Patent ID: 7318523

Claim:
A rigid container for tobacco items defined by a hinged-lid packet ( 73 ; 83 ; 93 ; 99 ; 107 ) comprising two cup-shaped bodies aligned with each other with their concavities facing, and respectively defining a lid ( 75 ; 109 ) and a body ( 74 ; 108 ) of the packet ( 73 ; 83 ; 93 ; 99 ; 107 ); each cup-shaped body having an end wall ( 6 ) and a tubular lateral wall ( 11 ), a first of said end wall or tubular lateral wall ( 6 , 11 ) comprising at least one inwardly concave portion ( 13 ; 82 ; 91 ; 96 ; 102 ; 113 ), and a second of said end wall or tubular lateral wall ( 6 , 11 ) comprising at least one flat portion ( 8 ; 114 ) having an outer edge comprising a convex portion ( 10 ; 115 ) flush with, and mating with, said concave portion ( 13 ; 82 ; 91 ; 96 ; 102 ; 113 ); said packet ( 73 ; 83 ; 93 ; 99 ; 107 ) being formed by folding a single flat substantially rectangular blank ( 76 ; 85 ; 98 ; 106 ; 116 ) having a longitudinal axis ( 15 ; 118 ) and comprising two intermediate panels ( 6 ′, 6 ″; 121 a , 122 a ), each of which forms one of said flat portions ( 8 ; 114 ), and a first and a second outer panel ( 22 ; 22 ′, 22 ″), which are located on opposite sides of one said intermediate panel ( 6 ′, 6 ″; 121 a , 122 a ) and are aligned with each other and with said intermediate panel ( 6 ′, 6 ″; 121 a , 122 a ) along the longitudinal axis ( 15 ); each intermediate panel ( 6 ′; 6 ′, 6 ″; 121 a , 122 a ) having a first portion ( 6 ′ a ; 6 ′ a , 6 ″ a ; 128 ) corresponding to said flat portion ( 8 ; 114 ), and a second portion, peripheral with respect to said first portion ( 6 ′ a ; 6 ′ a , 6 ″ a ; 128 ), defined by at least one curved strip ( 20 ; 20 ′, 20 ″; 127 ) bounded internally by a curved crease line ( 19 ; 19 ′, 19 ″; 126 ) extending along said convex outer edge portion ( 10 ; 115 ); and said curved strip ( 20 ; 20 ′, 20 ″; 127 ) being folded substantially squarely to define, on the second of said end wall or tubular lateral wall ( 6 , 11 ), a convex border ( 23 ; 129 ) integral with the second of end wall or tubular lateral wall walls ( 6 , 11 ), extending along said convex outer edge portion ( 10 ; 115 ), and made integral with an inner surface of said concave portion ( 13 ; 82 ; 91 ; 96 ; 102 ; 113 ).