A liquid material discharge device includes: a valve stem having a valve element provided at a tip portion, and a contact portion; a liquid chamber in which the valve element moves forward and backward; a nozzle communicating with the liquid chamber; a valve seat having a hole via which the liquid chamber and the nozzle communicate with each other; an arm that is in separable contact with the valve stem; and a valve driving device configured to move the valve element forward to and backward from the valve seat by causing the arm to pivot. The liquid material discharge device further includes a coupling device that couples the valve stem with the arm, wherein the coupling device includes a pressing portion that presses the contact portion against the arm.

A programmable networked variable atomizer (PNVA) assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the PNVA assembly includes an atomizing portion. The atomizing portion includes multiple miniature fluid control valves and an air assisted atomizing outlet. The PNVA assembly also includes a PNVA electronic module. The PNVA electronic module includes a microcontroller, at least one pulse width modulation driver, a wireless radio, a differential pressure sensor, and a laser targeting LED.

The present invention provides a nozzle (201), which comprises a nozzle passage (512) and a fluid passage (511), wherein the nozzle passage has an airflow inlet (515) and an airflow outlet (516). The fluid passage has a fluid passage inlet (518) and a fluid passage outlet (514), wherein the fluid passage inlet communicates with a fluid source so that a fluid can enter the fluid passage, and the fluid passage outlet communicates with the nozzle passage so that the fluid can enter the nozzle passage, and the airflow exerted from the airflow inlet can press the fluid in the nozzle passage out of the airflow outlet. The nozzle provided by the present application can distribute a small volume of a viscous fluid and is not apt to get blocked.

Nozzle assemblies adapted to produce an oscillatory spray pattern. A rotor member having at least one lobe engaged with one or more cavities of a stator surface for defining an oscillatory movement of the rotor member in response to a motive fluid along the rotor member and stator surface. The nozzle assembly directing the motive fluid along one or more tapered surfaces, such as complementary tapered surfaces of the rotor and stator surface. The rotor member is operatively coupled with the spray member for oscillatory movement therewith. The spray member adapted to receive the motive fluid and emit the fluid as a spray from the nozzle assembly. The spray having an oscillatory pattern that matches the oscillatory movement of the rotor.

A spray bar injector including a spray bar defining a longitudinal axis and including a fluid inlet and a plurality of spray outlet orifices spaced apart longitudinally in a direction along the longitudinal axis. A check or spray valve is operatively connected to each spray outlet orifice. A master valve is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, operatively connected to divert flow from the fluid inlet into a first passage and block flow into a second passage in a first position to open the check valves and issue a spray from the spray outlet orifices, and to divert flow from the fluid inlet into the second passage and block flow into the first passage in a second position to close the check valves and block issue of spray from the spray outlet orifices.

A fluid jet dispenser using at least two multilayer piezoelectric actuators is provided. The fluid jet dispenser includes a dispensing head and an electrical driver. The dispensing head includes at least two d.sub.31-mode multilayer piezoelectric actuators, a displacement magnifying element mechanically coupled to the d31-mode multilayer piezoelectric actuators, a piston, and a nozzle. More preferably, the two d31-mode multilayer piezoelectric actuators operate in an anti-phase condition. The electrical driver is electrically coupled to the d31-mode multilayer piezoelectric actuators for displacing the actuators in directions substantially perpendicular to polarization of piezoelectric layers in the d31-mode multilayer piezoelectric actuators in response to charging and discharging of the actuators by the electrical driver, to generate a fast movement of the piston to jet a pressurized fluid out of the nozzle of the dispensing head.

A sprayer control system includes a plurality of smart nozzles each having at least one control valve with a valve operator, an electronic control unit for the valve operator, and one or more spray nozzles. The at least one control valve and the ECU control a flow rate of liquid agricultural product through the nozzles. A duty cycle modulator is in communication with the ECU and generates an applied duty cycle for the at least one control valve. The duty cycle modulator includes a specified duty cycle input having a specified duty cycle and a pressure monitor associated with the at least one control valve. A pressure comparator compares the valve pressure determined with the pressure monitor with a system pressure and generates a pressure error. An applied duty cycle generator generates the applied duty cycle based on the specified duty cycle modified by the pressure error.

A valve for providing pulses of aseptic air to a web of packaging material is provided. The valve comprises a rotatable valve shaft having an inlet portion with a circular cross-section, wherein the inlet portion is provided with a radial slot being connected to an axial cavity of the valve shaft. The valve further comprises a valve member comprising a curved end being adapted to fit with an exterior surface of the inlet portion of the valve shaft during rotation of the valve shaft, and a fluid channel extending through the valve member such that when the valve shaft is rotated to a position where the radial slot of the inlet portion is aligned with the fluid channel of the valve member, air can flow through the valve via the valve member and the valve shaft.

A device for dispensing a fluid topical composition includes a reservoir storing the composition and dispensing a pressurized flow of the composition. The device also includes an accumulator having an expandable chamber in fluidly communication with the reservoir. The chamber is biased towards a deflated configuration so that, when filled with the composition the chamber expands against this bias applying pressure to the composition stored therein. The device includes a supply valve regulating the flow of the composition from the reservoir to the accumulator, and a pressure sensor. The device further includes a processing arrangement analyzing data from the sensor to determine whether pressure in the accumulator is above a predetermined threshold and controlling the supply valve to maintain the pressure within a desired pressure range. The device also includes a deposition arrangement dispensing the composition from the accumulator under control of the processing arrangement.

A system for applying an agricultural product includes at least one control valve. For instance, the control valve has a moveable valve operator. One or more sensors monitor one or more control valve characteristics. A valve controller is configured to determine the control valve is in one or more of a primed state or an unprimed state based on a comparison of the one or more control valve characteristics to a primed valve characteristic threshold.