A unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material and use of said unit

Abstract

There is described a unit (4) to retrieve, transfer and release components (1) made of a pressure-yielding material and provided with a cavity (2) having a diameter (D) ranging from 0.5 mm to 20 mm. The unit (4) comprises at least one pick-and-place device (5) provided with a centring pin (6) configured to engage, when in use, the cavity (2) and comprising a stem (7) having a substantially cylindrical symmetry around an axis (Y) and a head (8) connected to an end of the stem (7); and a number of outer holding members (9), preferably of the clamp-like type, configured to contact an external side surface (10) of the component (1) and to apply an external pressure while retrieving and transporting the component (1).

Description

[0001] "A UNIT TO RETRIEVE, TRANSFER AND RELEASE HOLLOW COMPONENTS MADE OF A PRESSURE-YIELDING MATERIAL AND USE OF SAID UNIT"

[0002] Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102023000025062 filed on November 24, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0005] The present invention relates to a unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material, for example in the field of electronic cigarettes, and to a use of said unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material.

[0006] BACKGROUND ART

[0007] As is known, a manufacturing machine for producing and / or assembling articles, for example in the field of electronic cigarettes, generally comprises a feed system that develops along a processing path and comprises a plurality of processing stations, which are arranged in succession along the feed system and are designed to feed components of the article or to perform processing operations on semi-finished articles.

[0008] Feed systems having a linear conveyor, in turn comprising a number of trolleys (or trays) independent from one another and intended to receive and retain the components of the article, are becoming increasingly widely used. In particular, the linear conveyor supports the trolleys and moves them cyclically through the work stations in which processes are performed on the semi-finished articles or components are fed to the semi-finished articles.

[0009] In some cases, a work station is provided to feed hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material (i.e., a material that, if deformed following the application of pressure, tends to return to its initial shape, for example paper, plastic, rubber, cellulose acetate, foam rubber etc.). These components are often characterized by relatively small dimensions, in the order of a few millimetres. As these components are of limited dimensions, they must be handled and transferred with great delicacy and positioned on the semifinished articles with the utmost precision. Therefore, there is an increasing need to provide technical solutions that allow the operation of said processing stations to be improved, in particular that allow damage to the components to be prevented and their very precise arrangement on the semifinished articles.

[0010] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material that does not have the drawbacks of the state of the art and is easy and inexpensive to implement. A further object of the present invention is to provide a use of a unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material that does not have the drawbacks of the state of the art and is easy and economical to implement.

[0012] According to the present invention, there is provided a unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressure-yielding material, and a use of a unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components made of a pressureyielding material, as set forth in the appended claims.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-liming example of embodiment thereof, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hollow component made of a pressure-yielding material; and

[0015] Fig. 2 is a front and sectional view of a unit to retrieve, transfer and release hollow components produced in accordance with the present invention and with parts removed for clarity.

[0016] PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In Fig. 1, the reference number 1 indicates as a whole a component adapted to be inserted into an article, for example in the field of electronic cigarettes, during a production and / or assembly process performed by means of a manufacturing machine.

[0018] The component 1 is made of a pressure-yielding material. In particular, the component 1 is made of a material elastically yielding to pressure. In other words, the component 1 is made of a material that, if deformed following the application of pressure, tends to return to its initial shape. In more detail, the component 1 is made of a soft and / or collapsible material.

[0019] Advantageously, the component 1 is made of a material chosen from the following (non-limiting) list: paper, plastic, rubber, cellulose acetate, foam rubber, an absorbing cloth made of natural or synthetic fibres.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the component 1 has a parallelepiped development and comprises an external side surface 10.

[0021] According to a further embodiment, the component 1 has a cylindrical development around an axis X and is defined by a cylindrical external side surface 10.

[0022] The component 1 is hollow internally. In other words, a cavity 2 (or opening) is obtained inside the component 1. Preferably, but not exclusively, the cavity 2 is a through cavity. Therefore, alternatively, the cavity 2 may not be a through cavity. The cavity 2 has a cylindrical shape around the axis X and is defined by a cylindrical surface 3. Alternatively, the cavity 2 can have a different development to cylindrical and can be defined by a non-cylindrical (e.g., parallelepiped) surface.

[0023] The component 1 can have an adhesive side, i.e., containing or coated with an adhesive substance (e.g., glue) to allow its permanent or semi-permanent adhesion when it is deposited.

[0024] The component 1 has a dimension L (length) ranging from 1 mm to 30 mm; preferably the component 1 has a dimension L ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm. Advantageously, the component 1 has a dimension L equal to 4 mm.

[0025] The component 1 has a dimension S (thickness) ranging from 0.2 mm to 5 mm; preferably the component 1 has a dimension S ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. Advantageously, the component 1 has a dimension S equal to 1 mm.

[0026] Moreover, the cavity 2 has an internal diameter D ranging from 0.5 mm to 20 mm; preferably, the cavity 2 has an internal diameter D ranging from 1 mm to 4 mm. Advantageously, the cavity 2 has an internal diameter D of 2.2 mm.

[0027] The manufacturing machine for producing the articles comprises a feed system that develops along a processing path and comprises a plurality of operating (or processing) stations that are arranged in succession along the feed system and are designed to feed different components of the semi-finished article or to perform processing operations on the semifinished articles. The manufacturing machine further comprises, among the others, a feed station of the components 1.

[0028] The work station comprises a magazine for collection of the components 1.

[0029] Preferably, the components 1 are arranged on a spool. Alternatively, inside the collection magazine, the components 1 can be arranged in bulk or in a disorderly manner.

[0030] The work station also comprise a manipulation unit 4 of the components 1 arranged downstream of the collection magazine and configured to retrieve, transfer and release the components 1 downstream of the work station.

[0031] The manipulation unit 4 comprises at least one pick-and-place device 5 by means of which the components 1 are retrieved, transferred and inserted into specific seats obtained in the articles.

[0032] The pick-and-place device 5 comprises a centring pin 6; the centring pin 6 is configured to engage, when in use, the cavity 2. The centring pin 6 comprises a stem 7 having a substantially cylindrical symmetry around an axis Y and a head 8 connected to an end of the stem 7.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment, the head 8 has a shape enlarged towards the stem 7 (and tapered towards the outside of the centring pin 6). The head 8 also has a symmetry around the axis Y. Advantageously, the head 8 is defined by an external surface with a truncate-cone or conical shape. The tapered shape of the head 8 facilitates entry of the centring pin 6 into the cavity 2.

[0034] The centring pin 6 has a maximum transverse dimension I (i.e., in the widest point at the stem 7) that is rounded down to the internal diameter D of the cavity 2. More in detail, the centring pin 6 has a transverse dimension I ranging from 0.4 mm to 19 mm; preferably, the centring pin 6 has a transverse dimension I ranging from 0.8 mm to 3.8 mm. Advantageously, the centring pin 6 has a transverse dimension I of 2 mm.

[0035] The pin 6 is configured to completely engage the cavity 2; i.e., the pin 6 has a length along the axis Y such as to completely engage the cavity 2. If the cavity 2 is a through cavity, an external surface of the head 8 (opposite the stem 7) is arranged in use substantially flush with a lower surface of the component 1.

[0036] Advantageously, the pick-and-place device 5, in particular the centring pin 6, does not have suction systems configured to hold the component 1.

[0037] Finally, the pick-and-place device 5 comprises a number of outer holding members 9 configured to contact the external side surface 10 and apply a bland external pressure on the external side surface 10 during retrieval and transfer.

[0038] More in detail, the outer holding members 9 are configured to contact an area in the middle of the external side surface 10 (along the axis Y).

[0039] Advantageously, each holding member 9 comprises a clamp-like element with two Cartesian or hinged levers. Preferably, the pick-and-place device 5 comprises a plurality of holding members 9, for example two holding members 9, uniformly distributed around the axis Y.

[0040] More in detail, the centring pin 6 acts as opposing member of the pick-and-place device 5 while the outer holding members 9 are configured to contact an external side surface 10 substantially at a point at an intermediate height. Finally, the manipulation unit 4 comprises a manipulation robot (not illustrated) comprising a mobile arm to which the pick-and-place devices 5 are connected, each of which is configured to retrieve, transfer and release the respective component 1.

[0041] LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0042] 1 component

[0043] 2 cavity

[0044] 3 side surface

[0045] 4 manipulation unit

[0046] 5 pick-and-place device

[0047] 6 centring pin

[0048] 7 stem

[0049] 8 head

[0050] 9 holding members

[0051] 10 external side surface

[0052] L dimension

[0053] S dimension

[0054] D diameter

[0055] X axis

[0056] Y axis

[0057] I dimension

Claims

CLAIMS1. A unit (4) to retrieve, transfer and release components (1) made of a pressure-yielding material and provided with a cavity (2) having a diameter (D) ranging from 0.5 mm to 20 mm; the unit (4) comprises at least one pick-and-place device (5) provided with:- a centring pin (6) configured to engage, when in use, the cavity (2) and comprising a stem (7) having a substantially cylindrical symmetry around an axis (Y) and a head (8) connected to an end of the stem (7); and- a number of outer holding members (9), preferably of the clamp-like type, configured to contact an external side surface (10) of the component (1) and to apply an external pressure while retrieving and transporting the component (1).

2. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the centring pin (6) has a maximum transverse dimension (I) that is rounded down to said diameter (D) and ranges from 0.4 mm to 19 mm; preferably, the transverse dimension (I) ranges from 0.8 mm to 3.8 mm.

3. The unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the head (8) is tapered towards the outside of the centring pin (6) to facilitate entry into said cavity (2).

4. The unit according to claim 3, wherein the head (8) is defined by an external surface with a truncated-cone or conical shape.

5. The unit according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising a plurality of holding members (9) evenly distributed around the axis (Y).

6. A use of a unit (4) according to any one of the preceding claims to transfer and release components (1) made of a pressure-yielding material, preferably chosen among paper,plastic, rubber, cellulose acetate, foam rubber, an absorbing cloth made of natural or synthetic fibres, and provided with a cavity (2) having a diameter (D) ranging from 0.5 mm to 20 mm.

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