Hinged-lid cigarette pack

• US 5,845,770 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Taylor, Rodney G., James, Anthony G., Luton, Colin Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/809,589
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 206/268, 206/271, 206/273, 229/160.1
• US Class Current: 206/268
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/1056 characterized by the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/10564 having means for holding the lid in a closed position

Abstract

There is provided a pack (10) for smoking articles, which pack (10) has an outer carton (15) having generally rectangular front, back, side, top and bottom panels and an inner frame (12). The outer carton (15) has an upper portion (16) and a lower portion (17) which are hingedly connected together about a hinge line which extends across the rear panel of the outer carton substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges of the rear panel. The lower edge (20) of the front panel area of the upper portion (16) has at least a portion which is not parallel to said hinge line.

Claims

1. A pack for smoking articles comprising an inner frame and an outer carton, the outer carton having generally rectangular front, rear, top, bottom and side panels and having upper and lower portions movable relative to each other about a hinge line extending substantially across the rear panel generally parallel with the top and bottom edges of the rear panel thereby to constitute closed and open positions, a lower edge of the front panel of the upper portion extending at an angle relative to the hinge line in a single straight line substantially from one side panel to the opposite side panel across the front of the pack.

2. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner frame is retained in the lower portion of the outer carton and extends at least partially into the upper portion of the outer carton.

3. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lower edge of the front panel of the upper portion is substantially parallel with an upper edge of the front panel of the lower portion of the outer carton.

4. A pack as claimed in claim 3 wherein said lower edge abuts said upper edge.

5. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein a lower end section of the lower edge of the front panel of the upper portion curves upwards therefrom towards the side edge of the front panel.

6. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein all of the lower edges of the front panel are disposed below the hinge line.

7. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein a majority of the lower edge of the front panel comprises a folded over piece of paperboard.

8. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein a front face of the inner frame is formed with sideways projecting ears for engaging an inside of the upper portion of the outer carton thereby assisting in the retention of the pack in a closed position.

9. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein a front face of the inner frame has a cut away portion which is positioned above the lower portion of the outer carton, the cut away portion having an edge portion which is generally parallel to an upper edge of the front of the lower portion of the outer carton.