Easily sealable, openable, and reclosable carton

A blank for forming a cigarette carton dimensioned to contain a first number of cigarette packs, each said cigarette pack having a first pair of opposed long walls and a second pair of opposed short walls, said blank comprising:

• a first side panel having a pair of first and second edges and a pair of first and second side edges adjoining said first and second edges;
• a first wall panel extending from and joined to said first side edge of said first side panel and having a pair of first and second edges, and a pair of first and second side edges adjoining said first and second edges
• a second wall panel extending from and joined to said second side edge of said first side panel and having a pair of first and second edges and a pair of first and second side edges joining said first and second edges;
• a first extension panel extending from said first edge of said first wall panel and having a distal edge;
• a second extension panel extending from said first edge of said second wall panel and having a distal edge;
• and
• a third extension panel extending from said second edge of one of said first and second wall panels and having a distal edge;
• wherein:
• said blank is a unitary, one-piece blank;
• the length of each of said first and second edges of said first and second wall panels is at least as long as a second number of times the width of the long wall of a cigarette pack;
• the length of each of said first and second side edges of said first wall panel, said second wall panel, and said first side panel is at least as long as the height of a cigarette pack in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of cigarettes in said cigarette pack;
• the length of each of said first and second edges of said first side panel is at least as long as a third number of times the width of the short wall of a cigarette pack;
• said first side edge of said first side panel and said second side edge of said first wall panel are coextensive;
• said second side edge of said first side panel and said first side edge of said second wall panel are coextensive;
• said first edges of said first wall panel, said first side panel, and said second wall panel are substantially collinear;
• and
• said second edges of said first wall panel, said first side panel, and said second wall panel are substantially collinear.

A multiple unit cigarette carton for packaging a first number of cigarette packs and of dimensions compatible with commercially available tax-stamping machinery used in the automated processing of cigarette cartons, each said cigarette pack having a pair of opposed long walls and a pair of opposed short walls, said dual cigarette carton comprising:

• first and second cartons each having a first end and a second end, a first pair of first and second opposed walls having a first edge adjacent said first end and a second edge adjacent said second end, a second pair of third and fourth opposed walls having a first edge adjacent said first end and a second edge adjacent said second end, a top wall joining at least said first edges of said first pair of opposed walls, and a bottom wall joining at least said second edges of said first pair of opposed walls;
• wherein:
• said first pair of first and second walls are at least as wide as a second number of times the width of the long wall of a cigarette pack;
• said second pair of third and fourth walls are at least as wide as a third number of times the width of the short wall of a cigarette pack;
• and
• said first and second cartons are positioned with said first wall of said first carton adjacent and coextensive with said first wall of said second carton;
• said dual cigarette carton further comprising:
• a first substantially flat carrier means having a first side and a second side, and an adhesive borne on one side of said carrier means, said first carrier means being positioned across said bottom walls of said first and second cartons with said adhesive side in operative contact with said bottom walls to thereby join said first and second cartons to form said dual carton;
• and
• a second substantially flat carrier means having a first side and a second side, and an adhesive borne on one side of said carrier means, said second carrier means being positioned across said top walls of said first and second cartons with said adhesive side in operative contact with said top walls to thereby further join said first and second cartons to form said dual carton;
• wherein:
• a fourth number of cigarette packs, equal to the product of said second number of times the width of the long wall of said cigarette pack and said third number of times the width of the short wall of said cigarette pack, can be positioned inside each of said first and second cartons with said short walls parallel to said side walls.