Patent Application
20130213835
Cigarettes are commonly packaged and sold in packs containing about twenty cigarettes. The cigarettes are typically packaged such that the interstitial space between the cigarettes and the pack walls and between the cigarettes themselves is minimized, thus helping prevent damage to the cigarettes from impacts during transport. Consequently, though cigarettes are manufactured in a variety of lengths and diameters, the cigarettes contained in a single pack usually share a common, uniform length and diameter.
People may desire to smoke several varieties of cigarettes on any particular occasion. As different varieties or brands of cigarettes may have different lengths and diameters, one is typically required either to carry a separate pack for each variety of cigarettes that one desires to smoke, or to combine different types of cigarettes in a package designed for only one particular size of cigarette, which may result in damage to the cigarettes. Therefore, a cigarette pack that can conveniently and protectively carry cigarettes of different lengths, diameters, and brands is desired.
Recording to at least one exemplary embodiment, a cigarette pack capable of carrying different-sized and different-branded cigarettes is disclosed. The cigarette pack may consist of a first portion, a second portion hingedly coupled to the first portion, and a top portion hingedly coupled to a sliding portion slidably disposed within the second portion. The cigarette pack may also include sleeves disposed within the first portion and second portion and configured to support cigarettes within the sleeve. The cigarette pack may also include a platform for supporting cigarettes within either of said portions.
Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description discussion of several terms used herein follows.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the terms “embodiments of the invention”, “embodiment” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.
The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the above-described embodiments should he regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
Referring to
First portion 110 may include a sleeve 140 disposed therein, and wrapper 150 may be disposed within sleeve 140. In one embodiment, a first group of cigarettes 160 may be disposed within wrapper 150. Cigarettes 160 may have a desired length and a desired diameter. Sleeve 140 may be configured to fit snugly within first portion 110 and to provide support for first group of cigarettes 160 such that first group of cigarettes 160 is well supported within sleeve 140. The thickness of sleeve 140 may be varied as desired to provide optimal support to first group of cigarettes 160.
Second portion 120 may include a sleeve 142 disposed therein, and wrapper 152 may be disposed within sleeve 142. In one embodiment, a second group of cigarettes 162 may be disposed within wrapper 152. Cigarettes 162 may have a desired length and a desired diameter. Sleeve 142 may be configured to fit snugly within first portion 120 and to provide support for second group of cigarettes 162 such that second group of cigarettes 162 is well supported within sleeve 142. The thickness of sleeve 142 may be varied as desired to provide optimal support to second group of cigarettes 162.
In one embodiment, a platform 146 may be disposed within first portion 110 or within second portion 120. The height of platform 146 may be varied as desired in accordance with the height of cigarettes 160 or cigarettes 162. In one embodiment, platform 146 may have a height such that the height of platform 146 and the height of cigarettes 160 is substantially similar to the height of sleeve 140 or sleeve 142.
Top portion 130 may be hingedly coupled to sliding portion 144. Sliding portion 144 may be slidably disposed within second portion 120 and substantially coplanar to sleeve 142. Sliding portion 144 may facilitate shifting top portion between a raised position and a lowered position. When in a raised position, top portion 130 may be pivoted towards the rear portion of second portion 120 to facilitate shifting cigarette package 100 from a closed configuration to an open configuration.
In a closed configuration, rear face 116 of first portion 110 and front face 122 of second portion 120 may be substantially in contact with each other. Top portion 130 may be in a lowered position such that front face 132 is substantially coplanar with front face 112 of first portion 110 and rear face 136 is substantially coplanar with rear face 126 of second portion 120. In the lowered position, top portion 130 may facilitate maintaining cigarette package 100 in a closed configuration.
In operation, top portion 130 and sliding portion 144 may be slid upwards such that sleeve 140 is exposed. Top portion 130 may then be pivoted rearwards, thereby enabling access to first group of cigarettes 160. First portion 110 may then be pivoted outwards, exposing rear face 116 of first portion 110 and front face 122 of second portion 120, and enabling access to second group of cigarettes 162.
The present invention is a continuation application to U.S. >>>>>> which also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/120972 filed on Dec. 9, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety,
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61120972 | Dec 2008 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12633404 | Dec 2009 | US |
| Child | 13858808 | US |
