System for uniform dispersal of agricultural chemicals

• US 20050211802A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agri-Inject Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Agri-Inject Incorporated
• Inventors: Newton, Gary D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,063,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/548
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/04 Distributing under pressure; Distributing mud; Adaptation of watering systems for fertilising-liquids
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/03 comprising junction pieces for four or more pipe members

Abstract

A system for uniformly dispensing agricultural chemicals in soil comprises a holding reservoir for the liquid agrichemicals, at least one multi-port uniform dispersing manifold or splitter, and a number of dispensing delivery tubes for dispensing the chemicals proximate openings or slits in the soil during various functions such as planting. The liquid agricultural chemicals, within the system, flow, under pressure, from the reservoir to the exit orifice of each delivery conduit. The multi-port, uniform liquid dispersing manifold passively equally and uniformly, divides the incoming fluid stream to provide separate, but substantially equal, divided fluid streams exiting the manifold to individual delivery conduits. The fluid stream flowing through the fluid inlet of the manifold, under pressure, impinges a planar surface, disposed at one end of the manifold inlet, substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow and proximate the manifold exits, such that the fluid stream is radially dispersed and uniformly divided among the exit ports of the manifold. Advantageously, the fluid exit ports which are radially disposed about the fluid inlet have a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow in the fluid inlet causing the direction of the exit a flow to be substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow in the fluid inlet.

Claims

1. A system for uniformly dispensing a fluidic substance comprising:

(a) at least one multi-port manifold having an inlet and at least two exit ports disposed substantially radially of said inlet and having a planar surface disposed in one end of said inlet proximate said exit ports;

(b) a reservoir, for retaining said fluidic substance, in fluid communication with said inlet;

(c) delivery conduits, each in fluid communication with one of said at least two exit ports wherein said fluidic substance flowing into said inlet, under pressure, impinges said planar surface and is radially dispersed to provide substantially equal, divided fluid streams exiting the manifold by means of said exit ports.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said fluidic substance is an agrichemical.

3. The system of claim 1, having two multi-port manifolds in series.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure is provided by a pump fluidly communicating with said system at a point downstream of said reservoir and upstream of said at least one multi-port manifold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure is provided by pressurizing said reservoir.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one multi-port manifold has three, four, five, or six exit ports.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said exit ports are disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of said fluidic substance flowing in said inlet.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said exit ports each have a lesser diameter than the fluid inlet.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said exit ports have substantially equal diameter.

10. A multi-port manifold having an inlet and at least two exit ports disposed substantially radially of said inlet and having a planar surface disposed in one end of said inlet proximate said exit ports such that a fluidic substance flowing into said inlet, under pressure, impinges said planar surface and is radially dispersed to provide substantially equal, divided fluid streams exiting the manifold by means of said exit ports.

11. The manifold of claim 10, wherein said at least one multi-port manifold has three, four, five, or six exit ports.

12. The manifold of claim 10, wherein said exit ports are disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of said fluidic substance flowing in said inlet.

13. The manifold of claim 10, wherein said exit ports have substantially equal diameter.

14. The manifold of claim 10, wherein said exit ports each have a lesser diameter than the fluid inlet.

15. A method for uniformly dispensing a fluidic substance from a plurality of delivery conduits comprising the step of:

(a) delivering a fluidic substance, under pressure, to the inlet of a at least one multi-port manifold having an inlet and at least two exit ports disposed substantially radially of said inlet and having a planar surface disposed in one end of said inlet proximate said exit ports wherein said exit ports are each in fluid communication with one of said plurality of delivery conduits.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said fluidic substance is an agrichemical.

17. The method of claim 15, having two multi-port manifolds in series, wherein the delivery conduits emanate from the second multi-port manifold in the series.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said pressure is provided by a pump fluidly communicating with said system at a point upstream of said at least one multi-port manifold.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said pressure is provided by pressurizing a reservoir containing said fluidic substance in fluid communication with the inlet of said at least one multi-port manifold.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one multi-port manifold has four exit ports.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said exit ports are disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of said fluidic substance flowing in said inlet.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said exit ports have substantially equal diameter.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said exit ports each have a lesser diameter than the fluid inlet.

24. A multi-port manifold for passively, uniformly, dividing an incoming flowing fluid stream to provide separate, but substantially equal exit flow streams comprising:

(a) a fluid inlet comprising a conduit having an upper portion and a lower portion forming a channel therethrough and having a planar surface disposed radially at the termination of the lower portion, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel;

(b) a plurality of equal diametered exit ports of lesser diameter than the inlet channel comprising a conduit having a receiving orifice on one end and adapted to fluidly communicate with a conduit on the other, deposed radially about said lower portion and in fluid communication with said fluid inlet wherein said incoming flowing fluid stream under pressure, impinges said planar surface and is radially dispersed to provide substantially equal, divided fluid streams exiting the manifold by means of said exit ports.

25. The manifold of claim 24, wherein said at least one multi-port manifold has three, four, five, or six exit ports.

26. The manifold of claim 25, wherein said exit ports are disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of said fluidic substance flowing in said inlet.