Patent Publication Number: US-2022234078-A1

Title: Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 63/258,088 filed Apr. 12, 2021, claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 63/360,349 filed Sep. 24, 2021, and is a Continuation In Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/210,701 filed Mar. 24, 2021, which is a Continuation of International Application PCT/US2020/013342 filed Jan. 13, 2020, which claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional No. 62/917,017, filed Nov. 14, 2018, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of Invention 
     Embodiments described herein generally relate to an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, and specifically to an Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants. The Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants and the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants heavily automates indoor farming, especially the tasks of cloning, feeding, inspecting, maintaining, trimming or pruning, harvesting, sorting, and packaging cannabis and hemp plants. This is accomplished using robots with specialized attachments, conveyors, and dedicated rooms that are specifically arranged and controlled to facilitate various automated tasks and/or stages of development of the plants. The Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System may be applied to farms and other facilities that are not otherwise fully automated. 
     Related Art 
     As a result of years of research and development, consumers have become increasingly knowledgeable about the side effects of medications and food manufacturing processes. Consumers are therefore demanding medications, food, and other consumables that are more healthy and natural. Specifically regarding medications, currently cannabis and hemp is becoming more and more popular, which is resulting in growth and expansion of the cannabis and hemp industry. CBD oil may be used to treat or cure various ailments without the harsh side effects resulting from many other treatments. Cannabis and hemp farms all over the world are incorporating new technology and innovations to advance the production process to new levels. However, there is still a large opportunity for improvements to be made. 
     One of the major challenges cannabis and hemp farmers face is how delicate and unusual the cannabis or hemp plant is. Cannabis and hemp plants differ from most other plants in that they are harder to clone, trim, harvest, and maintain. To get the most out of cannabis and hemp plants, they have to be tended daily. In this respect cannabis and hemp plants are not like a field crop. They are more similar to a garden crop but even more demanding in that they must be tended frequently. Since these plants have such high upkeep, cannabis and hemp production is manual, redundant, and tedious work. At the same time, the hemp industry is rapidly growing, so that hemp farms are struggling to keep up with demand and paying excessive labor costs in order to maintain their crop. 
     Another challenge that many growers and processors face is the process of separating, sorting, and packaging different sized flowers and/or buds in a batch of dried cannabis or hemp product. Touching or handling the product excessively during the process of separating, sorting, and packaging causes a greater amount of trichomes to fall off from the flowers and/or buds, resulting in lower quality product. Additionally, smaller flowers and/or buds tend to fall towards the bottom of the product as it is being processed. These smaller flowers and/or buds contain a large amount of the desirable trichomes. This is similar, for example, to a bag of potato chips. The broken chips along with all the salt, cheese, or other seasoning tend to accumulate at the bottom of the bag. Processing cannabis flowers and/or buds similarly tends to cause the trichomes to fall off and collect around the small flowers and/or buds at the bottom of the product. The more and rougher the flowers and/or buds are handled, the more this occurs. 
     80% of all cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds sold in the United States is sold in ⅛ th  ounce packages. There is also a demand to separate flowers and/or buds into different grades or sizes, as the grades or sizes of flowers and/or buds have different values. Moreover, consumers prefer a consistent mix of flower and/or bud sizes, rather than a container full of small flowers and/or buds. Therefore, growers and processors provide “value” to their customers and build their brands by delivering a consistent mix of flower and/or bud sizes. Yet, existing packaging solutions do not have the capability to sort and package cannabis based on the size of dried flowers and/or buds. This due at least in part to the fact that cannabis flowers and/or buds have inconsistent shapes, sizes, surface stickiness, densities, and etcetera. Such varying conditions are challenging to the maintenance of the integrity of flowers and/or buds during packaging operations, as well as to delivering a consistent mix of flower and/or bud sizes. 
     Accordingly, there is an unmet need for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants that is capable of meeting production demands, while meeting the specific requirements of cannabis or hemp plant husbandry. Furthermore, there is an unmet need for a process and apparatus for gently separating and sizing cannabis buds and flowers, while providing a consistent mix of bud sizes with intact trichomes. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments described herein relate to an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, and specifically to an Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, which may also be applied to farms and other facilities that are not otherwise fully automated. The Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants comprises an automated indoor farm that includes specialized plant tending robots able to perform many of the cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, inspecting, maintaining, curing, and shipping tasks. Many of these tasks are accomplished using specialized tools attached to robots manufactured by FANUC America Corporation™, located at 3900 West Hamlin Rd., Rochester Hills, Mich. 48309. Additional engineered mechanisms contribute to the overall process. The specialized tools allow the robots to search the plants and find what they need in order to harvest, clone, trim, inspect, and maintain the plants. Conveyors and other devices are used to allow the entire farm to fully function under the supervision of a few people, rather than 30 or 40 employees normally required to operate a similarly sized farm. 
     The Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants provides growing rooms for cannabis and hemp plants that are environmentally controlled, and specifically temperature, humidity, light, and air quality controlled for the needs of the plants at their various stages of cloning and development. Air exhausted from the growing rooms is filtered and treated in order to minimize any impact on the community in which the farm is located. The Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is physically arranged so that the cloning, inspecting, maintaining, trimming or pruning, and harvesting activities may be accomplished with minimal manual intervention. Each such activity is appointed a room and an arrangement of robots and other equipment that is efficiently dedicated to that task. 
     The cannabis and hemp plants at various stages of development are moved as necessary between and within rooms using power roller conveyors, chain transfers, lift mechanisms, gravity skate wheel conveyors, transports, motorized racks, and specialized pots and trays. The specialized pots and trays may be provided with trellises and/or training arms in order support the top-heavy cannabis or hemp plants, along with rotation holders that allow compatible rotating devices to rotate the cannabis or hemp plants in the tray. Robots using specialized tools receive the cannabis or hemp plants in their specialized trays and pots from the transport mechanisms, and are used to clone, trim or prune, harvest, inspect, and/or maintain the cannabis or hemp plants. Scrap material collection systems collect and dispose of scrap material. Other specialized robots and equipment perform transplanting and shipping tasks. 
     Small cubes of soil or Rockwool are used as a growing medium. They are handled and prepared by robots and other equipment, so that the robots having specialized tools for cloning, trimming, harvesting, and etcetera, are able to insert the clone plants into the prepared cubes of soil or Rockwool. Even the nursery that receives the newly cloned plants is heavily automated, with similar temperature, humidity, light, and air quality controls, and similar automated transport mechanisms, as the grow rooms. 
     A farm control and data management system based on a control system network is used to coordinate the functions of the Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. Generally, the control system network operates all aspects of the farm automation including cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, inspecting, and maintaining the plants. The control system network is connected to cloning cells, planting cells, pruning or trimming cells, harvesting cells, and etcetera, by way of Industrial Programmable Logic Controllers, which it uses to control the robots, transport mechanisms, and environmental controls. The control system network may also log a large amount of data including atmospheric conditions and pictures of the plants. 
     The Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, then, includes multiple conveyors, one or more orbital rakes, one or more size separation tools, static diverters, and a pickup conveyor that allows a vision-guided robot to pick up cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. The size separation tool, in particular, allows larger flowers and/or buds to continue forward, while smaller sized flowers and/or buds and/or kief drop into a separated product catch pan, or on to a different conveyor that takes the smaller sized flowers and/or buds and/or kief to another process. (“Kief . . . refers to the pure and clean collection of loose cannabis trichomes, which are accumulated by being sifted from cannabis flowers or buds with a mesh screen or sieve.”) 1  The size separation tool may rotate in the same direction as the conveyor belts, although it is contemplated that the size separation tool may rotate in the opposite direction from the conveyor belts. Furthermore, the size separation tool may be controlled in such a way that it alternates between rotating in same direction as the conveyor belts and in the opposite direction from the conveyor belts. In such an embodiment, the ratio of rotations in same direction as the conveyor belts and in the opposite direction from the conveyor belts may be variable, according to the characteristics of the flowers and/or buds.  1  Kief. 2 Apr. 2022. Retrieved 5 Apr. 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kief#:˜:text=Kief%20(from%20Moroccan%20Arabic%20%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%81,a %20mesh%20screen%20or%20sieve. 
     The Automated Sorting and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, meanwhile includes a pickup area, a vision guided robot, one or more scales, temporary storage bins, a container handling system, and a computer-based control system. The computer-based control system of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System allows the system to package cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds, which may for non-limiting example be dried and/or trimmed, while collecting data using the scales and controlling the vision guided robot in order to achieve a consistent mix of sizes of flowers and/or buds in each container. As noted previously, 80% of all cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds sold in the United States is sold in ⅛ th  ounce packages. The computer-based control system of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System allows the system to package cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds adjusting to any size package. 
     The computer-based control system uses one or more algorithms that utilize the size and weight data provided by the scales and by a vision sensor, which may be attached to the vision guided robot, or may be otherwise located above the pickup conveyor, in order to select and combine flowers and/or buds into “ideal” packages. For example, a user defines an ideal package size, weight, number of flowers and/or buds, and acceptable size range for flowers and/or buds. The computer-based control system then measures the size and weight range of a given number of flowers and/or buds within its tolerance capability. Next, the computer-based control system causes the Automated Sorting and Packaging System to store the flowers and/or buds that fit within the defined acceptable size range, while flowers and/or buds outside of that defined acceptable size range are separated. The computer-based control system then classifies all of the stored flowers and/or buds into the defined ranges, noting that some flowers and/or buds may fall into multiple ranges. 
     The computer-based control system then checks all possible combinations for the given number of flowers and/or buds, while retaining each combination in its memory having at least one flower and/or bud from each range. The combination closest to the target weight, but not less than the target weight, and within tolerance, is then processed. That is to say, the flowers and/or buds that make up that combination are removed from their storage location, and combined to create a completed package. The storage locations are then used in determining the next combination. The computer-based control system of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System controls all of the mechanical and electronic components that allow for sorting, weighing, storing, and combining flowers and/or buds for packaging. The computer-based control system may utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) or machine learning in order to more efficiently select and combine flowers and/or buds into the “ideal” packages. Moreover, the computer-based control system can suggest ideal package configurations based on the history of product data previously processed. 
     In another aspect of the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, the vision guided robot is provided with gripper fingers configured with a gripper finger truss that transfers gripping force from the mechanism of the gripper to interchangeable grip surfaces. The gripper fingers truss may be fashioned from a soft and pliable material, such as for non-limiting example thermoplastic polyurethane, and may be manufactured using a 30 printer. Further, select portions of the gripper finger truss, such as the inner chords, the outer chords, the webs, and/or the nodal joints therebetween, or any combination thereof, may be fashioned from a soft and pliable material, while the remainder thereof may be fashioned from stiffer material. Still further, select portions of the gripper finger truss may be fashioned using variable durometer material, so that the gripper finger truss elements vary in hardness and pliability along their length. In this way, the gripping force transmitted from the mechanism of the gripper to the interchangeable grip surfaces may be finely tuned to the needs of handling cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. It is noted that the interchangeable grip surfaces may be wider than the gripper finger truss, in order to facilitate picking up more than one flower and/or bud, and to further reduce the gripping pressure. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, an automated farm has an automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt adjacent to the first conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is configured to move slightly faster than the first conveyor belt. A rotating size separation tool has slits or pockets, and is located between the first and second conveyor belt. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system also includes a pickup conveyor belt and a vision sensor. A vision guided robot is arranged adjacent to the pickup conveyor belt. The vision guided robot is provided with a robotic gripper. At least one scales is arranged adjacent to the vision guided robot. An arrangement of temporary storage bins is arranged adjacent to the vision guided robot. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system also includes a container handling system. A computer-based control system is connected to the vision guided robot and to the at least one scales. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, an automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt adjacent to the first conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is configured to move slightly faster than the first conveyor belt. A rotating size separation tool has slits or pockets, and is located between the first and second conveyor belt. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system also includes a pickup conveyor belt and a vision sensor. A vision guided robot is arranged adjacent to the pickup conveyor belt. The vision guided robot is provided with a robotic gripper. At least one scales is arranged adjacent to the vision guided robot. An arrangement of temporary storage bins is arranged adjacent to the vision guided robot. The automated feeding, sorting, and packaging system also includes a container handling system. A computer-based control system is connected to the vision guided robot and to the at least one scales. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method for automated farming includes several steps. The first step is providing a first conveyor belt. The second step is configuring a second conveyor belt adjacent to the first conveyor belt to move slightly faster than the first conveyor belt. The third step is arranging a rotating size separation tool having slits or pockets, between the first and second conveyor belt. The fourth step is providing a pickup conveyor belt and a vision sensor. The fifth step is arranging a vision guided robot adjacent to the pickup conveyor belt. The sixth step is providing the vision guided robot with a robotic gripper. The seventh step is providing at least one scales adjacent to the vision guided robot. The eighth step is providing an arrangement of temporary storage bins adjacent to the vision guided robot. The ninth step is providing a container handling system. The tenth step is connecting a computer-based control system to the vision guided robot and to the at least one scales. 
     The Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants is able to improve plant productivity, minimize labor, and better meet the specific requirements of cannabis and hemp plant husbandry. The principles of the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System may be applied to farms and facilities that are not otherwise fully automated. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features of embodiments of the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, and the manner of their working, will become more apparent and will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional end view of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 2  is a floor plan of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a parent conveyor of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 4A  is an isometric view of a child conveyor of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 4B  is an isometric view of a storage rack of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 4C  is an end view of a storage and retrieval system of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 5A  is floor plan of a conveyor room of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 5B  is an end view of a two groove roller of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view of a two groove roller of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 5D  is an isometric view of a conveyor of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 6A  is a top view of a tray and trellis of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 6B  is a side view of a tray and trellis of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 6C  is an isometric view of a tray and trellis of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 6D  is a section view of a tray of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 7A  is a top view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 7B  is a side view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 7C  is an isometric view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 7D  is a detail view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 7E  is a detail view of scrap removal by two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 8A  is a top view of a pot and training tools assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 8B  is a side view of a pot and training tools assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 8C  is an isometric view of a pot and training tools assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIGS. 8D and 8E  are detail views of training tool assemblies of embodiments of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 9A  is a top view of a cloning and parent plant room of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 9B  is a side view of a clone preparation tank of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 10A  is a side view of a portable spray station of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 10B  is an end view of a portable spray station of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 10C  is a bottom view of a portable spray station of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of an automated harvesting cell of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 12  is an isometric view of a curing cabinet system of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 13  is a graphic representation of a farm control and data management system of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 14A  is a top view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 14B  is a side view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 14C  is an isometric view of two robots of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 15A  is a top view of a backlight assembly of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 15B  is a front view of a backlight assembly of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 15C  is a sectional end view of a backlight assembly of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 15D  is a detail view of a backlight assembly of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 15E  is an isometric view of a backlight assembly of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 16A  is a top view of a robot having a light assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 16B  is a side view of a robot having a light assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 16C  is an isometric view of a robot having a light assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 17A  is a top view of a grip-cut of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 17B  is a side view of a grip-cut of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 17C  is an end view of a grip-cut of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 17D  is an isometric view of a grip-cut of a robot of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 18A  is a top view of a robot having a grip-cut of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 18B  is a side view of a robot having a grip-cut of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 18C  is an isometric view of a robot having a grip-cut of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 19  is an isometric view of an embodiment of an Automated Feeding System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 20  is a top view of the embodiment of an Automated Feeding System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIG. 19 , as described herein; 
         FIG. 21  is a side view of the embodiment of an Automated Feeding System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , as described herein; 
         FIG. 22  is a section view of the embodiment of an Automated Feeding System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIG. 21 , as described herein; 
         FIG. 23  is an isometric view of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 24  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 25  is a detail view of a gripper of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 26  is a perspective view of a robot and gripper of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIGS. 27 through 29  are perspective views of grippers of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 30A  is a front view of a gripper of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; 
         FIG. 30B  is a side view of a gripper of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein; and 
         FIG. 30C  is a perspective view of a gripper of an embodiment of a Sorting and Packaging System for an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as described herein. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a sectional end view of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. The farm building is a building with environmentally controlled grow rooms. A single slope roof  10  uses the attic to collect and treat the air that comes out of the grow rooms  46  and  48 . Grow room  46  is a flower room with lights  46 , and grow room  48  is a flower room without lights  48 . In both grow rooms  46  and  48 , split HVAC systems  36  have outdoor condensers and indoor heat pumps. Large ceiling fans  40  circulate air throughout the grow rooms  46  and  48 , as well as replicate wind which strengthens the plants. Humidifiers and/or dehumidifiers  42  keep the humidity in range if it becomes too low or too high. Room air filters  44  perform a final filtration of the air that gets pulled into the grow rooms  46  and  48  from a preconditioned air hallway  50 . The preconditioned air hallway  50  has four air intakes (not shown) from the outside. The four intakes are equipped with heaters, humidification, and filtration controls (not shown). Sensors  38  measure the temperature, humidity, and wind speed in each of the grow rooms  46  and  48 . This system is in every grow room as well as in the parent room, to be discussed in further detail herein. The sensors  38  are read incrementally every few seconds and the results are recorded in a database. This gives each plant a history of the atmosphere in which they spent their whole life. 
     In the flower room with lights  46 , there is a CO2 nozzle  24  that enriches and/or fertilizes the cannabis or hemp plants by saturating the flower room with lights  46  with CO2. There is also a spray nozzle  26 , which has a dual effect of cooling the flower room with lights  46  and increasing the humidity thereof. Grow lights  28  are arranged in a grid above the plants in the flower room with lights  46 . The grow lights  28  are arranged on an automated light rack  30 , which is provided with four automated light rack posts  32  located in the corners of the flower room with lights  46 . The four automated light rack posts  32  are each equipped with an integrated screw jack  34  that adjusts the automated light rack  30  up and down. In this way, the grow lights  28  may be adjusted in height, in order to avoid burning and damaging the cannabis or hemp plants due to the grow lights  28  being too close to the plants. Additionally, when the grow lights  28  are turned on, they may be turned all the way up and then lowered after several minutes. This more closely replicates the sun when it comes up in the morning. As a result, the plants wake up faster and consume nutrients better which produces more growth. 
     Each of the grow rooms  46  and  48  is provided with a grow room exhaust fan  22  that exhausts air from the grow rooms  46  and  48  to the attic. Replacement air is thereby pulled into the grow rooms  46  and  48  by way of the room air filters  44  located between the grow rooms  46  and  48  and the preconditioned air hallway  50 . Air from the grow rooms  46  and  48  has a pungent odor that needs to be treated prior to exhausting to the outside. The air is therefore filtered by an activated charcoal filter  16  at the intake of an exhaust blower  14 , before being exhausted through an exhaust stack  12 . In the attic there may be one or more o-zone generators  18 , as well as one or more attic circulation fans  20 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a floor plan of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. In the embodiment shown, the building is 656 feet long and 120 feet wide, as a non-limiting example. There is a sixteen foot wide main corridor hallway that runs down the middle along the whole length of the building. An equipment and tank room  100  is provided at one end of the building, although it is contemplated that the equipment and tank room  100  may be otherwise located. A clone and parent room  102  and a harvest room  104  are further provided at one end of the building, although it is contemplated that the clone and parent room  102  and/or the harvest room  104  may be otherwise located. The clone and parent room  102  will be described in greater detail hereinafter, and particularly in  FIGS. 3 and 9 . The harvest room  104  is equipped with equipment needed for harvest, which will similarly be described in greater detail hereinafter, and particularly in  FIG. 11 . A trimming or pruning room  106  is also provided near the clone and parent room  102  and harvest room  104 , although it is contemplated that the trim and pruning room  106  may be otherwise located. The trim and pruning room  106  will be described in greater detail hereinafter. A laboratory  108  may adjoin the trim and pruning room  106 , and may contain, for non-limiting example, extraction equipment, and other equipment to make rolled cannabis cigarettes, as well as the equipment to package them. 
     Next, there are provided, for non-limiting example, five vegetation grow rooms  110  that are similar to flower rooms  112  and  114  except some of the flower rooms have lights, as will be explained herein. The vegetation grow rooms  110  may be located adjacent to the clone and parent room  102 , harvest room  104 , and/or trim and pruning room  106 , although it is contemplated that the vegetation grow rooms  110  may be otherwise located. Each vegetation grow room  110  has trays with, for non-limiting example, sixty plants per tray, although it is contemplated that more or less plants per tray may be used. All of the rest of the grow rooms throughout the farm may have, for non-limiting example, ten plants per tray, although it is contemplated that more or less plants per tray may be used. There are a total of, for non-limiting example, twenty flower rooms  112  and  114 . Ten of them are flower rooms with lights  112 , and ten of them are flower rooms without lights  114 . The flower rooms without lights  114  are directly across from the flower rooms with lights  112 . A flowering operation gives the plants twelve hours of light per day. In order to facilitate this, the plants travel back and forth between the flower rooms with lights  112  and the flower rooms without lights  114  every twelve hours. Air intakes  116  are located above overhead doors at the main entrances at each end of the building. The air intakes  116  as described earlier prepare the air that enters the hallway with heat, humidity, and etcetera. 
       FIG. 3  shows a plan view of a parent power roller conveyor  150  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. The parent power roller conveyor  150  is a combination of a powered roller conveyor and a gravity skate wheel conveyor. The parent power roller conveyor  150  brings the parent plants which are grown in a unique parent plant pot  160 . The purpose of the parent power roller conveyor  150  is to have a place for the parent plants to live, grow, and be transported to get inspected and fed. The parent power roller conveyor  150  also takes the parent plants to a robot cell for cloning, i.e.—to give up their starts. A chain transfer  152  lifts, turns, and transfers the parent plant pot  160  off the parent power roller conveyor  150  and onto a gravity skate wheel conveyor  154 . Palette stops  156  are located along the gravity skate wheel conveyor  154 . The palette stops  156  pneumatically raise and lower skate wheels, which stops and positions the parent plant pots  160 . The gravity skate wheel conveyor  154  may be provided with a lift mechanism  158 . For non-limiting example, there may be a lift mechanism  158  at the end of each ten foot section of gravity skate wheel conveyor  154 . 
     As an example, when a parent plant pot  160  is being transferred into position, it will self-locate along the parent power roller conveyor  150 . The chain transfer  152  will lift up, turn, and move the parent plant pot  160  onto the gravity skate wheel conveyor  154 . Then the chain transfer  152  will lower, placing the parent plant pot  160  onto the gravity skate wheel conveyor  154 . The lift mechanism  158  lifts the gravity skate wheel conveyor  154  under the parent plant pot  160 . Gravity rolls the parent plant pot  160  downhill against the first palette stop  156 , and then the palette stop  156  lowers so the parent plant pot  160  can move on to the next palette stop  156 , and so on. Proximity sensors read the position of the parent plant pot  160 , the chain transfer  152  moves up and down, and the palette stops  156  raise and lower as required to place the parent plant pot  160  where desired. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C , an isometric view of a child conveyor tray  200  of a child conveyor of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. The child conveyor transports such trays of young plants into child storage racks  202  where they grow and are subject to processes such as watering, inspecting, transplanting, and packaging. The child plants are planted in a small cube of soil or Rockwool. The child conveyor tray  200  may have, for non-limiting example, two rows of five holes or cavities for the child plants, so that it is capable of holding ten plants. However, it is contemplated that more or less holes or cavities may be provided, as shown in  FIG. 4A . Transverse slots allow room for robot grippers to operate. The child conveyor trays  200  are loaded by clone robots and are transported into a nursery. More details on the operation of such clone robots will be discussed hereinafter, and particularly in  FIG. 9 . The nursery has multiple child storage racks  202 , each of which contain a gravity conveyor  204  and a lifting mechanism  206 . 
     A storage and retrieval system  210  is provided with a track  208 , so that the motorized child storage racks  202  are able to traverse the track  208  using powered wheels or powered actuators  214  to their intended destination. Each child storage rack  202  is further provided with at least one movable shelf  212  that raises up-and-down, as well as features that convey the child conveyor trays  200 . The at least one movable shelf  212  receives child plants from the gravity conveyor  204  and transfers them to the child storage rack  202  and back as required. The powered wheels  214  and drivetrain of the child storage rack  202  of the storage and retrieval system  210  are used to keep it in position for loading and unloading. The child conveyor control system (not shown) is an industrial Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The movable shelf  212  and the powered wheels  214  are powered by servomotors (not shown). 
       FIG. 5A  shows a typical grow room  250  with its conveyor layout. Each grow room  250  may contain 44 trays with ten plants on each tray. Tray sizes, for non-limiting example, may be 40″ by 100″. In the front of the grow room  250 , close to the hallway  258 , is a section of a conveyor plant testing and watering section  252  that is used for testing the plants and watering them. An automated testing station  254  pneumatically, or using an actuator, inserts probes into the plants&#39; soil to test the moisture, temperature, and electrical current. Electrical current is used to measure the amount of salts left in the soil from the fertilizers. Conveyors  256  extend out into the hallway  258 . These conveyors  256  move the trays in and out of the grow room  250 . A cross transfer  260  lifts each tray up, and then moves it to the adjacent row. For example, the tray at position  11  is lifted up, whereupon motorized rollers transfer the tray to position  22 . Recall from  FIG. 2  that there are three types of grow rooms, which in the embodiment of the Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIG. 2  include five vegetation grow rooms, ten flower rooms with lights, and ten flower rooms without lights. The conveyors  256  may be the same for all grow rooms. 
       FIG. 5D  shows a conveyor frame  262 , of which there are five in the each of the grow rooms  250 . The conveyor frames  262  are assembled using splice-on gussets and fish plates  268 . The conveyor frames  262  are fixed in location from each other using offset splice tubes  264  and bolt-on spacer bars  266 . The conveyor frames  262  are similar in each instance, except that the outside two conveyor frames  262  only have a single set of rollers and the inside three conveyor frames  262  have two rows of driven rollers. The conveyor frames  262  themselves are the same for both the single roller and double roller sections. 
       FIGS. 5B and 5C  show an embodiment of a roller bracket  270  used in conjunction with the conveyor frames  262 , which are in turn part of the conveyor layout of a child conveyor of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. The roller bracket  270  is of fixed construction, except that it may be provided in two heights, one being for driving the narrow side of the child conveyor trays, and a two inch taller version for driving the wide side of the child conveyor trays. The roller bracket  270  performs the function of holding the axle of two groove rollers  272 , which are used to propel the trays. The two groove rollers  272 , which may be constructed from plastic, for non-limiting example, are each provided with grooves to receive drive belts  274 . The drive belts  274  are, in turn, driven by drive rollers  276 . The drive rollers  276  are driven by a motor driven driveshaft, which runs in bearings with two-hole straps  278 . Bearings with two hole straps  278  of this type may be sourced from McMaster Carr ● , located at 1901 Riverside Pkwy., Douglasville, Ga. 30135-3150, where they are sold as part number 5913K64. Set screws  280  are provided in tapped holes  282  for the purpose of fastening bearings with two-hole straps  278 . The control device for the plant conveyors may be an industrial PLC (not shown). Proximity sensors (not shown) track the trays and the movement of the mechanisms. Pneumatics and motors may be used for power. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D , a top view, side view, isometric view, and section view, respectively, of a tray and trellis system  300  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. The tray and trellis system  300  includes a tray  302  that holds ten plants, and a trellis frame  306 . The tray and trellis system  300  is designed specifically to accommodate automation and has certain unique features for this purpose. The tray  302  uses six inch cubed Rockwool, also known as mineral wool, mineral fiber, or mineral cotton, to grow the plants in, although it is contemplated that other growing media may be used. The Rockwool cubes are placed in rotation holders  304 . Each rotation holder  304  is a molded plastic unit that snaps into the tray  302 , which may be formed from metal, plastic, or other material. Additional rotating devices (not shown) employed by the Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants at various points throughout the cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, inspecting, and maintaining process have the ability to slightly lift the rotation holder  304  within the tray  302  and rotate the plant which exposes all sides of the plant to robots and cameras as needed. 
     The tray  302  may be designed to give each plant a 20 inch by 20 inch area to live in, for non-limiting example. The tray  302  may therefore be 100 inches long and 40 inches wide. A trellis frame  306  is connected to the tray  302 . Trellises are required for growing cannabis or hemp because, as the flowers develop, the top of the plant gets very heavy and tends to fall over and break. Traditional trellises are hard to use with automation. The typical trellis in use today is made from a unitized grid of string or plastic net. This makes traditional trellises very difficult for robots to work around, especially during harvest. The trellis frame  306  of the present disclosure supports, for non-limiting example, four trellis combs  308 , although it is contemplated that more or less trellis combs  308  may be used. Each of the trellis combs  308  has a trellis comb spine  310  and multiple trellis comb ribs  312  attached to the trellis comb spine  310  that are equally spaced apart to create a grid of the desired size. The trellis comb spine  310  and the trellis combs  308  are positioned approximately perpendicular to each other to form a grid. This design allows automated devices to pull the trellis combs  308  out horizontally, thereby releasing the plants for harvest. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D , a top view, a side view, an isometric view, and a detail view, respectively, of two robots  358  and  360  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants are shown. The two robots  358  and  360  are shown working on a cannabis or hemp plant  354  in a room  356 . One robot  358  has a lighted tablet or backlight tool  350  that can be inserted into the cannabis or hemp plant  354  to facilitate manipulating its branches, leaves, and flowers. A second robot  360  has a grip-cut tool  352  for cutting and gripping the branches, leaves, and flowers of the cannabis or hemp plant  354 , and is further provided with a vision system camera (not shown). The vision system camera may be attached to the grip-cut tool  352 , or may be attached elsewhere to the grip-cut tool holding robot  360 . 
     The grip-cut tool holding robot  360  generally maintains a position perpendicular and centered to the backlight tablet tool  350  held by the backlight tablet tool holding robot  358 . The backlight tablet tool holding robot  358  systematically moves the backlight tablet tool  350  through the plant while the camera of the grip-cut tool holding robot  360  looks for an ideal cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, and/or maintaining situation. When the ideal cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, and/or maintaining situation presents itself to the vision system, the backlight tablet tool holding robot  358  stops and the grip-cut tool holding robot  360  moves in a perpendicular motion to the backlight tablet tool  350 , towards the plant. The grip-cut tool holding robot  360  grips the cannabis or hemp plant  354  and cuts the branch, leaf, or flower to be removed. 
       FIG. 7E  further shows a trim recovery system  362 , which is used to collect scrap material generated as the backlight tablet tool holding robot  358  and the grip-cut tool holding robot  360  perform their cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, and/or maintaining functions. The trim recovery system  362  vacuums up materials that have been cut from the cannabis or hemp plant  354 . In at least one embodiment, this is accomplished by extending a catch tray  364  while the backlight tablet tool holding robot  358  and the grip-cut tool holding robot  360  are performing their tasks. When the backlight tablet tool holding robot  358  and the grip-cut tool holding robot  360  have completed trimming or pruning, a catch tray actuator  366  retracts the catch tray  364 . As the catch tray  364  retracts a vacuum (not shown) sweeps up all of the debris that is left on the catch tray  364 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 8A , B, C, D, and E, a top view, side view, isometric view, detail view, and detail view, respectively, of a parent plant pot and training tools assembly of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. The parent plant pot and training tools assembly includes a parent plant pot  400  that a parent cannabis or hemp plant (not shown) will grow in, as well as a training system  402  for shaping the parent cannabis or hemp plants and guiding them to grow in a more convenient form. Parent cannabis or hemp plants are used to provide new shoots or starts, which are cut therefrom. These cuttings are then used to clone new cannabis or hemp plants. This operation guarantees that all of the cannabis or hemp plants started from clones have the same genes as their parent cannabis or hemp plants. This has several advantages including adapting and expanding as the plants grow and mature. Cannabis and hemp plants grow with their branches angled upward. When the cannabis or hemp plants are mature and large, their foliage can be dense and hard to manipulate automatically. It is advantageous to automation equipment to provide horizontal branches with starts growing upwards towards the lights. 
     To accomplish this, the parent plant pot and training tools assembly includes a parent plant pot  400 , which may be square in shape, although the use of other shapes is contemplated. The parent plant pot  400  may be of pot metal construction, for non-limiting example, with a perforated bottom that allows water and nutrients to pass therethrough. However, it is contemplated that the parent plant pot  400  may be constructed from other materials. The parent plant pot  400  also has features that secure four corner posts  404 . For non-limiting example, there may be four corner posts  404  that slide into pockets on the pot (not shown). These corner posts  404  provide a foundation for a number of training arms  406 . Each training arm  406  is provided with an adjustable clamp  408  that allows the training arm  406  to slide up and down the corner post  404 . The adjustable clamp  408  further allows the training arm  406  to rotate around the corner post  404 . Common plant tying materials may then be used to tie the parent cannabis or hemp plant to the training arm  406 . In at least one embodiment, each training arm  406  may be provided with clips, as depicted in  FIGS. 8A through 8E . The training arms  406  may, for non-limiting example, be made from metal or fiberglass or other plastic materials. 
       FIG. 9  shows a top view of a cloning and parent plant room layout of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. A parent plant conveyor  450  is shown having four and a half rows of parent cannabis or hemp plants  458  for the sake of illustration. However, it is to be understood that a cloning and parent plant room layout of a given embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants may have, for non-limiting example, fifty rows with twenty parent cannabis or hemp plants  458  in each row, for a total of one thousand parent cannabis or hemp plants  458 . The parent cannabis or hemp plants  458  live in a controlled environment under special lighting on the parent plant conveyor  450 , as shown previously. The parent cannabis or hemp plants  458  may be transported using the parent plant conveyor  450  to the watering station (not shown in  FIG. 9 ), the inspection station (not shown in  FIG. 9 ), and to the backlight tablet tool holding robot  452  and grip-cut tool holding robot  454  for cloning and trimming or pruning during the cloning process. 
     The backlight tablet tool holding robot  452  and the grip-cut tool holding robot  454  perform operations on the cannabis or hemp plant  458  upon a roller conveyor turn table  456 , which receives the cannabis or hemp plant  458  from the parent plant conveyor  450 . Specifically, the backlight tablet tool holding robot  452  locates a start to be taken from the parent cannabis or hemp plant  458  by the grip-cut tool holding robot  454 . Once the clone has been removed from the parent cannabis or hemp plant  458 , the grip-cut tool holding robot  454  takes the clone to a clone preparation tank  502  mounted on a clone planting pedestal  460  that contains a rooting hormone solution  504 . The grip-cut tool holding robot  454  dips the clone in the clone preparation tank  502 . While the clone is submerged, two blades  506  and  508 , one fixed blade  506  that is fixed to the clone preparation tank  502  and a movable blade  508  that is on an actuator  510 , work together to rough up the bottom of the stem so the clone has a better interaction with the rooting hormone solution  504 . Then the grip-cut tool holding robot  454  moves the clone over onto clone planting pedestal  460 . Then the grip-cut tool holding robot  454  places the clone in a Rockwool plug that has been prepared by a Rockwool plug robot  462 . 
     The Rockwool plugs come to the operation in large totes. A tote full of plugs is dumped as needed into a flex feeder  466  by a tote dumper  468 . The flex feeder  466  has a backlit bottom that shakes up and down to randomly arrange plugs for the Rockwool plug robot&#39;s vision system. The flex feeder  466  presents the Rockwool plugs to the Rockwool plug robot  462 . The Rockwool plug robot  462  picks up the plug and rinses it in the three solutions in pH controlled rinse tanks  464 . Then the Rockwool plug robot  462  places the Rockwool plug on the clone planting pedestal  460  where the grip-cut tool holding robot  454  inserts the clone into the Rockwool plug. The Rockwool plug robot  462  then puts the planted clone in a child tray  470  located on the child conveyor  472 . 
     A nursery has two separate chambers, a first larger nursery chamber  476  for newly planted clones, and a second nursery chamber  478  for more developed clone child cannabis or hemp plants. Each of the nursery chambers is provided with temperature and humidity controls  474 . The second nursery chamber  478  has less humidity than the first nursery chamber  476 , and prepares the more developed clone child cannabis or hemp plants for the grow rooms. Plant racks  480  in the first and second nursery chambers  476  and  478  provide a location for the cloned cannabis or hemp plants to grow, and are provided four levels each for this purpose. The bottom of each level of the plant rack  480  has gravity skate wheels for the child tray  470  to ride on. A lifting device (not shown) at the back of each plant rack  480  lifts one end of the bottom of each level up causing the gravity skate wheels to shuttle the child trays  470  out as needed. 
     A transporter track  482  along the front of the plant racks  480  is provided with a transporter  484  that moves back-and-forth across the front of the plant racks  480 . The transporter  484  is provided with a shelf (not shown) that moves up and down to the four levels of the plant racks  480 . In order to put a child tray  470  of newly planted clones into a plant rack  480 , the transporter  484  positions itself in front of that plant rack  480 . The shelf of the transporter  484  then raises to the correct level and transfers the child tray  470  to the plant rack  480  by pushing the child tray  470  into the plant rack  480 . The shelf of the transporter  484  has the ability to move a child tray  470  in and out of the plant rack  480  as well as on and off of the child conveyor  472 . 
     When the cloned cannabis or hemp plants are fully mature, they may be sold or moved to grow rooms either in trays of small Rockwool plugs or in trays of Rockwool plugs that have been transplanted into their larger Rockwool cube. The system for preparing Rockwool cubes includes a conveyor  488  that conveys pallets full of Rockwool cubes, which are 6″×6″×6″ in size. A gantry frame  490  has a gantry head with integrated shelf  494 , and is used to move a row of cubes. A top layer pusher and scissor lift  492  separates a layer of Rockwool cubes and moves them to preparation tanks  496 . A transplant robot  486  then moves completed clones to the trays or to Rockwool cubes. Finally the completed clones are staged in dunnage  498  and prepared for delivery using a conveyor  500 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C , a portable spray station  550  is shown having a lightweight frame  552  and wheels  554 , and is approximately six feet wide. The portable spray station  550  is provided with a handle  556 , so that a person can pull the portable spray station  550  similar to a wagon. The portable spray station  550  is further provided with a fluid tank and pump system  558 , a compressor tank  566 , and an air hose and control power cord  560 . In this way, the portable spray station  550  may be plugged into a power and air supply between rooms, whereupon the portable spray station  550  may lock into sockets in the floor. A control system  562  is provided, as well as spray nozzles  564 , of which there may be four, for non-limiting example. The four spray nozzles  564  may positioned to spray the cannabis or hemp plants as they pass down the conveyor. For non-limiting example, there may be twelve inches between sprayer columns. 
     Room is provided between the four spray nozzles  564  for a door or section of a conveyor to drop into, whereupon photo eyes (not shown) of the control system  562  activate the portable spray station  550 . In this way, the portable spray station  550  is used to spray material on cannabis or hemp plants for their well-being. It can also be used to clean the cannabis or hemp plants. The portable spray station  550  can be positioned at many points in the farm. As noted previously, the portable spray station  550  is able to locate under a conveyor section where the plants will pass. In this way, portable spray station  550  is able to spray the plants as they pass down the conveyors, or as they cross a hallway. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 11 , a plan view of an automated harvesting cell  600  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. In the automated harvesting cell  600 , trays of cannabis or hemp plants are transported by standard conveyor sections  604  to the harvest room. In order to change the direction of motion of the trays of plants, a conveyor turntable  602  may lift and rotate a pallet full of plants. Further standard conveyor sections  604  and conveyor turntables  602  position the cannabis or hemp plants front of a backlight tablet tool holding robot  606 , a grip-cut tool holding robot  608 , and/or a trimming or pruning robot system  610 , which cooperate to remove flowers and any other unwanted parts of the cannabis or hemp plants. These wanted and unwanted cannabis or hemp plant parts are sorted and put in their proper place for further processing. Meanwhile, the grip-cut tool holding robot  608  discards used Rockwool to a conveyor  612  that leads to a Rockwool baler  614 . The Rockwool baler  614  is a baler that compresses the used Rockwool, making it easier to discard. The empty tray, in turn, proceeds by way of a standard conveyor section  604  and another conveyor turntable  602  to a tray wash and dry system  616 . 
       FIG. 12  shows a curing cabinet  650  having five drawers  652 . It is contemplated that the number and relative size of the drawers  652  of the curing cabinet  650  may vary. The curing cabinet  650  conditions the buds or flowers taken from the cannabis or hemp plants so that they are more pleasant to smoke. Curing the buds or flowers takes time and is aided by heating and cooling cycles, as well as application of the proper humidity. The top of the curing cabinet  650  contains an air exchange system  654  having an intake filter  656  and a charcoal exhaust filter  658 . The air exchange system  654  circulates exchange air around the buds or flowers as they are sitting in the drawer  652  on a screen. A control system  660  based on an industrial PLC is programmable to implement a complete curing cycle over many days, for each drawer  652  of buds or flowers. The drawers  652  of the curing cabinet  650  each have a lift out screen mentioned previously for promoting circulation and for handling the buds or flowers. 
       FIG. 13  shows a graphic representation of a farm control and data management system of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. The farm control and data management system is based on a control system network  700  that is connected to a farm server  704 . The control system network  700  has a modem  702  and an Ethernet  716 , as well as several office PCs  706 , which may include, as non-limiting examples, an office PC for each of a farm manager  708 , technical support  710 , a master gardener  712 , and sales  714 . The control system network  700  may further be connected to, as a non-limiting example, a cloning cell  718  having a programmable logic controller  720  for the robots and other equipment, a robot vision controller  724 , and a human machine interface  722 . The cloning cell  718  shown in  FIG. 13  is representative, such that multiple similar arrangements may be provided for planting cells, pruning or trimming cells, and harvesting cells, and tray wash cells, for non-limiting example. 
     Similarly, the control system network  700  may further be connected to room controllers  728  having programmable logic controllers  730  for the robots and other equipment, robot vision systems  734 , and human machine interfaces  732 . Multiple similar arrangements may be provided for rooms having conveyors, fans, watering stations, testing stations, spray stations, and/or inspection cameras. The control system network  700  may further be connected to a hallway conveyor control  736  having a programmable logic controller  738  and a human machine interface  740 . A main programmable logic controller  726  may be provided to coordinate the functions of the Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants, as well as to control miscellaneous functions such as lighting control, CO2 control, HVAC control, and/or humidity control. Generally, the control system network  700  operates all aspects of the farm automation. The control system network  700  may also log a large amount of data including atmospheric conditions and pictures of the plants. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 14A, 14B, and 14C , a top view, a side view, and an isometric view, respectively, of two robots  758  and  762  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants are shown. As part of the process, a cannabis or hemp plant  750  in a parent plant pot  752  is placed on a parent plant pot turntable  754  having a pot rotating motor  756 . A backlight tablet tool holding robot  758  is mounted on a backlight tablet tool holding robot pedestal  760 , and a grip-cut tool holding robot  762  is mounted on a grip-cut tool holding robot pedestal  764 . As before, the grip-cut tool holding robot  762  generally maintains the grip-cut tool in a position perpendicular and centered to the backlight tablet tool held by the backlight tablet tool holding robot  758 . The backlight tablet tool holding robot  758  systematically moves the backlight tablet tool through the plant while the camera of the grip-cut tool holding robot  762  looks for an ideal cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, and/or maintaining situation. When the ideal cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, and/or maintaining situation presents itself to the vision system, the backlight tablet tool holding robot  758  stops and the grip-cut tool holding robot  762  moves in a perpendicular motion to the backlight tablet tool, towards the plant. The grip-cut tool holding robot  762  grips the cannabis or hemp plant  750  and cuts the branch, leaf, or flower to be removed. 
     Additionally, a plant manipulator  766  is provided. The plant manipulator&#39;s positioning is controlled by two servo-motors (not shown). The plant manipulator  766  reaches into the plant using a manipulator attachment  768  as the parent pot turntable  754  moves, thereby pushing the plant&#39;s branches against the manipulator attachment  768 . This action opens an area for the backlight tablet tool holding robot  758  and the grip-cut tool holding robot  762  to work on the cannabis or hemp plant  750 , thereby further facilitating the process of cloning, trimming or pruning, harvesting, inspecting, and maintaining. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, and 15E , a top view, a front view, a sectional end view, a detail view, and an isometric view, respectively, of a backlight assembly  800  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. A backlight enclosure plate  802 , a backlight backing plate  804 , and a backlight cover plate  806  defines a cavity containing a backlight screen  820 . The backlight backing plate  804  and the backlight cover plate  806  are attached to the backlight enclosure plate  802  using Torx flat head screws  814 . Backlight edging  808  is attached to the outward periphery of the backlight enclosure plate  802  using socket head cap screws  816 , in order to protect the backlight assembly  800  as it is maneuvered within the cannabis or hemp plant. A backlight adapter  818  connects the backlight enclosure plate  802  to a backlight robot adapter extension  810 , which is in turn connected to a backlight robot adapter  812 . The backlight robot adapter  812  connects the backlight assembly  800  to the backlight tablet tool holding robot (not shown). 
       FIGS. 16A, 16B, and 16C , in turn, show a top view, a side view, and an isometric view, respectively, of a backlight tablet tool holding robot  850  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. The backlight tablet tool holding robot  850  is shown in two different articulated positions, in order to illustrate a range of motion of the backlight tablet tool holding robot  850 . The backlight tablet tool holding robot  850  is mounted on a backlight tablet tool holding robot pedestal  852 . A backlight assembly  854  as shown in  FIGS. 15A through 15E  is connected to the backlight tablet tool holding robot  850 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 17A, 17B, 17C, and 17D , a top view, a side view, an end view, and an isometric view, respectively, of a grip-cut tool  860  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. The grip-cut tool  860  is provided with a plant sensor  862 , which is used to verify the location of the cannabis or hemp plant  868  when preparing to grip or cut it. The grip-cut tool  860  is further provided with a grip-cutter  864 , which is actuated by a grip-cutter actuator  866 . 
       FIGS. 18A, 18B, and 18C , in turn, show a top view, a side view, and an isometric view, respectively, of a grip-cut tool holding robot  880  of an embodiment of an Automated Farm with Robots Working on Plants. The grip-cut tool holding robot  880  is shown in two different articulated positions, in order to illustrate a range of motion of the grip-cut tool holding robot  880 . The grip-cut tool holding robot  880  is mounted on a grip-cut tool holding robot pedestal  882 . A grip-cut tool  884  as shown in  FIGS. 17A through 17D  is connected to the grip-cut tool holding robot  880 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 19, 20, and 21 , an embodiment of the Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. Cannabis or hemp buds and/or flowers are placed onto a hopper conveyor belt  900  that has a conveyor in the bottom of it. The hopper conveyor belt  900  then feeds material forward very slowly. The hopper conveyor belt  900  feeds a diverter conveyor belt  908  which is moving slightly faster, in order to evenly spread the material. At the end of the hopper conveyor belt  900 , there is an orbital rake separator  902  that also helps to gently spread and separate the buds. The orbital rake separator  902  is mounted so teeth or rods extend down vertically and can move in a circular side to side, upstream, and/or downstream motion. Similar orbital rake separators may be provided in additional locations along the hopper conveyor belt  900  and/or along the diverter conveyor belt  908 , in order to achieve the desired spread of material. The motion of the orbital rake separator  902  advantageously separates and spins long buds that tend to jam static separation tools. 
     Between the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908 , there is a size separation tool  904  which is a finned tube that can have various sized slits or pockets, depending upon the size of material that needs to be separated. The tube of the size separation tool  904  slowly rotates and prevents smaller material such as leaf pieces, kief, and small buds from dropping on the diverter conveyor belt  908 . Instead, the smaller material drops between and beneath the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908  into a separated product catch pan  906  or onto another conveyor or machine that move the product to another process. The size separation tool  904  may rotate in the same direction as the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908 , although it is contemplated that the size separation tool  904  may rotate in the opposite direction from the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908 . Furthermore, the size separation tool  904  may be controlled in such a way that it alternates between rotating in same direction as the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908  and in the opposite direction from the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908 . In such an embodiment, the ratio of rotations in same direction as the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908  and in the opposite direction from the hopper conveyor belt  900  and the diverter conveyor belt  908  may be variable, according to the characteristics of the flowers and/or buds. 
     For non-limiting example, in order to catch material approximately ⅜″ and smaller, the slits or pockets on the wheel of the size separation tool  904  are arranged to be about ⅜″ in size, so that the size separation tool  904  catches the material ⅜″ and smaller as the material falls off the diverter conveyor belt  908 . Accordingly, size separation tools  904  may be interchangeable, and may be provided with slits or pockets of various sizes according to the threshold material size desired. Since the larger buds will not fit into the slits or pockets of the size separation tool  904 , the larger material will bounce off onto the diverter conveyor belt  908 . In order to minimize product or material from adhering to the size separation tool  904 , the Automated Feeding System may include an air ionizer located above the size separation tool  904 . The air ionizer may reduce static charge accumulation on the product or material and on the size separation tool  904 , so that the size separation tool  904  more efficiently separates the material and deposits the leaf pieces, kief, and small buds into the separated product catch pan  906 . 
     The diverter conveyor belt  908  may have static diverter posts  910  to further separate the buds. The static diverter posts  910  are suspended just above the diverter conveyor belt  908 . As the diverter conveyor belt  910  transports the buds, they come in contact with the static diverter posts  910  and are deflected as desired. At the end of the diverter conveyor belt  908 , the cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds fall onto a pickup conveyor belt  912 . This pickup conveyor belt  912  moves slightly faster to further separate buds. The pickup conveyor belt  912  may be arranged to take the material to any additional process. Additional conveyors may be added to further improve separation. As needed, the pickup conveyor belt  912  may be provided with a front lit or back lit pickup location  914  for robot vision purposes. Specifically, the pickup conveyor belt  912  may be lit from directly above, or adjacent, the belt surface with lights of an intensity arranged to assist a vision guided robot in locating and picking up the cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. In a back lit configuration, the pickup conveyor belt  912  may be semi-transparent, so that when it passes over the back lit pickup location  914 , the cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds are lit from underneath, to further assist the vision guided robot in locating and picking up the cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. 
     The hopper conveyor belt  900 , the diverter conveyor belt  908 , and/or the front lit or back lit pickup conveyor belt  912  may even pause when the arrangement senses that material is about to fall off the pickup conveyor belt  912 . Alternately, or conjunction therewith, if a flower or bud is too large or too small, the hopper conveyor belt  900 , the diverter conveyor belt  908 , and/or the front lit or back lit pickup conveyor belt  912  may continue, allowing the too large or too small flower or bud to fall into another bin. This allows a worker or automated machinery to remove flowers and/or buds of acceptable size from the pickup conveyor belt for further processing. The pickup conveyor belt  912  may be provided with a backlight service door  920  to service the light for the back lit pickup location  914 . 
     All conveyors belts may be provided with a conveyor belt scraping mechanism positioned above separated product catch pans  906 ,  916 , and  918  to remove product from the conveyor belts. The belt scraping mechanism may also remove static electricity from the conveyor belts to further assist with product release. Moreover, the belt scraping mechanism may also induce static electricity upon the conveyor belts, and/or the system may induce static electricity upon other system components, in order to assist with product movement. The Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants may be arranged with multiple tiers of sorting, including further diverter conveyor belts, orbital rake separators, size separation tools, static diverter posts, and product catch pans. In this way, the product is separated incrementally, starting with the smallest material being separated, below which another line separates the medium material, and below which larger material is separated. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 22 , a section view is shown of the embodiment of the Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIGS. 19, 20, and 21 , as taken along section line A-A in  FIG. 20 . According to an embodiment of the process of using the Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, in a first step, cannabis or hemp flowers are again placed onto the hopper conveyor belt  900 , which moves the product forward towards the orbital rake separator  902 . In a second step, the orbital rake separator  902  helps gently feed the product from the hopper conveyor belt  900  into the size separation tool  904 . In a third step, the size separation tool  904  catches smaller components of the product in its slits or pockets. In a fourth step, the size separation tool  904  drops the smaller components of the product into a separated product catch pan  906 , where the smaller components of the product accumulate. In a fifth step, larger components of the product are moved forward on the diverter conveyor belt  908 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 23 , an embodiment of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants is shown. A worker or another automated device places cannabis or hemp buds and/or flowers onto a flower separating system  1000 , which may be similar to the Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIGS. 19 through 22 . The product is moved through the flower separating system  1000  to the pickup area  1002 , where a vision guided robot  1004  takes pictures of all the cannabis or hemp buds and/or flowers in the pickup area  1002 . The vision guided robot  1004  picks up cannabis or hemp buds and/or flowers and places them in one of the scales  1006 . 
     By way of the scales  1006  and the pictures taken by the vision guided robot  1004 , the size and the weight of each bud and/or flower is now known. The buds and/or flowers are then packaged or placed in temporary storage bins  1008 . The scales  1006  and/or temporary storage bins  1008  are arranged and mechanized in cooperation with a container handling system, in order to allow the contents to be deposited in shipping containers  1010 . Specifically, a motor driven gate arrangement may be connected to the scales  1006  and/or to the temporary storage bins  1008 . In at least one embodiment of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System, a motor driven gate arrangement is connected to the scales  1006 , and is configured so that when the motor rotates in one direction, a gate opens allowing the flower or bud to move into one of the temporary storage bins  1008 . When the motor rotates in the other direction, another gate opens allowing the flower or bud to move into a shipping container  1010  by way of a tube. In another embodiment of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System, the vision guided robot  1004  is responsible not only for moving the flowers and/or buds from the pickup area  1002  to the scales  1006 , but also for moving the flowers and/or buds between the scales  1006 , the temporary storage bins  1008 , and the shipping containers  1010 . 
     A computer-based control system  1012  is used to control the Automated Sorting and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants, including the vision guided robot  1004 , and to collect data. This unique computer-based control system  1012  is provided with one or more algorithms that utilize the size and weight data provided by the packaging process to determine an average container mix of various size buds and/or flowers. The computer-based control system  1012  may further be provided with one or more algorithms that allow the operator to determine the desired contents of an average container, so that the computer-based control system  1012  fills the shipping containers  1010  accordingly. 
     The computer-based control system  1012  associates the vision data size in pixels with the measured weight of each of the cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. As the Automated Sorting and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants operates, the association average continues to calculate, increasing the accuracy of the average. This data can then be recalled as a starting point for a new batch of cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. By using all stored locations and all “seen flowers and/or buds” on the pickup area  1002 , a large number of flowers and/or buds are considered while the algorithm of the computer-based control system  1012  calculates how to fill each container to an accurate weight. 
     The Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants functions by: 1) weighing each cannabis or hemp flower and/or bud using the scales  1006 , 2) storing each flower and/or bud in a storage container  1008 , 3) moving the flowers and/or buds to temporary storage bins  1008  in combination until the correct mix of flower and/or bud sizes and weights are accomplished, and 4) moving each group of flowers and/or buds to containers. The Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants can also be configured with additional scales that have storage features and the ability to deliver product to specific packages. Moreover, the computer-based control system  1012  of the Automated Feeding System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants may store and track data for each and every cannabis or hemp flower and/or bud for inventory and consumer information purposes. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 24 through 30C , a vision guided robot  1100  is shown, which may be similar to the vision guided robot  1004  of the embodiment of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIG. 23 . The vision guided robot  1100  is arranged to move cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds to and between storage containers  1102 . In order to do so, the vision guided robot  1100  is provided with a robotic gripper  1104 . The robotic gripper  1104  is attached to the vision guided robot  1100  by way of a gripper flange mount  1106  retained using a set screw  1108 . The robotic gripper  1104  is provided with a gripper body  1110  containing a known mechanism for moving gripper fingers  1112  between an open position and a closed or gripping position. 
     In the embodiment of the Automated Sorting and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants shown in  FIG. 23 , the gripper fingers  1112  are configured with a gripper finger truss  1120  that transfers the gripping force from the mechanism of the gripper body  1110  to interchangeable grip surfaces  1122 . Moreover, the gripper fingers  1112  may be fashioned from a soft and pliable material, such as for non-limiting example thermoplastic polyurethane, and may be manufactured using a 3D printer, as noted previously. Further, select portions of the gripper finger truss  1120 , such as the inner chords, the outer chords, the webs, and/or the nodal joints therebetween, or any combination thereof, may be fashioned from a soft and pliable material, while the remainder thereof may be fashioned from stiffer material. In this way, the gripping force transmitted from the mechanism of the gripper body  1110  to the interchangeable grip surfaces  1122  may be finely tuned to the needs of handling cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds. 
     It is again noted that the interchangeable grip surfaces  1122  may be wider than the gripper finger truss  1120 , in order to facilitate picking up more than one flower and/or bud, and to further reduce the gripping pressure. Further, it is noted that, if the flowers and/or buds are sticky, grip surfaces that are smooth may work best, whereas, if the flowers and/or buds are hard and dry, a grip surface with a tread may work best to prevent the flowers and/or buds from falling from the gripper fingers  1112  during rapid movements of the vision guided robot  1100 . 
     The robotic gripper  1104  of the vision guided robot  1100  may further be provided with a gripper sensor  1114  attached to the gripper body  1110  by way of a sensor bracket  1116 . The gripper sensor  1114  may, for non-limiting example, be a laser proximity sensor. Alternately, the gripper sensor  1114  may be a camera or other visual sensor. Still alternately, the gripper sensor  1114  may be any type of sensor capable of resolving object size and position. The vision guided robot  1100  uses the gripper sensor  1114  to confirm that a flower or bud is successfully picked up. Further, the vision guided robot  1100  may use the gripper sensor  114  to locate and provide vision data concerning the cannabis or hemp flowers and/or buds, where the gripper sensor  1114  is embodied as a camera or other visual sensor. The focus area of the gripper sensor  1114  is represented by a sensor beam  1118  in  FIGS. 28 through 30C . 
     While the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as demonstrated previously. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the Automated Feeding, Sorting, and Packaging System for a Farm with Robots Working on Plants using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 REFERENCE NUMBER LISTING 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 10 
                 Building with single slope roof 
               
               
                 12 
                 Exhaust stack 
               
               
                 14 
                 Exhaust blower 
               
               
                 16 
                 Activated Charcoal filter 
               
               
                 18 
                 Ozone generators 
               
               
                 20 
                 Attic circulation fans 
               
               
                 22 
                 Grow room exhaust fan 
               
               
                 24 
                 CO2 nozzle 
               
               
                 26 
                 Spray nozzle 
               
               
                 28 
                 Grow lights 
               
               
                 30 
                 Automated light rack 
               
               
                 32 
                 Automated light rack posts 
               
               
                 34 
                 Integrated screw jack 
               
               
                 36 
                 Split HVAC system 
               
               
                 38 
                 Sensors 
               
               
                 40 
                 Ceiling fan 
               
               
                 42 
                 Humidifier/dehumidifier 
               
               
                 44 
                 Room air filter 
               
               
                 46 
                 Grow room/Flower room with lights 
               
               
                 48 
                 Grow room/Flower room without lights 
               
               
                 50 
                 Preconditioned air hallway 
               
               
                 100 
                 Equipment and tank room 
               
               
                 102 
                 Clone and parent room 
               
               
                 104 
                 Harvest room 
               
               
                 106 
                 Trim and pruning room 
               
               
                 108 
                 Laboratory 
               
               
                 110 
                 Vegetation grow room 
               
               
                 112 
                 Flower room with lights 
               
               
                 114 
                 Flower room without lights 
               
               
                 116 
                 Air intakes 
               
               
                 150 
                 Parent power roller conveyor 
               
               
                 152 
                 Chain transfer 
               
               
                 154 
                 Gravity skate wheel conveyor 
               
               
                 156 
                 Pallet stops 
               
               
                 158 
                 Lift mechanism 
               
               
                 160 
                 Parent plant pot 
               
               
                 200 
                 Child conveyor tray 
               
               
                 202 
                 Child storage racks 
               
               
                 204 
                 Gravity conveyor 
               
               
                 206 
                 Lifting mechanism 
               
               
                 208 
                 Track 
               
               
                 210 
                 Storage and retrieval system 
               
               
                 212 
                 Movable shelf 
               
               
                 214 
                 Powered wheels 
               
               
                 250 
                 Grow room 
               
               
                 252 
                 Conveyor plant testing and watering section 
               
               
                 254 
                 Automated testing station 
               
               
                 256 
                 Conveyors 
               
               
                 258 
                 Hallway 
               
               
                 260 
                 Cross transfer 
               
               
                 262 
                 Conveyor frame 
               
               
                 264 
                 Offset splice tubes 
               
               
                 266 
                 Bolt-on spacer bar 
               
               
                 268 
                 Splice-on gusset and fish plate 
               
               
                 270 
                 Roller bracket 
               
               
                 272 
                 Two groove rollers 
               
               
                 274 
                 Drive belt 
               
               
                 276 
                 Drive rollers 
               
               
                 278 
                 Bearings with two hole strap 
               
               
                 280 
                 Set screws 
               
               
                 282 
                 Tapped holes 
               
               
                 300 
                 Tray and trellis system 
               
               
                 302 
                 Tray 
               
               
                 304 
                 Rotation holder 
               
               
                 306 
                 Trellis frame 
               
               
                 308 
                 Trellis combs 
               
               
                 310 
                 Trellis comb spine 
               
               
                 312 
                 Trellis comb ribs 
               
               
                 350 
                 Backlight tablet tool 
               
               
                 352 
                 Grip-cut tool 
               
               
                 354 
                 Cannabis or hemp plant 
               
               
                 356 
                 Room 
               
               
                 358 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot 
               
               
                 360 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot 
               
               
                 362 
                 Trim recovery system 
               
               
                 364 
                 Catch tray 
               
               
                 366 
                 Catch tray actuator 
               
               
                 400 
                 Parent plant pot 
               
               
                 402 
                 Training system 
               
               
                 404 
                 Corner posts 
               
               
                 406 
                 Training arms 
               
               
                 408 
                 Adjustable clamp 
               
               
                 450 
                 Parent plant conveyor 
               
               
                 452 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot 
               
               
                 454 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot 
               
               
                 456 
                 Roller conveyor turn table 
               
               
                 458 
                 Cannabis or hemp plant 
               
               
                 460 
                 Clone planting pedestal 
               
               
                 462 
                 Rockwool plug robot 
               
               
                 464 
                 pH controlled rinse tanks 
               
               
                 466 
                 Flex feeder 
               
               
                 468 
                 Tote dumper 
               
               
                 470 
                 Child tray 
               
               
                 472 
                 Child conveyor 
               
               
                 474 
                 Temperature and humidity controls 
               
               
                 476 
                 First nursery chamber 
               
               
                 478 
                 Second nursery chamber 
               
               
                 480 
                 Plant racks 
               
               
                 482 
                 Transporter rack 
               
               
                 484 
                 Transporter 
               
               
                 486 
                 Transplant robot 
               
               
                 488 
                 Conveyor 
               
               
                 490 
                 Gantry frame 
               
               
                 492 
                 Top layer pusher and scissor lift 
               
               
                 494 
                 Gantry head with integrated shelf 
               
               
                 496 
                 Preparation tanks 
               
               
                 498 
                 Dunnage 
               
               
                 500 
                 Conveyor 
               
               
                 502 
                 Clone preparation tank 
               
               
                 504 
                 Rooting hormone solution 
               
               
                 506 
                 Fixed blade 
               
               
                 508 
                 Movable blade 
               
               
                 510 
                 Actuator 
               
               
                 550 
                 Portable spray station 
               
               
                 552 
                 Frame 
               
               
                 554 
                 Wheels 
               
               
                 556 
                 Handle 
               
               
                 558 
                 Fluid tank and pump system 
               
               
                 560 
                 Air hose and control power cord 
               
               
                 562 
                 Control system 
               
               
                 564 
                 Spray nozzles 
               
               
                 566 
                 Compressor tank 
               
               
                 600 
                 Automated harvesting cell 
               
               
                 602 
                 Conveyor turntable 
               
               
                 604 
                 Standard conveyor section 
               
               
                 606 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot 
               
               
                 608 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot 
               
               
                 610 
                 Trimming or pruning robot system 
               
               
                 612 
                 Conveyor 
               
               
                 614 
                 Rockwool bailer 
               
               
                 616 
                 Tray wash and dry system 
               
               
                 650 
                 Curing cabinet 
               
               
                 652 
                 Drawers 
               
               
                 654 
                 Air exchange system 
               
               
                 656 
                 Intake filter 
               
               
                 658 
                 Charcoal exhaust filter 
               
               
                 660 
                 Control system 
               
               
                 700 
                 Control system network 
               
               
                 702 
                 Modem 
               
               
                 704 
                 Farm server 
               
               
                 706 
                 Office PCs 
               
               
                 708 
                 Farm manager 
               
               
                 710 
                 Tech support 
               
               
                 712 
                 Master gardener 
               
               
                 714 
                 Sales 
               
               
                 716 
                 Ethernet 
               
               
                 718 
                 Cloning cell 
               
               
                 720 
                 Programmable logic controller 
               
               
                 722 
                 Human machine interface 
               
               
                 724 
                 Robot vision controller 
               
               
                 726 
                 Main programmable logic controller 
               
               
                 728 
                 Room controller 
               
               
                 730 
                 Programmable logic controller I/O 
               
               
                 732 
                 Human machine interface 
               
               
                 734 
                 Vision system 
               
               
                 736 
                 Hallway conveyor control 
               
               
                 738 
                 Programmable logic controller I/O 
               
               
                 740 
                 Human machine interface 
               
               
                 750 
                 Cannabis or hemp plant 
               
               
                 752 
                 Parent plant pot 
               
               
                 754 
                 Parent plant pot turntable 
               
               
                 756 
                 Pot rotating motor 
               
               
                 758 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot 
               
               
                 760 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot pedestal 
               
               
                 762 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot 
               
               
                 764 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot pedestal 
               
               
                 766 
                 Plant manipulator 
               
               
                 768 
                 Manipulator attachment 
               
               
                 800 
                 Backlight assembly 
               
               
                 802 
                 Backlight enclosure plate 
               
               
                 804 
                 Backlight backing plate 
               
               
                 806 
                 Backlight cover plate 
               
               
                 808 
                 Backlight edging 
               
               
                 810 
                 Backlight robot adapter extension 
               
               
                 812 
                 Backlight robot adapter 
               
               
                 814 
                 Torx flat head screw 
               
               
                 816 
                 Socket head cap screw 
               
               
                 818 
                 Backlight adapter 
               
               
                 820 
                 Backlight screen 
               
               
                 850 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot 
               
               
                 852 
                 Backlight tablet tool holding robot pedestal 
               
               
                 854 
                 Backlight assembly 
               
               
                 860 
                 Grip-cut tool 
               
               
                 862 
                 Plant sensor 
               
               
                 864 
                 Grip-cutter 
               
               
                 866 
                 Grip-cutter actuator 
               
               
                 868 
                 Cannabis or hemp plant 
               
               
                 880 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot 
               
               
                 882 
                 Grip-cut tool holding robot pedestal 
               
               
                 884 
                 Grip-cut tool 
               
               
                 900 
                 Hopper conveyor belt 
               
               
                 902 
                 Orbital rake separator 
               
               
                 904 
                 Size separation tool 
               
               
                 906 
                 Separated product catch pan 
               
               
                 908 
                 Diverter conveyor belt 
               
               
                 910 
                 Static diverter posts 
               
               
                 912 
                 Pickup conveyor belt 
               
               
                 914 
                 Backlight/pickup location 
               
               
                 916 
                 Separated product catch pan 
               
               
                 918 
                 Separated product catch pan 
               
               
                 920 
                 Backlight service door 
               
               
                 1000 
                 Flower separating system 
               
               
                 1002 
                 Pickup area 
               
               
                 1004 
                 Vision guided robot 
               
               
                 1006 
                 scales 
               
               
                 1008 
                 Temporary storage bins 
               
               
                 1010 
                 Shipping container 
               
               
                 1012 
                 Computer-based control system 
               
               
                 1100 
                 Vision guided robot 
               
               
                 1102 
                 Storage containers 
               
               
                 1104 
                 Robotic gripper 
               
               
                 1106 
                 Gripper flange mount 
               
               
                 1108 
                 Set screw 
               
               
                 1110 
                 Gripper body 
               
               
                 1112 
                 Gripper fingers 
               
               
                 1114 
                 Gripper sensor 
               
               
                 1116 
                 Sensor bracket 
               
               
                 1118 
                 Sensor beam 
               
               
                 1120 
                 Gripper finger truss 
               
               
                 1122 
                 Interchangeable grip surface