Automated deposition of highly viscous fluids into thin-walled cylinders
AssigneeSorting Robotics Inc.
InventorsNohtal Partansky, Paul Skaar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for automatic infusion of concentrate and distillate material into cigarettes or other containers. In one embodiment, a thermally-controlled infusion system is provided. The system can maintain a selected temperature of the concentrate material throughout the infusion process, using a two-stage approach. In a first stage, the concentrate material is pressure-fed to a dosing chamber. In the second stage, the concentrate material is pumped into an insertion canula and into a cigarette or container. A revolver houses the cigarettes or containers and vertically transitions them to an insertion position, where the insertion canula can infuse the cigarettes or containers.
Claims20
A thermally-controlled concentrate infusion apparatus comprising:
- a thermally controlled and pressurized reservoir of concentrate material configured to apply a first amount of pressure, comprising a feed pressure, to the concentrate material, and further configured to maintain a selected temperature of the concentrate material;
- a heated tube coupling the reservoir to a dosing chamber, wherein the first amount of pressure in the reservoir feeds the concentrate material into the dosing chamber via the heated tube;
- a pump assembly configured to exert a second amount of pressure, comprising dosing pressure, to the concentrate material in the dosing chamber feeding the concentrate material to a needle assembly;
- a revolver, rotatable about an axis and comprising a plurality of hollowed cavities, each cavity shaped to house a cigarette;
- a motor assembly configured to move the revolver between a rotatable position and an insertion position, wherein in the insertion position, a canula of the needle assembly penetrates a cigarette housed in a cavity of the revolver.
A method of manufacturing a thermally controlled concentrate material infusion system comprising:
- providing a thermally controlled and pressurized reservoir of concentrate material configured to apply a first amount of pressure, comprising a feed pressure, to the concentrate material, and further configured to maintain a selected temperature of the concentrate material;
- connecting the reservoir to a dosing chamber via a heated tube, wherein the first amount of pressure in the reservoir feeds the concentrate material into the dosing chamber via the heated tube;
- providing a pump assembly configured to exert a second amount of pressure, comprising dosing pressure, to the concentrate material in the dosing chamber feeding the concentrate material to a needle assembly;
- providing a revolver, rotatable about an axis and comprising a plurality of hollowed cavities, each cavity shaped to house a cigarette;
- providing a motor assembly configured to move the revolver between a rotatable position and an insertion position, wherein in the insertion position, a canula of the needle assembly penetrates a cigarette housed in a cavity of the revolver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.