Machine and method for producing electronic-cigarette cartridges

1. A machine ( 1 ) for producing electronic-cigarette cartridges ( 2 ); the machine comprising:

a fill conveyor ( 25 ) which feeds bottom shells ( 3 ) of the cartridges ( 2 ) along a fill path (P 1 );

a filling device ( 38 ) located along a straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 ) to feed a measure of a liquid substance downwards into each bottom shell ( 3 );

a first weighing device ( 42 ) for weighing each bottom shell ( 3 ) arranged upstream from the filling device ( 38 ), along the straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 );

second weighing device ( 42 ) for weighing each bottom shell ( 3 ) arranged downstream from the filling device ( 38 ) along the straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 );

an assembly conveyor ( 46 ) which feeds bottom shells ( 3 ) along an assembly path (P 2 );

a transfer station (S 5 ) where the bottom shells ( 3 ) are transferred from the fill conveyor ( 25 ) to the assembly conveyor ( 46 ); and

at least a first assembly device ( 52 ) located along the assembly path (P 2 ) to fit each bottom shell ( 3 ) with a corresponding top cap ( 7 );

wherein the fill conveyor ( 25 ) feeds along the fill path (P 1 ) a row of bottom shells ( 3 ) comprising at least two bottom shells ( 3 ) aligned perpendicularly to the fill path (P 1 ), so as to feed at least two bottom shells ( 3 ) at a time along, and transversely to, the fill path (P 1 );

wherein the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) feeds one bottom shell ( 3 ) at a time along the assembly path (P 2 ); and

wherein each weighing device ( 42 ) comprises a first lifting device, for lifting and ejecting each bottom shell ( 3 ) vertically from the corresponding seat ( 28 ) in the cartridge-holder ( 27 ) and, which is connected mechanically with a weight sensor ( 44 ) for determining the total weight of the bottom shell ( 3 ) when the bottom shell ( 3 ) is fully ejected from the corresponding seat ( 28 ).

2. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:

a belt ( 47 ) of the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) is wound ring-like around two end pulleys having different diameters and arranged horizontally;

the assembly path (P 2 ) extends in a vertical plane; and

the fill path (P 1 ) extends in a horizontal plane.

3. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the fill conveyor ( 25 ) comprises a first conveyor belt ( 26 ) and a number of cartridge-holders ( 27 ), each of which is fixed to the first conveyor belt ( 26 ) and having at least one row of seats ( 28 ), which is perpendicular to the fill path (P 1 ) to house a corresponding row of bottom shells ( 3 ) which are fed simultaneously along the fill path (P 1 ).

4. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first lifting device of each weighing device ( 42 ) comprises:

a first pusher ( 43 ) which is located below the fill conveyor ( 25 ), is vertically movable for resting on a lower wall of a corresponding bottom shell ( 3 ), and, which is connected mechanically to the weight sensor ( 44 ); and

a first counter-pusher ( 45 ) which is located above the fill conveyor ( 25 ), is vertically movable for resting on an upper wall of a corresponding bottom shell ( 3 ) from the opposite side with respect to the first pusher ( 43 ), and is adapted to be separated temporarily from the upper wall itself during the measuring of the weight the bottom shell ( 3 ).

5. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:

one end of the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) is located above a straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 ); and

the transfer station (S 5 ) comprises a second lifting device for lifting each bottom shell ( 3 ) vertically and transferring the bottom shell ( 3 ) from the fill conveyor ( 25 ) to the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) overhead.

6. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:

the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) comprises a second conveyor belt ( 47 ) which is arranged vertically and supports a number of seats ( 48 ), each of which is adapted to contain and hold a corresponding bottom shell ( 3 ); and

the first assembly device ( 52 ) comprising:

a support plane ( 62 ), which is located above the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) is movable horizontally, provides a temporary support to the top cap ( 7 ) before applying the top cap ( 7 ) itself to a corresponding underlying pad ( 3 ), and moves to allow coupling a corresponding top cap ( 7 ) to the bottom shell ( 3 ); and an inserter element ( 63 ), which is located above the support plane ( 62 ), is movable vertically and moves downward with a first stroke for engaging the top cap ( 7 ) resting on the support plane ( 62 ) and with a subsequent second stroke for coupling the top cap ( 7 ) to the bottom shell ( 3 ) after the support plane ( 62 ) has moved freeing access to the bottom shell ( 3 ) itself.

7. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and comprising:

a second assembly device ( 51 ) located along the assembly path (P 2 ) upstream from the first assembly device ( 52 ) to fit each bottom shell ( 3 ) with a corresponding insert ( 6 ); and

a third assembly device ( 53 ) located along the assembly path (P 2 ) to fit each bottom shell ( 3 ) with a corresponding bottom cap ( 5 ) located at the opposite end to the top cap ( 7 ).

8. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and comprising a first labelling device ( 66 ), located downstream from the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) and which applies a corresponding first label ( 13 ) around a lateral surface of each bottom shell ( 3 ).

9. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the first labelling device ( 66 ) comprises:

a first labelling wheel ( 67 ) provided with a number of suction seats ( 69 ), each of which is adapted to retain a corresponding first label ( 13 ) provided with glue and a corresponding bottom shell ( 3 ) which is placed over the first label ( 13 ); and

a rolling plate ( 70 ) located alongside the first labelling wheel ( 67 ) to define a rolling channel ( 71 ) in which each bottom shell ( 3 ) rotates on itself thus rolling on the outer surface of the first labelling wheel ( 67 ) so as to determine the winding around the bottom shell ( 3 ) of the corresponding first label ( 13 ).

10. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein:

the rolling plate ( 70 ) comprises a tooth ( 72 ), which is located at a front end of the rolling channel ( 71 ), protruding internally to the rolling channel ( 71 ) and locally reducing the size of the rolling channel ( 71 ) itself, and is mounted radially movable against the thrust of elastic means ( 73 ), and

the first labelling device ( 66 ) comprises a resetting drum ( 74 ) located alongside the first labelling wheel ( 67 ) immediately downstream from the rolling plate ( 70 ) and has a series of teeth ( 76 ) engaging the output bottom shells ( 3 ) from the rolling channel ( 71 ) to arrange the bottom shells ( 3 ) themselves in a predetermined relative position with respect to the first labelling wheel ( 67 ).

11. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and comprising a second labelling device ( 77 ), which is located downstream from the first labelling device ( 66 ), and which applies a corresponding second label ( 14 ) to a top wall of each bottom shell ( 3 ).

12. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and comprising:

a hopper ( 29 ) located alongside a vertical portion of the fill conveyor ( 25 ) and having a number of bottom vertical channels, each for receiving and conveying a corresponding stack of bottom shells ( 3 ); and

a pusher ( 30 ) which is movable horizontally through the vertical channels of the hopper ( 29 ) to push a row of bottom shells ( 3 ) out of the vertical channels and onto the fill conveyor ( 25 ).

13. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 12 and comprising:

a horizontal chute ( 31 ) which is located between the hopper ( 29 ) and the fill conveyor ( 25 ) and whereon bottom shells ( 3 ) slide when pushed by the pusher ( 30 ) towards the fill conveyor ( 25 );

a number of controllable hatches ( 32 ) which are obtained through the chute ( 31 ) and each being individually openable to allow the discharge of a corresponding bottom shell ( 3 ) by deflecting the bottom shell ( 3 ) itself towards a discharge path.

14. The machine ( 1 ) according to claim 12 and comprising:

a first belt feed conveyor ( 17 ) which feeds bottom shells ( 3 ) from the top inside the hopper ( 29 ); and

a second belt feed conveyor ( 16 ) that ends above the first feed conveyor ( 17 ), feeding the bottom shells ( 3 ) from above to the first feed conveyor ( 17 ) itself, is provided inclined with respect to the horizontal to feed the bottom shells ( 3 ) from the bottom upwards along an inclined plane, and is provided with pockets ( 22 ), each adapted to contain a corresponding bottom shell ( 3 );

a third belt feed conveyor ( 15 ) that ends above the second feed conveyor ( 16 ), feeding bottom shells ( 3 ) from above to the first feed conveyor ( 17 ) itself, and is provided inclined with respect to the horizontal to feed the bottom shells ( 3 ) from the bottom upwards along an inclined plane;

a collection tank ( 9 ) which is open at the top, is adapted to receive a mass of bottom shells ( 3 ) arranged in bulk, and housing the third feed conveyor ( 15 ) and an initial portion of the second feed conveyor ( 16 ); and

an orienting grid ( 21 ) located between the trailing end of the third feed conveyor ( 15 ) and a leading end of the second feed conveyor ( 16 ).

15. The machine ( 1 ) according claim 1 and comprising:

a second feed conveyor ( 16 ) provided with pockets ( 22 );

an optical control device ( 23 ) located along the second feed conveyor ( 16 ) and adapted to determine the orientation of the bottom shells ( 3 ) inside the pockets ( 22 ); and

an ejecting device ( 24 ) located along the second conveyor ( 16 ) downstream from the optical control device ( 23 ) adapted to eject each wrongly oriented bottom shell ( 3 ) from the corresponding pocket ( 22 ).

16. A method for producing electronic-cigarette cartridges ( 2 ); the method comprises the steps of:

feeding bottom shells ( 3 ) of the cartridges ( 2 ) along a fill path (P 1 ) using a fill conveyor ( 25 );

feeding a measure of a liquid substance downwards into each bottom shell ( 3 ) using a filling device ( 38 ) located along a straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 );

weighing each bottom shell using a first weighing device arranged upstream from the filling device, along the straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 );

weight each bottom shell using a second weighing device arranged downstream form the filling device, along the straight horizontal portion of the fill path (P 1 );

transferring the bottom shells ( 3 ) from the fill conveyor ( 25 ) to an assembly conveyor ( 46 ) at a transfer station (S 5 );

feeding the bottom shells ( 3 ) along an assembly path (P 2 ) using the assembly conveyor ( 46 ); and

fitting each bottom shell ( 3 ) with a corresponding top cap ( 7 ) using at least a first assembly device ( 52 ) located along the assembly path (P 2 );

wherein:

the fill conveyor ( 25 ) feeds along the fill path (P 1 ) a row of bottom shells ( 3 ) comprising at least two bottom shells ( 3 ) aligned perpendicularly to the fill path (P 1 ), so as to feed at least two bottom shells ( 3 ) at a time along, and transversely to, the fill path (P 1 ),

the assembly conveyor ( 46 ) feeds one bottom shell ( 3 ) at a time along the assembly path (P 2 ), and

each weighing device ( 42 ) comprises a first lifting device, for lifting and ejecting each bottom shell ( 3 ) vertically from the corresponding seat ( 28 ) in the cartridge-holder ( 27 ) and, which is connected mechanically with a weight sensor ( 44 ) for determining the total weight of the bottom shell ( 3 ) when the bottom shell ( 3 ) is fully ejected from the corresponding seat ( 28 ).