Cigarette packet

[0002] The present invention relates to a cigarette packet.

[0003] In particular, the present invention relates to a cigarette packet of the type with a hinged lid, comprising a cupped container having one open end, and a lid hingedly associated with the container and capable of movement in relation to the container away from and toward a position in which the open end is enclosed.

[0004] Direct reference is made throughout the following specification to a packet of this type, albeit with no limitation in general scope implied.

[0005] Familiar rigid packets of the type in question are generally parallelepiped in appearance, having a predominating longitudinal axis and presenting four side faces arranged in two mutually opposed and parallel pairs, all four disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis. There are certain drawbacks associated with such packets, especially for the consumer, since each two adjoining side faces meet along a sharp right angle corner edge subtending a right dihedral angle. Not only are the sharp corner edges relatively unergonomic, they also occasion wear on the pockets of garments in which the packet normally will be carried.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette packet free of the drawbacks mentioned above and, more particularly, a packet characterized by ease of use.

[0007] The stated object is realized according to the present invention in a cigarette packet having a predominating longitudinal axis and presenting four side faces arranged in two mutually opposed and parallel pairs, all four disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis, the essential feature of such a packet being that at least one side face of the four appears convexly profile and is associated with two adjoining side faces along respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles.

[0008] The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the cigarette packet according to the invention, viewed in perspective;

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the cigarette packet according to the invention, viewed in perspective;

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a third preferred embodiment of the cigarette packet according to the invention, viewed in perspective;

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth preferred embodiment of the cigarette packet according to the invention, viewed in perspective.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, 10 denotes a rigid cigarette packet of the type with a hinged lid, appearing substantially parallelepiped in shape with a predominating longitudinal axis 10a,which comprises a container 2 of cupped embodiment presenting an open top end 3, and surmounting the container, a lid 4 likewise of cupped appearance attached to the container 2 along a hinge crease 5 and rotatable thus away from and toward a position in which the top end 3 is enclosed.

[0014] The packet 10 has two mutually opposed larger side faces 6, two flank faces 7, likewise mutually opposed, and two end faces 8 disposed transversely to the side faces 6 and 7 and to the longitudinal axis 10a.The two larger side faces 6 of the packet 10 consist of a front face 6aand a rear face 6bcombining respectively with the flank faces 7 to form two front corner edges 9acompassing the front face 6alaterally, and two rear corner edges 9bcompassing the rear face 6blaterally; all four corner edges 9aand 9bare disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis 10a.

[0015] The hinge crease 5 runs across the rear face 6btransversely to the longitudinal axis 10a,while the rear face 6band the flank faces 7 are flat and the rear corner edges 9bpresent a sharply defined right angle profile. By contrast, the front face 6aexhibits a convex profile, appearing substantially as a cylindrical sector of which a given straight line generator extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 10a,with the result that the front face 6aand the flank faces 7 are joined at substantially obtuse angles along well defined corner edges 9a,and the two respective dihedral angles A subtended by the selfsame edges 9aare likewise substantially obtuse.

[0016] It will be seen in particular that the packet 10 is compassed in any given plane K transverse to the longitudinal axis 10aand in the neighborhood of the corner edges 9aby two straight lines R1, lying tangential to the convexly profiled front face 6a,and two respective straight lines R2 tangential to the flank faces 7, which combine to form respective substantially obtuse plane angles A.

[0017] The packet 20 illustrated in FIG. 2 is similar to the packet 10 of FIG. 1 though with some differences. First the larger side faces 6aand 6bare flat, disposed parallel both with one another and with a predominating longitudinal axis 20aof the packet 20. Second each of the two flank faces 7 exhibits a convex profile: thus, both the front corner edges 9aand the rear corner edges 9bsubtend respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles A.

[0018] In this embodiment, the hinge crease 5 extends between the two convexly profiled flank faces 7. The straight lines denoted R1 lie tangential to the selfsame flank faces 7 in the neighborhood both of the front corner edges 9aand of the rear corner edges 9b,while the straight lines denoted R2 lie tangential to the front and rear faces 6aand 6blikewise in the neighborhood of the four corner edges 9aand 9b,and are also mutually parallel.

[0019] The packet 30 illustrated in FIG. 3 is similar to the packet 10 of FIG. 1 with two differences. First, the two larger side faces 6aand 6bare both convexly profiled, with the front corner edges 9aand the rear corner edges 9bsubtending respective substantially obtuse dihedral angles A. Second, the hinge crease 5 extends across the convexly profiled rear face 6b.

[0020] The packet 40 illustrated in FIG. 4 is similar to the packet 30 of FIG. 3, though with the difference that the rear face 6bexhibits a central portion 41 disposed parallel to a predominating longitudinal axis 40aof the packet 40 and two convexly profiled lateral portions 42 flank the central portion 41 on either side.

[0021] In this embodiment, the hinge crease 5 extends at least across the central portion 41, and may also extend across the lateral portions 42.