Controlled atmosphere transfer system

• US 5,897,057 A
• Filed: 06/05/1996
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John R. Hulls
• Original Assignee: Dauenhauer Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Hulls, John
• Primary Examiner(s): WELDON, KEVIN P
• Application Number:
  US08/655,260
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 239/77, 239/78, 239/104, 239/124, 239/127, 239/288
• US Class Current: 239/8
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0014 Field atomisers, e.g. orchard atomisers, self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0064 Protection shields
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0067 with recovering of liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/085 the plant being provided on a vehicle

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.

Claims

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.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for extracting at least a portion of an atmosphere from the deposition chamber and returning it to the saturation chamber.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for recovering excess agent from the deposition chamber and introducing it into the saturation chamber.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for controlling the rate of transfer of the saturated or oversaturated atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 further including a second deposition chamber.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising means for adjusting a distance between said chambers to permit the chambers to be positioned over adjacent rows of plants at varying row width distances.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising support means for supporting said deposition chambers and means for levelling said chambers in response to changes in a grade of a surface over which said support means is travelling.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising

means for lifting the deposition chamber from a first lower position to a second raised position.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said desposition chamber is positioned at a height which is greater than the height of plants to be treated using the apparatus when said deposition chamber is in said second raised position.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing curtain positioned to cover the egress opening.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said curtain comprises inflatable fingers.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said roof and walls are inflatable.

4. An apparatus for applying an agent to plants, comprising;

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.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for imparting an electrostatic charge to said flaps or brushes.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising means for lifting the desposition chamber from a first lower position to a second raised position.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for adjusting the angle at which said flaps or brushes are positioned from an upward angle when said apparatus is in said first lower position to a downward angle for movement from said lower to said second raised positioned.

17. An apparatus for appalling an agent to plants, comprising:

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.

18. An apparatus for applying an agent to plants, comprising:

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.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for controlling the rate of transfer of said atmosphere from said saturation chamber to said deposition chamber.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising means for lifting the deposition chamber from a first lower position to a second raised position, wherein said deposition chamber is positioned at a height which is greater than the height of plants to be treated using the apparatus when said deposition chamber is in said second raised position.

21. A method for applying an agent to plants, comprising the steps of:

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.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of moving the deposition chamber along a horizontal surface that plants pass through the deposition chamber.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of recirculating at least of portion of said atmosphere in said deposition chamber back to said saturation chamber.

24. A method for applying an agent to plants, comprising the steps of:

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.

25. A method for applying an agent to plants, comprising the steps of:

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.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of moving the deposition chamber along a horizontal surface such that plants pass through the deposition chamber.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of recirculating at least of portion of said atmosphere in said deposition chamber back to said chamber.

28. The method according to claim 27, furthers comprising the step of heating said atmosphere as it is recirculated.

29. The method according of claim 25, further comprising the step of controlling the rate of application of agent to the plants by con tolling a pressure difference between said first pressure and said second pressures.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the pressure difference is from about 3 to about 5 psi.