FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns wrappers for packets having sizes such as to be considered pocket-sized and suitable to contain edible products, such as candies, sweets, gummy bears and suchlike, or pharmaceutical products, medicines and suchlike, or also and especially tobacco-based products, such as traditional smoking articles, for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike. The packets include a tearing element which facilitates access to the packet by a user, after the wrapper has been tom in correspondence with said tearing element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various packets of limited sizes are known in the state of the art, such as to be considered pocket-sized, suitable to contain different types of products, including edible products, such as sweets, candies, gummy bears and suchlike, or pharmaceutical products, medicines and suchlike, or also and especially smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or suchlike. It is known to wrap the packets with hermetically sealed wrappers around the packets in order to preserve the quality of the products or articles contained in them, preventing them from losing their aroma due to prolonged contact with the air before the moment when they are consumed by users.

Wrappers are known which are equipped with a tearing element which facilitates access to the packet by the user when it is first opened. Typically, the tearing element is configured as a strip that ends in a protruding flap, configured to be gripped by the user. By pulling the flap, the user detaches the tearing element from the wrapper, causing a division of the latter into two parts, one upper and one lower, which can then be easily removed from the packet below and thrown away.

Examples of these wrappers known in the state of the art are described, for example, in EP 1666375 and in WO 03/024834.

Known wrappers and tearing elements are made of plastic materials obtained by working products deriving from fossil fuels, using synthesis processes well known in the state of the art. Examples of the most common plastic materials, at least in the field of packaging products, are polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PET) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These materials are also widely used in the packaging sector thanks to their good workability, their low cost and the good performance they offer, both in terms of aesthetics and also in terms of mechanical and chemical-physical properties.

To try to reduce environmental pollution, many countries have the aim of limiting the use of plastic materials, if not actually eliminating them, where possible, and therefore the need to return to using packaging materials consisting of products of natural origin is widely felt.

There is therefore a need to perfect a wrapper for pocket-sized packets, as well as an apparatus and a method for producing wrappers, which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art, at the same time solving the technical problem of making it possible to produce an ecological wrapper in an automated way that is free of plastic materials, with speeds such as to allow a high hourly productivity, for example in the order of several tens of thousands of packets.

In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a wrapper configured to be wrapped around packets containing products or articles which, in addition to being completely ecological and recyclable, is also simple and economical to produce, in particular by means of an automated packaging machine.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a wrapper for packets which can be opened easily by a user thanks to the presence of the tearing element.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a wrapper for packets which is made of transparent, semi-transparent or translucent material, so that all the surfaces of the packet remain visible for the user even when the wrapper is wrapped around the packet.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for producing wrappers configured to wrap around said packets with materials of natural origin, each comprising a tearing element, in particular made of textile fibres, and attached to the wrapper in a firm and stable manner.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, and to resolve the technical problem disclosed above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, a wrapper to wrap a packet according to the present invention comprises a sheet on which a tearing element is adhered, both of which are made with one or more natural materials, wherein the tearing element is associated with the sheet to facilitate the removal of the wrapper when the packet is first opened.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the sheet comprises an adhesive strip impregnated with thermo-activated adhesive disposed on an internal surface of the wrapper, the adhesive strip being configured to contact the packet, and on which the tearing element is glued.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the adhesive strip has a width greater than the width of the tearing element so as to have, along at least one flank of the tearing element, a portion of the adhesive strip not bound to the tearing element.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the sheet is of cellulosic material, and the tearing element is made with textile fibres, for example with cotton, hemp, or flax fibres, or a combination thereof.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the tearing element is made with interlocked textile fibres.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the flat sheet also comprises a flap protruding with respect to a first edge of the sheet and a recess, with a shape and position mating with that of the flap and present on an opposite and parallel second edge of the sheet.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the adhesive strip and the tearing element substantially extend between the flap and the recess.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the wrapper comprises a pair of notches, oriented in such a way as to define an extension of the profile of the flap in the sheet.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the material with which the sheet is made of is preferably of the transparent, semi-transparent or translucent type.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the sheet has a thickness comprised between about 20 pm and 200 pm, the adhesive strip has a thickness comprised between about 5 pm and 30 pm and a width comprised between about 1 mm and 5 mm, and the tearing element is obtained staring from a yam having a nominal diameter comprised between about 0.1 mm and 2 mm.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a packet is provided configured to contain products, which is made of cardboard, having the shape of a parallelepiped and comprising a bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall opposite each other, two opposite lateral walls, which all together define a housing for the products, and also comprises a lid which is connected to the rear wall along a hinging line to allow access to, or to close in a repeatable manner, the housing, wherein the packet is hermetically wrapped by a wrapper as the one disclosed above.

Advantageously, the pocket-sized packed is wrapped by a wrapper made with natural materials which is completely ecological and recyclable, simple to open and cheap to produce.

Another advantage of the wrapper according to the present invention is that it is made of printable material, on which writing, images or warnings and/or advertising messages can be imprinted.

Furthermore, advantageously the wrapper can also be made with transparent, semi-transparent or translucent material so that the packet underneath, wrapped by the wrapper, remains exposed to the user’s view.

Another advantage of the wrapper according to the present invention is that the tearing element is firmly glued to an internal surface of the wrapper, which guarantees that by pulling the tearing element, the wrapper tears due to the detachment of the adhesive strip.

Advantageously, the presence of the flap helps the user when opening the packet for the first time, because it makes it easier for the user to grip the tearing element and then pull it in order to detach it from the wrapper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- figs. 1 and 2 are three-dimensional views of a pocket-sized packet shown in a closed configuration, wherein fig. 1 shows a packet without a wrapper, while fig.

2 shows a packet wrapped in a wrapper according to the present invention;

- fig. 3 is a top plan view of the flat development of a wrapper according to the present invention;

- fig. 4 is a schematic front view, enlarged and not to scale, of the wrapper of fig. 3 ;

- fig. 5 is a partial and schematic three-dimensional view of an apparatus according to the present invention configured to associate a tearing element with the wrapper of fig. 3;

- fig. 6 is a front schematic view, not to scale, of an enlarged portion of the apparatus of fig. 5;

- fig. 7 is a schematic and enlarged top plan view of a detail of the enlarged portion of fig. 6.

We must clarify that in the present description the phraseology and terminology used, such as for example the terms horizontal, vertical, front, rear, high, low, internal and external, with their declinations, have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the attached drawings and must not be in any way used to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the field of protection defined by the attached claims.

Furthermore, the people of skill in the art will recognize that certain sizes or characteristics in the drawings may have been enlarged, deformed, or shown in an unconventional or non-proportional way in order to provide a version of the present invention that is easier to understand. When sizes and/or values are specified in the following description, the sizes and/or values are provided for illustrative purposes only and must not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention, unless such sizes and/or values are present in the attached claims.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS With reference to figs. 1 and 5, a packet 10 can be seen, preferably a packet of the rigid type, made of cardboard and having the shape of a parallelepiped.

The packet 10 is configured to contain products of small sizes, such as traditional smoking articles for example, such as cigarettes or small cigars. It is understood that, according to other embodiments, the packet 10 can be configured to contain cartridges for vaporizers or inhalers, for example of tobacco or other substances, or components of electronic cigarettes, or even other objects with compatible sizes, such as for example edible products, pharmaceutical products or medicinal products and suchlike.

The packet 10 comprises a bottom wall 11 and a top wall 12, opposite the bottom wall 11, and, furthermore, a front wall 13 and a rear wall 14, opposite the front wall 13. The packet 10 also comprises two reciprocally opposite lateral walls, in particular a first and a second lateral wall, respectively 15 and 16, both contiguous to the front wall 13 and to the rear wall 14 on two opposite longer sides thereof.

The bottom wall 11, the front wall 13, the rear wall 14 and the lateral walls 15, 16 define between them a housing for the products.

The packet 10 also comprises a lid 17 which is connected to the rear wall 14 along a hinging line 18 to allow access to, or to close in a repeatable manner, the housing.

The wrapper 20 according to the present invention is configured to be wrapped around the packet 10, as shown in fig. 2.

The wrapper 20 is made starting from a flat sheet (figs. 3 and 4) made of one or more natural materials, preferably, but not only, cellulose based. By way of example, the wrapper 20 can be made of cellophane, paper, cardboard, or similar materials.

Preferably, the material with which the wrapper 20 is made has a basis weight comprised between about 30 grams/square meter and about 120 grams/square meter.

In one version described here, the material of the wrapper 20 is transparent, semi-transparent or translucent.

In an alternative variant, the material of the wrapper 20 is suitable to be printed on, according to traditional printing techniques which allow to imprint text and/or photos on it. Both these embodiments allow to obtain a packet 10 bearing writing, for example warnings and/or advertising messages, which is clearly visible to the user, whether it is printed directly on the packet 10 or on the wrapper 20. Furthermore, if the packet 10 contains products or articles subject to government taxation, fulfilled by affixing a government stamp on the packet, these embodiments ensure that the stamp also remains visible to the user, as required by current regulations.

The wrapper 20 is configured as a flat sheet, rectangular in shape, having a width LI, a length L2 and a thickness S, which is several orders of magnitude smaller in size than the other two sizes (figs. 3 and 4), for example micrometers (pm) compared to millimeters (mm).

By way of a non-limiting example, the width LI can be comprised between about 70 mm and about 150 mm, the length L2 can be comprised between about 100 mm and about 270 mm, and the thickness S can be comprised between about 20 pm and 200 pm.

The wrapper 20 comprises an internal surface 21 , configured to contact the walls 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the packet 10, and an opposite external surface 22, configured to be gripped by the user.

In the alternative variant, in which the material of the wrapper 20 is suitable to be printed on, please note that the printed characters and images can be impressed both on the internal surface 21 and also on the external surface 22, or only on one of the surfaces.

The wrapper 20 comprises a first larger edge and a second larger edge, 23 and

24 respectively, parallel to each other, the extension of which defines the length L2 of the sheet, while the reciprocal distance between them defines the width LI of the sheet itself.

The wrapper 20 also comprises a first smaller edge and a second smaller edge,

25 and 26 respectively, parallel to each other, the extension of which defines the width LI of the sheet, while the reciprocal distance between them defines the length L2 of the sheet.

In fact, the extension of the larger edges 23, 24 is equal to the length L2, and the extension of the smaller edges 25, 26 is equal to the width LI.

The first and second smaller and larger edges 23, 24, 25, 26 are contiguous to each other and, as a whole, define the perimeter of the wrapper 20. A respective peripheral zone is defined in proximity to each of the edges 23, 24, 25 and 26; each of these zones is configured to receive, in correspondence with predetermined portions of the internal surface 21 and of the external surface 22, a suitable adhesive substance to allow the wrapper 20, once wrapped around the packet 10, to be hermetically closed thereon.

In particular, the wrapper 20 comprises two longitudinal peripheral zones 28, each disposed in proximity to the first and second larger edges 23, 24, respectively, which extend for the entire length L2.

The wrapper 20 also comprises two transverse peripheral zones 29, each disposed in proximity to the first and second smaller edges 25, 26, respectively, which extend for the entire width LI.

In correspondence with these predetermined portions there are defined external adhesive areas 30, disposed on the external surface 22, and internal adhesive areas 31, disposed on the internal surface 21, configured to receive a suitable adhesive substance, for example known in the art, preferably of the thermo-activated type.

The disposition of the external and internal adhesive areas 30, 31 can be analogous to many configurations well known in the art in the packaging sector, in particular of packets having the shape of a parallelepiped, since the wrapper 20 can be wrapped around the packet 10 according to a folding sequence well known in the art.

The external and internal adhesive areas 30, 31, which are shown exaggeratedly enlarged in fig. 4 for the benefit of a clearer disclosure, each have a thickness Sc comprised between about 0.5 pm and 30 pm.

In the example given here, in the longitudinal peripheral zones 28, on the external surface 22, there are disposed five triangular-shaped external adhesive areas 30, indicated with a dashed line pattern in figs. 2 and 3, disposed in succession along the first and second larger edge 23, 24. On the internal surface 21 there are instead disposed three rectangular-shaped internal adhesive areas 31, contiguous to each other and indicated with a continuous line pattern in figs. 2 and 3, which extend both on one of the transverse peripheral zones 29, in particular the one disposed in proximity to the first smaller edge 25, and also on a part of the two longitudinal peripheral zones 28, in particular for slightly less than half of these zones. The wrapper 20 also comprises a central zone 32 delimited peripherally by the longitudinal 28 and transverse 29 peripheral zones. With the expression “central zone”, here and throughout the present disclosure we do not intend to indicate a center of the wrapper 20 in the geometric sense, but the whole zone that is not made up of the peripheral zones, which, instead, delimit it externally.

The central zone 32 comprises a first larger panel 33, a second larger panel 34 and a smaller panel 35, which is interposed between the first and second larger panel 33, 34 and joined thereto along their respective larger sides. Once the wrapper 20 is wrapped around the packet 10, the first and second larger panel 33, 34 are disposed one on the front wall 13 and the other on the rear wall 14, while the smaller panel 35 overlaps with one of either the first or the second lateral wall 15, 16. On the other lateral wall, that is, the wall with which the smaller panel 35 does not overlap, there are disposed the two transverse peripheral zones 29, overlapping with each other and joined together thanks to the presence of the internal adhesive area 31 which is provided on one of the transverse peripheral zones 29.

The two longitudinal peripheral zones 28 are, on the other hand, configured to be disposed, suitably folded, both on the bottom wall 11 and also on the top wall 12, at least partly overlapping with each other and joined together thanks to the presence of the internal adhesive areas 31 , which are provided on the longitudinal peripheral zones 28, and of the external adhesive areas 30.

The central zone 32 is joined to the longitudinal 28 and transverse 29 peripheral zones by folding lines in correspondence with which one zone can be folded, for example by about 90°, with respect to the adjacent zone. Similarly, also the first and second larger panel 33, 34, and the smaller panel 35, are joined together by respective folding lines, in correspondence with which one panel can be folded, for example by about 90°, with respect to the adjacent panel. These respective folding lines correspond to the larger sides of the larger panels 33, 34.

The wrapper 20 also comprises a tearing element 38 configured to assist the user when opening the packet 10 for the first time, when the wrapper 20 that wraps it hermetically has to be removed.

The tearing element 38 is made with fibres of natural origin, preferably with textile fibres, for example with cotton, or hemp, or flax fibres, or a combination thereof.

The wrapper 20 comprises an adhesive strip 39, which is configured to receive the tearing element 38 through gluing. In this way, the adhesive strip 39 allows to firmly and effectively attach the tearing element 38 to the wrapper 20.

The adhesive strip 39 is disposed on the internal surface 21. Preferably, the adhesive strip 39 extends parallel to the first and second larger edge 23, 24 for the entire length L2 of the sheet. In alternative variants, not shown, the adhesive strip can be conformed as an interrupted strip consisting of a series of adhesive areas separated by non-adhesive areas.

In the example shown, the adhesive strip 39 is closer to the second larger edge 24 and further away from the first larger edge 23.

The adhesive strip 39 can consist of adhesive substances of the type known in the art, preferably of the type which can be thermo-activated.

As shown in figs. 4 and 7, which has been exaggeratedly enlarged for the benefit of a clearer disclosure, the adhesive strip 39 has a thickness H comprised between about 5 pm and 30 pm, comparable, or possibly approximately equal, to the thickness Sc of the external and internal adhesive areas 30, 31. Furthermore, the adhesive strip 39 has a width comprised between about 1 mm and 5 mm, which is shown in figs. 3 and 7, being delimited by dashed lines in fig. 3.

The wrapper 20 also comprises a flap 40 and a recess 41 with a reciprocally mating shape.

The flap 40 protrudes from the first smaller edge 25, while the recess 41 is disposed in the second smaller edge 26, opposite and parallel to the first smaller edge 25.

Preferably, the flap 40 and recess 41 are disposed at the same height on such smaller edges 25, 26.

Please note that the adhesive strip 39, and therefore the tearing element 38 disposed thereon, extend between the flap 40 and the recess 41.

In this way, by gripping the flap 40, the user also grips the tearing element 38 and, by pulling, causes the detachment of the latter, and of the adhesive strip 39, from the wrapper 20.

Two notches 42 are provided (fig. 3), oriented in such a way as to define the extension of the profile of the flap 40 in the sheet, in particular on the first smaller edge 25, which are configured to facilitate the detachment of the tearing element 38 from the wrapper 20 when the flap 40 is pulled.

With reference to figs, from 5 to 7, an apparatus for associating the tearing element 38 with the wrapper 20 is described below, indicated as a whole with reference number 50.

The wrappers 20 are obtained from a continuous web 43, preferably wound to form a first reel 44, on which there are pre-formed a plurality of wrappers 20 disposed contiguous one after the other on the web 43.

The tearing elements 38 are obtained from a continuous yarn 45, also preferably wound to form a second reel 46. The yarn 45 preferably has a nominal diameter Dn comprised between about 0.1 mm and 2 mm (fig. 7), measured in a condition in which the yarn is not subjected to stresses that cause its deformation.

The apparatus 50 comprises first and second means for advancing the web 43 and the yam 45, respectively 60 and 61, indicated schematically in fig. 5, as members capable of guiding the web 43 and the yam 45 in a controlled manner during their advance. These members can be of a type known in the art, and are not described in detail here, since we believe that a person of skill in the art is capable of easily selecting advance means of a suitable type. In addition or as an alternative to the advance means, it is also possible to provide to motorize the shafts on which the first and second reel 44, 46 are installed.

The advance means allow to make both the web 43 as well as the yam 45 advance in a direction of advance which is indicated by the arrow Fl in fig. 5.

The apparatus 50 comprises several operating stations, disposed in succession along the direction of advance Fl .

The apparatus 50 comprises a gluing station SI disposed substantially along a gluing plane PI, which in the embodiment shown here is vertical, but which could have any orientation in space whatsoever. The gluing station SI comprises a first roller 51 , disposed on a first side with respect to the gluing plane PI and on which the web 43 is partly wound, and a second roller 52, disposed on a second side with respect to the gluing plane PI, opposite the first side, and on which the yarn 45 is partly wound. The web 43 is wound on the first roller 51 in such a way that the external surface contacts the first roller 51 , in such a way that the internal surface 21 faces the second roller 52, and, therefore, the yam 45. In the gluing station SI, the yarn 45 is stably associated with the web 43. In the example given here, the first roller 51 has a first radius R1 and is rotatable around a first axis of rotation XI, while the second roller 52, which has a second radius R2, is rotatable around a second axis of rotation X2, parallel to the first axis of rotation XI . The first and second axis of rotation XI, X2 are distanced by an interaxis I, indicated in fig. 6.

Preferably, the first roller 51 extends axially, in a direction parallel to the first axis of rotation XI, for a length which is greater than the width LI (fig. 4). The first roller 51 and the second roller 52 each comprise a cylindrical surface, 51a and 52a, respectively.

The first roller 51 comprises suitable heating means 53 (figs. 6 and 7), configured to carry out a localized heating of the adhesive strip 39 in order to thermally activate the adhesive properties thereof. The heating means 53 are integrated in the first roller 51 in proximity to its cylindrical surface 51a. The relative disposition of the web 43 with respect to the first roller 51 , and its heating means 53, is such that the adhesive strip 39 of the wrapper 20 transits on the heating means 53.

In the example given here, the heating means 53 comprise electric resistances 54. In alternative versions, other suitable heating means equivalent in functionality to the electric resistances 54 can be provided, such as for example sonotrodes for carrying out ultrasonic welding, electromagnetic induction coils, or other members designated to that purpose.

The second roller 52 comprises a groove 59, for example circular in shape, created in its cylindrical surface 52a and configured to at least partly house the yam 45. The sizes of the groove 59 are correlated to the diameter Dn of the yam 45; the transverse size of the groove 59, measured in the direction parallel to the second axis of rotation X2, is in particular approximately equal to the diameter Dn of the yam.

The relative disposition between the first and second roller 51, 52 is such that the groove 59 is disposed substantially in correspondence with the heating means 53 in such a way that the yarn 45, and therefore the tearing element 38, are placed on the adhesive strip 39.

The apparatus 50 also comprises means 56 for adjusting the tension to which the yam 45 is subjected, that is, the pressure with which the second roller 52 presses the yarn 45 onto the web 43. In the example given here, the adjustment means 56 can comprise a micrometric adjustment mechanism 57. In alternative variants, the person of skill in the art will easily understand that this adjustment can provide many other equivalent solutions, for example of the mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic type, which can provide to use suitable members dedicated to the purpose, such as for example pre-loaded springs, or pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder-piston systems equipped with systems suitable to keep the pressure inside the cylinder chamber constant and equal to a pre-set value.

Thanks to the adjustment means 56, the second roller 52 exerts a controlled, adjustable pressure on the yam 45.

By acting on the adjustment means 56 it is possible to modify the distance D between the first and second roller 51, 52 (fig. 7). As is evident from fig. 7, this distance D is approximately equal to the sum of the thickness S of the wrapper 20, the thickness H of the adhesive strip 39 and a bulk portion of the yam 45, in particular its part that protrudes beyond the cylindrical surface 52a, that is, the one not housed inside the groove 59. Please also note that the distance D is approximately equal to the difference between the interaxis I, the sum of the first and second radius Rl, R2, plus a portion of the nominal diameter Dn.

Thanks to this configuration of the gluing station SI, the cylindrical surfaces 51a, 52a of the first roller 51 and of the second roller 52 never contact the adhesive strip 39. This is very advantageous because it prevents the adhesive substance from dirtying both the surrounding work zone as well as the wrapper 20. On the contrary, if the second roller 52 were to touch the adhesive strip 39, malfunctions of the apparatus 50 could occur, as well as a greater number of wrappers 20 to be discarded because they could be dirty or wrapped on the packet 10 in a non- compliant manner, due to the presence of adhesive substance in zones of the wrapper where it should not be present.

The apparatus 50 also comprises a cooling station SR, disposed downstream of the gluing station SI with reference to the direction of advance Fl. The cooling station SR comprises cooling means 58, for example configured as a cooling bar disposed in proximity to the external surface 22, without however contacting it. The cooling means 58 allow to prevent the wrapper 20 from adhering undesirably to the packet 10, when the latter comes into contact with the corresponding wrapper.

Downstream of the cooling station SR, the apparatus 50 comprises a wrapping station SA, in which the packets 10 advance along a feed line, in the direction indicated by the arrow F2 in fig. 4, meet the web 43. Each packet 10 engages with a respective wrapper 20, which in the meantime has been singularized by suitable separation means, not shown, for example configured as a shearing member which is capable of separating from the web 43 each individual wrapper 20 provided with a respective tearing element 38.

The wrapping station SA comprises a plurality of folding members, not shown and of a type known in the art, configured to carry out, for example according to a conventional folding sequence, the folding of the panels 33, 34 and 35, as well as of the peripheral zones 28, 29, in order to completely and hermetically wrap the packet 10 with the wrapper 20. This station can also comprise one or more heating members, configured to thermally activate the adhesive substance disposed in the adhesive areas 30, 31.

An example of a method for associating a tearing element 38 with a wrapper 20 using the apparatus 50 disclosed above is briefly described below.

In an initial set-up phase, it is provided to act on the adjustment means 56 to adjust the pressure that the second roller 52 has to exert on the yam 45, and, consequently, to adjust the distance D between the first and second roller 51, 52, providing that this distance is such that the second roller 52 does not contact the adhesive strip 39.

Subsequently, it is provided to make the web 43 and the yam 45 advance in the direction of advance Fl by means of the respective advance means 60, 61. In the event that the web 43 and the yarn 45 are wound to form the first and second reel, 44, 46 respectively, the advance of the web and the yam determines their unwinding from the respective reels. In the gluing station SI, more precisely along the gluing plane PI, the yam 45 is pressed by the second roller 52 against the adhesive strip 39 which, in the meantime, has been thermally activated by the heating means 53. Fig. 7, in which the non-deformed yarn 45 is also shown with a dashed line, shows the gluing step, in which the yam 45 is deformed due to the pressure exerted on it by the second roller 52, which presses it against the adhesive strip 39. Please note that even when the yam 45 is deformed, the distance D between the first and second roller 51, 52 remains equal to the one set in the setup phase by acting on the adjustment means 56.

In a preferred embodiment, the web 43 already has the adhesive areas 30, 31 and the adhesive strip 39. In alternative, fully equivalent versions, the apparatus can comprise a station (not shown) for depositing the adhesive strip 39, disposed upstream of the gluing station SI. The depositing station can be configured to also deposit the adhesive areas 30, 31, which, in other variants, can also be disposed on the strip in dedicated operating stations, disposed upstream or downstream of any one of either the gluing SI, cooling SR, or wrapping SA station.

Subsequently, as the web 43 and the yarn 45, now joined, advance in the direction of advance Fl, they encounter the cooling station SR, in which the cooling means 58 thermally deactivate the adhesive strip 39 to which the yam 45 has already been glued. Continuing along this direction of advance Fl, each wrapper 20, provided with its own tearing element 38, is separated from the web 43 by suitable separation means, and it is wrapped around a respective packet 10, by means of a suitable folding sequence, after the internal and external adhesive areas 30, 31 have been thermally activated.

Please note that, in the present description, we refer to the web 43 and to the yam 45 in their respective continuous condition. It is therefore clear that, on the other hand, we refer to the wrapper 20 and to the corresponding tearing element 38 which are obtained at exit from the apparatus 50 after they have been singularized, that is, separated from the web 43 and from the yam 45, respectively.

Please also note that in the above description, unless otherwise specified, each “folding line” can be an incised line or a segmented die-cut line, or a creasing line, or a segmented creasing line, made according to conventional techniques in the field. Each folding line, within the context of the present description, is a prestretched line that allows the two elements (panels, edges, flaps...) adjacent to it to assume, in a repeatable manner, a position that is folded or inclined, for example by about 90°, with respect to each other.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the wrapper, to the apparatus and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of wrappers, apparatuses and methods, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the claims.