System and method for filling a sprayer tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9296604-B2
Application number	US-201113817705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2011
Priority date	Aug 23, 2010
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for filling a sprayer tank with at least one liquid solution, including at least a first tank containing a first liquid solution and a second tank configured to contain a second liquid solution, means for temporarily connecting the system to the tank, means for incorporating an active material into the first tank or between the first tank and the connecting means, and pumping means controlled by a control device and configured to selectively fill the tank with the liquid solution(s). The system also includes means for preparing the first liquid solution in the first tank by mixing the second solution and the active material in predetermined proportions. The means for preparing the first liquid solution include at least the means for incorporating the active material, which are positioned between the first tank and the second tank, as well as agitation means configured to ensure that the first liquid solution remains a suspension in the first tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. System for filling a sprayer cistern with at least one liquid solution including a first liquid solution, a second liquid solution, and active material, the system comprising:
at least one first tank configured to contain the first liquid solution,
a second tank configured to contain the second liquid solution,
means for temporarily connecting the system to the cistern,
means for incorporating the active material into the first tank or between the first tank and the means for connecting,
a control device, and
pumping means controlled by the control device and configured to selectively fill the cistern with the first liquid solution or the second liquid solution,
wherein the system further comprises means for preparing the first liquid solution which are controlled by the control device and which are configured to prepare this first liquid solution in the first tank by mixing the second liquid solution and the active material in predetermined proportions, and wherein the means for preparing the first liquid solution comprise at least,
the means for incorporating the active material which are positioned between the first tank and the second tank, or
agitation means configured to maintain the first liquid solution in suspension in the first tank.

2. System according to claim 1 further comprising a unit for preparing and for filling, adapted to incorporate the active material into the system, the unit comprising:
the control device,
the first tank,
the means for incorporating, and
the pumping means configured to selectively fill the cistern with the first liquid solution or the second liquid solution, in a single process without intermediate manipulations.

3. System according to claim 2 , wherein the second tank and the unit for preparing and for filling are mounted on the same trailer.

4. System according to claim 2 , wherein the second tank and the unit for preparing and for filling are mounted on separate trailers.

5. System according to, claim 1 , wherein the means for preparing the first liquid solution operate while the system is not connected to the cistern by the means for temporarily connecting.

6. System according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a device for automatically transferring, with a controlling dosing, the active material to the means for incorporating positioned between the first tank and the second tank.

7. System according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquid solution comprises a third liquid solution, and wherein the system further comprises means for selecting the liquid solution which is sent to the cistern from among at least: the first liquid solution, the second liquid solution and the third liquid solution which is a mixture of the first and second liquid solutions in predetermined proportions.

8. System according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises means for selecting the liquid solution which is sent to the cistern, with the means for selecting comprising at least:
means for confluing positioned upstream of the means for temporarily connecting the system to the cistern,
a first valve device positioned between the first tank containing the first solution and the means for confluing, and
a second valve device positioned between the second tank containing the second solution and the means for confluing,
and wherein the control device is configured, on the one hand, to selectively open or close each valve device and, on the other hand, to open or cut off the circulation of a flow of filling in the means for connecting.

9. System according to claim 8 , wherein the means for confluing are formed by a Venturi air aspirator.

10. System according to claim 1 , the first tank comprises a device for detecting the level of the first liquid solution in suspension in the first tank.

11. System according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is provided with communications means which are configured to receive information coming from the cistern, with this information chosen from among the following: the relative position between the system and the cistern, the free volume of the cistern that has to be filled, the liquid solution or solutions selected for the filling of the cistern, the desired concentration in active material in each solution, or a combination thereof.

12. Method for filling a sprayer cistern with a first solution and a second solution, comprising at least the following steps:
a) incorporating an active material into a system for filling comprising at least a first tank configured to contain the first liquid solution,
b) connecting the system for filling and the sprayer cistern to be filled using a means for connecting the system for filling to the cistern,
c) transmitting a filling order to a control device provided on the system for filling,
d) actuating pumping means that are provided on the system for filling, which are controlled by the control device and which are configured to selectively fill the cistern with the first liquid solution or the second liquid solution, and
e) disconnecting the means for connecting between the system and the cistern when the cistern is filled to a predetermined level,
wherein the step a) comprises the following sub-steps:
a1) transmitting an order to prepare concentrated mixture to the system for filling,
a2) incorporating a predetermined quantity of active material into the system for filling, upstream of the first tank or into the first tank,
a3) transferring a predetermined volume of the second liquid solution, to the first tank, and
a4) preparing the concentrated mixture in the first tank by mixing the active material and the second liquid solution in predetermined proportions.

13. Method according to claim 12 , wherein the step d) comprises at least one sub-step d1) consisting in selecting the liquid solution which is sent to the cistern from among at least: the first liquid solution, the second liquid solution, and a third liquid solution which is a mixture of the first and second liquid solutions in predetermined proportions.

14. Method according to claim 13 , wherein when the liquid solution selected is the third liquid solution, the step d) further comprises the following sub-steps following the step d1):
d2) actuating the pumping means using the control device in order to fill the cistern simultaneously with a mixture of the first liquid solution and the second liquid solution,
d3) detecting when the first tank containing the first liquid solution is empty or contains a predetermined level of liquid, and transmitting this information to the control device,
d4) actuating the pumping means using the control device in order to complement the filling of the cistern with the second liquid solution, in such a way that the full cistern contains a third liquid solution which is a mixture of the first and second liquid solutions in predetermined proportions.

15. Method according to claim 12 , wherein the step a) comprises incorporating the active material between the first tank and the means for connecting.

Assignees

• Ballu Patrick
• Exel Ind

Inventors

• Ballu Patrick

Classifications

• B67D7/743 Primary

  electrically or electro-mechanically operated · CPC title

• A01M7/0085 Primary

  Tanks · CPC title