AU2020104170A4

AU2020104170A4 - Sprayer Unit

Info

Publication number: AU2020104170A4
Application number: AU2020104170A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Matt Mcwilliams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-20
Filing date: 2020-12-18
Publication date: 2021-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-26
Also published as: AU2020104170B4; AU2014201013A2; AU2014101625A4; AU2014201013A1; AU2014101625B4

Abstract

P1095AU12 ABSTRACT A sprayer unit for spraying agent on to plants. The unit includes an upright chamber. A fan is mounted atop the chamber to drive air downwardly in to the chamber. One or more outlets, from the chamber, is/are configured to direct the air toward the plants. 5 An agent supplier is arranged to supply the agent such that the agent is conveyed to the plants by the directed air. The chamber is at least predominantly defined by substantially rigid material. 3/5 7a - -- _ -19a 17b 7b 19b _1_7c 7c Fig 6 7b 17b 19b Fig 7 Fig 8

Description

3/5

7a

- -- _ -19a 17b 7b

19b _1_7c

7c

Fig 6

7b

17b

19b

Fig 7 Fig 8

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SPRAYER UNIT FIELD

This invention relates to sprayer units for spraying agent on to plants and to components therefor.

BACKGROUND

From time to time in various agricultural settings it is desirable to spray an agent, such as a pesticide, on to plants.

An existing sprayer unit for this purpose includes a narrow upright bag. A fan mounted atop the bag drives air downwardly into the bag and an outlet arrangement running vertically along the side of the bag directs the air towards the plants. Spray nozzles are arranged in proximity to the outlet arrangement to spray agent directly into the air as, or shortly after, it emerges therefrom such that the agent is entrained with the directed air and conveyed to the plants.

These existing sprayer units are thought to be less than ideal. Routinely such sprayer units are applied to plants of different shapes and sizes (e.g. where a farmer is growing two distinct crops) in which case the spray pattern from the outlets is unlikely to be optimal for both plants. Moreover in such, and various other, sprayer units the spraying pattern is poorly controlled and the performance of the fans less than ideal.

At least preferred embodiments of the invention aim to provide improvements in and for sprayer units, or at least to provide alternatives for those concerned with sprayer units.

It is not admitted that any of the information in this patent specification is common general knowledge, or that the person skilled in the art could be reasonably expected to

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ascertain or understand it, regard it as relevant or combine it in any way at the priority date.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the invention provides a sprayer unit for spraying agent on to plants, the unit including

an upright chamber;

a fan mounted atop the chamber to drive air downwardly in to the chamber;

one or more outlets, from the chamber, configured to direct the air toward the plants; and

an agent supplier arranged to supply the agent such that the agent is conveyed to the plants by the directed air;

wherein the chamber is at least predominantly defined by substantially rigid material.

The chamber may be cylindrical. The outlet(s) may be tangential outlet(s). The outlet(s) may be tapered to accelerate the air. Preferably the unit is configured to sit within a gap between rows of plants. The outlet(s) may comprise outlet(s) on each side of the unit to spray the plants defining the gap.

Another aspect of the invention provides a vehicle carrying the unit and being advanceable along a row of plants to spray the row of plants.

Also disclosed is a sprayer unit for spraying agent on to plants, the unit including

a chamber;

an air supplier arranged to supply at least air to the chamber;

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one or more outlets, from the chamber, configured to direct the at least air toward the plants; and

an agent supplier arranged to supply the agent such that the agent is conveyed to the plants by the directed at least air.

Preferably

the chamber is at least partly defined by a module and another module;

each of the module and the other module includes a respective mating portion by which the module and the other module are mutually mated; and

at least one of the module and the other module is interchangeable with yet another module having an equivalent mating portion, to vary a spray pattern.

In an embodiment the chamber is at least partly defined by a module having

a first mating portion mateable with a mating portion of another module; and

a second mating portion equivalent to the mating portion of the other module.

A respective further module may be mated, preferably releasably mated, with each of the first mating portion and a second mating portion.

Optionally one or more of the outlet(s) is at least partly defined by one or more of the module and a or the further module.

Preferably the chamber is at least predominantly defined by substantially rigid material.

The outlet(s) are preferably shaped to direct the air such that portions of the directed at least air emerge from the outlet(s) at vertically spaced locations and along initial trajectories in substance converging at least when viewed in elevation.

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For this purpose a lowermost of the outlet(s) may be configured to direct air along an upwardly inclined initial trajectory, and/or an uppermost of the outlet(s) may be configured to direct air along a downwardly inclined initial trajectory.

In an advantageous embodiment the chamber has a cross-section and the outlet(s) in substance open tangentially therefrom. The cross-section is preferably circular.

Preferably the air supplier is or includes a fan (e.g. a vane axial fan) for driving the air into the chamber.

Preferably each fan includes

a rotatable fan blade; and

a mechanism for turning the air to at least reduce a rotational velocity of the supplied air.

Each mechanism for turning may include a fixed stator blade and/or a counter rotational fan blade. The mechanism for turning of each fan may in substance include an opposite handed version of that fan's rotatable fan blade and is preferably downstream of that fan's rotatable fan blade.

Optionally the agent supplier is or includes at least one nozzle for supplying liquid agent to the air. The agent supplier may supply agent directly to the at least air within or emerging from the outlet(s).

Preferably the outlet(s) are shaped to direct the air to form a stream of directed at least air which is substantially continuous over a vertical distance.

at least one fan arranged to supply at least air;

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an agent supplier arranged to supply the agent such that the agent is conveyed to the plants by the at least air;

wherein

each fan includes

a rotatable fan blade; and

a mechanism for turning the air to at least reduce a rotational velocity of the supplied air; and

the mechanism for turning includes at least one of a fixed stator blade and a counter rotational fan blade.

In preferred forms of the unit there are two of the fans, each of the fans driving at least air toward the other of the fans.

Each mechanism for turning preferably includes a fixed stator blade, or more preferably a counter rotational fan blade. Another aspect of the invention provides a vehicle carrying at least one unit and being advanceable along a row of plants to spray the row of the plants. Preferably the vehicle carries at least 3 of the units. The vehicle may be a trailer.

Also disclosed is a module, for at least partly defining a chamber of a sprayer unit for spraying agent on to plants, the module defining a chamber portion and including

a first mating portion mateable with a mating portion of another module; and

a second mating portion equivalent to the mating portion of the other module.

The module is preferably at least predominantly formed of substantially rigid material.

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Optionally the module includes at least one outlet portion configured to direct air from the chamber portion toward the plants.

Also disclosed is a set of modules including the above module and a respective further module mated or mateable, preferably with each of the first mating portion and a second mating portion. The set may include one or more of the outlet(s) configured to direct air from the chamber portion toward the plants, wherein the outlet(s) is at least partly defined by one or more of the module and the further modules. Preferably the module and the further modules are at least predominantly formed of substantially rigid material.

Also disclosed is a method of forming a chamber, for a spraying unit for spraying agent on to plants, the method including

based on desired spray pattern selecting at least two modules; and

mating the selected modules;

wherein at least one of the modules includes an outlet portion for directing air from the chamber toward the plants.

based on desired spray pattern selecting

the above module, and

at least one other module; and

mating the selected modules;

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The Figures illustrate various exemplary features.

Figure 1 is a rear view of a vehicle carrying sprayer units;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a chamber for a sprayer unit;

Figure 3 is a side view of the sprayer unit;

Figure 4 is a front view of the sprayer unit;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the sprayer unit

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the sprayer unit;

Figure 7 is a side view of a module of the sprayer unit;

Figure 8 is a front view of a portion of the module;

Figure 9 is a bottom view of the module;

Figure 10 is a cross-section view corresponding to the line B-B in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of another vehicle carrying a sprayer unit;

Figure 12 is a close-up perspective view of an end of the sprayer unit of Figure 11; and

Figure 13 is a half cross-section view through the horizontal axis of the sprayer unit of Figure 11.

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DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 advancing along the gap between two rows of plants to spray the plants. The vehicle 1 includes a supporting structure 3 carrying three sprayer units 5. The sprayer units 5 are laterally spaced at a pitch equivalent to the spacing of the rows of plants such that each sprayer unit sits within a respective gap between rows to spray the plants defining those gaps.

Each sprayer unit 5 includes a housing 7 defining an upright cylindrical chamber C. The housing 7 is a thin walled structure in the vicinity of 600mm in diameter by 1900mm tall. An upright outlet arrangement 9 projects from each side of the housing 7. Each outlet arrangement 9 runs the vertical length of the housing 7 and projects tangentially from its exterior. Each outlet arrangement 9 is made up of nine vertically spaced tubular outlets 11.

An air supplier in the form of fan 13 is mounted atop the housing 7 to drive air downwardly into the chamber C. The lower end of the chamber C is closed by a suitable cap. The air downwardly driven by the fan exits the chamber C via the outlets 11. Agent suppliers in the form of nozzles 15 are positioned in close proximity to the outlets to spray atomised liquid agent into the air emerging from the outlets 11. The atomised agent is entrained with the emerging air and follows a spray pattern from the outlets to the plants. The agent is thus conveyed to the plants.

The outlets 11 are shaped to direct the emerging air so as to control the spray pattern. As best shown in Figure 4, this example of the housing 7 is configured so that the lower outlets 11 direct the air emerging therefrom along upwardly inclined initial trajectories IJ whereas the uppermost outlets 11 direct the emerging air along downwardly inclined initial trajectories IJ such that, at least when viewed in elevation (as in Figure 4), those initial trajectories converge. A similar effect could be achieved by suitably shaping a single vertically elongated outlet. The shaping may include shaped turning vanes of the outlet.

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In this example the central three of the outlets 11 of each arrangement 9 are arranged to direct the emerging air horizontally whereas the outlets vertically spaced outwards from those central outlets are arranged to project the air along progressively steeper initial trajectories; i.e. the initial trajectory varies along the vertical length of the outlet arrangement 9, in this case it varies symmetrically in each direction from its vertical centre. The outlets 11 are closely spaced to produce a spray pattern which is substantially continuous from top to bottom.

The housing 7 is predominantly formed of three separable modules 7a, 7b, 7c. The modules are vertically stacked to form the housing 7, each defining about one third of the housing.

Each of the modules is formed of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and so is in substance rigid in contrast to the flexible bags of existing sprayer units. This rigidity leads to better control over the outlets and in turn the spray pattern. This rigid construction is also thought to be more robust. The existing flexible bags are thought to be prone to being holed and leaking.

Each of the modules 7a, 7b, 7c includes one or two mating portions by which it is mateable with a neighboring module. The central module 7b has a first mating portion 17b at its upper end and a second mating portion 19b at its lower end. The first mating portion 17b takes the form of a simple cylindrical tubular opening akin to the end of a pipe. The lower module 7c includes a mating portion 17c equivalent to the mating portion 17b. The second mating portion 19b of the central module 7b is also a cylindrical tubular opening but stepped to a reduced diameter (relative to the diameter of portion 17b) such that the stepped down portion is receivable within the mating portion 17c and its annular, downwardly facing, step abuts the upward annular end of the mating portion 17c. The modules 7b, 7c are thus mutually mated.

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The mating portion 17b, 17c are equivalent in that they are both shaped to mate with the portion 19 of another module. Accordingly modules identical to the module 7b could be stacked to form a chamber of any desired length.

The module 7a includes a mating portion 19a at its lower end. The mating portion 19a is equivalent to the mating portion 19b such that the housing 7 could be modified by omitting the central module 7b and mutually mating the module 7a, 7b to form a shorter variant of the housing having a spray pattern which may suit smaller plants.

This modular construction allows a mix and match approach in which modules can be interchanged to vary the spray pattern.

In this particular example the mating relationship between the modules is maintained by screws 21 (see Figures 2, 3 and 4) passing through overlapping wall portions of the adjacent modules. In the described example of the chamber the adjacent modules are mated by the mating portion of one being received within the other. For the avoidance of doubt, "mating" and variants of this term as used herein are not so limited. Those terms are used in their normal sense referring to a co-operable connection between the components. By way of example adjacent modules may be terminated by respective radial flanges carrying suitable bolting apertures, such that the modules can be mated by bringing the flanges together in simple abutment and passing suitable bolts through the apertures.

In the exemplary housing 7 each of the modules 7a, 7b, 7c carries a respective three of the nine outlets 11 of each outlet arrangement 9. For the avoidance of doubt, it is contemplated that some variants of the module may not include outlets. By way of example for certain crops it may be desirable for the central modules to be free of outlets.

In this exemplary unit 5 the air supplier takes the form of a fan 13 although other variants are possible. By way of example air from an air compressor could be supplied, and potentially projected as a jet to entrain further air to supply the chamber.

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A preferred form of the fan 13 takes the form of a vane axial fan. Vane axial fans include a rotating, propeller-like, blade, and at least one fixed stator blade. In this example the stator blade takes the form of an opposite handed fan blade statically mounted downstream of the rotational fan blade. This has been found to lead to improved performance. Without wishing to be bound to any particular theory, it is understood that the air coming off a typical rotational fan blade follows a helical path including both axial and rotational components. The stator blade is a mechanism for turning the air to reduce the losses associated with the rotational air movement.

Whilst the stator blades are intended to remove the rotational component of the air flow off the fan the use of tangential outlets has been found advantageous. This is thought to be associated with a rotational component of the air flow within the chamber C which remains despite the stator blades.

Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 detail the central module 7b. Each outlet 11 tapers both in plan and elevation from its opening 11a into the chamber C down to a smaller rectangular opening 11b at its outer free end. This tapered shaping serves to accelerate the air such that the directed stream emerging from the outlet 11, or more specifically its opening 11b, is a jetted energetic stream. The tapered profile avoids the fluid losses associated with having a stepped profile. Figure 9 also illustrates the preferred arrangement in which the radially outer extent of the tubular structure defining each outlet 11 forms a smooth continuous tangent with the interior surface defining cavity C.

Figure 10 illustrates the interconnection between adjacent outlets 11 within each module. The outlets 11 are connected along their inner root sections 11c such that a plenum space 23 is shared between the outlets in the vicinity of those sections 11c. Figure 10 also illustrates that it is only the outer segment 11d (which is in the vicinity of 155mm long) of each outlet 11 which is its own distinct tubular form.

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In this example the module 7a, 7b, 7c are each injection molded in two parts. One part of the module 7b is shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. Two of such parts are brought together and suitably bonded, e.g. by ultrasonic welding, to form the module.

Figure 11 shows another vehicle 25 in the form of a trailer carrying a sprayer unit 27 suitable for spraying almonds. The sprayer unit 27 has a short horizontal cylindrical form. Midway along its horizontal length an outlet arrangement 29 projects radially outwards.

A housing 31 on its outside defines the exterior of the unit 27 and on its inside a chamber 33 from which the outlet arrangement 29 opens.

A respective fan 35, 37 is carried within each end of the housing 31. Fan 35 includes fan blades 35a, 35b. The fan blade 35b is a counter-rotational fan blade, i.e. a fan blade which rotates in the opposite direction to the fan blade 35a. The fan blade 35b is another form of mechanism for turning the air to reduce its rotational velocity. In this case the fan blade 35b is mounted downstream of the fan blade 35a to receive air therefrom.

Each blade 35a, 35b is driven by its own dedicated hydraulic motor 35c, 35d. Of course other arrangements are possible. In particular, other forms of motors, such as electric motors, are possible and it is contemplated that a common motor may drive both fan blades 35a, 35b via a suitable gearing arrangement.

The fan blade 35a is made up of a central metallic hub 35a'from which 12 plastic wings 35a" project. The wings 35a" project radially from and are equispaced about the hub. The wings 35a" are co-operable with the hub at a range of different angles about their long axes, such that fan blades having differing angles of attack can be produced from a common set of components. In this example, the wings are releasably co-operable with the hub whereby the angle of attack of a finished blade can be adjusted.

The blade 35b is made up of components identical to those of fan 35a excepting its wings are inclined relative to the horizontal in the opposite direction. Each wing 35a" is

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symmetric about its long axis such that the blade 35b is an opposite handed version of the blade 35a.

The fan 35 serves to draw air into the housing 31 and drive it horizontally therealong to the central chamber region 33.

The fan 37 is of similar construction to the fan 35. In particular, each of its blades has its own dedicated motor separate from the motors of the blade 35. Again, other drive arrangements are possible. By way of example, the innermost blades of each of the fans 35, 37 may be fixed to a common shaft and driven by a common motor.

The air flow pattern through the unit 27 is indicated by the arrows AF. Air flowing horizontally from the fans 35, 37 meets a central air distribution plate 39. The plate 39 has a disc-like form mounted concentrically within the housing 31. The fore and aft surfaces of the central plate 39 each include a conical portion about their outer periphery. These conical portions symmetrically converge to an outer circular edge centrally aligned within the outlet formation 29.

The plate 39 serves to redirect the air flow AF to flow radially outwards through the outlet arrangement 29.

An array of radially directed nozzles 41 are carried by a suitable support structure (not shown) so as to sit within the outlet arrangement 29 to outwardly spray agent directly to the air flow AF as it passes through the outlet 29.

This arrangement of opposed fans 35, 37 each including contra-rotating fan blades has been found to lead to significant efficiency gains over various existing arrangements.

In this example of the unit 27, the outlet arrangement 29 does not fully encircle the unit 27. Rather, the lowermost 80 degrees or so is closed, whereby the air flow AF emerging from the outlet 29 follows a spray pattern in the form of an upright disc the lower portion of which is truncated so that agent is not sprayed directly on to the ground.

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A releasable connection between the modules, involving screws 21, has been described. This is advantageous in that it allows an end user to readily reconfigure their sprayer unit although other useful variants may not be releasably coupled. A non releasable, e.g. modular construction in which adjacent modules are ultra-sonically welded together, would have advantages in the production environment in that it would allow a manufacturer to make a range of sprayer units from a potentially small set of modules.

Various examples of the invention have been described. The invention is not limited to these examples. The invention is defined in the claims.

Claims

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1. A sprayer unit for spraying agent on to plants, the unit including

an upright chamber;

a fan mounted atop the chamber to drive air downwardly in to the chamber;

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein the chamber is cylindrical.

3. The unit of claim 1 or 2 wherein the outlet(s) are tangential outlet(s).

4. The unit of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the outlet(s) are tapered to accelerate the air.

5. The unit of any one of claims 1 to 4 configured to sit within a gap between rows of plants; wherein the outlet(s) comprise outlet(s) on each side of the unit to spray the plants defining the gap.

6. A vehicle carrying the unit of any one of claims 1 to 5 and being advanceable along a row of plants to spray the row of plants.