Greenhouse Harvester of Cannabis

Abstract

A harvester for bedded plants having a driving mechanism having two sets of wheels or tracks positioned on opposing sides of a plant bed. An adjustable “U” shaped frame allows the legs connected to the wheels/tracks to be elongated or shortened with the cross member also being elongated to meet the demands of the particular plant bed. Secured to the cross member is a harvest mechanism which grips and cuts the plants stock, removes the flowers and or leaves, and then deposits the harvested material into a receiving bin.

Claims

1. A harvester for bedded plants comprising: a) a driving mechanism having two sets of motion mechanisms adapted to engage a flooring, each set of motion mechanisms positioned on opposing sides of a plant bed; b) a support mechanism being generally “U” shaped having at least two legs and a cross member, a first end of each leg of the support mechanism secured to one of the motion mechanisms with each end of the cross member of the support mechanism secured to a second end of the at least two legs and extending over and parallel to the plant bed; c) a motor driving said motion mechanisms causing the support mechanism to travel along the flooring; and, d) a primary harvest mechanism secured to the cross member and having, 1) a gripping mechanism adapted to secure the stems of plants in the plant bed, 2) a cutting mechanism adapted to cut the stems of the plant below a point of contact between the gripping mechanism and a base of the plant, 3) a de-flowering mechanism adapted to separate flowers on the cut plant from the stem; and, 4) a de-leafing mechanism adapted to remove leaves from the stem.

2. The harvester according to claim 1, further including a handheld control adapted to receive operator input for control of the driving mechanism.

3. The harvester according to claim 2, further including a flower bin adapted to receive removed flowers from the de-flowering mechanism.

4. The harvester according to claim 3, wherein the flower bin is secured to the support mechanism exterior to the plant bed.

5. The harvester according to claim 4, wherein the flower bin includes a dump door positioned at the bottom of the flower bin.

6. The harvester according to claim 3, wherein each of the at least two legs are adapted to be elongated.

7. The harvester according to claim 3, wherein the cross member is adapted to be elongated.

8. The harvester according to claim 7, wherein the harvesting mechanism is detachable from the cross member.

9. The harvester according to claim 8, further including at least one secondary harvest mechanism attachable to the cross member and operating in parallel to the primary harvest mechanism.

10. The harvester according to claim 7, further including a leaf bin adapted to receive leaves from the de-leafing mechanism.

11. The harvester according to claim 11, wherein the leaf bin is secured to the support mechanism exterior to the plant bed.

12.

13. The harvester according to claim 12, wherein the leaf bin includes a dump door positioned at the bottom of the flower bin.

14. The harvester according to claim 11, further including, after the de-leafing mechanism, a baling mechanism receiving the stems and adapted to package the stems into bundles and deposit onto the plant bed.

15. A harvester for plants in a plant bed arranged in rows comprising: a) a tractor mechanism having, 1) a driving mechanism having two sets of motion mechanisms adapted to engage a flooring, 2) at least two legs, a first end of each leg secured to one of the motion mechanisms, 3) a tool bar secured to a second end of the at least two legs and extending the plant bed, and, 4) a motor driving said motion mechanisms causing the support mechanism to travel over the flooring; and, b) at least two harvest mechanisms, each of said harvest mechanisms securable to the tool bar in alignment with a row of bedded plants, each harvest mechanisms having, 1) a gripping mechanism adapted to secure stems of plants in the plant bed, 2) a cutting mechanism adapted to cut the stems of the plant below a point of contact between the gripping mechanism and a base of the plant, and, 5) a de-flowering mechanism adapted to separate flowers on the cut plant from the stem; and, 3) a de-leafing mechanism adapted to remove leaves from the stem.

16. The harvester according to claim 15, further including a flower bin adapted to receive removed flowers from the de-flowering mechanism, said flower bin secured to the tractor mechanism exterior to the plant bed.

17. The harvester according to claim 16, wherein the leaf bin is secured to the tractor exterior to the plant bed

18. A harvest mechanism adapted to be moved through a row of plants in a bed, said harvest mechanism comprising: a) a gripping mechanism adapted to secure stems of plants in the plant bed; b) a cutting mechanism adapted to cut the stems of the plant below a point of contact between the gripping mechanism and a base of the plant; c) a de-flowering mechanism adapted to separate flowers on the cut stem from the stem; and, d) a flower bin adapted to receive removed flowers, e) a de-leafing mechanism adapted to remove leaves from the stem, and, f) a leaf bin adapted to receive removed leaves.

Description

DRAWINGS IN BRIEF

[0028] FIGS. 1A and 1B graphically illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates the portable nature of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagram of the informational flow on the weights for the bins during operation of the mechanism.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a top view of the preferred embodiment highlighting the functional components of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a side view of the preferred embodiments illustrating the mechanical structure of the preferred embodiment.

[0033] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate two alternative bins permitting easy discharge of the collected materials (flowers or leaves).

[0034] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross member or tool bar that may be elongated.

[0035] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the preferred mechanism for the removal of the flower and the leaves from the stem.

DRAWINGS IN DETAIL

[0036] FIGS. 1A and 1B graphically illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0037] Cannabis plant 10A is grown in an agricultural field. Ideally the plants are arranged as row crops to facilitate mechanized harvesting.

[0038] Cannabis plant 10A passes 15A into the removal mechanism 11 which removes, in this embodiment, the entire cannabis plant 10B including the roots from the soil.

[0039] The cannabis plant 10B is introduced 15B to the cutting mechanism 11B which cuts the stem of the cannabis plant 10B to remove roots 14A which are delivered, 15D, to root bin 12A. Ideally the cutting of the stem is approximately three inches above the soil line. In some embodiments, this step is not performed until the end of the process.

[0040] In some embodiments of the invention, the root is not harvested. In these embodiments the cutting is done within the field without removing the roots from the soil.

[0041] A running tally of the weight within root bin 12A is computed and communicated 13A to a remote computer (described in FIG. 3).

[0042] Cannabis plant 10C, now devoid of its root, is passed 15C to the deflowering mechanism 11C which removes flowers 14B and deposits the flowers into flower bin 12B. Communication apparatus 13B communicates the weight of the flowers within flower bin 12B to the remote computer.

[0043] Cannabis plant 10D (now without its root and the flowers) passes 15F and enters 15G the de-leafing mechanism 11D which removes the leaves 14C from the stem. These leaves 14C are deposited 15I into leaf bin 12C. The weight within leaf bin 12C is communicated to the remote computer 13C.

[0044] Cannabis plant 10E, now only a stem, is moved 15H into the bailing mechanism 11E which gathers multiple stems into bundles or bales 10F.

[0045] In one embodiment, bundle 14D is deposited 15K into stem bin 12D and the running weight of the bundles is communicated 13D to the remote computer.

[0046] In the preferred embodiment, bundle 10B passes 15J into a weight/marking mechanism 11F which weighs the individual bundle and marks the bundle with this weight. The weight is communicated to the remote computer. This weighed and marked bundle 14E is then deposited back onto the agricultural field for later removal.

[0047] Ideally the various mechanisms described in FIGS. 1A and 1B are contained, together with the transporting mechanisms, within a single unit allowing a cannabis plant obtained from an agricultural field to yield separated and collected roots, flowers, leaves, and stems.

[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates the portable nature of the invention.

[0049] In the preferred embodiment, the operation of FIGS. 1A and 1B are contained within housing 20 mounted onto harvester 21 which is self-propelled and travels ver the agricultural field collecting the cannabis plants 10A. Within housing 20, the cannabis plant is selectively processed to yield the roots, flowers, and leaves in bins while the bundled stems 14E are left on the agricultural field.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a diagram of the informational flow on the weights for the bins during operation of the mechanism.

[0051] To monitor the yield from the cannabis crop, computer 30 collects the weights from the various bins: root bin 13A, flower bin 13B, leaf bin 13C, and stem bin 13D (if one is being used). This data is stored in memory 32 and displayed onto screen 31.

[0052] This running tally of the crop yield is important not only for the farmer but also is useful for governmental entities who are tasked with monitoring the yield.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the plant and harvester highlighting the functional components of the invention.

[0054] The mechanism of this embodiment is shown to be harvesting from plant bed 41 which has walls 40A and 40B containing two rows of plants 42A and 428. While this illustration shows two rows of crops, the invention is not so limited and as will be shown, is able to address any number of rows.

[0055] The harvesting mechanism of this embodiment uses two cross members/tool bars 7A and 7B which support the harvesting machinery. The rest of the frame is not shown in this illustration but is further defined in FIG. 5.

[0056] The entire mechanism is supported by wheels 44A, 44B, 44C, and 44D which are used to move the mechanism along plant bed 41. Motors 45A and 45B drive wheels 44A and 44B respectively and are controlled by remote control 4 held by the operator.

[0057] As the mechanism traverses along plant bed 41, cutters 46A and 16B engage plants 44A and 44B in this illustration. Cutters 44A and 44B cut the stem of the plants which are then passed along to de-flowering mechanism 47A and 47B. De-flowering mechanisms 47A and 47B remove the flowers from the cut stems and transport the flowers to flower bins 48A and 48B via conduits 49A and 49B.

[0058] In this embodiment, flower bins 48A and 48B are supported on the sides of the mechanism to facilitate the collection and transport from the growing area.

[0059] The deflowered stems are communicated via conduits 9A and 9B to the de-leafing mechanisms 8A and 8B which remove the leaves from the stems. The removed leaves are communicated to leaf bins 5A and 5B via conduits 6A and 6B. The now naked stems are either dropped onto the plant bed 41 or are baled into bunches before being deposited onto the plant bed 41.

[0060] In this manner, the plants from a plant bed are mechanically harvested, thereby reducing the man-power associated with the traditional harvesting of a plant bed.

[0061] FIG. 5 is a side view of the preferred embodiments illustrating the mechanical structure of the preferred embodiment.

[0062] The harvesting mechanism is support by a frame constituting a top horizontal member 50A and a lower horizontal member 50B. The opposing side is not visible but is a replica of this structure.

[0063] The top horizontal member 50A, and its counterpart on the left side, support the cross members/tool bars 7A and 7B which are used to support the harvesting mechanisms. The lower horizontal member 50B, with its counterpart on the other side, support the flower bin 48B and the leaf bin 5B.

[0064] Legs 51A and 51B engage wheels 44B and 44D and provide support for the frame itself. In this embodiment, legs 51A and 51B include knuckles 52A and 52B which, when loosened, allows legs 51A to be elongated, as indicated by arrows 53A and 53B, so that the frame has the proper height to address plant 43B which depends on the height of wall 40B.

[0065] In this way, the frame is adjusted to address the particular plant bed and crop.

[0066] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate two alternative bins permitting easy discharge of the collected materials (flowers or leaves).

[0067] Referring to FIG. 6A, bin 60A may be used for the collection of the flowers or the leaves in the embodiment above. The leaves or flowers are deposited into bin 60A via conduit 61. Door 62 is latched shut via latch 66. During the discharge of the contents, latch 66 is released allowing door 62 to swing open as indicated by arrow 64.

[0068] The contents are collected into a wheeled wagon or the like for transport into the sorting room.

[0069] FIG. 6B is an alternative embodiment for the bin. Again bin 60B is loaded via conduit 61B with either flowers or leaves while slide 63 is inserted into bin 60B. For discharge, slide 63 is removed from the bottom of bin 60B allowing the contents to drop into the transport wagon, not shown.

[0070] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross member or tool bar that may be elongated. Rod/bar 71 is configured to be accepted inside rod/bar 71 as illustrated by arrow 74 A knuckle 73 is secured to the end of rod/bar 72 and once rod/bar 71 is inserted to the proper depth (thereby defining the elongated length of the combined bar/rod 71 and 72), knuckle 73 is rotated as indicated by arrow 75 to tighten and affix the two bar/rods 71 and 72 to each other.

[0071] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the preferred mechanism for the removal of the flower and the leaves from the stem.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 8A, where the flower is removed, the plant 80A is gripped by gripper 81 and cut from the base using shears 84A. Gripper 81 then inverts 83A the plant, 80B, so that the flower hangs downward.

[0073] As the flower passes by light sensors 82, the location of the connection between the flower and stem is identified. Operation of the light sensors identified the bulbous portion of the flower as the plant 80B moves in the direction 83B. The light sensor 82 then identifies which is the last light sensor to be “tripped” by the stem to locate the positioning 83D of shears 84B which severs the flower from the stem, allowing the flower to fall as indicated by arrow 83E to be collected in a bin.

[0074] The stem and leaves proceed to the de-leafing process shown in FIG. 8B.

[0075] Stem and leaves 80C is pulled along by track 86 which diverges from shears 87. This divergence, as the track moves in the direction indicated by arrow 83B, causes the stem/leaves to be raised against the shears 87 causing leaves 85 to be cut from the stem and to fall into bins. Eventually, the now denuded stem is dropped into a waste bin.

[0076] In this manner, FIGS. 8A and 8B, the plant is automatically harvested and then the useful products are removed.

[0077] It is clear that the present invention provides for a highly efficient mechanism to harvest field grown cannabis.