WO2011048593A1

WO2011048593A1 - A new method of adjusting directions of air jets carrying spray droplets and devices to do it

Info

Publication number: WO2011048593A1
Application number: PCT/IL2010/000862
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gedalyahu Manor
Original assignee: Airgreen Ltd.
Priority date: 2009-10-20
Filing date: 2010-10-20
Publication date: 2011-04-28

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, equipment and devices for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying droplets of plant treating liquid and the controlled liquid flow rate, in order to evenly cover different targets of the plant's canopy with the right amounts of droplets needed by each target, without drift to the environment.

Description

A new method of adjusting directions of air jets carrying spray droplets and devices to do it

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method for adjusting directions of air jets carrying spray droplets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and devices for adjusting the directions of air jets carrying droplets of plant treating liquid and the liquid flow rate, in order to evenly cover different targets of the plant's canopy with the right amounts of droplets needed by each target.

Directing the needed number of droplets to the different targets inside the plant's canopy prevents the drift of the droplets to the environment and save expensive plant treating liquid.

There are air assisted sprayers on the market, but most of them are blowing the droplets onto the plants with poor penetration and a lot of drift to the environment.

There are air assisted sprayers which can direct the air jets inside the plant's canopy from different directions by using the air outlet devices themselves as the rigid structure for adjusting the air jets directions and holding the air plastic bags for bringing the pressurized air to the air outlets. In such cases the plastic bags are manufactured with the needed bending angle with extra material added opposite the hinges between the air outlets.

It is the object of the invention to provide a method and devices to adjust the flow rate of the plant treating liquid and the directions of air outlets and their distance from the plants targets by automatic control system. The automatic control system measures the leaf area of the plant and its shape and adjusts the flow rate and the shape of the integrated air outlets to the optimized ones. The air outlets of this invention are integrated to the plastic bags, between ring type springs, integrated with the bags as well. The ring type springs allow the bags to be bent to the desired angle and maintain the full diameter of the bags. The shape of the bags with the air outlets is adjusted and kept by outer rings or rigid arms, connecting the air outlets to a frame.

The frame can be a horizontal beam holding the outer rings, connected to the air outlets on both sides, at the adjustable height to get the desired shape of the air bag and the directions of the different air outlets to the plant's canopy.

Another type of the frame can be made of pieces of a beam connected to each other by hinges or even welded to the shape of the canopy. The outer rings, connected to the air outlets on both sides, and mounted at the adjustable distance on the curved frame to get the desired shape of the air bag and the directions of the different air outlets to the plant's canopy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an improved method of adjusting the directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift.

It is an object of the present invention to provide spraying equipment using adjustable air outlets to direct the air jets, carrying the droplets, to cover the plant's targets.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide spraying equipment using adjustable structure to carry the adjustable air outlets to direct the air jets, carrying the droplets, to cover the plant's targets.

It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide spraying equipment using adjustable structure to carry the adjustable air outlets mounted on an operating vehicle or on a pulled sprayer, to be provided with an air blower for pressurizing air into plastic bags with air outlets embedded to them, and with a pump for pumping the liquid spray material to liquid nozzles near the air outlets to create droplets to be carried by the air jets.

In a preferred embodiment the air outlets, embedded in plastic bags and receive pressurized air blown into it by a blower, are connected to the adjustable structure by rings connected to the adjustable structure by length adjusted rods. In another preferred embodiment the air outlets, embedded in plastic bags and receive pressurized air blown into it by a blower, are connected to an adjustable side structure by adjustable rods.

In a preferred embodiment the length adjusted rods are connected to the structure by bolts.

In another preferred embodiment the length adjusted rods are connected to the structure by a quick connecting device.

In a preferred embodiment the quick connecting device is a flexible and adjustable belt with two buckles.

In preferred embodiment liquid nozzles are mounted to the air outlets by side bases in order to inject a plant treating liquid into the air jets.

In another preferred embodiment the liquid nozzles are equipped with flow control valves.

In another preferred embodiment the side bases, connected to each other, are used to adjust the directions of the air outlets to the shape of the canopy.

In another preferred embodiment the liquid nozzles are mounted to the adjustable rings.

In another preferred embodiment the liquid nozzles are mounted to the adjustable rods.

In a preferred embodiment the air outlets are constructed with holes along the air bags to create the air jets.

In another preferred embodiment the air outlets, along the air bags, are having slits along them.

In another preferred embodiment the air outlets, along the air bags, are constructed to create turbulent air jets by special design of twin oblong outlets with separated jets at progressively inclined direction to each other along them and at counter directions of each of the twin outlets.

In a preferred embodiment the adjustable structure is a height adjusted horizontal beam. In another preferred embodiment the adjustable structure is made of pieces of a beam connected to each other by hinges and actuators to create the desired distance and shape around the canopy of the plants. In another preferred embodiment the adjustable structure is made of pieces of a beam welded to each other to create the desired distance and shape around the canopy of the plants and connected to main structure above the canopy.

In another preferred embodiment the adjustable structure is made of vertical beams on both sides of the canopy of the plants and connected to main structure above the canopy.

In another preferred embodiment the adjustable structure with the air outlets and the liquid nozzles is mounted to the side of the main structure and can rotate around the plant's canopy in order to control the amount of liquid according the targets area.

In another preferred embodiment the adjustable structure can be made of V shaped vertical ones, holding the air outlets and the bags to conform the shape of high row crops, like corn, cotton etc. The V shaped structures, hanging between the rows of high plants, are connected to main structure above the canopy.

In a preferred embodiment the adjustable air tunnel sprayer is adjusted to the shape of the plant's canopy by a hand operated system.

In another preferred embodiment the adjustable air tunnel sprayer is adjusted to the distance and shape of the plant's canopy by an automatic control system having sensors for the plant's distance, and shape, and actuators to adjust the shape. In a preferred embodiment the actuators are hydraulic cylinders.

In another preferred embodiment the actuators are pneumatic cylinders.

In another preferred embodiment the actuators are electric ones.

In another preferred embodiment the adjustable air tunnel sprayer is adjusted to control the liquid dose by using leaf area sensors and adjustable valves. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. la is a rear view of a section of an adjustable row crop air assisted sprayer over a soil bed with two rows of plants.

FIG.lb is a cross section of a bag along line b-b of FIG. la showing the adjustable ring connected to an air outlet and to a beam with adjustable rod. FIG. lc is a cross section of a beam with adjustable rod and a quick connecting device along line c-c of FIG. Id.

FIG. Id is a cross section of a beam with adjustable rod and a quick connecting device along line d-d of FIG. lc.

FIG5 FIG. 2a is a rear view of a section of an adjustable air assisted sprayer over a tree using adjustable beams and adjustable rings to adjust the shape of the air outlets to the shape of the tree's canopy. A blower with air hose for transferring the pressurized air to the air bags is shown at the side of a vehicle with rotatable structure to rotate the shaped sprayer around the canopy.

10 FIG.2b is a side view of an adjustable air assisted sprayer over a tree of FIG. 2a.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the control system.

FIG. 4 is a partly cross section of a bag along line b-b of FIG. la showing the liquid nozzle mounted to the air outlets by a side base in order to inject a plant treating liquid into the air jets.

15 FIG. 5 is a rear view of a section of an adjustable air assisted sprayer mounted vertically between two rows of plants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. la is a rear view of a section of an adjustable row crop air assisted sprayer over a 20 soil bed with two rows of plants 11. Air is pressurized into bags 2 by a blower

(not shown) and come out of air outlets 1 as air jets. The air outlets 1 are connected together by bolts 3 over the plants 11 and adjusted to direct the air jets conveying droplets from above and both sides. The bag 2 is integrated with the air outlets 1 and the spring type rings 10 to keep the shape of the bag 2 on bends. 25 The adjusted air outlets 1 are held in their shape by outer rings 4 connected to the air outlets 1 by the bolts 3, which connect the outlets 1 to each other as well. The outer rings 4 are connected to a horizontal beam 5 by adjustable rods 6 and connecting devices 7. The liquid droplets are ejected into the conveying air jets, from nozzles 8 connected to the liquid pipes 9, and pressurized by a pump (not 30 shown).

FIG. lb is a cross section of a bag 2 along line b-b of FIG. la showing the adjustable ring 4 connected to a beam 5 with adjustable rod 6 and connecting device 7. The bolt 3 is connecting the ring 4 to one or two air outlets 1 , which are integrated to the bag 2.

FIG. lc is a cross section of the beam 5 with adjustable rod 6 and a quick connecting device 7 along line c-c of FIG. Id. The flexible and adjustable belt 26 is connecting the two buckles 27 around the beam 5. The buckles 27 have pins 28 inserted into the holes of the adjustable rod 6 to hold it at the designed distance from the plant's canopy.

FIG. Id is a cross section of the beam 5 with adjustable rod 6 and a quick connecting device 7 along line d-d of FIG. lc. The flexible and adjustable belt 26 is connecting the buckle 27 around the beam 5 and the adjustable rod 6. The buckle 27 has a pin 28 inserted into the holes of the adjustable rod 6 to hold it at the designed height in relation to the beam 5.

FIG. 2a is a rear view of a section of an adjustable air assisted sprayer over a tree 17 using adjustable beams 14 and adjustable rings 4 to adjust the shape of the air outlets 1 to the shape of the tree's canopy 17. The adjustable beams 14 are adjusted by actuators 18 and hinged arms 15. A blower 13 with air hose 12 for blowing the pressurized air to the air bags 2 are shown at the side of a vehicle 20 with rotatable structure 16 to rotate the shaped sprayer around the canopy 17. The vehicle 20 include also at least one liquid tank (not shown), at least one liquid pump (not shown), a control unit 23 (not shown here) using distance and leaf area sensors 19 , wheels and power source to move the vehicle as self propelled or towed and power the pump and the blower 13.

FIG.2b is a cross section along line b-b of FIG. 2a, of an adjustable air assisted sprayer over a tree 17, showing the rings 4 connecting the air outlets 1 (not shown) and the bags 2 to the beams 14.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the control system. The distance and leaf area sensors 19 measure the leaf area of the plant's canopy 21 and the distance of the air outlets 1 (not shown) from the plant's canopy 21 and send the data 22 to the main control unit 23. The main control unit 23 analyzes the data 22 in relation to embedded information about the required distance from the canopy, and sends the results 24 to the actuators 18 to change the distance from the canopy and the shape of the adjustable air outlets 1 (not shown) according to it. The leaf area data 22 is being analyzed by the main control unit 23 in relation to the embedded information about the required flow rate for a measured leaf area. The main control unit 23 sends the results 25 to the integrated flow control valves with the liquid nozzles 8 in order to adjust the flow rate to the sprayed leaf area.

FIG. 4 is a partly cross section of a bag 2 along line b-b of FIG. la showing the liquid pipe 9 and a nozzle 8 mounted to the air outlet 1 by a side base 29 in order to inject a plant treating liquid into the air jets.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a section of an adjustable air assisted sprayer mounted vertically between two rows of plants 30. The adjustable vertical duct 31 holds the adjustable air outlets 1 in the desired direction in relation to the plants canopies 30. The adjustable vertical duct 31 is mounted to a horizontal beam 32 by a rod 33. The hose 34 supplies the compressed air from a blower (not shown) to the vertical ducts 31.

The spraying equipment according to the present invention constitutes improvements over the previous equipment in that it can be adjusted to the shape of a canopy of any crop in order to convey the plant treating droplets by air jets from all available directions for better coverage, lower dosages, and minimum drift to the environment and lower residues on the products.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrated examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, comprising:

adjustable air bags to be adjusted to the shape of the said canopies,

adjustable air outlets integrated to the said air bags to create the said air jets, liquid nozzles with integrated flow control valves mounted in proximity to the said air outlets to create the said droplets,

adjustable structure for holding the said air bags , said air outlets and said liquid nozzles at the said designed distance and directions ,

means to blow air into the said air bags to create said air jets directed to the said canopies out of the said air outlets,

means to pump the said liquid, through pipes being held by the said structure, to the said liquid nozzles ,

a liquid tank for holding the said liquid to be pumped by the said pump means , a liquid container for holding the concentrated plant treating liquid,

means to pump the said concentrated liquid, in a controlled flow rate, to be mixed with the main conveying liquid,

a mixing means to mix the concentrated liquid with the conveyed liquid, a vehicle to transport the said elements near the said plants,

a main structure on the vehicle to hold the said adjustable structure,

a control system to control the distance, the shape and direction of the said adjustable structure in relation to plant's canopy,

a control system to control the amount of the said liquid droplets according to the said needs of the plant's leaf area.

2. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 1, wherein the said adjustable air bags to be adjusted to the shape of the said canopies, have integrated said air outlets ejecting air jets to convey the said sprayed liquid droplets into the said plant's canopy and integrated spring type rings along at least parts of the bags to keep the round shape of the bags even in its bending parts.

3. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 1, wherein the said adjustable structure for holding the said air bags, said air outlets and said liquid nozzles at the said designed directions, is made of a height controlled horizontal beam, holding the said air bag and the said integrated air outlets by rings and adjustable rods.

4. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 1, wherein the said adjustable structure for holding the said air bags, said air nozzles and said liquid nozzles at the said designed directions, is made of adjustable beams on both sides of the plants, holding the said air bags and the said integrated air outlets by the said rings and adjustable rods.

5. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claims 3 and 4, wherein the said adjustable rods are connected to the said adjustable structure by a length adjustable and flexible belt and two buckles.

6. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 1 , wherein the said adjustable structure for holding the said air bags, said air outlets and said liquid nozzles at the said designed shape directions, is a V shaped vertical ones, between the rows of high plants, hanging from the main structure above the canopies.

7. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 1, wherein the said control system to control the shape and direction of the said adjustable structure, is an automatic control system, having sensors for the plant's shape and leaf area, and linear actuators to change the directions of the said adjustable air outlets according to the data collected by the sensors.

8. The method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 1, wherein the said control system to control the shape and direction of the said adjustable structure, is an automatic control system, having sensors for the plant's shape and leaf area, and change the flow rate of the liquid through the said nozzles accordingly.

9. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, comprising:

Adjustable air bags to be adjusted to the shape of the said canopies,

air outlets integrated to the said air bags to create the said air jets,

liquid nozzles with integrated flow control valves, mounted in proximity to the said air outlets to create the said droplets,

adjustable structure for holding the said air bags , said air outlet and said liquid nozzles at the said designed directions ,

means to blow air into the said air bags to create said air jets directed to the said canopies out of the said air nozzles, means to pump the said liquid, through pipes being held by the said structure, to the said liquid nozzles ,

a mixing means to mix the concentrated liquid with the conveying liquid, a vehicle to transport the said elements near the said plants,

a main structure on the vehicle to hold the said adjustable structure,

a control system to control the distance, the shape and direction of the said adjustable structure,

a control system to control the amount of the said liquid droplets according to the said needs of the plant's targets.

10. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said adjustable air bags are made of flexible material strengthen by spring type rings to maintain the full diameter but enable to bend it to the shape of a plant's canopy.

11. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said integrated air outlets are having holes to create the said air jets.

12. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said integrated air outlets are having a slit along them.

13. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said integrated air outlets, are constructed to create turbulent air jets by special design of twin oblong outlets with separating partitions at different angles of inclination to each other to separate the jets in diverging directions along them and at counter directions of each of the twin outlets.

14. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said adjustable structure is made of several rings connecting the said air outlets to beams by adjustable rods, which are used to adjust the shape of the said air bags with the said integrated air outlets to fit the shape of the plant's canopy.

15. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said adjustable structure is made of several beams connected by hinges and actuators, which are used to adjust the bow shape of the combined structure to fit the shape of the canopy.

16. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9,

wherein the said adjustable rods are connected to the said adjustable beams by a length adjustable and flexible belt and two buckles.

17. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9,

wherein the said buckles are having pins to be inserted into the holes of the said adjustable rods.

18. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said control system is using sensors to measure the canopy shape and the leaf area density and using the data from the sensors to control the length of actuators connecting the adjustable beams to the shape of the said adjustable structure to fit the shape of the canopy.

19. The equipment for adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, of claim 9, wherein the said adjustable structure is made of V shaped vertical beams between high row crops, holding the said air outlets and the said air bags to conform the shape of the canopies of the crops.

20. A method of adjusting the distance and directions of air jets carrying sprayed liquid droplets in order to penetrate the droplets inside the canopies of plants from adjustable distance and directions with the right amount of liquid to cover the plant's targets according the needs, with minimum drift, comprising:

(a) adjusting adjustable air bags to the shape of the said canopies,

(b) creating said air jets

(c) adjusting adjustable air outlets integrated to the said air bags to liquid nozzles with integrated flow control valves mounted in proximity to the said air outlets

(d) creating said droplets,

(e) holding the said air bags , said air outlets and said liquid nozzles at the said designed distance and directions by adjustable structure, (f) blowing air into the said air bags to create said air jets directed to the said canopies out of the said air outlets,

(g) pumping said liquid, through pipes being held by the said structure, to the said liquid nozzles ,

(h) holding said liquid to be pumped by the said pump means by a liquid tank and a liquid container for holding the concentrated plant treating liquid, and pumping said concentrated liquid, in a controlled flow rate, to be mixed with the main conveying liquid,

(i) mixing the concentrated liquid with the conveyed liquid by a mixing means, (j) transporting said elements near the said plants by a vehicle and a main structure on the vehicle to hold the said adjustable structure,

(k) controlling the distance, the shape and direction of the said adjustable structure in relation to plant's canopy by a control system, and to controlling the amount of the said liquid droplets according to the said needs of the plant's leaf area by additional control system.