Automated pesticide mixing and dispensing system and method of use

• US 10,369,531 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BASF SE
• Original Assignee: BASF SE
• Inventors: Cink, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatia, Anshu
• Application Number:
  US14/775,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2038 Holders or dispensers for pressurized insecticide, e.g. pressurized vessels, cans
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/20 using flow mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/30 Workflow diagrams or layout of plants, e.g. flow charts; Details of workflow diagrams or layout of plants, e.g. controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/04 Mixing biocidal, pesticidal or herbicidal ingredients used in agriculture or horticulture, e.g. for spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/10 Mixing by creating a vortex flow, e.g. by tangential introduction of flow components
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/13 using one or more of the components of the mixture to wash-out the mixer
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7132 the package containing one of the components dissolves when in contact with the other component of the mixture disintegrable, dissolvable or edible packaging materials B65D65/46
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0805 comprising a pressurised or compressible container for liquid or other fluent material B05B9/085 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for mixing and dispensing one or more pesticides includes a plurality of pesticide containers (5) for containing pesticide and at least one dosing device (7) associated with the pesticides containers and adapted to dose pesticide from the pesticide containers. A mixing device (9) receives pesticide from the dosing device and mixes the pesticide to form at least one of a pesticide solution and a pesticide mixture. A computer device (21) includes a processor and is adapted to receive an input from a user and based on that input operate the dosing device to dose a quantity of pesticide from one or more of the pesticide containers.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing one or more pesticide, the system comprising:

a plurality of single-dose units containing a soluble pesticide,

a diluent inlet for receiving a suitable diluent, each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units being selectively operably connectable to the diluent inlet for allowing a diluent from the diluent inlet to flow therethrough and at least in part dissolve the soluble pesticide contained therein, wherein each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units comprises a container which is sealed prior to connection to the diluent inlet and is unsealed when connected to the diluent inlet to allow diluent to flow therethrough; and

a computer device having a processor and being adapted to control a selective amount of diluent via the diluent inlet to flow through each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the computing device further comprises an input component for receiving input from the user.

3. The system set forth in claim 2 wherein the input component is one of a keyboard, a key pad, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch sensitive panel and an audio input device.

4. The system set forth in claim 2 wherein the input component is physically coupled to the computing device.

5. The system set forth in claim 2 wherein the input component is a portable computer device having a display.

6. The system set forth in claim 5 wherein the portable computer is one of a laptop, a tablet, and a smartphone.

7. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the pesticide is one of a granular pesticide, a particulate matter pesticide, and a powder pesticide.

8. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units comprises an envelope for containing the pesticide.

9. The system set forth in claim 8 wherein the envelope is liquid permeable for allowing a diluent to pass through the envelope and dissolve the soluble pesticide.

10. The system set forth in claim 8 wherein the envelope is water dissolvable.

11. The system set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one outlet for channeling the diluent and the soluble pesticide out of each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units.

12. The system set forth in claim 11 further comprising at least one container for receiving the diluent and the soluble pesticide from the outlet.

13. The system set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one container for receiving the diluent and the soluble pesticide from each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units.

14. The system set forth in claim 13 wherein the container is pressurized by at least one pressure generating device.

15. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein the pressure generating device comprises a compressed gas cylinder.

16. The system set forth in claim 14 wherein the pressure generating device comprises an air compressor.

17. The system set forth in claim 13 further comprising at least one adapter attached to the container for channeling the diluent and the soluble pesticide into the container.

18. The system set forth in claim 17 wherein the adapter comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a valve, an orifice, and a channel for channeling the diluent and the soluble pesticide into the container.

19. The system set forth in claim 13 further comprising an application wand attached to the container.

20. The system set forth in claim 19 wherein the application wand comprises a nozzle attachment attached to the container for applying the diluent and the soluble pesticide.

21. A method of dispensing one or more pesticide, the method comprising:

placing at least one single-dose unit of a plurality of single dose units containing a soluble pesticide in fluid communication with a diluent inlet, each single dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units being selectively operably connectable to the diluent inlet;

providing a computer device having a processor;

directing a selected quantity of diluent to flow through at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units and at least partially dissolving the soluble pesticide contained therein to form a pesticide solution, wherein each single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units comprises a container which is sealed prior to connection to the diluent inlet and is unsealed when connected to the diluent inlet to allow diluent to flow therethrough; and

controlling, with the computing device, the flow of the selected quantity of diluent through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the selected quantity of diluent directed through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units is sufficient to triple rinse the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising air drying the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units after the unit has been triple rinsed.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein directing a selected quantity of diluent to flow through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units comprises directing a selected quantity of water to flow through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein directing a selected quantity of diluent to flow through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units comprises directing a selected quantity of solvent to flow through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single-dose units.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising directing a selected quantity of water to flow through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units after the solvent has been directed through the at least one single-dose unit of the plurality of single dose units.