Cigarette lighter receptacle

• US 6,223,891 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Devens C. Scott, Robert D. Arnott
• Original Assignee: Devens C. Scott, Robert D. Arnott
• Inventors: Arnott, Robert D., Devens, C. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/485,081
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 206/85, 206/86, 206/87, 206/94, 206/102
• US Class Current: 206/87
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/18 combined with other objects

Abstract

A package (5) for retail distribution of cigarettes forms a container to receive and dispense cigarettes. The container includes a cigarette lighter receptacle (15) disposed on an outer surface of a wall of the container (10). The cigarette lighter receptacle includes at least an outer wall (45) that is connected to the container by a pair of spaced side walls (50). These side walls are inwardly foldable so as to position the outer wall substantially flush with the container wall (35), when the receptacle is not being used, and outwardly deployable so as to form the cigarette lighter receptacle (15). Reverse foldable portions are separated from the remainder of the receptacle (15) by a slit to define a bottom stop (60) for the lighter (17). The receptacle is preferably supplied with the cigarette package, but also can be a separate item attachable to any convenient surface.

Claims

1. A receptacle for holding a cigarette lighter at a location selected by a smoker comprising:

at least an outer wall connected to two side walls so as to form an open ended channel-shaped structure, wherein said side walls each include a flange that depends from a free edge, said side walls being (i) inwardly foldable so as to position said outer wall substantially flush with a folded portion of each of said side walls, (ii) outwardly movable so as to deploy said receptacle, and (iii) including a transversely oriented stop extending inwardly of the receptacle wherein said stop comprises a bottom portion of at least one of said side walls bounded by a slit;

wherein the slit has a width sufficient to avoid frictional contact between portions of said sidewalls;

at least two stops, one disposed in each side wall wherein said two stops are free to move inwardly, while said side walls are moved outwardly.

2. A receptacle for holding a cigarette lighter at a location selected by a smoker comprising:

at least an outer wall connected to two side walls so as to form an open ended channel-shaped structure, wherein said side walls each include a flange that depends from a free edge, said side walls being (i) inwardly foldable so as to position said outer wall substantially flush with a folded portion of each of said side walls, (ii) outwardly movable so as to deploy said receptacle, and (iii) including a transversely oriented stop extending inwardly of the receptacle wherein said stop comprises a bottom portion of at least one of said side walls bounded by a slit;

wherein each of said side walls comprises a pleat centrally disposed on said side wall between said outer wall and said flange and longitudinally extending along the length of said side wall and further wherein said side walls include a slit transversely oriented between said outer wall and said flange so as to form said stop adjacent to a bottom portion of said side wall.

3. A receptacle for holding a cigarette lighter at a location selected by a smoker comprising:

at least an outer wall connected to two side walls so as to form an open ended channel-shaped structure, wherein said side walls each include a flange that depends from a free edge, said side walls being (i) inwardly foldable so as to position said outer wall substantially flush with a folded portion of each of said side walls. (ii) outwardly movable so as to deploy said receptacle, and (iii) including a transversely oriented stop extending inwardly of the receptacle wherein said stop comprises a bottom portion of at least one of said side walls bounded by a slit;

wherein said flanges comprise an inner and an outer surface, and further wherein said outer surfaces are coated with an adhesive, and further wherein said adhesive is covered by a removable protective cover material.

4. A receptacle for holding a cigarette lighter at a location selected by a smoker comprising:

at least an outer wall that is connected to a pair of spaced-apart side walls so as to form an open ended channel wherein said pair of side walls each include a flange that depends from a free edge, said side walls being (i) inwardly foldable so as to position said outer wall in substantially flush relation with a folded portion of each of said side walls and (ii) outwardly extendible so as to form said receptacle, wherein each of said side walls comprises a pleat centrally disposed on said side wall between said outer wall and a free edge of said side wall and longitudinally extending along the length of said side wall and said side walls define a slit transversely oriented between said outer wall and said free edge so as to form at least one stop adjacent to a bottom portion of said side wall so that when said receptacle is disposed on a flat support and wrapped in cellophane prior to shipment said cellophane wrapping material compresses said outer wall of said receptacle so as to place said outer wall in said substantially flush relation with a folded portion of each of said side walls.

5. A package for retail distribution of cigarettes comprising:

a container comprising a plurality of walls, said container being sized so as to receive and dispensably retain a plurality of individual cigarettes; and

,

a receptacle disposed on one wall of said container, said receptacle comprising at least an outer wall that is connected to said container by a pair of spaced-apart side walls so as to form a collapsible tube having a central passageway sized so as to receive a cigarette lighter, wherein said pair of side walls are (i) inwardly foldable relative to said central passageway so as to position said outer wall substantially flush with said one container wall, (ii) outwardly movable so as to deploy said receptacle, and include a transversely oriented stop extending inwardly of the receptacle wherein said stop comprises a bottom portion of at least one of said side walls bounded by a slit.

6. A system for transporting smoking paraphernalia comprising:

a cigarette package comprising;

a container including a plurality of walls and sized to receive and to dispense a plurality of individual cigarettes;

a lighter receptacle disposed on one wall of the container, said receptacle comprising an outer wall connected to the wall of the container by a pair of spaced-apart side walls to form an open ended tube, each of said side walls having a centrally disposed fold line and a transversely oriented stop extending inwardly of the receptacle wherein said stop comprises a bottom portion of at least one of said side walls bounded by a slit, further said outer wall being removable between a first position in which side walls are folded inwardly with the outer wall substantially flush to the wall of the container and a second position in which the outer wall is extended from the container wall; and

,

a cigarette lighter disposed in said receptacle.

7. A package for retail distribution of cigarettes comprising:

a container comprising a plurality of walls, said container being sized so as to receive and dispensably retain a plurality of individual cigarettes; and

,

a receptacle disposed on one of said plurality of walls of said container, said receptacle comprising at least an outer wall connected to said container by at least one side wall to form an open ended tube, wherein said side wall is (i) inwardly foldable so as to position said outer wall substantially flush with said one container wall, (ii) outwardly movable so as to deploy said receptacle, and (iii) includes a transversely oriented stop extending inwardly of the receptacle wherein said stop comprises a bottom portion of at least one of said side walls bounded by a slit.