U.S. Patent No. 9,938,663 B2 issued on April 10, 2018, for “Methods for Producing Raw Materials from Plant Biomass,” to applicant 9Fiber, Inc., of Silver Spring, Maryland, and inventor Adam Powars, of Denver, Colorado. The claims are directed to a new method for recycling raw plant materials. The specific method is decortication, degumming, decontamination, whitening, and softening of the plant fibers through a thermal process generating a reactive oxygen species (ROS) with a catalyst. The claimed ROS can be one or more of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), an oxygen ion (O2–), hydroxyl ion (OH– group), hydroxyl radical (•OH), and a superoxide (O−2). The claimed temperature range is 85 – 98°C. The specific plant material is the Cannabis plant, for use in textile manufacturing of hemp.
The patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer under 37 C.F.R. §1.321(d).
The International Patent Classification is D01C (chemical treatment of natural filamentary or fibrous material to obtain filaments or fibers for spinning), D21C (production of cellulose by removing non-cellulose substances from cellulose-containing materials), and D21B (fibrous raw materials or their mechanical treatment).
This patent represents the diversity of inventions that can be patentable. While new hemp extraction methods are not necessarily new, cannabis inventions, in general, are. Also, this particular patent was issued to a sole inventor of a cannabis startup. While not an inexpensive investment, it can be a rewarding benefit for the assiduous startup. It should be a noted that patents for cannabis-related products and services are not limited to large or even mid-size companies; individual inventors are among the largest growing applicant group at the USPTO. More cannabis technology is expected to begin the patenting process as more states become friendlier to adult-use cannabis, both in research and recreational use. Please contact Yonaxis for more information on patent processes if you have any questions.