Rigid slide-open packet of cigarettes and production method therefor

Abstract

A rigid, slide-open packet of cigarettes having: at least one inner package composed of a wrapped group of cigarettes; at least one inner container housing the inner package; an outer container housing the inner container to allow the inner container to slide between a closed position, in which the inner container is inserted inside the outer container, and an open position, in which the inner container is at least partly extracted from the outer container; and a connecting tab, which has an outer end glued to a corresponding part of the outer container, and an inner end glued to a corresponding part of the inner container. The connecting tab connects a rear wall of the outer container to a rear wall of the lid.

1 . A rigid, slide-open packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes comprising:
 at least one inner package ( 2 ) comprising a wrapped group of cigarettes;   at least one inner container ( 3 ), which houses the inner package ( 2 ), has an open top end ( 5 ), and comprises a hinged lid ( 29 ) hinged to the inner container ( 3 ) along a lid hinge ( 30 ) to rotate, with respect to the inner container ( 3 ), between an open position and a closed position opening and closing the open top end ( 5 ) respectively;   an outer container ( 4 ) housing the inner container ( 3 ) to allow the inner container ( 3 ) to slide between a closed position, in which the inner container ( 3 ) is inserted inside the outer container ( 4 ), and an open position, in which the inner container ( 3 ) is at least partly extracted from the outer container ( 4 ); and   a connecting tab ( 34 ) mechanically connecting part ( 31 ;  32 ;  9 ) of the inner container ( 3 ) to a corresponding part ( 10 ;  43 ;  12 ) of the outer container ( 4 ), and which has an outer end ( 35 ) glued to the corresponding part ( 31 ;  32 ;  9 ) of the outer container ( 4 ), and an inner end ( 36 ) glued to the corresponding part ( 10 ;  43 ;  12 ) of the inner container ( 3 );   wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) connects the lid ( 29 ) of the inner container ( 3 ) to the outer container ( 4 ), so that the sliding movement of the inner container ( 3 ) with respect to the outer container ( 4 ) produces a corresponding rotation of the lid ( 29 ) about the lid hinge ( 30 );   the packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes being characterized in that the connecting tab ( 34 ) connects a rear wall ( 43 ) of the outer container ( 4 ) to a rear wall ( 32 ) of the lid ( 29 ).   
     
     
         2 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) is initially separate from the inner and outer containers ( 3 ,  4 ), and is simply glued to the inner and outer containers ( 3 ,  4 ). 
     
     
         3 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner and outer containers ( 3 ,  4 ) are formed by folding and gluing corresponding blanks ( 17 ,  24 ); and   the connecting tab ( 34 ) is initially separate from the inner and outer containers ( 3 ,  4 ), i.e. from the two blanks ( 17 ,  24 ), and is simply glued to the inner and outer containers ( 3 ,  4 ), i.e. to the two blanks ( 17 ,  24 ).   
     
     
         4 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) is made of different material from the inner container ( 3 ) and outer container ( 4 ). 
     
     
         5 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) folds up when the inner container ( 3 ) is in the closed position inserted inside the outer container ( 4 ), and unfolds when the inner container ( 3 ) is in the open position partly extracted from the outer container ( 4 ). 
     
     
         6 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 5 , wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) folds up into a “Z” when the inner container ( 3 ) is in the closed position inserted inside the outer container ( 4 ). 
     
     
         7 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 5 , wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) folds up into a “U” when the inner container ( 3 ) is in the closed position inserted inside the outer container ( 4 ). 
     
     
         8 . A packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting tab ( 34 ) defines a stop limiting withdrawal of the inner container ( 3 ) from the outer container ( 4 ). 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing a rigid, slide-open packet ( 1 ) of cigarettes comprising:
 at least one inner package ( 2 ) comprising a wrapped group of cigarettes;   at least one inner container ( 3 ) housing the inner package ( 2 );   an outer container ( 4 ) housing the inner container ( 3 ) to allow the inner container ( 3 ) to slide between a closed position, in which the inner container ( 3 ) is inserted inside the outer container ( 4 ), and an open position, in which the inner container ( 3 ) is at least partly extracted from the outer container ( 4 ); and   a connecting tab ( 34 ) mechanically connecting a part ( 31 ;  32 ;  9 ) of the inner container ( 3 ) to a corresponding part ( 10 ;  43 ;  12 ) of the outer container ( 4 );   the method comprising the steps of:   forming the inner package ( 2 );   depositing the inner package ( 2 ) on an inner blank ( 17 );   folding the inner blank ( 17 ) around the inner package ( 2 ) to form the inner container ( 3 );   depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on an outer blank ( 24 ); and   folding the outer blank ( 24 ) around the inner container ( 3 ) to form the outer container ( 4 );   gluing an outer end ( 35 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the outer blank ( 24 ) or gluing an inner end ( 36 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the inner container ( 3 ) before depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 ); and   gluing the inner end ( 36 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the inner container ( 3 ) or gluing the outer end ( 35 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the outer blank ( 24 ) when depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 );   the method being characterized by comprising the further steps of:   gluing the outer end ( 35 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the outer blank ( 24 ) or gluing the inner end ( 36 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the inner container ( 3 ), with the connecting tab ( 34 ) unfolded;   depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 ) in a position at least partly outside the outer blank ( 24 ), and with the connecting tab ( 34 ) unfolded; and   moving the inner container ( 3 ), with respect to the outer blank ( 24 ), into a position corresponding to the closed position in which the inner container ( 3 ) is inserted inside the outer container ( 4 ), so as to fold up the connecting tab ( 34 ).   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , and comprising the further steps of:
 gluing the outer end ( 35 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to a corresponding panel ( 10 ′) of the outer blank ( 24 ) before depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 ); and   gluing the inner end ( 36 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the corresponding part ( 31 ;  32 ;  9 ) of the inner container ( 3 ) when depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 ).   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , and comprising the further steps of:
 gluing the inner end ( 36 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to the corresponding part ( 31 ;  32 ;  9 ) of the inner container ( 3 ) before depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 ); and   gluing the outer end ( 35 ) of the connecting tab ( 34 ) to a corresponding panel ( 10 ′) of the outer blank ( 24 ) when depositing the inner container ( 3 ) on the outer blank ( 24 ).