Patent Grant
11882822
The present invention relates to the field of systems for spraying treatment products, especially for spraying plant-protection products on plants.
Current standards and ecological constraints impose controls on the spreading of plant-protection products.
Many systems have already been proposed for operating the spraying of plant-protection products.
Three distinct types of spraying systems are generally known.
A first type of spraying system uses projected jets. These units comprise nozzles which ensure fragmentation of jets sprayed in droplets. The sprayed jets are directed towards the vegetation to be treated. The product droplets reach their target of plants, due to their intrinsic speed.
A second type of spraying system called “air blast” comprises ventilation means generating high-volume air flow combined with spray nozzles. In this case the nozzles ensure fragmentation of jets sprayed in droplets, but the air flow ensures transport of droplets towards the plants to be treated.
A third type of spraying system, called pneumatics, functions without nozzles and comprises ventilation means adapted to generate air flow at very high speed and under pressure. Droplets are generated when the plant-protection product is put in contact with the air flow, the droplets being generated by fragmentation by the shock of the treatment liquid in the high-speed air current. The air flow in this case also participates in the transport and penetration of droplets within the vegetation.
In 1993, document EP 0 653 157 proposed a system comprising pressurised air jet diffusers associated with sprinklers for a treatment product liquid adapted to ensure homogeneous distribution of the treatment product in the air current obtained by all the diffusers.
In 2003, document EP 1 468 604 proposed spraying ramps which comprise product-spray nozzles associated with series of holes enclosing each nozzle, fed by a pressurised generator and intended to generate air flows the aim of which is to limit the impact of cross wind on the sprayed product jets originating from the nozzles. The concept proposed by this document, which generates turbulent air jets, has not however given total satisfaction and has been replaced by means described in later documents.
In 2010, document EP 2 420 138 proposed a spraying system inspired by that described in document EP 0 653 157, comprising a complex array of product-spray nozzles or sprinklers and pressurised air flow generation nozzles comprising central and lateral multiple air flow outlets arranged such that the plant-protection liquid flow mixes with induced air flow entrained by the air flows coming out of said outlets. The system described in this document likewise does not give total satisfaction. Its structure in particular is complex.
Faced with the difficulties encountered with the systems described in the above documents, in late 2010, document FR 2 969 902 proposed a tunnel sprayer for rows of plants which aimed to distance itself from techniques proposed previously and for this purpose collector panels intended to collect part of the sprayed product which does not reach the vegetation to be treated and for this purpose comprise suction means adapted to recover that portion of sprayed product which is not fixed to this vegetation. However, this system does not give total satisfaction either, because is particularly bulky.
Other known devices are disclosed in documents FR 1 499 433, EP 2 441 523, FR 2 641 479, US 2016 262371 and AU 2009 202946.
The aim of the present invention is to propose novel means for improving the prior art.
The particular aim of the present invention is to propose means of simple and reliable design, which improve the control of spreading of plant-protection products and confine them to the target plant.
The above aims are attained according to the present invention by way of a product spraying system, especially of plant-protection product, comprising product spray nozzles and air flow generator means, wherein the air flow generator means comprise an outlet in the form of an annular slit adapted to generate air flow in the form of a continuous tubular curtain of air enclosing the jets originating from the spray nozzles, impassable by the sprayed product.
The air flow generator means are preferably configured such that the air flow enclosing the jets originating from the spray nozzles does not interfere with the propulsion of this product when at the outlet of said nozzles.
The outlet in the form of an annular slit highly preferably has an oblong contour.
According to other advantageous features of the invention:
The present invention also relates to a support device comprising at least one system of the above type.
The device preferably comprises at least two systems of the above type facing each other and forming a high-clearance sprayer and simultaneously treating two opposite sides of a target plant.
The present invention also relates to a product spraying process, especially plant-protection product, characterised in that it comprises steps consisting of spraying pressurised product jets at the outlet of nozzles connected to product supply means, and confining these product jets by means of a confinement curtain of the sprayed product, impassable by the sprayed product, generated by air flow generator means comprising an outlet in the form of an annular slit adapted to generate air flow in the form of a continuous tubular curtain of air enclosing the jets originating from the spray nozzles.
Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description and with respect to the appended drawings given by way of non-limiting examples and in which:
As illustrated in the appended
The continuous air blade 102 constitutes a confinement curtain of the jets 12 of the sprayed product similar to a shield formed by a continuous air blade, impassable by the sprayed product, preferably without interfering with the propulsion of this product at the outlet of said nozzles 10.
This barrier is symbolised in
As illustrated in the appended figures, according to the invention the conduit 110 defines an outlet 112 in the form of an annular slit adapted to generate air flow in the form of a tubular continuous air blade 102 enclosing the jets 12 originating from the spray nozzles 10.
Such a tubular air curtain 102 optimises confinement of the plant-protection products on the target plant to be treated referenced V in
The above system and especially the conduit 110 are preferably placed on a self-propelled support device such as a vehicle of chaser or robot type, especially for viticulture treatment.
Such devices are known per se, and will therefore not be described in detail hereinbelow.
Even more precisely, the device preferably comprises at least two systems of above type facing each other and forming a high-clearance sprayer and simultaneously treating two opposite sides of a target plant, as illustrated in
According to the invention the conduit 110 is formed by an oblong ring, for example in the general form of a racetrack comprising two parallel rectilinear sections 114, 116 connected by overall incurved linking ends 115, 117.
The conduit 110 is preferably formed by assembling a plurality of rectilinear segments 140 and incurved segments 150. The conduit 110 is accordingly modular. Its geometry can easily be adapted to the dimensions of the target plant to be treated.
The invention is of course not limited to an oblong geometry of conduit 110 as a racetrack. The invention applies to all types of ring geometry, for example and not limiting to geometries in ellipse, circle, or even square form the angles of which will be more or less rounded according to the preferred application and the aerodynamic optimisation of the system.
According to
The use of incurved segments 150, and not angular, guarantees a continuous annular curtain of the air flow 102, by ensuring the continuity of the film of air.
By way of non-limiting example each of the rectilinear segments 140 can have a length of the order of 25 cm.
Of course, the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment shown in
The air inlet originating from the generator, in the conduit 110, can form the subject of many variant embodiments.
As is evident from
More precisely according to the representation given in
In
When the user utilises such a system having four possible inlets for the same conduit, he can selectively either connect each of these four inlets 152 to a pressurised source of air flow, such as a fan associated with motorisation, or connect just some of these inlets 152, for example a single inlet, to a pressurised source of air flow, by blocking off the other inlets not connected to a pressurised source of air flow by an additional lid.
The embodiment shown as a variant in
The use of multiple sources attached to a conduit 110, for example four sources attached to the same conduit, also uses associated fans and motors of reduced size and power relative to an embodiment with fan and single motor.
From
The support chassis of the different spraying systems each comprising a conduit 110 can form the subject of many embodiments. According to the particular embodiment represented in
If needed, the support structure of the fans 200 on the support chassis can be articulated to allow controlled inclination of these fans 200 towards the interior of the rows of treated culture between two systems 100 facing each other.
The fans 200 are placed and oriented nearest to the vegetation to be treated to limit to a maximum the influence of displacement of the device.
Sealing means are preferably provided between each pair of adjacent segments 140, 150.
The groove 160 and the complementary throat 162 form a male/female array or labyrinth which ensures tightness between two adjacent segments 140, 150, whether these are two adjacent rectilinear segments 140, of two adjacent incurved segments 150, or again an adjacent rectilinear segment 140 and an incurved segment 150.
The straight section of each segment 140 and 150 is in the form of a closed water drop however having an opening corresponding to the slit 112.
As is clear from
The diameter D of the cap 122 is typically of the order of 66 mm.
In the region of their free ends, opposite the cap 122, the facets 124 and 126 define between them a channel 128 which corresponds to the above slit 112.
More precisely at this level the two facets 124 and 126 are delimited by flat and parallel surfaces 125 and 127.
The distance d between these surfaces 125 and 127, which corresponds to the thickness of the slit 112 and consequently to the thickness of the curtain of air at the outlet of the system, is preferably between 1 and 6 mm, advantageously between 1 and 4 mm.
More precisely still, the distance d between the two surfaces 125 and 127 is preferably variable and adjustable for controlling the speed of the air flow at the outlet of the slit 112 and therefore the laminar flow scope of the generated curtain of air.
The adjustment means can form the subject of many embodiments and will not be described in detail hereinbelow. As illustrated in
The adjustment means 123 must be infrequent so as not to disrupt the air flow.
More precisely still according to the invention the two facets 124, 126 each comprise a lip 130, 132 in the region of their free end.
The lips 130 and 132 are delimited internally by the above flat and parallel surfaces 125 and 127.
The inventors have determined that such flat surfaces 125, 127 are optimal for ensuring linear compression of air as far as the outlet of the lips 130, 132.
The lips 130 and 132 are also delimited externally by respective overall flat surfaces 131, 133.
The surfaces 131 and 133 converge as they move away from the cap 122.
In terms of the invention, the surfaces 131 and 133 are preferably inclined at the same angle relative respectively to the internal surfaces 125, 127. In terms of the invention, the surfaces 131 and 133 are preferably inclined according to an angle referenced α and β of the order of 15° relative to the internal surfaces 125, 127. The inventors have determined that this angle was optimal to ensure the preferred Coanda effect.
The Coanda effect is well known per se to the skilled person and will therefore not be described hereinbelow.
By way of reminder, Coanda effect is an effect of attraction or attachment of a jet of fluid by a surface on which it flows such that the fluid follows the surface and undergoes deviation before detaching from the latter. This effect allows a considerable amplification ratio between the quantity of air coming from the generator means and supplied by the slit 112 and the volume of air entrained from the environment to form the continuous air flow 102.
The inventors consider that such an angle of the order of 15° is optimal for acceleration of air aspirated on the exterior of lips 130, 132.
As is also evident in the attached figures, according to the invention the lips 130 and 132 are preferably asymmetric, even more precisely of different length. In this case the lip 130 is longer than the lip 132. The lip 130 exceeds the lip 132 for example by a distance di of the order of 10 mm.
This asymmetry allows better control of laminarity of the generated flow, reinforces the amplification coefficient of the volume of entrained air and controls the angle of outlet of the air flow.
The number of nozzles 10 placed at the centre of the conduit 110 to spray the product on the target plant V depends on the geometry and dimensions of the conduit 110. By way of non-limiting example for example 3 or 4 nozzles 10 can be provided distributed linearly and equidistantly in the median longitudinal plane Pm of the conduit 110.
The nozzles 10 are preferably variable at least in height, preferably laterally and in depth, or according to three axes x, y and z in an orthonormal marker and in orientation, on the chassis of the device C. Their angular diffusion opening is also preferably variable. These adjustments are adapted especially to limit the potential residue of product during treatment.
The conduit 110 is supplied in pressurised air flow by all appropriate means for generating air flow under pressure adapted to produce a laminar effect at the outlet of the slit 112.
Even more precisely according to the invention the air flow, especially the speed of the air flow at the outlet of the slit 112, is adapted to generate a laminar flow at the outlet of the slit 112 as illustrated in
This arrangement shakes the plants, especially their leaves and optimises homogeneous application of plant-protection product coming from the nozzles 10.
The speed of the air flow at the outlet of the channel 128 is typically between 20 m/s and 100 m/s.
The air flow generator means are also preferably adapted to provide a rate between 400 and 1500 m3/h creating sufficient resulting pressure in the terminal cone of the drop profile 110, defined by the facets 124 and 126 to accelerate the air outlet speed.
The air flow generator means can be formed by all appropriate means known to the skilled person, for example a screw air compressor or a blade air compressor or even a turbine fan.
If needed, the conduit 110 can comprise inside one or more variables valves adapted to occlude a variable portion of the section of the conduit 110 to control air flow in the different segments of the conduit, and the distribution of the air flow between different parties of the conduit.
The flap 210 can however be adjusted in its orientation relative to the axis of the segment of conduit 110 which supports it, by rotation about an axis of rotation embodied by two coaxial sleeves or trunnions 214, 216.
Such valves can be implanted at all appropriate points of the conduit 110.
According to a preferred embodiment, applicable especially in cases of using a single fan per system 100, a valve equipped with a flap 210 can be provided respectively in the upper horizontal part and in the lower horizontal part of the conduit 110.
Under reference 270
The use of variable-blocking flap valves 210 balances circulation of the air flow between the front and the rear of the device, that is, between the two vertical sections of the same system 100. Adjustment can be ensured especially when the support device is moving. In reference to the direction of displacement of the device, it avoids for example an overly powerful rear jet and risking cancelling out treatment done upstream.
According to a particular embodiment the valve flaps 210 are used to control air flow such that the air flow exiting via the outlet 112 is greater over the section of this outlet located on the front, in reference to the direction of displacement of the device, than over the section of this outlet located on the rear. This arrangement especially avoids the rear air flow eliminating the treatment previously deposited on the vegetation.
Regulating the valves/flaps 210 can be operated as a function of the density of the vegetation and the speed of displacement of the device.
If needed, the flaps 210 can be motorised to ensure automatic orientation, for example on the basis of signals originating from sensors positioned in the conduit 110, such as carefully placed flow or pressure sensors.
Under reference 220
The flaps 210 can be oriented as a function of the signals originating from flow and/or pressure sensors, and according to the displacement speed and pressure of the spray nozzles 10, manually or by an adapted central unit.
As indicated previously the present invention also relates to the product spraying process, especially plant-protection product, by means of the system previously described.
This process comprises especially steps which consist of spraying pressurised product jets 12 at the outlet of the nozzles 10 connected to all appropriate product supply means, and confining these product jets 12 by means of the annular confinement curtain 102.
The supply means for plant-protection product for supplying the product to the nozzles 10 can form the subject of many embodiments known per se and therefore will not be described in detail hereinbelow.
In terms of the invention, “of the order of” means a value which can vary by more or less 10% relative to the indicated value.
Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described, but extends to all variants in keeping within its spirit.
The conduit 110 is preferably variable in height on the chassis of the device C to allow adaptation to the height of the vegetation V to be treated. The conduit 110 is variable in width by addition of rectilinear segments 140 between the incurved segments 150.
A conduit structure 110 formed by assembling different sections or segments 140, 150 has been described previously. As a variant however the conduit 110 can be formed from a single block.
By way of advantage, the conduit 110 can be self-supporting, and comprise a single fastening point due to the use of a laminated profile.
The conduit 110 can specifically be formed from two complementary shells extending over an angular opening of the order of 180°, from a lip 130, 132 as far as the base of the respectively associated sail 230, 232. The two shells are held to ensure closing of the conduit 110 by fastening two sails 230, 232 together.
As shown in
If needed, the location of the air intakes 260 can coincide with the support point of the sensors 220.
With respect especially to
But it is not limited to this embodiment. The devices according to the present invention can indeed comprise more than two systems facing each other.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1763165 | Dec 2017 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2018/086355 | 12/20/2018 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2019/122221 | 6/27/2019 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2139628 | Terry | Dec 1938 | A |
| 2488467 | De Lisio | Nov 1949 | A |
| 2720425 | Coanda | Oct 1955 | A |
| 2770501 | Coanda | Nov 1956 | A |
| 3517888 | Mitterer | Jun 1970 | A |
| 3625426 | Swanson | Dec 1971 | A |
| 3750955 | Nakai | Aug 1973 | A |
| 4270702 | Nicholson | Jun 1981 | A |
| 4515313 | Cavanagh | May 1985 | A |
| 4767056 | Demetrius | Aug 1988 | A |
| 4795095 | Shepard | Jan 1989 | A |
| 5028002 | Whitford | Jul 1991 | A |
| 5062572 | Reiter | Nov 1991 | A |
| 5214876 | Sukup | Jun 1993 | A |
| 5248086 | Waldrum | Sep 1993 | A |
| 5251818 | Manor | Oct 1993 | A |
| 5974728 | Nichols | Nov 1999 | A |
| 5996904 | Smeraldi | Dec 1999 | A |
| 6302332 | Panneton | Oct 2001 | B1 |
| 6318642 | Goenka | Nov 2001 | B1 |
| 8814067 | Freers | Aug 2014 | B2 |
| 9011116 | Li | Apr 2015 | B2 |
| 9013961 | Nicholson | Apr 2015 | B1 |
| 9630195 | Johnson | Apr 2017 | B2 |
| 10433535 | Hiddema | Oct 2019 | B2 |
| 10639653 | Shook | May 2020 | B1 |
| D909260 | De Rudnicki | Feb 2021 | S |
| 11154045 | Hiddema | Oct 2021 | B2 |
| D950428 | De Rudnicki | May 2022 | S |
| 20030006295 | Kenny | Jan 2003 | A1 |
| 20030115709 | Haruch | Jun 2003 | A1 |
| 20120248218 | Hoeben | Oct 2012 | A1 |
| 20120273070 | Freers | Nov 2012 | A1 |
| 20130019950 | VanderPyl | Jan 2013 | A1 |
| 20130146678 | Johnson | Jun 2013 | A1 |
| 20130199372 | Nock | Aug 2013 | A1 |
| 20130251545 | VanderPyl | Sep 2013 | A1 |
| 20150041003 | Freers | Feb 2015 | A1 |
| 20160262371 | Hiddema | Sep 2016 | A1 |
| 20170232461 | Chadin | Aug 2017 | A1 |
| 20180168140 | Pellenc | Jun 2018 | A1 |
| 20180368386 | Pérez Salvador | Dec 2018 | A1 |
| 20200315155 | De Rudnicki | Oct 2020 | A1 |
| 20210368769 | Godia | Dec 2021 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2009202946 | Feb 2010 | AU |
| 0653157 | May 1995 | EP |
| 1468604 | Oct 2004 | EP |
| 2420138 | Feb 2012 | EP |
| 2441523 | Apr 2012 | EP |
| 1287453 | Mar 1962 | FR |
| 1499433 | Oct 1967 | FR |
| 2407025 | May 1979 | FR |
| 2641479 | Jul 1990 | FR |
| 2905559 | Mar 2008 | FR |
| 2969902 | Jul 2012 | FR |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter II) received for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP2018/086355, dated Apr. 8, 2020, 17 pages (6 pages of English Translation and 11 pages of Original Document). |
| International Search Report received for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP2018/086355, dated Apr. 4, 2019, 7 pages (3 pages of English Translation and 4 pages of Original Document). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200315155 A1 | Oct 2020 | US |
