Container with tamper evident portion

Abstract

A package containing cigarettes includes a box having a lower body portion defining a base, an upper body portion defining a lid, and a tear strip. The base includes a base bottom wall, a base front wall, and a base rear wall. The lid includes a lid top wall, a lid front wall, and a lid rear wall. The tear strip is adhesively coupled to the lid front wall and the base front wall, and an outer surface of the lid and the lower body portion is exposed to be touched by a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blank for a package configured to contain a plurality of cigarettes, the blank comprising:
 a lower body portion defining a base, the base including:
 a base bottom wall, 
 a base front wall having first base side tabs coupled thereto, and 
 a base rear wall having second base side tabs coupled thereto, and 
   an upper body portion defining a lid, the lid comprising:
 a lid top wall; 
 a lid front wall having first lid side tabs coupled thereto; and 
 a lid rear wall having second lid side tabs coupled thereto; and 
   a tear strip adhesively coupled to the base front wall and the lid front wall.   
     
     
         2 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the package is made entirely from recyclable materials. 
     
     
         3 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is foldable to form a parallelepiped, and wherein the base rear wall and the lid rear wall are adhesively coupled to secure the blank in folded form. 
     
     
         4 . The blank of  claim 3 , further comprising a hinge portion formed between the base rear wall and the lid rear wall,
 wherein removal of the tear strip from the base front wall and the lid front wall allows the lid to be pivoted relative to the base about the hinge portion.   
     
     
         5 . The blank of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the tear strip is positioned within an interior of the package when the package is in folded form and the lid is coupled to the base via the tear strip. 
     
     
         6 . The blank of  claim 5 , wherein an end portion of the tear strip extends outside an exterior of the package, and wherein the end portion of the tear strip may be pulled in order to remove the tear strip from the package. 
     
     
         7 . The blank of  claim 3 , wherein when the blank is in folded form, an outer surface of the parallelepiped is exposed to be touched by a user. 
     
     
         8 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the tear strip comprises a middle tear strip portion and upper and lower adhesive portions,
 wherein the upper adhesive portion is coupled to the lid front wall, and wherein the lower adhesive portion is coupled to the base front wall.   
     
     
         9 . A package configured to contain cigarettes, comprising:
 a lower body portion defining a base, the base including:
 a base bottom wall, 
 a base front wall, and 
 a base rear wall, and 
   an upper body portion defining a lid, the lid comprising:
 a lid top wall, 
 a lid front wall, and 
 a lid rear wall, and 
   a tear strip adhesively coupled to the lid front wall and the base front wall, and   wherein an outer surface of the lid and the lower body portion is exposed to be touched by a user.   
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the lid is pivotable relative to the base about the hinge portion after the tear strip is removed from the package by pulling a first end thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the package is generally secured as a parallelepiped via the tear strip and an adhesive joint,
 wherein at least two walls of the package are coupled together via the adhesive joint when the package is formed as a parallelepiped, and   wherein the adhesive joint is configured to be tamper-evident.   
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two walls of the package coupled together via the adhesive joint are the base rear wall and the lid rear wall. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein a finger opening is provided below the tear strip within the base front wall. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the package is made entirely from recyclable materials. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein the tear strip is positioned within an interior of the package when the package is secured as a parallelepiped, wherein a line of weakness is formed within each of the base front wall and the lid front wall, and wherein the tear strip is configured to remove material provided between the lines of weakness within the base front wall and the lid front wall when the tear strip is pulled from the package. 
     
     
         16 . A package configured to contain cigarettes, comprising:
 a lower body portion defining a base, the base including:
 a base bottom wall, 
 a base front wall, and 
 a base rear wall, and 
   an upper body portion defining a lid, the lid comprising:
 a lid top wall, 
 a lid front wall, and 
 a lid rear wall, and 
   a tear strip adhesively coupled to the base front wall and the lid front wall,   wherein the base rear wall and the lid rear wall are coupled via an adhesive strip.   
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein a joint between the base rear wall and the lid rear wall defines a hinge portion. 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the tear strip is positioned within an interior of the package when the lid is coupled to the base via the tear strip and the lid rear wall and the base rear wall are coupled via the adhesive strip. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein a finger hole is provided below the tear strip within the base front wall. 
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein the package is made entirely from recyclable materials.