Vertical Drum Flower Trimmer with Vacuum Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current machines for trimming plant buds and flowers require significant hand labor, result in suboptimal product quality, and pose safety hazards due to design limitations, particularly when dealing with wet plant materials and varying oil content.
Innovation Solution
A cutting interface comprising a slotted drum and cutting reel with precision bearings, rotated by an electric motor and timing belt, along with a vacuum manifold and cleaning system, which reduces waste and enhances safety by minimizing operator exposure to the cutting interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a simple round horizontal grating with a rotating blade is used, then the machine can trim flowers, but significant hand labor is still required to roll flowers on the machine
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring flowers to be manually rolled onto a horizontal grating, the patent inverts the approach by using a vertical drum that actively engages and transports the flower material through the trimming mechanism, eliminating the need for manual rolling operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a rotating vertical drum with adjustable speed control, allowing the trimming mechanism to dynamically adapt to different flower types and trimming requirements, thereby reducing manual intervention while maintaining operational flexibility
2Ease of manufacture
If flowers are hand-rolled on the machine, then trimming can be performed, but the finished quality is not easily controllable and flower buds are often crushed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates adjustable trimming parameters including blade gap distance, drum rotation speed, and blade angle, allowing precise control over the trimming process to maintain flower bud integrity and achieve consistent product quality without crushing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical rolling and pressing action with a controlled rotational drum system that gently transports and positions flowers for trimming, eliminating the crushing effect caused by manual handling
3Productivity
If a horizontal rotating blade with grating is used, then cutting can be performed, but the machine becomes clogged when processing wet plant materials with natural oils
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the horizontal grating-blade configuration into a vertical drum structure where materials move downward through gravity and rotation, preventing the clogging issues that occur with horizontal surfaces and oily plant materials
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating vertical drum creates continuous motion and airflow that prevents wet, oily plant materials from adhering and clogging the trimming mechanism, maintaining reliable operation throughout the trimming process
4Ease of manufacture
If the operator places leaves on the grill, then trimming can be performed, but safety hazards arise from operator exposure to the cutting interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical drum as an intermediary mechanism that automatically feeds and positions flower material through the trimming zone, eliminating the need for operators to place materials directly on the cutting interface and thereby removing the safety hazard
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 solution significantly reduces hand labor, improves controllability of the trimming process, and ensures safer operation by minimizing waste and maintaining higher product quality, even with plants having varying oil content.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum manifold that removes the plant waste
Implementation Method 2
a cleaning fluid sprayer system that cleans the slotted drum
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an apparatus for trimming plants, in particular, buds and flowers, to remove unwanted plant material. A typical application would be to process a plant to leave only trimmed buds and flowers for use in potpourri, fragrant sashes, or as a prelude to further processing of essential oils. The apparatus employs a combination of a slotted metal drum and a lawn mower type cutting reel that are rotated in the same direction, but at different speeds, to create a cutting interface that shears off the unwanted plant material. The apparatus further employs a vacuum manifold to collect the debris and transfer it into a waste collection device.