Folded Blank Patents (Class 206/273)
  • Patent number: 6523682
    Abstract: During the production of cigarette packs having an inner wrapper of thin packaging material, the blank (10) of the inner wrapper is provided with impressed lines, namely transverse impressed lines (19, 20) which delimit a base wall (11) which is first contacted by a cigarette group (23) when the latter is wrapped in a U-shaped manner. By virtue of the impressed lines (19, 20), the mechanical load forces exerted on the cigarette group during the U-shaped folding process is reduced. Furthermore, a cigarette conveyor (25) for transferring the cigarette groups (23) is driven in a non-uniform manner, i.e. at reduced speed, when receiving a blank (10), and at a correspondingly greater speed during other conveying operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Hermann Blome, Burkard Roesler
  • Publication number: 20030034255
    Abstract: A pack for smoking articles having a cut-away section in the front which reveals a backing member. The backing member may be hingedly connected to the front panel of the pack by Z-folds to ensure identical color and location registration in the cut-away.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Colin Dennis Luton, Rodney George Taylor
  • Publication number: 20030029746
    Abstract: A rigid cigarette packet in the form of a rectangular-section prism defined by a cup-shaped container having a hinged lid, and wherein a collar, having a part projecting axially from an open end of the cup-shaped container, and an inner part inside the cup-shaped container, is provided, on the inner part, with two longitudinal slits defining respective tabs, the free edge of each of which extends along a respective longitudinal edge connecting a front wall and a respective lateral wall of the cup-shaped container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Fiorenzo Draghetti, Fabrizio Fazioli, Stefano Serafini
  • Publication number: 20020195355
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flip open box package, such as a cigarette pack, with enhanced aroma due to encapsulated flavor materials incorporated on the interior surface of the flip top. The encapsulated flavor is released upon opening of the box by frictional interaction of frame components or with the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: Robert P. Dennen
  • Publication number: 20020190110
    Abstract: A rigid pack (100) with a hinged lid (12) serves both as a carton proportioned to accommodate a plurality of packets (1) of cigarettes (3), and as a single packet (1); in either instance the pack comprises a container (10) surmounted by a lid (12) hinged to one open end (11) of the container and rotatable between positions in which the container (10) is open and closed, respectively. The pack (100) appears prismatic in shape and substantially triangular in section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Roberto Polloni, Chiara Colo, Igino Conti, Fiorenzo Draghetti
  • Patent number: 6494317
    Abstract: Cigarette packs of the soft pack type of a (pack) shape (11) of paper, foil or the like which directly encases a group of cigarettes (32) with folding flaps or edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together. In order to protect the group of cigarettes (32) from unwanted discharged glue, a cover shape (36) is positioned within the pack (10) between the group of cigarettes (32) and the pack shape (11), i.e., in the area of a side wall (21) of edge strips (34, 35) which are glued together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Focke & Co (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventor: Heinz Focke
  • Patent number: 6494318
    Abstract: In configuring soft packs for cigarettes from a single (-piece) blank, firstly, in the region of a base wall, a material reinforcement is formed by double-layered arrangement of the blank. In order to protect the cigarettes against glue being transferred during gluing of the folding tabs of the base wall, a covering tab is arranged on the inside, above the base wall. An extended base corner tab serves here as a covering. In addition, in the region adjacent to an end wall (17), a multi-layered material strip is formed by a Z-shaped fold. In the region of overlap of the material strip on a side wall (13), at least one cutout is arranged in one layer, said cutout ensuring a correct closed position of the layers in this region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Irmin Steinkamp
  • Publication number: 20020175095
    Abstract: A rigid parallelepiped-shaped carton (1) for packets (3) of cigarettes is disclosed. The carton has a cup-shaped bottom container (8) and a substantially cup-shaped top lid (9) connected to the bottom container (8) along at least one preweakened tear line (10) running along two parallel, facing vertical lateral walls (11, 12), and along a vertical front wall (13), so as to divide each vertical wall (11, 12, 13) into a respective bottom portion (11a, 12a, 13a) forming part of the container (8), and a respective remaining top portion (11b, 12b, 13b) forming part of the lid (9); each packet (3) of cigarettes being housed inside the carton (1) with a major lateral wall (5) of the packet parallel to the front wall (13); and the pre-weakened tear line (10) being located at a first height (H1) along the vertical lateral walls (11, 12) and dropping to a second height (H2), lower than the first height (H1), along the vertical front wall (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Silvano Boriani, Fiorenzo Draghetti
  • Publication number: 20020177513
    Abstract: Package for a group of cigarette packs which are surrounded by an outer wrapping (11) made of paper, foil, thin cardboard or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: FOCKE & CO. (GmbH & CO.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Hermann Blome, Andreas Gummer
  • Patent number: 6478149
    Abstract: A rigid pack of smoking articles is made to have improved shelf life and to be resealable. A barrier material is sealed around the rigid pack. The rigid pack has a potential or actual access aperture extending from a top face into a major face. The barrier material has a line of severance or weakening defining a flap, which is in register with the potential or actual access aperture. Over the flap is a layer which overlaps it on each severable side with a portion having permanently-tacky adhesive. A non-adhered pull tab is preferably provided on the layer. To open the pack the user lifts the flap and if necessary the access aperture. After removal of a smoking article the gap in the barrier layer is reclosed and resealed by the repositioning of the adhesive layer, carrying with it the flap of barrier material. A machine for assembling the pack is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Patrick Parker
  • Patent number: 6457580
    Abstract: Hinge-lid box for cigarettes or the like, comprising a box part (10) and lid (11) and a collar (35) which is positioned in the box part (10) and projects out of the same by way of a top collar part (39), the lid (11) enclosing the top collar part (39) in the closed position. Fastened on the inside of a lid front wall (17) is a lid inner tab (32) which, merely in the region of a (relatively long) side edge (50), has a recess (52) which ensures form-fitting interlocking with a ridge (42) in the region of a collar front wall (36) when the lid is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse
  • Patent number: 6435342
    Abstract: A pack for cigarettes and the like has the action of a conventional “flip-top” hinge-lid pack. Cigarettes (22) inside the pack are arranged with the axes parallel to the axis of pivot (10) of the lid (3) and are presented when the lid is open in an enclosure formed by a liner (13) of the pack, with a side wall (16) preventing sideways escape of the cigarettes but with an access opening allowing withdrawal of cigarettes by movement along their axis (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventor: Hjarald Edgar Agnes
  • Patent number: 6412630
    Abstract: Cigarette pack of the hinge-lid box type, comprising a box part (11) and a lid (12), there being formed, in the bottom region of the box part (11), an opening (25) which can be closed by a closure flap (24) formed as part of a blank of the hinge-lid box. The opening (25) and closure flap (24) extend around the corner in the region of a box rear wall (14) and of a base wall (17). In the region of the opening (25), a chamber (35) is formed within the hinge-lid box in order to accommodate, for example, folded printed carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse
  • Publication number: 20020074248
    Abstract: A carton assembly for packages of smoking articles comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, a second side portion, a first end portion, a second end portion and a dispensing portion. The dispensing portion is defined by a perforation line on the first and second side portions and the bottom portion before the hinged dispensing portion is opened. When the perforation line is torn, the dispensing portion may be removed allowing cigarette packages to be withdrawn from the carton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventor: Mitchell Adrian Venable
  • Patent number: 6390290
    Abstract: A soft-carton-type cigarette pack made from a one-piece blank of paper or the like. A base wall is reinforced by a double-layered design of base tabs and, in addition, is provided with a reinforcing strip which runs around the inside. An opening aid is provided, in interaction with a Z-fold, in the region of an end wall. An exposed grip tab can be gripped for the purpose of removing a tear-open flap, bounded by perforation lines, in the region of the end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse
  • Patent number: 6364106
    Abstract: A logo-reinforcing package contains a bundle of products, such as cigarettes. The package has a hinged lid which uncovers the ends of the cigarettes, and an innerframe with a cutout which exposes portions of the cigarettes when the package is opened. To teach the consumer to associate the product logo and the product, the logo is imprinted or embossed in the innerframe adjacent the exposed portion of the product. The consumer views the product and the logo simultaneously each time the lid is opened to extract a cigarette, and therefore is taught to associate the logo and the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Barry Smith Fagg, Aurelius Madison Waggoner, III
  • Patent number: 6360943
    Abstract: Hinge-lid boxes usually comprise a box part (10) and a lid (11) connected in an articulated manner thereto. In the region of a box front wall (15) and lid front wall (19), the box part (10) and lid (11) form transversely directed closure edges, namely a lid closure edge (33) and mating closure edge (34). These closure edges are of V-shaped design with different angles between the associated edge legs (37, 38 and 39, 40, respectively), with the result that a V-shaped or arrowhead-like opening (43) is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Jürgen Focke, Henry Buse
  • Patent number: 6343691
    Abstract: Hinge-lid packs are normally comprised of a lower pack part (10) and a lid (11) which is pivotably connected thereto. The hinge-lid pack is designed such as to have a hexagonal cross-section with beveled front edges (30, 31) of the pack part (10) and the lid (11), thereby forming chamfers (34, 35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse
  • Patent number: 6334532
    Abstract: A hinged-lid pack for filter cigarettes comprises a box-shaped body and a box-shaped lid. When the lid is shut down, an inner frame that forms a part of the body is covered by the lid. The inner frame includes a raised lug, and an inner front flap of the lid includes an engaging portion that engages the lug. When the lid is on, the engaging portion adjoins the distal end of the lug. When the lid in this state is rocked slightly in the opening direction, the distal end of the lug is held between the engaging portion and the inner surface of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tambo, Toru Iwano
  • Patent number: 6311834
    Abstract: A hinge-lid box for cigarettes has a box part (10) and a lid (11). Hinge-lid boxes have, because of their design or structure, four vertical edges. These edges have a particular design, ie., two vertical edges are designed as rounded edges (24, 25), and the two other edges as angular edges (26, 27) with a rectangular cross-section. The rounded edges (24, 25) can be located in the area of one and the same side wall (14/19) or be in diagonally opposite positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Dieter Neuber
  • Publication number: 20010030135
    Abstract: A cigarette pack assembled from a unitary blank comprises a body portion and a lid portion with an integral horizontal hinge line between the body and lid portions about which the lid portion moves between open and closed positions relative to the body portion. The body and lid portions each have opposite side panels. Diagonal cut lines along the sides of the cigarette pack separate the side panels of the body portion from the side panels of the lid portion. Each diagonal cut line extends to the hinge line and includes at least one uncut portion along its length. When the lid portion is initially moved to its open position the uncut portion of each cut line is broken. During assembly, the uncut portions of the diagonal cut lines function to strengthen the blank used to form the cigarette pack. Additionally, the uncut portion serves as an indicator with respect to whether or not the lid has been opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: SCOTT A. FATH, CLAUDETTE M. CALDER
  • Patent number: 6302322
    Abstract: A single-piece hinged-lid cigarette box which has a collar (12) connected to a main section (33), in the area of a front panel (13) of the box, by tabs (34, 35), the collar being part of the single-piece box. A front panel (30) of the collar is provided with recesses (41, 42) in order to avoid a multi-layer structure in the area of the tabs (34, 35) which are folded into a Z shape (34, 35). At least partial areas of the folded tabs (34, 35) fit into these recesses (41, 42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse
  • Patent number: 6276600
    Abstract: This invention relates to a modification for a round-corner flip top cigarette pack and the like. Such structures of this type, generally, relocate the inner frame in order to improve reclosability of the pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Westvaco Corporation
    Inventor: William Roger Rigby
  • Patent number: 6276522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a non-hinge lid smoking article pack, blank and print layout therefor which blank and print layout utilize a reduced amount of cartonboard and have reduced cartonboard waste from the print layout arrangement. Attempts to maximize interdigitation of blanks is proposed, whereby a saving of about 10% or more of cartonboard usage over a conventional hinge-lid pack can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventor: Sidney John Walter
  • Publication number: 20010004967
    Abstract: Cigarette pack of the hinge-lid box type, comprising a box part (11) and a lid (12), there being formed, in the bottom region of the box part (11), an opening (25) which can be closed by a closure flap (24) formed as part of a blank of the hinge-lid box. The opening (25) and closure flap (24) extend around the corner in the region of a box rear wall (14) and of a base wall (17). In the region of the opening (25), a chamber (35) is formed within the hinge-lid box in order to accommodate, for example, folded printed carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse
  • Patent number: 6244436
    Abstract: A rigid package with hinged lid which holds a group of cigarette packs stacked flat against one another, parallel with the bottom of the package, along a stacking axis which is at a right angle to the longitudinal axes of the packs comprises a container and a lid, which are hinged together, and an inner frame which is partially inside the container; the package is made from a flat blank which is substantially rectangular and, in the direction of its longer longitudinal axis has a main portion designed to define the container and the lid, and a longitudinal end appendix designed to be folded over the main portion to define the inner frame; the appendix is substantially U-shaped and is hinged, with its arms, to two side panels of the blank which define the sides of the package and surrounds a longitudinal free end of the main portion; the free end consists of a panel designed to define the bottom of the package, and two side tabs and a longitudinal end tab defining respective flaps for closing the bottom; the g
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: G.D. S.p.A.
    Inventors: Silvano Boriani, Alessandro Minarelli
  • Patent number: 6244435
    Abstract: Soft pack of cigarettes having simultaneous opening structure to be removed by a single manipulation of removal of the tear tape and thereby providing direct access to the contents of the package, said opening structure being comprised of outer wrapper, tear tape, inner wrapper having dividing part, and adhesive being provided between said dividing part of the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper and providing firm bond therebetween. Web of outer wrapper having a plurality of outer wrapper for cigarette packs, each of said outer wrapper having extending means connected to the tear tape such that the outer wrapper and dividing part of the inner wrapper of a soft pack of cigarettes can simultaneously be removed by only removing the tear tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventor: Myong Ho Cho
  • Patent number: 6237760
    Abstract: A pack for cigarettes and like smoking articles has a frame (101) outside the charge of cigarettes but inside a flexible wrap, which is preferably a sealed enclosure of a barrier material such as a metal/plastic laminate, or metallized foil. The inner frame which is not rigid since its side (104) and end (108) flaps are free except where attached to a major panel (102) acts to collate and protect the charge of cigarettes and to allow heat-sealing or other sealing pressure to be exerted more efficiently than would otherwise be possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: Michael Patrick Parker, David John Bates
  • Patent number: 6228458
    Abstract: Hermetically sealed packages for food, cigarettes and the like are formed from packaging material (37) having a tear tape (33) attached thereto. The tear tape includes a surface formed of a material (7) which flows under the conditions needed to seal portions (8,9) of the packaging material together when closing the package so as to fill any gaps between the tape and the packaging material portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: P. P. Payne Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Pinchen, Saul James Butterworth, Stephen Barry Maguire
  • Patent number: 6220430
    Abstract: A rigid wrapper for tobacco products comprises a cupped container and a similarly cupped lid hinged together along respective rear edges, also a reinforcing frame located partly inside the container and fixed to a front face and to two flank faces of the container. The wrapper is fashioned from a substantially rectangular diecut blank with a predominating longitudinal axis, which incorporates a main portion providing the container and the lid and a longitudinal appendage providing the frame; the appendage is essentially U-shaped, hinged by two arms to two lateral panels of the blank providing respective flanks of the wrapper, and circumscribes a free longitudinally-extended extremity of the main portion shaped and creased to include a panel providing a bottom of the wrapper, also two side flaps and a longitudinal end flap functioning as bottom end folds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: G.D S.p.A.
    Inventors: Silvano Boriani, Alessandro Minarelli
  • Patent number: 6216859
    Abstract: In a cigarette packet with an inner wrapping enveloping a group of cigarettes, and an outer wrapping folded around the inner wrapping, the outer wrapping is fashioned from a layered material consisting in a first inner layer of paper material and, bonded to the first layer, a second layer of exposed finish material different to the paper material of the inner layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: G. D S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto Manservigi, Fiorenzo Draghetti
  • Patent number: 6216860
    Abstract: A packet for long articles comprises a first inner wrap around a group of articles and a second outer wrap around the first wrap which, together with the inner frame, envisaged when the packet is of the rigid type with hinged lid, constitute specific packaging components of the packet. The packet is equipped with a length of magnetic strip for data storage which is applied directly to a specified part of at least one of the specific packaging components in a hidden position not visible from the outside of the packet. If the packet has a revenue stamp or an insert, constituting additional components, the length of magnetic strip may be applied to at least one of said additional components, again in a hidden position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: G.D. S.p.A.
    Inventors: Silvano Boriani, Lorenzo Cocchi, Chiara Colo′, Alessandro Minarelli
  • Patent number: 6216861
    Abstract: A pack (13) for elongate smoking articles encased in an inner wrapping includes a paperboard outer container having a generally rectangular base (14), four hingedly connected side walls (15-20) which upstand from the base, and a top panel member (22) which at least partially closes off the top of the pack. The side walls (15-20) are substantially the same height as the smoking articles and are secured with respect to the base. Access to the smoking articles is made beside the top panel member (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited
    Inventors: Anthony George James, Colin Dennis Luton, Rodney George Taylor
  • Patent number: 6199687
    Abstract: A tongue lid pack includes a body containing a packing article of filter cigarettes, and a cutting line is formed on the front wall of the body. A tongue lid is hingedly connected to the opening end of the body, and the tongue lid has a lid portion for closing and opening the opening end and a tongue extending from the lid portion and a bent tip. When the tongue lid is closed, the bent tip of the tongue is inserted through the cutting line of the front wall. Also, a blank for the tongue lid pack and a method for folding the blank are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tambo, Makoto Sendoh, Kenichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6193060
    Abstract: A front opening cigarette box comprises a container portion and an integral cover portion which articulates between opened and closed positions. The container portion includes a front face, a rear face generally parallel to the front face, a bottom face, and spaced apart side walls interconnecting the front and rear faces. The cover portion includes a front face that fully covers the container portion when the cover portion is in its closed position. The cover portion also includes top and bottom faces, and a rear face contiguous with and forming a continuation of the rear face of the container portion when the cover portion is in its closed position. Spaced apart side walls on the cover portion interconnect the front and rear faces thereof. A hinge line extends between the rear faces of the container and cover portions, and the cover portion articulates about that hinge line between its opened and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: David L. Roberts, Donald H. Evers
  • Patent number: 6168014
    Abstract: A cigarette packet of the rigid type having a hinged lid presents four side faces of which at least one is convexly profiled and associated with the two adjoining side faces along dihedral angles that are effectively obtuse, softening the contours of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: G. D S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto Manservigi, Fiorenzo Draghetti
  • Patent number: 6164444
    Abstract: A pack (1) for smoking articles such as cigarettes has a sealed enclosure of barrier material, with a resealable access aperture to the enclosure. A cover (7) over that aperture has on all its openable edges a permanently tacky surface overlapping over the barrier material there. The cover has a non-adhesive tab (10) to assist opening. An inner frame provides support to the barrier material adjacent to the aperture, allowing the adhesive cover to be pressed firmly against the barrier layer to aid resealing. The pack may be provided with or without an outer carton. If an outer carton is included, the carton may be of a generally rigid card material, and may have a flip-top configuration, may be a Laube box, or may have a shell-and-slide configuration.An inner frame provides support to the barrier material adjacent to the aperture, allowing the adhesive cover to be pressed firmly against the barrier layer to aid resealing. The pack may be provided with or without an outer carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Jonathan Bray, Michael Patrick Parker, John Roger Sampson, Adrian Roy Stewart-Cox
  • Patent number: 6138822
    Abstract: A convenient, safe and economical packaging system for holding elongated smoking members has an open receptacle ashtray that collapses to a reduced closed receptacle container for storing ashes and other smoking debris. An outer sleeve and a container are connected through an accordion section. The accordion section folds by pushing the container into the outer sleeve collapsing the open ashtray receptacle to the closed receptacle. With the container pulled out the open ashtray receptacle is easily assessable through an access hole in the sleeve. the packaging system is particularly useful for packaging cigarettes and can be used several time before emptying the closed receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Inventor: Guadalupe C. Garcia
  • Patent number: 6138823
    Abstract: Conventional cigarette packets with flap-tops are often referred to as hinge-lid packets. They consist of a packet portion 12, a lid 13 connected to the packet portion 12 by a hinge, and a collar 35 disposed in the packet portion 12. In order to create new appeal for hinge-lid packets, openings 52, 53 are formed with the packet portion 12 and the lid 13 so that imprinting may be displayed. The openings or recesses 52, 53 are closed on the side pointing towards the packet contents, namely the block of cigarettes 45. Regions 50, 51 of the collar front wall 36 and lid inner flap 43, respectively, serve as carriers for the imprinting so that it may be displayed through the openings 52 and 53.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Harald Gosebruch
  • Patent number: 6112892
    Abstract: A box (1) for a pack of cigarettes has the shape of a hollow body dimensioned to receive a pack of cigarettes, the hollow body being delimited by at least four surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5) forming the walls of the body and a surface (6) forming a bottom constituted by a prolongation of one wall of the body and connected to that one wall by a bend line (7). The surface (6) forming the bottom of the body is prolonged by a flap (8) connected to the surface forming the bottom by a bend line (9) permitting positioning substantially at a right angle the flap relative to the surface (6) forming the bottom. The flap (8) has the form of a flexible dihedral with at least two legs (8A, 8B) of variable geometry, at least one (8B) of the legs (8A, 8B) of the dihedral being inserted within the body between a wall (17A) of the pack of cigarettes (17) and a wall (5) of the box so as to maintain the surface (6) forming the bottom of the body in closed position of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Joel Thibaud
  • Patent number: 6105856
    Abstract: A hinge lid pack for filter cigarettes comprises a body and lid. An Inner frame for forming a part of the body has a tongue, and an inner front flap of the lid has an engaging area, which is positioned close to an opening edge of the lid and engages with the tongue. The engaging area is formed by notching the inner front flap. When the lid is closed, the tongue is inserted between an inner surface of the lid and the engaging part. When the lid is opened and closed, the tongue clicks an edge of the engaging area so as to produce a clear click sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventor: Sadao Kakiuchi
  • Patent number: 6079556
    Abstract: A packet of cigarettes, having a cup-shaped container closed by an opening lid and a first, second and third main axis perpendicular to one another, is defined by a number of main walls, each parallel to two of the three main axes, and by at least one connecting wall located between at least two main walls and forming given angles of other than zero with each of the three main axes so as to have a section varying along each of the three main axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: G. D Societa' per Azioni
    Inventors: Fiorenzo Draghetti, Igino Conti
  • Patent number: 6050402
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improved carton for smoking articles, which carton has a dispensing portion. The dispensing portion has a particular location in respect to the longitudinal margins of the carton and extends from a position short of one longitudinal side margin of the carton, across the panel thereof, through another longitudinal side margin of the carton and into another panel of the carton. The perforation line of the dispersion portion is particularly selected to provide added strength to the carton and to allow consequent economies in other enclosed packing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventor: Sidney John Walter
  • Patent number: 6021893
    Abstract: Finished packets of cigarettes are wrapped in a parallelepiped carton of substantially squat appearance, disposed one alongside and in contact with another in such a way as to make up at least one row extending along a longitudinal reference line parallel with the predominating dimension of the carton; the erected carton has four longitudinal sides including two larger longitudinal side faces, two smaller longitudinal side faces and two transverse sides constituting respective end faces, and presents at least one longitudinal fillet extending parallel with the longitudinal reference line, by which at least two contiguous longitudinal side faces are interconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: G.D. S.P.A.
    Inventors: Silvano Boriani, Alessandro Minarelli
  • Patent number: 5992621
    Abstract: A cigarette package comprising an outer container, and, within the container, a series of parallel elongated compartments each having dimensions suitable for holding only a single cigarette, the compartments each having walls formed by one or more pieces of non-combustible sheet material, such as metal foil. The compartments are such as to allow a cigarette to be removed from one end of a compartment and the butt of a smoked cigarette to be inserted into the same end of the compartment, the compartments being sufficiently narrow that a lighted butt or cigarette inserted into one of the compartments becomes extinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventors: Donald F. Grant, Earl P. Hoeg, Francis H. Stoyles
  • Patent number: 5979648
    Abstract: Soft packs for cigarettes, especially soft-cup packs, acquire an additional reinforcement in the region of a bottom wall (20) by means of a two-layer or multi-design layer design of a cup blank (21, 22) in the region of the bottom wall (20). The two-layer or multi-layer reinforcement of the cup blank (22) can also extend into the region of adjoining pack walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Focke & Co., (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Hans- Jurgen Bretthauer
  • Patent number: 5964345
    Abstract: The typical rigid cigarette packet consists of a box-like container with one open top end that can be exposed and closed by rotating a lid hinged to a rear edge of the container; the contents of the packet are restrained by a separate "U"-shaped frame element of which a first portion is anchored to the container and a second portion projects through the open top end and into the closed lid. To advantage, a front section of the first portion of the frame element incorporates a set of transverse stiffening ribs near the open top end of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: G. D S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Gamberini
  • Patent number: 5965227
    Abstract: Cigarette packs, namely hinge-lid packs and soft-cup packs in particular, are designed in such a way that the pack content, namely a cigarette group, is surrounded on all sides by an inner wrapping (11) consisting of paper with a decorative print applied on the outside. For reasons of cost above all, the print is applied only on those surface regions of the inner wrapping (11) which are exposed when the pack (hinge-lid pack) is open or by virtue of construction. The inner wrapping (11) is produced by being severed from a paper web which, depending on the design of the inner wrapping and depending on the folding construction, has printed zones (34, 35), arranged at a distance from one another, or a continuous strip-shaped printed zone (43, 51) located along the edge of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Focke & Co.
    Inventor: Heinz Focke
  • Patent number: 5957280
    Abstract: Hard packets for cigarettes are produced from thin cardboard. To form a removal aperture, a hinged lid (18) extending on one side, diagonally off-center, is provided. This lid forms in the region of an end wall (17) of the packet a line joint as a hinged connection to join the hinged lid (18) to the remaining portion of the packet. A lid side wall (21) forms a closing or insertion tab (36), which, after the packet has been used for the first time, can be pushed into an insertion position between a side wall (14) and the contents of the packet, i.e. a block of cigarettes (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Katrin Fehlings
  • Patent number: 5931292
    Abstract: Packet for tobacco goods, especially cigarettes, as well as method and device for manufacturing same. Cigarette packets (10) are generally provided with an outer wrapping (11) made of a transparent film. Furthermore, cigarette packets (10) must have a revenue stamp (24). The latter is applied to the inner side of the outer wrapping (11), namely connected to same in such a way that the top surface of the revenue stamp (24) faces outwards. The revenue stamp (24) is expediently applied in such a way that it is split in two when a tear strip (22) of the outer wrapping (11) is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Herman Roesink