Patent ID: 7934359

Claim:
A method of producing a package of tobacco articles; the package ( 1 ) of tobacco articles comprises a group ( 2 ) of tobacco articles wrapped in a tubular inner sheet of packing material closed axially by two end folds; and an outer package ( 3 ), which is formed by folding a blank ( 24 ), surrounds the group ( 2 ) of tobacco articles, is parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a top wall ( 12 ) contacting a first end fold of the inner sheet of packing material, a bottom wall ( 13 ) parallel to the top wall ( 12 ) and contacting a second end fold of the inner sheet of packing material, and a number of lateral walls ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ) perpendicular to the top wall and bottom wall ( 12 , 13 ); the blank ( 24 ) has two transverse fold lines ( 25 ), and a number of longitudinal fold lines ( 26 ) defining, between the two transverse fold lines ( 25 ), a first panel ( 8 ′) forming part of a first minor lateral wall ( 8 ); a second panel ( 11 ′) forming a first major lateral wall ( 11 ); a third panel ( 9 ′) forming a second minor lateral wall ( 9 ); a fourth panel ( 10 ′) forming a second major lateral wall ( 10 ); and a fifth panel ( 8 ″) forming the rest of the first minor lateral wall ( 8 ); the second and fourth panel ( 10 ′, 11 ′) each comprise two major tabs ( 27 ), which are located at opposite ends of the second or fourth panel ( 10 ′, 11 ′), are separated from the second or fourth panel ( 10 ′, 11 ′) by the two transverse fold lines ( 25 ), and form part of the bottom wall and top wall ( 13 , 12 ) respectively; the third and fifth panel ( 9 ′, 8 ″) each comprise two minor tabs ( 28 ), which are located at opposite ends of the third or fifth panel ( 9 ′, 8 ″), are separated from the third or fifth panel ( 9 ′, 8 ″) by the two transverse fold lines ( 25 ), and form part of the bottom wall and top wall ( 13 , 12 ) respectively; a first major tab ( 27 a ) forming part of the top wall ( 12 ) is the same shape and size as the top wall ( 12 ) ; and a second major tab ( 27 a ) forming part of the top wall ( 12 ), and the minor tabs ( 28 a ) forming part of the top wall ( 12 ) are less than half the height of the first major tab ( 27 a ); and the method comprises the steps of: folding the inner sheet of packing material into a tube about the group ( 2 ) of tobacco articles, leaving two open ends; folding the blank ( 24 ) into a tube about the group ( 2 ) of tobacco articles and on top of the previously folded inner sheet of packing material; folding a first open end ( 30 ) of the inner sheet of packing material together with the major tabs ( 27 a ) and minor tabs ( 28 a ) forming part of the top wall ( 12 ), and folding a second open end ( 31 ) of the inner sheet of packing material together with the major tabs ( 27 b ) and minor tabs ( 28 b ) forming part of the bottom wall ( 13 ).