WO2024145304A1

WO2024145304A1 - Apparatus, systems, and methods for filling prerolls

Info

Publication number: WO2024145304A1
Application number: PCT/US2023/085946
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefan LAVIGNE
Original assignee: Lavigne Stefan
Priority date: 2022-12-29
Filing date: 2023-12-26
Publication date: 2024-07-04

Abstract

A system for filling prerolls may include a pod, tamper accessory, and ejector accessory. The pod includes a keying groove, a support flange, and a plurality of fill chambers for filling prerolls that open into a foot space of the pod. The tamper accessory may include a keying segment configured to fit into the keying groove of the pod, allowing the tamping rods to seat prerolls within the fill chambers of the pod. The ejector accessory may include a keying segment configured to fit into the keying groove of the pod, a ring groove configured to accept the support flange, and an ejector pedestal configured to push filled and packed prerolls out of the pod.

Description

APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR FILLING PREROLLS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 18/525,639, filed 30 November 2023, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/477,721, filed 29 December 2022, the disclosures of which are incorporated, in its entirety, by their reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of exemplary' embodiments and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of the instant disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a top view of an example pod for filling prerolls.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an underside view of an example pod for filling prerolls.

FIG. 3 is a diagram displaying a keying grove of an example pod.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a side view of several different examples of pods for filling prerolls.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example tamper accessory for filling prerolls.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example tamper accessory' being applied to an example pod for filling prerolls.

FIG. 7 is an additional diagram of an example tamper accessory positioned to tamp down prerolls inserted into a pod.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example ejector accessory to eject prerolls from a pod.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example pod inserted into an example ejector accessory’ to eject filled and packed prerolls from the pod.

FIG. 10 is an additional diagram of an example pod positioned for insertion into an ejector accessory'.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional cutaway diagram of an example tamper module, example pod, and example ejector module.

Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary' embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Features from any of the embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one another in accordance with the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be more fully understood upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure is generally directed to an apparatus, systems, and methods for filling prerolls. Existing technologies are either very bulky or suffer from a lack of consistency between preroll fills. An apparatus incorporating support pods along with a tamper module and ejector module may facilitate easy filling and packing of prerolls, improving packing throughput and minimizing deviation in fill quantities, densities, and positioning within the preroll. In some embodiments, the support pods may be configured to fit within a centrifuge bucket, thereby allowing packing of the prerolls through application of centrifugal force.

In some embodiments, the apparatuses and systems described herein may improve the functioning of a preroll packing system or process by allowing an individual user to quickly and precisely set large quantities of prerolls for filling within the pod. The user may then volumetrically fill the prerolls, with the volume of the fill being based on the headspace between the top of the preroll and the top of the pod. Users can fill prerolls using different pods to adjust for preroll size, shape, and/or desired fill amount. The tamper module ensures that each preroll is seated within the pod at a similar depth, while the ejector module facilitates rapid retrieval of the filled and packed prerolls without damage.

The term “prerolf’ as used herein can refer to a container for combustible material, the smoke of which is intended for inhalation. Prerolls are typically used for cannabis consumption, though they may be filled with other combustible material as well. A preroll typically includes a paper or other combustible wrapper that has been rolled and secured into a tube or cone shape with a filter at one end. In the case of cone shapes, the filter is typically placed at the narrower end of the preroll. Prerolls can be filled with combustible material by depositing the material in the open end opposite the filter. After filling, a preroll can be closed by folding or twisting the open end shut. Cone-shaped prerolls are sometimes simply referred to as “cones’'.

FIG. 1 show s a top view of a pod 100 with four cones (illustrated as prerolls 108) loaded into corresponding fill chambers 106 built into pod body 102. Pod 100 shows 30 fill chambers to accommodate 30 prerolls, though pods can be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate differing sizes and shapes of prerolls. As may be appreciated from this description, pods that are configured to accommodate larger or wider prerolls may accommodate fewer prerolls than pods that are configured to accommodate smaller prerolls. Pod 100 also includes a keying groove 104 to facilitate pod positioning relative to other accessories, including tampers and ejectors as will be described in greater detail below. Keying groove 104 can also be used as a finger well to retrieve pod 100 from a centrifuge bucket or vibratory tamper unit, and the surface of keying groove 104 can optionally include textured surfaces (such as ridges, grooves, roughened surfaces, etc.) to enable a user's finger to better grip the surface of keying groove 104 and facilitate retrieval.

Pod 100 can be loaded by placing prerolls into each of fill chambers 106, which are configured to hold prerolls of a specific shape and size. As will be described below, the fill chambers of different pods can be configured to hold prerolls of different specific shapes and sizes. In some examples, the fill chambers may be straight-sided with a diameter configured to support a particular model of preroll. In other examples, the fill chambers may be tapered to be narrower at the bottom. Pods with tapered fill chambers may be especially useful for filling and packing cone-shaped prerolls, as the tapered shape allows for more even support of the preroll paper thereby minimizing the possibility of damage to the preroll during filling and packing. The fill chambers may be configured to correspond to a specific make and/or model of prerolls produced by a manufacturer. In some embodiments, the mouth of the fill chamber (i.e., the opening on the upper surface of pod body 102) may be configured to be approximately 0.25 millimeters smaller in diameter than the widest point of the corresponding preroll to ensure enough empty space in the preroll to form a closure, such as a twist closure.

In other embodiments, the fill chambers may be configured to have headspace above the top of a fully seated preroll. When prerolls are properly tamped into a pod as will be described in greater detail below in connection with the tamper accessory, the topmost edge of the preroll may rest below the upper surface of the pod. The space between the topmost edge of the preroll can be referred to as the “headspace" of a particular pod. Different pods configured to accommodate a particular family or configuration of preroll can be configured to fill the prerolls to differing degrees by allowing for differing headspace at the top of the pod when the prerolls are tamped into position. A larger headspace results in more material being loaded into the headspace and therefore packed into the preroll during the packing process, while conversely using a smaller headspace will result in less material being packed into the preroll. In some examples, the headspace may extend between 7 and 12 millimeters above the topmost edge of the seated preroll. In some embodiments, the headspace may be a straightsided cylindrical space. In further embodiments, the headspace may follow a taper. However, the headspace may be any suitable shape or configuration to ensure adequate and reliable filling of prerolls.

The fill chambers may also taper to a narrower diameter at the bottom of the fill chamber (sometimes referred to as the “foot” of the fill chamber), with the bottom opening of the fill chamber configured to be up to 0.2 millimeters smaller in diameter than the narrowest point of the preroll to 0.25 millimeters larger in diameter than the narrowest point of the preroll to allow the tip of the preroll to protrude through a lower surface of pod body 102. In some embodiments, the sidewalls of the fill chambers may be smooth. In other embodiments, specific portions or the entirety of the sidewalls of the fill chambers may be textured to facilitate increased friction and therefore a stronger grip on any prerolls inserted into the pod.

In some embodiments, the headspace in a pod (and therefore the volume of material packed into each preroll) can be adjusted by changing the tamping depth of the prerolls. For example, tamping prerolls in a pod at a shallower depth will reduce the headspace and result in a corresponding reduction in fill volume. Adjustments to the tamping depth can be accomplished in a variety of ways. For example, a tamper accessory with shorter tamping rods will press the prerolls to a shallower depth than a tamper accessory with longer tamping rods. Additionally or alternatively, some example systems can make use of a fill restrictor accessory. Much like the ejector accessory that will be described in greater detail below. a fill restrictor can include an outer ring dimensioned to snugly fit a pod. an ejector key configured to fit into the keying grove of the pod, ensuring that the pod is properly aligned with the fill restrictor, a ring groove configured to fit the support flange of the pod, and a central plate configured to partially fill the foot space of the pod.

The central plate of a fill restrictor can be configured to occupy a portion of the foot space of a pod can prevent the tips of the prerolls from being tamped past a certain point, thereby causing the prerolls to be seated higher in the pod and reducing the headspace. The platform of such a fill restrictor can provide a level surface that serves as a stop for the tips of the prerolls, ensuring that all the prerolls in the pod are tamped to the same reduced depth relative to the top of the pod. In some examples, a fill restrictor may have a removable central plate that can be interchanged with other central plates of differing thickness. These plates of differing thickness can enable a user to adjust the tamping depth of prerolls (and thereby adjust the fill volume) by changing the swapping out the plate in the fill restrictor for a thicker or thinner plate as desired. Additionally, these central plates can have a variety of markings, colorings, text labels, or other indicato aid users in selecting an appropriate central plate when preparing a pod for filling.

The pods and accessories described herein may be manufactured using a variety of materials or combinations of materials. For example, pod bodies and/or accessories may be formed from ABS plastic, polypropylene plastic, aluminum, or any other suitable material. Pods may be manufactured using any suitable method, including 3D printing, injection molding, milling, extrusion, or any other suitable method of manufacture.

FIG. 2 shows an underside view of apod 200, which is substantively similar to pod 100 described above, that has four prerolls 208 inserted into fill chambers 206. The underside of pod 200 has a certain amount of “foot space” to allow prerolls 208 to sit within fill chambers 206 with the filter tip extending through or protruding from the bottom of pod 200. A support flange 210 around the bottom edge of pod 200 encloses a foot space keeps the bottom of pod body 202 of pod 200 from contacting table surfaces (in the case of packing systems configured to use pods) bucket interiors, or other surfaces that may come into contact with pod 200, thereby protecting the ends of the prerolls form damage and/or accidental ejection from the pod. As will be described in greater detail below, support flange 210 may fit into a ring groove of an ejector module, enabling the ejector module to apply pressure to the tips of the prerolls to cause filled prerolls to eject from pod 200. Support flange 210 may be tapered or rounded to better facilitate insertion of the pod into ejector accessories. FIG. 2 additionally provides a side view of keying groove 204. As shown in this side view, keying groove 204 extends the full length of pod body 202 and through support flange 210. As will be described in greater detail below, the negative space provided by keying groove 204 may enable pod 200 and similarly configured pods to align with other components of a packing system, such as tamping accessories and ejector accessories.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example pod 300. particularly highlighting keying groove 304 that is shaped into the side of the pod. As shown in this example, keying grove 304 runs the entire length of pod body 302 to facilitate coupling with various accessories, such as the abovedescribed tamper accessory and ejector accessory, that may have corresponding keying segments to facilitate proper alignment and/or sen e as indicators for proper use of the accessories. Keying groove 304 likewise cuts through support flange 310 at the bottom of pod 300, facilitating use of above-described ejector accessory, without reducing or interfering with the foot space at the bottom of the pod that is enclosed by the support flange. Additionally, fill chambers 306 open into the foot space enclosed by support flange 310, allowing the tips of prerolls to protrude from the lower surface of pod 300 and extend into the space enclosed by support flange 310.

Different pods can be manufactured and configured to accommodate different shapes and sizes of preroll. Different pods can also be manufactured and configured to accommodate the same shape and size of preroll but provide for different packing volumes via differing amounts of headspace. FIG. 4 shows an assortment of pods, each of which is designed to facilitate the filling and packing of a different model or family of preroll. In the example of FIG. 4, the fill chambers of each pod are of a different shape and size specific to the family of prerolls intended to be used with the pod. Pod configurations can be differentiated from each other based on size. In the example of FIG. 4, pod 402 is the shortest of the three examples, pod 404 is of an intermediate height, and pod 406 is the tallest of the three examples. As may be appreciated from this description, pods can be created in any appropriate form factor. The external form factor of a pod may determine the pod’s suitability for use with specific centrifuges (i.e., determine a fit in the centrifuge bucket) or suitability for use with specific pod accessories that are configured to work with a particular size of pod.

Pods can also be differentiated from each other based on color. For example, pod 402 may be manufactured out of a red plastic, pod 404 may be manufactured out of a green plastic, and pod 406 may be manufactured out of a blue plastic. This color coding can allow for easy identification of pods even when they aren’t being stored directly next to each other. For example, red pods may be configured for use with family A of prerolls, green pods configured for use with family B, and blue pods configured for use with family C. Although the mapping of pod color to preroll family is discussed here, pod color or size can be mapped to any suitable feature of the pod such as preroll family, fill volume, fill percentage, fill density, and the like.

Pods may also include information or identifiers printed, etched, cut, or otherwise displayed on the size of the pod. Although not illustrated in these examples, pods may include numbers or other symbols detailing a fill amount in volume, expected mass, or other suitable fill metric. Pods may likewise include indicators for the pod configuration (i.e., which family of prerolls are intended for use with the pod) or other information that may aid operators in selecting the appropriate pod for filling an assortment of prerolls.

FIG. 5 shows an example tamper accessory 500. Tamper accessory 500 includes a base plate 508 that supports tamping rods 506 and a keying segment 504 that is configured to fit into the keying groove of a pod (such as pod 100 or pod 200 described above) to ensure proper alignment of the tamper accessory during tamping as well as allowing for an easy indicator for proper tamping depth. More specifically, the length of keying segment 504 may be such that when keying segment 504 is aligned with a keying groove of a pod, the end of keying segment 504 is level with the bottom of the support flange of the pod. In some examples, both the bottom of the support flange and the end of keying segment 504 may be in contact with a surface such as a table surface when tamper accessory 500 is correctly and fully inserted into the pod. Similarly, base plate 508 may serve as a stop to indicate when tamping rods 506 are correctly and fully inserted into a pod. For example, and as will be discussed in further detail below, base plate 508 may come into contact with the upper surface of a pod when tamping rods 506 are at the correct tamping depth for the pod.

Tamping rods 506 can be configured to align with the fill chambers of the pod and push any prerolls loaded into the pod to a uniform depth within the pod. Tamping rods 506 may be tapered to provide even pressure across the interior surface of prerolls loaded into a pod and thereby minimize the possibility of damage to the prerolls during the tamping or filling process. In some examples, the tamping rods may be configured to match the taper of the fill chambers in the pod (e g., following a parallel taper to the corresponding fill chamber). The tamper accessory' ensures that each preroll is pushed to a uniform depth within the pod. In embodiments where the pod is configured to have headspace above a properly seated preroll, tamping each preroll to the same depth can ensure that each preroll has consistent headspace above it and thus be packed with the same volume of material.

As with the pods described with respect to FIGS. 1-4, tamper accessories can include a variety of visual details to assist operators in selecting the correct tamper accessory for a given pod. For example, tamper accessories may have the same or similar color to the corresponding pods. Additionally or alternatively, tamper accessories can include text, symbols, or other indica that inform operators of which pod or pods a given tamper accessory' is configured to work with. FIG. 6 shows a tamper accessory that is partially inserted into a pod 602. As shown in FIG. 6. keying segment 604 of tamper accessory 614 fits into keying groove 612 of pod 602, ensuring proper alignment of tamping rods 606 with respect to the various fill chambers of pod 602. In some examples, the end of keying segment 604 can be configured to align with the bottom of pod 602 or with the bottom of support flange 610 to provide an easy visual and/or tactile indicator of proper tamping depth. In these examples, a user can place pod 602 on a flat surface such as a table or workbench, insert tamper accessory 614 into pod 602 (aligning keying segment 604 and keying groove 612, as keying segment 604 will physically prevent improper alignment of tamper accessory 614), and press down on base plate 608 of tamper accessory 614 until the end of keying segment 604 comes into contact with the flat surface and/or until base plate 608 comes into contact with the surface of pod 602. Once tamper accessory 614 is removed from pod 602, the user can then proceed to filling pod 602 for packing.

FIG. 7 is an additional diagram of an example tamper accessory 703 positioned to tamp down prerolls inserted into a pod 702. As described above, keying segment 712 of tamper accessory’ 703 may be configured to fit within keying groove 704 of pod 702 to facilitate proper alignment of tamping rods 714 with respect to fill chambers 706 of pod 702as well as facilitating proper tamping depth. Tamping rods 714 can be configured to press down into fill chambers 706 of the pod to set empty’ prerolls w ithin the pod to a uniform depth, stopped when base plate 710 of tamper accessory 703 comes into contact with the upper surface of pod 702 and/or when the end of keying segment 712 comes into contact with a table or other surface. As described above, the systems and methods described herein can enable volumetric filling of prerolls. However, in order to ensure consistent volumetric filling, the fill volume must remain consistent across fills. Ensuring that the prerolls are seated to a uniform depth ensures that the total volume enclosed by the filter and wrapping of the preroll and the interior walls of the fill chamber remains consistent across all the prerolls inserted into pod 702, thereby ensuring that every’ preroll in the pod is filled w ith the same amount of material. Just as the fill chambers in the pod may be straight-sided or tapered, the tamping rods may likewise be straight-sided or tapered to facilitate proper setting of the prerolls into the pod.

Once loaded with prerolls and tamped, pods can be filled in a variety of ways. In some examples, a user loads the pod by sprinkling fill material over the top of the pod, allowing the material to settle into the headspace of each well or fill chamber. Any suitable fill material (e.g., dried and processed cannabis or tobacco) for prerolls can be used with the apparatuses, systems and methods described herein. Consistent volumetric loading of each headspace can be accomplished by filling the fill chambers past the headspace of the pod and then scraping the top of the pod with a straight-edged tool such as a spatula or the back of the tamper accessory, i.e., to fill each fill chamber or well until the top of the fill material is flush with the surface of the pod. The material can simply fall through the open bottom of any fill chambers that do not have a preroll inserted and can be recovered for later use or loading into other pods.

Once the pod has been loaded with material, the pod can then be used with any suitable packing mechanism such as vibratory packing machines, centrifuges, rod-based tamping/packing mechanisms, and the like. Packing ensures that the material within each preroll is appropriate dense to achieve combustion without self-extinguishing.

After the prerolls have been filled and packed, the pod is ready for the prerolls to be ejected. FIG. 8 shows an example ejector accessory 800 for use with the above-described pods. As shown in FIG. 8, ejector accessory 800 includes an outer ring 802 configured to snugly fit a pod (not illustrated here). In some examples, the interior diameter of outer ring 802 may be the same as the widest exterior diameter of a pod and/or the same as the widest exterior diameter of the support flange of a pod. Ejector accessory 800 also includes an ejector key 804 that fits into the keying grove of a pod, ensuring that the pod is properly aligned to ejector accessory' 800 and that ejector accessory' 800 applies force evenly across the ends of each preroll in the pod. The bottom of ejector accessory 800 includes a ring groove 806 configured to fit the support flange of a pod, allowing a central pedestal 808 of ejector accessory 800 to push up into the foot space of the pod and apply upward force to the ends of the prerolls, thereby bringing the topmost edges of the prerolls up above the top of the pod and/or forcing the prerolls out of the pod for final processing. Although the ejector pedestal shown in FIG. 8 has a flat upper surface, ejector accessories may have textured surfaces, ejector rods or pins, ejector nubs, and the like that align with the bottom openings of the pod fill chambers to facilitate ejection of filled and packed prerolls from the pod.

The combination of an ejector key and outer ring of an ejector accessory can ensure that the ejection force caused by pressing a pod into the ejector accessory’ is applied along the long axis of the prerolls and is uniformly applied across all the prerolls in the pod. FIG. 9 shows an example pod 902 (which is substantively similar to the example pods described above) inserted into an ejector accessory' 910 ( 'hich is likewise substantively similar to the example ejector accessory' described above) and pressed down to complete the ejection process. As shown here, the body of pod 902 is configured to fit snugly into the open end of ejector accessory’ 910 such that the outer ring of ejector accessory 910 encloses a portion of pod 902. Though not shown in this diagram, the support flange at the bottom of pod 902 has slid into the corresponding ring groove in the base of ejector accessory' 910, and the central pedestal of ejector accessory 910 has pushed prerolls 908 up and out of pod 902 for retrieval and/or final processing (such as closure via folding or twisting).

FIG. 10 is an additional diagram of an example pod 1002 positioned for insertion into an ejector accessory 1010. As described above, ejector accessory 1010 can include an ejector key 1008 configured to align with and fit within keying groove 1004 of pod 1002 to facilitate proper alignment and to ensure that the central pedestal of ejector accessory 1010 applies upward force evenly to each preroll loaded in fill chambers 1006 of pod 1002. Pressing pod 1002 down into ejector accessory 1010 causes support flange 1012 to slide down into the ring groove (not illustrated here) in ejector accessory' 1010, while the walls or outer ring of ejector accessory' 1010 further support and align pod 1002. When pod 1002 is pressed down into ejector accessory 1010, the central pedestal of ejector accessory 1010 presses against the filter tips of the prerolls, thereby pushing the prerolls out of fill chambers 1006 of pod 1002 for retrieval.

FIG. 11 is a cutaway cross section diagram showing an example tamper accessory’ 1120, pod 1102, and ejector accessory 1110. As shown on the left side of the diagram, tamper accessory’ 1120 includes a keying segment 1122 that is configured to fit into keying groove 1 104 of the pod 1 102. Tamping rods 1 126 extend down from base plate 1124, parallel to each other and to keying segment 1122, and perpendicular to base plate 1124. Tamping rods 1126 are configured to fit into fill chambers 1106 of pod 1102 and may follow a similar taper to fill chambers 1006 to ensure that pressure is applied evenly to the inner surface of any prerolls in the pod, thereby allowing the tamper accessory to snugly seat the prerolls in the bottoms of their respective fill chambers while minimizing any' possibility of damage to the prerolls.

As described above in connection with other example pods, pod 1102 may include a number of tapered fill chambers (illustrated as fill chambers 1106) for holding and filling prerolls. As descnbed above, prerolls may be placed within some or all of fill chambers 1106 and then seated into place using tamper accessory 1 120 such that the narrow end of the preroll (w'hich ty pically includes a filter) protrudes from the bottom of its respective fill chamber into the foot space of pod 1102. The foot space is defined by the space enclosed by support flange 1108, which prevents the tips of the prerolls from contacting table surfaces or other container surfaces, such as centrifuge buckets. As also described above, pod 1108 may include a keying groove 1 104 to aid with the alignment and proper use of tamper accessories and ejector accessories such as tamper accessory 1120 and ejector accessory 1110.

The lowermost element of FIG. 11 is a cutaway diagram of example ejector accessory 1110. As shown in this diagram, the central portion of ejector accessory 1110 includes a central pedestal 1114, configured to fit within and fill the foot space of pod 1102 as defined by support flange 1108. Central pedestal 1114 applies force to the ends of any prerolls in pod 1102 when pod 1102 is pressed down into ejector accessory' 1110. Ejector accessory 1110 also includes an ejector key 1112 configured to fit into keying groove 1104 of pod 1102. Ejector key 1112 extends above central pedestal 1114 and up the sidewall of ejector accessory 1110 to ensure a snug fit with keying groove 1104 and thus ensure that pod 1102 is properly aligned with ej ector accessory' 1110. Ejector accessory 1110 further includes a ring groove 1118 that is configured to fit support flange 1108, thus enabling central pedestal 1114 to enter and occupy the foot space of the pod. thereby ejecting the prerolls from the pod.

As may be appreciated from the preceding descriptions of pods and tamper accessories, ejector accessories can likewise be configured in a variety of ways to ensure that they are capable of properly ejecting filled prerolls from a pod without damaging the prerolls. For example, different ejector accessories can have central pedestals of differing heights. These differently sized central pedestals, in conjunction with the configuration of the foot space of various pods as well as the corresponding keying grooves and keying segments, can ensure that ejector accessories are only used with pods they are designed to work with. For example, a central pedestal of a certain height might be unable to eject prerolls from a pod with a foot space that is deeper than the central pedestal is tall. As a specific example, a central pedestal that is half an inch in height will not be able to eject prerolls from a pod with a foot space of three quarters of an inch, as the central pedestal will not be tall enough to come into contact with the exposed ends of the prerolls before the support flange of the pod comes into contact with the bottom of the ring groove.

As described above, pods may include any number, size, and/or configuration of keying grooves. For example, a pod may include two, three, or four keying grooves. Pods can include any number of keying grooves, and accessories designed for use with that model of pod can have a corresponding number of keying segments (i.e., pod model A has one keying groove, model B has two, model C has three, and the corresponding accessories for each model have the corresponding number of keying segments). Keying grooves and/or keying segments may also be arranged in different ways, such as evenly distributed about the circumference of the pod or accessories or unevenly distributed to serve as a pattern key to ensure that the correct accessories are used with a given model of pod.

Keying grooves can also be of differing sizes and/or shapes to facilitate proper alignment of the pod relative to other accessories and/or ensure that the proper accessories are used with a given model of pod. In some examples, a keying groove may be roughly semicircular in profile, rectangular in profile, or any other suitable shape. The tamper accessory and ejector accessory can likewise include any number of corresponding keying segments that are configured to align with and fit into the keying grooves of the pods to ensure proper alignment of the pod relative to the accessory. Similarly, the pods may be configured with differing headspaces and/or foot spaces depending on the model or models of prerolls the pods are configured to accept. Accessories configured to work with such pods may likewise be configured with longer tamping rods to properly fill a larger headspace, taller ejection pedestals to fill a deeper foot space or support flange, or any other adjustments to their physical parameters to ensure that prerolls are consistently filled and packed. Similarly, the pods may be sized to accommodate any suitable number of prerolls based on the size and shape of the prerolls. Furthermore, the pods can be sized to fit into receptacles of a variety of different packing solutions such as vibration packing machines and/or centrifuge buckets.

Although the pods and accessories shown herein are round in shape, pods and accessories may be constructed according to any suitable form factor. For example, a pod may have a square footprint, and the corresponding accessories for that model of pod may likewise be configured to fit the square footprint of the square pod. Specifically, the base plate of the corresponding tamper accessory as well as the outer ring and ring groove of the ejector accessory may likewise be substantially square in shape to accommodate the square footprint of the pod. Pods and corresponding accessories may likewise be configured for any suitable profile of pod, such as triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, irregular shapes, etc.

In some embodiments, the pods may be sized to fit into buckets of packing solutions or packing machines. A packing machine may, for example, apply vibrations to the pods to cause the material to settle into the prerolls. Additionally or alternatively, a packing machine may include a centrifuge that applies centripetal force to the pods, causing the material to settle towards the bottom or filter end of the prerolls. Loaded and filled pods may simply be dropped into an appropriately sized buckets for centrifugation. Centrifugation of the prerolls may allow for a density gradient, with the material being packed at a greater density at the filter end/bottom of the preroll and a lower density at the open end/top of the preroll. This density gradient may allow for easier ignition of the combustible material and/or allow the combustible material to hold a flame better than prerolls with uniform density while allowing for a richer bum later in the smoking process thanks to the increased material density further towards the filter end of the preroll.

The preceding description has been provided to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize various aspects of the exemplary' embodiments disclosed herein. This exemplary description is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. Reference should be made to the appended claims and their equivalents in determining the scope of the present disclosure.

Unless otherwise noted, the terms “connected to” and “coupled to” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as permitting both direct and indirect (i.e., via other elements or components) connection. In addition, the terms “a’' or “an,” as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as meaning “at least one of.” Finally, for ease of use, the terms “including” and “having” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the word “comprising.”

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An apparatus comprising a pod, the pod comprising: a keying groove that traverses a side of the pod parallel to an insertion axis of the pod, the keying groove being configured to align with keying segments of pod accessories; a support flange that encloses a foot space around a base of the pod; and a plurality of fill chambers aligned with the insertion axis of the pod, each fill chamber comprising an elongated space within the pod that is configured to accept a preroll for filling such that, when the preroll is fully seated within the fill chamber, an end of the preroll protrudes from an end of the fill chamber into the foot space of the pod.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pod is substantially cylindrical in shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each fill chamber in the plurality of fill chambers is tapered to be narrower at the end of the fill chamber that opens into the foot space of the pod than at a mouth of the fill chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the keying groove is textured to enhance a grip on a surface of the keying groove.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each fill chamber in the plurality⁷ of fill chambers is configured such that, when the preroll is fully seated within the fill chamber, a topmost edge of the preroll, a wall of the fill chamber, and a mouth of the fill chamber define a headspace volume of the fill chamber that defines a fill volume for the preroll.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pod comprises at least one additional keying groove.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the keying groove comprises a semicircular profile.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pod comprises a colored material, wherein a color of the colored material corresponds to a configuration of the pod.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a sidewall of each fill chamber in the plurality⁷ of fill chambers is textured to facilitate increased friction between the sidewall and prerolls that are inserted into the fill chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ejector accessory, the ejector accessory⁷ comprising: an ejector base; a keying segment, coupled to the ejector base and perpendicular to the ejector base, configured to align with and slide into the keying groove of the pod; and an ejector pedestal, coupled to the ejector base, that is configured to fill the foot space of the pod, thereby applying a force to any protruding tips of prerolls in the fill chambers of the pod when the pod is pressed into the ejector accessory.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ejector base comprises a ring groove that encircles the ejector pedestal and is configured to accept the support flange when the pod is pressed into the ejector accessory.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ejector accessory comprises a sidewall that is configured to fit the pod and align the pod with the ejector pedestal.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tamper accessory, the tamper accessory' comprising: a tamper base; a keying segment, coupled to the tamper base and perpendicular to the tamper base, configured to align with and slide into the keying groove of the pod; and a plurality’ of tamping rods, coupled to the tamper base and perpendicular to the tamper base, each tamping rod being configured to slide into a corresponding fill chamber in the plurality' of fill chambers, thereby seating prerolls in the bottoms of their respective fill chambers when the tamper accessory is applied to the pod.

14. A system for filling prerolls, the system comprising: a pod comprising: a keying groove that traverses a side of the pod parallel to an insertion axis of the pod, the keying groove being configured to align with keying segments of pod accessories; a support flange that encloses a foot space around a base of the pod; and a plurality of fill chambers aligned with the insertion axis of the pod, each fill chamber comprising an elongated space within the pod that is configured to accept a preroll for filling such that, when the preroll is fully seated within the fill chamber, an end of the preroll protrudes from a base of the fill chamber into the foot space of the pod; a tamper accessory comprising: a tamper base; a tamper keying segment, coupled to the tamper base and perpendicular to the tamper base, configured to align with and slide into the keying groove of the pod; and a plurality of tamping rods, coupled to the tamper base and perpendicular to the tamper base, configured to slide into the plurality of fill chambers in the pod, thereby seating prerolls in the bottoms of their respective fill chambers when the tamper accessory is applied to the pod; and an ejector accessory comprising: an ejector base; an ejector keying segment, coupled to the ejector base and perpendicular to the ejector base, configured to align with and slide into the keying groove of the pod; and an ejector pedestal, coupled to the ejector base, that is configured to fill the foot space enclosed by the support flange, thereby applying a force to any protruding tips of prerolls in the pod when the pod is pressed into the ejector accessory.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each fill chamber in the plurality of fill chambers is configured to accept a preroll for filling such that, when the preroll is fully seated within the fill chamber, a topmost edge of the preroll, a wall of the fill chamber, and a mouth of the fill chamber define a headspace volume of the fill chamber that defines a fill volume for the preroll.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a fill restrictor, the fill restrictor comprising a fill restriction pedestal that is configured to occupy a portion of the foot space such that, when prerolls are tamped into the fill chambers, the tips of the prerolls come into contact with the fill restriction pedestal prior to the prerolls being fully seated within the fill chamber, resulting in a reduction in the headspace volume of the fill chamber.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the pod comprises a colored material, wherein a color of the colored material corresponds to a configuration of the pod.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the tamper accessory comprises the colored material and the color of the colored material corresponds to a configuration of the tamper accessory’.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the ejector accessory comprises the colored material and the color of the colored material corresponds to a configuration of the ejector accessory.

20. A method comprising: forming a pod body, the pod body comprising: a keying groove that traverses a side of the pod parallel to an insertion axis of the pod, the keying groove being configured to align with keying segments of pod accessories; a support flange that encloses a foot space around a base of the pod; and a plurality' of fill chambers aligned with the insertion axis of the pod, each fill chamber comprising an elongated space within the pod that is configured to accept a preroll for filling such that, when the preroll is fully seated within the fill chamber, an end of the preroll protrudes from a base of the fill chamber into the foot space of the pod.