GB2475969A

GB2475969A - Shoulder box formed from single blank

Info

Publication number: GB2475969A
Application number: GB201020378A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ivanoe Bertuzzi; Andrea Morini; Roberto Polloni; Michele Squarzoni; Andrea Biondi
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2009-12-01
Filing date: 2010-12-01
Publication date: 2011-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 2030-12-01
Also published as: GB2475969A8; GB2475969B; GB201020378D0

Abstract

A parallelepiped packet (1, figure 3) for tobacco products e.g. cigarettes, cigars, has a box, a cup shaped lid and a collar formed from a single blank 20, the blank comprising a seamless panel 7'+11' forming front walls of the box and lid, seamless panels 9'+13' forming respective side walls of the box, top wall panel 10' and back wall panel 12' forming the lid, back wall panel 8' and a bottom wall panel 6' forming the box, panels 16', 18' forming front and side walls of the collar and being connected to the bottom wall panel 6', tabs 17', 16" forming a back wall of the collar and inner stiffeners of the front wall of the collar, respectively. Panels 8' and 12' may be integral (figure 10) or panels 26', 25' fold over panel 8' (figure 16). Panels 9'+13' and 7'+11' are cut after folding to separate the lid and box body (figure 8) or have inner tear lines, separated on first opening of the packet. Grooves 24 may aid in cutting of panels 7'+11' and 9'+13' without scoring panels 16' and 18' (figure 11). A sticker (19, figure 13) may connect the walls of the lid.

Description

BLANK FOR PRODUCING A PACKAGE OF TOBACCO ARTICLES, AND

METHOD OF PRODUCING A PACKAGE OF TOBACCO ARTICLES FROM

SUCH A BLANK

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a blank for producing a package of tobacco articles, and a method of producing a package of tobacco articles from such a blank.

BACKGROUND ART

A so-called "shoulder box" packet of cigarettes is known comprising a flat, open-topped box housing a group of cigarettes, normally-in two superimposed layers; and a lid hinged to the box by a sticker glued to both the is box and lid. A collar inside the box projects from the lateral walls of the box towards the lid to act as a guide and support for the movement of the lid, and to hold the closed lid in contact with the box by interfering slightly with the free movement of the lid.

"Shoulder box" packets of cigarettes are currently produced using a first blank, which is glued and folded to form the box; a second blank separate from the first, and which is glued and folded to form the lid; a third blank separate from the first and second, and which is folded to form the collar, which is then inserted inside the box and glued to the lateral walls of the box; and a sticker, which is wrapped and glued about the box and lid to hinge the lid to the box.

Using three separate blanks makes "shoulder box" packets of cigarettes complicated to produce, because of having to handle three separate packing materials and use three separate packing units, each for folding a respective blank. Moreover, using three separate packing units makes the "shoulder box" production system as a whole extremely bulky, and also inefficient, by having to shut down the whole system whenever any one of the packing units poses a problem (e.g. gets jammed).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a blank for producing a package of tobacco articles, and a method of producing a package of tobacco articles from such a blank, designed to eliminate the above drawbacks, and which, in particular, are cheap and easy to implement.

According to the present invention, there are provided a blank for producing a package of tobacco articles, and a method of producing a package of tobacco articles from such a blank, as claimed in the accompanying Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a front view in perspective of a package of tobacco articles produced from the blank according to the present invention and in a closed configuration; Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles in an open configuration; Figure 3 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles in an open configuration and without the group of tobacco articles; Figure 4 shows a plan view of a sticker used to produce the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles; Figure 5 shows a plan view of a blank used to produce the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles; Figures 6 and 7 show two schematic views in perspective of how the Figure 5 blank is folded to form the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles; Figure 8 shows a schematic view in perspective of a transverse cutting operation performed to produce the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles; Figure 9 shows a schematic section of a transverse cutting operation performed to produce the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles from the Figure 5 blank; Figure 10 shows a plan view of a variation of the Figure 5 blank; Figure 11 shows a schematic section of a transverse cutting operation performed to produce the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles from the Figure 10 blank; Figure 12 shows a plan view of a variation of the Figure 4 sticker; Figure 13 shows a front view in perspective of a package of tobacco articles featuring the Figure 12 sticker and in a closed configuration; Figure 14 shows a front view in perspective of a package of tobacco articles featuring a further variation of the Figure 4 sticker and in a closed configuration; Figure 15 shows a front view in perspective of a different embodiment of the Figure 1 package of tobacco articles in an open configuration and without the group of tobacco articles; Figure 16 shows a cross section of a rear portion of the Figure 15 package of tobacco articles in a closed configuration; Figure 17 shows a plan view of a blank from which to produce the Figure 15 package of tobacco articles; Figure 18 shows a cross section of part of the Figure 17 blank at the initial folding stage; Figure 19 shows a plan view of the Figure 17 blank partly folded before being applied to the group of tobacco articles.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a so-called "shoulder box packet of cigarettes.

Packet 1 of cigarettes comprises a flat, open-topped box 2 housing a wrapped group 3 of cigarettes, i.e. a group of cigarettes (not shown) wrapped in a sheet of foil wrapping material; and a lid 4 hinged to box 2 to rotate between a closed position (Figure 1), in which lid 4 closes an open top end 5 of box 2, and an open position (Figure 2), in which lid 4 is lifted off box 2 to allow access to group 3 of cigarettes through open top end 5 of box 2.

As shown in Figure 3, box 2 is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom wall 6 opposite open top end 5; a front wall 7 and a rear wall 8 opposite and parallel to each other; and two parallel lateral walls 9 interposed between walls 7 and 8. Lid 4 is in the form of a cup-shaped parallelepiped, and comprises a top wall which, when lid 4 is in the closed position, is parallel to and opposite bottom wall 6 of box 2; a front wall 11 and a rear wall 12 opposite and parallel to each other, and which, when lid 4 is in the closed position, is are coplanar with the corresponding front and rear walls 7, 8 of box 2; and two parallel lateral walls 13 which1 when lid 4 is in the closed position, are coplanar with the corresponding lateral walls 9 of box 2.

Lid 4 is hinged to box 2 along a hinge line 14 connecting rear wall 8 of box 2 to rear wall 12 of lid 4.

Packet 1 of cigarettes also comprises a collar 15 located inside box 2, and which projects from walls 7, 8, 9 of box 2 towards lid 4 to act as a guide and support for the movement of lid 4, and to hold the closed lid 4 in contact with box 2 by interfering slightly with the free movement of lid 4. Collar 15 comprises a front wall 16 connected permanently to front wall 7 of box 2, and which, when lid 4 is in the closed position, rests against front wall 11 of lid 4; a rear wall 17 permanently connected to rear wall 8 of box 2, and which, when lid 4 is in the closed position, rests against rear wall 12 of lid 4; and two lateral walls 18 permanently connected to lateral walls 9 of box 2, and which, when lid 4 is in the closed position, rest against lateral walls 13 of lid 4.

Packet 1 of cigarettes also comprises an outer sticker 19 (shown spread out in Figure 4 and not shown in Figures 1-3) which is glued to the outside of box 2 and lid 4, has an aesthetic function of covering the outer surface of box 2 and lid 4, and also has a structural function of connecting walls 11, 12, 13 of lid 4 to achieve a firm shape of lid 4. In the Figure 4 embodiment, outer sticker 19 also has a further structural function of forming an additional hinge, on the outside of box 2 and lid 4, between box 2 and lid 4.

It should be noted that outer sticker 19 is not shown in Figures 1-3, to illustrate the underlying parts of box 2 and lid 4. Packet 1 of cigarettes, complete with outer sticker 19 is shown in Figure 8, which shows clearly how outer sticker 19 covers almost the whole of box 2 and lid 4, leaving only part of bottom wall 6 of box 2 exposed.

Box 2 and lid 4 in Figures 1-3 are formed from a blank 20 shown in Figure 5, and which comprises a number of panels indicated using the same reference numbers, with superscripts, as for the corresponding parts of box 2 and lid 4.

With reference to Figure 5, blank 20 has two longitudinal fold lines 21, and a number of transverse fold lines 22, which define, between longitudinal fold lines 21, a panel 7÷11 forming front wall 7 of box 2 and front wall 11 of lid 4, which are initially joined seamlessly; a panel 10' forming top wall 10 of lid 4; a panel 8'+12' forming rear wall 8 of box 2 and rear wall 12 of lid 4, which are connected by hinge line 14; a panel 6' forming bottom wall 6 of box 2; and a panel 16' forming front wall 16 of collar 15.

Blank 20 comprises two panels 9'+13', which are located on opposite sides of panel 10', are connected to panel 10' by longitudinal fold lines 21, and each form a respective lateral wall 9 of box 2 and a respective lateral wall 13 of lid 4, which are initially joined seamles sly.

Blank 20 comprises two panels 18', which are located on opposite sides of panel 6', are connected to panel 6' by longitudinal fold lines 21, and each form a respective lateral wall 18 of collar 15.

Blank 20 comprises two tabs 16", which are located on opposite sides of panel 16', are connected to corresponding panels 18' by a transverse fold line 22, and form an inner stiffener of front wall 16 of collar 15.

Finally, blank 20 comprises two tabs 17', which are located on opposite sides of panel 8+12', are connected to corresponding panels 18' by a transverse fold line 22, and form rear wall 17 of collar 15.

It is important to note that panel 7'÷ll' is the same shape and size as panel 8'÷12', and panels 9'+13' are the same size, measured crosswise (i.e. parallel to transverse fold lines 22), as panel 8'+12' and panel 7'+ll' measured longitudinally (i.e. parallel to longitudinal fold lines 21) , so that panels 7 +11' and 9'+13 can be divided into corresponding walls 7 and 9 of box 2, and corresponding walls 11 and 13 of lid 4.

It is also important to note that, in the embodiments shown in the drawings, panels 7'÷ll' and 9'+l3' have no inner crease lines dividing walls 7, 9 of box 2 from walls 11, 13 of lid 4. In other words, panels 7'+ll' and 9÷13' are seamless and, as explained below, are cut to separate walls 7, 9 of box 2 from walls 11, 13 of lid 4 after blank 20 is folded completely. In an alternative embodiment not shown, panels 7'+ll' and 9'+l3' have inner tear lines dividing walls 7, 9 of box 2 from walls 11, 13 of lid 4; and walls 7, 9 of box 2 are only detached from walls 11, 13 of lid 4 when packet 1 of cigarettes is unsealed, and by the user applying sufficient force to detach lid 4 from box 2 (for easy grip by the user, front wall 7 of box 2 and/or front wall 11 of lid 4 may be provided with grip openings, e.g. semicircular in shape.

The following is a description of how packet 1 of

cigarettes is formed from blank 20.

First, group 3 of cigarettes is placed on blank 20, more specifically on panel 6' of blank 20, which is then folded about group 3 of cigarettes to form box 2 and lid 4 about group 3 of cigarettes. The way in which blank 20 is folded is shown in Figures 6 and 7, in which group 3 of cigarettes (as stated, resting on panel 6') is not shown for the sake of clarity.

As shown in Figure 6, tabs 161! and 17! are first folded 90° with respect to corresponding panels 18' about corresponding transverse fold lines 22; and panels 18' are then folded 90° with respect to panel 6' about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 21.

At this point, as shown in Figure 7, panel 16' is folded 90° with respect to panel 6' about corresponding transverse fold line 22 and onto folded tabs 16" -glue is applied between panel 16' and tabs 16" (typically by gumming blank 20 before it is folded) to glue panel 16' to tabs 16". And panel 81+121 (together with panels 10', 9'+13' and 7'+ll') is folded 90° with respect to panel 6' about corresponding transverse fold line 22 and onto folded tabs 17' -glue is only applied between tabs 17' and the part of panel 8'+12' forming rear wall 8 of box 2 (typically by gumming blank 20 before it is folded) to glue the part of panel 8'+12' forming rear wall 8 of box 2 to tabs 17', but not glue the rest of panel 8'+12' forming rear wall 12 of lid 4 to tabs 17' (otherwise lid 4 could not be opened).

Next, panel 10' (together with panels 9'÷13' and 7'+ll') is folded 900 with respect to panel 8'+12' about corresponding transverse fold line 22, so that panel 10' rests on folded panels 16' and 18' Finally, folding of blank 20 is completed by folding panel 7'+ll' 90° with respect to panel 10' about corresponding transverse fold line 22 and onto folded panel 16'; and folding panels 9'+13' 90° with respect to panel 10' about corresponding longitudinal fold lines 21 and onto corresponding folded panels 18'. Glue is only applied between panel 16' and the part of panel 7'+ll' forming front wall 7 of box 2, to glue the part of panel 7'+ll' forming front wall 7 of box 2 to panel 16', but not glue the rest of panel 7'+ll' forming front wall 11 of lid 4 to panel 16' (otherwise lid 4 could not be opened); and glue is only applied between panels 18' and the parts of respective panels 9'+l3' forming lateral walls 9 of box 2, to glue the parts of panels 9'÷13' forming lateral walls 9 of box 2 to respective panels 18', but not glue the rest of panels 9 +13' forming lateral walls 13 of lid 4 to respective panels 18' (otherwise lid 4 could not be opened).

Blank 20 is thus folded completely about group 3 of cigarettes, so outer sticker 19 can now be wrapped about box 2 and lid 4. In a preferred embodiment, outer sticker 19 is detached from a strip wound off a reel, and is self-adhesive (i.e. already coated with glue).

Once outer sticker 19 is wrapped about box 2 and lid 4, package 1 of cigarettes looks as shown in Figure 8. To complete package 1 of cigarettes and allow lid 4 to rotate with respect to box 2, walls 7 and 9 of box 2 must be separated from corresponding walls 11 and 13 of lid 4, and sticker 19 must be divided into a first portion integral with walls 11, 13 of lid 4, and a second portion integral with walls 7, 9 of box 2. This is done, as shown in Figure 9, using a cutter 23 to cut outer sticker 19 and walls 7, 9, 11, 13 of box 2 and lid 4, but not walls 16, 18 of collar 15. In other words, panels 7'+ll' and 9+13' are cut into two parts, to separate respective walls 7 and 9 of box 2 from corresponding walls 11 and 13 of lid 4.

In a further embodiment, as opposed to cutting through the full thickness of panels 7' +11' and 9 +13', part of the thickness of panels 7'+ll' and 9+13' j left uncut to define tear lines separating walls 7, 9 of box 2 from walls 11, 13 of lid 4; and walls 7, 9 of box 2 are only detached from walls 11, 13 of lid 4 when packet 1 of cigarettes is unsealed, and by the user applying sufficient force to detach lid 4 from box 2.

Once cut, packet 1 of cigarettes is completed.

In a variation not shown of the present invention, before sticker 19 is wrapped about box 2 and lid 4, panel 8'+12' may be cut along hinge line 14 to separate walls 8 and 12 of box 2 completely; in which case, sticker 19, once applied, would be responsible for connecting box 2 to lid 4, and hinge line 14 would be defined by a narrow portion of sticker 19.

Because of inevitable manufacturing tolerances of the paper material from which blank 20 is made, the above cut is extremely difficult to make to the necessary degree of precision. That is, the cut may easily be too deep (thus also cutting and forming unsightly score lines on walls 16, 18 of collar 15) , or too shallow (with the result that walls 7, 9 of box 2 are not properly separated from walls 11, 13 of lid 4, thus making first-time opening of lid 4 difficult, if not impossible). To eliminate this drawback, the Figure variation is proposed, in which panel 16', forming front wall 16 of collar 15, and panels 18', forming lateral walls 18 of collar 15, comprise respective grooves 24, each with its convexity facing inwards of box 2, and each extending along a parting line between lid 4 and box 2. Grooves 24 are preferably formed by permanent deformation, in particular drawing, of panel 16' and panels 18', and, as shown in Figure 11, allow blade 23 to cut through panels 7+11' and 9'÷l3', without touching the underlying panels 16' and 18' (i.e. the underlying walls 16 and 18 of collar 15). Despite inevitable manufacturing tolerances, a deep enough cut is thus assured, with no danger of also scoring the underlying walls 16 and 18 of collar 15.

In the Figure 12 and 13 variation, outer sticker 19 is in the form of a strip looped about the perimeter of box 2 and lid 4, and may be either the same height as packet 1 of cigarettes, or less than the height of packet 1 of cigarettes (as shown in Figure 13) The Figure 14 variation comprises four separate outer stickers 19 (only three shown in Figure 14) fixed astride the edges between walls 11, 12, 13 of lid 4 and walls 7, 8, 9 of box 2.

In the embodiments shown in the attached drawings, outer sticker 19 is glued to both walls 11, 12, 13 of lid 4 and walls 7, 8, 9 of box 2, so cutting divides outer sticker 19 into a first portion integral with walls 11, 13 of lid 4, and a second portion integral with walls 7, 9 of box 2.

In a variation not shown, outer sticker 19 is only glued to walls 11, 12, 13 of lid 4 and possibly also to rear wall 8 of box 2 (i.e. does not touch any part of walls 7, 9 of box 2), and is therefore not cut at all.

In the Figure 1 packet 1 of cigarettes, rear wall 8 of box 2 is connected directly to rear wall 12 of lid 4 by hinge 14, and is therefore of limited height (roughly half the height of walls 16-18 of collar 15); and rear wall 17 of collar 15, being defined by two tabs 17', is of limited extension, and leaves a large part of rear wall 8 exposed. That is, a central "gap", not covered by rear wall 17 of collar 15, is left at rear wall 8 of box 2, leaving rear wall 12 of lid 4 exposed, and is unpopular with users by seriously affecting the look of packet 1 of cigarettes. The alternative embodiment of packet 1 of cigarettes shown in Figure 15 is proposed to eliminate this drawback.

In the packet 1 of cigarettes shown in Figure 15, and more clearly in Figure 16, lid 4 is hinged to box 2 by hinge 14, which connects rear wall 12 of lid 4 to an outer connecting wall 25 (i.e. visible from the outside) integral with rear wall 8 of box 2. More specifically, outer connecting wall 25 is connected at its top end to rear wall 12 of lid 4 along hinge 14 of lid 4. And an inner connecting wall 26 (i.e. sandwiched invisibly between rear wall 8 of box 2 on one side, and rear wall 12 of lid 4 and outer connecting wall 25 on the other) is connected at its bottom end to the bottom end of outer connecting wall 25 along a transverse fold line 21a, is connected at its top end to the top end of rear wall 8 of box 2 along a transverse fold. line 21b, and is glued on one side to outer connecting wall 25 (but not to rear wall 12 of lid 4) and on the other side to rear wall 8 of box 2 by glue 27 and 28.

As shown clearly in Figure 15, rear wall 8 of box 2 is the same height as walls 16-18 of collar 15, so, despite the small size of rear wall 17 of collar 15, rear wall 12 of lid 4 is covered completely by rear wall 8 of box 2 and therefore not visible from inside box 2.

The blank 20 used to make the Figure 15 packet 1 of cigarettes is shown in Figure 17, and differs from the Figure 10 blank 20 (which is identical to the Figure 5 blank 20, except for grooves 24) by comprising a panel 8' (instead of panel 8'+12') forming rear wall 8 of packet 1 of cigarettes; a panel 26' forming connecting wall 26; and a panel 25'+12' (instead of panel 8'+12') forming connecting wall 25 and rear wall 12 of lid 4.

More specifically, in the Figure 17 blank 20, panel 8' is separated from panel 26' by transverse fold line 21b, and panel 26' is separated from panel 25'÷12' by transverse fold line 21a.

The Figure 15 packet 1 of cigarettes is formed by folding the Figure 17 blank 20 in the same way as the Figure 1 packet 1 of cigarettes by folding the Figure 5 (or Figure 10) blank 20, the only difference being that the Figure 17 blank 20 is prefolded, normally before being loaded with group 3 of cigarettes.

As shown in Figure 18, prefolding the Figure 17 blank 20 comprises first folding blank 20 on its own (i.e. without group 3 of cigarettes resting on panel 6') by folding panel 25'+12' 180° with respect to panel 26' about transverse fold line 21a and onto panel 26', and by folding panel 26' 180° with respect to panel 8' about transverse fold line 21b and onto panel 8'. Preferably, panels 25'+12' and 26' are folded 180° with respect to panels 26' and 8' simultaneously, to form a Z-shaped fold, and obviously after gumming panels 25'+12' and 26' with glue 27 and 28, as shown in Figure 18.

Once prefolded, the Figure 17 blank 20 appears as shown in Figure 19. At this point, group 3 of cigarettes is placed on blank 20, in particular on panel 6' of blank 20, which is then folded about group 3 of cigarettes to form box 2, lid 4, and collar 15 about group 3 of cigarettes.

In the embodiments shown in the drawings, the edges of box 2 and lid 4 are all straight. In variations not shown, at least some of the longitudinal and/or transverse edges are bevelled or rounded.

Packet 1 of cigarettes as described above has numerous advantages.

In particular, it is quick and cheap to produce, by forming box 2, complete with collar 15, and lid 4 using only one blank 20, which can be processed easily on a standard packing machine.

Packet 1 of cigarettes as described may also feature a reduced outer sticker 19 (as shown, for example, in the Figure 13 and 14 variations) to reduce packing material consumption and simplify folding outer sticker 19 about box 2 and lid 4. This advantage is due to box 2 and lid 4 being connected along a hinge line 14 forming part of blank 20, so that outer sticker 19 simply serves to structurally connect walls 11, 12, 13 of lid 4 to achieve a firm shape of lid 4.

In view of its numerous advantages, the design of packet 1 of cigarettes described above may also be applied as a whole to the manufacture of a package of other tobacco articles (e.g. cigars) , or a carton of cigarettes, which is substantially the same as packet 1 of cigarettes described above, except that it contains a group of packets of cigarettes as opposed to group 3 of cigarettes.

Claims

CLAIMS1) A blank for producing a package of tobacco articles comprising: a parallelepiped-shaped box having an open top end; a bottom wall opposite the open top end; a front wall and a rear wall opposite and parallel to each other; and two opposite, parallel lateral walls; a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line, and having a top wall, which is opposite and parallel to the bottom wall of the box when the lid is in a closed position; a front wall and a rear wall, which are coplanar with the corresponding front and rear walls of the box when the lid is in the closed position; and two lateral walls, which are coplanar with the corresponding lateral walls of the box when the lid is in the closed position; and a collar, which is located inside the box, projects from the walls of the box towards the lid, and comprises: a front wall which is permanently connected to the front wall of the box and, when the lid is in the closed position, rests on the front wall of the lid; a rear wall which is permanently connected to the rear wall of the box and, when the lid is in the closed position, rests on the rear wall of the lid; and two lateral walls which are permanently connected to the lateral walls of the box and, when the lid is in the closed position, rest on the lateral walls of the lid; the blank comprising: a first panel forming the top wall of the lid; a second panel forming at least the rear wall of the box; a third panel forming the bottom wall of the box; a fourth panel forming the front wall of the box and the front wall of the lid, which are initially joined seamlessly; two fifth panels, each forming a respective lateral wall of the box and a respective lateral wall of the lid, which are initially joined seamlessly; an eighth panel forming the front wall of the collar and connected to the third panel; and two ninth panels, each forming a respective lateral wall of the collar; the blank being characterized by comprising: two first tabs, which are located on opposite sides of the second panel, are connected to corresponding ninth panels by a transverse fold line, and form the rear wall of the collar; and two second tabs, which are located on opposite sides of the eighth panel, are connected to corresponding ninth panels by a transverse fold line, and form an inner stiffener of the front wall of the collar.
2) A blank as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the second panel forms the rear wall of the box and the rear wall of the lid connected along the hinge line of the lid.
3) A blank as claimed in Claim 2, wherein: the fourth panel is the same shape and size as the second panel; and the fifth panels are the same size, measured transversely, as the second panel and the fourth panel measured longitudinally.
4) A blank as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the box comprises: a first connecting wall connected at a top end to the rear wall of the lid along the hinge line of the lid; and a second connecting wall, which is connected at a bottom end to a bottom end of the first connecting wall along a first transverse fold line, is connected at a top end to a top end of the rear wall of the box along a second transverse fold line, and is glued on one side to the first connecting wall, and on the other side to the rear wall of the box; the second panel forms only the rear wall of the box; the blank comprises a sixth panel forming the rear wall of the lid and the first connecting wall, which are separated from each other by the hinge line of the lid; and the blank comprises a seventh panel which forms the second connecting wall, is connected to the sixth panel along the first transverse fold line, and is connected to the second panel along the second transverse fold line.
5) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the fourth panel and the fifth panels have no inner crease lines inside dividing the walls of the box from the walls of the lid.
6) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the two ninth panels are located on opposite sides of the third panel, and are connected to the third panel by two respective longitudinal fold lines.
7) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein glue is only applied between the part of the second panel forming the rear wall of the box and the first tabs, so the first tabs are not glued to the rest of the second panel forming the rear wall of the lid.
8) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the eighth panel, forming the front wall of the collar, and the two ninth panels, forming the lateral walls of the collar, comprise respective grooves, each of which is convex inwards of the box, and extends along a parting line between the lid and the box.
9) A blank as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the grooves are formed by permanently deforming, in particular drawing, the eighth panel and ninth panels.
10) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the eighth panel and the two ninth panels have no inner crease lines.
11) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein glue is only applied between the parts of the fourth panel and fifth panels forming the walls of the box, and the eighth panel and ninth panels respectively, so the rest of the fourth panel and fifth panels forming the walls of the lid are not glued to the eighth panel and ninth panels respectively.
12) A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the fourth panel and fifth panels have inner tear lines, which separate the walls of the box from the walls of the lid.
13) A method of producing a package of tobacco articles comprising: a parallelepiped-shaped box having an open top end; a bottom wall opposite the open top end; a front wall and a rear wall opposite and parallel to each other; and two opposite, parallel lateral walls; a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line, and having a top wall, which is opposite and parallel to the bottom wall of the box when the lid is in a closed position; a front wall and a rear wall, which are coplanar with the corresponding front and rear walls of the box when the lid is in the closed position; and two lateral walls, which are coplanar with the corresponding lateral walls of the box when the lid is in the closed position; and a collar, which is located inside the box, projects from the walls of the box towards the lid, and comprises: a front wall which is permanently connected to the front wall of the box and, when the lid is in the closed position, rests on the front wall of the lid; a rear wall which is permanently connected to the rear wall of the box and, when the lid is in the closed position, rests on the rear wall of the lid; and two lateral walls which are permanently connected to the lateral walls of the box and, when the lid is in the closed position, rest on the lateral walls of the lid; the blank comprises: a first panel forming the top wall of the lid; a second panel forming at least the rear wall of the box; a third panel forming the bottom wall of the box; a fourth panel forming the front wall of the box and the front wall of the lid, which are initially joined seamlessly and are cut apart; two fifth panels, each forming a respective lateral wall of the box and a respective lateral wall of the lid, which are initially joined seatniessly and are cut apart; an eighth panel forming the front wall of the collar and connected to the third panel; and two ninth panels, each forming a respective lateral wall of the collar; the method comprising the steps of: folding a blank to jointly form the box and the lid in a closed position; and cutting, after forming the box and the lid, at least one panel of the blank to divide the panel into a wall of the box and a wall of the lid; the method being characterized in that the blank comprises: two first tabs, which are located on opposite sides of the second panel, are connected to corresponding ninth panels by a transverse fold line, and form the rear wall of the collar; and two second tabs, which are located on opposite sides of the eighth panel, are connected to corresponding ninth panels by a transverse fold line, and form an inner stiffener of the front wall of the collar.
14) A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the second panel forms the rear wall of the box and the rear wall of the lid connected along the hinge line of the lid.
15) A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the box comprises: a first connecting wall connected at a top end to the rear wall of the lid along the hinge line of the lid; and a second connecting wall, which is connected at a bottom end to a bottom end of the first connecting wall along a first transverse fold line, is connected at a top end to a top end of the rear wall of the box along a second transverse fold line, and is glued on one side to the first connecting wall, and on the other side to the rear wall of the box; the second panel forms only the rear wall of the box; the blank comprises a sixth panel forming the rear wall of the lid and the first connecting wall, which are separated from each other by the hinge line of the lid; and the blank comprises a seventh panel, which forms the second connecting wall, is connected to the sixth panel along the first transverse fold line, and is connected to the second panel along the second transverse fold line; the method comprising the step of pre-folding the blank by folding the sixth panel 1800 with respect to the seventh panel and about the first transverse fold line, to superimpose the sixth panel on the seventh panel, and by folding the seventh panel 180° with respect to the second panel and about the second transverse fold line, to superimpose the seventh panel on the second panel.
16) A method as claimed in Claim 13, 14 or 15 and comprising the steps of: folding the eighth panel and the ninth panels 90° with respect to the third panel; and only gluing the parts of the fourth panel and fifth panels forming the walls of the box to the eighth panel and ninth panels respectively, so the rest of the fourth panel and fifth panels forming the walls of the lid are not glued to the eighth panel and ninth panels respectively.
17) A method as claimed in one of Claims 13 to 16, and comprising the steps of: folding the two first tabs 900 with respect to the ninth panels; and only gluing the two first tabs to the part of the second panel forming the rear wall of the box, so the two first tabs are not glued to the rest of the second panel forming the rear wall of the lid.
18) A method as claimed in one of Claims 13 to 17, and comprising the steps of: folding the two second tabs 90° with respect to the ninth panels; and gluing the two second tabs to the eighth panel.
19) A method as claimed in one of Claims 13 to 18, wherein the eighth panel, forming the front wall of the collar, and the two ninth panels, forming the lateral walls of the collar, comprise respective grooves, each of which is convex inwards of the box, and extends along a parting line between the lid and the box.
20) A method as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 19, and comprising the further step, after forming the box and the lid, of cutting the second panel of the blank into two portions, which were initially joined seamlessly along the hinge line, and which respectively form the rear wall of the box and the rear wall of the lid.
21) A method as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 20, and comprising the further step, after forming the box and the lid, of gluing at least one outer sticker to at least the front wall, the rear wall, and the lateral walls of the lid, to connect said walls to one another.
22) A method as claimed in Claim 21, wherein the sticker is in the form of a strip which is looped about the perimeter of the lid.
23) A method as claimed in Claim 21, wherein four separate stickers are fixed astride the edges between the walls of the lid.
24) A method as claimed in Claim 21, 22 or 23, and comprising the further steps of: also gluing the sticker to the walls of the box; and cutting the sticker into a first portion integral with the front and lateral walls of the lid, and a second portion integral with the front and lateral walls of the box.
25) A package of tobacco articles comprising: a parallelepiped-shaped box having an open top end; a bottom wall opposite the open top end; a front wall and a rear wall opposite and parallel to each other; and two opposite, parallel lateral walls; and a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line, and having a top wall, which is opposite and parallel to the bottom wall of the box when the lid is in a closed position; a front wall and a rear wall, which are coplanar with the corresponding front and rear walls of the box when the lid is in the closed position; and two lateral walls, which are coplanar with the corresponding lateral walls of the box when the lid is in the closed position; the package of tobacco articles being characterized by being made by folding a blank as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12.