Interactive liquid spraying system and method

Abstract

An intelligent spray nozzle, comprising an input pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, a flow modulator, a nozzle pressure sensor, a linear actuator, and an output orifice modulator, wherein an input pressure read from the input pressure sensor and a flow rate read from the flow rate sensor are used as inputs by the flow modulator to drive the at least one linear actuator to control an output spray rate from the intelligent spray nozzle, and wherein a nozzle pressure read from the nozzle pressure sensor is used as feedback for the output orifice modulator, wherein an output orifice is modified by the output orifice modulator to achieve optimal output spray.

Having this described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . An interactive liquid spraying system, which comprises:
 a fluid source adapted for containing a quantity of spraying liquid;   a pump with an inlet connected to the fluid source;   a flow conduit connected to the pump;   a nozzle body connected to the flow conduit and including a nozzle outlet, the nozzle body comprising:
 a flow control opening in the nozzle body; 
 a flow control feature adjustably received in the flow control opening and configured for adjusting a passage of liquid through the flow control opening; 
 an orifice opening in said nozzle body located downstream from said flow control opening; 
 an orifice shape feature adjustably received in the orifice opening, said orifice shape feature configured for adjusting a passage of liquid through said orifice opening; and 
   at least one actuator connected to said flow control feature and said orifice shape feature, the at least one actuator configured to move said flow control feature and said orifice shape feature to adjust a spray pattern from the nozzle outlet, wherein the spray pattern is adjusted by extending said flow control feature in said flow control opening while extending said orifice shape feature in said orifice opening, or the spray pattern is adjusted by retracting said flow control feature from said flow control opening while retracting said orifice shape feature from said orifice opening.   
     
     
         2 . The spraying system according to  claim 1 , which includes:
 an input pressure sensor connected to said flow conduit;   a flow sensor connected to said flow conduit;   a microprocessor connected to said input pressure sensor, said flow sensor and said at least one actuator; and   said microprocessor being programmed for actuating said at least one actuator in response to a predetermined fluid pressure and flow conditions sensed by said input pressure sensor and said flow sensor respectively.   
     
     
         3 . The spraying system according to  claim 1 , which includes a flow modulator connected to said flow conduit and configured for modulating a fluid flow through said nozzle body. 
     
     
         4 . The spraying system according to  claim 4 , which includes an output orifice modulator in said nozzle body, said output orifice modulator configured for adjusting said orifice opening with said at least one actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The spraying system according to  claim 4 , which includes:
 a fluid inlet connected to said flow conduit and said nozzle body; and   said fluid inlet mounting said at least one actuator and said flow control feature.   
     
     
         6 . The spraying system according to  claim 1 , which includes:
 said flow conduit including an enlarged section located between said pump and said nozzle body;   an ultrasonic transducer mounted on said conduit enlarged section;   an ultrasonic receiver mounted on said conduit enlarged section and oriented to receive ultrasonic transmissions from said ultrasonic transducer, said ultrasonic receiver configured for generating signals representing fluid flow in said conduit enlarged section; and   a microprocessor connected to said ultrasonic receiver and programmed for controlling said spraying system in response to said fluid flow representative signals.   
     
     
         7 . A method of controlling a liquid spraying system including a fluid source, a pump connected to said fluid source, a flow conduit connected to said pump, and a nozzle body connected to said flow conduit having a nozzle outlet, which method includes the steps of:
 providing a flow control opening between said flow conduit and said nozzle body;   adjustably controlling said flow control opening with a flow control feature selectively received therein;   providing an orifice opening in said nozzle body;   adjustably controlling said orifice opening with an orifice shape feature selectively received therein;   providing at least one actuator mounted on said flow conduit and connected to said flow control feature and said orifice shape feature; and   actuating said at least one actuator to adjust a position of said flow control feature and said orifice shape feature to adjust a spray pattern from the nozzle outlet, wherein the spray pattern is adjusted by extending said flow control feature in said flow control opening while extending said orifice shape feature in said orifice opening, or the spray pattern is adjusted by retracting said flow control feature from said flow control opening while retracting said orifice shape feature from said orifice opening.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 8 , which includes the additional step of providing a microprocessor programmed for automatically controlling said actuator in response to operating conditions of said spraying system. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 9 , which includes the additional steps of:
 providing a pressure transducer connected to said flow conduit;   sensing with said pressure transducer fluid pressures in said flow conduit; and   providing fluid pressure signal output from said pressure transducer to said microprocessor.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , which includes the additional steps of:
 providing an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic receiver in said flow conduit;   generating ultrasonic signals with said transducer;   receiving said ultrasonic signals with said receiver;   providing output signals from said receiver representing fluid flow characteristics through said flow conduit; and   communicating said output signals from said receiver to said microprocessor.