Cannabis Joints Filling Apparatus

Abstract

A cannabis joints filling system includes a cannabis joint filling apparatus for receiving and holding a paper cone along a longitudinal axis and for receiving and pre-compacting a predetermined quantity of cannabis into the paper cone; and a cannabis feeding system including i) a weighing scale, ii) a cannabis feeding apparatus adjacent the weighing scale for receiving cannabis in bulk and for controllably outputting a predetermined portion of the cannabis in bulk onto the weighing scale, and iii) a single portion cannabis distributing device, including two cups that are sequentially movable between a) a cannabis weighing position, wherein one of the two cups cooperates with the weighing scale to measure the predetermined portion of the cannabis, and b) a cannabis distributing position, where the predetermined portion of the cannabis is fed to the cannabis joint filling apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A  cannabis  joint filling apparatus comprising:
 a paper cone holder, having a bottom, for receiving and holding a paper cone along a longitudinal axis; and   a reciprocating needle mechanism, including a needle having a tip, and an actuating mechanism to controllably cause the needle to reciprocate in the paper cone holder along the longitudinal axis;   
       whereby, in operation, the reciprocating needle mechanism causes the needle to reciprocate in the paper cone received in the paper cone holder while gradually and simultaneously i) the reciprocating needle mechanism causing the needle to move along the longitudinal axis from a first position to a second position relative to the bottom of the paper cone holder, and ii) the paper cone receiving a predetermined portion of  cannabis.    
     
     
         2 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a funnel positioned above the paper cone holder for transferring  cannabis  into the paper cone held by the paper cone holder. 
     
     
         3 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a pusher mechanism for selectively positioning the paper cone holder in operational contact with the funnel. 
     
     
         4 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising an air blaster for blasting air in the funnel to maintain the paper cone open during the positioning of the paper cone holder in operational contact with the funnel. 
     
     
         5 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the pusher mechanism is configured to induce vibrations onto the paper cone holder during said paper cone receiving a predetermined portion of  cannabis.    
     
     
         6 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the paper cone holder is one of a plurality of paper cone holders so mounted to a movable support for sequentially filling a plurality of paper cone. 
     
     
         7 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the conical tip of the needle has a widest portion at a free end thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first position corresponds to the tip of the needle being near the bottom of the paper cone holder, and wherein the second position corresponds to the tip of the needle being out of the paper cone holder. 
     
     
         9 . The  cannabis  joint filling apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tip of the needle is conical in shape and is widest at a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A  cannabis  joints filling system comprising:
 a  cannabis  joint filling apparatus for receiving and holding a paper cone along a longitudinal axis and for receiving and pre-compacting a predetermined quantity of  cannabis  into the paper cone; the  cannabis  joint filling apparatus including i) a reciprocating needle mechanism, and ii) an actuating mechanism to controllably cause the needle to reciprocate in the paper cone along the longitudinal axis while moving from a first position, wherein the conical tip is near a bottom of the paper cone, and a second position, wherein the conical tip is out of the paper cone.
 and 
 a  cannabis  feeding system including i) a weighing scale, ii) a  cannabis  feeding apparatus adjacent the weighing scale for receiving  cannabis  in bulk and for controllably outputting a predetermined portion of the  cannabis  in bulk onto the weighing scale, and iii) a device for distributing a single portion of  cannabis , including two cups that are sequentially movable between a) a  cannabis  weighing position, wherein one of the two cups cooperates with the weighing scale to measure the predetermined portion of the  cannabis , and b) a  cannabis  distributing position, where the predetermined portion of the  cannabis  is fed to the  cannabis  joint filling apparatus; 
   wherein the  cannabis  feeding system includes:
 a support frame; 
 a feeding cone defining a large inlet and a narrow outlet and that is mounted to the support frame for rotation about a rotational axis that is so angled relative to a horizontal axis that the inlet is higher than the outlet; the feeding cone having an inner surface and including a spiral shaped protrusion on the inner surface; 
 an actuating mechanism secured to the frame and operatively coupled to the feeding cone for selectively causing the rotation of the feeding cone; and 
 whereby, in operation,  cannabis  fed in the inlet of the feeding cone is gradually moved from the inlet of the feeding cone to the outlet thereof by the spiral shaped protrusion when the feeding cone is caused to rotate by the actuating mechanism; 
   wherein the device for distributing single portions of  cannabis  includes:
 a revolving support that is movable about a first axis; the revolving support being further movable between first and second position along the first axis; 
 first and second cup holders, each mounted to the revolving support for pivotal movement between a weighing position and a content-emptying position about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and 
 first and second cups, each mounted to a respective one of the first and second cup holders so as to be free to translate in and out of a position wherein the cup is supported by the cup holder. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method for pre-compacting  cannabis  in a paper cone, the method comprising:
 holding a paper cone along a longitudinal axis; the paper cone having a bottom and an opening;   providing a needle;   moving the needle into the paper cone until the distal end of the needle reaches near the bottom of the paper cone; and   then simultaneously:   i) filling a quantity of  cannabis  in the paper cone to fill the paper cone up to a predetermined distance from the opening; and   ii) gradually removing the needle from inside the paper cone; and   iii) reciprocating the needle in the paper cone along the longitudinal axis;   whereby i) and ii) are so synchronized as to both ends substantially simultaneously.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising iv) vibrating the paper cone holder simultaneously to i), ii) and iii).