Method of opening a cigarette packaging closure

Abstract

A method of opening a cigarette packaging closure is disclosed. The cigarette packaging closure includes an outer tube having an open end and an opposite end, an inner tube slidably disposed within the outer tube and having a portion extending outwardly from the opposite end, and a top cap frictionally engaged with the open end of the outer tube. The method includes grasping the outer tube and striking the protruding portion of the inner tube against a stationary object, thereby sliding the inner tube within the outer tube toward the open end. The sliding causes an open end of the inner tube to contact the top cap and apply a dislodging force sufficient to overcome a static frictional force between the top cap and the open end of the outer tube, thereby dislodging the top cap from the outer tube.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.