Patent Application
20220126224
The present application generally relates to processing of plant materials, and more particularly to an apparatus for effective and efficient extraction of resin particulates from plant materials such as botanical flowers.
Many plants concentrate resin in glandular structures called trichomes on the outside of leaves or flowers. These can be mechanically separated from the plant or flower matter to collect the resin without the use of solvents. Various devices or methods are known in the art for separating resins from plant materials. Typical methods for extracting resins from plant materials utilize chemical solvents along with filter media to dissolve and separate the desired resins from the plant materials. These methods require additional processes to remove the chemicals from the collected resins. These extraction chemicals may constitute substantial costs and liabilities to provide, handle, apply and dispose of, and risk altering the resins in undesirable ways or producing undesirable residue. Another method for extracting the plant resins utilizes a water bath along with filter media to suspend and then separate the desired resins from the plant materials. This method requires additional processes to remove the water from the collected resins after percolation through the filters.
Generally, drum machines are known way for extracting the resins from the plants. Basically, drum machines are comprised of a cylinder wherein plant materials are placed in the cylinder for soaking and then it is turned on along its axis. As the cylinder turns, the resins fall through the mesh of the cylinder into a collection area. While the drum machines may be automated, there may still be a certain level of skill required for extracting highly concentrated resins. All of these use various combinations of temperature, pressure, agitation, and time to facilitate the extraction processes. In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an apparatus for efficiently and effectively extracting the resins from the plant materials. More specifically, a need exists for apparatus and related methods of improved drumming machines for removing resins from the plant materials.
It will be understood that this disclosure is not limited to a particular apparatus, configurations, and methodologies described herein, as there can be multiple possible embodiments of the present disclosure which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus or a machine for effective and efficient extraction of resin particulates from plant materials such as botanical flowers. The apparatus includes at least an agitator and a tank.
The tank is a square tank and is made of one piece of plastic that is sloped and folded (V-shaped) at the bottom. The tank includes a false bottom surface (stainless steel plate with predefined patterns of openings) and a sloped V-shaped bottom surface. The tank has been designed in a way that it can be easily separated and replaced by another tank. This increases the overall efficiency of the resin extraction process.
The agitator is a machine that is used in the tank for mixing various process media together. Media include all liquid types, gases, or solids (such as water, ice, flowers, etc.), or any combination thereof. In summary, it works by rotating an impeller or pulsator to impart energy to the media which interact and mix. Generally, the agitator goes inside the tank and creates one or more types of motions that causes extraction of trichomes from the flowers or any other biomass under consideration. The agitator includes a single impellor or pulsator having two sides. The pulsator creates fluid currents in an upwards and downwards direction. Top portion pushes fluid up and bottom portion pushes fluid down.
In process, a lid of the tank is opened, a bag is placed inside the tank, and then flowers or biomass is kept inside the bag. Further, a suitable amount of cold water and optionally ice is mixed with the flowers or biomass. Then, the lid is closed and/or pressed for allowing the flowers or biomass to soak into the cold water, ice, or any combination thereof. After soaking, the agitator is used to agitate or mix the soaked flowers or biomass. As a result of agitation, the trichomes get separated and pass-through openings of the false bottom surface (i.e., the metallic plate) and are collected on the V-shaped bottom surface. This collection of the trichomes on the V-shaped bottom surface ensures that the trichomes do not move or go upward. The false bottom surface ensures that the trichomes are not getting hit by the agitator again post their collection on the V-shaped bottom surface. Once all the trichomes have been collected, the tank may be replaced with another tank including soaked flowers or biomass. This process may continue to increase the overall efficiency of trichomes extraction.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, considering the accompanying drawings.
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way of various examples. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example in association with the accompanying drawings in which:
As used in the specification and claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” may also include plural references. For example, the term “an article” may include a plurality of articles. Those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated, relative to other elements, to improve the understanding of the present invention. There may be additional components described in the foregoing application that are not depicted on one of the described drawings. In the event such a component is described, but not depicted in a drawing, the absence of such a drawing should not be considered as an omission of such design from the specification.
Before describing the present invention in detail, it should be observed that the present invention utilizes a combination of components, which constitutes an apparatus or a machine for extraction of resin particulates from plant materials such as botanical flowers. Many plants concentrate resin in glandular structures called trichomes on the outside of leaves or flowers. These can be separated from the plant or flower matter to collect the resin without the use of organic solvents. The apparatus disclosed herein may be used for extracting the trichomes from the plant materials. Accordingly, the components have been represented, showing only specific details that are pertinent for understanding of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the present invention.
References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “another embodiment”, “yet another embodiment”, “one example”, “an example”, “another example”, “yet another example”, and so on, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.
The words “comprising”, “having”, “containing”, and “including”, and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.
The apparatus or machine for resin extraction will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings
The apparatus further includes a lid 110 with an agitator having a shaft 112, a pulsator 114, and a motor 116. The motor 116 (when turned ON) drives the shaft 112 which drives the pulsator 114. This lid 110 is attached to another vertical support 118 by means of a fastening mechanism known in the art. The lid 110 and hence the agitator can be adjusted along the vertical support 118 so that the agitator moves up or down as per the needs. The agitator is a machine that is used in the tank 108 for mixing various process media together. Media include all liquid types, gases, or solids (such as water, ice, flowers, etc.), or any combination thereof. In summary, it works by rotating an impeller or pulsator 114 to impart energy to the media which interact and mix. Generally, a portion (i.e., the pulsator 114 and a portion of the shaft 112) of the agitator goes inside the tank 108 and creates one or more types of motions that causes extraction of trichomes from the flowers, plant materials, or any other biomass. The agitator includes a single impellor or pulsator having two sides. The pulsator 114 creates fluid currents in an upwards and downwards direction. Top portion 114a pushes fluid up and bottom portion 114b pushes fluid down.
In operation, a bag (shown later) is placed inside the tank 108, and then flowers or plant materials are kept inside the bag. Further, a suitable amount of cold water and optionally ice is mixed with the flowers or plant materials. The suitable amount of cold water to be used for the soaking process may be dependent upon a quantity and/or quality of flowers or plant materials being used during the soaking process. Further, optionally, a suitable amount of ice may be added to the mixture of cold water and flowers or plant materials if the water being used is not cold enough for the soaking process. Once the flowers or plant materials are mixed well with the cold water and/or the ice, the flowers or plant materials are left for some time to soak into the cold water, ice, or any combination thereof. After soaking, the agitator is used to agitate or mix the soaked flowers or plant materials. Here, a portion of the agitator (i.e., the pulsator 114 and a portion of the shaft 112) goes inside the tank 108 and creates one or more types of motions that causes extraction of trichomes from the flowers, or any other plant materials soaked in the tank 108. As a result of agitation, the trichomes get separated and pass-through openings of a false bottom surface (shown later) and are collected on a V-shaped bottom surface (shown later) of the tank 108. This collection of the trichomes on the V-shaped bottom surface ensures that the trichomes do not move or go upward. The false bottom surface ensures that the trichomes are not getting hit by the agitator again post their collection on the V-shaped bottom surface. Once all the trichomes have been collected, the tank 108 may be replaced with another tank including soaked flowers or plant materials. This way a user may not have to put the whole setup on halt. The user can simply replace one tank with another tank. This process may continue to increase the overall efficiency of trichomes extraction. Further, the overall investment and expense is optimized.
Overall, the apparatus for resin extraction, the agitation tank 108 having an open top and an outlet at a bottom thereof. The apparatus further uses the bag 602 installed within the agitation tank 108. The apparatus further comprises the agitator comprising the motor 116 which turns the shaft 112 and having the pulsator 114 mounted on the shaft 112. After soaking process is over, the agitator is used to agitate or mix the soaked flowers or plant materials in the tank 108. Here, a portion of the agitator (i.e., the pulsator 114 and a portion of the shaft 112) goes inside the tank 108 and creates one or more types of motions that causes extraction of trichomes from the flowers soaked in the tank 108. As a result of agitation, the trichomes get separated and pass-through openings of a false bottom surface (shown later) and are collected on a V-shaped bottom surface (shown later) of the tank 108. This collection of the trichomes on the V-shaped bottom surface ensures that the trichomes do not move or go upward. The false bottom surface or plate 1004 ensures that the trichomes are not getting hit by the agitator again post their collection on the V-shaped bottom surface. Once all the trichomes have been collected, the tank 108 may be replaced with another tank including soaked flowers or plant materials. This way production can continue to subsequent batches and production does not halt. The user can simply replace one tank with another tank. This process may continue to increase the overall efficiency of trichomes extraction.
Techniques consistent with the disclosure provide, among other features, the apparatus for resin extraction. While various embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the disclosure is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, as described in the claims.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is accordingly defined by the following claims.
