IP Library Granted Patent US 12,319,890
Granted Patent B2
US 12,319,890 · App. 18/515,005 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Rapid botanical oil distillation device utilizing microwave agent

Inventor: C. Russell Thomas (Boulder, CO)
Assignee: Natural Extraction Systems, LLC
C11B1/10A61K36/185A61K41/00B01D3/106B01D3/40B01D5/006B01D11/028B01D11/0288C11B1/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,319,890
App. No.
18/515,005
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for extracting plant oil from plant material. A system may comprise a microwave emitter, an extraction chamber, and a cooling chamber. Microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter may dielectrically heat a microwave absorbing agent, which may heat the plant oil of the plant material. Plant oil of the plant material may be volatized in the extraction chamber and may be directed into the cooling chamber to be condensed.

Claims (38)

1. A method of extracting myrcene from plant material, comprising:

providing a system for extracting oil from plant material, wherein the system comprises (a) a microwave emitter, (b) an extraction chamber in communication with the microwave emitter such that microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter is directed into the extraction chamber, and (c) a cooling chamber in communication with the extraction chamber such that volatized myrcene in the extraction chamber is directed into the cooling chamber;

combining a microwave absorbing composition and a plant material at a ratio (mass:mass) of 1:1 to 1:20, being an amount of the composition relative to the plant material that is substantially greater than used in the microwave preparation of food, wherein the microwave absorbing composition comprises a microwave absorbing agent, and the microwave absorbing agent is a compound other than water;

inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber;

irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent, heating the plant material, and volatizing myrcene from the plant material to produce the volatized myrcene;

condensing the volatized myrcene in the cooling chamber, thereby producing condensed myrcene; and

collecting a portion or all of the condensed myrcene.

2. A method of extracting caryophyllene from plant material, comprising:

providing a system for extracting oil from plant material, wherein the system comprises (a) a microwave emitter, (b) an extraction chamber in communication with the microwave emitter such that microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter is directed into the extraction chamber, and (c) a cooling chamber in communication with the extraction chamber such that volatized caryophyllene in the extraction chamber is directed into the cooling chamber;

combining a microwave absorbing composition and a plant material at a ratio (mass:mass) of 1:1 to 1:20 being an amount of the composition relative to the plant material that is substantially greater than used in the microwave preparation of food, wherein the microwave absorbing composition comprises a microwave absorbing agent, and the microwave absorbing agent is a compound other than water;

inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber;

irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent, heating the plant material, and volatizing caryophyllene from the plant material to produce the volatized caryophyllene;

condensing the volatized caryophyllene in the cooling chamber, thereby producing condensed caryophyllene; and

collecting a portion of the condensed caryophyllene.

3. A method of extracting oil from plant material, comprising:

providing a system for extracting oil from plant material, wherein the system comprises (a) a microwave emitter, (b) an extraction chamber in communication with the microwave emitter such that microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter is directed into the extraction chamber, and (c) a cooling chamber in communication with the extraction chamber such that volatized oil in the extraction chamber is directed into the cooling chamber;

combining a microwave absorbing composition and a plant material at a ratio (mass:mass) of 1:1 to 1:20 being an amount of the composition relative to the plant material that is substantially greater than used in the microwave preparation of food, wherein the microwave absorbing composition comprises a microwave absorbing agent, and the microwave absorbing agent is a compound other than water;

inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber;

irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent, heating the plant material, and volatizing a plant oil from the plant material to produce the volatized oil;

condensing the volatized oil in the cooling chamber, thereby producing a condensed oil; and

collecting a portion or all of the condensed oil, thereby producing a collected oil.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, humulene, and pinene.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise two or more of linalool, caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, humulene, and pinene.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, caryophyllene, and pinene.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, limonene, and pinene.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, myrcene, and pinene.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise caryophyllene.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise myrcene.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise limonene.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise humulene.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise pinene.

14. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method comprises volatizing a mass of water from the plant material; and the mass of plant oil that is volatized from the plant material is greater than the mass of water that is volatized from the plant material.

15. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method comprises volatizing a mass of water from the plant material; and the ratio of the mass of plant oil that is volatized from the plant material to the mass of water that is volatized from the plant material is at least 2:1.

16. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plant material consists of less than 10% water by weight.

17. The method of claim 3 , wherein the boiling point of the plant oil is greater than 212° F.; and the microwave absorbing agent has a boiling point of greater than 360° F. at atmospheric pressure.

18. The method of claim 3 , further comprising maintaining a temperature inside the extraction chamber of at least 300° F. and no greater than 450° F.

19. The method of claim 3 , further comprising maintaining at least one surface of the cooling chamber at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit to −350 degrees Fahrenheit.

20. The method of claim 3 , wherein inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber comprises inserting a cartridge comprising the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2025
From: THOMAS, C. RUSSELL
To: NATURAL EXTRACTION SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 071077/0124 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17333728 · May 28, 2021
Continuation 16465735
Provisional Application 62428868 · Dec 1, 2016
Related Publication 20240343991A1 · Oct 17, 2024
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