US3024902A - Cigarette package and ash tray - Google Patents

Description

March 13, 1962 r w. w. TAYLOR CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND ASH TRAY Filed June 4, 59

MINIMUM W/W/am W ylor 1N VE NT R. BY M United States Patent 3,024,902 CIGARETTE PAQKAGE AND ASH TRAY William W. Taylor, 21839 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Calif. Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,049 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-41) This invention relates to packages and more particularly to a combination cigarette box and ash tray.

An object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple addition to a now common cigarette box that has an openable top, whereby the top of the box may be converted to an ash tray for temporary convenience.

An important feature and advantage of the invention is that the conventional box does not have to be structurally altered in any way whatsoever. The attachment which converts the box into a combined box and ash tray is simply a single panel having folds arranged in a particular way so that the panel functions as a closure for the top of the box, isolating an area of the box top so that it may receive ashes temporarily. The attachment is so arranged that the ashes are maintained in an area which may be considered a compartment inasmuch as the ashes are confined to this restricted area so that they will not become mingled with the cigarettes in the box.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette box constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the panel attachment used 7 in the box of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational View of the box in the closed position.

FIGURE 4 is an' enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown a cigarette box ltl which in very recent years has become quite popular for packaging cigarettes for sale. Box 10 is intended to be an absolutely conventional box including a body 12 within which the cigarettes are stored together with a box top or closure 14 hinged along hinge line 16 to the back wall 17 of box it When the closure is flipped to the open position (FIGURE 1) it exposes the cigarettes beneath a wrapper (if one is used). Ordinarily the wrapper is discarded at least at the top of the cigarettes so that the ends of the cigarettes become exposed as soon as the top of the box is opened.

Ordinarily, boxes of the nature under discussion have a reduced width inner wall structure 20 forming flaps that fit within the side walls 22 of box top 14 when the box is in the closed condition. The improvement in box 10 centers about panel 24 which is added to the box structure. Panel 24 has a rectangular or square portion 26 and a tongue 28 extending from one edge thereof. There are three transverse fold lines 30, 32 and 34 in the rectangular portion 26 of panel 24. These fold lines may be formed in any conventional way such as by creasing or weakening the panel 24 in some other way, as scoring, pressing, etc. It is preferred that panel 24 be made of lightweight cardboard, as the box is made of this material. The transverse lines 39, 32 and 34 define areas 36, 38, 4t) and 42, area 42 being that of the tongue 28. Area 36 has cement or glue 44 thereon by which to secure area 44 to the inside surface of back wall 17. Line 34 coincides with the hinge 16 or at least, is closely adjacent to it so that panel 24 may be hinged about line 34. The fold line 32 is formed as a crease (FIGURE 2) so that areas 40 and 38 are at 3,024,962 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 right angles to each other when the attachment is in the closed position (FIGURE 1). Line 30 is also a fold with tongue 28 at right angles to area 40 (FIGURE 1). Consequently the panel 24 forms an additional cover for the cigarettes and wrapping at the top ends of the cigarettes.

In use and operation, it is assumed that a person wishes to dispose of some of the ashes of a cigarette. The box top 14 is opened (FIGURE 1) thereby forming an upwardly opening compartment 50 within which to receive the ashes. Now it is assumed that that same person would like to close the cigarette box but has no place to dispose of the ashes. Accordingly, the panel 24 is lifted, separating tongue 28 from between wall structure 20 and the cigarettes and/or wrapper around the cigarettes in the box, and the panel is lifted thereby hingedly moving the panel about line 34 as a hinge axis. Area 38 then occupies a position flush against one of the side walls of compartment 59; area '24 fits flush against the top panel of box top 14, and tongue 2-8 fits flush against the inside surface of the front wall of box top 14. In this way all of the ashes are maintained captive between panel 24 and the inside surfaces of the box top 14.

If a person desires to dispose of a lit cigarette or match, these, too, may be placed in compartment Stl. Panel 24 will act as means for snufiing out the cigarette if it is placed in the compartment and the panel 2% pressed firmly against the lighted part of the cigarette.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a cigarette box having a box top provided with walls and wherein the cigarette box also has walls, the improvement comprising an attachment for facilitating use of the box top as an ash receptacle, said attachment being constructed of a panel, means hingedly securing a portion of said panel to a wall of the cigarette box, another portion of said panel being adapted to be hingedly swung to a position at which it fits flush against a part of the inside surface of the wall structure of said box top, said panel having a tongue which fits into the box to thereby hold said panel in position with a portion of the panel overlying the upper ends of cigarettes in the box.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said means hingedly connecting said panel to the cigarette box include a cementitious product connected to a portion of said panel, and a transverse crease in said panel adjacent to said cementitious product and constituting a hinge axis about which other portions of said panel are adapted to be swung.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said crease is located adjacent to the hinge connection between the box top and the box.

4. In combination with a cigarette container having an open top body defined by front, rear and side walls, a closure top hingedly attached to said body and including a top wall, front, rear and side walls for forming continuations of the main body when in closed position, an auxiliary partition disposed in parallel relation to the top wall of the top and including a rear flap hingedly attached to the body and a front flap insertable behind the top of the front wall of the body thereby forming an auxiliary closure therefor, said auxiliary partition being movable into the closure top for forming an ash receptacle therebetween.

5. The combination of a cigarette box having an open top body and a hollow closure hinged to said body for 3 4i swinging movement between a closed position wherein the 6. The combination as defined in claim 5 together with closure constitutes a continuation of the body and an adhesive means securing said partition to said body.

open position wherein the hollow closure is inverted, and

a partition of a substantially U-shaped cross-section hinged References Cited In the file of thls patent to said body coincidentally with said closure, said partition 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS forming an auxiliary closure for said body when said hol- 2,645,229 Stillman July 14, 1953 low closure is open and being swingable into the open hol- 2,666,522 Herman I an. 19, 1954 low closure to form an ash receptacle therein. 2,944,555 Peel et al July 12, 1960

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