Cigarette Case

This invention relates to a case for storing cigarettes and, more particularly, to a cigarette case which is portable and which ejects cigarettes stores therein by sliding a transporting means and also absorbs moisture within the case by means of a drier box located therewithin.

Cigarettes are easily and frequently damaged from moisture. This deterioration and loss of flavor begins immediately to reduce their quality after they are unpacked and exposed to the atmosphere.

A number of types of cigarette boxes have been widely utilized to store cigarettes. A typical conventional cigarette box is rigid, with a cover provided thereon. The cover is usually openable by a hinge, or slidably openable, to allow access to the cigarettes stores within the box. While this kind of cigarette box works well to a certain degree, it has the inconvenience of requiring the opening of the box and then choosing one cigarette therefrom. This cigarette box may be provided with a drier to protect the cigarettes from moisture but the utilization of the box is still the same, i.e. opening the cover and then retrieving a cigarette.

In one aspect the invention provides a cigarette case incorporating a mechanism, or means, for ejecting cigarettes by a sliding movement. And at the same time provide a lighting means for indicating this action during the ejection of the cigarettes.

A cigarette case incorporating a drier received in a storage box, in accordance with the present invention, and as necessary as described above, is provided therewithin to aid in absorbing moisture. Therefore, the indicating means for ejection of cigarettes becomes necessary as, it is found, that the cover of the casemay be opened and inadvertently not closed.

The means for ejecting cigarettes is preferably spring-loaded because it is believed to be more convenient.

For convenience in manufacture it is preferred that the cigarette case be assembled from several independent parts and the parts being slidably engageable to form a tight enclosure to prevent moisture from entering.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette case in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cigarette case of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially cut away perspective view showing in particular the transporting means of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a partially cut away sectional side view showing the transporting means of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view as seen from the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cigarette case, according to the present invention, comprises a substantially rectangular fram ebody 10, a front cover 20, and an upper cover 30. The above three elements 10, 20a nd 30 are slidably secured to one another to form a tight enclosure. The frame body 10 includes a front portion 11, a rear portion 12 and a hollow central portio 13 and has an elongated slot 14 at a side wall proximate to a lower end thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front cover 20 comprises a side hole 21 on a lower portion thereof for ejecting cigarettes. An actuating and lighting means is disposed within the front portion 11 of the main body 10. The front portion1 1 of the frame body 10 has a corresponding hole on a lower portion thereof which is in line with the side hole 21 such that cigarettesmay be ejected therethrough. A light aperture 22, which is disposed on an upper portion of the front cover 20, is adapted to receive a bulb 24 which is lit via, for example, a pair of dry cell batteries or the like in a way known to those skilled in the art. A drier storage box 50 with a plurality of through holes 51 on a front surface thereof is received in the rear portion 12 of the main body 10 for absorbing moisture inside the main body 10. The upper cover 30 is slidably secured to the frame body 10 at an upper end thereof. Though the cigarette case of the present invention is design to keep the incoming of moisture to a minimum, the drier storage box 50 further provides a complete absorption of moisture.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 5, a spring-loaded transporting means 40 is set within the frame body 10 at its lower end. The transporting means 40 comprises a slider plate 41, a spring 42 and a pin 43. The slider plate 41 comprises a base plate 410, a slide plate 412 and a rear plate 414, as best shown in FIG. 3. The base plate 410 is slidably resting on a pair of flanges 15. The flanges 15 are integrally formed with the frame body 10 and define a horizontal channel 16, as clearly shown in FIG. 5. The side palte 412, which is integrally formed with the slider plate 41 and has a button 413 thereon, is used for covering the elongated slot 14. The rear plate 414 has a lower portion for ejecting cigarettes. The spring 42 is disposed within the horizontal channel 16 and encompasses the pin 43. The pin 43 is fixedly mounted to said frame body 10 along the horizontal channel 16. A switch button 23 of the actuating and lighting means is slidable to uncover the side hole 21 and simultaneously light up a bulb 24 in the actuating and lighting means for indicating that the side hole 21 is uncovered. When the cigarette is ejected by sliding the slider plate 41 forwardly, the spring 42, which is compressed by the lower portion of the rear plate 414, will exert a restoring force to return the transporting means 40 to its original position.

As shown in FIG. 5, an arcuate guiding plate 17 opposite to the side wall may be preferably disposed within the frame body 10. The arcuate guiding plate 17 accurately guides one and only one cigarette to be ejected at a time. The cigarettes are stored within the frame body 10 and the one to be ejected; i.e., the bottom one, rests upon the base plate 410 of the slider plate 41 with the other cigarettes statcked one by one upwardly and sidewardly to achieve optimal storage capacity.

While the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention disclosed herein is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.