Apparatus and Method for Separating Plant Trichomes Using a Double Vortex Turbulence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for separating trichome heads containing resin from cannabis plants using a double vortex liquid flow to remove the trichome heads without macerating the plant material and a multi-tiered filtration process to isolate the resin product.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method of separating plant material from plants, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a basin with two rounded corners;   (b) placing liquid and plants inside the basin to form a mixture;   (c) rotating the mixture inside the basin in one rotational direction until a first double agitation is formed in the mixture, the first double agitation comprising a vortex of the mixture about an axis of rotation of the vortex, and a second agitation of the mixture adjacent to a first one of the two rounded corners of the basin; and then   (d) reversing the rotational direction of the mixture until a second double agitation is formed in opposite directions, the second double agitation comprising another vortex of the mixture about the axis of rotation, and another agitation of the mixture adjacent to a second one of the two rounded corners of the basin and separating plant material from the plants.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising repeating steps (c) and (d) at increased speeds of rotation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising automating steps (c) and (d), and repeating step (d) at selected intervals. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein, after step (d), further comprising draining the mixture from the basin. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein, after step (d), further comprising filtering the mixture to remove selected portions of the plant material from the mixture. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein filtering further comprises removing a series of filters with the selected portions of the plant material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the basin comprises a D-shaped tub when viewed from above. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising automatically increasing rotational speed in a range of 300 rpm to 1700 rpm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising cooling the basin to regulate a temperature of the mixture. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the liquid consists of water and step (b) further comprising adding ice to the basin. 
     
     
         15 . A method of separating plant material from plants, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a basin with two rounded corners;   (b) placing liquid and plants inside the basin to form a mixture;   (c) rotating the mixture inside the basin in one rotational direction until a first double agitation is formed in the mixture, the first double agitation comprising a vortex of the mixture about an axis of rotation of the vortex, and a second agitation of the mixture adjacent to a first one of the two rounded corners of the basin;   (d) reversing the rotational direction of the mixture until a second double agitation is formed in opposite directions, the second double agitation comprising another vortex of the mixture about the axis of rotation, and another agitation of the mixture adjacent to a second one of the two rounded corners of the basin and separating plant material from the plants; and then   (e) filtering the mixture to remove selected portions of the plant material from the mixture.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising repeating steps (c) and (d) at increased speeds of rotation, and repeating step (d) at selected intervals. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (e) comprises draining the mixture from the basin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein filtering further comprises removing a series of filters with the selected portions of the plant material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising automatically increasing rotational speed in a range of 300 rpm to 1700 rpm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid consists of water, step (b) further comprising adding ice to the basin, and the method further comprises cooling the basin to regulate a temperature of the mixture. 
     
     
         21 . A method of separating plant material from plants, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a basin with two rounded corners;   (b) placing liquid and plants inside the basin to form a mixture;   (c) rotating the mixture inside the basin in one rotational direction until a first double agitation is formed in the mixture, the first double agitation comprising a vortex of the mixture about an axis of rotation of the vortex, and a second agitation of the mixture adjacent to a first one of the two rounded corners of the basin;   (d) reversing the rotational direction of the mixture until a second double agitation is formed in opposite directions, the second double agitation comprising another vortex of the mixture about the axis of rotation, and another agitation of the mixture adjacent to a second one of the two rounded corners of the basin and separating plant material from the plants; and then repeating steps (c) and (d) at increased speeds of rotation, and repeating step (d) at selected intervals.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising draining the mixture from the basin and filtering the mixture to remove selected portions of the plant material from the mixture. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising automatically increasing rotational speed in a range of 300 rpm to 1700 rpm. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the liquid consists of water, step (b) further comprising adding ice to the basin, and the method further comprises cooling the basin to regulate a temperature of the mixture.