Abstract:
A cigarette case includes an outer casing hingedly secured to a cover; a U-shaped first pusher proximate the other side of the outer casing and including at least one longitudinal groove or arcuate section; a trigger member secured onto the other side of the outer casing; a spring biased hinge-type ejector lid on a top corner of the outer casing; a sliding cross-shaped second pusher; and a sliding V-shaped member resiliently interconnecting the second pusher and the cover. A plurality of cigarettes are contained in a space defined between the first pusher and the second pusher such that pulling up the trigger member a predetermined distance will lift the first pusher to cause the at least one cigarette engaged therewith to open the ejector lid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to accessories for smoking tobacco, and more particularly to a cigarette case having an improved cigarette ejection mechanism for ejecting one or two cigarettes in a dispensing operation. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for ejecting a cigarette from a cigarette case. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,717 discloses a cigarette case for automatically lighting and ejecting a cigarette contained therein. While the &#39;717 patent can accomplish its objective, its gear mechanism and conveyor are relatively complex in constructions, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of cigarette case having a simple cigarette ejection mechanism are constantly being sought. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a cigarette case having a cigarette ejection mechanism for ejecting one cigarette in a dispensing operation. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the invention to provide a cigarette case having a cigarette ejection mechanism for ejecting two cigarettes in a dispensing operation. 
         [0007]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of cigarette case incorporating a first preferred embodiment of first pusher according to the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but viewed from an opposite angle; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first pusher; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the first pusher; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of the first pusher; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a detailed view of the area in circle K of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the ejector lid and the torsion spring of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the second pusher; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a side elevation of the second pusher; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation of the V-shaped member compressed as an I-shaped one; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a longitudinal sectional view of the outer casing of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the assembled cigarette case with its top being removed to show fully packed cigarettes therein; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a top plan view of a second preferred embodiment of first pusher according to the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the assembled cigarette case incorporating the second preferred embodiment of first pusher with its top being removed to show fully packed cigarettes therein; 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a top plan view of a third preferred embodiment of first pusher according to the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the assembled cigarette case incorporating the third preferred embodiment of first pusher with its top being removed to show fully packed cigarettes therein; 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the cover; 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled cigarette case of  FIG. 2  for showing a cigarette dispensing operation; 
           [0026]      FIG. 19  is a detailed view of the area in circle A of  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of the cigarette case of  FIG. 18 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 21  depicts steps of packing cigarettes in the cigarette case of the invention and dispensing same. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 21 , a cigarette case in accordance with the invention comprises an outer casing  1  having one open side and an open bottom. The outer casing  1  comprises a rectangular opening  11  at one end of the top, two parallel slots  12  at an intermediate portion of the other side, a rectangular recess  14  on an inner surface of either rear wall or front wall extending from one side to terminate at either stop shoulder  15  proximate the slots  12 , two sets of two spaced first troughs  13  in which the recess  14  is formed between the first troughs  13  of either set and the first troughs  13  of the same set are formed on the front or rear edge of one side, two second troughs  17  each at the bottom of the inner surface of either the rear wall or the front wall, a first tab  18  at the bottom of the other side, a first hole  19  on the top in communication with the opening  11 , two first through holes  20  at both corners of the opening  11  distal the other side of the opening  11  with the first hole  19  formed therebetween, and two second holes  26  at both ends of one top corner. 
         [0030]    The cigarette case further comprises a first pusher  4  having a transverse section of U. For example, the first pusher  4  of the first preferred embodiment comprises three longitudinal grooves  41  substantially having a transverse section of half-circle in which one side  44  of either side groove  41  further extends a predetermined distance so as to have a length greater than a radius of a cigarette  9  contained therein, a plurality of spaced, transverse, arcuate ribs  42  longitudinally formed on each groove  411 , a longitudinal ridge  43  formed between two adjacent grooves  41 , and two flush second tabs  45  on an outer surface adapted to slidably pass the slots  12  to project out of the other side of the outer casing  1 . By configuring as above, it is possible of preventing the contained cigarettes  9  from engaging the inner surfaces of the outer casing  1  so as to facilitate movement in the outer casing  1  and increasing friction between the cigarettes  9  and the grooves  41  so as to prevent the cigarettes  9  from vibrating. Both features can facilitate a smooth cigarette dispensing as detailed later. 
         [0031]    The cigarette case further comprises a disc-shaped trigger member  8  having two flush third holes  81  adapted to lockingly receive the second tabs  45  so that the first pusher  4  can slide upward or downward by pulling up or pressing down the trigger member  8  as detailed later. 
         [0032]    The cigarette case further comprises an ejector lid  6  dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly on the opening  11 . The rectangular ejector lid  6  comprises a first channel  62  along one side, and a slit  61  opposing the first hole  19 ; a torsion spring  7  having one end  71  inserted into the slit  61  and retained therein, and the other end  72  inserted into the first hole  19  and retained therein; and a first pin  63  inserted through the first through holes  20 , the first channel  62  and the torsion spring  7  to mount the ejector lid  6  as a hinged one which is adapted to open or close by rotating about the first pin  63  with the torsion spring  7  always trying to pull the open ejector lid  6  back to its original closed position as detailed later. Also, the ends  71 ,  72  of the torsion spring  7  are easy to rotate around the center line of the torsion spring  7  so that the cigarettes  9  can be easily dispensed by opening the ejector lid  6 . 
         [0033]    The cigarette case further comprises a cross-shaped second pusher  3  including two rectangular wings  31 , a central, longitudinal, interrupted furrow  32 , an intermediate, transverse cavity  35  parallel with the wings  31  and crossing the furrow  32 , and two second through holes  33  at both sides of the furrow  32  substantially abutting the cavity  35 . 
         [0034]    The cigarette case further comprises an L-shaped cover  2  including a bottom  2 A, a wall  2 B perpendicular to the bottom  2 A, and a second channel  28  on a top of the wall  2 B. The cover  2  further comprises two flush ears  23  having a third through hole (not numbered) raised on an inner surface of the wall  2 B, a slit  21  on an inner surface of the bottom  2 A proximate the open end of the bottom  2 A, two opposite third tabs  25  on intermediate portions of front and rear sides of the bottom  2 A respectively, and two sets of two spaced fourth tabs  22  on front and rear sides of the wall  2 B respectively. 
         [0035]    The cigarette case further comprises a resilient V-shaped member  5  including a hollow first cylinder  51  at a first end, a hollow second cylinder  52  at an opposing second end, and a hollow third cylinder  53  at a joining point of both cylinders  51 ,  52 . 
         [0036]    The first cylinder  51  is fitted in the cavity  35  so that inserting a second pin  34  through the second through holes  33  and the first cylinder  51  will allow the first cylinder  51  to pivot a limited angle with respect to the second pin  34 . The second cylinder  52  is fitted between the ears  23  so that inserting a third pin  24  through the third through holes of the ears  23  and the second cylinder  52  will allow the second cylinder  52  to pivot a limited angle with respect to the third pin  24 . Further, inserting a fourth pin  27  through the second channel  28  into the second holes  26  will mount the cover  2  as a hinged one with respect to the outer casing  1 . 
         [0037]    In an assembly state of the cigarette case the first tab  18  is inserted into the slit  21  for releasably fastening therein, the third tabs  25  are inserted into the second troughs  17  for releasably fastening therein, and the fourth tabs  22  are inserted into the first troughs  13  for releasably fastening therein. Further, the second pusher  3  is adapted to slide substantially from a first position proximate the wall  2 B to a second position coincident at the stop shoulders  15  (i.e., when the wings  31  slidable relative to the recess  14  are stopped by the stop shoulders  15  in its sliding movement) or vice versa. 
         [0038]    By configuring as above, for example, a pushing of the cigarettes  9  toward the second pusher  3  will push one arm (i.e., the portion of the V-shaped member  5  from the first cylinder  51  to the third cylinder  53 ) of the V-shaped member  5  toward the wall  2 B and push the other arm (i.e., the portion of the V-shaped member  5  from the second cylinder  52  to the third cylinder  53 ) of the V-shaped member  5  toward the second pusher  3  when packing cigarettes  9  in a space defined by the first pusher  4  and the second pusher  3 . 
         [0039]    A cigarette packing operation of the invention will be described in detail below by referring to  FIG. 21  specifically. First, open the cover  2 . Next, remove about two-thirds of a cigarette package to expose most portions of cigarettes  9 . Next, pack the cigarettes  9  in the space defined by the second pusher  3  and the first pusher  4  by pushing the second pusher  3  toward the wall  2 B and pushing the first pusher  4  toward the other side of the outer casing  1  until the wings  31  are stopped by the stop shoulders  15 . Finally, close the cover  2  onto the outer casing  1 . 
         [0040]    A cigarette dispensing operation of the invention will be described in detail below by referring to  FIGS. 18 and 20  specifically. First, pull up the trigger member  8  and thus the first pusher  4  until the trigger member  8  is stopped by the top ends of the slots  12 . The upward moving cigarettes (e.g., two cigarettes)  9  will push the ejector lid  6  upward by pivoting about the torsion spring  7  until the filter portions of the cigarettes  9  are exposed. After removing the two cigarettes  9 , the next two adjacent cigarettes  9  will occupy the empty space previously occupied by the removed cigarettes  9  as a result of pushing the cigarettes  9  toward the first pusher  4  by the second pusher  3  which is in turn pushed by the V-shaped member  5 . A person may then press the trigger member  8  downward to return to its original position in which the next two cigarettes  9  are retained in the grooves  14  again. As an end, the ejector lid  6  automatically closes the opening  11  due to the exertion of the returning force of the torsion spring  7 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14  specifically, a second preferred embodiment of first pusher  4  according to the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment of the first pusher  4  are that two rows of cigarettes  9  are adapted to pack in the space defined by the first pusher  4  and the second pusher  3  since the first pusher  4  has only two grooves  41 . In comparison, the first pusher  4  of the first preferred embodiment has three grooves  41 . Only one cigarette  9  can be removed in one dispensing operation. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS. 15 and 16  specifically, a third preferred embodiment of first pusher  4  according to the invention is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment of the first pusher  4  are that one row of cigarettes  9  are adapted to pack in the space defined by the first pusher  4  and the second pusher  3  since the first pusher  4  has only one groove  41 . Thus, only one cigarette  9  can be removed in one dispensing operation. 
         [0043]    The cigarette case can be formed of a metal material or a non metal material. 
         [0044]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.