Reclosable package of cigarettes, comprising: a group of cigarettes; a soft envelope having a parallelepiped shape and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, the envelope encloses the group of cigarettes and is provided with a cigarette extraction opening; a stiffening element wrapping the envelope along at least two opposite surfaces of the envelope and at the extraction opening; a reclosable opening system consisting in an adhesive closing panel superimposed in a removable manner on an adhesive frame panel, the opening system covers the extraction opening; wherein the closing panel is movable between an opening position and a closing position of the extraction opening, and wherein the opening system is fastened to the stiffening element by firmly superimposing the frame panel on at least two opposite walls of the stiffening element and at the extraction opening.

Reclosable package of cigarettes, comprising: a group of cigarettes; a soft envelope having a parallelepiped shape and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, the envelope encloses the group of cigarettes and is provided with a cigarette extraction opening; a stiffening element wrapping the envelope along at least two opposite surfaces of the envelope and at the extraction opening; a reclosable opening system consisting in an adhesive closing panel superimposed in a removable manner on an adhesive frame panel, the opening system covers the extraction opening; wherein the closing panel is movable between an opening position and a closing position of the extraction opening, and wherein the opening system is fastened to the stiffening element by firmly superimposing the frame panel on at least two opposite walls of the stiffening element and at the extraction opening.

A method of feeding rod-shaped consumer goods to a packing apparatus is provided, including providing a plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods to an upstream end of a stacking channel, and feeding the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods along the stacking channel to a downstream end of the stacking channel. The upstream end of the stacking channel is higher than the downstream end in the vertical direction, and at least a portion of the stacking channel extends at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 75 degrees with respect to the vertical direction. The method further includes receiving the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods into a hopper from the downstream end of the stacking channel, and distributing the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods from the hopper into a packing apparatus.

A method of feeding rod-shaped consumer goods to a packing apparatus is provided, including providing a plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods to an upstream end of a stacking channel, and feeding the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods along the stacking channel to a downstream end of the stacking channel. The upstream end of the stacking channel is higher than the downstream end in the vertical direction, and at least a portion of the stacking channel extends at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 75 degrees with respect to the vertical direction. The method further includes receiving the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods into a hopper from the downstream end of the stacking channel, and distributing the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods from the hopper into a packing apparatus.

A replenishing device for replenishing a flute of a transporter with a rod-like element, wherein the transporter comprises multiple flutes located transversally with respect to a transporting direction and adapted to transport rod-like elements, the replenishing device comprising: a feeding duct for feeding the rod-like element; a rotary replenishing element having an axis of rotation, comprising at least one transferring seat for receiving the rod-like element from the feeding duct in a receiving zone and for transferring the rod-like element to the flute of the transporter in a transferring zone, wherein the rotary replenishing element is adapted to repeatedly pass the same rod-like element through the transferring zone before transferring that rod-like element to the flute of the transporter; and a transferring mechanism for effecting the transfer of the rod-like element from the transferring seat to the flute of the transporter.

A conveyor for aligning rod-shaped articles and including a succession of flutes which are movable along a feed path and which are configured to hold respective rod-shaped articles or groups of rod-shaped articles. For each flute, the conveyor has an abutment portion, disposed at least at one end of the flute to define an abutment surface for one end of the rod-shaped article or group of rod-shaped articles housed in the suction flute. The abutment portion is provided with at least one suction zone to hold the end of the rod-shaped article or group of rod-shaped articles by suction against the abutment portion. The suction zone is defined by a plurality of suction perforations, connected or connectable to a negative pressure source and whose transverse size is, for example, smaller than 1 mm, preferably smaller than 0.8 mm and, still more preferably, smaller than 0.6 mm.

A conveyor for aligning rod-shaped articles and including a succession of flutes which are movable along a feed path and which are configured to hold respective rod-shaped articles or groups of rod-shaped articles. For each flute, the conveyor has an abutment portion, disposed at least at one end of the flute to define an abutment surface for one end of the rod-shaped article or group of rod-shaped articles housed in the suction flute. The abutment portion is provided with at least one suction zone to hold the end of the rod-shaped article or group of rod-shaped articles by suction against the abutment portion. The suction zone is defined by a plurality of suction perforations, connected or connectable to a negative pressure source and whose transverse size is, for example, smaller than 1 mm, preferably smaller than 0.8 mm and, still more preferably, smaller than 0.6 mm.

Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

Method to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, providing to feed a plurality of pockets of a transfer conveyor with pockets moved step-wise, thrusting said organized groups of smoking articles, by means of thrusters actuated independently from each other, in a direction of transfer and through respective forming drawers, into said pockets on the basis of a predefined production rhythm. The method provides, in the event of obstruction, stoppage or blockage of a forming drawer, to vary the operating speed of the thrusters associated with the other forming drawers in coordination and in synchrony with the step-wise feed speed of said transfer conveyor with pockets, in order to obtain an effective production rhythm equal or near to said predefined production rhythm.