Plant trimmer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a trimmer device. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices geared towards readily facilitating effective harvesting of specific plant areas and parts including at least one blade having at least one cutting edge, a power supply and an actuator for readily displacing the blade and applying sufficient force to increase the pressure exerted by the edge thereby readily facilitating the blade cut through a plant material by breaking the bonds between the molecules, crystals, fibers, (and the like) within the plant material.

Description

[0001] APPLICATION FOR PATENT

[0002] Inventors: ITZHAK PARTUSH

[0003] Title: PLANT TRIMMER

[0004] FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to a trimmer device. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices geared towards readily facilitating effective harvesting of specific plant areas and parts including at least one blade having at least one cutting edge, a power supply and an actuator for readily displacing the blade and applying sufficient force to increase the pressure exerted by the edge thereby readily facilitating the blade cut through a plant material by breaking the bonds between the molecules, crystals, fibers, (and the like) within the plant material.

[0006] Invariably, most plants are multi-cellular. Plant cells differentiate into multiple cell types, forming tissues such as the vascular tissue with specialized xylem and phloem of leaf veins and stems, and organs with different physiological functions such as roots to absorb water and minerals, stems for support and to transport water and synthesized molecules, leaves for photosynthesis, and flowers for reproduction.

[0007] Throughout the ages, mankind has learned to use a wide variety of plant material parts for nutrition, medicinal purposes, recreational purposes, clothing, tools and well being of humans, fauna and flora.

[0008] Thus, several attempts and renditions have been attempted to harvest flowering tops whilst substantially contemporaneously separating or harvesting leaves of a plant.

[0009] Manual attempts include the use of scissors or shears but have been proven to be time consuming and ineffective with regard to yield and separation of leaves from flowering tops of plants.

[0010] Invariably, use of any blade type includes the inherent risk of cutting or injuring the user or the plant part being harvested. Occasioning on blades not being sufficiently sharp or not applying sufficient shearing forces, the plant part can be damaged or crushed.

[0011] By way of example, according to genetic and archaeological evidence, cannabis was first domesticated about 12,000 years ago in East Asia during the early Neolithic period. The use of cannabis as a mindaltering drug has been documented by archaeological finds in prehistoric societies in Eurasia and Africa. The oldest written record of cannabis usage is the Greek historian Herodotus's reference to the central Eurasian Scythians taking cannabis steam baths (c. 440 BCE) as, "The Scythians, as I said, take some of this hemp-seed [presumably, flowers], and, creeping under the felt coverings, throw it upon the red-hot stones; immediately it smokes, and gives out such a vapor as no Greek vapor-bath can exceed; the Scyths, delighted, shout for joy." Classical Greeks and Romans also used cannabis.

[0012] In China, the psychoactive properties of cannabis are described in the Shennong Bencaojing (3rd century AD). Cannabis smoke was inhaled by Daoists, who burned it in incense burners. In the Middle East, use spread throughout the Islamic empire to North Africa. In 1545, cannabis spread to the western hemisphere where Spaniards imported it to Chile for its use as fiber. In North America, cannabis, in the form of hemp, was grown for use in rope, cloth and paper.

[0013] Cannabinol (CBN) was the first compound to be isolated from cannabis extract in the late 1800s. Its structure and chemical synthesis were achieved by 1940, followed by some of the first preclinical research studies to determine the effects of individual cannabis-derived compounds in vivo.

[0014] An additional attempt known in the art to produce an effective harvesting trimmer was performed with a product known as ’’The magic trimmer”™. The product suffers from latent deficiencies including a semi exposed blade that can injure the user or the plant part being harvested. Furthermore, ’’The magic trimmer”™ is substantially devoid of the capability of separating leaves from flowering tops and will often damage both leaves and flowering tops.

[0015] A further attempt to address the latent deficiencies of trimming devices was introduced by “EZ trim harvesting” ™. Nevertheless, here as well the purported solution is hazardous to both user and plant parts being harvested. Moreover, this attempt is large cumbersome and bulky as well as bearing a very high MSRP. The product suffers from latent deficiencies including a semi exposed blade that can injure the user or the plant part being harvested. Furthermore, “EZ trim harvesting”™ is substantially devoid of the capability of separating leaves from flowering tops and will often damage both leaves and flowering tops. Yet a further attempt to address the failings of the devices known in the art was introduced by “Koala trimmers” ™.

[0016] Therefore, there is an unmet need for, and it would be highly useful to have, a reliable, preferably lightweight trimmer for readily facilitating separating leaves from flowering tops and preferably devoid of the risk of damaging either leaves or flowering tops.

[0017] There is yet a further unmet need for and effective trimmer for readily facilitating separating leaves from flowering tops substantially alleviating the risk of “injuring” either the user or the plant part being harvested by way of protecting the blade edges.

[0018] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention relates to a trimmer device. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices geared towards readily facilitating effective harvesting of specific plant areas and parts including at least one blade having at least one cutting edge, a power supply and an actuator for readily displacing the blade and applying sufficient force to increase the pressure exerted by the edge thereby readily facilitating the blade cut through a plant material by breaking the bonds between the molecules, crystals, fibers, (and the like) within the plant material.

[0020] According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a trimmer for readily trimming flowering tops including: a blade including at least one blade edge, an actuator attached to or integrally formed with the blade for cutting at least one flower by way of displacing the blade, a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and flower, and a power source for readily facilitating activation of the actuator.

[0021] According to further preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a trimmer for readily trimming leaves including a blade including at least one blade edge, an actuator attached to or integrally formed with the blade for cutting at least one plant leaf by way of displacing the blade, a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and plant leaf, and a power source for readily facilitating activation of the actuator.

[0022] According to still further preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method of harvesting flowers from a plant, the method includes the steps of: providing a trimmer for readily trimming flowering tops including: a blade including at least one blade edge, an actuator attached to or integrally formed with the blade for cutting at least one flower by way of displacing the blade, a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and flower, and a power source for readily facilitating activation of the actuator, and actuating the trimmer such that the blade harvest the flower while the protective element substantially contemporaneously preventing damage to the flower by way of situating the trimmer to at least one extremity of the flower and activating the trimmer in a manner conducive to harvesting the flower. According to still further preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method of harvesting leaves from a plant, the method includes the steps of: providing a trimmer for readily trimming leaves including: a blade including at least one blade edge, an actuator attached to or integrally formed with the blade for cutting at least one leaf by way of displacing the blade, a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and leaves, and a power source for readily facilitating activation of the actuator; and actuating the trimmer such that the blade harvest the leaves while the protective element substantially contemporaneously preventing damage to the leaves by way of situating the trimmer to at least one extremity of the leaf and activating the trimmer in a manner conducive to harvesting said leaf.

[0023] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0025] FIG 1. is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the plant trimmer of the present invention.

[0026] DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The present invention relates to a trimmer device. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices geared towards readily facilitating effective harvesting of specific plant areas and parts including at least one blade having at least one cutting edge, a power supply and an actuator for readily displacing the blade and applying sufficient force to increase the pressure exerted by the edge thereby readily facilitating the blade cut through a plant material by breaking the bonds between the molecules, crystals, fibers, (and the like) within the plant material.

[0028] Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a plant trimmer 10 for readily trimming leaves and flowering tops. As shown in Figure 1, plant trimmer 10 for readily trimming flower and leaves including: a blade 12 including at least one blade edge 14.

[0029] Plant trimmer 10 includes an actuator 16, wherein said actuator 16 is attached to or integrally formed with blade 12 for cutting at least one leaf by way of actuator 16 displacing blade 12.

[0030] Preferably, plant trimmer 10 includes a protective element 18 wherein said protective element 18 is attached to or integrally formed with plant trimmer 10 for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user, flowers and leaves.

[0031] Plant trimmer 10 also includes a power source 20 for readily facilitating activation of actuator 16.

[0032] Preferably, an external power supply cable 22 is electrically attached to power source 20 for readily facilitating use of AC power source.

[0033] Optionally, power source 20 is a DC power source. Preferably power source 20 is rechargeable power source selected from the group consisting of: at least one NiMH cell, at least one Li-ion cell, at least one Lithium iron phosphate cell, at least one rechargeable alkaline cell, at least one lead acid cell, at least one Manganese oxide cell, at least one lithium titanate cell, at least one zinc cell, and at least one Nickel Cadmium cell.

[0034] Preferably, protective element 18 includes at least one first aperture 24 formed in protective element 18 for readily facilitating selective insertion of flowers and leaves into protective element 18 through at least one first aperture 24 formed in protective element 18, thus readily facilitating trimming leaves without damaging flowers, trimming flowers without damaging leaves and selectively trimming flowers and leaves.

[0035] Preferably, protective element 18 includes at least one limiter 26 attached to or integrally formed with protective element 18.

[0036] Preferably, at least one limiter 26 readily facilitates enhanced selective insertion of flowers and leaves into protective element 18 through at least one first aperture 24 formed in protective element 18, thus readily facilitating trimming leaves without damaging flowers, trimming flowers without damaging leaves and selectively trimming flowers and leaves.

[0037] Optionally, blade 12 is attached to or integrally formed with a shaft 28. Preferably, shaft 28 is rotationally displaced by actuator 16 for readily facilitating rotational displacement of blade 12.

[0038] Preferably, plant trimmer 10 includes a trim controller 30 for readily controlling the speed and force applied by blade 12 thereby readily facilitating accurate control of trimming with plant trimmer 10. Preferably, for the purpose of enhanced trimming capabilities, protective element 18 and at least one limiter 26 are configured to create a predetermined insertion length of leaves and flower through at least one first aperture 24 formed in protective element 18. Thus, selective trimming of plants, leaves and flowers is readily facilitated.

[0039] Preferably, protective element 18 is designed with height generally designated “P” for accurately determining the distance between the proximal edge of plant trimmer 10 and distal edge of protective element 18 and at least one limiter 26.

[0040] Preferably, blade 12 has a predetermined diameter, generally designated “x” thereby readily facilitating increasing and decreasing shearing properties according to diameter x of blade 12 and rotational speed of shaft 28 in RPM.

[0041] Preferably, the distance between the proximal edge of plant trimmer 10 and cutting edge 14 of blade 12, is generally designated “a”.

[0042] Thus, for the purpose of readily facilitating specific trimming properties of plant trimmer 10, production of plant trimmer 10 and protective elements 18 is performed according the difference between height of protective element 18 and the distance a cutting of edge 14 of blade 12.

[0043] Preferably, the number of limiters 26 and the geometry of protective elements 18 readily facilitates enhancing trimming properties of plant trimmer 10 such that by selecting the number of limiters 26 and the geometry of protective elements 18 a first “effective trimming diameter” 32 of at least one first aperture 24 formed in protective element 18.

[0044] Preferably, protective element 18 includes at least second first aperture 34 formed in protective element 18 for readily facilitating selective insertion of flowers and leaves into protective element 18 through at least one second aperture 34 formed in protective element 18, thus readily facilitating trimming leaves without damaging flowers, trimming flowers without damaging leaves and selectively trimming flowers and leaves.

[0045] Preferably, the number of limiters 26 and the geometry of protective elements 18 readily facilitates enhancing trimming properties of plant trimmer 10 such that by selecting the number of limiters 26 and the geometry of protective elements 18 a second “effective trimming diameter” 36 of at least one second aperture 34 formed in protective element 18.

[0046] Preferably, protective elements 18 includes first “effective trimming diameter” 32 which is larger than second “effective trimming diameter” 36.

[0047] Optionally, protective elements 18 includes first “effective trimming diameter” 32 which is substantial equivalent to second “effective trimming diameter” 36.

[0048] Alternatively, protective elements 18 includes first “effective trimming diameter” 32 which is smaller than second “effective trimming diameter” 36.

[0049] Preferably, first “effective trimming diameter” 32 is smaller than a finger of a user, thereby readily preventing inadvertent injury of users.

[0050] Preferably, first “effective trimming diameter” 36 is smaller than a finger of a user, thereby readily preventing inadvertent injury of users.

[0051] The term "Cannabis" as used herein, shall include but will not be limited to a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: Cannabis sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis.

[0052] Alternatively, C. ruderalis may be included within C. sativa, all three may be treated as subspecies of C. sativa, or C. sativa may be accepted as a single undivided species. The genus is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from Asia.

[0053] The plant is also known as hemp, although this term is often used to refer only to varieties of Cannabis cultivated or non-drug use. Cannabis has long been used for hemp fiber, hemp seeds and their oils, hemp leaves for use as vegetables and as juice, medicinal purposes, and as a recreational drug. Industrial hemp products are made from cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fiber. Various cannabis strains have been bred, often selectively to produce high or low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid and the plant's principal psychoactive constituent. Compounds such as hashish and hash oil are extracted from the plant.

[0054] The term "Blade" as used herein, shall include but will not be limited to a portion of a tool or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on and operate by way of concentrating force on the cutting edge, wherein the edge may be serrated or non-serrated. Blades may include a single or double “faces” that meet at an edge. Ideally, this edge would have no roundness but in practice, all edges can be seen to be rounded to some degree under magnification either optically or with an electron microscope. Force is applied to the blade, either from the grip or pressing on the back of the blade or by rotateably displacing the blade. Often, the grip or back of the blade has a large area compared to the fine edge. This concentration of applied force onto the small edge area increases the pressure exerted by the edge. It is this high pressure that allows a blade to cut through a material by breaking the bonds between the molecules, crystals, fibers, (and the like) within the material. This necessitates the blade being strong enough to resist breaking before the other material gives way.

[0055] The term "Fauna and Flora" as used herein, shall include but will not be limited to all of the animal life present globally or in a particular region or time, wherein the corresponding term for plants is flora also collectively referred to as biota, a biological community that has formed in response to its physical environment and regional climate, Fauna and Flora may span more than one continent or may encompasses multiple ecosystems or include a variety of habitats, the total collection of organisms globally or of a geographic region or a time period, from local geographic scales and instantaneous temporal scales all the way up to whole-planet and wholetimescale spatiotemporal scales, wherein, the fauna and flora of the Earth make up the biosphere.

[0056] The term "Flower" as used herein, shall include but will not be limited to the part of a seed plant comprising the reproductive organs and their envelopes if any, especially when such envelopes are more or less conspicuous in form and color or an analogous reproductive structure in other plants, as the mosses, a bloom or blossom, a reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae), a combination of vegetative organs - sepals that enclose and protect the developing flower, petals that attract pollinators, and reproductive organs that produce gametophytes, which in flowering plants produce gametes, wherein the male gametophytes, which produce sperm, are enclosed within pollen grains produced in the anthers and the female gametophytes are contained within the ovules produced in the carpels.

[0057] While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A trimmer for readily trimming flowering tops comprising:(a) a blade including at least one blade edge;(b) an actuator attached to or integrally formed with said blade for cutting at least one flower by way of displacing said blade;(c) a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and flower; and(d) a power source for readily facilitating activation of said actuator.

2. A trimmer for readily trimming leaves comprising:(a) a blade including at least one blade edge;(b) an actuator attached to or integrally formed with said blade for cutting at least one plant leaf by way of displacing said blade;(c) a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and plant leaf; and(d) a power source for readily facilitating activation of said actuator.

3. The trimmer for readily trimming flowering tops of claim 1 wherein said blade and said protective element are configured to trimming cannabis flowers.

4. The trimmer for readily trimming leaves of claim 1 wherein said blade and said protective element are configured to trimming cannabis leaves.

5. A method of harvesting flowers from a plant, said method comprises the steps of: a) providing a trimmer for readily trimming flowering tops including:(i) a blade including at least one blade edge;(ii) an actuator attached to or integrally formed with said blade for cutting at least one flower by way of displacing said blade;(iii) a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and flower; and(iv) a power source for readily facilitating activation of said actuator; and b) actuating the trimmer such that said blade harvest said flower while said protective element substantially contemporaneously preventing damage to said flower by way of situating the trimmer to at least one extremity of said flower and activating said trimmer in a manner conducive to harvesting said flower.

6. A method of harvesting leaves from a plant, said method comprisesthe steps of: a) providing a trimmer for readily trimming leaves including:(i) a blade including at least one blade edge;(ii) an actuator attached to or integrally formed with said blade for cutting at least one leaf by way of displacing said blade;(iii) a protective element attached to or integrally formed with the trimmer for readily preventing inadvertent injury to the user and leaves; and(iv) a power source for readily facilitating activation of said actuator; and b) actuating the trimmer such that said blade harvest said leaves while said protective element substantially contemporaneously preventing damage to said leaves by way of situating the trimmer to at least one extremity of said leaf and activating said trimmer in a manner conducive to harvesting said leaf.

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