US2331204A - Package opener device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 5, 1943. I Q q LEHMER 2,331,204

PACKAGE OPENER DEVICE File d Dec. 16. 1941 CMrlas av w g/flaw.

ATTORNEYS vice designed to efiect quick a Patented Oct. 5, -1 943- rAokaGE orENE DEVICE- I I Charles CfLehmer, Salt Lake City, Utah 3 f Application netemper 16, 19 41,':Scri al No. cgazisi g z 7 (o1,'22a- -51 The present invention relates tofnewand useful improvementsindevices ior'opening packages- An'ob'ject of the invention is to providea deopeningof a package. I

Another object of the invention-1s fireprovision of a device adapted to be'jcarried' within a package "forcutting a slit in the corner thereof to enable ,opening of the package for] removal ofthe contents. 9 f 1 A further object of the invention is to provide a device embodying" a guid' formin'g support member adapted to be fitted wit hin-a" package and a cutter carried cn' the said "suppt' rt. sdthat it may be pulled frorrfthe guide?tlriroughkithe package wrapper for cutting slitsin the package to forin'anopeningl' Still another object of provisiorrof a package opening device which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efllcient for the purpose intended. Other objects and advantages will be'apparent from the following description and appended claims.

' convenient of paper board or the like. 7 a This strip is of Ir'ec-E' tangularfformation at "one endwhile' the olil bsi t e end portion is cut em nent to form a pair I of complementary guide channels I5, f orrnefd by bending-marginal po'rtio'ns' of the strip upwardly and inwardly} {As shown to'; advantage:"at; Figures"? and'B -theSe guide'channels ar'e' ari-' ranged insp'ac'ed apart parallel arrangementand at an oblique inclination'to the-"lon itudinal ex tent of the strip, the end portion of-the stripfbe-f tween the outer ends of the channel'sfbeing shaped to=provide 'a concave arcuate recess [6;

the invention is the In describing my inventionin detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention; a

the same,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the support member of the device, and I Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cutting element of the device.

, With reference to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, P generally designates a package of the type commonly employed for packing of cigarettes embodying a paper wrapper having relatively wide front and rear sides Illand ll, narrow end walls I2 and top and bottom walls l3. The top or covering wall I3 is conventionally formed by imfolding of the side and end wall extensions as illustrated in Figure 1 and the entire wrapper is quite commonly covered by a transparent covering which may be formed of Cellophane.

My invention particularly refers to a device to be enclosed within the top portion of the package P and embodies a support member S consisting age in its customary upright position the stripis disposed horizontally between the upper ends The obliquely directed endportionof thestiip I 4 isladapted to carryth'ereon a cutter blade" B embodying a 'flatf'relativelyf thin bladef'section formed of metal or the like." At one en'd'the blade B isof rectangular formation-as indicated Lat I! :having "relatively short parallel side edges I8 whi le -the opposite end' has adiminishingtrans Verse taper forming rela'tivll long v-Shaped pointed end section IS. The relatively longicon '1 verging and inclined side edges 20 of the'p ointed, section It! are roughened 'or serrated for-cutting. through the package, as will hereinafter appear. I I

Adjacent the outer pointed end the blade B is provided with a round aperture 2| adapted to receive therethrough the end portions of a cord 22, the said end portions being knotted at one "side of the aperture so as to preclude passage of thecord therethrough and forming arelative 1y large loop at the opposite side of the blade. f

When employed in association'with a package,

for example a cigarette package indicated P, the: support strip 14 is fitted within the upper portion of the package between the top wall B and the end of the cigarettes, that is, with the packof the cigarettes and the top, asillustrated to advantage in Figure 2. horizontally on the oblique guide end portion of the strip withthe parallelside edges l8;sli dablyengaging the grooves in the channels l5 andithe point of the T blade directed outwardly thereof against the interior corner portion-of the package;

The loop ZIattachedto the outer endfo f the blade is projected through a small aperture in.

the corner of the-package and extendsiexteriorly thereof." p

When the purchaser desires to open pack age he grasps the projectingloop 22 and quickly.

pullsthe same outwardly in a plane approxi-. mately parallel with the planeof the package top I3, this sudden movement sliding the blade The blade B is fitted B outwardly of the guide portion of the support strip and through the walls of the package so as to cut a slit in the corner thereof, the tapered cutting edges 20 of the blade severing the upper portion of one side wall l immediately below the top 13 and the adjacent portion of the contiguous end wall l2. This cutting action severs a corner of the top l3 from the adjacent portions of the side and end walls thereof so that such corner top portion may be readily bent upwardly to provide an opening suitable for removal of one or more cigarettes from the package, which corner portion of the top may be bent down thereafter to cover the removal opening.

Thus, the pulling of the blade from the guide portion of the support strip in the package effects the cutting of a strip of predetermined length at the corner of the package to define an opening section of the cover of predetermined dimensionswhich will facilitate the removal of cigarettes; from the package with a minimum of exposure of the contents of the package.

It is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the specific construction, arrangement or use illustrated and described and that considerable modification may be made therein within the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 7 r

I claim: I

1. A device of the character described comprising a stiff support strip having a pair of channels formed at one end portion, the said channels being disposed in parallel opposed positions at an oblique inclination on the strip, a flat blade having a rectangular shaped inner portion slidably fitted on the stripwith the side edges engaging the said channels, the said strip having aitapered end portion having diverging cutting edges, and a pull element attached to the pointed end of the blade for pulling the same along the guide channels and outwardly thereof to effect cutting action.

2. In a package opening device, a stiff strip adapted to be fitted parallel with the top of the package and adjacent to the said top, the said strip having side portions bent upwardly and inwardly to form parallel guide channels, the said channels being directed at an oblique angle to the body: of the strip, anda flat blade slidably associated with the channels of the strip and tapering to a point at one end for pulling through the corner of the package and cutting a slit. therein.

3.,In an opening device for a rectangular shaped'package having a severable wrapper, an elongated stiff strip mounted parallel with and adjacent the top of the package, a pair of parallel channels formed on an end portion of the strip and disposed at an oblique inclination to the longitudinal extent of the strip, aflat blade having an inner rectangular portion slidably fitted on; the strip and having its opposed side marginaliportions slidably engaging the chain nels, the said blade having an opposit end portion tapering to a point having diverging cutting edges, the pointed end of the blade being directed toa corner portion of the package. and a loop of flexible material connected .to. the tapered end portion of the blade and extended through an aperture in the corner of the package whereby the said blade may be pulled in a plane parallel with the top of the package throughthe guide channels and through the adjacent walls of the package to cute slit in the corner thereof to define a portion of the cover which may be ent upwardly to form an openingin the package,

CHARLES C, LEHMER.

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