INPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SMOKING ARTICLE PACKAGING

Abstract: This invention relates to a display box (1) for smoking article packs arranged side by side, either along their lenght or top to bottom, and a blank (10) therefor. The blank provides a compact display box which is readily free standing and stable. The blank also provides some economy in packaging material.

Description: Improvements Relating to Smoking Article Packaging This invention relates to a box or carton for containing a number of packs of smoking articles, and in particular a box or carton for displaying some of the packs contained therein. Conventionally cigarettes are packed into small bundles of 20 cigarettes and placed into a pack and wrapped in cellophane. Ten of r ese packs are then arranged in a carton outer which is cverwrapped around the packs and sealed with a further cellophane wrapper. In these cartons, often known as 200's cartons, the ten packs are arranged in two, stacked rows cf five packs lying on their backs in a longitudinal side by side arrangement. Thus, the conventional cartons are cf a long rectangular shape with packs that are two deep. It has been known to provide a removable dispensing portion in the upper face of these rectangular cartons in order to remove single packs of cigarettes for sale. These cartons are not designed for display purposes and are not very compact. A dispensing portion is known for cigarette packs for slim cigarettes. Ten packs of twenty slim cigarettes are stacked one on top of the other on their flat side. The dimensions of this carton are such that this carton is not particularly stable because of the narrow dimension of the slim cigarette pack width. Furthermore, the removable dispensing portion only exposes one column of cigarette packs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display box for packs of smoking articles, which box exposes two columns of smoking article packs. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compact, free standing, stable display box for smoking articles, which display box also presents packs in an orientation to provide a noticeable brand trademark or brand imagery. The present invention provides a display box for packs of smoking articles, the box containing or being capable of containing two columns of packs arranged side by side, and the box having a removable dispensing portion, the removal of which portion exposes at least one row of the two columns of packs. The invention further provides a blank for a smoking article pack display box, the blank comprising a first or front panel having two longitudinal side margins, a top margin and a bottom margin, a first side panel extending from one of the longitudinal side margins of the front panel, the first side panel having a top margin and a bottom margin from which extend respectively a top inner flap and a bottom inner flap, a second side panel extending from the other of the longitudinal side margins of the front panel, the second side panel having a top margin and a bottom margin from which extend respectively a top inner flap and a bottom inner flap, the second side panel having a further longitudinal side margin from which extends a second or rear panel having a top margin and a bottom margin, a top outer flap and a bottom outer flap each of which may extend from a respective top margin or bottom margin of a front panel or rear panel, the rear panel having a further longitudinal side margin from which extends a narrow inner flap, the front panel and the rear panel being of a width to embrace two packs of smoking articles arranged side by side, the two side panels being of a width equal to the respective other dimension of the packs of smoking articles, and one cf the front or back panels having a removable dispensing portion. As used herein the terns front panel and rear panel should be considered interchangeable with the terms first panel and second panel respectively. The indication of whether the first or second panel is at the front or back of the box is not necessarily important in terms of the layout of the blank for the box. Preferably the longitudinal side margins of the blank are parallel to one another. Preferably the two columns of packs are arranged side by side along their longitudinal side dimension. If the smoking article packs are of reduced length, the packs may be arranged in side by side top to bottom orientation. Preferably the top or bottom panel of the smoking article packs is exposed and more preferably the pack displays a brand trademark or brand imagery on its top or bottom panel, which trademark or imagery displays the brand to the consumer. Preferably the removable portion of the box or blank is located in the front panel of the box or blank. Suitably the removable portion exposes substantially more than one row of packs so that a further row of packs is partly exposed. Preferably the removable portion extends across the width of the front panel and into the side panels of the box or blank. Preferably the top inner flaps and bottom inner flaps are each of a smaller length than the top outer flap and bottom outer flap. The top inner flaps and bottom inner flaps may also be of differing lengtns from one another. Suitably one or more of the top outer flap and the bottom outer flap may be provided with an inwardly folding flap extending from the margin of the top outer flap or bottom outer flap remote from the top margin or bottom margin of the front or back panel. Preferably the length of the top outer flap and the bottom outer flap is substantially equal to the width of the first and second side panels. Preferably the top outer flap and the bottom outer flap extend from the top and bottom margins of the same front or rear panel. Suitably the top and bottom margins of the box may be perforated. The blank material may comprise cartonboard of a basis weight which produces a weight saving of at least 5% over a standard cartonboard weight material. The weight saving may preferably be at least 6% and even more preferably about 7% or more. Preferably the blank for the box is pre-glued together at the narrow inner flap and the first side panel. In order that the invention may be easily understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the diagrammatic drawings hereof in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective view a box according to the invention, which box contains ten packs of cigarettes, Figure 2 shows one blank according to the invention, Figure 3 shows an alternative blank according to the invention, and Figure 4 shows a further alternative blank according to the invention. The drawing of Figure l shows a display box l according to the present invention. The removal of the removable dispensing portion exposes several cigarette packs in the display carton. One row of two columns of cigarette packs is fully exposed and part of the rows above and below are also exposed. The removable dispensing portion leaves a dispensing opening 2 in the front wall 3 of the box l. An arcuate portion 4 of the dispensing opening 2 also extends into the side wall 5, and correspondingly into the non-visible opposing side wall. Top outer flap 6 may have an inner foldable flap as shown in Figure 3 or may just comprise an outer flap as shown in Figure 2. Gluing of the outer flap to the inner top and bottom flaps may be essential or optional. A blank 10 according to the invention, and suitable for producing the display box 1 of Figure 1, is depicted in Figure 2. The blank comprises a front panel 11 having two longitudinal side margins 12,13, a top margin 14 and a bottom margin 15. Extending from longitudinal side margin 12 is first side panel 16 which has a top margin 17 and a bottom margin 18 and a further longitudinal side margin 19. Extending from top margin 17 is top inner flap 20. Extending from bottom margin 18 is bottom inner flap 21. Extending from longitudinal side margin 13 is a second side panel 22 which has two longitudinal side margins 13 and 23, side margin 13 being shared with front panel 11. Second side panel 22 also has a top margin 24 and a bottom margin 25. Extending from top margin 24 is a top inner flap 26. Extending from bottom margin 25 is a bottom inner flap 27. Extending from the second longitudinal side margin 23 is a rear panel 28 which has a further longitudinal side margin 29 from which extends a narrow inner flap 30. Rear panel 28 also has a top margin 31 and a bottom margin 32. Front panel 11 has a top outer panel 33 and a bottom outer panel 34 which extend from top margin 14 and bottom margin 1Ξ respectively. In construction, top outer panel 33 overlies top inner panels 20 and 26, whilst bottom outer panel 34 overlies bottom inner panels 21 and 27. In front panel 11 there is indicated by chain line 35 a removable dispensing portion 36. The location of the removable dispensing portion 36 is such that the bottom chain line is below the upper surface of the first cigarette pack. The second and consequent cigarette packs are thus easily removed by finger and thumb grasping either end of the exposed cigarette pack in the recesses 37, 38 in the side walls 16 and 22 after the dispensing : portion 36 has been removed in box 1. As the second cigarette pack is removed the third, fourth and fifth row of packs drop down to become successively exposed. The first row of packs is removed after the packs above have been removed. As the top outer flap 33 and bottom outer flap 34 have no inner folding flap at the margin remote top margin 14 and bottom margin 15 respectively, the use of glue is highly desirable to seal the top and bottom of the box 1. Figure 3 depicts an alternative blank for the box 1 of Figure 1. The same reference numerals are used for features identical to those in Figure 2. In this instance the bottom outer panel 34 extends from bottom margin 15 of front panel 11. Bottom outer panel 34 has a further margin 40 remote from bottom margin 15, from which margin 40 there extends a bottom inner foldable flap 41. In contrast to Figure 2, the top outer panel 33 extends from the top margin 31 of the rear panel 28. A top inner foldable flap 42 extends from a further margin 43 remote from top margin 31 of rear panel 28. As the top outer panel 34 and bottom outer panel 33 have inner top and bottom foldable flaps 41 and 42 respectively the use of glue may be decreased or be optional. Figure 4 depicts a further alternative blank for the box 1 of Figure 1. The same reference numerals are used for features identical to those in Figure 2. In this instance, the removable dispensing portion 36 is shown in what is the rear panel 28 of Figure 2. Panel 45, because it contains the dispensing panel, would normally be known S as the front panel, i.e. the panel presented to the consumer, but can also be known as the first panel. Front panel 45 is connected by one longitudinal side margin to a first side panel 46 having top and bottom inner flaps 49, 50 extending from top and bottom margins 47, 48 respectively. A second side panel 51 extends from the other longitudinal side margin of front panel 45. Top and bottom inner flaps 54, 55 extend from top and bottom margins 52, 53 respectively of side panel 51. A second or rear panel 56 has top outer flap 59 and bottom outer flap 60 depending from top and bottom margins 57, 58 respectively. A narrow inner flap 62 extends from the endmost longitudinal margin 61 of second or rear panel 56. The blank of Figure 4 is very similar to the blank of Figure 3. The exception is that the first or front panel, when presented to consumers, has no top or bottom outer flaps attached thereto. These panels are attached to the second or rear panel 56. This means that the cut edges 63 and 64 of those flaps are at the front of the box, which is less than desirable from an aesthetic point of view. The box 1 of Figure 1 produced from the blanks of Figures 2 and 3 does not require an outer cellophane wrapper which is a further materials saving over conventional 200 's cartons. A comparison of the blank of Figure 2 with the blank of a conventional 200's carton, which encloses two rows of 20's cigarette packs in five columns, produces a 0.4% decrease in cartonboard usage en a weight basis per 100,000 blanks. This figure derives from a saving of 12kg per 1 0 0, 0 00 blanks from a total of over 3, 000 kg of material, when the conventional and novel cartonboard are both of the same basis weight.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A blank for a smoking article pack display box, the blank comprising a first or front panel having two longitudinal side margins, a top margin and a bottom margin, a first side panel extending from one of the longitudinal side margins of the front panel, the first side panel having a top margin and a bottom margin from which extend respectively a top inner flap and a bottom inner flap, a second side panel extending from the other of the longitudinal side margins of the front panel, the second side panel having a top margin and a bottom margin from which extend respectively a top. inner flap and a bottom inner flap, the second side panel having a further longitudinal side margin from which extends a second or rear panel having a top margin and a bottom margin, a top outer flap and a bottom outer flap each of which may extend from a respective top margin or bottom margin of a front panel or rear panel, the rear panel having a further longitudinal side margin from which extends a narrow inner flap, the front panel and the rear panel being of a width to embrace two packs of smoking articles arranged side by side, the two side panels being of a width equal to the respective other dimension of the packs of smoking articles, and one of the front or back panels having a removable dispensing portion. A display box for packs of smoking articles, the box containing or being capable of containing two columns of packs arranged side by side, and the box having a removable dispensing portion, the removal of which portion exposes at least one row of the two columns of packs. A blank or box according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said front panel and rear panel dimensions are such as to accommodate two columns of packs arranged side by side along the longitudinal side dimension of said packs. A blank or box according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said front panel and rear panel dimensions are such as to accommodate two columns of packs arranged in side by side top to bottom orientation of said packs. A blank or box according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the removable portion of said blank or box is located in the front panel, or that panel presented to the consumer, of said blank or box. A blank or box according to Claim 5, wherein said removable portion extends across the width of said first or front panel and into said side panel of the box or blank. A blank or box according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein said removable portion exposes substantially more than one row of packs. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of said top inner flaps and said bottom inner flaps are of a smaller length than said top outer flap and said bottom outer flap. 9. A blank according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of said top outer flap and said bottom outer flap is provided with an inwardly folding flap extending from the margin of said top outer flap or bottom outer flap remote from the top margin or bottom margin of the front or back panel. 10. A blank or box according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of said top outer flap and said bottom outer flap is substantially equal to the width of said first and second side panels. 11. A blank or box according to Claim l or 2, wherein said top outer flap and said bottom outer flap extend from the top and bottom margins of the same front or rear panel. 12. A box according to Claim 2, in which the tap or bottom panel of smoking article packs held in said box is exposed. 13. A box according to Claim 2, wherein the top and bottom margins of said box are perforated.

Inventors: ALIG MARKUS, TEALDI MARC EUGENIO, ALIG, MARKUS, TEALDI, MARC, EUGENIO
Applicants: ALIG MARKUS, BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO CO, TEALDI MARC EUGENIO, ALIG, MARKUS, BRITISH-AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY LIMITED, TEALDI, MARC, EUGENIO
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5, B65D85