Abstract: A cutting unit for the cutting of a substrate band for an aerosol-generating device, and a related cutting assembly, wherein the substrate band has a longitudinally-extending axis and wherein the cutting unit comprises: a feeder for feeding the substrate band along a feed direction parallel to the extension axis; a cutting head comprising a cutting edge having a closed profile for cutting a substrate portion from the substrate band, which cutting head is movable in a movement direction transversal to the feed direction between a cutting position, in which it cuts the substrate portion, and a release position, in which it releases the substrate portion; and a conveyor, which are arranged and shaped so as to receive the substrate portion from the cutting head when the cutting head is in the release position, and convey the substrate portion towards an output section.

Abstract: A system for conveying electronic cigarette components, including: a guide including a stopping station; a carriage to slide along the guide; a retaining device for holding a component of an electronic cigarette; and a locking unit for locking the carriage relative to the guide at the stopping station. The locking unit includes: two abutment elements mounted on the carriage and disposed at a predetermined mutual distance; and an inserting element which is: disposed at the stopping station shaped such that first and second edges contact the abutment elements, respectively, when the carriage is at the stopping station; movable between a retracted position free from the abutment elements to allow the carriage to slide, and an advanced position contacting the abutment elements to prevent the carriage from sliding. Each abutment element is rotatable about its axis to facilitate movement of the inserting element between the two positions.

Abstract: A system for weighing containers includes: a weighing station and a conveying path extending from an upstream infeed section to a downstream outfeed section. The conveying path includes a gripping stretch for gripping the containers and a release stretch for releasing the containers, disposed between the infeed section and the outfeed section; and a conveying device for conveying the containers from the infeed section to the gripping stretch, and the weighed containers from the release stretch to the outfeed section. The conveying device includes first and second groups of housings for receiving the containers and moving them from the infeed section to the gripping stretch. A gripping and transferring device transfers the containers from the gripping stretch to the weighing station and from the weighing station to the release stretch. The first and second groups are movable independently of each other from the infeed section to the gripping stretch.

Abstract: A manufacturing machine for the production of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes provided with a base; a support body, coupled to the base and is provided with a number of electrodes; a heating member electrically connected to the electrodes; and a substrate which surrounds the heating member. The manufacturing machine is provided with feeding conveyor, which feeds a semi-finished disposable cartridges along a forming path; and a number of operating stations arranged along the first forming path to alternatively carry out the supplying of a corresponding component of the semi-finished disposable cartridges or to carry out a processing of the components of the semi-finished disposable cartridges. The feeding conveyor has an annular guide arranged in a fixed position along the forming path; and a number of slides, each of which is coupled to a respective carriage designed to house the semi-finished disposable cartridges.

Abstract: A system for conveying electronic cigarette components, including: a guide including a stopping station; a carriage to slide along the guide; a retaining device for holding a component of an electronic cigarette; and a locking unit for locking the carriage relative to the guide at the stopping station. The locking unit includes: two abutment elements mounted on the carriage and disposed at a predetermined mutual distance; and an inserting element which is: disposed at the stopping station; shaped such that its-first and second edges contact the abutment elements, respectively, when the carriage is at the stopping station; movable between a retracted position free from the abutment elements to allow the carriage, to slide, and an advanced position contacting the abutment elements to prevent the carriage from sliding. Each abutment element is rotatable about its axis to facilitate movement of the inserting element between the two positions.

Abstract: A system for weighing containers includes: a weighing station and a conveying path extending from an upstream infeed section to a downstream outfeed section. The conveying path includes a gripping stretch for gripping the containers and a release stretch for releasing the containers, disposed between the infeed section and the outfeed section; and a conveying device for conveying the containers from the infeed section to the gripping stretch, and the weighed containers from the release stretch to the outfeed section. The conveying device includes first and second groups of housings for receiving the containers and moving them from the infeed section to the gripping stretch. A gripping and transferring device transfers the containers from the gripping stretch to the weighing station and from the weighing station to the release stretch. The first and second groups are movable independently of each other from the infeed section to the gripping stretch.

Abstract: A system for conveying electronic cigarette components, including: a guide including a stopping station; a carriage to slide along the guide; a retaining device for holding a component of an electronic cigarette; and a locking unit for locking the carriage relative to the guide at the stopping station. The locking unit includes: two abutment elements, mounted on the carriage and disposed at a predetermined mutual distance; and an inserting element which is: disposed at the stopping station; shaped such that first and second edges contact the abutment elements, respectively, when the carriage is at the stopping station; movable between a retracted position free from the abutment elements to allow the carriage to slide, and an advanced position contacting the abutment elements to prevent the carriage from sliding. Each abutment element is rotatable about its axis to facilitate movement of the inserting element between the two positions.

Abstract: A cutting unit for the cutting of a substrate band for an aerosol-generating device, and a related cutting assembly, wherein the substrate band has a longitudinally-extending axis and wherein the cutting unit comprises: feed means for feeding the substrate band along a feed direction parallel to the extension axis; a cutting head comprising a cutting edge having a closed profile for cutting a substrate portion from the substrate band, which cutting head is movable in a movement direction transversal to the feed direction between a cutting position, in which it cuts the substrate portion, and a release position, in which it releases the substrate portion; and conveying means, which are arranged and shaped so as to receive the substrate portion from the cutting head when the cutting head is in the release position, and convey the substrate portion towards an output section.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a heating member for an electronic cigarette is disclosed. The method improves positioning of the heating member with respect to the power electrodes of an electronic cigarette so as to provide a more reliable electrical connection between the heating member and power electrodes. The method includes image processing to calculate a distance between coils of the heating element.

Abstract: A system for conveying electronic cigarette components, including: a guide including a stopping station; a carriage to slide along the guide; a retaining device for holding a component of an electronic cigarette; and a locking unit for locking the carriage relative to the guide at the stopping station. The locking unit includes: two abutment elements, mounted on the carriage and disposed at a predetermined mutual distance; and an inserting element which is: disposed at the stopping station; shaped such that first and second edges contact the abutment elements, respectively, when the carriage is at the stopping station; movable between a retracted position free from the abutment elements to allow the carriage to slide, and an advanced position contacting the abutment elements to prevent the carriage from sliding. Each abutment element is rotatable about its axis to facilitate movement of the inserting element between the two positions.

Abstract: A manufacturing machine for the production of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes provided with a base; a support body, which is coupled to the base and is provided with a number of electrodes suited to be electrically connected to the base; a heating member, which is electrically connected to the electrodes; and a substrate which surrounds the heating member; the manufacturing machine is provided with a first feeding conveyor, which feeds the semi-finished disposable cartridges along a first forming path; and a number of operating stations arranged along the first forming path to alternatively carry out the supplying of a corresponding component of the semi-finished disposable cartridges carried by the first feeding conveyor or to carry out a processing of the components of the semi-finished disposable cartridges; wherein the first feeding conveyor comprises an annular guide which is arranged in a fixed position along the first forming path; and a number of slides, each of which is coupled to a r

Abstract: A system for in-line controlling of the ultrasonic welding of plastic components of an electronic cigarette, in which plastic components are welded to one another at a welding zone to define a welded group; the plastic components are such that the welded group has an air passage duct having a first open end and a second open end. The system includes: a chamber for receiving the welded group; a closure for closing the first open end; air supply for supplying air into the chamber.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a heating member for an electronic cigarette is disclosed. The method improves positioning of the heating member with respect to the power electrodes of an electronic cigarette so as to provide a more reliable electrical connection between the heating member and power electrodes. The method includes image processing to calculate a distance between coils of the heating element.

Abstract: A system for in-line controlling of the ultrasonic welding of plastic components of an electronic cigarette, in which plastic components are welded to one another at a welding zone to define a welded group; the plastic components are such that the welded group has an air passage duct having a first open end and a second open end. The system includes: a chamber for receiving the welded group; a closure for closing the first open end; air supply for supplying air into the chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sonotrode for the ultrasonic welding of plastic components of an electronic cigarette. The sonotrode comprises: a body comprising a first end which can be connected to an ultrasound generator, and a second end; a cavity that develops from the second end towards the first end, for receiving at least partially a plastic component of an electronic cigarette to be welded. The cavity defines an opening at the second end of the body, communicating with the outside of the sonotrode. In particular, at the opening, the cross section of the cavity has an outline comprising: a first portion that has the shape of a first arc of a reference circumference, which comprises a first end and a second end, opposite each other; and a second portion, that has the shape of a second arc of said reference circumference, which comprises a first end and a second end, opposite each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sonotrode for the ultrasonic welding of plastic components of an electronic cigarette. The sonotrode comprises: a body comprising a first end which can be connected to an ultrasound generator, and a second end; a cavity that develops from the second end towards the first end, for receiving at least partially a plastic component of an electronic cigarette to be welded. The cavity defines an opening at the second end of the body, communicating with the outside of the sonotrode. In particular, at the opening, the cross section of the cavity has an outline comprising: a first portion that has the shape of a first arc of a reference circumference, which comprises a first end and a second end, opposite each other; and a second portion, that has the shape of a second arc of said reference circumference, which comprises a first end and a second end, opposite each other.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette comprising a vaporizer having a first portion, which is provided with a resistor and a connector electrically connected to the resistor and a support comprising insulating material; and a second portion, which is provided with an additional electrical connector and a base element comprising an insulating material on which the further electrical connector is mounted; the support and the base element are different one with respect to the other; the connectors are connected together by means of a male-female coupling so as to keep together the first and the second portion and establishing a continuous connection.

Abstract: A brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine, the method including the steps of: defining a number of end product brands that can be produced on the automatic machine; creating a number of configurations, each associated with a respective brand and having a set of values of control parameters controlling electrically controlled operating parts to produce the brand; selecting a desired end product brand; loading the configuration corresponding to the desired end product brand onto a control unit to commence production of the desired brand; defining a number of sections, each having a set of control parameters and independent of the other sections; defining a number of recipes by assigning each section at least one respective set of values of the corresponding control parameters, so each recipe corresponds to a respective section and contains the values of the control parameters in that particular section; and defining each configuration by combining a number of compatible recipes,

Abstract: Decontamination/bioremediation of soils contaminated by organic and/or inorganic compounds includes the addition of a natural substrate containing nutrients to the contaminated soil, a period of time of anaerobic rest of said soil with control of the oxidation-reduction potential, of the humidity rate, of the field capacity and of the temperature, and thereafter the aeration of same; also decontaminated/bioremediated are surface or underground waters contaminated by organic and/or inorganic compounds, as the method for the bioremediation of contaminated soil is provided as the natural substrate containing nutrients and added to the soil reaches the level of the water and/or aquifer table contaminated by the organic and/or inorganic compounds, thus inducing the bioremediation thereof.

Abstract: A brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine, the method including the steps of: defining a number of end product brands that can be produced on the automatic machine; creating a number of configurations, each associated with a respective brand and having a set of values of control parameters controlling electrically controlled operating parts to produce the brand; selecting a desired end product brand; loading the configuration corresponding to the desired end product brand onto a control unit to commence production of the desired brand; defining a number of sections, each having a set of control parameters and independent of the other sections; defining a number of recipes by assigning each section at least one respective set of values of the corresponding control parameters, so each recipe corresponds to a respective section and contains the values of the control parameters in that particular section; and defining each configuration by combining a number of compatible recipes,