WO2016005949A1

WO2016005949A1 - Rigid package of smoke articles

Info

Publication number: WO2016005949A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/055223
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandro Venturoli; Stefano Negrini
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2014-07-10
Filing date: 2015-07-10
Publication date: 2016-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-10
Also published as: ES2669519T3; EP3166860B1; PL3166860T3; EP3166860A1

Abstract

A package (1) of smoke articles comprising:a container (2), which has a parallelepiped shape and has a front wall (9), a rear wall (10), a bottom wall (8) and two lateral walls (11); a parallelepiped-shaped inner wrapper (3) that wraps a group of smoke articles, which is housed inside the container (2) and has a transverse dimension that is less than the transverse dimension of the container (2) so as to form a cavity inside the container (2); a collar (12), which is arranged inside the container (2) for projecting partially outside an open top end (4) of the container (2) and comprises a front wall (13), which is arranged in contact with the front wall (9) of the container (2), and two lateral walls (14), which are arranged on opposite sides of the front wall (13) and are arranged in contact with the lateral walls (11) of the container (2); and a filling element (15) arranged within the cavity to securely retain the inner wrapper (3) in the container (2), wherein the filling element (15) comprises an abutting wall (16) for supporting the inner wrapper (3), a top wall (17) connected to a top end of the abutting wall (16) and substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall (16), and two lateral walls (19) that are arranged at opposite ends of the abutting wall (16) and are substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall (16); wherein the collar (12) and the filling element (15) are elements that are distinct from one another; the package (1) of smoke articles is characterised in that the filling element (15) comprises a rear wall (18) connected to the top wall (17) and parallel to and opposite the abutting wall (16), wherein an end portion of the rear wall (18) of the filling element (15) rests on and is glued to the rear wall (10) of the container (2).

Description

"Rigid package of smoke articles"

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rigid package of smoke articles which is configured for housing a group of smoke articles which is of reduced dimension, i.e. a group of smoke articles that is smaller than the overall internal volume of the package.

The present invention can be advantageously applied to a rigid package of cigarettes, to which the following description will make explicit reference without thereby losing general validity.

PRIOR ART

Patent US5358104 discloses a hinged lid rigid package of cigarettes comprising a container having an open top end, and a lid hinged to the container along a hinge to be rotated, with respect to the container, between an open position and a closed position of the open end. The container has a parallelepiped shape and has a front wall, a rear wall, a bottom wall and two lateral walls. This package of cigarettes is configured for housing a group of cigarettes that is smaller than the overall internal volume of the container. In particular, the package of cigarettes disclosed in US5358104 comprises a filling element inserted inside the package of cigarettes for occupying the part of the internal volume left free by the group of cigarettes. The filling element is made by folding a cardboard and comprises an abutting wall, two lateral walls that are arranged at opposite ends of the abutting wall and are perpendicular to the abutting wall, and a top wall connected to a top end of the abutting wall and perpendicular to the abutting wall. The abutting wall, opposite and parallel to the front wall of the container and extending longitudinally as far as the hinge of the package of cigarettes, abuts on the group of cigarettes, whereas the lateral walls and the top wall of the filling element rest with the respective free edges on the rear wall of the container. The filling element further comprises two angular flaps arranged at opposite ends of the top wall. The angular flaps are folded in a position perpendicular to the abutting wall and to the top wall and rest against top portions of the inner surfaces of the lateral walls of the filling element. The function of the filling element is to prevent there being empty spaces inside the package of cigarettes and thus prevent the group of cigarettes being able to "fit loosely" inside the package of cigarettes. In fact, if the group of cigarettes were free to "fit loosely" inside the package of cigarettes, the movements of the group of cigarettes during handling of the package of cigarettes, both during the production phase and the distribution and sales phase, would subject the cigarettes to mechanical stress that could easily cause the tips to empty, i.e. the loss of tobacco fibres from the free ends of the cigarettes.

The filling element disclosed in US5358104 has certain drawbacks.

Firstly, this filling element is not very stable. In fact, with use, it can easily happen that the top wall of the containing element lifts up, this worsening the aesthetic appeal of the package of cigarettes and making a space inside the container accessible.

Further, such a filling element is not very reliable because it is easily removable from the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a rigid package of smoke articles which is free of the drawbacks disclosed above and is at the same time easy and cheap to make.

According to the present invention a rigid package of smoke articles is provided as claimed in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate some embodiments thereof by way of non-limiting embodiments, in which:

- figure 1 is a front schematic perspective view of a rigid package of cigarettes in a closed configuration made according to the present invention;

- figure 2 is a rear schematic perspective view of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 in a closed configuration;

- figure 3 is a front schematic perspective view of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 in an open configuration;

- figure 4 is a front schematic perspective view of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 in an open configuration and with the group of cigarettes removed;

- figure 5 is a schematic and longitudinal section view of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 ;

- figure 6 is an enlarged portion of figure 5;

- figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a filling element of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 ;

- figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a collar and of the filling element of figure 7;

- figure 9 is a plan view of a blank used for making the filling element of figure 7;

- figure 10 is a plan view of a blank used for making the collar of figure 8;

- figure 1 1 is a plan view of a blank used for making a container of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 ;

- figure 12 is a schematic perspective view of a different embodiment of the filling element of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 ;

- figure 13 is a plan view of a blank used for making the filling element of figure 12; - figure 14 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the filling element of the package of cigarettes of figure 1 ; and

- figure 15 is a plan view of a blank used for making the filling element of figure 14. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In this description, similar elements that are common to the illustrated embodiments are indicated by the same reference.

In figures 1 to 6, with number 1 there is indicated overall a rigid package of cigarettes extending along a prevalent extension longitudinal axis A. The package 1 comprises a container 2 of parallelepiped shape and an inner wrapper 3, illustrated in figures 3, 5 and 6, that wraps a group of cigarettes, which is not illustrated, and is housed inside the container 2. The inner wrapper 3 is of parallelepiped shape and consists of a sheet of inner wrapper made of metal foil wrapped around the group of cigarettes. The inner wrapper 3 has a transverse dimension that is less than the transverse dimension of the container 2 so as to form a cavity inside the container 2.

The container 2 has an open top end 4 and is provided with a lid 5, which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the container 2 along a hinge 6 for rotating, with respect to the container 2, between an open position, illustrated in figures 3 and 4, and a closed position, illustrated in figures 1 , 2, 5 and 6, of the open top end 4.

The lid 5, when it is in the closed position, gives the container 2 a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a top wall 7 and a bottom wall 8 that are parallel to and opposite one another, a front wall 9 and a rear wall 10 that are parallel to and opposite one another, and two lateral walls 1 1 that are parallel to and opposite one another. Between the lateral 1 1 and the front 9 and rear 10 walls four longitudinal edges are defined, whereas between the top 7 and bottom 8 and front 9, 10 rear and lateral 1 1 walls eight transverse edges are defined; in particular between the top 7 and bottom 8 walls and the front 9 and rear 10 walls four greater transverse edges are defined, whereas between the top 7 and bottom 8 walls and the lateral walls 1 1 four lesser transverse edges are defined.

According to what is illustrated in figure 3, the package 1 further comprises a collar 12, which is connected (by gluing) folded as a "U" inside the container 2 to protrude partially outside the open top end 4 and engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid 5 when the lid 5 is arranged in in the aforesaid closed position. The collar 12 comprises a front wall 13, which is arranged in contact with the front wall 9 of the container 2, and two lateral walls 14, which are arranged on opposite sides of the front wall 13 and are arranged in contact with the lateral walls 1 1 of the container 2. Generally, the front wall 13 of the collar 12 is glued to an inner surface of the front wall 9 of the container 2 and the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 are glued to inner surfaces of the corresponding lateral walls 1 1 of the container 2.

According to what is better illustrated in figures 3 to 6, the package 1 comprises a filling element 15 (which is distinct, as illustrated in figures 9 and 10, from the collar 12) which is arranged inside the container 2 and occupies the part of the internal volume of the container 2 left free by the inner wrapper 3 so as to hold the inner wrapper 3 securely in the container 2.

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 5, 6 and 8, the filling element 15 ends lower, i.e. away from the open top end 4, than the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12, i.e. the top edge of the filling element 15 is arranged lower than the top edge of the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12. In other words, the distance between the top wall 17 of the filling element 15 and the bottom wall 8 of the container 2 is less than the distance between a top edge of the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 and the bottom wall 8 of the container 2. In this manner, the filling element 15 ends lower than the inner wrapper 3, which has the same height as the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 as illustrated in figure 3, accordingly facilitating extraction of the cigarettes from the inner wrapper 3. Also, according to a preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 5 and 6, the filling element 15 ends higher, i.e. away from the bottom wall 8 of the container 2, than the hinge 6, i.e. the top edge of the filling element 15 is arranged higher than the hinge 6. In other words, the distance between the top wall 17 of the filling element 15 and the bottom wall 8 of the container 2 is greater than the distance between the hinge 6 and the bottom wall 8 of the container 2. In this manner the filling element 15 ends higher than the rear wall 10 of the container 2, consequently increasing the longitudinal support provided to the inner wrapper 3.

According to a preferred embodiment, the filling element 15 is oriented along the longitudinal axis A along which the package 1 mainly extends, i.e. it is arranged parallel to the front 9 and rear 10 walls of the container 2 and perpendicularly to the lateral walls 1 1 of the container 2. In this embodiment the inner wrapper 3 is arranged in front of the filling element 15. Preferably, but not obligatorily, the inner wrapper 3 is arranged in a front position, i.e. in direct contact with the front wall 9 of the container 2, and the filling element 15 is arranged in a rear position, i.e. in direct contact with the rear wall 10 of the container 2, so as to facilitate access to the cigarettes contained in the inner wrapper 3, which are more easily accessible if the inner wrapper 3 is arranged in a front position.

According to what has been illustrated in figures 5 to 8, the filling element 15 comprises an abutting wall 16, parallel to and opposite the front wall 9 of the container 2, which abuts on the inner wrapper 3, a top wall 17, parallel to the top wall 7 of the container 2, which is connected to a top end of the abutting wall 16 and is substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall 16, a rear wall 18, parallel to the rear wall 10 of the container 2, which is connected to the top wall 17 and is parallel to and opposite the abutting wall 16, and two lateral walls 19 that are arranged at opposite ends of the abutting wall 16 and are perpendicular to the abutting wall 17.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 5 to 8, an end portion of the rear wall 18 of the filling element 15 rests on and is glued to the rear wall 10 of the container 2. Preferably, the rear wall 18 of the filling element 15 is glued to the rear wall 10 of the container 2 so as to be integral with the wall 10. The portion of the wall 18 that is not glued to the wall 10 of the container 2 protrudes partially outside the open top end 4 of the container 2, above the hinge 6, and engages a corresponding inner surface of the lid 5 when the lid 5 is arranged in the aforesaid closed position.

It should be noted that the presence of the top wall 17 and rear wall 18 of the filling element 15 prevents access to that part of the internal volume of the container 2 not occupied by the inner wrapper 3. In other words, the top wall 17 and rear wall 18 of the filling element 15 close above and behind that part of the internal volume of the container 2 that is not occupied by the inner wrapper 3 without leaving the possibility of access to that part of internal volume.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 5 to 8, the lateral walls 19 of the filling element 15 rest above on the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 and below on the lateral walls 1 1 of the container 2.

The lateral walls 19 of the filling element 15 can be glued to the lateral walls 14 of the collar 12 so as to be integral with the lateral walls 14 and/or, i.e. additional or alternatively, can be glued to the lateral walls 1 1 of the container 2 so as to be integral with the lateral walls 1 1. In the embodiment illustrated in figures 5 to 8, the lateral walls 19 of the filling element 15 have a longitudinal dimension that is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the abutting wall 16. In this manner, between the lateral walls 19 of the filling element 15, the abutting wall 16 of the filling element 15 and the bottom wall 8 of the container 2 a quadrangular front opening 20 (figure 5 and 8) is defined having dimensions that are analogous to those of the rear wall 18 of the filling element 15.

Also, in the embodiment illustrated in figures 5 to 8, the filling element 15 comprises two flaps 21 , each connected to a respective lateral wall 19, which are substantially perpendicular to the lateral walls 19 and to the abutting wall 16.

The flaps 21 are rested on and glued to an inner surface of the top wall 17 of the filling element 15.

According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in figure 12, the filling element 15 also comprises a bottom wall 22 parallel to and opposite the top wall 17, which is connected to a bottom end of the abutting wall 16 and is substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall 16.

In this embodiment, the bottom wall 22 of the filling element 15 rests on the bottom wall 8 of the container 2. The bottom wall 22 of the filling element 15 can be glued to the bottom wall 8 of the container 2 so as to be integral with the wall 8.

Also, in the embodiment illustrated in figure 12, the filling element 15 comprises two flaps 21 , each connected to a respective top end of a lateral wall 19, and two flaps 23, each connected to a respective bottom end of a lateral wall 19. The flaps 21 , 23 are substantially perpendicular to the lateral walls 19 and to the abutting wall 16. Also, the flaps 21 rest on and are glued to an inner surface of the top wall 17 of the filling element 15, whereas the flaps 23 rest on and are glued to an inner surface of the bottom wall 22 of the filling element 15.

According to a further embodiment illustrated in figure 14, the filling element 15 also comprises another rear wall 24, parallel to the rear wall 10 of the container 2, which is connected to the bottom wall 22 and is parallel to and opposite the abutting wall 16.

In this embodiment, the rear wall 24 of the filling element 15 rests on the rear wall 10 of the container 2 and is coplanar with the rear wall 18. The rear wall 24 of the filling element 15 can be glued to the rear wall 10 of the container 2 so as to be integral with the wall 10. The rear wall 24 has a longitudinal dimension that is the same as the longitudinal dimension of the rear wall 18. In the embodiment illustrated in figure 14, the filling element 15 comprises a quadrangular shaped rear opening 25 defined between the rear walls 18, 24 of the filling element 15. Also, in this embodiment, the filling element 15 comprises two flaps 21 , each connected to a respective top end of a lateral wall 19, and two flaps 23, each connected to a respective bottom end of a lateral wall 19. The flaps 21 , 23 are substantially perpendicular to the lateral walls 19 and to the abutting wall 16. Also, the flaps 21 rest on and are glued to an inner surface of the top wall 17 of the filling element 15, whereas the flaps 23 rest on and are glued to an inner surface of the bottom wall 22 of the filling element 15.

It should be noted how in all the embodiments disclosed above, an end edge of the rear wall 18 extends parallel to the hinge 6 and is positioned in an intermediate position between the hinge 6 and the wall 8 of the container 2.

According to what is illustrated in figure 1 1 , the container 2 is obtained from a flat blank 26 that has a substantially elongated rectangular shape and is of known type. The blank 26, as it is of known type, is only illustrated but is not disclosed in detail.

According to what is illustrated in figure 10, the collar 12 is obtained from a flat blank 27 that is conformed to be cuttable without waste (scraps) from a continuous web of inner wrapper material.

Also the blank 27, as it is of known type, is only illustrated but is not disclosed in detail. According to what is illustrated in figure 9, the filling element 15 illustrated in figure 7, is obtained from a flat blank 28 that is conformed to be cuttable without waste (scraps) from a continuous web of inner wrapper material.

In the description that follows, the parts of the blank 28 will be indicated, if possible, with accented reference numbers that are the same as the reference numbers that distinguish the corresponding parts of the filling element 15 illustrated in figure 7.

The blank 28 has a substantially rectangular shape and has two longitudinal weakening lines 29, which are parallel to one another, and two transverse weakening lines 30, which are parallel to one another, which define a first panel 18' constituting the rear wall 18 of the containing element 15, a second panel 17' constituting the top wall 17 of the containing element 15, and a third panel 16' constituting the abutting wall 16 of the containing element 15.

The third panel 16' has a pair of flaps 19' that constitute the lateral walls 19 of the containing element 15, arranged on opposite sides of the third panel 16' and separated from the third panel 16' by the longitudinal weakening lines 29. The flaps 19' have respective tabs 2 Γ connected to the respective flaps 19' by a transverse weakening line 30 and constituting the flaps 21 of the containing element 15. The tabs 21 ' constitute part of the top wall 17 of the containing element 15.

According to what is illustrated in figure 13, the filling element 15 illustrated in figure 12, is obtained from a flat blank 31 which is conformed to be cuttable from a continuous web of inner wrapper material.

In the description that follows, the parts of the blank 31 will be indicated, if possible, with accented reference numbers that are the same as the reference numbers that distinguish the corresponding parts of the filling element 15 illustrated in figure 12.

The blank 31 has a substantially rectangular shape and has two longitudinal weakening lines 29, which are parallel to one another, and two transverse weakening lines 30, which are parallel to one another, which define a first panel 18' constituting the rear wall 18 of the containing element 15, a second panel 17' constituting the top wall 17 of the containing element 15, a third panel 16' constituting the abutting wall 16 of the containing element 15, and a fourth panel 22' constituting the bottom wall 22 of the element 15.

The third panel 16' has a pair of flaps 19' that constitute the lateral walls 19 of the containing element 15, arranged on opposite sides of the third panel 16' and separated from the third panel 16' by the longitudinal weakening lines 29.

The flaps 19' have respective tabs 21 ', 23' connected to the respective flaps 19' by a respective transverse weakening line 30 and constituting the flaps 21 , 23 of the containing element 15. The tabs 21 ' constitute part of the top wall 17 of the containing element 15, whereas the tabs 23' form part of the bottom wall 22 of the containing element 15.

According to what is illustrated in figure 15, the filling element 15 illustrated in figure 14, is obtained from a flat blank 32 which is conformed to be cuttable from a continuous web of inner wrapper material.

In the description that follows, the parts of the blank 32 will be indicated, if possible, with accented reference numbers that are the same as the reference numbers that distinguish the corresponding parts of the filling element 15 illustrated in figure 14.

The blank 32 has a substantially rectangular shape and has two longitudinal weakening lines 29, which are parallel to one another, and two transverse weakening lines 30, which are parallel to one another, which define a first panel 18' constituting the rear wall 18 of the containing element 15, a second panel 17' constituting the top wall 17 of the containing element 15, a third panel 16' constituting the abutting wall 16 of the containing element 15, a fourth panel 22' constituting the bottom wall 22 of the element 15, and a fifth panel 24' constituting the rear wall 24 of the filling element 15.

The flaps 19' have respective tabs 2 , 23' connected to the respective flaps 19' by a respective transverse weakening line 30 and constituting the flaps 21 , 23 of the containing element 15. The tabs 21 ' constitute part of the top wall 17 of the containing element 1 5, whereas the tabs 23' form part of the bottom wall 22 of the containing element 15.

The package 1 of cigarettes disclosed above has numerous advantages.

Firstly, the filling element 15 is particularly stable. In fact, the rear wall 18 resting on and preferably glued to the rear wall 10 of the container 2 prevents the top wall 17 of the containing element 15 lifting up, this ensuring, also with intensive use, a pleasing appearance of the package of cigarettes and preventing access to that part of the internal volume of the container 2 that is not occupied by the inner wrapper 3.

Further, the filling element 15 is more reliable than known filling elements. In fact, the filling element 15 can be glued inside the container 2, this preventing the containing element 15 from easily detaching itself from the container 2.

Also, the package 1 of cigarettes disclosed above is simple to make even in an existing packaging machine, which has to be subjected to only a few modifications that are not too invasive. In fact, the filling element 15 can be obtained from a continuous web of inner wrapper material with similar processing to what is performed to make the collar; thus handling the filling element 15 is simple (using entirely only known technologies and components) and occupies little space.

In closing, in the package 1 of cigarettes disclosed above the filling element 15 uses a small quantity of material with a low impact on the financial and environmental costs of production and of disposal, after use, of the package 1 of cigarettes.

Claims

1. A package (1 ) of smoke articles comprising:

a container (2), which has a parallelepiped shape and has a front wall (9), a rear wall (10), a bottom wall (8) and two lateral walls (1 1 );

a parallelepiped-shaped inner wrapper (3) that wraps a group of smoke articles, which is housed inside the container (2) and has a transverse dimension that is less than the transverse dimension of the container (2) so as to form a cavity inside the container (2); a collar (12), which is arranged inside the container (2) for projecting partially outside an open top end (4) of the container (2) and comprises a front wall (13), which is arranged in contact with the front wall (9) of the container (2), and two lateral walls (14), which are arranged on opposite sides of the front wall (13) and are arranged in contact with the lateral walls (1 1 ) of the container (2); and

a filling element (15) arranged within the cavity to securely retain the inner wrapper (3) in the container (2), wherein the filling element (15) comprises an abutting wall (16) for supporting the inner wrapper (3), a top wall (17) connected to a top end of the abutting wall (16) and substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall (16), and two lateral walls (19) that are arranged at opposite ends of the abutting wall (16) and are substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall (16);

wherein the collar (12) and the filling element (15) are elements that are distinct from one another;

the package (1) of smoke articles is characterised in that the filling element (15) comprises a rear wall (18) connected to the top wall (17) and parallel to and opposite the abutting wall (16), wherein an end portion of the rear wall (18) of the filling element (15) rests on and is glued to the rear wall (10) of the container (2).

2. A package (1) of smoke articles according to claim 1 , wherein the rear wall (18) of the filling element (15) is glued to an inner surface of the container (2).

3. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any preceding claim, wherein the lateral walls (19) of the filling element (15) are glued to respective inner surfaces of the container (2).

4. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the two lateral walls (19) of the filling element (15) have a longitudinal dimension that is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the abutting wall (16).

5. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the filling element (15) comprises a bottom wall (22) parallel to and opposite the top wall (17), wherein the bottom wall (22) is connected to a bottom end of the abutting wall (16) and is substantially perpendicular to the abutting wall (16).

6. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to claim 5, wherein the bottom wall (22) of the filling element (15) is glued to an inner surface of the container (2).

7. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to claim 5, or 6, wherein the bottom wall (22) of the filling element (15) rests on and is glued to the bottom wall (8) of the container (2).

8. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the filling element (15) comprises another rear wall (24) connected to the bottom wall (22) and parallel to and opposite the abutting wall (16).

9. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to claim 8, wherein the rear wall (24) of the filling element (15) is glued to an inner surface of the container (2).

10. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to claim 8, or 9, wherein the rear wall (24) of the filling element (15) rests on and is glued to the rear wall (10) of the container (2).

11. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the filling element (15) is oriented along a longitudinal axis (A) along which the package (1 ) mainly extends and is arranged parallel to the front wall (9) and rear wall (10) of the container (2) and perpendicularly to the lateral walls (1 1 ) of the container (2).

12. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1 , and comprising:

a lid (5) for closing the open top end (4) of the container (2); and

a hinge (6) for connecting the lid (5) to the container (2).

13. A package (1) of smoke articles according to any preceding claim, wherein the two lateral walls (19) of the filling element (15) rest on and are glued to the lateral walls (14) of the collar (12) and/or to the lateral walls (1 1) of the container (2).

14. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any preceding claim, wherein the distance between the top wall (17) of the filling element (15) and the bottom wall (8) of the container (2) is less than the distance between a top edge of the lateral walls (14) of the collar (12) and the bottom wall (8) of the container (2).

15. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the distance between the top wall (17) of the filling element (15) and the bottom wall (8) of the container (2) is greater than the distance between the hinge (6) and the bottom wall (8) of the container (2).

16. A package (1 ) of smoke articles according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein an end edge of the rear wall (18) of the filling element (15) extends parallel to the hinge (6) and is arranged in an intermediate position between the hinge (6) and the bottom wall (8) of the container (2).