U.S. patent application number 12/044576 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-10 for cigarette tin with internal ramp.
This patent application is currently assigned to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Invention is credited to Andree Marion Mack, JR..
Application Number | 20090223841 12/044576 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41052486 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090223841 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mack, JR.; Andree Marion |
September 10, 2009 |
CIGARETTE TIN WITH INTERNAL RAMP
Abstract
A container for smoking articles is provided. The container
includes a slidable lid with an abutment to limit its opening
distance and a ramped internal surface to ease a user's access to
smoking articles therein. The container may also include a
tamper-resistant sealing member and an outer paperboard
container.
Inventors: |
Mack, JR.; Andree Marion;
(Winston-Salem, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
P.O. BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60610
US
|
Assignee: |
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco
Company
Winston-Salem
NC
|
Family ID: |
41052486 |
Appl. No.: |
12/044576 |
Filed: |
March 7, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/242 ;
206/267; 206/459.5; 206/524.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 15/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/242 ;
206/267; 206/459.5; 206/524.3 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/10 20060101
B65D085/10; A24F 15/12 20060101 A24F015/12 |
Claims
1. A package for packaging articles such as cigarettes, the package
comprising: an inner package portion including a tray portion
including a tray rear wall and four continuous tray side walls
extending upward and generally perpendicular from the rear wall,
wherein an upper edge of each of the tray side walls is rolled over
to form a first rolled lip around an outer periphery of the tray
walls; a lid portion configured to engage the tray portion, the lid
having a lid front wall with a front surface and a rear surface,
and three continuous lid side walls extending generally
perpendicular from the rear surface of the lid front wall, the lid
side walls extending approximately perpendicularly downwardly from
three edges of the lid front wall, wherein the lid side walls each
include a second rolled lip that extends generally continuously
along an inner periphery of the lid side walls, the second rolled
lip configured to engage the first rolled lip of the tray portion;
the lid portion including an abutment protruding downwardly from
the rear surface of the lid portion sufficient to engage a tray
side wall of the body to restrain movement of the lid portion in
one direction relative thereto; and the tray portion including a
ramped portion near one end, the ramped portion being generally
continuous with the rear tray wall and extending therefrom in the
same direction as and to a height about the same as that of the
tray side walls.
2. The package of claim 1, further comprising a band of polymeric
material disposed about the inner package portion, wherein the band
urges the tray portion and the lid portion together into a sealing
contact.
3. The package of claim 1, wherein the lid includes an abutment
protruding downwardly from a rear surface thereof such that, when
the lid is slid to an open position, the abutment will contact a
tray side wall.
4. The package of claim 1, further comprising an outer paperboard
package portion disposed about the inner package portion and
including a rectangular parallelepiped box; a polymeric overwrap
film overwrapping the box; five sides of the box forming
substantial complete rectangular faces and a sixth side of the box
including a hingedly connected panel, the panel being attached
along a fold line and covering only a portion of either a front lid
surface of the inner package portion or a rear surface of the inner
package portion.
5. The package of claim 1, wherein the tray rear wall is curved
convexly along a length thereof on a rear side opposite the tray
side walls, the tray side walls uniformly following the curve of
the tray rear wall; the lid is curved convexly along a length
thereof on a side including the lid side walls, the lid side walls
uniformly following the curve of the lid front wall such that the
first and second rolled lips are also curved in a manner configured
to provide for sliding engagement between the lip side walls and
the tray side walls.
6. The package of claim 5, further comprising a band of polymeric
material disposed about the inner package portion, wherein the band
urges the tray portion and the lid portion together into a sealing
contact.
7. The package of claim 5, wherein the lid includes an abutment
protruding downwardly from a back surface thereof such that, when
the lid is slid to an open position, the abutment will contact a
tray side wall.
8. The package of claim 5, further comprising an outer paperboard
package portion disposed about the inner package portion and
including a rectangular parallelepiped box; a polymeric overwrap
film overwrapping the box; five sides of the box forming
substantial complete rectangular faces and a sixth side of the box
including a hingedly connected panel, the panel being attached
along a fold line and covering only a portion of either a front lid
surface of the package portion or a rear surface of the package
portion.
9. The package of claim 5, wherein the convexly curving rear wall
and the concavely curving lid length each have a radius of
curvature about 100 to about 800 millimeters.
10. The package of claim 5, wherein the rear wall of the body and
the lid length each have generally co-centric curved surfaces.
11. The package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lid portion
and the tray portion is formed from a material selected from a
polymer and a metal alloy.
12. The package of claim 1, wherein the lid portion includes
product differentiation indicia on a front surface.
13. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp is formed from the
same material as and is formed continuously with the tray
portion.
14. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp comprises a separate
member that is attached to the tray.
15. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp is stamped into the
tray rear wall.
16. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp is molded into the
tray rear wall.
17. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp includes a curved
surface between the tray rear wall and a tray side wall.
18. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp includes a generally
planar surface between the tray rear wall and a tray side wall.
19. The package of claim 1, wherein the ramp is parallel with and
substantially the same length as one of the tray side walls.
20. A smoking article package comprising: an inner package portion
including a tray portion including a rear wall and four continuous
tray walls extending upward and generally perpendicular from the
rear wall, wherein an upper edge of each of the tray walls is
configured as a generally continuous first rolled lip around an
outer periphery of the tray walls; a lid portion configured to
engage the tray portion, the lid having a front surface, a rear
surface, and three continuous lid walls extending generally
perpendicular from the rear surface, the lid walls extending
approximately perpendicularly downwardly from three edges of the
lid, wherein the lid walls each include a generally continuous
second rolled lip that extends along an inner periphery of the lid
walls, the second rolled lip configured to engage the first rolled
lip of the tray portion; the lid portion including an abutment
protruding downwardly from the rear wall of the lid portion
sufficient to engage a tray wall of the body to restrain movement
of the lid portion in one direction relative thereto; and the tray
portion including a ramped portion near one end, the ramped portion
being continuous with the rear wall and extending therefrom in the
same direction as and to a height about the same as that of the
tray walls, wherein a major surface of the ramped portion is curved
to form a partial cylinder surface configured to aid user access to
a smoking article; wherein the rear wall is curved convexly along a
length thereof on a rear side opposite the tray walls, wherein top
and bottom tray walls uniformly follow the curve of the rear wall,
and the lid is curved convexly along a length thereof on a side
including the lid walls, top and bottom lid walls uniformly
following the curve of the lid wall such that the first and second
rolled lips are also curved in a manner configured to provide for
sliding engagement between the lip walls and the tray walls; and an
outer paperboard package generally disposed about the inner package
portion.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to packages for
smoking articles, such as filter cigarettes, and more particularly
to a unique and aesthetically pleasing, tamperproof sliding shell
package for cigarettes, which can be only partially opened to
dispense the articles, access to which is facilitated by a ramped
structure in the package, and which may further be packaged in a
paperboard box overwrapped with a polymeric film having a tear
tape.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It has been known for many years to package cigarettes and
other types of tobacco or smoking article products in thin sheet
metal packages or boxes of a size suitable for-carrying in a shirt
or coat pocket. Such packages have been known as "tobacco tins" or
"pocket tins" or "tobacco cans." Typically, such cans or tins have
a hinged top lid which is pivoted open to allow access to the can
contents, or a sliding top lid which is slid along guides to one
side or the other to allow access to the can contents, or a
pressed-on top lid that is urged upwardly to remove it from the top
of the can. A few examples of such known tobacco cans are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,341,295; 1,797,419; and 1,946,845. It is known
that such metal cans or tins are better able to preserve the
freshness of cigarettes and other tobacco products contained
therein.
[0003] In recent years, manufacturers of cigarettes and other
tobacco products have packaged cigarettes in paper and paperboard
wrappers and boxes and have used foil/paper laminates, metallized
paper or plastic wrappers or low permeability transparent or
metallized polymeric sheet overwraps, among other types of
packaging, to preserve the freshness and aroma of the packaged
cigarette and tobacco products. Examples of such packages are
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,852,734; 5,139,140; 5,542,529;
6,726,006; 6,736,261; and 7,014,039 assigned to the assignee of the
present invention and incorporated by reference herein.
[0004] Such packaging has become commonplace for most cigarette
manufacturers so that, apart from strong brand names and
trademarks, product packaging itself has not provided the sort of
product differentiation in the marketplace for cigarettes that it
has for other consumer products, many of which utilize unique forms
of packaging for product differentiation or product origin
purposes. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a cigarette
package and a packaging method that would improve product
differentiation of cigarettes in the marketplace and still achieve
appropriate preservation of the freshness and aroma of the
cigarettes.
[0005] While it is desirable to have a sliding front lid, it is
also useful for the consumer to have a mechanism that prevents such
a lid from being completely removed from the tin. Such mechanisms
have been complicated and costly to manufacture, in comparison to
the overall manufacturing costs of the tin. Furthermore, such
mechanisms still allow the tin to be completely open, making the
contents of the tin susceptible to spilling during use of the
device. Therefore, it is desirable to have a sliding shell tin with
a mechanism that will allow the lid of the tin to slide only
partially across the body of the tin, allowing the user to access
only the contents of the tin which are desired for use.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] The present invention is directed to a novel cigarette
package comprising a curved metal box or tray with a metal lid
slidable along an arcuate path, or a generally flat metal box or
tray with a slidable metal lid. In one set of embodiments, a
package of the present invention will be configured for containing
a plurality of smoking articles (such as, for example, 20 filter
cigarettes) in a tamperproof and freshness-preserving manner, as
well as a method of packaging and unpackaging the smoking articles.
Conventionally, a filter cigarette package is in the form of a
rectangular parallelepiped having six sides or panels, wherein the
"top" of the package is that package side or panel toward which all
of the filters of the filter cigarettes are oriented, and the
"bottom" of the package is the side or panel opposite the "top."
The "front" and "rear" of the typical conventional cigarette
package are the two sides or panels of the greatest surface area,
and the remaining two end panels extend between and connect the
front and rear and the top and bottom. The package of the present
invention will be described generally using these conventional
terms, namely, top and bottom, front and rear, and end panels.
[0007] Although the package of the invention may be configured in a
number of forms that are not specifically illustrated herein, a
preferred embodiment of the invention includes two components: (i)
a generally rectangular metal box or tray with that includes an
open front and an outer rim along at least two of its sides; and
(ii) a metal front lid that includes guides or tracks along two
edges that are configured to mate slidably with the outer rim of
the metal box. The top, bottom, and end panels of the box are
approximately perpendicularly upstanding from the rear of the box.
The guides or tracks of the front lid are slidable along
complementary guides or tracks on two edges of the metal box to
thereby open and close the open front of the metal box. In the
curved embodiment, the rear of the metal box and the front of the
metal lid each have a curved or arcuate shape generally in the form
of a segment of a cylinder, the radius of curvature of the rear of
the metal box being somewhat smaller than the radius of curvature
of the front of the metal lid. Thus, when the metal lid is slid
along the complementary guides relative to the metal box, it moves
along an arcuate path with a radius corresponding substantially to
the radius of curvature of the metal lid. In the generally flat
embodiment, the path of the lid is generally straight and parallels
the longitudinal central axis of the container. In both the curved
embodiment and the flat embodiment, the rear of the metal box is
stamped or otherwise formed to include a ramped structure
configured to facilitate removal of cigarettes from the
package.
[0008] The metal box and lid preferably are formed of a thin metal,
such as 1018 steel alloy or 3003 aluminum alloy, having an
as-formed thickness of between about 0.005 to about 0.015 inches.
The box and lid have rounded corners and are preferably shallow
drawn cans, but may be formed by other conventional metal working
processes. The upper edges of the four upstanding sides of the box
are rolled over to form a smooth rolled lip around the entire
periphery of the upper edge of the box. This rolled lip
advantageously eliminates any exposed sharp metal edges that might
otherwise cut the consumer and also provides a track for slidably
engaging a complementary rolled edge on three edges of the metal
lid in substantial metal-to-metal contact. The non-rolled edge of
the lid and short portions of the adjacent lid edges preferably are
folded over and flattened to eliminate exposed sharp edges on the
lid that could cut the consumer. The flattened portions of the lid
preferably contact the rolled lip of the box so that the lid
engages the rolled lip in substantial metal-to-metal engagement
around the entire periphery of the open front of the box. The metal
lid and/or metal box may be embossed, stamped, or printed, for
decorative purposes or for providing additional stiffness to the
metal box or lid.
[0009] After the metal box is filled with smoking articles,
cigarettes, for example, and the lid is slid over the open front of
the box to close the same, a shrinkable band, preferably a
heat-shrinkable polymeric band, is positioned around the engaged
edges of the lid and box and is shrunk, e.g., by application of
heat, to urge the edges of the lid and the rolled lip of the box in
substantial sealing contact so as to aid in preserving the
freshness and aroma of the cigarettes contained in the box. The
shrinkable band is preferably provided with one or more rows of
transverse perforations or a tear strip for assisting in the
removal of the band when it is desired to open the box.
[0010] The sealed metal cigarette box may be marketed as the final
cigarette package, however, according to another aspect of the
invention, the sealed metal cigarette box may be further packaged
in a paperboard box or label wrap overwrapped with a polymeric
film, such as a transparent polypropylene film or a metallized
polyethylene terephthalate film, and may be provided with a tear
tape for tearing off the overwrap film covering the paperboard box
or label wrap. The paperboard box preferably is formed as a
rectangular parallelepiped with the front panel or lid thereof
hinged at one side by a fold or crease line in the paperboard box.
To enhance the attractiveness of the package when a transparent
overwrap film is used, a portion of the lid of the paperboard box
may be cut away to expose a portion of the curved metal box,
preferably a portion of the metal lid of the box having a design or
indicia embossed or printed thereupon.
[0011] When the overwrap is a transparent polymeric film, the
paperboard box is preferably printed with product indicia, logos
and the like. If the overwrap is a metallized polymeric film, such
as, for example, the overwrap film described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,427,235, the printed product indicia, logos, etc., may be printed
on the overwrap film and may be duplicated on the paperboard
box.
[0012] According to a method of the invention, a package comprising
a metal box containing a plurality of cigarettes is closed by a
metal lid which is mechanically and slidably engaged to the metal
box. The metal lid is sealed in substantial metal-to-metal contact
to the metal box with a perforated shrinkable band, and then the
sealed metal box is packaged in a paperboard box overwrapped with a
polymeric film having a tear tape. To open or unpackage the
cigarettes in the metal box, the tear tape is used to tear the
polymeric film away so that the metal box can be removed from the
paperboard box. The shrinkable band is then ruptured along the
perforations in the band and removed and the metal lid is slid
along the complementary rolled edges to open the front of the metal
box and expose the cigarettes contained therein.
[0013] With the foregoing and other advantages and features of the
invention that will become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the
invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the
following detailed description of the invention, the appended
claims, and the views illustrated in the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a
cigarette box package made according to the invention with a sealed
metal cigarette box enclosed in a paperboard box and overwrapped
with a polymeric film;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the package of FIG. 1
showing the overwrap removed and the hinged partial lid of the
paperboard box open for removal of the metal cigarette box sealed
with a shrinkable band;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the metal cigarette box of
FIG. 2 showing the shrinkable band removed from the metal box and
the slidable lid of the metal box opened to expose the cigarettes
contained therein;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the metal cigarette box
of FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional detailed view taken along line
5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the structure of the mechanical sliding
engagement between the rolled edges of the metal lid and the metal
box of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the metal lid for the metal
cigarette box of FIG. 4 as viewed from the underside or from the
inside of the box; and
[0020] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional detailed view taken along line
7-7 of FIG. 6 showing the transition between the flattened edge of
the metal lid and the rolled edge of the metal lid;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
cigarette box package filled with cigarettes and made according to
the invention;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cigarette box of
FIG. 8 taken along line 9-9 showing the indentation of the lid
protruding into the open front of the body;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cigarette box of
FIG. 8 taken along line 10-10;
[0024] FIGS. 10 and 10B show two different ramp embodiments;
[0025] FIG. 11A is front perspective view of yet another embodiment
of the metal box showing the different radii of curvature for the
various components of the box;
[0026] FIG. 11 is front perspective view of yet another embodiment
of the metal box showing the different radii of curvature for the
various components of the box;
[0027] FIG. 11B is rear perspective view of yet another embodiment
of the metal box showing the different radii of curvature for the
various components of the box;
[0028] FIG. 12 is a top-front perspective view of still another
embodiment of the metal box of the present invention including a
shrink wrapped band around the periphery of the box;
[0029] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a generally flat
cigarette container embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 13;
and
[0031] FIG. 15 is a partial longitudinal section view of the
embodiment of FIG. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] Referring now in detail to the drawings, preferred
embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-14 comprise a smoking
article (e.g., filter cigarette, cigarillo) package 10. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, package 10 has a rectangular
parallelepiped shape and contains a metal cigarette box 12
described in more detail below. The package 10 includes a
paperboard container 14 folded from a paperboard blank (not shown)
into a parallelepiped shape. The container 14 is provided with a
front panel or lid 16 hinged along folded corner 18 of the
container 14. Front panel 16 only partially covers the front
opening of the box so as to leave exposed a portion of the metal
cigarette box 12.
[0033] The free edge 20 of the lid 16 is generally S-shaped as
shown, it being understood that edge 20 may have other shapes, both
linear and non-linear. For instance, the edge 20 may be a straight
linear edge oriented at an angle with respect to hinged corner 18,
it may have a V-shape, or it may have a rounded, generally D-shape.
Preferably, however, the shape of the edge 20 provides the
paperboard box with a product differentiation or recognition
feature. For example, the illustrated S-shaped edge of the
paperboard box makes the package 10 of the invention especially
suited for packaging the Salem.RTM. brand of menthol cigarettes
manufactured by the assignee of the present invention. Other shapes
of the front panel 16 that provide product differentiation or
recognition features will be apparent to those skilled in the
art.
[0034] The front panel 16 of the container 14 may also include
printed product information or indicia, such as a logo or other
trademark, and the other panels of the container 14 may also have
printed indicia thereon, such as product information.
[0035] The container 14 is overwrapped with an overwrap film 22
which may include a transparent polymeric film, such as--for
example--polypropylene or a metallized polymeric film. The film 22
is folded over at the top and bottom (not shown) of the package 10
and the flaps 24, 26 are heat sealed in a conventional manner. In
one embodiment where the film 22 is a metallized polymeric film,
the printed indicia on the paperboard container 14 may be printed
on the film 22 instead of, or in addition to, being printed on the
panels of the box. A tear tape 28 is provided on the overwrap film
22 for use in removing the overwrap film from the paperboard to
ease being opened by a consumer.
[0036] FIG. 2 depicts the package 10 with the overwrap 22 and tear
tape 28 removed and the front panel 16 swung away from the
container 14 to permit the metal cigarette box 12 to be removed
from the paperboard container 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the front
panel 16 may be provided with side tabs 30 (only one shown) folded
inwardly so as to slide along the inside of the top and bottom
panels of the container 14 and thereby provide additional support
for the panel 16.
[0037] The metal cigarette box 12 includes a metal tray portion 32
and a slidable metal lid portion 34 covering a front open side of
the tray portion 32. The top, bottom, and opposite sides of the
tray portion 32 are approximately perpendicularly upstanding from a
rear wall of the tray portion 32. (See FIGS. 3-11B). The lid
portion 34 preferably is embossed or stamped for purposes of
stiffness and/or product differentiation or product origin
information. In the illustrated embodiment, the lid 34 is embossed
with a generally S-shaped ridge or bead 36 that corresponds to the
S-shaped edge 20 of the paperboard front panel 16 in a manner that
may provide product differentiation or product origin information
even after the paperboard box is removed and discarded. Other
portions of the lid 34 may also be embossed, stamped, or
printed.
[0038] A band 38 of shrinkable polymeric material, preferably a
heat-shrinkable polymer, is shrunk about the perimeter of the metal
cigarette box 12 to seal the lid portion 34 to the tray portion 32
in a tamper-resistant/tamper-evident manner (See FIGS. 2 and 12).
Perforations 40 are provided on the band to ease a consumer's
access to cigarettes in the box.
[0039] The metal cigarette box 12 is described with reference to
FIGS. 3-11B. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 8, and 11A-11B, the tray
portion 32 and lid 34 each have a curved shape and rounded corners.
Referring specifically to FIGS. 11A-11B, the tray portion 32 and
the lid 34 each have an opposing major surface (33 and 35,
respectively) with a radius of curvature R2 and R3 between 100 mm
and 800 mm, respectively. The box and the lid are positioned with
respect to each other such that a hypothetical surface 37 midpoint
P on a curved plane generally parallel between major surfaces 33
and 35 also has a radius of curvature R1 between 100 mm and 800 mm.
Preferably the radius of curvature R1 is about 200 mm. Preferably,
the radii of curvature R2 and R3 of the opposing major surfaces 33
and 35 are selected and the surfaces positioned so that they are
concentric about a common axis 39 when the cigarette box 12 is in a
closed position. Generally, the radius of curvature of the major
opposing surface 33 of the tray portion 32 will be smaller than
that of the major surface 35 of the lid 34. The designed curvature
corresponds generally to the curvature of the torso of the human
body so that the box will fit comfortably in, and generally conform
to, the body when the box is placed, for example, in a shirt or
pant pocket. The rounded corners and edges of the box are also
designed to provide a more comfortable "feel" for the consumer as
well as an attractive package.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 11B, the rear wall of the
tray portion 32 includes a ramped portion 49 that extends along at
least a portion of a top-to-bottom axis of the box 12. The ramp 49
may be molded or stamped, or may include a separate ramped member
attached to the tray portion 32 and may have a curved surface
forming a partial cylindrical face 49a (as shown in FIG. 10A), or a
generally flat planar surface 49b (as shown in FIG. 10B). A ramp
49a with a curved surface preferably has at least one radius of
curvature R4 that will be about equal to or greater than the depth
of the tray portion 32. In one embodiment configured to contain a
plurality of cigarettes, the radius of curvature may be 14.8 mm,
which configuration may be particularly useful for cigarettes
having an outer diameter of about 7.4 mm. Of course, the dimensions
of a box 12 of the present invention may be varied within the scope
of the invention to allow different quantities of cigarettes to be
stored therein. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the
configuration and position of the ramp will aid a user in
extracting a smoking article such as a cigarette from the package.
Specifically, by opening and then angling the box 12 such that the
open end is lower than the closed end, a smoking article will
typically roll up along the ramp 49 where it may be more easily
grasped than it would be in a strictly rectangular container where
a user may have to invert the container completely or reach down
into it to grasp a cigarette therein.
[0041] The lid 34 is slidable in one direction (e.g., to the left
as shown by the arrow 42 in FIGS. 3 and 8) to open the box 12 and
permit a consumer to access cigarettes C in the box portion 32. The
lid 34 may also include an abutment 60 that protrudes from the
underside of the lid 34 into the open front of the box (See FIG.
9). This abutment 60 preferably will prevent the lid 34 of the
metal box 12 from being completely removed from the tray portion
32, unless additional force is applied to push the abutment past
the side wall 45 of the tray portion 32. As shown in FIG. 10, the
abutment 60 on the lid may be an indentation in the metal lid 34.
The abutment may be added separately to the lid or it is,
desirably, formed integrally with the lid.
[0042] The abutment 60 of the lid 34 is positioned to allow the lid
34 to be opened a distance D, which preferably is less than half
the width of the box. More preferably, dimension D will be
approximately equal to the diameter of two cigarettes. The abutment
60 may be hidden or partially disguised in product differentiation
indicia 64 that are placed on the outer surface of the lid 34. (See
e.g., FIGS. 8, 12, and 14). The lid 34 of the box 12 may be
flexible enough that the user, upon applying added force, may push
the abutment 60 of the lid 34 past the side wall 45 of the tray
portion 32 to open the box 12 completely.
[0043] After a cigarette C is removed from the box portion 32, the
lid 34 may be slid in the direction opposite the motion arrow 42 to
reclose the box 12. The lid 34 is mechanically and slidably
retained on the box portion 32 by interengaging rolled edges or
lips 44 and 46 on the box portion 32 and the lid portion 34,
respectively (FIG. 5). The rolled lip 44 of the box portion 32 is
formed around the entire perimeter of the box portion 32, whereas
the rolled lip 46 of the lid portion 34 is formed along an entire
end edge 48 and a substantial portion of top and bottom edges 50,
52 of the lid portion (FIG. 6). The edge 54 of the lid portion 34
and short sections 56, 58 of the edges 50, 52 may be rolled over
and flattened as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 to permit the lid to be
slid back-and-forth over the open front of the tray portion 32. It
should be appreciated that the lid 34 cannot be slid open to the
right (as viewed in FIG. 3) because the rolled lip 46 along edge 48
of the lid acts as a positive stop or abutment when the lid 34 is
moved in a direction to close the box 12.
[0044] Preferably, there is metal-to-metal engagement between the
rolled lips 44, 46 along the edges 48, 50, 52 of the lid and
between the rolled lip 44 of the tray portion 32 and the flattened
edges 54, 56, 58 of the lid 34. Such metal-to-metal engagement
between the tray and lid portions 32, 34 will help to preserve the
freshness and aroma of cigarettes contained in the metal cigarette
box 12. To the extent the rolled lips and flattened edges of the
lid 34 do not engage completely in metal-to-metal sealing contact
with the rolled lip 44 of the tray portion 32, the shrinkable band
38 may provide an additional force to urge those lips and edges
into sealing, metal-to-metal contact until the band 38 is removed
from the box 12.
[0045] The metal from which the cigarette box 12 is formed
preferably includes a metal or metal alloy, such as 1018 steel
alloy, having a thickness in the range of 0.005 inch to 0.015 inch.
Other metals or metal alloys, such as 3003 aluminum alloy, may also
be used to manufacture the box 12. Conventional metal working
processes apparent to those skilled in the metal working art may be
used to form the curved box and lid and to roll and flatten the
edges of the box and lid. The embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-15
are configured to hold twenty cigarettes in a 2 by 10 arrangement,
but those of skill in the art will appreciate that other container
sizes may be practiced within the scope of the present
invention.
[0046] Although the box 12 of the present invention preferably is
made of a thin sheet metal alloy, for an alternative embodiment,
one may mold the box of a polymeric material, e.g., an injection
molded high density polyethylene, polycarbonate, or other suitable
moldable plastic material. In such case, the interengaging lips
between the box and lid portions may be molded to sealingly engage
in a manner similar to the engagement of rolled lips and edges of
the metal box and lid, or may even include an interengaging
structure such as, for example, a "tongue-and-groove" interface. As
another alternative, those of skill in the art will appreciate that
a ramp practiced within the scope of the present invention may
include a separate structure that is attached to an interior
surface of the package.
[0047] FIGS. 13-15 depict a tray portion 132 and a lid portion 134
of an example of the present invention embodied as a generally flat
cigarette container 112 having a ramped rear portion. The container
112 is similar in most aspects to the curved embodiment described
above with reference to FIGS. 1-12, except that its overall shape
is generally flat rather than curved. The tray and lid portions
132, 134 (respectively) preferably include rounded rather than
sharp corners. The edge engagement mechanism of the container 112
may be substantially similar to one of the engagement mechanisms
described above (e.g., with reference to FIGS. 3-10), except for
its lack of curvature. The tray portion 132 includes a ramped
portion 149, which may be generally flat/planar, or which may be
curved (e.g., as a partial surface of a cylinder) as is shown in
the section view of FIG. 15. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
13 and 15, the ramp 149 extends across nearly the entire space
between the top and bottom walls 162, 164 of the tray portion
132.
[0048] Although certain presently preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been specifically described herein, it will
be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention
pertains that variations and modifications of the various
embodiments shown and described herein may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly,
it is intended that the invention be limited only to the extent
required by the appended claims and the applicable rules of
law.
[0049] It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed
description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and
that it be understood that it is the following claims, including
all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope
of this invention.
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