Patent Application
20240138466
This relates to combustible materials for use in smoking apparatuses and, more particularly, a pre-ground formed nug and related methods.
Smoking is a practice of tasting or inhaling smoke produced by burning a combustible substance. Pipe smoking is the oldest known traditional form of smoking, having been used in North American indigenous cultures before the arrival of Europeans. In various parts of the world the use of pipes or waterpipes for smoking tobacco and cannabis, among other things, has also long been prevalent. The legalization of cannabis in many jurisdictions around the world has made smoking-related activities more accessible to the masses.
Embodiments are described in detail below, with reference to the following drawings:
Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.
According to the subject matter of the present application, a method of producing a formed nug of combustible material is provided. The method may include applying compression to a portion of combustible material to produce a formed nug that is sized and shaped to fit in a bowl of a smoking apparatus.
In some instances, the method may further include, prior to applying compression to the portion of combustible material, loading the portion of combustible material in a mold; and after applying compression to the portion of combustible material, removing the formed nug from the mold.
In some instances, the method may further include, prior to loading the portion of combustible material in the mold, weighing the portion of combustible material.
In some instances, the method may further include, prior to weighing the portion of combustible material, grinding or milling a quantity of combustible material to produce the portion of combustible material.
In some instances, it may be that the mold is frustoconical in shape and/or have a nominal diameter of 18 mm.
In some instances, the combustible material may be ground or milled cannabis.
Notably, in this way, a conveniently formed nug of pre-ground combustible material may be provided. This may provide users with a formed nug that fits well into a standard and/or commonly sized and shaped bowl of a smoking apparatus (e.g., pipe, waterpipe).
In some instances, the method may further include forming at least one pin hole in the formed nug between a top of the formed nug and proximate a bottom of the formed nug.
Notably, in this way, combustion of the combustible material may be improved thereby affording users a more enjoyable smoking experience.
In some instances, it may be that the combustible material is cannabis concentrates.
In some instances, it may be that the combustible material contains cannabis or cannabis concentrates.
In some instances, it may be that the combustible material is cannabis infused with flavors, terpenes, or concentrates.
In some instances, it may be that the combustible material is cannabis that is mixed, coated, or injected with concentrates.
According to the subject matter of the present application, there may be provided a pre-ground formed nug of combustible material. The combustible material may be sized and shapes to form a pre-ground formed nug that fits in a bowl of a smoking apparatus.
In some instances, it may be that the pre-ground formed nug is frustoconical in shape and/or have a nominal diameter of 18 mm.
Notably, in this way, a pre-ground formed nug of combustible material which is sized and shaped to fit into a bowl of a smoking apparatus may be provided. The nominal diameter of the pre-ground formed nug of combustible material may be sized to interface with a standard and/or commonly sized bowl of a smoking apparatus (e.g., pipe, waterpipe).
In some instances, it may be that the pre-ground formed nug weighs about one gram (1 g).
In some instances, it may be that the pre-ground formed nug includes at least one pin hole between a top of the pre-ground formed nug and proximate a bottom of the pre-ground formed nug.
In some instances, the combustible material may be ground or milled cannabis.
In some instances, the ground or milled cannabis has particle sizes between 25 μm and 5000 μm. For example, the ground or milled cannabis may have an average particle size between 1000 μm and 3000 μm. Additionally, or alternatively, the ground or milled cannabis may have a moisture content between 5% and 19%.
In some instances, the combustible material is cannabis concentrates.
In some instances, the combustible material contains cannabis or cannabis concentrates.
In some instances, the combustible material is cannabis infused with flavors, terpenes, or concentrates.
In some instances, the combustible material is cannabis that is mixed, coated, or injected with concentrates.
According to the subject matter of the present application, there may be provided a pre-ground formed nug of cannabis or cannabis derivatives. The cannabis or cannabis derivatives may be formed into a three-dimensional polyhedron.
In some instances, it may be that the pre-ground formed nug weighs between about one-half gram and about one gram (0.5 g-1 g).
According to the subject matter of the present application, there may be provided a method of producing a packaged cannabis product. The method may include placing a pre-ground formed nug of combustible material inside a container, and applying a removable sealing element to an opening of the container. It may be that the pre-ground formed nug is sized and shaped to fit in a bowl of a smoking apparatus.
In some instances, the combustible material may be ground or milled cannabis.
In some instances, the combustible material is cannabis concentrates.
In some instances, the combustible material contains cannabis or cannabis concentrates.
In some instances, the combustible material is cannabis infused with flavors, terpenes, or concentrates.
In some instances, the combustible material is cannabis that is mixed, coated, or injected with concentrates.
Notably, the freshness level of the substance being smoked is of great importance to users. As described below, the packaged cannabis product may be preloaded with a pre-ground formed cannabis nug. It may be the case that such pre-ground formed cannabis nug becomes stale or otherwise deteriorates when left exposed to air. Such degradation may, in turn, negatively impact the flavour experienced by the user when the cannabis is smoked in the pipe. Providing such a sealing element may prevent or limit such degradation prior to use of a packaged cannabis product (e.g., during storage and/or transportation).
Other aspects and features of the present application will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from a review of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
In
In
In
In some cases, it may be that the example method of
In the perspective view of an example pre-ground formed nug 700 of combustible material of
As mentioned, the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be received in the bowl of a waterpipe (also called hookah or bong). In some configurations, the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be shaped to facilitate its insertion into the bowl or bowl fitting of a waterpipe. More particularly, the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be frustoconical in shape. In order to obtain a frustoconical shape, the mold 202 that is used to form the pre-ground formed nug 700 is tapered. Thus, an exterior sidewall 708 of the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be tapered to allow the pre-ground formed nug 700 to be received in a corresponding tapered bowl of a smoking apparatus. Additionally, the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be substantially frustoconical in profile so as to allow it to be received in bowls of varying sizes. More broadly, whether or not the pre-ground formed nug 700 is substantially frustoconical in profile, the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be sized and shaped so as to allow it to be received in one or more sizes of bowls. For example, the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be sized and shaped to interface with common sizes of bowl fittings. In a particular example, a nominal diameter of the pre-ground formed nug 700 may be such as to allow it to be received in an 18 mm bowl fitting.
The pre-ground formed nug 700 of combustible material may, in some instances, weigh about one gram (1 g). Further, the pre-ground formed nug 700 of combustible material may include at least one pin hole between a top of the pre-ground formed nug 700 and proximate a bottom of the pre-ground formed nug 700 (as described previously).
In one example, it may be that in the pre-ground formed nug 700 of combustible material the combustible material is ground or milled cannabis. In a particular example, the ground cannabis may have particle sizes between 25 μm and 5000 μm. In a yet more particular example, the ground cannabis may have an average particle size between 1000 μm and 3000 μm. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that 25 μm is cited as the lower end of the particle size range because the trichomes (the part of the cannabis flower that contains the vast majority of the THC and other cannabinoids) are generally 25 microns or larger. If the particles are all very small (e.g., 25 microns), then after compaction in the mold to make the required shape the resulting pre-ground formed nug 700 would be too dense and would not allow sufficient airflow (through the material) for optimal burning. Similarly, if all the particles are too large (e.g., all over 5000 microns) the same problem occurs in that the flame will scorch the exterior of the particles and not efficiently burn to the center of the particles.
In order for the pre-ground formed nug 700 to have enough “stickiness” to hold its shape after molding, it requires a certain moisture content. In a particular example, it is found that a moisture content between 5% and 19% for the ground or milled cannabis is ideal.
In some instances, the combustible material 102 of the pre-ground formed nug 700 of combustible material may consist of cannabis concentrates (e.g., rosin, oils, hash) or contain cannabis or cannabis concentrates. In other instances, the combustible material 102 may be cannabis infused with flavor, terpenes, or concentrates. In some other instances, the combustible material 102 may be cannabis that is mixed, coated, or injected with concentrates.
The pre-ground formed nug 700 of combustible material as depicted in
It may be that the combustible material of the pre-ground formed nug of combustible material 302 is ground or milled cannabis.
In some examples, the pre-ground formed nug of combustible material 302 is directly transferred into the container 804 from the mold 202 (
In some other examples, the steps 800, 900 of the example method may further include injecting at least one gas other than oxygen into the interior of the container 804 prior to the step of applying 900 a removable sealing element 902. It may be that the at least one gas other than oxygen includes nitrogen.
In some instances, the combustible material of the pre-ground formed nug of combustible material 302 may consist of cannabis concentrates (e.g., rosin, oils, hash) or contain cannabis or cannabis concentrates. In other instances, the combustible material may be cannabis infused with flavor, terpenes, or concentrates. In some other instances, the combustible material may be cannabis that is mixed, coated, or injected with concentrates.
In the present application, the term “and/or” is intended to cover all possible combinations and sub-combinations of the listed elements, including any one of the listed elements alone, any sub-combination, or all of the elements, and without necessarily excluding additional elements.
In the present application, the phrase “at least one of . . . or . . . ” is intended to cover any one or more of the listed elements, including any one of the listed elements alone, any sub-combination, or all of the elements, without necessarily excluding any additional elements, and without necessarily requiring all of the elements.
As noted, certain adaptations and modifications of the described embodiments can be made. Therefore, the above-discussed embodiments are considered to be illustrative and not restrictive.
