Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With pressure or flow equalization means to plural distributors
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-11
2001-02-27
Kashnikow, Andres (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With pressure or flow equalization means to plural distributors
C239S163000, C239S170000, C239S556000, C239S574000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193166
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many purposes, especially in agriculture, it is desirable to be able to apply spray of a consistent mean droplet size and spray fan angle or cone angle, and evenly distributed, over a range of volumetric spray rates. For agricultural spray nozzles, spray output is classified by the British Crop Protection Council as Fine, Medium or Coarse based on mean droplet size, and chemical manufacturers may specify one of these classifications for applying their product.
However, a typical mass-produced flat-fan-spray nozzle cannot achieve the desired consistency if the flow rate deviates by more than 20% above or below its rated output, and even sophisticated nozzles cannot cope well with deviations beyond 30%.
A requirement for a wider range of flow rates can arise for example in so-called precision farming, that is, applying matter (such as fertiliser or weedkiller) to the ground in amounts varying from spot to spot according to the requirements ascertained from a previous mapping of the ground. The mapping and the application of matter can be made to coincide on the ground using global-positioning-satellite techniques.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention accordingly seeks to provide a spray nozzle arrangement to widen the choice of flow rates available to the user while maintaining reasonable consistency in the physical characteristics of the spray.
In one aspect, the invention provides a manifold for a plurality of flat fan nozzles with means for orienting or retaining the nozzles parallel to each other but offset.
According to the present invention, a nozzle arrangement comprises a plurality of nozzles supplied by a common feed of material to be sprayed and separately or groupwise controlled to come on automatically individually and/or in such combinations as to spray at substantially any desired rate within a given range of volumetric flow rates while maintaining the common feed at a hydraulic pressure within a range in which all the nozzles which are switched on at a given time yield acceptable quality spray, the said range of flow rates being greater than that which would be achievable with a single nozzle whilst maintaining acceptable quality spray, each nozzle or group of nozzles being supplied through a valve which is remotely switchable; the valve may be an on-off valve, conveniently a pilot operated check valve (typically pneumatically controlled to switch it), although electric solenoid control can be envisaged. Such valves are economical, reliable, robust and already familiar in the spraying industry to stop spray nozzles from dripping when they are supposed to be off.
Preferably a plurality of the nozzles is of different volumetric ratings at the same hydraulic feed pressure.
For some purposes, a pressure reduction arrangement may be inserted between one or more of the nozzles and the common feed. This is a way to give greater flexibility in the selection of nozzles to give a desired spray-quality/flow-rate characteristic.
Control of the arrangement will normally be in response to a required spray rate, which may vary from time to time e.g. as the arrangement is moved from place to place in a field, varying according to previously stored information about different places in the field or spontaneously according to the operator's assessment as he drives a spraying machine with a spray boom carrying nozzle arrangements as set forth above across the field.
Normally, an acceptable spray quality is maintainable over at least a fourfold change in flow rate, and the four-fold change in flow rate is achievable within at most a 2½-fold change in the hydraulic feed pressure.
The nozzles preferably all have the same spray footprint, and may be flat-fan nozzles.
The invention extends to a spray boom or a section of a spray boom, having a plurality of nozzle arrangements according to any preceding claim, with common control lines to the corresponding nozzles in each of the arrangements, which boom or section may be connected to a tank supplying said common feed under a variable hydraulic pressure and having controllers for the nozzles and for said hydraulic pressure.
The invention also extends to a manifold (preferably for, or incorporated in, a nozzle arrangement as set forth above) for a plurality of flat fan nozzles, with means for orienting or retaining the nozzles parallel to each other but offset, wherein said means can retain each nozzle in only a single orientation, for example using bayonet lock arrangements.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3191871 (1965-06-01), Palmer
patent: 3715080 (1973-02-01), Bastide
patent: 3782634 (1974-01-01), Herman
patent: 4518118 (1985-05-01), Takata
patent: 4967957 (1990-11-01), Bachman
patent: 5184775 (1993-02-01), Kerber
patent: 5337959 (1994-08-01), Boyd
patent: 5971294 (1999-10-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 1099902 (1984-06-01), None
Miller Paul Charles Harvey
Paice Mark Edward Russell
Bocanegra Jorge S.
BTG International Limited
Kashnikow Andres
Nixon & Vanderhye
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