Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-03
2003-12-23
Ganey, Steven J. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
C239S069000, C239S097000, C239S726000, C239S728000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06666384
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the application of adjustable and varying doses or amounts of treating liquids to desired portions of a field, such as portions having plants, crops, particularly in agricultural applications. More preferably, the invention relates to a system for controlling the nozzles, included in or added to, a self-propelled irrigation machine for irrigating water or applying chemicals to the plants or crops. The invention even more particularly, refers to a pulverization apparatus comprising an electronic control system including a central control, such as a computer, and a plurality of independent control modules arranged along the apparatus for controlling selected pulverization sections including nozzles, and an interface module connecting the independent modules to each other and to the computer. The system is capable of being programmed and containing an application map designed according to the needs of the field or specified lot. Basically, the computer unit registers the movements of the apparatus, determines the position of the apparatus at a sequence of time periods and, according to the map, decides the doses to be applied over the field and sends the order signals in packets to the several independent control modules for operating the nozzles.
For the purpose of the present specification the term “treating liquid” must be understood as comprising any fluid, preferably a liquid, for applying to a field, particularly in agricultural applications, and it may be selected from water, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, nutrients and the like, diluted in water or pure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide irrigation machines for applying controlled amounts of water for irrigation purposes and even chemicals diluted into the water. There are two main types of irrigation machines including pulverization systems, namely the central pivot machines moving along a circumferential path and the linear machines moving along a straight path, as well as a third type of machine, namely the corner type machine which is adapted to central pivot machines to move over the corner portions of a field. The central pivot machines operates as a radius vector that spins on a central base or tower and comprises a plurality of spans or irrigation units which move independently, following an electromechanically aligned pattern.
The movements of the units are consecutive and coordinated to keep the proper alignment. The sequence of movements is controlled by a control box installed in a last tower and that regulates the speed of the system according to orders programmed on a time basis that determines the on/off percentage. This means that the operator decides on the timing for the rotation of the system by determining the on/off sequence of the last tower. This tower transmits the received information to the remaining towers through an electromechanical system located in the other towers for this purpose. The system is activated when the tower that initiated the movement has already swept a certain angle based on a dead zone, which is suppressed as from the moment the tower has to be moved. The total movement of the pivot system is made through the combination of internal movements of the equipment, which movements must be coordinated to keep the linearity of the system, thus achieving the correct application of the water.
The linear line machines comprises a frontal progression system wherein the spans or irrigation units move along a straight line over the surface of the field under irrigation. As compared to the central pivot system it may be said that the system works as if the fixed point of the pivot tower moved according to a lateral movement pattern. The third type, namely the corner machine, is similar to any span of the pivot type machine but with a different movement control that allows the machine or span to be folded when the boundary of the field or lot under irrigation becomes tangent to the circumferential path followed by the end span of the machine. This span acts like an arm that unfolds itself as the pivot gets away from the field boundary, in order to irrigate the outer surface of the irrigation circumference swept by the pivot machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,232 discloses an irrigation apparatus for applying agrochemicals with the irrigation water, wherein the water is used for transporting the chemicals in such a manner that the water source is in fluid communication with the chemicals source when the mix is being applied over the ground, thus risking contamination of the water source. In addition, not all the agrochemicals can be used because the same is excessively diluted in the water or the dilution is not enough, without means being provided to keep the proper dilution and concentration. Also, the chemicals can be applied only when the apparatus is operating in the conventional irrigation mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,164 to McCann, et al., discloses an apparatus and method for dividing a field to be irrigated by an irrigation system into a plurality of zones which can be monitored for irrigation water and chemical requirements and then, delivering by way of the irrigation system, the appropriate amount of irrigation water and/or chemicals to each zone as so defined. The apparatus includes a plurality of sprinklers that are independently controlled by valves responsive to control modules, which are electronically interconnected with a data acquisition and control unit for furnishing signals to the control modules in order to activate the sprinklers or deactivate each sprinkler. Maps from the field are generated by a programmed microprocessor that determines the current position of each independent sprinkler, the microprocessor then sending the registered information to the data acquisition and control system, which in turn sends these signals to the various control modules. While this system seems to provide an acceptable operation, the construction of the same in a particular machine or in a conventional irrigation machine is highly cost effective and cumbersome. The arrangement of the microprocessor, the control modules and the data acquisition and control unit involves an extreme amount of wiring for interconnecting the same. In addition, for purging the apparatus for removing the chemicals from the conduits upon termination of the application, the apparatus must be brought to a part of the field without crops and water must be injected through the conduits to cause the chemicals to be expelled directly from the sprinklers over the field with the dangerous consequences involved in this task against the environment. Also, this system still has the problem of water source contamination, and some chemicals cannot be used because of their inadequate dilution in high water volumes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,771 to Chapman, John A., discloses a chemical distribution system for use with a mobile irrigation system comprising a liquid chemical supply line vertically adjustably supported on the irrigation system and which is in operative communication with a pressurized source of liquid chemical. A liquid chemical distribution line is positioned beneath the chemical supply line between each pair of the drive towers for the irrigation system and which is in fluid communication with a remotely controlled valve which is in fluid communication with a chemical supply line. A plurality of valves and sprinklers associated therewith are provided on each of the distribution lines with the associated valve being operated by a control for activating selective distribution lines whereby liquid chemical may be applied to pre-selected portions of the area over which the irrigation system moves. While the problem associated to the use of water for the application of chemicals have been improved by this system, other drawbacks still remain, such as the need of regulating all the sprinklers, high minimal doses, lacking of a proper cleaning circuit, the doses are fix by lengths, a
Ganey Steven J.
Greer Burns & Crain Ltd.
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