Patent Publication Number: US-2023158181-A1

Title: A Steam Disinfestation Inline System and Apparatus for Agricultural Bud or Leaf Products

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to and claims priority from commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/820,883, entitled: A Steam Disinfection Inline System and Apparatus for Agricultural bud or leaf Products, filed on Mar. 20, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the disinfestation of agricultural and other products in their bud or leaf form. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There is an increasing public concern over the level of pesticide residues in agricultural products. Many previous fungicides have become ineffective due to the development of pathogens resistant to these fungicides. As a result, the use of pesticides and fungicides for post-harvest control of diseases in agricultural products has been substantially restricted and considerable research and development has been conducted for using other post-harvest treatments of agricultural products to extend their storage life. 
     Heat treatment for disinfesting agricultural products leaves no pesticide residues and is considered as both environmental friendly and human friendly. However, when heat is applied to the complete outer surface of the agricultural products sufficient for post-harvest disease control, there is a danger that hot spots may be produced on the outer surface of the agricultural products, damaging them, either partially or completely. Such damaged products become vulnerable to necrotrophic pathogens. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides systems and methods for treating agricultural particulates, such as buds,  Cannabis  buds, herbs, leaves, and the like, with a treatment agent, such as steam, as the agricultural products move forward along a pathway created by a conveyer, in a chamber, enclosed by an aligned ceiling and floor, and oppositely disposed lateral walls. The exposure times to the steam, created by the intervals and lengths in which steam enters the chamber results in the elimination (destruction) and/or neutralization of the pathogens on the agricultural particulates, while the agricultural particulates remain undamaged and active. 
     Embodiments of the invention are directed to a disinfestation method comprising: placing a plurality of particulates along a pathway for causing movement of the particulates to expose the exterior surface of the particulates to treatment substances; providing a treatment chamber along the pathway; and, treating the particulates with a treatment substance while the particulates are passing through the treatment chamber. 
     Optionally, the treatment substance is steam. 
     Optionally, the treatment substance is a treatment agent. 
     Optionally, the rotational pathway is created by belt conveyer. 
     Optionally, the particulates include  Cannabis  buds. 
     Optionally, the particulates are in a bud or leaf form. 
     Optionally, the size of the particulates ranges approximately between 1 mm and 6.5 cm. 
     Optionally, the exposure period of the particulates to the treatment substance ranges approximately between 0-20 seconds. 
     Optionally, the method additionally comprising introducing the steam into the treatment chamber through at least one nozzle in the treatment chamber. 
     Optionally, the steam is introduced through the at least one nozzle at a temperature of approximately 120°-140° C. 
     Optionally, the steam causes the particulates surface temperature to reach a temperature of approximately 70° C. 
     Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system for treating agricultural particulates comprising: a chamber configured for receiving a treatment agent in the interior of the chamber; a conveyer extending at least partially through the chamber, the conveyer configured for maintaining a forward moving path for the agricultural particulates, the conveyer is divided into two sections, an upper section and bottom section, the agricultural particulates are transferred from the upper section to the bottom section, such that the agricultural particulates are turned over, exposing all the exterior of the particulates to the treatment agent. 
     Optionally, the system additionially comprising a steam source for providing steam as the treatment agent to the interior of the chamber. 
     Optionally, the system additonally comprising a computerized controller configured for controlling the stream source, such that steam is provided to the chamber at predetermined intervals. 
     Optionally, the computerized controller is configured for controlling the stream source, such that steam is provided to the chamber at the predetermined intervals for predetermined lengths of time. 
     Optionally, the chamber includes an opening for receiving the agricultural particulates at a proximal end of the chamber, and an opening through which the agricultural particulates are exiting from the chamber at a distal end. 
     Optionally, the forward moving path is from the opening at the proximal end of the chamber to the opening at the distal end of the chamber. 
     Optionally, the conveyer is driven by a motor. 
     Optionally, the motor is controlled by the computerized controller. 
     Optionally, the computerized controller is in communication with a thermal camera configured for monitoring the surface temperature of the agricultural particulates. 
     Unless otherwise defined herein, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments of the present invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced. 
       Attention is now directed to the drawings, where like reference numerals or characters indicate corresponding or like components. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    is a side view of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of the system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments, or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     The present invention provides a system for disinfesting agricultural products, as particulates, such as buds,  Cannabis  buds, herbs, leaves, and the like, from potential pathogens using short and efficient exposure to steam. 
       FIGS.  1  and  2    are side views of the systems  100  and  200  respectively for treating agricultural products, including agricultural particulates or particulates, such as buds,  Cannabis  buds, herbs, leaves, and the like hereinafter and collectively known as “agricultural particulates” or “particulates”, these terms used interchangeably herein. 
       FIG.  1    is a side view of the system  100 . The system  100  includes a treatment unit  102  and a conveyer  104 , e.g., a belt conveyer, on which the particulates are positioned, forming a pathway for the particulates, from a raw product to a treated product. The belt conveyer is of a mesh material allowing steam to contact particulates from both sides of the belt. 
     The system  100  is designed to accommodate, for example, particulates (and other materials) of between approximately 1 mm and 6.5 cm. 
     The treatment unit  102  includes a chamber or enclosure  106 . A proximal portion  104   a  and a distal portion  104   b  of the conveyer  104  extend out of the chamber  106 , so as to be driven by a motor (not shown) via gears or belts. The motor may be activated manually or controlled by a computerized controller (not shown), over wired and/or wireless networks, or combinations thereof. The conveyer  104  may include, for example, a screen mesh on which the particulates are positioned. The chamber  106  includes a proximal opening  106   px  in the side wall  106   a  of the chamber  106  and a distal opening  106   dx  in the parallel side wall  106   b  of the chamber  106 . The raw particulates are entered into the chamber  106  via proximal opening  106   px  and are exited from the chamber  106  as treated particulates through proximal opening  106   dx.    
     The chamber  106  includes one or more nozzles  108   a - 108   j,  for example, in the chamber upper wall  106   y  and lower wall  106   z,  through which steam enters the chamber  106 , from a steam unit or source via pipes (not shown). The steam unit or source may be controlled by a computer, computerized controller or the like, as well as manually. The computer or manual control is such that steam, which is for example, water-based, is released from the steam unit at various times, including time intervals, for various time lengths. 
     The steam is at a temperature sufficient, such that all or substantially all, of the exterior (or surface) of the particulates is exposed to the steam in the chamber  106 . The exposure to the steam eliminates and/or neutralizes pathogens for each of the particulates, for example, disinfesting each of the particulates without destroying or deactivating the particulates themselves. 
     The temperature of the steam entering from the steam unit or source may be controlled using a thermal camera (not shown) positioned within system  100 . The thermal camera monitors the surface temperature of the treated particulates and adjusts the steam temperature accordingly so as to prevent heat damage to the particulates. 
     In addition to steam, other treatment substances or agents, either alone or in combination with steam, may also be transmitted into the chamber  106  for treatment of the particulates. The treatment agents, are typically gasses or liquids, but may also be solids, such as powders, for example, which are food safe, or UV light. 
     In operation, for example, the steam enters the chamber  106  through the steam nozzles  108   a - 108   j,  at temperatures of approximately 120° C.-140° C. This entry temperature is such that the steam contacts the particulates surface at temperatures sufficient to treat the particulates from pathogens and other harmful agents, but not cause heat damage to the particulates. The steam causes the surface temperature of the particulates to reach a temperature of approximately 70° C., as this temperature allows disinfesting of the particulates from pathogens and other harmful agents without causing heat damage to the particulates. The temperature of the steam declines due to the distance between the steam nozzles  108   a - 108   j  and the particulates on the conveyer  104 . The exposure time of the particulates to the steam is, for example, restricted to a predetermined period of time, approximately 0-20 seconds, as provided manually or by a computer controller, and/or coupled with the exposure time to the steam, in order to prevent heat damage to the particulates. 
       FIG.  2    is a side view of the system  200  which is similar in construction and operation to apparatus  100 , as detailed above, except where indicated. The system  200  includes one or more gears  210   a - 210   b  located within chamber  106 . The Gears  210   a - 210   b  are positioned such that conveyer  104  is divided into two sections, an upper section  104   p,  and bottom section  104   d.  The end  104   px  of upper section  104   p  is positioned over a proximal portion  104   dx  of bottom section  104   d.  The transition of the particulates from the end  104   px  of upper section  104   p  to the proximal portion  104   dx  of bottom section  104   d  causes the particulate to flip over. The nozzles  108   a - 108   e  are positioned, for example, in the chamber upper wall  106   y  such that each nozzle is positioned at a similar distance from its corresponding conveyer region. 
     In operation, for example, the steam enters the chamber  106  through the steam nozzles  108   a - 108   e.  The raw particulates enter the chamber  106  through proximal opening  106   px  and are conveyed toward end  104   px  such that the steam contacts the particulates upper surface. At the end  104   px,  the particulates fall onto the proximal portion  104   dx,  such that the particulates are flipped and turned over, with their bottom surface facing the steam nozzles  108   a - 108   e.  The particulates are then conveyed from the proximal portion  104   dx  to the distal opening  106   dx,  while the steam contacts the particulates previous bottom surface. 
     EXAMPLES 
     The following examples are not meant to limit the scope of the claims in any way. The following examples are put forth so as to provide those of ordinary skill in the art with a complete disclosure and description of how to make and use the described invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, nor are they intended to represent that the experiments below are all or the only experiments performed. Unless indicated otherwise, parts are parts by weight, molecular weight is weight average molecular weight, temperature is in degrees Centigrade, and pressure is at or near atmospheric. 
     Example 1 
     Disinfesting  Cannabis  Buds 
     Samples of  Cannabis  buds were exposed to stem for periods of 9 and 17 sec. The samples were disinfesting using the system disclosed in  FIG.  2   . The samples were assessed for contamination levels vs. treatment. The sanitation results are presented in table 1 below. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Results of contamination levels vs. treatment 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                   
                 TIME 
                   
                 TOTAL 
               
               
                   
                 SAMPLE 
                 (SEC) 
                 MOLD 
                 COUNT 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 1 
                 0 
                 3400 
                 400000 
               
               
                   
                 2 
                 9 
                 0 
                 16000 
               
               
                   
                 3 
                 9 
                 0 
                 5400 
               
               
                   
                 4 
                 9 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 5 
                 9 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 AVG 2-3 
                 9 
                 0 
                 10700 
               
               
                   
                 6 
                 17 
                 0 
                 1100 
               
               
                   
                 7 
                 17 
                 0 
                 830 
               
               
                   
                 8 
                 17 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 9 
                 17 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 AVG 6-7 
                 17 
                 0 
                 965 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The results show that the most efficient treatment was achieved in the 17 sec period. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. Therefore, the claimed invention as recited in the claims that follow is not limited to the embodiments described herein.