Device and method for improved spray monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243107-B2
Application number	US-201816079692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2018
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A spraying apparatus having an improved system for monitoring the flow of a spray nozzle or spray device and sensing malfunctions to the spray device is provided. The spraying apparatus includes sensors to monitor an input or instruction signal and a spray signal. The timing of the signals are analyzed to verify whether the spraying apparatus is opening and closing properly for each spray instruction signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for verifying spray performance of a pulse width modulated (PWM) cyclic spray device, the method comprising:
issuing a PWM cyclic spray actuation signal for actuating a spray valve within the PWM cyclic spray device;
receiving a spray sensing signal from a sensor of the spray device, wherein the spray sensing signal is indicative of an instantaneous flow from the PWM cyclic spray device; and
monitoring cyclic operation of the PWM cyclic spray device, wherein the monitoring comprises:
comparing a timing of state changes in the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal with corresponding state changes in the spray sensing signal; and
determining, in accordance with the comparing, operational performance of the PWM cyclic spray device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring further comprises:
comparing a magnitude of the spray sensing signal to a threshold during an open state of the spray valve during a single PWM cycle of the PWM cyclic spray device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal corresponds to one or more signal sources selected from the group consisting of:
a fluid pressure applied to a pneumatic or hydraulic valve;
a position measurement of a valve operator;
an electrical signal applied to a solenoid or motor valve; and
an indirect measurement of a magnetic field created by a solenoid coil.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor of the spray device is any one or more sensor type selected from the group consisting of:
a piezo-resistive pressure sensor;
a pressure sensor;
a mass or volumetric flow rate sensor; and
a reflective, proximity or radar sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring further comprises:
calculating, in accordance with the comparing, performance statistics of the spray valve.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the monitoring further comprises:
generating, in accordance with the performance statistics of the spray valve being out of tolerance, an error.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises:
determining whether a decrease in the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal is accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the spray sensing signal; and
generating, in response to the decrease in the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal not being accompanied by the corresponding decrease in the spray sensing signal, a close error.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the monitoring further comprises:
determining, in response to the decrease in the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal being accompanied by the corresponding decrease in the spray sensing signal, the spray valve is stopping the liquid flow; and
calculating, based upon the determining the spray valve is stopping flow, performance statistics of the spray valve.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the monitoring further comprises:
generating, in response to the performance statistics of the spray valve being out of tolerance, an error.

10. A spraying system comprising:
a pulse width modulated (PWM) cyclic spray device, configured to generate and direct a liquid spray pattern, the spray device comprising:
a spray valve, configured to receive PWM cyclic spray actuation signal for actuating the spray valve, and
a sensor, configured to generate a spray sensing signal, wherein the spray sensing signal is indicative of an instantaneous flow from the PWM cyclic spray device; and

a controller configured to carry out a method comprising:
acquiring a spray sensing signal generated by a sensor of the spray device, wherein the spray sensing signal is indicative of an instantaneous flow from the PWM cyclic spray device; and
monitoring cyclic operation of the PWM cyclic spray device, wherein the monitoring comprises:
comparing a timing of state changes in the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal with corresponding state changes in the spray sensing signal; and
determining, in accordance with the comparing, operational performance of the PWM cyclic spray device.

11. The spraying system according to claim 10 , wherein monitoring further comprises:
comparing a magnitude of the spray sensing signal to a threshold during an open state of the spray valve during a single PWM cycle of the PWM cyclic spray device.

12. The spraying system according to claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a sensor type selected from the group consisting of:
a piezo-resistive pressure sensor;
a pressure sensor;
a mass or volumetric flow rate sensor; and
a reflective, proximity or radar sensor.

13. The spraying system according to claim 10 , wherein the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal is received from one or more signal sources selected from the group consisting of:
a fluid pressure applied to a pneumatic or hydraulic valve;
position measurement of a valve operator;
electrical signal applied to a solenoid or motor valve; and
indirect measurement of a magnetic field created by a solenoid coil.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the sensor of the spray device is configured to sense a pressure.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is positioned to sense a pressure within the PWM cyclic spray device downstream from the spray valve.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the comparing a timing of state changes includes determining a delay between state changes of the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal and corresponding state changes in the spray sensing signal.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the PWM cyclic spray device is an electrical power-actuated spray device.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor of the spray device is configured to sense a pressure.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the sensor is positioned to sense a pressure within the PWM cyclic spray device downstream from the spray valve.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing a timing of state changes includes determining a delay between state changes of the PWM cyclic spray actuation signal and corresponding state changes in the spray sensing signal.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PWM cyclic spray device is an electrical power-actuated spray device.

Assignees

• Spraying Systems Co

Inventors

• Day Andrew
• Chirban Alexander
• Hennessy Tim

Classifications

• B05B15/18

  for improving resistance to wear, e.g. inserts or coatings; for indicating wear; for handling or replacing worn parts · CPC title

• G05B23/0221

  Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods · CPC title

• G05D7/0635

  by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B1/04

  in flat form, e.g. fan-like, sheet-like · CPC title

• G05B23/0272 Primary

  Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user · CPC title