SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING ROSIN AND OTHER VISCOUS MATERIALS

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for pen that distributes viscous plant material, such as rosin, from a cartridge. The pen receives, from a button, input corresponding to a first control instruction. The pen has a motor configured to receive the first control instruction from the controller and, in response, drive a spindle that linearly displaces a plunger, wherein the linear displacement of the plunger causes plant material to be pushed out of a nozzle of the pen. The pen cartridge includes a rubber plug configured to be linearly displaced by the plunger to cause rosin to be disturbed from the cartridge.

Claims

1. A pen for distributing a plant material, comprising: a. a controller configured to receive, from a button, input corresponding to a first control instruction, wherein the input comprises at least two button clicks; b. a motor configured to receive the first control instruction from the controller and, in response, drive a spindle that linearly displaces a plunger, wherein the linear displacement of the plunger is configured to cause plant material to be pushed out of a nozzle of the pen.

2. The pen of claim 1 further comprising a heater configured to receive a second control instruction from the controller and, in response, engage heating elements operable to heat the plant material.

3. The pen of claim 1, wherein the plant material comprises rosin.

4. The pen of claim 1, further comprising an RFID reader configured to read an RFID chip of a cartridge to obtain information relating to contents of the cartridge.

5. The pen of claim 4, further comprising a display configured to display the information relating to the contents of the cartridge.

6. The pen of claim 1, further comprising a color sensor configured to sense a color of a cartridge and provide the color to the controller.

7. The pen of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to send a second control instruction to a heater based on the color.

8. The pen of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the controller and configured to display operational instructions.

9. The pen of claim 1, further comprising a charging port for charging the pen.

10-20. (canceled)

21. The pen of claim 1, wherein the plunger interfaces with a rubber plug of a cartridge.

22. A method of distributing plant material from a pen comprising: a. receiving at a controller, from a button, input corresponding to a first control instruction, wherein the input comprises at least two button clicks; b. receiving at a motor, from the controller, the first control instruction and, in response, driving a spindle that linearly displaces a plunger, wherein the linear displacement of the plunger is configured to cause plant material to be pushed out of a nozzle of the pen.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising receiving at a heater, from the controller, a second control instruction and, in response, engaging heating elements operable to heat the plant material.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the plant material comprises rosin.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising reading, at an RFID reader, an RFID chip of a cartridge to obtain information relating to contents of the cartridge.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising displaying, on a display, the information relating to the contents of the cartridge.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising sensing, at a color sensor, a color of a cartridge and providing the color to the controller.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising sending to a heater, from the controller, a second control instruction based on the color.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising a display coupled to the controller and configured to display operational instructions.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising a charging port for charging the pen.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the plunger interfaces with a rubber plug of a cartridge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the figures, like reference numbers refer to like elements or acts throughout the figures.

[0010] FIG. 1 depicts an isometric view of a pen without the cap body 10 and the top 8.

[0011] FIG. 2 depicts an isometric view of a pen without the cap body 10 and the top 8, including a piston rod 11 outside of the pen.

[0012] FIG. 3 depicts an isometric view of a pen with the cap body 10 and the top 8 disassembled, and with the cartridge and tip 6 removed.

[0013] FIG. 4 depicts an isometric view of a pen without the cap body 10 and the top 8, including a piston rod 11 outside of the pen.

[0014] FIG. 5 depicts an isometric view of a pen with the cap body 10 sliding onto the pen and the top 8 disassembled, including a piston rod 11 outside of the pen.

[0015] FIG. 6 depicts an isometric view of the cartridge and tip 6.

[0016] FIG. 7 depicts a partial isometric view of the cartridge casing 7 and the cartridge and tip 6.

[0017] FIG. 8 depicts an isometric view of top 8 and insert 9.

[0018] Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.

[0019] Embodiments depicted are shown only schematically, and not all features may be shown in full detail or in proper proportion. Certain features or structures may be exaggerated relative to others for clarity. The embodiments shown are examples only, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. The full scope of the inventions is not limited to the examples that are described below.

[0021] The existing Novo Nordisk dosage unit (described in expired patents EP0327910 and WO1999/02210, which are incorporated by reference herein) has several flaws that make it unsuitable for use with cannabis oils, other oils, or other viscous materials. The present disclosure describes several key improvements upon that existing Novo Nordisk dosage unit to adapt it for use with cannabis oils and other oils.

[0022] One problem with the Novo Nordisk dosage unit is that when higher viscosity materials (and in particular materials with temperature dependent viscosities), such as cannabis oils, are stored in the cartridge, the piston rod of the dosage unit is unable to properly function to push liquid out of the cartridge. For example, when the button is pushed to displace the piston rod, the needle tip, other portions of the tip, or cartridge may be pushed out of the dosage unit (and may break) rather than pushing out the desired dose of liquid from the tip. In short, the viscosity or hardness of the oil at room temperature may be too high for the Novo Nordisk dosage unit, without modification, to function properly.

[0023] To solve this problem, one aspect of the dosage unit disclosed herein and shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 is an improved tip and cartridge. Rather than snapping a needle into a cartridge and then snapping the cartridge into the dosage unit, this aspect of the dosage unit includes a one-piece tip and cartridge 6. The tip and cartridge 6 includes threads (in the provided example, male threads near its tip). The cartridge casing 7 (depicted in FIGS. 1-5) includes corresponding threads (in the example, female threads) so that the tip and cartridge 6 is screwed into the cartridge casing 7. This provides a more safe and secure cartridge and tip while still using the existing piston rod and corresponding system for controlling the piston rod to push oil out of the cartridge and tip 6. In other words, the existing prior art piston rod and plunger for the piston rod fit into the improved cartridge and tip 6, but the improved cartridge and tip 6 is more securely fastened to the cartridge casing 7 to allow the piston rod to properly push oil out of the cartridge and tip 6.

[0024] In the example shown in the figures, the cartridge and tip 6 is machined from aluminum, although other known materials are also suitable.

[0025] Another problem with the Novo Nordisk dosage unit is that oils stored in the cartridge undesirably leak from the dosage unit tip. Another aspect of the improved dosage unit described herein provides for an improved cap that prevents such leaking. The cap (depicted in FIGS. 3, 5, and 8) has an adjustable, threaded top 8 that includes an insert 9 that will be in contact with the cartridge and tip 6. The insert 9 is typically made from softer materials such as silicone or foam. In particular, a foam insert 9 may be more desirable for cold climates, and a silicone insert 9 may be more desirable for warm climates. Other materials are also suitable. One user of the dosage unit might have multiple threaded tops 8 (for example, each with a different insert 9 material) that can be switched out depending on the particular application or climate.

[0026] The threaded top 8 screws into a threaded cap body 10 (depicted in FIGS. 3 and 5). Because of the threads, the top 8 can be screwed into the cap body 10 until the insert 9 is in contact with the tip of the cartridge and tip 6. The pressure can be increased by continuing to screw the top 8 into the cap body 10, or decreased as desired. This allows provides the capability to adjust the pressure of the insert 9 on the cartridge and tip 6 to prevent oils from leaking out of the cartridge and tip 6.

[0027] The improved cap body also includes all of the prior art features of the Novo Nordisk dosage unit cap that it needs to pair with and turn the adjustment means (reference numeral 18 in EP0327910, incorporated by reference herein) so that desired dose can be set and pushed out of the dosage unit.

[0028] Specifically, EP0327910 describes at 6:25-7:26 describes how the adjustment means 18 in EP0327910 is used to cause the indicator 21 in EP0327910 to protrude from the back of the dosage unit, showing an approximate dosage amount on the end of the dosage unit near the end button 22. The user then removes the cap 24 in EP0327910. As described in EP0327910, Then the indicator 21 is forced back into the adjustment means 18 by pressing on the end button 22 until said movement is stopped by the abutment of the nut means 13 against the end of the casing 1 or the abutment of the end button 22 against the adjacent end of the adjustment means. As the pawl 11 prevents the piston rod 8 from rotating, the displacement of the indicator 21 causes a displacement of the piston rod a corresponding distance, whereby the piston of the cartridge is pressed toward the outlet end of the liquid 3. As a result, a quantity of liquid is pressed out of the cartridge, said quantity corresponding to the quantity measured on the measuring scales.

[0029] The dosage unit described herein includes the same mechanism for causing a dose to be pushed out of the cartridge and tip 6, with the body 4 shown in FIGS. 1-5 corresponding to the adjustment means 18 in EP0327910, the button 5 shown in FIGS. 1-5 corresponding to the end button 22 in EP0327910, and the piston rod 11 shown in FIGS. 1-5 corresponding to the piston rod 8 in EP0327910. The internal components of EP0327910 described in the quoted passage above are also used in the present invention, although they are not shown for simplicity.

[0030] A problem with the system in EP0327910 is that the cap 24 is not tightly screwed on to the pen. As a result, in a pen system that uses oil or other viscous materials, such as the system described herein, a high risk exists for leaking or losing the pen cap 24.

[0031] As depicted in FIG. 3, one aspect of the dosage unit described herein is a threaded end 3 of the body 4 that can mate with a threaded end of the cap body 10 so that the cap screws tightly on to the dosage unit. This prevents leakage. In particular, adjustable threaded top 8 and threaded body 4 can be used together so that the cap is both tightly connected to the body 4 and tightly pressed against the cartridge and tip 6 to prevent oils from leaking out of the cartridge and tip 6.

[0032] With this arrangement, the cap body 10 must be removed in order to adjust the body 4 so that the indicator can protrude from the back of the dosage unit and the button 5 can be used to push out a dose. However, with the cap off of the dosage unit, the cartridge casing 7 can be rotated relative to the body 4 to cause the indicator to protrude from the back of the dosage unit in the same fashion as described above, simply without the need for the cap. In other words, by rotating the casing 7 relative to the cap body 4, dosing works in the same way as described in EP0327910. The difference is that the threads 3 of body 4 provide a much tighter seal for the dosage unit when the dosage unit is not in use, especially when combined with adjustable threaded top 8 with insert 9.

[0033] Another aspect of the dosage unit described herein is a color-coded piston rod 11 and window 12 in the dosage unit. In this aspect (depicted in FIGS. 1-5), the piston rod 11 is color-coded, but it is otherwise the same as the piston rod used by the Novo Nordisk dosage unit. As doses are released from the dosage unit (i.e., pushed out by the piston rod with a plunger in the cartridge and tip 6), different colors of the piston rod 11 show through the window 12 because the piston rod 11 is pushed toward the cartridge and tip 6 each time a dose gets distributed. As an example for how the piston rod 11 can be color coded, the first part of the piston rod 11 can be green, so that the green portion of the piston rod 11 shows through the window 12 before the dosage unit is used to distribute any oil, and the green portion continues to show until the first 25% of the doses have been distributed. The center part of the piston rod 11 can be a neutral color, such as white or yellow. In this example, the neutral color will be shown in the window 12 after 25% of the doses have been distributed and until 75% of the doses have been distributed. The last part of the piston rod 11 can be red. The red will show in the window while the last 25% of the doses have been distributed. The exact colors used for the color coding and proportions of the color coding can be adjusted as desired. The color-coded piston rod 11 and window 12 provide a simple indication to the user of approximately how many doses remain in the cartridge.

[0034] As an alternative to color coding, numbers can be written on the piston rod 11 at various intervals to show a percentage or number of clicks remaining through the window 12.

[0035] The material in each cartridge has a specific flavor profile, potency (of THC and/or CBD, for example), viscosity (which can be temperature-dependent), plant profile, etc., and the user chooses the desired profile for a specific occasion or scenario.

[0036] Many applications exist for the precise dosing distribution system described herein in the form of a dosage unit, including direct oral dosing (medical or recreational) into a user's mouth (for example, sublingually), dosing product for vapor inhalation of heated drops (commonly referred to as dabbing), adding drops to edible foods or drinks (in a commercial or recreational setting), adding drops to cannabis or other products that are smoked (such as a joint or a glass receptacle filled with cannabis), or combining the product with other products in tinctures.

[0037] During dosing, the tip of the dosage unit can be held directly over a user's mouth, so that the dose lands on a user's tongue (or sublingually under a user's tongue) and is ingested directly. In the alternative, in cooking or baking processes that call for THC, CBD, plant-extracted concentrate, other rosin/oils, or other viscous materials, the dosage unit can be held over the pan, the mixing bowl, the food product, etc. and the material is distributed from the dosage unit to the food product. The dosage unit can be used for dosing drinks as well. This is a simple and accurate way to distribute a desired amount of rosin, plant-extracted concentrate, or oil (and correspondingly, a desired amount of THC or CBD)for example.

[0038] In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features can be grouped together in several example embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any embodiment requires more features than are expressly recited in the corresponding claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed example embodiment. Thus, the present disclosure shall also be construed as implicitly disclosing any embodiment having any suitable set of one or more disclosed or claimed features (i.e., a set of features that are neither incompatible nor mutually exclusive) that appear in the present disclosure, including those sets that may not be explicitly disclosed herein.

[0039] The scope of the originally filed claims does not necessarily encompass the whole of the subject matter disclosed herein. The originally filed claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate disclosed embodiment. The scope of subject matter encompassed by each claim shall be determined by the recitation of only that claim.

[0040] The conjunction or is to be construed inclusively (e.g., a dog or a cat would be interpreted as a dog, or a cat, or both; e.g., a dog, a cat, or a mouse would be interpreted as a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or any two, or all three), unless: (i) it is explicitly stated otherwise, e.g., by use of either . . . or, only one of, or similar language; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive within the particular context, in which case or would encompass only those combinations involving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives. The words comprising, including, having, and variants thereof, wherever they appear, shall be construed as open ended terminology, with the same meaning as if the phrase at least were appended after each instance thereof.

[0041] If any one or more disclosures are incorporated herein by reference and such incorporated disclosures conflict in part or whole with, or differ in scope from, the present disclosure, then to the extent of conflict, broader disclosure, or broader definition of terms, the present disclosure controls. If such incorporated disclosures conflict in part or whole with one another, then to the extent of conflict, the later-dated disclosure controls.

[0042] The Abstract is provided as required as an aid to those searching for specific subject matter within the patent literature. However, the Abstract is not intended to imply that any elements, features, or limitations recited therein are necessary.