Capstan Ag Systems, Inc.

Rhs Fertilizing/spraying Systems

Troy Christmann Kolb

Jeffrey John Grimm

Adam Madison

Kent Dieball

Tyron Johnson

Duane Needham

Anthony Moeder

Graeme W Henderson

Kent D Funk

Richard W Heiniger

Gordon Hooper

Various embodiments of a system for automatically sensing and spraying plants and/or plant precursors as they are planted or otherwise distributed on and/or within the ground is disclosed.

System for spraying plants and/or plant precursors

A spraying system for spraying a fluid includes a nozzle, a valve configured to control fluid flow through the nozzle, a sensor configured to transmit a detection signal upon detection of a target, a user interface configured to receive application rate information and target population information from an operator, and a control system communicatively coupled to the user interface, the sensor, and the valve. The control system is configured to determine a specific volume of fluid per target to be dispensed by the valve based on the application rate information and the target population information input to the user interface, and to transmit a control signal to the valve at least in part in response to receiving the detection signal. The control signal actuates the valve such that the determined specific volume of fluid per target is sprayed by the nozzle on or adjacent to the target.

Systems and methods for determining dispense volume of fluid per target for an agricultural fluid application system

A system includes at least one nozzle assembly configured to spray fluid towards seeds planted within a furrow. The at least one nozzle assembly includes a valve. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the valve. The controller is configured to control operation of the valve such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed within the furrow. The system further includes a detector communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to detect a location of each spray relative to a location of a respective one of the seeds within the furrow.

System and method for spraying seeds dispensed from a planter

In one aspect, a system for applying painted surface markings to roads, parking lots, fields and/or any other suitable surfaces is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of valves and associated spray nozzles mounted onto and/or within a manifold, with each valve being individually controllable in order to regulate the flow of paint being dispensed from the spray nozzles. For instance, a controller may be coupled to each valve in order to control the opening and closing of such valve, thereby controlling the flow of paint supplied to the corresponding spray nozzle. In addition, information regarding the surface marking to be applied (the design, dimensions, orientation, geographical location, etc.) may be stored within and/or received by the controller. The controller may then control each valve such that paint is applied to the surface to be marked via the spray nozzles in a manner that creates the desired surface marking.

System and method for applying multi-colored surface markings to a surface

A fluid application system includes a manifold defining an internal passageway, a plurality of nozzles connected in fluid communication with the internal passageway, a plurality of electrically actuated valves for controlling fluid flow through the plurality of nozzles, where each valve of the plurality of electrically actuated valves is connected in fluid communication between the internal passageway and a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzles, and a pressure dampener connected to the manifold and configured to dampen fluctuations in fluid pressure within the internal passageway.

Fluid application systems including pressure dampeners

A spraying system for spraying a fluid includes a nozzle assembly configured to spray the fluid in response to receiving a control signal, a sensor configured to transmit a detection signal upon detection of a target, and a user interface configured to receive input from an operator. The spraying system further includes a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor to receive the detection signal from the sensor, the control system configured to transmit the control signal to the nozzle assembly at least in part in response to reception of the detection signal, the control system further configured to determine a fluid band length and an offset distance of the fluid band length from the target based at least in part on information input by the operator to the user interface. The user interface displays a graphic representation of the fluid band length and the offset distance relative to the target.

Systems and methods for determining and visually depicting spray band length of an agricultural fluid application system

A system includes a planter row unit, at least one nozzle assembly, and a controller. The planter row unit includes a first seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a first furrow at a seed frequency and a second seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a second furrow at the seed frequency. The nozzle assembly is configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first and second furrows, and includes a valve. The controller is communicatively coupled to the valve, and is configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on a speed-related parameter of the planter. The controller is further configured to control operation of the valve based on the seed frequency such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed.

System and method for spraying seeds dispensed from a twin row planter

Spray systems and control systems for use with spray systems are provided. A spray system generally includes a tank configured to hold a product, a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, a pump in fluid communication with the conduit, a flow controller, a plurality of electrically actuated nozzle assemblies in fluid communication with the conduit, and a pressure controller. The flow controller is configured to regulate a flow rate of product through the conduit based on a travel speed of the system. The plurality of nozzle assemblies is configured to dispense the product such that an upstream nozzle pressure is established within the conduit. The pressure controller is configured to control at least one operating parameter of at least one of the nozzle assemblies based at least in part on speed information indicative of the travel speed of the system to maintain a substantially constant upstream nozzle pressure.

Spray system with speed-based pressure controller and method of controlling same

Paint spraying system

In one aspect, a system for providing seed-specific placement of fluid as seeds are planted by a planter is disclosed. The system may generally include a seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a furrow at a seed frequency and a nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the furrow. The nozzle assembly may include a valve. In addition, the system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the valve. The controller may be configured to determine the seed frequency of the seed meter based on a speed-related parameter of the planter. The controller may also be configured to control the operation of the valve based on the seed frequency such that a metered amount of fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed.

A system and process for dispensing a liquid agrochemical such as ammonia into a field is disclosed. The ammonia is placed in a vessel under sufficient pressure to maintain a substantial portion of the ammonia in a liquid form. From the pressurized vessel, the ammonia is fed to a distribution manifold where it is ultimately injected into a soil through a plurality of dispensing tubes. A constant pressure flow rate control device is placed at each dispensing tube for metering the amount of ammonia fed to the soil. Furthermore, the outlet flow of each constant pressure rate control device is made to vaporize nearby the inlet flow path to create a heat exchange effect thereby cooling the inlet flow. In particular, the flow control devices allow ammonia to be dispensed from the system while maintaining sufficient back pressure and temperature within the distribution manifold to maintain the ammonia in a liquid form. By maintaining the ammonia in a liquid form, uniform and accurately controlled flow rates can be dispensed from the dispensing tubes.

System and method for dispensing a volatile liquid fertilizer

A spray boom system for mounting on a vehicle with opposite sides includes a pair of boom assemblies with proximate and distal ends. The boom assemblies are mounted on the vehicle and are swingable between laterally-extending field positions and folded travel positions generally alongside the vehicle. Hinged connector assemblies are attached to the boom assembly proximate ends for permitting the swinging movement of the boom arms and also permit the boom arms to be independently raised and lowered by a pair of hydraulic cylinders which are also connected to the boom assembly proximate ends. The operation of the cylinders for raising and lowering the boom assemblies is controlled by a height control system which utilizes ultrasonic signals for determining heights of the boom assemblies above a field or crop surface. A liquid dispensing system includes a tank for mounting on the bed of the vehicle, a pump, spray nozzles mounted on the boom assemblies and tubing interconnecting the liquid dispensing system components.

Growing community of inventors

Hiawatha, KS, United States of America

Troy Christmann Kolb