# US 2019/0166757 A1 · Piezo actuated nozzel control valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0166757 A1 - Document ID: US20190166757A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/145,691 - Filed: 2018-09-28 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: David S. Mercer; Richard A. Humpal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190166757A1 ## CPC - A01C 23/007: {Metering or regulating systems} - A01C 23/047: {Spraying of liquid fertilisers} - A01M 7/0042: {Field sprayers, e.g. self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted} - A01M 7/0082: {Undercarriages, frames, mountings, couplings, tanks} - A01M 7/0089: {Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06)} - A01M 21/043: {by chemicals} - A01C 7/06: Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus - A01C 23/023: {for liquid or gas fertilisers} - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS ## Abstract A mobile agricultural application machine includes a controllable valve and nozzle through which a substance is applied to an agricultural field. The controllable valve is a piezo-actuated valve. An application control system generates valve control signals to control a piezo actuator on the piezo-actuated valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile agricultural application machine, comprising: a vehicle propulsion system; a source of a substance to be applied to an agricultural field; a spray nozzle; a control signal generator that generates a valve control signal; and a piezo-actuated valve that receives the valve control signal and moves based on the valve control signal to apply the substance to be applied to the agricultural field through the spray nozzle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 1 wherein the piezo-actuated valve comprises: a piezo element configured to deform in response to application of the valve control signal; and a flexure, coupled to the piezo element, and configured top amplify deformation of the piezo element to provide a valve driving movement. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 2 wherein the piezo-actuated valve comprises: a plunger having a proximal end coupled to the flexure and a distal end and configured to move reciprocally between a valve open position and a valve closed position as the flexure moves through the valve driving movement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 3 wherein the piezo-actuated valve comprises: a bellows having a distal end coupled to the distal end of the plunger with a liquid-tight connection and a proximal end fixed relative to reciprocal movement of the plunger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 1 and further comprising: a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure of the substance to be applied and generate a pressure signal indicative of the pressure of the substance to be applied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 5 wherein the control signal generator comprises: variable pressure control logic configured to generate the valve control signal to control the piezo-actuated valve based on the pressure signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 6 wherein the spray nozzle comprises a plurality of different spray nozzles, and further comprising a plurality of different piezo-actuated valves, and, a separate pressure sensor corresponding to each of the plurality of different spray nozzles, each pressure sensor being configured to generate a separate pressure signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 7 wherein the variable pressure control logic comprises: nozzle pressure regulation logic configured to generate a separate valve control signal to control each of the piezo-actuated valves based on the separate pressure signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 7 and further comprising a boom, wherein each of the plurality of different piezo-actuated valves is mounted at a different location along the boom and wherein the separate pressure sensors are configured to sense pressure at different locations along the boom, wherein the control signal generator comprises: boom pressure regulation logic configured to generate a separate valve control signal to control each of the piezo-actuated valves based on the separate pressure signals indicative of the pressure at different locations along the boom. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 7 and further comprising a boom, wherein each of the plurality of different piezo-actuated valves is mounted at a different position along the boom and further comprising: a turn sensor configured to sense when the machine is making a turn and generate a turn sensor signal indicative of the sensed turn; and turn pressure compensation logic configured to generate a separate valve control signal to control each of the piezo-actuated valves based on the turn signal and based on a position of each of the piezo-actuated valves along the boom. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 7 and further comprising a boom, wherein each of the plurality of different piezo-actuated valves is mounted at a different position along the boom and further comprising: an orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the machine indicating that the machine is on a side hill and generate an orientation sensor signal indicative of the sensed orientation; and side hill pressure compensation logic configured to generate a separate valve control signal to control each of the piezo-actuated valves based on the orientation signal and based on a position of each of the piezo-actuated valves along the boom. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 1 wherein the spray nozzle comprises: a plurality of different spray nozzles, each configured to spray a different substance to be applied to the agricultural field, and wherein the piezo-actuated valve is configured to control application of the plurality of different substances through the plurality of different nozzles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 1 and further comprising: a flow rate sensor configured to sense a flow rate of the substance through the valve, and wherein the control signal generator is configured to generate the valve control signal based on the sensed flow rate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mobile agricultural application machine of claim 13 and further comprising a boom, wherein each of a plurality of different piezo-actuated valves is mounted at a different position along the boom and further comprising: a turn sensor configured to sense when the machine is making a turn and generate a turn sensor signal indicative of the sensed turn; and turn compensation logic configured to generate a separate valve control signal to control a flow rate through each of the piezo-actuated valves based on the turn signal and based on a position of each of the piezo-actuated valves along the boom. ### Claim 15 An agricultural spray nozzle assembly, comprising: a spray nozzle; and a piezo-actuated valve that receives a valve control signal and moves based on the valve control signal to control movement of a substance to be applied to an agricultural field through the spray nozzle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The agricultural spray nozzle of claim 15 and further comprising: a characteristic sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the substance to be applied and generate a characteristic signal indicative of the characteristic of the substance to be applied. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The agricultural spray nozzle of claim 16 wherein the characteristic sensor comprises at least one of a flow sensor sensing flow of the substance through the piezo-actuated valve or a pressure sensor sensing a pressure of the substance in the piezo-actuated valve. ### Claim 18 A method of controlling a mobile agricultural machine to apply a substance to an agricultural field, the method comprising: generating a valve control signal to control an agricultural spray valve on the mobile agricultural machine; and applying the valve control signal to a piezo actuator in the agricultural spray valve to control the agricultural spray valve. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein generating the valve control signal comprises: sensing pressure of the substance in the agricultural spray valve; generating a pressure signal indicative of the sensed pressure; and generating the valve control signal to control the piezo actuator in the agricultural spray valve on the mobile agricultural machine based on the pressure signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein generating the valve control signal comprises: sensing flow of the substance through the agricultural spray valve; generating a flow signal indicative of the sensed flow; and generating the valve control signal to control the piezo actuator in the agricultural spray valve on the mobile agricultural machine based on the flow signal.