Methods and machines are provided for forming a five-sided carton of packages of smoking articles. A piece of film material is applied to a plurality of packages of smoking articles such that five sides of the plurality of packages are at least partially covered by the film material, but the sixth side remains uncovered. The film material is applied such that the group of packages is sufficiently tightly bound so that none of the packages may slip free from the carton. The sixth side of the plurality of packages in the carton remains exposed so that tax stamps may be easily applied. The film of material may be applied so that a gap is formed relative to the sixth side.

A multi-pack for packs for products of the cigarette industry, and a corresponding device and a packaging method, wherein a plurality of packs for products of the cigarette industry is arranged in ordered formation and wherein the packs are wrapped in a blank made of packaging material as an outer casing. At least one filler piece is arranged, together with the packs, in the outer casing, wherein the filler piece is arranged opposite from a bottom side of the outer casing or from a bottom side of the packs, and wherein the bottom sides of the packs directly abut the inside of the bottom side of the outer casing.

A pack provided with: a group of tobacco articles; and a sealed wrap, which encloses the group of articles, has a pull-out opening for the articles, has an inner pressure that is different from the atmospheric pressure, and consists of a heat-sealable sheet of wrapping material, which is folded around the group of articles and is stabilized by means of heat-sealing.

A method of marking a package of articles, especially consumer articles, such as cigarettes or the like, includes providing a package of one or more article and a first wrapping material. The package is wrapped with the first wrapping material. A marking is provided on a region of the enclosure. The step of providing a marking on the region of the enclosure includes irradiating the wrapped package with a laser beam, and the first wrapping material is substantially transparent to the laser beam, at least in the region to be marked. An apparatus for marking a package of articles, such as a pack of cigarettes, is also described.

A method for transporting pairs of packs (100) comprising arranging a first pair of packs on a horizontal transport device (50), transporting the first pair of packs in a horizontal direction, arranging a second pair of packs on the horizontal transport device (50), therein, for each of the first pair and the second pair of the pair of packs, spacing a first pack of the pair of packs and a second pack of the pair of packs vertically from each other and further spacing the first pair of packs and the second pair of packs horizontally from each other on the horizontal transport device.

A method for transporting pairs of packs (100) comprising arranging a first pair of packs on a horizontal transport device (50), transporting the first pair of packs in a horizontal direction, arranging a second pair of packs on the horizontal transport device (50), therein, for each of the first pair and the second pair of the pair of packs, spacing a first pack of the pair of packs and a second pack of the pair of packs vertically from each other and further spacing the first pair of packs and the second pair of packs horizontally from each other on the horizontal transport device.

A non-combusting cigarette substitute device has an elongated tubular casing occupied by a filter portion of a first porous material in proximity to a first end and a substitute portion of a second porous material spanning between the filter portion and an opposing second end. The second porous material has a density which is greater than a density of the first porous material. Overall, the densities of the first and second porous materials are suitable to readily permit air to be drawn through the tubular casing in response to suction supplied by a user to imitate the draw of a conventional cigarette. A flavouring agent is applied in an effective amount to the device such that vapors released from the flavouring agent impart a taste to the air drawn through the tubular casing.

A non-combusting cigarette substitute device has an elongated tubular casing occupied by a filter portion of a first porous material in proximity to a first end and a substitute portion of a second porous material spanning between the filter portion and an opposing second end. The second porous material has a density which is greater than a density of the first porous material. Overall, the densities of the first and second porous materials are suitable to readily permit air to be drawn through the tubular casing in response to suction supplied by a user to imitate the draw of a conventional cigarette. A flavouring agent is applied in an effective amount to the device such that vapors released from the flavouring agent impart a taste to the air drawn through the tubular casing.

A folding machine for wrapping a bundle of cigarettes in metal-laminated paper. A partially wrapped bundle of cigarettes, including an unwrapped trailing end, is received in a pocket of a shuttle from a pusher. The shuttle comprises a top folder, two side folders and two bottom folders that are integrated with the shuttle and can operate on the partially unwrapped package along respective edges of its end face and produce a wrapped package in the pocket. Another pusher is configured to eject the wrapped package from the pocket of the shuttle. The shuttle also includes a gripper for gripping the partially wrapped bundle. The driving mechanism for the gripper is integrated with the driving mechanism for the shuttle.

A packing method for producing a package of tobacco articles having: an inner container, which houses a group of tobacco articles, and has an open top end and a hinged lid to close the open top end; an outer container housing the inner container so as to allow the inner container to slide with respect to the outer container between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and a sealing flap, which is hinged to a top edge of a front wall of the outer container, and is movable between a work position, in which the sealing flap is perpendicular to the front wall of the outer container and located beneath a top wall of the lid of the inner container, and a rest position, in which the sealing flap is substantially parallel to the front wall of the outer container.