DK2519458T3

DK2519458T3 - Cigarette pack with sales sample attached.

Info

Publication number: DK2519458T3
Application number: DK10803572.6T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Edmond J Cadieux Jr; Barry S Smith; Marc D Belcastro; Steven R Rinehart
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products Sa
Priority date: 2009-12-29
Filing date: 2010-12-22
Publication date: 2015-08-24
Also published as: RU2012132454A; EP2519458A1; ECSP12012071A; RU2546414C2; TW201139232A; MX2012007743A; CA2785107C; US20110155594A1; TWI545066B; BR112012016207A2; KR20120115287A; CA2785107A1; MY183829A; KR101779231B1; EP2519458B1; WO2011079930A1; JP2013515653A; JP5726899B2; UA106408C2; PL2519458T3

Description

DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to pairs of cigarette packs with attached promotional samples particularly arranged for placement in standard cigarette pack cartons.

[0002] Cigarette packs fit snuggly within standard cigarette pack cartons with little extra space for additional materials. After packing operations, the cartons are later reopened for tax stamping of the packs using standard tax stamping machines. Taxstamping capability is economically important due to the expense of tax stamping machines which are used in all states and other venues for applying an appropriate tax stamp to each pack of cigarettes sold.

[0003] Promotional samples such as samples of smokeless tobacco, for example, are often separately distributed rather than directly applied to cigarette packs because the increased dimensions of the pack would require somewhat larger cigarette cartons, which becomes problematic with standard tax stamping machinery. Hence, there is a real need for other ways of distributing such samples to the consumer. Accordingly, the need exists for applying promotional samples to cigarette packs in a manner that allows such packs to be fitted within standard cigarette cartons. Hence, when such cartons are later reopened for tax stamping purposes, standard tax stamping machines may be utilized.

[0004] GB 2 449 441 A discloses a package of cigarettes having an outer bag holding a set of disposable cigarette ash bags fastened to a main wall thereof by means of an elastic band.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the present invention is a plurality of cigarette packs each having a promotional sample releasably attached thereto with the packs particularly arranged for placement in standard cigarette cartons.

[0006] The present invention provides a pair of cigarette packs having the features of current claim 1 and a cigarette carton having the features of claim 3.

[0007] In accordance with the present invention, a cigarette carton is provided with ten cigarette packs in the carton arranged in two rows with five cigarette packs in each row. Each pack has a back wall with the back walls of the packs of one row adjacent the back walls of the packs of the second row. A sachet or small bag is removably attached to the back wall of each pack and a small pouch of smokeless tobacco is positioned within each sachet. One pack of each adjacent pair of back-to-back cigarette packs in the carton has a sachet removably attached to the upper portion of the back wall thereof while the other pack of each adjacent pair of back-to-back cigarette packs in the carton has a sachet removably attached to the lower portion of the back wall thereof. The pouches in the sachets of each adjacent pair of back-to-back cigarette packs in the carton do not abut one another.

[0008] The present invention further includes a pair of cigarette packs each having a back wall with the packs arranged adjacent to one another in back-to-back relationship. A sachet is releasably attached to the back wall of each pack. One sachet is releasably attached to an upper back wall portion of one pack and another sachet is releasably attached to a lower back wall portion of the other pack of the pair. Each sachet includes a small pouch of smokeless tobacco inside the sachet and the pouches do not abut one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those mentioned above will be readily apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a standard cigarette carton with cigarette packs therein, each with a promotional sample attached thereto, according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken alone line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of a cigarette pack with a promotional sample attached thereto, according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pair of cigarette packs in back-to-back relationship with a promotional sample attached to the back wall of each pack;

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4, but showing the pair of packs opened way from each other;

Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4, but illustrating an alternate embodiment with overwrap around each pack and the attached promotional sample, according to the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 6, but showing the pair of overwrapped packs opened and away from one another. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Referring in more particularity to the drawings, a standard cigarette carton 10 holds ten cigarette packs 12 in two rows of five packs in each row. Each cigarette pack has a container portion 14 that holds a foil bundle of twenty cigarette (not shown), and a hinge lid 16 that articulates along a hinge line 18. The cigarette pack includes front and back walls 20, 22, respectively, as well as a top wall 24, bottom wall 26 and opposite side walls 28.

[0011] A promotional sample in the form of a sachet or small bag 30 is releasably secured to the back wall 22 of each cigarette pack 12. Double sided adhesive 32 may be used for this purpose, but any convenient means of releasable securement may be utilized. Each sachet comprises two plies 33 secured together at the outside boundary of the plies.

[0012] A small pouch 34 of smokeless tobacco is within each of the sachets 30. The pouches 34 may be randomly positioned within the sachets or such positioning may be predetermined if desired. By way of example, and as partially shown in Figure 5, the pouches may be horizontally or vertically or randomly oriented within the sachet.

[0013] As shown best in Figures 4 and 5, two cigarette packs 12 are arranged in back-to-back relationship for placement in the carton 10. On one pack the sachet is releasably attached to an upper back wall portion 36 of that pack wliile the sachet 30 is attached to a lower back wall portion 38 of the adjacent pack of the pair. This particular arrangement minimizes the width of an adjacent pair of cigarette packs which enables the packs to be positioned within a standard cigarette carton 10 primarily because the pouches 34 do not abut one another. Abutment of the pouches could easily increase the width of an adjacent pair of packs 12 and possibly require a larger cigarette carton.

[0014] As explained above in the Background of the Invention, cigarette cartons holding cigarette pack are subsequently reopened for the application of appropriate tax stamps to each pack within the carton. The tax stamping machinery is constructed and arranged to process standard size cigarette cartons and any dimensional increase of the carton would require special tax stamping machines. In the present invention, the positioning and orientation of the sachets 30 and the pouches 34 therein enable the packs 12 to be positioned within a standard carton 10 and subsequent tax stamping processes are easily accomplished with standard tax stamping machines.

[0015] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the present invention where overwrap material 50 is around each pack 12 and the attached sachet 30. Expect for the overwrap material 50, Figures 6 and 7 are the same as Figures 4 and 5, and similar reference characters are used to identify similar parts.

[0016] The overvwap material 50 extends around the front and back walls 20, 22 of the pack as well as the opposite side walls 28. The upper and lower boundaries 52, 54 stop short of the top and bottom walls 24, 26 of the pack which leaves those walls uncovered by overwrap material. A pull tab 56 and weakened lines 58 are provided on the overwrap for removal of the overwrap when opening of the pack 12 is desired. The pull tab 56 and weakened lines 58 preferably are positioned adjacent one of the three opposite side wall 28 of the pack.

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description • GB2449441A f0004]

Claims

A pair of cigarette packages (12), each having a back wall (22), with the packages adjacent to each other in back-to-back conditions, a bag (30) releasably attached to an upper back wall portion (36) of a package (12) ) of the pair and another bag (30) releasably attached to a lower rear wall portion (38) of the second package (12) of the pair, wherein there is a wallet of smokeless tobacco (34) within each bag (30) and the pouches ( 34) not adjacent to each other.

A pair of cigarette packs according to claim 1 which include packaging material (50) around each pack (12) and attached bag (30).

A cigarette carton (10) having a plurality of cigarette packs (12) each having a back wall (22) in the carton (10) arranged in two rows, with the back walls (22) of the packs (12) of a series of adjacent rear walls (22) of the packs (12) of the second row, and a pack (12) of each adjacent pair of back-to-back cigarette packs (12) in the carton (10) having a bag (30) releasably attached to an upper portion (36) of the back wall (22) thereof and the second pack (12) of each adjacent pair of back-to-back cigarette packs (12) in the carton (10) having a bag (30) releasably attached to a lower portion (38) of the back wall ( 22) thereof, wherein there is a bag of smoke-free tobacco (34) within each bag (30) and the pouches (34) in the bags (30) of each adjacent pair of back-to-back cigarette packs (12) in the carton (10) ) not adjacent to each other.

A cigarette carton (10) according to claim 3, with ten packs (12) in the carton (10) arranged in two rows with five cigarette packs (12) in each row.

A cigarette carton (10) according to claim 3 or 4 which includes packaging material (50) around each package (12) and the attached bag (30).