Electronically controlled valve system for distributing particulate material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11844342-B2
Application number	US-202016834234-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2020
Priority date	Mar 30, 2020
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronically controlled valve in each air distribution line for delivering product-conveying air to a boom section of an agricultural machine. The valves can be used to balance airflow between lines by controlling back pressure at the boom sections. In one aspect, an electronically controlled butterfly valve can be installed in each air line between a fan's plenum outlet and a dry product delivery meter. Each valve can be configured to allow some flow when in a closed position. This could be achieved, for example, by configuring a valve plate with a circular perimeter shape that has a smaller diameter than an inner diameter of the line or tube in which the valve plate is mounted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for distributing particulate material from an applicator, the system comprising:
a fan configured to produce an airflow;
a plenum connected to the fan;
a plurality of supply lines connected to the plenum, each supply line of the plurality of supply lines being configured to receive the airflow via the plenum and entrain particulate material in the airflow;
a plurality of boom sections, each boom section of the plurality of boom sections supporting a plurality of nozzles, the plurality of nozzles of each boom section of the plurality of boom sections being connected to a respective supply line of the plurality of supply lines to distribute the particulate material entrained in the airflow of the respective supply line;
a plurality of electronically controlled valves, each supply line of the plurality of supply lines being associated with a respective valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves, each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves being actuatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the airflow in each supply line of the plurality of supply lines is greater when the respective valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves is in the open position than when the respective valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves is in the closed position;
a plurality of pressure sensors, each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors being configured to generate back pressure data providing a back pressure in a corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines; and
a control system in communication with the plurality of electronically controlled valves and the plurality of pressure sensors, wherein the control system executes a program stored in a non-transient medium to:
receive the back pressure data generated by the plurality of pressure sensors, the data providing the back pressure in each of the plurality of supply lines; and
selectively control each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves based at least in part on the back pressure in each of the plurality of supply lines.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a metering section comprising a plurality of meters for distributing particulate material to the plurality of supply lines, wherein each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves is arranged between the fan and the metering section.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electronically controlled valves comprises butterfly valves.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves comprises a plate having an area that is smaller than an area defined by an inner diameter of a corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines in which the plate is mounted.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plate is concentrically centered in the corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines on a shaft that is driven to pivot by an electric motor.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plate extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines when in the closed position.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the airflow in the corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines passes through an annular gap defined between an outer edge of the plate and an inner circumferential surface of the corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines when in the closed position.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plate comprises an opening in an interior of the plate, the opening extending across a geometric center of the plate.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plate has a perimeter having at least one circular edge and at least one straight edge, the at least one circular edge extending across an axis of rotation of the plate, the plate being rotatable about the axis of rotation between the open and closed positions.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one circular edge includes opposing circular edges and the at least one straight edge includes opposing straight edges, each of the opposing circular edges extending across the axis of rotation of the plate.

11. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plate is configured to rotate 90-degrees between the open and closed positions.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system executes to actuate a first valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves arranged in a first supply line of the plurality of supply lines to induce pressure in the first supply line so that a pressure differential between back pressure in the first supply line and back pressure in a second supply line of the plurality of supply lines is reduced.

13. An agricultural application implement comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of wheels supporting the frame;
a fan configured to produce an airflow;
a plenum connected to the fan;
a plurality of supply lines connected to the plenum, each supply line of the plurality of supply lines being configured to receive the airflow via the plenum and entrain particulate material in the airflow;
a plurality of boom sections supported by the frame, each boom section of the plurality of boom sections supporting a plurality of nozzles, the plurality of nozzles of each boom section of the plurality of boom sections being connected to a respective supply line of the plurality of supply lines to distribute the particulate material entrained in the airflow of the respective supply line;
a plurality of electronically controlled valves, each supply line of the plurality of supply lines being associated with a respective valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves, each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves being actuatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the airflow in each supply line of the plurality of supply lines is greater when the respective valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves is in the open position than when the respective valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves is in the closed position;
a plurality of pressure sensors, each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors being configured to generate back pressure data providing a back pressure in a corresponding supply line of the plurality of supply lines; and
a control system in communication with the plurality of electronically controlled valves and the plurality of pressure sensors, wherein the control system executes a program stored in a non-transient medium to:
receive the back pressure data generated by the plurality of pressure sensors, the data providing the back pressure in each of the plurality of supply lines; and
selectively control each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves based at least in part on the back pressure in each of the plurality of supply lines.

14. The system of claim 2 , wherein each valve of the plurality of electronically controlled valves is arranged between the plenum and the metering section.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boom sections includes a left outer-boom section, a left inner-boom section, a right outer-boom section, and a right inner-boom section.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a metering section comprising a plurality of meters for distributing particulate material to the plurality of supply lines,
wherein the control system is in communication with the plurality of meters, and
wherein the control system executes a turn-c

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Ruppert Rex
• Lindemeier Randy
• Martin Jeffrey Scot
• Amundson Jeremy

Classifications

• A01M7/0089 Primary

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

• A01M7/005

  Special arrangements or adaptations of the spraying or distributing parts, e.g. adaptations or mounting of the spray booms, mounting of the nozzles, protection shields (nozzles, spray heads or other outlets B05B1/00; spray pistols B05B9/01) · CPC title

• F16K1/22

  with axis of rotation crossing the valve member, e.g. butterfly valves · CPC title

• F16K31/041

  for rotating valves (F16K31/055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01M9/003 Primary

  Pneumatic field dusters, e.g. self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted · CPC title