Systems and devices for controlling and monitoring liquid applications of agricultural fields
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsBen Schlipf, Brent Wiegand, Justin McMenamy, Jason Stoller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are systems and devices for controlling and monitoring liquid applications of agricultural fields. In one embodiment, a flow device for controlling flow during an agricultural operation includes an offset ball valve having multiple openings that rotate in position to control flow of a liquid through the offset ball valve to an outlet passage. The flow device also includes a first passage that provides a first flow path from an inlet to at least one opening of the offset ball valve and second passage that provides a second flow path from the inlet to at least one opening of the offset ball valve.
Claims10
A flow device for controlling flow during an agricultural operation, comprising:
- an inlet;
- an outlet passage;
- an offset ball valve having multiple openings that are offset relative to each other and rotate in position to control flow of a liquid through the offset ball valve to the outlet passage during the agricultural operation, wherein the multiple openings of the offset ball valve each comprise a cylindrical shaped bore that are positioned in relation to each other with a configurable angle of 10 to 40 degrees;
- a first passage to provide a first flow path from the inlet to a first opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage;
- and
- a second passage to provide a second flow path from the inlet to the first opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage.
A flow device for controlling flow during an agricultural operation, comprising:
- an inlet;
- an outlet passage;
- an offset ball valve having multiple openings that are offset relative to each other and rotate in position to control flow of a liquid through the offset ball valve to the outlet passage during the agricultural operation;
- a first passage to provide a first flow path from the inlet to a first opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage;
- and
- a second passage to provide a second flow path from the inlet to the first opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage, wherein the offset ball valve includes a plurality of partial ranges of motion with each range of motion corresponding to a position of the offset ball valve comprising:
- a first position in which the first passage and the second passage are not in fluid communication with the outlet passage;
- a second position in which the first passage includes the first flow path through the first opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage and the second flow path through a second opening of the offset ball valve;
- a third position in which the second passage includes the first flow path at a first flow rate through the first and the second openings of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage;
- a fourth position in which the first passage includes the first flow path at the first flow rate through the first opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage and the second passage includes the second flow path at a second flow rate through the first opening and the second opening of the offset ball valve to the outlet passage.
A control and monitoring unit comprising:
- a ball valve having an opening that rotates in position for controlling flow of a liquid through the ball valve to an outlet;
- a first passage to provide a first flow path having a variable first flow rate from an inlet to the ball valve, the first passage includes a first flow meter to monitor flow of the liquid through the first passage;
- and
- a second passage to provide a second flow path having a variable second flow rate from the inlet to the ball valve, the second passage includes a second flow meter to monitor flow of the liquid through the second passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.