Adjustable Nozzle Filling Station for E-Cigarette Cartridges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current filling devices for electronic cigarette cartridges are slow and cumbersome due to the high viscosity of the liquid and the challenge of adapting to cartridges of varying sizes, leading to significant downtime during conversions.
Innovation Solution
A filling station with multiple nozzles that can adjust distance and position to prevent collisions and ensure efficient filling of cartridges of different diameters, using an up-down actuator and distance actuator to insert and retract nozzles effectively into the cartridges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single nozzle is used for filling cartridges, then the risk of collision with the cartridge rim is reduced, but the filling speed is slow and the filling process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The filling system is segmented into multiple nozzles (at least two nozzles) that work simultaneously on different cartridges or different positions of the same cartridge. This segmentation allows parallel filling operations, increasing productivity while each individual nozzle maintains a manageable collision risk profile
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle assembly incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities with actuators that can adjust the position and orientation of nozzles in real-time. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to cartridges of varying sizes and positions, enabling multiple nozzles to operate safely without excessive collision risk while maintaining high filling speed
2Adaptability or versatility
If the filling line is converted to accommodate cartridges of different diameters, then versatility is improved, but downtime increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The filling station employs dynamically adjustable nozzle positions and orientations that can be rapidly reconfigured for different cartridge diameters. The actuators enable continuous or stepless adjustment of nozzle spacing and angles, allowing the system to adapt to various cartridge sizes without physical conversion, thereby eliminating conversion downtime while maintaining full versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (nozzle spacing, nozzle orientation, insertion depth) rather than physical configuration when adapting to different cartridge sizes. These parameter changes are achieved through actuator-controlled movement, enabling rapid adaptation between different cartridge diameters without the time-consuming physical conversion process
3Productivity
If multiple nozzles are positioned close together to fill cartridges faster, then filling speed improves, but the risk of nozzle collision with the cartridge rim increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle assembly uses dynamic positioning with actuators to precisely control the spacing and orientation of multiple nozzles. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize nozzle positioning for each specific cartridge, maintaining close spacing for high-speed filling while actively preventing collision through real-time position adjustment and feedback
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor nozzle position and cartridge dimensions, automatically adjusting nozzle spacing and orientation to prevent collision. This feedback loop enables the system to maintain optimal close spacing for high productivity while reliably preventing collisions through continuous monitoring and adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
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.