Method for Assembling a Cartridge for a Smoking Article, and Associated System and Apparatus

• US 20160338408A1
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Cagigas, Johnny Keith, Balash, Lawrence P., Brady, Scott Lee, Gerow, John Scott, Green, Don Edward, Spencer, Christopher M., Steiner, Vernon L., Thierauf, David James, Wacker, Louis Wade, Williams, Byron Joseph, Guenther, Quentin Paul Jr., Collett, William Robert, Dover, Ronnie Dean, Odel, John Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,238,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 substation, comprising:

a supply unit configured to provide a plurality of components;

a first assembly unit configured to receive a first portion of the components and a second assembly unit configured to receive a second portion of the components, the first assembly unit and the second assembly unit being respectively configured to assemble the first portion of the components and the second portion of components into a plurality of cartridges for an aerosol delivery device; and

a feeder unit configured to receive the components from the supply unit and alternatingly feed the first portion of the components to the first assembly unit and feed the second portion of the components to the second assembly unit.

2. The assembly substation of claim 1, wherein the feeder unit comprises a rotary member configured to swivel between a first delivery position in which the rotary member is configured to deliver the first portion of the components to the first assembly unit and a second delivery position in which the rotary member is configured to deliver the second portion of the components to the second assembly unit.

3. The assembly substation of claim 2, wherein the rotary member comprises a first engagement head and a second engagement head respectively configured to receive one of the components from the supply unit,

the first engagement head being configured to receive one of the components from the supply unit while the second engagement head feeds one of the components to the second assembly unit,

the second engagement head being configured to receive one of the components from the supply unit while the first engagement head feeds one of the components to the first assembly unit.

4. The assembly substation of claim 1, wherein the supply unit comprises a vibratory arrangement defining a pathway configured to arrange the components in a serially-aligned stream and a singulator configured to singulate the components from the serially-aligned stream.

5. The assembly substation of claim 4, wherein the supply unit further comprises an actuator configured to individually remove the components from the serially-aligned stream or realign the components when misaligned in a first direction.

6. The assembly substation of claim 5, wherein the pathway defines a gap configured to remove the components from the serially-aligned stream when the components are misaligned in a second direction.

7. An assembly method, comprising:

providing a plurality of components via a supply 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.

8. The assembly method of claim 7, wherein alternatingly feeding the first portion of the components from the supply unit to the first assembly unit and the second portion of the components to the second assembly unit comprises swiveling a rotary member between a first delivery position in which the rotary member is configured to deliver the first portion of the components to the first assembly unit and a second delivery position in which the rotary member is configured to deliver the second portion of the components to the second assembly unit.

9. The assembly method of claim 8, wherein swiveling the rotary member comprises receiving one of the components from the supply unit in a first engagement head while a second engagement head feeds one of the components to the second assembly unit and receiving one of the components from the supply unit in the second engagement head while the first engagement head feeds one of the components to the first assembly unit.

10. The assembly method of claim 7, 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.

11. The assembly method of claim 10, further comprising individually removing the components from the serially-aligned stream or realigning the components when misaligned in a first direction.

12. The assembly method of claim 11, 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.

13. A system configured to assemble a plurality of cartridges for an aerosol delivery device, the system comprising:

a plurality of assembly substations collectively configured to assemble a base and a plurality of additional components together, the base extending between an inner end configured to receive the additional components during assembly of the cartridges and an attachment end defining an internal surface configured to engage a control body during usage of the aerosol delivery device;

a track extending between the assembly substations; and

a carriage configured to engage the track and to cooperate therewith to move between the assembly substations, the carriage comprising an engagement head defining a plurality of sections configured to engage the internal surface of the attachment end of the base via an interference fit to provide the assembly substations with access to the inner end of the base to attach the additional components thereto.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the assembly substations include a base load substation, the base load substation being configured to rotationally align the base with the engagement head of the carriage and engage the base with the engagement head.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the base load substation comprises an imaging device configured to detect a rotational orientation of the base based on image of the attachment end of the base.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the carriage comprises a storage module configured to store cartridge identification and status information.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the carriage defines one or more alignment apertures and the track comprises one or more locking pins configured to engage the alignment apertures to releasably lock the carriage at one or more of the assembly substations.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the track further comprises a conveyor and a lifter mechanism, the lifter mechanism comprising the locking pins and being configured to lift the carriage from the conveyor.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the carriage comprises an electrostatic dissipative material.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the carriage further comprises a locator module comprising a ferromagnetic material.

21. An assembly method, comprising:

providing a base and a plurality of additional components collectively configured to form a plurality of cartridges for an aerosol delivery device, the base extending between an inner end configured to receive the additional components during assembly of the cartridges and an attachment end defining an internal surface configured to engage a control body during usage of the aerosol delivery device;

providing a plurality of assembly substations, a track, and a carriage comprising an engagement head defining a plurality of sections, the track extending between the assembly substations, and the carriage being configured to engage the track and to cooperate therewith to move between the assembly substations;

engaging the internal surface of the attachment end of the base with the sections of the engagement head via an interference fit to provide the assembly substations with access to the inner end of the base;

transporting the carriage by way of the track between the assembly substations; and

assembling the additional components with the inner end of the base at the assembly substations.

22. The assembly method of claim 21, wherein engaging the base with the engagement head comprises rotationally aligning the base with the engagement head.

23. The assembly method of claim 22, wherein rotationally aligning the base with the engagement head comprises detecting a rotational orientation of the base based on image of the attachment end of the base.

24. The assembly method of claim 21, further comprising storing cartridge identification and status information in a storage module coupled to the carriage.

25. The assembly method of claim 21, further comprising locking the carriage at one or more of the substations by directing one or more locking pins from the track into one or more alignment apertures defined in the carriage.

26. The assembly method of claim 25, wherein transporting the carriage by way of the track comprises transporting the carriage by way of a conveyor, and wherein locking the carriage comprises lifting the carriage from the conveyor.

27. An assembly substation, comprising:

a robotic arm configured to insert a partially-assembled cartridge into an outer body, the partially-assembled cartridge comprising a base, a negative heating terminal, a positive heating terminal, a heating element, and a liquid transport element, the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal being coupled to the base, and the heating element being coupled to the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal, the robotic arm comprising an outer body gripper configured to receive an outer body therein,

the robotic arm being configured to direct the outer body gripper with the outer body positioned therein over the partially-assembled cartridge such that at least a portion of the negative heating terminal, the positive heating terminal, the heating element, and the liquid transport element are received in the outer body; and

a suction system operably engaged with the outer body gripper of the robotic arm, the outer body gripper being configured to apply a negative pressure supplied by the suction system longitudinally through the outer body to facilitate insertion of the partially-assembled cartridge into the outer body.

28. The assembly substation of claim 27, further comprising a bending mechanism configured to receive the partially-assembled cartridge therein so as to bend the liquid transport element against the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal;

and

a substrate gripper configured to wrap a reservoir substrate at least partially around the bending mechanism,

the bending mechanism being configured to retract relative to the partially-assembled cartridge following wrapping of the reservoir substrate such that the reservoir substrate is wrapped at least partially about the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal and in contact with the liquid transport element.

29. The assembly substation of claim 28, wherein the outer body gripper comprises a piston, the piston being in fluid communication with the suction system and configured to engage an end of the outer body to apply the negative pressure through the outer body.

30. The assembly substation of claim 29, wherein the piston is configured to press the outer body into engagement with the base.

31. The assembly substation of claim 28, wherein the outer body gripper is configured to receive the outer body therein while the bending mechanism receives the partially-assembled cartridge therein.

32. An assembly method, comprising:

providing a partially-assembled cartridge comprising;

a base, a negative heating terminal, a positive heating terminal, a heating element, and a liquid transport element, the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal being coupled to the base, and the heating element being coupled to the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal;

inserting the partially-assembled cartridge within an outer body by engaging the outer body with an outer body gripper of a robotic arm and directing the outer body over the partially-assembled cartridge; and

applying a negative pressure to the outer body supplied by a suction system operably engaged with the outer body gripper of the robotic arm to facilitate insertion of the partially-assembled cartridge into the outer body.

33. The assembly method of claim 32, further comprising inserting the partially-assembled cartridge in a bending mechanism to bend the liquid transport element against the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal;

wrapping a reservoir substrate at least partially around the bending mechanism; and

retracting the bending mechanism relative to the partially-assembled cartridge following wrapping of the reservoir substrate such that the reservoir substrate is wrapped at least partially about the negative heating terminal and the positive heating terminal and in contact with the liquid transport element.

34. The assembly method of claim 33, wherein applying the negative pressure to the outer body comprises engaging an end of the outer body with a piston of the outer body gripper, the piston being in fluid communication with the suction system and configured to apply the negative pressure through the outer body.

35. The assembly method of claim 34, further comprising pressing the outer body into engagement with the base with the piston.