Intelligent spray system

Abstract

The present invention relates to the application of liquid active substances. The subject matter of the present invention is a system, a method and a computer program product for the application of an active substance concentrate from a replaceable cartridge in a diluted form onto a target object with the aid of a portable spray device, wherein important parameters of the spray process are exchanged between the cartridge and/or the spray device and/or an external computer system.

Claims

1. A portable spray device that can be carried by a user comprising: a container configured to contain a liquid diluent; a connector configured to removably connect to a cartridge comprising an electronic storage and containing an active substance concentrate comprising a pesticide, an insecticide, an herbicide or a fungicide, wherein the electronic storage comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag; a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the container and the cartridge and configured to be held by the user and directed by the user at one or more target objects; and a control unit configured to: read out information from the electronic storage of the cartridge connected to the spray device, wherein the read-out information comprises a quantity of the active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge connected to the connector, determine a specific quantity of active substance concentrate that was applied during a spraying process to apply the active substance concentrate to the one or more target objects, save information to the electronic storage after the spraying process, the information comprising a residual quantity of the active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge after the spraying process, wirelessly transmit information concerning the spraying process to an external computer device, wherein the transmitted information comprises the determined specific quantity of the applied active substance concentrate, and wirelessly communicate with a mobile computer system configured to be carried by the user with the portable spray device.

2. The portable spray device of claim 1, wherein the information concerning the spraying process comprises information about one or more of: the residual quantity of active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge after the spraying process, an identification of the active substance concentrate applied during the spraying process, a spray pressure used, and the spray nozzle used.

3. The portable spray device of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer system is a smartphone with a software application for operating the spray device.

4. The portable spray device of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer system is configured to provide the residual quantity of the active substance concentrate to the user based on the information saved in the electronic storage to enable the user to determine whether enough active substance concentrate is present for a subsequent spraying process.

5. The portable spray device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to: determine a degree of dilution to apply to the active substance concentrate based on the information read out from the electronic storage of the cartridge; and regulate a flow of the liquid diluent and the active substance concentrate to result in the determined degree of dilution.

6. A spray system, comprising: i) a portable spray device that can be carried by a user comprising: a container configured to contain a liquid diluent; a connector configured to removably connect to a cartridge comprising an electronic storage and containing an active substance concentrate comprising a pesticide, an insecticide, an herbicide or a fungicide, wherein the electronic storage comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag; a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the container and the cartridge and configured to be held by the user and directed by the user at one or more target objects; and a control unit configured to: read out information from the electronic storage of the cartridge connected to the spray device, wherein the information comprises a quantity of active substance contained in the cartridge connected to the connector, determine a specific quantity of active substance concentrate that was applied during a spraying process to apply the active substance concentrate to the one or more target objects, save information to the electronic storage after the spraying process, the information comprising a residual quantity of the active substance contained in the cartridge after the spraying process, and wirelessly transmit the determined specific quantity of applied active substance concentrate to a mobile computer system; and ii) the mobile computer system carried with the portable spray device and configured to be in wireless communication with the portable spray device to aid the user in operating the spray device.

7. The spray system of claim 6, wherein the portable spray device is configured to wirelessly transmit information concerning the spraying process to the mobile computer system.

8. The spray system of claim 7, wherein the mobile computer system is configured to transmit the information concerning the spraying process to an external computer system.

9. The spray system of claim 8, wherein the information concerning the spraying process comprises information about one or more of: information about a user of the spray device, information about a place of application of the spraying process, and information on an application duration of the spraying process.

10. The spray system of claim 7, wherein the information concerning the spraying process comprises information about one or more of: the quantity of active substance concentrate applied during the spraying process, the residual quantity of active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge after the spraying process, an identification of the active substance concentrate applied during the spraying process, a spray pressure used, and the spray nozzle used.

11. The spray system of claim 7, wherein the information wirelessly transmitted from the portable spray device to the mobile computer system comprises the determined quantity of the active substance concentrate applied during the spraying process.

12. The spray system of claim 6, wherein the mobile computer system is a smartphone with a software application for operating the spray device.

13. The spray system of claim 6, wherein the mobile computer system is configured to wirelessly receive the residual quantity of the active substance concentrate from the portable spray device and provide the residual quantity of the active substance to the user to enable the user to determine whether enough active substance concentrate is present for a subsequent spraying process.

14. A method for applying an active substance mixture using a portable spray device that can be carried by a user comprising: filling a container of the portable spray device with a liquid diluent; removably connecting a cartridge comprising an electronic storage and containing an active substance concentrate to the portable spray device, wherein the active substance concentrate comprises a pesticide, an insecticide, an herbicide or a fungicide, wherein the electronic storage comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag; spraying a mixture of the liquid diluent and the active substance through a spray nozzle of the spray device, wherein the spray nozzle is held by the user and directed by the user at one or more target objects; determining a specific quantity of the active substance concentrate that was applied during a spraying process to apply the active substance concentrate to the one or more target objects; saving information to the electronic storage unit after the spraying process, the information comprising a residual quantity of the active substance concentrate remaining in the cartridge after the spraying process; wirelessly transmit information concerning the spraying process to an external computer device, wherein the transmitted information comprises the determined specific quantity of applied concentrate; and wirelessly communicate the information with a mobile computer system configured to be carried by the user with the portable spray device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the information concerning the spraying process comprises information about one or more of: the residual quantity of active substance concentrate contained in the cartridge after the spraying process, an identification of the active substance concentrate applied during the spraying process, a spray pressure used, and the spray nozzle used.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile computer system is a smartphone with a software application for operating the spray device.

17. The method of claim 14, comprising: enabling the mobile computer system to wirelessly receive the residual quantity of the active substance concentrate from the portable spray device and provide the residual quantity of the active substance concentrate to the user to enable the user to determine whether enough active substance concentrate is present for a subsequent spraying process.

Description

(1) The invention shall now be explained more closely with the aid of sample embodiments, yet without limiting the invention to these examples.

(2) FIG. 1 shows schematically an embodiment of the system according to the invention. The embodiment comprises a spray device (A), a replaceable cartridge (B), an external computer system (C) and a mobile computer system (D).

(3) The spray device (A) comprises a container (10), which is filled with a diluent (11). The container (10) is designed as a flexible bag and provided with a reclosable closure (12). The spray device (A) comprises straps (17) in order to transport the spray device on one's back. The electronic components (such as the control unit) and the delivery means (such as pumps) are accommodated in a housing (16) and therefore cannot be seen in this figure. The replaceable cartridge (B) is attached to the housing. In the cartridge (B) there is found a concentrate. The bringing together of the concentrate with the diluent occurs inside the housing (16). The diluted concentrate leaves the housing via a flexible hose (33) in the direction of a spray wand (31). The spray wand (31) has a manually operated valve (32) and a spray nozzle (30). If the valve (32) is opened (the handle is operated), the diluted concentrate is then distributed via the spray nozzle.

(4) Exemplary embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(5) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary antenna arranged on a spray device, according to some embodiments.

(6) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary schematic of a system, according to some embodiments.

(7) In FIG. 1, an antenna (18) is arranged on the spray device (A). This antenna is supposed to symbolize that the spray device can link up with the external computer system (C) and/or the mobile computer system (D) in order to transfer data. The data transfer need not necessarily be wireless. The cloud (60) represents a network which is formed by the external computer system (C), the spray device (A) and/or the mobile computer system (D).

(8) The mobile computer system (D) is designed as a so-called smartphone.

(9) FIG. 2 shows schematically preferred embodiments of the components of the system according to the invention. The system comprises a spray device according to the invention and a cartridge according to the invention.

(10) The spray device according to the invention comprises a container (10) with a diluent (11), a spray nozzle (30), a first pump (15) for delivery of the diluent (11) from the container (10) in the direction of an outlet (30), a valve (40), means (22b) of attaching the replaceable cartridge (20), a second pump for delivery of a concentrate (21) present in the cartridge (20) from the cartridge (20) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30), a flow meter (2) for metering the flow of the diluent (11) from the container (10) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30), a pressure meter (3) and a control unit (1).

(11) The container (10) is designed as a flexible bag and has a reclosable closure (12).

(12) The means (15) for delivery of the diluent (11) from the container (10) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30) are represented schematically FIG. 1 by an arrow, indicating only the direction of flow. The arrow does not mean that the corresponding means must be located at this place in the feed line.

(13) The diluent and the concentrate leave the spray device via the spray nozzle in the form of a mixture (50) with a constant mix ratio.

(14) The cartridge (20) according to the invention contains the concentrate (21). The cartridge has means (22a) of reversible attachment of the cartridge (20) to the spray device. The cartridge (20) according to the invention moreover has a storage unit (28).

(15) The control unit (1) has access to the storage unit (28) (the access is represented by the broken line).

(16) The control unit (1) furthermore stands in connection with the flow meter (2), the pressure meter (3), the pump (15) and the pump (25). If the valve (40) is opened (manually or automatically), the diluent (11) is delivered by the pump (15) from the container (10) in the direction of the outlet (30). By means of the flow meter (2), the flow of the diluent (11) is detected. The control unit (1) on the basis of the flow measured by the flow meter (2) regulates the amount of concentrate (21) supplied by means of the pump (25) to the diluent (11), so that the mix ratio read out from the storage unit is adjusted. Furthermore, the control unit adjusts the flows of diluent (11) and concentrate (21) such that the pressure upstream from the spray nozzle (measured by the pressure meter (3) is present in a predefined range in order to create a desired spray profile.

(17) A typical usage of the system shown in FIG. 1 and of the components shown in FIG. 2 is as follows:

(18) A user opens the container (10) by removing the reclosable closure (12). The user fills a diluent (11), preferably water, into the container (10) and closes the container (10) by means of the closure (12).

(19) The user takes a cartridge (B, 20) with a concentrate (21) contained therein. The cartridge (B, 20) may be a new one; but it is also conceivable for the cartridge to have been used already.

(20) The user attaches the cartridge (B, 20) to the spray device. For this, he uses the complementary connection means (22a) and (22b).

(21) The control unit (1) reads either automatically or triggered by an action of the user the information from the storage unit (28) of the cartridge (B, 20). This information may be information about the concentrate (21), the (residual) amount of concentrate (21) contained in the cartridge and/or a mix ratio to be set.

(22) It is also conceivable for an identification number to be saved in the storage unit (28); the control unit (1) reads out this identification number, and determines on the basis of an internal register the identity of the cartridge (B, 20) and the contained concentrate (21).

(23) In any case, the control unit (1) reads out data from the storage unit (28) of the cartridge (B, 20) and is then able to adjust a mix ratio for the diluent (11) and the concentrate (21).

(24) The user directs the spray nozzle (30) at a target object and opens the valve (40). A diluted concentrate emerges via the spray nozzle (30). The user can vary the spray profile. This is done by increasing or decreasing the pressure upstream from the spray nozzle (30). The variation of the spray profile can occur either directly or via a corresponding data entry device on the spray device (A) (which can communicate with the control unit) or by means of the mobile computer systems (D), acting as a remote control.

(25) During the spray process, the amount of concentrate delivered is ascertained. The residual amount of concentrate in the cartridge may optionally be indicated to the userby a corresponding indicator device on the cartridge, on the spray device and/or on the mobile computer system. It is also conceivable that the time span for which the available residual amount is sufficient if spray conditions are held constant will be indicated in place of or in addition to the residual amount still present.

(26) After the spray process has been ended, information on the residual amount of the concentrate may be written back into the storage unit of the cartridge.

(27) The user may document the conclusion of the spray job by an entry on the data entry device of the spray device or the mobile computer system (D). Information about the completed spray process will be assembled in this case. Such information might be: amount of applied concentrate, residual amount of concentrate in the cartridge, user, spray nozzle used, spray pressure used, length of the spray process, spray location, concentrate used, and more.

(28) This assembled information may be saved in a storage unit of the spray device, in the storage unit of the cartridge, in a storage unit of the mobile computer system and/or in a storage unit of the external computer system (C).

(29) In any case, such information is transmitted either directly after completion of the spray job or at a later time, either triggered by the user or automatically, to the external computer system (C). The transmission is wireless or via a connection of the corresponding component on which the information is saved to the external computer system (C).

(30) The information is then present on the external computer system (C) and can be used for various purposes: inventory control, invoicing, logistical planning, documentation for the authorities, etc.