Standalone herb processing, vaporizing, and administration apparatuses, systems, and methods

Abstract

An herb vaporizing apparatus includes an herb receiving port, a grinder to grind the herb, and a heating chamber for heating the ground herb to create a vapor. A first end of the heating chamber is positioned closer to a top of the apparatus than a second end of the heating chamber, such that the ground herb generally moves in at least a partially downward direction as it travels through the heating chamber. The apparatus further includes a screw feeder positioned within the heating chamber that rotates and moves the ground herb within the heating chamber. The apparatus further includes an air pump for pumping vapor out of the heating chamber and a valve positioned along an airway between the heating chamber and a vapor output. The valve permits air and the vapor to move from the heating chamber to the vapor output only while the air pump is activated.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An herb vaporizing apparatus comprising:
 a vapor output;   a grinder configured to receive herb and grind the herb into ground herb;   a heating element;   a heating chamber configured to receive the ground herb, wherein:
 the heating chamber comprises a first end and a second end, 
 the ground herb enters the heating chamber at the first end, and 
 the first end of the heating chamber is positioned closer to a top of the herb vaporizing apparatus than the second end of the heating chamber, such that the ground herb generally moves in at least a partially downward direction as it enters the heating chamber; 
   an air pump configured to move air into the heating chamber; and   a filter,   wherein:
 air is heated by the heating element to create heated air that heats the ground herb in the heating chamber to create a vapor, 
 movement of air into the heating chamber is configured to cause a mixture of the heated air and the vapor to be output from the heating chamber into the vapor output, and 
 the filter is located between the heating chamber and the vapor output to prevent the ground herb from entering the output tubing. 
   
     
     
         22 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a valve configured to permit air and the vapor to move from the heating chamber to the vapor output. 
     
     
         23 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the valve is further configured to prevent air and the vapor from moving from the vapor output device into the heating chamber. 
     
     
         24 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of the heating chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a hopper attached to the grinder, wherein the hopper is configured to receive the herb and pass it to the grinder. 
     
     
         26 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the hopper is configured to receive a quantity of the herb that is enough for multiple uses of the herb vaporizing apparatus. 
     
     
         27 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the herb may be transferred from the hopper to the grinder based on actuation of a motor. 
     
     
         28 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein a predetermined amount of the herb is transferred from the hopper to the grinder upon each instance of the actuation of the motor. 
     
     
         29 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the predetermined amount of the herb is transferred via a rotatable door or a louver at a base of the hopper and controllable by the motor. 
     
     
         30 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the grinder is powered by a motor, such that the herb is automatically ground based on actuation of the motor. 
     
     
         31 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the grinder is powered manually by a user. 
     
     
         32 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the ground herb passes directly from the grinder into the heating chamber. 
     
     
         33 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the ground herb falls into the heating chamber into the heating chamber based on a gravitational force. 
     
     
         34 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a controller configured to control:
 a motor associated with the grinder, and   the air pump.   
     
     
         35 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a display, wherein a controller is configured to output to the display at least one of:
 a status of the herb vaporizing apparatus,   a temperature of the heating chamber,   a temperature of the vapor within the herb vaporizing apparatus, or   whether the air pump is on or off.   
     
     
         36 . The herb vaporizing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a speaker configured to emit a sound to indicate that a vaporizing process is complete. 
     
     
         37 . A method for vaporizing herb comprising:
 receiving herb at a grinder;   grinding the herb into ground herb;   moving the ground herb into a heating chamber, wherein:
 the heating chamber comprises a first end and a second end, 
 the ground herb enters the heating chamber at the first end, and 
 the first end of the heating chamber is positioned closer to a top of the herb vaporizing apparatus than the second end of the heating chamber, such that the ground herb generally moves in at least a partially downward direction as it enters the heating chamber; 
   heating air in the heating chamber to create heated air that heats the ground herb in the heating chamber to create a vapor; and   moving air into the heating chamber to cause a mixture of the heated air and the vapor to be output from the heating chamber into a vapor output, wherein a filter is located between the heating chamber and the vapor output to prevent the ground herb from entering the output tubing.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising receiving the herb at the grinder from a hopper. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the ground herb passes directly from the grinder into the heating chamber. 
     
     
         40 . An herb vaporizing apparatus comprising:
 a vapor output;   a grinder configured to receive herb and grind the herb into ground herb;   a heating element;   a heating chamber configured to receive the ground herb, wherein:
 the heating chamber comprises a first end and a second end, 
 the ground herb enters the heating chamber at the first end, and 
 the first end of the heating chamber is positioned closer to a top of the herb vaporizing apparatus than the second end of the heating chamber, such that the ground herb generally moves in at least a partially downward direction as it enters the heating chamber; 
   an air pump configured to move air into the heating chamber;   a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of the heating chamber;   a display, wherein a controller is configured to output to the display at least one of:
 a status of the herb vaporizing apparatus, 
 a temperature of the heating chamber, 
 a temperature of the vapor within the herb vaporizing apparatus, or 
 whether the air pump is on or off; and 
   a filter,   wherein:
 air is heated by the heating element to create heated air that heats the ground herb in the heating chamber to create a vapor, 
 movement of air into the heating chamber is configured to cause a mixture of the heated air and the vapor to be output from the heating chamber into the vapor output, 
 the filter is located between the heating chamber and the vapor output to prevent the ground herb from entering the output tubing, 
 the ground herb falls into the heating chamber into the heating chamber based on a gravitational force.