Container having box and sleeve with locking mechanism
A container ( 1 ) for consumer goods, the container comprises an outer sleeve ( 20 ) and inner box ( 10 ) disposed within the outer sleeve ( 20 ), and configured to slide within the outer sleeve ( 20 ) between: a first position, in which the interior of the inner box ( 10 ) cannot be accessed by a user; and a second position, in which the interior of the inner box ( 10 ) can be accessed by a user. The container ( 1 ) having a locking mechanism for preventing the inner box ( 10 ) from sliding from the first position to the second position, when the inner box ( 10 ) is in the first position in the outer sleeve ( 20 ).
1 . A container for consumer goods, the container comprising:
an outer sleeve comprising an outer sleeve front wall, an outer sleeve back wall, first and second opposed outer sleeve side walls, an outer sleeve top wall, and a first open end; and
an inner box comprising: a box portion comprising a box portion bottom wall, a box portion front wall, a box portion back wall, and first and second opposed box portion side walls; and a lid portion hingedly attached to the box portion along a hinge line, the lid portion comprising a lid portion top wall, a lid portion front wall, a lid portion back wall, and first and second opposed lid portion side walls,
the inner box being disposed within the outer sleeve and configured to be slidable with respect to the outer sleeve between:
a first position, in which the interior of the inner box cannot be accessed by a user; and
a second position, in which the interior of the inner box can be accessed by a user,
wherein sliding of the inner box from the first position to the second position involves at least part of the inner box passing through the outer sleeve opening;
wherein the inner box further comprises first and second inner box side flaps, each inner box side flap being configured to overlie a portion of the outer surface of a respective box portion side wall or lid portion side wall;
wherein, when the inner box is in the first position in the outer sleeve, an edge of each inner box side flap is configured to engage with a corresponding engaging element on the inner surface of a respective outer sleeve side wall, to form a locking mechanism for preventing the inner box from sliding from the first position to the second position
wherein each of the first and second inner box side flaps is directly connected to a first and second edge, respectively, of the box portion bottom wall by a first and second fold line, respectively; or
wherein each of the first and second inner box side flaps is directly connected to a first and second edge, respectively, of the lid portion top wall by a third and fourth fold line, respectively.
2 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein each outer sleeve side wall is provided with a release element for enabling the edge of each inner box side flap to disengage from the corresponding engaging element of each outer sleeve side wall.
3 . The container according to claim 2 , wherein the release element comprises a release tab formed by at least one cut-line on the outer sleeve side wall.
4 . The container according to claim 2 , wherein, when the inner box is in the first position in the outer sleeve, the release element of each outer sleeve side wall overlies at least a portion of the corresponding inner box side flap.
5 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein disengagement of the locking mechanism enables the inner box to be slidable with respect to the outer sleeve from the first position to the second position.
6 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a holding mechanism for preventing the inner box from sliding beyond the second position.
7 . The container according to claim 6 , wherein the holding mechanism comprises a flap on the outer sleeve which is configured to engage with a corresponding holding edge on the inner box to prevent the inner box from sliding beyond the second position.
8 . The container according to claim 7 , wherein the holding edge on the inner box is formed by a cut-line in the inner box back wall or the inner box front wall.
9 . The container according to claim 7 , wherein the inner box comprises a box portion and a lid portion connected to the box portion by a hinge line, and wherein the holding edge on the inner box is formed by an edge of the lid portion of the inner box.
10 . The container according to claim 9 , wherein one or both of the hinge line and a lower edge of the lid portion front wall is configured to underlie a corresponding one of the outer sleeve front wall and outer sleeve back wall, when the inner box is in the first position.
11 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the inner box and the outer sleeve are configured such that at least one of the inner box front wall and the inner box back wall completely underlies its corresponding outer sleeve front wall and outer sleeve back wall, when the inner box is in the first position.