WO2023115175A1

WO2023115175A1 - Dispensing device

Info

Publication number: WO2023115175A1
Application number: PCT/BR2022/050361
Authority: WO
Inventors: André Willians VARGAS EMERSON; Jessica ROTH DE FREITAS; Rodrigo Luiz ZONTA
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Limitada
Priority date: 2021-12-21
Filing date: 2022-09-09
Publication date: 2023-06-29

Abstract

Problem to be solved: To provide a solution capable of guaranteeing adequate magnetic flux in the actuating element, mitigating problems related to reliability and durability of the dispensing element, and solving problems related to clogging of the valve seat. Solution to the problem: A dispensing device is proposed, comprising a body (11) containing an actuation element (60) and a valve seat (50) housing a dispensing element (40) capable of regulating the fluid flow by selective actuation of the actuation element (60), the mounting segment (12) having an inflow channel (28), said valve seat (50) and said actuation element (60) being arranged such that they are aligned with each other; and said inflow channel (28) being spaced by a first distance (d1) from the assembly formed by the valve seat (50) and actuation element (60) pair.

Description

DOSING DEVICE

Field of Invention

[001] The present invention refers to a dosing device, preferably, of agricultural inputs, applicable in agricultural implements, for depositing inputs in a liquid state in planting fields. More specifically, the scope of the present invention concerns the arrangement of the internal ducts/channels of the dosing device.

Fundamentals of the Invention

[002] Nowadays, agribusiness, including agriculture, has shown itself to be a sector with ample growth in the share of the gross domestic product of food producing countries to supply the world population. In this sense, numerous tools, machines and inputs loaded with technology have been vastly developed with the objective of always improving the productivity of crops, whether in planting, monitoring and defending crops, or in harvesting, processing and dispatching the crop.

[003] In this scenario, numerous technologies have been developed for the application of inputs that increase the speed in the deposition of seeds, fertilizers and agricultural defensives, always with the objective of increasing productivity and reducing costs to the producer, in order to maximize the your profit.

[004] Among these developments, a number of them revolve around the application of liquid inputs, such as pesticides, which are used to protect the crop from weeds, responsible for consuming the soil nutrients that are necessary for the plantation to grow strong and rich in its physicochemical properties, as well as other attacks that the crop may suffer.

[005] Some solutions related to these technologies are described in documents BR102020018124, BR102020018125, BR102020018126, by the applicant itself, as well as in document US2012000991, for example. [006] In Brazilian documents, from the applicant itself, there is a substantially coaxial arrangement between the electro-mechanical components that define the entire assembly, in such a way that the fluid inlet duct, the valve seat, the solenoid and the fluid outlet duct are aligned with each other, that is, their longitudinal axes are parallel and coincident.

[007] This arrangement, although functional and compact, has an inconvenience, which is the high flow of fluid through the region of the actuating element (solenoid), which, during operation, can lead to losses of magnetic flux in the region of the solenoid that the dosing element (shutter) acts, which may impair the correct valve control and, consequently, the dosing of inputs itself.

[008] The constructive arrangement of document US2012000991 is relatively different from the constructive arrangements of the aforementioned documents. It should be noted that this document already describes the respective device for dosing agricultural inputs applicable to agricultural implements, comprising the respective electromagnetic dosing device and the respective fluid inlet and outlet ducts, spaced/misaligned with each other, in order to define a kind of chicane .

[009] Despite the “L” shape (or chicane) of the fluid inlet and outlet ducts, in US2012000991 the fluid flow is not diverted from the solenoid region, but crosses the valve adjacent to it, so that the problem regarding the loss of magnetic force is not mitigated. It is also noted, in the solution of this document, that the solenoid that actuates the dosing element (shutter) is not mounted in a coaxial arrangement with the outlet duct of the dosing device, but the inlet duct.

[010] Still, none of the previous documents provides for a fluid entry into the valve seat in a direction capable of mitigating problems related to the reliability and durability of the dosing element, nor capable of solving problems related to clogging of the valve seat. [011] Thus, and although the solutions described above prove to be functional for the purposes for which they were made possible, it is noted that there are still gaps in the state of the art with regard to the provision of a sufficiently robust and reliable solution, which is capable of guaranteeing the adequate magnetic flux in the drive element to provide satisfactory control of the dosing element, through a simple, low-cost and practical solution that is still capable of mitigating problems related to the reliability and durability of the dosing element, as well as as capable of solving problems related to clogging of the valve seat.

[012] It is based on this scenario that the invention in question arises.

Objectives of the Invention

[013] Thus, it is a fundamental objective of the invention in question to reveal a dosing device capable of guaranteeing the adequate magnetic flux in the drive element to provide satisfactory control of the dosing element;

[014] More specifically, it is the objective of the present invention to describe a sufficiently robust and reliable solution, through a simple, low-cost and practical solution

[015] Another objective is to describe a solution capable of mitigating problems related to the reliability and durability of the dosing element;

[016] Still, it is also the objective of the present invention to design a solution that is able to solve problems related to clogging of the valve seat.

Summary of the Invention

[017] The objectives summarized above are achieved by means of a dosing device, of the type comprising a body that includes a mounting portion, a nozzle-carrying portion, which carries at least one nozzle, and a connection portion, which physically interconnects the two previous portions, said body accommodating, inside, an actuation element, a valve seat, inside which a dosing element is housed, capable of regulating the passage of fluid through actuation selection of the actuating element, said mounting portion carrying an inlet channel, through which fluid enters the body of the dosing device, and said nozzle-carrying portion carrying at least one outlet channel, through which the fluid is discharged , wherein said valve seat and said actuating element are disposed in line with each other; and wherein the inlet channel is spaced, by a first distance, from the assembly formed by the pair of valve seat and actuation element.

[018] Preferably, said at least one outlet channel is arranged in line with the valve seat assembly and actuation element. Thus, said input and output channels are spaced from each other by a first distance and therefore misaligned. Furthermore, said dosing device further comprises an interconnection channel, which communicates the inlet channel to the valve seat, the inlet, interconnection and outlet channels ending up defining a chicane.

[019] Also preferably, said interconnection channel is arranged tangentially, in relation to the valve seat, said interconnection channel being spaced from the region of the actuation element by a third distance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[020] The invention in question is now detailed based on the illustrative figures listed below:

[021] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the dosing device of the present invention;

[022] Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of the present invention;

[023] The figure illustrates the valve seat and actuation element assembly, together with the final portion of the interconnection channel, according to the dosing device of the present invention; [024] Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the dosing device of the present invention;

[025] Figure 5 illustrates a view of detail A of figure 4.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[026] The present invention is preferably applicable to a spray lance of a spraying machine, which is employed, for example, in agricultural crop sprayers, including trailed sprayers, mounted sprayers and self-propelled sprayers. The spray lance includes a support frame for attaching the spray lance to the spray machine. The spray lance has a spray line extending laterally in opposite directions along it. The spray line is equipped with a plurality of metering devices. The dosing device 10 is supplied with fluid - spray supplies - to be sprayed through holes in the spray line. This arrangement is not particularly illustrated in the figures because it is already widely known by those skilled in the art.

[027] Fig. 1 illustrates a dosing device 10 according to the present invention, comprising a body 11 including a mounting portion 12, a nozzle loading portion 14 and a connecting portion 16, which physically interconnects the two previous portions. Said body 11 accommodates, inside, inlet, interconnection and outlet channels 28, 29, 27, as well as electromechanical components, such as a drive element 60, a valve seat 50, inside which a dosing element is housed 40, capable of regulating the passage of fluid, to the outlet channel 27, through selective actuation of the drive element 60.

[028] As the name suggests, it is through the assembly portion 12 that the spray lance is mounted next to the spray line (not shown). It is also next to the mounting portion 12 that the inlet channel 28 is defined, through which the fluid enters the body 11 of the dosing device 10. nozzle loader 14 carries, along its circumference, a plurality of nozzles 26 which are preferably uniformly distributed along said circumference. Said nozzle-loading portion 14 functions as a glove and is rotatably supported, defining/incorporating/loading at least one outlet channel 27 that carry the fluid to/through the respective nozzle(s) 26.

[029] The fluid is then poured/sprayed after crossing the respective outlet channel(s) 27, by regulation by a dosing element 40, which is arranged inside the valve seat 50, as previously mentioned. Preferably, the metering element 40 refers to an obturator associated with a rod (or needle), while the actuating element 60 is specifically a solenoid.

[030] In view of the above, and with a focus on achieving the aforementioned objectives, the present invention, in particular, conceives said valve seat 50 and said actuation element 60 arranged adjacently and aligned with each other; and the inlet channel 28 being spaced, by a first distance d1, from the assembly formed by the valve seat pair 50 and actuation element 60.

[031] In this sense, it should be noted that the alignment between the valve seat 50 and the drive element 60 is given, preferably, concentrically. That is, fundamentally, the longitudinal projection of one overlaps the other, and, preferably, their geometric (or longitudinal) axes coincide.

[032] Also, said at least one outlet channel 27 is arranged in line with the valve seat assembly 50 and actuation element 60. The same comment is valid here. That is, fundamentally, the longitudinal projection of one overlaps the other, and, preferably, their geometric (or longitudinal) axes coincide.

[033] Furthermore, said input and output channels 28, 27 are spaced apart by a first distance d1 and therefore misaligned. In other words, said channels inlet and outlet ports 28, 27 are opposite each other or distal to each other. In any case, preferably, both are parallel and carry fluid in the same direction, the vertical (by “vertical” one should merely understand the reference orientation of figure 3), therefore.

[034] In this sense, the metering device 10 of the present invention also comprises an interconnection channel 29, which communicates the inlet channel 28 to the valve seat 50, and the inlet, interconnection and outlet channels 28, 29 , 27 end up defining a chicane, that is, a format analogous to a “double L”.

[035] As noted, said first distance d1 is basically/approximately the length of the interconnection channel 29.

[036] Finally, said interconnection channel 29 is arranged "below" the region of the actuation element 60 (referring to the orientation of Fig. 4), that is, said interconnection channel 29 is spaced from the region of the activation element trigger 60 for a third distance d3.

[037] Thus, and depending on the shape of the chicane defined by the inlet, interconnection and outlet channels 28, 29, 27 and the spacing given by the third distance d3, it is noted that the fluid path is completely deviated from the region in which the actuating element 60, namely the solenoid, is arranged and therefore the problem as to the loss of magnetic flux is mitigated.

[038] Another relevant aspect of the present invention is the fact that said interconnection channel 29 is arranged tangentially, in relation to the valve seat 50. This means that the projection of the geometric axis (or longitudinal) of the interconnection channel 29 is spaced a second distance d2 from the geometric (or longitudinal) axis of the valve seat 50.

[039] According to this provision, two other very relevant technical advantages are achieved. [040] The first is that the pressurized flow of fluid (up to about 12 bar), when entering the valve seat 50, coming from the interconnection channel 29, will not collide frontally with the needle/rod of the metering element 40 , but it will be propelled tangentially/adjacently to the inner wall of said valve seat 50. This prevents impacts and possible damage to the dosing element 40 and, consequently, increases its useful life.

[041] The second advantage is that, because this fluid flow enters tangentially/adjacent to the inner wall of said valve seat 50, it ends up creating a spiral flow inside the valve seat 50 (a kind of vortex ), which provides self-cleaning of said internal wall, facilitating the loading of small dirt particles that may have adhered to it, from past dosing cycles and minimizing risks of unwanted clogging.

[042] It is important to emphasize that the above description has the sole purpose of describing, by way of example, the particular embodiment of the invention in question. Therefore, it becomes clear that modifications, variations and constructive combinations of elements that perform the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results, remain within the scope of protection delimited by the attached claims.

Claims

9 CLAIMS

1. Metering device, of the type comprising a body (11) including a mounting portion (12), a nozzle-loading portion (14), which carries at least one nozzle (26), and a connection portion ( 16), which physically interconnects the two previous portions, said body (11) accommodating, inside, an actuating element (60), a valve seat (50), inside which is housed a dosing element (40) , capable of regulating the passage of fluid through selective actuation of the drive element (60), said assembly portion (12) carrying an inlet channel (28), through which fluid enters the body (11) of the dosing device (10) and since said nozzle-carrying portion (14) carries at least one outlet channel (27), through which the fluid is discharged, said dosing device (10) being CHARACTERIZED by the fact that: said valve seat (50) and said drive element (60) are arranged in line with each other; and wherein the inlet channel (28) is spaced, by a first distance (d1), from the assembly formed by the valve seat pair (50) and actuation element (60);

2. Dosing device, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said at least one outlet channel (27) is arranged in line with the valve seat assembly (50) and drive element (60).

3. Dosing device, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said input and output channels (28, 27) are spaced from each other by a first distance (d1) and therefore misaligned.

4. Dosing device, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it also comprises an interconnection channel (29), which communicates the inlet channel (28) to the valve seat (50), and the input, interconnect and output channels (28, 29, 27) end up defining a chicane.

5. Dosing device, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said interconnection channel (29) is arranged tangentially, in relation to the valve seat (50).

6. Dosing device, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said interconnection channel (29) is spaced from the region of the actuating element (60) by a third distance (d3).