Patent Application
20130284827
The present disclosure generally relates to agricultural sprayers, and more particularly to a nozzle cartridge of agricultural sprayers.
In order to spray a fluid (e.g., fertilizer, pesticide, fungicide, insecticide) onto agricultural crops, agricultural sprayers commonly include a sprayer nozzle apparatus. The sprayer nozzle apparatus commonly includes a nozzle connector for supporting a nozzle having an orifice. The geometry of the orifice influences the flow rate, droplet size, and spray pattern. The flow rate through the orifice is mainly a function of the orifice geometry and the fluid pressure at the orifice (i.e., pressure just prior to the orifice). Since the orifice geometry is typically fixed, the most common way to influence the flow rate through the nozzle is by changing fluid pressure. Changing the fluid pressure at the nozzle to influence flow rate changes has become common place on sprayers in order to allow for variable vehicle speed. The flow rate is changed in proportion to the vehicle speed in order to keep the application rate the same.
However, using the traditional fixed orifice nozzle has some limitations. The pressure versus flow relationship is a squared function. To double the flow requires increasing the pressure by a factor of four times. Unfortunately, changing pressure also changes atomization dynamics resulting in an impact on spray quality. Spray quality characteristics, namely, droplet size and spray angle, both become smaller as pressure increases. These changes can negatively impact spray deposit and spray drift. So, the need for the ability to change nozzles on the go has emerged.
In one embodiment, a sprayer nozzle cartridge is disclosed. The sprayer nozzle cartridge is adapted for coupling to a nozzle connector of a sprayer nozzle apparatus and for receiving a fluid from the sprayer nozzle apparatus. The sprayer nozzle apparatus includes an adjustable apparatus housing for supporting the nozzle connector and a control element configured to control fluid flow. The sprayer nozzle cartridge includes a cartridge housing. A first nozzle tip having a first flow path is coupled to the cartridge housing. A second nozzle tip having a second flow path is coupled to the cartridge housing. The control element selectively communicates fluid to at least one of the first flow path and the second flow path. The adjustable apparatus housing and the control element can be controlled manually, remotely, or automatically.
In another embodiment, a sprayer nozzle cartridge is disclosed. The sprayer nozzle cartridge is adapted for coupling to a nozzle connector of a sprayer nozzle apparatus and for receiving a fluid from the sprayer nozzle apparatus. The sprayer nozzle apparatus includes an adjustable apparatus housing for supporting the nozzle connector and a control element configured to control fluid flow. The sprayer nozzle cartridge includes a cartridge housing. A first nozzle tip having a first flow path is coupled to the cartridge housing. A second nozzle tip having a second flow path is coupled to the cartridge housing. A third nozzle tip having a third flow path is coupled to the cartridge housing. The control element selectively communicates fluid to at least one of the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path. The adjustable apparatus housing and the control element can be controlled manually, remotely, or automatically.
In yet another embodiment, a sprayer nozzle cartridge is disclosed. The sprayer nozzle cartridge is adapted for coupling to a nozzle connector of a sprayer nozzle apparatus and for receiving a fluid from the sprayer nozzle apparatus. The sprayer nozzle apparatus includes an adjustable apparatus housing for supporting the nozzle connector and a control element configured to control fluid flow. The sprayer nozzle cartridge includes a cartridge housing. A plurality of nozzle tips having a plurality of flow paths are coupled to the cartridge housing. The sprayer nozzle cartridge includes a valve in fluid communication with the control element and the plurality of flow paths. The valve selectively communicates fluid to at least one of the plurality of flow paths. The adjustable apparatus housing and the control element can be controlled manually, remotely, or automatically.
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
A control element 20 is rotatably coupled to the adjustable apparatus housing 15 enabling the adjustable apparatus housing 15 to rotate relative to the control element 20. Exemplarily, the control element 20 has three fluid inlets 25. The three fluid inlets 25 are in fluid communication with a spray line containing a valve or valves (not shown) of an agricultural sprayer. Other types of control elements 20 are contemplated by this disclosure (e.g., ball valve).
Exemplarily, four nozzle connectors 30 are coupled to the adjustable apparatus housing 15. With reference to
The sprayer nozzle cartridge 50 includes protrusions 52 for releaseably engaging the slots 32. With further reference to
In operation, the control element 20 receives fluid from the spray line and selectively communicates fluid to the first supply path 35, the second supply path 40, and the third supply path 45, thereby communicating fluid to the first flow path 65, the second flow path 80, and the third flow path 95, respectively. The adjustable apparatus housing 15 rotates manually, remotely, or automatically to place the flow paths 65, 80, 95 of the desired sprayer nozzle cartridge 50 in fluid communication with the supply paths 35, 40, 45. The control element 20 may selectively communicate fluid to more than one supply path 35, 40, 45 or to none of the supply paths 35, 40, 45 depending on the orientation of the valve, or valves, in the spray line. It is contemplated by this disclosure that the control element 20 may change supply paths 35, 40, 45 while the agricultural sprayer is stationary or moving. It is also contemplated that the nozzle tips 60, 75, 90 may have orifices 70, 85, 100 with varying geometries in order to allow for varying vehicle speed and/or desired spray qualities. It is further contemplated that the adjustable apparatus housing 15 may rotate while the agricultural sprayer is stationary or moving.
With reference to
Referring to
In operation, the adjustment portion 136 is oriented by a positioning device (not shown) so the ball valve 134 selectively communicates fluid to at least one of the first supply path 135, the second supply path 140, and the third supply path 145, thereby communicating fluid to at least one of a first flow path 165, a second flow path 180, and a third flow path 195, respectively. Alternatively, the ball valve 134 may be other types of valves or control elements (e.g., cylindrical-shaped control valve, poppet, piezo control element).
Referring to
With further reference to
In operation, air is selectively passed through the air inlet 227 in order to activate one or more of the poppets 221 by counteracting the biasing force of the spring 224. Fluid is passed through the fluid inlet 225 and the adjustable control element 220 selectively communicates fluid to at least one of the first flow path 265, the second flow path 280, and the third flow path 295. The adjustable control element 220 may selectively communicate fluid to more than one flow path 265, 280, 295 or to none of the flow paths 265, 280, 295.
The sprayer nozzle apparatus 310 includes a control element 320 configured to control fluid flow. Exemplarily, the control element 320 has a rotor 321 with a plurality of slots 323.
In operation, the slots 323 of the control element 320 selectively communicate fluid to none or at least one of a first flow path 365, a second flow path 380, and a third flow path 395. The slots 323 of the control element 320 may selectively communicate fluid to more than one flow path 365, 380, 395 or to none of the flow paths 365, 380, 395.
The sprayer nozzle cartridge 450 includes a cartridge housing 455 having a housing extension 457 that couples to a sprayer nozzle apparatus (not shown).
The sprayer nozzle apparatus 510 includes an adjustable apparatus housing 515 for supporting four nozzle connectors 530. More or less nozzle connectors 530 may be used. The nozzle connectors 530 support a plurality of sprayer nozzle cartridges 550. Exemplarily, the sprayer nozzle cartridges 550 include a cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 555. A first nozzle tip 560, a second nozzle tip 575, and a third nozzle tip 590 are coupled to the cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 555 in a non-linear pattern. This disclosure contemplates that more or less nozzle tips 560, 575, 590 may be coupled to the cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 555 in any pattern (e.g., linear, circular, square). This disclosure also contemplates that the nozzle connector 530 and the cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 555 may be any shape (e.g., square, rectangular, oblong).
The sprayer nozzle apparatus 610 includes an adjustable apparatus housing 615 for supporting four nozzle connectors 630. More or less nozzle connectors 630 may be used. The nozzle connectors 630 support a plurality of sprayer nozzle cartridges 650. Exemplarily, the sprayer nozzle cartridges 650 include a cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 655. A first nozzle tip 660, a second nozzle tip 675, and a third nozzle tip 690 are coupled to the cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 655 in a linear pattern. This disclosure contemplates that the nozzle tips 660, 675, 690 may be coupled to the cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 655 in any pattern (e.g., non-linear, circular, square). This disclosure also contemplates that the nozzle connector 630 and the cylindrically-shaped cartridge housing 655 may be any shape (e.g., square, rectangular, oblong).
Referring to
With reference to
With further reference to
While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations that incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Various features are set forth in the following claims.
