US3226010A - Cigarette packaging - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1965 F. ROGERS, JR

CIGARETTE PACKAGING Fild Nov. 2e. 196s FIG.I

/N VEN 7'01? Ford Rogers, Jr. "7W/4% ATTO FIG.6

United States Patent Office 3,226,010 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 3,226,010 CIGARETTE PACKAGING Ford Rogers, Jr., Alger Court, Bronxville, NSY. Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,965 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-87) This invention relates to the packaging and marketing of cigarettes and more specifically relates to improvements in dual compartment cigarette packages and to the method of packaging cigarettes therein.

The cigarette manufacturing industry, particularly in the United States, is an extremely large industry, not only in the sale and distribution of tobacco, but also in the packaging industry including the machines for forming the packages as well as the printing and related advertising. Furthermore, the very extensive use of cigarettes has made the automatic vending machine a well known device.

The need for production line procedures has thus become self-evident. Cigarettes are generally of the same cross sectional dimension and vary only in length depending on the standard or king size and/or filter tip variations. Cigarette packages (or packs) are also of a nearly invariable size and, due to government tax procedures, all contain twenty cigarettes. The variations in hard box packaging do not differ from the common pack of twenty cigarettes. However, the soft paper package with its cellophane or plastic envelope is so common as to be virtually standard While the cigarette consumer has become accustomed to the cigarette package, which differs between manufacturers only in the private brand of cigarette and the private advertising, nevertheless it has been found extremely profitable to offer a nonregular cigarette. By this nomenclature, industry understands it to include the special types of cigarettes that have some form of filter, or have some form of tip or covering on the nonlighted end, or, in a relatively new field, the scented, medicated or otherwise treated and/ or filter tip cigarette.

As a result, it has been found that the smoker purchases and smokes one type of cigarette and then, at different times, often smokes a nonregular cigarette such as a mentholated cigarette. Or it has been noted that certain smokers generally preferred a tipped cigarette, or a filter cigarette but frequently substituted a regular cigarette. The combination of these nonregular and regular cigarette smoking habits is great. Furthermore, it is often noted that the smoker using Brand A regular cigarettes chose Brand B treated cigarettes.

In practice, the smoker was forced tofpurchase a complete package of each type of cigarette that he chose to smoke. Generally, a smoker would thus have two or perhaps more packages, or partly used packages in his pocket, or her pocketbook, and this was inconvenient, bulky and usually objectionable. Using a single container for different types of cigarettes required a special refilling job and would cause the aromatic nature of a treated (scented or medicated) cigarette to permeate the whole package.

While the smoker was inconvenienced by the requirement of carrying two or more packages if he chose to smoke a refreshing mentholated cigarette after one or more regular cigarettes, the manufacturer was even more affected for the sale of the nonregular cigarettes was considerably lower than would be the case if the nonregular cigarettes were available together with the regular cigarettes. This has not been the case. Usually too, the nonregular cigarettes were not smoked as rapidly as the regular cigarettes but smaller packages are nonregular as far as machine filling and for other reasons.

My invention has for its principal object the marketing of multiple types of cigarettes which is accomplished by a novel cigarette package and by a novel method of packaging the cigarettes therein.

More particularly it is an object of my invention to provide a cigarette package having separatey dual compartments whereby a manufacturer may offer for sale, and a smoker may purchase, a standard size of cigarette package but from the separate compartments he may select different types of cigarettes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified dual compartment cigarette package which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to fill and seal, will fit standard vending machines and the usual multiple. package cartons and, in addition, will provide entirely separate compartments between which aromatic odors will not penetrate.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description of preferred forms of embodiment thereof when taken with the drawings attached hereto and in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a hinged type of cigarette package in an open position.

FIG. 2 is a central horizontalA cross section through the cigarette package in its initial sealed position.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the sealed package.

FIG. 4 is a partial elevation of the package wrapper blank showing the separate sections forming the dual compartments.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross section on the line 5- of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a reduced size central horizontal cross section showing the shape of the wrapper in its folded position.

I have conceived of a marketing plan wihch I believe will appeal to millions of smokers and which will automatically increase cigarette sales. The cigarette package hereinafter described is a part of said marketing plan and by which the marketing plan may be implemented. To clearly appreciate the significance of the cigarette package, it is thus helpful to comprehend the primary purpose and use of the package in the plan.

It has been recognized by many cigarette smokers that an occasional switch from a natural tobacco cigarette to a scented or flavored cigarettev is pleasant, and may be refreshing (cooling), or may have some medicinal value. Smokers, as well asV cigarette manufacturers, have thus utilized the second pack, which as previously mentioned, can be a nuisance in the pocket of clothing or in pocket purses. Furthermore, the normal ratio of smoking of regular cigarettes to scented or flavored cigarettes is probably in the order of five to ten or more to one.

It is my belief, based on observation of the smoking habits of many, that more medicated, scented or flavored cigarettes would be used if smaller quantities than a regular package were avaliable. It has not proved practical, so far as I know, to package commercially, less than the standard pack of twenty.

As hereinafter described, I have shown a multi-compartment cigarette package wherein each compartment has an aliquot part of 20 cigarettes, i.e., from 19 to 1 of standard type and from l to 19 of a so-called nonstandard or treated type. In such a manner, the smoker will purchase a uniform appearing package with two varieties of cigarettes. Only a single package will be required and by the means hereinafter disclosed, there is no cross effect of odor, etc. between the respective compartments.

One form of embodiment of the soft package type as more particularly shown in FIG. 1, is generally indicated at 10 and has at least two compartments designated as 12 and as 14. These, in turn, are formed into a common package by the wrapper or wall 16 of paper which when folded into shape as shown in FIG. 6 is usually contained customary twenty cigarettes.

and sealed by a plastic envelope 18 such as cellophane whereby the advertising on the package wrapper or wall is observable. Separate foil liners 20 are placed in the compartments 12 and 14.

In accordance with my invention, each of the compartments 12 and 14 are formed preferably by a common paper wrapper 16 which is shown in blank form in FIG. 4. Such blank will include the following elements or sections:

A back portion 42, an A end 44, an A front 46, an A end 48, an A seal 50, a B end 52, a B front 54, a B end 56, a B seal 58.

Y In the preferred construction, this is all in one piece although the back 42 may be perforated on a vertical center line 60. It will be apparent too, that many advantages of the invention will be had if the blank is nonnally in two pieces and held together at the center back by a supplemental strip 30 as shown in FIG. 1 on the outside of the soft paper Wall. If desired, the strip 30 also may be perforated.

In the preferred form of embodiment of my invention, I can take advantage of automatic machinery in making the respective compartments from such a blank with only two vertical seals rather than the customary single overlap. Such machinery is also available to make the top aps 22 and 24 for compartments 12 and 14 and the bottom aps 26 and 28 for the same compartments. A tax or other label indicated at 32 can extend across Ythe center top of the package in the usual manner.

Ordinarily, it will be desirable to hold the separate compartments in a closed or joined position and a gummed strip or strap 34 is readily provided for such purposes. When a compartment is emptied, the strap 34 may be torn and the emptied compartment torn off along the center back line 60 previously mentioned. This strap may be located across the bottom of theI pack if desired, especially if a center strap such as shown at 34 tends to obliterate advertising. The usual tear strip is shown at 35.

Compartment A may now be lled with type A cigarette indicated at 36 of which an example is a regular, or king size cigarette which may or may not be provided with a filter or special tip. As noted, the compartment A is of less size than a normal twenty cigarette capacity and preferably it will have Aabout iifteen, although it may have only ten cigarettes, or variations of less than twenty as described below.

Compartment B at the same time may be illed with nonregular cigarettes 38 which are of a dierent type such as a scented, medicated or otherwise treated type such as a mentholated cigarette. Compartment B complements compartment A in having ve or ten cigarettes as an eX- ample so that both compartments combined carry the There are many variations in the range of 19:1 as will be apparent.

Packaging is accomplished by the usual automatic machines which can simultaneously or sequentially lill the respective compartments.

It will be appreciated that while I have described particularly the soft pack, the invention is similarly adapted to the so called hard or sti package.

The smoker is now in a position to purchase a single package with a selection of cigarette types without the cumbersome handling of separate packages. It is also apparent that he will be able, with only one pack open, to select either variation of cigarette for his smoking pleasure.

While I have shown a preferred form of embodiment 0f my invention, I am aware that other modifications may be made thereto and I, therefore, desire a broad interpretation of my invention within the scope and spirit of the description herein and of the claims appended hereinafter.

I claim:

A cigarette package having separate dual compartments for jointly packaging twenty cigarettes, such package being of the standard soft paper type and adapted to be dispensed in a machine normally handling standard size packages, said package consisting of a common foil lined wall member having a back portion, a rst front portion of less width than the back portion, a second front portion of a width, together with the width of the first front portion, equalling the width lof the back portion, said first front portion having integral first and second end portions, the rst end portion also being integral with lthe back portion, said second end portion having an integral seal portion adapted to be sealed to the back portion to constitute a closed wall first compartment, the second front portion having integral first and second end portions of the same width as the first and second end portions of the first compartment and also having an integral seal portion adapted to be secured to the back portion to form a closed second compartment, each of said compartment portions having independent overlapping ap portions to form separate independent sealed compartments, each of said wall members having an integral tear strip whereby each compartment is separately opened and a wrapper for said combined compartments.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,965 2/ 1918 Williams 206-41 1,515,469 11/1924 Fannen 206-41 1,578,066 3/ 1926 Bolingbroke 229-51 1,588,677 6/1926 Gross 206-41 1,882,524 10/ 1932 Sherman 229-51 2,006,822 7/ 1935 Andrews 229--44 2,124,699 7/ 1938 Harrington 229-51 2,175,430 10/ 1939 Diamond 206-41 2,283,856 5/1942 Hoenig 206-41 2,614,745 10/ 1952 Fallert 229-51 X 2,678,724 5/ 1954 Andriot 229-51 X 2,984,340 5/ 1961 Carmichael 206-41 3,007,623 11/ 1961 Clemens 229-44 3,039,671 6/ 1962 Chiamardas 229-44 3,064,799 11/1962 Butler 206-41 3,135,457 6/ 1964 Risucci 229-51 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

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