Method of drying botanicals

{
  "publication_number": "US10639340B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Method of drying botanicals",
  "abstract": "A method for drying to increase the useful life of botanicals and shorten the time to market after harvest of the botanicals. The method may include flash freezing the botanicals, at a desired optimal temperature range, soon after harvest. The method may include storing the frozen botanicals indefinitely prior to drying. The method may include drying the frozen botanicals using a lyophilizer at a desired optimal temperature and pressure.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method comprising: flash freezing a botanical to solidify moisture content within the botanical, wherein the botanical contains an initial volumetric dimension; sublimating substantially all of the solidified moisture content from the botanical to form a sublimated moisture content; converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; and separating said terpene oil from said water; and collecting said separated terpene oil.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sublimated moisture content is separated from the botanical, and a final volumetric dimension of the botanical is substantially the same as the initial volumetric dimension.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, further comprising placing the botanical within a chamber of a lyophilizer.",
    "4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sublimated moisture content is separated from the botanical by vacuuming the sublimated moisture content from the chamber to leave the botanical in a substantially dried state.",
    "5. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical is placed in an airtight sealed container for preservation for further use.",
    "6. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical is trimmed to form a residue of particles, and the trimmed particles are then packed into cylindrical containers for future use.",
    "7. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical is converted into powdered form and is packed into at least one cylindrical container for future use.",
    "8. The method of claim 4, wherein oil is extracted from the dried botanical, and the extracted oil is stored in capsule form.",
    "9. The method of claim 4, wherein oil is extracted from the dried botanical, and the extracted oil is converted into pill form.",
    "10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the botanical is hemp.",
    "11. A method comprising: harvesting a botanical; separating leaves from the botanical; flash freezing the leaves to solidify moisture content contained therein; sublimating the solidified moisture content from flash frozen leaves forming substantially moisture free flash frozen leaves; forming a mulch from the moisture free flash frozen leaves; and packing the mulch into at least one container.",
    "12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from said water, and collecting said separated terpene oil.",
    "13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the botanical is hemp.",
    "14. A method comprising: harvesting a botanical; separating leaves from the botanical; forming a mulch from the leaves; flash freezing the formed mulch to solidify moisture content contained therein; sublimating the solidified moisture from the flash frozen mulch to form substantially moisture free flash frozen mulch; and packing the moisture free flash frozen mulch into at least one container.",
    "15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of: converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from said water, and collecting said separated terpene oil.",
    "16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the botanical is hemp.",
    "17. A method comprising: freezing a botanical to solidify the moisture content within the botanical; sublimating substantially all of the solidified moisture content from the botanical to form a substantially dried botanical; extracting oil from said substantially dried botanical; converting the extracted oil into pill form; converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from said water; and collecting said separated terpene oil.",
    "18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the botanical is hemp."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to processing botanical items. In particular, methods of drying the botanical items are described.\n\nConventional techniques for drying botanicals involve slowly drying the harvested botanicals by hanging them in a cool, dry room for several weeks. This process leads to quicker degradation of the appearance and compounds in the botanical. Once the botanical is dry, trimming it is difficult. Where the botanical is cannabis, the leaves are generally considered useless and are discarded.\n\nThus, there exists a need for drying that improves upon and advance the design of known method for processing botanicals, which also includes hemp and cannabis. Examples of new and useful drying methods relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.\n\nThe methods discussed below dramatically improve the overall appearance, quality, and shelf life of dried botanicals, while decreasing the drying time. According to one aspect of the invention, the improved dried botanical is produced by flash freezing a harvested botanical until the moisture content is solidified. The frozen botanical is dried by sublimating the solidified moisture content to a gas, while continuously removing the gas from the botanical. The resulting dried botanical generally maintains it original volumetric dimensions and maintains its usability for an extended period of time. The botanical can then be placed in a sealed container for future use. The removed gas can be converted to liquid form comprising of water and terpene oil, wherein the lighter terpene oil is separated from the heavier water and collected.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61K 9/4841",
    "A47G 1/1633",
    "A47G 1/20",
    "A61K 2236/00",
    "A61K 2236/17",
    "A61K 2236/33",
    "A61K 2236/37",
    "A61K 2236/51",
    "A61K 36/185",
    "A61K 36/3482",
    "A61K 9/20",
    "A61K 9/2059",
    "A61K 9/48",
    "F16B 23/0023"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61K 36/00",
    "A61K 36/185",
    "A61K 9/20",
    "A61K 9/48"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Eric Young"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-04-05",
  "publication_date": "2020-05-05",
  "grant_date": "2020-05-05",
  "priority_date": "2018-06-18",
  "application_number": "US-201916376735-A",
  "family_id": "68838898",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US20090011015A1",
    "KR20110067813A",
    "CN102266437A",
    "CN102266437B"
  ]
}