Automatic rinse system for an agricultural sprayer

A rinse system for a self-propelled agricultural sprayer, the rinse system comprising:

• a product storage system having a product tank storing an agricultural liquid product on a chassis of the sprayer;
• a rinse liquid storage system having a rinse tank storing a rinse liquid on the chassis;
• a spray boom supported by the chassis of the sprayer and defining multiple spray sections for receiving the liquid product and the rinse liquid and selectively delivering the liquid product and the rinse liquid to a field;
• an on-board valve system including a product tank outlet valve configured to actuate between a closed position preventing flow of the liquid product out of the product tank and an open position permitting flow of the liquid product out of the product tank and a rinse tank outlet valve configured to actuate between a closed position preventing flow of the rinse liquid out of the rinse tank and an open position permitting flow of the rinse liquid out of the rinse tank;
• a boom valve system including multiple spray section feed valves, wherein each of the spray section feed valves is configured to actuate between a closed position preventing flow of the liquid product and the rinse liquid through a respective spray section and an open position permitting flow of the liquid product and the rinse liquid through the respective spray section;
• plumbing components connecting the product storage system, the rinse liquid storage system and the spray boom via the on-board and boom valve systems;
• and
• a control system operatively connected to the on-board and boom valve systems, the control system including a user interface adapted to receive a user instruction regarding operation of the product tank outlet valve, the rinse tank outlet valve and each of the multiple spray section feed valves and being configured to:
• evaluate the user instruction to determine if the user instruction received is erroneous, and if so, provide to the user at least one of a first signal indicating the user instruction is erroneous and a second signal indicating the erroneous user instruction may be overwritten;
• and
• actuate one or more of the product tank outlet valve, the rinse tank outlet valve and the spray section feed valves for rinsing at least some of the plumbing components with the rinse liquid in response to one of a non-erroneous user instruction and an overwritten erroneous user instruction;
• wherein the user interface of the control system includes a display, the display configured to display the first signal in response to a request to activate the pump when both the product outlet valve and the rinse tank outlet valve are in the closed position.

A self-propelled agricultural sprayer, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a product storage system having a product tank storing an agricultural liquid product on the chassis;
• a rinse liquid storage system having a rinse tank storing a rinse liquid on the chassis;
• a spray boom supported by the chassis and including multiple spray nozzles selectively delivering the liquid product and the rinse liquid to a field;
• a pump arranged between the spray boom and each of the product tank and the rinse tank to convey the liquid product and the rinse liquid toward the spray boom;
• an on-board valve system including:
• a product tank outlet valve configured to actuate between a closed position preventing flow of the liquid product out of the product tank and an open position permitting flow of the liquid product out of the product tank to the pump for delivery toward the spray boom;
• a rinse tank outlet valve configured to actuate between a closed position preventing flow of the rinse liquid out of the rinse tank and an open position permitting flow of the rinse liquid out of the rinse tank to the pump for delivery toward the spray boom;
• plumbing components connecting the product storage system, the rinse liquid storage system and the spray boom via the on-board and boom valve systems;
• and
• a control system operatively connected to the on-board and boom valve systems, the control system including an operator interface adapted to receive a rinse command from a user regarding operation of the product tank outlet valve, the rinse tank outlet valve and each of the multiple spray section feed valves and a monitor for displaying a current state of each of the product tank outlet valve, the rinse tank outlet valve and the spray section feed valves with the current state corresponding to whether the product tank outlet valve, the rinse tank outlet valve and the spray section feed valves are in the closed or open positions at a current time,
• wherein the control system is configured to:
• evaluate the rinse command to determine if the rinse command received is erroneous, and if so, display to the user at least one of a first signal indicating the rinse command is erroneous and a second signal indicating the erroneous rinse command may be overwritten;
• and
• actuate one or more of the product tank outlet valve, the rinse tank outlet valve and the spray section feed valves for rinsing at least some of the plumbing components with the rinse liquid in response to one of a non-erroneous rinse command and an overwritten erroneous rinse command;
• inhibit energizing of the pump with both the product tank valve and the rinse tank outlet valve in the closed positions.