Nozzles with interchangeable inserts for precision application of crop protectant
AssigneeBlue River Technology Inc.
InventorsTHOMAS WELCH BROWN, ERIC M. GAWEHN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A treatment system for spraying treatment fluid onto plants in a field is described. The treatment system includes a configurable treatment mechanism including an array of nozzles and valve assemblies coupled into manifolds, and manifold assemblies. The nozzle comprises a nozzle housing and an insert assembly contained within the nozzle housing. When coupled, a top casing including a fluid inlet and a bottom casing including at least one fluid outlet form the nozzle housing. The insert assembly comprises at least one nozzle insert to fluidically couple the fluid inlet and the fluid outlets such that fluid entering from the fluid inlet exits the nozzle housing through the fluid outlets.
Claims20
A farming machine for treating plants in a field while the farming machine travels in a direction through the field, the farming machine comprising:
- a rotatable nozzle manifold comprising:
- nozzles for applying a treatment fluid to plants in the field by spraying treatment fluid to nozzle spray areas in the field;
- actuable valves for controlling passage of treatment fluid through the nozzles from a treatment fluid reservoir and towards the nozzle spray areas in the field while the farming machine treats plants in the field;
- an actuation mechanism coupled to the rotatable nozzle manifold and configured to rotate the rotatable nozzle manifold when actuated;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled to the actuation mechanism and configured to:
- continuously, as the farming machine travels through the field:
- identify locations of plants in the field;
- rotate the rotatable nozzle manifold using the actuation mechanism such that the nozzle spray areas align with the identified locations of plants in the field;
- and
- actuate the actuable valves to pass treatment fluid through the nozzles from the treatment fluid reservoir to treat the identified plants located in the nozzle spray areas.
A method for treating plants in a field with a farming machine while the farming machine travels in a direction through the field, the method comprising:
- identifying, continuously, as the farming machine travels through the field, locations of plants in the field;
- rotating a rotatable nozzle manifold, the rotatable nozzle manifold having nozzles with nozzle spray areas and actuable valves, using an actuation mechanism such that the nozzle spray areas align with the identified locations of plants in the field;
- and
- actuating the actuable valves to pass a treatment fluid through the nozzles from a treatment fluid reservoir to treat the identified plants aligned with the nozzle spray areas.
A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store program code instructions, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to perform steps comprising:
- identifying, continuously, as the farming machine travels through the field, locations of plants in the field;
- rotating a rotatable nozzle manifold, the rotatable nozzle manifold having nozzles with nozzle spray areas and actuable valves, using an actuation mechanism such that the nozzle spray areas align with the identified locations of plants in the field;
- and
- actuating the actuable valves to pass a treatment fluid through the nozzles from a treatment fluid reservoir to treat the identified plants aligned with the nozzle spray areas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.