Controlled atmosphere transfer system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for applying an agent to plants, comprising:
- deposition chamber including a roof and side walls having one or more inlet vents, an ingress opening for permitting the passage of plants into the deposition chamber, and an egress opening for permitting the passage of plants out of the desposition chamber;
a saturation chamber connected to the deposition chamber by the inlet vents;
means for creating and maintaining a saturated or oversaturated atmosphere containing an agent in the saturation chamber, and for transferring said saturated or oversaturated atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber via a pressure difference maintained between said saturation chamber and said deposition chamber.
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Abstract
The method and apparatus of the present invention provides a more efficient and cost effective method and apparatus for applying agents to plants, crops, vegetation, and trees, while avoiding the problems associated with conventional impingement velocity tunnel sprayers. The method and apparatus of the present invention utilizes the conditions in a controlled atmosphere to deposit agents on plants and provides a device which increases the maneuverability of pesticide spray rigs.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus for applying an agent to plants, comprising:
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deposition chamber including a roof and side walls having one or more inlet vents, an ingress opening for permitting the passage of plants into the deposition chamber, and an egress opening for permitting the passage of plants out of the desposition chamber; a saturation chamber connected to the deposition chamber by the inlet vents; means for creating and maintaining a saturated or oversaturated atmosphere containing an agent in the saturation chamber, and for transferring said saturated or oversaturated atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber via a pressure difference maintained between said saturation chamber and said deposition chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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4. An apparatus for applying an agent to plants, comprising;
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a deposition chamber including a roof and side walls having one or more inlet vents, an ingress opening for permitting the passage of plants into the deposition chamber, and an egress opening for permitting the passage of plants out of the deposition chamber; a saturation chamber connected to the deposition chamber by the inlet vents; means for creating and maintaining a saturated or oversaturated atmosphere containing an agent in the saturation chamber, and for transferring said saturated or oversaturated atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber via said vents; means for recovering excess agent from the deposition chamber and introducing it into the saturation chamber, wherein said means for recovering said excess agent comprises a condensate recovery system, the system including a plurality of brushes or flaps extending inwardly from said side walls at an angle such that condensate which falls thereon runs toward and is collected in collection troughs positioned along a lower edge of each of said side walls, and at least one collection reservoir for receiving condensate collected in said troughs. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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17. An apparatus for appalling an agent to plants, comprising:
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a deposition chamber including a roof and side walls having one or more inlet vents, an ingress opening for permitting the passage of plants into the deposition chamber, and an egress opening for permitting the passage of plants out of the deposition chamber; a saturation chamber connected to the deposition chamber by the inlet vents; means for creating and maintaining a saturated or oversaturated atmosphere containing an agent in the saturation chamber, and for transferring said saturated or oversaturated atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber via said vents; and means for heating the saturated or oversaturated atmosphere.
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18. An apparatus for applying an agent to plants, comprising:
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a deposition chamber including a roof and side walls having one or more inlet vents, an ingress opening for permitting the passage of plants into the deposition chamber, and an egress opening for permitting the passage of plants out of the deposition chamber; a saturation chamber connected to the deposition chamber by the inlet vents; a spray nozzle for spraying agent into the saturation chamber to create a saturated or oversaturated atmosphere; a blower for moving at least a portion of said saturated or oversaturated atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber via said inlet vents; plurality of brushes or flaps extending inwardly from said side walls; a trough positioned at a lower edge of said side walls for collecting excess agent; and a pump for returning excess agent from the trough to said nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for applying an agent to plants, comprising the steps of:
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a) creating an atmosphere at a first pressure which is saturated or oversaturated with an agent; b) transferring said atmosphere to a deposition chamber which is at a pressure less than said first pressure so as to expose a plant in said deposition chamber to said saturated or oversaturated atmosphere. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method for applying an agent to plants, comprising the steps of:
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creating an atmosphere which is saturated or oversaturated with an agent; exposing a plant to said saturated atmosphere in a deposition chamber; and heating said atmosphere.
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25. A method for applying an agent to plants, comprising the steps of:
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creating and maintaining an atmosphere containing said agent at a first pressure; circulating said atmosphere into a deposition chamber in which plants are positioned and which deposition chamber has a second pressure less than said first pressure, thereby causing said atmosphere to condense onto desired surfaces of said plants and deposit said agent thereon. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification