Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Rigid fluid confining distributor – Having interior filter or guide
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-30
2001-08-21
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Rigid fluid confining distributor
Having interior filter or guide
C239S172000, C239S302000, C239S600000, C239SDIG001, C239SDIG001, C047S001700, C210S222000, C210S695000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276617
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for applying liquids to foliage and, more particularly, to such systems and methods employing liquids under pressure through a nozzle.
2. Description of Related Art
The spraying of crops and other foliage is known to be accomplished with the use of nozzles through which liquid under pressure is forced and directed to the desired target area, typically the leaves. Concentrate sprayers have difficulties owing to impingement and even distribution of spray particles throughout large target areas. Low-volume sprayers offered some promise in the reduction of the use of spray chemicals, but posed problems of drift and consequent potential contamination of crops, animals, and people. Electrostatic sprayers addressed the drift problem but have proved too complicated and impractical for grower use.
In order to optimize application efficiency, systems have been devised for sensing the location of the foliage and controlling the direction of the spray toward the sensed location. Such systems have lessened the amount of chemical required to be sprayed but still did not address the problem of drift, which can amount to 50% loss of sprayed chemical.
The charging of sprayed liquid has been disclosed by Ward (U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,264), Inculet et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,666,089 and 4,673,132), Burls et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,274), Lunzer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,289), and Wilson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,621). A magnetic-field-generating nozzle for atomizing a molten metal stream into a particle spray is taught by Muench et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,103). The use of a permanent magnet to increase the efficiency of applying paint has been disclosed by Romanov (SU 1212-606-A). In this device the magnet is outside the spray nozzle and does not come into direct contact with the paint. Further, the sprayer components are not inert.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spray nozzle for applying liquid to foliage.
It is an additional object to provide an agricultural spraying system incorporating such a nozzle.
It is a further object to provide a method for spraying foliage.
It is another object to provide a method of improving the efficiency of an agricultural spraying process.
It is yet an additional object to provide a nozzle for reducing the particle size of droplets emerging from a spraying apparatus.
It is yet a further object to provide a method for reducing the particle size of droplets emerging from a spraying apparatus.
It is yet another object to provide a spraying system having increased specificity for living foliage.
An additional object is to provide a method of reducing fouling of lines used to carry liquid to be sprayed.
Another object is to reduce the quantity of liquid required to achieve a desired coverage of foliage to be sprayed.
These objects and others are attained by the present invention, a spraying nozzle, system, and associated methods for applying a liquid to foliage. Throughout the word foliage is to be construed to include living plant material, including, but not limited to, leaves, stems, branches, and trunks. The system comprises a container that is adapted for holding a liquid. The container has an opening. The system also comprises a nozzle that includes a spray tip at an upstream end that has an orifice. The nozzle comprises an inert material and a magnet that is affixed adjacent the orifice along the liquid pathway.
A line having a lumen is affixable at an upstream end to the container and to the nozzle at a downstream end. The lumen is in communication with the container's opening and also with the to nozzle orifice.
Means are provided in the system for pumping liquid from the container through the line and out the nozzle orifice. The liquid, on its way out the nozzle orifice, passes by and contacts the magnet and is subject to the magnetic field, which affects the liquid droplets by orienting the dipoles of the molecules comprising the liquid, which serves to reduce the droplet size owing to mutual repulsion, creating a “cloud” of spray. The smaller droplets are better able to penetrate smaller spaces in the foliage such as insect habitats and difficult-to-access foliage pockets. The temporary magnetization also increases the attraction of the droplets for the foliage, which thereby further increases the efficiency of spraying and coverage achieved.
The features that characterize the invention, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. These and other objects attained, and advantages offered, by the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description that now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3195264 (1965-07-01), Ward, Jr.
patent: 4666089 (1987-05-01), Inculet
patent: 4673132 (1987-06-01), Inculet et al.
patent: 4762274 (1988-08-01), Burls et al.
patent: 4925103 (1990-05-01), Muench et al.
patent: 5052628 (1991-10-01), Wainwright et al.
patent: 5080289 (1992-01-01), Lunzer
patent: 5222324 (1993-06-01), O'Neall et al.
patent: 5228621 (1993-07-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 5585626 (1996-12-01), Beck et al.
patent: 5793035 (1998-08-01), Beck et al.
patent: 5833144 (1998-11-01), Kinter
patent: 1212606 A (1986-02-01), None
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Ganey Steven J.
Magspray Corporation
Scherbel David A.
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