WO2019193531A1

WO2019193531A1 - Pack for smoking articles with hinged lid

Info

Publication number: WO2019193531A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/052761
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luca Federici
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2018-04-04
Filing date: 2019-04-04
Publication date: 2019-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-04
Also published as: CN111936391A

Abstract

A pack (1) for smoking articles comprising: two groups (25) of smoking articles; a rigid outer container (2), which is cup-shaped, houses the two groups (25) of smoking articles and has: an open top end (3), a bottom wall (6) opposite the open top end (3), a front wall (7) and a rear wall (8) opposite one another, and two side walls (9) opposite one another; a lid (4), which is cup-shaped, is hinged to the outer container (2) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2), between an opening position and a closing position opening and closing the open top end (3), and has: an open bottom end, a top wall (10), a front wall (11) and a rear wall (12) opposite one another, and two side walls (13) opposite one another; two rigid inner containers (14), which are arranged side by side in the outer container (2), are obtained by folding respective rigid blanks (30) having pre-weakened folding lines (31, 32), are provided with respective extraction openings (20) defined by a through incision made in the respective blank (30), and each houses a corresponding group of smoking articles (25).

Description

Pack for smoking articles with hinged lid

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102018000004186 filed on 04/04/2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a pack for smoking articles with a hinged lid.

The invention finds advantageous application in a cigarette pack with a hinged lid, to which explicit reference will be made in the description below without because of this loosing in generality.

PRIOR ART

Rigid cigarette packs with a hinged lid currently are the most commonly used cigarette packs in the market since they are easy to be manufactured, simple and practical to be used and offer a good protection to the cigarettes contained on the inside.

A rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid comprises an inner wrap consisting of a group of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of metallized paper and a rigid outer casing housing, on the inside, the inner wrap; the inner wrap, at first, is completely closed and has a top portion (called“pull”), which can be eliminated through tearing and is removed when the cigarettes pack is opened for the first time so as to allow the cigarettes enclosed by the inner wrap to be pulled out. The outer casing consists of a cup-shaped container having an open top end and of a lid, which is also cup-shaped and is hinged to the container so as to rotate, relative to the container itself, between an open position and a closed position of the open end.

Patent application W02010026020A1 discloses a rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid, wherein the inner wrap is impermeable, encloses two distinct groups of cigarettes side by side (namely arranged beside one another) and has two distinct extraction openings, each closed by a reusable closing tab (in other words, each closing tab is provided with a reusable adhesive, which does not dry and allows the closing tab to be locked in a closed position many times). Each group of cigarettes is provided with its own rigid reinforcement element, which embraces the group of cigarettes and is arranged inside the inner wrap.

Patent application WO2016166692A1 discloses a rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid, wherein there are provided two impermeable inner wraps side by side enclosing two respective group of cigarettes and each having a cigarette extraction opening closed by a reusable closing tab; each group of cigarettes is provided with its own rigid reinforcement element, which embraces the group of cigarettes and is arranged inside the inner wrap. However, the rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid disclosed in patent application W02010026020A1 or in patent application WO2016166692 A 1 requires a large quantity of wrapping material since, for each group of cigarettes, there must be a rigid reinforcement element, which is added to the wrapping sheet and surrounds the group of cigarettes.

Furthermore, in the rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid disclosed in patent application W02010026020A1 or in patent application WO2016166692 Al, the lid is not always held in the closed position (namely, it tends to spontaneously open and, hence, reach a half open position which is not really appreciated by consumers as it gives a feeling of malfunctioning), especially when the inner wrap is half-empty. In order to try and solve this problem, suggestion were made as to how provide the cigarette pack with a collar, which embraces the inner wrap, is internally glued to the container, projecting from the open top end of the container, and has a front wall provided with a pair of claws, which laterally project so as to engage, with interference, the lid when the lid is in the closed position, so that the lid can be held in the closed position with a greater force. However, the presence of the collar leads to some drawbacks because the presence of the collar determines an increase in the wrapping material needed to manufacture the cigarette pack and, especially, the presence of the collar forces manufacturers to reduce the dimensions of the closing tabs (and, as a consequence, the dimensions of the cigarette extraction openings, thus making the extraction of the cigarettes more difficult).

The rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid disclosed in patent application W02010026020A1 requires, for its production, a“ special” manufacturing machine (namely, a machine exclusively dedicated to the production of these packs), as one single wrapping sheet must be folded around two groups of cigarettes side by side. As a consequence, manufacturers cannot adjust an existing packer machine designed to manufacture regular hinged-lid cigarette packs, but they need to design and build a “ special” packer machine, which has very high costs; to this regard, it should be pointed out that in the market there is a very large number of packer machines for manufacturing hinged-lid cigarette packs containing one single group of cigarettes and that the rigid cigarette packs with a hinge lid disclosed in patent application W02010026020A1 are in a niche of their own, which requires a very small number of dedicated packer machines (as a consequence, the costs to be borne for the designing and the development of a new “ special” packer machine end up being damped by very few packer machines, thus causing the single costs of each packer machine to become extremely high.

In the rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid disclosed in patent application W02010026020A1 or in patent application WO2016166692 Al, the side walls of the inner wrap show the folds of the so-called“ soap wrap”, with a questionable overall aesthetic appearance (which is not always appreciated by consumers).

The rigid cigarette pack with a hinged lid disclosed in patent application W02010026020A1 or in patent application WO2016166692 Al has a scarce versatility because an empty compartment of the inner wrap (namely, when one of the two cigarette groups has been completely used) cannot be easily filled with new cigarettes and cannot be“ eliminated.” (i.e. even when the cigarette pack is half-empty, the total dimensions thereof always remain the same).

Patent application W02012082907A1 discloses a cigarette pack comprising one single group of cigarettes; a rigid inner container, which is obtained by folding a first rigid blank, is provided with an extraction opening defined by a through incision made in the first blank, and houses the group of cigarettes; a rigid outer container, which is cup-shaped and houses the rigid inner container; and a lid, which is sup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a pack for smoking articles with a hinged lid, which is not affected by the drawbacks described above (in particular, which allows the smoking articles to be easily pulled out) and, at the same time, is easy and cheap to be manufactured (in particular, thanks to the smaller quantity of wrapping material needed to manufacture the pack).

According to the invention, there is provided a pack for smoking articles with a hinged lid according to the appended claims.

The appended claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention and form an integral part of the description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:

• figure 1 is a perspective front view, in a closed configuration, of a hinged-lid cigarette pack manufactured according to the invention;

• figure 2 is a perspective rear view of the cigarette pack of figure 1 in a closed configuration;

• figure 3 is a perspective front view of the cigarette pack of figure 1 in an open configuration;

• figure 4 is a perspective front view of an outer container provided with a hinged lid of the cigarette pack of figure 1 in an open configuration;

• figure 5 is a perspective view of two inner containers of the cigarette pack of figure l;

• figure 6 is a perspective front view of an inner container of figure 5 without a closing tab;

• figure 7 is a side plan view of an adhesive closing tab coupled to an inner container of figure 5;

• figure 8 is a perspective view of a group of cigarettes contained in an inner container of figure 5;

• figure 9 is a perspective view of an inner wrap partially enclosing the group of cigarettes of figure 8;

• figure 10 is a perspective view of an inner wrap completely enclosing the group of cigarettes of figure 8;

• figure 11 is a plan view of a blank used to manufacture the outer container and the hinged lid of figure 4;

• figure 12 is a plan view of a blank used to manufacture an inner container of figure

5;

• figure 13 is plan view of a variant of the blank of figure 12;

• figure 14 is a partial schematic view, on a larger scale and with a cross section, of the cigarette pack of figure 1 ;

• figure 15 is a perspective front view of a variant of the cigarette pack of figure 1 in an open configuration;

• figure 16 is a perspective front view of a further variant of the cigarette pack of figure 1 in an open configuration; and • figure 17 is a plan view of a variant of the blank used to manufacture the outer container and the hinged lid of figure 4.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In figures 1, 2 and 3, number 1 indicates, as a whole, a rigid cigarette pack. The cigarette pack 1 comprises a cup-shaped rigid outer container 2 (which is made of cardboard or stiff card stock).

The outer container 2 has an open top end 3 and is provided with a lid 4, which is also cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container 2 along a hinge 5 (shown in figure 2), so as to rotate, relative to the outer container 2, between an open position (shown in figure 3) and a closed position (shown in figures 1 and 2) of the open top end 3. The outer container 2 substantially has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped oriented according to a mainly horizontal development direction, is cup-shaped and has the open top end 3, a bottom wall 6 opposite the open top end 3, a front wall 7 and a rear wall 8 (where the hinge 5 is obtained), which are parallel to and opposite one another, and two side walls 9, which are parallel to and opposite one another. Between the front 7 and rear 8 walls and the side walls 9 of the outer container 2 there are defined four longitudinal corners, whereas between the walls 7, 8 and 9 and the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2 there are defined four transverse comers.

The lid 4 substantially has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, is cup-shaped and has an open bottom end (facing the open top end 3 of the outer container 2, when the lid 4 is in the closed position), a top wall 10 (which is parallel to and opposite the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2, when the lid 4 is in the closed position), a front wall 11 (which is parallel to and aligned with the front wall 7 of the outer container 2, when the lid 4 is in the closed position), a rear wall 12 (which is parallel to and aligned with the rear wall 8 of the outer container 2, when the lid 4 is in the closed position, and is hinged to the rear wall 8 of the outer container 2 along the hinge 5), and two side walls 13 parallel to and opposite one another (which are parallel to and aligned with, in particular coplanar and adjacent to, the side walls 9 of the outer container 2, when the lid 4 is in the closed position). Between the front 11 and rear 12 walls and the side walls 13 of the lid 4 there are defined four longitudinal corners, whereas between the walls 11, 12 and 13 and the top wall 10 of the lid 4 there are defined four transverse corners. The longitudinal comers and the transverse corners of the lid 4 are parallel to and aligned with the corresponding longitudinal and transverse corners of the outer container 2, when the lid 4 is in the closed position.

According to figures 3 and 4, the cigarette pack 1 comprises two inner twin containers 14 (namely, identical to one another), which are arranged side by side inside the outer container 2 so as to partially project outwards from the open top end 3 and engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid 4, when the lid 4 is arranged in the aforesaid closed position.

According to figure 6, each inner container 14 comprises a front wall 15, which is parallel to the front wall 7 of the container 2, two side walls 16, which are at a 90° angle relative to the front wall 15 and are parallel to the side walls 9 of the container 2, a rear wall 17, which is at a 90° angle relative to the side walls 16, is parallel to the front wall 15 and is parallel to the rear wall 8 of the container 2, a top wall 18, which is perpendicular to the walls 15, 16 and 17, and a bottom wall 19, which is parallel to and opposite the top wall 18, is perpendicular to the walls 15, 16 and 17 and is parallel to the bottom wall 6 of the container 2.

The two inner containers 14 also fulfil the function of holding the lid 4 in the closed position with a certain force so as to prevent the lid 4 itself from accidentally opening; this“ locking” function, aimed at locking the lid 4 in the closed position, is carried out thanks to the fact that, when the lid 4 is in the closed position, the inner containers 14 partially project from the open top end 3 of the outer container 2 and, therefore, engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid 4; in this way, in order to open the lid 4, the lid 4 and/or the inner containers 14 need to be slightly and elastically deformed and, hence, a certain force needs to be applied to the lid 4 in order to open the lid 4 itself.

Each inner container 14 has an extraction opening 20, which is arranged at the centre and affects a portion of the front wall 15 of the inner container 14 and a portion of the top wall 18 of the inner container 14. According to a possible embodiment, each extraction opening 20 is obtained by making, in the inner container 14, a through incision with a closed shape, which delimits, on the inside, a disposable portion of the inner container 14, which is eliminated so as to leave a hole (which forms the extraction opening 20). According to an alternative embodiment, each extraction opening 20 is obtained by making, in the inner container 14, a through incision with an open shape (approximately “U”-shaped), which delimits, on the inside, a movable portion of the inner container 14, which moves so as to release (open) or engage (close) the extraction opening 20.

According to figures 3 and 5, the extraction opening 20 of each inner container 14 is normally closed by a reusable closing tab 21, which is fixed to the inner container 14 by means of re-stick glue 22 (shown in figure 7), which is arranged around the extraction opening 20 and is applied to the inner surface of the closing tab 21 (namely, the surface of the closing tab 21 facing inwards, i.e. facing the inner container 14) so as to allow the closing tab 21 to be partially separated form the inner container 14 many times and then fixed to the inner container 14 again. In other words, the re-stick glue 22 is a glue which does not dry after having been applied and, hence, allows for a repeated separation of the closing tab 21 from the inner container 14 and for a repeated subsequent adhesion of the former to the latter.

Each closing tab 21 is provided with a a lifting flap 23, which is free from re-stick glue 22 (according to figure 7) and can be grabbed by a user in order to lift the closing tab 21 (namely, in order to partially remove the closing tab 21 from the inner container 14 so as to release the extraction opening 20). According to an alternative embodiment which is not shown herein, the lifting flap 23 of each closing tab 21 is glued (or can be glued by the user by eliminating a glue protecting strip) in a permanent and non-separable manner to the inner surface of the front wall 11 of the lid 4 by means of permanent glue 24 (shown in figure 7), which is applied to the outer surface of the closing tab 21 (namely, the surface of the closing tab 21 facing outwards, i.e. facing away from the inner container 14). In this way, by opening or closing the lid 4, the closing tab 21 is simultaneously opened and closed, as well.

According to a different embodiment which is not shown herein, the inner containers 14 are not provided with closing tabs 21 and, hence, the extraction openings 20 are always free (namely, each inner container 14 is exactly as shown in figure 6). In this embodiment, each extraction opening 20 is obtained by making, in the inner container 14, a through incision with a closed shape, which delimits, on the inside, a disposable portion of the inner container 14, which is eliminated so as to leave a hole (which forms the extraction opening 20).

Inside each inner container 14 there is a group 25 of cigarettes (shown in figure 8). According to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, each group 25 of cigarettes is not provided with an inner wrap and is in direct contact with the inner container 14; namely, the group 25 of cigarettes is“naked.” and, therefore, does not have any inner wrap surrounding it and is inserted into the inner container 14 exactly as shown in figure 8. According to a different embodiment shown in figure 9, each group 25 of cigarettes is wrapped in a cup-shaped wrap 26, which exposes the upper part of the cigarettes (namely, the cigarette filters) and, hence, is“ invisible” from the outside of the inner container 14; in other words, the wrap 26 is shorter than the group 25 of cigarettes and, therefore, only covers a lower portion of the group 25 of cigarettes, leaving an upper portion of the group 25 of cigarettes completely visible (namely, the wrap 26 is sized so as to only surround a lower portion of the group 25 of cigarettes opposite the extraction opening 20). According to a further embodiment shown in figure 10, each group 25 of cigarettes is wrapped in a warp 27, which completely covers the group 25 of cigarettes and is provided with a removable upper portion 28 (the so-called“pull”), which is removed when the cigarette pack 1 is opened for the first time; in the embodiment shown in figure 10, the removable upper portion 28 of the wrap 27 is removed by the smoker upon the first opening of the cigarette pack 1, whereas, according to a different embodiment which is not shown herein, the removable upper portion 28 of the wrap 27 is glued (by means of permanent glue) to the closing tab 21 so as to be opened and closed together with the closing tab 21 itself. The wrap 27 completely covering the group 25 of cigarettes could be manufactured in a traditional manner (namely, only with folds without glue, as shown in figure 10) or it could be manufactured so as to be more or less sealed by means of heat- welded joints.

According to figure 11, the outer container 2 and the lid 4 are obtained by folding a conventional rigid blank 29 provided with a plurality of pre-weakened folding lines 40 and 41 (two longitudinal folding lines 40 and a plurality of transverse folding lines 41). Among other things, the blank 29 has a reinforcement flap 11”, which is connected to the front wall 11 of the lid 4 along a transverse folding line, is folded by 180° (in the cigarette pack 1) relative to the front wall 11 of the lid 4 (namely, relative to the panel 1 G), rests against and is glued to an inner surface of the front wall 11 of the lid 4 (namely, the panel 1 G). In the variant shown in figure 17, the blank 29 has a reinforcement flap 7”, which is connected to the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 along a transverse folding line, is folded by 180° (in the cigarette pack 1) relative to the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 (namely, relative to the panel 7’), rests against and is glued to an inner surface of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 (namely, the panel 7’). The reinforcement flap 7” has an aesthetic function (since it improves the appearance of the upper edge of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2) and could also be used to mechanically constrain the inner containers 14 to the outer container 2, as explained more in detail below. According to figure 12, each inner container 14 is obtained by folding a rigid blank 30 provided with a plurality of pre-weakened folding lines 31 and 32, The blank 30 comprises two (pre-weakened) longitudinal folding lines 31 and a plurality of (pre weakened) transverse folding lines 32, which define, between the two longitudinal folding lines 31, a panel 19’, which makes up part of the bottom wall 19 of the inner container 14, a panel 17’, which makes up the rear wall 17 of the inner container 14, a panel 18’, which makes up the top wall 18 of the inner container 14, a panel 15’, which makes up the front wall 15 of the inner container 14, and a panel 19”, which makes up part of the bottom wall 19 of the inner container 14 and overlaps as well as is glued to the panel 19’.

The blank 30 comprises a pair of wings 16’, which are arranged on opposite sides of the panel 15’, are connected to the panel 15’ along the two longitudinal folding lines 31, and make up part of the side walls 16 of the inner container 14. The blank 30 comprises a pair of wings 16”, which are arranged on opposite sides of the panel 17’, are connected to the panel 17’ along the two longitudinal folding lines 31, make up part of the side walls 16 of the inner container 14, and overlap as well as are glued to the corresponding wings 16’ so as to build the side walls 16 of the inner container 14.

The blank 30 comprises a pair of flaps 32, which are connected to the wings 16” along a respective transverse folding line 32, are folded by 90° relative to the wings 16”, and rest against an inner surface f the panel 18’ (namely, of the top wall 18 of the inner container 14) on the opposite sides of the extraction opening 20 (and without overlapping the extraction opening 20 itself).

Owing to the above, it is evident that each inner container 14 is a rigid container (just like the outer container 2), namely is made of a rigid wrapping material, which is subjected to no elastic deformation (but only to plastic deformation), when it is folded by 90°, and is folded by 90° only around the pre-weakened folding lines 31 and 32; in other words, the wrapping material making up each inner container 14 contains non-flexible (i.e. rigid) cardboard or stiff card, which does not bend (flex), except for along the pre-weakened folding lines 31 and 32. According to a possible embodiment, the rigid wrapping material making up each inner container 14 is a multi-layer material and, besides a bearing layer made of cardboard or stiff card, it also comprises (at least) a barrier layer, which ensures a seal against humidity; on the other hand, the rigid wrapping material making up the outer container 2 and the lid 4 is a normal single-layer cardboard or stiff card. According to an alternative embodiment, the very same type of wrapping material is used for the blank 29 (hence, to manufacture the outer container 2 and the lid 4) and also for the two blanks 30 (hence, to manufacture the two inner containers 14). According to a possible embodiment, the rigid wrapping material used for the two blanks 30 (hence, to manufacture the two inner containers 14) has, on the outside, a coating made of a high- friction material (for example, a silicone rubber) so as to increase the friction between the outer surface of the inner containers 14 and the inner surface of the lid 4 and, hence, increase the extent to which the lid 4 is held in the closed position by the inner containers 14.

In the embodiment shown in figure 12, each extraction opening 20 is obtained by making, in the inner container 14, a through incision with a closed shape, which delimits, on the inside, a disposable portion of the inner container 14, which is eliminated so as to leave a hole (which forms the extraction opening 20); in this embodiment, the re- stick glue 22 is not present in the area of the extraction opening 20 (as shown in figure 7) because, in the area of the extraction opening 20, the inner surface of the closing tab 21 is in direct contact with the cigarettes. According to an alternative embodiment shown in figure 13, each extraction opening 20 is obtained by making, in the inner container 14, a through incision with an open shape (approximately“U”-shaped), which delimits, on the inside, a movable portion of the inner container 14, which moves so as to release (open) or engage (close) the extraction opening 20; said movable portion is glued to the inner surface of the closing tab 21 and, hence, moves together with the closing tab 21. In this embodiment, the re stick glue 22 is also present in the area of the extraction opening 20 so as to glue the movable portion of the inner container 14 to the closing tab 21 ; alternatively or in addition to the re-stick glue 22 there can also be a strong permanent glue, which glues the movable portion of the inner container 14 to the closing tab 21.

In the (non-binding) embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, each inner container 14 is provided, on the inside, with a glue which stabilizes the shape of the inner container 14 (in particular, the panels 19’ and 19” are glued to one another and the wings 16” are also glued to the corresponding wings 16’). According to an alternative embodiment, each inner container 14 does not have, on the inside, any glue (namely, no glue is used to connect the parts of the inner container 14 to one another).

According to a possible embodiment, each inner container 14 is not permanently constrained to the outer container 2, namely it is not glued to the outer container 2 with a strong permanent glue; in this embodiment, the user can pull each inner container 14 out of the outer container 2 both to eliminate an empty inner container 14 and to use an inner container 14 independently of the outer container 2 (namely, users, instead of having to take the entire cigarette pack 1 with them, pull one single inner container 14 out of the outer container 2 and take only said single inner container 14 with them). There preferably is no mechanical constraint (bond) between each inner container 14 and the outer container 2, namely each inner container 14 is not glued to the outer container 2.

According to alternative embodiments, there can be a weak or, anyway, easily interruptible mechanical constraint (bond) between each inner container 14 and the outer container 2; said weak or, anyway, easily interruptible mechanical constraint (bond) ensures a greater stability of the inner containers 14 in the outer container 2, but, anyway, does not prevent the inner containers 14 from being pulled out of the outer container 2. For example, each inner container 14 could be glued to the outer container 2 by means of a re- stick glue or by means of a permanent glue (namely, a glue that dries after its application, thus forming a bond that cannot be separated, only with a violent and disruptive tear), which, though, is weak (namely, can easily be torn by simply applying a moderate force). Alternatively, each inner container 14 could comprise an outward- projecting flap, which engages a similar flap internally carried by the outer container 2 (for example, the flap 7” of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2). Or the inner surface of the outer container 2 and/or the corresponding outer surface of each inner container 14 could be coated with a high-friction material, which makes it harder for the inner container 14 to slide relative to the outer container 2.

It should be pointed out that the (weak, namely interruptible) mechanical constraints (bonds) between the inner containers 14 and the outer container 2 help hold the remaining inner container 14 in the correct position when the other inner container 14 is removed from the outer container 2; namely, when an inner container 14 is removed from the outer container 2, the other inner container 14 remaining in the outer container 2 could be loose in the outer container 2 itself and the (weak, namely interruptible) mechanical constraints (bonds) between the inner containers 14 and the outer container 2 help hold the remaining inner container 14 in the correct position when the other inner container 14 is removed from the outer container 2.

According to an alternative embodiment which is not shown herein, each inner container 14 is glued to the outer container 2 by means of a permanent glue (namely, a glue that dries after its application, thus forming a bond that cannot be separated, only with a violent and disruptive tear); said permanent glue is typically arranged in the area of the rear wall 17 of the inner container 14 (namely, in the area of the rear wall 8 of the outer container 2), in the area of the bottom wall 19 of the inner container 14 (namely, in the area of the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2), and/or in the area of the front wall 15 of the inner container 14 (namely, in the area of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2). Usually, when each inner container 14 is internally provided with glue (namely, when the shape of each inner container 14 is caused to be stable through gluing), then the inner containers 14 are not permanently constrained to the outer container 2 so as to allow for a (possible) extraction of the inner containers 14 from the outer container 2 (since they have a stable shape, the inner containers 14 can easily be used also on the outside of the outer container 2). Usually, when each inner container 14 is internally provided with glue (namely, when the shape of each inner container 14 is caused to be stable through gluing), the inner containers 14 are not permanently constrained to the outer container 2 so as to allow for a (possible) extraction of the inner containers 14 from the outer container 2 (since they have a stable shape, the inner containers 14 can easily be used also on the outside of the outer container 2); in other words, in this embodiment, in the entire inner container 14 the only permanent glue applied is the permanent glue needed for the sole purpose of joining the inner container 14 to the outer container 2.

According to other equivalent embodiments, there could also be a permanent glue connecting the two inner containers 14 to one another, namely a glue interposed between the two side walls 16 in mutual contact of the two inner containers 14, so as to form one single indivisible unit consisting of the two inner containers 14 glued to one another. According to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings and well visible in figures 1 and 11, the front wall 11 of the lid 4 has a height Dl (namely, a longitudinal extension Dl, i.e. a size measured parallel to the longitudinal comers) which is greater than a height D2 (namely, a longitudinal extension D2, i.e. a size measured parallel to the longitudinal corners) of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2. The ratio between the height Dl of the front wall 11 of the lid 4 and the height D2 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 ranges from 1.1 to 1.4. The fact that the height Dl of the front wall 11 of the lid 4 is greater than the height D2 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 allows for an increase in the size of the extraction opening 20 of each inner container 14, at the same time without jeopardizing the functionality (namely, the opening/closing simplicity) of the lid 4.

According to a preferred embodiment shown in figure 14, each inner container 14 is arranged a distance D3 other than zero both from the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2 and from the top wall 10 of the lid 4; the distance D3 usually is greater than 0.8 mm and generally ranges from 0.8 to 1.3 mm. The distance D3 usually is the same both above (namely, relative to the top wall 10 of the lid 4) and below (namely, relative to the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2); however, it also possible for the distance D3 to be different above (namely, relative to the top wall 10 of the lid 4) and below (namely, relative to the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2). It is important for the distance D3 to be sufficiently large (namely, more than 0.8 mm) in order to avoid that, by opening the lid 4, the inner containers 14 are dragged upwards by the opening movement of the lid 4 (namely, that, by opening the lid 4, one inner container or both inner containers 14 are accidentally removed from the outer container 2 due to the dragging movement caused by the lid 4). Furthermore, it is important for the distance D3 not to be too large (namely, more than 1.3 mm) in order to prevent the inner containers 14 from being loose (namely, from moving in an uncontrolled manner) inside the outer container 2 because, in this case, they would not be capable of properly holding the lid 4 in the closed position. According to a preferred embodiment shown in in figure 14, each inner container 14 is kept at a distance D3 from the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2 and from the top wall 10 of the lid 4 thanks to the transverse folding lines 41 of the blank 29 (creating the outer container 2 and the lid 4), which have a (vaguely rounded) curved shape and, therefore, form a support, which keeps each inner container 14 relatively far from the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2 and from the top wall 10 of the lid 4. From another point of view, the distance D3 of each inner container 14 from the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2 and from the top wall 10 of the lid 4 is greater than the distance of each inner container 14 from the side walls 9 and 16, from the front walls 7 and 11 and from the rear walls 8 and 12 of the outer container 2 and of the lid 4; by so doing, each inner container 14 rests on the transverse folding lines 41 of the blank 29 (without“ crushing” the transverse folding lines 41) remaining at the distance D3 from the bottom wall 6 of the outer container 2 or from the top wall 10 of the lid 4.

In the embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6, each inner container 14 is“ complete namely it has six walls (front wall 15, side walls 16, rear wall 17, top wall 18, bottom wall 19) and has no other openings besides the extraction opening 20 covered by the closing flap 21; in this way, each inner container 14 can be removed from the outer container 2 and can be autonomously used on the outside of the outer container 2. In an alternative embodiment which is not shown herein, each inner container 14 is “incomplete” , namely it does not have six walls and, in particular, there is no bottom wall 19 (as a consequence, the front wall 15, the side walls 16 and the rear wall 17 are shorter); in this embodiment, wrapping material is saved, but, on the other hand, each inner container 14 cannot be pulled out of the outer container 2 and, therefore, must be firmly fixed (permanently glued) to the outer container 2.

In the embodiment shown in figures 3 and 4, the cigarette pack 1 has nor collar, since the function of the collar (i.e. holding the lid 4 in the closed position) is directly fulfilled by the two inner containers 14. In the alternative embodiment shown in figure 15, the cigarette pack 1 comprises a collar 34, which is“U”-shaped is internally glued to the outer container 2, thus projecting from the open top end 3 of the outer container 2, and has a front wall 35 (resting against and glued to the front wall 7 of the outer container 2) and a pair of side walls 36 (resting against and glued to the side walls 9 of the outer container 2); the front wall 35 of the collar 34 is preferably provided with a pair of claws, which laterally project so as to engage, with interference, the lid 4, when the lid 4 is in the closed position, so as to hold the lid 4 in the closed position with a greater force.

In the embodiment shown in figure 15, the front wall 35 of the collar 34 has a top edge 38, which is parallel to a top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 (namely, of the top limit delimiting the front wall 7 of the outer container 2) and is arranged higher than the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2; in this way, the top edge 38 of the front wall 35 of the collar 34 is entirely visible, as it is completely on the outside of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2. This embodiment allows manufacturers to manufacture the collar 34 without off-cuts (namely, without producing waste material when the collar 34 is cut from a wrapping material band), but, on the other hand, it forces manufacturers to reduce the dimensions of each closing tab 21 (and, as a consequence, the decrease in the dimensions of the cigarette extraction opening 20 makes it more difficult for users to pull out the cigarettes), since the front wall 35 of the collar 34 partially overlaps the exposed part (namely, the part arranged above the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2) of the front wall 15 of each inner container 14. In the variant shown in figure 16, the top edge 38 of the front wall 35 of the collar 34 is parallel to the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 and is arranged lower than the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2; in this way, the top edge 38 of the front wall 35 of the collar 34 is entirely hidden, as it is completely on the inside of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2. This embodiment could not allow manufacturers to manufacture the collar 34 without off-cuts (namely, without producing waste material when the collar 34 is cut from a wrapping material band), but it has the undeniable advantage of not negatively affecting the dimensions of each closing tab 21 (and, as a consequence, the dimensions of the cigarette extraction opening 20), since the front wall 35 of the collar 34 does not overlap in any way the exposed part (namely, the part arranged above the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2) of the front wall 15 of each inner container 14. This embodiment of the collar 34 (in which the top edge 38 of the front wall 35 of the collar 34 is parallel to the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2 and is arranged lower than the top edge 39 of the front wall 7 of the outer container 2) can also be used in other types of cigarette packs provided with one single inner container/wrap 14 with a re-stick closing tab 21.

The presence of the collar 34 allows the lid 4 to be held in the closed position even when an inner container 14 is removed from the outer container 2 (or both inner containers 14 are removed from the outer container 2); however, the presence of the collar 34 increases the quantity of wrapping material used, increases the manufacturing complexity of the cigarette pack 1 (since the collar 34 needs to be fed and folded, as well, and, above all, forces manufacturers to reduce the dimensions of the closing tab 21 (thus, decreasing the dimensions of the cigarette extraction opening 20 and making it more difficult for users to pull out the cigarettes).

The two inner containers 14 usually are completely identical and, therefore, contain the same type of cigarettes; however, the two inner containers 14 can be different from one another in their appearance (namely, because of the prints printed on the outer surface of the inner containers 14 and/or of the closing tabs 21), in the numbers of cigarettes contained on the inside (for example, an inner container 14 could contain more or less cigarettes than the other inner container 14), in the arrangement of the cigarettes in the two groups 25 of cigarettes, in the type of cigarettes contained on the inside (for example, an inner container 14 could contain normal cigarettes, whereas the other inner container 14 could contain aromatic cigarettes), in the presence/shape/conformation of the closing tab 21 (for example, only one inner container 14 could comprise the closing tab 21 or one single closing tab 21 could be glued to the front wall 11 of the lid 4) and/or even in the size (namely, an inner container 14 could be narrower than the other inner container 14). According to a different embodiment which is not shown herein, there are three or four inner container 14 (three inner containers 14 arranged in one single row, four inner containers 14 arranged in one single row or four inner containers 14 arranged in two rows), which contain three or four respective groups 25 of cigarettes.

In the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures, each inner container 14 has the shape of a parallelepiped with a rectangular cross section; according to other embodiments which are not shown herein, each inner container 14 or at least one of the two inner containers 14 has a non-rectangular (for example, oval or triangular) cross section. In this case, the outer container 2 and the lid 4 could have a non-rectangular (for example, oval or triangular) cross section as well or they could anyway maintain a rectangular cross section, thus being different from the cross section of the inner containers 14 (or of only one of the two inner containers 14).

In the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures, the longitudinal and transverse corners are right corners; alternatively, the longitudinal and/or transverse corners could be rounded or chamfered.

The embodiment shown in the accompanying figures relates to the production of a cigarette pack 1, but the invention can also be applied, without significant changes, to the production of any other type of pack for smoking articles (for example, a pack for cigars, a pack for electronic cigarettes with liquid vaporisation, a pack for new-generation cigarettes without tobacco combustion...).

In order to manufacture the cigarette pack 1 described above, a wrapping method is carried out, which comprises the steps of: forming two distinct groups 25 of cigarettes in a forming unit; folding, in a first wrapping unit and around each group 25 of cigarettes, a corresponding blank 30 having the pre- weakened folding lines 31 and 32, so as to form two rigid inner containers 14, each housing a group 25 of cigarettes and provided with an extraction opening 20 and with a closing tab 21 arranged in the area of the extraction opening 20, so as to close the extraction opening 20; placing the two inner containers 14 side by side in a coupling unit; and folding, in a second wrapping unit, a blank 29 around the two inner containers 14 arranged side by side, so as to form the outer container 2, which is cup-shaped and houses the inner containers 14 (namely, the two groups 25 of cigarettes), and the lid 4, which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container 2 so as to rotate, relative to the outer container 2, between an opening position and a closing position.

The embodiments described herein can be combined with one another, without for this reason going beyond the scope of protection of the invention.

The cigarette pack 1 described above has numerous advantages.

First of all, the cigarette pack 1 described above allows manufacturers to obtain particularly large extraction openings 20, which help remove the cigarettes from the inner containers 14. This result is obtained thanks to the particular proportions of the cigarette pack 1, which are possible only because of the presence of the two twin inner containers 14 arranged side by side.

Furthermore, in the cigarette pack 1 described above, the use of wrapping material is minimized because, even though it has (in a preferred embodiment) a closing tab 21, it does not (necessarily) require either the presence of the inner wrap 26 or 27 or the presence (when the inner wrap 26 or 27 is present) of a reinforcement element made of cardboard or stiff card arranged inside the inner wrap 26 or 27 in contact with the group 25 of cigarettes. In the cigarette pack 1 described above, the use of wrapping material is also minimized due to the fact that the presence of the collar 34 is not necessary, as its function (holding the 4 lid in the closed position) can be fulfilled by the two inner containers 14. To this regard, it should be pointed out that the two containers 14 are always capable of ensuring a perfect seal of the lid 4, namely they are always capable of ensuring that the lid remains in a perfectly closed position.

In the cigarette pack 1 described above, the side walls 16 of the inner containers 14 do not show any type of fold (namely, they show a perfectly smooth outer surface), which helps improve the overall aesthetic appearance of the cigarette pack 1.

The cigarette pack 1 described above is extremely versatile, since new cigarettes can easily be introduced into an empty (or half-empty) inner container 14, since an empty inner container 14 can be removed or eliminated, and since a full inner container 14 can be pulled out in order to use said sole inner container 14 independently of the rest of the cigarette pack 1.

Finally, the cigarette pack 1 described above can be manufactured with a standard packer machine for rigid cigarette packs with a hinged lid (particularly in the version without collar 34) with a relatively small number of changes to be made. Therefore, the cigarette pack 1 described above, in order to be manufactured, does not require the use of an expensive special packer machine (especially designed for this type of cigarette packs).

Claims

1. A pack (1) for smoking articles comprising:

two groups (25) of smoking articles;

a rigid outer container (2), which is cup-shaped, houses the two groups (25) of smoking articles and has: an open top end (3), a bottom wall (6) opposite the open top end (3), a front wall (7) and a rear wall (8) opposite one another, and two side walls (9) opposite one another; and

a lid (4), which is cup- shaped, is hinged to the outer container (2) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2), between an opening position and a closing position opening and closing the open top end (3), and has: an open bottom end, a top wall (10), a front wall (11) and a rear wall (12) opposite one another, and two side walls (13) opposite one another;

the pack (1) of smoking articles is characterized in that it comprises two rigid inner containers (14), which are arranged side by side in the outer container (2), are obtained by folding respective first rigid blanks (30) having pre-weakened folding lines (31, 32), are provided with respective extraction openings (20) defined by a through incision made in the respective first blank (30), and each houses a corresponding group of smoking articles (25).

2. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 1 and comprising two closing tabs (21), each coupled to an inner container (14) in the area of the extraction opening (20) so as to close the extraction opening (20).

3. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 2, wherein at least one closing tab (21) is provided with a lifting flap (23), which is free from re-stick glue (22) and is glued or glueable, in a permanent and non-separable manner, to an inner surface of the front wall (11) of the lid (4).

4. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 2 or 3, wherein each closing tab (21) is connected to the inner container (14) by means of a re-stick glue (22) so as to glue, in a releasable manner, the closing tab (21) to the inner container (14).

5. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 4, wherein each inner container (14) comprises six walls: a front wall (15), two side walls (16), a rear wall (17), a top wall (18), and a bottom wall (19).

6. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 5, wherein each inner container (14) is provided, on the inside, with a glue that stabilizes the shape of the inner container (14).

7. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 6, wherein each inner container (14) is not in any way constrained to the outer container (2) and, therefore, is freely extractable from the outer container (2).

8. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 6, wherein there is a weak mechanical and separable constraint between each inner container (14) and the outer container (2) and, therefore, each inner container (14) is extractable from the outer container (2).

9. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 6, wherein each inner container (14) is permanently glued to the outer container (2).

10. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 9, wherein a rigid wrapping material making up the inner containers (14) is a multi-layer material and comprises a cardboard or paperboard bearing layer and at least one barrier layer.

11. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 10, wherein each group (25) of smoking articles is free from an inner wrap and is in direct contact with the outer container (14).

12. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 11, wherein the front wall (11) of the lid (4) has a first height (Dl), which is greater than a second height (D2) of the front wall (7) of the outer container (2).

13. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 12, wherein the ratio between the first height (Dl) of the front wall (11) of the lid (4) and the second height (D2) of the front wall (7) of the outer container (2) ranges from 1.1 to 1.4.

14. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 13, wherein each inner container (14) is arranged at a distance (D3) other than zero both from the bottom wall (6) of the outer container (2) and from the top wall (10) of the lid (4).

15. A pack (1) of smoking articles according to claim 14, wherein the distance (D3) between each inner container (14) and the bottom wall (6) of the outer container (2) and the top wall (10) of the lid (4) ranges from 0.8 to 1.3 mm.

16. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the distance (D3) of each inner container (14) from the bottom wall (6) of the outer container (2) and from the top wall (10) of the lid (4) is greater than the distance of each inner container (14) from the side walls (9, 16), from the front walls (7, 11), and from the rear walls (8, 12) of the outer container (2) and of the lid (4).

17. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to claim 14, 15 or 16, wherein:

the outer container (2) and the lid (4) are obtained by folding a rigid second blank (29); and

each inner container (14) is kept at a distance (D3) from the bottom wall (6) of the outer container (2) and from the top wall (10) of the lid (4) thanks to transverse folding lines (41) of the second blank (29), which have a curved shape and, therefore, form a support, which keeps each inner container (14) relatively far from the bottom wall (6) of the outer container (2) and from the top wall (10) of the lid (4).

18. The pack (1) for smoking articles according to one of the claims from 1 to 17 and comprising a collar (34), which is“U”-shaped, is glued to the inner side of the outer container (2), thus projecting from the open top end (3) of the outer container (2), and has: a front wall (35) resting against the front wall (7) of the outer container (2), and a pair of side walls (36) resting against the side walls (9) of the outer container (2).

19. A pack (1) of smoking articles according to claim 18, wherein the front wall (35) of the collar (34) has a top edge (38), which is parallel to a top edge (39) of the front wall (7) of the outer container (2) and is arranged lower than the top edge (39) of the front wall (7) of the outer container (2), so that the top edge (38) of the front wall (35) of the collar (34) is entirely hidden, as it is completely on the inside of the outer container (2).

20) A wrapping method to produce a pack (1) for smoking articles; the wrapping method comprises the steps of:

forming two distinct groups (25) of smoking articles; and

folding a first blank (29) around the two groups (25) of smoking articles so as to form a rigid outer container (2), which is cup-shaped and houses the two groups (25) of smoking articles, and a lid (4), which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container (2) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2), between an opening position and a closing position;

the wrapping method is characterized in that it comprises the further steps of:

folding, around each group (25) of smoking articles, a corresponding second blank (30) having pre- weakened folding lines (31, 32), so as to form two rigid inner containers (14), each housing a group (25) of smoking articles and provided with an extraction opening (20);

arranging the two containers (14) side by side; and

folding the first blank (29) around the two inner containers (14) arranged side by side. 21) A packer machine to produce a pack (1) for smoking articles; the packer machine comprises:

a forming unit, which forms two distinct groups (25) of smoking articles; and a first wrapping unit, which folds a first blank (29) around the two groups (25) of smoking articles so as to form a rigid outer container (2), which is cup-shaped and houses the two groups (25) of smoking articles, and a lid (4), which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container (2) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2), between an opening position and a closing position;

the packer machine is characterized in that:

a second wrapping unit is provided, which folds, around each group (25) of smoking articles, a corresponding second blank (30) having pre-weakened folding lines (31, 32), so as to form two rigid inner containers (14), each housing a group (25) of smoking articles and provided with an extraction opening (20);

a coupling unit is provided, which arranges the two inner containers (14) side by side; and

the first wrapping unit folds the first blank (29) around the two inner containers (14) arranged side by side.