Machine and method for producing a cartridge for an electronic cigarette provided with a heat resistor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862060-B2
Application number	US-201514951787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A manufacturing machine and a method for producing a cartridge for an electronic cigarette comprising a supporting base, a pair of power electrodes fitted to the supporting base, and a heating member folded into a ‘U’ around the power electrodes are disclosed: a conveyor comprising a pocket for feeding the supporting base fitted with the power electrodes along a conveying path; a connecting unit which connects the heating member to the power electrodes while the supporting base, fitted with the power electrodes, is housed inside the pocket on the conveyor; a welding device located along the conveyor to weld a pair of terminals of a heat resistor of the heating member to the corresponding power electrodes; and a folding device, which cooperates with the connecting unit and folds the heating member into a ‘U’ before the heating member is connected to the power electrodes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A manufacturing machine for producing a cartridge, for an electronic cigarette, comprising a supporting base; a pair of power electrodes fitted to the supporting base; and a U-folded heating member disposed in a ‘U’ around the power electrodes; the manufacturing machine comprising:
a conveyor comprising a pocket having a U-shape for housing the supporting base, fitted with the power electrodes, along a conveying path;
a feeding device for feeding a straight heating member;
a connecting unit which receives the straight heating member from the feeding device, wherein the connecting unit comprises manipulating devices;
a folding device that cooperates with the manipulating devices and folds the straight heating member into a U, wherein, the connecting unit connects the U-folded heating member to the power electrodes while the supporting base, fitted with the power electrodes, is housed inside the pocket on the conveyor; and
a welding device located along the conveyor to weld a pair of terminals of a heat resistor of the U-folded heating member to the corresponding power electrodes.

2. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the welding device ( 51 ) comprises a welding gun ( 62 ) comprising two opposed jaws which engage the heating member ( 8 ) on two opposite sides.

3. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the welding device ( 51 ) is mounted to move parallel to the conveying path (P 1 ), and moves back and forth along the conveying path (P 1 ) to accompany the pocket ( 33 ), housing the supporting base ( 4 ) fitted with the power electrodes ( 6 ), along a portion of the conveying path (P 1 ).

4. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the welding device ( 51 ) comprises a number of side by side welding members which cooperate simultaneously with a number of pockets on the conveyor ( 32 ).

5. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit ( 50 ) comprises a feed conveyor ( 52 ) located over the conveyor ( 32 ) and comprising a gripper ( 53 ), which is fed along a feed path (P 2 ), part of which runs parallel to and facing the conveying path (P 1 ).

6. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the gripper ( 53 ) comprises two opposed jaws ( 54 ) movable between an open position, and a closed position in which the two jaws ( 54 ) grip the U-folded heating member ( 8 ).

7. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the gripper ( 53 ) comprises a U-shaped, fixed centre support ( 55 ) located between, and for counteracting grip of, the two jaws ( 54 ), so that each branch of the U-folded heating member ( 8 ) is gripped between a jaw ( 54 ) and a corresponding wall of the centre support ( 55 ).

8. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the gripper ( 53 ) is hinged to the feed conveyor ( 52 ) to rotate with respect to the feed conveyor ( 52 ) about a rotation axis ( 56 ) perpendicular to the feed path (P 2 ).

9. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the folding device ( 57 ) comprises a pusher ( 58 ), which pushes the heating member ( 8 ) perpendicular to the feed path (P 2 ) to insert the heating member ( 8 ) inside the gripper ( 53 ) and simultaneously fold the heating member ( 8 ) into a ‘U’.

10. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the connecting unit ( 50 ) comprises twin redundant manipulating devices ( 59 ) located on opposite sides of the folding device ( 57 ), and each of which is designed to feed a straight heating member ( 8 ) to the folding device ( 57 ).

11. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 10 , wherein each manipulating device ( 59 ) receives a string of heating members ( 8 ), and comprises a cutter ( 60 ) for cutting the string crosswise and so cutting the heating member ( 8 ) off the string.

12. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pocket ( 33 ) on the conveyor ( 32 ) comprises two retainers ( 61 ) which rest on the heating member ( 8 ) to keep the heating member ( 8 ) folded into a ‘U’.

13. A method of producing a cartridge, for an electronic cigarette, comprising a supporting base; a pair of power electrodes fitted to the supporting base; and a U-folded heating member disposed in a ‘U’ around the power electrodes; the method comprising the steps of:
feeding the supporting base, fitted with the power electrodes, along a conveying path of a conveyor comprising a pocket having a U-shape;
feeding a straight heating member to a connecting unit, wherein the connecting unit comprises manipulating devices;
folding the straight heating member into a ‘U’ using a folding device that cooperates with the manipulating devices to fold the straight heating member;
connecting the U-folded heating member to the power electrodes using the connecting unit, while the supporting base, fitted with the power electrodes, is housed inside the pocket on the conveyor; and
welding a pair of terminals of a heat resistor of the U-folded heating member to the corresponding power electrodes using a welding device located along the conveyor.

14. The manufacturing machine ( 15 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pocket ( 33 ) of the conveyor ( 32 ) constrains only the supporting base ( 4 ) so that the power electrodes ( 6 ) protrude from the supporting base ( 4 ) outside from the pocket ( 33 ) and perpendicular to the conveying path.

Assignees

• Gd Spa

Inventors

• Boldrini Fulvio

Classifications

• B23K37/0282

  Carriages forming part of a welding unit · CPC title

• B23K37/0211

  travelling on a guide member, e.g. rail, track · CPC title

• B23K37/0435

  Clamps · CPC title

• A24F47/008

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• B23K31/02 Primary

  relating to soldering or welding · CPC title