US3057180A - Lighter and cigarette package holder - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 E. T. STEPPAN LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE PACKAGE HOLDER 2, Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1961 l/WEVTOR Erwin T 5 TE PPA/V IVJI/I ATTORNEYS Oct. 9, 1962 E. T. STEPPAN LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE PACKAGE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1961 I II //VV/VTOR Erwin T. STEPPAN ATTORNEYS Sras Unite This invention relates to a smokers article and more particularly to a lighter and cigarette package holder or a lighter equipped with means for retaining it against a cigarette package.

Smokers know that the fact the cigarette package and the lighting means, be it matches or lighter, are separate cause many inconveniences; the most irritating being, perhaps, the forgetting of one of the two in one location, usually the lighting means. Also, the lighting means is usually in a pocket different from that of the cigarette package and is not always readily found when needed.

If a lighter is used to ignite the cigarettes, the two are usually too bulky to be carried in the same pocket. Also, being separate, use of the two hands is required at all times.

One object of the invention is to present an article which can be integrated to a cigarette package to provide a unitary structure combining a cigarette package and a lighter.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an article of the aforementioned type which is detachably secured to a cigarette package so that it may serve continuously and be applied to a new package after the previous one is empty.

A further object of the invention consists in providing such a cigarette lighter and package holder that can be applied, with slight dimensional changes, to a soft or hard cigarette package; the main change required being to widen the holder to accommodate a soft cardboard package, as compared to the harder cardboard container.

It will also be found that the holder of the invention lends itself very well to the application and use of a miniature lighter thereby substantially decreasing the bulkiness of the standard lighter.

These objects and advantages are obtained by the provision of a lighter and cigarette package holder which is formed of a guiding member on one lateral face of a lighter or else a guiding member provided with a casing for a lighter; this guiding member being provided with a clip adapted to slide inwardly of a cigarette package to hold one of its walls, usually the side wall, in close relationship with the guiding member and in frictional engagement therewith.

Further objects and advantages will be found as the following description of the invention proceeds having regard to preferred embodiments and in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, to be used with stiff cardboard packages,

FIG. 2 is a partial view, in perspective, showing the holder being applied toa cigarette package,

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal cross-section view of the holder, again as being applied to a cigarette package, FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 44 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing another embodiment of the invention applicable to soft cardboard packages,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating how the holder is applied to the soft package,

FIG. 7 shows, in perspective, the type of lighter that may be used with the holder, and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view along line 8--8 of FIG. 6.

The holder of the invention is a unitary structure having a lighter 1 joined to a guiding member 3. The latter 3,957,155 Patented Get. 9, 1962 is to be attached to the side wall of a cigarette package, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, and is retained thereon by means of a clip 5 which creates, with the guiding memher 3, an elongated slot 7 into which the cover side wall 9 of a cigarette package may be inserted and held therein by friction.

In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, guiding member 3 is channel-shaped in cross-section (FIG. 4) and is formed of a web 11 flanked by two side flanges 13. The inner distance between side flanges 13 is about equal to the thickness of a hard cardboard package so as to provide sliding contact therebetween.

Clip 5 has a front wing 15 that is fixed to the top of the guiding member 3. Front wing 15 projects inwardly of member 3 and stands spaced from web 11 a distance about equal to the thickness of the cigarette package cover. This distance defines slot 7 which is such as to frictionally retain side wall 9 when the latter is inserted therein.

For greater retaining power, a second wing, lateral wing 17, may be provided integral with the first wing 15 so as to form an L-shaped retaining clip (FIG. 4).

In inserting the guiding member into position, the preferred procedure is to slightly lift inner envelope 21 and lightly press front wing 15 against envelope side flap 23 to create a space 25 wherein wing 15 may be inserted as indicated by arrow A, in FIG. 3. Raising of envelope 21 also prevents wing 15 from being caught inwardly of flap 23.

Care should also be taken to push the holder in with the lateral wing 17 sliding along the back of the cigarette package so that its insertion is unobstructed. If wing 17 was located forwardly so as to be driven along the front of the package, its descent would be hindered by lower flap 27. In other words, if the lighter and cigarette package holder is right-handed, that is, to be located on the right-hand side of a cigarette package when viewed from the front thereof, as in FIG. 3, the clip is a left-handed clip with lateral wing 17 on the left-hand side as seen in FIG. 2, particularly. The reverse is true if the holder is left-handed.

To ease the insertion of the clip 5, it is suggested that the lower end thereof be pointed, as shown at 29 in FIG. 2.

The lighter 1 itself may be secured directly to guiding member 3, as shown in FIG. 3, or else it may be inserted in a casing formed on the guiding member on the side opposite lateral flanges 13. In latter case, a suitable slot 31 would be provided for maintenance purposes.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 is almost identical to that of the other figures and differ only in the width of the guiding member 3 which is greater to accommodate the thicker soft cardboard cigarette package. Another difference is the provision of a second lateral wing 19 which has the same function as wing 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, guiding member 3 is easily inserted along the side of the package by slightly pressing on the sides with the thumb and the index as shown by arrows B. This will round the lateral side of the cigarette package and will create a space where the pointed end of clip 5 may be inserted to initiate the fixing of the guiding member.

A type of lighter to be used in conjunction with guiding member 3 is shown in FIG. 7. It is an elongated container, rectangular in cross section and topped with the lighting parts which include an operating lever 33. This lever could, advantageously, have an upward reciprocating displacement which takes up very little space and provides a strong leverage action.

The resistance to withdrawal of the package from the holder is due to the friction between the guiding member, the clip and the cigarette package. The friction, in turn, is a function of the closeness of the surfaces in contact,

their dimensional extent and, of course, the coefficient of friction of the surfaces in contact. Simple experiments by those skilled in the art will readily demonstrate the various dimensional requirements for effective gripping of the package by the holding member, i

I claim:

1. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; a guiding member on said lighter extending lengthwise thereof said guiding member having a Web and at least one side flange substantially normal thereto; said member having inner surfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; a unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web and along the top of said side flange and extending in such close parallel relationship with the web and the flange as to frictionally retain said cigarette package when the abutting package walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

2. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; a channel-shaped guiding member on said lighter extending lengthwise thereof; said guiding member having a web and two side flanges substantially normal to said web; said member having inner flat surfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; a unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web and along the top of at least one of the adjoining side flanges; said clip extending in such close parallel relationship with the web and the flange as to frict-ionally retain said cigarette package when the abutting package walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

3. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; an elongated channel-shaped guiding member on said lighter extending lengthwise thereof; said guiding member having a web and two side flanges substantially normal to said web; said member having inner flat surfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; an elongated unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web and along the top of one of the adjoining side flanges so as to be L- shaped in cross-section; said clip extending in such close parallel relationship with the web and the flange as to frictionally retain said cigarete package when the abutting package walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

4. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; an elongated channel-shaped guiding member on said lighter extending lengthwise thereof; said guiding member having a web and two side flanges substantially normal thereto; said member having inner flat surfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; an elongated unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web and along the top of both side flanges so as to be U-shaped in cross-section; said clip extending in such close parallel relationship with the web and the flanges as to frictionally retain said cigarette package when the Walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

5. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: an elongated channel-shaped guiding member having 'a web and two side flanges extending perpendicularly away from said web on one common side thereof and a casing projecting from the other side of said web; a lighter in said casing; said member having inner flat surfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; an elongated untary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web and along the top of at least one of the adjoining side flanges; said clip extending in such close parallel relationship with the web and the flange as to frictionally retain said cigarette package when the abutting walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

6. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: an elongated channel-shaped guiding member having a web and two side flanges extending perpendicularly away from said web on one common side thereof and a casing projecting from the other side of said web a lighter in said casing; said member having inner flat surfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; an elongated unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web and along the top of one of the adjoining side flanges so as to be L-shaped in cross-section; said clip extending in such close parallel relationship with said web and flange as to frictionally retain said cigarette package when the abutting walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Bl -T--,-- June 12,, 1251 1,862,518 Alland June 14, 1932 1,903,729 Florman Apr. 11, 1933 2,490,083 Montague Dec. 6, 1949 2,782,910 Liebow Feb. 26, 1957

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