Philip Morris Inc.

James B Draucker

Reginald W Newsome

Charles D Hansen

Xuan M Pham

Donald H Evers

Donald L Brookman

James A DeBlasio

Pamela D Moore

William J Rech

Step-shaped innerframes and blanks for forming such innerframes are provided to permit shorter than conventional cigarettes to be packaged in a conventionally sized hinged lid box. A front panel is foldably connected to a substantially perpendicular step bottom panel which in turn is foldably connected to a substantially perpendicular back panel, such that the front and back panels extend in opposite directions and lie in substantially parallel planes to form an integral step configuration. When the inner frame is located within a hinged lid box, a receptacle is formed for a short cigarette bundle. A lower receptacle is defined below the step bottom panel to store discarded cigarettes which are inserted into the lower receptacle via a hole located in one of the box walls and any associated underlying innerframe panel. Preferably, the innerframe is provided with oppositely located side walls which are provided with biasing members which exert an inwardly directed force toward the cigarette bundle located within the upper receptacle to prevent cigarettes from falling as other cigarettes are removed. Suitable blanks are provided to form the step-shaped innerframes.

Step-shaped innerframe for use with short cigarettes and hinged lid box

A cigarette package comprises a plurality of packs, and a binder member bonded to adjoining edge faces of the packs. A releasable retainer normally holds the packs together. Upon release of the retainer, the packs can be fanned-out about axes coinciding with adjoining corners of the packs. Any number of the packs can be detached by the user for individual use.

Packaging for articles such as cigarettes

Growing community of inventors

Chesterfield, VA, United States of America

James B Draucker