Imaging for quality control in an electronic cigarette
Assembly and quality of an electronic cigarette (“e-Cig”) may be tested and verified using imaging techniques. Infrared (“IR”) imaging may identify whether a temperature is uniform in an e-Cig during usage. Potential burning locations may be identified through the imaging by identifying locations whose temperature is unusually high or non-uniform. This temperature information may be used to calibrate the power of the e-Cig.
1. A method for quality control of an electronic cigarette comprising:
powering a heating coil of the electronic cigarette;
generating a thermal image of the heating coil that includes a representation of a temperature of the heating coil;
analyzing the thermal image of the heating coil based on input conditions; and
calibrating the electronic cigarette based on the analysis of the thermal image of the heating coil.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein powering comprises providing electric current to a heating coil as part of an assembly process.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal image is an infrared image from an infrared camera.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal image is of the heating coil in a cartridge of the electronic cigarette.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the calibrating comprises establishing an input power scheme for the cartridge.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein, when the analysis identifies either a non-uniformity or an excessive temperature, the calibrating comprises:
lowering a level of power provided to the cartridge; and
repeating the generating and analyzing until there is no identification of a temperature hot spot.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein a power scheme is determined, such that the power scheme includes the input power level when there is no identification of a hot spot.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the cartridge includes a memory or communication chip for communicating the power scheme with a battery portion.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the input conditions include at least one of a maximum temperature or uniformity of temperature.
10. An imaging system comprising:
an electronic cigarette cartridge including a heating coil;
an imager configured to generate a thermal image of at least the heating coil; and
an analyzer coupled with the imager and configured to analyze the thermal image based on input conditions to determine a requirement to calibrate the electronic cigarette cartridge.
11. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the analyzer is configured to identify temperature variations across the heating coil, and determine whether or not a temperature across the heating coil is uniform based on the identified temperature variations.
12. The imaging system of claim 11 wherein the imaging system is configured such that determining that the temperature across the heating coil is not uniform triggers a calibration of the electronic cigarette cartridge, and the calibration includes lowering a level of power provided to the electronic cigarette cartridge.
13. The imaging system of claim 12 wherein,
the imaging system is configured to repeat the image generation and analysis until the temperature across the heating coil is determined to be uniform; and
the imaging system is configured to record at least one power parameter of the electronic cigarette when the temperature across the heating coil is determined to be uniform.
14. The imaging system of claim 13 wherein the electronic cigarette cartridge includes a memory or communication chip that communicates calibration information including the at least one power parameter to a battery portion.
15. The imaging system of claim 11 wherein the imager includes an infrared thermal imager.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a potential burning location based on the thermal image,
wherein the calibrating the electronic cigarette includes calibrating a cartridge of the electronic cigarette when the potential burning location is identified.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the identifying a potential burning location includes identifying a substantial non-uniformity of the temperature throughout the coil or identifying a relatively higher temperature at any location on the coil.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the calibrating the electronic cigarette includes adjusting electric current to the coil when the potential burning location is identified until the calibrating the electronic cigarette results in no identifying of a potential burning location.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the heating coil is provided in the cartridge, and the cartridge includes a memory device or communications device for communicating with a battery portion to establish the electric current to the coil.