FOLIAGE SHREDDER
A foliage shredder that can shred inputted foliage matter into uniform sized particles without pulverizing the inputted foliage matter includes a housing, a shredding axle, a motor, a stand, a digital timer, a power cord, and a lid. The shredding axle is concentrically positioned within a cylindrical compartment of the housing and rotatably coupled to a rotor of the motor. A stator of the motor is externally connected to the housing and electrically connected to the power cord through the digital timer. The lid is terminally attached to the housing thus closing the cylindrical compartment. The cylindrical compartment functions as a container unit for the inputted foliage as the electrically powered shredding axle shreds the inputted foliage into uniform sized particles.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/934,832 filed on Mar. 23, 2018 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,198,132 on Dec. 14, 2021, which claims benefit under Title 35, United States Code § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/449,214 filed on Jan. 23, 2017.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to an apparatus capable of shredding foliage matter leftover from trimming a plant. More specifically, the present invention utilizes an electrically powered shredding unit to shred the inputted foliage matter into uniform sized particles without pulverizing the inputted foliage matter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPlant trimmings such as flowers, herbs, tea leaves, medicinal leaves, and any other types of foliage matter are generally shredded through complicated and large processing systems that are normally installed within a processing factory. As a result, these processing systems and processing factories require large sum of investments to set up and need to process large quantity of foliage matter on daily bases to be profitable. Furthermore, these processing systems generate a large quantity of waste material due to the low efficiency of the systems. Due to these drawback, there is a specific need for a portable and inexpensive shredding unit that can handle small to large quantity of foliage matter.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a foliage shredding unit that can shred inputted foliage matter into uniform sized particles without damaging or compromising the quality of the foliage matter. More specifically, the present invention handles and shreds plant trimmings such as flowers, herbs, tea leaves, medicinal leaves, and any other types of foliage matter through an electrically powered shredding unit. The present invention utilizes a quiet and efficient shredding process that does not pulverize the inputted foliage matter. Once the shredding process is finished, the uniform sized particles can be removed or discharged from the present invention to be packaged and distributed.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is a foliage shredder that can shred plant trimmings into uniform sized particles. More specifically, the present invention accepts plant trims such as herbs, flowers, medicinal leaves, tea leaves, and any other type of foliage matter so that the plant trimmings can be quickly shredded into uniform sized particles without pulverizing the inputted foliage matter. The present invention functions as a portable and inexpensive apparatus that can implement the shredding process for plant trimmings in comparison to traditional factory setting environments.
The present invention comprises a housing 1, a shredding axle 15, a motor 20, a stand 27, a digital timer 32, and a power cord 33, as shown in
The housing 1 that contains the plant trimming during the shredding process is preferably formed into a cylindrical shape to be consistence with the cylindrical compartment 9. In reference to
The housing 1 further comprises a motor compartment 13 and an access panel 14 to enclose the motor 20 within the present invention as shown in
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the present invention comprises an access casing if the first edge 3 is terminally connected around the base plate 7. Due to the terminal connection of the first edge 3 and the base plate 7, the motor compartment 13 is omitted within the alternative embodiment of the present invention. As a result, the access casing is used to enclose the motor 20 as the access casing is perimetrically attached to the base plate 7 or the first edge 3 of the lateral wall 2 through a plurality of fasteners such as screw fasteners, male and female fasteners, and magnetic fasteners within the alternative embodiment of the present invention.
The shredding axle 15, which brakes the plant trimming into uniform sized particles, comprises a central shaft 16 and a plurality of shredding members 19. The central shaft 16 is a longitudinal member and concentrically positioned within the cylindrical compartment 9. The plurality of shredding members 19 is preferably thin tubular members composed of high density plastics that easily bend or flex under torsion. It should be easily conceivable to those with ordinary skills in the relevant arts, that the flexible members may possess a non-tubular shape and be composed of a non-polymeric material. The central shaft 16 provides a cylindrical surface area with the present invention to integrate the plurality of shredding members 19. In reference to
The engagement between the proximal end 17 of the central shaft 16 and the rotor 22 of the motor 20 can be attained through a direct axial coupling or an indirect axial coupling. In reference to the direct axial coupling, the rotor 22 of the motor 20 traverses through the base plate 7 and into the cylindrical compartment 9 so that the proximal end 17 of the central shaft 16 can be axially coupled with the rotor 22 of the motor 20. In reference to the indirect axial coupling, the present invention utilizes a coupling member as the coupling member is rotatably integrated into the base plate 7 and each end of the coupling member is accessed from motor compartment 13 and the cylindrical compartment 9. As a result, the rotor 22 of the motor 20 is axially coupled with the coupling member from the motor compartment 13, and the proximal end 17 of the central shaft 16 is axially coupled with the coupling member from the cylindrical compartment 9.
The present invention further comprises a lid 23 that is perimetrically attached to the second edge 4 of the lateral wall 2 in order to cover the front opening 10. In reference to
The stand 27 that stabilize the elevated positioning of the housing 1 comprises a first leg 28, a second leg 29, and a base section 30. In reference to
In reference to
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the housing 1 further comprises a discharge opening 5, a flange 6, and a cylindrical filter 35 as shown in FIG. 9-12. More specifically, the discharge opening 5 traverses through the lateral wall 2 and positioned adjacent to the front opening 10. The flange 6 is perimetrically connected around the second edge 4 of the lateral wall 2 and inwardly extended toward the shredding axle 15. The cylindrical filter 35 is concentrically attached to the base plate 7 as the cylindrical filter 35 is positioned in between the shredding axle 15 and the lateral wall 2. More specifically, the cylindrical filter 35 comprises a first ring 36, a second ring 38, and a mesh cylinder body 39. The first ring 36 is terminally connected to the mesh cylinder body 39. The second ring 38 is terminally connected to the mesh cylinder body 39, opposite of the first ring 36. A plurality of female attachments 37 of the first ring 36 is engaged with a plurality of male attachments 8 of the base plate 7 so that the user is able to easily attach and detach the cylindrical filter 35. The plant trimmings are loaded to the cylindrical filter 35 through the front opening 10 so that the cylindrical filter 35 is able to retain debris and stems during the shredding process while allowing uniform sized particles to filter through the mesh cylinder body 39. The filtered particles are then simultaneously dropped through the discharge opening 5 during the shredding process. Any amount of collected filtered particles within the cylindrical compartment 9 can be removed through the front opening 10 or the discharge opening 5 by tilting down housing 1 after the shredding process.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
1. A method for sizing foliage pieces, including the steps of:
- loading foliage to be sized into a batch shredder, the batch shredder including a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical compartment bounded by a lateral cylindrical wall and a base end opposite a free end, with an openable and closable lid at the free end, with a motor at the base end rotatably supporting an elongate shredding axle within the cylindrical compartment, the shredding axle extending along a central axis of the cylindrical compartment, and with a plurality of flexible elongate shredding members extending radially from multiple points axially spaced from each other along the shredding axle;
- powering the motor to spin the shredding axle and the shredding members supported upon the shredding axle, with the shredding members impacting and cutting the foliage; and
- unloading sized foliage pieces from the cylindrical compartment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said loading step includes closing the lid at the free end, at the end of said loading step.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said powering step lasts for less than 10 seconds.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said pouring step includes a digital timer controlling power to the motor, the digital timer adjustable by a user.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said loading step includes each shredding member extending radially in two opposing directions.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said loading step includes each shredding member extending perpendicularly from the elongate shredding axle.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said loading step includes the shredding members extending from the shredding axle a majority of a distance from the shredding axle to the lateral cylindrical wall.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 7, 2021
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2022
Inventors: Russell Elbridge Holcomb (Grass Valley, CA), Ryder Everette Holcomb (Grass Valley, CA), John Gilbert Shingle (Auburn, CA)
Application Number: 17/544,423