Apparatus and method for assembling a heater assembly for a non-nicotine pod assembly
AssigneeAltria Client Services LLC
InventorsGregory L. Nelson, Bipin Patil, Craig Gunn, Rangaraj S. Sundar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for assembling a heater assembly for a non-nicotine pod assembly includes a base, a wick feed, a slide, and a holder. The wick feed extends toward the base and defines a channel configured to receive a wick structured to draw a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation via capillary action. The slide is configured to move along a plane on a top face of the base. The holder is disposed on the top face of the base.
Claims19
An apparatus for assembling a heater assembly for a non-nicotine pod assembly, the apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a wick feed extending toward the base and defining a channel configured to receive a wick structured to draw a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation via capillary action;
- a slide configured to move along a plane on a top face of the base;
- and
- a holder disposed on the top face of the base,
- wherein the holder is configured to secure a support of the heater assembly, the slide includes a front face that is orthogonal to the top face of the base, and the slide is configured to contact a finger of a heater on the support to move the finger to a vertical position so as to compress the wick.
A method of assembling a heater assembly for a non-nicotine pod assembly, the method comprising:
- securing, with a holder, a support of the heater assembly relative to a base;
- aligning, with a wick feed mounted to the base, a wick in a heater of the support, the wick structured to draw a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation via capillary action;
- cutting, with a blade configured to slide relative to the base, a portion of the wick;
- clamping, with a slide configured to move along a plane on a top face of the base, a portion of the heater around the portion of the wick;
- and
- releasing, with the holder, the support from the base,
- wherein the holder is disposed on the top face of the base,
- wherein the wick feed extends toward the base and defines a channel configured to receive the wick,
- wherein the slide includes a front face that is orthogonal to the top face of the base, and the slide is configured to contact a finger of the heater on the support to move the finger to a vertical position so as to compress the wick.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.