US3130893A

US3130893A - Cigarette box

Info

Publication number: US3130893A
Application number: US218760A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph L Bidopia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-08-22
Filing date: 1962-08-22
Publication date: 1964-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-28

Description

April 28, 1964 INVENTOR JOSEPH L. BIDOPIA United States Patent Ofiice 5,139,893 CIGARETTE BQX Joseph L. Bidopia, 4100 NW. 16th Ave, Miami, Fla. Filed Aug. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 218,760 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-20) This invention relates in general to containers and more particularly to a box for containing and dispensing cigarettes.

Prior to the present invention cigarettes were usually packed in paper packages or paper board boxes having a hinged cover. In the former packages cigarettes are usually removed by tearing off a portion of the top of the package and fishing them out of the package with the fingers. In the case of the box no means is provided for loosening or raising the cigarettes for convenient removal, hence frequently a considerable number of cigarettes are damaged when packed in either type of container.

The present invention overcomes the above objections and disadvantages by the provision of a box having a drawer-like retainer for normally holding the cigarettes Within a casing and tilting therein exposing a considerable length of the cigarettes for easy removal which construction is a principal object of the invention.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rectangular open end casing in which a slideable retainer for holding cigarettes therein and providing a closure for opposite ends of the casing and having a central portion of reduced size for tilting when partially pushed from either end of the casing.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cigarette box.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken through section lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an internal element of the cigarette container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of cigarette box shown FIG. 1 in changed position.

Referring to FIG. 1 the outer casing having open opposite ends in this embodiment is die-cut, formed and folded from paper board of uniform thickness and having opposite sides 1--1 and 22 of equal size and a junction 3 secured by adhesive means.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an X-shaped retainer is die-cut and formed from paper board of uniform thickness and joined together at a junction 4 by adhesive means. The edges of

rectangular end portions

5 and 6 are adapted to yieldably slide along the inner surfaces of the casing.

Both sides of the retainer 3 converge from their respective junctions with the

end portions

5 and 6 to narrow mid-portions 7--7 forming oblique edges 8.

In operation a predetermined number of cigarettes is retained within the retainer 3 with opposite ends thereof positioned against the inner surfaces of the

end portions

5 and 6. When the retainer is positioned within the casing 1 as shown FIG. 1 the cigarettes are protected from damage and the retainer is usually sealed to the casing by a breakable paper fastener, not shown, and the entire package wrapped against moisture in the customary way.

In use the retainer may be conveniently partially pushed from the casing from either end and simultaneously tilted into position as shown in FIG. 4 by virtue 3,130,8h3 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 of the X shape of both sides of the retainer which exposes the upper end portion of a group of cigarettes from under the end portion 5, as shown.

Thus it is apparent that one or more of the cigarettes may be removed from the retainer with ease by grasping the body of the cigarette without disturbing the remainder therein. Upon pushing the retainer and the cigarettes therein into the casing the oblique sides will be guided by the edge of the casing and thus centrally position the retainer, as shown in FIG. 1.

Although this embodiment describes paper board as the material for making both the casing and the drawer it is to be understood that either or both of these parts can be manufactured by plastic molding processes or formed from sheet metal when a more lasting container is desired.

Certain modifications to the above construction using the features described are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A container for cigarettes comprising an outer casing in the form of an open rectangular tube of uniform crosssection and predetermined dimensions, a rectangular drawer means having a pair of opposite planar ends con nected to a pair of opposite sides slideably positioned in said tube with the latter in close proximity with the inner side walls of said tube with the said planar ends of said drawer normally closing the open ends of said tube for retaining a plurality of cigarettes in side by side relation in said casing longitudinal therewith, the edges of each of said sides converging from the opposite junctions with said planar ends into a narrow central portion of predetermined width for permitting said drawer to be tilted in each opposite lateral direction in said casing when pro jected a predetermined distance from either end thereof for the manual removal of said cigarettes from said container, and for engagement of either end edge of said casing with corresponding said converging edges of said drawer for self aligning the latter into said casing when manually moved therein.

2. A container for cigarettes comprising an outer casing formed of sheet material into a tube of uniform predetermined rectangular cross section and predetermined length, a rectangular drawer means formed of sheet material having a pair of opposite sides connected to a pair of opposite ends slidably positioned in said tube with the said ends of said drawer normally closing the open ends of said tube for retaining a plurality of cigarettes in side by side relation in said casing, each of said sides converging from said opposite junctions with the said ends of said drawer in an X form with the predetermined narrow width there of substantially centered in each of said sides for permitting the said drawer to be tilted in said casing when projected a predetermined distance from either end for the manual removal of said cigarettes from said container, and whereby the engagement of any oblique edge of said X form with a corresponding edge of the said casing will centrally align said drawer in said casing when said drawer is manually moved therein.

Clark Apr. 3, 1860 Du Val July 27, 1926

Claims

1. A CONTAINER FOR CIGARETTES COMPRISING AN OUTER CASING IN THE FORM OF AN OPEN RECTANGULAR TUBE OF UNIFORM CROSSSECTION AND PREDETERMINED DIMENSIONS, A RECTANGULAR DRAWER MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITE PLANAR ENDS CONNECTED TO A PAIR OF OPPOSITE SIDES SLIDEABLY POSITIONED IN SAID TUBE WITH THE LATTER IN CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH THE INNER SIDE WALLS OF SAID TUBE WITH THE SAID PLANAR ENDS OF SAID DRAWER NORMALLY CLOSING THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID TUBE FOR RETAINING A PLURALITY OF CIGARETTES IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION IN SAID CASING LONGITUDINAL THEREWITH, THE EDGES OF EACH OF SAID SIDES CONVERGING FROM THE OPPOSITE JUNCTIONS WITH SAID PLANAR ENDS INTO A NARROW CENTRAL PORTION OF PREDETERMINED WIDTH FOR PERMITTING SAID DRAWER TO BE TILTED IN EACH OPPOSITE LATERAL DIRECTION IN SAID CASING WHEN PROJECTED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM EITHER END THEREOF FOR THE MANUAL REMOVAL OF SAID CIGARETTES FROM SAID CONTAINER, AND FOR ENGAGEMENT OF EITHER END EDGE OF SAID CASING WITH CORRESPONDING SAID CONVERGING EDGES OF SAID DRAWER FOR SELF ALIGNING THE LATTER INTO SAID CASING WHEN MANUALLY MOVED THEREIN.