Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With mobile tank-type supply means – Spray boom or bar type distributor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-03-06
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With mobile tank-type supply means
Spray boom or bar type distributor
C239S172000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196473
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a spray nozzle for spraying liquids.
Such a spray nozzle is generally known in the prior art. It is used on, for example, a spray boom. European Patent Application 0,373,034 describes a method for applying a certain pattern to the ground by a series of electrically operable spray nozzles. Various other control means for controlling the passage of a fluid such as nutrients and crop protection products are known in the prior art. The simplest design is a manually operated, electrical or pneumatic valve which is fitted in the spray boom. It controls all or a number of spray nozzles. Environmental considerations and the waste involved mean that this is no longer the optimum solution. For the fact is that after such a valve has been taken into the switched-off position the downstream spray nozzles can still drip. Besides, with this design it is not possible to control the spray nozzles separately, which can be important if a piece of land extends at an angle relative to the direction of movement of the spray boom.
A first proposal for overcoming this problem is to fit a pneumatic piston-cylinder in the spray nozzle holder. In this case the piston operates a diaphragm which in the unexcited state provides for a shut-off in the passage from the supply line to the spray nozzle head in the spray nozzle holder. This means that it is possible in principle to control each spray nozzle head separately. However, there are at least two disadvantages involved in such a construction. First, the control by means of a diaphragm is relatively sluggish, which is of minor importance if large quantities of fluid have to be sprayed, but if very small quantities have to be dispensed for a short period, it does play an important role. Besides, an extremely large number of components is necessary for separate control. For such separate control will in the first instance be on the basis of electrical signals, which electrical signals have to be converted into pneumatic signals. Moreover, a separate compressor has to be fitted on the crop protection machine, or has to be present elsewhere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to avoid these disadvantages and to provide a spray nozzle which can be driven electrically, but in the case of which a spray nozzle can also be produced in a simple manner, using existing components as far as possible. In other words, an electrically operable spray nozzle can be the characterizing part of claim
1
.
The invention can be achieved by combining existing spray nozzles which are suitable for hydraulic use with an electric coil, and interposing a connecting piece. In an advantageous embodiment, said connecting piece can be provided with a pipe section which abuts the outflow aperture in a sealing manner at the position of that common face, and which is connected to the valve chamber.
In an embodiment in which large quantities of fluid have to be displaced, the outflow aperture can comprise a main and auxiliary outflow channel. In such a case the electromagnetic valve acts as the control valve, i.e. by operation of this valve a further valve, and in particular a diaphragm valve, is controlled.
The embodiments described above are embodiments which in the unexcited state of the electromagnetic coil provide a shut-off. Of course, it is possible to design the device the other way round, i.e. in the unexcited state the passage to the spray nozzle head is opened.
With the construction described above, it is no longer necessary to incorporate valves in the supply line, and it is also possible to control the spray nozzles individually. Furthermore, the time during which the various spray nozzles are active can be varied over a spray boom. This can be important if, for example, in the case of a piece of land to be treated the direction of movement of the spray boom is at an angle relative to the boundary of the piece of land. Another exemplary application is that in which the conditions over the entire area of the piece of land concerned are not the same, i.e. at certain points fluid has to be applied and at other points less or no fluid at all has to be applied. The above can also depend on the crops present in that place, and can be regulated by means of sensors, possibly combined with GPS and D-GPS and a control system fitted specially for the purpose.
With the current techniques it is possible to use extremely low-capacity electromagnetic coils. A value of 4, 5 or 8 watts has been found possible, so that the total power consumption of a spray boom with several dozen spray nozzles is relatively low.
The invention also relates to a spray boom provided with the spray nozzles described above.
It is possible to incorporate a return line or continuous recirculation line for fluid in the above spray boom.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4206569 (1980-06-01), Randolph
patent: 4557420 (1985-12-01), Boschung et al.
patent: 4932232 (1990-06-01), Ballyns et al.
patent: 5134961 (1992-08-01), Giles et al.
patent: 5653389 (1997-08-01), Henderson et al.
patent: 270 117 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 0 373 034 (1990-06-01), None
Beeren Joseph Marie Henrie
Douven Theodorus Antonius
Machinefabriek Gebr. Douven B.V.
Morris Lesley D.
Young & Thompson
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