US 11,896,004 B2
Sensing system and method for direct injection systems on agricultural sprayers
Joe Luck, Lincoln, NE (US); and Chandler Folkerts, Lincoln, NE (US)
Assigned to NUTECH VENTURES, INC., Lincoln, NE (US)
Appl. No. 17/283,719
Filed by NUTECH VENTURES, INC., Lincoln, NE (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 11, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/055813
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 8, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/077193, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/744,446, filed on Oct. 11, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0321603 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. A01M 7/00 (2006.01); A01C 23/00 (2006.01); A01C 23/04 (2006.01); B05B 7/26 (2006.01); B05B 12/14 (2006.01); G05D 11/13 (2006.01)
CPC A01M 7/0092 (2013.01) [A01C 23/007 (2013.01); A01C 23/042 (2013.01); B05B 7/26 (2013.01); B05B 12/1418 (2013.01); G05D 11/139 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A direct injection agricultural spray system, the system comprising:
a chemical tank configured to store a chemical for application;
a carrier tank configured to store a carrier fluid;
a primary sensor that senses chemical concentration in a chemical injection line downstream of the chemical tank;
a plurality of nozzle assemblies, wherein at least two of the plurality of nozzle assemblies separately comprises a carrier flow meter on a carrier flow line, an injection point downstream of the carrier flow meter that receives the carrier flow line and a chemical injection line, and a secondary sensor downstream of the injection point that senses carrier concentration, and a nozzle downstream of the secondary sensor; and
a control system that controls flow from the chemical tank and the carrier tank to target a predetermined chemical concentration at the plurality of nozzle assemblies, wherein the primary sensor establishes a maximum chemical concentration and a calibration curve for the chemical concentration and using this calibration curve, the chemical concentration is determined and controlled based on the output of the secondary sensor.