WO2019175769A1

WO2019175769A1 - An inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes

Info

Publication number: WO2019175769A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/052000
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eura Trivisonno; Maurizio Zanotti; Luca Federici
Original assignee: G.D S.P.A.
Priority date: 2018-03-16
Filing date: 2019-03-12
Publication date: 2019-09-19
Also published as: JP2021515896A; EP3765837A1; IT201800003660A1; JP7313371B2

Abstract

An inspection unit (1 ) for quality control of disposable cartridges (C) for electronic cigarettes comprises an advancement conveyor (2) and an electromagnetic detector (5). The advancement conveyor (2) has a portion (3) having a succession of retaining seats (4) configured to receive respective cartridges (C) from a feed unit for feeding the cartridges (C). The electromagnetic detector (5) is configured to detect one or more properties of the cartridges (C) so as to determine whether they conform to one or more acceptability criteria and comprises a transmission shell (6) configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal and a receiving shell (7) configured to receive that electromagnetic signal. The shells (6, 7) are facing one another, defining a detecting chamber (8) configured to slidingly receive therein the portion (3) and at least a cartridge (C) housed in a respective retaining seat (4), wherein the cartridge (C) is positioned completely inside the detecting chamber (8).

Description

DESCRIPTION

AN INSPECTION UNIT AND METHOD FOR QUALITY CONTROL OF DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGES FOR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

This invention relates to the technical sector of machines for the tobacco industry.

In particular, this invention relates to an inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes. It should be noticed that the term“quality control” refers to a check of the“quality” of the cartridges.

Recently single-use (that is to say, disposable) cartridges have been proposed for electronic cigarettes, comprising a case made of plastic material in a tubular shape with a micro-perforated bottom wall and containing a quantity of powdered tobacco topped by a pad made of filtering material; the case is closed at an upper end (that is to say, opposite to the micro-perforated bottom wall) by a sealing ring which is sealed to the case.

Production of such cartridges involves filling each case with a calibrated dose of a suitable filling product of the tobacco industry, for example powdered tobacco, gently compressing the filling product inside the case to achieve the desired density and then capping the case by applying to the upper end both the pad made of filtering material and the sealing ring. The cartridges are then individually weighed so as to allow rejection of non-conforming ones which contain an insufficient or excessive quantity of filling product.

Once production of the cartridges is complete, they are inserted into sealed packages, usually blister packs.

During the process for production of such cartridges, it is very advantageous to be able to carry out quality control operations on the product being made, in such a way as to guarantee that it does not have any defects, such as empty spaces or other anomalies or irregularities, for example the already indicated incorrect quantity of filling product, which may prevent it from being put on sale once it has been transformed into a finished product.

In this sector there are prior art control systems capable of performing a qualitative analysis of the cartridges during their production process.

However, this Applicant has observed how such methods are not very efficient or high-performance, since they do not allow an overall and satisfactory inspection of the cartridges to be carried out.

In this context, the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to propose an inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes which overcome the above- mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.

In particular, the aim of this invention is to provide an inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes which can guarantee correct and efficient qualitative assessment of the entire product during processing. The quality control guarantees an assessment of the quality of the whole product.

The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are substantially achieved by an inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes, comprising the technical characteristics described in one or more of the appended claims.

This invention shows an inspection unit for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes, which comprises an advancement conveyor and an electromagnetic detector.

The advancement conveyor has a portion having a succession of retaining seats configured to receive respective cartridges from a feed unit for feeding the cartridges.

The electromagnetic detector is configured to detect one or more properties of the cartridges so as to determine whether they conform to one or more acceptability criteria and comprises a transmission shell configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal and a receiving shell configured to receive said electromagnetic signal. Those shells are facing one another, defining a detecting chamber configured to slidingly receive therein the portion of the advancement conveyor and at least a cartridge housed in a respective retaining seat, wherein the cartridge is positioned completely inside the detecting chamber.

Advantageously, the particular structure of the unit according to this invention, allows a precise measurement to be taken of the properties of the cartridges in an extremely effective and efficient way by means of an overall assessment of the whole cartridge which is sliding inside the detecting chamber, since the detecting signal is at its maximum at the chamber, specifically at a central portion of the chamber.

Moreover, the fact that the detection occurs in a chamber delimited by the two above-mentioned shells guarantees isolation from everything that is not important for the detection, but which, in fact, could otherwise become a factor interfering with the detection.

This invention also relates to an inspection method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes which comprises the steps of:

- arranging an inspection unit;

- receiving in respective retaining seats of the advancement conveyor a succession of cartridges from a feed unit for feeding the cartridges;

- moving the succession of cartridges through the detecting chamber;

- detecting, by means of the electromagnetic detector, at least a property of a cartridge positioned completely inside the detecting chamber;

- releasing the succession of cartridges to receiving means for receiving the cartridges.

That procedure guarantees a correct assessment of the structural integrity and the quality level of the product during processing, so as to guarantee its conformity to one of the predefined quality parameters which define its suitability for marketing.

The dependent claims, incorporated herein for reference, correspond to different embodiments of the invention.

Further features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the approximate, non-limiting description of a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of an inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 A shows a perspective view of an inspection unit for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes;

- Figure 1 B shows a further perspective view of the unit of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the inspection unit;

- Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an electromagnetic detector according to this invention.

In the appended figures the numeral 1 denotes in general an inspection unit for quality control of disposable cartridges C for electronic cigarettes. Each cartridge C comprises a case, for example made of plastic material, which has a tubular shape, has a bottom wall and is closed at an upper end (that is to say, opposite to the bottom wall) by a sealing ring which is sealed to the case.

The case may contain a quantity of powdered tobacco topped by a pad made of filtering material and, preferably the bottom wall is micro- perforated. Alternatively, the case may also contain a liquid suitable for being vaporised in an electronic cigarette and, if so, the bottom wall does not have holes in it.

The unit 1 comprises an advancement conveyor 2 which has a portion 3 having a succession of retaining seats 4 configured to receive respective cartridges C from a feed unit for feeding the cartridges C.

In other words, the advancement conveyor 2 is configured to accept a succession of cartridges C for electronic cigarettes arriving from a processing station located upstream of the inspection unit and to receive them in respective retaining seats 4 each of which is suitable for housing and retaining one cartridge C during the movement of the advancement conveyor 2.

In order to facilitate the transfer of the cartridges C to the advancement conveyor 2, the portion 3 has a curved saw-toothed profile adapted to guide the gradual insertion of the cartridges C into the retaining seats 4, in particular the retaining seats being defined by the bases of the curved teeth.

In other words, when a cartridge C arriving from a suitable feed unit encounters the advancement conveyor 2, it makes contact with the curved surface of the tip of a tooth of the profile of the portion 3, the gradual advancing of the advancement conveyor generates sliding of the cartridge C along the back of the same tooth until the cartridge reaches the base of the tooth and is stably housed in the retaining seat 4 defined by that base. The retaining seats 4 are configured to retain respective cartridges C in a substantially vertical position and the portion 3 has a horizontal surface surrounding the succession of retaining seats 4 which is adapted to restingly receive an undercut of an external surface of the cartridges C.

In fact, that conformation guarantees correct retaining of the cartridges in the respective retaining seats 4 without the risk of accidental release and consequent unwanted falling from the advancement conveyor 2.

According to one particular embodiment shown in Figures 1 A and 1 B, the advancement conveyor 2 comprises an advancement drum having a vertical axis X of rotation, and wherein the succession of seats 4 has a main extension direction that is substantially parallel to the axis X of rotation of the drum. The succession of seats 4 is arranged at an edge of the advancement drum, in other words, the portion 3 is a peripheral portion of it.

According to a different embodiment not illustrated in these figures, the advancement conveyor 2 may be linear and comprise a belt arranged for making the succession of seats 4 advance along a linear advancement path, perpendicular to the vertical axis X. The succession of seats 4 may also be arranged at an edge of the belt, similarly to the position in the advancement drum 2, and therefore the portion 3 may be a peripheral portion. Alternatively, the portion 3 may also be arranged at an inner band of the belt, in other words, the portion 3 may be a central portion.

The unit 1 additionally comprises an electromagnetic detector 5, configured to perform an inspection on each cartridge C, that is to say, to detect one or more properties of the cartridges C so as to determine whether it satisfies one or more acceptability criteria.

It must be emphasised that, in this invention, the term“inspection” means a check of the status of the cartridges by passing through the whole article a radiation generated by a suitable electromagnetic detector which, by way of example and without limiting the scope of the invention, may be of the capacitive, inductive, microwave or X-ray type.

That process allows an assessment as to whether the cartridge C inspected can be used for making a marketable product or whether the cartridge C has defects or imperfections which are such that they make it unsuitable for use for making a product of the tobacco industry which can meet predetermined quality standards.

The electromagnetic detector 5 in turn comprises a transmission shell 6 and a receiving shell 7 respectively configured to transmit and to receive an electromagnetic signal.

Those shells 6, 7 are facing one another in such a way as to define a detecting chamber 8 configured to slidingly receive therein the portion of the advancement conveyor 2 and at least a cartridge C housed in a respective retaining seat 4.

In particular, in a configuration for use of the inspection unit 1 , a succession of cartridges C sequentially passes through the detecting chamber 8 and is inspected by the action of the electromagnetic detector 5 when positioned completely inside the chamber, preferably in a central part 8a of it.

According to one aspect of this invention, the electromagnetic detector 5 has substantially a U-shape (or a C-shape) adapted to at least partly house the advancement conveyor 2 in such a way that the portion 3 is partly surrounded by the electromagnetic detector 5.

In other words, the electromagnetic detector 5 is configured to be associated with the advancement conveyor 2 so that it contains the portion 3 which therefore slides between the transmission shell 6 and the receiving shell 7.

Advantageously, the inspection unit according to this invention guarantees an optimum product quality inspection process, since, by receiving inside it both the portion 3 and the whole cartridge C, the cartridge C is inspected as a whole when it is located at the point of maximum intensity and focus of the detecting signal, that is to say, the electromagnetic signal generated by the transmission antenna and received by the receiving antenna.

In general, the transmission shell 6 has an inner transmission cavity 6a and a transmission antenna, which is arranged inside the transmission cavity 6a, and the receiving shell 7 has an inner receiving cavity 7a and a receiving antenna, which is arranged inside the receiving cavity 7a.

According to one particular embodiment shown in the appended figures, the shells 6, 7 overall have a substantially parallelepiped conformation and are positioned one on top of the other in such a way that the respective transmission cavity and receiving cavity are facing one another and adjacent, thereby defining the detecting chamber 8.

The transmission shell 6 and the receiving shell 7 also comprise respective dielectric sheaths 6b, 7b, arranged so as to at least partly cover the respective surfaces of the shells 6, 7 arranged facing one another. Those dielectric sheaths 6b, 7b are facing towards the portion 3 of the advancement conveyor 2 to define the detecting chamber 8 and they have a first end, distal relative to the advancement conveyor 2, where they are in contact with each other, and a second end, proximal to the advancement conveyor 2, where they spread apart, thereby defining the zone of the detecting chamber 8 inside which the portion 3 of the advancement conveyor 2 and the respective cartridges C retained in the retaining seats 4 of the portion 3 can slidingly pass through.

Therefore, the detecting chamber 8 comprises a first part, that is to say, the central part 8a, which is configured to receive the cartridges C to be inspected and is arranged at a central zone 8a of the electromagnetic detector 5, preferably at a geometric centre of it, and a peripheral part 8b, which extends starting from the central part 8a and is configured to receive the portion 3.

The central part 8a and the peripheral part 8b are delimited by the second end of the dielectric sheaths 6b, 7b.

The term central part 8a refers in particular to a portion of the detecting chamber 8 surrounding the geometric centre of the electromagnetic detector.

Advantageously, the dielectric sheaths 6b, 7b allow a considerable improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of the inspection unit 1 , since on one hand they provide a protective barrier which prevents access by unwanted external agents, for example dust, into the detecting chamber 8 defining a passageway suitable for the sliding passage of only the portion 3 and the cartridges C, and on the other hand they allow optimisation of the measuring process, promoting a concentration and homogenisation of the radiation transmitted by the transmission antenna inside the detecting chamber 8, also optimising its reception by the receiving antenna.

It is obvious how the passage of the portion 3 of the advancement conveyor 2 inside the detecting chamber 8 renders necessary suitable devices which ensure that said component does not interference with the inspection process and, therefore, the portion 3 of the advancement conveyor 2 is made of polymeric material, preferably the whole advancement conveyor 2 is made of polymeric material.

The term polymeric material refers in particular to a material which has characteristics such that it does not generate any kind of interference, distortion, disturbance of electromagnetic signals generatable by the transmission antenna for performing an inspection of the properties of the cartridges C.

As previously indicated, according to a possible and preferred embodiment of this invention, the electromagnetic detector 5 is a microwave detector, preferably operating at a wavelength of between 10⁹ and 10¹² Hz, usable for measuring the density and/or the moisture of a filling product of the tobacco industry contained inside the cartridges C.

In this case, the detecting chamber 8 is a resonance chamber.

In particular, the microwave detector is configured to produce, through the transmission antenna, an electromagnetic field with a precise geometry, defined by field lines which depend on the construction characteristics of the detector, and to emit the detecting signal. The detecting signal produced then passes through the cartridge C and arrives at the receiving antenna, which in turn is connected to a processor able to receive it and analyse it in such a way as to obtain, as a function of the disturbance to which the signal was subjected as it passed through the cartridge C, information about the density and/or moisture of the filling product.

That information may be further processed using known techniques for obtaining a weight of the filling product, in particular making it possible to determine whether, in the production steps upstream of the inspection unit 1 , the correct quantity of filling product has been inserted into the cartridge C.

In that context, the presence of the dielectric sheaths 6b, 7b is particularly useful and effective, since they guarantee that the field lines of the electromagnetic field are optimally focused on the central part 8a of the detecting chamber 8, in this specific case a resonance chamber, that is to say, the part in which the cartridge C is positioned at the moment of the inspection.

This construction device guarantees a big reduction in the possible interference with the detecting signal and a considerable improvement in terms of its reception by the receiving antenna. According to a further possible embodiment, the electromagnetic detector is a detector of the capacitive type.

In this case, the transmission shell and the receiving shell define the plates of a capacitor inside which the cartridges C slide.

Once a cartridge C is interposed between the two shells, the different dielectric constant of the filling product compared with that of the air generates a measurable variation of the capacitance of the capacitive detector.

That variation is directly linked to the degree of moisture of the filling product and once this value has been obtained, it is possible, as already indicated, to convert it using known terms into weight information, indicating the quantity of filling product contained in the cartridge C.

The inspection unit 1 also comprises removal means 9, arranged downstream of the electromagnetic detector 5, with respect to the advancement direction of the advancement conveyor 2, configured to extract, from the retaining seats, non-compliant cartridges C detected by the electromagnetic detector 5.

In other words, the removal means 9 are configured to allow the performing of a rejecting procedure intended to remove from the production process all cartridges C which do not satisfy the predefined quality parameters.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the removal means 9 may be made using suction tubes arranged above the advancement conveyor 2 and therefore set up to suck the non-compliant cartridges C, lifting them out of the respective retaining seats 4 until they are completely extracted from the seats.

This invention also relates to an inspection method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes.

The method disclosed comprises arranging an inspection unit 1 made as indicated above.

Then, receiving in respective retaining seats 4 of the advancement conveyor 2 a succession of cartridges C received from a feed unit for feeding the cartridges C; in other words, a feed unit arranged upstream of the inspection unit 1 feeds a succession of cartridges C which are received in respective retaining seats 4 of the advancement conveyor 2. Then the advancement conveyor 2 moves the succession of cartridges C, making them slide through the detecting chamber 8, in particular the advancement conveyor 2 moves the cartridges C in such a way that they go completely inside the detecting chamber 8.

Then a detecting step is performed, by means of the electromagnetic detector 5, for detecting at least a property of a cartridge C positioned completely inside the detecting chamber 8.

Therefore, the electromagnetic detector 5 inspects each cartridge C passing through the detecting chamber 8, when the cartridge is completely inside it, preferably in a central part 8a of it.

The term central part 8a refers to a portion of the detecting chamber 8 surrounding the geometric centre of the electromagnetic detector 5.

Once the inspection is complete, the cartridges C come out of the detecting chamber 8 and the succession of cartridges C can be released to receiving means for receiving the cartridges C.

Those receiving means arranged downstream of the inspection unit will allow the cartridges C to be moved on to subsequent further processing steps intended to obtain a finished product of the tobacco sector.

The advancement conveyor 2 may be moved continuously, that is to say, the advancement conveyor 2 receives the cartridges C and makes them slide through the detecting chamber 8 in a continuous flow in which the inspection is performed when a cartridge C is completely inserted inside the detecting chamber 8.

Alternatively, the advancement conveyor 2 may be moved intermittently, that is to say, with a fixed step, preferably equal to the distance existing between two adjacent retaining seats 4, the advancement conveyor 2 receiving the cartridges C and making them slide through the detecting chamber 8 in an intermittent flow, that is to say, the cartridge C remains stationary inside the detecting chamber 8 for the time necessary to complete the inspection procedure.

In order to guarantee correct assessment of the properties measured by the electromagnetic detector 5, the method according to this invention comprises, before the detecting step, a step intended to calibrate the electromagnetic detector 5 by means of a detection of each retaining seat 4.

That step allows systematic consideration and assessment of the contribution to the measurement caused by the fact that part of the portion 3, the part with the retaining seats 4, enters the detecting chamber 8, thereby guaranteeing correct inspection, during the subsequent measuring step, of the cartridges C.

In more detail, during the calibration step, the electromagnetic detector 5 substantially takes a measurement of only the portion 3 of the advancement conveyor 2, limited to the part which enters the detecting chamber 8, in the absence of cartridges C.

This allows the assessment of any effect that the passage of the albeit small part of the portion 3 of the advancement conveyor 2 may have on the electromagnetic signal generated by the transmission antenna and intended for the receiving antenna.

During the subsequent actual inspection of the cartridges C, it will therefore be sufficient to appropriately take into account the contribution to the measurement from the passage of part of the advancement conveyor 2 inside the detecting chamber 8, which is known thanks to the calibration step, in order to ensure that, once processed, the electromagnetic signal unequivocally shows relevant information that only relates to the cartridge C inspected, so as to provide a correct assessment of its quality level. Advantageously, the detecting step in turn comprises sub-steps intended to allow operators to define whether or not a predetermined cartridge C can be correctly used for making a finished product. In particular, the detecting step comprises a first sub-step intended to determine if the at least a property measured satisfies a predefined acceptability criterion and, if that acceptability criterion is not respected, a second sub-step intended to activate a rejecting procedure for rejecting the cartridge C, in such a way that it is removed from the production process.

Advantageously, this invention achieves the proposed aims, overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art and making available to the user an inspection unit and method for quality control of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes which guarantee the performance of a correct and efficient qualitative analysis of the processed product.

Claims

1. An inspection unit (1 ) for quality control of disposable cartridges (C) for electronic cigarettes, comprising:

- an advancement conveyor (2) having a portion (3) having a succession of retaining seats (4) configured to receive respective cartridges (C) from a feed unit of the cartridges (C);

- an electromagnetic detector (5) configured to detect one or more properties of the cartridges (C) so as to determine a conformity of said cartridges (C) to one or more predefined acceptability criteria; characterised in that

said detector comprises a transmission shell (6) configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal and a receiving shell (7) configured to receive said electromagnetic signal, said transmission shell (6) and said receiving shell (7) being facing one another and defining a detecting chamber (8) configured to slidingly receive the portion therein (3) and at least a cartridge (C) housed in a respective retaining seat (4), wherein the cartridge (C) is positioned completely inside the detecting chamber (8).

2. The unit according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic detector (5) has substantially a U-shape or a C-shape adapted to at least partly house the advancement conveyor (2) in such a way that the portion (3) is partly surrounded by the electromagnetic detector (5).

3. The machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transmission shell (6) comprises a transmission cavity (6a) and a transmission antenna, which is arranged inside the transmission cavity (6a), and wherein the receiving shell (7) comprises a receiving cavity (7a) and a receiving antenna, which is arranged inside the receiving cavity (7a).

4. The unit according to claim 3, wherein said transmission shell (6) and said receiving shell (7) have a hollow parallelepiped conformation.

5. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission shell (6) and the receiving shell (7) comprise respective dielectric sheaths (6b, 7b), arranged so as to at least partly cover respective surfaces arranged facing one another, which are facing towards the portion (3) of the advancement conveyor (2) and define the detecting chamber (8).

6. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the detecting chamber (8) comprises a central part (8a), which is configured to receive the cartridge (C) and is arranged at a central zone of the electromagnetic detector (5), and a peripheral part (8b) which extends starting from said central part (8a), which is configured to receive the portion (3).

7. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the portion (3) has a curved saw-toothed profile adapted to guide the gradual insertion of the cartridges (C) in the retaining seats (4), said retaining seats (4) being defined by bases of the curved saw-toothed profiles.

8. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining seats (4) are configured so as to retain respective cartridges (C) in a substantially vertical position.

9. The unit according to claim 8, wherein the portion (3) has a horizontal surface surrounding said succession of retaining seats (4) adapted to restingly receive an undercut of an external surface of the cartridges (C).

10. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the portion (3) of the advancement conveyor (2), or the whole advancement conveyor (2), is made of a polymeric material.

11. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the advancement conveyor (2) comprises an advancement drum having a vertical axis (X) of rotation, and wherein said succession of retaining seats has a main extension direction that is substantially parallel to the vertical axis (X) of rotation of the drum; and wherein the portion (3) is peripheral and is arranged at an edge of the advancement drum.

12. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising removal means (9) arranged downstream of the detector with respect to the advancement direction of the advancement conveyor (2), configured to extract, from the retaining seats (4), non-compliant cartridges (C) detected by the electromagnetic detector (5).

13. The unit according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the electromagnetic detector (5) is a microwave resonator, for example operating at a wavelength comprised between 10⁹ and 10¹² Hz for measuring the density and/or the moisture of a filling product of the tobacco industry contained inside the cartridges (C), and the detection chamber (8) is a resonance chamber.

14. An inspection method for quality control of disposable cartridges (C) for electronic cigarettes, comprising steps of:

- arranging an inspection unit (1 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims;

- receiving in respective retaining seats (4) of the advancement conveyor (2) a succession of cartridges (C) from a feed unit of the cartridges (C);

- moving said succession of cartridges (C) through the detecting chamber

(8);

- detecting, by means of the electromagnetic detector (5), at least a property of a cartridge (C) positioned completely inside the detecting chamber (8);

- releasing said succession of cartridges (C) to receiving means of the cartridges (C).

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising, prior to the detecting step, a step of calibrating the electromagnetic detector (5) by means of a detection of each retaining seat (4).

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the detecting step comprises sub-steps of:

- determining whether said at least a measured property satisfies a predefined acceptability criterion;

- if said acceptability criterion is not respected, activating a rejecting procedure of the cartridge (C).