Abstract: A system for assembling and filling two groups of electronic cigarettes, includes first and second working stations for assembly/inspection operations on a first group of electronic cigarettes and disposed upstream and downstream of a first conveying path, respectively. Third and fourth working stations perform assembly/inspection operations on a second group of electronic cigarettes and are disposed upstream and downstream of a second conveying path, respectively. A single filling station receives the first group at a first loading zone and the second group at a second loading zone to fill the first group and the second group with a filling product; and releases the first group of filled electronic cigarettes at a first unloading zone and the second group of filled electronic cigarettes at a second unloading zone towards the second working station and towards the fourth working station, respectively.

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: Described is a centring apparatus, including a conveyor for feeding articles configured for feeding a succession of components, a centring station, positioned downstream of the feeding conveyor and including centring means configured for receiving the components from the feeding conveyor and for centring the components in accordance with a predetermined positioning and/or orientation and a release area, positioned downstream of the centring station for receiving the centred components, coming from the centring station. The apparatus also includes movement means designed to transport the at least one component along a centring path extending from the feeding conveyor to the release area through the centring station.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing articles includes: a feed line, two removal lines and a reservoir therebetween and including a feed station with a feed transfer device operable with a feed line, two pickup stations, each with a pickup transfer device and operable with a removal line, and a movable support with receiving seats movable along a closed path through the feed and pickup stations so the articles are transferred from the feed line to the movable support and the articles are transferred from the movable support to a removal line by a pickup transfer device. A control unit drives the transfer devices based on current capacity values of the feed line and the removal lines to vary the number of articles disposed on the movable support during an imbalance between the current capacity of the feed line and the current capacity of the removal lines.

Abstract: Described is a reservoir including a feed station equipped with a feed transfer device and associated or associable with a respective feed line, a pickup station equipped with a pickup transfer device and associated or associable with at least one respective removal line, a movable support provided with receiving seats which move along a closed path passing through the feed station and the pickup station, detecting means for detecting a filled condition of at least some of the receiving seats, and a control unit configured to drive the transfer devices as a function of current capacity values of the feed line and of the removal line, wherein the control unit is connected to the detecting means and is configured to move the transfer devices as a function of the filled conditions received from the detecting means, so as to place the articles in receiving seats detected as being currently available and/or to pick up articles from receiving seats detected as currently containing an article.

Abstract: A reservoir, including: a feed station equipped with a feed transfer device and associated with a feed line for feeding articles; a pickup station equipped with a pickup transfer device and associated with a removal line for removing articles; a movable support provided with a plurality of receiving seats and configured to move the receiving seats along a closed path passing through the feed station and the pickup station; detecting means for detecting a filled condition of at least some of the receiving seats; a control unit connected to the detecting means and configured to drive the transfer devices according to a logic of variable transfer frequency as a function of the filled condition received from the detecting means.

Abstract: A reservoir includes: feed stations, each with a feed transfer device and associated with a feed line for feeding components; a pickup station with a pickup transfer device associated with a removal line for removing articles; a movable support with receiving seats for individual articles and movable along a closed path through the feed stations and the pickup station so that two or more components for each article are fed to each receiving seat of the movable support by the feed transfer devices to form an article and the articles are removed from the movable support by the pickup transfer device; a control unit to drive the transfer devices as a function of current capacity values of the feed lines and of the removal line. The reservoir creates a combination of the components, forming a corresponding article, while the components are moved from the feed lines to the removal line.

Abstract: A reservoir comprises: at least one feed station equipped with a feed transfer device and associated or associable with at least one respective feed line for feeding articles; at least one pickup station equipped with a pickup transfer device and associated or associable with at least one respective removal line for removing articles; a movable support provided with a plurality of receiving seats for receiving articles and configured to move the receiving seats along a closed path passing through the feed station and the pickup station so that the articles are fed to the movable support by the feed transfer device and the articles are removed from the movable support by the pickup transfer device. The movable support comprises a plurality of sectors, each defining a plurality of receiving seats and movable independently of each other along the closed path.

Abstract: A method and a machine to manufacture windings around respective supports, which includes: at least two different winding stations operating in parallel; a main conveyor configured to feed two supports to the two winding stations; two guide fingers, each arranged in a respective winding station and configured to engage a wire in a sliding manner and, hence, move the wire so as to wind the wire around the respective support in order to manufacture a series of turns making up the winding; a same common operating body which supports both guide fingers; a first actuator device configured to move the operating body so as to subject the two guide fingers to the same law of motion; and a second actuator device configured to move a guide finger relative to the operating body if a respective winding does not have to be manufactured in the corresponding winding station.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a liquid product into containers includes a conveyor for conveying a plurality of containers through a filling station; a dispensing unit set in the filling station and including one or more nozzles and a system for pumping the liquid product to said one or more nozzles for dispensing the liquid product into the containers that follow one another in the filling station; a tank including a collection chamber and at least one inlet mouth in communication with the collection chamber, the tank being mobile between a resting position and a working position in which the at least one inlet mouth is set in a position underlying the one or more nozzles; and a control unit configured for controlling movement of the tank from the resting position (P1) to the working position, and vice versa.

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: Transport system (6) for an article (1) having: a movable unit (7) provided with at least one seat (8), which is designed to contain the article (1), is delimited by a first wall (11) and by a second wall (12) facing one another and opposite one another, so that the article (1) can be housed between the first wall (11) and the second wall (12), and has an elastic element (13) pushing the two walls (11, 12) towards one another: a conveyor (9), which is designed to move the movable unit (7) along a path (P); and an operating device (15), which is on the outside and independent of the movable unit (7), is arranged along the path (P), and is designed to act upon the first wall (11) in order to move the first wall (11) away from the second wall (12) against the force generated by the elastic element (13). The first wall (11) is mounted on the movable unit (7) in a sliding manner to linearly slide relative to the movable unit (7).

Abstract: A system for assembling electronic cigarette parts comprising cartridges and for filling the cartridges includes a first conveyor; a first group of carrier units connected to the first conveyor to be movable independently along the first conveyor and to receive and hold the parts; a first group of working stations for assembling/inspecting the cigarette parts on the first conveyor; a second conveyor, downstream of the first conveyor; and a second group of carrier units connected to the second conveyor to be movable independently along the second conveyor and to receive and hold the parts; a second group of working stations for assembling/inspecting the parts on the second conveyor; and a filling station, disposed between the first and second conveyors to receive the parts from the first conveyor, fill the respective cartridges, and feed the parts with the filled cartridges towards the second conveyor.

Abstract: A capping station has a first conveying system designed to move a plurality of full bottles; a second conveying system, arranged above the first conveying system, designed to move a plurality of caps; a capping device designed to pick up at least one cap from the second conveying system in order to apply the cap to a bottle carried by the first conveying system; and a heating unit comprising at least one heating device, a support beam carrying the heating device, a main operating device designed to move the support beam between a rest position in which the heating device is far from the bottles and a work position in which the heating device is close to the bottles to heat at least the neck of the bottles, and a safety operating device independent of the main operating device, designed to move the support beam between the work and rest positions.

Abstract: A method for the production of an article in an automatic machine operating by means of a succession of operating cycles.

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 system for assembling and filling two groups of electronic cigarettes, includes first and second working stations for assembly/inspection operations on a first group of electronic cigarettes and disposed upstream and downstream of a first conveying path, respectively. Third and fourth working stations perform assembly/inspection operations on a second group of electronic cigarettes and are disposed upstream and downstream of a second conveying path, respectively. A single filling station receives the first group at a first loading zone and the second group at a second loading zone to fill the first group and the second group with a filling product; and releases the first group of filled electronic cigarettes at a first unloading zone and the second group of filled electronic cigarettes at a second unloading zone towards the second working station and towards the fourth working station, respectively.

Abstract: An extraction station for the extraction from a transport system for an at least partially complete cartridge; the extraction station has: a collecting device; at least one holding head, which is designed to grab at least one end of the cartridge; and a moving device which supports the holding head and moves the holding head between a pick-up position, in which the holding head is in the area of the transport system and grabs the cartridge, and a release position, in which the holding head releases the cartridge.

Abstract: A system for assembling and filling two groups of electronic cigarettes, includes first and second working stations for assembly/inspection operations on a first group of electronic cigarettes and disposed upstream and downstream of a first conveying path, respectively. Third and fourth working stations perform assembly/inspection operations on a second group of electronic cigarettes and are disposed upstream and downstream of a second conveying path, respectively. A single filling station receives the first group at a first loading zone and the second group at a second loading zone to fill the first group and the second group with a filling product; and releases the first group of filled electronic cigarettes at a first unloading zone and the second group of filled electronic cigarettes at a second unloading zone towards the second working station and towards the fourth working station, respectively.

Abstract: A system for assembling and filling two groups of electronic cigarettes, includes first and second working stations for assembly/inspection operations on a first group of electronic cigarettes and disposed upstream and downstream of a first conveying path, respectively. Third and fourth working stations perform assembly/inspection operations on a second group of electronic cigarettes and are disposed upstream and downstream of a second conveying path, respectively. A single filling station receives the first group at a first loading zone and the second group at a second loading zone to fill the first group and the second group with a filling product; and releases the first group of filled electronic cigarettes at a first unloading zone and the second group of filled electronic cigarettes at a second unloading zone towards the second working station and towards the fourth working station, respectively.