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 . An apparatus for separating plant material from plants, the apparatus comprising:
 a basin comprising a bottom, a semi-cylindrical front portion and a rounded box back portion comprising two rounded corners extending in a vertical direction;   a rotator plate located inside and exclusively adjacent the bottom of the basin, the rotator plate having an axis of rotation that is vertical; and   a reversible motor coupled to the rotator plate, such that when the basin contains a mixture of liquid and plant material and the motor rotates the flat rotator plate, a double agitation is configured to form in the mixture comprising a first vortex of the mixture about the axis, and a second agitation of the mixture adjacent to a first one of the two rounded corners of the basin.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a drain in the bottom coupled to a filtering system such that, when a valve is opened and the liquid is drained from the basin, processed plant biomass is captured in the filtering system. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the filtering system comprises a valve and removable filters in series. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the basin comprises a cooling jacket and a cover to regulate a temperature of the mixture. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a cart that is portable on wheels, the basin is mounted to the cart, the motor is coupled vertically below the basin. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the filtering system extends out of and is located on a side of the cart below the basin. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the rotator plate comprises a top surface having ribs extending vertically therefrom. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein tops of the ribs on the rotator plate are rounded. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein tops of the ribs are located vertically below a cooling jacket. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom is flat and the rotator plate is flat. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein, relative to the axis, a radial distance from a center of the semi-cylindrical front portion to a flat wall of the rounded box back portion is equal to or greater than a radius of the semi-cylindrical front portion. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the basin comprises a D-shaped tub when viewed from above. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a control panel configured to automatically control the apparatus and reverse a rotational direction of the rotator plate at selected intervals. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein, when the rotator plate reverses rotational direction, the second agitation of the mixture is configured to move and form adjacent to a second one of the two rounded corners of the basin. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the control panel is configured to automatically increase a speed of the reversible motor during operation. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the speed is in a range of 300 rpm to 1700 rpm. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for separating plant material from plants, the apparatus comprising:
 a basin comprising a bottom, a semi-cylindrical front portion and a rounded box back portion comprising two rounded corners extending in a vertical direction;   a rotator plate located inside the basin, the rotator plate having an axis of rotation that is vertical;   a reversible motor coupled to the rotator plate, such that when the basin contains a mixture of liquid and plant material and the motor rotates the flat rotator plate, a double agitation is configured to form in the mixture comprising a first vortex of the mixture about the axis, and a second agitation of the mixture adjacent to a first one of the two rounded corners of the basin; and   when the rotator plate reverses rotational direction, the second agitation of the mixture is configured to move and form adjacent to a second one of the two rounded corners of the basin.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein, relative to the axis, a radial distance from a center of the semi-cylindrical front portion to a flat wall of the rounded box back portion is equal to or greater than a radius of the semi-cylindrical front portion. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a control panel configured to automatically control the apparatus and reverse a rotational direction of the rotator plate at selected intervals. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the control panel is configured to automatically increase a speed of the reversible motor during operation.