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[0001] The present invention relates to a cigarette pack blank and the cigarette pack made therefrom, and more particularly to a modified blank wherein diagonal cut lines between body and lid forming portions of the blank include small uncut portions that strengthen the blank during assembly and serve as an indicator with respect to initial opening of the lid.
[0002] Prior to the present invention, numerous blanks have been proposed for use in forming cigarette packs. For the most part, these blanks are of unitary construction and include a number of fold lines and cuts to facilitate assembly of the blank into a cigarette pack. Cigarette packs are generally rectangular in shape, e.g. a parallelepiped Diagonal cut lines separate the side panels of the body forming portion of the blank from the side panels of the lid forming portion. These diagonal cut lines enable the lid of the assembled cigarette back to move between open and closed positions relative to the body portion.
[0003] However, with these diagonal cut lines the side panels and dust flaps of the lid forming portion of the blank are very flexible and often subject to damage during assembly of the blank into a cigarette pack. Initially, when the blanks are loaded into a dispensing magazine these side panels and dust flaps often catch on each other which adversely impacts upon the blank dispensing operation. Additionally, these side panels and dust flaps catch along the path of travel of the blank during assembly. In some instances, the side panels and dust flaps are damaged in the folding turret when they are missed by the plows that open them prior to foil bundle delivery. Flaps may also be damaged in the folding turret when they are missed by the folders that fold them into their assembled positions.
[0004] Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is a cigarette pack blank wherein the side panels and dust flaps of the lid forming portion of the blank are strengthened to thereby significantly eliminate damage thereof during assembly of the blank into a cigarette pack.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is a cigarette pack blank and the cigarette pack formed therefrom having diagonal side cut lines, each with an uncut portion along its length for strengthening purposes, and also as an indicator of initial opening of the lid portion relative to the body portion of the cigarette pack.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a pack with a positive pop-open feel to a consumer.
[0007] An additional object of the invention is to provide a hinge-lid type pack with a positive closure.
[0008] In accordance with the present invention, a cigarette pack assembled from a unitary blank comprises a body portion and a lid portion with an integral horizontal hinge line between the body and lid portions about which the lid portion moves between open and closed positions relative to the body portion. The body and lid portions each have opposite side panels, and diagonal cut lines along the sides of the cigarette pack separate the side panels of the body portion from the side panels of the lid portion. Each cut line extends to the hinge line and includes at least one uncut portion along its length, whereby when the lid portion is initially moved to its open position along the hinge line, the uncut portion of each diagonal cut is broken. This serves as an indicator of the initial opening of the cigarette pack.
[0009] The unitary blank used in forming the cigarette pack comprises a body forming portion and a lid forming portion. The body forming portion includes a back panel integrally connected to a left side panel and a right side panel while the lid forming portion includes a back panel integrally connected to a left side panel and a right side panel. An integral horizontally disposed hinge line is positioned between the back panel of the body forming portion and back panel of the lid forming portion. Diagonal cut lines extend between the left side panels and the right side panels of the body and lid forming portions of the blank. Each cut line extends to the hinge line and includes at least one small uncut portion along its length.
[0010] The length of the uncut portion is in the range of 0.020 to 0.065 inches, preferably 0.020 to 0.040 inches, and most preferably 0.030 inches.
[0011] Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those discussed above will become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:
[0012]
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
[0016]
[0017]
[0018]
[0019] Referring in more particularity to the drawings,
[0020] Prior art blank
[0021] Blank
[0022] Right and left side panels
[0023] A 45° or other appropriate angle cut line
[0024] The present invention is significantly different from the prior art in that the blank
[0025] In a different embodiment, there may be more than one uncut portion
[0026]
[0027]
[0028] Each uncut portion
[0029] Cut lines
[0030]
[0031]
[0032]
[0033] It may be seen that the present invention will work with virtually all varieties of the so-called hinge-lid pack.