Apparatus and methods for the comminution of botanical feedstock

• US 10,639,640 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MedReleaf Corp. (Aurora Cannabis, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MedReleaf Corp. (Aurora Cannabis, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nahtigal, Istok Gorazd
• Primary Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US15/791,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20190118187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 241 60, 241 791
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/10 with drive arranged above container B02C18/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/18 Knives; Mountings thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/2216 Discharge means
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 2023/165 Screen denying egress of oversize material
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/10 with separator arranged in discharge path of crushing or disintegrating zone
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/14 with more than one separator
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/16 with separator defining termination of crushing or disintegrating zone, e.g. screen denying egress of oversize material
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/00 Cutting work characterised by the nature of the cut made; Apparatus therefor

Abstract

An apparatus for the comminution of a botanical feedstock includes a vessel, a screen positioned in the vessel above a first feedstock outlet and spaced from the top of the vessel, and a blade rotatably mounted above and generally parallel to the screen. The blade has a leading side, a trailing side, and a radial blade length. At least a portion of the leading side has a cutting edge and at least a portion of the trailing side has a downwardly extending trailing portion. The downwardly extending trailing portion has a lower edge having a plurality of discontinuities along a radial length of the trailing portion. The cutting edge is spaced from the upper surface of the screen by a first distance and a lowermost portion of the lower edge is spaced from the upper surface of the screen by a second distance.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the treatment of cannabis comprising:

(i) a grinder having a feedstock inlet and a feedstock outlet;

(ii) a cyclonic separator positioned downstream from the feedstock outlet, the cyclonic separator having a cyclone inlet receiving comminuted cannabis from the grinder, a comminuted cannabis outlet, and a cyclone air outlet;

(iii) a source of negative pressure downstream from the feedstock outlet of the grinder; and

,

(iv) an extractor having an inlet that receives at least some of the comminuted cannabis exiting the comminuted cannabis outlet, the extractor producing a cannabis extract.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source of negative pressure is downstream from the cyclone air outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a separated material collection chamber downstream from the comminuted cannabis outlet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grinder comprises:

(a) a screen positioned in a vessel above the feedstock outlet, the screen having an upper surface and a lower surface; and

,

(b) a blade rotatably mounted above the screen and rotatable in a direction of rotation, of the blade having a leading edge comprising a cutting portion, wherein the cutting portion is spaced from the upper surface of the screen by a first distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the blade has a trailing edge comprising a downwardly extending trailing portion, the downwardly extending trailing portion having a lower edge having a plurality of discontinuities along a radial length of the trailing portion, wherein a lowermost portion of the lower edge is spaced from the upper surface of the screen by a second distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a filtration member positioned downstream of the cyclone air outlet.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the filtration member comprises an additional cyclonic separator.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the filtration member comprises a physical filtration member.