Method and apparatus of processing whole tobacco plants
US9999892B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 3, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jun 19, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 1, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB02C23/32
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for processing whole tobacco plants. The method includes cutting the whole tobacco plants into segments in a segmenter assembly, classifying the segments by leaf characteristics, separating leaf material from a waste material stream of undesirable stalk and shatter material for each class of leaf characteristics and reclaiming portions of leaf material trapped in the waste material and recycling the reclaimed portions of leaf material to the segmenter assembly. The apparatus includes a stalk segmenter assembly, a processor assembly, a plurality of cleaning conveyor modules and a cyclonic separator system to reclaim small bits of leaf from the waste stream and return them through a rotary airlock to the segmenter assembly for reprocessing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.