Control system, spray bar, carrier and method of implementation

• US 10,343,180 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2015
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exel Industries (Exel)
• Original Assignee: Exel Industries (Exel)
• Inventors: Rouyer, Sebastien, Mick, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Valvis, Alexander M
• Application Number:
  US15/550,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20180029060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/008 Tanks, chassis or related parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0053 Mounting of the spraybooms
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0057 with active regulation of the boom position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/20 Arrangements of several outlets along elongated bodies, e.g. perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms spray booms for agricultural uses A01M7/0071; spray bars for treating roads E01C19/176; Outlet elements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/124 responsive to distance between spray apparatus and target
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/023 using fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/027 comprising control arrangements F16F15/0237 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2222/12 Fluid damping
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2228/066 Variable stiffness

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control system (20) provided to a spray bar (10) mounted on a carrier (1) at an angle (α10) adjustable relative to the carrier (1), the control system (20) comprising an actuator for changing the angle (α10) of the spray bar (10); a control device for controlling the actuator; and a damping device connected to the actuator to damp vibrations and oscillations of the spray bar (10) and thus stabilize the angle (α10). The invention is characterized in that the control system (20) further comprises a recharging device operating simultaneously with the control device to compensate for a pressure change in the damping device during a change in the angle (α10) of the spray bar (10). The invention also relates to a spray bar (10), a carrier (1) and a method of implementation.

Claims

1. A control system, provided to equip a spray bar mounted on a carrier and having an adjustable angle relative to the carrier, the control system comprising:

an actuator to change the angle of the spray bar;

a control device to control the actuator;

a damping device connected to the actuator to damp vibrations and oscillations of the spray bar and thus to stabilize the angle; and

a recharging device operating simultaneously with the control device to compensate for a pressure change in the damping device during a change in the angle of the spray bar.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the modification of the angle of the spray bar results from an operator manual actuation for a tilt correction function.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the modification of the angle of the spray bar results from an automatic actuation for a tilt correction function.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the recharging device is positioned downstream from the damping device, relative to the actuator.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a through rod double-acting cylinder comprising a hollow body, a piston moving in the hollow body, a rod secured to the piston and extending on each side of the body, and two chambers separated by the piston in the body.

6. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is formed by two single-acting cylinders mounted in opposition and having a same cross-section.

7. A spray bar, suitable for being mounted on a carrier and having an adjustable angle, wherein the spray bar is equipped with a control system according to claim 1.

8. A carrier equipped with a spray bar according to claim 7.

9. A method for implementing a control system according to claim 1, the method comprising a tilting step for modifying the angle of the spray bar, wherein in the tilting step, the control device controls the actuator while the recharging device compensates for a pressure variation in the damping device.