Method for assembling a cartridge for a smoking article

• US 11,135,690 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2019
• Issued: 10/05/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Guenther, Jr., Quentin Paul, Cagigas, Johnny Keith, Collett, William Robert, Balash, Lawrence P., Brady, Scott Lee, Dover, Ronnie Dean, Gerow, John Scott, Green, Don Edward, Odel, John Matthew, Spencer, Christopher M., Steiner, Vernon L., Thierauf, David James, Wacker, Louis Wade, Williams, Byron Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Donghai D
• Application Number:
  US16/275,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20190183181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 29832, 29739, 29742
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/70 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/001 Article feeders for assembling machines screws or nuts being carried by a disposable strip or disc B25B23/045
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/002 orientating the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/027 using hydraulic or pneumatic means B23P19/033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0404 Pick-and-place heads or apparatus, e.g. with jaws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53191 Means to apply vacuum directly to position or hold work part

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses, and methods for assembling cartridges for aerosol delivery devices. The cartridges may be assembled by coupling a base of the cartridge to a carriage that is transported via a track. The track transports the carriages between various substations at which one or more parts are added to the base. The carriage may be lifted from the track by a lifter mechanism at each substation in order to perform assembly operations on the base. An inspection system may inspect the cartridges at various stages of completion at or between the various substations.

Claims

1. An assembly method, comprising:

providing a plurality of components via a supply unit;

receiving the plurality of components from the supply unit via a feeder unit;

alternatingly feeding a first portion of the components from the supply unit to a first assembly unit and a second portion of the components to a second assembly unit by swiveling a rotary member comprising a first engagement head and a second engagement head respectively configured to receive one of the components from the supply unit, between a first delivery position in which the first engagement head feeds one of the components to the first assembly unit, while the second engagement head receives one of the components, and a second delivery position in which the second engagement head feeds one of the components to the second assembly unit, while the first engagement head receives one of the components; and

assembling the first portion of the components with the first assembly unit and the second portion of the components with the second assembly unit into a plurality of cartridges for an aerosol delivery device.

2. The assembly method of claim 1, wherein providing the components via the supply unit comprises directing the components along a pathway in a serially-aligned stream and singulating the components from the serially-aligned stream.

3. The assembly method of claim 2, further comprising individually removing the components from the serially-aligned stream or realigning the components when misaligned in a first direction.

4. The assembly method of claim 3, further comprising removing the components from the serially-aligned stream through a gap in the pathway when the components are misaligned in a second direction.

5. An assembly method, comprising:

providing a plurality of components via a supply unit by directing the components along a pathway in a serially-aligned stream, singulating the components from the serially-aligned stream, and individually removing the components from the serially-aligned stream or realigning the components when misaligned in a first direction;

receiving the plurality of components from the supply unit via a feeder unit;

alternatingly feeding a first portion of the components from the supply unit to a first assembly unit and a second portion of the components to a second assembly unit; and

assembling the first portion of the components with the first assembly unit and the second portion of the components with the second assembly unit into a plurality of cartridges for an aerosol delivery device.