Method and Machine to Manufacture Windings Around Respective Supports

This patent application is related to Italian Patent Application No. 102022000015699 filed on Jul. 26, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a method and to a machine for manufacturing windings around respective supports.

The present invention is advantageously applied to the tobacco industry for manufacturing a wound antenna of a transponder in a component of a single-use cartridge of an electronic cigarette, to which the following disclosure will refer without thereby losing generality.

Normally, an electronic cigarette comprises a reusable part which is used several times and contains, among the other things, an electric battery (which provides the necessary energy for the operation of the electronic cigarette) and an electronic processor which superintends the operation of the electronic cigarette. Furthermore, the electronic cigarette comprises a single-use cartridge (i.e. disposable, which is thus used only once and is then replaced) which is coupled to the reusable part.

Recently, it has been proposed to insert in each single-use cartridge a component provided with a transponder equipped with a memory in which the characteristics of the single-use cartridge are stored and in particular the characteristics of the active (liquid or solid) substance which has to be heated for releasing the vapours to inhale; in this manner, the reusable part of the electronic cigarette can read the characteristics of the single-use cartridge coupled to it consequently adapting the heating to the characteristics of the single-use cartridge. The transponder comprises an antenna which can be wound, i.e. the antenna can be made up of a coil which is formed by winding a conductor wire around an insulating support.

A known machine which manufactures windings around respective supports comprises at least one winding station in which an externally insulated conductor wire is wound around a support for manufacturing a series of turns making up the winding; in particular, the winding station comprises a guide finger which engages the wire in a sliding manner and is spirally rotated around the support for winding the wire.

In order to increase the productivity (i.e. the number of windings manufactured in the time unit), the machine can comprise several winding stations which are arranged side by side and operate in parallel for simultaneously manufacturing several windings; in this case, one single actuator device is preferably used which moves all the guide fingers together (i.e. all the guide fingers are mounted on one single common operating support which is moved by the single actuator device).

However, in the case where a defective support (which thus has to be subsequently discarded) reaches one of the winding stations, the winding around the defective support is anyway manufactured (thus wasting wire) since it is not possible to separate the movement of a single guide finger from the movement of the other guide fingers.

Even more complex is the case where a support does not reach one of the winding stations at all (for an upstream feeding problem), since, it not being possible to separate the movement of a single guide finger from the movement of the other guide fingers, a winding would be manufactured “in the empty space” with the risk of fastening the wire on other parts of the machine thus causing the breakage of the wire and obliging to stop the machine for allowing a human operator to manually intervene for restoring the continuity of the broken wire. In this case, the only solution possible is to totally halt the movement of all the guide fingers for a cycle giving up forming all the windings and thus having to then discard downstream all the other supports which would be per se fit. In both cases, there is a loss of effectiveness (i.e. a reduction in the productivity) and a loss of efficiency (i.e. components which would be per se fit are discarded, and thus wasted).

Patent application JP2001179378A describes an automatic multiple winding machine.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a machine for manufacturing windings around respective supports, said method and machine allowing offering high effectiveness (measured as number of pieces produced in the time unit) simultaneously maintaining high efficiency (i.e. minimizing the wastes).

In accordance with the present invention, a method and a machine are provided for manufacturing windings around respective supports, according to what claimed in the appended claims.

The claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming integral part of the present description.

In, reference numeralindicates, as a whole, a single winding station of a machine which manufactures windings(one of which is illustrated in) around respective supports(one of which is illustrated in).

According to what is illustrated in, the machine comprises a plurality of winding stations(six winding stationsin the illustrated embodiment, but the number of winding stationscould be variable, for example from a minimum of two to a maximum of ten-twelve) operating in parallel for simultaneously manufacturing several windingsaround corresponding supports.

The windingmakes up the antenna of a transponder, i.e. of an electronic device (passive, i.e. devoid of a power supply of its own) which is capable of storing information and is capable of communicating by means of radiofrequency. In other words, the transponder is a smart label having a small dimension which is adapted to respond to the remote interrogation by suitable fixed or portable apparatuses, called readers (or also interrogators); a reader is capable of reading and/or modifying the information contained in the transponder which is interrogating communicating with the transponder in radiofrequency. Consequently, the transponder is part of a wireless reading and/or writing system operating according to the so-called RFID (“Radio-Frequency IDentification”) technology.

The transponder comprises an integrated circuit (i.e. a microchip) provided with a non-volatile memory (typically EEPROM or FRAM) and the antenna which is made up of the windingand is connected to the integrated circuit; in particular, the integrated circuit has two electric contacts to which two ends of the antenna are welded. In use, the antenna receives an electromagnetic signal which, by electromagnetic induction, induces in the antenna an electric potential difference which generates the circulation of an electric current in the integrated circuit for supplying the integrated circuit; the integrated circuit activated in this manner transmits the data contained in its memory by means of the antenna and possibly also modifies the data contained in its memory.

According to what is illustrated in, the windingis made up of a plurality of turns of an externally insulated conductor wire; in the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, approximately 10-15 turns are provided, but the number of turns could be different (also very different).

The machine comprises a main conveyor which advances the supportsduring the working along an assembling path which passes through the winding stations. In particular, in use, the main conveyor stops each supportin a corresponding winding stationfor the time necessary for manufacturing the corresponding winding. The main conveyor comprises a plurality of trolleyswhich are advanced along the assembling path and house respective supports. The main conveyor is adapted to cyclically move each trolleyalong the assembling path with an intermittent (step) movement which provides for cyclically alternating the motion phases in which the main conveyor moves the trolleysand resting phases in which the main conveyor maintains the trolleysstill. Each trolleycan comprise two clamps (not illustrated) which are arranged side by side with respect to each other and are adapted to grasp and lock a corresponding end of the wirewhich has been wounded around the respective support. In particular, in use, a clampis used for grasping an initial end of the wireat the beginning of the winding of the wirearound the support, whereas the other clampis used for grasping a final end of the wireat the end of the winding of the wirearound the support.

According to what is illustrated in, in each winding stationtwo clampsandare arranged which are independent of the main conveyor, i.e. are mounted on the frame of the machine and thus on the outside of the main conveyor for not moving together with the trolleys. Each clamporis adapted to grasp and lock a corresponding end of the wirewhich is wound around the respective support. In particular, in use, an inlet clampis used for grasping the initial end of the wireat the beginning of the winding of the wirearound the support; whereas, in use, an outlet clampis used for grasping the final end of the wireat the end of the winding of the wirearound the support.

Each winding stationcomprises a cutting devicewhich is mounted (on the frame of the machine and thus on the outside of the main conveyor for not moving together with the trolleys) so as not to be in the proximity of a respective outlet clamp. Thanks to its position, the movable cutting devicecan cut a final end of a wirewhich is locked by the outlet clamp.

Each winding stationcomprises a guide fingerwhich is used for drawing the wireclose to the support, for winding the wirearound the support, and then for moving the wireaway from the support. The guide fingerhas a tubular shape having a central hole which passes through the guide fingerfrom side to side and inside which the wireis arranged; i.e. the wireenters from a rear opening of the guide fingerand comes out from a front opening of the guide finger. For each guide finger, the wireis progressively unwound by a coil, passes through a tensioning device(preferably provided with at least one movable dandy roll actuated by a spring) and then reaches the guide finger; the tensioning deviceis configured to apply to the respective wirea tension which is always constant. Therefore, in each winding station, the wireis moved by means of the respective guide fingerwhich engages the wirein a sliding manner so that the wireslides continuously inside the guide fingerduring the manufacturing of the winding.

With reference to, the winding of a wirearound a supportin the winding stationis described in the following.

Initially and as is illustrated in, the winding stationis empty (i.e. is devoid of the supportcarried by a trolley), an initial end of the wireis locked in the outlet clamp, and the guide fingeris arranged in the proximity of the outlet clamp. The initial end of the wirelocked in the outlet clampis the initial end if referred to the new windingwhich will be made around the next supportwhich will reach the winding station, whereas it was the final end of the wireif referred to the previous windingwhich was completed around the previous supportwhich first was standing in the winding station. When the machine is started after a replacement of the coilsfrom which the wireis unwound, an operator manually arranges the initial end of the wirein the outlet clamp.

Subsequently and as is illustrated in, the trolleycarries the supportinto the winding station, the inlet clampopens, the guide fingermoves for making the initial end of the wirepass through the inlet clamp, and finally the inlet clampcloses for locking the initial end of the wire, whereas the outlet clampopens for freeing the wire.

Subsequently and as is illustrated in, the guide fingerstarts rotating around the supportfor winding the wirearound the supportand accomplishes a series of rotations around the supportfor manufacturing with the wirea series of turns around the support.

After ending the winding of the wirearound the supportand as is illustrated in, the guide fingermakes the final end of the wirepass through the open outlet clampwhich closes immediately after locking the final end of the wireand the manufacturing of the winding ends with the action of the cutting devicewhich cuts the final end of the wireafter the final end of the wirehas been locked by the outlet clampand with the opening of the inlet clampfor completely releasing the windingjust manufactured from the winding station. As mentioned in the foregoing, each trolleyof the main conveyor comprises two clamps of its own which hold the ends of the windinguntil the ends of the windingare definitively locked (for example by means of welding) in their final position.

According to what is illustrated in, the machine comprises a common operating bodyon which all the movable guide fingersare mounted for moving, still together and with the same identical law of motion, all the guide fingers; in particular, all the guide fingersalways move integrally with the operating body. The operating bodyis moved by a single actuator deviceprovided with (at least) an independent electric motor of its own.

According to what is illustrated in, each guide fingeris mounted in a movable manner on the operating bodyso as to move between a work position or active position (also illustrated in) in which the guide fingeris arranged in the proximity of a supportthat is standing (or should be standing) in the winding station(i.e. the guide fingeris arranged inside a housing zone of the support) and a neutral position or passive position (also illustrated in) in which the guide fingeris arranged (relatively) distant from a supportthat is standing (or should be standing) in the winding station(i.e. the guide fingeris arranged outside of the housing zone of the support). In other words, each guide fingeris mounted in a movable manner on the operating bodyso as to move between the work position or active position in which the guide fingeris arranged so as to cooperate with a supportthat is standing or should be standing in the respective winding station(therefore, is closer to the supportso that, by moving, it can rotate around the support) and the neutral position or passive position in which the guide fingeris arranged so as not to cooperate with a supportthat is standing or should be standing in the respective winding station(therefore, is farther from the supportso that, by moving, it cannot rotate around the support).

According to a preferred embodiment, each guide fingeris arranged on a support bodywhich translates (or alternatively rotates or rotates-translates) with respect to the operating bodyunder the thrust of an actuator deviceso as to move the guide fingerbetween the work position and the neutral position. Inall the guide fingersare standing in the work position, whereas inall the guide fingersexcept one are standing in the work position and a single guide fingeris standing in the neutral position.

According to what is illustrated in, in each winding stationthe two clampsandare mounted in a movable manner so as to move between a work position or active position (illustrated in) in which the clampsandare standing in the proximity of a supportthat is standing (or should be standing) in the winding station(i.e. the clampsandare arranged inside the housing zone of the support) and a neutral position or passive position (illustrated in) in which the clampsandare standing (relatively) distant from a supportthat is standing (or should be standing) in the winding station(i.e. the clampsandare arranged outside of the housing zone of the support). In other words, in each winding stationthe two clampsandare movable so as to move between the work or active position in which the two clampsandare arranged so as to cooperate with a supportthat is standing or should be standing in the respective winding station(therefore, are closer to the support) and the neutral or passive position in which the two clampsandare arranged so as not to cooperate with a supportthat is standing or should be standing in the respective winding station(therefore, are farther from the support).

According to a preferred embodiment, in each winding stationthe two clampsandare arranged on a support bodywhich translates (or alternatively rotates or rotates-translates) under the thrust of an actuator deviceso as to move the two clampsandbetween the work position and the neutral position.

According to what is illustrated in, it can occur that in a winding stationa trolleyof the main conveyor carries a defective support(i.e. that it has to be subsequently discarded since it has defects which prevent its use) or does not carry any supportat all (i.e. the supportis absent due to a problem in the previous feeding of the supports). In other words, it can occur that in a “temporarily unserviceable” winding stationthe windingis not to be manufactured due to a defective or lacking support, whereas in all the other winding stationsthe corresponding windingshave to be regularly manufactured.

In a “temporarily unserviceable” winding station, the two clampsandare moved from the work position or active position (illustrated in) to the neutral position or passive position (illustrated in) and simultaneously also the corresponding guide fingeris moved from the work position or active position (illustrated in) to the neutral position or passive position (illustrated in). In this manner, when the guide fingerof the “temporarily unserviceable” winding stationaccomplishes (together with the other guide fingersof the other winding stationsto which it is bound by the common operating body) all the movements necessary for winding the wirearound a support, these movements do not produce any winding of the wire around the support, both if there is the (defective) support, and if the supportis absent. In other words, the guide fingerof the “temporarily unserviceable” winding stationis moved away from the zone in which the supportis arranged (or should be arranged) and thus the movements of the guide fingerimposed by the common operating bodydo not produce any type of winding of the wirearound the support(if present).

It is important to observe that the idle movements of the guide fingerof the “temporarily unserviceable” winding stationproduce only a greater unwinding of the wirefrom the coil, since the wireis in some moments pulled without anyway winding around anything; however, this greater unwinding of the wirefrom the coilis absorbed (compensated) by the tensioning devicewhich stores inside it a greater quantity of wire.

When in the “temporarily unserviceable” winding stationa trolleycarrying a fit supportreturns, the two clampsandare moved from the neutral position or passive position (illustrated in) to the work position or active position (illustrated in) and simultaneously also the corresponding guide fingeris moved from the neutral position or passive position (illustrated in) to the work position or active position (illustrated in). At this point, the situation returns to be normal and everything restarts as described in the foregoing for manufacturing the windingsaround the supports.

According to a preferred embodiment, both the guide fingers, and the clampsandare movable (when necessary, i.e. for putting a single “temporarily unserviceable” winding station) between the work position or active position (illustrated in) and the neutral position or passive position (illustrated in); this solution allows minimizing the additional and “useless” unwinding of the wire from the coilsince it still maintains the clampsandcloser to the corresponding guide finger.

According to an alternative embodiment, only the guide fingersare movable (when necessary, i.e. for putting a single “temporarily unserviceable” winding station) between the work position or active position (illustrated in) and the neutral position or passive position (illustrated in), whereas the clampsandnever move from their position; this solution is constructively simpler but increases the additional and “useless” unwinding of the wire from the coilsince the clampsandare in average farther from the corresponding guide finger.

In the above-described non-limiting embodiment, the supportis part of a single-use cartridge of an electronic cigarette, but the above-described assembling method can be applied to the production of supports equipped with a winding for articles of any type (i.e. of any commodity class). For example, the above-described assembling method can be applied to the production of supports equipped with a winding for a machine, a plant, a construction, for example, but not only, of the tobacco, pharmaceutical, food or entertainment sector; more in general, the above-described assembling method can be applied to the production of supports equipped with a winding for applications of any type.

The embodiments described herein can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

The above-described method has numerous advantages.

Firstly, the above-described method allows achieving high effectiveness (measured as number of pieces produced in the time unit) enabling using a plurality of winding stationsin parallel.

Furthermore, the above-described method also allows reaching high efficiency since it minimizes the wastes; in fact, in the case of an absent or defective supportit is possible to make “temporarily unserviceable” only the winding stationin which the absent or defective supportis standing, whereas all the other winding stationsoperate regularly producing respective windings.

Especially, the above-described method allows preventing that in the case of an absent or defective supportthere is the risk of breaking the corresponding wire, situation which forces to stop the machine for allowing a human operator to manually intervene for restoring the continuity of the broken wire(with a relevant loss of effectiveness due to the prolonged stop of the machine).

Finally, the above-described method is relatively simple and not very expensive to implement.