A diagnostic method for analysing the operation of at least part of a production line in the tobacco industry includes feeding through the line a probe having the shape of a smokers' article and provided with an electronic card configured to acquire one or more parameters; the method includes a step of activating the probe with the possibility of temporally synchronizing the data acquired by the probe with the data acquired by the line at the same time.

A diagnostic method for analysing the operation of at least part of a production line in the tobacco industry includes feeding through the line a probe having the shape of a smokers' article and provided with an electronic card configured to acquire one or more parameters; the method includes a step of activating the probe with the possibility of temporally synchronizing the data acquired by the probe with the data acquired by the line at the same time.

A pack for cigarettes having an outer pack and an inner pack with a blank that surrounds a cigarette group, the inner pack having a removal opening for accessing the pack contents, and the inner pack having a closure flap fastened to it by a releasable adhesive bond and being removable for access to the removal opening or pack contents. For forming the removal opening, the blank has an opening that is closable by the closure means, the closure means having a coverage region that, with the closure means in the closed position, circumferentially surrounds the opening and is adhesively connectable to a region of the blank that surrounds the opening, and a separate blank is adhesively fastened on the closure means on the side facing the inner pack, the separate blank, with the closure means in the closed position, covering the opening and overlapping the opening on all sides.

A pack for cigarettes having an outer pack and an inner pack with a blank that surrounds a cigarette group, the inner pack having a removal opening for accessing the pack contents, and the inner pack having a closure flap fastened to it by a releasable adhesive bond and being removable for access to the removal opening or pack contents. For forming the removal opening, the blank has an opening that is closable by the closure means, the closure means having a coverage region that, with the closure means in the closed position, circumferentially surrounds the opening and is adhesively connectable to a region of the blank that surrounds the opening, and a separate blank is adhesively fastened on the closure means on the side facing the inner pack, the separate blank, with the closure means in the closed position, covering the opening and overlapping the opening on all sides.

A cigarette pack in the form of a sealing pack consisting of an inner pack in the form of a foil block and an outer pack in the form of a hinge-lid box. An opening aid of the foil block is provided with a removal opening which is formed as an open recess as a result of punching during the production of a blank for the foil block, in particular in the region of a continuous foil web. Said removal opening, which is free right from the start, is closed by a closure tab which is able to be opened and closed multiple times on account of a corresponding glue connection. The closure tab is preferably connected permanently to the inside of a lid front wall of the outer pack by means of an actuating tab.

A transferring and inspection unit for transferring and inspecting a group of elongated elements that are rod-shaped for smoking articles that includes a forming pocket, having a longitudinal axis, which is provided with a hollow housing suitable for housing a group of elongated elements to be inspected; a transporting conveyor of the forming pocket which is configured to advance the pocket along an advancing path through a first inspection position; a first tridimensional inspecting optical assembly configured to perform in respective successive scanning instants a plurality of first tridimensional optical scans by projecting a first light blade over a first head face of the group, during advancing of the forming pocket through the first inspection position; a processing device configured to obtain, for each first tridimensional scan, a respective first scanning line associated with the respective scanning instant and to reconstruct a first tridimensional profile of the first head face on the basis of the plurality of the first scanning lines, positioned in respective first reference positions. The forming pocket includes a first front face that in turn includes a first shaped surface be the first optical assembly is configured to perform simultaneously with each first tridimensional scan of the first head face also a respective first tridimensional scan of the first shaped surface to obtain a respective further scanning line; the processing device is in addition configured to calculate the reference position of each first scanning line analyzing the respective further scanning line.

A transferring and inspection unit for transferring and inspecting a group of elongated elements that are rod-shaped for smoking articles that includes a forming pocket, having a longitudinal axis, which is provided with a hollow housing suitable for housing a group of elongated elements to be inspected; a transporting conveyor of the forming pocket which is configured to advance the pocket along an advancing path through a first inspection position; a first tridimensional inspecting optical assembly configured to perform in respective successive scanning instants a plurality of first tridimensional optical scans by projecting a first light blade over a first head face of the group, during advancing of the forming pocket through the first inspection position; a processing device configured to obtain, for each first tridimensional scan, a respective first scanning line associated with the respective scanning instant and to reconstruct a first tridimensional profile of the first head face on the basis of the plurality of the first scanning lines, positioned in respective first reference positions. The forming pocket includes a first front face that in turn includes a first shaped surface be the first optical assembly is configured to perform simultaneously with each first tridimensional scan of the first head face also a respective first tridimensional scan of the first shaped surface to obtain a respective further scanning line; the processing device is in addition configured to calculate the reference position of each first scanning line analyzing the respective further scanning line.

A diagnostic method for analysing the operation of an automatic machine which processes products in the tobacco industry includes the following steps: introducing into the machine an endoscopic probe whose shape and size correspond to the shape and size of the products the machine is designed to process and which the machine processes as if it were a real product. During processing in the machine, the probe acquires data through a sensor of its own. The method also includes determining the positions adopted by the probe while it is being processed in the machine and associating them with the data acquired by the probe while it is being processed in the machine.

A diagnostic method for analysing the operation of an automatic machine which processes products in the tobacco industry includes the following steps: introducing into the machine an endoscopic probe whose shape and size correspond to the shape and size of the products the machine is designed to process and which the machine processes as if it were a real product. During processing in the machine, the probe acquires data through a sensor of its own. The method also includes determining the positions adopted by the probe while it is being processed in the machine and associating them with the data acquired by the probe while it is being processed in the machine.

An apparatus of the tobacco industry for the rejection of defective rod-like articles from a mass flow of rod-like articles, comprising a monitoring unit (100) adapted to optically determine geometrical parameters of rod-like articles (R), and at least one rejecting unit (200) adapted to remove a rod-like article from the mass flow (M) of rod-like articles (R), wherein the mass flow (M) being transported on the conveyor (10), such unit (200) being situated behind the monitoring unit (100) with reference to the direction (T) of the mass flow (M) of rod-like articles (R). The apparatus is characterised in that the monitoring unit (100) has optical recorders (101) recording images of opposite side surfaces of the mass flow (M) of rod-like articles (R) on a conveyor (10) wherein said side surfaces are formed by front surfaces or rod-like articles (R). The apparatus comprises the controller (300) which basing on the recorded images, using the criteria concerning geometrical parameters of the opposite front surfaces of rod-like articles (R), identifies defective rod-like articles (Rd) in the mass flow (M), and determines the position of the defective rod-like articles (Rd) in the mass flow (M), and the rejecting unit (200) comprises at least one rejecting element (201, 203, 204, 205, 205) adapted to reject the defective rod-like article (Rd), the rejection unit (200) being mounted in such a way that it moves along together with the mass flow (M) in a position enabling it to reject the defective rod-like article (Rd).