Abstract:
A box-like cigarette pack has an outer member front wall which initially extends upward toward the top of the cigarettes within the pack. This extension may then continue over the top of the cigarettes in the pack. The outer member front wall is optionally weakened along the line which defines the standard location of the top of the outer member front wall. When the consumer first opens the pack, he or she can remove the extension by tearing or separating along this line of weakening. Thereafter, the pack is like a normal pack. Additional information can be printed on the extension or extensions of the outer member front wall. If provided, the portion which initially extends over the cigarette tops is a convenient size for use as a coupon or the like.

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 576,776, filed on Sep. 4, 1990, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to cigarette packs, and more particularly to cigarette packs in the form of boxes. 
     Cigarette packs in the form of boxes are extremely well known. One of the most popular forms of such boxes has a semi-rigid (e.g., cardboard or paperboard) outer member which includes a lower main portion in which the cigarettes stand vertically. The upper portion is a preferably cardboard lid which is often (although not always) hinged to the back of the main portion so that the upper ends of the cigarettes are exposed when the lid is tipped back. Such boxes typically have a semi-rigid (e.g., cardboard or paperboard) innerframe inside the main portion and which extends up from the main portion under the lid to provide some interference with the lid as it opens and closes. This interference helps to keep the lid firmly and neatly closed and reduces the risk that the lid will open accidentally. The cigarettes may be wrapped in aluminum foil inside the outer member and the innerframe. 
     Cigarette packs of the foregoing type are relatively small and strong. The visible exterior surfaces are needed for brand-identifying information, contents specifications, warning labels, etc. There is therefore virtually no room on the outside of the pack for additional information such as promotional coupons, and even if such additional information could be put on the outside of the pack, it would be difficult for the consumer to free that information (such as a coupon) from the pack. Placing coupons or other information separately in the pack is disadvantageous because it necessitates additional processing steps and production equipment, because it may not be noticed by the consumer, etc. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a cigarette pack having additional surface areas which can be used for a coupon or other information. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette pack including additional information area which cannot be overlooked by the consumer, but which can be easily removed and either saved or discarded as desired. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a cigarette pack having an additional but removable information area, which pack functions as a standard pack after the additional information area is removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the invention by providing a box-like, stiff cigarette pack in which the stiff outer member (which may otherwise be substantially conventional) has an extension above the normal front wall. This extension preferably (but not necessarily) continues up to and over the tops of the cigarettes in the box when the lid is first opened. (A conventional innerframe may be provided inside the outer member, and the cigarettes may be wrapped in foil inside the innerframe in the conventional manner). The extension is joined to the outer member front wall along a line which is deliberately weakened to facilitate removal of the extension by tearing or separating along this line. Any desired information can be printed anywhere on either or both sides of this extension. Because in general the consumer cannot conveniently withdraw the first cigarette until this extension (and any underlying foil) has been removed, the consumer cannot fail to see the information on the extension. The extension or any portion of it makes an excellent coupon because it is relatively stiff cardboard or paperboard. Any portion of the extension which initially covers the upper ends of the cigarettes can be easily made rectangular, which is a convenient shape for a coupon. Alternatively, the &#34;coupon&#34; portion of the extension may have any of a wide variety of other shapes. A second (preferably stronger) line of weakness may be provided in the extension to facilitate separation of any &#34;coupon&#34; portion from the remainder of the extension. As still another alternative, the extension may remain in the pack as a dust cover for the cigarettes. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a cigarette pack of an illustrative type with which this invention can be employed. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the pack of FIG. 1 with the top or lid pivoted back. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the pack of FIG. 1 with the top or lid pivoted back. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of an illustrative outer member blank configured in accordance with this invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a pack having an outer member of the type shown in FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a pack having an outer member of the type shown in FIG. 4. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional hinged-lid, box-type cigarette pack 10 includes an outer member 12 formed of a substantially stiff material, such as 0.010-0.014 inch thick paperboard or cardboard, preferably 0.012 inch thick paperboard or cardboard. Outer member 12 has a lower main portion 14 and an upper lid portion 16. Main portion 14 has a front wall 20, a left side wall 22, a right side wall 24, a rear wall 26, and a bottom wall 28. Front wall 20 is typically shorter than rear wall 26. Lid 16 has similar front 20a, left side 22a, right side 24a, and rear 26a walls which respectively correspond to and function as continuations of the similarly named main portion walls when the lid is closed as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, lid 16 has a top wall 30. Lid 16 is typically hinged to main portion 14 along hinge line 32 where rear walls 26 and 26a meet one another. When lid 16 is tipped all the way back along hinge line 32, the pack has the appearance shown in FIG. 2 when viewed from the front, or as shown in FIG. 3 when viewed from the top. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 reveal semi-rigid innerframe 38 which is conventionally included inside at least the upper portion of main portion 14. Innerframe 38 is also typically formed of a substantially stiff material such as 0.010-0.014 inch thick paperboard or cardboard, preferably 0.012 inch thick paperboard or cardboard. Innerframe 38 includes a front wall 40, a left side wall 42, and a right side wall 44. Innerframe 38 is positioned in contact with lower main portion 14 and is typically glued to lower main portion 14 to secure the innerframe in place. The central upper portion of innerframe front wall 40 has a cutout 46 to facilitate consumer access to the upper ends of the cigarettes 18 in the pack. 
     An upper portion of each of innerframe front wall 40, left side wall 42, and right side wall 44 projects above lower main portion 14 and remains unattached to any other portion of the cigarette pack outside the innerframe. When lid 16 is closed, it fits down over and completely covers the portion of innerframe 38 which projects above main portion 14, remaining adjacent yet unattached to the innerframe. Innerframe 38 is of substantially the same stiffness as lid 16 such that it interferes somewhat with lid 16 as the lid is opened and closed. This interference helps to keep lid 16 neatly closed and reduces the risk of the pack opening by accident. Retention cuts (not shown, but well known in the art, as shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,898) may also be included on innerframe 38 to provide additional interference. 
     Typically, cigarettes 18 are initially wrapped in a relatively thin and flexible metal (e.g., aluminum) foil bundle (not shown in detail) inside innerframe 38. Such a foil wrapper, when intact, serves to contain the cigarettes through the packing process, to protect the cigarettes, to provide an oil barrier between the cigarettes and the innerframe and outer member, and to retain moisture in the cigarettes. The upper front portion of this foil wrapper may be removed by the consumer when he or she opens the pack to expose the cigarette ends. 
     An illustrative semi-rigid outer member blank 112 in accordance with this invention is shown in FIG. 4, in which double transverse lines on a panel boundary indicate a boundary which has been completely cut through. Similar reference numbers are used in FIGS. 4-6 for elements which are similar or related to outer member elements described above. 
     Outer member blank 112 is preferably formed of a substantially stiff material such as 0.010-0.014 inch thick (preferably 0.012 inch thick) paperboard or cardboard. Blank 112 includes a front wall panel 20 which is extended upwardly (above line 53) to include an extended front wall panel 52 and optionally a top wall panel 50 (separated from panel 52 by line 51). Rear wall panel 26 is joined to lid member blank portion 116 along hinge line 32. The front wall 20a of the lid member may include an extended fold panel 20b to be folded 180° along fold line 39 so that fold panel 20b lies substantially flat along the inside of front wall 20a of the lid member. It may, however, be desirable to omit fold panel 20b to minimize board thickness build up and potential pack construction problems, and also to reduce board requirements. An alternative solution would be to deboss innerframe 38, which would similarly permit additional room for panels 50 and 52. 
     Outer member left side wall 22 is formed from outer member blank left side panels 222 and 224 which are folded one over the other. Outer member right side wall 24 is similarly formed from outer member blank right side panels 242 and 244. Tabs 28a and 28b rest above bottom wall 28 when the outer member blank side panels are folded one over the other. In a similar fashion, lid member left side wall 22a is formed from two pieces, namely, lid member blank left side panels 226 and 228; and lid member right side wall 24a is formed from two pieces, namely, lid member blank right side panels 246 and 248. Tabs 30a and 30b rest under lid member top wall 30 when lid member side walls are folded one over the other. Panels 50 and 52 are also inside, but preferably not attached to, the lid member when the blank is formed into a box. In other words, in the finished box, panels 50 and 52 are preferably not attached to anything other than panel 20 via the connection at line 53. 
     Lines 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, 35, 37, 39, 19a, 21a, 221, and 241 are weakened (e.g., scored) to facilitate folding of their related panels/walls. Blank 112 is also preferably weakened (e.g., by extensive nicks, perforations, or cut scores) along line 53. As will be described in more detail below, this helps the consumer remove panels 50 and 52 when he or she first opens the pack (if such removal is intended). Blank 112 is also preferably weakened (e.g., by scoring or any of the techniques mentioned above) along line 51 at least to facilitate folding panel 50 back toward the rear of the pack over the top of the cigarettes as the pack is made up. In addition, this weakening along line 51 may be such as to facilitate consumer separation of panels 50 and 52 (e.g., so that panels 50 and 52 may have different matter printed thereon and can be saved separately). If only folding along line 51 is desired (e.g., because there is no &#34;coupon&#34; or because panels 50 and 52 together comprise the &#34;coupon&#34;), then the blank may be merely scored along that line. On the other hand, if panel separation along line 51 is desired, then cuts and/or perforations may be used along line 51. In any event, the weakening of blank 112 along line 51 is preferably less than the weakening along line 53 so that panels 50 and 52 tend to come out of the pack together. For example, line 51 can be perforated or scored and line 53 can be nicked. Thereafter, panels 50 and 52 can be separated along line 51 if desired. 
     As suggested by the letters XXX and YYY in FIGS. 4-6, either or both of panels 50 and 52 may be provided (through any known means such as printing, embossing, outlining with a special die cut, or providing with a die cut hole) on either or both sides with any desired information. For example, panel 50 may be printed with coupon or promotional information, while panel 52 may be printed with a suggestion that panel 50 be torn off and saved. The back side of any coupon portion to be saved may be printed with the required dealer copy. Such information may be placed on the outer member at the same time that information is placed on the other portions of the blank, which may be before or after the outer members are cut to their final individual shape. A special eye mark may be included on either or both sides of the blank in printing applied prior to cutting to help register the cutting with the printing. If the information is not printed, but rather is provided by means of a die cut, the unique shape imparted to the panel or panels may be used for various promotional or advertising purposes. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, but show a cigarette pack with outer member 112 prior to removal of panels 50 and 52. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, panels 50 and 52 extend up from front wall 20. Panel 50 extends over the top of the cigarettes in the pack. Panels 50 and 52 are free from any attachment other than to panel 20 along line 53. Except for the addition of panels 50 and 52, the pack shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may be exactly as described above in connection with FIGS. 1-3. In particular, the innerframe of the pack shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be exactly the same as the innerframe 38 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and described in detail above, and the cigarettes may be wrapped in foil inside the inner frame as described above. The innerframe of the pack shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can alternatively be of the same configuration as the innerframe disclosed in co-pending, commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 576,776, filed Sep. 4, 1990, or the innerframe disclosed in co-pending, commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 659,712, filed Feb. 25, 1991. Innerframe panels 42 and 44 are respectively inside and extend up from left and right side walls 22 and 24. 
     Although FIGS. 5 and 6 show the pack with top 16 open, it will be appreciated that the top opens and closes exactly as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and described above. As in the prior art, when the top of the pack shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is closed, the outer member of the pack completely encloses and obscures innerframe 38 and panels 50 and 52 without lid 16 being attached to panel 50 or 52 or to innerframe 38. Accordingly, when the pack shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is closed, it looks exactly as shown in FIG. 1. 
     When the consumer of a pack having an outer member of the type shown in FIG. 4 first opens the pack, he or she sees what is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In order to conveniently remove a cigarette from the pack, the consumer must first remove cardboard panels 50 and 52. This is both readily apparent to the consumer from, and facilitated by, the visible weakening along line 53. The printing on panel 50 or 52 may also or alternatively, suggest removal of these panels. After panels 50 and 52 have been removed, the pack more closely resembles the pack shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and is thereafter substantially the same as a conventional pack. Also after removal from the pack, panels 50 and 52 can be separated from one another (e.g., so that one panel can be saved, while the other panel is discarded as described above), or panels 50 and 52 may remain together for discard or retention as a unit. Because panels 50 and 52 are cardboard (or other similar, substantially stiff material), they make an excellent coupon. 
     Although panels 50 and 52 are shown as rectangles, it will be appreciated that either can have other shapes such as a scalloped edge, an oval, etc. Also, if less copy area is required, panel 50 can be eliminated entirely. 
     Although panels 50 and 52 are described as being suitable for containing additional printed information, because they more completely cover the upper ends of the cigarettes, they may alternatively or in addition be used as a substitute for foil wrapping of the cigarettes. Also, if instead of being adapted for immediate removal, panels 50 and 52 are more securely joined to the remainder of the pack (e.g., by a score line 53 rather than a perforated line), panels 50 and 52 can remain at least temporarily in the pack and act as a dust cover which is folded forwardly when a cigarette is to be removed and then folded back when the lid is to be closed again. 
     It will be understood that the foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, lid 16 may be either integral with main portion 14 or glued to main portion 14 by a tab. The lid of the pack may also slide on and off over the innerframe rather than pivoting open and closed. It will also be appreciated that the principles of this invention can be applied to cigarette packs of any size (e.g., packs of 10, 14, 20 (as shown in the drawings), 25, etc., cigarettes).