Hybrid flow nozzle system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730065-B2
Application number	US-201816172788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2018
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments include individual physical spray nozzles that have passageways inside to combine fluids that flow out of the spray nozzles. The nozzles have at least two valves that are opened and closed in an interleaved manner. The nozzles have multiple outlets. Such nozzles are mounted on a variety of implements including agricultural or industrial spray booms.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spray nozzle system, comprising:
an agricultural spray boom;
a plurality of spray nozzles coupled to the agricultural spray boom, wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles includes a spray nozzle body, the spray nozzle body comprising a fluid inlet, a first nozzle segment, a second nozzle segment rotatably coupled to the first nozzle segment, a first outlet, and a second outlet;
wherein the first nozzle segment is arranged to form a tubular device comprising a first valve, a second valve, and a fluid conduit, wherein the fluid inlet is connected to the fluid conduit, and wherein the first outlet and the second outlet couple to a respective first input and second input of the second nozzle segment comprising a nozzle output including a combined nozzle output and separate individual-outputs which are arranged to protrude out of a perimeter of the second nozzle segment in a direction parallel to a fluid flow of the fluid inlet;
the spray nozzle body further including a first actuator and a second actuator; and
wherein the first actuator actuates the first valve to move the first valve under a first pulse control, and the second actuator actuates the second valve to move the second valve under a second pulse control, wherein the first pulse control is interleaved with the second pulse control such that an aggregate pulse control is generated having a frequency greater than each of the first and second pulse controls.

2. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit connects the first valve and the second valve; and wherein the first valve and the second valve are capped by the first actuator and the second actuator, respectively.

3. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein a first nozzle output mates to both the first input and the second input in a first rotated position of the second nozzle segment relative to the first nozzle segment.

4. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein a first nozzle output is designed to receive chemicals from both the first outlet and the second outlet in a first rotated position of the second nozzle segment; and wherein a second nozzle output is designed to receive chemicals from either the first outlet or the second outlet in a second rotated position of the second nozzle segment with respect to the first and second valves.

5. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the second nozzle segment comprises a cylindrical configuration.

6. The spray nozzle system of claim 5 , wherein the second nozzle segment houses local circuits having first electric traces going to a relay box, wherein the relay box having second electric traces that contact the first actuator and the second actuator.

7. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein a first nozzle output is designed to receive fluids from both the first outlet and the second outlet in a first rotated position of a second nozzle segment; and wherein the second nozzle output is designed to receive fluids from either the first outlet or the second outlet in a second rotated position of the second nozzle segment.

8. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein a second nozzle segment is tubular and wherein each of a first nozzle output and the second nozzle output protrude out of the perimeter of the second nozzle segment; and the first nozzle output or a second nozzle output point in a direction parallel to a fluid flow of the fluid inlet in a first rotated position of the second nozzle segment.

9. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the first nozzle output is designed to receive fluids from both the first outlet and the second outlet in a first rotated position of the second nozzle segment; and wherein the second nozzle output is designed to receive fluids from either the first outlet or the second outlet in a second rotated position of the second nozzle segment.

10. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle body including local circuits that generate signals on electric traces embedded in a wall of the spray nozzle body, wherein the electric traces go to the first actuator and the second actuator.

11. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle body further houses local circuits that generate signals on electric traces embedded in a wall of the spray nozzle body, wherein the electric traces go to a motor that rotates the second nozzle segment.

12. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle body f further houses local circuits that generate signals on electric traces that go to a light emitting diode (LED) located at an exterior underside of the second nozzle segment.

13. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural spray boom comprises a composite carbon fiber material.

14. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural spray boom comprises trusses; and the agricultural spray boom is attached to a self-propelled sprayer or tractor towed sprayer.

15. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the second pulse control comprises a signal with 100% duty cycle to keep the second valve open.

16. The spray nozzle system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pulse controls comprise pulse width modulation control.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Funseth Travis G
• Bullock Stacy L
• Humpal Richard A

Classifications

• B05B1/083 Primary

  the pulsating mechanism comprising movable parts · CPC title

• A01G25/16

  Control of watering · CPC title

• A01M7/006

  Mounting of the nozzles · CPC title

• A01M7/0089

  Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06) · CPC title

• B05B12/06

  for effecting pulsating flow {(nozzles, spray heads or other outlets with means for generating a discharge of pulsating nature B05B1/08)} · CPC title