Cigarettes are sold in packages while tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, are provided in different forms of packaging.
An embodiment of an elongate blank for forming a sleeve for a container comprises an inner right side panel; an inner rear panel connected to the inner right side panel along a first vertical fold line; an inner left side panel connected to the inner rear panel by a second vertical fold line; a front panel connected to the inner left side panel by a third vertical fold line; an outer right side panel connected to the front panel by a fourth vertical fold line; an outer rear panel connected to the outer right side panel by a fifth vertical fold line; and an outer left side panel connected to the outer rear panel by a sixth vertical fold line; wherein the elongate blank is foldable to form a sleeve opening between the inner right side panel, the inner rear panel, the inner left side panel and the front panel and a pocket between the inner rear panel and the outer rear panel.
The fold lines 46, 48 extend upward to a recessed portion 50 of the horizontal top edge of the blank 10 defined by angled edges 52, 54, respectively. An optional semicircular cut out 56 defined by the tear line 58 can be located along recessed portion 50.
As shown in
The blank 10 can be composed of any suitable material. Preferably, the blank is composed of a paper material suitable for forming hinged-lid cigarette boxes. The blank 10 can include one or more layers of the paper material.
In this embodiment, indicia such as logos, informational text, ornamentation or the like can be provided on the front panel 32, outer right side panel 36, outer rear panel 40 and/or the outer left side panel 44. For example, the indicia can be printed on one or more of these panels. Alternatively, the indicia can be provided on a separate sheet adhered to a surface of the blank.
In this embodiment, the vertical fold lines 20, 24, 30, 34, 46 and 48 are preferably parallel to each other, and are preferably perpendicular to the horizontal fold lines 64, 68. When the blank 10 is folded into a sleeve, the front panel 32, outer right side panel 36, outer rear panel 40 and outer left side panel 44 form outer faces of the sleeve. Particularly, the face 33 of the front panel 32 forms the outer front face, the face 45 of the outer left side panel 44 forms the outer left face, the face 37 of the outer right side panel 36 forms the outer right face, and the face 41 of the outer rear panel 40 forms the outer rear face, of the sleeve. The face 28 of the inner left side panel 26 faces and preferably is adhered to an inner face of the outer left side panel 44; the face 18 of the inner right side panel 12 faces and preferably is adhered to an inner face of the outer right side panel 36; and the face 80 of the inner rear panel 22 faces an inner face of the outer rear panel 40 and forms a pocket between the inner rear panel 22 and outer rear panel 40 due to outer right side panel 36 and outer left side panel 44 being wider than the inner right side panel 12 and the inner left side panel 26. The front panel 32 forms an inner front face of the sleeve, the inner left side panel 26 underlies the outer left side panel 44 and forms an inner left face of the sleeve, the inner right side panel 12 underlies the outer right side panel 36 and forms an inner right face of the sleeve, and the inner rear panel 22 underlies the outer rear panel 40 and forms an inner rear face of the sleeve. The inner front face, inner left face, inner right face and inner rear face define the interior of the sleeve configured for snugly receiving a rectangular container such as a cigarette pack. See
In the sleeve, the pocket between the opposed faces of the inner rear panel 22 and the outer rear panel 40 extends from the portion 50 of the upper edge of the blank to the fold line 64. The pocket is open at its upper end. The pocket is configured to contain one or more objects. For example, the pocket can be configured to contain one or more packages containing pouches of smokeless tobacco.
The sleeve can be used with various containers having a rectangular longitudinal cross-sectional shape. The containers can be soft packs or hard packs made from cardboard in which cigarettes are stored. Such containers can include a top portion hinged to a bottom portion. Such containers can have an outer cellophane wrapper to retain the freshness of the smoking articles. One of such containers can be inserted into the formed sleeve, such that the sleeve overlies the front face, side faces and rear face of the container. Alternatively, the blank can be placed on the container and folded to form the sleeve. One or more objects, such as promotional products, can then be inserted in the pocket.
Beginning at the right end of the illustrated blank 10′, the blank 10′ includes an inner right side panel 12′ having a trapezoidal shape and including an angled upper edge 14′ and an angled lower edge 16′. The inner right side panel 12′ has an inner face 17′ and an outer face on the other side of the panel 12′ from the inner face 17′. Preferably, the inner right side panel 12′ includes an adhesive material applied on at least a portion of the outer face.
The upper edge 14′ and lower edge 16′ extend from a vertical fold line 20′ connecting the inner right side panel 12′ to a rectangular inner rear panel 22′. The inner rear panel 22′ is connected along a vertical fold line 24′ to a rectangular inner left side panel 26′. The inner left side panel 26′ has an inner face 25′ and preferably includes an adhesive material applied on at least a portion of an outer face 28′ on the other side of the inner left side panel 26′ (
The fold lines 46′, 48′ extend upward to a recessed portion 50′ of the horizontal top edge of the blank 10′ defined by angled edges 52′, 54′, respectively. Preferably, a semicircular cut out 56′ defined by the edge 58′ is located along recessed portion 50′.
As shown in
Preferably, a semicircular edge 94′ located along the bottom of the outer rear panel 40′ has straight extensions 96′ which extend from the first horizontal fold line 64′ across the stop panel 62′ to the second horizontal fold line 68′ forming an opening 92′. The straight extensions 96′ of the opening 92′ separate the stop panel 62′ into two spaced apart portions 62a and 62b.
The blank 10′ can be composed of any suitable material. Preferably, the blank is composed of a paper material suitable for forming hinged-lid cigarette boxes. The blank 10′ can include one or more layers of the paper material.
In this embodiment, indicia such as logos, informational text, ornamentation or the like can be provided on the front panel 32′, outer right side panel 36′, outer rear panel 40′ and/or the outer left side panel 44′. For example, the indicia can be printed on one or more of these panels. Alternatively, the indicia can be provided on a separate sheet adhered to a surface of the blank 10′.
In this embodiment, the vertical fold lines 20′, 24′, 30′, 34′, 86′, 46′, 48′ and 88′ are preferably parallel to each other, and are preferably perpendicular to the horizontal fold lines 64′, 68′. Referring to
In particular, the inner right side panel 12′ is folded to underlie the outer right side panel 36′. The portions of the stop panel 62a, 62b are folded inward about horizontal fold line 64′ to form the bottom of the pocket 108′. The tuck panel 66′ is folded about horizontal fold line 68′ (
An outer face 80′ of the inner rear panel 22′ faces an inner face 39′ of the outer rear panel 40′ and forms a pocket 108′ between the inner rear panel 22′ and outer rear panel 40′ having sides formed by posterior right side panel 82′ and posterior left side panel 84′. Preferably, the outer rear panel 40′ is narrower than the inner rear panel 22′ such that the posterior right side panel 82′ and posterior left side panel 84′ form beveled sidewalls of the pocket 108′. Preferably, the lower edges of the posterior side panels 82′, 84′ substantially meet the angled edges 70′, 72′ of the folded stop panel 62′.
The front panel 32′ forms an inner front face 31′ of the sleeve 100′, the inner left side panel 26′ underlies the outer left side panel 44′ and forms an inner left face 25′ of the sleeve 100′, the inner right side panel 12′ underlies the outer right side panel 36′ and forms an inner right face 17′ of the sleeve 100′, and the inner rear panel 22′ underlies the outer rear panel 40′ and forms an inner rear face 19′ of the sleeve 100′. The inner front face 31′, inner left face 25′, inner right face 17′ and inner rear face 19′ define the interior (recess 104′) of the sleeve 100′ configured for snugly receiving a rectangular container such as a cigarette pack. The tuck panel 66′ is tucked between and extends substantially parallel to the inner rear panel 22′ and outer rear panel 40′, and the stop panel 62′ (portions 62a, 62b) extends perpendicular to opposed vertical faces of the inner rear panel 22′ and outer rear panel 40′. The stop panel 62′ provides two functions in the sleeve. First, the stop panel 62′ defines the width of the space between the inner rear panel 22′ and outer rear panel 40′. The space has a size equal to about the distance between the horizontal fold lines 64′, 68′. The stop panel 62′ also forms a bottom wall of the pocket, which prevents objects contained in the pocket from falling out of the bottom end of the pocket. The tuck panel 66′ can be adhesively bonded to the inner rear panel 22′.
In the sleeve 100′, the pocket 108′ between the opposed faces of the inner rear panel 22′ and the outer rear panel 40′ extends from the portion 50′ of the upper edge of the blank to the fold line 64′. The pocket 108′ is open at its upper end. The pocket 108′ is configured to contain one or more objects 112′ (
The semicircular opening 56′ at the upper end of the pocket 108′ and the opening 92′ at the lower end of the pocket 108′ function as access openings. An object 112′ disposed in the pocket 108′ can be removed by a user (consumer) by pushing with a finger, thumb, or the like against an end of the object 112′ exposed through the lower opening 92′ and/or by pulling another end of the object 112′ exposed through the upper opening 56′.
The sleeve 100′ can be used with various containers having a rectangular longitudinal cross-sectional shape. The containers can be soft packs or hard packs made from cardboard in which cigarettes are stored. Such containers can include a top portion hinged to a bottom portion. Such containers can have an outer cellophane wrapper to retain the freshness of the smoking articles. One of such containers can be inserted into the recess 104′ of the formed sleeve 100′, such that the sleeve 100′ overlies the front face, side faces and rear face of the container. Alternatively, the blank 10′ can be placed on the container and folded to form the sleeve 100′. One or more objects 112′, such as promotional products, can then be inserted in the pocket 108′ (
While the invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made, and equivalents employed, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/996,965 filed Dec. 12, 2007, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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