BACKGROUND

[0001] Hemp, cannabis, and/or marijuana may be processed for various uses. Such processing may produce scrap or waste, which may be discarded into a landfill or otherwise, thus adding to the accumulation of waste.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for producing a hemp, cannabis, and/or marijuana sheet, further known as an HCM sheet. As used herein, “HCM” shall mean “hemp, cannabis, and/or marijuana,” unless specifically indicated in a certain context. An HCM sheet may be a paper-like sheet derived by utilizing raw materials such as HCM stalks, stem, leaves, scrap, waste, dust, and/or other HCM byproducts, including any combinations thereof. HCM sheets may further comprise processing aids and/or additives. [0003] In various embodiments, a method to form an HCM sheet may comprise processing a raw material, wherein the raw material may comprise at least a portion of at least one of hemp, cannabis, and marijuana (e.g., at least a portion of a hemp plant, a cannabis plant, and/or a marijuana plant); creating a mixture comprising the raw material and a liquid; separating a solid component of the mixture from a liquid component of the mixture; refining the solid component to achieve a desired consistency; forming the solid component into a desired configuration; drying the solid component; applying an additive to the solid component; and/or sizing the solid component. The steps of a method disclosed herein may be performed in any suitable combination and/or in any suitable order. [0004] In various embodiments, a system for producing an HCM sheet may comprise a processing system comprising a raw material comprising at least a portion of at least one of hemp, cannabis, and marijuana, wherein the processing system is configured to process the raw material; a separation system configured to receive a mixture comprising the raw material and a liquid from the processing system and separate a solid component comprising the raw material from the mixture; and/or a drying system configured to dry the solid component to form the HCM sheet. In various embodiments, the system may further comprise a feedstock configured to provide the raw material to the processing system. In various embodiments, the system may further comprise a refining system configured to receive the solid component from the separation system and refine the solid component into a desired consistency. In various embodiments, the refining system may comprise a shredder. In various embodiments, the system may further comprise a forming system configured to receive the solid component from the refining system and/or the separation system and form the solid component into a desired configuration. In various embodiments, the forming system may comprise at least one of a roller or a press. In various embodiments, the system may further comprise a sizing system configured to receive the HCM sheet from the drying system and size the HCM sheet. In various embodiments, the system may further comprise a tank configured to receive the liquid from the separation system. In various embodiments, the system may further comprise a nozzle configured to apply the liquid in the tank to the solid component in the drying system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures. [0006] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for producing an HCM sheet, in accordance with various embodiments; and [0007] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for creating an HCM sheet, in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] All ranges may include the upper and lower values, and all ranges and ratio limits disclosed herein may be combined. It is to be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, references to “a,” “an,” and/or “the” may include one or more than one, that reference to an item in the singular may also include the item in the plural, and that reference to an item in the plural may also include the item in the singular.

[0009] The detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments by way of illustration. While these various embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected, or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full, and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact.

[0010] An HCM sheet may be a sheet of HCM materials derived from raw materials such as HCM stalks, stem, leaves, scrap, waste, dust and/or other HCM byproducts, including any combinations thereof. An HCM sheet may further comprise processing aids and/or additives. In various embodiments, an HCM sheet may be paper-like, homogeneous, and/or may have a random distribution of the materials comprised therein. In various embodiments, an HCM sheet may refer to an agglomeration of the processed HCM materials using the systems and methods discussed herein. Therefore, an HCM sheet may comprise any suitable shape (e.g., a sheet, block, cylinder, strips, or the like), density, texture, and/or the like.

[0011] In various embodiments, the raw materials and/or HCM byproducts used to form HCM sheets may be scrap or waste from processes including milling of HCM materials, cannabidiol (CBD) oil extraction, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) extraction, cultivation of HCM crops and/or materials at farms and growing sites, and/or the like.

[0012] In various embodiments, with reference to FIG. 1, a system 100 for producing an HCM sheet may comprise a feedstock 110, a processing system 120, a separation system 130 (e.g., a wet end separation system), a refining system 140, a forming system 150, a drying system 160, a sizing system 170, and/or a tank 180. A system in accordance with various embodiments may comprise one or more of each of the foregoing components.

[0013] In various embodiments, feedstock 110 may be a source of raw materials (e.g.,

HCM materials) and/or may comprise raw materials. In various embodiments, system 100 may comprise multiple feedstocks 110, which may each comprise and/or provide a different raw material (e.g., one feedstock 110 may comprise HCM stems, another may comprise HCM stalks, etc.). Feedstock 110 may supply the raw materials to one or more other components of system 100. [0014] With additional reference to FIG. 2, a method 200 for producing an HCM sheet may comprise processing the raw materials (step 202). As discussed herein, the raw materials may be HCM raw materials provided by feedstock 110. Processing system 120 may, as part of processing the raw materials (step 202), cut up or blend the raw materials into a desired configuration (e.g., powder, particles, aggregation, agglomeration, and/or the like). The processed (or unprocessed) raw materials may be metered (for example by weight or weight percentage, or by volume or volume percentage) and combined with a liquid (e.g., water, or other carrier fluid and/or solvent) to form a mixture (step 204). Such metering may be performed by a metering system (e.g., having one or more scales), which may be comprised in, or separate from, processing system 120. As an example, the raw materials and/or mixture may comprise approximately 30% by weight processed stalks, approximately 30% by weight processed stems, and/or approximately 40% by weight other HCM byproducts (in this context, the term “approximately” in this context means plus or minus 10% by weight). In various embodiments, the liquid may be calculated into the component weight percentages of the components of the mixture. In various embodiments, the raw materials may be blended together and then added to the liquid.

[0015] As another example, in various embodiments, feedstock used for producing an

HCM sheet (and/or the resulting HCM sheet) may comprise approximately 40% to 80% by weight, or 60% to 75% by weight, stems and/or stalks. The stems and/or stalks may provide fiber content to the HCM sheet, which provides strength for the resulting HCM sheet to maintain its structure. In producing HCM sheets, the amount (e.g., weight percent) of stalks and/or stems comprised in the feedstock and/or HCM sheet to provide sufficient fibers for strength within the HCM sheet may be less than sheets produced from other plants or materials, because HCM materials may be more fibrous than other materials. In various embodiments, feedstock used for producing an HCM sheet (and/or the resulting HCM sheet) may comprise approximately 15% to 40% by weight, or 25% to 40% by weight, fines, dust, scrap, waste, and/or other HCM byproducts. In various embodiments, feedstock used for producing an HCM sheet (and/or the resulting HCM sheet) may comprise cellulose to serve as a binder to hold the components of the HCM sheet together. The feedstock and/or HCM sheet may comprise between approximately 0% and 10% by weight, approximately 0% and 5% by weight, between approximately 0% and 1% by weight, between approximately 0% and 2% by weight, between approximately 1% and 2% by weight, or between approximately 0% and 3% by weight added cellulose (“added cellulose” meaning cellulose that is not already, or naturally, present in the HCM materials). The cellulose added to feedstock used for producing an HCM sheet (and/or the resulting HCM sheet) may be less than that included in feedstock for producing sheets from other plants or materials (tobacco sheets may require above 5% or above 10% by weight cellulose), because HCM materials may naturally comprise sufficient cellulose to adequately bind the HCM sheet. In various embodiments, the feedstock used for producing an HCM sheet (and/or the resulting HCM sheet) may comprise no added cellulose. In this context, the term “approximately” in this context means plus or minus 10% by weight.

[0016] In various embodiments, the mixture of the raw materials and the liquid may be held at a temperature and/or pressure for a desired time period (e.g., between 30 minutes and four hours, between 30 minutes and two hours, or any suitable time period) to allow an extract of the raw materials to impregnate the liquid. In various embodiments, the steps of method 200 may be performed at a single temperature, a range of temperatures, and/or at variable temperatures (e.g. gradually increasing or decreasing temperatures). For example, the mixture of the raw materials and the liquid may be held at a temperature of between 90 °F and 400 °F, between 130 °F and 350 °F, between 90 °F and 200 °F, between 190 °F and 225 °F, or between 140 °F and 150 °F, to allow the extract of the raw materials to impregnate the liquid. The dwell time for a certain temperature may be between 30 minutes and three hours, between one and two hours, between 30 minutes and one hour, or between 50 minutes and one hour. In various embodiments, the steps of method 200 may be performed at a single pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure), a range of pressures, and/or at variable pressures (e.g. gradually increasing or decreasing pressures).

[0017] In various embodiments, the mixture may comprise a solid component (e.g., comprising the processed and/or blended raw materials) and a liquid component (e.g., the water, which may comprise the extract from the solid component). In response to reaching a desired level of saturation (e.g., saturation of the liquid with the extract of the raw materials), the solid component of the mixture may be separated from the liquid component (step 206) via separation system 130. Such a separation may be completed by a filter, press, phase separation apparatus, and/or the like. The solid component may be a wet pulp or like material.

[0018] In various embodiments, the liquid component may be moved to a tank 180 for use later in method 200, use in another process, and/or for disposal.

[0019] In various embodiments, the solid component may be disposed in refining system 140 for refining (step 208) into a desired consistency. For example, refining system 140 may shred the solid component down into a finer pulp. Refining system 140 may, for example, comprise a shredder, such as a disc shredder.

[0020] The solid component (e.g., solid component that has been separated from the liquid component and/or refined) may be disposed (e.g., by being metered) into forming system 150 and formed into a desired configuration (step 210). The solid component may be rolled, pressed, and/or the like, which may remove additional liquid and/or form the solid portion into the desired configuration (e.g., a desired shape, such as a sheet, block, or the like). [0021] In various embodiments, the solid component may be dried (step 212) in drying system 160. Drying system 160 may comprise blowers, heaters, evaporators, and/or the like to dry the solid component. In various embodiments, drying system 160 may comprise multiple stages through which the solid component may be dried. The temperature may be controlled throughout the drying process to achieve a desired moisture level and desired physical and chemical properties of the solid component. During drying, the solid component may be exposed to temperatures ranging between 250 °F and 450 °F, between 200 °F and 400 °F, or between 250 °F and 325 °F.

[0022] In various embodiments, additives may be applied to the solid component

(step 214). Additives may be applied to the solid component at any suitable time in method 200, such as toward the end of the drying process for the solid component (for example, while the solid component is cooling from a drying process). The additive may comprise the liquid component from the mixture (or derived therefrom), and/or one or more flavorings, casings, CBD oils, THC solutions, colorings, preservatives, scents, and/or the like. System 100 may comprise multiple tanks 180 for housing such additives.

[0023] In various embodiments, the additives may be applied to the solid component in any suitable manner such as spraying (e.g., by a nozzle) the additives (e.g., in an atomized spray), submerging the solid component in an additive, brushing or painting the additive onto the solid component, and/or the like.

[0024] In various embodiments, the HCM sheet may comprise between 10% and 20% by weight, between 10% and 15% by weight, or 12% and 15% by weight moisture. A moisture content in an HCM sheet less than 5% or 10% by weight may cause the HCM sheet to be more brittle than may be desired.

[0025] In various embodiments, the solid component may be sized (step 216) via sizing system 170. Solid component may be cut, sliced, molded, pressed, and/or the like to achieve a desired shape. For example, the solid component may be cut into small chunks, an agglomeration, a powder, sheets, strips, or any desired configuration or shape.

[0026] The solid component (before and/or after sizing) may be packaged (step 218) for shipping, sale, storage, or any other suitable purpose.

[0027] It should be understood that the steps in method 200 may be performed in any suitable combination and order.

[0028] In various embodiments, an HCM sheet(s) may be used as a wrapper, a filler for hemp, cannabis, and/or marijuana smoking articles (whether as the only ingredient, or in any combination with other components, e.g., to fill space within the smoking article, provide flavor, etc.), a component with heat-not-bum technology and/or electronic articles to produce vapors, and/or the like. As other use examples, the solid component or HCM sheet may be disposed in pouches for chewing, disposed in cigarettes or other objects for smoking, used as a sheet to enclose the contents of a chewing pouch or cigarette (or other object for smoking). The solid component or HCM sheet may allow a chewing pouch or cigarette to completely comprise HCM products (e.g., a marijuana cigarette may comprise marijuana and/or the solid component wrapped in an HCM sheet produced in accordance with various embodiments). [0029] The systems and methods discussed herein may also have a benefit of reducing waste from agricultural growing operations and manufacturers of hemp, cannabis, and/or marijuana products, utilizing components therefrom that would otherwise go unused or be disposed as waste. The systems and methods disclosed herein also may serve as an alternative to landfill disposal of various portions of the HCM plant after many types of processing and agricultural activities.

[0030] Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.

[0031] Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments. [0032] Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.