REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of United States provisional application serial number 61/826,519 filed on May 23, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present application is directed to packaging cartons, more particularly, cartons with easier access to the contents, and with reducible interior compartments.

[0002] Cigarettes are typically packaged in paperboard packages such as the familiar flip-top carton which may typically hold 20 cigarettes. The cigarettes are tightly packed into the carton and thus it may be a little difficult to extract the first cigarette. A scooped area is provided in the carton front panel by which to gain a hold on the first cigarette. It might be easier to grasp a cigarette at a corner of the carton, but the corners typically extend the full length of the cigarettes. It would be useful to provide a carton with an easier access to the first cigarette.

[0003] Another problem with the familiar flip-top carton is that as the cigarettes are removed, the remaining cigarettes tend to move around inside the carton, which may cause damage to the cigarettes. It would be useful to prevent excessive movement of the remaining contents as the package is emptied.

SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect a carton is disclosed which includes an outer shell and an inner frame that fits closely within the outer shell. The inner frame is cut away at a corner to provide easier access to the contents of the carton.

[0005] In another aspect a carton is disclosed which includes an outer shell and an inner frame that fits closely within the outer shell. The inner frame is inwardly foldable to partition the carton interior into two compartments. [0006] Other aspects of the disclosed packaging structures will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The attached Figures 1 -6 show cartons including an outer shell and an inner frame.

[0008] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art carton including an outer shell and inner frame;

[0009] FIG. 2A shows a plan view of a blank for making a shell of the package of FIG. 1 ;

[0010] FIG. 2B shows a plan view of a blank for making an inner frame of the package of FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 2C shows a perspective view of the inner frame made from the blank of FIG. 2B;

[0012] FIG. 3 A shows a plan view of a blank for making an inner frame with a recessed corner;

[0013] FIG. 3B shows a perspective view of the inner frame made from the blank of FIG. 3A, and having a recessed corner;

[0014] FIG. 4A shows a plan view of a blank for making an inner frame with a reducible interior compartment;

[0015] FIG. 4B shows a perspective view of the inner frame made from the blank of FIG. 4A, in an initial configuration with a full size interior compartment;

[0016] FIG. 4C shows a perspective view of the inner frame with a portion folded forward to partition the interior into two compartments; [0017] FIG. 5A shows a plan view of blank for making another inner frame with a reducible interior compartment;

[0018] FIG. 5B shows a perspective view of the inner frame made from the blank of FIG. 5A, in an initial configuration with a full size interior compartment;

[0019] FIG. 5C shows a perspective view of the inner frame with a portion folded backward to partition the interior into two compartments;

[0020] FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of an inner frame similar to that shown in FIG. 4B, but having a recessed corner similar to the inner frame of FIG. 3B; and

[0021] FIG. 6B shows a perspective view of an inner frame similar to that shown in FIG. 5B, but having a recessed corner similar to the inner frame of FIG. 3B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] As various embodiments of the carton are described, reference will be made to the attached Figures. Certain parts of the packages are denoted by reference numerals. Where there is more than one of the same feature, sometimes only one will be denoted by a reference numeral. If different packages have a common feature, it may only be described one time. For different embodiments, similar elements may be given the same reference number, incremented by 100, 200, etc.

[0023] Where assembly steps are described, these steps are exemplary and are not to be limiting as to the sequence of operations used to arrive at the final package. Also, directions such as up, down, top, bottom, front, back, etc. are used for convenience in describing the package and are not meant to be limiting. In most cases the packages described here are made from one or several blanks (that is, the cut sheet parts from which the package components are made by folding and other steps). However, it should be understood that certain unitary blanks may be provided instead as more than one part, and certain blanks may be combined into single blanks, while still arriving at the same finished package. [0024] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art carton 102 including an outer shell 101 and inner frame 201. An overwrap (not shown) such as cellophane may be provided around the package. An inner container 190 such as a foil or plastic enclosure may be provided. Such a carton may typically have a flip-top lid 119.

[0025] FIG. 2A shows a plan view of a blank 100 for making outer shell 101. The outer shell 101 may be a rectangular prism, that is, a column-shaped enclosure with a rectangular cross section. The outer shell 101 may include a front panel 1 10 with hingedly attached side panels 112, a bottom panel 105, a back panel 120 with hingedly attached side panels 122, in turn connected to bottom flaps 107, a top back section 125 with hingedly attached side panels 127 in turned connected to top flaps 132, a top panel 130, a top front section 1 15 with hingedly attached side panels 1 17, and a top inside flap 135. The front panel 1 10 and back panel 120 in this description may sometimes be termed 'major' panels, and are typically wider than the side panels 122, which in this description may sometimes be termed 'minor' panels.

[0026] FIG. 2B shows a plan view of a blank 200 for making inner frame 201. The inner frame may include a front panel 210. Left panel 220 may be hingedly attached to front panel 210 through fold line 21 1a, and right panel 230 may be hingedly attached to front panel 210 through fold line 21 lb. Friction tabs 212a, 212b may extend across fold lines 211 a, 21 lb, respectively. The upper edge of front panel 210 may have a scooped or cutaway area 214 for easier access to the package contents. The lower edge of front panel 210 may have a complementary shaped area 214A so as to save blank material. The height of inner frame 201 may be equal to or slightly less than the (finished) height of outer shell 101. However, the height of inner frame 201 may be substantially less than the height of the finished shell 101, for example being half as high or 75% as high as finished shell 101.

[0027] FIG. 2C shows a perspective view of the inner frame 201 made from the blank 200 of FIG. 2B. The inner frame 201 may fit closely within outer shell 101. The upper corners 222, 223, 232, 233 may extend to nearly the top of the shell, as seen in FIG. 1. Friction tabs 212a, 212b may engage the inner surfaces of the flip-top side walls to help hold the package closed.

[0028] FIG. 3A shows a plan view of a blank 300 for making an inner frame 301 with a recessed corner 335 formed by cutting away or omitting a portion of side panel 330. FIG. 3B shows a perspective view of the inner frame 301 made from the blank 300 of FIG. 3 A. The inner frame 301 and external shell 101 enclose a compartment 360. The upper corners 322, 323, 333 may extend to nearly the top of the

compartment 360, while the upper corner 335 may be a recessed corner at which it may be easier to remove the first cigarette from a full carton. Friction tabs 312a, 312b may engage the inner surfaces of the flip-top side walls to help hold the package closed.

[0029] The recessed corner 335 may be sized to allow a user to better grasp one of the items within the package. For example, the cutaway height HI of the recessed corner 335 may be 5%, or 10%, or 25% of the package height H2. The cutaway width Wl of the recessed corner 335 may be 10%, or 25%, of 50% of the package width W2. However, the cutaway may have other dimensions suitable to allow better access to at least one of the items within the package. For example, if the content items are cigarettes, it may be advantageous for cutaway width W2 to be at least at great as the diameter of a cigarette.

[0030] FIG. 4A shows a plan view of a blank 400 for making an inner frame 401 with a reducible interior compartment 460. In addition to the panels and features previously enumerated, blank 400 may include a movable panel 440 hingedly attached to the 'back' edge of left panel 420 along fold line 421. This movable panel 440 may in turn be hingedly attached to a glue flap 450 along fold line 441.

[0031] FIG. 4B shows a perspective view of an inner frame 401 made from the blank 400, in an initial configuration with a full size interior compartment 460. In this configuration, the panels of the inner frame 401 are snugly received just inside the outer shell. Also, the inner frame 401 includes at least two adjacent movable panels

(left panel 420 and divider panel 440) hingedly attached to one another (along fold line 421), and these two inner frame panels are in close facing relationship with two adjacent ones of the external shell panels (here left panel 112/122 and back panel 120, respectively). The two adjacent movable panels may be considered to be a minor panel (e.g. left panel 420) and a major panel (divider panel 440), where the terms 'major' and 'minor' do not necessarily denote the size of the panels, but rather their original proximity to the major and minor panels of the outer shell. The width of the adjacent movable panels 420 and 440 may be approximately equal.

[0032] FIG. 4C shows a perspective view of inner frame in a modified configuration 402 with the movable panels (left panel 420 and divider panel 440) folded forward along fold lines 41 la, 441 to partition the interior into subvolumes or

subcompartments including the (now-smaller) original compartment 460 and a second compartment 462. One of the movable inner frame panels (left panel 420) is seen to have moved from a facing relationship with one of the outer shell minor panels (left panel 122) into facing relationship with another of the external shell panels (major or front panel 1 10) while the other of the movable inner frame panels (divider panel 440) moves from a facing relationship with the other major panel (back panel 120) to the interior of the compartment 460 where it now serves as a partition wall. It will be noted that the friction tabs 412a, 412b are still positioned to engage the inner surfaces of the flip-top side walls to help hold the package closed.

[0033] FIG. 5 A shows a plan view of a blank 500 for making an inner frame 501 with a reducible interior compartment 560. In addition to the panels and features previously enumerated, blank 500 may have a front panel including two front subpanels 510A, 510B with fold line 511c between them, and having a friction tab 512c on fold line 511c. Left panel 520 may be hingedly attached to an optional glue flap 550 along fold line 521.

[0034] FIG. 5B shows a perspective view of an inner frame 501 made from the blank 500, in an initial configuration with a full size interior compartment 560. In this configuration, the panels of the inner frame 501 are snugly received just inside the outer shell. [0035] FIG. 5C shows a perspective view of inner frame in a modified configuration 502 with a portion (front subpanel 510B and left panel 520) folded backward along fold lines 51 lc, 521 to partition the interior into subvolumes or subcompartments including the (now-smaller) original compartment 560 and a second compartment 562. Thus, one of the movable inner frame panels (left panel 520) is seen to have moved from a facing relationship with one of the outer shell minor panels (left panel 122) into facing relationship with another of the external shell panels (major or back panel 120) while the other of the movable inner frame panels (divider panel 510B) moves from a facing relationship with the other outer shell major panel (front panel 110) to the interior of compartment 560 and serves as a partition wall. The two adjacent movable inner frame panels may be considered to be a minor panel (e.g. left panel 520) and a major panel (divider panel 510B), where the terms 'major' and 'minor' do not necessarily denote the size of the panels, but rather their original proximity to the major and minor panels of the outer shell. The width of the movable inner frame panels 510B and 520 may be approximately equal.

[0036] It will be noted that the friction tab 512b is still positioned to engage the inner surface of the flip-top side wall to help hold the package closed, for example at notch 118b inside the right part of lid 1 19. However, friction tab 512a has moved away from potential contact with the flip-top side wall where it may have initially contacted notch 118a inside the left part of lid 1 19. Instead friction tab 512c attached to front subpanel 510B now protrudes forward to engage the flip- top front wall when the package is closed, for example at notch 1 18c inside the front part of lid 1 19.

[0037] Certain of the inner shell panels may be optional. For example, the right panels 430, 530 may be omitted in some cases, particularly if the front panel 410, 51 OA is secured to the outer shell. Even part of the front panel 410, 510A might be omitted, for example the right portion of these panels, particularly if the remaining portion is secured to the outer shell. However, to provide additional strength to the package, the inner frame may often have at least a front wall and two side walls. [0038] Various features of the invention may be used in combination. For example, FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of an inner frame 403 similar to inner frame 401 shown in FIG. 4B, but having a recessed corner 435, similar to the recessed corner 335 of inner frame of 301 of FIG. 3B. FIG. 6B shows a perspective view of an inner frame 503 similar to inner frame 501 shown in FIG. 5B, but having a recessed corner 535, similar to recessed corner 335 of inner frame 301 of FIG. 3B.

[0039] The recessed corner may be provided on either the right side (as shown) or left side of the inner frame. Likewise the inwardly folding partition features may be provided either on the left side (as shown) or right side of the inner frame.

[0040] The size, position, and shape of the friction tabs (and any corresponding apertures, slits, slots, etc. on the movable flip top to receive the friction tabs) may be set according to manufacturing preference. For example, for a carton made of relatively light paperboard, the friction tabs may be longer (in the vertical direction) and may extend further outward (e.g. toward the front) to provide adequate holding force. Conversely for a carton made of relatively heavy paperboard, the friction tabs may be shorter and may not extend as far forward.

[0041] Although the inner frame blanks may be typically be provided as single pieces, as shown, they may also be provided as multiple pieces. The blanks may be made of a sheet material such as paperboard, or of a tear-resistant paperboard such as MeadWestvaco NATRALOCK®.

[0042] The packages disclosed herein may be made from one or several blanks (that is, the cut sheet parts from which the package components are made by folding and other steps). However, it should be understood that certain unitary blanks may be provided instead as more than one part, and certain blanks may be combined into single blanks, while still arriving at the same finished package.

[0043] Where more than one blank is used, the blanks may be assembled in various stages, including assembling a unitary blank into a package, assembling separate blanks and then joining them to form a package, and joining two or more blanks together, for example by heat sealing, gluing, mechanical fastening, or otherwise and then forming the combined blanks into the package.

[0044] It is to be understood that certain packages may be one continuous piece of material, and other packages may comprise two or more pieces of material. It is to be understood that a package may be heat sealed even where a heat sealed surface is in contact with a non-heat sealable surface. It is to be understood that in such a situation such an adhesion will strengthen the package, though it may not strengthen it as much as heat sealing between two heat sealable surfaces.

[0045] The packages described herein may be assembled in stages at various locations, for example partially constructing the package, moving or shipping it to one or more other locations, and completing the assembly of the package. For example, a package may be formed into a flattened or collapsible structure, then moved or shipped to another location for final forming, filling, and closure.

[0046] Portions of the cartons may be made of one, two, or more layers of material. It is to be understood that additional layers of material may be used based on manufacturing preferences. Portions of certain panels may be folded over or around the portions of other panels, creating multiple layers of material.