Field sprayer nozzle pattern monitor

Claim 2

Apparatus for detecting faulty operation of one of a plurality of spray nozzles each said spray nozzle having a nozzle tip arranged to generate a liquid spray pattern which projects from the nozzle tip in a spray direction, said apparatus comprising a plurality of microphones, each microphone comprising a support body, a transducer mounted in said body and arranged to generate electrical signals in dependence upon air borne sound detected by the transducer, means on the body for receiving the air borne sound for communication to the transducer, means for mounting the body relative to the respective nozzle such that the receiving means of the body is positioned adjacent the spray pattern at a position downstream of the tip so as to be responsive to air borne sound emitted by the liquid spray exiting the nozzle, central detector means arranged to receive said electrical signals and to detect a deviation of any one of said electrical signals from a predetermined normal signal by a value greater than a predetermined value so as to detect a fault in the operation of the nozzle associated with said one of said signals, and display means for indicating said fault.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said support body comprises a molded body member substantially wholly surrounding said transducer.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 including means defining an elongate channel in said support body extending from said receiving means to said transducer.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 wherein the channel is shaped such that the cross sectional area thereof decreases in a direction from said receiving means to said transducer so as to concentrate sound collected from said nozzle by said receiving means.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said support body includes an attachment portion arranged for attachment to a nozzle cap of the nozzle.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 5 wherein said support body is substantially of L-shape such that the receiving means is mounted on a projecting portion extending outwardly from the attachment portion substantially at right angles thereto so as to extend therefrom underneath the nozzle cap to lie directly alongside the nozzle tip.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 5 wherein the attachment portion includes a slot therein for receiving a fin of the nozzle cap.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said central detector means includes selector means for scanning each of said microphones in turn and for detecting said electrical signal therefrom.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 8 wherein said central detector means is arranged to generate said predetermined normal signal by calculating an average of the electrical signal received from each of the microphones scanned in turn and is arranged to compare said predetermined normal signal with each of said electrical signals of said microphones in turn after calculation of said normal signal.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said central detector means is arranged to detect the amplitude of the electrical signal at a specific selected frequency and to compare said amplitude of said detected signal with the amplitude at said frequency of said predetermined normal signal.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 10 wherein each of said nozzles has a nozzle tip thereon which can be replaced to generate a required spray pattern and wherein said central detector means is arranged to detect the amplitude of the electrical signal at one of a plurality of alternative frequencies and includes means for selecting for different nozzle tips one of said alternative frequencies.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 11 wherein said means for selecting is arranged to detect the amplitude at each of said plurality of frequencies and to select that frequency with the greater amplitude.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said central detector means is arranged to detect a deviation less than said predetermined value and greater than a predetermined smaller value and to display on said display means said detected deviation so as to provide an indication of inconsistency in said nozzles and microphones.

Claim 15

A field sprayer comprising a container for a liquid to be sprayed, vehicle means supporting the container for transport across the ground, a plurality of spray nozzles, a boom means carried by said vehicle means supporting said nozzles in spaced position transversely of a direction of working movement of the vehicle means, liquid supply means for communicating said liquid from said container to each of said spray nozzles each said spray nozzle having a nozzle tip arranged to generate a liquid spray pattern which projects from the nozzle tip in a spray direction, said apparatus and an apparatus for detecting faulty operation of at least one of the nozzles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of microphones, each microphone comprising a support body, a transducer mounted in said body and arranged to generate electrical signals in dependence upon air borne sound detected by the transducer, means on the body for receiving the air borne sound for communication to the transducer, means for mounting the body relative to the respective nozzle such that the receiving means of the body is positioned adjacent the spray pattern at a position downstream of the tip so as to be responsive to air borne sound emitted by the liquid spray exiting the nozzle, central detector means arranged to receive said electrical signals and to detect a deviation of any one of said electrical signals from a predetermined normal signal by a value greater than a predetermined value so as to detect a fault in the operation of the nozzle associated with said one of said signals, and display means for indicating said fault.

Claim 16

A field sprayer comprising a container for a liquid to be sprayed, vehicle means supporting the container for transport across the ground, a plurality of spray nozzles, a boom means carried by said vehicle means supporting said nozzles in spaced position transversely of a direction of working movement of the vehicle means, liquid supply means for communicating said liquid from said container to each of said spray nozzles each said spray nozzle having a nozzle tip arranged to generate a liquid spray pattern which projects from the nozzle tip in a spray direction, said apparatus and an apparatus for detecting faulty operation of at least one of the nozzles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of microphones, each microphone comprising a support body, a transducer mounted in said body and arranged to generate electrical signals in dependence upon air borne sound detected by the transducer, means on the body for receiving the air borne sound for communication to the transducer, means for mounting the body relative to the respective nozzle such that the receiving means of the body is positioned adjacent the spray pattern at a position downstream of the tip so as to be responsive to air borne sound emitted by the liquid spray exiting the nozzle, central detector means arranged to receive said electrical signals and to detect a deviation of any one of said electrical signals from a predetermined normal signal by a value greater than a predetermined value so as to detect a fault in the operation of the nozzle associated with said one of said signals, and display means for indicating said fault.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 14 wherein said support body comprises a molded body member substantially wholly surrounding said transducer.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 15 including means defining an elongate channel in said support body extending from said receiving means to said transducer.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 16 wherein the channel is shaped such that the cross sectional area thereof decreases in a direction from said receiving means to said transducer so as to concentrate sound collected from said nozzle by said receiving means.

Claim 20

The invention according to claim 14 wherein said support body includes an attachment portion arranged for attachment to a nozzle cap of the nozzle.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 18 wherein said support body is substantially of L-shape such that the receiving means is mounted on a projecting portion extending outwardly from the attachment portion substantially at right angles thereto so as to extend therefrom underneath the nozzle cap to lie directly alongside the nozzle tip.

Claim 22

The invention according to claim 18 wherein the attachment portion includes a slot therein for receiving a fin of the nozzle cap.

Claim 25

The method according to claim 21 including providing a plurality of microphones, each mounted adjacent a respective one of a plurality of nozzles, and centrally detecting said electrical signals generated by said microphones.

Claim 26

The method according to claim 22 including scanning each of said microphones in turn and detecting said electrical signal therefrom.

Claim 27

The method according to claim 23 including generating said predetermined normal signal by calculating an average of the electrical signals received from each of the microphones scanned in turn and comparing said predetermined normal signal with each of said electrical signals of said microphones in turn after calculation of said predetermined normal signal.

Claim 28

The method according to claim 22 including detecting a deviation less than said predetermined value and greater than a predetermined smaller value and displaying said detected deviation so as to provide an indication of inconsistency in said nozzles and microphones.

Claim 29

The method according to claim 21 including detecting the amplitude of the electrical signals from the microphone at a specific selected frequency and comparing said amplitude of said detected signal with the amplitude at said frequency of said predetermined normal signal.

Claim 30

The method according to claim 21 wherein said nozzle has a nozzle tip thereon which can be replaced to generate a required spray pattern, including the step of detecting the amplitude of the electrical signal at one of a plurality of alternative frequencies and selecting for different nozzle tips one of said alternative frequencies.

Claim 31

The method according to claim 27 including detecting the amplitude at each of said plurality of frequencies and selecting that frequency with the greater amplitude.