Abstract: A manufacturing machine for producing disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes can have a manufacturing drum supporting at least one group of seats, each adapted to receive a component of the disposable cartridge; and a feeding unit which feeds the components of the disposable cartridges to the seats. Each seat has a housing through channel crossing the manufacturing drum from side-to-side to contain a component and a pair of opposite jaws mounted in the housing channel and movable between a gripping position, in which they engage a component arranged in the housing channel and a transfer position, in which they do not engage the component. Each pair of jaws has two teeth arranged at the top and projecting from the corresponding jaws towards the center of the seat, so that the two teeth hold the component inside the seat at the top when the two jaws are in the gripping position.

Abstract: Rigid pack for rod-shaped articles includes; a parallelepiped-shaped container, which houses the group of articles and has at least a lower wall, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls; and a support system arranged in the container and has at least a first containing wall, which is parallel to the lower wall and is provided with a plurality of through holes, each engaged by a corresponding smoking article. The support system consists of a first articulated parallelogram having a frame glued to the rear wall of the container, two cranks and a connecting rod, which only rests against the front wall of the container, so that, while the rigid pack is being manufactured, the support system can be formed with the first articulated parallelogram in a flat condition and can subsequently be expanded by opening the first articulated parallelogram by rotation of both cranks.

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 conveyor for transporting assembled or semi-assembled cartridges for electronic cigarettes includes a rail extending along a path and a carriage movable on the rail and including a unit for housing cartridge that includes: a seat on which a single cartridge is received; first and second levers positioned on opposite sides of the seat, and being reciprocally rotatable between an open position, to allow the arrangement and/or picking-up of a cartridge, and a closed position, to retain the cartridge in its receiving position on the seat; a follower member for bringing the first lever into rotation as a result of a pushing action executed on the follower member. The housing unit includes a gear mechanism for rotationally connecting the first and second levers, so that the rotation of the first lever induced by the follower member causes, via the gear mechanism, a corresponding rotation of the second lever.

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 machine for filling and capping cartridges for electronic-cigarettes includes a transport line for feeding cartridges; a transfer unit for transferring the cartridges from a feeding line to the transport line; a station for dispensing a predetermined quantity of product into the cartridges; a station for applying a cap to each cartridge filled with product; a system for feeding caps to the cap application station including a conveyor for transporting the caps thereto according to a pre-established formation, and a unit for detecting the caps transported by the conveyor; a control unit for checking possible empty spots in the formation of the transported caps, based on detection data provided by the detection unit, and for transmitting a stop signal to at least one among the transfer unit, the product dispensing unit and the cap application station, if an empty spot is identified in the formation of the caps.

Abstract: A sealing machine and method for controlling a sealing machine Includes the following steps: placing capped containers provided with a seal on plates, rotating the plates, pressing the seal against the cap of the container and fastening said seal using a sealing head. The step of rotating the plates is performed by rotating each plate independently of the other plates. The method further includes: detecting at least one parameter associated with the rotation of a plate and/or with a compression load between each sealing head and the seal, and comparing the value of the detected parameter with a reference range.

Abstract: A manufacturing machine includes a feeding system that has first and second processing conveyors arranged in series along the processing path, and a transfer unit interposed between there-between that cyclically transfers the products from the first processing conveyor to the second processing conveyor, picking up the products in a pick-up station arranged in the area of the first processing conveyor and releasing the products in a release station arranged in the area of the second processing conveyor. The transfer unit has a plurality of trays, each having a series of seats designed to house a product, a moving system, which cyclically moves the trays between the pick-up and release stations, a first transferring and second transfer devices arranged in the pick-up station and release stations, respectively to transfer the products from the first processing conveyor to a tray, and from a tray to the second processing conveyor, respectively.

Abstract: Rigid pack for rod-shaped articles includes; a parallelepiped-shaped container, which houses the group of articles and has at least a lower wall, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls; and a support system arranged in the container and has at least a first containing wall, which is parallel to the lower wall and is provided with a plurality of through holes, each engaged by a corresponding smoking article. The support system consists of a first articulated parallelogram having a frame glued to the rear wall of the container, two cranks and a connecting rod, which only rests against the front wall of the container, so that, while the rigid pack is being manufactured, the support system can be formed with the first articulated parallelogram in a flat condition and can subsequently be expanded by opening the first articulated parallelogram by rotation of both cranks.

Abstract: An operating station for a machine for filling and capping cartridges for electronic cigarettes is arranged along a feeding path of a conveying fine of the machine and includes: an operating device having operative positions for operating on the cartridges arranged in series along a direction parallel to the feeding path; and a device for transferring cartridges, which includes a first and second series of pick-up members, each having a number of pick-up members corresponding to the number of operative positions, and which is actuatable according to a movement of rotation about a vertical axis, for selectively interchanging positions of the series of pick-up members, between a loading/unloading position at the conveying line, wherein the pick-up members pick up or release the cartridges and a working position at the operative positions of the operating device, wherein the pick-up members pick up or release the cartridges from/into the operative positions.

Abstract: A welding station for welding parts of electronic cigarettes includes feeding means, set in a feeding area for feeding parts of electronic cigarettes to be welded; welding means, set in a welding area, downstream of the feeding area, for welding the parts of electronic cigarettes; and a transfer device, set between the feeding means and the welding means for receiving from the feeding means the parts of electronic cigarettes to be welded and transferring them from the feeding area to the welding area. The transfer device includes a first transfer sector and a second transfer sector, pre-arranged for receiving from the feeding means, respectively, first parts and second parts of electronic cigarettes to be welded and transferring them into the welding area. The first transfer sector and the second transfer sector are mobile in rotation about an axis, independently of one another.

Abstract: A feeding unit (12) which is configured to feed articles (3) from a pick-up station (S10) to a delivery station (S11). The feeding unit (12) comprises: a gripping head (16) provided with at least one gripping means (17) and attached to a shaft (13). The shaft (13) is configured to translate along the rotation axis (X) between a lowered position (PA), in which the articles (3) are picked up and released by the gripping head (16), and a raised position (PS), in which the gripping head (16) rotates between the pick-up station (S10) and the delivery station (S11). The feeding unit (12) comprises two actuators (25, 26) which are coaxial to the shaft (13) and which are configured to respectively translate the shaft (13) between the lowered position (PA) and the raised position (PS) along the rotation axis (X) and to rotate the shaft (13) around the rotation axis (X) between the pick-up station (S10) and the delivery station (S11).

Abstract: A system for transferring a group of components of electronic cigarettes from a first to a second operating station includes a conveyor extends from a feeding zone to a disengagement zone and has a plurality of seats. A feeding device receives the components and feeds them into the seats at a first mutual distance. A disengaging and transferring device operates to disengage the components from their seats and transfer the components to a collecting zone. A compacting device operates in the collecting zone to move the components closer together and place them at a second mutual distance that is smaller than the first mutual distance. A tray faces and receives from the collecting zone the group of components which have been placed close together. A pushing device pushes the components from the collecting zone into the tray. A movement device transfers the tray to the second operating station.

Abstract: A method and system of feeding groups of products to a processing unit includes: a tray with a plurality of housings to receive one single product; a conveyor to move the tray along a feeding path; a transfer device to transfer a group of products from respective housings to the processing unit; and an organizing device upstream of the transfer device. The organizing device has: a detection member to detect the presence and position of empty housings and/or housings containing defective products; a gripping member to pick up from or release product into any housing; and a control unit to control the gripping member, based on data received from the detection member, to move one or more products from the respective housings so that defective or missing products are in the housings having the same composition as a group of products to form a group of defective or missing products.

Abstract: A system for transferring a first group of components of electronic cigarettes from first to second operating stations includes a flat collecting surface extending from a feeding zone to a releasing zone. A feeding device receives the components and feeds them onto the collecting surface. A first abutment element abuts the first component of the first group. A second abutment element abuts the last component of the first group. A compacting and stabilizing device moves the components closer together and stabilizes their positions. A first movement device moves the first and second abutment elements along the collecting surface to transfer the first group to the releasing zone. A tray faces the releasing zone to receive the first group. A pushing device pushes the components from the releasing zone into the tray. A transferring device transfers the tray with the first group towards the second operating station.

Abstract: A machine for filling cartridges for aerosol-generating devices includes a feed line, which supplies cartridges to be filled with their corresponding ends facing upwards, a filling station, which receives the cartridges and has at least one dispensing nozzle which is mobile along a path of forward stroke and is pre-arranged for dispensing a product, first inspection means for inspecting the cartridge ends in order to identify, for each one, a position of the corresponding open area; and an orientation station, which receives the cartridges that have been inspected and includes orientation means for rotating each cartridge about its own longitudinal axis based on the corresponding identified position, and bringing the open area into a pre-set reference position for enabling entry of the dispensing nozzle into the open area when the dispensing nozzle is driven along the path of forward stroke.

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: Apparatus for performing operations on semi-finished devices for producing disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes includes: a guide having a branch extending along a forming direction, and having a longitudinal plane; carriages movable along the guide, each guide includes a retaining element to retain a semi-finished device during operations thereon; a drive system for advancing the carriages along the guide; and operating stations spaced from each other along the forming direction, each having an operating arrangement for performing operations on the semi-finished devices carried by the retaining elements applying stresses on the semi-finished devices; wherein: the retaining element is arranged laterally relative to the longitudinal plane, the apparatus includes a stationary support located at the operating stations, and each of the carriages includes a contrast element cooperating with the stationary support and arranged to transfer stresses applied by the operating arrangement on the semi-finished

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.