US 12,349,740 B2
Equipment and methods for the automated assembly of inhalation devices and components thereof
Andrew Bray, London (GB)
Assigned to Nicoventures Trading Limited, London (GB)
Appl. No. 17/426,068
Filed by NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED, London (GB)
PCT Filed Jan. 22, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/050145
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/157467, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 190120 (GB), filed on Jan. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0095699 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. B23P 19/00 (2006.01); A24F 7/00 (2006.01); A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/20 (2020.01); A24F 40/30 (2020.01); A24F 40/42 (2020.01); A24F 40/70 (2020.01); B65B 3/04 (2006.01); B65B 7/28 (2006.01); B65B 25/00 (2006.01); B65B 65/00 (2006.01); B65D 75/36 (2006.01)
CPC A24F 40/70 (2020.01) [A24F 7/00 (2013.01); A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/20 (2020.01); A24F 40/30 (2020.01); A24F 40/42 (2020.01); B65B 3/04 (2013.01); B65B 7/28 (2013.01); B65B 25/00 (2013.01); B65B 65/006 (2013.01); B65D 75/367 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for the automated assembly of consumable units for use in an inhalation device from components that include a mouthpiece, a container defining a chamber for aerosolizable material, and a closure for the chamber, the system comprising:
at least one assembly line having one or more assembly stations that each comprises tooling for performing an assembly operation on the components; and
a transport system for supplying the components to the assembly stations and advancing the components through the assembly stations in a sequence to assemble at least part of the device from the components, wherein the transport system comprises a conveyor for advancing the components through the assembly stations in a sequence to assemble the at least part of a device from the components, wherein the transport system further comprises a transfer mechanism associated with each assembly station, each transfer mechanism being configured to (i) transfer components out of its associated assembly station to the conveyor or to (ii) transfer components into its associated assembly station from the conveyor and out of its associated assembly station to the conveyor,
wherein the transport system comprises a mouthpiece delivery system constructed and arranged to deliver mouthpieces in succession to a mouthpiece assembly station, and a container delivery system constructed and arranged to deliver containers in succession to the mouthpiece assembly station, and wherein the mouthpiece assembly station comprises tooling constructed and arranged to assemble a container and a mouthpiece in their operational configuration to form a container and mouthpiece assembly.