Systems and methods for forming cannabis pre-rolls

Abstract

Described herein are systems and method for forming cannabis pre-rolls. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a feed of cannabis plant material; (b) trimming the feed of cannabis plant material to form a feed of rollable cannabis plant material having successive first zones and second zones, wherein a cross-sectional area of the first zones in a plane transverse to a feed flow direction through a trimmer is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second zones in a plane transverse to the feed flow direction through the trimmer; and (c) compressing the feed of rollable cannabis plant material to form a feed of compressed rollable cannabis plant material.

1 . A machine for forming cannabis pre-rolls comprising:
 an inlet for receiving a feed of cannabis plant material;   a trimmer downstream of the inlet along a feed flow path, the trimmer for separating the feed of cannabis plant material into a feed of rollable cannabis plant material and a feed of excess cannabis plant material;   the feed of rollable cannabis plant material having successive first zones and second zones, wherein a cross-sectional area of the first zones in a plane transverse to a feed flow direction through the trimmer is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second zones in a plane transverse to the feed flow direction through the trimmer; and a compressor downstream of the trimmer along the feed flow path, the compressor for compressing the feed of rollable cannabis plant material into a compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material, the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material having a constant cross-sectional area in a plane transverse to a feed flow direction through the compressor, the cross-sectional area of the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material is less than the cross-sectional area of the first zones, the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material having successive first zones and second zones corresponding to the successive first zones and second zones of the feed of rollable cannabis plant material, the first zones of the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material having a first density and the second zones of the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material having a second density, the first density is greater than the second density.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a wrapper downstream of the compressor along the feed flow path, the wrapper for wrapping the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material in paper. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one cutter downstream of the wrapper along the feed flow path, the cutter for separating the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material into smokable portions. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claims 1 , wherein the trimmer comprises a first trimming disk and a second trimming disk, each of the first and second trimming disks having a cutting edge and a plurality of recesses spaced apart along the cutting edge. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the cannabis pre-rolls have a diameter and the recesses have a depth between one sixth of the diameter and one third of the diameter. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 5 , wherein the cannabis pre-rolls have a diameter of 6 mm and the recesses have a depth between 1 mm and 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 5 , wherein the cannabis pre-rolls have a diameter of 5 mm and the recesses have a depth between 0.83 mm and 1.67 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 5 , wherein the cannabis pre-rolls have a diameter of 8 mm and the recesses have a depth between 1,33 mm and 2.66 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The machine of any one of  claims 4 , wherein the cannabis pre-rolls have a diameter of 9 mm and the recesses have a depth between 1.5 mm and 3 mm. 
     
     
         10 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a cannabis pre-roll comprising:
 a) providing a feed of cannabis plant material;   b) trimming the feed of cannabis plant material to form a feed of rollable cannabis plant material, the feed of rollable having successive first zones and second zones, wherein a cross-sectional area of the first zones in a plane transverse to a feed flow direction is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second zones in a plane transverse to the feed flow direction; and   c) compressing the feed of rollable cannabis plant material to form a feed of compressed rollable cannabis plant material, the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material having a constant cross-sectional area in a plane transverse to the feed flow direction, the cross-sectional area of the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material is less than the cross-sectional area of the first zones.   
     
     
         16 . The method of making a cannabis pre-roll of  claim 15 , wherein the pre-roll has a diameter and a cross-section of the first zones in the plane transverse to the feed flow direction has a first height and a cross-section of the second zones in the plane transverse to the feed flow direction has a second height, wherein the first height is one sixth of the diameter to one third of the diameter greater than the second height. 
     
     
         17 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of making a cannabis pre-roll of  claim 15 , further comprising wrapping the compressed feed of rollable cannabis plant material in paper to form a wrapped feed of rollable cannabis plant material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of making a cannabis pre-roll of  claim 21 , further comprising cutting the wrapped feed of rollable cannabis plant material intermediate each of the second zones to form cut second zone ends. 
     
     
         23 . The method of making a cannabis pre-roll of  claim 22 , further comprising attaching a spacer to the cut second zone ends. 
     
     
         24 . The method of making a cannabis pre-roll of  claim 23 , further comprising attaching a first end of the spacer to a first cut second zone end and attaching a second end of the spacer to a second cut second zone end. 
     
     
         25 . The method of making a cannabis pre-roll of  claim 24 , further comprising cutting the spacer intermediate the first end of the spacer and the second end of the spacer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of making cannabis pre-rolls of  claim 21 , further comprising cutting the wrapped feed of rollable cannabis plant material intermediate each of the first zones. 
     
     
         27 . A trimming disk for a machine for forming cannabis pre-rolls comprising:
 an upper surface;   a lower surface;   a cutting edge extending between the upper surface and the lower surface about a circumference of the trimming disk; and   a plurality of spaced apart recesses in upper surface, the recesses positioned along the circumference of the trimming disk and having a depth of between one sixth and one third a diameter of the cannabis pre-rolls.   
     
     
         28 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A wrapped feed of rollable cannabis plant material made in accordance with the method of  claim 21 .