A module for dispensing a powder is disclosed. The module has a channel having an entry port, a hopper coupled to the entry port and configured to receive the powder, and a piston partially disposed within the channel and configured to reciprocate within the channel. The piston has a retracted position configured to allow the powder to move from the hopper through the entry port into the channel.

Filling unit for a manufacturing machine for the production of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes; the filling unit has: a cylindrical tank which is arranged horizontally, is mounted so as to rotate in a stepwise manner around a vertical rotation axis, is delimited, at the bottom, by a base disc having a circular shape, and is delimited, on the sides, by a cylindrical side wall; a feeding duct that feeds a flow of tobacco inside the tank; a plurality of groups of seats, each of which is obtained in the base disc and is adapted to receive and contain a corresponding dose of tobacco; and a transfer device which is arranged in a fixed position and cyclically transfers the doses of tobacco contained inside the seats of a group standing still.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for reusing containers. A system for container reuse comprises an order database storing a plurality of orders associated with an order fulfillment facility, a conveyor system, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to determine container capacity requirements of the plurality of orders in the order database based on dimensions of products in each order, predict container usage for fulfilling orders at the order fulfillment facility based at least on the container capacity requirements of the plurality of orders, determine whether a used container received at the conveyor system should be retained based on a container dimension of the used container and the container usage predicted for the order fulfillment facility, and cause the conveyor system to route the used container to a fulfillment area or a disposal area based on whether the used container should be retained.

Machine and method for producing a substantially cylindrical article, which comprises a tubular body, a container element, arranged in the area of one end of the tubular element, a heat generating element, partially housed inside the container element, and loose material for generating flavour; in use, the loose material is inserted into the container element, vertically oriented, and the heat generating element is partially inserted into the container element by being moved downwards, so as to obtain a combined element; subsequently, the combined element is at least partially inserted into the tubular body.

An apparatus for dosing solid particulate material into one or more receptacles, the apparatus comprising: a reservoir for containing an amount of solid particulate material; a dosing unit comprising a dose collection position for collecting a predetermined dose of solid particulate material from the reservoir, and a dose release position for releasing the solid particulate material into the one or more receptacles; a receptacle handling unit for retaining the one or more receptacles, arranged to at least periodically align at least one of the one or more receptacles with the dosing unit when in the dose release position; and optionally a receptacle closing unit for closing the one or more receptacles once filled with the solid particulate material; wherein the dosing unit comprises one or more dosing chambers arranged to displace relative to said reservoir, and/or vice versa, along a perpendicular axis Y such that at least a portion of the chamber(s) is capable of being immerged into, and emerged out of, the solid particulate material at least when the dosing unit is in the dose collection position, the reservoir being arranged to impart a fluid-like state to the solid particulate material at least for the duration of the displacement.

A filling unit for filling containing elements (2) of single-use capsules (3) with a dose (33) of product for extraction or infusion beverages, comprising:a line (4) for transporting the containing elements (2);a station (SR) for filling the containing elements (2) with a dose (33) of product comprising at least a first containing seat (S1) designed to receive a dose (33) of product; a substation (ST1) for forming the dose (33) inside the first containing seat (S1) equipped with a device (6) for releasing a predetermined quantity of product defining the dose (33) inside the first containing seat (S1), the release device (6) comprising: a hopper (38) for feeding product; at least one rotary element (40a; 40b) having a plurality of blades (60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E, 60F); and a filling chamber (61) positioned below the rotary element (40a; 40b), the rotary element (40a; 40b) being configured to create a feeding flow of product from the feed hopper (38) towards the filling chamber (61).

A pipette for metering powder has a pipette sleeve and a metering piston having an end face for ejecting powder from the sleeve. The sleeve includes a free end and, on the sleeve inside, includes a circumferential wall extending in a closed manner around a longitudinal axis. The wall extends in the direction of the axis up to the free end and ends there in an edge which extends around the axis. The piston is guided to be movable parallel to the axis inside the wall. The end face, with the piston in a retracted metering position, defines a chamber with the wall. The wall is, in the region of the chamber, divided into a guide portion and a release portion adjoining the guide portion and extends up to the edge. The release portion surrounds a cross section of the chamber which is radially widened compared to the guide portion.

A pipette for metering powder has a pipette sleeve and a metering piston having an end face for ejecting powder from the sleeve. The sleeve includes a free end and, on the sleeve inside, includes a circumferential wall extending in a closed manner around a longitudinal axis. The wall extends in the direction of the axis up to the free end and ends there in an edge which extends around the axis. The piston is guided to be movable parallel to the axis inside the wall. The end face, with the piston in a retracted metering position, defines a chamber with the wall. The wall is, in the region of the chamber, divided into a guide portion and a release portion adjoining the guide portion and extends up to the edge. The release portion surrounds a cross section of the chamber which is radially widened compared to the guide portion.

Filling unit for a manufacturing machine for the production of disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes; the filling unit has: a cylindrical tank which is arranged horizontally, is mounted so as to rotate in a stepwise manner around a vertical rotation axis, is delimited, at the bottom, by a base disc having a circular shape, and is delimited, on the sides, by a cylindrical side wall; a feeding duct that feeds a flow of tobacco inside the tank; a plurality of groups of seats, each of which is obtained in the base disc and is adapted to receive and contain a corresponding dose of tobacco; and a transfer device which is arranged in a fixed position and cyclically transfers the doses of tobacco contained inside the seats of a group standing still.

An intermittent rotary machine for filling capsules with pharmaceutical or nutraceutical products is provided with a dosing disc, which delimits a hopper at the bottom for containing a pharmaceutical or nutraceutical powder product and has at least a group of dosing chambers, which are fed first of all through at least one compacting station, in the area of which the product contained in each dosing chamber is compacted by a respective compacting piston, and then through an expulsion station, in the area of which only part of the product contained in each dosing chamber is discharged into a respective capsule by a respective expelling piston.