JPH0322221B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a spraying device, and more particularly to a spraying device for use in spraying pesticides, such as insecticides, onto the ground or onto crops or weeds growing thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, pesticide spraying on the ground and crops has become widespread in countries around the world, often from vehicles such as tractors and aircraft. Spraying operations are usually carried out using active ingredients (eg herbicides) dissolved or treated with diluents (eg oil or water). Therefore,
The tractor is equipped with a spray tank filled with water.
A concentrated liquid or powder composition of active ingredient is poured and mixed before spraying into this tank.

Such devices have a number of drawbacks. Pesticide active ingredients are often more or less toxic to humans, especially in concentrated form. Therefore,
In some cases, pouring concentrated pesticide compositions into a spray tank can be dangerous, especially for unskilled personnel. These unskilled workers may also inject too little pesticide (so that the crop is likely left unprotected) or too much (which could be wasted and cause damage to the crop or surrounding area) during the dilution process. Therefore, it is possible to make a mistake.

As a result, there is a need for spray equipment that does not require operators to dilute concentrated pesticides. In such devices, the pesticide composition is not diluted at all (as is often done today in ultra-low volume spraying of pesticides by rotary atomizers and is also proposed in some electrostatic spraying devices) or is not diluted at all, e.g. Automatic dilution is achieved by metering the flow of diluent from a diluent storage tank provided. Today, practical spraying equipment is required to be able to spray several different types of insecticides.

Some pesticides are advantageously formulated more concentrated than others, or need to be applied at relatively lower rates. Therefore, the flow rate of liquid through the atomizing device to the atomizing head generally needs to be controllable. Of course it can be controlled manually using some device or other, but this can often be due to operator error.

This invention is particularly (but not exclusively) applicable to electrostatic spraying of pesticides with particular effectiveness. This invention therefore greatly improves underside leaf spraying with more uniform spraying of plants, reduces drift and ambient contamination, and also often delivers insecticide at lower rates than with emergency spraying. Can be dispersed. However, we have found that it is best to vary the applied voltage according to the nature of the insecticide composition to be applied.

This invention avoids manual dilution (resulting in danger to the operator and possible dilution errors);
Moreover, the present invention provides an insecticide spraying device capable of completely automatically determining the supply ratio of the insecticide to the spray nozzle as necessary.

According to this invention, an engagement device liquid-tightly engages with an engagement device at the mouth of a container for a liquid agrochemical composition, at least one spray head for discharging the liquid agrochemical composition, and a spray head for discharging the liquid agrochemical composition. responsive to a liquid agrochemical composition supplying device for supplying the liquid agrochemical composition from the container to the spraying head via the two engaging devices, and a signal device provided on the container of the liquid agrochemical composition;
A spraying device for spraying a liquid agricultural chemical composition from a vehicle is proposed, which includes a flow rate control device that controls the flow rate of the liquid agricultural chemical composition from a liquid agricultural chemical composition supply device. In a preferred embodiment, devices are provided for electrostatically charging the liquid agrochemical composition exiting the spray head, these electrostatically charging devices also being responsive to a signal device provided on the container.

Furthermore, the container for the liquid agricultural chemical composition has an opening for supplying the liquid agricultural chemical composition, and an engagement device that fluid-tightly engages with an engagement device provided on the vehicle to hold the opening.
The present invention is characterized by comprising a signal device that operates the flow rate control device that controls the flow rate of the liquid agrochemical composition from the liquid agrochemical composition supply device.

Flow control devices can take various forms. For example, it can be a variable valve or a mechanical valve, such as a stopcock or a throttle, which is actuated by an electronic control device via an electromagnetic relay. Another suitable type of valve that can be easily actuated, especially by electronic control, is a variable electrostatic valve of the type described in European Patent Application No. 80302767. A particularly advantageous control device is a variable flow metering pump. Such a pump may suitably be driven electrically, for example by the vehicle's power supply, the speed of which is easily controlled by electrical or electronic devices that control the power or frequency applied to the pump. Although metering pumps are more complex than variable valves, they do not rely on gravity to advance the liquid, allowing for relatively precise control of liquid supply.

In one form of the invention, the signaling device in the container consists of a coded signal that is sensed by a flow control device and which determines how the dispensing device is to be operated.
This signal can also determine the operation of the charging device. Coded signals can have a range of effects. That is, this coded signal is simply “on”
It acts as a switch, causing the machine to operate only when the received signal has a predetermined value. The device can be designed to provide many different combinations of flow rate through the supply device and voltage from the high potential source in response to different values of the encoded signal in the container. The device may also be designed to vary the voltage or flow rate or both continuously between a minimum and maximum value according to a corresponding change in the value of the coded signal (or signals). . The coded signal can be formed in various forms, for example mechanical, electrical, magnetic or optical.

A signal device in the container may control the flow control device by providing an electrical signal thereto. This electrical signal can be used (directly or after amplification) to activate a high potential source or a liquid supply device at an output corresponding to the magnitude of the signal.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The device is mounted on a tractor (not shown). This device has a removable container 1 with a capacity of approximately 25 liters.
It has 0. A male threaded engagement portion 11 on the neck of the container 10 is supported by a tractor and is connected to a female threaded engagement device 12 forming a part of a liquid supply device 13.
and act together to provide a liquid-tight seal. The liquid supply device 13 connects the engagement device 12 to the electric measuring pump 1.
4 to a spray boom 15 supporting a number of nozzles 16. These structures are shown in detail in FIG. Each nozzle is surrounded by an annular electrode 26' which is grounded. The body of each nozzle is made of conductive plastic and is electrically connected via a conductor 17 to a junction box 18.
8 is connected to one high voltage output terminal 21 of a high voltage generator 20 via a high voltage conductor 19. High voltage generator 20 is powered through enclosure 10 by a 12 volt tractor battery 22.

The positive pole of the tractor battery 22 is connected via a switch 23 to a contact 24 supported by the tractor. The contact 24 abuts a contact 25 on the container;
The contact 25 is connected via a variable resistor 26 to a contact 27 on the container, which abuts a contact 28 supported on the tractor. The contact 28 is the conductor 29
It is connected to the input terminal of the high voltage generator 20 via. With a similar configuration, the pump 14
Power is supplied from the battery 22 via 0. Conductor 3
0 carries current from battery 22 through switch 23 to contact 31 supported on the tractor. Contact 31 abuts contact 32 on the container, contact 3
2 is a contact point 33 on the container via a variable resistor 36
contact 33 is in contact with contact 34 on the tractor.
come into contact with. A conductor 35 connects the contacts 34 to the pump 14.

In operation, container 10 is supplied by the manufacturer filled with a suitable organic liquid pesticide composition and sealed under safe manufacturing conditions. At the manufacturing plant, variable resistors 26, 36 are adjusted to values appropriate for the liquid in the container. This is advantageously done in such a way as to prevent the customer from changing the settings at a later date, for example by making the variable resistors 26, 36 adjustable only from inside the container. At the location where spraying is to be carried out, the container is mounted on the tractor, unsealed and connected to the liquid supply device 13 by means of engagement parts 11, 12, thus connecting the four sets of contacts 2.
4, 25; 27, 28; 31, 32; 33, 34
make sure that they are in contact with each other. The tractor is then driven along the crop to be sprayed and the switch 23 is closed. This activates the pump 14 and the high voltage generator 20, and the output of both devices is controlled to the desired level by controlling the current supplied to each device as a function of the settings of the variable resistors 26, 36. Ru. The spray is conveyed to the nozzle 16 by the action of the pump 14 and is charged by direct contact with the potential generated by the high voltage generator 20. The spray leaving the nozzle 16 is dispersed into electrically charged droplets under the action of the electrostatic field between the nozzle 16 and the grounded electrode 26' and is attracted to the plants to be treated.

In the apparatus that has been described with reference to FIG.
0 contents are sprayed undiluted. FIG. 3 shows a tractor-mounted device in which the dilution takes place, but this is done automatically, without the need for manual mixing and, as a result, without the risk of mistakes or accidents. The apparatus of FIG. 3 includes a container 155 of oil diluent (e.g. diesel fuel);
This container 155 supplies diluent via tap 156 to a mechanical pump 157 driven by the tractor power. Two containers 158, 159 of substantially the same type as shown in FIG. 1 contain a concentrated organic liquid insecticide composition;
8,159 are connected via engagement portions 160,161 to metering pumps 164,165 which serve to inject insecticide into the diluent stream at 166,167. 166,16
The diluted pesticide composition from 7 is fed to a boom 168 supporting an electrostatic spray head 169 of the same type as shown in FIG. Spray head 1
69 is connected to one high voltage terminal of a high voltage generator 170 that is powered by a battery 171 of the tractor. Means for changing the output voltage of the high voltage generator 170 is not illustrated because it can be easily provided as needed. Measuring pumps 164, 165 also supply power to battery 171 via variable resistors 172, 173 attached to containers 158, 159 in the same way as battery 22 supplies power to pump 14 in FIG.
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In operation, the flow rate of pesticide from containers 158, 159 is controlled by the current supplied to pumps 164, 165, which can be controlled by the settings of variable resistors 172, 173 without the need for special manipulation. Ru. When spraying two different and mutually exclusive pesticides, the streams from containers 158, 159 can be directed to separate spray heads. When spraying an aqueous liquid insecticide composition, “emulsion spraying” is used.
An electrostatic device for forming and atomizing emulsions can be utilized as described in British Patent Application No. 8102823 filed on January 30, 1981.

A device such as that shown in FIG. 3 with a separate diluent source may advantageously be configured to eject insecticide from the nozzle and liquid supply device using pure diluent. The device is then cleaned for reuse with a different insecticide. Such a jetting operation can be performed automatically.

In the present invention, the flow through the liquid supply device need not be determined solely by the signal device carried on the container. For example, a basic value of the flow rate can be determined in the signaling device according to the standard forward speed of the vehicle. Means may then be provided to detect the actual forward speed of the spraying vehicle and vary the flow rate from the standard value to compensate for variations from the standard forward speed, thereby adjusting the amount of pesticide delivered per unit area to the forward speed. Try to keep it constant over a certain range. The speed can be detected by the rotational speed of the wheels or by Doppler sound or radar means. Means may also be provided for the spraying operator to change the standard flow rate, for example in exceptional circumstances. For example, a crop severely damaged by pests may be
It can be effectively sprayed at 150% or 200%, and lightly disturbed crops can be sprayed at 50% or 75% of the normal flow rate.

Means may be provided to detect malfunction of the electrostatic spray head used in this invention. An example of such means is shown schematically in FIG. A high resistance 102 (for example /MΩ) is inserted into the conductor 100 which carries the high potential from the high voltage generator 99 to the atomizing head 101. A device 103 is provided for sensing the potential drop across this resistor. Using a voltage of about 20 KV and a liquid charging current of about 2 μA per nozzle, the potential drop across resistor 102 is about 2 volts. When the spray head 101 is completely or partially blocked, the current stops and decreases, and the voltage drops correspondingly. For example, if a short circuit occurs between the atomizing head 101 and the grounded electrode 104, the current and voltage will increase. A control circuit 105 is therefore provided which compares the potential drop sensed by the device 103 with standard satisfactory limit values and, in the event that these limit values are exceeded, controls the control circuit 105 to switch on the warning light 1 in the cab of the tractor.
Turn on 06. This lets the operator know that a spray head is not working properly (and which spray head it is). With mechanical spraying equipment, failure of the spray head can go undetected for a substantial period of time, resulting in failure to apply pesticide at the correct rate to the crop. A second possible means of detecting malfunctions is shown in FIG. Probe 110 adjacent spray head nozzle 111 has an electric charge induced therein, which charge is related to the charge of the liquid leaving nozzle 111. This charge is sensed by a field effect (high input impedance) transistor 112. A circuit 113 is provided to compare the charge sensed by transistor 112 with a standard value within a suitable range, and if this range is exceeded, a warning light 114 in the cab of the tractor is illuminated. When a nozzle fails, the charge induced in probe 110 decreases as the voltage supplied to nozzle 111 decreases.

If necessary, the signals from detector devices of the type shown in Figures 4 or 5 (or Figures 4 and 5) are combined and, in response to variations in the combined signals, the combined signals are A device may be provided to vary the flow through the feed device until it is within preset limits. Alternatively or additionally, a device may be provided to vary the voltage from the high voltage generator in response to such fluctuations until the combined signal is within preset limits.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed vertical cross-sectional view of the electrostatic spray head used in the present invention. The atomizing head has a nozzle 60 which has an outer hollow cylinder 61 made of electrically conductive plastic and an inner fixed cylinder 62 made of electrically conductive plastic.
and a liquid outlet or mouth 64 in the form of an annular gap between. A bare metal annular electrode 65 is arranged symmetrically around the nozzle 60 behind the mouth 64 .

As an additional safety measure to prevent the spray operator from refilling with concentrated toxic substances in a potentially hazardous situation, the containers of the invention may be equipped with a device to prevent reuse. Such a device is
This can be of the type that must be reassembled at the factory when the container is empty, such as a fuse in the lowest part of the container that will overheat and explode if not submerged in liquid. The device may also be somewhat complex, such as a device that measures the flow rate of liquid from a container.
This device changes the signal device to cause the controller to stop operation of the feeder after the container is empty.

If necessary, the feeding device may be
One or more electrostatic valves of the type described in 80302767 can be provided.

The liquid sprayed in the process of this invention may be a free-flowing suspension, emulsion or solution of finely dispersed solids in the liquid. Instead of the annular nozzle shown, one or more straight atomizing heads, for example of the type shown in Figures 12 to 14 of British Patent No. 1,569,707, may be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a schematic diagram of the device according to the invention in operating condition; FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the spray nozzle;
3 is a schematic diagram of another type of atomizing device according to the invention; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a detector circuit for malfunctioning atomizing head; and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another type of detection of malfunctioning atomizing head. 1 is a schematic diagram of a device circuit. In the figure, 10: container, 11, 12: engaging part, 1
3: Liquid supply device, 14: Pump, 15: Spray boom, 16: Nozzle, 20: High voltage generator, 2
4, 25, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 3
4: Contact, 26, 36: Variable resistance, 26': Grounded electrode.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. an engagement device that liquid-tightly engages with an engagement device at the mouth of a container for a liquid agricultural chemical composition, at least one spray head that discharges the liquid agricultural chemical composition, and the liquid agricultural chemical composition. A liquid agricultural chemical composition supply device that supplies the liquid agricultural chemical composition from the composition container to the spraying head via both of the engagement devices, and a liquid agricultural chemical composition supply device that supplies the liquid agricultural chemical composition to the spray head from the composition container, and a signal device provided in the liquid agricultural chemical composition container. 1. A spraying device for spraying a liquid agrochemical composition from a vehicle, comprising a flow rate control device that controls the flow rate of the liquid agrochemical composition from a composition supply device. 2. The spraying device according to claim 1, further comprising a device for electrostatically charging the liquid agricultural chemical composition coming out of the spraying head. 3. The spraying device according to claim 2, wherein the device for electrostatically charging the liquid agricultural chemical composition responds to a signal device provided on the container. 4. Claims leading to a liquid agrochemical composition dispensing device having an engagement device for receiving at least two containers, each engagement device having a flow control device responsive to a signal device of the engaged container. The spray device according to any one of Items 1 to 3. 5. The spray device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which has a diluent container for injecting a spray diluent or a jet into the liquid agricultural chemical composition supply device. 6. The spray device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flow rate control device comprises a variable flow rate measuring pump. 7. The spray device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the signal device electrically operates the flow rate control device. 8. The atomizing device of claim 2 or 3, wherein one or more of the atomizing heads includes an electrical sensor for detecting a malfunctioning condition of the atomizing head. 9. The spray device of claim 8, wherein the electrical sensor comprises a device for detecting the potential drop across a high resistance connected in series with the spray head charging electrode. 10. The spray device of claim 8, wherein the electrical sensor comprises a field effect transistor for detecting the charge induced in the probe adjacent the spray head. 11. The spray device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the electrical signal from the electrical sensor is displayed on the driver's cab of the vehicle. 12 a container for a liquid agrochemical composition and at least one spray head for discharging the liquid agrochemical composition;
It has a liquid agrochemical composition supply device that supplies the liquid agrochemical composition from the liquid agrochemical composition container to the spraying head, and a flow rate control device that controls the flow rate of the liquid agrochemical composition from the liquid agrochemical composition supply device. In a spraying device for spraying a liquid agricultural chemical composition from a vehicle, the container for the liquid agricultural chemical composition is liquid-tightly engaged with a mouth portion for supplying the liquid agricultural chemical composition and an engagement device provided on the vehicle. 1. A spraying device comprising: an engagement device that holds the liquid agrochemical composition; and a signal device that operates the flow rate control device that controls the flow rate of the liquid agrochemical composition from the liquid agrochemical composition supply device. 13. Claim 1, wherein the signaling device generates an electrical signal and comprises one or more electrical contacts that engage corresponding contacts provided on the vehicle.
The spray device according to item 2. 14. The spray device according to claim 12, wherein the electrical contact includes a contact that receives power from the vehicle. 15 Claims 12 to 15 include a signal device for measuring the potential of a spray head installed in a vehicle.
The spray device according to any one of clause 14. 16 a container engaging device for receiving a container of a liquid agrochemical composition, at least one spray head for discharging said liquid agrochemical composition, and a container engaging device for discharging said liquid agrochemical composition from said container of said liquid agrochemical composition to said spray head via said container engaging device; A liquid agrochemical composition supply device that supplies an agrochemical composition; and a flow rate control device that controls the flow rate of the liquid agrochemical composition from the liquid agrochemical composition supply device in response to a signal device provided in the container of the liquid agrochemical composition. and a device for electrostatically charging the liquid agrochemical composition coming out of the spray head in response to a signal device provided in the container.