RU2673180C1 - Device and method of filling cartridge with liquid for steam generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: manufacturing technology.SUBSTANCE: in the method, a compressible substrate is inserted into the filling tube, then the liquid is injected into the substrate using a pump and the moistened substrate is moved from the fill tube to the cartridge. Inventions are also an apparatus for carrying out the method and a set of several cartridges produced by the above-described method.EFFECT: group of inventions ensures higher quality.23 cl, 12 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to steam preparation systems, such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (eg, electronic cigarettes), and, in particular, to a device and method for filling liquid with a cartridge for such a vapor preparation system.

State of the art

Steam preparation systems, such as electronic cigarettes, generally comprise a reservoir for the liquid to be vaporized, usually nicotine. When the user takes a breath, a heater is activated to evaporate a small amount of liquid, which is thus inhaled by the user. The liquid may contain nicotine in a solution, for example, in ethanol or water, together with glycerol or propylene glycol to facilitate aerosol formation, and may also include one or more additional aromatic additives. There are many designs of known electronic cigarettes, see, for example, US 2011/0094523 and US 2014/0144429.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is presented in the attached claims.

A method and device for automatically filling a cartridge with liquid for a steam preparation system is proposed. The method comprises the following: insert a compressible base into the filling tube; injecting liquid into the base in the filling tube using a fluid supply pump to obtain a moistened base; and pushing the moistened base from the filling tube into the cartridge.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of electronic cigarette elements in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

In FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the main functional components of the electronic cigarette case shown in FIG. one.

In FIG. 3A and 3B are schematic views of a portion of an electronic cigarette cartridge in accordance with one design; in particular in FIG. 3A and 3B show two sections in mutually perpendicular planes, the first and second, each of which includes the longitudinal axis LA of the electronic cigarette, as shown in FIG. one.

In FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the electronic cigarette cartridge shown in FIG. 3 and shows a cross section through a portion of the cartridge in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA drawn approximately in the middle of the length of the portion of the cartridge.

In FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3A, but showing another implementation of a portion of an e-cigarette cartridge that includes a latch or clip.

In FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an automated method of filling liquid with a cartridge for an electronic steam preparation system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

In FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the insertion of a foam block into a filling tube as part of a general method in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

In FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing an automated liquid filling device for a cartridge for an electronic steam preparation system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

In FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an automated method for filling liquid with a cartridge for an electronic steam preparation system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As described above, the present invention relates to a steam preparation system, such as an electronic cigarette. In the following description, the term "electronic cigarette" is used; however, this term can be used interchangeably for a steam cooking system.

In FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the elements of an electronic cigarette 10 in accordance with some embodiments of the invention (not to scale). An electronic cigarette comprises a housing (control unit) 20, a cartridge 30, and an evaporator 40. The cartridge includes an inner chamber containing a reservoir of liquid and a mouthpiece 35. The liquid in the reservoir typically includes nicotine in an appropriate solution and may include additional components for example, to promote aerosol formation and / or for additional flavoring.

The cartridge may include a foam solution or any other structure to hold the liquid until it needs to be delivered to the evaporator. The control unit 20 includes a battery or a battery for supplying power to the electronic cigarette 10 and a printed circuit board (or other electronic components) for performing general control of the electronic cigarette. Evaporator 40 includes a heater for evaporating nicotine and further includes a wick or similar device that transfers a small amount of liquid from the reservoir to the cartridge to or near the heating site of the heater. When the user draws air through the mouthpiece, this causes the controller 55 to turn on the battery 54 and supply energy to the heater. The heater evaporates the liquid, which flows under the action of the capillary effect from the cartridge to the heater through the wick. This in turn creates an aerosol that the user inhales.

The control unit 20 and the evaporator 40 can be disconnected from each other, but they are connected to each other when the device 10 is used, for example, by means of a screw or bayonet connection (shown schematically in Fig. 1 as 21A and 41A). The connection between the control unit and the evaporator provides mechanical and electrical connectivity between the two parts. When the control unit is disconnected from the evaporator, the electrical connection 21A on the control unit, which is used to connect to the evaporator, also serves as a jack for connecting a charger (not shown). The other end of the charger can be inserted into the USB port to charge the battery in the electronic cigarette control unit. In other implementations, the electronic cigarette may be equipped with a cable for direct connection between the electrical connection 21A and the USB connector.

The control unit contains one or more holes (not shown in Fig. 1) for air inlet. These holes are connected to the air channel passing through the control unit to the air channel made through the connector 21A. Then, it is connected to the air passage through the evaporator 40 and the cartridge 30 to the mouthpiece 35. In use, the cartridge 30 and the evaporator 40 are connected using connectors 41B and 31B (also schematically shown in Fig. 1). As explained above, the cartridge includes a chamber containing a reservoir of liquid, and a mouthpiece. When the user takes a breath through the mouthpiece 35, air is drawn into the control unit 20 through one or more air inlets. This air flow (or the resulting change in pressure) is detected by a sensor, such as a pressure sensor, which in turn activates a heater to evaporate the liquid from the cartridge. The air stream passes from the control unit through the evaporator, in which it combines with the steam, and the mixture of air stream and (nicotine) steam, then passes through the cartridge and exits through the mouthpiece 35 and is inhaled by the user. The cartridge 30 can be disconnected from the evaporator 40 and disposed of when the nicotine supply is exhausted (and then replaced with another cartridge).

The electronic cigarette 10 has a longitudinal or cylindrical axis that extends along the center line of the electronic cigarette from the mouthpiece 35 at one end of the cartridge 30 to the opposite end of the housing 20 (usually called the tip). This longitudinal axis is indicated in FIG. 1 with a dashed line denoted by LA.

It is understood that the electronic cigarette 10 shown in FIG. 1 is presented as an example, and various other implementations can be adapted. For example, in some embodiments, the cartridge 30 and the evaporator 40 may be in the form of a single module (called, in general, a cartomizer), and the charger can be connected to an additional or alternative energy source, such as a cigarette lighter.

In FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the main functional components of the control unit 20 of the electronic cigarette 10 shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. These components can be installed on a printed circuit board located inside the control unit 20, although, depending on the specific configuration, in some embodiments, one or more components, on the contrary, can be located in the control unit to function together with the printed circuit board, but with this does not physically be located on the circuit board.

The control unit 20 includes a sensor module 61 located on or near the air path passing through the control unit 20 from the air inlet to the air outlet (to the evaporator). The sensor module includes a pressure sensor 62 and a temperature sensor 63 (also located on or adjacent to the airway). The control unit also includes a Hall sensor 52, a reference voltage generator 56, a small speaker 58, and an electrical connector or connector 21A for connecting to the evaporator 40 or to a USB charging device.

The microcontroller 55 includes a CPU 50. The actions of the CPU 50 and other electronic components, such as the pressure sensor 62, are generally at least partially controlled by programs running on the CPU (or other component). Such programs can be stored in non-volatile memory, such as ROM, which can be integrated into the microcontroller 55 itself or executed as a separate component. The CPU can access the ROM to load individual programs if necessary. The microcontroller 55 also contains a corresponding communication interface (and control software) for corresponding communication with other devices in the control unit 20, such as a pressure sensor 62.

The CPU controls the speaker 58 to produce sound output to reflect the conditions or conditions of the electronic cigarette, for example, a low battery warning. Different signals for reporting different conditions or conditions can be made by using sounds or beeps of different tones and / or durations and / or using several such beeps or sounds.

As noted above, the electronic cigarette 10 provides airflow from the air inlet through the electronic cigarette through the pressure sensor 62 and the heater (in the vaporizer) to the mouthpiece 35. Thus, when the user takes a breath through the mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette, the CPU 50 detects such a breath based on the information from the pressure sensor. In response to this detection, the CPU supplies power from the battery or accumulator 54 to the heater, which thereby heats and evaporates the liquid from the wick so that the user can breathe it.

In FIG. 3A and 3B, as well as FIG. 4, there are schematic diagrams of a portion of an electronic cigarette cartridge in accordance with an existing structure. In FIG. 4 shows a cross section through a portion of a cartridge in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA drawn approximately in the middle of the length of the portion of the cartridge. In FIG. 3A and 3B show two sections taken in the first and second planes, each of which includes a longitudinal axis LA. The first and second planes are perpendicular to each other. For convenience, we will call the first plane shown in FIG. 3A by a horizontal plane, and the second plane shown in FIG. 3B, in a vertical plane. However, it is understood that although in normal use the longitudinal axis LA of the electronic cigarette 10 is approximately horizontal, the user can usually hold the electronic cigarette at any angle of rotation (azimuthal angle) around this longitudinal axis. Accordingly, the terms “vertical” and “horizontal” are used for ease of explanation, and not in order to explicitly indicate a given orientation of the device in use.

As shown in FIG. 3A, 3B and 4, the cartridge comprises two main parts: an outer casing 200 and an inner container 350. The outer casing 200 has a generally circular cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA, as seen in FIG. 4, thus forming a generally cylindrical tube. The outer casing has opposite side walls 301A, 301B, as well as opposite upper and lower walls 301C and 301D, respectively. (It is clear that these walls 301A-D, in general, are just different sections of the tube forming an outer casing 200 located at a certain distance along the perimeter.

One end of the tube of the outer casing, corresponding to the location of the mouthpiece 35, is partially closed by the end wall 39, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA. A hole is made in the center of this end wall, and in particular, an inner tube 37 is formed, which is bounded by an inner wall 36. This inner wall 36 also forms a generally cylindrical tube parallel to the main outer tube of the outer casing 200 formed by walls 301A-D. However, this inner tube extends only inward (along the longitudinal axis LA) for a relatively short distance from the radially inner portion of the end wall 39 (as compared to the length of the outer tube).

The inner container 350 has a generally circular cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA, thereby forming a generally cylindrical tube. In particular, the inner container delimits a central cavity 360 in which there is a reservoir of liquid to be vaporized, usually with nicotine (in solution). This liquid can be held in a foam base.

The inner surface of the outer casing 200 may include a screw thread at an end opposite the mouthpiece 35 to attach the cartridge 30 to the evaporator portion 40 (see FIG. 1). When connected, the wick in the evaporator section can penetrate the cartridge (for example, piercing the septum in the tank), thereby drawing liquid from the tank to the evaporator. (Note that the details of the end of the outer casing 200 and the container 350 located farthest from the mouthpiece 35, including the configuration of the wick, etc., are omitted for clarity of Figures 34 and 3B).

The horizontal side walls of the inner container 350 abut against the corresponding side walls 310A, 301B of the outer casing. In particular, there is an interference fit between the horizontal side walls of the inner container 350 and the corresponding side walls 301A, 301B of the outer casing, which is used to hold the inner container 350 inside the outer casing 200. A portion of this interference fit is indicated in FIG. 3A with reference numeral 354, and it is formed between a side wall 301A of the outer casing 200 and a corresponding side wall of the inner container. Note that in practice, there is a slight constriction on the outer casing 200 (not shown in FIG. 3) to make it possible to press and maintain this interference fit - i.e. the outer case narrows slightly inward so that it becomes closer to the mouthpiece.

In general, the cylindrical tube of the inner container 350 is closed on the mouth side by a wall 370 and open from the opposite end 352. In addition, an interference fit between the side wall 301A of the outer case 200 and the corresponding side wall of the inner container generally prevents air flow along the electronic cigarette 10 Accordingly, although the inner container 350 has a generally circular cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA, the upper portion of this circle is flattened so that through the electron a new cigarette 10, air flow could pass.

In particular, the upper wall 356 of the inner container 350 is made (in cross section in Fig. 4) in the form of a chord, and not an arc. Therefore, between the upper wall 301C of the outer casing 200 and the upper wall 356 of the inner container 350, an air channel 355 is defined. This air channel 355 is also shown in FIG. 3B together with arrows indicating air flow from the evaporator portion 40 through the mouthpiece 35.

There is a foot 358 on the end wall 370 of the inner container 350 adjacent to the mouthpiece 358. This foot extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis LA of the electronic cigarette 10 and abuts against the end wall 39 of the outer case 200. The foot has an arched cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA of the electronic cigarette 10, and it is located at the bottom of the inner container 350, i.e. from the side opposite the upper wall 356. In this position, the foot 358 does not block the air channel 355 exiting through the mouthpiece 35

In addition, the length of the foot 358 (in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis LA) is greater than the length of the inner wall 36, bounding the tube 37 of the mouthpiece. Therefore, the tab 358 serves to ensure that the end wall 370 does not abut (and thereby does not overlap) the inner wall of the mouthpiece tube 37. Therefore, this configuration also helps to ensure that airflow through the air channel 355 can reach the mouthpiece tube 37 to exit through the mouthpiece 35.

It will be appreciated that the specific inner container 350 shown in FIG. 3 and 4, is given only as an example, and other implementations may have other characteristics. For example, the inner container may be latched or clamped in the inner case 200 (rather than being held in place by interference fit), as shown in FIG. 5, which includes a latching (locking) mechanism 500. In addition, the foot 358 may have a different shape or may be made on the outer casing, or the mouthpiece may be designed so that there is no need for such a foot. Additional modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In some electronic steam systems, the nicotine-containing liquid is held directly in liquid form in a sealed chamber in the cartridge. For example, the hole 352 shown in FIG. 3A can be covered with a thin wall, for example, using metal foil to create a sealed chamber. Typically, this chamber is then pierced when the cartridge is introduced into the electronic steam preparation system to allow fluid to flow from the cartridge to the evaporator 40. However, care must be taken in the design of such devices to prevent leakage, which causes liquid to leak into unwanted places, for example, possibly into the air path, even when the device is not in use. Therefore, an alternative approach is common, especially for relatively small devices, for example, those that are similar in size and shape to a regular cigarette (such as in FIG. 1). In this approach, the liquid is held in an absorbent material, such as cotton or foam, in a cartridge. This helps reduce the risk of unwanted leakage. It will be appreciated that even if such absorbent material is used to hold the liquid in the cartridge, an airtight septum such as metal foil can still be provided on the chamber vessel to help prevent leakage before the cartridge is inserted into the electronic cigarette.

The electronic cigarette 10 shown in FIG. 1, and in particular, the inner container 350 of FIG. 3 and 4, is intended for storing nicotine liquid in polyurethane foam. This foam has certain hydrophobic properties, which are useful in order to facilitate the transfer of fluid from the foam to the wick for feeding to the heater in the evaporator 40 during operation of the device (as described above). The foam as a whole is in the form of a rectangular block that has an approximately square cross section in a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the block (other suitable cross section shapes can be used, for example, round, elliptical, rectangular, etc.). The length of this block (i.e., if measured in a direction parallel to the long axis of the rectangular block) is slightly less than the length of the inner container 350 (in the direction parallel to LA), thereby allowing the foam block to be completely placed in the inner container. The cross section of the block is slightly larger than the cross section of the inner container (which is shown in Fig. 4). Accordingly, the foam block is squeezed slightly laterally (perpendicular to LA) to fit in the inner container 350. It is understood that this compression of the foam helps to hold the foam inside the inner container.

The introduction of fluid into the foam and foam into the inner container 350 (in any order) is an important part of the manufacturing process of the cartridge 30. This process should be relatively simple and not costly, since the cartridge 30 is a disposable (and replaceable) module, and therefore its sold separately in larger quantities than the electronic cigarettes themselves 10. Moreover, the process is set to achieve a filling accuracy of ± 1% in terms of the amount of liquid poured into the cartridge. This ensures that the consumer receives at least the appropriate amount of liquid in the cartridge, but overflows (above the nominal amount) are prevented, which would otherwise lead to an increase in costs. In addition, a tolerance of ± 1% also guarantees a more consistent and reliable experience for the consumer in terms of cartridge life, etc.

At the stage of development of the cartridge 30, the procedure for filling the foam with liquid, and then the foam of the inner container 350, was performed as a two-stage manual procedure. First, the foam blocks were moistened (saturated) with liquid. Then, a tool was used to insert each block in turn into the corresponding inner container 350. During the second step, a certain amount of liquid was poured from the foam onto the tool. This was primarily a problem for the first foam block in each batch of foam blocks when the tool was initially dry. For subsequent blocks of foam in the batch, the transfer of fluid from each block of foam onto the tool will be approximately balanced with the transfer of fluid from the tool to the foam block. In practice, this meant that the inner container into which the first block of foam was inserted from each batch was more likely to be outside the acceptable range and therefore had to be discarded. This had some negative impact on the efficiency and economic efficiency of the whole process.

Various modifications of the above set of manual operations were investigated, for example, the foam is first inserted into the inner container and then moistened with liquid (instead of first moisturizing and then inserting). These studies included squeezing the foam before wetting (and then allowing the foam to expand in the inner container), and supplying fluid to the foam using a syringe at different depths in the inner container, e.g. at the bottom of the inner container or at several different depths at the same time. However, the results of these studies, in general, were unsatisfactory. In some cases, there was a tendency to overfill the inner container 350 with liquid. This was mainly due to the hydrophobic nature of the foam, which prevented wetting. It was also found that it is more difficult to obtain a uniform distribution of fluid in the foam. This uniform distribution is important to ensure the stable operation of the electronic cigarette, that is, a substantially uniform rate of liquid transfer from the foam to the wick and, therefore, a constant evaporation rate during use by the user.

As noted above, the hydrophobic nature of the foam appears to be a significant factor behind the problems described above. Accordingly, further studies have been carried out to find out whether it is possible to properly process the foam, such as steam, in order to reduce these hydrophobic properties. Although this treatment was indeed useful for preventing uneven distribution of fluid in the foam, as well as for transfusion of fluid from the inner container, it usually increased the processing time, thereby reducing the overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the procedure.

Accordingly, in FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an automated method for filling liquid with a cartridge for an electronic steam preparation system in accordance with some embodiments. The first step of the process includes feeding or receiving a rectangular block 610 of foam. As described above, the foam block is made of a hydrophobic material, such as polyurethane. It is understood that the rectangular shape of the foam block makes it possible to easily cut the foam block (without waste) from the larger structure from the foam (although other shapes can be suitably applied).

The largest (longest) block dimension is indicated in FIG. 6 by the arrow Z, and it represents the longitudinal axis of the foam block. After the foam block has been inserted into the cartridge 30 of the electronic cigarette 10, the longitudinal axis of the foam block is generally aligned (and coincides) with the longitudinal axis LA of the electronic cigarette 10. The cross-sectional shape of the block in a plane perpendicular to this longitudinal axis is approximately a square that fits the generally circular cross-section of the inner container 350 in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the electronic cigarette 10. If the inner container had a different cross-section, for example, essentially have elliptic, the cross-sectional shape of the foam block would be modified accordingly (as well as other components of the device such as the filling tube and the piston as described below).

The liquid filling device of the cartridge of the electronic steam preparation system includes a filling tube 620. This filling tube 620 is a hollow, straight tube, with the main longitudinal axis of the tube installed in the vertical direction. The cross-sectional shape of the filler tube 620 in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filler tube is approximately circular.

In some embodiments, the filling tube 620 is held essentially in a fixed position, with the tube oriented vertically. At the bottom of the tube 620 there is an open end 621 into which a foam block 610 can be inserted. To support such an insert, the foam block 610 is fed so that the longitudinal axis of the foam block is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the filling tube 620, with the open end 621 of the filling tube being located above the top of the foam block 610, as shown in step 2 of FIG. 6. Therefore, for the configuration shown in FIG. 6, the foam block 610 is fed so that its main longitudinal axis is directed vertically.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cross section of the foam block 610 is larger than the cross section of the filling tube 620 (in particular, larger than the inner diameter of the hollow channel in the filling tube 620). Accordingly, the foam block 610 is compressed laterally, i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the foam block to obtain a compressed foam block 610A, as shown in step 3 of FIG. 6. In some embodiments, this compression may be performed by collets or protrusions (not shown in FIG. 6) that have several sides (shoulders) that converge to the central longitudinal axis of the foam block 610 to perform compression. For example, there may be 2, 3 or 4 (or more) sides that have a straight or curved profile (when viewed in cross section in a horizontal plane).

The compressed foam block 610A is now inserted into the filling tube 620 through the open end 621 of the filling tube, so that the foam block is completely positioned in the filling tube 620, but it is located at the open end 621, as shown in step 4 of FIG. 6. In this position, the compressed foam block 610A attempts to expand toward the walls or sides of the hollow filling tube 620. This pressure creates friction between the foam block 610A and the inner wall of the filling tube 620, which prevents the foam block from falling out of the open end 621 of the filling tube.

In some embodiments, the inner wall has a textured or roughened surface. This texturing increases the effective friction between the foam block 610A and the inner wall of the filling tube 620, and thus, the compressed foam block 610A is more securely held in the filling tube 620. The value of the roughness index (Ra) of the surface roughness of the inner wall is important to achieve stability. For example, a roughness value of 2 to 5 usually gives good results, with particularly good results obtained when testing a specific implementation, for which Ra is from 3 to 4. Note that if the Ra value is too high, the foam can catch on the output, and if Ra is too low, then the foam may shift due to the liquid during the initial injection of liquid into the tube 620.

There are various approaches that can be adapted to insert the compressed foam block 610A into the filling tube 620. For example, in one embodiment, the grips or protrusions used to perform the compression can also lift the compressed foam rod 610 until it is directly near the open end 621 of the filling tube 620 (or the feeding location of the compressed foam unit 610 may be such that this position is reached without performing any lifting of the compressed foam unit 610A ala). Then, a drive device may be used to press up on the lower side of the compressed foam block 610A, thereby moving the compressed foam block 610A upward from the collets to the open end 621 of the filling tube 620. Assuming that the top of the collets is close enough to the open end 621 of the filling tube 620, the compressed foam block 610A has little chance or is not at all possible to expand again between the top of the collets and the open end of the filling tube.

In other embodiments, the collets can themselves enter the filling tube, and therefore, can be used to lift the compressed foam block 610A at least partially into the filling tube 620. In these embodiments, it is necessary to ensure that the compressed foam block 610A remains in filling tube 620 when the collets are removed. One way is to provide some support from below the compressed foam unit 610A, i.e. in fact, at the open end 621 of the filling tube 620, which will allow to remove the collet from the filling tube 620, but ensures that the compressed foam block 610A remains in it.

Other implementations are also possible. For example, the foam can be compressed with collets along two opposite sides, while remaining free from the other two sides that are not in contact with the collets. These two “free” sides can then be compressed by the walls of the filling tube. Then, the collets can be unclenched (at least partially), and then the collets are removed or pulled out of the filling tube 620. The friction between the two “free” sides and the inner surface of the filling tube 620 allows the foam to remain in place while pulling the collets.

The device is arranged so that the upper surface of the foam block 610 protrudes (protrudes) from the open (upper) end of the collets during insertion. One reason for this is that the foam then collapses around the top of the collets, which provides additional stability to prevent the foam from slipping out of the collets during insertion. In addition, this crushing allows contact with the lower part of the piston 630 (as described below), and thereby helps to prevent a drop of liquid of a significant size from remaining on the lower surface of the piston 630, which, otherwise, will lead to greater variability in the amount of liquid, issued in various cartridges.

Although in FIG. 6 shows the compression of the foam block 610 and the insertion of the compressed foam block 610A into the filling tube 620 as separate steps (3 and 4), in other embodiments, the compression and insertion can be performed in a single, combined operation. This approach is shown in FIG. 7, on which the open end 621 from the bottom of the filling tube 620 has an outwardly directed flange 625 (i.e., opens outward). In this implementation, the bottom of the flange portion 625 is large enough to receive the uncompressed foam block 610 (FIG. 7A). However, when the foam block 610 is pushed further up into the filling tube 620, the diameter of the flange decreases, thereby compressing the upper portion of the foam block in the filling tube 620 (FIG. 7B). Finally, the entire foam block in a compressed form is placed in the filling tube 620 (Fig. 7C).

After the compressed foam block 610A has been located in the filling tube (using any suitable mechanism), liquid is supplied to the compressed foam block to obtain a moistened foam block 610B. A pressure pump is used for the filling process. In particular, the injection pump has a small channel, so that the liquid supplied in one cycle of the pump has a small volume, for example, less than 0.1 ml. Therefore, the total amount of liquid dispensed into a given block of foam can be very precisely controlled by setting the total number of cycles required to fill this block of foam. It is also clear that due to the fact that the liquid is supplied from the injection pump by displacing the liquid using a component of a known size, the amount of liquid discharged per cycle is uniform and reliable, corresponding to the known size of the moving component. This, in turn, provides a uniform and reliable filling level of the compressed foam block 610A for use in an electronic cigarette cartridge 30.

In some implementations, the feed from the injection pump may flow from top to bottom through the filling tube 620. Alternatively, or as an addition, the injection pump may supply liquid to the compressed foam block 610A through a small opening in the wall of the filling tube. In general, liquid is injected into the foam block 610A itself (rather than, say, pour onto the foam block from above). This contributes to a better (more uniform) absorption of liquid into the compressed foam block 610A. In addition, the injection point may be located in the upper half of the compressed block of foam, as this place, combined with gravity, also helps to ensure a more uniform absorption of fluid into the compressed block 610A of the foam. Another option is to have multiple points of fluid injection into the compressed foam block, for example, at different distances from the open end 621 of the filling tube 620. Again, this can help maintain a more uniform and reliable absorption of fluid into the compressed foam block 610A.

The inner container 350 for the cartridge (such as shown in FIG. 3) is now located near the open end 621 of the filling tube 620, so that the longitudinal axis of the inner container is aligned and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the filling tube 620. The inner container is oriented so that the wall 370 and the tab 358 is directed downward (from the open end 621 of the filling tube 620), while the open end 352 of the inner container 350 is directed upward so that it faces the open end 621 of the filling tube 620, as shown in step 6 of FIG. 6.

In some implementations, the filling tube is held stationary, and first, the foam block 610 is placed under the open end of the tube 621 (as in step 2), and then the inner container is located under the open end of the tube 621 (as in step 6). In other implementations, the filling tube itself is moved so as to position the open end 621 of the tube relative to the foam block 610 and / or inner container 350.

Note that the filling tube 620 may have a smaller cross section than the inner container 350. Then, this allows the inner container 350 to be slightly raised (and / or the filling tube 620 slightly lowered) so that there is little overlap between them. In other words, the bottom of the filler tube 620 is positioned in a small portion in the inner container 350. This overlap may help the compressed (and wet) block 610B to easily pass from the open end of the filler tube into the inner container without risk of fluid loss. However, the overlap is generally small enough to preserve the space (depth) in the inner container 350 to accommodate the compressed foam block 610B (introduced from the filling tube 620). In other implementations, there may be no such overlap between the filling tube and the inner container (measured in the vertical direction), although the open end 621 of the filling tube may nevertheless be very close to the open end 352 of the inner container 350.

Also in FIG. 6 shows a piston rod (pusher) 630 located in the filling tube. This piston rod is pushed downward through the filler tube 620 to withdraw the moistened foam block 610B from the open end 621 of the filler tube to the inner container 350. Note that this withdrawal process can also contribute to a more even distribution of fluid in the foam block.

In general, movement of the piston rod 630 is sufficient to guide the moistened foam block 610B all the way to the inner container 350 so that the bottom of the moistened foam block 610B abuts against the end wall 370 of the inner container, as shown in step 7A in FIG. 6. For this, the piston rod 630 is moved downward so that the lower end of the piston rod reaches at least a neighborhood of the open end 621 of the filling tube 620. Indeed, at this point, the piston rod 630 may protrude slightly from the open end 621 of the filling tube 620.

In some embodiments, the implementation of the piston rod 630 may perform a two-stroke action. In other words, after the piston rod 630 initially pushed the foam moistened block 610B into the inner container 350, the piston rod is briefly and quickly retracted (i.e., up), then another short and quick stroke is made down before the piston rod 630 will finally be removed from the inner container. This bipartite action may facilitate the clean separation of the piston rod 630 from the wetted foam block when it is inserted into the inner container 350, as well as the more consistent shape and placement of the foam block in the inner container 350.

In other embodiments, the implementation of the piston rod 630 and the filling tube 620 may provide another way to output the moistened block 610B of foam from the filling tube 620. For example, one possibility may be that the filling tube and piston rod begin to work from the position shown in step 6 on FIG. 6, and then they are simultaneously lowered into the inner container, it being assumed that the cross section of the latter is larger than the cross section of the previous one (or, alternatively, the inner container 350 can be raised and located outside the filling tube 620). Once the moistened foam block 610B is located at about the right place in the inner container, the filling tube can be pulled upward, while the position of the piston rod 630 remains unchanged, thereby obtaining the configuration shown in step 6 of FIG. 6.

Whatever approach is used to withdraw the wetted foam block 610B from the filling tube 620, the process will go to the state shown in step 7B in FIG. 6, when the wetted foam block 610B was inserted into the inner container 350. Now the inner container can be removed for appropriate post-processing, for example, to be installed in the cartridge 30, cartomizer, or any other such component.

In FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus 800 for automated fluid filling of a cartridge for an electronic steam preparation system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. This device includes a filling tube 620, previously described, mounted in a vertical orientation. A piston rod or pusher 630 located in the upper portion of the filler tube 620, while the bottom of the filler tube has an open end. The device has a feed mechanism at a time block 610 foam in the position (indicated by arrow 850) under the open end 621 of the filling tube. The device 800 also includes a mechanism for compressing and lifting the foam block 610 into the filling tube (as in step 4 of FIG. 6).

The injection pump 810 is configured as part of a device 800 to deliver a precisely controlled amount of fluid to the foam block in the filling tube 620 through a side opening in the filling tube. After completion of the filling operation (or during it), the inner container for the cartridge is served at position 850. Then, the piston rod is activated to withdraw the moistened block of foam 610 from the filling tube into the inner container 350.

Therefore, device 800 provides an automated mechanism for mass filling cartridges (including cartomizers, etc.) of electronic cigarettes. The device can operate in semi-automatic intermittent, fully automatic intermittent or fully automatic continuous mode. Typical implementations of the 800 device support speeds in the range of 5 to 300 capsule fillings per minute.

The device supports the complete humidification of the foam block 610 with a very constant level of liquid filling cartridges, usually with an accuracy of more than 99% of the weight. Automated processing also provides added benefits over existing manual procedures. For example, there is less risk of human contamination of the cartridges of electronic cigarettes or the unwanted effects of operators on liquids of electronic cigarettes. Moreover, an accurate and reliable automated filling process can lead to savings and a more permanent (and therefore better) use experience.

In FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an automated method for filling liquid with a cartridge for an electronic steam preparation system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. In this context, it should be understood that the cartridge includes any module of an electronic steam preparation system that receives and contains vaporization liquid, such as cartridge 30, as shown in FIG. 1, a cartomizer, or a chamber or liquid container with which such a device is equipped, for example, the inner container 350 shown in FIG. 3. The liquid to be filled usually contains nicotine in combination with other components, such as a solvent, one or more flavors, and / or an aerosol forming component during the evaporation process. However, the method is not limited to nicotine fluids, but is applicable to any such fluid intended for use in an electronic vapor preparation system (such as an electronic cigarette).

The method shown in FIG. 9 includes the following: a foam block is inserted into the filling tube (operation 910), for example, using collets or a pusher. The foam is made of a hydrophobic material, for example, polyurethane. The filling tube may have a rough or textured inner surface to facilitate the retention of foam in the filling tube. The method also includes the following: liquid is injected into the foam block in the filling tube using a pressure pump to obtain a moistened foam block. The injection pump may have a small channel (injection per cycle) to provide an accurate and constant amount of fluid poured into each foam block. The method also includes the following: push the moistened block of foam from the filling tube into the cartridge, for example, using a piston rod. This output of the foam block may include a double piston stroke of the foam block to provide increased uniformity of placement of the foam block in the container.

The method shown in FIG. 9, supports automation, as well as a uniform, accurate filling rate of the foam blocks of each cartridge with liquid. Therefore, this method can help to produce a set of several cartridges filled with a liquid held in a foam block intended for use in a steam preparation system, each of these cartridges containing the same amount of liquid with an error of ± 1% (error, for example, can be set as 2, 2.5 or 3σ, where σ is the standard deviation of the amount of liquid on the set / sample or on all cartridges).

The person skilled in the art will recognize many potential changes to the various implementations described above. By way of example only, instead of using a pressure pump, some other type of liquid pump can be used to provide a constant amount of liquid when filling the cartridges, for example, a syringe pump. In addition, instead of using a foam block to hold fluid in the cartridges, some other suitable compressible base can be used.

To solve various problems and the development of the prior art, in this disclosure, various embodiments are shown by way of example by which the invention can be practiced. The advantages and features of the disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. They are presented only in order to facilitate understanding and convey the ideas of the claimed invention. It is understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, constructions, and / or other aspects of the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the disclosure defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents of the claims, and that, without departing from the scope of the claims, other embodiments and modifications. The various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or essentially consist of various combinations of the described elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those described herein. The invention may include other inventions not expressly claimed, but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (30)

1. An automated method for filling a cartridge with liquid for a steam preparation system, comprising the following steps: insert the compressible base into the filling tube; injecting liquid into the base in the filling tube using a pump for supplying liquid to obtain a moistened base; and push the moistened base from the filling tube into the cartridge. 2. The method according to p. 1, containing the following steps: compress the base in a lateral direction perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis of the base before inserting the base into the filling tube. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the collets are used to compress the base laterally and insert the base into the filling tube. 4. The method according to p. 3, in which the base is held so that the base portion protrudes at the end of the collets during insertion of the base into the filling tube. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the filling tube has a rough inner surface. 6. The method according to claim 5, in which the inner surface of the filling tube has a roughness value Ra in the range from 2 to 5, preferably from 3 to 4. 7. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the filling tube has an open end, and the base is inserted into the filling tube through this open end and pushed from the filling tube into the cartridge through this open end. 8. The method according to p. 7, in which the filling tube is oriented essentially vertically, and the open end is located below the filling tube. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the pump for supplying liquid is a displacement pump. 10. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-8, in which the pump for supplying fluid is a syringe. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the channel of the pump for supplying liquid has a volume of 0.5 ml or less. 12. The method according to p. 11, in which the channel of the pump for supplying liquid has a volume of 0.1 ml or less. 13. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which liquid is injected into the base in the filling tube by means of a pump for supplying liquid through one or more places in the wall of the filling tube. 14. The method according to p. 13, in which the moistened base is pushed through the open end of the filling tube, and the liquid is injected into that part of the base, which is further from the open end of the filling tube than the center of the base. 15. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the moistened base is pushed through the open end of the filling tube to the open end of the cartridge, and before the wetted base is ejected from the filling tube, the open end of the filling tube is placed at the open end of the cartridge. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the open end of the filler tube is inserted a predetermined distance into the open end of the cartridge before ejecting the wetted hydrophobic base, said distance being small compared to the depth of the cartridge. 17. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the piston rod is used to push the moistened base from the filling tube into the cartridge. 18. The method according to p. 17, in which the piston rod perform a double push to push the moistened base from the filling tube into the cartridge. 19. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which said base is a block of foam. 20. The method according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, in which said base is made of a hydrophobic material. 21. A device for implementing automated liquid filling of a cartridge for a steam preparation system, including a filling tube, and also: a mechanism for inserting a compressible base into the filling tube; a liquid supply pump for injecting liquid into a base in a filling tube to produce a moist base; and piston mechanism for pushing the moistened base from the filling tube into the cartridge. 22. A set of several cartridges filled with a liquid held in the base, obtained using the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1–20 and intended for use in a steam preparation system, with each cartridge in the said set containing the same amount of liquid with an error of ± 1%. 23. The cartridge set according to claim 22, containing at least 2 or more, 5 or more, 10 or more, 50 or more, or 100 or more cartridges.

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