Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With mobile tank-type supply means – Spray boom or bar type distributor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-06-26
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With mobile tank-type supply means
Spray boom or bar type distributor
C239S586000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250564
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to sprayers and, particularly, to a flow control system for sprayer nozzles.
A typical spraying nozzle comprises a nozzle body, a diaphragm check valve, a nozzle body screen or filter, a nozzle tip and a nozzle cap. The diaphragm check valve shuts off the nozzle at a predetermined pressure. In the case of an agricultural field sprayer, a plurality of nozzles are usually mounted on a spraying bar, towed in the field by a tractor. Alternately, the sprayer could be self propelled. The number of the nozzles on the spraying bar is proportional to the width of the spraying bar.
Various systems have been proposed in the past for reducing or shutting off the fluid flow to a sprayer nozzle body.
Several prior art systems employ solenoid coils with a plunger that are either integral at the nozzle cap in non-standard nozzle bodies and can not be retrofitted to existing sprayer fittings, or are made to adapt to standard nozzle bodies at their check valve location requiring removal of the check and in such location are not filtered by the nozzle body filter. In operation, the coil is energized by a nozzle control system to open the plunger valve.
For agricultural sprayers, the control coils require at least 6 watts per nozzle, hence a large amount of power is drawn from a tractor on larger width units. In most cases, an extra power source is required on the tractor.
In the prior art, the coils are normally in a position with the plunger blocking the fluid path (position which is hereinafter called closed) and must be energized to activate the plunger to displace it to a position allowing fluid flow (position which is hereinafter called open). Therefore if a coil fails or power to the coil is disconnected, the fluid flow from the nozzle body to the tip is affected and there will be a down time in spraying, required to replace or to repair the defective coil.
On many of these prior art systems, the nozzle screen is positioned after the solenoid plunger, thus there is an increased chance that the plunger will become plugged with particles.
Additionally, most of the current nozzle control systems, lack the standard diaphragm check valve, which provides shut off to the nozzle at a predetermined pressure. Therefore, the flow through the nozzles must be controlled solely by the solenoid coils.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved flow control system for a sprayer nozzle assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a flow control system for sprayer nozzles on agricultural machines, which is economical in terms of power consumption.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a flow control system for sprayer nozzles that is easily adaptable to nozzle assemblies available on the market.
According to the present invention, there is provided a flow control system comprising:
a spray nozzle comprising a fluid passage, the fluid passage comprising a fluid spray outlet;
a control valve mounted on the spray nozzle, the control valve comprising a actuator and a flow impeding device, whereby activation of the actuator causes the flow impeding device to move into the fluid passage of the spray nozzle thereby impeding fluid flow through the spray nozzle, the actuator being adapted for selective activation upon receipt of control signals from the control unit.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a flow control system comprising: a spray nozzle comprising a nozzle body, the nozzle body comprising a fluid spray outlet and a nozzle check valve; a fluid passage defined by a wall between the nozzle check valve and the fluid spray outlet; and a control valve mounted on the nozzle body and being switchable between a rest state wherein fluid is permitted to flow along the fluid passage, and an energized state wherein fluid flow is restricted through the fluid passage, the control valve being adapted to receive the control signals from the control unit for switching the control valve from the rest state to the energized state.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a control valve adapted to retrofit on a flow control system, the flow control system comprising: a nozzle body comprising a fluid spray outlet and a nozzle check valve; a fluid passage defined by a wall between the nozzle check valve and the fluid spray outlet; a nozzle screen mounted on the nozzle body; and the control valve mounted on the nozzle body between the nozzle screen and fluid spray outlet such that the nozzle screen is upstream and the fluid spray outlet is downstream from the control valve along the fluid passage.
The present invention relates to a flow control system for sprayer nozzles. The control system comprises a solenoid coil and a solenoid plunger. Alternatively, the solenoid plunger could be replaced with a valve, such as a spool valve. The solenoid plunger can slide into an adapter body, substantially perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow. In reducing the fluid flow through the nozzle, the plunger is moved to block, partially or completely, an orifice in the path of the fluid flow, within the adapter. The plunger movement is achieved through the energization of the solenoid coil, with signals sent by a controller. The design is such that the nozzle is fully open when the solenoid coil is not energized.
The orifice in the adapter may be manufactured to a specific size that allows reduced power consumption to shut off or reduce flow through the nozzle. This feature is especially useful when the system is used on agricultural sprayers with many nozzles. Furthermore, the orifice may be sized to provide unrestricted fluid flow when fully open.
The adapter may be inserted between the nozzle spray screen and the nozzle tip, for spraying nozzles that have the nozzle tip and the nozzle spray cap as separate pieces, or it may be inserted between the nozzle spray screen and a one piece nozzle spray tip-cap, for spraying nozzles provided with such a piece.
In operation, pressurized fluid is supplied to the nozzle. A diaphragm check valve will not open until a predetermined pressure is reached. When the fluid pressure exceeds the predetermined pressure, the diaphragm check valve opens, allowing fluid to flow through the nozzle body screen, through the adapter body, to the nozzle tip.
By means of the controller, each nozzle from a plurality of nozzles on a spraying bar can be individually controlled.
In one aspect of the invention, the flow control system can be used with agricultural prayers with sensing equipment, such as cameras that may determine the green condition of the foliage being sprayed. According to the determined condition, the controller would regulate the flow through the nozzles in the corresponding area of the field.
Advantageously, the spray control system of the invention can be adapted to off-shelf nozzle assemblies and can control individually each nozzle.
Other advantages, objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3701356 (1972-10-01), Hanna et al.
patent: 3878859 (1975-04-01), Grob et al.
patent: 3979062 (1976-09-01), Christensen et al.
patent: 4988074 (1991-01-01), Najmolhoda
patent: 5143345 (1992-09-01), Miki et al.
patent: 5154394 (1992-10-01), DuHack
patent: 5413308 (1995-05-01), Hayes
Flexi-Coil Ltd.
Hwu Davis
Miller Larry W.
Scherbel David A.
Stader John William
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