Filling unit

Abstract

A filling unit, in particular for filling containers with a liquid, preferably cartridges for electronic cigarettes includes: a nozzle for dispensing a product; a supporting base having at least one housing seat configured to receive the nozzle; a blocking member mobile between an operative position, in which the blocking member prevents extraction of the nozzle from the housing seat, and an inoperative position, in which the nozzle can be extracted from the housing seat; and a fastening member for fixing the blocking member in the operative position, where the fastening member includes a gripping portion provided for manual command without the use of tools of the fastening member.

1 . A filling unit, in particular for filling containers with a liquid, such as cartridges for electronic cigarettes, comprising:
 a nozzle for dispensing a product;   a supporting base having a housing seat configured to receive the nozzle;   a blocking member mobile between an operative position, in which said blocking member prevents extraction of said nozzle from said housing seat, and an inoperative position, in which said nozzle can be extracted from said housing seat; and   a fastening member for fixing said blocking member in said operative position, said fastening member comprising a gripping portion provided for manual command without a use of tools of said fastening member,   wherein said fastening member is carried by said blocking member both when the blocking member is in the operative position and when the blocking member is in the inoperative position.   
     
     
         2 . The filling unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said blocking member is rotatable with respect to the supporting base so as to turn between said operative position and said inoperative position, and vice versa. 
     
     
         3 . The filling unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said gripping portion comprises a knob that is rotatable and wherein the fastening member comprises a fixing pin fixed in rotation with respect to the knob. 
     
     
         4 . The filling unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the supporting base comprises an anchorage seat for anchoring at least one portion of the fastening member, and said fastening member is provided for engaging the anchorage seat when the blocking member is in the operative position. 
     
     
         5 . The filling unit according to  claim 4 , wherein the fixing pin has a threaded end that can be removably coupled to a threaded hole of the anchorage seat. 
     
     
         6 . The filling unit according to  claim 1 , comprising a nozzle-carrier element that can be at least partially inserted, in a removable way, in the housing seat; and wherein the blocking member in the operative position is set over and against said nozzle-carrier element. 
     
     
         7 . The filling unit according to  claim 6 , comprising a tank containing the product to be dispensed, and wherein the nozzle-carrier element comprises an internal duct for passage of the liquid that sets the tank and the nozzle fluid communication. 
     
     
         8 . The filling unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the nozzle-carrier element and the nozzle are removably coupled by interference fit. 
     
     
         9 . A method for fast mounting of a nozzle in a filling unit for filling containers with a liquid, such as cartridges for electronic cigarettes, comprising the steps of:
 setting the nozzle in a housing seat provided in a supporting base of the filling unit;   bringing a blocking member from an inoperative position, where said nozzle can be extracted from said housing seat, to an operative position, where said blocking member prevents extraction of said nozzle from said housing seat; and   controlling a fastening member for fixing said blocking member in said operative position, wherein said fastening member is carried by said blocking member both when the blocking member is in the operative position and when the blocking member is in the inoperative position;   wherein said step of controlling said fastening member includes gripping manually and without a use of tools, a gripping portion of the fastening member and through said gripping portion operating said fastening member for fixing said blocking member in said operative position.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein setting the nozzle in said housing seat includes coupling said nozzle to a nozzle-carrier element and inserting at least partially said nozzle-carrier element into the housing seat; and wherein the step of bringing the blocking member from the inoperative position to the operative position includes setting said blocking member over and against said nozzle-carrier element. 
     
     
         11 . A method for fast removal of a nozzle to be replaced from a filling unit, for filling containers with a liquid, such as cartridges for electronic cigarettes, comprising the steps of:
 controlling a fastening member to release a blocking member from an operative position thereof, where said blocking member prevents extraction of the nozzle to be replaced from a housing seat provided in a supporting base of the filling unit;   wherein said step of controlling said fastening member includes gripping manually and without a use of tools, a gripping portion of the fastening member and through said gripping portion operating said fastening member to release said blocking member from said operative position;   bringing said blocking member from the operative position to an inoperative position, where the nozzle to be replaced can be extracted from said housing seat,   wherein said fastening member is carried by said blocking member both when the blocking member is in the operative position and when the blocking member is in the inoperative position; and   extracting said nozzle to be replaced from said housing seat.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein extracting said nozzle to be replaced from the housing seat includes extracting a nozzle-carrier element from the housing seat and uncoupling the nozzle to be replaced from the nozzle-carrier element by puffing said nozzle away from the nozzle-carrier element. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein controlling said fastening member includes engaging or releasing an anchorage seat of the supporting base to or from said fastening member. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein bringing said blocking member from said inoperative position to said operative position, and vice versa, comprises rotating said blocking member with respect to the supporting base.