GB2151212A - Hinged lid cigarette or like packet - Google Patents

Abstract

A package (10) comprises a lid portion (14) hinged to a body portion (12) and is formed from a single blank and is especially adapted for handling by conventional equipment designed for assembly of a package from separate blanks. A collar (16) includes first and second major panels (181, 180) in a Z-fold and a pair of collar side flaps (182, 184) on the second major panel; the side flaps (182, 184) are spaced apart from the fold (191) between the first and second panels and are disposed inwardly of the side walls of the body portion side walls (40, 42), so that in the blank wide slots (197, 199) are defined which facilitates handling of the blank by conventional equipment employed for the assembly of packets composed of two separate blanks. The lid portion (14) includes inner side wall flaps (70, 72) whose exposed edges are spaced inwardly from exposed edges of outer side wall flaps (56, 58). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hinged lid packet This invention relates to packages or boxes of the hinged lid type, especially packages or boxes for cigarettes, and to blanks from which such packages or boxes may be formed.

Hinged lid packages for cigarettes have conventionally been manufactured from two cardboard blanks. One blank forms the body and lid which are joined by an integral hinge, and the other forms an insert or inner frame which is glued to the inside of the front and side walls of the body and projects above these walls to provide a collar.

The collar serves to provide a seal between the lid and body when the package is closed, and to frictionally engage the inside of the front wall of the lid to retain the package closed.

In packaging of cigarettes the manufacturer obtains the first blank, which is relatively complex in structure, from a first supplier, and cuts the second blank, which is relatively simple in structure, himself. The material for the second blank is obtained as a roll from a second supplier, and is die cut to provide the required insert blanks.

This procedure has several disadvantages: The cardboard of the second blank is different from the cardboard of the first blank. This means that a uniform appearance is not achieved and it is not possible to have an identical colour match for the body and lid on the one hand, and the collar on the other.

The use of a separate blank for the insert also means that it is not possible to pre-print display material or information on the collar that will agree in appearance or complement display material or information on the body and lid.

The dies for cutting the second blank have a limited life and must be replaced periodically. Inevitably poor quality inserts are produced towards the end of the die life, as well as inserts of such inferior quality that they cannot be used.

The use of two blanks results in the upper edge of the front wall of the body being a raw or exposed edge, which results in a less acceptable and less marketable product.

It should be recognized that an attractive, even expensive, appearance is an important marketing feature in the sale of cigarettes, particularly in the high priced market. Packets are produced in attractive colours, sometimes with a gold, silver or platinum metallic sheen, with handsome crests and raised or embossed lettering.

In order to satisfy the cigarette manufacturer the packet manufacturer is required to supply blanks which will form a packet of a slim attractive appearance. In particular the lid should close firmly to provide a rectangular cuboid with smooth walls.

In other words the lid should fit snugly against the upper edges of the front and side walls of the body so that there are no unsightly gaps and the front and side walls of the closed packet appear to be continuous, with just a line identifying the mating edges of the lid and body.

The importance of a smooth front wall formed from the front wall of the lid and the front wall of the body has become particularly important in Canada. When a packet of cigarettes is assembled by the cigarette manufacturer, it is finally wrapped in a transparent plastic foil and a tear strip is applied.

The tear strip is applied by the cigarette manufacturer around the packet so as to conceal the line connection on the front wall between the lid and the body. This location is selected since the appearance of the packet is enhanced by concealing the line connection on the front wall, and in addition this area of the packet is free from display or information material, so that locating the tear strip in this area avoids obscuring such material.

In the final operation an excise stamp is applied to show that the required duty has been paid to the Government.

In Canada this excise stamp forms part of the tear strip. The tear strip material is provided as a roll of a predetermined length to provide tear strips for a predetermined number of packets; the excise tax having been paid in advance, having regard to the length of the roll, by the cigarette man ufactu rer.

In order for a tear strip to be supplied from the roll of tear strip material, and applied by machine around the packet at the desired location, it is especially important that the walls of the packet, particularly in the area of application to the packet, be smooth. If the lid is offset inwardly or outwardly of the body, it is difficult to properly apply the tear strip. Indeed the strip may be damaged and may thus need to be discarded, even though excise duty has been prepaid for each unit length of tear strip.

The different requirements of the cigarette manufacturers thus place exacting demands on the packet manufacturer. The packet manufacturing industry is highly competitive and even apparently minor advances can have a significant affect on the manufacturer's ability to obtain orders for his packets.

Another important demand that cigarette manufacturer's make is that new packet designs be adapted to existing folding and assembly equipment in their premises. Clearly a cigarette manufacturer will be reluctant to place orders for a new packet design, however attractive, if the new design necessitates replacement of existing folding and assembly equipment.

Prior proposals have been made for packets of this general type, which may be formed from a single blank. In this regard there may be mentioned U.S. Patents 3,979,047; 4,196,842; 4,251,022 and 4,267,958 all assigned to Focke & Co. of Verden, Federai Republic of Germany. There may also be mentioned U.S. Patent 3,874,581 and Canadian Patent 1,059,477 both assigned to Molins Limited of London, England, and Canadian Patent 1,114,341 assigned to British-American Tobacco Company Limited of England.

The first two Patentees are both machine or equipment manufacturers. In designing packets their basic objective is to sell new machines. None of these packet designs has found commercial acceptance, at least not in North America.

As exemplary of a hinged lid packet in which the collar is formed from a separate blank there may be mentioned Canadian Patent 1,056,783 assigned to Focke & Co.

These prior single blank designs all have the disadvantage that they are not suited to folding and assembly on equipment designed for the folding and assembly of the separate blanks designs. In addition the individual designs have other disadvantages.

The Molins Patents and U.S. Patent 4,196,842 require deformation of the material of the collar portion to displace the collar inwardly of the front wall of the body. This is a difficult operation to reproduce consistently; consequently, variation occurs in the way small offset spacing between the collar and the front wall in different packets. If this spacing does not correspond exactly to the thickness of the mating front and side walls of the lid, the lid will not be located so as to form smooth front and side walls in the assembled packet.

U.S. Patent 3,979,047 particularly requires that the collar be connected not only to the front wall of the body but also to the side walls forming flaps of the front wall, so as to form an inwardly off-set collar in the zone of the front and side walls of the packet. In achieving this relief apertures are formed in the connection between the collar and the body.

U.S. Patent 4,267,958 employs connecting bridges between the collar and the front wall.

U.S. Patent 4,251,022 is more especially concerned with packets which require permanent moulding of some of the flaps of the formed blanks by embossing techniques.

The present invention seeks to provide a hinged lid packet formed from a single blank and which can be folded and assembled from such single blank on conventional equipment employed in the folding and assembly operations to produce such a packet from separate blanks.

The invention also seeks to provide a hinged lid packet formed from a single blank, in which in the closed configuration the lid is flush with the body to provide substantially smooth front and side walls.

Stili further, the invention seeks to provide a hinged lid packet with an improved lid construction which avoids a poor fit between the lid and body in the closed configuration, in the event that the carton is glued slightly off square.

In accordance with the invention in one aspect a hinged lid packet comprising a lid portion hinged to a body portion includes a collar portion integral with the front wall of the body portion, folded in a Z-fold and disposed inwardly of the body portion; a folded- edge is formed as an upper front edge of the body portion; the collar portion includes a first major panel portion extending downwardly from the folded edge, and a fold between the first major portion and a second major panel portion; the second fold defines a lower end of the first portion; the second portion extends upwardly from the second fold adjacent the first portion. A pair of collar side flaps extend from the sides of the second portion in a direction parallel to the side walls. The collar side flaps are spaced apart from the second fold and are disposed inwardly of the side walls.In another aspect the invention provides a unitary blank for such a hinged lid packet.

In still another aspect of the invention there is provided a hinged lid packet comprising a lid portion hinged to a body portion; the lid portion includes a pair of side walls formed by outer side wall flaps extending from the lid front wall and inner side wall flaps extending from the lid rear wall.

Exposed edges of the inner side wall flaps are spaced inwardly from adjacent exposed edges of the outer side wall flaps. The exposed edges of the outer flaps of the lid side walls mate with outermost upper side edges of body wall flaps to form a cuboid with substantially smooth surfaces in which the lid front wall is substantially flush with the body front wall, and the lid side walls are substantially flush with the body side walls.

The invention also provides a unitary blank for such a packet.

The invention is illustrated in particular and preferred embodiments by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view which shows a packet according to the invention in an open position: Figure 2 is a side view showing the packet of Figure 1 in a closed configuration; Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank, inside facing up from which the packet of Figures 1 and 2 is made; Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the packet of Figure 1 partially assembled from the blank of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the closed packet wrapped in a transparent foil with a tear strip having an excise stamp.

With particular reference to Figures 1 and 4, a hinged lid packet 10 comprises a body 12, a lid 14 and a collar 16 disposed inwardly of body 12.

Lid 14 is hingedly connected to body 12 along a hinge line 18.

Body 12 includes upper side edges 20 and 22 and a front folded edge 24.

Lid 14 includes side edges 26 and 28 and a lid folded edge 30.

Ears 32 extend from collar 16.

In the closed configuration shown in Figure 2 the side edges 20 and 22 and the folded edge 24 of body 12 matingly engage with the side edges 26 and 28 and the folded edge 30 of lid 14 to form a cuboid with substantially smooth front and side surfaces in which the lid 14 is flush with the body 12; the surfaces being interrupted only by a line 33 extending across the front and sides of the cuboid and merging with hinge line 18.

The structure of the body 12, lid 14 and collar 16 are more particularly described hereinafter.

Body 12 includes a front wall 34, a rear wall 36, a base wall 38 and side walls 40 and 42.

Fold lines 44 and 46 are formed between front wall 34 and side walls 40 and 42 respectively so that the front side edges of the body 12 are smooth.

The lid 14 includes a front wall 50, a rear wall 52, a top wall 54 and side wails 56 and 58.

Side wall 56 terminates at the afore-mentioned side edge 26 and side wall 58 terminates at the afore-mentioned side edge 28.

Fold line 60 is formed between front wall 50 and side wall 56 and fold line 62 is formed between front wall 50 and side wall 58.

Reinforcing panel 64 extends along the inside face of front wall 50 and top flaps 66 and 68 are disposed in contact with the inside face of top wall 54.

Side flaps 70 and 72 are disposed adjacent the interior faces of side walls 56 and 58.

The collar 16 comprises a front wall 80 and side walls 82 and 84, an access slot 86 is defined in front wall 80.

Folds 88 and 90 are formed between front wall 80 and side walls 82 and 84 respectively.

Slits 92 in folds 88 and 90 form the ears 32.

Collar 16 has an upper edge 94 which includes opposed horizontal side edges 96 at a rearmost portion of side walls 82 and 84; inclined side edges 98 inclined downwardly from horizontal side edges 96 towards front wall 80, and inclined front edges 100 in front wall 80.

With reference to Figure 3, there is shown a blank 110 for forming the packet 10. The numbers employed to identify the parts of packet 10 in Figures 1 and 2 have been increased by 100 in identifying the corresponding parts of blank 100.

Blank 110 includes a body-forming portion 112, a lid-forming portion 114 and a collar-forming portion 116.

Body forming portion 112 includes a front wall panel 134, a rear wall panel 136, a base wall panel 138 and base flaps 125.

The side walls 40 and 42 of packet 10 are formed by front side wall flaps 140a and 142a and rear side wall flaps 140b and 142b.

A crease and fold line 118 connects rear wall panel 136 to lid-forming portion 114, and defines the hinge line 18 of the packet 10.

A crease and fold line 124 connects front wall panel 134 to collar-forming portion 116 and defines the front folded edge 24 of the packet 10.

Crease and fold lines 127 are formed between front wall panel 134 and front side wall flaps 140a and 142a.

Crease and fold lines 129 are formed between rear wall panel 136 and rear side wall flaps 140b and 142b.

Crease and fold lines 131 are formed between base flaps 125 and rear side wall flaps 140b and 142b.

Crease and fold lines 133a and 133b are formed between base wall panel 138 and front and rear wall panels 134, 136, respectively.

Side wall flaps 140a and 140b have inclined edges 120a and 120b, respectively, which form side edge 20 of packet 10.

Side wall flaps 142a and 142b have inclined edges 122a and 122b, respectively, which form side edge 22 of packet 10.

Lid-forming portion 114 includes a front wall panel 150, a rear wall panel 152, a top wall panel 154, outer side wall flaps 156 and 158, and the reinforcing panel 64.

A crease and fold line 160 is formed between front wall panel 150 and outer side wail flap 156; and a crease and fold line 162 is formed between front wall panel 150 and outer side wall flap 158.

A crease and fold line 130 is formed between reinforcing panel 64 and front wall panel 150.

Crease and fold line 130 forms the folded edge 30 of packet 10.

A crease and fold line 157 is formed between front wall panel 150 and top wall panel 154; and a crease and fold line 159 is formed between top wall panel 154 and rear wall panel 152.

Crease and fold lines 161 are formed between top and side flaps 66 and 70, respectively, and top and side flaps 68 and 72, respectively.

Crease and fold lines 163 are formed between side flaps 70 and 72 and rear wall 52.

Arrowhead or V-shaped slots 165 are defined between lid-forming portion 114 and body-forming portion 112.

Each arrowhead slot 165 includes a curved head 167 spaced outwardly of the adjacent crease and fold line 129, with a short cut 169 extending from curved head 167 to the crease and fold line 118 which forms hinge line 18.

Side flaps 70 and 72 each have an exposed edge 171 defining one side of slot 165.

Each exposed edge 171 includes an inclined edge 173 which diverges outwardly relative to the opposed inclined edge 120b, 122b, respectively.

inclined edge 173 terminates in a substantially horizontal edge 175.

Collar-forming portion 116 includes a front wall panel 180, a spacer panel 181 and side wall panels 182 and 184.

Inclined upper edges 187 of collar-forming portion 116 defined the inclined side and front edges 98 and 100 of collar 116.

Perforated fold lines 188 and 190 between front wall panel 180 and side wall panels 182 and 184, respectively, define the lines 88 and 90 of collar 16.

A perforated fold line 191 is formed between panels 180 and 181.

Side wall panels 182 and 184 have inclined lower edges 193 and 195.

Large slots 197 and 199 are defined between inclined lower edges 193 and 195 and 120a and 122a respectively.

The folding along perforated fold line 191 and crease and fold line 124 produces a so-called Z-fold formed by front wall 34, spacer panel 181 and front wall 80 of collar 16, fold 24 and the fold at line 191.

With further reference to Figure 5, a sealed packet 10 has a transparent foil wrapping 200 and a tear strip 202 having a tear tab 204.

Tear strip 202 conseals line 33 on the front face of carton 10. As currently used in Canada the tear strip 202 bears the legend CIGARETTES.CANADA. CIGARETTES.DUTY PAID.DROIT ACQUIT., which legend is repeated along the strip. Location of the tear strip 202 along line 33 leaves the remaining large surface areas of the packet 10, bearing decorative and information material, unobstructed.

In the assembly of the carton 10, the blank 110 is delivered in a horizontal path. Reinforcing panel 64 is folded about crease and fold line 130 and is adhered to the inside face of front wall panel 150, and collar-forming portion 116 is folded about perforated fold line 191 and crease and fold line 124.

In this latter operation access is required from the side and the large slots 197 and 199 facilitates handling and folding by existing equipment employed in assembly of conventional two-blank designs.

Spacer panel 181 is glued to the interior face of front wall panel 134 of body forming portion 112.

In subsequent operations rear side wall flaps 140b and 142b are folded about crease and fold lines 120 and base flaps 125 are folded about crease and fold lines 131.

Base wall panel 138 is folded about crease and fold lines 133a and 133b, respectively.

Front wall flaps 140a and 142a are folded about crease and fold lines 127 and the inside faces of flaps 140a and 142a are glued to the outside faces of flaps 140b and 142b. In this way the front side wall flaps form the outer surfaces of side walls 40 and 42 and smooth corners are formed at fold lines 44 and 46 on the front face of the packet 10.

With the folding of front side wall flaps 140a and 142a about crease and fold lines 127, side walls 82 and 84 of collar 16 are formed by folding side wall panels 182 and 184 about perforated fold lines 188 and 190. The side walls 82 and 84 are disposed inwardly of flaps 140b and 142b.

In this way the body 12 with the collar 16 spaced inwardly thereof is formed.

In the assembly of lid 14 top flaps 66 and 68 are folded about crease and fold lines 161 and side flaps 70 and 72 are folded about crease and fold lines 163, and top wall panel 154 is folded about crease and fold line 159. In this way top flaps 66 and 68 are disposed on top wall panel 154 to form top wall 54.

Front wall panel 150 is folded about crease and fold line 157 and outer side wall flaps 156 and 158 are folded about crease and fold lines 160 and 162 respectively and the outer face of side flaps 70 and 72 are glued to the inner faces of side flaps 156 and 158 to form side walls 56 and 58.

The provision of arrowhead slots 165, results in the exposed edge 171 of side flaps 70 and 72 being spaced inwardly of the side edges 26 and 28 defined by outer flaps 156 and 158. This spacing provides some tolerance in the location of flaps 70 and 72 against flaps 156 and 158 for adhesion.

Thus even if top flaps 66 and 68 are slightly spaced from top wall panel 154 when flaps 70 and 72 are adhered to flaps 156 and 158, respectively, the ex posed edge 171 of side flaps 70 and 72 is still spaced inwardly of the side edges 26 and 28 so that lid 14 can still be closed to form a cuboid packet 10 with smooth surfaces free of gaps at the juncture of lid 14 and body 12.

The ears 32 formed in the front sides of collar 16 frictionally engage the inside of side walls 56 and 58 thereby assisting in maintaining the packet 10 in the closed configuration.

In the closed configuration the horizontal side edges 96 of collar 16 engage the top flaps 66 and 68. The inclination of side edges 98 and front edges 100, on the other hand, facilitates closure of the packet 10 by the effective removal of the front upper corners of collar 16 which would otherwise engage reinforcing panel 64 during closure such that closure of packet 10 would either crush or deform the upper front corners of collar 16, or the front wall 50 of lid 14 would be deformed so that a smooth front face would not be obtained on packet 10.

By reference to Figure 3 it will be observed that collar-forming portion 116 has two major panels namely front wall panel 180 and spacer panel 181.

In particular spacer panel 181 has a height at least two-thirds the height of front wall panel 180.

In addition side wall panels 182 and 184 which are connected to front wall panel 180 along perforated fold lines 188 and 190 respectively, are not connected at all to spacer panel 181 and are spaced from perforated fold line 191. Suitably the spacing of the inclined lower edges 193 and 195 of side wall panels 182 and 184 respectively, from perforated fold line 191 is at least one-quarter the height of spacer panel 181 so as to ensure that relatively large slots 197 and 199 are formed to facilitate side entry of conventional package assembly equipment employed with two-blank designs, in assembly.

The provision of panels 180 and 181 both of major surface area with the side panels 182 and 184 connected to panel 180 and spaced a significant distance from fold 191 represents a significant difference over the single blank designs described in the prior patents referred to above.

The lower edge 193 and 195 can also be made perpendicular to fold lines 188 and 190, however, this diminishes the size of slots 197 and 199, and in particular the mouth of slot 197 formed at the outer opposed corners of panel 182 and flap 140a, and the mouth of slot 19 formed at the outer opposed corners of panel 182 and flap 142a, is then much narrower and this hinders side access of the package assembly equipment.

By forming edges 193 and 195 parallel to the opposite edges 120 and 122a, respectively, of side wall flaps 140a and 142a, the large slots 197 and 199 are formed with a wide mouth for access of the equipment.

In blank 110, the width of rear wall panel 136 of body-forming portion 112 is slightly narrower than the width of front wall panel 134. More especially in forming a substantially cuboid package 10, the width of rear wall panel 136 plus four times the thickness of the blank 110 (i.e., the thickness of side walls 40 and 42 formed from flaps 140a and 140b and 142a and 142b respectively) equals the width of front wall panel 134.

The outer side edges of lid forming-portion 114 and body-forming portion 112 of blank 110 are substantially in line or form a straight line; and the outer side edges of collar-forming portion 116 are spaced slightly inwardly or are offset inwardly with respect to such line. In other words the outer edge of side wall panel 182 of collar-forming portion 116 is spaced slightly inwardly of a straight line formed by the outer edge of front side wall flap 140a, base flap 125, rear side wall flap 140b, side flap 70, top flap 66 and outer side wall flap 156.

The outer edge of side wall panel 184 has a similar relationship with the flaps of body-forming portion 112 and lid-forming portion 114 on the opposed side of blank 110.

Thus by means of the invention it is possible to produce a substantially cuboid packet of the hinged lid type, with smooth front and side walls, from a single blank using equipment already employed by cigarette packing companies for separate blank designs.

As can be seen in Figure 5 a transparent foil wrapping 200 can be formed around such a package in a conventional way, and a tear strip 202 indicating that Excise Duty has been pre-paid can be applied along the smooth juncture of the lid and body at the front face of the package 10.

The use of crease and fold lines in the invention produces relatively curved, smooth corners, whereas the use of perforated fold lines produces relatively sharp edges.

Claims (16)

1. A hinged lid packet comprising a lid portion hinged to a body portion, said body portion comprising a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls formed by wall flaps extending from the front and rear walls, a collar portion integral with said front wall, folded in a Z-fold and disposed inwardly of said front wall, a first fold between said collar portion and said front wall forming a folded edge, as an upper edge of said front wall, said collar portion including a first major panel portion extending downwardly from said folded edge, inwardly of said front wall, a second fold between said first portion and a second major panel portion, said second fold defining a lower end of said first portion, said second portion extending upwardly from said second fold adjacent said first portion, a pair of collar side flaps extending from the sides of said second portion in a direction parallel to said side walls, said collar side flaps being spaced apart from said second fold and being disposed inwardly of said side walls, said second major panel portion and said collar side flaps extending upwardly beyond said folded edge and said side walls.

2. A hinged lid packet according to claim 1, wherein said wall flaps extending from said rear wall are disposed inwardly of and adhered to said wall flaps extending from said front wall to form said side walls of said body portion; and said collar side flaps are disposed adjacent to and inwardly of the wall flaps extending from said rear wall.

3. A hinged lid packet according to claim 2, wherein said lid portion comprises a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls formed by outer side wall flaps extending from the lid front wall, and inner side wall flaps extending from the lid rear wall, exposed edges of said inner side wall flaps being spaced inwardly from the exposed edges of said outer side wall flaps, and a reinforcing panel folded inwardly of the lid front wall, along a lid front wall fold line defining a lower edge of the lid front wall, such that in a closed configuration of the packet, said lower edge of the lid front wall mates with said upper edge of the body front wall, and the exposed edges of said outer flaps of said lid side walls mate with the outermost upper side edges of the body wall flaps to form a cuboid with substantially smooth surfaces in which said lid front wall is substantially flush with said body front wall and said lid side walls are substantially flush with said body side walls.

4. A packet according to claim 3, wherein said lid includes a top wall between said front and rear walls, and top wall flaps adjacent an interior face of said top wall, said top wall flaps being connected to and extending perpendicularly of said inner side wall flaps.

5. A packet according to claim 4, wherein said collar side flaps have rear end front upper edges, said front upper edges being inclined downwardly from said rear upper edges towards said second major panel, said rear upper edges extending above said side walls to engage said top wall flaps in the closed configuration of the packet; said front upper edges being lower than said rear upper edges such that said front upper edges do not interfere with closure of said lid.

6. A hinged lid packet according to claim 5, wherein said first major panel portion has a height at least two-thirds the height of said second major panel; and said collar side flaps extend from said second panel at a distance from said second fold at least one-quarter the height of said first panel.

7. A hinged lid packet comprising a lid portion hinged to a body portion, said body portion comprising a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls formed by wall flaps extending from the front and rear walls, said wall flaps having upper side edges, a collar portion integral with said front wall, folded in a Z-fold and disposed inwardly of a fold line defining an upper edge of the body front wall, said lid portion comprising a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls formed by outer side wall flaps extending from the lid front wall and inner side wall flaps extending from the lid rear wall, exposed edges of said inner side wall flaps being spaced inwardly from the exposed edges of said outer side wall flaps, and a reinforcing panel folded inwardly of the lid front wall along a lid front wall fold line defining a lower edge of the lid front wall such that in a closed configuration of the packet, said lower edge of the lid front wall mates with said upper edge of the body front wall, and the exposed edges of said outer flaps of said lid side walls mate with the outermost upper side edges of the body wall flaps to form a cuboid with substantially smooth surfaces, in which said lid front wall is substantially flush with said body front wall and said lid side walls are substantially flush with said body side walls.

8. A hinged lid packet according to claim 7, wherein said collar portion comprises a first major panel portion extending downwardly from said upper edge, inwardly of said front wall of said body portion, a second fold between said first portion and a second major panel portion, said second fold defining a lower end of said first portion, said second portion extending upwardly from said second fold adjacent said first portion, a pair of collar side flaps extending from the sides of said second portion in a direction parallel to said side walls, said collar side flaps being spaced apart from said second fold and being disposed inwardly of said side walls, said second major panel portion and said collar flaps extending upwardly beyond said upper edge and said upper side edges.

9. A blank for forming a hinged lid packet comprising: a body-forming portion intermediate a lid-forming portion and a collar-forming portion, said body-forming portion comprising a front wall panel and a rear wall panel connected along crease and fold lines to opposite sides of a base panel, rear side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposite sides of said rear wall panel, front side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposite sides of said front wall panel, said lid-forming portion being connected along a crease and fold line to said rear wall panel, said collar-forming portion being connected along a crease and fold line to said front wall panel, said collar-forming portion comprising a first major panel and a second major panel, said first major panel being intermediate said front wall panel and said second major panel, a fold forming a juncture between said first and second major panels, a pair of collar side flaps extending from the sides of said second major panel and being spaced apart from said juncture, said collar side flaps having lower edges extending from said second major panel, in opposed relationship with upper edges of said front side wall flaps, said opposed lower and upper edges being spaced apart to provide slots of substantial size for access of package assembly equipment.

10. A blank according to claim 9, wherein said lid-forming portion comprises a rear wail panel connected to the body rear wall panel, a top wail panel connected along a crease and fold line to said rear wall panel, a front wall panel connected along a crease and fold line to said top wall panel, and a reinforcing panel connected along a crease and fold line to the lid front wall panel, a pair of outer side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposed sides of the lid front wall panel, and a pair of inner side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposed sides of said rear wall panel, said inner and outer side wall flaps having exposed edges adapted to form side wall sealing edges of the lid, said inner side wall flaps being formed such that on assembly of the lid said exposed edges of said inner side wall flaps are disposed inwardly of said exposed edges of said outer side wall flaps.

11. A blank according to claim 10, wherein said exposed edges of said inner side wall flaps are defined by one side of generally V-shaped slots formed between said inner side wall flaps and the body rear side wall flaps.

12. A blank according to claim 11, further including lid top wall flaps connected along fold and crease lines to said inner side wall flaps, said top wall flaps being disposed intermediate said inner and outer side wall flaps.

13. A blank for forming a hinged lid packet comprising a body-forming portion intermediate a lid-forming portion and a collar-forming portion, said body-forming portion comprising a front wall panel and a rear wall panel connected along crease and fold lines to opposite sides of a base panel, rear side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposite sides of said rear wall panel, front side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposite sides of said front wall panel, said collar-forming portion being connected along a crease and fold line to said front wall panel, said lid-forming portion comprising a rear wall panel connected along a crease and fold line to the body rear wall panel, a top wall panel connected along a crease and fold line to said rear wall panel, a front wall panel connected along a crease and fold line to said top wall panel, and a reinforcing panel connected along a crease and fold line to the lid front wall panel, a pair of outer side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposed sides of the lid front wall panel, and a pair of inner side wall flaps connected along crease and fold lines to opposed sides of said rear wall panel, said inner and outer side wall flaps having exposed edges adapted to form side wall sealing edges of the lid, said inner side wall flaps being formed such that on assembly of the lid said exposed edges of said inner side wall flaps are disposed inwardly of said exposed edges of said outer side wall flaps.

14. A blank according to claim 13, wherein said exposed edges of said inner side wall flaps are defined by one side of generally V-shaped slots formed between said inner side wall flaps and the body rear side wall flaps.

15. A hinged lid packet substantially as described herein by reference to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5.

16. A blank for a hinged lid packet substantially as described herein by reference to Figures 3 and 4.