IP Verse

Cigarette Tin With Internal Ramp

Patent No. US2009223841 (titled "Cigarette Tin With Internal Ramp") was filed by Reynolds Tobacco RUS on Mar 7, 2008. The application was issued on Sep 10, 2009.

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Technical Landscape

In the late 2000s when ’841 was filed, the packaging of consumer smoking articles was typically implemented using paperboard folding cartons or thin-gauge metal tins with simple hinged or friction-fit lids. At a time when systems commonly relied on multi-layer foil and plastic overwraps to maintain product freshness, the use of rigid metal containers was often limited by the mechanical complexity of creating a secure yet accessible seal. Hardware constraints in metal stamping and forming made the integration of smooth, sliding interfaces non-trivial, as manufacturers struggled to balance the need for a tight environmental seal with the requirement for a user-friendly opening mechanism that did not expose sharp edges or allow the lid to become detached from the primary housing.

Prosecution Position

The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement in container architecture through the integration of a precision-mated sliding lid and a specialized internal geometry designed for controlled article dispensing. By utilizing complementary rolled edges that provide a metal-to-metal seal while simultaneously acting as a captive track, the architecture overcomes the constraint of lid detachment common in sliding tins. Furthermore, the inclusion of an internal ramped structure represents a functional shift in the container's floor geometry, transforming the package from a simple storage vessel into an active dispensing system that mechanically biases articles toward the opening. This structural combination, reinforced by a secondary shrinkable tamper-evident band, achieves a high degree of environmental sealing and structural rigidity while facilitating one-handed access to the contents.

Claims

The patent contains a total of 20 claims, with claims 1 and 20 serving as the independent claims. These independent claims focus on a package for articles such as cigarettes that features an inner package portion comprising a tray with rolled lips and a corresponding lid with rolled lips designed for engagement, further incorporating an internal abutment to limit lid movement and a ramped portion to facilitate article access. The dependent claims serve to further define the assembly by specifying material compositions, curvature dimensions for ergonomic handling, the inclusion of an outer paperboard box with overwrap, and various structural configurations for the ramped portion and sealing bands.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Abutment (Claim 1, Claim 20)	The lid portion includes an abutment protruding downwardly from the rear surface of the lid portion sufficient to engage a tray side wall of the body to restrain movement of the lid portion in one direction relative thereto. This mechanism allows the lid of the tin to slide only partially across the body of the tin. It prevents such a lid from being completely removed from the tin.	A physical protrusion extending downward from the rear surface of the lid that acts as a mechanical stop by contacting a tray wall to limit the lid's sliding range.
First rolled lip (Claim 1, Claim 20)	The upper edges of the four upstanding sides of the box are rolled over to form a smooth rolled lip around the entire periphery of the upper edge of the box. This rolled lip advantageously eliminates any exposed sharp metal edges that might otherwise cut the consumer. It also provides a track for slidably engaging a complementary rolled edge on three edges of the metal lid in substantial metal-to-metal contact.	A smooth, rolled-over edge formed along the upper periphery of the tray's four side walls that serves as a track for slidable engagement with the lid.
Partial cylinder surface (Claim 20)	A major surface of the ramped portion is curved to form a partial cylinder surface configured to aid user access to a smoking article. The rear of the metal box and the front of the metal lid each have a curved or arcuate shape generally in the form of a segment of a cylinder. The radius of curvature of the rear of the metal box is somewhat smaller than the radius of curvature of the front of the metal lid.	A curved geometry of the ramped portion's major surface, specifically shaped to match the contour of a smoking article to aid user access.
Ramped portion (Claim 1, Claim 20)	The rear of the metal box is stamped or otherwise formed to include a ramped structure configured to facilitate removal of cigarettes from the package. The ramped portion is generally continuous with the rear tray wall and extends therefrom to a height about the same as that of the tray side walls. Access to the articles is facilitated by a ramped structure in the package.	An inclined or curved structure formed in the rear wall of the tray, rising to the height of the side walls to assist in lifting smoking articles for easier removal.
Second rolled lip (Claim 1, Claim 20)	The lid includes guides or tracks along two edges that are configured to mate slidably with the outer rim of the metal box. The lid engages the rolled lip in substantial metal-to-metal engagement around the entire periphery of the open front of the box. The guides or tracks of the front lid are slidable along complementary guides or tracks on two edges of the metal box to thereby open and close the open front.	A continuous rolled edge extending along the inner periphery of three lid side walls, designed to mate with and slide along the tray's rolled lip.

Patent Summary

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US2009223841

REYNOLDS TOBACCO RUS

Application Number: US4457608
Filing Date: Mar 7, 2008
Publication Date: Sep 10, 2009
External Links: Slate, USPTO , Google Patents