Patent ID: 7207155

Claim:
A method of packing an orderly group ( 1 ) of packets ( 2 ) of cigarettes; the method comprising the steps of folding a sheet ( 11 ) of heat-seal transparent plastic packing material about the orderly group ( 1 ) to form a tubular wrapping having two tubular portions ( 21 ) projecting with respect to the orderly group ( 1 ), each tubular portion ( 21 ) comprising four flaps ( 18 b , 18 c , 18 d , 18 f ), folding each flap ( 18 b , 18 c , 18 d , 18 f ) onto the orderly group ( 1 ), so as to at least partly superimpose said flaps ( 18 b , 18 c , 18 d , 18 f ), and sealing the superimposed flaps ( 18 b , 18 c , 18 d , 18 f ) to one another; the orderly group ( 1 ) being packed solely in the sheet ( 11 ) of transparent packing material, so that the packets ( 2 ) are visible through the sheet ( 11 ) of packing material; the method being characterized in that at least an outer flap ( 18 d ) has a portion ( 19 ) bearing graphics ( 20 ) and said flaps ( 18 b , 18 c , 18 d , 18 f ) are sealed by melting the sheet ( 11 ) of packing material to define at least one bead seal ( 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ) outwards of said graphics ( 20 ).