Granted Patent B2

US 12,616,989 · App. 17/811,015 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Garrett Maurer (Moorhead, MN); Joseph A. Heilman (Fargo, ND)

Assignee: PRECISION PLANTING LLC

B05B12/085A01M7/0089B05B12/082B05B12/084B05B12/126A01C23/007A01C23/047

Abstract

Claims (42)

1 . A system, comprising:

a plurality of spray nozzles, wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles is configured to generate a spray of a fluid; and the plurality of spray nozzles are attached to a spray boom;

a plurality of pressure sensors configured to measure a plurality of pressures of the fluid, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensors is disposed adjacent to and measures a pressure of the fluid at one spray nozzle of the plurality of spray nozzles;

a plurality of flow rate sensors configured to measure a plurality of flow rates of the fluid, wherein each of the plurality of flow rate sensors is disposed adjacent to one spray nozzle of the plurality of spray nozzles to measure a flow rate of the fluid therein;

a non-transitory data storage medium configured to store a lookup table for cross-referencing pressure and droplet size; and

control circuitry configured to:

receive the plurality of pressure measurements from the plurality of pressure sensors;

receive the plurality of flow rate measurements from the plurality of flow rate sensors;

define a plurality of spray nozzle groups, each comprising adjacent spray nozzles of the plurality of spray nozzles;

calculate an average application density for each spray nozzle group; and

cause a user interface device electronically connected to the control circuitry to display the average application densities;

recall the lookup table from the non-transitory data storage medium; and

generate a plurality of droplet sizes of the spray generated by the plurality of spray nozzles by cross-referencing the lookup table with each of the plurality of pressure measurements.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a velocity sensor configured to measure a velocity of the plurality of spray nozzles during a measurement time period, wherein:

the plurality of flow rate sensors are configured to measure the plurality of flow rates during the measurement time period; and

the control circuitry is further configured to:

generate the distance traveled by the plurality of spray nozzles based on the velocity measurement and the time period; and

generate a plurality of application densities based on the distance traveled by the plurality of spray nozzles, a width of the spray boom, and the plurality of the flow rates measured during the measurement time period.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

calculate an average nozzle pressure for each spray nozzle group; and

cause the user interface device to display the average nozzle pressures.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate an average group droplet size from the plurality of droplet sizes for each spray nozzle group.

5 . An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of spray nozzles attached to a spray boom, wherein each of the plurality of spray nozzles is configured to generate a spray of a fluid;

a plurality of pressure sensors configured to measure a plurality of pressures of the fluid, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensors is disposed adjacent to and measures a pressure of the fluid at one spray nozzle of the plurality of spray nozzles;

a plurality of flow rate sensors configured to measure a plurality of flow rates of the fluid, wherein each of the plurality of flow rate sensors is disposed adjacent to one spray nozzle of the plurality of spray nozzles to measure a flow rate of the fluid therein;

a velocity sensor configured to measure a velocity of the plurality of spray nozzles during a measurement time period, wherein the plurality of flow rate sensors are configured to measure the plurality of flow rates during the measurement time period;

a non-transitory data storage medium configured to store a lookup table for cross-referencing pressure and droplet size; and

control circuitry configured to:

receive the plurality of pressure measurements from the plurality of pressure sensors;

receive the plurality of flow rate measurements from the plurality of flow rate sensors;

define a plurality of spray nozzle groups, each comprising adjacent spray nozzles of the plurality of spray nozzles;

calculate an average application density for each spray nozzle group;

cause a user interface device electronically connected to the control circuitry to display the average application densities;

calculate an average nozzle pressure for each spray nozzle group;

cause the user interface device to display the average nozzle pressures;

generate the distance traveled by the plurality of spray nozzles based on the velocity measurement and the time period;

further generate a plurality of application densities based on the distance traveled by the plurality of spray nozzles, a width of the spray boom, and the plurality of the flow rates measured during the measurement time period

recall the lookup table from the non-transitory data storage medium; and

generate a plurality of droplet sizes of the spray generated by the plurality of spray nozzles by cross-referencing the lookup table with each of the plurality of pressure measurements.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate an average group droplet size from the plurality of droplet sizes for each spray nozzle group.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cause the user interface device to display the average group droplet sizes.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (22)