Oil-absorbing cotton patch mounting device

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of electronic cigarette manufacturing, and discloses an oil absorbing cotton mounting equipment. The oil absorbing cotton mounting equipment comprises a feeding mechanism, a positioning mechanism, an oil absorbing cotton supply mechanism and a discharging mechanism. The oil absorbing cotton mounting equipment provided by the application carries the cartridge body to the positioning mechanism, first completes fixing and then is adjusted to a preset pose, so that the pose error of the cartridge body is eliminated. Meanwhile, the oil absorbing cotton is supplied and mounted by the oil absorbing cotton supply mechanism, and the relative position of the cartridge body and the oil absorbing cotton is accurate, so that the random deviation caused by manual alignment can be eliminated, and the attachment precision of the oil absorbing cotton is significantly improved. In addition, through parallel and collaborative operation of each mechanism, continuous operation of cartridge body feeding, positioning, oil absorbing cotton supply and mounting and finished product discharging is realized, and each process is seamlessly connected, so that long-time uninterrupted operation can be realized, and the overall production efficiency can be effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic cigarette manufacturing technology, and in particular to an oil-absorbing cotton mounting device. Background Technology

[0002] Oil-absorbing cotton is a core functional component of e-cigarette cartridges, and its adhesion precision directly affects the product's atomization effect and safety.

[0003] Currently, the application of absorbent pads in the industry mainly relies on manual operation, where workers manually attach the cut absorbent pads to designated positions on the e-cigarette cartridge. However, manual operation is prone to defects such as misalignment and missed application, and it also has low production efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, the above problems urgently need to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an oil-absorbing cotton applicator to improve the application accuracy of the oil-absorbing cotton and increase overall production efficiency.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] An oil-absorbing cotton applicator includes a feeding mechanism, a positioning mechanism, an oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism, and a discharging mechanism.

[0008] The feeding mechanism can connect to the upstream processing equipment and transport the e-cigarette cartridge body output by the upstream processing equipment to the positioning mechanism;

[0009] The positioning mechanism is configured to fix the cartridge body and also configured to adjust the cartridge body to a preset position.

[0010] The oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism is configured to supply oil-absorbing cotton and attach the oil-absorbing cotton to the cartridge body;

[0011] The feeding mechanism is configured to transport the finished e-cigarette cartridge to the feeding position or downstream equipment.

[0012] Preferably, the feeding mechanism includes a first conveying component, a spacing adjustment component, and a second conveying component;

[0013] The first conveying component is configured to convey multiple cartridge bodies output from the upstream device to the spacing adjustment component;

[0014] The spacing adjustment component is used to support multiple e-cigarette cartridges and adjust the spacing between the multiple e-cigarette cartridges to a preset spacing.

[0015] The second transport component is configured to synchronously transport the cartridge body carried by the spacing adjustment component to the positioning mechanism.

[0016] Preferably, the spacing adjustment assembly includes a base, a slider, a limiting member, and a driving member;

[0017] The number of sliding parts corresponds to the number of e-cart bodies output by the upstream device. Each sliding part is slidably disposed on the base, and each sliding part is used to support one e-cart body.

[0018] The adjacent sliding members are slidably connected by the limiting member, which is used to limit the relative sliding distance between the adjacent sliding members;

[0019] The driving end of the driving component is connected to the first sliding component. The driving component drives the first sliding component to slide in a preset direction. The remaining sliding components slide synchronously under the linkage of the limiting component until the limiting component abuts against the limit. All the sliding components are positioned at the preset position to adjust the spacing between the multiple e-cigarette cartridges to the preset spacing.

[0020] Preferably, the positioning mechanism includes a carrier, a transfer component, and a limiting component;

[0021] The carrier includes multiple carrier cavities arranged at the preset intervals, and each carrier cavity is used to accommodate a cartridge body;

[0022] The transfer assembly is configured to transport the carrier to the mounting station along a preset path. The transfer assembly is also configured to drive the carrier to rotate so as to adjust the cartridge body in the carrier cavity to the preset position.

[0023] The limiting component is disposed at the mounting station, and the limiting component is used to limit the e-cigarette cartridge body adjusted to the preset position.

[0024] Preferably, the unloading mechanism includes a first hopper, a conveying component, a positioning and transfer component, and a third handling component;

[0025] The first hopper is used for stacking material trays;

[0026] The conveying component is configured to output the trays supplied by the first hopper one by one;

[0027] The positioning and transfer component is used to carry the assembled e-cigarette cartridge body;

[0028] The third transport component can transport the assembled e-cigarette cartridge body carried by the positioning and transfer component to the tray output by the transport component.

[0029] Preferably, the second conveying assembly includes two conveying components arranged side by side;

[0030] The two transport components are arranged along the transport direction of the second transport assembly;

[0031] The distance between the two transport components is consistent with the distance between the distance adjustment component and the positioning mechanism, and the distance between the positioning mechanism and the positioning transfer component.

[0032] The two transport components can move synchronously to transport the two sets of cigarette cartridges to the next work station simultaneously.

[0033] Preferably, the feeding mechanism further includes a second hopper;

[0034] The conveying component can receive a tray filled with e-cigarette cartridges;

[0035] The transport component is also configured to move pallets between the first hopper and the second hopper;

[0036] The second hopper is used to stack and store the trays that are delivered to it.

[0037] Preferably, the first hopper includes a hopper body and a clamping assembly;

[0038] The bin is used to stack material trays and restrict the stacking direction of the material trays. The bottom of the bin is provided with a transport space.

[0039] The clamping assembly is disposed on the bin body and is configured to clamp the penultimate layer of material trays and lift them upward, so that the bottom layer of material trays is separated from all the material trays above it.

[0040] The conveying component can extend into the conveying space to receive the separated bottom tray and output it.

[0041] Preferably, the oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism includes a roll supply assembly, a punching assembly, a transfer assembly, and a mounting assembly;

[0042] The roll feeding assembly is used to unwind the oil-absorbing cotton roll and supply it to the punching assembly;

[0043] The punching assembly is configured to punch the oil-absorbing cotton roll to form oil-absorbing cotton;

[0044] The transfer component can move to the area below the punching component to carry the oil-absorbing cotton, and can also move out of the area below the punching component;

[0045] The mounting component can grab the oil-absorbing cotton on the transfer component and attach the oil-absorbing cotton to the cartridge body on the positioning mechanism.

[0046] Preferably, the punching assembly includes a groove, a punching head, and a feeding channel. The oil-absorbing cotton roll is inserted into the groove, the punching head can move toward the groove to punch the oil-absorbing cotton roll, and the feeding channel is connected to the groove.

[0047] The transfer component includes a transfer platform, which can be raised and lowered to fit the discharge channel, and can absorb the oil-absorbing cotton output from the discharge channel.

[0048] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0049] The oil-absorbing cotton applicator provided by this invention transports the e-cigarette cartridge to the positioning mechanism, where it is first fixed and then adjusted to a preset position, eliminating the positional error of the e-cigarette cartridge. At the same time, the oil-absorbing cotton is supplied and applied by the oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism, ensuring accurate relative positions between the e-cigarette cartridge and the oil-absorbing cotton. This eliminates random deviations caused by manual alignment and significantly improves the application accuracy of the oil-absorbing cotton.

[0050] Furthermore, through the parallel and coordinated operation of various mechanisms, continuous operation of the cartridge body feeding, positioning, oil-absorbing cotton supply and installation, and finished product unloading is achieved, with seamless connection between each process, thereby enabling long-term uninterrupted operation and effectively improving overall production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the oil-absorbing cotton applicator provided by the present invention;

[0052] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transport assembly provided by the present invention;

[0053] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the spacing adjustment component provided by the present invention;

[0054] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the sliding member and limiting member provided by the present invention;

[0055] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sliding component provided by the present invention;

[0056] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the limiting member provided by the present invention;

[0057] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second transport assembly provided by the present invention;

[0058] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning mechanism provided by the present invention;

[0059] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first hopper, the second hopper, the clamping assembly, and the conveying assembly provided by the present invention;

[0060] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning and transfer component provided by the present invention;

[0061] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third transport assembly provided by the present invention;

[0062] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism for removing the mounting component provided by the present invention;

[0063] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting assembly provided by the present invention;

[0064] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the punching assembly provided by the present invention.

[0065] In the picture:

[0066] 100. Oil-absorbing cotton rolls; 200. Material trays;

[0067] 1. Feeding mechanism; 11. First conveying assembly; 12. Spacing adjustment assembly; 121. Base; 122. Sliding component; 1221. Through hole; 123. Limiting component; 1231. Stop; 124. Driving component; 13. Second conveying assembly; 131. Conveying component;

[0068] 2. Positioning mechanism; 21. Bearing component; 211. Bearing cavity; 22. Transfer assembly; 23. Limiting assembly; 231. Drive cylinder; 232. Limiting plate;

[0069] 3. Oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism; 31. Roll material supply assembly; 32. Punching assembly; 321. Tank; 322. Punching head; 323. Material unloading channel; 33. Transfer assembly; 331. Transfer platform; 34. Mounting assembly;

[0070] 4. Feeding mechanism; 41. First hopper; 411. Hopper body; 412. Clamping assembly; 42. Conveying assembly; 43. Positioning and transfer assembly; 44. Third handling assembly; 45. Second hopper. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the drawings, not the entire structure.

[0072] In the description of the invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0073] In this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0074] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0075] Please see Figure 1 This embodiment provides an oil-absorbing cotton applicator, including a feeding mechanism 1, a positioning mechanism 2, an oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism 3, and a discharging mechanism 4. The feeding mechanism 1 connects to upstream processing equipment and transports the tobacco cartridge body output from the upstream processing equipment to the positioning mechanism 2. The positioning mechanism 2 is configured to fix the tobacco cartridge body and also to adjust the tobacco cartridge body to a preset position. The oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism 3 is configured to supply oil-absorbing cotton and applicate it to the tobacco cartridge body. The discharging mechanism 4 is configured to transport the applicated tobacco cartridge body to a discharging position or downstream equipment.

[0076] During the application process, the feeding mechanism 1 first connects with the upstream processing equipment to receive the cartridge body output by the upstream equipment and transport it to the positioning mechanism 2. Then, the positioning mechanism 2 first fixes the cartridge body and then adjusts it to the preset position. Next, the oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism 3 supplies oil-absorbing cotton and attaches it to the designated area of ​​the positioned cartridge body. Finally, the unloading mechanism 4 automatically transports the finished cartridge body with the oil-absorbing cotton attached to the designated unloading position or directly conveys it to the downstream processing equipment.

[0077] Understandably, after the cartridge is transported to the positioning mechanism 2, it is first fixed and then adjusted to the preset position, eliminating the positional error of the cartridge. At the same time, the oil-absorbing cotton is supplied and attached by the oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism 3. The relative position of the cartridge and the oil-absorbing cotton is accurate, thereby eliminating the random deviation caused by manual alignment and significantly improving the attachment accuracy of the oil-absorbing cotton.

[0078] Furthermore, through the parallel and coordinated operation of various mechanisms, continuous operation of the cartridge body feeding, positioning, oil-absorbing cotton supply and installation, and finished product unloading is achieved, with seamless connection between each process, thereby enabling long-term uninterrupted operation and effectively improving overall production efficiency.

[0079] If the cartridges output from the upstream equipment are transported to positioning mechanism 2 one by one, the feeding cycle time will not match the operating cycle time of the subsequent multi-station mounting process. If batch transport is forcibly performed, misalignment of the cartridges and the positioning mechanism 2 will occur, making accurate feeding impossible. The station spacing of the upstream processing equipment is determined by its own processing requirements and usually differs from the station spacing of positioning mechanism 2. That is, the spacing between multiple cartridges output from the upstream processing equipment differs from the station spacing of positioning mechanism 2.

[0080] Please see Figures 1 to 6 Therefore, the feeding mechanism 1 includes a first conveying component 11, a spacing adjustment component 12, and a second conveying component 13. The first conveying component 11 is configured to convey multiple tobacco cartridges output from the upstream device to the spacing adjustment component 12. The spacing adjustment component 12 is used to carry the multiple tobacco cartridges and adjust the spacing between the multiple tobacco cartridges to a preset spacing. The second conveying component 13 is configured to synchronously convey the tobacco cartridges carried by the spacing adjustment component 12 to the positioning mechanism 2.

[0081] With this configuration, the first transport component 11 can receive multiple tobacco cartridges continuously output from the upstream equipment in batches and transport them uniformly to the spacing adjustment component 12. The spacing adjustment component 12 can adjust the spacing between the multiple tobacco cartridges to a preset spacing consistent with the spacing between the workstations of the positioning mechanism 2. The second transport component 13 can synchronously transport the multiple tobacco cartridges with adjusted spacing to the corresponding workstations of the positioning mechanism 2. Therefore, it can adapt to the output spacing of different upstream equipment, achieving smooth connection of the production line without modifying the upstream equipment, reducing waiting time between upstream and downstream equipment, and helping to improve the overall operating efficiency of the production line.

[0082] Specifically, the spacing adjustment component 12 includes a base 121, sliders 122, limiters 123, and a drive component 124. The number of sliders 122 corresponds to the number of tobacco cartridges output by the upstream device. Each slider 122 is slidably mounted on the base 121, and each slider 122 is used to support one tobacco cartridge. Adjacent sliders 122 are slidably connected by limiters 123, which limit the relative sliding distance between adjacent sliders 122. The drive end of the drive component 124 is connected to the first slider 122. The drive component 124 drives the first slider 122 to slide in a preset direction. The remaining sliders 122 slide synchronously under the linkage of the limiters 123 until the limiters 123 abut against the limiter, and all sliders 122 are positioned at the preset position to adjust the spacing between multiple tobacco cartridges to the preset spacing.

[0083] In this device, the driving end of the driving component 124 is only connected to the first sliding component 122. The remaining sliding components 122 are mechanically linked through the limiting component 123 between adjacent sliding components 122. Only one driving component 124 is needed to complete the synchronous spacing adjustment of all sliding components 122, which helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the equipment.

[0084] Meanwhile, all the sliding parts 122 are powered by the same driving part 124, and the power is transmitted to each sliding part 122 in sequence through the connection of the limiting part 123. The movement sequence and relative displacement of each sliding part 122 are limited by the limiting part 123, which enables all the sliding parts 122 to maintain good movement synchronization during the spacing adjustment process, which helps to improve the consistency of spacing adjustment between multiple e-cigarette cartridges.

[0085] It should be noted that the driving component 124 can adopt a conventional linear drive structure such as a cylinder or an electric push rod. The sliding component 122 has a through hole 1221 extending along the sliding direction. The limiting component 123 is a pin with stop portions 1231 at both ends. The pin passes through the through holes 1221 of two adjacent sliding components 122 and can slide within the through holes 1221. When the driving component 124 drives the first sliding component 122 to move in the unfolding direction, the stop portions 1231 of the pin pull the subsequent sliding components 122 in sequence until the stop portions 1231 of all pins abut against the corresponding sliding components 122. At this time, the distance between adjacent sliding components 122 reaches the preset maximum value. When the driving component 124 drives the first sliding component 122 to move in the retracting direction, the end faces of adjacent sliding components 122 abut against each other, realizing the retracted state with the minimum distance.

[0086] Please see Figure 7 To provide a reliable foundation for the subsequent application of absorbent cotton, the positioning mechanism 2 includes a carrier 21, a transfer assembly 22, and a limiting assembly 23. The carrier 21 includes multiple carrier cavities 211 arranged at preset intervals, each cavity 211 accommodating one cartridge body. The transfer assembly 22 is configured to transport the carrier 21 along a preset path to the application station. The transfer assembly 22 is also configured to drive the carrier 21 to rotate, adjusting the cartridge body within the carrier cavity 211 to a preset position. The limiting assembly 23 is located at the application station and is used to limit the cartridge body adjusted to the preset position.

[0087] With this configuration, the multiple carrier cavities 211 of the carrier 21 are arranged in a manner consistent with the preset spacing adjusted by the feeding mechanism 1. This allows the second conveying component 13 to simultaneously place the multiple tobacco cartridges with the adjusted spacing into the corresponding carrier cavities 211 without the need for secondary position adjustment of individual tobacco cartridges. This helps to reduce the number of operation steps in the feeding process, improve the operating efficiency of the feeding process, and at the same time ensure that the initial relative positions of all tobacco cartridges in the carrier 21 remain consistent.

[0088] Furthermore, the inclusion and restraint of the cartridge body in the bearing cavity 211 helps reduce the swaying amplitude of the cartridge body during transportation and rotation. Simultaneously, the restraining component 23, located at the mounting station, can circumferentially restrain the cartridge body, which has been adjusted to a preset position, before the oil-absorbing cotton mounting action is performed. This effectively counteracts external forces such as mounting pressure during the oil-absorbing cotton mounting process, reducing the possibility of displacement or posture change of the cartridge body during mounting, and helping to improve the mounting accuracy of the oil-absorbing cotton.

[0089] In this embodiment, the transfer component 22 consists of a linear drive structure and a rotating structure. The linear drive structure can be a conventional structure such as a synchronous belt linear module, a ball screw linear guide module, or a cylinder-driven linear slide. The rotating structure can be a conventional structure such as a servo motor with a planetary reducer or a stepper motor with a harmonic reducer. The specific linear conveying path and rotation angle can be designed according to the actual production line layout and the position adjustment requirements of the cigarette cartridge.

[0090] Meanwhile, the limiting component 23 includes a driving cylinder 231 and a limiting plate 232 adapted to the carrier 21. The driving cylinder 231 can drive the limiting plate 232 to move closer to or away from the carrier 21, so that the limiting plate 232 is pressed against the openings of multiple carrier cavities 211 at the same time. The contact surfaces of the limiting plate 232 and the carrier cavity 211 are all designed to be adapted to the outer contour of the cartridge body, which can form a circumferential limit on the cartridge body in the carrier cavity 211.

[0091] To further optimize the overall operating cycle, the second transport assembly 13 includes two parallel transport components 131. The two transport components 131 are arranged along the transport direction of the second transport assembly 13. The distance between the two transport components 131 is consistent with the distance between the distance adjustment assembly 12 and the positioning mechanism 2, and the distance between the positioning mechanism 2 and the positioning transfer assembly 43. The two transport components 131 can move synchronously to transport the two sets of cartridges to the next workstation simultaneously.

[0092] With this setup, a single movement can simultaneously transport the cartridge body to be attached at the spacing adjustment component 12 to the positioning mechanism 2, and the cartridge body already attached at the positioning mechanism 2 to the positioning transfer component 43, reducing the number of round trips of the transport component 131 and improving the overall operating efficiency of the equipment.

[0093] At the same time, the two handling components 131 synchronously complete the material transfer between the two workstations, which enables the feeding cycle of the spacing adjustment component 12, the mounting cycle of the positioning mechanism 2 and the transfer cycle of the positioning and transfer component 43 to be consistent, eliminating the waiting time caused by asynchronous material transfer between processes, and helping to ensure the continuous operation of each process of the equipment.

[0094] It is worth noting that all the structures with handling functions mentioned above and below, including but not limited to the first handling component 11, the second handling component 13, and the third handling component 44, all adopt existing mature transfer structures and gripping structures to achieve material handling along a preset path. The transfer structure can be a cross-shaped slide structure composed of two orthogonally arranged linear modules, and the gripping structure can be a vacuum adsorption method. Taking the handling component 131 of the second handling component 13 as an example, it can be equipped with multiple vacuum suction cups arranged at preset intervals to simultaneously adsorb multiple cartridge bodies for synchronous handling. The specific motion paths of each of the above handling structures can be specifically designed according to their corresponding workstation layout and the handling functions to be achieved.

[0095] Please see Figures 8 to 11 To ensure the orderly collection and smooth flow of the finished e-cigarette cartridges to downstream processes, the feeding mechanism 4 includes a first material bin 41, a conveying component 42, a positioning and transfer component 43, and a third handling component 44. The first material bin 41 is used to stack the material trays 200. The conveying component 42 is configured to output the material trays 200 supplied by the first material bin 41 one by one. The positioning and transfer component 43 is used to carry the finished e-cigarette cartridges. The third handling component 44 can transport the finished e-cigarette cartridges carried by the positioning and transfer component 43 to the material trays 200 output by the conveying component 42.

[0096] Understandably, the first hopper 41 can stack multiple empty trays 200, and the conveying component 42 can output the trays 200 supplied by the first hopper 41 one by one, which can realize the automatic and continuous supply of trays 200 for a longer period of time, reduce the frequency of manual replacement of trays 200, reduce the labor intensity of operators, and at the same time help reduce equipment downtime caused by untimely replacement of trays 200.

[0097] It is also understandable that the positioning and transfer component 43 can temporarily hold the assembled e-cigarette cartridge body. When the conveying component 42 changes the material tray 200, the assembled e-cigarette cartridge body can be stored in the positioning and transfer component 43 first, which will not affect the continuous operation of the mounting process. This helps to match the cycle time of the feeding process and the mounting process, and ensures the overall operating efficiency of the equipment.

[0098] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism 4 also includes a second hopper 45. The conveying assembly 42 is capable of receiving a tray 200 filled with e-cigarette cartridges. The conveying assembly 42 is also configured to transport the tray 200 between the first hopper 41 and the second hopper 45. The second hopper 45 is used for stacking and storing the trays 200 conveyed therein.

[0099] With this configuration, the transport component 42 can automatically transport the tray 200 filled with e-cigarette cartridges to the second storage bin 45. The second storage bin 45 can stack and store the trays 200 transported to it, and can store multiple full trays 200 for a longer period of time. There is no need for manual transfer of full trays 200 in time, which helps to reduce the frequency of manual intervention and reduce the risk of equipment downtime caused by the failure to remove full trays 200 in time.

[0100] Meanwhile, the first hopper 41 can stack multiple empty trays 200 for continuous supply, and the second hopper 45 can stack multiple full trays 200 for centralized storage. The combination of the two enables the equipment to operate without manual replenishment and transfer of trays 200 for a longer period of time, which helps to extend the unattended operation time of the equipment, reduce the manual operation cost in the production process, and better adapt to the needs of large-scale continuous production.

[0101] In this embodiment, the first hopper 41 and the second hopper 45 have the same structure. The specific structure of the first hopper 41 will be described below using it as an example. The first hopper 41 includes a hopper body 411 and a clamping assembly 412. The hopper body 411 is used to stack the trays 200 and restrict the stacking direction of the trays 200. A conveying space is provided at the bottom of the hopper body 411. The clamping assembly 412 is disposed on the hopper body 411 and configured to clamp the penultimate layer of trays 200 and lift it upwards, separating the bottommost tray 200 from all the trays 200 above it. The conveying assembly 42 can extend into the conveying space, receive the separated bottommost tray 200, and output it.

[0102] The clamping component 412 can clamp the penultimate tray 200 and lift it upwards, completely separating the bottom tray 200 from all the trays 200 above it, thus eliminating the pressure of the upper trays 200 on the bottom tray 200. The conveying component 42 can extend into the conveying space at the bottom of the hopper 411 to receive the separated bottom tray 200 and smoothly output it. This effectively reduces mutual interference between the trays 200 during the discharge process, helping to lower the probability of material jamming.

[0103] Furthermore, the material tray 200 can be output layer by layer by lifting the clamping component 412 and translating the conveying component 42. There is no need to set up a lifting mechanism to support the entire material pile. The load on the drive components is small and the overall structure is relatively simple, which helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the equipment and reduce the number of failure points and maintenance workload in the later operation process.

[0104] Correspondingly, the working operation of the second hopper 45 is the opposite of that of the first hopper 41. When the conveying component 42 delivers the full pallet 200 to the conveying space at the bottom of the second hopper 45, the clamping component 412 first clamps all the pallets 200 already stacked in the hopper of the second hopper 45 and lifts them up by the distance of one pallet 200. After the conveying component 42 delivers the full pallet 200 into the hopper of the second hopper 45, the clamping component 412 then lowers all the pallets 200, so that the newly delivered full pallets 200 are stacked at the bottom of the pile. This cycle is repeated to achieve automatic stacking and storage of the full pallets 200.

[0105] It should be noted that the clamping assembly 412 consists of a clamping unit and a lifting unit. The clamping unit can use symmetrically arranged pneumatic grippers or finger cylinders to clamp the edge of the material tray 200. The lifting unit can use a cylinder, electric push rod or linear guide module to drive the clamping unit to move vertically, thereby completing the clamping, lifting and lowering reset actions of the material tray 200.

[0106] Please see Figures 12 to 14 In this embodiment, the oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism 3 includes a roll supply assembly 31, a cutting assembly 32, a transfer assembly 33, and an applicator assembly 34. The roll supply assembly 31 is used to unwrap the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100 and supply it to the cutting assembly 32. The cutting assembly 32 is configured to cut the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100 to form oil-absorbing cotton. The transfer assembly 33 can move to a position below the cutting assembly 32 to carry the oil-absorbing cotton and can also move out of a position below the cutting assembly 32. The applicator assembly 34 can grab the oil-absorbing cotton on the transfer assembly 33 and applicate the oil-absorbing cotton to the cartridge body on the positioning mechanism 2.

[0107] Understandably, the roll feeding component 31 can continuously unwrap the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100 and convey it to the punching component 32. The punching component 32 performs punching operations on the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100. The size and shape of all oil-absorbing cotton are determined by the precision of the punching die and are not affected by human operation factors. This helps to improve the specification consistency of the oil-absorbing cotton and provides a foundation for subsequent accurate mounting.

[0108] Meanwhile, the transfer component 33 can move to the area below the punching component 32 to carry the punched oil-absorbing cotton, and move out of the area below the punching component 32 for the mounting component 34 to grab. During this process, the punching component 32 can continue to punch the next batch of oil-absorbing cotton, and the mounting component 34 can also complete the grabbing and mounting of oil-absorbing cotton at the same time, eliminating the waiting time between processes and helping to optimize the overall operating cycle of the equipment.

[0109] Furthermore, the punching assembly 32 includes a trough 321, a punching head 322, and a feeding channel 323. The oil-absorbing cotton roll 100 passes through the trough 321, and the punching head 322 can move toward the trough 321 to punch the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100. The feeding channel 323 is connected to the trough 321. The transfer assembly 33 includes a transfer platform 331, which can be raised and lowered to fit against the feeding channel 323. The transfer platform 331 can absorb the oil-absorbing cotton output from the feeding channel 323.

[0110] The oil-absorbing cotton roll 100 is inserted into the trough 321. The trough 321 can stably guide and limit the conveying direction and planar position of the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100. When the punching head 322 moves toward the trough 321 to punch, the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100 will not move or stretch significantly, which helps to improve the accuracy of the punching size and the consistency of the edge quality of the oil-absorbing cotton.

[0111] Meanwhile, the transfer platform 331 can be raised and lowered to fit the outlet end of the feeding channel 323, so that the oil-absorbing cotton can fall directly to the preset position of the transfer platform 331. During the entire feeding process, the posture and position of the oil-absorbing cotton are constrained by the feeding channel 323, which helps to ensure the posture stability and position accuracy of the oil-absorbing cotton after feeding.

[0112] In addition, the transfer platform 331 can adsorb the oil-absorbing cotton output from the unloading channel 323, fixing the oil-absorbing cotton in the preset position of the platform. It will not shift or deform during the transfer process, providing a reliable foundation for the accurate gripping of the subsequent mounting components 34.

[0113] Specifically, the roll material supply assembly 31 can adopt an existing mature roll material conveying structure consisting of an unwinding shaft, a rewinding shaft, multiple sets of guide rollers, and a tension control mechanism. It can be configured with a single unwinding shaft or a double unwinding shaft structure according to production cycle requirements. The double unwinding shaft structure enables roll changing without stopping the machine, further improving production continuity. The unwinding shaft carries the oil-absorbing cotton roll 100, the rewinding shaft rewinds the scrap material generated after punching, the guide rollers guide the conveying direction of the oil-absorbing cotton strip, and the tension control mechanism maintains stable tension during the strip conveying process, preventing the strip from becoming loose or stretched.

[0114] Similarly, the trough 321 has a through groove adapted to the width of the oil-absorbing cotton strip. The depth of the groove is slightly greater than the thickness of the oil-absorbing cotton strip, which can constrain the conveying plane and movement direction of the strip, preventing the strip from shifting during the punching process. The punching head 322 can be fixedly connected to the punching die and is driven by a pneumatic punch press to perform up-and-down reciprocating motion. Multiple punching blades can be set on the punching die in a preset array arrangement, which can punch out multiple oil-absorbing cotton strips of corresponding specifications at one time. The unloading channel 323 is opened at the bottom of the trough 321 and is set as a vertical through hole structure corresponding to each cavity of the punching die. The inner wall of the through hole can be polished or coated with Teflon to reduce frictional resistance, which can guide the punched oil-absorbing cotton strip to fall smoothly vertically to the transfer platform 331.

[0115] Correspondingly, the transfer platform 331 can be a metal platform or a porous ceramic adsorption platform with an array of vacuum adsorption holes. An external vacuum generator is used to adsorb and fix the oil-absorbing cotton, and its lifting action can be driven by a small cylinder or an electric push rod. The gripping end of the mounting component 34 can use a vacuum nozzle array with the same arrangement of adsorption holes as the transfer platform 331, combined with a cross slide transfer structure composed of two orthogonal linear modules, to achieve precise gripping and mounting of the oil-absorbing cotton.

[0116] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will be able to make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil-absorbing cotton applicator, characterized in that, It includes a feeding mechanism (1), a positioning mechanism (2), an oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism (3), and a discharging mechanism (4); The feeding mechanism (1) can connect to the upstream processing equipment and transport the cigarette cartridge body output by the upstream processing equipment to the positioning mechanism (2). The positioning mechanism (2) is configured to fix the cartridge body and is also configured to adjust the cartridge body to a preset position. The oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism (3) is configured to supply oil-absorbing cotton and attach the oil-absorbing cotton to the cartridge body; The feeding mechanism (4) is configured to transport the finished e-cigarette cartridge body to the feeding position or downstream equipment.

2. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (1) includes a first conveying component (11), a spacing adjustment component (12), and a second conveying component (13). The first transport component (11) is configured to transport multiple cartridge bodies output from the upstream device to the spacing adjustment component (12). The spacing adjustment component (12) is used to carry multiple cartridge bodies and adjust the spacing between the multiple cartridge bodies to a preset spacing; The second transport component (13) is configured to synchronously transport the cartridge body carried by the spacing adjustment component (12) to the positioning mechanism (2).

3. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spacing adjustment component (12) includes a base (121), a slider (122), a limiting component (123), and a driving component (124). The number of the sliding parts (122) corresponds to the number of tobacco cartridges output by the upstream device. The sliding parts (122) are all slidably disposed on the base (121), and each sliding part (122) is used to support one tobacco cartridge. The adjacent sliding members (122) are slidably connected by the limiting member (123), and the limiting member (123) is used to limit the relative sliding distance of the adjacent sliding members (122); The driving end of the driving member (124) is connected to the first sliding member (122). The driving member (124) drives the first sliding member (122) to slide along a preset direction. The remaining sliding members (122) slide synchronously under the linkage of the limiting member (123) until the limiting member (123) abuts against the limiting position. All the sliding members (122) are positioned at the preset position to adjust the spacing between the multiple e-cigarette cartridges to the preset spacing.

4. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism (2) includes a carrier (21), a transfer component (22), and a limiting component (23); The carrier (21) includes a plurality of carrier cavities (211) arranged at the preset interval, each of the carrier cavities (211) being used to accommodate a cartridge body; The transfer assembly (22) is configured to transport the carrier (21) to the mounting station along a preset path. The transfer assembly (22) is also configured to drive the carrier (21) to rotate so as to adjust the cartridge body in the carrier cavity (211) to the preset position. The limiting component (23) is disposed at the mounting station, and the limiting component (23) is used to limit the cartridge body adjusted to the preset position.

5. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The unloading mechanism (4) includes a first hopper (41), a conveying component (42), a positioning and transfer component (43), and a third handling component (44). The first hopper (41) is used for stacking trays (200); The conveying component (42) is configured to output the trays (200) supplied by the first hopper (41) one by one; The positioning and transfer component (43) is used to carry the assembled e-cigarette cartridge body; The third transport component (44) can transport the mounted e-cigarette cartridge body carried by the positioning and transfer component (43) to the tray (200) output by the transport component (42).

6. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second transport assembly (13) includes two transport components (131) arranged side by side; The two transport components (131) are arranged along the transport direction of the second transport assembly (13); The distance between the two transport components (131) is consistent with the distance between the distance adjustment component (12) and the positioning mechanism (2), and the distance between the positioning mechanism (2) and the positioning transfer component (43); The two transport components (131) can operate synchronously to transport the two sets of cigarette cartridges to the next work station simultaneously.

7. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (4) also includes a second hopper (45); The transport component (42) is capable of receiving a tray (200) filled with e-cigarette cartridges. The conveying component (42) is also configured to move a pallet (200) between the first hopper (41) and the second hopper (45). The second hopper (45) is used to stack and store the trays (200) that are delivered to it.

8. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first hopper (41) includes a hopper body (411) and a clamping assembly (412). The hopper (411) is used to stack trays (200) and restrict the stacking direction of the trays (200). The bottom of the hopper (411) is provided with a transport space. The clamping assembly (412) is disposed on the bin body (411) and is configured to clamp the penultimate layer of material trays (200) and lift them upward, so that the bottom layer of material trays (200) is separated from all the material trays (200) above it; The conveying component (42) can extend into the conveying space to receive the separated bottom tray (200) and output it.

9. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil-absorbing cotton supply mechanism (3) includes a roll supply assembly (31), a punching assembly (32), a transfer assembly (33), and a mounting assembly (34). The roll feeding assembly (31) is used to unwind the oil-absorbing cotton roll (100) and supply it to the punching assembly (32). The punching assembly (32) is configured to punch the oil-absorbing cotton roll (100) to form oil-absorbing cotton; The transfer component (33) can move to carry the oil-absorbing cotton under the punching component (32) and can move out from under the punching component (32); The mounting component (34) can grab the oil-absorbing cotton on the transfer component (33) and attach the oil-absorbing cotton to the cartridge body on the positioning mechanism (2).

10. The oil-absorbing cotton applicator according to claim 9, characterized in that, The punching assembly (32) includes a groove (321), a punching head (322), and a feeding channel (323). The oil-absorbing cotton roll (100) is inserted through the groove (321). The punching head (322) can move toward the groove (321) to punch the oil-absorbing cotton roll (100). The feeding channel (323) is connected to the groove (321). The transfer component (33) includes a transfer platform (331), which can be raised and lowered to fit the feeding channel (323), and the transfer platform (331) can absorb the oil-absorbing cotton output from the feeding channel (323).

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