CN113573879B - Rosin squeezer system - Google Patents

Abstract

A rosin press (100) system for extracting rosin (oil) from plant material. The rosin press system includes a male plate (102) having a male portion (103) and a female plate (104) formed to matingly receive the male portions (103, 608). The plates (102, 104) can be heated such that when plant material is pressed between them, rosin is extracted from the plant material and allowed to drain from a recess or drain hole (614) located in the middle of the recess plate (104).

Description

Rosin squeezer system

Background

(1) Technical field

The present invention relates to plant material/oil extractors, and more particularly to rosin presses for extracting rosin (oil) from plant material.

(2) Background art

Rosin is derived from an extraction process that uses heat and pressure to squeeze an extract (e.g., oil, resin, or rosin) from plant material. The extraction process typically uses a rosin press comprising flat heated plates that are pressed together to press/squeeze the extract from the plant material. One problem with existing systems is that their coverage over which rosin can be extracted is limited. In other words, the area of the plate limits the size of the heating plate. Furthermore, the nature of the existing heating plates makes it difficult to accumulate or otherwise collect the extracted rosin.

Accordingly, there is a continuing need to improve rosin presses to ameliorate the shortcomings of the prior art and to expand the previously limited size of heating plates.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to plant material/oil extractors, and more particularly rosin presses. Rosin presses include a frame assembly with a press mechanism (e.g., hydraulic press, etc.). Also included are a male plate (e.g., a plate having a male portion) and a female plate having a female portion (e.g., a plate having a female portion or hole to receive the male portion) formed to matingly receive the male plate.

In another aspect, a channel is formed in the boss surrounding the boss.

In yet another aspect, each of the male and female plates is heated with a heating element.

Further, each of the male and female plates is divided into two parts with a groove formed therebetween for placing the heating element such that the two parts of each of the male and female plates sandwich the heating element within each of the male and female plates.

In addition, each of the male and female plates includes eight heating elements positioned around the male and female portions, respectively.

In yet another aspect, the recess is a centrally located drain hole.

In another aspect, the raised portion is a trapezoidal pyramid.

In yet another aspect, a pressure distributor is connected between the press mechanism and the raised plate.

In another aspect, a pressure plate is connected between the pressure distributor and the flange such that pressure from the press mechanism is distributed to the platen and then to the flange.

Further, the frame assembly includes a frame plate suspended above the collection area, and further includes a heating block attached to the frame plate. In addition, the recess plate is attached to the heating block to reduce heat transfer between the recess plate and the frame assembly.

In another aspect, parchment is included. The parchment is formed to include a parchment tip and to house a mesh filter bag.

In another aspect, a mesh filter bag having a truncated cone shape is included.

In addition, each parchment is sized and shaped such that four parchments can be positioned on the recess plate to surround the recess and the parchment tips directed into the recess.

Finally, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention also includes methods of forming and using the rosin presses described herein.

Drawings

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various aspects of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a front view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a front view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a bottom view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 6 is an exploded view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a pressure distributor, press mechanism and a raised plate according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a raised plate according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a boss in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of a recess plate according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the male plate aligned with a top view of the female plate;

FIG. 12A is a side view of a plate according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 12B is a top view of the plate shown in FIG. 12A, according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 13A is a side view of a plate according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 13B is a top view of the plate shown in FIG. 13A, according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 13C is a side view depicting one aspect of a male plate and a female plate in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

fig. 14A is a cross-sectional side view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the invention;

fig. 14B is a cross-sectional side view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the invention;

fig. 14C is a cross-sectional side view of a rosin press according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 15A is a view of a cake (puck) die designed for use with a rosin press according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 15B is a view of an oil cake mold designed for use with a rosin press in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 16A is a view of a filter bag designed for use with a rosin press according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 16B is a view of a filter bag designed for use with a rosin press according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a view of a process for folding and forming parchment designed for use in connection with rosin presses according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 18A is a view depicting a parchment paper placed against a recess plate in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 18B is a view depicting four parchment papers placed against a recess plate in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 19A is a cross-sectional side view depicting parchment paper placed within a rosin press according to various embodiments of the invention; and

fig. 19B is a cross-sectional side view depicting parchment paper placed within a rosin press, wherein rosin is pressed from plant material, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to plant material/oil extractors and more particularly to rosin presses for extracting rosin (oil) from plant material. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of a particular application. Various modifications and various uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to a wide variety of embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Furthermore, any element of a claim that does not explicitly state "means for" performing a particular function "or" step "for" performing a particular function should not be construed as a "means" or "step" clause as specified in section 6 of section 112 of the united states code. In particular, the use of "… … step" or "… … act" in the claims herein is not intended to be an admission to the specification of section 112 of the American code 35.

Note that if used, the labels left, right, front, back, top, bottom, front, back, clockwise, and counterclockwise are used for convenience only and are not intended to imply any particular orientation of securement. Rather, they are used to reflect the relative position and/or orientation between different portions of the object.

(1) Description of the invention

As described above and as shown, the present disclosure relates to rosin presses. As shown in fig. 1, rosin press 100 is an extraction device that uses heat and pressure to provide precise pressure to press oil and/or rosin from plant material. Plant material that may be used with rosin press 100 is any desirable plant material from which rosin (oil) may be extracted by pressure and/or heat. Notably, the rosin press 100 includes at least two plates, a convex plate 102 and a concave plate 104 (e.g., a plastic plate or a metal plate, such as aluminum, or other suitable material). The male plate 102 includes a boss 103 that protrudes downward and toward the female plate 104. Each of the plates 102 and 104 may be formed in any suitable shape to allow for mating engagement between the two plates and the ability to compress plant material therebetween. In other words, the recess plate 104 is formed with recesses or holes (described in further detail below) to cooperate with the bosses 103 of the receiving projection plate 102 and to direct the pressed rosin, oil, extract, etc. through the recess plate 104 and into the collection container 108 or tray therebelow.

Although not limited thereto, in various embodiments, the male plate 102 is suspended from the press mechanism 106 and above the female plate 104. Press mechanism 106 is connected to frame assembly 110 to securely attach press mechanism 106 in place and align male plate 102 with female plate 104. The pressing mechanism 106 is any suitable mechanism or device that is selectively controllable to press the plates 102 and 104 against each other with sufficient force to press the extract from the plant material. As a non-limiting example, the press mechanism 106 is a hydraulic cylinder with a 10000 pounds per square inch (psi) pump to provide 100 tons or nearly 200000 pounds of force power when fully extended, a screw or other mechanical advantage from a lever, etc., to press the boss 102 downward. Rosin press 100 is designed to have sufficient pressure per square inch of surface area. For example, a 100 ton cylinder is used, but a 75 ton or 145000lbs force is used to distribute pressure between 135 square inches areas of the platens. The 72 square inch parchment paper is then converted to pounds per square inch of plant material or bag space after insertion. In this example, a pressure of 145000lbs divided by 72 inches yields 2013psi. Adequate pressure of about 2000psi is important to ensure that the oil is separated from the plant material as soon as possible to preserve terpenes (taste) and quality (color).

The frame assembly 110 is formed in any suitable manner to provide the functionality as described herein. For example, the frame assembly 110 includes: a top 112 to accommodate the cylinders (i.e., press mechanism) and plates 102 and 104; the base 114 holds electronics such as controllers (e.g., proportional-integral-derivative controllers (PIDs), wiring, and power switches) in addition to the oil-trapping region or trapping opening (for the collection vessel 108).

For further understanding, fig. 2, 3, 4 and 5 provide front, top, front and bottom views, respectively, of rosin press 100. It should be noted that the top portion may be formed in any suitable manner as long as the male plate 102 is positioned or may be positioned such that it may be pressed against the female plate 104. As a non-limiting example and as shown in fig. 2, the frame assembly 110 may optionally include one or more posts 200 supporting the top. In one example embodiment, one of the posts acts as a guide rail to maintain alignment of the plates 102 and 104 and prevent the top plate 102 from turning or rotating with the cylinders of the squeeze mechanism. For example, in some aspects, the y-guide 202 is attached to the boss 102, which encircles and slides against a sheath 204 positioned on the post 200. The sheath 204 is any suitable material that allows for maintaining the position of the guide 202 while reducing friction. As a non-limiting example, the sheath 204 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

For further understanding, fig. 6 provides an exploded view of rosin press 100. It should be understood that although specific details are provided below, the invention is not intended to be limited thereto as modifications may be made as desired so long as the male plate 102 and female plate 104 operate as described. Desirably, the frame assembly is constructed of all steel and welded together as a single component. The frame assembly houses the press mechanism 106 (e.g., a cylinder) and is the frame of the innovative "self-collecting" oil trap area 600 (i.e., where the collection tray can be placed) because the oil or rosin is pressed from the plant material and discharged through the recess plate 104 into the trap area 600. The harness cut may be added prior to any welding. The press mechanism 106 (e.g., a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder) is secured to the frame (e.g., with two bolts No. 12). One benefit of self-collection of oil is the ability of the operator to control the different stages of oil and the quality of the oil, which varies over time, both in pressure and on large plates. Another benefit is the ability to place a digital scale to record the results and automatically calculate the return/yield results. A camera may be installed to display the results of the rosin press 100 and video log data on a screen.

Desirably includes a pressure distributor 602. The pressure distributor 602 (e.g., made of aluminum or other suitable material) is shaped to distribute pressure from the press mechanism 106 to prevent the plates 102 and 104 from buckling when pressed together. For example, the pressure distributor 602 is formed in a pyramid shape and is recessed into a cylinder rod 604 of the press mechanism 106. The broadside of the pressure distributor 602 is attached (via screws, bolts, or by any other means) to the plate distributor 606. Desirably, the plate distributor 606 is recessed to receive the broadside of the pressure distributor 602; however, it may also be flat, as depicted in the figures. The plate dispenser 606 (e.g., made of or steel or other suitably strong material) dispenses pressure to the edge of the raised plate 102 such that the pressure applied to the parchment between the plates 102 and 104 is evenly distributed (e.g., to the inside of 0.500 inch of the edge of the raised plate 102). The plate dispenser 606 is recessed into (or otherwise attached to) the heating lug 102. In some aspects, between the heated lug 102 and the plate dispenser 606 is a recessed phenolic sheet insert that prevents heat from spreading from the lug 102 and strengthens the aluminum heated lug 102. Also depicted are bosses 608 protruding from the bottom side of the boss 102.

For further understanding, and as shown in fig. 7, 8 and 9, the bottom side 700 of the boss 102 includes a boss 608. As also depicted, a channel 702 is formed in the bottom side 700 surrounding the boss 608. The channel 702 is any suitable shape to help prevent the extruded material from oozing or otherwise sliding toward the periphery of the boss 102. As a non-limiting example, the channel 702 is formed by a three inch wide cutout on the bottom side 700 of the boss 102, wherein the boss 608 is positioned such that the channel 702 surrounds the boss 608. Thus, in this aspect, the channel 702 is approximately one-quarter inch deep and one-half inch wide, while it surrounds the boss 608. The channel 702 is important for the following: helping to provide space for the compressed material to penetrate the bottom recess plate and then pass downwardly through the bottom recess plate. In another aspect, the channel is cut from the bottom side 700 around the boss 608.

The boss 608 serves as a raised pyramid that directs the parchment insertion tip (about 1 inch) downward to form a 1 square inch pouring perimeter if multiple pockets (e.g., 4) are used. Desirably, the boss 608 is formed in the shape of a trapezoidal pyramid to accommodate and guide a plurality of parchment papers into the discharge aperture (as described in further detail below). In one aspect, the boss 608 is positioned into the underside 700 of the boss 102 centered in the center cutout of the base plate (which forms a channel 702 around the boss 608 when the boss 608 is attached within the center cutout).

The boss 608, boss 102, phenolic sheet (if included), plate distributor 606, and pyramid-shaped pressure distributor 602 are attached to the press mechanism 106 using any suitable mechanism or technique. As a non-limiting example, a center bolt 704 may be passed through the components and threaded into the cylinder rod 604 (shown in fig. 6) of the press mechanism 106 to align and secure the components together.

In one non-limiting example, the cylinder press mechanism as press mechanism 106 is installed into the frame assembly as a unit by placing the top projection plate 102 on the bottom plate 104 and twisting the cylinders of press mechanism 106 to align the two top bolt patterns 612 on press mechanism 106 through the top 610 of the frame. One can then attach and jack up the cylinder rod 604 until the press mechanism 106 is attached to the top 610 of the frame assembly. The press mechanism 106 may then be retracted to raise the top plate 102.

In contrast to the raised plate 102, the recessed plate 104 includes a recess or drain hole 614 formed therethrough to receive the boss 608 and direct the pressed rosin or other material into the capture area. The heating block 616 (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene or phenolic sheet) may be attached to (e.g., recessed into) a frame plate 618, which frame plate 618 may be mounted or bolted to the frame assembly (e.g., by two bolts screwed from inside the capture area 600). Polytetrafluoroethylene or phenolic sheets 616 are included to prevent heat transfer from the recess plate 104 to the frame assembly.

For further understanding, fig. 10 provides a view of the recess plate 104 with the discharge holes 614 therethrough. As shown in fig. 11, the channel 702 in the top plate 102 is formed such that its dimensions (width, height) are approximately the same as the dimensions of the discharge orifice 614 through the bottom plate 104. Thus, oil or rosin pressed between the two plates 102 and 104 is directed downwardly by the bosses and prevented from being collected by the channel 702.

To assist in extracting/squeezing extract (e.g., rosin, oil, etc.) from the plant material and out of the plates 102 and 104, it may be desirable to include a heating element in one or both of the plates 102 and 104. The male plate 102 and female plate 104 may be formed to include heating elements using any suitable mechanism, device, or technique. As a non-limiting example, the male plate 102 and the female plate 104 are operated by one or two digital heating controllers for dual heating precision of the heating element. Non-limiting examples of digital heating controllers include the MYPIN T series controller manufactured by MYPIN appliances limited, located in building No. 1, eastern wind ballaster community, afforestation An He street 5 lane 7, in midmountain, guangdong, china.

Furthermore, it is desirable to have multiple heating elements per board 102 and 104, each connected to the necessary power (e.g., electrical, hard-wired, etc.) and circuitry required for control. For example and as shown in fig. 12A, a raised-plate heating element 1200 is positioned in a hole drilled into the side of the raised plate 102. It should be noted that any suitable number of heating elements 1200 may be included. Ideally, however, there are eight elements per plate, allowing for even heat distribution across the plate.

In another aspect and as shown in fig. 13A and 13B, instead of holes, the plate may be split into two portions (e.g., halves) 1300 and 1302 to allow placement of the heating elements within slots formed in the portions 1300 and 1302. In this regard, the two portions 1302 and 1304 are then attached together to collectively form the boss 102. An advantage of this is that there is no gap between the heating element and the metal forming the plate 102, thereby providing a more efficient plate 102. A temperature detector 1304 (e.g., thermometer, etc.) may also be positioned between the heating elements in either configuration to provide accurate temperature readings for accurate control of the amount of heat reaching the plates 102 and 104. It should be noted that while fig. 12A-13B are discussed and illustrated with respect to the convex plate 102, the two portions, heating elements and concepts described and illustrated are equally applicable to concave plates. Thus, with respect to the recess plate, the heating element may be positioned within the plate by holes drilled in the sides (as shown in fig. 12A and 12B) or by grooves half-engaging and formed in the recess plate (as shown in fig. 13A and 13B).

The use of multiple heating elements in each plate helps to maintain a constant temperature around each plate. The plurality of heating elements send temperature signals through respective temperature detectors to a controller (e.g., a MYPIN, etc.) to control the plates 102 and 104 at a desired temperature. The temperature may be set to any desired temperature. As a non-limiting example, depending on the type of oil or plant material, it may be desirable to position the raised plate 102 between 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 240 degrees Fahrenheit and the recessed plate between 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

Further, by adding heat and as described above, the heated male and female plates 102 and 104 allow for directional flow control of the resin/oil flow using gravity after the resin/oil is separated from the plant material by heat through the plates 102 and 104. In other words, because the concave plate 104 is heated and shaped to receive the convex portion of the convex plate 102, the extracted material can easily flow to the centrally located discharge orifice 614.

As described above and referring again to fig. 1, the recess plate 104 rests on top of the capture area 600, which capture area 600 allows the tray 108 or drawer to be placed under the recess plate 104 for collecting all of the discharged rosin. A lamp may be positioned within the capture area 600 to illuminate the process and collected rosin. For example, the capture area 600 includes two LED fluorescent light strips that are powered by switches placed in any suitable location. In another aspect, the lights can be programmed to turn off as an indicator to keep both hands clean (and vice versa as needed) when operating and illuminating after the press process is complete.

In one aspect and as shown in fig. 13C, the bottom side of raised plate 102 is angled relative to the top side of bottom plate 104 such that the outer periphery 1310 of the two plates first contacts to squeeze the contents toward the middle when the two plates are pressed together. In this regard, the top side of the bottom plate 104 may also be slightly sloped so that the outer peripheries 1310 of the two plates contact first. In other aspects, the plates 102 and 104 are parallel to each other, or any combination thereof. Angling plates 102 and 104 may be used to assist in directing rosin flow to drain holes 614 in recess plate 104.

As shown in fig. 14A-14C, upon operation of the press mechanism 106, the cylinder rod 604 (or other associated component) is actuated to press and nest the male plate 102 against the female plate 104. In so doing, rosin or other extracts are pressed from the plant material and into the trapping region 600. As described above, the pressing mechanism 106 is any suitable mechanism or device capable of pressing the plates 102 and 104 against each other with sufficient force to press rosin and other materials from plant matter placed between the plates 102 and 104. Although not depicted, the press mechanism includes all connectors, hoses and other components that may be necessary to operate as described and understood by those of skill in the art.

It should be appreciated that any desired plant material may be placed between the plates 102 and 104. Desirably, the plant material is compressed into a desired shape that allows placement within the filter rod. For example, and as shown in fig. 15A and 15B, a variety of molds may be included that allow plant material 1500 to be shaped and compacted into a cake or compressed shape.

A non-limiting example of such a cake mold is shown in fig. 15A. The cake mold includes a frame 1506, a top press 1508 and a bottom press 1510 designed to fit within a recess of the frame 1506. During operation, plant material 1500 can be placed within the recess and between top press 1508 and bottom press 1510. The mold is then placed in the rosin press 10 between the flat convex and concave plates. The plant material can then be easily compressed into a solid block of brick shape, also known as an oil cake, doubling the amount of material to be pressed in a single rosin press. By choosing to compress the plant material (i.e., between the plates) before hot pressing the cake, the amount of plant material that can be used in the rosin press is significantly increased (e.g., doubled), thereby reducing the use time.

Another non-limiting example of a mold is shown in fig. 15B. In this regard, the cake mold has a top press 1512 that can be used to press the plant material 1500 within the frame 1514 and form the cake 1502. Also as shown, the mold is formed in any suitable shape to form the resulting cake 1502 in the desired shape. In this regard, the oil cake 1502 is trapezoidal to allow the oil cake to be placed around the hole of the recess plate along with the other three oil cakes (four oil cakes in total in this example).

Once formed into the cake shape, the rosin press system desirably includes a filter bag. Thus, to assist in squeezing plant material and maintaining a clean working surface, the invention described herein also includes parchment cones and mesh filter bags (e.g., micron mesh filter bags). The mesh filter bag can be made in any desired shape to fit within the rosin press and to help hold the plant material between the hot plates. For example and as shown in fig. 16A and 16B, the filter bag 1600 is designed as a truncated cone to match the dimensions of the recess plate around the aperture in the middle of the plate. In other words, the present invention also includes a mesh filter bag 1600 positionable about the recess plate. For example, due to the truncated cone shape of each mesh bag, four, six or eight bags (or any other desired number, depending on size and shape) may be fitted side by side on the recess plate.

As shown in fig. 16A and 16B, in some embodiments, the filter bag 1600 has an opening at the top 1602 to allow plant material to be placed therein. In other aspects, an opening may also be formed in the bottom 1604, making it easier for rosin to seep out of the bottom of the filter bag 1600. The mesh filter bags 1600 may be made of nylon material or any other desired material, in another aspect they may be "V" shaped bags (e.g., 6 inches high by 2 inches wide) and may be formed with micropores between 25 microns and 220 microns (or any other desired dimension).

The pyramid-shaped micron filter bag 1600 and unique folded parchment technique are mechanically designed to position the filter bag itself in a perfect position on the heating plate when all four bags are perfectly inserted into the machine. This position is important for the oil to flow out of the plate in a controlled manner and down the angle of the protrusions. Rosin presses are formed as rosin press systems that use elaborate kraft folding techniques to aid in the commercialized rosin process by simply folding the unique kraft paper as shown, doubling the directional flow four times.

Although described with respect to pyramid-shaped rosin filter bags, rosin presses can be used with rosin bags of any size/shape, with or without folding techniques.

As mentioned above, the invention also includes parchment. Parchment paper is made of any suitable material in any suitable manner to fit within and/or between the raised and recessed panels to prevent sticking and to help maintain a clean press environment. A non-limiting example of such a parchment 1700 is visible in fig. 17. As a non-limiting example, the parchment 1700 is depicted as being formed from a flat sheet of paper 1702 having a desired size and cut line such that the sheet of paper 1702 is folded into a cone and the resulting cone-shaped parchment 1700 is formed. Although specific dimensions and cut lines are depicted, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited thereto.

Parchment 1700 may be unwound and cut from a standard sheet of paper to match the dimensions of the raised and recessed panels. In other words, after being formed or otherwise cut into such shapes, the paper can be readily rolled or manipulated into a tapered or other desired shape, thereby forming the tapered parchment 1700.

The parchment 1700 may be positioned on a recess plate to allow rosin to escape onto the parchment 1700 but not onto the plate itself. This allows for less post-use cleaning because the parchment 1700 is removable and replaceable. Parchment 1700 may comprise male or female joints, or may be formed of any suitable material, or treated with other materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene coatings, and the like.

The placement of the filter bag 1600 and parchment 1700 can be seen in more detail in the views depicted in fig. 18A and 18B. As shown, a filter bag 1600 (with pressed cake therein) may be placed within the parchment 1700 and on the recess plate 104 with the tips 1800 of the parchment 1700 overhanging the discharge apertures 614 in the recess plate 104. Fig. 18B also shows four separate parchment papers 1700 (with pockets and oil cake therein) placed on the recess plate 104 around the discharge orifice 614.

Unique parchment folding techniques are designed to do two things. First, by folding three of the four sides, the inside is opened for oil drainage to control the directional flow of oil. Second, to mechanically perfectly center and position the inserts as they are brought together to form a square with a center circumference of 1 inch and a circumference of 11 inches, they are located about one-half inch inside the circumference of the heating plate.

The importance of positioning the insert in perfect alignment into the machine is critical to avoid bursting, oil leakage and/or the filter bag not contacting the plate. Sensors may be added to ensure positioning. As long as the insert is properly folded when slid into the machine, the oil will pour into a diameter of one-half inch to one-half inch. The collected oils are mixed together to form a "reverse" like technique.

When all inserts are together, the outer edge layout is designed to be one half inch from the outer perimeter of the bottom panel, so no oil is released to the outer edge of the sheepskin bag or off the panel causing bursting. All oil is released from the only opening in the parchment paper, which should be the only opening exiting the heating plate. In this case, the oil only moves downward from the hotplate at an angle of 45 degrees and then flows out of a one inch hole (or other suitable size).

This concept is further illustrated in the cross-sectional views of fig. 19A and 19B. As shown, parchment 1700 (with filter bags and pressed oil cake) is placed between the raised plate 102 and the recessed plate 104 such that the tips 1800 of the parchment 1700 hang over the discharge holes 614 in the recessed plate. Also shown is a heating element 1200 within each of the male and female plates 102 and 104. Referring to fig. 19B, as pressure begins to extract rosin 1900 from plant material, rosin 1900 drips into a plate, tray or other collection article (e.g., collection tray 108) through discharge holes 614 in the bottom of recess 104. Once in the cool-down capture area 600, the rosin 1900 cools naturally and/or may be further cooled via air flow from a fan.

Also as shown, the projections press the tips 1800 of the parchment 1700 into the discharge holes 614 to help guide the rosin 1900 into the collection area. Precise control of heat and pressure allows the operator to squeeze rosin 1900 from plant material and may even control the degree of separation of lipids, fats and terpenes.

Each parchment 1700 insert requires a unique trapezoidal micron mesh, nylon wire screen, rosin filter bag. In one aspect, the line is 0.125 inches from the edge of the pouch, and the seam is double stitched to provide pressure protection. These filter bags are designed to fit a quarter inch thick cake mold material perfectly into the filter bag. For example, the flaps of the filter rod are one-quarter inch longer to provide a cake thickness when closed. Before inserting the cake, it is recommended to turn the bag inside out to seal the seam to obtain a seamless edge bag. This helps to ensure that no oil gets stuck on the mesh. The pyramid-shaped filter bags enter the parchment and are located between one quarter inch and one half inch from the long dimension width of the back folded parchment. This helps ensure that the tips of the pouches are approximately one-half inch to one inch from the edge of the heating plate. The closer the bag is to the edge where the oil is to be released, the faster the oil starts to flow out. Crossing the edges can cause the bag to act as a net, trapping the oil and leaving a portion of the bag unextracted.

When heat and pressure are used to separate oil from plant material, the heat is used to liquefy the oil content and the pressure is used to move the oil from the plant material, through a micron mesh filter screen, and onto parchment paper, ultimately falling into a collection area.

As described above, micron mesh filter bags or rosin filter bags have different shapes and sizes, all in units of microns (um) and sizes. This is important in terms of the type of content that is separated by the press. One can use different micron mesh filter bags/screens to filter the separated oil as a liquid, such as terpenes or butter or chips.

A good technique for using this machine is to match the material to micrometer dimensions with temperature changes. Different oil base contents require different temperatures for extraction at different flow rates, as do a variety of oil components such as lipids, fats and terpenes. In addition, aging or oxidation of the extracted material also requires the use of different temperature ranges. For example, a 160 micron filter bag, pressed at 208 degrees and 2300psi, will first extract lipids and fat, then terpene, separating the two components from each other in a single press because of the need to move the oil pit as the oil flows. There are several factors that allow this to occur.

First, the plant material covers about 90% -99% of the parchment inserts, so the oil can move faster to maintain color and flavor (terpenes or terpenes) as it separates from the plant material, passes through the filter bag screen, and falls off the parchment. This is the case: where the coverage of plant material with surface area is important so that when oil flows out of the filter bag or screen, the cake becomes a wall, where the parchment is a tunnel and the oil moves faster with perfect fit of the bag and parchment. Thus, more coverage equals more compression, which means faster oil movement. Sufficient pressure (e.g., in excess of 2000 psi) causes the filter bag to become a dry cake, rather than a sponge. Second, the unique design combination of the heating plate, trapezoidal or pyramid shaped filter bag and parchment folding technique allows for pouring of the oil stream. This allows the user to control the oil as it falls from the heating plate.

The main means of separation between lipids and fats (waxes or chips) and terpenes (essential oils) are as follows: at the target precisely controlled temperature of 110 to 212 degrees, the four bags are square and rest vertically to create the fact (top to bottom) of a center dumping option from the design of these heating plates. As mentioned above, sufficient pressure of force exceeding 2000psi against the plant material surface area targets a 100 ton cylinder (1 ton-2000 ton+) to move oil fast enough to completely extract the bag to achieve near dry cake (plant material) which has been demonstrated to have a higher percentage return because of the greater pressure calculated than standard rosin presses, which must be pressed multiple times. In general, such calculations and construction of rosin presses can increase the yield per press while also preserving the color, flavor and overall quality of the extracted oil and fat. Furthermore, the rosin press collection area is another key component for separating lipids and fats from terpenes, because when the oil falls off the plate, the control component has oil, which allows the user to pull or move the collection tray (pot or silicone non-stick container or paper) once lipid and fat drop is detected. The indicator is typically a notification of a change in color from pale yellow to brown or deep yellow. Lipids and fats were found to be first separated (tested at 208-210 degrees) or removed from the plant material faster before terpenes, passed through the filter bags and left the parchment.

An optional second step of extracting essential oils is to filter the terpene by passing through a finer mesh filter bag such as 5um-25um under higher heat to separate the terpene oil (liquid fraction) by leaving thc-a in the rosin bag.

The present invention provides a better method than current extraction methods such as solvent forms like butane, alcohols, co2, ethanol or any other solvents, wherein a freezing stage is performed to freeze lipids and fats from essential oils. In the prior art, existing presses are unable to separate the different components because there is no control over the oil (i.e. the terpenes pass through the lipid and fat and the components mix).

In the present invention, a rosin press can be used to separate lipids and fats from terpenes in two different containers (e.g., collection trays, such as petri dishes). This can be done, for example, by: when visually notice that this is the time of the different contents being pressed out, the dishes are stacked and the plate lifted to slow down or stop the oil flow. The temperature may then be raised while the top dish is pulled down. The elevated temperature and elevated pressure accomplish the pressing by completely extracting the remaining (viscous) oil remaining in the cake. Also, lipids and fats are seen to be extracted from plant material first at lower temperatures.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that several additional features are included in the rosin press 100 described herein. In various embodiments, rosin press 100 includes all relevant hardware and/or components that may be needed to implement the features and functions as described herein. Furthermore, while specific examples are provided, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that other components may be used to provide similar functionality as understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in various embodiments, all of the components of rosin press 100 can be formed to fit within a transportable storage container with wheels or the like. Furthermore, various embodiments of the rosin press 100 include hydraulic quick connect lines to allow a user to easily attach/detach the hydraulic lines.

Additional features may be added to the present invention as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, the heating element and plate may be varied in a number of ways. The plate may be manufactured to contain grooves to lock in the bag during pressing. The grooves will help to control the directional flow of the oil as it is extracted. A gutter extending towards the bottom of each plate may also be included so that oil falls into a faster overflow path. The plates themselves may be larger or have steeper angles, and the angles of the male and female plates may be matched or varied. In other aspects, the heating elements may be placed in different locations and varied in number or design.

Further, in another aspect, the PID is wired to heating elements that are activated when a set temperature is reached. In one aspect, this machine uses four heating elements for each of the male plate 102 and the female plate 104. In another aspect and as described above, eight heating elements are placed in each of the male plate 102 and the female plate 104. In one aspect, the heating element is placed in the center of the plate where each rosin filter bag is placed, when the heating element is activated and the machine is pressing simultaneously, keeping the oil away from the hottest spot, which will cause the oil to leave the plant material faster. In one aspect, the unique heating plate is a square of twelve inches per side. In another aspect, the boss houses a boss having a two inch square bottom trapezoid of half inch height and a one inch top protrusion for guiding the tip of the trapezoid folded parchment downward to create a dumping effect. When fully compressed, the top thermal convex plate meets the bottom thermal concave plate, which contains a central hole (three inches wide), which creates sufficient clearance from the oil contacting any metal or bottom plate holes. In one aspect, the minimum capacity of the board is two parchment inserts and the maximum capacity is four parchment inserts.

As can be appreciated, additional further modifications may be made. For example, the rosin press may comprise a larger plate or cylinder or lever mechanism, or a plurality of plates stacked vertically. For example, stacking the plates includes adding a heating plate to more product from through the center Kong Yazha of the plates.

In yet another aspect, the press may be formed to include a human-machine interface (HMI) version to automate the "recipe" of heat and pressure to match the thickness and density of the oil environment. HMI is basically a programming system that allows a variety of heat and pressure programs. This can also be used to allow the operator to vary the filter bag size, the number of filter bags and the micron size in the filter bags, which allows for variable oil movement rates. Depending on the content placed between the plates, the program will adjust between different variables, including time, pressure and temperature. In other words, the press may be computer controlled to allow various press procedures to be performed according to the user and the needs. In another aspect, the system may be programmed or simply set by a user to open or close, etc.

It should be noted that the details described herein are example embodiments, however, the application is not intended to be limited thereto. It should also be noted that the rosin press described and illustrated can be modified as desired to incorporate any of the aspects or components as described in U.S. normal application 15/917,214 to allow the rosin press of the present application to operate as desired.

Thus, while the invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention may have other applications in other environments. It should be noted that many embodiments and implementations are possible. Furthermore, the following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments described above. Furthermore, any reference to "means for … …" is intended to evoke an interpretation of the elements and the means-plus-function of the claims, and any element not specifically used "for … …" should not be interpreted as a means-plus-function element, even if the claim additionally includes the word "means". Furthermore, although certain method steps have been recited in a particular order, method steps may occur in any desired order and are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (18)

1. A rosin press system comprising:

a frame assembly;

a press mechanism attached to the frame assembly;

a raised plate attached to the press mechanism, the raised plate having a bottom side pressure surface;

a boss attached to the boss such that the boss protrudes beyond the bottom side pressure surface of the boss;

Recessed channels formed in the bottom side pressure surface of the raised plate such that the recessed channels surround the raised portions;

a recess plate having a hole formed therethrough to accommodate the boss; and is also provided with

Wherein the boss enters the aperture of the recess plate when the boss is pressed against the recess plate;

wherein the aperture has an aperture size, and wherein the channel formed in the raised plate has a channel size that is substantially the same as the aperture size such that the channel of the recess is unobstructed by the recess plate when the raised plate is pressed against the recess plate and the raised portion enters the aperture of the recess plate.

2. The rosin press system of claim 1, wherein each of the raised and recessed plates is heated with one or more heating elements.

3. The rosin press system of claim 2, wherein each of the male and female plates is divided into two parts with a slot formed therebetween for placement of the heating element such that the two parts of each of the male and female plates sandwich the heating element within each of the male and female plates.

4. A rosin press system as recited in claim 3, wherein the one or more heating elements of each of the raised plate and the recessed plate comprise at least eight heating elements located around the raised portion and the aperture, respectively.

5. The rosin press system of claim 4, wherein the aperture is a centrally located discharge aperture.

6. The rosin press system of claim 5, wherein the raised portion is a trapezoidal pyramid.

7. The rosin press system of claim 6, further comprising a pressure distributor connected between the press mechanism and the raised plate.

8. The rosin press system of claim 7, further comprising a platen connected between the pressure distributor and the raised plate such that pressure from the press mechanism is distributed to the platen and then to the raised plate.

9. The rosin press system of claim 8, wherein the frame assembly comprises a frame plate suspended above a collection area and further comprising a heating block attached to the frame plate, and wherein the recess plate is attached to the heating block to reduce heat transfer between the recess plate and the frame assembly.

10. The rosin press system of claim 9, further comprising one or more parchment papers, each of the one or more parchment papers having a parchment tip.

11. The rosin press system of claim 10, further comprising a mesh filter bag having a truncated cone shape.

12. The rosin press system of claim 11, wherein the one or more parchment papers comprise four parchment papers such that each of the one or more parchment papers is sized and shaped such that the four parchment papers can be positioned on the recess plate to surround the aperture, the parchment paper tip of each of the four parchment papers being directed into the aperture.

13. The rosin press system of claim 1, wherein each of the male and female plates is divided into two parts, a slot being formed between the two parts for placement of a heating element such that the two parts of each of the male and female plates sandwich the heating element within each of the male and female plates.

14. The rosin press system of claim 1, wherein the aperture is a centrally located discharge aperture.

15. The rosin press system of claim 1, wherein the raised portion is a trapezoidal pyramid.

16. The rosin press system of claim 1, further comprising a pressure distributor connected between the press mechanism and the raised plate.

17. The rosin press system of claim 16, further comprising a platen connected between the pressure distributor and the raised plate such that pressure from the press mechanism is distributed to the platen and then to the raised plate.

18. The rosin press system of claim 1, further comprising four parchment papers, each of the four parchment papers having a parchment tip, each of the four parchment papers being sized and shaped such that the four parchment papers can be positioned on the recess plate to surround the aperture into which the parchment tip of each of the four parchment papers is directed.