CA2080211A1 - Two separate cartons combined as a single unit by adhesive/carrier means - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
(Fig. 3) TWO SEPARATE CARTONS COMBINED AS A SINGLE UNIT

A dual cigarette carton comprises two sub-cartons 30,32 held together by adhesive stickers 40,42,43. Each sub-carton holds five packs of twenty cigarettes. The dual carton passes through conventional carton-opening and tax-stamping apparatus, and the two-sub-cartons can be subsequently separated for sale separately.

Description

~, ~,~,?

33~106 TWO SEPA~TE ~RTONS COMBINED ~S ~ SINGLE _NIT

Background of the Ir1vention The present invention relates to cigarette cartons, and more particularly to the connection of or more two separate cigarette cartons to form a multiple carton.
Cigarette packs (which usually contain twenty cigarettes) are generally rectangular in shape, having front and back long walls connected by two short side walls. Cigarette cartons typically contain two rows of five cigarette packs per row (each row arranged so that the front long walls of the packs are in the same plane and the back long walls are in a parallel plane spaced from the front long walls) and are generally known to the art as ten-pack cartons.
Such cigarette cartons are generally filled with cigarette packs by the manufacturer, temporarily closed (e.g., by folding the top flap of the carton over the box and releasably securing the flap in the closed position), and shipped to various distributors. The distributors generally open the cartons to apply the tax stamp that may be required by the jurisdiction in which they operate to the ends of individual cigarette packs while still inside the cartons.
Such procedures are commonly automated, to reduce time, cost, and labor, through the use of specially designed machines for applying tax stamps. Tax-stamping machines have been developed to open the cartons, apply the stamps, and finally seal the cartons for distribution. Such machines are generally commercially available, and are well known to the art. These machines have been developed for standard ten-pack cigarette cartons. A typical tax-stamping machine is model FUSON manufactured by ~eyercord of 365 East North Avenue, Carol Stream, Illinois 60187.
Single row cigarette cartons which are dimensioned to contain one row of five cigarette packs (each pack usually containing twenty cigarettes, the packs arranged so that the front long walls of the packs are in the same plane and the bacX long walls are in a parallel plane spaced from the front long walls), Sr~ ?~ "
i.e., f~ve~ ck carton~., ar~ al50 knnwtl to t~e Irt. H~r~cver, althollgh machinery Ohlst~ for ~.mufacturlng such ~artons, iaehinery ~oes not e~i~t ~or :~ta~plnq the cigarett~ packs contairled ln ~uch cartor.s. Con~equently, such single row carton~ mu3t either be hdlld-~ta~ed (~5 i9 dnne currently) o~ would h~v~ to be ~ecured together in pail~ in or~er to ba r~ through the ~xistent t~Y-st~mpln~ equipment in ~hich double ro~ cartons are ~ta~ped. To as~ure that the ta~ ~t~tl~p i9 proper~y regl~tered, the means Eor ~acur:ln~ the carton~ must he stran~ enouqh to ~ee~ ~he c~rton3 togather Y~ch ttlat they are not sh~ar~d apart by the vertical roll~r~ of t~le t,lx-~tamp}ng m~chi~es which roll along the ~ortical ~alls o,~` th~ c~rton~ to transfer the cartons betileen the various ~tage8 oi the process.
If two sin~ ro~ cartons aro to be secured together, t~e means fvr ~ol~re~ent must allo~ Eor later separation of the carton~, if desired, ~y the ratailer or consumer. For marketing purpo~s~s, once ~eparated, th~a two carton~ should ha~s little or no trace oi the m~ans for secure~ent which would di~fl~ure the outward appearance of the cartons.
It 1~ t~erefore desired to provlde ~or th~ capabillty oP
mimufacturing and distrlbuting ~rtons narrow~r than those p~oce~ed by exlstent ta~-~t~ping ~achinery Common to distrlbutors, wlthout reguiring customi~ed tax-stamping ~achinery or hand ~t~ping of the ~acks.
It i~ also deslred to pro~ e a means for securing together two or ~ore narrc~ cartons to ~orm a dusl Dr multiple ~arton ~uch that ~he tff~ narrow rcrtons do not.move relati~ to cne anothe~
while be~ng transferrPd throngh tax-stamping mach~ery de~lgned to proCes~ cigar~tte cartons J~ring th~ dlme~sis~ns of the dual or ~ultip~e carton.
It io 4150 aeslred to pro~lde a meanB or making a clean ~epar~to~ bet~e~n the t~o or ~ore narsow cartons lf desir~d fo~
5ale as i~divldual caIton~ instead of as a dual or multipl~ carton co~posed of t~o or more n~rro~ cartons.
Tns preSent invention provldes a multiple unit cig~rett~
j ear~on co~prisin~ at least two B~b-Ca~ton4, the ~u~tiple unit carton being d~ensioned t~ pass throuqh a ~on~4tional toba~co ta~-3ta~p a~r~lic~3tol~,, ad j~cent ~;u!-ca~tons bt~ing fr~ngibl~ oann~ct~d together for p~s~age tl~ro~lgh a tobacco taY-5tZUqp ~pplicator ~Lnd sul~eqllent 6epa-ation, th~ fr~n~lblc ~onn~ctlDn c:oluprlsing It least one ~tick~r adher~d accass at lea~t one palr of .~lalls, one wall of t~e pair belnsa frum eacA sub-carton.
~ urther fe~tu~e~ of t!le In~ention, ttx natu~e, and varlou6 advanta3e~ will be morQ apparent fro~ the accoinpauyir~g dr;~wing~3 and t~e ~ollo~ring dct~iled de~3cr~ptlon o~ the p~efarred e~Pb~loents ~herèin like ref~rencc oharactcr~ repreRent llke element6 throughout, and in ~hich:
~ IG. 1 is a plan ~le~ of an illustrative carton blan~ r five-pack sub-o~rton In accord~nce 3~ith thl~ inYentio~;
FIG. 2 i~ an e~tploded l~ometric ~ie~ of t~o fi~J~e-pacX
~ub-cartonx, e~ch ron~tructe~ ~rom a blank slmilqr to that of FIG.
1, ct~nneoted tagether in accorda~ce with thls in~ention to form, ance conn~ctod, a ten-pack carton, aY 111ustrated E~rior to ins~rtion ~nt~ tlle carton~, FI~. 3 ls ,~n Iso~Detric ~iew oI~ tw ~ive-paok ~ub-cartons befare tax-stamplng, connected s~ith at ~eaBt one carrier means bearin~ adhe$i~re afflxed ~o the erternal sidas of the Sll~ lrton~ to there~y ~:onnect the a~b-c~rtans ~n accorda~n~e ~ith t~is lnvention;
~ IG. 4 i6 aD enlarged partial side view in cros~ ses~tlon of tw~ flve-pack sllb-earton~ connscted ~rith a~ illu~trative carrle~
~Reans bearing adhe3ive affl~ed between the internal sides of the su~cartons, i.e., ~etween tlle ~ c~tons and not re~4ily ~isibl~;
FIG. 5 is an enlarge~ partial 61de ~rle~ in ~ro~6 ~ectlon of t~o fl~e-pack su~-cartons connected ~ilth two illu6tratlve c~rrier s~ear~ ~earin~ adhesiv~, aiilxed iu a sinila~ ~ashiun as ~hown in ~G. 4:
FIG. 6 is an i~o~etrlc view of tWo ~e-pack sub~carton6 after tax-stampi~$, connected ~ith at lea~t one carrler ~eans ~ear~ng adhe~lve FIG. 7 is a ~otto~ plan vqe~ ot t~o fIve-pacX sob-cartan~
connected ~ith at leagt one carrier means ~earlng indici~ for price coding, FIG. B is a plan view of an illustrative carton blank for forming two five-pack sub-cartons joined by a perforated line in accordance with thls inven~ion;
FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the final step in for~ing a ten-pack carton from two five-pack sub-cartons constructed from the blank of FIG. 8; and FIG. 10 is an e~ploded view similar to FIG. 2 but showing sub-cartons constructed from the blank of FIG. 8;
FIG. 11 is a plan view of an illustrative sub-carton blank for a carton in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a two-pack sub-carton in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a two-pack sub-carton joined to an eigh~-pack carton in accordance with this invention;
FlG. 14 is an isometric view of a four-pack sub-carton joined to a six-pack sub-carton in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 15 is a plan view of an illustrative conventional carton blank for a cigarette carton which is typically passed through automated cigarette carton processing equipment;
FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a carton formed from the blank of FIG. 15;
FIG. 17 is an isometric view of the carton-opening portion of a tax-stamping machine;
! FIG. 18 is an isolated end view of hold-down guides of a tax-stamping machine;
FIG. 19 is a top view of an open cigarette carton ! approaching hold-down guides;
FIG. 20 is an end view of an open typical cigarette carton approaching hold-down guides;
FIG. 21 is an end view of an open cigarette carton having a tuck-in flap on each side approaching hold-down guides;
FIG. 22 is a plan view of an illustrative sub-carton blank for a five-pack sub-carton of a multiple unit carton in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 23 is an isometric view of two five-pack sub-cartons formed from the blank of FIG. 22, joined to form a dual carton, and having their tuck-in flaps overlapped;

r~I5~ 2~ is a plan view of an illustrative sub-carton blank similar to that of FrG. 22, but having a modified tuck-in portion;
FIG. 25 is an isometric view of two five- pack sub-cartons formed from the blank of FIG. 23, joined to form a dual carton, and having their tuck-in flaps overlapped;
FIG. 26 is a plan view of an illustrative sub-carton blank similar to that of FIG. 24, but having an additional tuck-in portion;
FIG. 27 is an isometric view of two five- pack sub-cartons formed from the blank of FIG. 26, joined to form a dual carton, and having the tuck-in portions of the tuck-in flaps folded under the top closure portion and the additional tuck-in portion tucked between the exterior walls of the sub-cartons and the cigarette packs in the cartons;
FIG. 28 is a plan view of an illustrative carton blank for forming two five-pack sub-cartons joined by a perforated line, each half similar to the blank of FIG. 22;
FIG. 29 is an isometric view of the final step in forming a ten-pack carton from two five-pack sub-cartons constructed from the blank of FIG. 28;
FIG. 30 is an isometric view of the dual carton of FIG. 23, with its flaps open so that a tax stamp may be applied to the exposed ends of the cigarette packs in the carton;
FIG. 31 is an isometric view of the dual carton of FIG. 25, with its flaps open so that a tax stamp may be applied to the exposed ends of the cigarette packs in the carton;
FIG. 32 is a partial side view of a carton having a tapered tuck-in flap being held down by a hold-down guide for a short lap flap;
FIG. 33 is an lsometric view of the dual carton of FIG. 27, but in which only the tuck-in portion of one tuck-in flap is folded under its adjoining top closure portion, and in which both flaps are open so that a tax stamp may be applied to the exposed ends of the cigarette packs in the carton; and FIG. 34 is an isometric view of the dual carton of FIG. 23 after tax-stamping, and showing the tucking of the tuck-in flaps into the carton.

2~ $; ,~1.
FIG. 35 shows another ~mhodlmell~ of a ca~ton according to the lnvention;
FIG. 36 shows another embodiment of a dual carton according to the invention with the lids of the constituent cartons partly opened;
FIG. 37 shows the embodiment of FIG. 36 with the lids closed;
FIG. 38 shows another embodiment of a dual carton according to the invention; and FIG. 39 shows a preferred carrier for use in cartons according to the inven-tion.

Detailed Description of the Invention As shown in FIG. 1, blank 100, used for forming a sub-carton adapted to hold one row of five cigarette packs, i.e., a five-pack sub-carton, has a plurality of fold lines represented by broken lines. ~lank 100 is preferably formed from a substantiaily rigid material such as paperboard. Each relatively large panel 10 and 12 of blank 100 is substantially five times the width of a long wall of a cigarette pack to be enclosed therein. As used herein, a standard cigarette pack is defined as any pack commonly used for holding a predetermined number of cigarettes, and generally having front and back long walls connected by two short side walls. When blank 100 is folded along respective fold lines lOa and 12a, panel 10 becomes the front wall of the sub-carton and panel 12 becomes the rear wall.
Joining panels 10 and 12 is a bottom panel 14, which forms the bottom wall of the sub-carton when the blank is folded into a sub-carton. Panel 16, having substantially the same dimensions as bottom panel 14, extends from rear panel 12.
After walls 10 and 12 are assembled, panel 16 is folded along fold line 16a over the top of the sub-carton to extend between walls 10 and 12 of the sub-carton. Extension panel 18 joins panel 16 along a fold line 18a. Additional fold lines similar to fold lines lOa, 12a, 16a and 18a, are shown as broken lines located on blank 100 and on blank 200 (FIG. 8), but are not individually laheled.

Panels i6 ~ncl 18 together form a top and tuck-in flap 17.
When the sub-carton is formed and is ready for consumer purchase, extension panel 18 preferably lies substantially parallel to front wall 10, 2referably inside the sub-carton, and panel 16 is folded over the top of the sub-carton towards front wall 10. Side panels 20a and 20b are folded one over the other to form a side wall 20 of the sub-carton. Side panels 22a and 22b are folded in a similar fashion to form side wall 22. The "a" panel is preferably folded over the "b" panel. Tabs 24 and 26 are preferably folded perpendicular to panel 14 before the side panels are folded and will eventually lie substantially parallel to side walls 20 and 22, respectively. The distance between panels 10 and 12 of the completed sub-carton is substantially the same as the distance between the front and back long walls of the enclosed cigarette packs.
FIG. 2 shows two five-pack sub-cartons 30, 32 connected along their front walls 10, hereinafter referred to as interior walls 11, and prepared for insertion of a bundle 34 of ten cigarette packs 36. Rear walls 12 remain visible after connection of sub-cartons 30, 32, and are hereinafter referred to as exterior walls 13. Because the "a" panels of blank 100 are preferably folded over the "b" panels (panels 20a, 22a, 20b, and 22b shown in FIG. 1), the free edge of each of the "a" panels of the side walls faces inwardly, i.e., the free edges lie adjacent the interior walls 11, when sub-cartons 30, 32 are joined. In this configuration, the free edges of the "a" panels are not readily accessible and thus are relatively safe from being accidentally lifted from their place adjacent the ''b n panels.
Packs 36 are preferably arranged in two rows of five packs per row with the short walls of adjacent packs facing each other and the long walls of the packs arranged in parallel planes such that the front walls of each row are in a first single plane and the rear walls of each row are in a second single plane spaced from and parallel to the first single plane. Furthermore, it is desirable to place packs 36 in their respective sub-cartons such that their front walls (defined by the orientation of printed matter on the exterior surface of the walls) face interior walls 11 of sub-cartons 2S ~
30, 32. Flaps 17, which are formed from panels 16 and 18 of each blank 100 which forms sub-cartons 30, 32, are shown opened in FIG. 2 such that the interiors of sub-cartons 30, 32 are readily accessible ~or insertion of bwldle 34.
~ s shown in FIG. 8, sub-cartons 30, 32 may be formed from a single blank 200. each half of blank 200 resembles blank 100, with like reference characters representing like elements, and broken lines representing fold lines. The substantially identical halves of blank 200 are connected by frangible means 31, i.e., a line of weakness such as a perforated line. Each half is individually folded to form a separate individual sub~carton. Once each sub-carton 30, 32 is formed, the blank is folded along line 31, as shown in FIG. 9, so that panels 10 lie against one another, facing each other as interior walls 11. The completed combined cartons may be seen in FIG. 10, which is similar to FIG. 2 (with like reference characters representing like elements) except that the sub-cartons are joined along a perforated line formed in the blank which forms both the carton.
Illustrative carrier means bearing adhesive, hereinafter referred to as stickers 40, 42, and 43, are shown in FIG. 3. The carrier means of stickers 40, 42, and 43 are preferably mylar or paper, and bear either a permanent adhesive (any known permanent adhesive) or a releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive. Releasable, pressure-sensitive adhesive is herein defined as any adhesive known to the art which, preferably, is clear, has no taste or odor, and does not cause fiber pull of the carrier means or leave a tacky residue once the surfaces joined by the adhesive are separated (e.g., any adhesive known to the art which provides a strong bond between surfaces but once the surfaces are pulled apart, the bonds of the adhesive are broken and the adhesive is no longer tacky).
The adhesive must be sufficiently strong to hold the sub-cartons firmly in place relative to one another and resist such shearing force which would reasonably be applied through a difference in forces applied by vertical rollers of tax-stamping machines which roll along exterior walls 13 of the cartons during the tax-stamping process.

2~

';tlckers 40 ar~ applied ~cro~3s side walls ~0. 22 to ~aintain sl~e ~alls ~0, 2~ in ~he aamc plarle ~nd ad1ac~nt onQ dnother~
F,lther or both of stic~er~ 4~ ~ay o~l:lonally haYe ~I fr~ngib'~ mean~
41, i.~., a ~ine of weakne5~3 su~h as a perlnratAd line, preferably ~ositione~ subst.lr~tially parallel to the lin~ defin~d by t~.
interseoLil-~n or t~Le ~tlcker ~d t~.o plane whioh ~ten~ls between an(l o~t 'rom interior wall~ 11 (l.e., po61tlon~d betwr~en the two 6~lb-aartons) to ~acllitate a cle~ ~oparatlon o~ the ewo sub cart on~; .
~ ;ticker 42 i~ slnlilarly aPplied acro~s bottom walls 14 to likes~ise ~aintair bottam wall~ 11 in the saae plan~ and adjacent on~
dnother. Stic3ser 42 mAr al60 ha~e a ~ranyl~ eans Inot sho~) sln7ilar to f~angible means 41.
Stickers 43 .Ire applied partlally acros~i sld~ wall~ 2~, 22 and partially aoros~ bottolD walls 14 to maintain .~ide walls 2~1, 22 an~ bottom walls 14 in tll~ir respective planes and ad~a~ent one another. Sither or hoth of st1c~ers 43 m~y optionally ha~e a perforated li~o, preferably posltioned s~6t~n~1alIy parallel to ~he lina ~efinPd by the intersectian of the st~cker and the plane ~h1~h ext~nds betwee~ ~nd out fro~ interior walls 11.
~ la~s 17 ar~ Ahc~n in ~'IG. 3 as be~ng lapped o~ar ona another in preparation to ba shipped to a dist~ihutor an~ later Dpaned, or, altern~tivel~ po3itlon ior di~tribution to individual ~holesaler~ or retailers for su~sequent dlstributios~ to conæu~er6. If de~ired, panel 1~ of onc of flap6 17 mdy be fold~d ilt and relea~ably secured ~n~er the p~nel 16 fro~ which it ex~ends to form a short top ~lap ~hich ls ~ecured un~er the othe~. un~olded flap 17.
One of sticker3 4~, 42, or 43 may optlo~Rlly bear prlcin~
ind~cia suoh a~ ~nl~er~al Price Co~e ~U.P.C.) or o~her pricin~ bar code, 9UC~ as shown on sticker 4~a ln FI~. 7. ~f such Indicla ar~
included, the stic~er ~earing suc~ indlcia may be used in co~bi21ation With ~ny ~r all of the dis~lo3ed sticker~. Sticker 42a ls plaoed along and ~cro~s the ~ottol walls 1~ cf s~b-~artons 30, _ ~ ~

32, ~lith the lines of the pricing bar ~ode being positioned substantially parallel to the adjacenl: edges of the walls 14 across which sticker 42a is placed. Preferably, frangible means 41 are included on sticker 42a positioned substantially parallel to the line defined by the intersection of the sticker and the plane between interior walls 11, and therefvre substantially parallel to the lines of the bar code as well.
Similar pricing indicia (not shown) may be printed on the outer surface of the interior walls 11 of the sub-cartons, such that the indicia are not visible when the sub-cartons 30, 32 are joined to form a dual carton. The readily visible indicia on sticker 42a are preferably coded for sale of the combined ten-pack dual carton and are rendered unreadable by automatic scanning equipment upon tearing sticker 42a to separate the ~wo five-pack sub-cartons 30, 32. The pricing indicia on interior walls 11 are preferably coded for sale of the individual five-pack sub-cartons, and can be scanned only after separating the dual carton into individual sub-cartons.
Carrier means bearing adhesive, hereinafter referred to as stickers 50, 52, are shown in cross section in FIGS. 4 and 5.
Sticker 50 has a single carrier means 54, preferably mylar or paper, with permanent adhesive 56 (any known permanent adhesive) applied to both sides of carrier means 54. Permanent adhesive 56 is preferably only applied to one half of each side of carrier means 54, at opposite ends of carrier means 54, such that at each point along the length of carrier means 54 there is adhesive on only cne side of carrier means 54. Hence, when sticker 50 is positioned between sub-cartons 30, 32, one half of sticker 50 adheres to interior wall ll of sub-carton 30 while the o~her half of sticker 50 adheres to interior wall 11 of sub-carton 32. The sub-cartons are separated by tearing carrier means 54 along the line where the adhesive halves meet. Carrier means 54 preferably has a frangible means 51, i.e., a line of weakness such as a perforated line, to facilitate such separation of sub-cartons 30, 32. Interior walls 11 may be securely fastened to one another by one or more sticker means 50 during the tax stamping process, but may be later separated from one another without much difficulty and without leaving behind any unsightly residue or frayed carrier means edges.

Stlcker 52 lS co~prised of two carrier means 5~, 54, preferably mylar or oaper, set between interior walls ll, ll of sub-cartons 30, 32. The side of each carrier means 5~1 in~ediately facing an interior ~all ll carries permanent adhesive S6 (such as described above). The side of each carrier means 5~ immediately facing an adjacent carrier means 54 carries releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive 58 (such as described above). Hence, both carrier means 54 are securely held onto their respectivP
interior walls ll by permanent adhesive 56 and are also securely connected to each other by pressure-sensitive adhesive 58 while undergoing the mechanized tax-stamping process. IE separation of the two sub-cartons 30, 32 is desired, carrier means 54 may be pulled apart along tack/non-tack releasable adhesive 58. Adhesive 58 is selected such that when the sub-cartons 30, 32 are separated, the surface of carrier means 54 leaves no tacky residue. One or more sticker means 52 may be provided between interior walls ll to connect sub-cartons 30, 32.
Once connected sub-cartons 30, 32 have lmdergone the mechanized tax-stamping process, the cartons are ready for shipment to a local retailer or wholesaler. As shown in FIG. 6, flaps 17 (which were open during the mechanical tax stamping process to provide access to packs 36 contained in sub-cartons 30, 32 for tax stamp application by distributorsl may now, optionally, be tucked into the individual sub-cartons, and the sub-cartons held together by a sticker across their top walls. Alternatively, the flaps can be lapped over each other, similar to lapping shown in FIG. 3, and secured flat across the tops of the sub-cartons 30, 32.
Although each sticker is described as individually used, any combination of stickers may be used to achieve the desired secure connection between the two five-pack sub-cartons 30, 32.
Accordingly, stickers 50 and 52 may be used to connect interior walls ll, while stickers 40, 42 and 43 may be used for additional external connection of the cartons. Other combinations of stickers 40, 42, 43, 50, and 52 are also acceptable. Additionally, a transparent band of material, such as common in the art, may be wrapped around the sub-cartons to further secure them together.

Alth~ gh adheslYes 56 ~nd S~ are descrlbed ~s bcln~
pe~manenL ~n~ rele~sablP., re~p~ctl~ely, lt will ~ appreciated .hat ad~ ve 5~ may alternati~ely be a rele!a~able adha.sive and a~h~si~e S8 may aItesnatively be a ~r,~ar.ent adh~ive, both types nf adhe~ e ~el~g kn~wn to t~e art.
Alt~ou~ flaps 1'J, dc~ignod to be tuclted Into ~ub-cartons 30, 32, are Nhown, it ~ill b& apprecl~tsd t~at ~ny approprlate ~lap ~y be llsed, s~ch a~ a llap ~ith panel 16 witho~t extenrion I8, 1ntQnded to be ~apped ot~rer the top o~ the ~t~-carton, but no~ tucked partially inside the sub-carton.
~ lthou~h extenslon panel 18 is ~escr1bed as t~c~ed Inside the æub-csrton, e~te~sion ~anel L~ may altennati~ely b~ se~ured to tbe outsido ~f the su~-carton.
Althougll sub-cartons 30, 32 are d~scxibed as each d.imensloned to hold ~lle row of fi~e clgarette packs, they may be len~thcne~ or shurtened to hold more or ~ewer thsn fiYe packs.
Purthermore, It will ~ app~eciated that those concepts may be applied to the conneetion of cartons oE other conf1~uraticns ~or whlch dlstributors cow~nly heYe ta~-~ta~Dpin~ machin~ry.
The lnYentloTI is n~t limited to re~tan~ular cartons and packs, hut includas all configurations which a~e avallable to consumers. CigaIette car~ons inc~uae cartons with ~indotl~, cartons with rounded edge~, a~d other conflguratlons ~nich ar~ designed tn be Passed thro~gh t~x-stamping equipment. Cigaret~e pac~ include such packs as ~al packs, packs with rou~de~ edgas, and other non-rectangular shape~.
~ ultipla &artons accor~ing to the lnvention may illclude more than two s~b-c~rtons. FI~S. ll to 14 ~h~w such a carton.
Blan~ llOO, shown ln ~. 1l, i5 ~1 illustrat~ve blank ~or fo~ming su~-oarton~ in accordance with this invent~on. Blank LlOQ
i8 prei'erahl~ fr~rJT~ ro~ a su~stantiillly ~tiff material such as car~boar~ or paperh~ard, and ha~ a front panel lOl~, a rear panel - 12 ~

Zt ~-"~
1012, and a bottom panel 101~1, which are each folded along fold lines, shown as broken lines not individually labeled, to form a sub-carton. Outer top extension paneL 1016, and an inner extension panel 1018 are folded over the top of the completed sub-carton, with panel 1016 above panel 1018, to form a top wall. Preferably panel 1016 extends the entire distance between panels 1010 and 1012 when blank 1100 is folded into a sub-carton, while panel 1018 preferably extends only half this distance. Dust flaps 1024 and 1026 are folded preferably perpendicular to bottom wall 1014. Panels 1020a and 1022a are then folded adjacent dust flaps 1024 and 1026, respectively, and substantially perpendicular to panel 1012.
Preferably dust flaps 1024 and 1026 include cut edges 1025 and 1027, respectively, and panels 1020a and 1022a include cut edges 1021 and 1023, respectively. When included, edge 1021 aligns with edge 1025 and ed~e 1023 aligns with edge 1027 so that panel 1020a lies in the same plane as dust flap 1024, and panel 1022a lies in the same plane as dust flap 1026. Panels 1020b and 1022b are folded over panels 1020a and 1022a, respectively, to complete side wall 1020, formed by panels 1020a and 1020b, and side wall 1022, formed by panels 1022a and 1022b. Although width 5A of panels 1010 and 1012 of blank 1100 is preferably equal to five times dimension A, the width of the long wall of a cigarette pack to be contained in the sub-carton formed by blank 1100, the width of panels 1010 and 1012 can be any multiple of dimension A. Preferably the dimension of side walls 1020 and 1022 is twice that of the short side wall of a cigarette pack to be contained in the sub-carton formed by blank 1100, but may be any multiple of this dimension, as well.
Two-pack sub-carton 1032, formed by a blank similar to blank 1100, but with front and rear panels of width A, is shown in FIG.
12. Sub-carton 1032 has a front wall 1101 from which inner extension panel 1181 extends; a rear wall 1121 from which outer extension panel 1161 extends; side walls 1201 and 1221; and bottom wall 1141. Side walls 1201 and 1221 are preferably formed of panels similar to panels 1020a, 1020b, 1022a, and 1022b. Preferably panel 1161 is the same dimension as wall 1141, extending the entire distance between walls 1101 and 1121, while panel 1181 referably only extends approximately half this distance. Sub-carton 1032 is Z ~ ~b~, ' r . ~

dimensioned to contain two cigarette packs lC36, arranged in sub-carton 1032 with their long walls parallel to front wall 1101 and rear wall 1121, and their side walls parallel to side walls 1201 and 1221.
In FIG. 13, -two sub-cartons, 1032 and 1038, are connected along side wall 1221 of two-pack carton 1032, and side wall 1204 of eight-pack carton 1038, to form a ten-pack carton. Sub-carton 1038 is similar to sub-carton 1032, having a front wall 1104, a rear wall 1124, a top wall 1164 (formed from two extension panels similar to panels 1161 and 1181), a bottom wall 1144, and side walls 1204 and 1224 (each formed from side panels similar to panels 1020a, 1020b, 1022a, and 1022b). However, the dimension of panels 104 and 124 of sub-carton 1038 is 4A, as opposed to A, the dimension of panels 1101 and 1121 of sub-carton 1032. Sub-carton 1038 is thus dimensioned to contain eight cigarette packs arranged in two rows of four packs per row (i.e., four columns of two packs each). As shown, sub-cartons 1032 and 1038 are joined by a carrier means bearing adhesive, hereinafter referred to as sticker 1050, which is described in greater detail below.
Panels 1161 and 1164 extend from rear walls 1121 and 1124, respectively, of sub-cartons 1032 and 1038, and preferably extend the entire distance between walls 1101, 1121, llQ4, and 1124.
Sub-cartons 1032 and 1038 are shown joined along side wall 1221 of sub-carton 1032 and side wall 1204 of sub-carton 1038 such that front walls 1101 and 1104 are coplanar, and rear walls 1121 and 1124 are coplanar. Hence, panels 1161 and 1164 extend from the same side of the combined sub-carton. Panel 1181, and the corresponding panel extending from front wall 1104 of sub-carton 1038, are preferably shorter than panels 1161 and 1164, such that the top extension panel configurations of sub-cartons 1032 and 1038 resemble the top extension panel configuration of a typical cigarette carton.
In this configuration, the tax- stamping machine through which the multiple carton is passed can easily open the top extension panels of the multiple carton to apply the required tax stamp to cigarette packs contained within the carton.
.i 2~

A multiple carton similar to the ca}ton of FIG. 13 is shown in FIG. 14, made up of a four-pack sub-carton 1034 and a six-pack sub-carton 1036. Each sub-carton has front walls 1102 and 1103;
rear wa~ls 1122 and 1123; side walls 1202, 1222, 1203, and 1223, formed from side panels similar to panels 1020a, 1020b, 1022a, and 1022b; bottom walls 11~2 and 1143; and top walls 1162 and 1163, formed from extension panels similar to panels 1016 and 1018.
Sub-cartons 1034 and 1036 thus resemble one another, except the dimension of panels 1102 and 1122 is 2A, twice the width of a long wall of a cigarette pack, while the dimension of panels 1103 and 1123 is 3A, three times the width of a long wall of a cigarette pack. Sub-carton 1034 thus is dimensioned to contain four cigarette packs while sub-carton 1036 is dimensioned to contain six cigarette packs, the packs arranged with their long walls parallel the front and rear walls of the sub-cartons and their side walls abutting one another and parallel to the side walls of the sub-cartons.
Sub-cartons 1034 and 1036 are shown joined by at least one carrier means bearing adhesive, hereinafter referred to as sticker 1040, positioned across adjacent coplanar walls. The carrier means of sticker 1040 is preferably mylar or paper, and bears either a permanent adhesive (any known permanent adhesive) or a releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive. Releasable, pressure- sensitive adhesive is herein defined as any adhesive known in the art which has no taste or odor, and does not cause fiber pull of the carrier means or leave a tacky residue once the surfaces joined by the adhesive are separated ~e.g., any known adhesive which provides a strong bond between surfaces but once the surfaces are pulled apart, the bonds of the adhesive are broken and the adhesive is no longer tacky). The adhesive must be sufficiently strong to hold the cartons firmly in place relative to one another and resist such shearing force which would reasonably be applied through a difference in forces applied by vertical rollers of tax-stamping machines which roll along the front and rear walls of the cartons during the tax- stamping process. The carrier means of sticker 1040 preferably includes a line of weakness such as perforated line 1041, which is preferably positioned along the plane of abutment of the two sub-cartons to facilitate separation of the two cartons.

2 ~

~ lthough cartons 1032 and 1038 are shown in FIG. 13 as joined by stlcker 1050, sticker lQ~0 may be used in combination with sticker 1050 or only sticker 10~10 may be used to join cartons 1032 and 103~. Likewise, although sub-cartons 1034 and 1036 are shown in FIG. 14 as joined by sticker lQ40, sticker 1050 may be used in combination wi-th sticker 1040 or only sticker 1050 may be used to join sub-cartons 103~ and 1036. Moreover, any desired number of stickers 1040 or 1050 may be used to join any of the sub-cartons to each other, and either or both embodiments of sticker 1050 may be used. Additionally, a transparent band of material such as common in the art, may be wrapped around the cartons to further secure them together walls 1101, 1121, 1104, and 1124. Although adhesives 1056 and 1058 are described as being permanent and releasable, respectively, it will be appreciated that adhesive 1056 may alternatively be a releasable adhesive and adhesive 1058 may alternatively be a permanent adhesive, both adhesives being known in the art.
Although "b" panels 1020b and 1022b are dimensioned so that the "b" panels are to be folded over na" panels 1020a and 1022a to form side walls, the "a" panels may be dimensioned to be folded over the n b" panels, instead.
Although only the connections of a two-pack sub-carton with an eight-pack sub-carton and a four-pack sub-carton with a six-pack sub-carton are shown, any other combinations of sub-cartons is within the scope of this invention. Moreover, the dimension of the multiple carton formed by the connection of sub-cartons is not limited to that of a ten-pack carton, but may be of any desired dimension for containing any convenient number of cigarette packs.
In order to facilitate the passage of multiple cartons of the invention through tax stamping apparatus, the shape of the lid flaps may be modified. FIGS. 15 to 20 show a conventional cartons and a conventional tax stamping machine.
j Blank 5100, shown in FIG. 15, is typical of blanks used forconventional cigarette cartons. Blank 5100 is preferably formed from a substantially rigid material such as paperboard or cardboard, ' and has a plurality of fold lines represented as broken lines (not individually labeled) along which the panels are folded to form the ~ ?~

carton Panels 110 and 112 Eorm, respectively, the front and rear walls of the carton, and each are preferably approximately five times the width of a long wall of a cigarette pack to be enclosed in the completed carton. These panels each extend from, and are subsequently joined along bottom pane] 114, which is preferably the same width as the front and rear panels. Preferably, the length of bottom panel 114 is at least as long as either one or two times the width of the short wall of a cigarette pack to be enclosed in the completed carton. Hence, the carton formed from blank 5100 is dimensioned to contain either five cigarette packs or ten cigarette packs arranged in rows of five packs per row, the packs arranged with their short walls abutting one another. As used herein, a cigarette pack is defined as any pack commonly used for holding a predetermined number of cigarettes, and generally having front and back long walls connected by two short side walls. Extension panels 116 and 118, extending from panels 112 and 110, respectively, form a pair of lap flaps for closing the formed carton. Panel 116 is preferably the same dimension as bottom panel 114 and is to be folded over panel 118, which may be any desired dimension which provides sufficient surface area for joining panels 116 and 118.
Dust flaps 124 and 126 are folded preferably perpendicular to bottom wall 114. Side panels 120b and 122b are then folded adjacent dust flaps 124 and 126, respectively, and substantially perpendicular to panel 110. Side panels 120a and 122a are folded over side panels 120b and 122b, respectively, to complete side wall 120, $ormed by side panels 120a and 120b, and side wall 122, formed by side panels 122a and 122b.
Completed carton 150, formed from blank 5100, is shown in FIG. 16, filled with cigarette packs 36. Flaps 116 and 118 are shown open, exposing packs 36 so that a tax stamp may be applied to the ends of the packs. Because flap 118 is shorter than flap 116, and preferably approximately one half the length of flap 116, the orientation of the carton is important when it is passed through a tax-stamping machine. Thus, if the hold-down guide for the shorter flap is on the right side of the conveyor path, side wall 122 must be the leading side of the carton into the machine.

The carton operling portion 600 of a typical tax-stamping machine is shown in FIG. 17. ~ cigarette carton such as carton 150, having lap flap 116 folded over and temporarily secured to lap fLap 118 with releasa~le adhesive, is opened for tax-stamping as follows. Cigarette carton 150 travels along path 610 lengthwise, i.e., with long walls 110 and 112 of carton 150 substantially parallel to path 610. ~alls 110 and 112 of carton 150 are squeezed together by pinch rollers (not shown) similar to pinch rollers 644 and 646 to cause lapped flaps 116 and 118, temporarily secured together, to bow upwards. Plow 620 ca~ then be inserted between the flaps and the cigarette packs in carton 150 to plow open the lapped flaps. The bottom portion of the plow widens to bend the flap substantially perpendicular to walls 110 and 112 of the carton, and the carton is then passed under contoured portion 622 which further bends the flaps toward walls 110 and 112. After leaving contoured portion 622, lap flaps 116 and 118 may not be completely flat against walls 110 and 112, as would be desirable. Hold-down guides, described in greater detail below, further fold lap flaps 116 and 118 so that they lie substantially parallel to and flat against walls 110 and 112. Lap flaps 116 and 118 are substantially flat against walls 110 and 112 when carton 150 passes between pinch rollers 644 and 646, housed in housings 640 and 642, which further flatten the lap flaps against the walls. Thus, lap flaps 116 and 118 will not obstruct the cigarette packs in carton 150 when carton 150 is passed through the tax-stamping portion of the tax-stamping machine. To maintain lap flaps 116 and 118 in this position, carton 150 is guided between walls such as walls 626 and 628.
An end view of hold-down guides 630 and 632 is shown in FIG.
18, as seen from path 610, approaching the hold-down guides. Each hold-down guide 630 and 632 is substantially L-shaped, having an upper hori~ontal portion 631, 633, and a lower vertical portion 635, 637. Hold-do~l guides 630 and 632 are positioned at angle to path 610, so that the space between hold-down guides 630 and 632 narrows as carton 150 passes through the guides. The ends of lap flaps 116 and 118 encounter and are pushed down by hori~ontal portions 631 and 633 to be substantially flat against walls 110 and 112.

~"?~

An overhead view oE carton 153 approaching hold-down guides 630 and 632 is shown in rIG. 19. Lap flaps 116 and 118 are shown, in exaggeration, as not completely flat agains-t walls 110 and 112.
Thus, although the width of carton 150 is substantially the same as distance D between hold-down guides 630 and 632, lap flaps 116 and 118 extend the apparent width of carton 150 beyond distance D. The protruding ends of ]ap flaps 116 and 118 encounter hold-down guides 630 and 632 and are progressively pushed closer to walls 110 and 112 as hold-down guides 630 and 632 become closer to each other downstream of path 610.
The paperboard from which carton 150 is formed has "memory", such that when lap flaps 116 and 118 are folded, they tend to fold back to a position substantially parallel to walls 110 and 112, i.e., the position in which they are when the carton is still an unfolded blank. As shown in FIG. 20, because lap flap 116 is longer than lap flap 118, horizontal portion 631 is positioned lower than horizontal portion 633. The bottom edge of lap flap 116 barely extends below the bottom edge of horizontal portion 631, and the bottom edge of lap flap 118 barely extends below the bottom edge of horizontal portion 633. Thus, any portion of either lap flap 116 or 118 which resists being folded will be held down by hori~ontal portions 631 and 633, respectively.
When five-pack sub-cartons formed from a blank slmilar to blank 100 are used to form a dual carton according to the invention, front walls 110 are positioned adjacent and coextensive with one another and flaps 118 must be folded down between walls 110, so that they are not in the way of the tax-stamper. Preferably, five-pack su~-cartons having tuck-in flaps which may be overlapped to temporarily close the cartons are used instead. Tuck-in flaps of five-pack sub-cartons typically have a top closure panel which is approximately the same size as short lap flap 118 of a ten-pack carton, and an additional tuck-in portion, which is tucked into the carton to close the carton. Such cartons also allow for opening and reclosing of the carton by the consumer.
When five-pack sub-cartons with tuck-in flaps are secured together to form a dual carton, the tuck-in flaps are preferably positioned so that they are along the exterior of the dual carton in 2 ~

substantially the same positions as lap flaps 116 and 118, and may be overlapped to close the carton. The tuck-in portion of the tuck-in flaps of each of the joined sub-cartons is preferably the same dimension as the top closure panel so that each tuck-in flap will extend across the entire top of the ten-pack carton. Such tuck-in flaps may be plowed open by plow 620 as lap flaps 116 and 118 are plowed open. However, as shown in FIG. 21, tuck-in flap 17 consequently is longer than short lap flap 118 of a typical ten-pack carton, and tuck-in portion 18 extends below hori~ontal portion 633 of hold-down guide 632. ~he "memory" of tuck-in portion 18 typically prevents tuck-in portion 18 from being held down with the remainder of tuck-in flap 17, and tuck- in portion 18 is thus easily snagged by vertical portion 637 of hold-down guide 632. Blanks 200, 300, 400, and 500 of FIGS. 22, 23, 24, and 25, respectively, provide tuck-in flaps having tapered tuck-in portions so that the shortest part of the tapered tuck-in portion is properly held down by hold-down guide 632 and does not have sufficient "memory" to extend beyond the plane of tuck-in flap 17 and be snagged. Once the longer portion of the tapered tuck-in portion reaches the hold-down guide, the entire flap is already adequately held down so that the longer portion also remains substantially flat against the walls of the carton and is not snagged.
Each of blanks 200, 300, 400, and 500 of FIGS. 22, 24, 26, and 28 have a front panel 10, and a rear panel 12 which are substantially the same as panels 110 and 112 of blank 5100. Bottom panel 14 is preferably the same width as panels 10 and 12, and sufficiently longer than the width of the short wall of a cigarette pack, so that the sub-carton formed from blank 200 is dimensioned to contain one row of five cigarette packs. Dust flaps 24 and 26, which correspond to dust flaps 124 and 126 of blank 100, are folded preferably perpendicular to bottom wall 14. Side panels 20b and 22b are then folded adjacent dust flaps 24 and 26, respectively, and substantially perpendicular to panel 10. Side panels 20a and 22a are folded over side panels 20b and 22b, respectively, to complete side wall 20, formed by side panels 20a and 20b, and side wall 22, formed by side panels 22a and 22b. The width of each of side walls 20 and 22 is the same as the length of bottom wall 14. Each half of ~ ~ ~i 2 r ~

blank 500 is substantially identical to blank 200. The halves of blank 500 which each fGrm a separate fi~e-pack sub-carton are joined along a line of weakness such as perforated line 31.
Instead of having lap flaps, the sub-cartons formed from blanks 200, 300, ~00, and 500 have a tuck- in flap composed of a top closure panel ~6 and a tuck- in panel 18, having an end 19 adjacent wall 20, and an end 21 adjacent wall 22. Top closure panel 16 is substantially rectangular and the same dimension for each of blanks 200, 300, 400, and 500. Tuck-in panel 18 of each of blanks 200, 300, 400, and 500 is tapered.
Tuck-in panel 2018 of blanks 200 and 500 has a single taper along the entire width of panel 2018. The length of end l9a is preferably short enough so that the hold-down guide which usually holds down the shorter lap flap of a cigarette carton does not snag the remaining longer section of tuck-in flap 17a, formed by top closure panel 16 and tuck-in panel 2018, when side wall 20 is the first side wall to approach the tax-stamping machine and end 19a is on the side of a hold-down guide for a short lap flap. Furthermore, the length of end l9a also is preferably long enough so that it will remain tucked inside the sub-carton to close the it, when desired.
A length which satisfies both such requirements is approximately one-quarter the length of top closure panel 16. The length of end 21a is preferably the same as the length of top closure panel 16.
Sub-cartons 30 and 32 which form the dual cartons of FIGS.
23, 25, 27, 29, 30 and 31, are joined so that the tuck-in flaps 17 extend from walls which remain visible after the sub-cartons are joined, i.e., walls 12, hereinafter referred to as exterior walls 13. Because "a" panels 20a and 22a are preferably folded over "b"
panels 20b and 22b, the free edges of each of the "a" panels of the side walls faces inwardly, i.e., the free edges lie adjacent walls 10, hereinafter referred to as interior walls 11, when sub-cartons 30, 32 are joined. In this configuration, the free edges of the "a" panels are not readily accessible and thus are relatively safe from being accidentally lifted from their place adjacent the "b" panels.

As shown in FIG. 23, when two blanks 200 are folded into sub-cartons 30 and 32 and joined to form dual carton 50, tuck-in flaps 17a may be overlapped to temporarily seal the dual carton.
8ecause end 21a of tuck-in panel 2018 is substantially the same length as top closure panel 16, the longest end 21a of tuck-in flaps 17a of sub-cartons 30 and 32 will extend across the entire top of dual carton 50. Tuck-in flaps 17a of the dual carton formed by blank 500, may similarly be overlapped. The final stages of folding blank 500 into a dual carton are shown in FIG. 29. The sub-cartons are joined by carrier means bearing adhesive such as labels 40, applied across adjacent coplanar side walls, label 42, applied across the bottom walls, and label 43, applied across the corners of sub-cartons 30 and 32, or other labels. Tuck-in flaps 17a may be joined by releasable adhesive or by a label similar to the above-mentioned labels. Any of the above-mentioned labels may optionally bear pricing indicia such as Universal Product Code (U.P.C.) indicia for the automatic pricing of the dual carton. The indicia are preferably positioned such that they are rendered unreadable by automatic scanning equipment upon separating the sub-cartons.
Preferably, if pricing indicia are included, only one label bearing pricing indicia is used.
Tuck-in panel 2019 of blank 300 shown in FIG. 24 has two tapers along the width of panel 2019. The tapers join at pointed central section 23b preferably proximal the center of panel 2019.
The length of ends l9b and 21b of panel 2019 which are adjacent the side walls of the sub-carton formed from blank 300 is preferably short enough so that the hold-down guide which usually holds down the shorter lap flap of a cigarette carton does not snag tuck-in panel 2019. Furthermore, the length of ends l9b and 21b of panel 2019 also is preferably long enough so that tuck-in flap 17b will remain tucked inside the sub-carton, when desired. A length which satisfies both such requirements is approximately one-quarter the length of top closure panel 16. The length of the pointed central portion 23b of tuck-in panel 2019 is preferably the same as the length of top closure panel 16.

?,,_~
As shown in ~IG. 25, ~han ~wo ~ nks 300 ar~ folded ~eO
su~-carton~ 30 and 32 ~i jo~ d to ~or-~ dua1 cart~n 52, tuck~
flaps 17b ~ay be overl~pped to t~nporarily s~1 tho d~a1 carton.
BaCAuse central portion 23b of tuck-in portion ~019 i8 SUbRtalltially th~ ~ lQn~h as top c10~ure pan~ , csntra1 portion 23b of tuck-ln ilap~ 17b of s~b-~rton6 30 ~1 3~ wil~ e"ctend acro88 th~
~tire top of dual c.~rt 52. ~e sub-cArtons may be ~olnsd by l~>e1s 40, 4~, n51d 43, such a~ th~e sho~m in FIG. 26. Tu~o in l'laps 17a may ~ joinad by rol~asable adhe~ive or bs~ a 1abeI s~milar to the.above-lGent~on~ label~.
Th~ tucl~ lap ~7c o~ blank 4ûO sh~ in FIG. 26 is Fub6tantially tho sa~e as that o~ blank 30~, except for an addltional tuck-in sxt~ncl C20 extend~ng fro~ c~tral portion 23b of tuck-in pdnel 2Dl9. ~uck~ esten~lon ~0~0 may be joine~ tv tuck-in panel 2019 alony perforatad 1 nn Z5 to fdcilitate ~at~r r~ al. as ~hown ln ~IG. 27, ~ken t~o ~1anks 4ûO are folded into sub-ca~ton~ 3D and 32 and joined to for~l du~1 carton 54, tu~-in extensi~n 2020 ~ay b~ tucl;ed bet?een exterior wall 13, and the eigarette pa~ ~hic~ arg contained 13- tbe co~pleted cBrt~n. Such tuc~c.ng l~ ac~omp1is~ed ~ foldin~ tuc1E-in flaps 17c of eaxton~ 30 an~ 32 ~uch that tuck-in pan~l 2~19 is p~sitloned bQne4th top closure pan~1 16, so t~ae e2~tens~ 020 i~ ~dja~ent the top o~
~xterior wall 13. eacb tuck-in flap 17c ~hus re6e~ribles the short lap flap of ~ standard oi~are~te ca~on, ~ at ~elther ~uc)~
flap lte ~ long po,rtlon ~ch may be snagged hy the ho1d-da~
f,~uide for t~ hortar 1*~ ~lap. 6ub-cartons 30 and 32 are prefera~ly ~o~cd by la~ 40, ~2, ~nd 4?~ SUdl a~ those B~m in F1~. a3. n2cl~-in ~lap~ 17O are te~pora~ily 3Oined to clo~e du~
ca~ton 5~ by applyin~ a lobol 8L~i1ar to ths al~-~tioned 1a~el~
~,t fslxxr~) a~ro~ the t~ps uf the flaps.
A~ sbo~m ln f~G5. 30, 31, ~nd 33, ~h~ t~lC~- in naps o~ dual carton~ 50, ~2, al~d 5~ r~ 1e co~entio~1 lap f1a~s of clg~rett~ carton at t~ e~ f th'~ carton ~bich l~ad4 into t~
stamping rdchln~, after th~ plow of the tax-~tamping machi~e h~s op~nffd the lapped ~ oth~ e t~pora~y 4eal~ tuck~ ln flap~.
~hu~, once the flapa are ~o~ded ~ ~tially par~11e1 to e~ter~or wa11s 13, th~ tapergd portio~ ~ncountc~ing h~d~ ul~ ~32 is -- ~3 -held down so th~t th~ lon~er portion of tne3;-in portio~l 20~9 w~
suffici~ntly held 1~ aln8t esterioL ~all 13. As sh~n in ~
32, ~ori~ant~l portiorl ~33 holds do~ thQ s~ort section of t~red tuck~in ~ortion 2019, ~w if the short ~ction ~e~c d short lap fl~p, so that once th~ l~ng~r porti~n passe~ through ho}d-dohm suide 63Z, the tuc~t-in portion will be ~lat against exterior ~ll 13 ~nd will not bc 6n~ d agalnst verti~al portion 6~7.
~ ual carton ~05~ of FlG. 30, for~ed from ~l~nks sllch as blank 200 or blan~; 500, i8 ~ho~n aftQ~ previously ov~rl~pped tuc~-in f?apc 17a have been plowed open to apply a tax staop to ehe end~ of cigarette packs 36 in tb~ ~t~n. Carto4 205~ laay be used in ~
tax-~tampin~ oachine in ~ich the hold-do~n ~uide for the shorter lap flap of a conv~ti~nal carto~ is o~ right cide of the machine. In ~uch ~ mac~lne, th~g shor~c flap of the corventio~a1 ~arton ~Ist lead in~o th~ machine OD t~e rigbt sid~. Du~1 carton 2050 enters a ta~ ta~pinq ~achine with a:u initially sho~t Il~p or~
the ~ight sid~ o~ carton. ~he f}ap ls sl~ort for a 6u~ nt width of tuck-in panel 2018 ~o that once tuck-in panol 2018 be~D~es wider, tuck-in f~ap 174 will have be~n h~l~ down long enou~h ~r the l~>nge~ portlon to remai~ fulded do~ adjacent e~terior wall 13 a~d con~equently ha ~naq~d by ~ hold-doKn guld~. Blanks 200 and 500 w~.~ld ha~e ~ be a1tered ~ thH cartons formed from th~se blanks are to be pa68ed thrcugh a maehine in which th~ hold-~o~n gui~e for the shwrter lap fl~p is on the le~t side. Ascordingly, end 19~ ~f tuck-ln pan2l 201~ ~ould have t~ be tha lon~r end and end 21a of tuck-in p~nel 201~ would ha~e to b~ the shurter en~. If desired, su~-cartons 30 an~l 32 of ~arton 2D50 may ~e fon~d ~ro~ blank~ which would allow for ~hort eud ~9a o~ bo~ tuck-in ~Hl~ 201~ to be ~o~it~Dned at ~h~ a end of carton Z05~, aad lon~ end 21a o$ bot~
tuck-iD p~nel~ 20la to be po8le~ t the other end of carton 2050, ~ al careon 2052 ~or~ed frwl bla~ as blank 300, i~
~hown in FIG. 31 after pr~viDu~1y o-r~12ppoa ~a~ 17b h~e ~
plowed open to a~ply a ~ax 6ta~p to the end~ of cigarette packs 36.
C~rtc3~ 2052 way ~ u~ed i~ a tox-sta~epinq ~ ne with tho ~ol~n gllido ~or the s~wrter lap flap either on ~e ~lgh~ Or~ the l~ft ~
Either end ~f the d~1 carton 2052 ~n~ti~lly present~ a sh~r~ filap 2~ ~ ~?'~ 3L
on ~oth sides of the cfl~ton. ~otl3 flaF~ ar~ short f~r a sufficien~
wldth of tuch~in pane~. 2019 xo that ancc tllc)c-in panal ~Olg b~come~;
wider, tuc1~ fl~p 17b h~ ave been h.~ld dawn long ~nollgh ~or the lonye~ portiorl to r~main fnld~d dol~n adjacent ext~trio~ u~ll 13 and not ~ve ~w~y fro~ e~Yterior waI1 13 and co~e~uQntly be sn~gged by a bol~-d~ n guide.
Althol~gh carton 2052 may be pref~rab1~ to c~rton 2050 hec~us~ not orie~ tion ~eci~ic, cart~ 2052 ~low~ less time ~or flaps 17b to b~ h~ld do~n to clear th~ llold-down guide with~ut 8nagging th~ lonqe~ porti~n of flap. 'ruck-in fl~s 17a ~iden more gradually thaJI tuck-in ilap8 17~ and t~e wlder ~l~p trailg into the ~achlne at th~ end, OIIc~ th~ flap~ ara ~l~o~t ccrtainly held do~sn ~e11 enough so that s~agglng ~rill not occ~r. }lo~e~e~, c~ton 2û52 D~y ~till be preferal~le, ~esth~ti~al1y, bec~use o~ it~ y~n~try.
Flaps 17c of carton 2054 ~P}G. 33) may be folded to n~o~t clo8e1y rese~le a conventional cigare'cte carton ha~ing lap f1a~?s.
As s~n in ~IG~ 33, one f1aP, hQro tuck-in fl~p 17~ ~f su~carton 32, ~ay ~o~ded ~lcll that tuck in ~tension ~020 i~ positioned betwe~ ext~ior ~all 13 and cigar~tte p~c~s 36. 'rhe ~olded flap thus ha~ ~ubs~anti~lly ~he sa~e ~imcncion a8 the shorter lap flap of a conYentional c~rtwl havi~g 1~p f1aps. ~i8 flap ~nay lat~r be w~oided and t~uked into ~carton 32. Tuck-ln flap l'~c o~
~carton 30 ma~ additio~aliy or alter~ative1y be fold~ uch that tuck~n exteq~ion 2020 16 po~ltion~d ~th~ cteri~r ~all 1~ and cigarette pdcl~s 36.
After a t~x stan~ en appli~d ~ the e~d8 of each o~
eigarette packs 3~, tuc~-in flap~ ~7a, 17b, and 17c ~aay be foldsd into thelr re~p~ctiv~ s~-cal:ton~ to seal the~ tribution to ccnsu~lers, n~ sl~ in FIG. 34. Pr~f4ra~1y, a ~ha~ eans ~or tucking t~ 1a~ into the s~careons i~ nd the ~ gest part o~ the flsp i~ tucl~ ir8t, the shorter part ~ollowing. A label sioi1ar to label qO ~ay }?e ;;~laced o~ar the tbp cloeurc par~ of adjacent 4~cart~s 30 and 32 to fur~ber join the sub-carto~s~ or the sub-cartons ~ay be ~eparated by sa~aring a~y 1abe13 whlch wer~
~ppli~d to ad~acent coplanE~r wal1~ of tho dual ear~ons ~o io~n tbe su~carto~ls for t~-stampi~g.
J

- ~5 -2 ~ r~ r~
Fl~ 5 ~h~s an ~lubodiment i~ w:hich t~o s~b-~arton~ are joinQd tog~ er t~ form a dual carton by a stic~r ~hich do~6 not adhe~e to an ~xtQrnal surface of cit~er sub-carton.
Two Rub-c~rton~ 30 and 32 ae po!sitioue~d for atta~b~ent d~
du~ ~ca~t~ it. Folded ~ub-cart~ bl~nks 30 and 32 should prefer~ly bc ;dentical. Fold~d ~ub-c~.~ton6 32 ha9 been rutat~l 180~1~th rcsE~ct. to su~-c~rton 2' ~ that fr~t wall 10' ahuts ~ont ~All 10. I'op flap~ 4, ~' hav~ beeA ~oldc~ back away fr~ the tops o~ thc fi~c cigar~tte pack~ ln t:h~ s~carton~.
In con~tructing th~ d~al cartoz~ iEr~m folde~ blanks, the side pan~l~ 20b and 22b of sach sub-cartor~ blan} ~u~t first be folded ayainst the ~ide w~ th~ two cigaretee packs at the ends o~
ea~ lx5 pack ~r~up. ThQn, a slip-lock in~srt 26 with two ~u~d ~urface~ is plac~d o~er and adhered ta ~ide pa~el~ ~Ob and Z2b at ~ach end Df th~ dual hal~-cartcn ~it. In otb~r words, at one end, Rn insert is place~ ov~r and adhered to side pan~1 20h and side ~an~l 22b' whi1e, at th~ ot~er ~nd, an insert is placed oYer and adhe~ed to side panel 22b ~nd pan~l 20b'. The ~lip-lock ins~rt will adhrre to the ~ide flaps ~r ~irtu~ of the tac~y surfaces o~ t~e insert.
~ hQn, ~t ~ach end of th~ d~al carton, ~id~ panels 20a aQd 22a ar~ fo1ded ~gaingt the 61des of thR IxS pac~ units, rele~sably adhered ~o th~ ~lip-lo~k inserts by the releasahla adh~sive ~nd Fermanently adhered by oth~r neaus to ~ide pa~ol~ 2~b and 22b and to botto~ tabs 24 ~nd 2~. Thi6 perDanent ~dhering of side panels 20A
and 22a at ~ach end o~ ~he dual ~ub-carton unit tJ ~ide panels 20b and 22b and to boff:o3 tah3 2~ and 26 i8 t~pically done with permanen~ glue ~ut ~a~ be acco~lished with any otbHr XnuNn ~eanA, in~ludin~ tape or otber p~rma~ent adh~8i~e5. How w~r, th~ p~r~anent adhe~lve ~st be pla~d abwe and be1ow tbe ~lip-lock insert ~o that tb~ adhe~ive g}u~ side panels 20a and 22a only to tho sid~
~otto~ flap6 but not to tbe sli~-lo~k insert 250. Th4 ~lip-lo~
insert 260 rEnaln~ fir~1y tn Fo~it~on by ~irtuo of it4 ow~ tachy ~urfaoes. Adhering of the ~lip-lw~ in8~rts 260 to the side ~alls by ~ean~ ~ther than the ta~ky sur~aces of the slip-lo~k inserts will undesirflbl~ prevent the slip-loc~ insert~ frv~ belng ~bseque~tlY
d~tacb~d.

- 2~ -2~ ~_n~
On thh re~ulLiug c~p1~ted duaL carton, one gu~d ~lip-lock insert rests ~etNee~l and adher~s ~o the ~ide panels ~kis~g up ~he ~ide s/all at e~c~ end o~ eacb s~carton. The ~c~y adh~ive on both sides of tbe in6ert~ 6~Ye~ the pU~pOS~8 o ~ecurlng ~hQ
slip-loc~ in~ert~ to the to sub-ca~rtolls and of thece~y ~QCuring thc two ~c~rt~ls one to .~notber to Eor~ a dual carton -- i.e., a Eull cartol~ ~;t~cture~
l~hen t~ c~rt:on6, edch containing fiY~ 20 ci~arette paclcx ln a Ix5 pack side-~ sidA con~ rat1~, a~e ~;ecuely adhered and paired together in this f~shion, a full carton containin~ ten citlarette packF~ in the ~;t~ndard 2x5 pack carton ~onfigurat:ion is for~ed. These t~ carton~ may then be tax-st~ped tog~ther ~s single Zx5 pack ~mit in existil~g taX-StA~ing ~aohines. Afte~ tax sta~in~, dt thc retail le~ cons~er has tb~ optlon of purchasing the t~o su~c~to~l~ as a Iull t~n-pack c~rt~n of clgarettes or ~ sep~atinS~ the two s~carta~s by pulling th~
ap~ chasing only on~3 flvo-~ac~ ~ub-car~oc.
l~o ~ub c~rtons ~ay b~ joined to~eth~r to fonD a ~ual carton aecordirlg to the l~q~tion ~y jolnlng their lid ~l~ps toyether, as shown in YIGS. 36 ~nd 37, in whi~ the s~c~;t~ ha~e }~p lids, the ~o~r flap 3019 of ~hich ~t~s ~rc~s t~e uppar edge o~ the Lnt~rior s/~ll ll oi t~e ~cartons uh1ch are ~upe~po~ed in the ~u~l cart~N~. The lo~es flaps ar~ ~oined ~y a sticlter in the fortn of adhesIye tape 30$0, Nhioh ha8 a pcrforat~on 3051 ~lo~g it~ cellter line to faciliti~te s~paration of th~ s~-cart~ ;. Upper lld ilapg 3018 ~106e t~ w~-carton~; the t~ 3050 ~dy carry adhe~i~e on both f~ces to wbi~h the up~r flaps 3018 adhere. A ~tick~r 4Z ~not ~own in ~I~. 36 and 37) i~ prefor~ly adhe~d acro~ ~tto~ wall~ of tS~e ~ub cartan~. ln tht~ ~a~, th~ du~ cartG~ ~ay be ~ stamped follo~, before the lnner lld fl~p~ 341~ ~re tap~d together.
Befor~ tax-sea~ping, th~e ~Mer lid naps 3018 are ~oldeâ
between tb~ ~o~ carton4 60 that t~e top~ of th~ c~gsrett6 ~ac~6 aT~ Sw~structed ~or taY-~taqpl~. Aft~ tax-~ta~pin~, the sul~-csrto~ are pi~ot~d alwlg the sticker Yhich joi~s t~, 80 that ~laps 3û18 ~ay he remo~e~ f~ ~etw~ t~ ~uperposed i~te~ior walls 11, an~2 folded o~er ~ Op8 of t~e ~ cartons to be adhered together ~ tape 30$0.

~ a7-cartor~ ay b-3 ~oined ~ er to for~ a dual carton accordinq ~ t:he lnvel~tion at th~ upper reSr;on6 o~ the ~uS~e~pos-?a wall6, ilt addition to ~tickar~ 42 a~o~ he top, ~iddle or bot~
wall6. ~he ~tperpac~d 7~all~ may b~ jui~l~ hy a&e~ivu c~r double side~ adh~siva t~pe ~r stic~tcr~, or by ~a strip o~ sir~la sided a~he~ive tape adhured to the llpp~r sar~ of the lnterior faceu o the wall~.
ln a profer~e~ ~botli~ent o~ ch a dual carton sh~n ln Pi~. 38, the su~c~rton~ ana 3~ ~re ~oin~d ~y areas of adhQsi~e 4050 along the lnterio~ wall ~ one ~ ca~ton 30. The lid fl~p 17 nf tbe oth~r ~Cdrt~Xn 32 i6 aah~r~d to t~ lid f~ f the ~Ir~t BUb carton 30 by ar~as of adhe~ive 4050', aligned ~ith the area3 of adh~lvo ~050 in ~lff sup~pos~d wall6. ~Ibon th~ sub-~arto~s 30, ~2 have b~en ~parated, th~ a~Sh~sive 4050 re~n8 oll the inte~ior ~all 11 of th~ first ~carton 30 a~ ay be used to ~eal that ~ub carto~l. Likesilse, the adheslvo gD50' re~in~ o~ lid flap 17 of th~ other ~ carton 32 and say ~o used to soal that sub-carton.
The stic~er~ used to 30~n sub cartons to form ~u~tlple cartoJ3s as to tbo is~v~ntion may be recta~gular in sbape, or l-ay be o~ any other de~ired ~hape ~uch a~ ci~cular, triangul~ or ~quare.
Advantogeou~l~J ho~o~r, tbey ar~ ~arrower ~ th~ center than at their ~nds, as ~hoon in iIG. 39. Sticl~er 44 bas a cuta~ay 45, narrowing the ~Dtr~l reyi~n6~ The n~ 3N regia~l of the ~tic1~r overlis~ th~ gap ~etw~en adjacent cub~cartQ~I~. The sticke~s may b~
cf any deaired sl~e; th~y ~ or~ally b~ slnal~er t~an th~ wall~ to Nhich they are ~

- 2~ -

Claims (25)

1. A multiple unit cigarette carton comprising at least two sub-cartrons(30,32), the multiple unit carton being dimensioned to pass through a conventional tobacco tax-stamp applicator, adjacent sub-cartons being frangibly connected together (40)(42)(43)(31)(50) (52)(3050)(1040)(1050) for passage through a tobacco tax-stamp applicator and subsequent separation, the frangible connection comprising at least one sticker (260)(40)(42)(43)(3050)(1040)(1050) adhered across at least one pair of walls, one wall of the pair being from each sub-carton.

2. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 1 for packaging a first number of cigarette packs and of dimensions compatible with commercially available tax-stamping machinery used in the automated processing of cigarette cartons, each cigarette pack having a pair of opposed long walls and a pair of opposed short walls, the multiple unit cigarett carton comprising:

a first sub-carton (30) having four substantially vertical walls (10,12,20,22), a top wall (16), and a bottom wall (14), the four substantially vertical walls including a front wall (10), a rear wall (12) substantially parallel and spaced from the interior front wall, and the first (20) and second (22) exterior walls connecting juxtaposed vertical edges of the front wall and the rear wall, in which the rear wall has an extension (16) along the top edge thereof, the extension being folded substantially perpendicular to the rear wall and extending toward the front wall, to form the top wall, the widths of the front wall and the rear wall being sufficiently wider than a second number of times the width of the long wall of a cigarette packs, and the widths of the side walls being sufficiently wider than a third number of times the width of the short wall of the cigarette pack so that a fourth number of cigarette packs, equal to the product of the said second number and the said third number, can be positioned inside the first carton with the short walls parallel to the side walls;

a second sub-carton (32) substantially identical to the first carton, the first and second sub-cartons positioned adjacent one another with the front wall of the first sub-carton coextensive with the front wall of the second sub-carton such that the borders of the front walls are aligned; and a least one sticker comprising a substantially flat carrier (56)(58) bearing adhesive on at least part of each side of the carrier, the sticker being positioned between the front walls of the first and second sub-cartons with the adhesive in contact with the front walls to secure the sub-cartons in position adjacent one another such that the borders of the front walls are aligned, in which the first side of the carrier faces the first sub-carton and the second side of the carrier faces the second sub-carton, and in which the dual cigarette carton is dimensioned to contain twice the said fourth number of cigarette packs, which is equal to the said first number of cigarette packs.

3. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 2, in which the said second number is five.

4. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 2 or 3, in which the third number is one.

5. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 2, 3 or 4, in which one half of the carrier (54) bears adhesive (56) only on the said first side and the remaining half of the carrier bears adhesive only on the said second side.

6. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 5, in which the carrier (54) has a line of weakness (51) along the border of the said two halves.

7. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 6 in which the line of weakness (51) is a line of perforations.

8. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 2, 3 or 4, in which the sticker comprises a first carrier (54) a first side of which is directly adhered to the front wall (10) of the first sub carton (30) and a second carrier (54) a second side of which is directly adhered to the front wall of the second sub-carton (32), and the second side of the first carrier is releasably connected to the first side of the second carrier.

9. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 8, in which the first side of the first carrier (54) and the second side of the second carrier (54) bear permanent adhesive (57) for attachment to the first (30) and second (32) sub-cartons, respectively; and the second side of the first carrier and the first side of the second carrier bear releasable, pressure-sensitive adhesive (58) for attachment of the first and second carriers to each other.

10. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to claim 9, in which the releasable adhesive (58) does not leave tacky residue upon separation of the first (30) and second (32) sub-cartons.

11. A multiple unit cigarette carton according to any preceding claim, in which a sticker is adhered across at least one pair of exterior walls of respective adjacent sub-cartons (30,32).

12. A multiple unit carton according to any preceding claim in which at least one sticker (40)(42)(43)(1040) carries on it outer fact first indicia characteristic of the multiple unit carton, the first indicia extending across the plane of abutment of at least two adjacent sub-cartons (30,32) of the multiple unit carton whereby the first indicia is rendered indecipherable when one of the said at least two sub-cartons is separated from another.

13. A multiple unit carton according to claim 12 in which each sub-carton (30,32) of the multiple unit carton carries second indicia characteristic of itself which is not visible when the sub-cartons are in the form of the multiple unit carton.

14. A multiple unit carton as in claim 13 in which the second indicia are carried on the superposed faces (10) of the sub-cartons (30,32) of the multiple unit carton.

15. A multiple unit carton according to any preceding claim in which the constituent sub-cartons (30,32) have lids, each lid comprising an upper wall 16 extending from an exterior wall 13 of the multiple unit carton and a lid flap (2018)(2019) extending from the edge of the top wall opposite the said exterior wall, the lid flap tapering in the direction parallel to the said edge of the top wall.

16. A multiple unit carton according to claim 15 in which the lid flap 2019 tapers from narrow at each end to wide in the middle.

17. A multiple unit carton according to claim 16 is which tab 2020 extends from the middle of the free edge of the lid flap 2019.

18. A multiple unit carton according to any preceding claim in which the sticker (260) is adhered between flaps (20b,20b',22b 22b') (20a,20a',22a,22a') of respective adjacent walls of adjacent sub-cartons (2,2') of the multiple unit carton.

19. A multiple unit carton according to claim 18 in which the sticker (26) carries adhesive on both faces.

20. A multiple unit carton according to any preceding claim in which the sticker (3050) is adhered to lid panel of adjacent sub-cartons of the multiple unit carton.

21. A multiple unit carton according to claim 20 in which the sticker (3050) is adhered to flaps (3019) extending from the upper edges of the superposed walls of the adjacent sub-carton which in the separated cartons form the inner flap of a lap-type lid.

22. A multiple unit carton according any of claims 1 to 19 in which the upper regions of the superposed walls (11) of adjacent sub-cartons (30,32) are affixed together with adhesive means (4050).

23. A multiple unit carton according to claim 22 in which the cartons are affixed by a joining strip extending from the inside of one of said superposed walls across the free edges of the said superposed walls and onto the inside of the other of the said superposed walls.

24. A multiple unit carton according to claim 22 in which the said adhesive means comprises first areas of adhesive (4050) on the superposed wall (11) of a first sub-carton (30) and in which the lid of the multiple unit carton is held closed by second areas of adhesive (4050') on the lid flap (17) of the second sub-carton (32), whereby, when the sub-cartons are separated, the lid flaps (17) of the first (30) and second (32) sub-cartons can be held shut by, respectively, the first (4050) land second (4050') areas of adhesive.

25. A multiple unit carton according to any preceding claim in which the sticker (440) has central region narrower that its tow-end regions, the sticker being disposed sot that its narrow central region overlies a gap between adjacent sub-cartons of the multiple unit carton.