Control system for a canopy

• US 10,624,273 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2018
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skavis Corporation
• Original Assignee: Skavis Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Randall James, Noll, Jr., Charles Francis, Airhart, Tom Wallis, Niece, James Seth, Kelley, Brian Lee, Vogel, Matthew Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US16/012,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/02 Protective coverings for plants; Coverings for the ground; Devices for laying-out or removing coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0206 Canopies, i.e. devices providing a roof above the plants
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0212 for individual plants, e.g. for plants in pots
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/06 Devices for generating heat, smoke or fog in gardens, orchards or forests, e.g. to prevent damage by frost
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/065 Frost protection by generating fog or by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/08 Mechanical apparatus for circulating the air
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/06 Treatment of growing trees or plants, e.g. for preventing decay of wood, for tingeing flowers or wood, for prolonging the life of plants
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0629 characterised by the type of regulator means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

A method includes receiving a treatment temperature from a user device; positioning a tree within a treatment region of a canopy; flowing a fluid from a hot fluid generating system to the canopy; spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy; and selectively enabling and disabling a fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy to maintain the treatment temperature within the treatment region of the canopy.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a treatment temperature from a user device;

positioning a tree within a treatment region of a canopy;

flowing a fluid from a hot fluid generating system to the canopy;

spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy;

selectively enabling and disabling a fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy to maintain the treatment temperature within the treatment region of the canopy;

receiving a treatment duration time from the user device;

selectively disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy to maintain the treatment temperature within the canopy for the treatment duration time; and

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy upon expiration of the treatment duration time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the tree within the treatment region of the canopy comprises lowering a bottom opening of the canopy over the tree.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy comprises atomizing the fluid into steam with a nozzle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively enabling and disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy comprises selectively opening and closing a canopy valve.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a canopy temperature from a temperature transmitter positioned within the canopy; and

determining whether the canopy temperature is at or above a high-high temperature limit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a fluid temperature of the fluid in the hot fluid generating system from a temperature probe; and

determining whether the fluid temperature is at or above a high-high temperature limit.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy if the fluid temperature is at or above the high-high temperature limit;

disabling heating of the fluid by a hot water generator of the hot fluid generating system if the fluid temperature is at or above a high temperature limit and below the high-high temperature limit; and

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy if the fluid temperature is below the high temperature limit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a fluid flow rate of the fluid in the hot fluid generating system from a low flow switch;

determining whether the fluid flow rate is at or above a predetermined fluid flow rate; and

disabling heating of the fluid by a hot water generator of the hot fluid generating system if the fluid flow rate is below the predetermined fluid flow rate.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a treatment temperature from a user device;

positioning a tree within a treatment region of a canopy;

flowing a fluid from a hot fluid generating system to the canopy;

spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy;

selectively enabling and disabling a fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy to maintain the treatment temperature within the treatment region of the canopy;

receiving a fluid temperature of the fluid in the hot fluid generating system from a temperature probe;

determining whether the fluid temperature is at or above a high-high temperature limit;

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy if the fluid temperature is at or above the high-high temperature limit;

disabling heating of the fluid by a hot water generator of the hot fluid generating system if the fluid temperature is at or above a high temperature limit and below the high-high temperature limit; and

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy if the fluid temperature is below the high temperature limit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the tree within the treatment region of the canopy comprises lowering a bottom opening of the canopy over the tree.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy comprises atomizing the fluid into steam with a nozzle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein selectively enabling and disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy comprises selectively opening and closing a canopy valve.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a canopy temperature from a temperature transmitter positioned within the canopy; and

determining whether the canopy temperature is at or above a high-high canopy temperature limit.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a fluid flow rate of the fluid in the hot fluid generating system from a low flow switch;

determining whether the fluid flow rate is at or above a predetermined fluid flow rate; and

disabling heating of the fluid by a hot water generator of the hot fluid generating system if the fluid flow rate is below the predetermined fluid flow rate.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring a safety timer;

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy upon expiration of the safety timer if the fluid flow is not already disabled;

resetting the safety timer;

receiving a treatment duration time from the user device;

enabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy; and

maintaining the fluid flow to the canopy at the treatment temperature for the treatment duration time.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a treatment temperature from a user device;

positioning a tree within a treatment region of a canopy;

flowing a fluid from a hot fluid generating system to the canopy;

spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy;

selectively enabling and disabling a fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy to maintain the treatment temperature within the treatment region of the canopy;

monitoring a safety timer;

disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy upon expiration of the safety timer if the fluid flow is not already disabled;

resetting the safety timer;

receiving a treatment duration time from the user device;

enabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy;

and maintaining the fluid flow to the canopy at the treatment temperature for the treatment duration time.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the tree within the treatment region of the canopy comprises lowering a bottom opening of the canopy over the tree.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein spraying the fluid from the hot fluid generating system into the treatment region of the canopy comprises atomizing the fluid into steam with a nozzle.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein selectively enabling and disabling the fluid flow from the hot fluid generating system to the canopy comprises selectively opening and closing a canopy valve.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a canopy temperature from a temperature transmitter positioned within the canopy; and

determining whether the canopy temperature is at or above a high-high temperature limit.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a fluid flow rate of the fluid in the hot fluid generating system from a low flow switch;

determining whether the fluid flow rate is at or above a predetermined fluid flow rate; and

disabling heating of the fluid by a hot water generator of the hot fluid generating system if the fluid flow rate is below the predetermined fluid flow rate.