Plant trimming apparatus and methods of using the same

• US 9,386,744 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Easy Trim LLC
• Original Assignee: Easy Trim LLC
• Inventors: Black, Joseph D., Cross, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/365,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20150027096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 56/101, 56/131, 56/169, 56/134, 562/02, 563/202, 562/35, 241/101.1, 241/101.78, 241/92, 241/30, 241/166, 241/167, 241/60, 241/74, 241/81, 241/277
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/82 Other details
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/835 specially adapted for particular purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 45/00 Harvesting of standing crops A01D44/00 takes precedence; threshing machines adapted for special crops, threshing devices for combines adapted for special crops A01F11/00; harvesting of mushrooms A01G18/70
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 46/005 picking or shaking pneumatically of cotton A01D46/10
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 17/026 Machines for removing leaves of vines
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 15/00 Machines or apparatus for other treatment of fruits or vegetables for human purposes; Machines or apparatus for topping or skinning flower bulbs treatment of coffee, other than drying or roasting A23F; treatment of cocoa A23G1/02

Abstract

A plant trimming apparatus comprising a container having top and bottom end regions and a grate supported therein. A cutting blade and a fan blade are rotatably supported within the container. The fan blade is operative to create an air flow from the top end region to the bottom end region+vortex. The apparatus comprises a blade motor including a shaft, wherein the cutting blade and the fan blade are supported on the shaft. The cutting blade includes a plurality of forward or rear leaning blades that cooperate with the grate openings to cut parts off the plant. The blade has an outer ring extending between each of the plurality of blades. A lid assembly is attached to an upper rim portion of the container and supports an agitator motor that is connected to an agitator arm that is disposed within the container above the grate.

Claims

1. A plant trimming apparatus, comprising:

a container;

a grate supported within the container, wherein the grate includes openings sized and configured to selectively receive parts of a plant therethrough;

a cutting blade rotatably supported and in fluid communication with the container and adjacent the grate;

a fan blade rotatably supported and in fluid communication with the container;

at least one agitator arm rotatably disposed within the container above the grate, wherein the at least one agitator arm comprises a plurality of flexible fingers are disposed within the container and extend from the agitator arm towards the grate and configured to move the received parts of a plant; and

a bag in fluid communication with the container wherein the grate, cutting blade and fan cooperatively operate to move plant product from the container to the bag.

2. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is a cylindrical drum.

3. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a blade motor including a shaft, wherein the cutting blade is supported on the shaft.

4. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container has an upper rim portion and a lower rim portion and further comprising a lid assembly attached to the upper rim portion, wherein the lid comprises at least one door movable between an open and a closed state.

5. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade includes a plurality of rear leaning blades that cooperate with the grate openings to cut parts off the plant.

6. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the blade has an outer ring extending between each of the plurality of blades.

7. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container has a top end region and a bottom end region, wherein the fan blade is operative to create an air flow from the top end region to the bottom end region.

8. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bag comprises a primary collection bag attached to a bottom rim portion of the container, wherein the primary collection bag comprises a first material having a first mesh size.

9. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fan blade creates a vortex within the container and wherein the vortex configuration changes between the open and closed states.

10. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an agitator motor, wherein the at least one agitator arm is connected to the agitator motor.

11. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grate includes a plurality of elongate slots each having an eased edge.

12. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the grate has a thickness and the coved edge extends between approximately 50% to 85% through the thickness.

13. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of elongate slots are arranged in a pattern, wherein the pattern is selected from a group of patterns consisting of:

circular or spiral.

14. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible fingers comprise silicone.

15. A plant trimming apparatus, comprising:

a container;

a grate supported within the container, wherein the grate includes openings sized and configured to selectively receive parts of a plant therethrough;

a cutting blade rotatably supported and in fluid communication with the container and adjacent the grate;

a fan blade rotatably supported and in fluid communication with the container;

at least one agitator arm rotatably disposed within the container above the grate;

a primary collection bag comprising a first material having a first mesh size that is attached to a bottom rim portion of the container; and

a secondary collection bag attached proximate the bottom rim portion of the container, wherein the secondary collection bag comprises a second material having a second mesh size smaller than the first mesh size, wherein

the primary collection bag and secondary collection bag are in fluid communication with the container wherein the grate, cutting blade and fan cooperatively operate to move plant product from the container to the primary collection bag and the secondary collection bag.

16. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a tertiary collection bag attached proximate the bottom rim portion of the container, wherein the tertiary collection bag comprises a third material having a third mesh size smaller than the second mesh size.

17. A plant trimming apparatus, comprising:

a cylindrical container;

a grate supported within the container;

a cutting blade rotatably supported within the container and adjacent the grate;

a fan blade rotatably supported within the container;

a primary collection bag attached to a bottom rim portion of the container, wherein the primary collection bag comprises a first material having a first mesh size; and

a secondary collection bag attached proximate the bottom rim portion of the container, wherein the secondary collection bag comprises a second material having a second mesh size smaller than the first mesh size.

18. The plant trimming apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a tertiary collection bag attached proximate the bottom rim portion of the container, wherein the tertiary collection bag comprises a third material having a third mesh size smaller than the second mesh size.

19. A method of trimming a plant, comprising:

providing a container configured to hold a plant wherein a bottom surface of the container comprises a grate;

placing the plant in the container on an upper surface the grate;

moving a plurality of fingers within the container about the upper surface of the grate, thereby aiding in moving the plant about the upper surface;

receiving selected portions of the plant through the grate,

cutting the selected portions off of the plant with a rotating blade positioned adjacent a lower surface of the grate;

creating an airflow in a form of a vortex moving from the upper surface of the grate toward the lower surface of the grate; and

collecting the selected portions in a collection bag.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein moving the plant about the surface and cutting the selected portions off the plant generates plant pieces of various sizes, further comprising collecting selected plant pieces of a first size in a first collection bag.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of fingers are rotated about the grate in a first direction.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising rotating the plurality of fingers in a second direction.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the rotating blade rotates in the first direction.

21. A method of trimming a plant, comprising:

placing a plant on an upper surface of a grate;

moving a plurality of fingers about the upper surface of the grate, thereby aiding in moving the plant about the upper surface;

receiving selected portions of the plant through the grate;

cutting the selected portions off of the plant with a rotating blade positioned adjacent a lower surface of the grate, wherein cutting the selected portions off of the plant generates plant pieces of various sizes including at least a first size and a second size;

creating an airflow in a form of a vortex moving from the upper surface of the grate toward the lower surface of the grate;

collecting the selected portions of a first size in a first collection bag; and

collecting selected portions of a second size in a second collection bag.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising collecting selected plant pieces of a third size in a third collection bag.