US 4,444,308 A · Container and dispenser for cigarettes

Abstract

A disposable container for cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and similar articles. The container includes a generally cylindrical tubular body having an inwardly rolled lower rim at the lower end thereof engaging a generally circular bottom closure disc sealed within the body in abutment with the lower rim. The bottom closure disc is formed of relatively thin resilient sheet material such as thermoplastic synthetic resin material. One embodiment of the bottom closure is configured in the shape of at least two concentric, interconnected, frustroconical portions so that the bottom closure is bistable in a first position extending generally across the tubular body and alternately, in a second position extending upwardly into the tubular body thus displacing at least a portion of the contents upwardly out of the over upper end of the container. In another embodiment, the bottom closure shape is characterized by four concentric, interconnected frustoconical portions which provides two stages of upward extension into the tubular body for displacing the container contents upwardly. Also disclosed is a removable seal across the upper end face of the open upper end of the container and two forms of removable lids to be closely received over the sealed or unsealed upper end of the container. Extension and retraction of the bottom closure discs are accomplished by the application of external force thereto.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A container comprising:

a tubular container sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface and upper and lower open ends, and said upper open end having an end face;
and
bottom closure means disposed within said tubular container sidewall for closing said open lower end of said sidewall said bottom closure means having a center portion lying in a plane generally normal to the longitudinal axis of said container sidewall;
a first tapered portion communicating at the upper end portion thereof with said center portion and tapering downwardly and outwardly from said center portion toward said lower end of said tubular container sidewall;
a first upwardly concave portion communicating with the lower end portion of said first tapered portion;
and a second tapered portion communicating at the lower end portion thereof with said first upwardly concave portion and tapering upwardly and outwardly from said first upwardly concave portion toward said upper end of said tubular container sidewall.

3 more elements

A method of assembling a container, comprising:

forming bottom closure means from a mass of resilient material into a configuration comprising a central portion;
a first tapered portion having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and communicating at the upper end portion thereof with said central portion and tapering outwardly from said central portion toward the lower end portion of said first tapered portion;
a first upwardly concave portion communicating with the lower end portion of said first tapered portion and facing toward the upper end portion of said first tapered portion;
and a second tapered portion having a lower end portion and an upper end portion and communicating at the lower end portion thereof with said first upwardly concave portion and tapering outwardly from said first upwardly concave portion toward the upper end portion of said second tapered portion;
positioning a tubular container sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface and upper and lower open ends around said thus formed bottom closure means with said bottom closure means positioned adjacent the lower open end of said tubular container sidewall with said first upwardly concave portion of said bottom closure means facing toward the upper open end of said tubular container sidewall;
and
securing the periphery of said bottom closure means to said tubular container sidewall to close the lower end thereof so as to form an at least partially assembled container.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Container and dispenser for cigarettes

Life of this patent

Container and dispenser for cigarettes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42