E-CIGARETTE VAPORIZER CARTRIDGE FILLING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20170121169A1
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thompson Duke Industrial, LLC
• Original Assignee: Portland Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Dailey, Collin C., Gardella, Christopher A., Hogan, Michael J., Serpa, Carl M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,440,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/32 by pistons co-operating with measuring chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/001 with flow cut-off means, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/12 movable towards or away from container or wrapper during filling or depositing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/54 Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/145 for fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/08 for heating or cooling articles or materials to facilitate packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2821 applying plugs or threadless stoppers for bottles or jars B67B1/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/005 Side walls formed with an aperture or a movable portion arranged to allow removal or insertion of contents B65D5/16, B65D7/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm

Abstract

An e-cigarette vaporizer cartridge filling method and apparatus. The apparatus includes a liquid reservoir having an outlet end, the liquid reservoir for containing the liquid, a heater for heating the liquid in the liquid reservoir, and a liquid injection mechanism configured to draw portions of the heated liquid from an outlet end of the liquid reservoir and dispense the portions from an output end of the liquid injection mechanism. The method may allow for a human operator to control the time for filling the liquid injection mechanism with liquid based on visual observation of bubble formation and collapse therein.

Claims