Method for assembling a cartridge for a smoking article

• US 10,470,497 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Ampolini, Frederic Philippe, Nestor, Timothy Brian, Flinchum, Jr., Jack Gray, Brown, Wayne Douglas, Watson, Nicholas Harrison, Novak, III, Charles Jacob, Brinkley, Paul Andrew, Covino, James Robert, DePiano, John, Dickinson, Edward Louis, Harris, Eugene R., Keough, Kevin Edward, Smith, David Jay, Hook, John, LaCourse, Michael, Metcalf, Robert, Hart, Steven, Pelletier, David, Bourque, Marc, Cambray, Nathaniel, Wolber, John William, McClellan, James William, Mongillo, Steven R., Silveira, Frank S., Laine, Michael, Guenther, Jr., Quentin Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Seo, Justin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Royston, John M
• Application Number:
  US15/800,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20180049478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/34 Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/70 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/80 Testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/43 making noise when used correctly
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/10 Device therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/005 by expanding or crimping
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/04 for assembling or disassembling parts
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/005 Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0047 for internally gripping hollow or recessed objects
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/04 Monorail systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0267 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/04 : adapted for winding the resistive element
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 3/08 : Dimension or characteristic of resistive element changing gradually or in discrete steps from one terminal to another
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 3/16 : including two or more distinct wound elements or two or more winding patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 : Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49913 : by constricting outer annulus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses, and methods for assembling cartridges for aerosol delivery devices. The cartridges may be assembled by transporting carriages between various substations at which parts are added to a base. In another assembly method, the base may be moved between a plurality of robots which direct the base downwardly into contact with components to couple the components therewith. An inspection system may inspect the cartridges at various stages of completion.

Claims

1. A test fixture, comprising:

a receptacle configured to engage a base of a cartridge;

first and second electrical contacts coupled to the receptacle and configured to engage first and second heating terminals of an atomizer of the cartridge;

a controller configured to communicate with the cartridge through the electrical contacts when the base of the cartridge is engaged with the receptacle to test the cartridge.

2. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a resistance of the atomizer of the cartridge and compare the resistance to a desired resistance.

3. The test fixture of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine if the atomizer is shorted to an outer body of the cartridge.

4. The test fixture of claim 1, further comprising a third electrical contact coupled to the receptacle and configured to engage a control component terminal of the cartridge.

5. The test fixture of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to transmit program code instructions to an electronic control component of the cartridge through the third electrical contact and the control component terminal.

6. The test fixture of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to read program code instructions stored on the electronic control component and determine whether the program code instructions stored on the electronic control component correspond to desired program code instructions.

7. The test fixture of claim 1, further comprising a slot positioned on opposing sides of the receptacle, the slot being configured to receive a gripper such that the gripper may grasp beneath the base to remove the cartridge from the receptacle.

8. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein the test fixture comprises an aperture configured to provide for a flow of air through the base of the cartridge.

9. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is configured to engage the base at any rotational position.

10. The test fixture of claim 4, wherein a first body portion defines the first electrical contact, a second body portion defines the second electrical contact, and a third body portion defines the third electrical contact.

11. The test fixture of claim 3, wherein current is configured to be applied to an outer body of the cartridge, the controller being configured to detect the current reaching the first and second heating terminals of the atomizer of the cartridge to determine resistance between the terminals and the outer body.

12. The test fixture of claim 10, wherein each of the first body portion, the second body portion, and the third body portion are configured to be coupled to a nonconductive member.

13. The test fixture of claim 12, wherein each of the first body portion, the second body portion, and the third body portion are configured to be positioned such that air gaps are defined therebetween in order to electrically insulate each, the first body portion, the second body portion, and the third body portion each being coupled to the nonconductive member and electrically insulated from one another.