WO2001001771A1

WO2001001771A1 - A spraying apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2001001771A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/001069
Authority: WO
Inventors: Glenn Kenny; Lauritz John Rasmussen; Warren Lyell Duthie
Original assignee: Radak Systems Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-06-30
Filing date: 1999-12-03
Publication date: 2001-01-11
Also published as: AU1645100A; AUPQ134399A0; AU718722B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a spraying apparatus (10) for spraying trees and plants that have a foliage canopy. The invention broadly resides in a spraying apparatus (10) that includes a fan within a fan housing (12), a ducting assembly (11) mountable adjacent the fan and adapted to receive air from the fan wherein said ducting assembly (11) has an upper duct outlet (17) upwardly spaced from the fan and a lower duct outlet (18) laterally spaced from the fan, and a spray supply means including spray nozzles (19) for providing ducted air with spray. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the ducting assembly (11) has a plurality of ducts wherein each of the ducts has an internal expanding passage extending from a duct inlet to a duct outlet (17, 18). The duct inlet is preferably adjacent the perimeter of the fan so that air is forced directly into the duct inlet with minimum turbulence.

Description

A Spraying Apparatus

Field of Invention

This present invention relates to agricultural spraying apparatus. This invention has particular but not exclusive application to spraying apparatus for spraying of orchard trees and the like which have a foliage canopy.

Prior Art

Conventional sprayers comprise a vehicular frame supporting a tank containing liquid to be sprayed, a fan housing with one or more outlets disposed radially thereon, spraying nozzles positioned within the outlet, and a fan within the housing capable of drawing air into the housing and through the outlets. The housing may include vane straighteners to direct the forced air though the outlets. In use air is drawn by the fan and forced through the outlets where spray is released from the spray nozzle thereby creating a fog or mist of spray. The spray mist or fog is able to coat the outside surfaces of the foliage canopy of trees and plants but is prevented or "locked out" of penetrating the foliage canopy and coating the surfaces inside of the foliage canopy. As a consequences only part of the tree or plant is subjected to the spray. An example of a conventional spraying apparatus used to spray orchards is disclosed in US4019682 where the apparatus includes a trailer frame supporting a tank and a fan housing having a fan mounted therein and a series of vanes to direct forced air through outlets. Spray nozzles are positioned within the outlets so that released spray is carried by the forced air to the trees or plants. In another example international patent publication WO93/17551 describes a spraying apparatus having a trailer frame supporting a tank, a fan and a tower assembly which has a pair of planar faces separated by vanes defining air passages therein. There is also a number of spray nozzles arranged along the tower assembly in the air passage outlets so that air passing through the passages forces the spray from the nozzles outwardly onto the trees and plants.

Current spraying apparatus appear to apply spray to only part of the tree or plant. Where the spray contains insecticide or herbicide, the part of the tree or plant that is not subjected to the spray remains vulnerable to pests thereby jeopardising the health of the plant or tree and the quality of its fruits. As a consequence farmers tend to over-spray or spray with increased concentrations of insecticide or herbicide to combat the pests. However the over-spraying or spraying with increased insecticide or herbicide concentrations has met with limited success.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention in one aspect broadly resides in a spraying apparatus for spraying plants that have a foliage canopy including: air supply means; a ducting assembly adapted to receive air from said air supply means, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet and a lower duct outlet; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray; wherein in use the upper duct outlet may be arranged such that it faces a proximal outer side of the foliage canopy and the lower duct outlet faces a distal inner side of the foliage canopy. The present invention in another aspect broadly resides in a spraying apparatus including: air supply means; a ducting assembly adapted to receive air from air supply means, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said air supply means and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said air supply means; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray; wherein the duct outlet faces outwardly.

The upper duct outlet preferably substantially faces a proximal outer side of the foliage canopy and the lower duct outlet substantially faces a distal inner side of the foliage canopy.

The ducting assembly preferably has a plurality of upper and lower ducts.

Each of the plurality of ducts preferably has an individual duct inlet and duct outlet.

Each duct preferably has an expanding internal passage from the duct inlet to the duct outlet. Each duct preferably has an internal passage that produces a minimal amount of air turbulence as air is ducted therethrough.

Preferably there are upper duct outlets on either side of the spraying apparatus or air supply means relative to each other so that foliage on either side of the spraying apparatus can be sprayed. In a similar manner there is preferably a lower duct on either side of the spraying apparatus or air supply means so that foliage on either side of the spraying apparatus can be sprayed.

The air supply means may be any suitable means but preferably the air supply means is a fan capable of drawing air in and into the ducting assembly. Where the air assembly means includes a fan, the ducting assembly is preferably mounted substantially about the perimeter of the fan. Preferably the duct inlets substantially surround the fan perimeter. The duct preferably has two vanes which form an internal expanding passage and extend outwardly from adjacent the fan perimeter. The vanes at the duct inlet preferably extend adjacent the perimeter of the fan so as to prevent or substantially minimise air turbulence in the region of the duct inlet. In this manner the fan acts as an air pump sequentially passing air into each duct. The vanes are preferably arranged around the perimeter of the fan so that the fan can operate efficiently. Preferably the vanes are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

The spray supply means preferably includes a spray means which releases spray from fluid stored in a reservoir. Spraying means is preferably a nozzle the amount of spray released from the nozzle may be controlled by a valve. The nozzle is preferably located substantially at or within the duct outlet. Preferably the duct outlets are both the upper and lower ducts each have a spray nozzle. Alternatively the spray nozzle may be located in only the duct outlets of either the upper ducts or lower ducts.

In one form the spraying apparatus includes a wheeled frame with a fan, fan housing, ducting assembly and spray supply means mounted thereto. The spray supply means may include a reservoir for storing the spraying fluid.

In a further aspect the invention broadly resides in a kit including a ducting assembly adapted to be mounted about a fan of conventional sprayers to form the spraying apparatus as described above. Preferably the ducting assembly is fastened around the perimeter of the fan. In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a spraying apparatus for spraying a foliage canopy including: a fan; a ducting assembly mounted about the fan, said ducting assembly having a duct inlet and duct outlet formed by a plurality of vanes that extend from adjacent the perimeter of the fan to an outer edge of the ducting assembly; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray; wherein air is passed with minimal air turbulence from the fan to the duct inlet.

Preferably there are a plurality of ducts. Preferably there are upper and lower ducts as described above.

The vanes are preferably arranged around the perimeter of the fan so that the fan can operate efficiently. Preferably the vanes are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

The spray supply means is preferably as described above. The spraying apparatus as described above can be used on trees in orchards, vines in vineyards, and any other crop where the plant has a foliage canopy. In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a spraying apparatus including: a fan; a ducting assembly mountable adjacent the fan and adapted to receive air from the fan, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said fan and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said fan; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray and including a spray nozzle at or within one or more of the duct outlets; wherein the duct outlets faces outwardly. The spraying apparatus preferably includes a ducting assembly that has a plurality of ducts, each of the ducts has an internal expanding passage extending from an inlet duct to the outlet duct, the inlet duct is adjacent the perimeter of the fan so that air is forced directly into the inlet duct with minimal turbulence.

The spraying apparatus preferably has inlet ducts that are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

In a further aspect the invention broadly resides in a method of spraying using the aforementioned spraying apparatus including: generating forced air from said air supply means; ducting the forced air through said ducting assembly to said upper and lower outlets; releasing spray to the ducted air from said spray supply means; subjecting the proximal outer side and distal inner side of the foliage canopy to the spray; moving the spraying apparatus forward and extracting the air-suspended spray droplets for redistribution from around the foliage canopy.

Preferably the air supply means is a fan as described above and operates efficiently to produce a relatively large volume of ducted air and relatively lower velocity than conventional sprayers. Lock out of the spray by the foliage canopy enables the air-suspended spray that has not coated a surface to be extracted from around the canopy and reused. Similarly air-suspended spray within the canopy that has not coated a surface can be extracted and reused. The extracting of air- suspended spray may coat foliage surfaces as it is drawn towards the fan.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: Fig 1 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of the spraying apparatus of the present invention;

Fig 2 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the spraying apparatus;

Fig 3 is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the spraying apparatus; Fig 4 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of the spraying apparatus showing in (a) the flow of ducted air and spray from the duct outlets and in (b) the drawing of air suspended spray from around the tree canopy when the spraying apparatus has moved forward.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

With reference to Fig 1 there is shown a spraying apparatus 10 which includes a ducting assembly 1 1 , a fan housing 12, a tank 13 for storing liquid to be sprayed and a trailer frame 14. The ducting assembly 1 1 , fan housing 12 and tank 13 are mounted to the trailer frame 14 so that the spraying apparatus can be towed by a tractor or the like up and down rows of trees such as in an orchard or vines such as in a vineyard.

The ducting assembly 11 includes two vertically disposed wings 15 and two horizontally disposed wings 16. With reference to Fig 3 the horizontally disposed wings 16 can be pivoted upwardly when not in use and in transit to the site of use.

There are a plurality of duct outlets 17, 18 in the vertically disposed wings 15 and horizontally disposed wings 16 respectively. Each of the duct outlets 17, 18 have at least one spray nozzle 19 which releases spray into the ducted air. Each spray nozzle 19 is regulated by valve 20 adjacent spray nozzle 19. Spray is supplied to the spray nozzle 19 from tank 13 through lines 21 , 22, 23.

Fan housing 12 surrounds fan 24 which is shown in figures 2 and 3. The open face 25 of the fan housing 12 allows air to be drawn into the fan 24 without substantial hindrance. Conventional sprayers block a lower section of the fan outlet adjacent to the orchard floor to prevent disturbance of the ground cover. This avoids introduction of disturbed debris by the fan intake. By blocking this area of the fan exhaust, turbulence is created in the bottom third of the fan. The blocking of the fan in this manner is used throughout the spraying industry.

With the preferred embodiment of the spraying apparatus of the current invention it is desirable to draw in the maximum amount of air as possible. The plurality of ducts in the horizontally disposed wings avoids turbulence. The increased efficiency is utilized by the horizontally disposed wings to spray the distal foliage.

To support the vertically disposed wings 15, bracing 27 (as shown in figure 3) may be used to maintain their position. With particular reference to figure 2, the vertically disposed wings 15 and the horizontally disposed wings 16 have a plurality of ducts 28 defined by vanes 29 and front panels 30 and rear panels 31. The vanes 29 define an internal expanding passage so that there is a minimal amount of air turbulence as air is ducted there through. Duct inlet 32 receives forced air as the blade 33 of the fan 24 passes the inlet 32. The vanes 29 at the duct inlet 32 extend adjacent to the perimeter of the fan 24 which is defined by a circle connecting the outer end of blades 33. The vanes 29 at the duct inlet 32 extend adjacent the perimeter of the fan 24 so that air can pass into the duct inlet 32 substantially without air turbulence. The vanes 29 are positioned at a substantially equal distance around the perimeter of the fan 24. The fan 24 acts as an air pump that sequentially passes forced air into each duct as the blades 33 rotate. As the fan 24 rotates at a considerable speed ducted air flowing from duct outlets 17 and 18 provide the appearance that ducted air flows constantly from each of the duct outlets 17, 18 at any one time. The efficiency created by the above mentioned procedure eliminates the requirement of vanes in the inlet or discharge side of the fan housing used by many conventional sprayers to control the rotational effect on the exhaust from the fan. By the elimination of these devices the fan is no longer choked thus requiring less horsepower to operate and providing a substantial saving in use and thus cost in fuel during the spraying of an orchard.

In one preferred form the spraying apparatus is formed with a kit including the ducting assembly 1 1 that can be mounted about a fan of conventional sprayers.

In use, air is drawn in through the open face 25 of fan housing 12 by fan 24 and directed into duct inlets 32, forced along the internal passage of ducts 28 and flowing outwardly from duct outlets 17, 18. Spray from the spray nozzle 19 is suspended in the ducted air as it flows outwardly.

With reference to figure 4, air-suspended spray from duct outlets 17 are directed to the closest outer surface of the foliage canopy whereas air-suspended spray from the duct outlets 18 is directed to the under side of the foliage canopy on the other side of the tree. The air-suspended spray coats surfaces exposed on the inner side of the foliage canopy.

As the spraying apparatus moves forward the air-suspended spray is drawn towards the fan. Exposed surfaces may be coated as the fan 24 draws air- suspended spray. Air-suspended spray from within the canopy is drawn into the fan 24. Air-suspended spray that had been locked out by the outer surface of the canopy is drawn into the fan 24. The air suspended spray forced above the canopy is drawn towards the fan 24 either directly or moving around the outer surface of the foliage canopy on the other side of the tree.

Air spraying mixture from the vertically disposed wings acting upon the proximal side of the tree canopy brings into effect tree lockout. This in conjunction with the orchard floor creates the effect of a three-sided tunnel. As the sprayer moves forward the volume of air being removed by the fan creates an imploding effect to generate the above mentioned condition. In this way any spray that has not been used can be drawn into the spraying apparatus for re-use. This is possible as the efficiency of the fan is maximised for volume as opposed to velocity of ducted air and the majority of air-suspended spray is within reach of being drawn back to the spraying apparatus. As a consequence less spray needs to be used for treating trees and vines. There is minimal wind drift of spray as the spray is not forced out at a comparatively high velocity and thus largely remains within the reach of being drawn back into the spraying apparatus. Furthermore the use of the ducting assembly targets specific areas of the tree or vine that is to be treated with spray compared with indiscriminate release of spray with some conventional sprayers. This minimizes the amount of spray chemical required and so reduces the cost of spraying an orchard.

The outer canopy surface on the other side of the tree and the inner surfaces of the foliage canopy on the side of the tree closest to the spraying apparatus have largely not been subjected to the spray, but are subjected to the spray when the spraying apparatus moves along the adjacent row and they become the treated proximal outer foliage surface and distal inner foliage surfaces respectively

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A spraying apparatus for spraying plants that have a foliage canopy including: air supply means; a ducting assembly adapted to receive air from said air supply means, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet and a lower duct outlet; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray; wherein in use the upper duct outlet may be arranged such that it faces a proximal outer side of the foliage canopy and the lower duct outlet faces a distal inner side of the foliage canopy.

2. A spraying apparatus including: air supply means; a ducting assembly adapted to receive air from air supply means, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said air supply means and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said air supply means; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray; wherein the duct outlet faces outwardly.

3. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the upper duct outlet substantially faces an proximal outer side of a foliage canopy and the lower duct outlet substantially faces an distal inner side of the foliage canopy.

4. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the ducting assembly has a plurality of upper and lower ducts.

5. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of ducts preferably has an individual duct inlet and duct outlet.

6. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein each duct has an expanding internal passage from the duct inlet to the duct outlet.

7. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein each duct has an internal passage that produces a minimal amount of air turbulence as air is ducted therethrough.

8. A spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the duct outlets face outwardly either side of the air supply means.

9. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 5, 6, or 7, wherein the air supply means includes a fan, and the ducting assembly is mounted substantially about the perimeter of the fan.

10. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the duct inlets substantially surrounds the fan perimeter.

11. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 9 or 10 wherein the duct has two vanes which form an internal expanding passage and extend outwardly from adjacent the fan perimeter.

12. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the vanes at the duct inlet extend from adjacent the perimeter of the fan thereby substantially minimising air turbulence in the region of the duct inlet.

13. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein the fan acts as an air pump sequentially passing air into each duct.

14. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 11 , 12 or 13 wherein the vanes are arranged around the perimeter of the fan so that the fan can operate efficiently.

15. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 1 wherein the vanes are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

16. A spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the spray supply means includes a spray means which releases spray from fluid stored in a reservoir.

17. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the spraying means is a nozzle located substantially at or within the duct outlet.

18. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 16 or17 wherein each duct outlet has a spray nozzle.

19. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ducting assembly, fan, and spray reservoir is mounted to a wheeled frame.

20. A kit to form a spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, said kit including a ducting assembly adapted to be mounted about a fan of conventional sprayers.

21. A spraying apparatus for spraying a foliage canopy including: a fan; a ducting assembly mounted about the fan, said ducting assembly having a duct inlet and duct outlet formed by a plurality of vanes that extend from adjacent the perimeter of the fan to an outer edge of the ducting assembly; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray; wherein air is passed with minimal air turbulence from the fan to the duct inlet.

22. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein each duct has an expanding internal passage from the duct inlet to the duct outlet.

23. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 21 or 22 wherein the duct inlets are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

24. A kit to form a spraying apparatus including: a ducting assembly mountable to a fan of a conventional sprayer, said ducting assembly is adapted to receive air from the fan and includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said fan and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said fan; and spray means for providing ducted air with spray and including a spray nozzle at or within one or more of the duct outlets; wherein the duct outlets faces outwardly.

25. A spraying apparatus including: a fan; a ducting assembly mountable adjacent the fan and adapted to receive air from the fan, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said fan and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said fan; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray and including a spray nozzle at or within one or more of the duct outlets; wherein the duct outlets faces outwardly.

26. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the ducting assembly has a plurality of ducts, each of the ducts has an internal expanding passage extending from an duct inlet to the duct outlet, the duct inlet is adjacent the perimeter of the fan so that air is forced directly into the duct inlet with minimal turbulence.

27. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the duct inlets are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

28. A spraying apparatus as substantially described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 8 February 2000 (08.02.00); original claims 1-28 replaced by amended claims 1-27 (4 pages)]

1. A spraying apparatus including: air supply means; a ducting assembly adapted to receive air from said air supply means and including an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said air supply means and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said air supply means, said lower duct outlet is horizontally disposed from the air supply means further than said upper duct outlet; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray.

2. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein in use the upper duct outlet substantially faces a proximal outer side of a foliage canopy and the lower duct outlet substantially faces a distal inner side of the foliage canopy.

3. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ducting assembly has a plurality of upper and lower ducts.

4. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of ducts has an individual duct inlet and duct outlet.

5. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each duct has an internal passage that expands from the duct inlet to the duct outlet.

6. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the air supply means includes a fan and the duct inlet is adjacent the perimeter of the fan.

7. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the air supply means includes a fan, the duct inlet is adjacent the perimeter of the fan, and each duct has an internal passage that expands from the duct inlet to the duct outlet.

9. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 6 or 7, wherein the duct inlets are positioned substantially equidistant around the perimeter of the fan and the duct outlets face outwardly either side of the fan.

10. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the internal expanding passage is formed by two opposing vanes that extend from adjacent the fan perimeter.

11. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the vanes are positioned substantially equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

12. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the fan acts as an air pump sequentially passing air into each duct as the fan rotates about its axis..

13. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein the ducts face outwardly either side of the fan.

14. A spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the spray supply means includes a spray means which releases spray from fluid stored in a reservoir.

15. A spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the spray supply means includes a nozzle located substantially at or within the duct outlet.

16. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein each duct outlet has a spray nozzle.

17. A spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spraying apparatus is mounted to a wheeled frame.

18. A kit to form a spraying apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ducting assembly is mountable about a fan of conventional sprayers.

19. A spraying apparatus including: a fan; a ducting assembly mounted about the fan and including a plurality of ducts formed by a plurality of vanes that extend from adjacent the perimeter of the fan to an outer edge of the ducting assembly; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray.

20. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein each duct has an internal passage that expands from a duct inlet to a duct outlet.

21. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claims 19 or 20 wherein the vanes are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan.

22. A kit to form a spraying apparatus including: a ducting assembly mountable to a fan of a conventional sprayer and including a plurality of ducts formed by a plurality of vanes that extend from adjacent the perimeter of the fan to an outer edge of the ducting assembly spray means for providing ducted air with spray and including a spray nozzle at or within one or more of the duct outlets

23. A kit to form a spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said fan and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said fan, said lower duct outlet is horizontally disposed from the fan further than said upper duct outlet.

24. A spraying apparatus including: a fan; a ducting assembly mountable adjacent the fan and adapted to receive air from the fan, said ducting assembly includes an upper duct outlet upwardly spaced from said fan and a lower duct outlet laterally spaced from said fan, said lower duct outlet is horizontally disposed from the fan further than said upper duct outlet; and spray supply means for providing ducted air with spray and including a spray nozzle at or within one or more of the duct outlets.

25. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the ducting assembly has a plurality of ducts, each of the ducts has an internal passage that expands from the duct inlet to the duct outlet, the duct inlet is adjacent the perimeter of the fan so that air is forced directly into the duct inlet with minimal turbulence.

26. A spraying apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the duct inlets are positioned equidistant around the perimeter of the fan and the duct outlets face outwardly either side of the fan.

27. A spraying apparatus as substantially described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.