Patent Publication Number: US-2022217897-A1

Title: Applicator with Multiple Offset Booms and Method of Controlling the Same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/736,259, filed on Jan. 7, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to an agricultural product delivery applicator for applying particulate material such as seed, fertilizer, herbicide, or insecticide to a field, and more particularly an agricultural product delivery applicator with multiple offset booms and a method of controlling the particulate material to the multiple offset booms. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Agricultural product delivery systems are known to utilize various mechanisms, including mechanical and pneumatic systems, to assist in the movement and delivery of particulate material or product. Example product that can be delivered include fertilizer, seed, insecticide, or herbicide. The product can move from a product bin through an interior passage provided by a series of elongate tubes, which extend from the product supply chamber to a product applicator. The applicator places the product on or in growing medium, such as soil. Such agricultural product delivery systems are commonly employed in planters, air drills, fertilizer and pesticide applicators, and a variety of other agricultural implements. 
     Agricultural application implements that employ an agricultural product delivery applicator are known to have the product supply bin associated with a metering system. The product is metered from the bin into a set of distribution channels for application to the soil. A pneumatic source, such as a fan or blower, provides air to convey and distribute material through the distribution channels. Once the metering of product is done and the mix of air and particulates is in the distribution channels, the product should remain nearly constant and in a diluted phase. US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0343792 A1, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses such an exemplary agricultural product delivery system. 
     An agricultural vehicle, such as disclosed US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0343792 A1, may have a boom construction with left and right boom arms attached to a mid-implement location. Due to the mid-implement mounting, product may not be dispersed at that center location, directly behind the vehicle. To compensate, a secondary offset boom may be added to account for additional coverage directly behind the vehicle. Prior systems had delivery of the product to the secondary boom in tandem with the primary boom, resulting in either loss in area (if a boom turned “off” too soon when entering a previously applied area) or loss in product (if a boom turned “on” too soon when exiting a previously applied area into uncovered area). An improved method for delivery of product is desired. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the invention provides an agricultural product delivery applicator for delivering particulate product to a field. The applicator includes a supply compartment to hold the product, a pneumatic conveying system, a metering system, and a controller. The pneumatic conveying system includes an airflow source to provide an airflow, a first delivery line operably connected to the airflow source and to the supply compartment, the first delivery line including a first plurality of outlets, and a second delivery line operably connected to the airflow source and to the supply compartment, the second delivery line including a second plurality of outlets. The metering system is operably connected between the supply compartment and the pneumatic conveying system. The metering system includes a first metering device associated with the first delivery line and a second metering device associate with the second delivery line. The controller controls the air flow source, the first metering device to meter product with the airflow to result in a first mixed flow of airflow and product for the first delivery line, and the second metering device to meter product with the airflow to result in a second mixed flow of airflow and product for the second delivery line. The control of the first metering device and the second metering device is individual. 
     In another aspect, the invention provides a method of the delivering of particulate product by an agricultural product delivery applicator. The method includes activating an airflow source to provide an airflow of a pneumatic conveying system, controlling a first air pressure control valve to allow an airflow through a first delivery line, controlling a second air pressure control valve to allow an airflow through a second delivery line, controlling a first metering device associated with the first delivery line at a first time to provide product to the first delivery line resulting in a first mixed flow of airflow and product, and controlling a second metering device associated with the second delivery line at a second time to provide product to the first delivery line resulting in a second mixed flow of airflow and product. The second time is after the first time. 
     Numerous additional objects, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an agricultural application implement having a pneumatic conveying system according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the agricultural application implement of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially broken away isometric view of a portion of the pneumatic conveying system of the implement of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partially broken away isometric view of a second portion of the pneumatic conveying system of the implement of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially broken away cross-sectional view of a rotary distributor assembly of the pneumatic conveying system of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a portion of the agricultural application implement of  FIG. 1  with a tank of the implement removed; 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram representing an implement control system for the agricultural application implement of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram representing an exemplary controller of those shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a representation of an overlap control for the agricultural application implement of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is a representation of a valve arrangement for the agricultural application implement controlled by the overlap control of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An agricultural application implement  10  (or simply implement  10 ) incorporating aspects of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the implement  10  includes an agricultural product delivery applicator  15  (or simply applicator  15 ), which is shown as a granular fertilizer applicator. As is known in the art, the implement  10  generally includes a transport unit  20 , such as a truck, tractor, or trailer. The transport unit  20  can be formed integrally with or separately from the applicator  15 . The applicator  15  includes a pneumatic conveying system  25  (or simply system  25 ). 
     The applicator  15  includes left and right laterally extending booms  30  and  35 , respectively, extending at a mid-implement location  40 . Left and right are referred to herein as viewed by the operator housed in the operator cab  45 . The mid-implement location  40  refers to a mounting of the booms  30  and  35  between the front and rear axles  50  and  55 , respectively, of the transport unit  20 . The laterally extending booms  30  and  35  include a support structure (not shown for simplicity) and can be pivoted to a stowed position close to the implement  10  for storage or transport. Each boom  30  and  35  includes a plurality of boom conduits or tubes (discussed further below) terminating at respective outboard ends in in the applicator  15 . The outboard ends of the booms  30  and  35  include a spreading outlet or nozzle. In the exemplary embodiment shown, boom  35  includes ten outlets  60 . 
     The pneumatic conveying system  25  also includes a laterally extending offset boom  80 . The offset boom  80 , which may also be referred to as a secondary boom, is mounted at a rearward location  85 . The rearward location  85  refers to a mount of the offset boom  80  behind the rear axis  55 . The offset boom includes six rear outlets  90 . The offset boom  80  in combination with the booms  30  and  35  provide complete coverage across the width of applicator  15 . 
     The shown transport unit  20  is self-propelled by an engine in an engine compartment  100  and includes the operator cab  45 . For the shown construction, an uncovered tank  105  includes compartments  110  and  115  for carrying particulate material to be distributed to and disbursed by the outlets  60  and  90 . One of the compartments, e.g., compartment  115 , can be provided to supply micro-nutrients or other materials. The supply of particulate material in compartments  110  and  115  can be replenished periodically. 
     Before proceeding, some aspects of the applicator  15  can be a matter of design choice to someone skilled in the art. For example, the number, arrangement, and design of the compartments  110  and  115 , delivery lines (discussed below), and outlets  60  and  90  can vary. The applicator  15  is illustrative of the types of equipment on which the pneumatic conveying system  100  can be used; however, it should be understood that the pneumatic conveying system  100  may, of course, be employed in conjunction with other agricultural equipment such as tillage, seeding, or planting devices and is useful in distributing particulate material other than fertilizer. 
     The shown construction includes compartments  110  and  115  of the tank  105  being disposed above portions of the pneumatic conveying system  25 .  FIG. 3  shows a portion of the system  25  delivering to the left laterally extending boom  30 . A portion of the pneumatic conveying system  25  delivering to the right laterally extending boom  35  is similar to, but symmetrically opposite from, the portion shown in  FIG. 3 , and consequently is not shown in detail.  FIG. 4  shows a portion of the pneumatic conveying system  25  delivering to the offset boom  80 . With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the system  25  includes delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127  that extend from a plenum  130  and  135  at one end, and terminate at the outlets  60  and  90  at the other end. Through the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , or  127 , the fluid and the product are transported therein and are to be split by a distributor assembly  140 ,  145 , or  147 . The distributor assembly  140 ,  145 , or  147  divides or distributes a fluid-particulate combination from a supply line  150 ,  155 , or  127  into a number of smaller distribution lines  160 ,  165 , or  167  that are connected to the outlets  60  and  90 . 
     To collect and drive the particulate material along the delivery lines  120 ,  125  and  127 , are one or more pressurized air flow sources. For the shown construction, blowers  170  and  175  are operably connected to the plenums  130  and  135 . The air flow from the blowers  170  and  175  is directed from the blowers  170  and  175  into the plenums  130  and  135 , then the supply lines  150 ,  155 , and  157 , through the distributor assemblies  140 ,  145 , and  147 , into the distribution lines  160 ,  165 , and  167 , and out the outlets  60  and  90 . As the airflow passes through the supply lines  150 ,  155 , and  127 , a metering system  180  ( FIG. 1 ) entrains product from the compartments  110  and/or  115  into the airflow. The airflow and entrained product continues to flow along the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127  to the outlets  60  and  90 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an exemplary construction of the distributor assembly  140  is illustrated. The supply line  150  ( FIG. 3 ) is connected to one end  190  of the distributor assembly  140  and the distribution lines  160  are each connected to the opposite end  200  of the distributor assembly  140 . The generally tubular-shaped housing  205  is oriented in an in-line position with regard to the supply line  150 , such that the housing  205  for the distributor assembly  140  is positioned generally horizontal on the boom  30 . The generally tubular-shaped housings  210  are oriented in an in-line position with regard to the distribution lines  160 . 
     The distributor assembly  140 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , includes a forward section  215  and a rearward section  220 . The forward section  215  includes an elongate portion  225  of the housing  205  that is engaged with the end of the supply line  150  in order to affix the housing  205  to the supply line  150  in a suitable manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the elongate portion  225  has an inner diameter greater than that of the supply line  150  such that the supply line  150  can be inserted within the elongate portion  225  and secured thereto, e.g., with a clamp. The housings  210  includes elongated portions, which engage with the end of the distributor lines  160 ,  165 , or  167  in order to affix the housings  210  to the distributor lines  160 ,  165 , or  167  in a suitable manner; e.g., with clamps. 
     Opposite the supply line  150 , the elongate portion  225  is connected to or integrally formed with a conical portion  235 . The conical portion  235  expands radially outwardly from the elongate portion  225  to allow the particulate material entering the conical portion  235  from the elongate portion  225  to move radially outwardly from the center axis A-A of the housing  205 . The conical portion  235  is connected to a distributor  240 . For the construction shown, the distributor  240  includes the housings  210 . The housings  210  surround outlet channels  255 . The housings  210  are spaced from one another on the rearward section  220  and extend outwardly at slight angles with regard to the center axis A-A. 
     The housings  210  surround a space  260  outside the exterior of the distributor  240  in the rearward section. A motor  262  is disposed in the space. The motor  262  can be an electric motor, hydraulic motor, or other suitable type of motor. The motor  262  includes a shaft assembly  205  (or simply “shaft”  205 ) aligned with or at least positioned parallel to the center axis A-A. Further discussion regarding the distribution assembly can be found in US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0343792 A1. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 , the particulate contained within each of the compartments  110  and  115  is introduced into the airflow in the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127  via an airtight inline product metering system  180 , which are formed of a number of metering devices  270  that function to meter the product flowing from the compartments  110  and  115  into each line. 
     In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the metering devices  270  forming the inline metering system  180  are disposed in sets  275  located directly beneath each compartment  110  and  115 . Each set  275  of metering devices  270  is associated with one compartment  110  or  115 . The metering devices  270  are connected in alignment with apertures  280  formed in the metering system  180  to enable particulate material to enter the metering devices  270  and with openings in the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127  to enable the product to be dispensed from the metering devices  270  into the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127 . The number of metering devices  270  forming each set  275  corresponds to the number of delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127  in the pneumatic conveying system  25 , such that the product from each compartment  110  and  115  can be dispensed into each delivery line utilizing the same set  275  of metering devices  270 . Each metering device  270  includes one or more metering wheel(s)  290 , a motor  295 , a speed sensor or encoder  297  ( FIG. 9 ), and a shaft  300  connecting each metering wheel  290  to its respective motor  295 . The motor  295  can be an electric or hydraulic motor that operates to rotate the shaft and the metering wheel  290  at a desired speed to meter the flow of the particulate material through the metering device  270  into the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127 . The speed sensor/encoder  297  provides closed-loop feedback to the product rate controller (discussed below) modulating the speed of respective motor  295  via the PWM control valve. Further discussion regarding exemplary metering systems and metering devices can be found in US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0021215 A1, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIG. 7  shows a portion of an implement control system  305  capable of being used in the implement  10 . The implement control system  305  includes a plurality of processor based control modules (also referred to as control units or controllers), each of which controls an aspect of the implement  10 . Exemplary controllers include an input/output (I/O) controller  310 , product delivery controller  315 , engine controller  320 , communication controller  325 , and positioning controller  330 . Other controllers known in the art may be included with the implement. Other example controllers include a transmission controller, brake controller, vehicle monitoring, climate control controller, and status controller, etc. The controllers are coupled together via a communication bus  340 . Example functions performed by each controller include the following: the input/output (I/O) controller  310  provides outputs to and receives inputs from the operator; the product delivery controller  315  controls the delivery of product to and through the pneumatic conveying system; the engine controller  320  monitors and controls the engine, the communication controller  325  transmits and receives communication from and to the agricultural implement, and the positioning controller  330  receives and/or determines position information for the agricultural implement. The product delivery controller  315  is discussed in more detail herein. The other controllers referred to herein can be conventional controllers as is known in the art. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary controller of those shown in  FIG. 7 . Each controller  310 - 330  includes a processor  350  and memory  355 , as well as a communications processor  360  configured to handle all communications over bus  340  with the other controllers  310 - 330  on the bus  340 . 
     Each controller  310 - 330  also includes a conditioning circuit  365  that interfaces sensor signals and/or other input (e.g., external communication) to bus  370 . Conditioning circuit  365  filters and buffers the signals to eliminate noise, and may include sample-and-hold sub-circuits as well as analog-to-digital converters for processing analog sensor signals. 
     In addition, each controller  310 - 330  includes a driver circuit  375  that controls the application of power to actuators and/or other output (e.g., external communication). The processor  350 , memory  355 , conditioning circuit  365 , driver circuit  375 , and communications processor are all coupled together by control/data/address bus  370  within each controller  310 - 330 . 
     The memory  355  can include a RAM and a ROM. The RAM is used to store working variables required by the processor  350 . The ROM contains programmed instructions that control the operation of the processor  350 . It is envisioned that one or more elements (e.g., the processor  350  and the memory  355 ) can be combined as is well known in the art. 
     An improved implement control system  305 , including the product delivery controller  315 , allows for greater control of product to the mid-implement booms  30  and  35  and offset boom  80 . The shown construction has five product metering devices  270 , allowing for improved section control. One advantage of mid-implement mounted booms  30  and  35  is that, because booms  30  and  35  are mounted between the front and rear axles  50  and  55  of the implement  10 , the stability of the booms  30  and  35  is significantly improved, resulting in a more consistent application. The advantages include improved delivery control, improved loss of product, and decrease of waste. 
     When apertures  280  are open and the metering wheels  290  are rotating, gravity allows the product to go through the metering wheels  290  and drop into the airflow of the pneumatic conveying system  25 . Control of the motors  295  of the metering wheels  290 , the motors of the blowers  170  and  175 , and pressure control valves (discussed below), are used for delivering product into and through the delivery lines  120 ,  125 , and  127 . The five metering devices  270  in each set  275  correspond to five boom sections, and the product delivery controller  315  can deactivate a particular line if overlap is going to occur. For example, the product delivery controller  315  can stop the motor  295  from rotating the metering wheel  290  associated with the line to be deactivated, and can close a pressure valve associated with the line to be deactivated. 
     With respect to the product delivery controller  315 , the conditioning circuit(s)  365  can receive sensor/inputs from meter speed sensors, fan speed sensors, meter pump pressure sensor, fan pump pressure sensor, aperture  280  actuator position, and distributor motor speed sensors. The driver circuit(s)  375  can drive or control fan speed control, air pressure control, meter speed control, meter pump output pressure control, fan pump output pressure control, aperture  280  position control, and distributor motor speed control (if present). The communications processor  360  can communicate with other controllers  310  and  320 - 330  to receive and transmit communication from/to the operator (e.g., via the I/O controller  310 ), location information (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) information) from the positioning controller  330 , and implement speed (e.g., from the I/O controller  310 ). Other inputs, outputs, and communication are possible depending on the operation of the product delivery controller  315 . Further, while the product delivery controller  315  is described herein as a distinct controller, the controls, functions, and operations can be incorporated in other controllers. 
     An example operation of overlap control for the implement  10  is represented in  FIG. 9 . Additionally, a valve arrangement for the implement  10  controlled by the overlap control of  FIG. 9  is shown in  FIG. 10 . The product delivery controller  340  communicates with the other controllers  310  and  320 - 330 . The communication can include one or more controllers  310  and  320 - 330  requesting the product deliver controller  340  to activate/deactivate a boom section.  FIG. 9  represents the activation of all five boom sections such that the implement  10  provides a linear distribution of product. 
     First, the product deliver controller  340  activates two fans  1 ,  2 —this provides a start of an airflow. The control of the fans can be constant or variable. In one implementation, the fans&#39; speed are variable and the revolutions-per-minute (RPM) of the fans  1 - 2  can be controlled between zero and a maximum (e.g., 6750) RPM. 
     Next, the product deliver controller  340  controls five air pressure control valves  1 - 5 . The air pressure control valves  1 - 5  determine whether the air flow is present within a particular delivery line. The control of the air pressure control valves  1 - 5  can be constant or variable. In one implementation, the air pressures are variable and can be between zero and a maximum (e.g., 70 inches of water) pressure. 
     Then, the product deliver controller  340  controls five metering motors  1 - 5  associated with respective metering devices. The metering motors  1 - 5  determine whether product enters the airstream of a delivery line. Further, with variable speed control of the metering motors  1 - 5 , the metering motors  1 - 5  determine the rate of product being delivered into the airstream of the delivery line. The control of the metering motors  1 - 5  can be constant or variable. In one implementation, the rotation of the metering motors  1 - 5  is variable and can be between minimum and maximum RPMs (e.g., between 5-100 RPM). 
     To provide a linear distribution control, the control of the metering motors  1 - 5 , and consequently the metering wheels and metering devices, occur over multiple time periods. In the operation shown, the outer boom sections (i.e., application section  1  &amp;  5 ) start at time T 0 , and is based on when the implement  10  desires to deliver product to the field. The inner boom sections (i.e., application section  2  &amp;  4 ) start at a time of X seconds delay to offset the difference in lengths between the outer and inner booms. The offset boom section (i.e., application section  3 ) starts at a time of Y seconds delay to offset the difference between the difference in lengths between the outer and center booms. Each meter and air pressure control valve can be switched ON/Off independent of each other in order to achieve desired overlap control. A similar methodology can be used to end distribution in a linear spread. 
     Various relations can be used to determine the desired fan speed control, air pressure control, motor speed control, and time delays. Some of the parameters and various relations are listed below.
         Application rate (e.g., lb/ac) can be a constant, user input.   Meter speed can be based on product density, meter size, number of sections and spreader constant (calibration factor).   Instantaneous application rate (e.g., lb/min) can be a continuously variable parameter that is a function of application rate, meter speed, vehicle speed and boom width.   Fan speed can be determined by the amount of air pressure required for a current instantaneous application rate.   An amount of time taken by product to travel from metering devices to boom nozzles can be dependent on instantaneous application rate and fan speed.
           The inner section boom takes lesser time compare to the outer section boom.   
           Testing data can be used to provide exact time product takes to reach from the metering devices to nozzles for each section.       

     Although the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the present invention is disclosed above, practice of the above invention is not limited thereto. It will be manifest that various additions, modifications, and rearrangements of the features of the present invention may be made without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the underlying inventive concept.