U.S. patent application number 10/656820 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-10 for cigarette box having a lid that can be torn to form an opening for drawing out a cigarette stick.
Invention is credited to Lin, Yao-Chang.
Application Number | 20050051443 10/656820 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34466428 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050051443 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Yao-Chang |
March 10, 2005 |
Cigarette box having a lid that can be torn to form an opening for
drawing out a cigarette stick
Abstract
A cigarette box includes a box body, a flip-top lid, and a
cover. The box body is adapted to receive cigarette sticks therein.
The lid is connected pivotally to the box body, and has a top
portion formed with an opening that has a size sufficient to permit
removal of no more than one of the cigarette sticks from the box
body. The cover has a size corresponding to that of the opening,
and has a peripheral edge that includes at least one tearable
section connected to the top portion of the lid by a weakened seam
such that the cover can be torn from the lid at the weakened seam
to uncover the opening.
Inventors: |
Lin, Yao-Chang; (Taichung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FROMMER LAWRENCE & HAUG
745 FIFTH AVENUE- 10TH FL.
NEW YORK
NY
10151
US
|
Family ID: |
34466428 |
Appl. No.: |
10/656820 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/259 ;
206/242; 206/264 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/70 20130101; B65D
85/1056 20200501 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/259 ;
206/242; 206/264 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/10 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A cigarette box comprising: a box body adapted to receive
cigarette sticks therein; a flip-top lid connected pivotally to
said box body, said lid having a top portion formed with an
opening, said opening having a size sufficient to permit removal of
no more than one of the cigarette sticks from said box body; and a
cover having a size corresponding to that of said opening, said
cover having a peripheral edge that includes at least one tearable
section connected to said top portion of said lid by a weakened
seam such that said cover can be torn from said lid at said
weakened seam to uncover said opening.
2. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral
edge of said cover includes a linear connecting section connected
foldably to said top portion of said lid, an operating section
opposite to said connecting section, and a pair of said tearable
sections extending between said connecting section and said
operating section, said operating section being operable to lift
said cover away from said top portion of said lid so as to tear
said cover from said lid at said tearable sections.
3. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said operating
section is disconnected from said top portion of said lid.
4. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 3, wherein said operating
section is formed with an upward tab.
5. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cover is
provided with indicia to indicate position of said operating
section.
6. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral
edge of said cover further includes an operating section, said
tearable section extending between opposite ends of said operating
section, said operating section being operable to lift said cover
away from said top portion of said lid so as to tear said cover
from said lid at said tearable section.
7. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said operating
section is disconnected from said top portion of said lid such that
said cover can be severed completely from said lid when said cover
is torn from said lid at said tearable section.
8. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 7, wherein said operating
section is formed with an upward tab.
9. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cover is
provided with indicia to indicate position of said operating
section.
10. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said weakened
seam is a scored seam.
11. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opening
is generally circular.
12. The cigarette box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opening
is generally rectangular.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cigarette box, more
particularly to a cigarette box having a lid that can be torn to
form an opening for drawing out a cigarette stick.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional cigarette box 10 is
shown to include a box body 11 and a flip-flop lid 12. The
cigarette box 10 receives cigarette sticks 100 therein. The lid 12
is connected pivotally to the box body 11, and can be operated to
cover and uncover an open top of the box body 11. When the lid 12
uncovers the box body 11, a cigarette stick 100 can be drawn out of
the cigarette box 10 by handling a filter tip 101 of the cigarette
stick 100.
[0005] The conventional cigarette box 10 is disadvantageous in that
it is difficult to draw out a single cigarette stick 100 from the
box body 11 when the cigarette sticks 100 are closely packed in the
box body 11. While the cigarette box 10 maybe shaken so as to
facilitate removal of the cigarette sticks 100, a bunch of the
cigarette sticks 100 may fall out of the box body 11 during
shaking. Moreover, when drawing out a cigarette stick 100 from the
box body 11, the fingers of the user will come into contact with
the filter tips 101 of the adjacent cigarette sticks 100. Thus, the
filter tips 101 of the cigarette sticks 100 in the box body 11 are
easily contaminated in this way. Accordingly, there is a need to
provide a cigarette box that facilitates drawing of cigarette
sticks therefrom in a hygienic manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a cigarette box that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks
associated with the prior art.
[0007] According to the present invention, a cigarette box
comprises a box body, a flip-top lid, and a cover. The box body is
adapted to receive cigarette sticks therein. The lid is connected
pivotally to the box body, and has a top portion formed with an
opening that has a size sufficient to permit removal of no more
than one of the cigarette sticks from the box body. The cover has a
size corresponding to that of the opening, and has a peripheral
edge that includes at least one tearable section connected to the
top portion of the lid by a weakened seam such that the cover can
be torn from the lid at the weakened seam to uncover the
opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view to illustrate how cigarette
sticks are drawn out of a conventional cigarette box;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred
embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the first
preferred embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first
preferred embodiment, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view to illustrate how a cigarette
stick can be drawn out of the cigarette box of the first preferred
embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the second preferred
embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the second
preferred embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second
preferred embodiment, taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view to illustrate how a cigarette
stick can be drawn out of the cigarette box of the second preferred
embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the third
preferred embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the third
preferred embodiment, illustrating how a cover can be torn from a
flip-top lid of the cigarette box;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the fourth
preferred embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the fourth
preferred embodiment, illustrating how a cover can be torn from a
flip-top lid of the cigarette box;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the fifth
preferred embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the sixth
preferred embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 16 is a perspective view to illustrate how a cigarette
stick can be drawn out of the cigarette box according to either of
the fifth or sixth preferred embodiments;
[0025] FIG. 17 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the seventh
preferred embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 18 is a fragmentary schematic top view of the eighth
preferred embodiment of a cigarette box according to the present
invention; and
[0027] FIG. 19 is a perspective view to illustrate how a cigarette
stick can be drawn out of the cigarette box according to either of
the seventh or eighth preferred embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Before the present invention is described in greater detail,
it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same
reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the first preferred embodiment of
a cigarette box 20 according to the present invention is shown to
include a box body 21, a flip-top lid 22, and a cover 30. The box
body 21 is adapted to receive cigarette sticks 100 therein. The lid
22 is connected pivotally to the box body 21 in a conventional
manner, and has a top wall or portion 24 formed with a generally
circular opening 23 that is closed by the cover 30 and that has a
size sufficient to permit removal of no more than one of the
cigarette sticks 100 from the box body 21, as best shown in FIG.
3.
[0030] In this embodiment, the cover 30 has a size corresponding to
that of the opening 23, and has a peripheral edge that includes a
linear connecting section 32 connected foldably to the top portion
24 of the lid 22, an operating section 33 opposite to the
connecting section 32, and a pair of tearable sections 31 extending
between the connecting section 32 and the operating section 33. The
tearable sections 31 are connected to the top portion 24 of the lid
22 by a respective weakened seam, such as a scored seam, such that
the cover 30 can be torn from the lid 22 at the weakened seams to
uncover the opening 23, as best shown in FIG. 5.
[0031] Preferably, the operating section 33 is disconnected from
the top portion 24 of the lid 22, and has a length sufficient to
facilitate operation thereof for lifting the cover 30 away from the
top portion 24 of the lid 22 so as to tear the cover 30 from the
lid 22 at the tearable sections 31. Moreover, the operating section
33 is preferably disposed adjacent to an edge of the top portion 24
so as to ensure adequate length allocation for the connecting
section 32. In addition, the cover 30 is provided with indicia 34
to indicate position of the operating section 33.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, when it is desired to draw out a
cigarette stick 100 from the cigarette box 20, the cover 30 is
first torn from the lid 22 in the manner described beforehand. With
the cover 30 lifted from the lid 22, the cigarette box 20 is then
shaken so that the filter tip 101 of one of the cigarette sticks
100 in the cigarette box 20 extends out of the opening 23.
Therefore, the cigarette stick 100 can be drawn out of the
cigarette box 20 without requiring the user's fingers to touch the
filter tips 101 of the other cigarette sticks 100 in the box body
21.
[0033] The shape of the cover of the cigarette box of this
invention should not be limited to the generally circular shape of
the first preferred embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, in the
second preferred embodiment of this invention, the top portion 24
of the lid 22 is formed with a generally rectangular opening 23
that is closed by the cover 30. The cover 30 has a size
corresponding to that of the opening 23, and has a peripheral edge
that includes a linear connecting section 32 connected foldably to
the top portion 24 of the lid 22 adjacent to a shorter edge of the
latter, a linear operating section 33 opposite to the connecting
section 32, and a pair of tearable sections 31 extending between
the connecting section 32 and the operating section 33. The
tearable sections 31 are connected to the top portion 24 of the lid
22 by a respective weakened seam, such as a scored seam, such that
the cover 30 can be torn from the lid 22 at the weakened seams to
uncover the opening 23, as best shown in FIG. 9. Like the previous
embodiment, the operating section 33 is disconnected from the top
portion 24 of the lid 22, and the cover 30 is provided with indicia
34 to indicate position of the operating section 33. The cigarette
sticks 100 are drawn out of the cigarette box 20 in a manner
similar to that described hereinabove in connection with the first
preferred embodiment.
[0034] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the third preferred embodiment of
this invention, which is a modification of the first preferred
embodiment. Unlike the first preferred embodiment, the operating
section 33 is formed by punching, thereby resulting in a slit 331
and an upward tab 332. Therefore, the user can use one of his
fingernails to hook the cover 30 at the upward tab 332 so as to
facilitate tearing of the cover 30.
[0035] FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate the fourth preferred embodiment
of this invention, which is a modification of the second preferred
embodiment. Like the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, the operating
section 33 is formed by punching, thereby resulting in a slit 331
and an upward tab 332, such that the user can use one of his
fingernails to hook the cover 30 at the upward tab 332 so as to
facilitate tearing of the cover 30.
[0036] FIG. 14 illustrates the fifth preferred embodiment of this
invention, which is a modification of the first preferred
embodiment. Unlike the first preferred embodiment, the peripheral
edge of the cover 30 does not include a linear connecting section
connected foldably to the lid 22. In other words, the peripheral
edge of the cover 30 in this embodiment only includes an operating
section 33 that is disconnected from the lid 22, and a tearable
section 31 extending between opposite ends of the operating section
33 and connected to the lid 22 by a weakened seam, such as a scored
seam.
[0037] FIG. 15 illustrates the sixth preferred embodiment of this
invention, which is a modification of the fifth preferred
embodiment. In this embodiment, the operating section 33 is formed
by punching, thereby resulting in a slit 331 and an upward tab
332.
[0038] In either of the fifth or sixth preferred embodiments, the
operating section 33 is operable to lift the cover 30 away from the
lid 22 so as to tear the cover 30 from the lid 22 at the tearable
section 31, and the cover 30 can be severed completely from the lid
22, as best shown in FIG. 16.
[0039] FIG. 17 illustrates the seventh preferred embodiment of this
invention, which is a modification of the second preferred
embodiment. Unlike the second preferred embodiment, the peripheral
edge of the cover 30 does not include a linear connecting section
connected foldably to the lid 22. In other words, like the
embodiments of FIGS. 14 and 15, the peripheral edge of the cover 30
in this embodiment only includes a linear operating section 33 that
is disconnected from the lid 22, and a U-shaped tearable section 31
extending between opposite ends of the operating section 33 and
connected to the lid 22 by a weakened seam, such as a scored
seam.
[0040] FIG. 18 illustrates the eighth preferred embodiment of this
invention, which is a modification of the seventh preferred
embodiment. In this embodiment, the operating section 33 is formed
by punching, thereby resulting in a slit 331 and an upward tab
332.
[0041] In either of the seventh or eighth preferred embodiments,
the operating section 33 is operable to lift the cover 30 away from
the lid 22 so as to tear the cover 30 from the lid 22 at the
tearable section 31, and the cover 30 can be severed completely
from the lid 22, as best shown in FIG. 19.
[0042] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *