US 9,440,260 B2 · Mechanical devices for post-harvest processing of plant matter

Abstract

Mechanical post-harvest processing devices for processing plant material by separating a desired portion of plant material from an undesired portion of plant material are shown and described. The mechanical post-harvest processing devices each include: a saddle having a plant material container-proximate region and one or more saddle openings; a plant material container having one or more plant material container openings and an exterior surface proximate the saddle and circumferentially enclosing a post-harvest processing space; and a rotary actuator mechanically connected to the plant material container and configured to rotationally drive the plant material container such that the plant material chamber rotates within the saddle. In some examples, a portion of the one or more plant material container openings and a portion of the one or more saddle openings overlap at one or more positions during rotation of the plant material chamber.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A mechanical device for separating plant material, the mechanical device comprising:

a stationary saddle comprising:
a surface bounded by a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a front end and a rear end;
a plant material container-proximate region over at least a portion of said surface;
said surface having a U-shaped cross-section with a vertex;
wherein the plant material container-proximate region is extended over the vertex;
and
a plurality of saddle openings are disposed within the plant material container-proximate region;
a plant material container comprising a rotatable drum for receiving plant material, said drum having an exterior curved surface;
and
a plurality of plant material container openings disposed in the exterior curved surface of the plant material container;
and
a rotary actuator mechanically connected to the plant material container, the rotary actuator configured to rotationally drive the plant material container such that the plant material container rotates within the saddle over the vertex;
and
wherein a portion of the plant material container openings and a portion of the saddle openings overlap at one or more positions during rotation of the plant material container.

11 more elements

A mechanical device for separating plant material, the mechanical device comprising:

a saddle defining:
a surface bounded by a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a front end and a rear end;
a plant material container-proximate region over at least a portion of said surface;
said surface having a U-shaped cross-section with a vertex;
wherein the plant material container-proximate region is extended over the vertex;
and
one or more saddle openings disposed within the plant material container-proximate region;
a plant material container defining:
an exterior surface of the plant material container proximate the saddle over at least a portion of the plant material container-proximate region, the exterior surface circumferentially enclosing a trimming space;
and an interior surface of the plant material container shaped as to substantially isolate the desired portion of plant material in the trimming space;
and
a mechanical actuator interchangeably mechanically attached to the plant material container, the mechanical actuator configured to rotationally drive the plant material container.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mechanical devices for post-harvest processing of plant matter

Life of this patent

Mechanical devices for post-harvest processing of plant matter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20