Modular Apparatus for Refining Loose Products for Consumption

Abstract

A modular apparatus for refining a loose product. The apparatus has an elongate main body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion. The main body has a product passageway located in it. A product processing body is located at the proximal end portion, and communicates with the product passageway. A product dispenser is located at the distal end portion of the main body. The product dispenser communicates with the product passageway to receive in it an amount of the product from the product processing body during a product refining operation.

1 . A modular apparatus for refining a loose product, the apparatus comprising:
 an elongate main body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the main body having a product passageway located therein;   a product processing body located at the proximal end portion, and in communication with the product passageway;   a product dispenser located at the distal end portion of the main body, the product dispenser being in communication with the product passageway to receive therein an amount of the product from the product processing body during a product refining operation;   the product processing body includes i) a cap body having a plurality of spaced apart blade members, the blade members being of different sizes and shapes for refining an amount of the loose product; and ii) a sieving body having a plurality of spaced apart openings being of a size and shape sufficient to permit selective passage therethrough of the product into the product passageway,   the cap body includes i) an upper end portion having an upper end portion floor with a penannular upstanding sidewall connected thereto; and ii) a handle member hingeably connected to the upper end portion floor for movement between a default storage configuration in which the handle member is coplanar with the upper end portion, and a refining configuration in which the handle member is disposed generally orthogonal to the upper end portion, the handle member being sized and shaped to permit rotation of the cap body to permit rotational movement during the product refining operation, the handle member having a handle projection for cooperation with the penannular sidewall in the default storage configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the spaced apart blade members are arranged in three circular concentric rings. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus, according to  claim 2 , in which the three circular concentric rings include i) an inner blade member; ii) a set of middle blade members spaced apart from the inner blade member; and iii) a set of outer blade members spaced apart from the set of middle blade members. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus, according to  claim 2 , in which the inner blade member is an eight-pointed star-shaped blade. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus, according to  claim 2 , in which the set of middle blade members includes five spaced apart chevron-shaped blades. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus, according to  claim 2 , in which the set of outer blade members includes eight circumferentially disposed, spaced apart diamond-shaped blades. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus, according to  claim 6 , in which the diamond-shaped blades are connected to a circumferentially disposed, downwardly depending sidewall, the diamond shaped blades being interconnected with each other around the entire circumference of the cap body. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the handle member includes first and second hinges connecting the handle member to the upper end portion floor of the cap body. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the handle member is generally half-moon shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the cap body includes a gripping portion which includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed ridges and indents. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the sieving body includes i) a sieving body floor with a plurality of spaced apart openings extending therethrough, the spaced apart openings being in communication with the product passageway extending away therefrom; ii) an upstanding, circumferentially disposed wall connected to the sieving body floor; and iii) an upstanding mounting post for connecting the sieving body to the elongate main body, the upstanding mounting post being connected the sieving body floor; the cap body being cooperable with the sieving body to permit rotation relative to each other during the product refining operation in which the blade members contact the amount of the product located in the sieving body so as to generate an amount of refined product. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the spaced apart openings are disposed radially across the sieving body floor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the spaced apart openings include a set of outer openings that are disposed circumferentially adjacent the upstanding, circumferentially disposed wall, and adjacent a set of inner openings that are disposed between the set of outer openings and the upstanding mounting post. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus, according to  claim 13 , in which the set of outer openings includes ten openings which are spaced apart from each other and are adjacent the upstanding, circumferentially disposed wall. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus, according to  claim 14 , in which the each of the outer openings are pear-shaped and includes a large end and a narrow end, the large ends being adjacent each other, the narrow ends being adjacent each other. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus, according to  claim 15 , in which the set of inner openings includes twelve pear-shaped openings, each of the inner openings including a large end and a narrow end. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus, according to  claim 16 , in which the large ends are orientated towards the large ends of the outer set of openings, the narrow openings being orientated towards the narrow ends of the outer set of openings. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus, according to  claim 15 , in which the large ends are disposed towards the respective outer and inner openings so as to define a plurality of cutting zones so as to allow the refined product to fall directly into the passageway. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus, according to  claim 18 , in which the narrow ends are disposed relative to the respective outer and inner openings to define a narrow zone so as to permit non-refined product to transit towards the cutting zones for further processing. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus, according  claim 1 , in which the blade members are orientated relative to the spaced apart openings such that during the product refining operation, the blades move relative to the spaced apart openings to generate the refined product. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further including first and second anti-rotation members, the first anti-rotation member having two spaced apart stop members connected to the cap body and depending downwardly therefrom to cooperate with two spaced apart anchor openings located to snuggly receive therein the stop members; the second anti-rotation member having a side bar located on edge of the sieving body, the side bar being located to abuttingly engage a stop wall located on an upstanding cup wall. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the elongate main body is an elongate polygonal shaped body, the elongate main body having a main body chamber disposed therein. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the main body is an elongate parallelogram container having four main sidewalls and two end sidewalls, the junctions at each of the main sidewalls being baffled. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the product processing body is disposed generally orthogonal to the elongate main body. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the product processing body is a cylindrical body. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which a spill tray is connected to the main elongate body. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus, according to  claim 26 , in which a spill tray door is connected to the spill tray to permit angled opening thereof to permit the user to move the refined product onto the rolling paper. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus, according to  claim 27 , in which the spill tray door angled up, the spill tray being angled downwardly away from the spill tray door. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which a lighter compartment is connected to one end of the elongate main body, the lighter compartment being of sufficient size to accommodate one or more lighters of various sizes. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , in which the lighter compartment is angled away from the cap body. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , a paper storage compartment is located adjacent the lid, the paper storage compartment being located to permit insertion of a paper package therein. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  in which a sealing gasket is located snug between the cap body and the sieving body. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus, according  claim 1 , further includes a multifunctional tool connected to an outer sidewall of the main body. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further includes a storage compartment located in one of the elongate outer sidewalls of the main body, the storage compartment having a door for accessing the storage compartment, the door being laterally slidable to open and close the door. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the main body includes a filter storage compartment, the filter storage compartment having a door to laterally slide between open and closed configurations. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , in which the product is loose tobacco, and herbs. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus, according to  claim 36 , in which the product is loose tobacco. 
     
     
         38 .- 56 . (canceled)