RU2747624C1 - Wireless device for controlling operation of agricultural sprayers - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: liquid sprayers.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of liquid sprayers. The wireless device is made in the form of a sealed housing (1), the front surface of which is equipped with optically active surfaces of photo emitters (2) and photo detectors (4). The body (1) by means of the attachment unit (6) is fixed on the supporting element (7) connected by means of the console (8) to the sprayer (10) equipped with the nozzle (11). The face of the housing (1) is parallel to the centerline (12) of the sprayer (10). Inside the housing (1) there is a printed circuit board, on which a microcontroller, a radio module, one or more photo emitters and photo detectors of the IR range, an autonomous power source, an antenna, a modulator, generators, a logic level generator, a comparison device, a counting element, a radio module, radio receiving module, display element are connected by mechanical and electronic connections.

EFFECT: invention provides ability to implement a device that is quite simple to manufacture and install for wireless remote control and detection of poor-quality operation of nozzles.

3 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to agriculture, namely to liquid sprayers specially adapted for the destruction of weeds, pests, the introduction of chemical solutions for various purposes, as well as small-drop irrigation, in particular to devices for obtaining various types of liquid release in spray form in the form of spray through several outlet holes.

Known detector for the typical sound of an agricultural sprayer nozzle, containing a sensor head in the form of an L-shaped horn device, which is fixed on the nozzle cover by means of a groove, which includes the edge of the bayonet nut of the nozzle. The horn is designed to receive sound from the spray nozzle and transmit it to the microphone. The central processor receives signals from each of the sensors in turn and processes them for comparison with a predetermined calibration signal to determine blocked or faulty nozzles. The choice between two different frequencies can be made for different types of nozzles. The dynamic averaging system is used to account for changes occurring in all nozzles, which do not depend on a malfunction in the nozzle (Patent No. US4905897. Publ. 03/06/1990).

However, the known monitor uses an acoustic principle based on the recognition of sounds characteristic of a normally operating or clogged nozzle. The known monitor (device) has a complex design of a sound receiver (in particular, an L-shaped sound guide), which complicates the manufacture of a compact device that is protected from external influences. Its installation requires laying a cable line with signal wires according to the number of sensors installed on the sprayer wing. In addition, when installing a multitude of sensors, it is required to manufacture a hermetically sealed scythe for a specific type of sprayer or to use detachable connections with an increased degree of protection against moisture and chemical reagents. The use of a wired connection entails the risk of cable breakage with subsequent failure of the entire injector control system or its individual segment. In case of cable damage, prompt high-quality repair of the system is impossible, which is associated with the need for reliable sealing of connections to protect against the effects of an aggressive environment.

Known acoustic flowmeter, which has a sensitive element designed for removable fastening on the outer surface of the pipe, which reacts to ultrasonic vibrations arising from the movement of fluid in the line. The signal from the sensor element is filtered, frequency-selectively amplified and integrated, the output is used for the operation of indication means and various types of relay-driven devices. In one embodiment, the sensor element is a piezoelectric plate and the frequency response of the circuit including the sensor element is set to be sufficiently uniform over a wide frequency range from the top of the audio range to at least 100 kHz. In one of the modifications of this element, the sensor is designed to respond to a relatively narrow frequency band, significantly exceeding the audio range, to which the amplifier-integrator circuit is specially tuned (Patent No. US3580092. Publ. 05/25/1971).

However, the known acoustic flow meter uses the acoustic principle, in particular, based on the registration of ultrasonic vibrations arising during mixing of a liquid and a gas medium. The above-mentioned flowmeter is not applicable to control the operation of injectors due to the complexity of the design, which requires a sound chamber and poor protection of the sound-receiving element from the negative effects of an aggressive environment, and its installation requires laying a cable line, with the above disadvantages of such a solution.

A device and tool for controlling spraying is known, in which a cultivator or harrow is equipped with liquid sprays mounted on an arrow extending across the width of the implement. A monitoring device is located next to each sprayer to signal if the sprayers are malfunctioning. The control device includes a dielectric housing having an upper holder for the probe wire and a removable bottom cover that is hollow and has an open lower end. The cover has an inner chamber and an outer skirt. The probe passes through the chamber and exits the lower end to a position close to the outer edge of the spray pattern. It is preferable that the lower part of the probe is curved and extends in the direction of the sprayed liquid. Each probe is associated with a corresponding indicator light installed on the control unit (Patent No. US4193356. Publ. 03/18/1980).

However, the known invention uses the conductometric principle, in particular, based on the registration of electrical conductivity between the liquid in the line and the nozzle flame. The applicability of the known technical solution is limited to the field of application of liquid fertilizers, since the principle of operation itself provides for the presence of a continuous flow of liquid (jet), while the nozzles of modern agricultural sprayers (due to the need to save water and high efficiency of reagents for various purposes) form a finely dispersed air-water mixture ... In addition, the known invention requires a cable to be laid, which complicates the entire structure and has disadvantages indicated in the previously discussed devices.

A known system for measuring the flow rate of an electrically conductive liquid through a nozzle, which is one side of an electrical sensitive circuit. The conductive probe is located next to the nozzle and inserted into the nebulizer. The probe is mounted on a clip located on the inside of the protective casing. The probe is located at the bottom of the housing. In addition, the system is equipped with a switch, an indicator lamp. The switch is made in the form of a transistor with the ability to control a light-emitting diode (Patent No. US 4084748. Publ. 18.04.1978).

However, the known invention is characterized by the above-described disadvantages, requires a cable to be laid and has a complex structure.

There is a known method for determining the flow rate of liquid for the collector supply nozzles, which determines the mass flow rate of liquid from each of the nozzles on the nozzle manifold, while providing an absolute calibration technique. At the same time, in the known method, nozzles with restrictive holes for supplying liquid, the flow of which is controlled by a blocking valve, an oil manifold, oil flush valves are designed (Patent No. US5297442. Publ. 03/29/1994).

However, in the known method, a plurality of nozzles are used, in the housing, each of which is equipped with a pressure sensor, to measure the pressure of the liquid in the controlled nozzle and then compare this parameter with the same operating parameter of the remaining nozzles. The use of structural elements in the known method requires a complete replacement of the nozzles on the sprayer in case of modernization of the existing equipment. The implementation of the known method entails the need to lay a communication cable.

Known monitor of the state of the nozzle consisting of a non-magnetic housing having an upper right passage. A magnetic piston is located inside the channel, since the flow can pass along the sides of the piston. Stoppers are positioned to restrict piston travel. A magnetic switch is located near one end of the upper right channel and is capable of being closed by piston movement. The means for detecting the state of the magnetic switch are designed to generate a signal indicating the adequacy of the flow through the nozzle and, consequently, the state of the nozzle (Patent No. US4313111. Publ. 01/26/1982).

However, in the known monitor, when the injector clogs, the cylinder with the magnet rises under the influence of pressure and causes the sealed contact to close. The use of a known monitor is difficult due to the high cost of upgrading existing equipment, since it involves replacing all standard nozzles with new ones and requires laying a cable.

Known network system for diagnostics and control of the dosing apparatus of an agricultural sprayer, including spray nozzles for spraying agrochemicals in accordance with a given spray pattern and solution flow rate; vibration sensors installed on the spray nozzle of an agricultural sprayer to record its vibration. The system also includes a monitoring device with a computer processor associated with vibration sensors. The monitoring device provides the operator with information about the current state of the agricultural spray system component (nozzle) based on the detected vibrations. The processor also controls each of the components, such as spray nozzles, to selectively control each of the nozzles or a specific group of nozzles (Patent No. 7826930. Publ. 2010.11.02).

However, in the known invention, an accelerometer or a piezoelectric element is used as a sensor, and the controlled parameter is the microvibration of the nozzle during the formation of an air-water mixture. The device described in the known invention is applicable with great restrictions (on stationary objects), since the vibrations recorded by the sensor are much weaker than the vibrations produced by the sprayer during operation. In addition, the implementation of this design requires cable laying.

Known control system containing a laser installed in front of the splitter, photodiodes, which are included in the circuit of pulse shapers, inverters, light and sound alarms, a drying chamber equipped with transparent windows (Inventor's certificate SU620279. Publ. 25.08.1978).

However, the known system is equipped with a complex design of the control device made of at least two components (transmitting and receiving parts), between which the nozzle torch is located, and requires laying a communication cable between the sensor (s) and the control device.

There is a known scheme of a photodetector for an electronic system (control of an agricultural sprayer), which allows for the treatment of herbicides only on those plots of land on which weeds grow. The photodetector circuit contains a photodetector and an active filter. The photodetector is not connected in parallel with the inductive-capacitor resonant circuit that tunes the active filter. As a result, changes in the photodetector capacitance caused by changes in ambient lighting conditions do not affect the resonant inductor / capacitor circuit and, therefore, do not adversely affect the frequency and phase characteristics of the photodetector circuit (Patent No. US5763873. Publ. 09.06.1998).

However, the operation of the device is based on the detection of two reflected pulsed light fluxes in the IR range with the same frequency, but phase-shifted, and the degree of phase shift of the reflected signal depends on the presence of a reflecting object, which makes it difficult to implement and requires the use of several precision optical components. In addition, cable routing is required.

The investigated and analyzed prior art did not reveal the closest design solutions to the claimed invention.

Thus, the technical devices described above have disadvantages in the form of: complex structures, low degree of protection of sensitive elements, high cost of modernization of equipment on existing sprayers, low degree of reliability of registration of the fact of operation of sprayers nozzles, the need to use a wired connection. The wired connection, in turn, leads to the risks of cable breaks, leading to the failure of the entire system or its individual segments, the impossibility of prompt replacement of faulty sensors, the impossibility of promptly changing the system configuration (changing the number of sensors participating in the work). In addition, the wire connection may require the use of detachable connections, which in a humid aggressive environment is unacceptable due to the rapid electrochemical destruction of the connector contacts.

The technical result is the possibility of implementing a device that is quite simple to manufacture and install for wireless remote control and detection of poor-quality operation of nozzles (agricultural sprayer), which is based on the optical principle of operation and uses wireless communication, which avoids the use of cable lines and detachable connections, provides the ability to quickly replace faulty sensors and change the configuration of the sprayer control system.

The technical result achieved is achieved by the fact that the wireless device for controlling the operation of the agricultural sprayer nozzles is made in the form of a sealed body, the front surface of which is equipped with optically active surfaces of photo emitters and photo detectors, the body, by means of a fastening unit, is fixed on the supporting element connected by means of a console with a sprayer equipped with a nozzle , while the front surface of the housing is located parallel to the axial line of the atomizer, in addition, a printed circuit board is located inside the housing, on which a microcontroller, a radio module, one or more photo emitters and IR photodetectors, an autonomous power source, an antenna, a modulator, generators are connected by mechanical and electronic connections, logic level generator, comparison element, counting element, radio module, control element, indication element.

It is advisable to reduce the size of the device and simplify installation, combine the body with the bayonet nut of the nozzle.

In an embodiment, to compensate for the influence of external illumination of natural or artificial origin, equip the device with an optical sensor located in the body of the device.

The present invention is illustrated by a detailed description and diagrams, in which:

FIG. 1 - characterizes the hardware implementation of the wireless device for controlling the operation of the agricultural sprayer nozzles;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a device combined with a bayonet nut of a sprayer nozzle;

FIG. 3 - shows a variant of the device with an additional optical sensor;

FIG. 4 - shows the front side of the housing with photo emitters, photo detectors and internal arrangement of electronic elements located on it;

FIG. 5 - characterizes the algorithm of the electronic circuit, which is used in the wireless device for controlling the operation of the agricultural sprayer nozzles.

The wireless device for controlling the operation of the agricultural sprayer nozzles (hereinafter referred to as the device) contains a sealed housing 1 (Fig. 1). The front surface of the housing 1 is equipped with optically active surfaces of the photo-emitter 2 with the transmitted luminous flux 3 and the photodetector 4 with the received luminous flux 5. The housing 1, by means of the attachment point 6, is fixed on the supporting element 7. A stiffening wing or a line can be used as a supporting element 7 sprayer solution supply. The carrier element 7 is connected by means of a console 8 and a bayonet nut 9 to the sprayer 10. The sprayer 10 is equipped with a nozzle 11. In this case, the front surface of the housing 1 is parallel to the centerline 12 of the sprayer 10 and the nozzle 11. The centerline 12 is aligned with the centerline 13 of the spray 14.

In an embodiment, the device can be structurally combined with the bayonet nut 9 of the spray gun 10 (Fig. 2).

In this case, the device can be equipped with an additional optical sensor 15 to compensate for external illumination and automatically select the operating mode of the device (Fig. 3).

In addition, a printed circuit board 16 (Fig. 4) is located inside the housing 1. On the printed circuit board 16, a microcontroller 17, a radio module 18, one or more photo emitters 19 and photo detectors 20 of the IR range are connected by mechanical and electronic connections. The printed circuit board 16 is equipped with an autonomous power supply 21, an antenna 22.

In this case, the electronic circuit of the device includes a modulator 23, a generator 24 and an additional generator 25, a logic level generator 26, a comparison element 27, a counting element 28, a radio module 29, a radio receiving module 30, an indication element 31.

The proposed wireless device for controlling the operation of the agricultural sprayer nozzles is used as follows.

The use is based on the optical principle of operation.

Fastened on the bearing element 7, in the form of a solution supply line, the attachment unit 6 and the console 8. The console 8 is assembled, installing the bayonet nut 9 coaxially along the axis 12, in which the sprayer 10 with the nozzle 11 is fixed. The sealed body 1 is fixed on the attachment point 6, having previously equipped it with a printed circuit board 16, placing the latter inside it. Before placing the printed circuit board in the housing 1, they are assembled, mechanically and electronically connecting in a certain sequence, such elements as: power supply 21, microcontroller 17, radio module 18, one or more photo emitters 19 and photo detectors 20 of the IR range, antenna 22. In addition In addition, the electronic circuit is equipped with: a modulator 23, a generator 24 and an additional generator 25, a logic level generator 26, a comparison element 27, a counting element 28, a radio module 29, a radio receiving module 30, an indication element 31. In this case, optically active surfaces are placed on the front side of the housing 1 photo emitter 2 IR range and photodetector 4 IR range. The front surface of the housing 1 during installation is placed parallel to the axial line 12, which, when spraying, will be aligned with the axial line 13 of the spray flow 14.

If necessary, an additional optical sensor 15 is installed on the front surface of the housing 1 to compensate for external illumination and automatically select the operating mode of the device.

The principle of operation of the device is based on comparing the number of transmitted 3 and received 5 as a result of reflection from the spray 14 (torch) of light flux pulses in the IR range per unit time. Moreover, to reduce the influence of background illumination of natural or artificial origin, the emitted light flux 3 is frequency modulated, and the photodetector 4 corresponding to this emitter is equipped with an active filter tuned to the same frequency. The transmitted luminous flux 3 is emitted by the photo-emitter 2 of the IR range, and the signal source is the modulator 23, in which the carrier signal generated by the generator 24 and the signal of the main pulse sequence formed by the additional generator 25 are mixed. By the nozzle 11 of the atomizer 10, the reflected light flux 5 falls on the lens of the photodetector 4. Then, passing through the modulator 22 of the active filter amplifier tuned to the carrier frequency, and the generator 26 of logic levels, it enters one of the two inputs of the comparison element 27 (I element). A signal from an additional generator 25 of the main pulse sequence is fed to the second input of the comparison element 27. In case of coincidence of pulses from both inputs on the log. "1" at the output of the comparison element 27, a pulse is formed, which is fed to the input of the counting element 28. Periodically, after a given time interval, the state of the counting element 28 is reset to zero, with the simultaneous recording of the accumulated number of pulses in the memory of the microcontroller 17 and subsequent transmission of this value through the radio module 29 to the radio receiving module 30, equipped with an indication element 31. The number of coincided pulses directly correlates with the uniformity of the distribution of the air-liquid mixture in the spray 14 created by the nozzle 11 of the spray nozzle 10, which makes it possible to reliably detect the absence of spray 14 or its significant distortion resulting from complete or partial clogging nozzles 11 of the spray gun 10.

The proposed invention has a simple design, convenient and easy to use, does not require a cable.

In addition, it has the ability to replace sensors and quickly change the configuration of the sprayer system.

Claims (3)

1. Wireless device for monitoring the operation of agricultural sprayer nozzles, characterized by the fact that it is made in the form of a sealed housing, the front surface of which is equipped with optically active surfaces of photo emitters and photo detectors, the housing is fixed by means of a mounting unit on the support element connected by means of a console with a sprayer equipped with a nozzle , while the front surface of the housing is located parallel to the axial line of the atomizer, in addition, a printed circuit board is located inside the housing, on which a microcontroller, a radio module, one or more photo emitters and IR photodetectors, an autonomous power source, an antenna, a modulator, and generators are connected by mechanical and electronic connections , logic level shaper, comparison device, counting element, radio module, radio receiving module, indication element. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the body is aligned with the bayonet nut of the nozzle. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with an additional optical sensor to compensate for external illumination.

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