The present invention relates to a container for smoking articles comprising at least two hingedly connected packs, each for housing a separate bundle of smoking articles.

WO-A-2006/079799 disposes packages comprising two packs connected in a Jacob's ladder arrangement by at least first and second straps and blanks and a method for forming such packages.

In one aspect, WO-A-2006/079799 describes a package comprising: first and second packs each capable of containing items, each pack having a first face bound by a first edge and a second edge, the second edge being parallel to the first edge; and means, connecting the first and second packs, which means comprising first and second straps which are attachable to the first and second packs; wherein, in a first position of the packs the first face of the first and second packs face each other with the first edges of the first and second pack adjacent to each other and the second edges of the first and second pack adjacent each other, the first and second straps extending across the first face and being hinged about the first and second edges, wherein the first strap is hinged about the first edge of the first pack and hinged about the second edge of the second pack and the second strap is hinged about the second edge of the first pack and hinged about the first edge of the second pack, whereby the first and second packs are movable, one relative to the other between at least the first position, a second position in which the second pack is rotated relative to the first pack about the first edge and a third position in which the second pack is rotated relative to the first pack about the second edge.

In another aspect, WO-A-2008/079799 describes a blank for forming the means comprising first and second straps that connects the first and second packs of the package, which comprises a single sheet of material, having at least a first region providing a first strap and a second region providing a second strap, the regions being adjoined by a line operable to separate the first region from the second region, the line having a first, second and third section thereon, the second section being a weakened section such that the first and second regions are separable, and the first and second sections being cut portions extending from respective ends of the weakened section to the edge of the sheet.

In a further aspect, WO-A-20061079799 describes another blank for forming the means comprising first and second straps that connects the first and second packs of the package, which comprises a single sheet of material having a first elongate section in which there is an elongate hole having major edges which are spaced apart and a second section aligned with the hole and extending from a minor edge of the first section, the second section having a maximum width substantially equal or less than the minimum width of the hole and a length greater than the length of the hole such that a free minor edge of the second section is threadable through the hole and capable of attaching to the free minor edge of the first section.

The first and second packs of all of the packages described In the specification and shown in the drawings of WO-A-2006/079799 are connected in a Jacobs Ladder arrangement by a separate joining blank or by a separate Jacobs Ladder structure. To manufacture the packages, a separate joining blank is either fixed to the first and second packs or the first and second packs are positioned within, and in some cases fixed to, two pack containing sections in a separate Jacobs Ladder structure.

It would be desirable to provide a container comprising two or more packs connected in a Jacob's ladder or similar arrangement that can be manufactured in a simple way.

According to the invention there is provided a container for smoking articles comprising at least two hingedly connected packs, each for housing a separate bundle of smoking articles, the container comprising: a first pack having a first wall; a second pack having a second wall; and a separate connector comprising: a first panel with opposed first and second edges; a second panel comprising a first sub-panel hingedly connected to the first panel along the first edge and a second sub-panel hingedly connected to the first sub-panel along a first fold line; and a third panel comprising a third sub-panel hingedly connected to the first panel along the second edge and a fourth sub-panel hingedly connected to the third sub-panel along a second fold line. The first sub-panel of the second panel is folded about the first edge of the first panel so that the first sub-panel overlies the first panel and the second sub-panel of the second panel is folded about the first fold line so that the second sub-panel overlies the first sub-panel. The third sub-panel of the third panel is folded about the second edge of the first panel so that the third sub-panel overlies the first panel and the fourth sub-panel of the third panel is folded about the second fold line so that the fourth sub-panel overlies the third sub-panel. The first panel of the separate connector is affixed to the first wall of the first pack and the second sub-panel of the second panel and the fourth sub-panel of the third panel of the separate connector are affixed to the second wall of the second pack.

The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are hingeable relative to one another about the first edge of the first panel of the separate connector between an initial position and a second position. In the initial position the first edge of the first panel of the separate connector and the second fold line are adjacent and the second edge of the first panel of the separate connector and the first fold line are adjacent. The first sub-panel of the second panel and the third sub-panel of the third panel of the separate connector overlie the first panel of the separate connector and the second sub-panel of the second panel and the fourth sub-panel of the third panel of the separate connector overlie the first sub-panel of the second panel and the third sub-panel of the third panel, respectively, of the separate connector in the initial position.

In the second position the first edge of the first panel of the separate connector and the second fold line are adjacent and the second edge of the first panel of the separate connector and the first fold line are spaced apart. The third sub-panel of the third panel of the separate connector overlies the first panel of the separate connector and the first subpanel of the second panel of the separate connector overlies the second sub-panel of the second panel of the separate connector in the second position.

The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the third aspect of the invention are also hingeable relative to one another about the second edge of the first panel of the separate connector between the initial position and a third position. In the third position the second edge of the first panel of the separate connector and the first fold line are adjacent and the first edge of the first panel of the separate connector and the second fold line are spaced apart. The first sub-panel of the second panel of the separate connector overlies the first panel of the separate connector and the third sub-panel of the third panel of the separate connector overlies the fourth sub-panel of the third panel of the separate connector In the third position.

In the initial position the first wall of the first pack and the second wall of the second pack are parallel and opposed and in the second and third positions the first wall of the first pack and the second wall of the second pack are substantially coplanar.

The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are thus advantageously hingedly connected in a Jacob's ladder arrangement by the second and third panels of the separate connector.

Preferably, the first and second edges of the first panel of the separate connector are longitudinal edges of the first panel of the separate connector.

The first fold line is preferably substantially parallel to the second edge of the first panel of the separate connector. The second fold line is preferably substantially parallel to the first edge of the first panel of the separate connector.

Preferably, the opposed first and second edges of the first panel of the separate connector are parallel and adjacent to opposed third and fourth longitudinal edges of the first wall of the first pack. More preferably, the opposed first and second edges of the first panel of the connector are parallel and adjacent to opposed third and fourth longitudinal vertical edges of the first wall of the first pack.

Preferably, the second fold line is substantially parallel and adjacent to a fifth longitudinal edge of the second wall of the second pack and the first fold line is substantially parallel and adjacent to an opposed sixth longitudinal edge of the second wall of the second pack. More preferably, the second fold line is substantially parallel and adjacent to a fifth longitudinal vertical edge of the second wall of the second pack and the first fold line is substantially parallel and adjacent to an opposed sixth longitudinal vertical edge of the second wall of the second pack.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the separate connector further comprises a fourth panel comprising a fifth sub-panel hingedly connected to the first panel along the first edge and a sixth sub-panel hingedly connected to the fifth sub-panel along a third fold line, wherein the sixth sub-panel of the fourth panel of the separate connector is affixed to the second wall of the second pack.

In the initial position the first sub-panel of the second panel, the third sub-panel of the third panel and the fifth sub-panel of the fourth panel of the separate connector overlie the first panel of the separate connector and the second sub-panel of the second panel, the fourth sub-panel of the third panel and the sixth sub-panel of the fourth panel of the separate connector overlie the first sub-panel of the second panel, the third sub-panel of the third panel and the fifth sub-panel of the fourth panel of the separate connector, respectively, the third sub-panel of the third panel being disposed between the first sub-panel of the second panel and the fifth sub-panel of the fourth panel.

One or both of the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be a slide and shell pack comprising an outer shell and an inner slide within the outer shell. Alternatively or in addition, one or both of the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the first aspect of the Invention may be a hinge-lid pack comprising a lower box portion and an upper lid portion hinged to the lower box portion.

Where the first pack is a slide and shell pack, the first panel of the separate connector is preferably of substantially the same dimensions as the first wall of the first pack. Where the second pack is a slide and shell pack, the second sub-panel of the second panel, the fourth sub-panel of the third panel and the sixth sub-panel of the fourth panel, if present of the separate connector are, in combination, preferably of substantially the same dimensions as the second wall of the second pack.

Where the first pack is a hinge-lid pack, the first panel of the separate connector is preferably of substantially the same dimensions as the lower box portion of the first wall of the first pack. Where the second pack is a hinge-lid pack, the second sub-panel of the second panel, the fourth sub-panel of the third panel and the sixth sub-panel of the fourth panel, if present, of the separate connector are, in combination, preferably of substantially the same dimensions as the lower box portion of the second wall of the second pack.

Preferably, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are both slide and shell packs or both hinge-lid packs. It will be appreciated, however, that containers according to the invention may comprise a first pack and a second pack provided with different types of opening and closing means. For example, the first pack may be a hinge-lid pack and the second pack may be a slide and shell pack.

Where both the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are hinge-lid packs, the first pack may have a hinge-lid pivotable about a hinge line extending across the first wall of the first pack and the second pack may have a hinge-lid pivotable about a hinge line extending across the second wall of the second pack.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the first pack may have a hinge-lid pivotable about a hinge line extending across a third wall of the first pack that is parallel and opposed to the first wall of the first pack and the second pack may have a hinge-lid pivotable about a hinge line extending across a fourth wall of the second pack that is parallel and opposed to the second wall of the second pack.

Preferably, the first panel of the separate connector is adhered to the first wall of the first pack and the second sub-panel of the second panel, the fourth sub-panel of the third panel and any further panels of the separate connector are adhered to the second wall of the second pack with, for example, hot melt adhesive, contact adhesive or double sided adhesive tape. However, it will be appreciated that, a variety of other known means may be employed to affix the separate connector of containers according to the invention to the first wall of the first pack and the second wall of the second pack thereof such as, for example, hook and loop type fasteners, magnetic fasteners or mating plug (male) and socket (female) type fasteners.

Containers according to the invention preferably further comprise retention means to provide resistance to movement of the first and second packs from the initial position to the second position and from the initial position to the third position, such that a positive force must be applied by a consumer to hinge the first and second packs relative to one another from the initial position to the second position and from the initial position to the third position. If desired, containers according to the invention may comprise retention means which provides a positive force that urges movement of the first pack and the second pack towards the initial position.

For example, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be releasably connected in the initial position by the releasable engagement of first retention means provided on the first pack and second retention means provided on the second pack. The first retention means and the second retention means may comprise any suitable known magnetic fasteners, mechanical fasteners, adhesive fasteners or combinations thereof. For example, the first retention means and the second retention means may comprise one or more releasable pressure-actuated hook-and-loop type fasteners, snap fasteners or other mating plug (male) and socket (female) type fasteners.

Containers according to the invention may comprise two or more hingedly connected packs, each for housing a bundle of smoking articles, for example cigarettes, such as conventional lit-end cigarettes or cigarettes for use with electrical smoking systems (for example cigarettes of the type disclosed in US-A-5 692 525), cigars or cigarillos. Preferably, containers according to the invention comprise two or more hingedly connected packs, each for housing a separate bundle of cigarettes.

Through an appropriate choice of the dimensions thereof, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be designed to house separate bundles of different numbers of cigarettes- Alternatively or in addition, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be designed to house separate bundles of cigarettes of different dimensions (for example, cigarettes of different length or different circumference). The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may, for example, be designed to house separate bundles of different numbers of short (between about 70 mm and about 75 mm in length), regular size (about 80mm in length), king size (about 84 mm in length), super-king size, slim, super-slim or wide cigarettes.

Through an appropriate choice of the dimensions of the first pack and the second pack thereof, containers according to the invention may also be designed to hold different total numbers of smoking articles. For example, containers for cigarettes according to the invention may comprise a first pack and a second pack for housing, in combination, a total of twenty or twenty-one regular size cigarettes. Alternatively, containers for cigarettes according to the invention may comprise a first pack and a second pack for housing, in combination, a total of seventeen or eighteen wide cigarettes.

The length, width and depth of the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be such that, when in the initial position, the resultant overall dimensions of the containers are similar to, or substantially the same as, the dimensions of a conventional disposable pack of smoking articles. For example, the length, width and depth of the first pack and the second pack may be such that, in the initial or first position, the resultant overall dimensions of the container are similar to the dimensions of a conventional disposable hinge-lid pack of twenty cigarettes.

Containers according to the invention may advantageously comprise first packs and second packs for housing separate bundles of smoking articles of different types. A wide variety of different types of cigarettes are produced and sold. For example, different types of tobacco having unique characteristic tastes and aromas, such as Burley, Oriental and Virginia tobacco, are used alone or in varying amounts in tobacco blends to produce brands of cigarettes having different characteristic tastes. In addition, both plain cigarettes and cigarettes having many different types of filter tips are manufactured as well as cigarettes of differing length (for example, regular size, king size or super-king size), circumference (for example, slim or super-slim), strength of taste, resistance to draw and total particulate matter delivery. Furthermore, cigarettes containing flavourings such as menthol are also available.

Containers according to the invention may comprise first packs and second packs for housing separate bundles of cigarettes of a different tobacco blend or flavour. Alternatively, or in addition, containers according to the invention may comprise first packs and second packs for housing separate bundles of cigarettes of a different size (different length, different circumference or both different length and different circumference).

The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be of the same or different cross-section. For example, one or both of the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be rectangular, square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, D-shaped, semi-circular or semi-oval in cross-section.

Preferably, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are substantially parallelepipedal. More preferably, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are substantially cuboid.

The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may have one or more right-angled longitudinal edges, one or more right-angled transverse edges, one or more rounded longitudinal edges, one or more rounded transverse edges, one or more bevelled longitudinal edges, one or more bevelled transverse edges or any suitable combination thereof.

Preferably, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are of substantially the same shape. The dimensions of the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention may be the same or different Preferably, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are of different dimensions. More preferably, the first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are of substantially the same length and width, but of different depth.

Preferably, the first wall of the first pack and the second wall of the second pack of containers according to the invention are of substantially the same dimensions.

Preferably, the first wall of the first pack and the first wall of the second pack are major walls of the packs. Preferably, the first wall of the first pack is a front wall or a rear wall of the first pack. Preferably, the second wall of the second pack is a front wall or a rear wall of the second pack.

The first pack and the second pack of containers according to the invention are preferably formed from one or more folded laminar blanks, more preferably from one or more folded laminar cardboard blanks.

The exterior surfaces of the first packs, second packs and separate connectors of containers according to the invention may be printed, embossed, debossed or otherwise embellished (for example using labels or stickers) with manufacturer or brand logos, trade marks, slogans and other consumer information and indicia. It will be appreciated that the same or different manufacturer and brand logos, trade marks, slogans, and other consumer information and indicia may be applied to the exterior surfaces of the first packs, second packs and separate connectors.

The separate connectors of containers according to the invention may be formed from one or more suitable materials including, but not limited to, paperboard, cardboard, plastic, metal (such as, for example, aluminium), transparent or opaque foil (such as, for example, polyethylene (PE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foils) and laminated material (such as, for example, paper/aluminium, plastic/paper/aluminium or other laminates).

Containers according to the invention may comprise separate connectors having one or more windows or cut-outs provided therein. In preferred embodiments, the one or more windows or cut-outs interact or cooperate with images provided on the first wall of the first packs, second wall of the second packs or both the first wall of the first packs and second wall of the second packs of the containers to generate further images.

Containers according to the invention may comprise more than two packs. Third and subsequent packs of containers according to the invention may be connected to one or more other packs thereof In the same or a different manner to that in which the first pack and the second pack are hingedly connected.

Preferably, where containers according to the invention comprise three or more packs, each pack of the container is hingedly connected in a Jacob's ladder arrangement to at least one other pack thereof by a separate connector. For example, containers according to the invention may comprise three, four, five or six packs hingedly connected by two, three, four or five separate connectors, respectively, wherein each pack of the container is hingedly connected in a Jacob's ladder arrangement to either one or two other packs thereof.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

• Figure 1 shows the inner surface of a blank for forcing the separate connector of a container according to an embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1, solid lines are used to denote the outer border of the blank. Dashed lines are used to denote lines, which are formed by compressing or partially cutting the material of the blank by creasing, scoring, embossing or an equivalent process, along which the blank is bent upon erection of the container or which act as hinge.

As shown in Figure 1, the blank 10 for forming the separate connector comprises a first rectangular panel 12 having opposed first and second edges, a second panel 14 comprising a first sub-panel 16 and a second sub-panel 18, a third panel 20 comprising a third sub-panel 22 and a fourth sub-panel 24 and a fourth panel 26 comprising a fifth sub-panel 16 and a sixth sub-panel 18. As shown in Figure 1, the first sub-panel 16 of the second panel 14 and the fifth sub-panel 16 of the fourth panel 26 are connected to the first edge of the first panel 12 along vertical fold lines and the second sub-panel 18 of the second panel 14 and the sixth sub-panel 18 of the fourth panel 26 are connected to the first sub-panel 16 of the second panel 14 and the fifth sub-panel 16 of the fourth panel 26, respectively, along vertical fold lines. The third sub-panel 22 of the third panel 20 is connected to the second edge of the first panel 12, which is opposed to the first edge, along a vertical fold line and the fourth sub-panel 24 of the third panel 20 is connected to the third sub-panel 22 thereof along a vertical fold line.

To form a container according to an embodiment of the invention, the first sub-panel 16 of the second panel 14, the fifth sub-panel 18 of the fourth panel 26 and the third sub-panel 22 of the third panel 20 are folded through 180 degrees about the vertical fold lines connecting them to the edges of the first panel 12 so that they overlie the first panel 12. The second sub-panel 18 of the second panel 14, the sixth sub-panel 18 of the fourth panel 26 and the fourth sub-panel 24 of the third panel 20 are folded through 180 degrees about the vertical fold lines connecting them to the first sub-panel 16 of the second sub-panel 14, fifth sub-panel 16 of the fourth panel 26 and the third sub-panel 22 of the third panel 20, respectively, so that the second sub-panel 18 of the second panel 14, the fourth sub-panel 24 of the third panel 20 and the sixth sub-panel 18 of the fourth panel 26 overlie the first sub-panel 16 of the second panel 14, the third sub-panel 22 of the third panel 20 and the fifth sub-panel 16 of the fourth panel 26, respectively. To complete formation of the container, the outer surface of the first panel 12 is affixed to the first wall of a first pack and the inner surfaces of the second sub-panel of the second panel 14, the fourth sub-panel 24 of the third panel 20 and the sixth sub-panel 18 of the fourth panel 26 are affixed to the second wall of a second pack.

One or more window or cut-outs 28 (as, for example, illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 1) may optionally be provided in the first sub-panel 16 of the second 14, the third sub-panel of the third panel 20 and the fifth sub-panel 16 of the fourth panel 26 of the blank 10. The one or more cut-outs 28 may interact or cooperate with images provided on one or both of the first panel 12 and the second sub-panel 18 of the second panel 14, the fourth sub-panel 24 of the third panel 20 and the sixth sub-panel 18 of the fourth panel 26 of the blank 10 to generate further images.

While the invention has been exemplified above with reference to a container comprising two hingedly connected packs, it will be appreciated that containers according to the invention may comprise three or more packs hingedly connected by a plurality of separate connectors.