Systems and methods for automated production of cigarettes

Abstract

An enclosed cannabis cigarette preparation system that includes an indexing module configured to accept a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and to move the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations. The system further includes a filling module configured to dispense, at a first station, a portion of cannabis shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones; a tamping module configured to compress, at a second station, the cannabis shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; a de-clogging module; and a pinching module configured to pinch-twist, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.

1 . An enclosed cigarette preparation system comprising:
 an indexing module configured to accept a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and to move the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations as instructed by a controller;   a filling module configured to dispense, at a first station, a portion of shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones;   a tamping module configured to compress, at a second station, the shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; and   a pinching module configured to pinch-twist, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filling module includes an auger component configured to dispense the portion of shake material. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the filling module further includes at least one follower gear whose sprockets engage with the flighting of the auger component, thereby agitating the shake material during dispensing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further including a de-clogging module comprising an inlet configured to receive an intermittently actuated injection of pressurized air. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a collection module having a grinding system incorporated therein, the grinding system configured to receive raw material and produce the cannabis shake material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the grinding system includes a plurality of tines radially extending from a rotatable central component, wherein the plurality of tines are configured based on one or more attributes of the raw material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tamping module includes:
 a fill-sensor configured to determine whether a loosely packed cone contains a predetermined amount of the shake material; and   a tamping device configured to actuate only when the fill-sensor determines that the loosely packed cone contains the predetermined amount of shake material.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pinching module includes a rotatable pinching finger assembly having an open position sufficient to encompass the open end of the pre-rolled cones, and a closed position configured to substantially compress the open end of the pre-rolled cones. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pinching module includes:
 an anvil component having a threaded central bore configured to receive a motor-driven threaded rod;   first and second side blocks slideably engaging the anvil component at a predetermined, non-zero angle relative to the axis of the central bore; and   first and second pinching fingers rigidly coupled, respectively, to the first and second side blocks;   wherein rotation of the motor-driven threaded rod causes translation of the anvil component along the axis of the central bore and lateral movement of the first and second pinching fingers orthogonal to the axis of the central bore.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the rotatable pinching finger assembly includes a pair of opposing “Y”-shaped fingers configured to overlap in a closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pinching module further includes a cone stabilization sub-system configured to selectably contact a portion of the pre-rolled cones to prevent rotation thereof during pinch-twisting. 
     
     
         12 . The system of claim ii, wherein:
 the indexing module includes a circular array of cups configured to hold the pre-rolled cones, each cup having an access opening; and   the cone stabilization sub-system includes an actuatable gripping component configured to extend through the access openings to contact the pre-rolled cone held therein.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a bar-code reading module configured to read bar-codes printed on the pre-rolled cones and a data storage component configured to store tracking information that associates the read bar-codes to the shake material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the tracking information is stored within a publicly accessible blockchain. 
     
     
         15 . A method for cannabis cigarette preparation, the method comprising:
 receiving, within an indexing module, a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and moving the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations as instructed by a controller;   dispensing, at a first station, a portion of cannabis shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones;   compressing, at a second station, the cannabis shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; and   pinch-twisting, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including receiving raw cannabis material and grinding the raw cannabis material to produce the cannabis shake material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further including grinding the raw cannabis material using a plurality of tines radially extending from a rotatable central component, wherein the plurality of tines are configured based on one or more attributes of the raw cannabis material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further including:
 determining, with a fill-sensor, whether a loosely packed cone contains a predetermined amount of the cannabis shake material, and   actuating a tamping device only when the fill-sensor determines that the loosely packed cone contains the predetermined amount of cannabis shake material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pinch-twisting is performed by a rotatable pinching finger assembly having an open position sufficient to encompass the open end of the pre-rolled cones, and a closed position configured to substantially compress the open end of the pre-rolled cones. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pinching-twisting is performed by: an anvil component having a threaded central bore configured to receive a motor-driven threaded rod; first and second side blocks slideably engaging the anvil component at a predetermined, non-zero angle relative to the axis of the central bore; and first and second pinching fingers rigidly coupled, respectively, to the first and second side blocks;
 wherein rotation of the motor-driven threaded rod causes translation of the anvil component along the axis of the central bore and lateral movement of the first and second pinching fingers orthogonal to the axis of the central bore.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pinch-twisting is performed by a rotatable pinching finger assembly including a pair of opposing “Y”-shaped fingers configured to overlap in a closed position. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further including selectably contacting a portion of the pre-rolled cones during the pinch-twisting to prevent rotation thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , further including providing a bar-code reading module configured to read bar-codes printed on the pre-rolled cones and a data storage component configured to store tracking information that associates the read bar-codes to the cannabis shake material.