Patent Publication Number: US-2023150011-A1

Title: Method and Machine to Manufacture One or More Coils Around Respective Articles

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102021000028892 filed on Nov. 15, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The invention relates to a method and a machine to manufacture one or more coils around respective articles. 
     The invention is advantageously applied in the tobacco industry in order to assemble a transponder in a component of a disposable cartridge of an electronic cigarette, to which explicit reference will be made in the description below without because of this losing in generality. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An electronic cigarette normally comprises a re-usable part, which is used several times and contains, among other things, an electric battery (which provides the power needed for the operation of the electronic cigarette) and an electronic processor, which controls the operation of the electronic cigarette. Furthermore, the electronic cigarette comprises a disposable cartridge (namely to be used one single time and to be then replaced), which is coupled to the re-usable part. 
     Recently, a disposable cartridge was developed, which is provided with a transponder equipped with a memory where the features of the disposable cartridge are stored, in particular the features of the (liquid or solid) active substance that is heated in order to release the vapours to be inhaled; in this way, the re-usable part of the electronic cigarette can read the features of the disposable cartridge coupled thereto, accordingly adjusting the heating to the features of the disposable cartridge. 
     In most applications, the transponder comprises one single wound antenna (namely, one single coil serving as antenna); however, in some applications, the transponder can comprise a plurality of wound antennas (namely, a plurality of coils serving as antennas), which have different spatial orientations so as to make sure that the transponder is capable of effectively communicating in all possible positions. 
     A significant problem arising when manufacturing a wound antenna (namely, a coil serving as antenna) for a transponder lies in the need to use a very thin wire (having a diameter in the range of 50-200 microns), hence having an extremely small mechanical resistance (the tensile strength amounts to a few Newtons): if, during the winding of the wire, there accidentally is an even small increase in traction (2-3 excess Newtons are enough), the wire risks breaking, thus consequently leading to a standstill of the automatic machine until the intervention of a skilled operator (who, anyway, needs several minutes to restore the continuity of the wire). Every standstill of the automatic machine obviously reduces the daily productivity of the automatic machine to a significant extent and, at the same time, increases direct costs for the management of the automatic machine, as a consequence of the costs arising from the intervention of the skilled operator. 
     Patent application GB1590920A discloses a method to manufacture one single coil around an article, comprising the steps of: moving, by means of a main conveyor and along a processing path, a plurality of carriages, each provided with at least one seat designed to house an article; placing, in an input station arranged along the processing path, each article in the seat of a corresponding carriage; and coupling, in a first winding station or, alternatively, in a second winding station arranged one after the other along the path, a wire around an article carried by a carriage so as to create a corresponding coil. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to provide a method and a machine to manufacture one or more coils around respective articles, said method and said machine allowing a high productivity (measured as number of articles produced per time unit) to be reached and maintained, even in the long run. 
     According to the invention there are provided a method and a machine to manufacture one or more coils around respective articles as claimed in the appended claims. 
     The appended claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention and form an integral part of the description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein: 
         FIGS.  1  and  2    are two different perspective views of a component of a disposable cartridge of an electronic cigarette; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic front view of a machine producing the component of  FIGS.  1  and  2    and manufactured according to the invention; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the machine of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a carriage of a main conveyor of the machine of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of a winding station of the machine of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of a welding station of the machine of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of a component of a disposable cartridge of an electronic cigarette other than the one of  FIGS.  1  and  2   ; 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic view of a machine producing the component of  FIG.  8    and manufactured according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIGS.  1  and  2   , reference number  1  indicates, as a whole, an article making up a component of a disposable cartridge of an electronic cigarette. 
     The article  1  approximately has the shape of a parallelepiped having six walls (faces): an upper wall  2 , a lower wall  3  parallel to and opposite the upper wall  2 , a front wall  4 , a rear wall  5  parallel to and opposite the front wall  4  and two side walls  6  parallel to and opposite one another. 
     The articles  1  comprises two pins  7  and  8  (namely, two small columns), which project (namely, in a perpendicular manner) from the front wall  4 . 
     The article  1  comprises a transponder  9 , namely an electronic device (of the passive kind, namely without a power supply of its own), which is capable of storing information and is capable of communicating through radio frequency. In other words, the transponder  9  is a small-sized smart label, which is designed to reply to the interrogation made from a distance by suitable fixed or portable apparatuses, known as readers (or interrogator devices); a reader is capable of reading and/or changing the information contained in the transponder  9  being interrogated by communicating with the transponder  9  through radio frequency. As a consequence, the transponder  9  is part of a wireless reading and/or writing system operating according to the so-called RFID (“Radio-Frequency Identification”) technology. 
     The transponder  9  comprises an integrated electronic circuit  10  (namely, a microchip) provided with a non-volatile memory (typically, an EEPROM or a FRAM) and a coil  11 A, which is connected to the electronic circuit  10 ; in particular, the electronic circuit  10  has two electrical contacts  12 , to which two ends of the coil  11 A are welded. The coil  11 A is wound and consists of a plurality of turns of an externally insulated conductor wire  13 ; in the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures there are approximately 10-15 turns. The conductor wire  13  is wound around the walls  4 ,  5  and  6  of the article  1 , whereas the electronic circuit  10  is arranged in a housing obtained in the lower wall  3  of the article  1 . According to a preferred embodiment, the conductor wire  13  has a diameter ranging from 10 to 500 microns and preferably ranging from 20 to 200 microns (even though, in most applications, the diameter ranges from 25 to 150 microns). 
     The electronic circuit  10  uses the coil  11 A to communicate, through radio frequency, with other electronic devices located nearby. Alternatively or in addition, the electronic circuit  10  could also use the coil  11 A to generate power (used for its own operation and/or to charge its own electric battery) exploiting an electromagnetic field generated by an electronic device located nearby; namely, the electronic circuit  10  could also use the coil to carry out an inductive (namely contact-less) power charging of its own electric battery. As a consequence, the coil  11 A constitutes an antenna, which can be used to exchange (transmit) information by means of electromagnetic waves (in this case, the antenna are part of a telecommunication device) and/or can be used to exchange power by means of electromagnetic waves (in this case, the antenna is part of a charging device). Namely, the coil  11 A constitutes a wound antenna for electromagnetic interactions, which can be aimed at exchanging (transmitting) information or can be aimed at generating electrical power through electromagnetic induction. 
     In  FIGS.  3  and  4   , reference number  14  indicates, as a whole, an automatic machine to assemble the article  1 . 
     The automatic machine  14  comprises a support body (namely, a frame), which rests on the ground by means of legs and has, at the front, a vertical wall on which the operating members are mounted. Furthermore, the automatic machine  14  comprises a main conveyor  15 , which moves the articles  1  being processed along an assembling path P, which extends between an input station S 1  (where the main conveyor  15  receives the articles  1  to be completed, namely assembled) and an output station S 2  (where the main conveyor  15  releases complete, namely assembled articles  1 ); in particular, the assembling path P is horizontal and linear, namely substantially extends along a straight line arranged horizontally. 
     The assembling path P goes through a series of stations S 3 -S 7  (better described below), where the articles  1  passing by are subjected to assembling operations. 
     The main conveyor  15  comprises a plurality of carriages  16 , which are moved along the assembling path P; as better shown in  FIG.  5   , each carriage  16  comprises a support plate  17 , where four seats  18  are obtained, each designed to receive and house a corresponding article  1  (namely, each seat  18  reproduces in negative the shape of the article  1  so as to accommodate the article  1  without a significant clearance). The number of seats  18  obtained in the support plate  17  of a carriage  16  could obviously be different from four (it generally ranges from a minimum of one to a maximum to seven-eight seats  18 ). 
     According to  FIG.  5   , the main conveyor  15  is normally designed to cyclically move each carriage  16  along the building path P with an intermittent (step-like) movement, which entails cyclically alternating movement phases, in which the main conveyor  15  moves the carriages  16 , and stop phases, in which the main conveyor  15  holds the carriages  16  still. The main conveyor  15  comprises an annular guide  19  (namely, closed on itself with a ring shape), which is arranged in a fixed position along the building path P; in particular, the annular guide  19  consists of one single fixed track (namely, without movement), which is arranged along the building path P. Furthermore, the main conveyor  15  comprises a plurality of slides  20 , each supporting a corresponding carriage  16  and being coupled to the guide  19  so as to freely slide along the guide  19 . Finally, the main conveyor  15  comprises a linear electric motor  21 , which moves the slides  20  carrying the carriages  16  along the building path P; the linear electric motor  16  comprises an annular stator  22  (namely, a fixed primary element), which is arranged in a fixed position along the guide  19 , and a plurality of movable sliders  23  (namely, movable secondary elements), each electrically-magnetically coupled to the stator  22  so as to receive, from the stator  22 , a driving force and rigidly connected to a corresponding slide  20 . 
     According to a different embodiment, which is not shown herein, the main conveyor  15  is a conveyor belt and comprises (at least) a flexible belt, which supports the carriages  16  and is closed in a ring shape around at least two end pulleys (at least one of them being motor-driven). 
     According to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , at the beginning of the assembling cycle, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  (carrying four seats  18 ) along the assembling path P so as to stop one single carriage  16  in the input station S 1 , where four articles  1  (to be assembled, namely completed) are placed in the corresponding four seats of the carriage  16 . 
     Subsequently, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  (carrying four seats  18 ) along the assembling path P and from the input station S 1  to the application station S 3  (arranged between the input station S 1  and the feeding station S 4 ), where the carriage  16  stops and an adhesive means (for example, one or more glue drops or a double-sided adhesive tape) designed to cause the electronic circuit  10  to stick to the article  1  is applied on each article  1  carried by the carriage  16 . According to a preferred embodiment, in the application station S 3  there are two redundant twin application units, which are used simultaneously or alternatively (so that an application unit can be used, while the other is standing still because it needs to be restored/subjected to maintenance/cleaned). 
     Subsequently, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  (carrying four seats  18 ) along the assembling path P and from the application station S 3  to the feeding station S 4  (arranged downstream of the input station S 1 ), where the carriage  16  stops and each article  1  carried by the carriage  16  is coupled to an electronic circuit  10  provided with the two electrical contacts  12 . According to a preferred embodiment, in the feeding station S 4  there are two redundant twin feeding units, which are used simultaneously or alternatively (so that a feeding unit can be used, while the other is standing still because it needs to be restored/subjected to maintenance/cleaned). 
     Subsequently, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  (carrying four seats  18 ) along the assembling path P and from the feeding station S 4  to one of the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  (arranged one after the other downstream of the feeding station S 4 ), where the carriage  16  stops and an externally insulated conductor wire  13  is wound around each article  1  carried by the carriage  16  in order to create a series of turns making up the wound coil  11 A. According to a preferred embodiment, each winding station S 5  or S 6  is configured to operate with two carriages  16  at a time (namely, with eight articles  1  at a time), since the winding operation is fairly slow (namely, requires time in order to be carried out with a high quality). 
     As better described below, according to a first embodiment, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  are redundant twin stations and are used simultaneously (namely, in parallel) or alternatively (so that a winding station S 5  or S 6  can be used, while the other winding station S 6  or S 5  is standing still because it needs to be restored/subjected to maintenance/cleaned). In this case, each carriage  16  is stopped in only one of the two winding stations S 5  or S 6  and, hence, the corresponding coil  11 A is coupled (wound) around each article  1  in the winding station S 5  or, alternatively, in the winding station S 6 ; in other words, approximately half the articles  1  receive the corresponding coil  11 A in the winding station S 5 , whereas the remaining half of the articles  1  receive the corresponding coil  11 A in the winding station S 6  and, as a consequence, approximately half the carriages  16  stop in the winding station S 5 , whereas the remaining half of the carriages  16  stops in the winding station S 6  (namely, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6 , by operating together and in parallel, split the carriages  16  between themselves). 
     According to a second alternative, which is better described below, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  are used in series one after the other or alternatively to one another (so that a winding station S 5  or S 6  can be used, while the other winding station S 6  or S 5  is standing still because it needs to be restored/subjected to maintenance/cleaned). In this case, each carriage  16  is stopped in both winding stations S 5  or S 6  or is stopped twice in the area of one single winding station S 5  or S 6 . 
     Subsequently, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  (carrying four seats  18 ) along the assembling path P and from the winding station S 5  and/or S 6  to the welding station S 7  (arranged downstream of the winding stations S 5  and S 6 ), where the carriage  16  stops and, in each article  1  carried by the carriage  16 , the two opposite ends of the wound coil  11 A are welded (for example, through ultrasound or through laser) to the two electrical contacts  12  of the electronic circuit  10 . According to a preferred embodiment, the welding station S 7  is configured to operate with four carriages  16  at a time (namely, with sixteen articles  1  at a time), since the welding operation is relatively slow (namely, requires time in order to be carried out with a high quality). 
     Subsequently, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  (carrying four seats  18 ) along the assembling path P and from the welding station S 7  to the output station S 2  (arranged downstream of the welding station S 7 ), where the carriage  16  stops and the articles  1  carried by the carriage  16  are removed from the seats  18  so that they can leave the automatic machine  14 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, each seat  18  of a carriage  16  houses the article  1  in a projecting manner so that the article  1  partially protrudes out of the carriage  16  letting a part of a lower wall  3  of the article  1  (where the electronic circuit  10  with the two electrical contacts  12  has to be placed) free. In the application station S 3 , the adhesive means is coupled to the free part of the lower wall  3  of the article  1  from the bottom to the top; if necessary, in the application station S 3  there is a countering body  24  (shown in  FIG.  4   ), which is vertically movable and (slightly) presses against the articles  1  carried by a carriage  16  from the top to the bottom so as to counter the bottom-to-top thrust applied to the articles  1  during the application of the adhesive means. In the feeding station S 4 , each electronic circuit  10  is coupled to the free part of the lower wall  3  of the article  1  from the bottom to the top; in the feeding station S 4  there preferably is a countering body  25  (shown in  FIG.  4   ), which is vertically movable and (slightly) presses against the articles  1  carried by a carriage  16  from the top to the bottom so as to counter the bottom-to-top thrust applied to the articles  1  during the feeding of the electronic circuits  10 . 
     As mentioned above, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is preferably configured to operate with two carriages  16  at a time (namely, with eight articles  1  at a time), hence, in the winding station S 5 , S 6 , eight coils  11 A are simultaneously manufactured by winding eight wires  13  around eight articles  1 . As shown in  FIG.  6   , each winding station S 5  or S 6  can comprise eight different positions  26 , each assigned to a corresponding article  1  and allowing the respective wire  13  to be wound around the corresponding article  1 ; as a consequence, each winding station S 5 , S 6  operates in parallel carrying our eight different winding operations at a time. According to other embodiments which are not shown herein, the number of positions  26  present in each winding station S 5 , S 6  is different (generally ranging from a minimum of one to a maximum of twelve-sixteen). 
     Each position  26  of the winding station S 5 , S 6  comprises a movable finger  27 , which is used to move the wire  13 , namely to move the wire  13  towards the article  1 , around the article  1  and, then, away from the article  1 . In particular, each coil  11 A is obtained by directly winding the wire  13  around the article  1 , having a finger  27  revolve around the article  1  with a helical (spiral) rotation movement. In other words, each coil  11 A is directly manufactured around the article  1  by having the movable finger  27 , which engages the wire  13  in a sliding manner, revolve several times around the article  1  with a helical rotation. Each movable finger  27  has a tubular shape having a central hole going through the movable finger  27  from side to side and accommodating the wire  13 ; namely, the wire  13  is inserted into a rear opening of the movable finger  27  and comes out from a front opening of the movable finger  27 . For each movable finger  27 , the wire  13  is progressively unwound from a reel contained in a suitable container, goes through a stretching device and, then, reaches the movable finger  27 ; each stretching device  36  is configured to apply an always constant stretch to the wire  13 . 
     Each winding unit S 5 , S 6  comprises a common support body  28  (shown in  FIG.  4   ), on which all eight movable fingers  27  are mounted in order to move all eight movable fingers  27  always together and with the same identical law of motion; in particular, the eight movable fingers  27  are mounted on the support body  28  in a rigid manner, namely the eight movable fingers  27  always move with the support body  28  in an integral manner and never make any kind of movement relative to the support body  28 . The support body  28  is moved by one single actuator device  29  (shown in  FIG.  4   ) provided with (at least) an independent electric motor of its own. 
     According to  FIG.  7   , the welding station S 7  comprises four welding heads  30 , each arranged in a fixed position and configured to weld the two opposite ends of the wound coil  11 A to the two electrical contacts  12  of the electronic circuit  10 ; in use, the main conveyor  15  moves a carriage  16  so as to cause all four articles  1  carried by the carriage  16  to reach, one after the other, the area of a corresponding welding head  42 . 
     Each welding head  42  also is preferably configured to cut the two opposite ends of the wound coil  11 A downstream of the welds to the two electrical contacts  12  of the electronic circuit  10 , so as to remove the excess part of the two opposite ends of the wound coil  11 A. 
     The automatic machine  14  comprises a control unit  31  (schematically shown in  FIG.  3   ), which controls the operation of the entire automatic machine  14 . 
     The operation of the automatic machine  14  will be described below, with special reference to the peculiar control modes of the winding stations S 5  and S 6 . 
     The control unit  31  cyclically and continuously monitors the functionality of all components of the automatic machine  14  and, in particular, the functionality of the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  (which are the components of the automatic machine  14  most frequently subjected to problems) in order to determine whether the winding stations S 5  and S 6  are capable of operating or not; in particular, the main drawback (problem) that can arise in a winding station S 5  or S 6  is the breaking of the wire  13  in (at least) a position  26 , since, in case the wire  13  breaks in a position  26 , the position  26  can no longer be used until the continuity of the wire  13  is restored. One of the main indicators that can be used to diagnose the breaking of a wire  13  is the extent of the stretch of the wire  13 : when the stretch of a wire  13  is zero (namely, is below a minimum threshold), the breaking of the wire  13  is basically certain. 
     As mentioned above, each winding station S 5 , S 6  has a plurality of (in particular, eight) positions  26 , which operate in parallel; hence, if (at least) one of the work positions  26  is not operating, namely is standing still (for example due to the breaking of the wire  13  or because of a scheduled or non-scheduled maintenance intervention), the winding station S 5 , S 6  could continue operating using the sole positions  26  still working (namely, excluding the non-working position  26 ); obviously, the seat  18  of a carriage  16  standing in the area of a non-working position  26  has to be left out of production by not feeding a corresponding article  1  in the input station S 1 , by not applying the adhesive in the application station S 3 , by not feeding a corresponding electronic circuit  10  in the feeding station S 4  and by not carrying out the welding operation in the welding station S 7 . 
     However, using a winding station S 5  or S 6  with one (or more) non-working positions  26  is a makeshift solution, which is generally used by the control unit  31  of the automatic machine  14  only when necessary and only for relatively “short” amounts of time, since it is anyway a solution that jeopardizes productivity (using only seven positions  26  instead of all eight positions  26  reduces productivity by 12.5%) and stresses the entire automatic machine  14  (since it cyclically has to disable, for a work cycle, all parts of the automatic machine  14  involved in the processing of an article  1  that would be assigned to the non-working position  26 ). 
     According to the first embodiment of the invention, when both winding stations S 5  and S 6  are (fully) operating (namely, when, in both winding stations S 5  and S 6 , all the corresponding positions  26  are working), the preferred operating mode chosen by the control unit  31  of the automatic machine  14  entails using the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  together and in parallel, having each winding station S 5  or S 6  operate at a production speed (measured as number of pieces processed 
     per time unit by the station S 5  or S 6 ) which is equal to half the production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) of the automatic machine  14 . In other words, the control unit  31  uses, when they are both (fully) operating, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  together and in parallel, having each winding station S 5 , S 6  operate at half the production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) of the automatic machine  14 , so that half the coils  11 A are manufactured by the winding station S 5  and the other half of the coils  11 A is manufactured by the winding station S 6 . 
     By way of example, if, at a given time, the production speed of the automatic machine  14  is 480 articles (pieces) per minute, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is caused to operate at a production speed of  240  articles (pieces) per minute and the sum of the two winding stations S 5 , S 6  fulfils the need of the automatic machine  14 , which, as a whole, operates at 480 articles (pieces) per minute. In other words, the stations S 1 -S 4  and S 7  of the automatic machine  14  have to each operate at 480 articles (pieces) per minute, whereas the winding stations S 5 , S 6  of the automatic machine  14  have to each operate at 240 articles (pieces) per minute, since there are two of them performing the same task and, hence, splitting the coils  11 A to be manufactured into two halves. It should be pointed out that, when a winding station S 5 , S 6  operates at 240 articles (pieces) per minute, each position  26  of the winding station S 5 , S 6  operates at 30 articles (pieces) per minute (since in each winding station S 5  or S 6  there are eight positions  26 ). 
     According to this first embodiment, when one of the winding stations S 5  and S 6  is not (fully) operating (namely, when in one of the winding stations S 5  and S 6  there is at least one non-working position  26  or when one of the winding stations S 5  and S 6  is completely not working, for example due to a scheduled or non-scheduled maintenance intervention), the preferred operating mode chosen by the control unit  31  of the automatic machine  14  entails using only the other working winding station S 6  or S 5 , which is caused to operate at a production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit by the station S 5  or S 6 ) which is equal to a production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) of the automatic machine  14 . In other words, the control unit  31  uses, when a winding station S 5  or S 6  is not (entirely) operating, only the other operating winding station S 6  or S 5 , which is caused to operate at a production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which is equal to the production speed of the automatic machine  14  (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit), so that all coils  11 A are manufactured in the only operating winding station S 6  or S 5 . 
     By way of example, if, at a given time, the production speed of the automatic machine  14  is 480 articles (pieces) per minute, the sole winding station S 5 , S 6  being used is caused to operate at a production speed of  480  articles (pieces) per minute, just like the other stations S 1 -S 4  and S 7  of the automatic machine  14  have to each operate at 480 articles (pieces) per minute. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is capable of operating at a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which is higher than half a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) of the automatic machine  14  and, in particular, each winding station S 5  or S 6  is capable of operating at a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which is equal to a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) of the automatic machine  14 . Namely, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is capable of reaching a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which is equal to a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) of the automatic machine  14  and, hence, each winding station S 5  or S 6  is capable, alone (i.e. without any help from the other winding station S 6  or S 5 ), of fulfilling the production needs of the automatic machine  14 , even when the automatic machine  14  reaches its nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit). Therefore, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  are completely redundant relative to one another, since there are to winding stations S 5  and S 6  dedicated to the same identical function and each capable of fulfilling, alone, the production needs of the automatic machine  14 , even when the automatic machine  14  reaches its nominal production speed (namely, a maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit); hence, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  are organized so that a problem affecting only one of them cannot determine a general malfunction of the entire automatic machine  14  (even when the automatic machine  14  reaches its nominal production speed). 
     Always using both winding stations S 5  and S 6  (obviously, when they are both working) allows each winding station S 5  or S 6  to operate at an actual production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which, worst case scenario, is half its own nominal production speed (namely, maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit). Hence, always using both winding stations S 5  and S 6  (obviously, when they are both working) allows each winding station S 5  or S 6  to operate in a very slow manner (compared to what could be reached by operating at its own nominal production speed) and, therefore, significantly reduces those accelerations (namely, forces) to which all materials (and, especially, the wire  13 ) are subjected during the winding, thus significantly reducing the risk of undesired breaking of the wire  13 . 
     In other words, using both winding stations S 5  and S 6  (obviously, when they are both working) at a “half speed” rather than one single winding station S 5  or S 6  at a “full speed” does not affect the overall productivity of the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  (in any case, the number of pieces produced per time unit is the same), but, on the contrary, it very positively affects the risk of undesired breaking of the wire  13 , namely significantly reduces the risk of undesired breaking of the wore  13 . Therefore, the control unit  31  always prefers the operating mode in which both winding stations S 5  and S 6  (obviously, when they are both working) are used at a “half speed” rather than the operating mode in which one single winding station S 5  or S 6  is used at a “full speed”. 
     As a consequence, when they are both working, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  are used together and in parallel having each winding station S 5 , S 6  operate at an actual production speed (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which always is smaller than its own nominal production speed (namely, maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit), even when the automatic machine  14  operates at its own nominal production speed (namely, maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit). Furthermore, each winding station S 5  or S 6  is caused to operate at its own nominal production speed (namely, maximum production speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) only when it is the only working winding station S 5  or S 6 , for the other winding station S 6  or S 5  is not working. 
     When, in a winding station S 5  or S 6 , a wire  13  breaks, the control unit  31  can decide not to use the winding station S 5  or S 6  not (completely) operating and, hence, to only use the other winding station S 6  or S 5  completely operating (at twice the speed than before). However, the control unit  31  can also decide to continue using both winding stations S 5  and S 6 , accepting that the winding station S 5  or S 6  not (completely) working operates without the position  26  where the wire  13  broke and, hence, operates with a reduced productivity; this choice is made because giving up a moderate amount of product ivy, having both winding stations S 5  and S 6  operate at a “half speed”, could be better than using one single winding station S 5  or S 6  at a “full speed” (with a greater risk of breaking wires  13  in the sole winding station S 5  or S 6  operating at a “full speed”). In these conditions, the smaller productivity of the winding station S 5  or S 6  not (completely) working (namely, of the winding station S 5  or S 6  with a non-working position  26 ) could be balanced by slightly increasing the production speed of the winding station S 5  or S 6  not (completely) working, by slightly increasing the production speed of the completely working winding station S 6  or S 5  or by slightly increasing the production speed of both winding stations S 5  and S 6 ; however, it should be pointed out that the control unit  31  is not completely free to have the two winding station S 5  and S 6  operate at any production speed, since the operation of the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  is anyway forced to respect times and synchronisms set by all the other stations S 1 -S 4  and S 7  of the automatic machine  14 . 
     Generally speaking, the choice made by the control unit  31  can change over time and is based on an analysis (also carried out in a remote manner by the manufacturer of the automatic machine  14 ) of historic data, which allows for an identification, in all conditions, of the ideal choice (namely, the choice that does not maximize the instantaneous productivity, but maximizes the average productivity over time). 
     When, in a winding station S 5  or S 6 , a wire  13  breaks, an operators needs to intervene in order to restore the broken wire  13 ; obviously, during the operations carried out to restore a broken wire  13  in a winding station S 5  or S 6 , the winding station S 5  or S 6  needs to be completely still and, therefore, during the operations carried out to restore a broken wire  13  in a winding station S 5  or S 6 , there is no other choice but to only have the other winding station S 6  or S 5  be used by the automatic machine  14  for normal production. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is provided with protection elements, which isolate the winding station S 5 , S 6  from all other moving parts of the automatic machine  14  and, hence, allow an operator to act upon the winding station S 5  or S 6  standing still while the rest of the automatic machine  14  is working. By so doing, maintenance operations (such as restoring a broken wire  13 ) can be carried out even when the automatic machine  14  s regularly operating. According to a possible embodiment, in each winding station S 5 , S 6 , at least one protection element is movable is and moved (typically, by a servomotor) between a deactivated position, which does not (mechanically, physically) isolate the corresponding winding station S 5  or S 6  and is assumed only when the corresponding winding station S 5  or S 6  is working, and an active position, which (mechanically, physically) isolates the corresponding winding station S 5  or S 6  and is assumed only when the corresponding winding station S 5  or S 6  is not working, namely is standing still, and has to be subjected to a maintenance intervention by an operator. 
     In the preferred embodiment described above, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is capable of operating at a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which is equal to a nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14  (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit). According to a different embodiment, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is capable of operating (namely, is configured to operate) at a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which ranges from 30% to 120%, preferably from 50% to 120% of the nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14  (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit). For example, each winding station S 5  or S 6  is capable of operating at a nominal production speed (namely, a maximum speed measured as number of pieces processed per time unit) which is equal to 75% of the nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14  (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit); this embodiment is a compromise between cost needs (the higher the nominal production speed of a winding station S 5  or S 6 , the higher the cost of the winding station S 5  or S 6 ) and the need to maintain a high productivity in the long run (when a winding station S 5  or S 6  is not working, the automatic machine  14  cannot reach its nominal production speed, but, on the other hand, a winding station S 5  or S 6  is completely out of order only for a limited amount of time compared to the possible twenty-four hours of continuous operation of the automatic machine  14 ). 
     In the non-limiting embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the automatic machine  14  comprises two redundant winding stations S 5  and S 6 , which normally operate in parallel at a “half speed” and, only when one single winding station S 5  or S 6  is not working (and, hence, stands still), the other winding station S 5  or S 6  operates alone at a “full speed”. According to other embodiments, the automatic machine  14  comprises N redundant winding stations (wherein N is an integer number greater than two, for example three four or five), which normally operate in parallel, each at a production speed that is an N-th of the production speed of the automatic machine  14 ; when a winding station stops working, the other winding stations still working increase their production speed accordingly. For example, in case of three winding stations, each winding station has a production speed equal to 33% of the production speed of the automatic machine  14  when all three winding stations are working, each working winding station has a production speed equal to 50% of the production speed of the automatic machine  14  when only two winding stations are working, and the sole remaining winding station has a production speed equal to 100% of the production speed of the automatic machine  14  when one single winding station is working. 
     To sum up, the control unit  31  is configured to use, when they are both working, the two winding stations S 5  and S 6  together and in parallel, having each winding station S 5  and S 6  operate at a corresponding first production speed, and to use, when a winding station S 5  or S 6  is not working, only the other winding station S 6  or S 5 , which is caused to operate at a second production speed, which is higher than the corresponding first production speed (assuming that the operating speed of the automatic machine  14  remains the same), so as to at least partially make up for the lack of operation of a winding station S 5  or S 6 . Namely, the sum of the first production speeds (of both winding stations S 5  and S 6  working in parallel) is equal to a production speed of the automatic machine  14  and the second production speed (of the sole working winding station S 5  or S 6 ) is equal to the production speed of the automatic machine  14 . Each winding station S 5  and S 6  has a nominal production speed which is higher than a nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14  divided by the total number of winding stations S 5  and S 6  and, preferably, each winding station S 5  and S 6  has a nominal production speed which is equal to a nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14 . 
     More in general, when they all work, all winding stations S 5  and S 6  are used together and in parallel, having each winding station S 5  and S 6  operate at the first speed, so that the sum of all first production speeds is equal to a production speed of the automatic machine  14 ; on the other hand, when a winding station S 5  or S 6  is not working, only the other working stations S 6  or S 5  are used, each of them being caused to operate at the second production speed, so that the sum of all second production speeds is equal to a production speed of the automatic machine  14 . Furthermore, each winding station S 5  and S 6  has a nominal production speed which is higher than a nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14  divided by the total number of winding stations S 5  and S 6 . 
     As mentioned above, the coupling of a wire  13  to an article  1  carried by the respective carriage  16  can take place in only one of the two winding stations S 5  or S 6  operating in parallel (namely, in case one single coil  11 A has to be manufactured around the article  1 ) or, according to a second embodiment, in both winding stations S 5  and S 6  (namely, in case at least one of first coil  11 A and one second coil  11 B have to be manufactured around the article  1 ). 
     In the second embodiment, the carriage  16  stops in both stations S 5  and S 6 , if they are both working; in this case, if they are both working, the winding stations S 5  and S 6  operate in series and are arranged consecutive to one another along the processing path P. In this case, when a winding station S 5 , S 6  is not working, the other winding station S 6 , S 5  is configured to couple the wire  13  around the article  1  carried by the carriage  16  in order to manufacture both the corresponding first coil  11 A and the corresponding second coil  11 B, thus serving as the non-working winding station S 5 , S 6  (namely, replacing the non-working winding station S 5 , S 6 ). The first coil  11 A and the second coil  11 B are manufactured in two different position of the article  1 , for example in the area of two different walls  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  (faces) of the article  1  (see  FIGS.  3 ,  4   , by way of example). 
     Therefore, in this case, if they are both (fully) working, the winding stations S 5  and S 6  each operate at a first production speed which is equal to the production speed of the automatic machine  14 . 
     In this case, each winding station S 5 , S 6  is capable of operating (namely, is configured to operate) at a nominal production speed which is even higher than the nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14 , for example is capable of operating a nominal production speed ranging from 100% to 180% of the nominal production speed of the automatic machine  14  (measured as number of pieces processed per time unit). Hence, if one of the two winding stations S 5  or S 6  is not working, the working winding station S 6 , S 5  can increase the relative nominal speed so as to at least partially make up for the lack of operation of the other winding station S 5 , S 6 . 
     According to the embodiment described above, there can be provided the further step of changing the orientation of the article  1  relative to the carriage  16  in a handling station S 8  (shown in  FIG.  9   ) arranged along the processing path between the winding station S 5  and the winding station S 6 , preferably downstream of a welding station S 7 . In case a winding station S 5 , S 6  is not working, the carriage  16  can be moved to the working winding station S 5 , S 6  in order to manufacture the first coil  11 A; then, after having manufactured the first coil  11 A, the carriage  16  can be moved from the winding station S 5 , S 6  to the handling station S 8  in order to change the orientation of the article  1  relative to the carriage  16 . After having changed the orientation, the carriage  16  can be moved back from the handling station S 8  to the working winding station S 5 , S 6  in order to create the second coil  11 B. 
     In this case, the carriage  16  can comprise at least two different seats  18  beside one another, each designed to accommodate the article  1  with a different orientation. In the handling station S 8 , the component can preferably be rotated by 90° or 180°. Furthermore, in the handling station S 8 , the component can be moved form a first seat to a second seat of the carriage  16 . 
     The two embodiments, namely the first and the second embodiments, described in detail above are two alternative solutions to the same technical problem and are each suited for a particular layout of the automatic machine (namely, one with the two stations S 5 , S 6  configured to operate in parallel and the other with the two stations S 5 , S 6  configured to operate in series). 
       FIG.  8    shows an article  1  where there are six coils  11 A- 11 F, one for each wall of the article  1 . Therefore, in this case, the conductor wire  13  is wound around all walls of the article  1 , whereas the electronic circuit can be integrated inside the article  1  and, hence, is not visible in  FIG.  8   . 
       FIG.  9    shows a machine  14  to manufacture the article  1  of  FIG.  8   , according to the second embodiment described above. Compared to  FIG.  3   , there are not the application station S 3  and the feeding station S 4  (since, as mentioned above, said circuit can be integrated in the article  1 ) and there is the handling station S 8  between the two winding stations S 5 , S 6  downstream of the welding station S 7 . Since the article  1  of  FIG.  8    comprises six coils  11 A- 11 F,  FIG.  9    shows six winding stations S 5 , S 6  spaced apart from one another by respective welding and handling stations S 7 , S 8 . 
     In the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the wire  13  is an electrically conductor wire, is externally insulated and is wound so as to form a coil  11 A,  11 B, which creates a wound antenna for electromagnetic interactions that can be aimed at exchanging (transmitting) information or can be aimed at generating power through electromagnetic induction. According to a different embodiment, the wire  13  is an electrically conductor wire (and, hence, an electric current can flow through it, even though it has a low or very low intensity), but has a textile core (for example, made of cotton), which is caused to become a conductor, for instance through a doping with metal nanoparticles. According to a further embodiment, the wire  13  is not an electrically conductor wire, is of the textile kind and the coil  11 A,  11 B creates a wick (or the like) for an electronic cigarette. 
     The embodiments described herein can be combined with one another, without for this reason going beyond the scope of protection of the invention. 
     In the non-limiting embodiment described above, the article  1  is part of a disposable cartridge of an electronic cigarette, but the method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above can also be applied to the production of articles of any kind (namely, of any product class). For example, the method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above can be applied to the production of articles for a machine, a plant, a construction, a product (for example, a payment means) for instance, but not exclusively, of the tobacco, pharmaceutical, food-related or entertainment industry; more in general, the method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above can be applied to the production of articles for applications of any type. 
     The embodiments described herein can be combined with one another, without for this reason going beyond the scope of protection of the invention. 
     The method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above has many advantages. 
     First of all, the method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above reaches and maintains a high productivity (measured as number of articles produced per time unit) even in the long run. 
     The method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above operates at a high production speed (measured as number of articles produced per time unit). 
     The method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above maintains a high productive quality (generally measured as percentage of faulty articles). 
     The method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above is relatively simple and economic to be implemented. 
     The method to manufacture the coil  11 A,  11 B,  11 C,  11 D,  11 E,  11 F described above prevents the wire  13  from frequently breaking during the winding of the wire  13 . 
     LIST OF THE REFERENCE NUMBERS OF THE FIGS. 
     
         
           1  article 
           2  upper wall 
           3  lower wall 
           4  front wall 
           5  rear wall 
           6  side walls 
           7  pin 
           8  pin 
           9  transponder 
           10  electronic circuit 
           11 A- 11 F coil 
           12  electrical contacts 
           13  wire 
           14  automatic machine 
           15  main conveyor 
           16  carriages 
           17  support plate 
           18  seats 
           19  annular guide 
           20  slides 
           21  linear electric motor 
           22  annular stator 
           23  movable slider 
           24  countering body 
           25  countering body 
           26  positions 
           27  movable finger 
           28  support body 
           29  actuator device 
           30  welding heads 
           31  control unit 
         P building path 
         S 1  input station 
         S 2  output station 
         S 3  application station 
         S 4  feeding station 
         S 5  winding station 
         S 6  winding station 
         S 7  welding station 
         S 8  handling station