Time varying control of the operation of spray systems

Abstract

A sprayer system having dynamic pre-sets to control spray nozzles that each individually operates continuously or under a time-modulated or a frequency-modulated electronic signal control to release liquid droplets. Collectively, adjacent or near neighboring nozzles are also controlled by time-sequencing through different modes of operation or physical configurations on each spray nozzle. The spray nozzles are mounted on a variety of implements including agricultural or industrial spray booms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spray nozzle system, comprising:
 a spray nozzle body (i) configured to mount to a fluid distribution pipe and (ii) that includes a fluid inlet, a first valve, a second valve, and a combined outlet, wherein the fluid inlet is coupled to the combined outlet via the first valve and the second valve and wherein a fluid received at the fluid inlet is separated into at least two flow paths via the first valve and the second valve before recombining into a single flow path at the combined outlet;   an electronic controller;   a first actuator (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller, (ii) connected to the first valve, and (iii) responsive to a first pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal; and   a second actuator (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller, (ii) connected to the second valve, and (iii) responsive to a second PWM signal,   wherein the first PWM signal is in a predetermined phase relation to the second PWM signal such that fluid is released at a greater frequency from the combined outlet than from either the first valve or the second value, separately.   
     
     
         2 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in a first sub-mode, the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal have the same frequency and are in-phase, and   in a second sub-mode, the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal have the same frequency and are out-of-phase.   
     
     
         3 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle body includes a plurality of outlets and wherein each outlet of the plurality of outlets is (i) disposed on a rotatable turret and (ii) oriented to point in a first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to periodically release the fluid from a first outlet while continuously releasing the fluid from a second outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller and (ii) configured to measure a speed of travel of the spray nozzle body,
 wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal based on the measured speed of travel.   
     
     
         6 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller and (ii) configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid out of the spray nozzle body,
 wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal based on the measured flow rate.   
     
     
         7 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller and (ii) configured to measure a pressure of the fluid into the spray nozzle body,
 wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal based on the measured pressure.   
     
     
         8 . A spray system for a fluid, comprising:
 a plurality of nozzle bodies configured to mount on a boom, wherein:
 each nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies includes a fluid inlet, a first valve, a second valve, a first outlet, and a second outlet, 
 the first outlet and the second outlet join together to form a combined outlet, 
 the fluid inlet is coupled to the first outlet via a first valve, 
 the fluid inlet is coupled to the second outlet via a second valve, and 
 the fluid is (i) received at the fluid inlet, (ii) separated into two flow paths, and (iii) recombined into a single flow path at the combined outlet; and 
   a controller (i) in electrical communication with the first valve and the second valve of each nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies and (ii) configured to move the first valve and the second valve of at least one nozzle body of the plurality nozzle bodies according to at least one of a first control mode, a second control mode, or a third control mode,   wherein:
 in the first control mode, the fluid is released from both the first outlet of the at least one nozzle body based on a first pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal and the second outlet of the at least one nozzle body based on a second PWM signal, 
 in the second control mode, the fluid is released from only one of the first outlet of the at least one nozzle body based on the first PWM signal or the second outlet of the at least one nozzle body based on the second PWM signal, and 
 in the third control mode:
 the fluid is released from the combined outlet of the at least one nozzle body based on the first pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal and the second PWM signal, 
 the first PWM signal is of a first time-duration and the second PWM signal is of a second time-duration, 
 the first PWM signal is in a predetermined phase relation relative to the second PWM signal such that fluid is released at a greater frequency from the combined outlet than from either the first valve or the second value of the at least one nozzle body, separately. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The spray nozzle system of  claim 8 , wherein in the third control mode, the first PWM signal has a first frequency, the second PWM signal has a second frequency, and the first frequency is equal to the second frequency. 
     
     
         10 . The spray system of  claim 9 , wherein in a first sub-mode of the third control mode, the predetermined phase relationship is an in-phase relationship and in a second sub-mode of the third control mode, the predetermined phase relationship is an out-of-phase relationship. 
     
     
         11 . The spray system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to move the first valve and the second valve of the at least one nozzle body according to at least two of the first control mode, the second control mode, and the third control mode. 
     
     
         12 . A spray system comprising:
 an agricultural vehicle having a boom; and   a plurality of nozzle bodies mounted along a length of the boom, wherein each nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies includes:
 a fluid inlet, a first valve, a second valve, and a combined outlet, wherein (i) the fluid inlet is coupled to the combined outlet via the first valve and the second valve, (ii) fluid received at the fluid inlet is separated into at least two flow streams via the first valve and the second valve before recombining into a single flow stream at the combined outlet, and (iii) the fluid inlet is coupled to a first outlet via a first value and a second outlet via a second valve, and 
 a circuit:
 in electrical communication with (i) an electronic controller, (ii) a first actuator associated with the first valve, and (iii) a second actuator associated with the second valve, and 
 configured to generate, in response to receiving a control signal from the electronic controller, (i) a first pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal for the first actuator, and (ii) a second PWM signal for the second actuator, 
 
   wherein:
 the first PWM signal is of a first time-duration and the second PWM signal is of a second time-duration, 
 the first PWM signal has a first frequency, the second PWM signal has a second frequency, and 
 the first PWM signal is in a predetermined phase relationship relative to the second PWM signal such that fluid is released at a greater frequency from the combined outlet than from either the first valve or the second value of at least one nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies. 
   
     
     
         13 . The spray system of  claim 12 , wherein the first frequency is equal to the second frequency. 
     
     
         14 . The spray system of  claim 13 , wherein in a first mode, the predetermined phase relationship is an in-phase relationship and in a second mode, the predetermined phase relationship is an out-of-phase relationship. 
     
     
         15 . The spray system of  claim 12 , wherein each nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies includes a rotatable turret and the combined outlet is disposed on the rotatable turret. 
     
     
         16 . The spray system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 the electronic controller; and   a sensor (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller and (ii) configured to measure a speed of travel of at least one nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies,   wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the control signal based on the measured speed of travel.   
     
     
         17 . The spray system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 the electronic controller; and   a sensor (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller and (ii) configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid out of at least one nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies,   wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the control signal based on the measured flow rate.   
     
     
         18 . The spray system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 the electronic controller; and   a sensor (i) communicatively coupled to the electronic controller and (ii) configured to measure a pressure of the fluid into at least one nozzle body of the plurality of nozzle bodies,   wherein the electronic controller is configured to generate the control signal based on the measured pressure.