EP4619323A1

EP4619323A1 - Rigid pack for smoking articles provided with a hinged lid

Info

Publication number: EP4619323A1
Application number: EP23820999.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roberto Polloni
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2022-11-16
Filing date: 2023-11-08
Publication date: 2025-09-24
Also published as: WO2024105505A1; IT202200023640A1; CN120202155A

Abstract

Pack (1) for smoking articles comprising: a group (15) of smoking articles; an inner wrap (3) which wraps the group (15) of smoking articles and has a smoking article extraction opening (25); a rigid outer container (2) which houses the inner wrap (3) and has an open upper end (4); a lid (5) which is hinged to the outer container (2) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2) itself, between an open position and a closed position; and a closing tab (26) which is connected to the inner wrap (3), closes the smoking article extraction opening (25) and has an end (26) connected to a wall of the lid (5). The closing tab (26) is folded onto itself defining a first flap (33) and a second flap (34) of the closing tab (26), which are adjacent to one another and are separated by a folding line (35).

Description

“RIGID PACK FOR SMOKING ARTICLES PROVIDED WITH A HINGED LID”

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102022000023640 filed on November 16, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Art

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

The present invention advantageously applies to a pack for cigarettes, which the hereinafter description will expressly refer to without losing its general character.

In this text, in fact, reference will be made indistinctly to the specific example of “cigaretes” rather than the more general expression “smoking articles”, without however losing its general character relatively to other types of articles (such as cigars, small cigars or cigarillos, electronic type cigarettes or ecigs, auxiliary products such as filters, ecig fillers and other products based on tobacco or on other components alternative to or substitutes of tobacco).

Prior Art

The rigid packs of cigarettes with a hinged lid are the currently most widespread on the market as they are easy to make, of easy and practical use, and provide good protection to the cigarettes contained therein.

A rigid pack for cigarettes with a hinged lid comprises an inner wrap consisting of a group of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of metallic paper and a rigid outer wrapper housing the inner wrap. The inner wrap is, initially, completely closed and has a cigarette extraction opening that can be closed by a disposable tear-off portion (called “pull”') that is removed when the pack for cigarettes is opened for the first time to allow the extraction of the cigarettes enclosed by the inner wrap. The outer wrapper consists in a cup-shaped container having an open upper end, and 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.

Cigarette packs are also known, for example from document W02019082104A1, which have a waterproof inner wrap having a cigarette extraction opening that extends partly through the upper wall of the inner wrap and partly through the front wall of the inner wrap and which is closed by a reusable closing tab. In other words, the closing tab is provided with the repositionable glue which does not dry and allows to arrange the closing tab several times in a closed position of the cigarette extraction opening. To simplify the opening and the closing of the pack for cigarettes, i.e. to allow the lid of the outer wrap and the closing tab of the inner wrapper to be opened or closed together, an end flap projecting from the front wall of the closing tab is glued in a permanent manner with strong glue to an inner surface of a front wall of the lid. Thereby, when the lid is opened or closed also the closing tab is simultaneously opened or closed.

In known pack for cigarettes the end flap of the closing tab is connected to the inner surface of the front wall of the lid. Said end flap, having an extremely small size with respect to the size of the closing tab itself, can be extended (i.e., the end flap is coplanar with the remaining portion of the closing tab) or can be folded by 180° against a portion of the tab, in particular against the front wall of the closing tab.

In the case of the stretched flap, the peeling of the tab from the waterproof inner wrap wrapped around the group of cigarettes is activated by an “S” deformation in the free section of the closing tab between the flap connected with the lid and the portion of the closing tab adhered to the waterproof inner wrap. In the case of the folded end flap, the peeling of the closing tab from the waterproof inner wrap wrapped around the group of cigarettes advantageously takes place in a direct manner, that is, without the need to trigger a specific deformation as occurs instead for the stretched flap, as previously described.

However, in the production processes of pack for cigarettes with folded end flap, the management of the closing tab in the machine is difficult due to its conformation. This production process involves folding in the order the end flap and the retention thereof in this folded configuration until the moment wherein the permanent glue for fixing the end flap to the inner surface of the lid is applied.

However, in view of the very small sizes of the end flap and the size of the devices necessary to fold and retain it, the exposed surface of the end flap itself is not large enough for the application of the glue necessary for blocking it.

Disclosure of the Invention

Aim of the present invention is to provide a rigid pack for smoking articles provided with a hinged lid, which is free of the drawbacks described above and is, at the same time, easy and economical to make.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a rigid pack for smoking articles provided with a hinged lid, according to what is claimed in the appended claims. The claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described with reference to the enclosed drawings, showing some non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a front perspective view and in a closed configuration of a pack for cigarettes realized in accordance with the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the pack for cigarettes of Figure 1 in a closed configuration;

- Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the pack for cigarettes of Figure 1 in an open configuration;

- Figure 4 is a front perspective view of an inner wrap of the pack of Figure 1 in a closed configuration with a closing tab in accordance with a possible embodiment;

- Figure 5 is a front perspective view of an inner wrap of the pack of Figure 1 in a closed configuration with a closing tab in accordance with an alternative embodiment;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view of a possible group of cigarettes enclosed in the inner wrap of Figure 3 or 4;

- Figure 7 is a perspective view of a reinforcement element coupled to the group of cigarettes of Figure 5 and enclosed in the inner wrap of Figure 3 or 4;

- Figure 8 is a plan view of a first side of a possible embodiment of a stretched closing tab of the inner wrap of the pack of Figure 1 and with the glue zones present on the closing tab itself highlighted;

- Figure 9 is a plan view of a second side, which is opposite the first side of Figure 8, of the closing tab;

- Figure 10A is a plan view of a first side of the folded closing tab of Figures 8 and 9;

- Figure 10B is a plan view of a second side, which is opposite the first side, of the folded closing tab of Figures 8 and 9;

- Figure 11 is a perspective view of a possible reel provided with the closing tabs of Figures 10A and 10B;

- Figure 12 is a sectional view of a stretched closing tab according to a first preferred embodiment;

- Figure 13 is a sectional view of a stretched closing tab according to a second preferred embodiment;

- Figures 14-17 are sectional views relative to the opening sequences of the pack of Figure 1 provided with the closing tab of Figure 12;

- Figures 18-21 are sectional views relative to the opening sequences of the pack of Figure 1 provided with the closing tab of Figure 13;

- Figure 22 is a plan view of a blank used to make the outer container and the hinged lid of the pack of the appended figures; and

- Figure 23 is a plan view of a heat-sealable wrap sheet used to make the inner wrap of Fig. 4 or 5.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Figures 1-3 and 14-21, number 1 denotes a rigid pack for cigarettes as a whole. The pack 1 for cigarettes comprises a rigid outer container 2 (i.e. made of cardboard or rigid cardstock) and a sealed inner wrap 3 (better shown in Figures 4 and 5) housed in the outer container 2.

The outer container 2 which is cup-shaped, has an open upper end 4 (visible in Figures 3, 15-17 and 19-21) and is provided with a lid 5. The lid 5 is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container 2 along a hinge 6 (shown in Figures 2, 3 and 14-21) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container 2 itself, between an open position (shown in Figure 3) and a closed position (shown in Figures 1, 2, 14 and 18).

The outer container 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape oriented according to a prevailing vertical development direction, is cup-shaped, and has the open upper end 4, a lower wall 7 opposite the open upper end 4, a front wall 8 and a rear wall

9 (wherein the hinge 6 is arranged) parallel and opposite to one another, and two side walls 10 parallel and opposite to one another. Between the front 8, rear 9 and side walls

10 of the outer container 2 there are defined four longitudinal corners, whereas between the front 8, rear 9, side walls 10 and the lower wall 7 of the outer container 2 there are defined four transverse corners.

The lid 5 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is cup-shaped, and has an open lower end (facing the open upper end 4 of the outer container 2 when the lid 6 is in the closed position), an upper wall 11 (which is parallel and opposite the lower wall 7 of the outer container 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position), a front wall 12 (which is parallel and aligned with the front wall 8 of the outer container 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position), a rear wall 13 (which is parallel and aligned with the rear wall 9 of the outer container 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position and is hinged to the rear wall 9 of the outer container 2 along the hinge 6), and two mutually parallel and opposite side walls 14 (which are parallel and aligned, in particular coplanar and adjacent, to the side walls 10 of the outer container 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position). Between the front 12, rear 13 and side walls 14 of the lid 5 there are defined four longitudinal corners whereas between the front 12, rear 13, side walls 14 and the upper wall 11 of the lid 5 there are defined four transverse comers. The longitudinal corners of the lid 5 are parallel and aligned to the corresponding longitudinal corners of the outer container 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position and the transverse corners defined by the upper wall 10 of the lid 5 are parallel to the transverse comers defined by the lower wall 6 of the outer container 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position.

According to what is shown in the accompanying figures, the pack 1 for cigarettes does not have a rigid collar.

According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), the pack 1 for cigarettes can have a rigid collar, which is connected (by gluing) folded into “U” inside the outer container 2 to protrude partially outside the open upper end 4 of the outer container 2 and engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid 5, when the lid 5 itself is arranged in the closed position.

According to what is shown in the accompanying figures, the pack 1 for cigarettes comprises an inner wrap 3 (shown in Figures 4 and 5) which is housed in the outer container 2 to protmde partially outside the open upper end 4 and encloses a parallelepiped- shaped group 15 of cigarettes (shown for example in Figure 6).

According to a possible embodiment, the inner wrap 3 may have a reinforcement element 16 on the inside (shown for example in Figure 7), which is made of cardboard or rigid cardstock (completely similar to the cardboard or rigid cardstock constituting the outer container 2), is “U”-shaped and is arranged inside the inner wrap 3 in contact with the group 15 of cigarettes. The reinforcement element 16 comprises a rectangular- shaped front wall 17, which is arranged in contact with a front wall of the group 15 of cigarettes and a pair of side walls 18, which are connected to the opposite sides of the front wall 17 and are arranged in contact with the side walls of the group 15 of cigarettes. The front wall 17 has a window that is arranged at the top, is delimited by an edge 19 and is “U”- shaped, and facilitates the extraction of the cigarettes from the group 15 of cigarettes in that it is leaves exposed an upper area of the front wall of the group 15 of cigarettes.

According to a possible alternative embodiment, the reinforcement element 16 can be shaped differently compared to what is shown in Figure 7 ; for example, the reinforcement element 16 could comprise a bottom wall and/or a rear wall.

According to a possible alternative embodiment, the inner wrap 3 is without the reinforcement element 16.

The inner wrap 3 (as shown in Figures 4 and 5) has a front wall 20, a rear wall 21, side walls 22, an upper wall 23 and a lower wall 24. The inner wrap 3 is folded around the group 15 of cigarettes. The inner wrap 3 may have a fin weld (as shown for example in Figures 4 and 5). The inner wrap 3 has at the top and frontally a cigarette extraction opening 25 (shown in Figure 3) closed by a reusable closing tab 26 (shown in Figures 3- 5, 8-21 and 23). In other words, the inner wrap 3 has the cigarette extraction opening 25 in the area of at least a portion of the front wall 20 and of the upper wall 23 that is closed by the reusable closing tab 26.

According to a possible embodiment, the closing tab 26 is made of plastic material or of a paper material or of a multilayer material comprising for example an inner layer in a paper material and an outer layer in a plastic material.

As shown in detail in the accompanying figures, the closing tab 26 is connected (fixed) to the inner wrap 3 by means of a repositionable glue 27 that does not dry (shown in Figures 8, 12-21), which is applied to a surface interposed between the closing tab 26 and the reel shown in Figure 11) and is arranged all around the extraction opening 25 to allow the closing tab 26 to be several times (i.e. each time the pack 1 for cigarettes is opened) partially separated from the inner wrap 3 and then fixed again to the inner wrap 3 (each time the pack 1 for cigarettes is closed).

Preferably, in accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the closing tab 26 is fixed to the inner wrap 3 by means of a permanent glue 29 in the area of at least one rear wall 21 of the inner wrap 3 and of the portion in the area of the extraction opening 25. Alternatively, the closing tab 26 could be fixed to the inner wrap 3 by means of a permanent glue in the area of the portion in the area of the extraction opening 25 and by means of a repositionable glue in the area of at least one rear wall 21 of the inner wrap 3. In particular, the closing tab 26 is fixed to the inner wrap 3, closes the cigarette extraction opening 25 and has an end 30 (Figures 10A and 10B) connected, in particular glued, to a wall of the lid 5 (in particular, to the front wall 11). Preferably, the end 30 of the closing tab 26 is fixed to the wall of the lid 5 by means of glue 31 which is in particular a permanent or strong glue, which is applied to a surface of the closing tab 26 facing the lid 5. The closing tab 26 is connected preferably in a permanent manner through the glue 31 to the front wall 11 of the lid 5 so as to lift the closing tab 26 during the opening of the lid 5 and, similarly, to lower the closing tab 26 during the closing of the lid 5.

According to the present invention, the closing tab 26 is obtained by folding onto itself a flat sheet 32 so as to define two flaps 33 and 34 of the closing tab 26. In other words, the closing tab 26 is folded onto itself (i.e. by 180°) along a folding line 35 defining the two flaps 33 and 34 of the closing tab 26. Thus, the two flaps 33 and 34 are adjacent to one another and are separated by the folding line 35.

Advantageously, as can be seen from the accompanying figures, the closing tab 26 solely consists of the flaps 33 and 34.

A possible embodiment of the closing tab 26 is shown in detail in Figures 8-11. The two flaps 33 and 34 are connected (in particular glued) to one another at least in the area of a respective margin 36A and 36B, which is opposite to the folding line 35 (in particular to a corner 37 defined by the folding line 35). In other words, the closing tab 26 folded along the folding line 35 has the margins 36A and 36B connected (i.e., overlapped and glued by means of the glue 38 schematically shown in the figures), so as to define a sleeve having the sides (i.e., the longitudinal edges connecting the folding line 35 with each margin 36A and 36B) open, i.e., not connected or not completely connected.

In particular, in Figure 8 a first side of the closing tab 26 is shown which after the 180° folding is arranged externally (i.e., the folded portions are opposite and do not face one another). On this side of the stretched tab 26 there is arranged the repositionable glue 27 and the glue 29 that connects the closing tab 26 to the inner wrap 3. In Figure 8 (which is not limiting), the flap 34 has the glue 31 (which is preferably permanent glue) in the area of a connection portion 45 (i.e. the portion of flap 34 between a separation line 42 and the folding line 35); whereas, the remaining part of the flap 34 (i.e. the one between the edge 36b and the separation line 42) is preferably without glue (in particular it is without any type of glue). The flap 33 has the glue 29 (which is in particular permanent) applied in the area of the portion between the edge 36A and the area close to the extraction opening and the glue 27 (which is preferably repositionable glue) applied in the area of the portion between the line 55 (imaginary) and the extraction opening of the tab 26; whereas the portion between the line 55 (imaginary) and the folding line 35 is instead without glue (in particular it is without any type of glue).

In particular, in Figure 9, instead, a second side of the stretched closing tab 26 is shown, which is opposite to the one shown in Figure 8, and which after the 180° folding of the sheet 32 is arranged internally (i.e., the folded portions face one another) to connect the two flaps 33 and 34 to one another. In Figure 9 (which is not limiting), the flap 34 has the glue 38 (which is preferably permanent glue) in the area of the portion between the separation line 42 and the edge 36B; whereas the portion of the flap 34 between the separation line 42 and the folding line 35 is preferably without glue (in particular it is without any type of glue). The flap 33 is preferably completely without glue (in particular it is without any type of glue). Therefore, in Figure 9, the sheet 32 has the glue only in the area of the above-described portion of the flap 34; while the flap 33 is preferably without the glue 38 (in particular it is without any type of glue).

According to a possible alternative embodiment, also a portion of the flap 33 can be provided with the glue 38.

According to possible and alternative embodiments, the covering area of the glue 38 can be different from what is shown in Figure 9; what is important is that the glue 38 is distributed so as to define the sleeve described above.

Figures 10A and 10B show the tab 26 of Figures 8 and 9 folded by 180° about the folding line 35. In particular, Figure 10A shows the side of the tab 26 facing the lid 5 when the tab is applied to the inner wrap 3. In particular, the two folding lines along which the tab 26 is folded when the inner wrap 3 in turn is folded around the group 15 of cigarettes are schematically shown with number 56. Instead, Figure 10B shows the side of the tab 26, which is opposite the side shown in Figure 10A, configured to be applied, in particular directly, to the inner wrap 3.

As shown in Figures 14-21, when the lid 5 is in the closed position the flaps 33 and 34 of the closing tab 26 are arranged substantially parallel to one another, with the flap 33 connected to the inner wrap 3 and the flap 34 arranged between the flap 33 and the lid 5. Advantageously, as shown in Figures 8 and 9 showing the stretched sheet 32, the closing tab 26 has the folding line 35 in the area of the centreline of the closing tab 26 itself. In other words, the folding line 35 is arranged centrally (i.e., equally spaced) between the margins 36A and 36B. The folding line 35 extends crosswise, in particular perpendicularly, to the longitudinal extension of the stretched closing tab 26 (i.e. of its sheet 32). By folding the sheet 32 by 180° along the folding line 35, the closing tab 26 is obtained which is applied to the inner wrap 3. Therefore, as previously described, the closing tab 26 comprises (in particular solely consists of) the two flaps 33 and 34 which are connected to one another without gaps by means of the folding line 35 and which have their margins 36A and 36B connected to one another.

Furthermore, the folding line 35 being arranged in the centreline of the closing tab 26 itself, the two flaps 33 and 34 have the same dimensions, i.e. size, (in particular the height Hl, H2 measured parallel to the side walls 10 and the width LI, L2 measured crosswise, in particular perpendicularly, to the side walls 10). In other words, the size Hl and the size LI of the flap 33 is the same (or substantially the same) as size H2 and as the size L2 of the flap 34 of the closing tab 26 (measured in the same way).

Furthermore, since the two flaps 33 and 34 are made by folding the same sheet 32, they have the same thickness (i.e. the size measured perpendicularly to the sizes LI, L2 and Hl, H2). Therefore, the closing tab 26 (and therefore the flaps 33 and 34 that constitute it) has a constant thickness.

As shown in the sectional views shown in Figures 14-21, each flap 33 and 34 respectively has a front panel 39 A, 39B, an upper panel 40A, 40B and a rear panel 41 A, 4 IB (which for simplicity’s sake have been identified only in Figures 14 and 18 wherein the lid 5 is closed). Thus, the flap 33 has a front panel 39A, an upper panel 40A, and a rear panel 41A; whereas, the flap 34 has a front panel 39B, an upper panel 40B, and a rear panel 4 IB. As visible from Figures 14 and 18, when the lid 5 is in the closed position each front panel 39 A, 39B is arranged parallel to the front wall 20 of the inner wrap 3, each upper wall 40A, 40B is parallel to the upper wall 23 of the inner wrap 3 and each rear panel 41 A, 4 IB is parallel to the rear wall 21 of the inner wrap 3. The folding line 35 defines the comer 37 between the two front panels 39A, 39B of the flaps 33 and 34.

According to what is shown, the sheet 32 may also have in the area of the front panel 39B of the flap 34 a separation line 42 or 43 (schematically shown in Figures 4, 5, 8-13 and 14-21).

In particular, in Figures 5, 8-12, 14-17 said separation line 42 consists of a partial notch line of the flap 34. Instead, in Figures 4, 13, 18-21 said separation line 43 consists of a folding line of the flap 34 or of an “ideal” line defined by a gluing edge as will be better clear below.

The separation line 42 or 43 are spaced apart from and parallel to folding line 35. Advantageously, the separation line 42 or 43 has at least a straight section or is completely straight (as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 8-10). According to a possible alternative embodiment (not shown), in addition or alternatively to the straight section, the separation line 42 or 43 has at least one shaped (i.e. not straight) section. In particular, the separation line has a “U” pattern.

As shown in the accompanying Figures, the separation line 42 or 43 delimits the connection portion 45 of the front panel 39B of the flap 34 from the remaining portion of the front panel 39B. In other words, the connection portion 45 is obtained from the front panel 39B of the flap 34 of the closing tab 26. Therefore, the front panel 39B is connected to the lid 5 in the area of the connection portion 45. In other words, the flap 34 has the connection portion 45 close to the end 30 and defined between the folding line 35 and the separation line 42. The separation line 42 and the separation line 43 are alternatives to one another as will be described in detail below.

Preferably, the separation line 42 is made by means of an incision, a notch, a cut or a perforation. In particular, the separation line 42 comprises one or more joining portions (for example in the form of joining points) for keeping the connection portion 45 connected to the front panel 39B of the flap 34 until the lid 5 is opened for the first time by means of the joining portions. The joining portions are configured to break only when the lid 5 is opened for the first time.

According to the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 14-17, the closing tab 26 is made as shown in Figure 12 and has the separation line 42 defined by a partial notch of the flap 34.

The connection portion 45 is separated along the separation line 42 with gaps from the remaining portion of the front panel 39B of the second flap 34 when the lid 5 is opened for the first time.

In particular, in this embodiment, the two flaps 33 and 34 are connected to one another with the glue 38 which is in particular a strong or permanent glue. In this embodiment the glue 38 extends in the area of the margins 36A and 36B and between the upper 40A, 40B, rear panels 41A, 41B and at least a portion of the front panels 39A, 39B of the two flaps 33 and 34. Therefore, as shown in detail in Figures 14-17 showing the opening sequences of the lid 5, during the rotation of the lid 5 between the open position and the closed position, the two flaps 33 and 34 are integral to one another and move together.

Preferably, the two flaps 33 and 34 of the closing tab 26 are not connected to one another in the area of the connection portion 45, so as to ensure to the connection portion 45 to get deformed and act as an end flap during opening of the lid 5.

According to the alternative preferred embodiment shown in Figures 18-21, the closing tab 26 is made as shown in Figure 13 and has the separation line 43. The connection portion 45 is separated along the separation line 43 without gaps from the remaining portion of the front panel 39B of the flap 34. In particular, the two flaps 33 and 34 are connected to one another with the glue 38 (which as described is in particular a strong or permanent glue). In this embodiment the glue 38 extends in the area of only the rear panels 41 A, 4 IB or in the area of the two rear panels 41 A, 4 IB and a portion of the upper panels 40A, 40B. Therefore, as shown in detail in Figures 18-21 showing the opening sequences of the lid 5, during the rotation of the lid 5 between the open position and the closed position, the two flaps 33 and 34 are spaced apart from one another. In particular, the two flaps 33 and 34 get deformed and move differently relative to one another. Thus, the flaps

33 and 34 assume different shapes and trajectories from one another. As shown, the flap

34 gets deformed and is arranged in the lid 5, while the flap 33 arches following an “S” deformation.

According to what is shown in Figure 22, the outer container 2 and the lid 5 are made by folding a flat blank 46 made of cardboard or rigid cardstock and having a substantially elongated rectangular shape. The blank 46 is a traditional one and comprises two longitudinal folding lines 47 (pre-weakened) and a plurality of transverse folding lines 48 (pre- weakened) which define, between the two longitudinal folding lines 47, a panel 8’ which constitutes the front wall 8 of the outer container 2, a panel 7’ which constitutes the lower wall 7 of the outer container 2, a panel 9’ which constitutes the rear wall 9 of the outer container 2, a panel 13’ which constitutes the rear wall 13 of the lid 5, a panel 11’ which constitutes the upper wall 11 of the lid 5, a panel 12’ which constitutes the front wall 12 of the lid 5, and a reinforcement strip 12”. The reinforcement strip 12” is connected to the front wall 12 of the lid 5 along a transverse folding line 49, it is folded by 180° (in the pack 1 for cigarettes) relative to the front wall 12 of the lid 5 (i.e. relative to the panel 12”), and it lies and is glued against an inner surface of the front wall 12 of the lid 5 (i.e. against the panel 12’). The blank 46 comprises a pair of wings 10’, which are arranged on opposite sides of the panel 8’, are connected to the panel 8’ along the two longitudinal folding lines 47, and constitute part of the side walls 10 of the outer container 2. The blank 46 comprises a pair of wings 10”, which are arranged on opposite sides of the panel 9’, are connected to the panel 9’ along the two longitudinal folding lines 47, constitute part of the side walls 10 of the outer container 2, and overlap and are glued to the corresponding wings 10’ to constitute the side walls 9 of the outer container 2.

The blank 46 comprises a pair of wings 14’, which are arranged on opposite sides of the panel 12’, are connected to the panel 12’ along the two longitudinal folding lines 47, and constitute part of the side walls 14 of the lid 5. The blank 46 comprises a pair of wings 14”, which are arranged on opposite sides of the panel 13”, are connected to the panel 13” along the two longitudinal folding lines 47, constitute part of the side walls 14 of the lid 5, and overlap and are glued to the corresponding wings 14’ to constitute the side walls 14 of the lid 5.

The blank 46 comprises two flaps 50 that are connected to the wings 10” along a transverse folding line 48, are folded by 90° and are lied on an inner surface of the panel 7’.

The blank 46 comprises two flaps 51 that are connected to the wings 14” along a transverse folding line 43, are folded by 90° and are lied on an inner surface of the panel 11’.

According to what is shown in Figure 23, the inner wrap 3 is obtained by folding a thermo- sealable wrap sheet 52, which is rectangular-shaped, is folded around the group 15 of cigarettes and once folded it is stabilised by thermo -sealing (i.e. the overlapped portions of the wrap sheet 52 are stably connected to one another by thermo-sealing). The wrap 52 sheet has a “U”-shaped incision and defines the extraction opening 25 of the inner wrap 3. Furthermore, the closing tab 26 completely covering the incision (i.e. the extraction opening 25) is glued to the wrap sheet 52. The repositionable glue 27 that is pressure-sensitive (i.e. it does not dry) and that allows to separate the closing tab 26 from the wrap sheet 52 even after a long time and for several times, and consequently to join again the closing tab 26 to the wrap sheet 52 is interposed between the closing tab 26 and the wrap sheet 52.

In the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures, the longitudinal and transverse corners are right; in alternative, the longitudinal and/or transverse comers may be rounded or bevelled.

The embodiments described herein may be combined with one another without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

The above described pack 1 for cigarettes has several advantages.

Primarily, the pack 1 for cigarettes described above allows to obtain a simpler and easier management of the closing tab 26 during the entire process of making the pack 1. In fact, the pack 1 described above allows to have the connection flap already folded by 180° as an integral part of the closing tab 26, without incurring the previously described drawbacks. Therefore, it is necessary to coordinate a single element (i.e. the closing tab 26) that is perfectly flat and of constant thickness and has no protruding/folded flaps to be managed, thus simplifying the structure of the machine.

Further, the connection portion 45 serves as an end flap necessary for applying the peeling force of the closing tab 26 to the opening of the lid 5.

In addition, the extension of the size of the connection flap is solely delimited by the separation line 42 or 43.

The presence of the separation line 42 with some (i.e., at least two) joining points allows the integrity of the closing tab 26 to be maintained throughout the manufacturing process, which is then broken (deliberately) when the lid 5 is opened for the first time, thus defining the end flap and its functionality in a geometrically unambiguous manner.

In the case of the separation line 43, then the extension of the flaps 33 and 34 of the closing tab 26 is defined by the position of the gluing with respect to the folding line 35, guaranteeing that when the lid 5 is opened, to get detached from the two flaps 33 and 34. In this way the flap 34 does not interfere with the opening of the lid 5 or with the peeling of the closing tab 26.

The conformation of the folded closing tab 26 provides the advantage of having a constant thickness over the entire length of the closing tab 26, ensuring a uniform wrapping of the tab reel and thus allowing its tensioning to be improved. Furthermore, the length of the folded closing tab 26 is the same as the width of its reel. List of Reference Numbers of the Figures

1 pack for cigarettes

2 outer container

3 inner wrap

4 upper end

5 lid

6 hinge

7 lower wall

8 front wall

9 rear wall

10 side wall

11 upper wall

12 front wall

13 rear wall

14 side wall

15 group of cigarettes

16 reinforcement element

17 front wall

18 side walls

19 edge

20 front wall

21 rear wall

22 side walls

23 upper wall

24 lower wall

25 extraction opening

26 closing tab

27 glue

28

29 glue

30 end

31 glue

32 sheet

33 flap

34 flap 35 folding line

36 margin

37 comer

38 glue

39 front panel

40 upper panel

41 rear panel

42 separation line

43 folding line

45 connection portion

46 blank

47 folding line

48 folding line

49 folding line

50 tab

51 tab

52 sheet

55 line

56 folding line

I ’ panel 2’ panel 3 ’ panel 4’ panel 5’ panel 6’ panel 7’ panel 8’ panel 9’ panel 10’ wing 10” wing

I I ’ panel 12’ panel 12” panel 13’ panel 14’ wing 14” wing

Claims

1. A pack (1) for smoking articles comprising: a group (15) of smoking articles; an inner wrap (3), which wraps the group (15) of smoking articles and has: a front wall (20), an upper wall (23) and a smoking article extraction opening (25), which is obtained through the front wall (20) and the upper wall (23); a rigid outer container (2), which is cup-shaped, houses the inner wrap (3) and has an open upper end (4); a lid (5), which is cup-shaped and is hinged to the outer container (2) so as to rotate, relative to the outer container (2), between an open position and a closed position; and a closing tab (26), which is connected to the inner wrap (3), closes the smoking article extraction opening (25) and has an end (26) connected to a wall of the lid (5); the pack (1) is characterized in that: the closing tab (26) is folded onto itself defining a first flap (33) and a second flap (34) of the closing tab (26), which are adjacent to one another and are separated by a folding line (35); and a margin (36A) of the first flap (33) opposite the folding line (35) is connected to a margin (36B) of the second flap (34) opposite the folding line (35).

2. The pack according to claim 1, wherein: the second flap (34) comprises a separation line (42; 43) and a connection portion (45) is defined between the folding line (35) and the separation line (42; 43); in the area of said connection portion (45), the closing tab (26) is connected to the lid (5); the two flaps (33, 34) of the closing tab (26) are not connected to one another in the area of the connection portion (45).

3. The pack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the two flaps (33, 34) have the same size (Hl, H2, LI, L2).

4. The pack according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the closing tab (26) solely consists of the two flaps (33, 34).

5. The pack according to any one of the claims from 1 to 4, wherein the first flap (33) of the closing tab (26) and the second flap (34) of the closing tab (26) have the same thickness.

6. The pack according to any one of the claims from 1 to 5, wherein the closing tab (26) has a constant thickness.

7. The pack according to any one of the claims from 1 to 6, wherein: when the lid (5) is in the closed position, the first flap (33) of the closing tab (26) and the second flap (34) of the closing tab (26) are substantially parallel to one another; and the first flap (33) is connected to the inner wrap (3) and the second flap (34) is arranged between the first flap (33) and the lid (5).

8. The pack according to any one of the claims from 1 to 7, wherein: the first flap (33) and the second flap (34) of the closing tab (26) respectively have a front panel (39A, 39B), an upper panel (40A, 40B) and a rear panel (41A, 41B); when the lid (5) is in the closed position, each front panel (39A, 39B) is parallel to a front wall (20) of the lid (5), each upper panel (40A, 40B) is parallel to an upper wall (23) of the lid (5) and each rear panel (41A, 41B) is parallel to a rear wall (21) of the lid (5).

9. The pack according to claim 2 and 8, wherein: the front panel (39B) of the second flap (34) has, close to an end (30), the connection portion (45); the connection portion (45) is defined between the folding line (35) and the separation line (42), along which, when the lid (5) is opened for the first time, the connection portion (45) is separated with gaps from the remaining portion of the front panel (39B) of the second flap (34); and the separation line (42) is spaced apart from and has at least one portion parallel to the folding line (35).

10. The pack according to claim 9, wherein: the closing tab (26) is provided with the separation line (42); and the two flaps (33, 34) of the closing tab (26) are connected to one another, in particular in a permanent manner, in the area of the two rear panels (41A, 41B), of the two upper panels (40A, 40B) and of a portion of the two front panels (39 A, 39B).

11. The pack according to any one of the claims from 1 to 10, wherein, during the rotation of the lid (5) between the open position and the closed position, the first flap (33) and the second flap (34) are integral to one another and move together.

12. The pack according to claim 2 and 8, wherein: the front panel (39B) of the second flap (34) has, close to an end (30), the connection portion (45); the connection portion (45) is defined between the folding line (35) and the separation line (43), which connects, without gaps, the connection portion (45) to the remaining portion of the front panel (39B) of the second flap (34); and the separation line (43) is spaced apart from and has at least one portion parallel to the folding line (35).

13. The pack according to claim 12, wherein: the two flaps (33, 34) of the closing tab (26) are connected to one another, in particular in a permanent manner, only in the area of the two rear panels (41 A, 4 IB); or the two flaps (33, 34) of the closing tab (26) are connected to one another, in particular in a permanent manner, in the area of the two rear panels (41A, 41B) and of a portion of the upper panels (40A, 40B).

14. The pack according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, during the rotation of the lid (5) between the open position and the closed position, the first flap (33) and the second flap (34) get deformed and move differently relative to one another.