Granted Patent B2

US 12,378,060 · App. 18/757,971 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Inventors: Stephen Bellamah (Richmond, VA); James S. Bigelow (Midlothian, VA)

Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC

B65D85/10B31B50/00B31B50/81B65B5/06B65D5/02B65D5/16B65D5/4266B65D5/4295B65D5/566B65D5/62B65D5/6602B65D65/02B65D77/02B65D77/042B65D77/32B65D85/1027B65D85/1045B65D85/10568B31B2105/00

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A method of assembling a container for consumer goods, the method comprising:

disposing a pull tab over an opening of an inner box, the pull tab including,

a flexible sheet including a first surface;

a first adhesive in a first region of the first surface of the flexible sheet; and

a second adhesive in a second region of the first surface of the flexible sheet, the second adhesive being different from the first adhesive, and the first region of the first surface of the flexible sheet and the second region of the first surface of the flexible sheet being separated by an adhesive-free gap.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet further includes a second surface opposing the first surface, and the second surface includes a third adhesive in a third region.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the third adhesive is different from the second adhesive.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the third adhesive includes a permanent adhesive.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:

preparing the pull tab, the preparing of the pull tab including,

disposing a plurality of dots in the third region of the second surface of the flexible sheet, each of the plurality of dots including the third adhesive.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

preparing the pull tab, the preparing of the pull tab including,

disposing the first adhesive in the first region of the first surface of the flexible sheet.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

preparing the pull tab, the preparing of the pull tab including,

disposing the second adhesive in the second region of the first surface of the flexible sheet.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

preparing the pull tab, the preparing of the pull tab including,

disposing a plurality of triangles in the second region of the first surface of the flexible sheet, each of the plurality of triangles including the second adhesive.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of triangles cover 40% to 60% of a total surface area of the first surface.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of triangles includes triangles of different sizes.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first adhesive includes a permanent adhesive.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second adhesive includes a re-stick adhesive.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

preparing the inner box, the inner box including rigid panels separated by fold lines, the inner box including,

a top front panel separated from a top panel by a first transverse fold line,

a back panel separated from the top panel by a second transverse fold line,

a bottom panel separated from the back panel by a third transverse fold line, and

a bottom front panel separated from the bottom panel by a fourth transverse fold line.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the disposing of the pull tab comprises:

contacting the second adhesive to the top panel and the top front panel.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein

the back panel is attached to a left back side flap and a right back side flap along a first longitudinal fold line and a second longitudinal fold line, respectively, and

the bottom panel is attached to a left bottom panel side flap and a right bottom panel side flap along a third longitudinal fold line and a fourth longitudinal fold line, respectively, and

the preparing the inner box comprises:

folding a left back panel side flap and a right back panel side flap along a fifth longitudinal fold line and a sixth longitudinal fold line, respectively, such that the left back side flap and the right back side flap are orthogonal to the back panel;

folding the left bottom panel side flap and the right bottom panel side flap along a seventh longitudinal fold line and an eighth longitudinal fold line, respectively, so that the left bottom panel side flap and the right bottom panel side flap are planar with the bottom panel;

folding the bottom panel about the third transverse fold line so that the bottom panel is orthogonal to the back panel;

folding the top panel about the second transverse fold line;

folding the bottom front panel about the fourth transverse fold line so that the bottom front panel is parallel with the back panel; and

folding the top front panel about the first transverse fold line so that the top front panel is parallel with the back panel and planar with the bottom front panel.

16. The method of claim 15 , the method further comprising:

applying a third permanent adhesive to the left bottom panel side flap and the right bottom panel side flap.

17. The method of claim 15 , the method further comprising:

placing consumer goods or products into an area bounded by the left back panel side flap, the right back panel side flap, and the bottom panel.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the pull tab includes a liner.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet includes a polymer film.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet is rectangular with rounded corners.

Continuity (6)

References Cited (204)