System and apparatus
AssigneeFontem Holdings 1 B.V.
InventorsKenneth Scott, Stephen J. McDonald, Thomas S. Sudlow, David Jones, Christopher Lord
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method, system and apparatus for refilling a reservoir of a smoking-substitute device with liquid from a dispenser.
Claims27
An assembly for transferring liquid between a dispenser and a reservoir, said assembly comprising:
- a first portion configured for sealably cooperating with a mutually cooperative formation of said reservoir;
- a second portion connected to said first portion and configured for sealably cooperating with a mutually cooperative formation of said dispenser;
- and
- a chamber formed within said first and second portions, and including a first aperture at an end of said first portion and a second aperture at an end of said second portion;
- wherein said assembly is configurable between:
- a non-dispensing configuration in which liquid communication between said chamber and said first aperture is restricted;
- and
- a dispensing configuration in which a liquid communication pathway is opened between the chamber and said first aperture to communicate liquid between said dispenser and said reservoir through a dispenser outlet and reservoir inlet, and a gas communication pathway is formed between a formation on a body of said first portion and a formation of said reservoir for expulsion of gas from said reservoir;
- and
- further wherein alternation between said non-dispensing configuration and said dispensing configuration is effected responsive to application of an actuation force, exerted via an actuation formation of said reservoir, to a closure member located within said chamber.
The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said closure member is biased to close the liquid communication pathway in the absence of said actuation force.
The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first portion comprises a male member configured to be received in a mutually complementary female member of said reservoir.
The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second portion comprises a male member configured to be received in a mutually complementary female member of said dispenser.
The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, configured for sealably cooperating with a reservoir of a smoking-substitute device, and optionally securably cooperating with the reservoir of a smoking-substitute device.
A dispenser configured to cooperate with and be operative with the assembly of any one of the preceding claims.
A filling station for transferring liquid between a dispenser and a reservoir, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first coupling point formed in said housing, said first coupling point for sealably cooperating with said dispenser;
- a second coupling point formed in said housing, said second coupling point configured for sealably cooperating with a mutually cooperative formation of said reservoir;
- a conduit located in said housing and providing fluid communication between said first coupling point and said second coupling point.
An assembly for transferring liquid between a dispenser and a reservoir substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to FIGS. 21-28 of the drawings.
A system for transferring liquid between a dispenser and a reservoir substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to FIGS. 21-34 of the drawings.
A filling station for transferring liquid between a dispenser and a reservoir substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to FIGS. 29-34 of the drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.