WO2023156548A1

WO2023156548A1 - Spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles, container comprising a spacing support and method for assembling a spacing support

Info

Publication number: WO2023156548A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/053938
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matias Azpiroz De Achaval; David PITTON
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
Priority date: 2022-02-21
Filing date: 2023-02-16
Publication date: 2023-08-24

Abstract

A spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles, the spacing support comprising a pair of side walls extends from a bottom wall, thereby forming a housing for supporting and accommodating a plurality of packs arranged in two adjacent rows, the housing comprising an access aperture through which the packs may be introduced into and extracted from the housing. At least one of the side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements projecting towards the inside of the housing, wherein the positioning elements are configured to delimit positioning sections in which the packs may be held, and wherein the positioning elements are made as one predefined strip connected with the at least one of the side walls and a further wall of the housing. Also disclosed is a container comprising a spacing support and a method for manufacturing a spacing support.

Description

SPACING SUPPORT FOR PACKS FOR ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES, CONTAINER COMPRISING A SPACING SUPPORT AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A SPACING

SUPPORT

The present disclosure relates to a spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles. The spacing support is in particular configured to accommodate a plurality of packs for rodshaped articles arranged in two adjacent rows.

The present invention also relates to a container, which comprises the spacing support and the packs, and to a method for assembling the aforesaid spacing support with a plurality of packs.

According to current legislation, smoking articles are subject to special taxation by government authorities. This tax regime applies both to traditional smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, fine-cut tobacco for cigarettes, and to electronic cigarettes, that is inhalers or vaporisers or articles to be used therewith, the operation of which does not entail the direct combustion of tobacco.

The tax on these articles is executed by applying a government stamp on the outside of the pack containing the smoking articles. Typically, a producer after having produced and packaged smoking articles, sends the goods to the government site for the application of the stamp. There, the boxes that enclose the packs are temporarily opened and placed on a stamps application machine, in which special application heads apply the stamps on the packs. Subsequently, the boxes are closed and returned to the producer for subsequent marketing.

Since in government printing machines the position of the print heads is fixed, they are able to correctly apply the government stamp only on a single type of packs for smoking articles, having a parallelepiped shape and standard size. For example, the standard size of the top wall, or the lower wall, onto which the stamp is usually applied, is 23x55.5 mm.

Thus, the printing machines known in the art are not able to correctly affix the stamp in the position provided on a set of special packs, for example having their size different from the standard one indicated above.

From WO2019/229212 a blank and package is known that is suitable for supporting special packs that have their size different from the standard size, and for ensuring at the same time the correct execution of the application of the government stamp.

A drawback of the spacing support made of package blanks described in WO2019/229212 is that the pack spacers formed in the blank tend to restore their original flat position in the package blank. Thus, due to the resiliency of the material, a hold of the packs may get lost during transportation or processing of the package and the packs are not secured in the desired position anymore.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles, for example but not limited to smoking articles, which spacing support allows the packs to be held firmly in place during one or more processing steps. It is an object of the present invention to provide a spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles capable of supporting the packs during the procedure of transport and printing the government stamp thereon and in particular to keep the packs positioned inside a box-like container.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles, for example smoking articles or articles used in electronic vaping devices. The spacing support comprises a pair of side walls extending from a bottom wall, thereby forming a housing for supporting and accommodating a plurality of packs arranged in two adjacent rows. Each side wall of the spacing support is adapted to come in contact with a primary side of a pack. The primary side of a pack is a side wall of greater extension of the pack. The housing also comprises an access aperture through which the packs may be introduced into and extracted from the housing. At least one of the side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements projecting towards the inside of the housing, wherein the positioning elements are configured to delimit positioning sections in which the packs may be held. The packs may be held stable in their position relative to the longitudinal direction of the housing, thus a movement of the packs in the aforesaid longitudinal direction is prevented. The positioning elements are made as one predefined strip connected with the at least one of the side walls and a further wall of the housing.

Preferably, the predefined strips are connected with the spacing support at both of their longitudinal ends.

A positioning element is a contiguous strip preferably with its two longitudinal ends connected with the spacing support. This kind of positioning element bears the advantage that no loose hanging flaps are present, which may return into their original position in the plane of the material of the spacing support. In addition, the strips may be manufactured in a simple and effective manner, simply by providing two cuts or weakening lines, preferably parallel to each other, to form the predefined strips, for example in a blank of sheet material. The positioning elements enhance stability to packs inside a container provided with the spacing support: there is a single strip connected to the housing with both of its longitudinal ends and no free-ended individual flaps as in the prior art spacing supports. In particular, the integration of the positioning element not only into a side wall but also into a further wall of the spacing support significantly enhances the stability of the positioning element once formed and thus the ability of the spacing support to firmly hold and safely keep a group of packs.

In some embodiments, one end of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the at least one side wall of the housing and another end of the longitudinal ends is connected with the bottom wall of the housing. Preferably, each one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected to the at least one side wall of the housing and each other end of the longitudinal ends is connected to the bottom wall of the housing. In these embodiments, material from the side wall of the spacing support as well as material of the bottom wall of the housing is used for forming the positioning elements. Thus, a positioning element extends from the side wall to the bottom wall of the housing. The two ends of the strip forming a positioning element are not part of a same wall. The strip is formed by the part of walls not lying in a same plane, but typically by the part of walls arranged perpendicular to each other. This construction of a positioning element minimizes the probability that the strip returns to its original (flat) position.

Preferably, positioning elements are formed in a Z shape. More preferably, each positioning element of the plurality of positioning elements is formed in a Z shape.

A Z-shaped positioning element comprises three sections forming a Z shape. The Z- shaped positioning element is formed by the predefined strip. The Z shape may be seen in a cross-sectional view of the spacing support perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The Z shape of the positioning element basically prevents the formed strip to get back to its original position before having been formed. The Z shape of the positioning element also enhances the stability of the positioning elements and accordingly also provides enhanced stability to packs accommodated in the spacing support.

Preferably, Z-shaped positioning elements are asymmetric, wherein a first section and a last section of three sections forming the Z-shaped positioning element have different lengths. With different lengths of sections of the positioning element, the different sizes of side wall and bottom wall of a spacing support may be taken into account. Different bend angles between adjacent sections of the Z may additionally enhance stability of the positioning element. Different bend angles and lengths of sections allow to design the positioning element to optimize a contact between positioning element and pack to be held with the spacing support. An overall increase of a length of a strip forming the positioning element may enhance stability of a pack as there is more contact between a pack and the positioning element. Yet further, it may also prevent packs from tilting. A tilting may in particularly happen, when a positioning element is arranged too low on the side wall, which may just be able to hold a lower part of the packs. An upper part of the packs is then likely to be tilted during transportation or processing of the packs arranged in the spacing support. In addition, longer Z-shaped strips may require more force to be pushed back into their original undeformed state.

A length of a strip forming the positioning element is typically adapted to the size of a spacing support and accordingly to the size of packs to be held by the spacing support. Thus, a length of a strip is preferably adapted to the size of a pack for rod-shaped articles used in the tobacco industry, in particular rod-shaped articles used in electronic devices, where an article or parts of an article is heated rather than combusted. A length of the predefined strips may be between 55 millimeters and 85 millimeters, preferably between 60 millimeters and 80 millimeters, for example between 65 millimeters and 75 millimeters.

A width of a predefined strip is adapted to differences in the size of a non-standard pack to a conventional size of a pack. A width of the positioning element and thus a width of the predefined strips may be between 4 millimeters and 10 millimeters, preferably between 6 millimeters and 8 millimeters.

Preferably, the predefined strips are embodied as pre-cut strips or strips defined by weakening lines. Strips defined by weakening lines may be pre-perforated strips. Preperforated strips may, for example, comprise perforation formed by abrasion, punching or laser perforation.

Preferably, each predefined strip is joined at both of its longitudinal ends to the spacing support by a respective folding line. Preferably, the walls comprising the predefined strips and the predefined strips are integrated in a single body. Thus, preferably, the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are formed integrally with the at least one side wall or the further wall of the spacing support. More preferably, the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are formed integrally with the at least one side wall and the further wall of the spacing support. Preferably, the further wall is the bottom wall but may also be, for example, a middle wall (see below).

The longitudinal ends of the predefined strips may also be attached to the at least one side wall or the further wall. The longitudinal ends of the predefined strips may be attached to the at least one side wall and the further wall. Preferably, each predefined strip extends at both of its longitudinal ends from the at least one side wall and the further wall of the spacing support by a folding line.

In some embodiments, both of the side walls of the housing comprise a plurality of positioning elements made as one predefined strip connected with the respective one of the two side walls and the further wall of the housing. In these embodiments, positioning elements may be formed on both sides of the housing and the packs of each row of packs in the spacing support may be separated by individual positioning elements per row.

Preferably, the side walls extend from the bottom wall along folding lines, wherein the side walls and the bottom wall are arranged such that the housing is ‘U-shaped’. An open end of the ‘U’ defines the access aperture of the housing. Such embodiments are preferably realized with the side walls and the bottom wall integrated in a single body. This shape of spacing support is easy to manufacture, for example by folding a blank of sheet material. It provides a most simple form for receiving and accommodating a plurality of packs. In addition, adaption to a variation in the number or sizes of packs to be held and positioned may easily be achieved. Preferably, the plurality of positioning elements is equidistantly arranged on the spacing support along a longitudinal direction of the housing. By the equal distance between adjacent positioning elements, equally sized sections for the packs are created, which allows to keep the packs of a same row at a desired constant distance with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction.

Preferably, the spacing support is shaped so as to keep packs, preferably homologous packs, arranged in corresponding positions of the two rows, spaced apart by a desired and constant distance. Thus, each pack in a row is spaced from the pack of a same size next to it and accommodated in the same row.

Preferably, the spacing support is shaped so as to keep the two rows of the packs separated from each other, preferably by a constant distance. For example, the spacing support may be provided with a middle wall separating the packs in the two rows of packs by separating the two rows.

Alternatively, the spacing support may be shaped basically comprising an empty housing for receiving a group of aligned packs, for example ten packs in two rows of five packs. Therein, the group may consist of five transverse pairs of packs, wherein the five pairs are arranged next to each other along the longitudinal direction of the housing. Two packs in each pair of packs may then be separated from each other by an individual pack spacer arranged in between the pair of packs. A pack spacer may, for example, be a piece of sheet material, for example paper or cardboard or plastic arranged between the two large sides of the two packs of the pair of packs.

In preferred embodiments, in particular in spacing supports including a middle wall, the plurality of positioning element projects inwards and extends into the housing less than half of a width of the bottom wall, wherein the width of the bottom wall extends perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing.

In embodiments of the spacing support, in particular but not exclusively, in embodiments not comprising a middle wall, positioning elements may be provided only on one side wall of the spacing support. The positioning element then preferably extends as far inwards into the housing such as to keep the packs of the two neighbouring rows in position.

The plurality of positioning elements may project inwards and extend into the housing further than half of a width of the bottom wall, wherein the width of the bottom wall extends perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing.

Preferably, the spacing support comprises two compartments arranged adjacent to each other. Each compartment is for accommodating one of the two rows of packs. Each compartment is formed by a pair of side walls extending from a portion of the bottom wall. Each side wall is adapted to come into contact with a respective side wall of the packs. A side wall of each pair of side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements. In these embodiments, the packs in each row of packs are provided with positioning elements keeping the packs of each row distanced from each other and held in their position in their row along the longitudinal direction.

One side wall of a compartment may overlap and come into contact with a corresponding side wall of the other one of the two compartments forming a middle wall of the spacing support. Therein, inner surfaces of the side walls face towards the inside of the compartments and the middle wall is arranged along a centerline of the bottom wall. The centerline extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing. The middle wall divides the spacing support in two longitudinal halves, each half comprising a compartment.

In embodiments comprising two compartments, preferably, each one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips of the positioning elements is connected with the side wall of the pair of side walls of the two compartments comprising the plurality of positioning elements. Each other one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the portion of the bottom wall of each compartment.

In some embodiments of spacing supports comprising two compartments and a middle wall, each one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the side wall of the pair of side walls of the two compartments comprising the plurality of positioning elements and each other one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected to the middle wall. Thus, the other end of the predefined strips of the positioning elements is connected to that side wall of each compartment that forms the middle wall.

Preferably, the spacing support is made of a blank of sheet material. Preferably, side walls and bottom wall are connected with each other by folding lines. Preferably, opposite longitudinal ends of the predefined strips of the positioning elements are connected with the blank by folding lines and opposite lateral sides of the predefined strips are delimited from the blank by weakening lines or cutting lines.

Preferably, respective folding lines of the predefined strips are parallel to each other.

Preferably, respective weakening lines or cutting lines of the predefined strips are parallel to each other.

Thus, preferably, the positioning elements are made and folded from rectangular strips having parallel sides.

A positioning element in the form of a strip has an elongate shape, wherein a length is at least about double than its width. Preferably, a length of a strip is about 5 to 15 times its width. The longitudinal sides of the strip may be parallel and may be straight. However, a strip may also have different widths over its length and may be non-straight, for example, curved or having converging side walls. A preferred shape of a strip has two parallel sides. A most preferred shape of a strip is rectangular. The spacing support may be made of any suitable material and is preferably made of a sheet material.

Preferably, the spacing support contains or is made of paper or cardboard, in particular corrugated cardboard.

Preferably, the spacing support comprises a sheet material having a thickness between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters, preferably between 2.5 millimeters and 3.4 millimeters, for example 2.9 millimeters. Sheet material in these thickness ranges is favourable in view of stability, machinability, availability and cost efficiency.

Preferably, the sheet material has a uniform thickness.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for packs for rod-shaped articles comprising a body accommodating a spacing support according to the invention as described herein and a plurality of packs for rod-shaped articles accommodated in the spacing support.

Preferably, each pack has a parallelepiped shape comprising to opposite primary sides, two opposite secondary sides, a lower side and an opposite top side, wherein the bottom wall of the spacing support comes into contact with the lower side of the packs, the side walls of the spacing support overlap respective primary sides of the packs arranged in a same row. The side walls and the bottom wall of the spacing support are formed to define an access aperture allowing introduction and removal of the packs from the container. The top side of the packs is exposed and directly accessible from the outside of the access aperture. A positioning element is arranged in between each two neighbouring packs arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction. Typically, the primary sides of a pack are the sides of the pack with a greater extension and the secondary sides of the pack are the sides of a pack with smaller extension.

Preferably, the positioning elements of the spacing support form positioning sections along the longitudinal direction of the housing in which a pack is held. Therein, the positioning elements are preferably arranged at a fixed distance, which distance is greater than a typical size of the packs measured along the longitudinal direction.

Preferably, the container comprises two rows of five packs, wherein the packs are distanced from each other in the longitudinal direction by an interspace corresponding to a positioning element. The distance of the packs, when accommodated in the spacing support in the container, is typically slightly different than a width of a positioning element. The positioning elements are preferably constructed to exert a compression force in longitudinal direction onto the packs to hold the packs in their position. Thus, the packs or the positioning elements or both, the packs and the positioning elements, are slightly compressed, depending on the resiliency of the materials of the positioning elements and the packs. The top wall of the packs may project beyond a top edge of the side walls of the spacing support at the access aperture. This allows access to the top wall of the pack for the application of a tax stamp. The top edge is arranged on an opposite side with respect to the bottom wall of the housing.

The pre-grouping of the plurality of packs to be accommodated in the spacing support may be adapted to the design of the spacing support or vice versa.

In preferred embodiments, the two rows of packs are separated from each other by a middle wall of the spacing support, wherein the middle wall is arranged along the longitudinal direction.

Alternatively, transverse (with respect to the housing’s longitudinal direction) adjacently arranged packs in the two rows of packs are separated from each other by individual pack spacers arranged in between two adjacent primary sides of the two adjacently arranged packs.

The container may comprise a lid for closing the container in a reclosable manner. The lid may comprise flaps hingedly connected to the body.

The container may further comprise an outer wrapping, preferably for hermetically sealing the container. The outer wrapping may be a plastic wrapper, for example, a polymer material and is applied to the container for storage, transport and marketing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assembling a spacing support according to the invention as described herein with a plurality of packs for rod-shaped articles. The method comprises: forming a housing for two adjacent rows of packs for rod-shaped articles by folding respective contiguous and adjacent walls of a blank of sheet material into the shape of a ‘U’ along folding lines, the walls forming a bottom wall and two side walls extending from the bottom wall; introducing an aligned group of packs for rod-shaped articles into the housing; then pushing by pushing elements predefined strip portions of at least one side wall into the interior of the housing thereby forming Z-shaped positioning elements in between adjacently arranged packs.

In order to allow and support the forming of Z-shaped positioning elements, the pushing elements are formed accordingly. A pushing element may comprise a slanted edge, wherein a most protruding portion of the slanted edge is preferably arranged asymmetrically to one lateral side of the slanted edge. Thus, a most protruding edge directing and being moved in a pushing direction is arranged to one lateral side of the pushing element. While in spacer creation of prior art methods, a pusher head is always symmetric and also a position of a pushing element is symmetric with respect to a piece of material to be pushed, neither the pushing element nor its position relative to the predefined strip of the positioning element of the present invention, is and must be symmetric. Preferably, a most protruding portion of the slanted edge is arranged at one lateral side of the slanted edge.

Preferably, a least protruding portion of the slanted edge is arranged at an opposite lateral side of the slanted edge, opposite the lateral side comprising the most protruding portion. Thus, preferably, the slanted edge forms one continuous straight line.

A pushing edge of the pushing element may be arrow-shaped, however, a most protruding portion formed by the tip of the arrow is displaced in a lateral direction.

The method may comprise pushing a series of predefined strip portions of the at least one side wall into the interior of the housing with a series of pushing elements. Preferably, the pushing of the series of predefined strip portions is performed simultaneously.

Preferably, the pushing elements of the series of pushing elements are arranged equidistantly.

The method may comprise pushing predefined strip portions of both side walls into the interior of the housing, thereby forming Z-shaped positioning elements in between adjacent packs of the two rows of packs. Depending on the form and construction of the pushing elements, a positioning element is adapted to form Z-shaped or inverse Z-shaped positioning elements. In particular, if positioning elements are provided on both sides of a spacing support, the positing elements on one side may have a ‘Z’ shape and the positioning elements on the opposite side may have a mirrored ‘Z’ shape.

The method may further comprise folding the blank of sheet material along respective folding lines to form a middle wall extending along a centreline along the longitudinal direction, thereby forming two compartments having a U shape, and introducing a row of packs into the spacing support to each side of the middle wall and into the compartments.

Preferably, the method comprises providing the spacing support with predefined strip portions extending over the at least one side wall and the bottom wall.

The method may comprise providing the spacing support with predefined strip portions in the form of pre-cut strip portions or in the form of pre-perforated strip portions.

Advantages of the spacing support and the container comprising such a spacing support, is to firmly hold a group of packs for rod-shaped articles. It allows to hold the packs at specifically defined positions relative to each other. Thus, the packs in a spacing support may be positioned and held in a reference position. This allows further processing steps to be performed on the packs, in particular the positioning of tax stamps on the packs. Due to the spacing support, applying a government stamp on a wall of the packs may be applied to the group of packs using machines known in the art, regardless of the sizes and shapes of the packs. Not only holding of packs but also keeping a reference position of a pack in the spacing support of the present invention is advantageous, as it allows to position ‘special’ packs, regardless of their size, compared to a ‘standard’ pack. By this, the special pack may be processed using conventional equipment widespread in tobacco industries.

The special construction of the positioning elements in the spacing support, in particular when constructed in a Z shape, a loosening or displacement of the packs during processing, for example transport, may basically be excluded. The special construction and form of the positioning elements provides for very stable positioning elements that remain, once formed, in their formed shape and position.

Further advantages of the spacing support are its economic and easy production, its robustness and they may be manufactured from light materials.

Advantages of the method for assembling the spacing support and a group of packs are that the method is simple, straight forward and fast.

Z-shaped positioning means are herein understood to include positioning means having the shape of the letter ‘Z’ and also to include positioning means having the shape of an inverse ‘Z’ being the mirror image of a ‘Z’.

The invention is defined in the claims. However, below there is provided a non- exhaustive list of non-limiting examples. Any one or more of the features of these examples may be combined with any one or more features of another example, embodiment, or aspect described herein.

Example Ex1 : A spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles, the spacing support comprising a pair of side walls extending from a bottom wall, thereby forming a housing for supporting and accommodating a plurality of packs arranged in two adjacent rows, the housing comprising an access aperture through which the packs may be introduced into and extracted from the housing; wherein at least one of the side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements projecting towards the inside of the housing, wherein the positioning elements are configured to delimit positioning sections in which the packs may be held, and wherein the positioning elements are made as one predefined strip connected with the at least one of the side walls and a further wall of the housing.

Example Ex2: The spacing support according to Example Ex1 , wherein the predefined strips are connected with the spacing support at both of their longitudinal ends.

Example Ex3: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein one end of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the at least one side wall of the housing and another end of the longitudinal ends is connected with the bottom wall of the housing.

Example Ex4: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein positioning elements of the plurality of positioning elements are formed in a Z-shape. Example Ex5: The spacing support according to Example Ex4, wherein each positioning element of the plurality of positioning element is formed in a Z shape.

Example Ex6: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex4 to Ex5, wherein the Z-shaped positioning elements are asymmetric, wherein a first section and a last section of three sections forming the Z-shaped positioning element, have different lengths.

Example Ex7: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein a length of the predefined strips is between 55 millimeters and 85 millimeters, preferably between 60 millimeters and 80 millimeters, for example between 65 millimeters and 75 millimeters.

Example Ex8: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein a width of the predefined strips is between 4 millimeters and 10 millimeters, preferably between 6 millimeters and 8 millimeters.

Example Ex9: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein the predefined strips are embodied as pre-cut strips or strips defined by weakening lines.

Example Ex10: The spacing support according to Example Ex9, wherein strips defined by weakening lines are pre-perforated strips.

Example Ex1 1 : The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are formed integrally with the at least one side wall or the further wall of the spacing support.

Example Ex12: The spacing support according to Example Ex1 1 , wherein the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are formed integrally with the at least one side wall and the further wall of the spacing support.

Example Ex13: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex1 to Ex10, wherein the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are attached to the at least one side wall or the further wall.

Example Ex14: The spacing support according to Example Ex13, wherein the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are attached to the at least one side wall and the further wall.

Example Ex15: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein each predefined strip extends at both of its longitudinal ends from the at least one side wall and the further wall of the spacing support by a folding line.

Example Ex16: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein both of the side walls of the housing comprise a plurality of positioning elements, and wherein each of the plurality of positioning element is made as one predefined strip connected with the respective one of two side walls and the further wall of the housing.

Example Ex17: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein the side walls extend from the bottom wall along folding lines, wherein the side walls and the bottom wall are arranged such that the housing is ‘U-shaped’, where an open end of the ‘U’ defines the access aperture of the housing.

Example Ex18: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein the plurality of positioning elements is equidistantly arranged on the spacing support along a longitudinal direction of the housing.

Example Ex19: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein the plurality of positioning element projects inwards and extends into the housing less than half of a width of the bottom wall, wherein the width of the bottom wall extends perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing.

Example Ex20: The spacing support according to any one Examples Ex1 to Ex18, wherein the plurality of positioning element projects inwards and extends into the housing further than half of a width of the bottom wall, wherein the width of the bottom wall extends perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing.

Example Ex21 : The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex1 to Ex20, wherein the housing comprises two compartments arranged adjacent to each other, each compartment for accommodating one of the two rows of packs, wherein each compartment is formed by a pair of side walls extending from a portion of the bottom wall, wherein a side wall of each pair of side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements.

Example Ex22: The spacing support according to Example Ex21 , wherein one side wall of a compartment overlaps and comes into contact with a corresponding side wall of the other one of the two compartments forming a middle wall of the spacing support, wherein inner surfaces of the side walls face towards the inside of the compartments, and wherein the middle wall is arranged along a centerline of the bottom wall, which centerline extends parallel to a longitudinal direction of the housing.

Example Ex23: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex21 to Ex22, wherein each one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the side wall of the pair of side walls of the two compartments comprising the plurality of positioning elements and each other one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the portion of the bottom wall of each compartment.

Example Ex24: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex21 to Ex22, wherein each one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the side wall of the pair of side walls of the two compartments comprising the plurality of positioning elements and each other one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected to the middle wall.

Example Ex25: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, being made of a blank of sheet material, wherein side walls and bottom wall are connected with each other by folding lines, wherein opposite longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are connected with the blank by folding lines, and wherein opposite lateral sides of the predefined strips are delimited from the blank by weakening lines.

Example Ex26: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex1 to Ex24, being made of a blank of sheet material, wherein side walls and bottom wall are connected with each other by folding lines, wherein opposite longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are connected with the blank by folding lines, and wherein opposite lateral sides of the predefined strips are delimited from the blank by cutting lines.

Example Ex27: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex25 to Ex26, wherein respective folding lines of the predefined strips are parallel to each other.

Example Ex28: The spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex25 to Ex27, wherein respective weakening or cutting lines of the predefined strips are parallel to each other.

Example Ex29: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, containing or being made of paper, cardboard or corrugated cardboard.

Example Ex30: The spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples, wherein the spacing support comprises a sheet material having a thickness between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters, preferably between 2.5 millimeters and 3.4 millimeters, for example 2.9 millimeters.

Example Ex31 : The spacing support according to Example Ex30, wherein the sheet material has a uniform thickness.

Example Ex32: A container for packs for rod-shaped articles comprising a body accommodating a spacing support according to any one of the preceding Examples and a plurality of packs for rod-shaped articles accommodated in the spacing support.

Example Ex33: The container according to Example Ex34, wherein each pack has a parallelepiped shape comprising two opposite primary sides, two opposite secondary sides, a lower side and a top side, wherein the bottom wall of the spacing support comes into contact with the lower side of the packs, the side walls of the spacing support overlap respective primary sides of the packs arranged in a same row; and wherein the side walls and the bottom wall of the spacing support are formed to define an access aperture allowing introduction and removal of the packs from the container; wherein the top side of the packs is exposed and directly accessible from the outside of the access aperture, and a positioning element is arranged in between each two neighbouring packs arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the housing.

Example Ex34: The container according to any one of Examples Ex32 to Ex33, wherein the positioning elements of the spacing support forms positioning sections along the longitudinal direction of the housing in which positioning section a pack is held, wherein the positioning elements are arranged at a fixed distance, which distance is greater than a size of the packs measured along the longitudinal direction of the housing. Example Ex35: The container according to any one of Examples Ex32 to Ex34, wherein a top wall of the packs projects beyond a top edge of the side walls of the spacing support at the access aperture.

Example Ex36: The container according to any one of Examples Ex32 to Ex35, wherein the two rows of packs are separated from each other by a middle wall of the spacing support, wherein the middle wall is arranged along the longitudinal direction.

Example Ex37: The container according to any one of Examples Ex32 to Ex35, wherein adjacently arranged packs in the two rows of packs are separated from each other by pack spacers arranged in between two adjacent primary sides of the two adjacently arranged packs.

Example Ex38: The container according to any one of Examples Ex32 to Ex37, comprising a lid for closing the container in a reclosable manner.

Example Ex39: The container according to Example Ex39, wherein the lid comprises flaps hingedly connected to the body.

Example Ex40: The container according to any one of Examples Ex42 to Ex39, comprising an outer wrapping, preferably for hermetically sealing the container.

Example Ex41 : A method for assembling a spacing support according to any one of Examples Ex1 to Ex31 with a plurality of packs for rod-shaped articles, comprising forming a housing for two adjacent rows of packs for rod-shaped articles by folding respective contiguous and adjacent walls of a blank of sheet material into the shape of a ‘U’ along folding lines, the walls forming a bottom wall and two side walls extending from the bottom wall; introducing an aligned group of packs for rod-shaped articles into the housing; then pushing by pushing elements predefined strip portions of at least one side wall into the interior of the housing thereby forming Z-shaped positioning elements in between adjacently arranged packs.

Example Ex42: The method according to Example Ex41 , wherein a pushing element comprises a slanted edge, wherein a most protruding portion of the slanted edge is arranged asymmetrically to one lateral side of the slanted edge.

Example Ex43: The method according to Example Ex42, wherein the most protruding portion of the slanted edge is arranged at the one lateral side of the slanted edge.

Example Ex44: The method according to any one of Examples Ex42 to Ex43, wherein a least protruding portion of the slanted edge is arranged at an opposite lateral side of the slanted edge, opposite the lateral side comprising the most protruding portion.

Example Ex45: The method according to any one of Examples Ex41 to Ex44, comprising pushing a series of predefined strip portions of the at least one side wall into the interior of the housing with a series of pushing elements.

Example Ex46: The method according to Example Ex45, wherein the pushing of the series of predefined strip portions is performed simultaneously. Example Ex47: The method according to any one of Examples Ex45 to Ex46, wherein the pushing elements of the series of pushing elements are arranged equidistantly.

Example Ex48: The method according to any one of Examples Ex41 to Ex47, pushing predefined strip portions of both side walls into the interior of the housing, thereby forming Z-shaped positioning elements in between adjacent packs of the two rows of packs.

Example Ex49: The method according to any one of Examples Ex41 to Ex48, further comprising folding the blank of sheet material along respective folding lines to form a middle wall extending along a centreline along the longitudinal direction, thereby forming two compartments having a U-shape, and introducing a row of packs into the spacing support to each side of the middle wall and into the compartments.

Example Ex50: The method according to any one of Examples Ex41 to Ex49, providing the spacing support with predefined strip portions extending over the at least one side wall and the bottom wall.

Example Ex51 : The method according to any one of Examples Ex41 to Ex50, providing the spacing support with predefined strip portions in the form of pre-cut strip portions.

Example Ex52: The method according to any one of Examples Ex41 to Ex51 , providing the spacing support with predefined strip portions in the form of pre- perforated strip portions.

Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a spacing support arranged inside a container;

Figure 2 shows a perspective top view of the container according to Fig. 1 with a group of packs accommodated in the spacing support;

Figure 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a positioning element and its forming process;

Figure 4 is a perspective side view of a positioning element and its dimensions in a blank of sheet material;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a design of a prepared blank of sheet material for forming a spacing support;

Figure 6 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a variant of a positioning element and its forming process; and

Figure 7 illustrates the group-wise insertion of a group of pairs of packs into a spacing support and formation of positioning elements.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a spacing support 10 accommodated in a container in the form of a box-like carton 23. The carton 23 has a body 24 configured to receive the spacing support 10. In Fig. 1 , the empty spacing support 10 is shown, while in Fig. 2, the spacing support 10 comprises a group of packs 100 accommodated in positioning sections 26 of the spacing support.

The carton 23 can be closed in a reclosable manner by a lid 25 consisting of two flaps 250, 251 hingedly connected with the body 24. The flaps 250, 251 can be opened to have access to the inside of the carton 23, for example, to collect the packs 100 or to perform on them one or more processes, such as the application of tax stamps. Subsequently, the flaps can be shut to close the box-like carton 23.

The filled spacing support 10 or filled box-like carton 23, respectively, comprises an array of ten packs 100 for aerosol-generating articles, for example articles for hand-held electronic devices where the articles are heated for aerosol generation. The array comprises two rows of packs with five packs 100 in each row.

Each pack 100 has a parallelepiped shape and comprises two opposite large primary side walls, two opposite small secondary side walls, a lower wall arranged adjacent the bottom wall 14 of the spacing support 10 and a top wall 102 opposite of the lower wall. The top wall 102 forms a front side in the transporting and collating process as described further below.

Preferably, the size of a pack 100 suitable for being supported by the spacing support 10 is equal to 15.5 mm x 48 mm, wherein these values correspond to the width and the length of the top walls 102. The width of the top wall 102 corresponds to the depth of a pack 100. The length of the top wall 102 corresponds to the width of a pack 100.

As shown in the example of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the spacing support 10 comprises two compartments 12 arranged adjacent with respect to one another. Each compartment 12 defines a chamber for a corresponding row of packs 100.

The compartments 12 extend in a longitudinal direction, which is indicated in the figures by reference numeral 700.

Each row comprises five packs for aerosol-generating articles 100.

Each compartment 12 comprises a bottom wall 14, and a pair of side walls 15, which extend from the bottom wall 14. The side walls 15 are adjacent to the bottom wall 14 and are joined to the bottom wall 14 by folding lines 16. The folding lines 16 extend parallel to the longitudinal direction 700.

Each wall of the compartments 12, that is the bottom wall 14 and the pair of side walls 15, is configured to come into contact with a respective wall of the packs 100.

The side walls 15 of the two compartments 12 arranged in the interior of the spacing support 10 form a pack spacer in the form of a middle wall 27 and come into contact with the large side walls of the packs 100. The bottom walls 14 come into contact with the lower walls of the packs 100. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the packs 100 accommodated in the spacing support 10 are oriented in a manner that a height of the pack is orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal direction 700. In addition, the packs 100 are oriented such that the top walls 102 are arranged opposite the bottom wall 14 of the spacing support 10.

The compartments 12 comprise an access aperture 17 through which the packs 100 can be introduced, accessed as well as extracted from the spacing support 10 and the container. The bottom wall and side walls 14, 15 of the spacing support 10 are arranged one with respect to the others so that each chamber 12 has a shape represented by the letter U, where the open end of the U defines the access aperture 17. The packs 100 are oriented in such a way that the top wall 102 is arranged near the access aperture 17. In particular, the top wall 102 arranged on the opposite side with respect to the bottom wall 14 projects beyond an end edge 105 of the side walls 15. By this, the top wall 102 of the packs 100 remains exposed and easily accessible to perform the necessary processes on it, such as, for example, the application of the tax stamp. The top walls 102 of the packs may also be arranged at the same level than the end edge 105 of the spacing support 10. Thus, the top walls of the packs are protected by the spacing support 10.

Two side walls 15 comprise a plurality of positioning elements 18 projecting towards the interior of the spacing support 10. The positioning elements 18 are configured to delimit positioning sections 26, in which each of said packs 100 is stably arranged and held in a defined manner in the longitudinal direction 700 relative to the spacing support 10. By the positioning elements 18 a movement of the packs in the longitudinal direction 700 is prevented. By the side walls 15 and the middle wall 27 a movement or displacement in a width direction 701 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 700 is prevented.

The packs 100 can be introduced and extracted with respect to the positioning sections 26 through the aforementioned access aperture 17.

The positioning elements 18 are made as predefined strips and are Z-shaped and integrated into the side wall 15 and into the bottom wall 14.

In Fig. 1 , in which each compartment is intended to accommodate a row of five packs 100, four positioning elements 18 are provided. The four positioning elements 18 are interposed between two adjacent packs 100.

In another embodiment of the spacing support, two additional positioning elements 18 may be arranged at opposite ends of the side wall 15 (when seen in the longitudinal direction) so as to hold the outermost packs 100 arranged at the end of the rows.

An interspace separating two adjacent packs 100 is defined by the positioning elements 18. This interspace may be equal to, slightly greater than or slightly smaller than the width of the positioning elements 18, measured parallel to the longitudinal direction 700.

The two inner side walls 15 forming the middle wall 27 are not provided with positioning elements 18.

The inner surfaces of the side walls 15 facing towards the inside of the spacing support 10 are arranged according to a configuration of symmetry with respect to one another with reference to a centreline axis 920 of the bottom wall 14, which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction 700. The spacing support 10 accommodates ten non-standard packs 100, having a smaller size than the standard size of traditional packs, in which a tax stamp must be applied to a group of packs for traditional smoking articles, without the spacing support 10 of the present invention.

The outlines of the spacing support 10 delimits an area, which is identical to the total area occupied by a group of traditional packs. In other words, the spacing support 10 is shaped and sized in such a way as to compensate for the smaller volumes occupied by the non-standard packs so that the latter, when received in the spacing support 10, substantially occupy the same volumes as a group of traditional packs.

The position of tax stamps remains unchanged. Due to the presence of the spacing support 10, the two-dimensional spatial coordinates in the longitudinal and transverse directions 700,701 of tax stamps to be applied to the packs 100, remain identical to the corresponding coordinates of the tax stamps applied on traditional packs for smoking articles.

Stamp distances are equal to a predetermined and constant value and is measured between a center of two tax stamps applied on two adjacent packs 100 in direction 700 or from a center on the top wall of one pack 100 to the center on the top wall of a neighbouring pack 100. Preferably, a stamp distance is equal to a width of a standard pack corresponding to 55.5 millimeter.

The positioning elements 18 are arranged one after the other, basically at a stamp distance. This distance is equal to a predetermined and constant value, so as to arrange and hold the packs 100 in their respective positioning sections 26 at a constant pitch with respect to each other.

It is evident that the shapes, the dimensional values and the thicknesses mentioned in the present description are merely illustrative, and can be modified, depending on the sizes and shapes of the packs for aerosol-generating articles to be accommodated in spacing support 10. In particular, the spacing support 10 has related sizes and thicknesses, in particular complementary to sizes and depth of the pack 100, which it must support, in order to maintain the same total volumes of a group of traditional packs and to arrange the packs in positions.

In Fig. 3 a part of the spacing support 10 is shown in a cross-sectional view at the position of a positioning element 18.

The compartment 12 is formed by the bottom wall 14 and two side walls 15 extending from the bottom wall forming the U-shaped compartment 12. A side wall 15 internal to the spacing support forms part of the middle wall 27 together with a side wall 15 of the other neighbouring compartment. The positioning element 18 is in the form of the letter ‘Z’. A single predefined strip formed by parts of the side wall 15 and the bottom wall 14 of the spacing support is deformed out of the planes of the side wall and bottom wall, respectively, and into the interior of the compartment 12 by a pushing element 3.

Each strip is joined to the side wall 15 or the bottom wall by a respective folding line 20. The strips are separated from the walls by cutting lines 21 (seen in the blanks shown in Figs 4 and 5). The folding lines 20 are parallel to each other and also parallel to the longitudinal direction 700. The cutting lines 21 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 700.

Both ends 180 of the strips are connected with the spacing support, one end 180 to the side wall 15 and the other end 180 to the bottom wall 14, with the strips extending from said walls by respective folding lines 20. The Z is formed by three sections 181 ,182, 183. The three sections have different lengths. While the middle section 182 is the longest section, the first section 181 connected to and extending from the side wall 15 is shorter than the middle section 182 and longer than the third section 183. The third section 183 is the shortest of the three sections and is connected to and extends from the bottom wall 14. The first section 181 and the middle section 182 include a bend angle 184 of about 90 degree to 100 degree. A bend angle 185 between the third section 183 and the bottom wall 14 is about 45 degree.

A type of forming head 30 of the pushing element 3 for forming the positioning element 18 is shown in Fig. 3. The forming head 30 comprises a linear straight pushing edge 300 with a frontmost pushing end and a rearmost pushing end. The forming head 30 may be formed by a plate, wherein the frontmost pushing end is arranged at one lateral side of the pushing edge and the rearmost pushing end is arranged at the opposite lateral side of the pushing edge.

Upon forming the positioning element 18, the frontmost pushing edge touches the side wall 15 of the spacing support 10 first at the position of the predefined strip. The predefined strip preferably is a pre-cut strip. The position of the frontmost pushing edge defines the position of the transition of the first and second section 181 ,182 defining the length of the first section 181 of the Z-shape of the positioning element 18. By pushing the portion of the side wall 15 forming the predefined strip inwards into the compartment 12, the predefined portion of the strip formed by the bottom wall defines the third section 183. The edge between side wall 15 and bottom wall 14 corresponds to the edge between the middle section 182 and the third section 183 of the Z- shaped positioning element 18.

In Fig. 4, the positioning element 18 is shown in a perspective side view from inside of an open compartment 12 for better visibility of the positioning element 18. Same reference numbers are used for the same or similar elements. On the left of the perspective view of positioning element 18, a portion of a blank of sheet material 13 with the dimensions of the strip in the blank of sheet material 13 is shown.

The positioning element 18 has been formed from a strip portion and formed into the Z shape having three sections 182,182,183. The first and second sections 181 ,182 are formed from the side wall 15, while the third section 183 is formed from the bottom wall 14.

In a first example, the first section 181 has a length of 20mm, the second section 182 has a length of 38.6mm and the third section 183 has a length of 15.9 mm. Therein, the length of the third section 183 corresponds to the width of the portion of the bottom wall 14 of a compartment 12 (in direction 701 ). The distance of the first section 182 to the edge of the sheet blank is 15.5mm with a height of a side wall of 74.1 mm. The small distance between the first section 181 and an edge of the sheet blank later corresponding to a top edge of a side wall of the spacing support leads to a positioning element formed out of the blank that extends over a major part of the side wall and close to the top edge. This is advantageous, as such positioning elements may prevent a tiling of a pack in a longitudinal direction, in particular also in an upper part of the pack.

In a second example, the first section 181 has a length of 20mm, the second section 182 has a length of 31.6mm and the third section 183 has a length of 15.9 mm. Therein, again the length of the third section 183 corresponds to the width of the portion of the bottom wall 14 of a compartment 12 (in direction 701 ). The distance of the first section 182 to the edge of the sheet blank is 22.5mm with a height of a side wall of 74.1 mm.

Thus, in the second example, the total length of the strip forming the positioning element is 67.7mm and shorter than the total length of the strip of the first example, where the total length of the strip is 74.5mm. However, the width of a bottom wall and the height of a side wall remain the same and are adapted to accommodate the same type of packs.

Fig. 5 shows a blank of sheet material 13 to form a spacing support 10. In the example of Fig. 5 the two compartments 12 are integrated into a single body. Two side walls 15 of two compartments 12 are joined along a creasing line 22 defining a hinge around which each compartment 12 can rotate by a certain angle with respect to the other compartment 12.

The compartments 12 are made starting from the sheet material 13, for example paper, cardboard or paperboard having a suitable thickness to ensure the necessary mechanical strength.

Preferably, the blank 13 is corrugated cardboard, for example single wall board, having a homogeneous thickness of about 2.5 millimeter to about 3.3 millimeter. The blank 13 may also be made of materials other than those mentioned above, such as for example plastics.

The blank 13 is shown where positioning elements 18 are provided within the blank in order for the positioning elements to be arranged between packs 100 only.

In blank 13 exemplary sizes are indicated as follows:

Thickness or width 920 of the positioning elements: 7 millimeter

Extension 940 of blank in direction 700: 274.6 millimeter

Extension of blank in direction 701 : 277 millimeter

Height 931 of side wall 15: 74.1 millimeter

Width 915 of portion of bottom wall 14: 15.9 millimeter

Pack sizes: 74.5x48.5x15.8 millimeter

Forming of the spacing support out of the blank 13 essentially comprises the following steps: In a first step, the two compartments 12 are formed. In this step, the blank 13 is folded in opposite directions along folding lines 22 and 16. The side walls 15 are folded with respect to the bottom wall 14 along the folding lines 22 and 16 so as to obtain the shape of the two adjacent compartments in the shape of the letter U. The two inner side walls form the middle wall 27.

In a second step an ordered group of packs 100 is accommodated in the spacing support.

In a third step the positioning elements 18 are formed and the packs 100 secured in the spacing support 10 against displacement in longitudinal direction 700.

In a fourth step, the spacing support 10 is accommodated in the carton 23.

In Fig. 6 a pushing element 30 is shown with a pusher head 30 in the form of an asymmetric arrow. The tip of the arrow is the most protruding portion of the pusher head 30 and is displaced in a lateral direction of the pusher head 30. By the form of the pusher head 30, different Z-shaped forms of positioning elements may be formed. In the shown examples first 181 and third sections 183 have a same size. The length of the third section 183 is preferably defined by a width of the bottom wall 14 of the compartment. However, if the spacing support 10 is not provided with a middle wall 27, the third section of the Z-shaped strip may be longer, while still using the edge of bottom wall 14 and side 15 as one end of the third section 183.

In Fig. 7 a group 300 of packs 100 has been formed in a horizontal transport device 50 and transported to an insertion location 75. A block pusher 57 is arranged in the insertion location 75. The block pusher 57 comprises two identical plates 570 arranged above each other and extending over the horizontal extension of the group 300 of packs. Each plate comprises five pusher ends 571 separated by longitudinal recesses 572. The five upper packs of the group 300 are each pushed by the five pusher ends 571 of the upper plates 570 and the five lower packs of the group 300 are each pushed by the five pusher ends 571 of the lower plate 570 of the block pusher 57. All ten packs 100 are pushed simultaneously into an empty spacing support 10 previously formed and positioned in the insertion location 75 opposite the block pusher 57.

The block pusher is arranged at a horizontal and vertical level such that the pusher ends 571 each push one pack 100 of the group 300 of packs. The block pusher 57 is horizontally and linearly moveable to perform the pushing action.

The pusher ends 571 pass next to the space bars 510 of the horizontal conveyor belts 51 . However, the recesses 572 in the plates 570 of the block pusher 57 guarantee that a pushing as well as a retracting action of the block pusher may be performed without interference of block pusher with space bars.

The space bars 510 serve as guiding means for the packs 100 and secure a horizontal spacing between the packs upon transfer of the packs into the empty spacing support 10.

The vertical distance between plates of the block spacer 57 allows the space bars 510 to extend in between the plates 570 without hindering the transfer process of the group 300 of packs.

The vertical spacing between the packs 100 is maintained by the middle wall 27 of the spacing support 10. A strip former 70 is arranged vis-a-vis the block pusher 57, opposite the horizontal transport device 50. The strip former 70 comprises two counter rotating levers 71 (only an upper lever is shown in Fig. 7). Each lever comprises six pushing elements 30 with corresponding pusher heads 300, wherein the four pushing elements 30 in the center of the levers 71 are used for forming positioning elements 18 in the insert. The first and last pushing element 30 of the strip former 70, that is a pusher head arranged most upstream and most downstream when seen in the transport direction of the spacing support 10, is arranged next to the spacing support 10. Thus, the most upstream and most downstream arranged pushing elements 30 secure the most upstream and most downstream packs of the group 300 of packs accommodated in the spacing support 10 versus a horizontal displacement while the positioning elements 18 are formed.

Spacing supports 10 provided with the middle wall 27 but no positioning elements 18 having been formed, which spacing supports 10 have been folded from blanks of sheet material, are guided parallel to the conveyor belts 51 of the horizontal transport device 50 to the insertion location 75. An empty spacing support 10 in the insertion location 75 is supplied with the group 300 of packs. The positioning elements 18 are subsequently formed with the strip former 70. The so filled spacing support 10 are then transported further along to a carton station where the filled spacing support 10 are accommodated in a carton 23.

For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about". Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A ± 5 % of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.

Claims

1 . A spacing support for packs for rod-shaped articles, the spacing support comprising a pair of side walls extending from a bottom wall, thereby forming a housing for supporting and accommodating a plurality of packs arranged in two adjacent rows, the housing comprising an access aperture through which the packs may be introduced into and extracted from the housing; wherein at least one of the side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements projecting towards the inside of the housing, wherein the positioning elements are configured to delimit positioning sections in which the packs may be held, wherein the positioning elements are made as one predefined strip connected with the at least one of the side walls and a further wall of the housing, and wherein positioning elements of the plurality of positioning elements are formed in a Z-shape.

2. The spacing support according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined strips are connected with the spacing support at both of their longitudinal ends.

3. The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one end of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the at least one side wall of the housing and another end of the longitudinal ends is connected with the bottom wall of the housing.

4. The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each positioning element of the plurality of positioning element is formed in a Z shape.

5. The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the Z-shaped positioning elements are asymmetric, wherein a first section and a last section of three sections forming the Z-shaped positioning element, have different lengths.

6. The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips are formed integrally with the at least one side wall or the further wall of the spacing support.

7. The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein both of the side walls of the housing comprise a plurality of positioning elements, and wherein each of the plurality of positioning element is made as one predefined strip connected with the respective one of two side walls and the further wall of the housing.

. The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of positioning element projects inwards and extends into the housing less than half of a width of the bottom wall, wherein the width of the bottom wall extends perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing. . The spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises two compartments arranged adjacent to each other, each compartment for accommodating one of the two rows of packs, wherein each compartment is formed by a pair of side walls extending from a portion of the bottom wall, wherein a side wall of each pair of side walls comprises a plurality of positioning elements. 0. The spacing support according to claim 9, wherein each one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the side wall of the pair of side walls of the two compartments comprising the plurality of positioning elements and each other one of the longitudinal ends of the predefined strips is connected with the portion of the bottom wall of each compartment. 1 . A container for packs for rod-shaped articles comprising a body accommodating a spacing support according to any one of the preceding claims and a plurality of packs for rodshaped articles accommodated in the spacing support. 2. The container according to any claim 1 1 , wherein the positioning elements of the spacing support forms positioning sections along the longitudinal direction of the housing in which positioning section a pack is held, wherein the positioning elements are arranged at a fixed distance, which distance is greater than a size of the packs measured along the longitudinal direction of the housing. 3. The container according to any one of claims 1 1 to 12, wherein a top wall of the packs projects beyond a top edge of the side walls of the spacing support at the access aperture. 4. A method for assembling a spacing support according to any one of claims 1 to 10 with a plurality of packs for rod-shaped articles, comprising

- forming a housing for two adjacent rows of packs for rod-shaped articles by folding respective contiguous and adjacent walls of a blank of sheet material into the shape of a ‘LT along folding lines, the walls forming a bottom wall and two side walls extending from the bottom wall;

- introducing an aligned group of packs for rod-shaped articles into the housing; then - pushing by pushing elements predefined strip portions of at least one side wall into the interior of the housing thereby forming Z-shaped positioning elements in between adjacently arranged packs.