US 2024/0315314 A1Published application

Automated deposition of highly viscous fluids into thin-walled cylinders

AssigneeSorting Robotics Inc.

InventorsNohtal Partansky, Benjamin Strauss, Ryan McCanna

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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.

Claims22

Dependent claims

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 poker assembly configured to create a cavity in the cigarette;
and
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.

4 more elements

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 poker assembly, configured to create a cavity in the 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.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.