US1884545A - Cigarette package and opening device therefor - Google Patents

Description

oct; 25, 1932. R. L. BOUTIN 1,884,545

CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND OPENING DEVICE THEREFOR Filed- July 6, 1951 fi/M m8 BY M Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND OPENING DEVICE THEREFOR Application filed July 6, 1931.

.- nish a device of the character described having relatively few and simple parts, and

which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and reliable and eficient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments,

pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

at In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective'view of a device with a part removed showing a cigarette package embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 85 on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the invention in open position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view 40 of a modified form of the invention in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 thereof.

Figs. 6 and 7 are top plan views of further modifications of the invention.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in 50 one and the same structure, but,-useful de- Serial No. 548,922.

vices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may include a cigarette package which may be of any well known type, as, for example, the soft paper package which is generally made by folding and gluing to render the package substantially air tight. Packages of this general type may include any well known supplemental means to increase the air tightness of the packages. In order to adequately illustrate the invention, it will suffice herein to refer to the inner envelope or container 11 which may be made of the soft paper, metal foil or both, and the outer envelope or container 12 which may consist of a pliable sheet material such as transparent paper folded around the inner container and glued air tight in any suitable manner.

In cigarette packages of this type an opening is usually torn in a corner of the package for removal of an individual cigarette and retention of the remaining cigarettes. the package is imperforate and continuously and uniformly closed, difficulty is encountered in readily tearing through the paper. My inventionaims to afford a quick and easy opening of the package while maintaining the cigarettes in air tight condition in course of shipment and storage until the cigarettes are ready for use.

Accordingly, I may provide a preformed opening 13 in the inner container 11, at a corner of the package. This opening may extend at 14 to an edge 15 of the package. Secured to the edge 15 in any suitable manner, as by adhesive 16, is a flap 17 having a fold line 18 and a flaplet 19. The flap 17 is thus adapted to close the opening 13, and to be opened by the flaplet 19, whereupon it may be torn from the package along the fold line 18. The length of the flap is sufficient to as shown.

overlap an edge of the opening 13 as shown at 20.

For retaining the package airtight, the outer container 12 may be uniformly closed whereby it continuously overlies the flap 17 and holds it closed. As the outer container is made of Very thin paper, a small tear can be easily started therein, to render the flaplet 19 accessible. When the latter is grasped and pulled, the flap 17 will open causing the tear in the outer container 12 to be completed. As the latter is substantially transparent, the position of the flaplet or flap can be readily observed in beginning the opening operation.

In Fig. 3 isshown'a modification of the invention including a pliable or paper container 21 which may or may not include an outer transparent container as shown in Fig. 1. The container 21 may have an opening 22 at a corner thereof, an edge 23 of said opening being at an edge of the container, and other edges 24 thereof being preferably in proximity to the side walls of the container Attached or otherwise mounted on the container is a flap 25 which may have a mounting portion 26 and an intermediate fold or perforated tear line 27. The flap 25 is of sufficient size to overlap the container portions at 24 and also the remote edge 28 of the opening 22. At an end of the flap may be a flaplet 29 for grasping the flap. The flap 25 may be glued at its opposite edges to the container portions at 24, and the end of the flap at the flaplet 29 bein free. Thus the flap may bereadily torn open bv the flaplet, and the flap maybe made of sufliciently strong material for this purpose. As thus arranged the container will be substantially air tight, but a transparent envelope as in Fig. 1 may be sealed therearound.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modification of the invention including an inner container 30 and an outer container 31 encasing the same. The former may have a short flap 32 struck therefrom, which flap may or may not have a flaplet 33. I The outer container may have a slit or narrow slot 34 cut therein to receive the flap 32 in such manner that the flap extends outward and overlies the package. As the flap 32 may fit the opening 34 rather snugl the package is air tight. To open the pac age it suffices merely to grasp the flap and thereby to tear a sufficient opening in both the inner and outer containers.

In ig. 6 is shown a further modification including a cigarette package having inner and outer container portions 35, 36 respectively. There may be provided therein offset slits 37 38, respectively, these slits being broken at 39, 40 to afford flaps 41, 42. The length of the lower flap may be sufiicient to extend substantially to the free end of the upper. flap 41, and it may also have its edges spaced from the edges of the latter. Thus a substantially air tight closure is assured. To open the package, both flaplets 41, 42 may be grasped with a single hand and the corner of the package torn away to provide an opening for the cigarettes.

In Fig. 7 ,is shown a device substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 6, and having inner and outer containers 43, 44, the former having a slot 45 affording a flaplet 46, and the latter having preferably a uniform straight slit 47 somewhat in advance or otherwise spaced from the free end of the flaplet to hold the same snugly closed. To open the package, the operator need merely slip his nail in the slit 47 and open the same and directly engage the flaplet for tearing the package open. The outer container may be either opaque or translucent, in this modification and in that shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

It will be appreciated that'various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown .in the drawing, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limitin sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette package including an inner wrapper completely enveloping the contents of the package, and an outer wrapper closely enveloping the inner wrapper, the inner wrapper and outer wrapper having slits formed in adjacent end walls thereof, said slits being irregular to form superimposed alined tabs integral with the individual wrappers and extending in the same direction, the slits having portions adjacent to the tabs and transverse to the package, the tab of the outer wrapper having its end projecting beyond the end of the inner tab and the transverse portions of the slits being correspondingly spaced with respect to each other.

2. A cigarettepackage including an inner wrapper completely enveloping the contents of the package, and an outer wrapper closely enveloping the inner wrapper, the inner 'wrapper having a slit extending generally transversely of the package, said slit being so shaped as to afiord a tab in the wall of the inner wrapper, intermediate of the ends of the slit, the outer wrapper having a slit transverse to the package, the slit of the outer wrapper being spaced from the end of said tab in the direction in which the tab extends, the portions of the outer wrapper adjacent to the slit thereof closely overlying the tab.

3. A cigarette package including an inner wrapper completely enveloping the contents of the package, and an outer wrapper closely enveloping the inner wrapper, the inner and outer wrappers being in contact with each other and having a plurality of slits extending transversely of an end wall of the package in proximity to a corner of the same,

the slit in the outer wrapper being more remote from said corner than the slit in the inner wrapper, and the outer wrapper closely overlying the slit portion of the inner Wrapper for sealing the package, whereby a movement of an operators finger toward the corner of the package can be used to strip a corner opening in both Wrappers.

In testimony wheref I aifix my signature.

RAOUL LOUIS BOUTIN.

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