Patent Publication Number: US-2004042688-A1

Title: Reclosable partitioned plastic bag for cigars

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The invention relates to disposable portable cigar containers. More particularly, the invention relates to reclosable partitioned plastic bags for cigars.  
       [0003] 2. State of the Art  
       [0004] Cigar aficionados know that in order to preserve cigars they must be stored at the proper temperature and humidity. Consequently, cigars are properly stored in devices known as humidors. Humidors are made in many different sizes. A typical home humidor accommodates between twenty and fifty cigars and a humidifying device. Cigar stores usually have walk-in humidors where many thousands of cigars are stored at the proper temperature and humidity.  
       [0005] Cigars are typically purchased a few at a time or in boxes of twenty to thirty cigars. A box of cigars usually contains one type of cigar and is somewhat sealed to protect the cigars for a relatively short time from a dry atmosphere. In other words, a box of cigars is usually safe from dry atmosphere for the time it takes to transport the cigars from a cigar store humidor to a home humidor.  
       [0006] Although cigars are less expensive when purchased by the box, there are many reasons why it is preferable to purchase cigars a few at a time rather than by the box. For example, many smokers prefer to store a variety of cigars in their humidor. Unless they have a very large humidor, a box of cigars will occupy too much space in the humidor. In addition, some cigar smokers do not maintain a humidor and only purchase cigars for contemporaneous smoking on special occasions. In these instances, where only a few cigars are purchased, there is a need to protect the cigars until they are placed in a home humidor or until they are smoked soon after purchase.  
       [0007] Some cigars are packaged in individual glass or metal tubes. These tubes may protect the cigar indefinitely from a less than perfectly humid atmosphere and, in any event are sure to protect the cigar from the time it is purchased until it is placed in a humidor or smoked within a few days. Some cigars are individually wrapped in clear plastic. These wrappers protect the cigar from abrasion during transport but they are not effective in protecting the cigar from a dry atmosphere. Still other cigars are not wrapped at all. When they are removed from the box, they are not protected from abrasion or form a dry atmosphere.  
       [0008] It is common practice in most cigar stores to package cigars in disposable reclosable plastic bags when purchased a few at a time. These inexpensive bags are commonly known as “Ziploc” bags. Various aspects of such bags are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,116, 4,263,079, and 5,009,828, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The Ziploc bags used by cigar stores are dimensioned to hold a few cigars, usually two to six. Since cigars differ widely in dimensions, different size Ziploc cigar bags are often employed.  
       [0009] Prior art FIG. 1 illustrates a typical Ziploc bag  10  containing three cigars  12 ,  14 ,  16 . The bag  10  has reclosable interior fastener strips  18 ,  20  and interior grip strips  22 ,  24  which facilitate opening the bag. These Ziploc bags are relatively moisture locked when closed and provide an effective means of protecting cigars from a dry atmosphere during transport from a cigar store to a home humidor or until smoked within a day or two. It is not desirable to store the cigars in a plastic bag for more than a few days, however.  
       [0010] Because of the differences in cigar size, cigar merchants usually choose a Ziploc bag which is big enough to accommodate the purchased cigars loosely. Thus, the cigars are free to move about in the bag as shown, for example, in prior art FIG. 2. If the cigars  12 ,  14 ,  16  are individually wrapped, their movement within the bag  10  is usually not problematic. However, when one or more of the cigars  12 ,  14 ,  16  is not individually wrapped, movement of the cigars inside the bag  10  may cause abrasion of the unwrapped cigar(s). Such abrasion can cause the outer tobacco wrapper of the cigar to become damaged or separated from the filler tobacco. This damage can render the cigar unsmokable.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide disposable packaging for cigars to protect them from a dry atmosphere during transport from a cigar store to a home humidor.  
       [0012] It is also an object of the invention to provide disposable packaging for cigars to protect them from abrasion during transport from a cigar store to a home humidor.  
       [0013] It is another object of the invention to provide disposable packaging for cigars to protect them temporarily from a dry atmosphere and abrasion during transport from a cigar store to a home humidor.  
       [0014] It is still another object of the invention to provide a flexible, inexpensive, disposable packaging for cigars to protect them from a dry atmosphere and abrasion.  
       [0015] In accord with these objects which will be discussed in detail below, the cigar packaging of the present invention includes a reclosable plastic bag having at last one seam which divides the bag into at least two portions, each portion dimensioned to receive a cigar such that the cigars are held in a spaced apart relationship. According to a presently preferred embodiment, the reclosable plastic bag is a Ziploc type bag and the at least one seam is formed by heat sealing or sonic welding.  
       [0016] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art Ziploc bag with three cigars carefully placed therein;  
     [0018]FIG. 2 is a view of the bag of FIG. 1 after lifting whereupon cigars move against each other inside the bag;  
     [0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a cigar bag according to the invention;  
     [0020]FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3;  
     [0021]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a cigar bag according to the invention; and  
     [0022]FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  in FIG. 5.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0023] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a reclosable cigar bag  110  according to the invention is similar to the prior art bags having a pair of interior fastener strips  118 ,  120  and a pair of interior grip strips  122 ,  124 . According to this embodiment of the invention, two seams  126 ,  128  are provided in the bag  10  thereby dividing it into three sections to accommodate three cigars  112 ,  114 ,  116 . According to the presently preferred embodiments, the seams  126 ,  128  are formed by heat sealing or sonic welding. Whatever method is used, it is preferred that the moisture sealing integrity of the bag not be severely compromised.  
     [0024] It should be noted that the length of the seams  126 ,  128  need not extend the full length of the bag (absent the strips  118 .  120 ,  122 ,  124 ). It is sufficient that the seams  126 ,  128  be long enough to maintain the cigars  112 ,  114 ,  116  in spaced apart location as illustrated schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4.  
     [0025]FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of a reclosable cigar bag  210  according to the invention. The bag  210  includes a pair of fastening strips  218 ,  220  and a pair of interior grip strips  222 ,  224 . According to this embodiment, a single seam  226  divides the bag  210  into two portions  213 ,  215 , each preferably dimensioned to hold a cigar (not shown) in spaced apart position relative to the other.  
     [0026] There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a reclosable partitioned plastic bag for cigars. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Thus, while the presently preferred reclosable bag is a Ziploc type bag, it will be appreciated that other types of reclosable bags having relatively good moisture retention could be utilized. Also, while bags with one and two seams have been shown, it will be recognized that bags with more seams could be used with similar results obtained. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as so claimed.