US 12,302,893 B2
Sprayer boom breakaway joint with a staged release and forced lift system
Brian J. Pilney, West Bend, WI (US); and Derrick Fallon, Manitowoc, WI (US)
Filed by CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/568,127.
Application 17/568,127 is a continuation of application No. 16/293,928, filed on Mar. 6, 2019, granted, now 11,224,211.
Prior Publication US 2022/0125031 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A01M 7/00 (2006.01); B05B 1/20 (2006.01); F16C 11/12 (2006.01)
CPC A01M 7/0078 (2013.01) [B05B 1/20 (2013.01); F16C 11/12 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An agricultural sprayer, comprising:
a chassis;
a sprayer boom supported by the chassis and configured to deliver product to an agricultural field, the sprayer boom including a breakaway boom segment configured to pivot with respect to a first boom segment of the sprayer boom during a breakaway event about a pivot axis; and
a sprayer boom breakaway joint comprising:
an inner bracket connected to the first boom segment;
an outer bracket connected to the breakaway boom segment;
a lift plate extending transversely from the outer bracket, the lift plate defining a ramp that angles downwardly from the outer bracket so that an outer portion of the ramp is lower than an inner portion of the ramp relative to the outer bracket, the lift plate moving in unison with the breakaway boom segment, a portion of the lift plate defining the ramp moving in unison with the breakaway boom segment;
a deflector coupled to the inner bracket, the deflector engaging the ramp during the breakaway event to lift the lift plate, the outer bracket, and the breakaway boom segment while the breakaway boom segment pivots with respect to the first boom segment during the breakaway event; and
a spring that provides a restorative force that biases the lift plate to return the breakaway boom segment to the neutral position, the restorative force increases as the breakaway boom segment moves farther from the neutral position to resist further movement of the breakaway boom segment from the neutral position,
wherein the breakaway boom segment is held in a neutral position by the sprayer boom breakaway joint before the breakaway event.