Pack for smoking articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259034-B2
Application number	US-201214374890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2012
Priority date	Jan 25, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A pack for smoking articles including an outer housing ( 11 ) having an open end and an inner casing ( 12 ) telescopically received within the outer housing and moveable between an open position in which the inner casing ( 12 ) at least partially extends out of the open end of the outer housing ( 11 ), and a closed position in which the inner casing ( 12 ) is retracted further into the outer housing than in the open position. The inner casing ( 12 ) includes an elongate access aperture ( 29 ) configured to enable elongate smoking articles to be laterally dispensed therefrom in a direction transverse to their longitudinal axes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pack for smoking articles comprising:
an outer housing including an open end;
an inner casing telescopically received within the outer housing and moveable between an open position in which the inner casing at least partially extends out of the open end of the outer housing, and a closed position in which the inner casing is retracted further into the outer housing than in the open position; and
a resilient bias element disposed between the outer housing and the inner casing, the resilient bias element biasing the inner casing toward the open position,
the pack having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension that is shorter than the longitudinal dimension when the pack is in the closed position, the inner casing being telescopically slidable relative to the outer housing in a direction of the transverse dimension, the pack configured to contain a plurality of elongate smoking articles such that their longitudinal axes are substantially aligned with the longitudinal dimension, and wherein the inner casing includes an elongate access aperture configured to enable the elongate smoking articles to be dispensed therefrom in a direction transverse to their longitudinal axes.

2. The pack according to claim 1 , wherein the inner casing comprises an outer wall that includes a slot configured to allow a user to manipulate smoking articles contained within the inner casing towards and out of the access aperture.

3. The pack according to claim 2 , wherein the outer housing comprises an outer wall that includes a slot positioned such that it corresponds with the slot of the inner casing.

4. The pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooperating lock mechanism configured to retain the inner casing in the closed position within the outer housing.

5. The pack according to claim 1 , wherein the inner casing includes a lid hingedly attached thereto and pivotable between an open position, in which the access aperture is exposed, and a closed position, in which the lid covers the access aperture.

6. The pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooperating lock mechanism configured to retain the inner casing in the closed position within the outer housing, wherein the inner casing includes a hinged lid pivotable between an open position, in which the access aperture is exposed, and a closed position in which the lid covers the access aperture, and wherein the lock mechanism comprises at least one first tab provided on the outer housing and a second tab provided on the lid.

7. The pack according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one first tab is angled downwards towards the middle of a corresponding wall of the outer housing.

8. The pack according to claim 1 , wherein the inner casing comprises a smoking article retainer configured to prevent smoking articles within the inner casing from freely falling out through the access aperture.

9. The pack according to claim 8 , wherein the smoking article retainer comprises at least one resilient tab extending at least partially across the access aperture.

10. The pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a stop mechanism configured to prevent the inner casing from extending out of the outer housing beyond a predetermined distance corresponding to a fully open position.

11. The pack according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the following is present:
the inner casing is entirely received within the outer housing when the pack is in the closed position;
the inner casing includes a plurality of walls and the inner casing is telescopically moveable between the open position and the closed position without deformation of the plurality of walls; and
the resilient bias element is disposed between a bottom wall of the outer housing and a bottom wall of the inner casing.

12. The pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a detachable panel covering the access aperture.

13. The pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of elongate smoking articles positioned such that their longitudinal axes are substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the access aperture.

Assignees

• British American Tobacco Co
• British American Tobacco Japan

Inventors

• Holford Steven
• Mckenzie Aaron
• Simpson Mike

Classifications

• A24F15/06 Primary

  with means for offering (A24F15/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D85/1045

  having a cap-like lid hinged to an edge · CPC title

• A24F15/00 Primary

  Receptacles or boxes specially adapted for cigars, cigarettes, simulated smoking devices or cigarettes therefor (adaptations for use in vehicles B60N3/12; packages specially adapted for cigarettes B65D85/10) · CPC title

• B65D5/728

  for drawer-and-shell-type containers · CPC title

• B65D85/1009 Primary

  provided with proffering means (B65D85/1054 takes precedence) · CPC title