pin being coaxial and extending along hinge line 230. The lid can be held in the closed position by means of magnetic closing components 215, 225. Since there is no inner frame in this example, front face 213 of the packet extends further upwards towards the lid end of the packet than face 1 13 in the example packet 100 of Figure 1. Part of front face 213 of housing 210 is thus overlain by a front face 223 of lid 220 when the packet is closed such that magnetic closing component 225 of the lid 220 overlays magnetic closing component 215 of the housing, which is carried on front face 213.

Figure 2B illustrates a cardboard blank to form the packet 200 by folding. The faces shown are principally the outer faces.

The blank comprises a front wall 213 and a back wall 217 which oppose one another when the packet 200 is formed. The front wall and the back wall are connected by a middle bottom wall part 216c. Housing front wall 213 carries magnetised component 215. Magnetised component 215 can be, for example, extruded onto or affixed to or embedded into the housing front wall 213.

When the packet is formed, front side wall parts 214a which extend as transverse flaps from front wall 213 are glued or otherwise attached to back side wall parts 214b which extend as transverse flaps from back wall 217. When the packet is formed, left and right bottom wall parts 216b and 216a respectively, which extend as longitudinal flaps from left and right back side wall parts 214b, are glued or otherwise attached to middle bottom wall part 216c. Hinge 230 is formed by a fold line separating back wall 217 of the housing from a back wall 227 of the lid. Left and right back side wall parts 224b of the lid extend as longitudinal flaps from lid back wall 227. Left and right lid top wall parts 228a and 228c respectively in turn extend as flaps from left and right lid back wall parts 224b, such that they lie longitudinally adjacent middle top wall part 228b of the lid when the blank is unfolded. Middle lid top wall part 228b extends as a transverse flap from lid back wall 227. An outer lid front wall part 223a extends as a transverse flap from middle lid top wall part 228b. Left and right front side wall parts 224a extend as longitudinal flaps from outer lid front wall part 223a. An inner lid front wall part 223b, which carries magnetised component 225, extends from outer lid front wall part 223a as a transverse flap. Magnetised component 225 can be, for example, extruded onto or affixed to or embedded into the inner lid front wall part 223b in any of the ways suggested for the previous example.

When the lid 220 is formed inner lid front wall part 223b is glued or otherwise attached to outer lid front wall part 223a. Left and right top wall parts 228a and 228c are glued or otherwise attached to middle top wall part 228b. Left and right front side wall parts 224a are respectively glued or otherwise attached to left and right back side wall parts 224b.

Magnetic closing components 215, 225 could alternatively or additionally be applied to one or both side walls 2 4, 224 respectively of the housing and the lid, for example to panels 214a and 224a.

Figure 3A shows another example packet 300 similar to packet 200 of Figure 2A, with a slightly modified lid construction having a reduced number of panels and flaps and wherein magnetic components 315, 325 are formed on inner faces of the front panel 313 of the container part 310 and the front panel 323 of the lid 320 respectively.

A blank for forming the packet 300 is represented in Figure 3B, said blank being similar in construction to the one of Figure 2B except for the lid components. The faces shown are however in this case the inner faces.

The blank comprises a front wall 313 and a back wall 317 which oppose one another when the packet 300 is formed. The front wall and the back wall are connected by a middle bottom wall part 316c. Housing front wall 313 carries magnetised component 315. Magnetised component 315 can be, for example, extruded onto or affixed to or embedded into the housing front wall 313 in any of the ways suggested for the previous examples.

When the packet is formed, front side wall parts 314a which extend as transverse flaps from front wall 313 are glued or otherwise attached to back side wall parts 314b which extend as transverse flaps from back wall 317. When the packet is formed, left and right bottom wall parts 316a and 316abrespectively, which extend as longitudinal flaps from left and right back side wall parts 314b, are glued or otherwise attached to middle bottom wall part 316c.

Hinge 330 is formed by a fold line separating back wall 317 of the housing from a top wall 328 of the lid. Left and right back side wall parts 324a of the lid extend as longitudinal flaps from lid top wall 328. Left and right lid front wall parts 323a and 323c respectively in turn extend as flaps from left and right lid side wall parts 324a. Lid top wall part 328 extends as a transverse flap from the housing back wall 317. Lid front wall part 323 extends as a transverse flap from the lid top wall part 328. The lid front wall 323 carries magnetic component 325, which can be, for example, extruded onto or affixed to or embedded into the inner face of the lid front wall 323 in any of the ways suggested for the previous examples.

When the lid 320 is formed only the left and right lid front wall parts 323a and 323c are glued or otherwise attached to the inner face of the lid front wall 323, thereby bringing the lid front wall 323, the lid side walls 324 and the lid top wall 328 perpendicular angle to one another such that the lid 320 can close the housing 310 of the packet upon pivoting about the hinge 330.

The magnetic components can be formed either on the inner faces of panels 313, 323 or on the outer faces of the same. However, providing them on the inner faces allows for magnetic component 315 at least to be hidden from sight of the consumer once the packet 300 is assembled. This has the additional advantage to allow for a fully printed outer face of the front panel 313 without the additional thickness of the front magnetic component 315 once the lid 320 is closed, thereby offering easier and improved overwrapping of the packet if necessary upon industrial manufacture.

Example parameters for the magnetic closing components in the various packet examples are as follows.

Thickness: less than 0.4 mm, e.g. 0.24 mm or 0.30 mm. Surface magnetic field strength: greater than 150 G, e.g. 180 G or 200 G or 210 G.

Combined contacting surface area: at least 2 cm ² , preferably 4 to 20 cm ² , e.g. 20.09 cm ² or 19.88 cm ² .

· Direct pull force to surface area ratio required to separate magnetic closing components from one another (force applied perpendicular to contacting surfaces): at least 5 g/cm ² , e.g. 6.6 g/cm ² or 10.0 g/cm ² .

Shear force to surface area ratio required to separate magnetic closing components from one another (force applied parallel to contacting surfaces): at least 5 g/cm ² , e.g. 6.3g/cm ² or 5.0 g/cm ² .

These example parameters provide several advantages.

For example, the thickness of the magnetic closing components should be limited. In the case of magnetic closing components raised above the surface of the sheet material this reduces the gap created between the lid and housing. Such a gap can be unsightly and may allow some of the contents of the pack to escape when closed (for example if loose tobacco has escaped cigarettes). In the case of magnetic closing components embedded into the sheet material to lie flush with its surface (for example by application to a recessed part of the sheet material, by an application process involving stamping or by a flap of sheet material with a cut-out shaped to receive the magnetic closing component being folded over it), reducing the thickness of the magnetic closing component reduces the required thickness of the sheet material. The surface magnetic field strength of the magnetic closing components and their contacting surface area contribute to the speed with which the magnetic lock closes when the lid is released. The above example parameters provide feedback to the user that the pack is properly closed since the strength of the magnetic closing components is sufficient for the lock to close quickly enough to result in an audible "toe" sound on closure.

The surface magnetic field strength of the magnetic closing components and their contacting surface area also set the force required to open a magnetically locked packet. The above example parameters ensure a lock strong enough to stay closed even when the pack is empty (or nearly empty) and pressure expected during normal use (for example from a tight grip on the packet or the packet being squashed into a pocket or up against another object in a handbag) is applied to the front face of the housing.

The magnetic closing components could comprise a series of aligned North- South poles. The effect of this is that, when the magnetic closing components are brought together and a shear force is applied, they alternately attract and repel one another through the motion. This provides the user with a feeling of controlled resistance when opening the lid. It also further reduces the chance of unwanted opening since the lock can partially open without opening enough for the contents of the packet to spill out. I.e., if a momentary shear force is applied by accident, the magnetic closing components may slide against each other by one or two pole alternation widths, but will then settle into a new partially open position unless sustained force is applied.

Magnetic materials applicable through extrusion and printing techniques and that can be used to form the magnetic closing components in the packaging according to the invention are described for example in WO 2002/040274 and WO 2004/036606, which are herein incorporated by reference.

The lid height of the packaging could be extended such that a magnetic closing component applied to an interior surface of the lid does not contact contents of the packaging during opening or closing.

Alternatively or additionally, a varnish, lacquer or similar could be applied over at least the magnetic closing component comprised in the lid to prevent contamination between the magnetic closing component and the contents of the packet.

Alternatively or additionally, a peelable foil or sheet material could be applied over one or more of the magnetic components. This could protect the magnetic material until purchase. If the foil/sheet material is configured to dampen the magnetic field around the magnetic closing components then it could act as a block, giving the user the option of whether to activate the magnetic closure themselves (by peeling off the foil/sheet material) or not. For example, if a user intends their packet of, e.g. chewing gum, to be opened repeatedly in a short period or need it to be easy to get into one-handed (e.g. if it is kept in a car's cup-holder), they may not wish to activate the magnetic lock. If on the other hand the packet is to be kept loose in a handbag and/or is only to be accessed occasionally, they may prefer to activate the magnetic lock.

The packets depicted in the figures are generally cuboid. Edges could be sharp or rounded/bevelled. Other suitable shapes could be envisaged, for example a more rounded, generally cylindrical design could also be employed for cigarettes, and other shapes could be appropriate depending on the contents of the packet. Smaller items such as sweets or chewing gum pieces could for example be suitably housed in a variety of regular and irregular shaped packets, such as novelty packets in the shape of other objects or characters.

Magnetic closing components can be incorporated into the packets at various stages of manufacture of the packets, for example before cutting the blanks, between cutting and folding the blanks or after folding the blanks. If the magnetic biasing means are not provided magnetised initially, they can similarly be magnetised at various stages of manufacture of the packets. Interaction of the magnetic biasing means with metallic parts of the production line should be considered when determining the appropriate procedure. The above description relates to exemplary uses of the invention, but it will be appreciated that other implementations and variations are possible.

In addition, the skilled person can modify or alter the particular geometry and arrangement of the particular features of the packaging. Other variations and modifications will also be apparent to the skilled person. Such variations and modifications can involve equivalent and other features which are already known and which can be used instead of, or in addition to, features described herein. Features that are described in the context of separate embodiments can be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, features which are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.