Rotatable drum and method and system using the same for the automated production of E-vapor devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963260-B2
Application number	US-201514686519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2015
Priority date	Apr 14, 2014
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A rotating drum for use in manufacturing vapor-generating articles may include a drum body. A plurality of grooves may be disposed in an outer face of the drum body. A seat may be tractably-mounted in each one of the plurality of grooves. The seat may include a seat groove that is structured and arranged to receive and hold a rigid casing of a vapor-generating article. The seat may be composed of a material that is softer than a material of the rigid casing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotatable drum for automated manufacturing of e-vapor devices, comprising:
a drum body including a roll face bounded by opposing end faces, the roll face defining a plurality of pockets therein; and
a first seat structure tractably-mounted in each of the plurality of pockets of the drum body with a post and a resilient element, the first seat structure including a first outer surface and an opposing first inner surface, the first outer surface defining a first groove therein and facing outward from the drum body, the first groove configured to receive and hold a first casing of the e-vapor devices, the post extending through the resilient element and connected to the first inner surface of the first seat structure.

2. The rotatable drum of claim 1 , wherein the first seat structure is composed of a plastic, and the first casing is composed of a metal or a metal alloy.

3. The rotatable drum of claim 2 , wherein the plastic is polyoxymethylene, and the metal alloy is an aluminum alloy.

4. The rotatable drum of claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is disposed between the first inner surface of the first seat structure and a base of a corresponding one of the plurality of pockets, the first seat structure being moveable along a radial direction of the drum body via the resilient element, the resilient element configured to bias the first seat structure outward from the drum body along the radial direction.

5. The rotatable drum of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pusher structure moveably arranged in each of the plurality of pockets, the pusher structure configured to apply a lateral force to a side of the first casing in the first groove of the first seat structure.

6. The rotatable drum of claim 5 , further comprising:
a spring oriented longitudinally in each of the plurality of pockets, the spring configured to bias the pusher structure toward the first seat structure.

7. The rotatable drum of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second seat structure tractably-mounted in each of the plurality of pockets of the drum body, the second seat structure including a second outer surface and an opposing second inner surface, the second outer surface defining a second groove therein and facing outward from the drum body, the second groove configured to receive and hold a second casing of the e-vapor devices.

8. The rotatable drum of claim 7 , further comprising:
a stop structure between the first seat structure and the second seat structure;
a first pusher structure moveably arranged in each of the plurality of pockets, the first seat structure being between the first pusher structure and the stop structure; and
a second pusher structure moveably arranged in each of the plurality of pockets, the second seat structure being between the stop structure and the second pusher structure.

9. The rotatable drum of claim 8 , wherein:
the first pusher structure is configured to apply a lateral force to a side of the first casing in the first groove of the first seat structure so as to push the first casing against the stop structure; and
the second pusher structure is configured to apply a lateral force to a side of the second casing in the second groove of the second seat structure so as to push the second casing against the stop structure.

10. A system for automated manufacturing of e-vapor devices, comprising:
a rotatable drum including
a drum body including a roll face bounded by opposing end faces, the roll face defining a plurality of pockets therein, and
a seat structure tractably-mounted in each of the plurality of pockets of the drum body, the seat structure including an outer surface and an opposing inner surface, the outer surface defining a groove therein and facing outward from the drum body, the groove configured to receive and hold a casing of the e-vapor devices;

a tagging assembly configured to attach a label to the casing in the groove of the seat structure, the tagging assembly configured to initially attach a central portion of the label to an outer surface of the casing such that a leading edge and a trailing edge of the label do not contact the casing when the label is initially attached to the casing; and
a wrapping assembly configured to wrap the label around the casing.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable drum further includes a resilient element disposed between the inner surface of the seat structure and a base of a corresponding one of the plurality of pockets, the seat structure being moveable along a radial direction of the drum body via the resilient element, the resilient element configured to bias the seat structure outward from the drum body along the radial direction.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the tagging assembly is configured to initially attach the central portion of the label to the outer surface of the casing such that the central portion is closer to the leading edge than the trailing edge.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the tagging assembly is configured to remove a backing sheet from a continuous web to expose a pressure sensitive adhesive and to cut the label from the continuous web.

14. A method of automated manufacturing of e-vapor devices, comprising:
receiving and holding a casing of the e-vapor devices in a seat structure that is tractably-mounted in a pocket of a rotating drum;
tagging a label to the casing while the casing is held in the seat structure, the tagging including initially attaching a central portion of the label to an outer surface of the casing such that a leading edge and a trailing edge of the label do not contact the casing when the label is initially tagged to the casing; and
wrapping the label around the casing.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the seat structure is moveable along a radial direction of the rotating drum; and
the seat structure is biased outward from the rotating drum along the radial direction.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
removing a backing sheet from a continuous web to expose a pressure sensitive adhesive; and
cutting the label from the continuous web prior to the tagging.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
inserting components corresponding to one of the e-vapor devices in the casing after the wrapping.

18. The rotatable drum of claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is a helical structure wound around the post.

19. The rotatable drum of claim 1 , wherein the post is centrally located within and substantially coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the resilient element.

Assignees

• Cadieux Edmond J
• Garthaffner Martin
• Smith Barry S
• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Cadieux Edmond J
• Garthaffner Martin
• Smith Barry S

Classifications

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B65C3/08

  to container bodies {(B65C3/065 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61M15/06

  Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes · CPC title

• B65C9/02 Primary

  Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station · CPC title

• A24F47/008

  Human Necessities · mapped topic