A packaging machine for producing packs containing a group of cigarettes, having in a manufacturing flow direction: a forming unit for forming cigarette groups; a first folding unit at which an inner blank composed of a material suitable for forming a dimensionally stable inner pack is folded around a cigarette group to form an inner pack with the cigarette group as pack content; adjoining said first folding unit, a sealing inner pack unit in which a sealing inner pack is manufactured from the inner pack, the sealing inner pack is folded into a final state, or one sealing inner pack comprising the inner pack is manufactured; and adjoining the sealing inner pack unit, a second folding unit at which an outer blank composed of a material suitable for forming a dimensionally stable outer pack is folded around the sealing inner pack to form an outer pack.

A packaging machine for producing packs containing a group of cigarettes, having in a manufacturing flow direction: a forming unit for forming cigarette groups; a first folding unit at which an inner blank composed of a material suitable for forming a dimensionally stable inner pack is folded around a cigarette group to form an inner pack with the cigarette group as pack content; adjoining said first folding unit, a sealing inner pack unit in which a sealing inner pack is manufactured from the inner pack, the sealing inner pack is folded into a final state, or one sealing inner pack comprising the inner pack is manufactured; and adjoining the sealing inner pack unit, a second folding unit at which an outer blank composed of a material suitable for forming a dimensionally stable outer pack is folded around the sealing inner pack to form an outer pack.

A packaging machine for producing packs with a group of cigarettes as pack content, having individual manufacturing units which are arranged adjacent to one another on a manufacturing line and which are (non-destructively) separable from one another in each case in the region of or along (imaginary) parting planes between them and are removable from the manufacturing line as required, wherein the packaging machine can be converted from a first configuration, in which a first pack type can be manufactured, into a second configuration, in which a second pack type which differs from the first pack type can be manufactured, by removing at least one separable manufacturing unit from the manufacturing line, by replacing at least one separable manufacturing unit with another separable manufacturing unit and/or by adding at least one further separable manufacturing unit to the manufacturing line.

A method and device for examining rod-shaped products of the cigarette industry, having a cylindrical lateral surface and two end faces formed by two filter elements arranged at opposite ends, the product having smokable material between the two end faces, by: a) irradiating the lateral surface using examination light whereby the examination light penetrates through the lateral surface at least partially into the product and at least partially exits again through one end face, the beams of which are incident on the lateral surface at an angle of at least 30° in relation to the longitudinal extension of the product; b) acquiring the examination light exiting the end face of the product using an electro-optical receiver, the main viewing direction of which is directed onto the end face; and c) evaluating the brightness or light intensity of the examination light exiting the end face and acquired by the electro-optical receiver.

A method and device for examining rod-shaped products of the cigarette industry, having a cylindrical lateral surface and two end faces formed by two filter elements arranged at opposite ends, the product having smokable material between the two end faces, by: a) irradiating the lateral surface using examination light whereby the examination light penetrates through the lateral surface at least partially into the product and at least partially exits again through one end face, the beams of which are incident on the lateral surface at an angle of at least 30° in relation to the longitudinal extension of the product; b) acquiring the examination light exiting the end face of the product using an electro-optical receiver, the main viewing direction of which is directed onto the end face; and c) evaluating the brightness or light intensity of the examination light exiting the end face and acquired by the electro-optical receiver.

Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Pack An apparatus (10) for manufacturing a sealed pack (20, 34, 36, 37) of smoking articles (2) and modifying an internal atmosphere thereof. The apparatus (10) comprises a handling mechanism (13) for conveying a sealed pack (20) of smoking articles (2) within the apparatus (10). The handling mechanism (13) includes a support plate (24) against which a pack (20) abuts during conveyance by the handling mechanism (13). The support plate (24) includes a gas port (29). The apparatus (10) is configured such that, as a pack (20) is conveyed by the handling mechanism (13) in abutment with the support plate (24), the gas port (29) may engage a valve (4) formed in the pack (20) to enable a gaseous atmosphere within the sealed (20) pack to be modified. Also, a method of manufacturing a pack (37) of smoking articles (2) by means of such an apparatus (10).

Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Pack An apparatus (10) for manufacturing a sealed pack (20, 34, 36, 37) of smoking articles (2) and modifying an internal atmosphere thereof. The apparatus (10) comprises a handling mechanism (13) for conveying a sealed pack (20) of smoking articles (2) within the apparatus (10). The handling mechanism (13) includes a support plate (24) against which a pack (20) abuts during conveyance by the handling mechanism (13). The support plate (24) includes a gas port (29). The apparatus (10) is configured such that, as a pack (20) is conveyed by the handling mechanism (13) in abutment with the support plate (24), the gas port (29) may engage a valve (4) formed in the pack (20) to enable a gaseous atmosphere within the sealed (20) pack to be modified. Also, a method of manufacturing a pack (37) of smoking articles (2) by means of such an apparatus (10).

A pack, and a method and apparatus for producing the pack, comprising an outer pack and an inner pack as a sealed block with an inner blank which encloses the pack contents, the inner pack having, in the region of an inner end wall, an opening aid which can be used a number of times and, in the region of side walls of the inner pack, folding flaps which are connected to one another by thermal sealing. Folding flaps in the region of an inner rear wall of the inner blank are configured as a fin fold and are connected to one another by thermal sealing outside the region of the cigarette group to form a fin seam, the fin seam being arranged at a spacing from regions of folding flaps which cover one another multiple times, in the region of the inner side walls.

A pack, and a method and apparatus for producing the pack, comprising an outer pack and an inner pack as a sealed block with an inner blank which encloses the pack contents, the inner pack having, in the region of an inner end wall, an opening aid which can be used a number of times and, in the region of side walls of the inner pack, folding flaps which are connected to one another by thermal sealing. Folding flaps in the region of an inner rear wall of the inner blank are configured as a fin fold and are connected to one another by thermal sealing outside the region of the cigarette group to form a fin seam, the fin seam being arranged at a spacing from regions of folding flaps which cover one another multiple times, in the region of the inner side walls.

A packaging machine includes: a conveying machine that conveys a package blank for a package; a lid-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the lid-side magnetic region of the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet which magnetizes a magnetic material of the lid-side magnetic region; and a body-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the body-side magnetic region of the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet for magnetizing a magnetic material of the body-side magnetic region so as to form a predetermined magnetic distribution corresponding to a magnetic distribution in the lid-side magnetic region formed by the lid-side magnetizing roller.