Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a housing having a wall defining an inner space, and an inlet and an outlet providing access to the inner space, a vaporizer to produce a vapour and being located in the inner space of the housing, an electrical power device to provide electrical power to the vaporizer and being located in the inner space of the housing. The electrical power device includes a first electrical contact member being electrically connected to one of an anode and a cathode of the electrical power device, and a second electrical contact member being electrically connected to the other of the anode and the cathode of the electrical power device. The vaporizer includes a vaporizer outer surface, a third electrical contact member located on the vaporizer outer surface, and a fourth electrical contact member located on the vaporizer outer surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filling station for filling cartridges of electronic cigarettes with a liquid, the filling station defining a plurality of filling positions for a plurality of cartridges, the filling station being configured for simultaneously filling the cartridges which are in the filling positions, the filling station comprising: a plurality of nozzles, wherein the nozzles are grouped in a first group of first nozzles and a second group of second nozzles, wherein each filling position is associated with a first nozzle from the first group and a second nozzle from the second group, an up-down actuator for moving the nozzles downward into upwardly oriented filling openings of the cartridges in the filling positions in order to insert at least a first nozzle and a second nozzle into each cartridge, and a distance actuator for changing a horizontal distance between each first nozzle and second nozzle.

Abstract: A testing apparatus for testing vaporizers of electronic cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes or parts thereof comprising the vaporizers, comprises a movable holding construction part provided with multiple holding units each for holding a vaporizer, or electronic cigarette or part thereof comprising the vaporizer. A channel construction part moves synchronously with the holding construction part and is provided with multiple first channels. An inlet opening of each first channel is in fluid communication with a vapor output of a vaporizer in an associated holding unit. The outlet openings of the first channels move along an outlet opening trajectory. A fluid duct has a stationary inlet port adjacent to the outlet opening trajectory. The fluid duct is connected to a fluid pump to create a fluid flow in the fluid duct in a direction away from the inlet port. A vapor sensor is arranged in the fluid duct.

Abstract: A testing apparatus for testing vaporizers of electronic cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes or parts thereof comprising the vaporizers, comprises a movable holding construction part provided with multiple holding units each for holding a vaporizer, or electronic cigarette or part thereof comprising the vaporizer. A channel construction part moves synchronously with the holding construction part and is provided with multiple first channels. An inlet opening of each first channel is in fluid communication with a vapour output of a vaporizer in an associated holding unit. The outlet openings of the first channels move along an outlet opening trajectory. A fluid duct has a stationary inlet port adjacent to the outlet opening trajectory. The fluid duct is connected to a fluid pump to create a fluid flow in the fluid duct in a direction away from the inlet port. A vapour sensor is arranged in the fluid duct.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette tubes individualizer apparatus individualizes tubes received from a first track without spacing and provides the tubes to a second track with a spacing. The apparatus includes a rotary carrousel configured to rotate about a rotation axis and provided with a guide extending with the longitudinal axis partially along a line substantially intersecting the rotation axis; a stationary cam track extending around the rotation axis; a carriage mounted to the carrousel for traveling in a reciprocating movement along the guide driven by a cam follower following the cam track while the carousel is rotating; and a receiver connected to the carriage for receiving the tube from the first track close to the rotation axis and delivering the tube to the second track further away from the rotation axis with a pitch.

Abstract: A filling device, in particular for filling liquid containers of electronic cigarettes with a liquid, includes: a rotary carrousel configured to rotate about a main axis of rotation, a pump cam track extending about the main axis, where the rotary carrousel includes multiple hose pumps arranged in an annular configuration about the main axis, where each hose pump includes: a hose, a rotary pump device, the rotary pump device including: a roller rotor including a number of rollers which are configured to engage the hose and urge the liquid through the hose, a cam rotor including a number of pump cams which are configured to engage the pump cam track, the cam rotor being coupled to the roller rotor.

Abstract: A filling station for filling containers includes a number of container holders defining respective container positions; a number of filling assemblies, each filling assembly being associated with a container holder, where each filling assembly includes a reciprocating nozzle assembly which makes a first reciprocating movement from a retracted nozzle position in which a nozzle is retracted from the container to an inserted nozzle position in which the nozzle is inserted into the container, where the nozzle moves through an opening in a lid member of a reciprocating lid assembly to be inserted into the container for filling the container with liquid; where the reciprocating lid assembly makes a second reciprocating movement towards a filling opening of the container in the container holder and back in a direction away from the filling opening, where the reciprocating lid assembly is under pretension in the direction of the container holder.

Abstract: A tobacco processing system for processing tobacco includes a tobacco mixing device for mixing an additive in the tobacco, a tobacco supplier for supplying the tobacco to the mixing device, and an additive supplier for supplying the additive to the mixing device. The mixing device includes a mixing housing which encloses the tobacco and additive to form a mixing chamber in which the tobacco and additive are mixed and a gas stream unit which is operatively connected to the mixing housing and configured to provide a gas stream which moves the tobacco and additive through the mixing chamber.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette tubes individualiser apparatus individualises tubes received from a first track without spacing and provides the tubes to a second track with a spacing. The apparatus includes a rotary carrousel configured to rotate about a rotation axis and provided with a guide extending with the longitudinal axis partially along a line substantially intersecting the rotation axis; a stationary cam track extending around the rotation axis; a carriage mounted to the carrousel for traveling in a reciprocating movement along the guide driven by a cam follower following the cam track while the carousel is rotating; and a receiver connected to the carriage for receiving the tube from the first track close to the rotation axis and delivering the tube to the second track further away from the rotation axis with a pitch.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a housing having a wall defining an inner space, and an inlet and an outlet providing access to the inner space, a vaporizer to produce a vapour and being located in the inner space of the housing, an electrical power device to provide electrical power to the vaporizer and being located in the inner space of the housing. The electrical power device includes a first electrical contact member being electrically connected to one of an anode and a cathode of the electrical power device, and a second electrical contact member being electrically connected to the other of the anode and the cathode of the electrical power device. The vaporizer includes a vaporizer outer surface, a third electrical contact member located on the vaporizer outer surface, and a fourth electrical contact member located on the vaporizer outer surface.

Abstract: A vehicle configured to be moved along a rail includes rollers which in use engage the rail such that each roller has a contact area with which the roller is in contact with the rail. The contact areas of the rollers are positioned to define a beam with a longitudinal beam axis, a rectangular form in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal beam axis and a first beam side, a second beam side, a third beam side and a fourth beam side, in which the first and third beam side extend perpendicular to the second and fourth beam side, at least two rollers define the first beam side, two rollers define the second beam side, one roller defines the third beam side, and one roller defines the fourth beam side. An assembly includes the vehicle and a rail.

Abstract: A tobacco processing system for processing tobacco includes a tobacco mixing device for mixing an additive in the tobacco, a tobacco supplier for supplying the tobacco to the mixing device, and an additive supplier for supplying the additive to the mixing device. The mixing device includes a mixing housing which encloses the tobacco and additive to form a mixing chamber in which the tobacco and additive are mixed and a gas stream unit which is operatively connected to the mixing housing and configured to provide a gas stream which moves the tobacco and additive through the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for transferring an item includes a rail (3) forming an endless track (4) along which the item (100) is transferred, a transporter (41, 42) which is movable along the rail and includes at least one gripper (10) for gripping the item, a driver (7) for moving the transporter along the rail, wherein the transporter includes at least two carriers (8) engaging the rail and located at a distance from each other, neighboring carriers are coupled to each other by a coupler (9), at least one coupler is carrying at least one gripper, the rail includes a first face (12) and a second face (13), each carrier includes a first engage member (14) and a second engage (15) member (15) engaging the first face (12) and a third engage member (16) engaging the second face (13), the engage members of each carrier are positioned relative to each other such that the engage members form a triangle.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for transferring an item includes a rail (3) forming an endless track (4) along which the item (100) is transferred, a transporter (41, 42) which is movable along the rail and includes at least one gripper (10) for gripping the item, a driver (7) for moving the transporter along the rail, wherein the transporter includes at least two carriers (8) engaging the rail and located at a distance from each other, neighbouring carriers are coupled to each other by a coupler (9), at least one coupler is carrying at least one gripper, the rail includes a first face (12) and a second face (13), each carrier includes a first engage member (14) and a second engage (15) member (15) engaging the first face (12) and a third engage member (16) engaging the second face (13), the engage members of each carrier are positioned relative to each other such that the engage members form a triangle.