US6237760B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Packaging of smoking articles
Assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-11-19
•
Granted: 2001-05-29
•
Expires: 2017-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A pack for cigarettes and like smoking articles has a frame ( 101 ) outside the charge of cigarettes but inside a flexible wrap, which is preferably a sealed enclosure of a barrier material such as a metal/plastic laminate, or metallized foil. The inner frame which is not rigid since its side ( 104 ) and end ( 108 ) flaps are free except where attached to a major panel ( 102 ) acts to collate and protect the charge of cigarettes and to allow heat-sealing or other sealing pressure to be exerted more efficiently than would otherwise be possible.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Patrick Parker
- 👤 David John Bates
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:19
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D85/00; B65D85/07; B65D85/08; B65D85/10; B65D85/1018; B65D85/1027; B65D5/00; B65D75/00; B65D75/52; B65D75/58; B65D75/5827; B65D75/5833; B65D75/5838; B65D85/1036; B65D2203/00; B65D2203/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein said at least partial end flap consists of top flaps extending only partially over the top of the charge; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams, characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein said at least partial end flap consists of top flaps extending only partially over the top of the charge; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams, characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein said major panel is the only major panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The pack according to claim 2 wherein free edges of said side flaps remote from said major panel form edges of said frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein the barrier material has a resealable access aperture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein the frame surrounds the two minor sides, at least one end, and only one major face of a cuboid formed by said charge of smoking articles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The pack according to claim 5 wherein said two side flaps of said frame are attached by one edge to said major panel, with the opposite edge of each said side flap being free.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein said top flaps are at least partially removable from said frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein said pack further comprises a soft outer wrap.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein said barrier sheet is comprised of a metal foil/plastics laminate or a metallized plastics film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The pack according to claim 1 wherein said flexible barrier sheet is continuous over one minor end of said charge of smoking articles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The pack according to claim 4 wherein said flexible barrier sheet is continuous in the location of said resealable access aperture.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
137 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein said at least partial end flap is a base flap below the bottom of the charge, wherein said base flap and said side flaps are hingedly linked to respective edges of said major panel and further including top flaps extending only partially over the top of the charge hingedly linked to said side flaps; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
137 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein said at least partial end flap is a base flap below the bottom of the charge, wherein said base flap and said side flaps are hingedly linked to respective edges of said major panel and further including top flaps extending only partially over the top of the charge hingedly linked to said side flaps; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pack according to claim 12 wherein said major panel is the only major panel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pack according to claim 12 wherein the barrier material has a resealable access aperture.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The pack according to claim 12 wherein the frame surrounds the two minor sides, at least one end, and only one major face of a cuboid formed by said charge of smoking articles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The pack according to claim 12 wherein said barrier sheet is comprised of a metal foil/plastics laminate or a metallized plastics film.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The pack according to claim 12 wherein said flexible barrier sheet is continuous over one minor end of said charge of smoking articles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The pack according to claim 14 wherein said flexible barrier sheet is continuous in the location of said resealable access aperture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
124 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame, wherein the barrier material has a resealable access aperture and further wherein said resealable access aperture is covered by a cover layer having edge portions overlapping the barrier material surrounding the access aperture, with a permanently tacky adhesive on said edge portions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
124 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame, wherein the barrier material has a resealable access aperture and further wherein said resealable access aperture is covered by a cover layer having edge portions overlapping the barrier material surrounding the access aperture, with a permanently tacky adhesive on said edge portions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The pack according to claim 19 wherein the permanently tacky adhesive includes microcapsules of a flavourant.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The pack according to claim 19 wherein said barrier sheet is comprised of a metal foil/plastics laminate or a metallized plastics film.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The pack according to claim 19 wherein said flexible barrier sheet is continuous over one minor end of said charge of smoking articles.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The pack according to claim 19 wherein said flexible barrier sheet is continuous in the location of said resealable access aperture.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
152 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein said major panel is the only major panel, and further wherein free edges of said side flaps remote from said major panel form edges of said frame; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame, wherein the barrier material has a resealable access aperture and further wherein said resealable access aperture is covered by a cover layer having edge portions overlapping the barrier material surrounding the access aperture, with a permanently tacky adhesive on said edge portions.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
152 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein said major panel is the only major panel, and further wherein free edges of said side flaps remote from said major panel form edges of said frame; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame, wherein the barrier material has a resealable access aperture and further wherein said resealable access aperture is covered by a cover layer having edge portions overlapping the barrier material surrounding the access aperture, with a permanently tacky adhesive on said edge portions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
142 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein the frame surrounds the two minor sides, at least one end, and only one major face of a cuboid formed by said charge of smoking articles, and further wherein said frame overlies both ends of the charge, with a base flap to surround a base of the charge and top flaps only partially surrounding a top of the charge; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
142 words
A pack of smoking articles comprising: a frame with a major panel, two side flaps, and at least a partial end flap placed adjacent a face, sides, and at least part of at least one end, respectively, of a charge of smoking articles, wherein the frame surrounds the two minor sides, at least one end, and only one major face of a cuboid formed by said charge of smoking articles, and further wherein said frame overlies both ends of the charge, with a base flap to surround a base of the charge and top flaps only partially surrounding a top of the charge; and a flexible barrier sheet wrapping the charge and frame, and forming a sealed enclosure around them by virtue of sealed seams characterized in that all of the sealed seams overlie at least partly a part of the frame.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The pack according to claim 25 wherein each of said side and said end flaps is attached through only one edge.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The pack according to claim 25 wherein the charge is a 7-6-7 charge of cigarettes.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The pack according to claim 25 wherein said frame includes a flavourant thereon.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
The pack according to claim 25 wherein said barrier sheet has a resealable access aperture, said resealable access aperture being covered by a cover layer having edge portions overlying the barrier sheet surrounding the access aperture.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-28 | 2004-11-27 | 2005-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-28 | 2008-11-27 | 2009-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-28 | 2012-11-27 | 2013-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |