Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With mobile tank-type supply means – Spray boom or bar type distributor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2001-09-25
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With mobile tank-type supply means
Spray boom or bar type distributor
C239S159000, C239S166000, C239S167000, C239S728000, C239S739000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293475
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to agricultural sprayers. More particularly, the present invention relates to agricultural sprayers having booms that can be hydraulically folded and unfolded.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Farmers are increasingly recognizing the need for spraying in their farming operations. For example, many farmers now spray herbicides for controlling weeds in the early growing season, and then later spray fungicides or insecticides during the later growing seasons.
High clearance type sprayers have a variety of configurations such as self propelled sprayers, truck mounted sprayers, tractor mounted sprayers, and pull-type sprayers. A typical sprayer includes a tank for holding a product desired to be sprayed, and a plurality of spray nozzles for dispensing the product from the tank. The spray nozzles are mounted on extended booms that project outward from opposite sides of the tank. It is common for each boom to have a length in the range of 60 to 120 feet. Hydraulic cylinders are commonly used to raise and lower the clearance height of the booms. Hydraulic cylinders are also commonly used to fold the booms for transport and storage, and to unfold the booms prior to conducting spraying operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention relates to an agricultural sprayer including a tank for holding a product desired to be sprayed, and a boom on which are mounted a plurality of sprayers (e.g., spray nozzles) for dispensing the product from the tank. The boom includes an inner piece positioned adjacent to the tank and an outer piece positioned away from the tank. The inner and outer pieces are foldably connected to one another at a pivot region. The sprayer also includes a hydraulic cylinder for hydraulically folding and unfolding the inner and outer pieces of the boom, and a pressure source (e.g., a pump or hydraulic pressure from a vehicle hydraulic system) for providing hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder includes a piston structure connected to one of the inner and outer pieces of the boom and a cylinder portion connected to the other of the inner and outer pieces of the boom. A hydraulic control system is provided for controlling the operation of the cylinder. The hydraulic control system is operable in an unfold mode in which hydraulic pressure from the pressure source causes the hydraulic cylinder to unfold the inner and outer pieces of the boom, and a fold mode in which hydraulic pressure from the pressure source causes the hydraulic cylinder to fold the inner and outer pieces of the boom. The hydraulic control system is also operable in a neutral mode in which fluid communication is blocked between the pressure source and the cylinder. The hydraulic control system includes a hydraulic circuit configured for allowing relative axial movement between the piston structure and the cylinder portion of the hydraulic cylinder when the hydraulic control system is operating in the neutral mode. The relative mobility of the piston structure and the cylinder portion when the hydraulic control system is in the neutral mode allows the outer piece of the boom to fold back relative to the inner piece of the boom upon contact with an obstruction.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a folding boom for an agricultural sprayer. The boom includes a first boom piece pivotally connected to a second boom piece. The folding boom also includes a hydraulic cylinder for hydraulically pivoting the first boom piece relative to the second boom piece between a folded orientation and an extended orientation. The hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder portion in which a piston structure is mounted. The cylinder portion and the piston structure are configured to slide axially relative to one another when the first boom piece is pivoted relative to the second boom piece. The folding boom further includes an accumulator in fluid communication with the cylinder portion for accumulating hydraulic fluid when the first boom piece collides with an obstruction and is pivoted from the extended orientation toward the folded orientation.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for providing a break-away function in a foldable agricultural spraying boom. The boom includes a first boom piece pivotally connected to a second boom piece. The boom also includes a hydraulic cylinder for hydraulically pivoting the first boom piece relative to the second boom piece between folded and extended positions. The hydraulic cylinder includes a piston structure mounted within a cylinder portion. The piston structure and the cylinder portion are configured to slide axially relative to one another when the first boom piece is pivoted between the folded and extended positions. The method includes contacting the first boom piece with an obstruction such that a force is applied to the first boom piece that pushes the first boom piece in a direction from the extended position toward the folded position. The method also includes transferring the force from the first boom piece to the hydraulic cylinder. The method further includes sliding the piston structure and the cylinder portion axially relative to one another in response to the force transferred to the hydraulic cylinder through the first boom piece. The relative axial movement of the piston structure and the cylinder portion allows the first boom piece to pivot toward the folded position until the obstruction is bypassed.
A variety of advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
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Brochure, Bestway; 2000 Spray Equipment, 2000.
Brochure, Flexi-Coil; 67 Series Sprayers; Suspended Boom, 1999.
Brochure, Hardi, Inc.; Performance Above & Beyond (Series of Trailer Sprayers); Commander.
Web-site information, RHS, Inc.; Dealer Locator, Bestway: Comparing the Field-Pro Sprayers, Mar. 15, 2000.
Brochure, Redball; 680 High Clearance Sprayers.
Brochure, Spray-Air USA Inc.; 2200 Series (High Clearance-Pull Type).
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Nguyen Dinh Q.
Scherbel David A.
Summers Manufacturing Co., Inc.
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