Abstract:
A blank for forming a carton, the carton formed therefrom, and a closure for the carton are provided for enclosing a plurality of unbound elongate smoking articles. The blank includes a base sub-blank at the distal end which is folded to form an open top box and a lid sub-blank at the proximal end which is folded to form a top for the box. A movable lid sub-panel is formed in the lid sub-blank which is hingedly removable therefrom to open the top of the box and which is reclosable by use of a foldable member provided therein. After opening of the movable lid sub-panel, the foldable member is folded over to form an extending tab which is received in a weakening line provided in an underlying front panel of the carton when it is desired to hold the movable lid sub-panel in a closed position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Smoking articles such as cigarettes and various other articles are frequently provided in box shaped cartons or the like which can be opened in various manners. Typically, cigarettes are formed in packs of twenty, with ten packs then in turn being packaged in a paperboard carton in a 2×5 array. With such a carton, the packs themselves serve to seal and protect the enclosed cigarettes from the environment. 
   In order to reduce costs, it may be considered desirable to package cigarettes or the like in bulk in a carton with no other protection. Thus, there is a need for a carton which will protect the contents and which, once opened, will be reclosable to protect the contents. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention there are provided for enclosing a plurality of unbound elongate smoking articles, a blank for forming a carton, the carton itself, and a closure for the carton. 
   The blank is an elongate flat blank which is foldably constructed to form the carton and which defines a distal end, a proximal end and respective left and right longitudinal axes extending between the proximal and distal ends. Broadly, the blank includes a base sub-blank at the distal end and a lid sub-blank at the proximal end thereof. The base sub-blank includes, between left and right longitudinal axes, a front base panel having a base weakening line therein. This base weakening line has a laterally directed main base component and longitudinally directed left and right base components extending from opposite lateral sides of the main base component towards the proximal end of the blank. The base sub-blank also includes a bottom base panel hingedly connected about a first lateral axis to the front base panel, and a back base panel hingedly connected about a second lateral axis to the bottom base panel. The lid sub-blank includes, between the respective left and right longitudinal axes, a top lid panel hingedly connected about a third lateral axis to the back base panel, and a front lid panel hingedly connected about a fourth lateral axis to the top lid panel. Thus, when the carton is constructed, the base sub-blank forms a box with an open top and the top lid panel integral therewith forms an enclosing lid for the open top of the box and the front lid panel overlies a distal portion of the front base panel. 
   Formed in the lid sub-blank of the blank is a movable lid sub-panel which is defined by left and right movable lid weakening lines extending respectively inside of the left and right longitudinal axes, and by a proximal lid weakening line extending laterally from the left and right movable lid weakening lines. The movable lid sub-panel is also connected hingedly about a lid hinge line to a remainder of the blank, and includes a distal lid weakening line located between the fourth lateral axis and the proximal lid weakening line. The distal lid weakening line has a laterally directed main lid component and longitudinally directed left and right lid components extending from opposite lateral sides of the main lid component towards the proximal end of the blank. The movable lid sub-panel further includes left and right laterally directed hinge lines extending respectively between proximal parts of the left and right lid components and respective the left and right movable lid weakening lines. 
   There is thus defined a foldable member formed by that portion of the movable lid sub-panel located between the proximal lid weakening line, the left and right movable lid weakening lines, the distal lid weakening line, and the left and right hinge lines. When the carton is constructed, the movable lid sub-panel is hingedly separable from a remainder of the top lid panel and the front lid panel to open the carton. Then, when it is desired to close the opened carton, the foldable member is foldable about the left and right hinge lines so that a distal portion of the foldable member adjacent the distal lid weakening line forms a proximally extending tab which is frictionally and/or resiliently received through the base weakening line. 
   In a preferred embodiment of the blank, the base weakening line is a slit in the front base panel, the distal lid weakening line is a slit in the front lid panel, the left and right movable lid weakening lines are a series of scores in the top lid panel and the front lid panel, and the proximal lid weakening line is a slit in the front lid panel. 
   In the preferred embodiment of the blank, the left and right base components of the proximal lid weakening line are located at opposite lateral ends of the main base component and extend laterally toward one another as well as longitudinally. In addition, the left and right lid components of the distal lid weakening line are located at opposite lateral ends of the main lid component. Further, the left and right movable lid weakening lines terminate proximally with respective left and right laterally inward components directed toward one another. Still further, the proximal lid weakening line extends between the laterally inward components of the left and right movable lid weakening lines, and includes a distally formed component located distally from the laterally inward components of the left and right movable lid weakening lines. 
   Also in the preferred embodiment of the blank, the lid hinge line and the third lateral axis are co-extensive, the left and right movable lid weakening lines have respective left and right longitudinal components which intersect perpendicularly with the third lateral axis and which extend respectively between the left and right hinge lines, and the left and right movable lid weakening lines have respective left and right proximal components respectively connecting the left and right laterally inward components and the left and right longitudinal components with the left and right proximal components being angularly directed proximally toward one another. 
   To provide freshness and to prevent moisture from harming the products or articles in the carton when formed from the blank, a moisture barrier layer is provided integral with a common surface of the base sub-blank and the lid sub-blank. 
   Preferably, the front base panel includes left and right front side panels hingedly connected respectively on left and right longitudinal sides of the front base panel about the respective left and right longitudinal axes; the bottom base panel includes left and right bottom side panels hingedly connected respectively on left and right longitudinal sides of the bottom base panel about the respective left and right longitudinal axes; the back base panel includes left and right back side panels hingedly connected respectively on left and right longitudinal sides of the back base panel about the respective left and right longitudinal axes; and the top lid panel includes left and right top side panels hingedly connected respectively on left and right longitudinal sides of the top lid panel about the respective left and right longitudinal axes. 
   The carton of the present invention is formed from a blank having the features as noted above, and the closure of the present invention is formed from the closure elements as noted above, so that it is a front of the carton which includes the closure provided. The carton is opened for the first time by separating the movable lid sub-panel from a remainder of the top lid panel and front lid panel. Then, the foldable member is folded about the left and right hinge lines so that a top portion of the foldable member defined by the upper lid weakening line forms an extending tab extending towards the bottom which can be resiliently or frictionally received through the base weakening line with the portion opposite to the extending tab. In addition, the lower lid weakening line and adjacent portions of the left and right movable lid weakening lines form an upwardly directed tab which is used to lift the extending tab received in the base weakening line and then to expose a portion of the open top of the box underneath of the movable lid sub-panel. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention that a simple blank is provided from which a carton is easily constructed. 
   It is also an advantage of the present invention that a carton is constructed from a blank having a moisture barrier integral with a paperboard layer such that the carton is moisture proof. 
   It is a further advantage of the present invention that the carton formed from the blank includes a closure by which the contents of the carton are accessed by a movable lid sub-panel and by which the contents are again closed over holding of the movable lid sub-panel in place. 
   It is a still further advantage of the present invention that the opening movement of the movable lid sub-panel does not destroy the integrity of the top of the carton, so that the carton can then be used as a display carton. 
   It is a yet another further advantage of the present invention that smoking articles can be easily and cheaply packaged in a carton having a moisture barrier, can be easily accessed, and then the carton can be easily reclosed with the movable lid sub-panel held in a closed position. 
   Other features and advantages of the present invention are stated in or apparent from detailed descriptions of presently preferred embodiments of the invention found hereinbelow. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic top view of a blank from which a carton is formed in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a carton formed from the blank depicted in  FIG. 1  with split portions of a movable sub-panel in the top shown in an initial closed and a subsequent opened configuration. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of the movable sub-panel of the carton depicted in  FIG. 2  removably held in a closed position. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a representative portion of a side of the carton depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With reference now to the drawings in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the views, a blank  10  is depicted in  FIG. 1  which is used for forming a carton  12  as depicted in  FIGS. 2–4  having a closure mechanism  14  as best shown in  FIGS. 2–3 . It will be appreciated that carton  12  is designed for the application of providing a tobacco container with the standard unit of two hundred cigarettes  16 , but with lower costs by having cigarettes  16  loosely packed or unbound rather than in packs of twenty cigarettes which must therefore include the costs of placing the cigarettes into the packs and then into a carton. Carton  12  must therefore also include a moisture barrier to preserve a certain shelf life for carton  12  before dispensing of cigarettes  16  therein begins by an opening of carton  12 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 4 , it will initially be appreciated that blank  10  is formed of a structural layer  18  and a moisture barrier  20  integral with the bottom surface of layer  18 . For convenience, the two layers are only separately depicted in  FIG. 4 , with the two (or more where sides overlap) layers in the remaining figures only depicted as a single line. Conveniently, and as well known in the art, structural layer  18  is made of paperboard or a like material while moisture barrier  20  is made of a lamination foil liner or the like. The various cuts or slits in structural layer  18  discussed hereafter are depicted as continuous, but these would typically be formed by a series of cuts or slits separated by very small easily breakable portions (not shown, or alternatively as continuous cuts, slits or slots (wider slits) as well known in the art. Preferably, the cuts or slits are provided in structural layer  18  and these are formed therein prior to provision of moisture barrier  20  thereon. Thus, moisture barrier  20  provides an unbroken or unpierced barrier, and moisture barrier  20  is easily folded and glued thereafter as carton  12  is formed. 
   For convenience, blank  10  will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  as having a distal end  22 , a proximal end  24 , and left and right longitudinal axes  26 A and  26 B; but obviously these identifiers and related identifiers used subsequently are arbitrary and used for ease of description and not as limitations. Also for convenience, blank  10  will be described as having a base sub-blank  28  and a lid sub-blank  30 , which after folding (and suitable adhering) respectively form an open top box and lid (as described subsequently). Finally, it will be appreciated that thick lines are used to identify where structural layer  18  (but not moisture barrier  20 ) of blank  10  has been cut or slit, dot-dot-dash lines which are used to signify a fold line, and dash-dash lines larger than those used for hidden lines are used to signify a scored (separated cuts) line. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , base sub-blank  28  includes a front base panel  32  bordered by left and right longitudinal axes  26 A and  26 B and having a base weakening line  34  therein which is a slit or cut in structural layer  18 . Base weakening line  34  has a laterally directed main base component  36  and longitudinally directed left and right base components  38 A and  38 B extending from opposite lateral sides of main base component  36  towards proximal end  24  of blank  10 . Preferably, base components  38 A and  38 B extend from opposite lateral rounded ends of main base component  36  and extend laterally toward one another as well as longitudinally so as to have an included angle of about 60° as depicted. Attached laterally to front base panel  32  (on respective left and right longitudinal sides thereof) are respective left and right front side panels  40 A and  40 B. Respective left and right front side panels  40 A and  40 B are hingedly connected to front base panel  32  by respective fold lines  42 A and  42 B provided in structural layer  18  along respective left and right longitudinal axes  26 A and  26 B. 
   Base sub-blank  28  also includes a bottom base panel  44  hingedly connected about a first lateral axis  46  to front base panel  32 , and a back base panel  48  hingedly connected about a second lateral axis  50  to bottom base panel  44 . Bottom base panel  44  and back base panel  48  have respective (i) left and right bottom side panels  52 A and  52 B and (ii) left and right back side panels  54 A and  54 B hingedly connected respectively thereto by extensions of left and right fold lines  42 A and  42 B in a similar manner to those of front base panel  32  so these will not be described further. It will thus be appreciated that when carton  12  is constructed and suitable glue or the like is used to adhere respective front, bottom and back side panels together, base sub-blank  28  forms a box with an open top. 
   Lid sub-blank  30  includes a top lid panel  56  hingedly connected about a third lateral axis  58  to back base panel  48  and a front lid panel  60  hingedly connected about a fourth lateral axis  62  to top lid panel  56 . Top lid panel  56  has respective left and right top side panels  64 A and  64 B hingedly connected thereto by extensions of left and right fold lines  42 A and  42 B in a similar manner to those of front base panel  32  (and of bottom base panel  44  and back base panel  48 ) so these will also not be described further. However, it will be noted that front lid panel  60  does not include any side panels; and that the lateral sides of front lid panel  60  extend slightly inwardly towards one another while the proximal end of front lid panel  60  does not extend longitudinally as far from fourth lateral axis  62  as the distal end of front base panel  32  extends from first lateral axis  46 . Thus, and as noted above, when carton  12  is constructed, top lid panel  56  forms an enclosing lid for the open top of the box and front lid panel  56  overlies only a distal portion (but most) of front base panel  32  (as shown and described subsequently with respect to  FIGS. 2–3 ). 
   Formed in lid sub-blank  30  is a movable lid sub-panel  66 . Movable lid sub-panel  66  is defined: (a) by left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B extending respectively inside of left and right longitudinal axes  26 A and  26 B, (b) by a proximal (or lower when carton  12  is formed) lid weakening line  70  extending laterally from left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B, and (c) by a lid hinge line  72 . Preferably, left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B are formed by scored (broken cut or slit) lines or the like in structural layer  18 , while proximal lid weakening line  70  is formed by a slit or cut in structural layer  18 . 
   It will be appreciated that left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B have respective left and right longitudinal components  74 A and  74 B which extend longitudinally from (or perpendicularly to) lid hinge line  72 . In this preferred embodiment, it will be noted that lid hinge line  72  is the same as third lateral axis  58 ; although lid hinge line could be located on either longitudinal side of third lateral axis  58  if desired. In addition, left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B terminate proximally with left and right laterally inward components  76 A and  76 B directed laterally toward one another. Thus, proximal lid weakening line  70  extends between the laterally inward components  76 A and  76 B. In addition, left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B include left and right proximal (corner) components  78 A and  78 B respectively connecting the left and right laterally inward components  76 A and  76 B and left and right longitudinal components. It will be noted that left and right proximal components  78 A and  78 B are angularly directed proximally toward one another which will facilitate tearing/breaking of movable lid sub-panel along left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B from the remainder of lid sub-blank  30  as described subsequently. It will also be noted that proximal lid weakening line  70  includes left and right lateral components  80 A and  80 B and a distally formed component  82  located distally (upwardly in carton  12 ) from left and right laterally inward components  76 A and  76 B of left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B. 
   Movable lid sub-panel  66  also includes a distal (or upper when carton  12  is formed) lid weakening line  84  in the form of a slit or cut located between fourth lateral axis  62  and proximal lid weakening line  70 . Distal lid weakening line  84  has a laterally directed main lid component  86  and longitudinally directed left and right lid components  88 A and  88 B extending proximally (or downwardly, when carton  12  is formed) from opposite lateral sides of the main lid component  86  and preferably at the lateral ends thereof. Extending respectively between proximal parts, (and preferably the proximal ends thereof as shown) of left and right lid components  88 A and  88 B and respective left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B (and preferably at the intersection of components  74 A,  74 B and  78 A,  78 B) are left and right laterally directed hinge lines  90 A and  90 B. Thus, there is a foldable member  92  formed by that portion of movable lid sub-panel  66  located between proximal lid weakening line  70 , left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B, distal lid weakening line  84 , and left and right hinge lines  90 A and  90 B. 
   Thus, when carton  12  is constructed from blank  10 , carton  12  appears as shown on the left side of  FIG. 2 . Broadly then, movable lid sub-panel  66  is hingedly separable by movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B from a remainder of top lid panel  56  and front lid panel  60  as shown by the right side of  FIG. 2 . In addition, foldable member  92  is foldable about left and right hinge lines  90 A and  90 B as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 2  after movable lid sub-panel  66  is separated. Further, once separated and folded about hinge lines  90 A and  90 B, a distal portion  94  of foldable member  92  which is defined by distal lid weakening line  84  forms a proximally extending tab  96  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Tab  96  is then received through base weakening line  36  (after base weakening line  36  is pushed as needed to break it open and form an outwardly biased tab) to removably hold movable lid sub-panel  66  in a position covering and closing carton  12 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2–3 , carton  12  is formed from blank  10  into an open top box  100  formed from base sub-blank  28  so that, from the view depicted in  FIG. 2 , carton  12  has a front, a back, left and right sides, a top and a bottom. As is known in the art, box  100  is made relatively rigid and is thus held together with good integrity by adhering the respective left and right panels of together using one or more beads of glue or the like (typically applied to blank  10  along the right and left side panels thereof before folding) such as glue bead  102  depicted (at two separated locations) in  FIG. 4 . It will be noted in  FIG. 4  that the section break line defining the section view is located at the position where the edges of left side panel  54 A and left side panel  40 A are adjacent (not quite abutting) but do not overlap, so that left side panel  54 A located in the middle of  FIG. 4  is not sectioned and left side panel  40 A is not seen (it is located out of the plane of the paper of  FIG. 4 ). Of course, side panels  54  could be located on the outside or inside rather than in the middle as desired. Closing the open top of box  100  is a lid  104  formed from lid sub-blank  30 . It will be appreciated that the left and right side panels  64 A and  64 B of top lid panel  56  are also adhered together with the left and right side panels of sub-blank  28 . This forms carton  12  sufficiently rigid, and hence suitable to retain cigarettes  16  therein during shipping/transporting and storage (as shown by the left side of carton  12  in  FIG. 2 ). 
   It will also be appreciated that front lid panel  60  is adhered to front base panel  32  by one or more glue beads  102  therebetween which are located between movable lid sub-panel  66  and the side and bottom edges of front lid panel  60  as shown in the broken out part of front lid panel  60  in  FIG. 3 . Thus, front lid panel  60  is held securely in place by glue beads  102 , and glue beads  102  provide a barrier to moisture as well to seal air from cigarettes  16  in the otherwise open area between the top edge of front base panel  32  and the top (folded) edge of front lid panel  60 . For the remainder of carton  12 , moisture barrier  20  beneath each paperboard layer serves to provide protection from moisture and air, with glue beads  102  at the side panels also effecting a moisture barrier thereat. 
   In order to initially open carton  12 , the user inserts a fingernail or the like through proximal weakening line  70  or otherwise pushes/pulls on the area around proximal weakening line  70  to open proximal weakening line  70  up completely (now a continuous cut). This allows the user to grasp foldable member  92  and to pull outwards from the plane of the remainder of front lid panel  60  and then upwards thereon. The outward and upward pulling movement of foldable member  92  causes left and right lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B to fail, or in other words for lid  14  to tear therealong starting at laterally inward components  76 A and  76 B and all of the way back to lid hinge line  72 . Thus, movable lid sub-panel  66  is hingedly separated from a remainder of lid sub-blank  30  and is raised about lid hinge line  72  to the (or more conveniently, a higher) position shown by the right hand side of  FIG. 2 . For convenience of illustration, it will be noted that the portions of front base panel  60  which are viewable in  FIGS. 2 and 3  have been stippled to more readily distinguish these portions from the otherwise mostly overlying portions of front lid panel  60 . In this open position of movable lid sub-panel  66 , cigarettes  16  can be first accessed from carton  12  by the user, and if desired carton  12  can then be used as an open display carton with movable lid sub-panel moved completely out of the way from cigarettes  16 . 
   When the user no longer wishes to access cigarettes after opening movable lid sub-panel  66  and instead wishes to close carton  12 , closure mechanism  14  is effected. Closure mechanism  14  includes foldable member  92  which is folded about laterally directed hinge lines  90 A and  90 B, as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 2  opposite laterally directed hinge line  90 B. It will be noted that foldable member  92  is folded so that distal or top portion  94  of foldable member  92  forms tab  96  which is then pointed downwards or towards base weakening line  34 . The user then pulls out with a fingernail or the like (or otherwise pushes/pulls) the area of front base panel  32  bounded by base weakening line  34  so that base weakening line  34  forms a trap  106  behind which tab  96  can be held resiliently or frictionally against a remainder of front base panel  32 . In this position, that movable lid sub-panel  66  again closes the open top of box  100  (but not air-tight, of course). It will be noted that the now upward edges of proximal lid weakening line  70  and laterally inward components  76 A and  76 B of left and right movable lid weakening lines  68 A and  68 B form an upwardly directed tab  108 , due to the resiliency of paperboard layer  18  at fold lines  90 A and  90 B, so that tab  108  is not flat against (co-planar with) the remainder of movable lid sup-panel  66 . Thus, tab  108  is easily grasped by the user to facilitate the movement of tab  96  behind trap  106 . In addition, tab  108  is also easily grasped by the user when it is desired to move movable lid sub-panel  66  to the open position where cigarettes  16  can again be accessed. 
   While the present invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope and spirit of the invention.