Dual-Cap Spray Nozzle With Angular Offset For Uniform Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural spray systems face challenges in efficiently and uniformly spraying agricultural fields, particularly in minimizing overlap between different spray areas and adapting to varying vehicle speeds and field topography.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-cap nozzle system with a housing having a cavity for liquids, featuring first and second nozzle caps oriented at specific angles and offset from each other, coupled with a processor-controlled valve system that adjusts frequency and duty cycle to minimize overlap and ensure uniform coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single nozzle is used for spraying, then the device complexity is low, but the spray coverage uniformity and overlap control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single nozzle is segmented into multiple nozzle caps (first nozzle cap, second nozzle cap, and optionally third nozzle cap) that are attached to a common housing. Each nozzle cap has its own nozzle channel oriented at different angles, allowing independent spray direction control while sharing a common liquid supply cavity, thus improving coverage uniformity without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle caps are oriented at different angles (first angle and second angle with respect to vertical axis, with offset angle between 0-45 degrees) to spray in different spatial dimensions. This angular distribution creates multiple spray areas that cover different portions of the field, transforming a single-direction spray into multi-dimensional coverage for improved uniformity
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple nozzles are used to increase coverage, then the spray coverage uniformity improves, but the device complexity and chemical usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple nozzle caps are merged into a single integrated nozzle assembly with a common housing and shared liquid cavity. The nozzle caps can be controlled by a single valve or coordinated valve system, allowing them to operate as a unified multi-directional spray unit rather than independent nozzles, reducing overall system complexity and enabling coordinated operation to minimize chemical overlap and waste
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle caps are designed with adjustable or selectively controllable operation. The processor can dynamically control which nozzle caps are active based on detected field conditions, vehicle speed, and desired coverage patterns. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize chemical usage by activating only the necessary nozzle caps for current operating conditions
3Adaptability or versatility
If the spray system operates at fixed parameters, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to varying vehicle speeds and field conditions is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The spray system incorporates dynamic control where the processor adjusts operational parameters (such as duty cycle, frequency, and which nozzle caps are active) based on real-time vehicle speed and field conditions. This allows the nozzle assembly to adapt its spray pattern and intensity to match varying operating conditions, transforming a static system into a dynamically responsive one
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses imaging devices or sensors to detect field conditions and provides feedback to the processor, which then adjusts the nozzle cap operation accordingly. This closed-loop control enables the system to automatically adapt to varying vehicle speeds, terrain, and weed distribution patterns, improving versatility through intelligent feedback-based adjustment
4Area of stationary object
If the nozzle caps are oriented at large angles, then the spray coverage area increases, but the overlap between spray areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the angular parameters of the nozzle caps (first angle, second angle, and offset angle between 0-45 degrees) to achieve the desired balance between coverage area and overlap control. By carefully selecting these angular parameters, the spray areas from different nozzle caps can be distributed to cover different portions of the field with minimal overlap, maximizing coverage efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A dual-cap nozzle comprises a housing having a cavity to receive a liquid; a first nozzle cap attached to the housing, the first nozzle cap defining a first nozzle channel that is fluidly coupled to the cavity; and a second nozzle cap attached to the housing, the second nozzle cap defining a second nozzle channel that is fluidly coupled to the cavity. The first and second nozzle caps extend along first and second axes, respectively. An offset angle between the first and second axes is greater than or equal to about 0 degrees and less than or equal to about 45 degrees.