Dual-bundle cigarette packaging structure

A hard-box, hinge-lid package of 25 cigarettes may be provided without attendant prior art problems by separating the cigarettes into two distinct bundles, each of which is laterally confined by foil paper with the cigarettes in each bundle being arranged in three parallel rows in which the front and rear rows of each contain the same number of cigarettes and the center row contains one less cigarette than the other rows, and each cigarette in the center row engages two cigarettes in each of the front and rear rows, so that there is a cigarette located at each corner of each bundle.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to a cigarette package structure. 
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
In Canada, cigarettes are packaged and sold in packets of 20 and 25 
cigarettes per package, generally in two distinctly-different types of 
package, with each cigarette usually having a length of 85 mm or 100 mm. 
For the 20 cigarette-size package, a hard-box hinge-lid package encloses 
the cigarettes and a cover hinged to a lower cigarette-retaining portion 
is used for opening the package to allow access to the cigarettes and for 
reclosing the package. The cigarettes are arranged in a single bundle or 
group in three parallel rows, the outer rows containing seven cigarettes 
and the middle row containing six cigarettes, with each of the cigarettes 
in the middle row engaging two of the cigarettes in each of the outer 
rows. 
For the 25 cigarette-size package, however, the cigarettes are supported in 
an inner tray which is slidably-mounted in an outer sleeve so that access 
to the cigarettes is obtained by sliding of the inner tray part way out of 
the sleeve. The cigarettes are separated into two distinct bundles or 
groups, one group containing 12 cigarettes arranged in two parallel rows 
and the outer group containing 13 cigarettes arranged in two blocks of two 
parallel rows of three cigarettes each, separated by the odd cigarette, 
the respective parallel rows of the groups being in straight line 
alignment. 
In some instances, 20 cigarette-size packages of the same type as the 25 
cigarette-size package mentioned above are used, and in this instance, the 
two bundles of cigarettes have 10 cigarettes each arranged in two parallel 
rows. 
One of the drawbacks to the current 25-cigarette packages is their 
bulkiness due to the two row arrangement of the cigarettes in the package, 
leading to the necessity of shirt-pocket storage and transportation with 
the package on its side. This storage arrangement, however, is possible 
only with 85 mm or shorter cigarettes since shirt pockets do not have a 
width dimention to accommodate longer cigarettes. Further when the package 
contains 85 mm cigarettes, and is stored in this way, their is usually 
insufficient residual room to allow storage of writing implements or 
matches as well in the shirt pocket. 
Furthermore, storage and transportation of cigarettes on their side in this 
way leads to tobacco which has fallen out of the cigarettes being 
distributed over the cigarettes, leading commonly to tobacco particles on 
the outer surface of the cigarette filters, so that tobacco particles may 
enter the smoker's mouth unless the particles on the filter surface are 
carefully removed before the cigarette is placed in the smoker's mouth. 
Removal of these tobacco particles is a tedious chore for the smoker and 
entry of tobacco particles into the mouth is considered undesirable by 
many smokers. 
Despite these drawbacks, a considerable number of smokers prefer to 
purchase cigarettes in units of 25 rather than 20, even though the 
20-cigarette package may be stored and transported upright in a shirt 
pocket, so that any tobacco particles falling out of the cigarettes remain 
in the bottom of the package, and hence the filter-fouling problem does 
not arise. 
Attempts to package 25 cigarettes in a hinge lid pack to take advantage of 
its unitary construction, compact form and lack of filter fouling by 
tobacco particles have not been successful since the increased width of 
package required to accommodate three rows of cigarettes in a 
single-bundle 25-cigarette array leads to the falling out of sight of 
cigarettes into the lower cigarette-retaining portion when only a few 
remain, giving the impression of an empty package and presenting 
difficulties in access to the cigarettes for removal from the package. 
This problem is more acute with the more-common 85 mm-length cigarettes as 
compared with the less-common 100 mm-length cigarettes. Where the 
tray-and-sleeve 25-cigarette package mentioned above is used, the 
accessibility problem does not arise, since simple sliding of the tray 
relative to the sleeve allows any remaining cigarette to be readily 
detected and removed. This package, however, has dimensional and other 
defects, as mentioned above. 
Even in the case of the 20-cigarette package, when one or a few cigarettes 
remain, typically of 85 mm or less length, there is a falling out of sight 
of the cigarettes. Although access to these cigarettes is a minor problem 
as compared with the more severe problem of a 25-cigarette package, it 
nevertheless exists but has been tolerated by the art. 
A further difficulty in packaging cigarettes in a three-row array in a 
hinge-lid pack arises from the need to have a cigarette located at each 
corner of the bundle for ease of wrapping of the bundle in foil paper to 
provide a cubic shape to the bundle. Thus, the outer rows of cigarettes 
must contain one more cigarette than the centre row and each cigarette in 
the centre row now must engage two cigarettes in each of the outer rows. 
These requirements allow only certain numbers of cigarettes to be provided 
in a single bundle, the number increasing by three for each increased size 
of bundle. The minimum number is five and the possible numbers of 
cigarettes include 20, 23 and 26, but not 25. 
Thus, heretofore, there has never been provided a cigarette package of the 
hinge-lid type containing total numbers of cigarettes of 20 or more 
arranged in three rows and which allows all the cigarettes in the package 
to be visible and accessible irrespective of the number of cigarettes 
remaining in the package. 
SUMMARY AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
It has now been surprisingly found that a satisfactory hinge-lid cigarette 
package containing 25 cigarettes may be provided. In this novel package 
arrangement, the cigarettes are separated into two distinct bundles or 
groups of cigarettes, each bundle or group being wrapped in foil paper and 
arranged in juxtaposed relation in the box. In each of the groups, the 
cigarettes are arranged in three parallel rows, the outer rows containing 
one more cigarette than the middle row, with each middle row cigarette 
engaging two cigarettes of each of the outer rows. The rows of cigarettes 
in the two groups are in respective straight line alignment. 
By separating the cigarettes into two bundles or groups, it is possible to 
provide 25 cigarettes in the package while at the same time in each bundle 
there is a cigarette located at each corner of the bundle. Only certain 
numbers of cigarettes in the bundle allow this configuration and only 
certain combinations of numbers in the two bundles allow 25 cigarettes to 
be packaged in this way. The combinations possible are 20 cigarettes in 
one bundle and five in the other, 17 cigarettes in one bundle and eight in 
the other and 14 cigarettes in one bundle and 11 in the other. It is 
preferred to use the latter combination since this is the closest 
combination possible to an even distribution of cigarettes in the two 
bundles. 
It will be observed that only certain total numbers of cigarettes may be 
packaged in combinations of two bundles wherein the cigarettes in each 
bundle are arranged as discussed above, including totals of 10, 13, 19, 
22, 25 and 28 cigarettes but not including 20 cigarettes. 
Further, by providing two bundles of cigarettes in the package, the 
advantageous unitary hinge lid design may be used while at the same time 
all the cigarettes are visible and accessible irrespective of the number 
of cigarettes remaining in the package. The individual foil wrappings of 
the two bundles or groups laterally-confine the cigarettes in the 
respective bundles and effectively separate the package into two separate 
cigarette containers of narrow width in which the cigarettes cannot fall 
out of sight. 
Further, the compact form of the cigarette package of the invention lends 
itself ideally to shirt-pocket storage in an upright orientation, so that 
any length cigarette packaged in this way may be carried in this 
convenient manner and any tobacco particles falling out of the cigarettes 
remain in the bottom of the package and are not distributed over the 
cigarettes. 
Thus, the cigarette package of the present invention has considerable 
advantages over the prior cigarette packaging art. 
While the invention is described particularly with reference to the 
packaging of 25 cigarettes in a hinge-lid package, the invention may be 
used, if desired, to provide larger or smaller numbers of packaged 
cigarettes with appropriate groupings in two or more bundles and 
combinations of numbers of cigarettes in the individual groups, depending 
on the total number of cigarettes involved.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, a generally parallelopiped cigarette package 10 
includes a lower cigarette-retaining portion 12 and an upper closure 
portion 14. The lower portion 12 includes a front wall 16, a rear wall 
(not shown), side walls 18 (only one shown) and a bottom closure (not 
shown). 
The rear wall extends from the bottom closure a greater vertical distance 
than the front wall 16 and the upper edge 20 of the side walls 18 
therefore slope downwardly from the rear wall to the front wall. 
The upper closure portion 14 is integrally-formed with the rear wall of the 
lower portion 12 and is joined thereto at the upper extremity of the rear 
wall by a hinge 22. The upper closure portion 14 includes rectangular top, 
front and rear walls 24, 26 and 28 respectively, the front wall 26 having 
a greater depth than the rear wall 28. Side walls 30 (only one of which is 
shown) have a sloping lower edge 32 joining the lower extremities of the 
front and rear walls 26 and 28 and complimenting the sloping edges 20 of 
the side walls 18 and engaging the same when the package 10 is closed. 
The combined height of the rear wall of the lower portion 12 and the rear 
wall 28 of the upper closure portion 14 and the combined height of the 
front wall 16 of the lower portion 12 and the front wall 26 of the closure 
portion 14 are substantially equal and substantially equal to the length 
of the cigarettes 34 packaged in the package 10. 
An insert 36 is attached to the inner face of the front wall 16 and the 
side walls 18 with side panels 38 and front panel 40 projecting above the 
upper extremity of the front wall 16 and the side walls 18. The front 
panel 40 in part is defined by a generally U-shaped upper edge 42, so that 
cigarettes contained in the package 10 may readily be viewed. The side 
panels 38 and the lateral extremities of the front panel 40 extend 
upwardly substantially to the height of the closed package 10. 
The presence of the insert 36 in the package 10 results in an interference 
fit locking effect between the upper closure portion 14 and the insert 36, 
allowing for ready opening and closing of the package 10 and friction lock 
in the closed position. 
The above description of the package 10 corresponds substantially to that 
of the conventional hinge-lid cigarette package. The package of the 
present invention differs from the conventional hinge-lid package in a 
number of respects, however. 
Thus, the cigarette package 10 of the invention preferably is used to 
package 25 cigarettes and to accommodate the same, the lateral dimension 
of the front walls 16 and 26 is about 3 to 3.5 times the lateral dimension 
of the side walls 18 and 30. 
Further, in accordance with the present invention, the cigarettes in the 
package 10 are separated into two bundles or groups 44 and 46 each of 
which is wrapped in paper foil 48 to separate it from the other and to 
confine laterally the cigarettes of the particular bundle, thereby 
limiting the permitted angle of lean of cigarettes in the package 10. A 
removable foil covering 50 may be provided for each wrapped group for 
removal when the package is first opened for access to the individual 
cigarettes of a particular wrapped group. As may be seen in the drawings, 
in the 25-cigarette package illustrated therein, the thickness of the 
wrapped groups is the same but the lateral dimension of the wrapped group 
44 is greater than that of wrapped group 46. 
While the greater lateral dimension group 44 is illustrated as being 
located on the right-hand side of the package, this arrangement obviously 
may be reversed and the group 44 may be located on the left-hand side of 
the package. 
While the wrapped group 44 is illustrated to project above the height of 
the wrapped group 44, this is intended for emphasis of the existence of 
two wrapped bundles or groups 44 and 46. The cigarettes in each wrapped 
group are all of the same length, substantially equal to the height of the 
package 10. 
As may be seen in FIG. 2, in each of the wrapped bundles or groups 44 and 
46, the cigarettes are arranged in three parallel rows, the respective 
rows of each group being in straight line alignment. In each wrapped group 
44 and 46, the front and rear rows contain the same number of cigarettes 
and the middle row contains one less cigarette, the cigarettes in each 
group 44 and 46 being arranged in the rows so that each one of the 
cigarettes in the centre row engages two cigarettes of the rear row and 
two cigarettes of the front row and one cigarette is located at each 
corner of the bundle. 
Separation of the 25 cigarettes into one group containing 14 cigarettes and 
another group containing 11 cigarettes represents a preferred embodiment 
of the invention. It is possible to increase the number of cigarettes in 
one group while decreasing the number in the other group, provided that 
the interrelation of the numbers of cigarettes in the rows is retained so 
that the outer rows contain one more cigarette than the inner row, and the 
individual members of the middle row engage two members of each of the 
outer rows, provided that when the group containing the larger number of 
cigarettes contains only a few, the cigarettes cannot lean to such an 
angle that they are not visible to a person looking at the front of the 
open package. 
The minimum number that the smaller group of cigarettes may contain is 
governed by the length of the cigarettes. Typically, for 100 mm 
cigarettes, the minimum number is five, while for 85 mm cigarettes, the 
minimum number is eight. 
It will be apparent, therefore, that by providing the 25 cigarettes in two 
bundles or groups 44 and 46 with the cigarettes arranged in three parallel 
rows in each group, a hinge-lid cigarette package of compact dimensions 
capable of accepting any convenient length of cigarette may be provided, 
in contrast to the prior art, and such compact package may readily be 
transported upright in a shirt pocket, while still leaving space for other 
items, such as matches and writing implements. Modifications are possible 
within the scope of the present invention.