Active substance supply system for an agricultural sprayer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11759805-B2
Application number	US-202217883078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2022
Priority date	Nov 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

The invention relates to an active substance supply system for an agricultural sprayer, having a main liquid circuit which comprises a reservoir for a main liquid and permits circulation of the main liquid, where the main liquid circuit comprises one or more distribution sections which are each configured to distribute to several dispensing elements a spray liquid to be dispensed, and a feed system which is connected to the main liquid circuit and in which the main liquid is mixed with at least one separately supplied active substance to form a liquid active substance mixture, where the active substance supply system is configured to introduce the active substance mixture into the one or more distribution sections at several places.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Active substance supply system for an agricultural sprayer, comprising:
a main liquid circuit which comprises a reservoir for a main liquid and permits circulation of said main liquid, where said main liquid circuit comprises one or more distribution sections which are each configured to distribute to several dispensing elements a spray liquid to be dispensed, and a feed system which is connected to said main liquid circuit and in which said main liquid is mixed with at least one separately fed active substance to form a liquid active substance mixture;
wherein said active substance supply system is configured to introduce said liquid active substance mixture into said one or more distribution sections at several places, and
wherein said main liquid circuit comprises in a direction of flow downstream of said one or more distribution sections one or more return lines which are connected to said reservoir, where a respective shut-off device is arranged at said one or more return lines and is configured to block the flow.

2. Active substance supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising several flow control units which are each connected to said main liquid circuit and said feed system and are configured to control the flow of said main liquid and said liquid active substance mixture to a distribution section.

3. Active substance supply system according to claim 1 , wherein a branching is present at said main liquid circuit and connects said main liquid circuit to a mixing chamber of said feed system in a manner conveying liquid.

4. Active substance supply system according to claim 3 , wherein said branching comprises a flow control unit which is configured to control the flow of said main liquid circulating in said main liquid circuit or the outflow of said main liquid circulating in said main liquid circuit to said mixing chamber.

5. Active substance supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising several flow control units having inlets each connected to said main liquid circuit and not to said feed system and which are each configured to control the flow of said main liquid to a distribution section.

6. Active substance supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising several flow control units having inlets each connected to said feed system and not to said main liquid circuit and which are each configured to control the flow of said liquid active substance mixture to a distribution section.

7. Active substance supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising a circulation circuit for said liquid active substance mixture which permits circulation of said liquid active substance mixture.

8. Active substance supply system according to claim 7 , wherein said circulation circuit to said reservoir or to said one or more distribution sections is configured to be blocked.

9. Active substance supply system according to claim 7 , wherein said circulation circuit and said main liquid circuit are entirely separable from each other.

10. Active substance supply system according to claim 7 , wherein said circulation circuit comprises a conveying device and a bypass line bridging said conveying device.

11. Agricultural sprayer, comprising:
a distributor linkage on which several dispensing elements are arranged; and
an active substance supply system which provides said dispensing elements with a spray liquid to be dispensed;
wherein said active substance supply system comprises:
a main liquid circuit which comprises a reservoir for a main liquid and permits circulation of said main liquid, where said main liquid circuit comprises one or more distribution sections which are each configured to distribute to said several dispensing elements the spray liquid to be dispensed, and a feed system which is connected to said main liquid circuit and in which said main liquid is mixed with at least one separately fed active substance to form a liquid active substance mixture, wherein said main liquid circuit comprises in a direction of flow downstream of said one or more distribution sections one or more return lines which are connected to said reservoir, where a respective shut-off device is arranged at said one or more return lines and is configured to block the flow;
wherein said active substance supply system is configured to introduce said liquid active substance mixture into said one or more distribution sections at several places.

12. Method for conveying a spray liquid with an agricultural sprayer, comprising the steps of:
circulating a main liquid in a main liquid circuit of an active substance supply system of said agricultural sprayer, said main liquid circuit comprising a reservoir for a main liquid,
distributing to several dispensing elements in one or more distribution sections of said main liquid circuit a spray liquid to be dispensed,
mixing main liquid with an active substance to form a liquid active substance mixture in a feed system of said active substance supply system of said agricultural sprayer;
introducing said liquid active substance mixture into said one or more distribution sections at several places;
blocking the return flow of said main liquid circuit from said one or more distribution sections to said reservoir; and
opening the return flow of said main liquid circuit from said one or more distribution sections to said reservoir.

13. Method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
controlling the flow of said main liquid and said liquid active substance mixture to a distribution section at said several places.

14. Method according to claim 13 , wherein controlling the flow of said main liquid and said liquid active substance mixture to a distribution section at said several places is respectively effected by an adjustment valve, which opens either the flow of said main liquid or alternatively the flow of said liquid active substance mixture to a distribution section.

15. Method according to claim 13 , wherein controlling the flow of said main liquid and said liquid active substance mixture to a distribution section at said several places is respectively effected with separate valves for said main liquid and said liquid active substance mixture.

16. Method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
circulating said liquid active substance mixture in a circulation circuit.

17. Method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
preloading said circulation circuit with said active substance mixture before the flow from said circulation circuit to said one or more distribution sections is opened.

18. Method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
preloading one distribution section, several or all distribution sections with said liquid active substance mixture before their dispensing elements are opened.

19. Method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
changing said spray liquid to be dispensed from the active substance mixture to pure main liquid,
wherein, for changing said spray liquid to be dispensed from the active substance mixture to pure main liquid, said one or more shut-off devices remain closed at said return lines until all the active substance mixture has left the lines of said main liquid circuit.

Assignees

• Amazonen Werke H Dreyer Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Klemann Timo
• Kühn Christoph
• Dembeck Achim
• Feldhaus Johannes
• Kalkmann Helmke
• Stiegemeyer Mathias
• Austermann Stefan

Classifications

• A01M7/0089 Primary

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

• B05B7/0408 Primary

  with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids · CPC title

• B05B7/32

  the fed liquid or other fluent material being under pressure · CPC title

• B05B1/20

  Perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms; Outlet elements therefor · CPC title

• B05B15/55

  using cleaning fluids · CPC title