US 12,458,012 B2
Valve control system and method
Justin Krosschell, Sioux Falls, SD (US); Drew John Waltner, Freeman, SD (US); Travis Allen Burgers, Sioux Falls, SD (US); Jacob David Deines, Brandon, SD (US); and Seth Steensma, Sioux Falls, SD (US)
Assigned to Raven Industries, Inc., Sioux Falls, SD (US)
Filed by Raven Industries, Inc., Sioux Falls, SD (US)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/164,321.
Application 18/164,321 is a continuation of application No. 17/224,955, filed on Apr. 7, 2021, granted, now 11,612,160.
Application 17/224,955 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/001,539, filed on Aug. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,236,841.
Application 18/164,321 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/US2020/047696, filed on Aug. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/911,045, filed on Oct. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0329220 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A01M 7/00 (2006.01); B05B 1/08 (2006.01); B05B 1/30 (2006.01); B05B 12/00 (2018.01); B05B 12/16 (2018.01)
CPC A01M 7/0089 (2013.01) [B05B 1/083 (2013.01); B05B 1/3026 (2013.01); B05B 12/006 (2013.01); B05B 12/16 (2018.02)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sprayer control system, comprising:
a first smart nozzle, including:
a control valve having a valve operator;
an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to operate the valve operator; and
a first set of one or more spray nozzles, wherein the control valve and the ECU are configured to control a flow rate of a liquid agricultural product through the first set of one or more spray nozzles;
a plurality of pressure monitors distributed along a boom tube, the boom tube extending between a proximal boom end and a distal boom end, wherein the plurality of pressure monitors are configured to determine one or more nozzle pressures at the first set of one or more spray nozzles proximate to the respective pressure monitors of the plurality of pressure monitors, the plurality of pressure monitors including a first pressure monitor associated with the first smart nozzle, wherein the first pressure monitor is located proximate to at least one of the first set of one or more spray nozzles and is configured to determine a first nozzle pressure proximate to the at least one of the first set of one or more spray nozzles; and
one or more system pressure regulators configured to control a system pressure of the liquid agricultural product within the boom tube, wherein the sprayer control system is configured to operate the one or more system pressure regulators at pressures above a specified system pressure to generate a system overpressure at the proximal boom end, and the sprayer control system is configured to operate the one or more system pressure regulators to achieve the specified system pressure between the proximal boom end and the distal boom end.