Control method and apparatus for liquid distributor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for dispensing liquid comprising:
- a tank for storing a liquid, means for supporting the tank for movement relative to the ground, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first electric signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the tank operable to draw liquid from the tank and discharge liquid, boom means having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing liquid onto a desired location, line means connected to the pump means and boom means for carrying liquid under pressure discharged from the pump means to said boom means, means for entering and storing at least one desired flow parameter, a liquid flow meter located in said line means for monitoring the actual flow rate of liquid in said line means, said flow meter including means for producing a second electrical signal related to said flow rate, first valve means located in said line means for controlling the flow rate of liquid in the line means, power means for regulating the first valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid in the line means relative to said actual flow rate and desired flow parameter, means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said first valve means and provide a third electrical signal related to said second pressure, solenoid operated valve means in said line means adjacent said boom means operable either to allow liquid to flow into the boom means or to block the flow of liquid into the boom means, and control means responsivly coupled to said stored flow parameter and to said first, second and third electrical signals for controlling said power means to regulate the liquid flow rate to the boom means relative to said stored flow parameter and said first and second signals and for independently adjusting the flow rate relative to said second and third electrical signals whereby said liquid is distributed at a substantially uniform spray density independent of speed and pressure variations.
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Abstract
A liquid sprayer has a tank for storing liquid, a boom supporting spraying nozzles, and a pump and liquid control system for supply liquid under pressure to the spraying nozzles in a manner that maintains substantially uniform liquid dispensing density independent of the ground speed of the sprayer. A ground speed sensor, a liquid pressure sensor, and a liquid flow meter send signals to a controller to regulate a valve that controls the rate of flow of liquid to the spray nozzles.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dispensing liquid comprising:
- a tank for storing a liquid, means for supporting the tank for movement relative to the ground, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first electric signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the tank operable to draw liquid from the tank and discharge liquid, boom means having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing liquid onto a desired location, line means connected to the pump means and boom means for carrying liquid under pressure discharged from the pump means to said boom means, means for entering and storing at least one desired flow parameter, a liquid flow meter located in said line means for monitoring the actual flow rate of liquid in said line means, said flow meter including means for producing a second electrical signal related to said flow rate, first valve means located in said line means for controlling the flow rate of liquid in the line means, power means for regulating the first valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid in the line means relative to said actual flow rate and desired flow parameter, means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said first valve means and provide a third electrical signal related to said second pressure, solenoid operated valve means in said line means adjacent said boom means operable either to allow liquid to flow into the boom means or to block the flow of liquid into the boom means, and control means responsivly coupled to said stored flow parameter and to said first, second and third electrical signals for controlling said power means to regulate the liquid flow rate to the boom means relative to said stored flow parameter and said first and second signals and for independently adjusting the flow rate relative to said second and third electrical signals whereby said liquid is distributed at a substantially uniform spray density independent of speed and pressure variations.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for dispensing liquid onto a desired location comprising:
means movable relative to the ground for storing a liquid, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the means for storing the liquid operable to pump said liquid, liquid dispensing means having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing liquid onto a desired location, line means connected to the pump means and dispensing means for carrying liquid under pressure discharged from the pump means to said dispensing means, a liquid flow meter located in said line means for monitoring the flow rate of liquid in said line means, said flow meter including means for producing a second signal related to said flow rate, liquid flow control valve means located in said line means, power means for regulating the valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid in the line means, means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said liquid flow control valve means and provide a third electrical signal related to said sensed pressure, and control means responsively coupled to said stored flow parameter and to said first, second and third electrical signals for controlling said power means to regulate the liquid flow rate to the boom means relative to said stored flow parameter and said first and second signals and for independently adjusting the flow rate relative to said second and third electrical signals whereby said liquid is distributed at a substantially uniform spray density independent of speed and pressure variations, said control means including selector means to select the flow density of liquid supplied to the dispensing means, said selector means having a first position for controlling the flow density of liquid to the dispensing means at a selected first flow density, and at least a second position for controlling the flow density of the liquid to the dispensing means at a second selected flow density, said second flow density being greater than or less than said first flow density. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for dispensing liquid onto a desired location comprising:
- means relative to the ground for storing a liquid, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the means for storing the liquid operable to pump liquid, boom means having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing liquid onto a desired location, said boom means having a plurality of boom sections, each boom section having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing onto said desired location, line means connected to the pump means and boom means for carrying liquid under pressure discharged from the pump means to each of said boom sections, a liquid flow meter located in said line means for monitoring the flow rate of liquid in said line means, said flow meter including means for producing a second signal related to said flow rate, liquid flow control valve means located in said line means for controlling the flow rate of liquid in the line means, power means for regulating the flow control valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid in the line means, means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said liquid flow control valve means and provide a third electrical signal related to said sensed pressure, a plurality of solenoid operated valve means in said line means adjacent said boom sections operable to allow liquid to flow into each boom section and separately cut off the flow of liquid to each boom section, and control means responsively coupled to said stored flow parameter and to said first, second and third electrical signals for controlling said power means to regulate the liquid flow rate to the boom means relative to said stored flow parameter and said first and second signals and for independently adjusting the flow rate relative to said second and third electrical signals whereby said liquid is distributed at a substantially uniform spray density independent of speed and pressure variations, said control means having a plurality of switch means operably connected to the plurality of solenoid operated valve means for selectively coupling the solenoid operated valve means to a source of electric power, said switch means being selectively and individually operable to energize one or more of said solenoid operated valve means to cut off the flow of liquid to one or more of said boom sections, said control means including means to maintain a substantially constant liquid flow density to the boom sections that have not been cut off from the liquid whereby the density of the liquid discharged is not increased when one or more boom sections have been cut off from the liquid or when the ground speed has changed.
- View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus for dispensing liquid onto a desired location comprising:
- means movable relative to the ground for storing a liquid, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the means for storing the fluid operable to pump liquid, a plurality of boom sections for dispensing liquid onto said desired location, each boom section having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing liquid, line means connected to the pump means and boom sections for carrying liquid under pressure discharged by the pump means to each boom section, liquid flow control valve means located in said line means for controlling the flow rate of liquid and pressure in the line means leading to the boom sections, power means for regulating the flow control valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid and pressure in the line means, means to sense the flow rate in the line means and provide a second signal related to the sensed flow rate, means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said liquid flow control valve means and provide a third electrical signal related to said sensed pressure, a plurality of solenoid operated valve means in said line means adjacent said boom sections operable to allow liquid to flow into each boom section and separately cut off the flow of liquid to each boom section, and control means responsively coupled to said stored flow parameter and to said first, second and third electrical signals for controlling said pwoer means to regulate the liquid flow rate to the boom means relative to said stored flow parameter and said first and second signals and for independently adjusting the flow rate relative to said second and third electrical signals whereby said liquid is distributed at a substantially uniform spray density independent of speed and pressure variations, said control means having a pluralty of switch means operably connected to the plurality of solenoid operated valve means for selectively coupling the solenoid operated valve means to a source of electric power, said switch means being selectively and individually operable to energize one or more of said solenoid operated valve means to cut off the flow of liquid to one or more of said boom sections, said control means including means to maintain the liquid flow density to the boom sections that have not been cut off from the liquid substantially constant whereby the density of the liquid discharged is not increased when one or more boom sections have been cut off from the liquid or when the ground speed has changed.
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41. An apparatus for dispensing liquid onto a desired location comprising:
- means movable relative to the ground for storing a liquid, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the means for storing the liquid operable to pump said liquid, liquid dispensing means for dispensing liquid onto a desired location, line means connected to the pump means and dispensing means for carrying liquid under pressure discharged by the pump means to the dispensing means, a liquid flow meter located in said line means for monitoring the flow rate of liquid in said line means, said flow meter including means for producing a second electric signal related to said flow rate, liquid flow control valve means located in said line means, power means for regulating the valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid in the line means, means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said liquid flow control valve means and provide a third electrical signal related to said sensed pressure, and control means responsively coupled to said stored flow parameter and to said first, second and third electrical signals for controlling said power means to regulate the liquid flow rate to the boom means relative to said stored flow parameter and said first and second signals and for independently adjusting the flow rate relative to said second and third electrical signals whereby said liquid is distributed at a substantially uniform spray density independent of speed and pressure variations, said control means including means to determine the actual gallons per acre of liquid dispensed by the dispensing means, means for storing information as to gallons per acre of liquid desired to be dispensed by the dispensing means, and means for determining the percentage of error between the actual gallons per acre and the desired gallons per acre.
- View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. Improved liquid spray dispensing apparatus having a tank for storing a liquid, means for supporting the tank for movement relative to the ground, ground speed sensor means operable to provide a first control signal related to the ground speed of the apparatus, pump means connected to the tank operable to draw liquid from the tank and discharge liquid, boom means having a plurality of nozzles for dispensing liquid onto a desired location, line means connected to the pump means and boom means for carrying liquid under pressure discharged from the pump means to said boom means, a liquid flow meter located in said line means for monitoring the flow rate of liquid in said line means, said flow meter including means for producing a second control signal related to said flow rate, first valve means located in said line means for controlling the flow rate of liquid in the line means, power means for regulating the first valve means to vary the flow rate of liquid in the line means, and means to sense the pressure of the liquid in said line means downstream from said first valve means and provide a third control signal related to said sensed pressure, the improvement comprising:
- means for entering and storing a desired flow density;
control means response to said stored flow density and to said first and second control signals for controlling said power means to regulate the liquid flow rate to said boom so that said desired density is dispensed from the nozzles in a substantially uniform manner and for independently monitoring said third control signal relative to said second control signal and controlling said power means relative to detected variations in the flow density. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
- means for entering and storing a desired flow density;
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48. Improved apparatus for distributing a pressurized liquid from a portable storage tank via a plurality of boom mounted dispensing nozzles, the improvement comprising in combination:
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means for entering and storing a least one desired flow parameter control signal; means for monitoring the liquid flow rate to said dispensing nozzles and producing a flow rate control signal; means for monitoring the ground speed of said storage tank for producing a ground speed control signal; means for monitoring the pressure at which said liquid is supplied to said boom and producing a corresponding control signal; valve means for controlling the flow rate of liquid to said boom; processing means responsive to said control signals for controlling said valve means relative to determined variations between said stored flow parameter and a corresponding actual flow parameter as determined from said ground speed and flow rate control signal and for independently varying the flow rate relative to sensed variations between a flow rate relative to sensed variations between a flow rate determined from said pressure control signal and the actual flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51)
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Specification