Hemp Flower Stripping Machine with Adjustable Roller Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing process of removing flowers, buds, and leaves from hemp stems is excessively time-consuming and often damages the plant material, which is undesirable for optimal extraction of medicinal compounds like CBD.
Innovation Solution
A machine with a housing and pair of rollers driven by a motor and gearbox, featuring an adjustable locking shaft to control the space between the rollers, allowing for gentle stripping of flowers, buds, and leaves from the stem without damage, using feed holes of varying diameters to accommodate different stem sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual or conventional methods are used to remove flowers, buds, and leaves from hemp stems, then the process is simple to perform, but the process is excessively time-consuming and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical removal with an automated mechanical system consisting of rollers, a motor, and a gearbox. The motor-driven rollers automatically grasp and pull stems through the stripping mechanism, eliminating manual labor and significantly increasing processing speed while reducing the time required for flower removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable roller spacing and multiple feed holes of different diameters to accommodate varying stem sizes. By changing the physical parameters of the machine (roller gap, feed hole diameter), the system can efficiently process different types of hemp stems without sacrificing processing speed or damaging the flowers.
2Reliability
If conventional removal methods are used, then the process is simple, but the flowers, buds, and leaves are damaged or crushed which reduces extraction yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different functional characteristics to different parts of the system: the rollers have a specific surface texture and pressure distribution designed to grip stems without crushing flowers; the feed holes are sized to guide stems while leaving flowers exposed for gentle stripping; the stripping zone is positioned to separate flowers from stems without applying excessive force to the delicate flower material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamically adjustable roller spacing that can be modified based on stem diameter and flower density. The motor speed and roller pressure can be adjusted to match the specific batch of material being processed, ensuring optimal gentleness on the flowers while maintaining efficient removal. This dynamic adjustment prevents crushing and damage to the extraction-critical flower material.
3Productivity
If a machine with adjustable rollers and multiple feed holes is used, then processing efficiency and flower integrity are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-functional machine that combines stem feeding, gripping, pulling, and stripping operations into a single integrated device. The same motor-driven roller system handles both small-diameter and large-diameter stems by adjusting the roller spacing and selecting appropriate feed holes. This universal design achieves high processing efficiency without requiring multiple separate devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the processing function into discrete components: feed holes for different stem sizes, adjustable roller spacing mechanisms, motor-gearbox drive system, and collection areas for stripped flowers. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system efficiency. The modular structure makes the complex machine easier to manufacture, maintain, and adjust compared to a monolithic design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine enables rapid, efficient, and damage-free removal of flowers, buds, and leaves from hemp stems, reducing processing time to seconds and allowing for easy collection without crushing or tearing, with no special skill required for operation.
Implementation Method 1
A motor and gearbox drive the rollers to rotate in opposite directions
Implementation Method 2
The adjustable locking shaft is constructed to raise or lower the upper roller to increase or decrease the space between the rollers when the adjustable locking shaft is rotated
Implementation Method 3
The upper roller and the lower roller pull the stem through the space between the rollers towards the rear side of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A hemp flower, bud, and leaf material stripping machine having a housing, a motor and gearbox that drive a pair of rollers inside the housing, an adjustable locking shaft that adjusts and maintains a space and pressure between the rollers, and a series of feed holes of different diameters on a front side of the housing. Each feed hole is constructed to strip flowers, buds, and leaves from a hemp stem as the stem is inserted into a feed hole and is pulled through the feed hole by the rollers. The flowers, buds, and leaves are severed from the stem at an exterior of the front side of the housing, without damage to the flowers, buds, and leaves. The feed hole is constructed with close tolerance so that the stem can pass through the feed hole but the flowers, buds, and leaves cannot. Hemp stems are stripped in seconds. The flowers, buds, and leaves are not crushed, cut, torn, or compressed as they are severed and fall into a container.