SPRAY DEVICE WITH FLOW MEASUREMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to the application of liquid active substances with the aid of a portable spray device. The subject matter of the present invention is a portable device for applying active substances, and a method for applying active substances with the aid of a portable spray device.

Claims

1. A portable spray device that can be carried by a user comprising: a first container for containing a first liquid, a connector configured to removably connect to a second container containing a second liquid, a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the first container and configured to be in fluid communication with the second container, a flow meter for measuring the flow of the first liquid from the first container in a direction of the spray nozzle, a mixing chamber comprising an inlet for the first liquid, an inlet for the second liquid, and an outlet for a mixture of the first liquid and the second liquid, and a controller unit configured to adjust a flow of the second liquid in the direction of the spray nozzle based on the measured flow of the first liquid.

2. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the first container comprises a pressure tank configured to be pressurized.

3. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the first container comprises a flexible bag configured to be unpressurized.

4. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the spray device is a backpack device.

5. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the spray nozzle is replaceable.

6. The spray device of claim 1, comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in a supply line to the spray nozzle.

7. The spray device of claim 6, wherein the pressure sensor is connected to the control unit and the control unit is configured to keep the pressure in front of the spray nozzle within a predefined range during use of the spray device.

8. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the second liquid is an active substance concentrate, and the first liquid is a diluent.

9. The spray device of claim 8, wherein the first liquid is water.

10. The spray device of claim 8, wherein the second liquid comprises a pesticide, an insecticide, a herbicide or a fungicide.

11. The spray unit of claim 1, wherein the controller unit is configured to adjust a mixing ratio for the first liquid and the second liquid based on information stored on a second container connected to the connector.

12. The spray unit of claim 1, wherein the flow meter comprises an impeller sensor.

13. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the portable spray device comprises a screen with a mesh size in the range of 10 ?m to 500 ?m.

14. The spray device of claim 1, wherein a volume through which the second liquid flows on a way from the second container to the mixing chamber when the spray device is operated is less than 50 ml.

15. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber is configured to introduce the second liquid to the first liquid at an angle in the range of 20? to 160?, when the spray device is operated.

16. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust a flow of the second liquid based on the measured flow of the first liquid such that the first liquid and the second liquid exit the spray device through the spray nozzle together as a mixture with a constant mixing ratio.

17. The spray device of claim 1, comprising an electrically operated pump for conveying the second liquid.

18. A backpack spray device that can be carried by a user comprising: a first container for containing a diluent, a connector configured to removably connect to a second container containing an active concentrate liquid, a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the first container and the second container, a flow meter for measuring the flow of the diluent from the first container in a direction of the spray nozzle, a mixing chamber comprising an inlet for the diluent, an inlet for the active concentrate liquid, and an outlet for a mixture of the diluent and the active concentrate liquid, and a controller unit configured to adjust a flow of the active concentrate liquid in the direction of the spray nozzle based on the measured flow of the diluent.

19. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the first container comprises a pressure tank configured to be pressurized.

20. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the first container comprises a flexible bag configured to be unpressurized.

21. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the spray nozzle is replaceable.

22. The backpack spray device of claim 18, comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in a supply line to the spray nozzle.

23. The spray device of claim 22, wherein the pressure sensor is connected to the control unit and the control unit is configured to keep the pressure in front of the spray nozzle within a predefined range during use of the spray device.

24. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the diluent is water.

25. The spray unit of claim 18, wherein the controller unit is configured to adjust a mixing ratio for the diluent and the active concentrate liquid based on information stored on a second container connected to the connector.

26. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the backpack spray device comprises a screen with a mesh size in the range of 10 ?m to 500 ?m.

27. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein a volume through which the active concentrate liquid flows on a way from the second container to the mixing chamber when the spray device is operated is less than 50 ml.

28. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the mixing chamber is configured to introduce the active concentrate liquid to the diluent at an angle in the range of 20? to 160?, when the spray device is operated.

29. The backpack spray device of claim 18, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust a flow of the active concentrate liquid based on the measured flow of the diluent such that the diluent and the active concentrate liquid exit the spray device through the spray nozzle together as a mixture with a constant mixing ratio.

30. A method for applying a mixture of a first liquid and a second liquid using a portable spray device that can be carried by a user comprising: filling a first container of the portable spray device with a first liquid, removably connecting a second container containing a second liquid to the portable spray device, and spraying a mixture of the first liquid and the second liquid through a spray nozzle of the spray device, wherein the spray device measures the flow of the first liquid in a direction of the spray nozzle, mixes the first liquid and the second liquid prior to the spraying of the mixture of the first liquid and the second liquid through the spray nozzle, and wherein the spray device adjusts a flow of the second liquid in the direction of the spray nozzle based on the measured flow of the first liquid.

Description

[0088] The invention will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments, but without wishing to limit the invention to these examples.

[0089] FIG. 1 shows schematically an embodiment of the spray device according to the invention. The spray device comprises a first container (10) with a first liquid (11), a second container (20) with a second liquid (21), a spray nozzle (30), a valve (40), means (15) for conveying the first liquid (11) from the first container (10) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30), means (25) for conveying the second liquid (21) from the second container (20) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30), a mixing chamber (80), a flow meter (2) for measuring the flow of the first liquid (11) from the first container (10) in the direction of spray nozzle (30), and a control unit (1).

[0090] The first container (10) is embodied as a pressure-resistant container.

[0091] In FIG. 1, the means (15) for conveying the first liquid (11) from the first container (10) are an air pump with which an overpressure in the first container (10) relative to the ambient pressure can be built up.

[0092] In FIG. 1, the means (25) for conveying the second liquid (21) from the second container (20) are an electrically operated pump.

[0093] The second liquid (21) meets the first liquid (11) in the mixing chamber (80).

[0094] When the valve (40) is opened, the first liquid (11) is conveyed by means of the conveying means (15) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30). The flow of the first liquid is measured by flow meter (2). The flow meter (2) is communicatively connected with the control unit (1) (shown by the dashed line). The flow measured by the flow meter (2) is transmitted to the control unit (1). The control unit (1) is communicatively connected with the means (25) for conveying the second liquid (21) (shown by the dashed line). The control unit (1) adjusts the flow of the second liquid (21) in the direction of the spray nozzle, so that the first liquid and the second liquid exit the spray nozzle in the form of a mixture (50) with a constant mixing ratio.

[0095] FIG. 2 shows schematically a preferred embodiment of the spray device according to the invention.

[0096] The spray device comprises a control unit (1), a flow meter (2), a pressure sensor (3), a first container (10) with a first liquid (11), a second container (20) with a second liquid (21), a first pump (15), a second pump (25), a spray nozzle (30), a mixing chamber (80) and a valve (40).

[0097] The first container (10) is embodied as a flexible bag having an opening for filling the first liquid (11), wherein the opening can be reversibly closed by a closure (12).

[0098] The second container (20) is embodied as a replaceable cartridge. The cartridge is connected by means of connecting means (22a) for connecting the cartridge to the spray device with the spray device. The spray device has connecting means (22b) compatible with the connecting means (22a) of the cartridge.

[0099] The control unit (1) is communicatively connected (shown by dashed lines) with the flow meter (2), the pressure gauge (3), the first pump (15) and the second pump (25). Preferably, the pumps (15, 25) are electrically operated.

[0100] When the valve (40) is opened, the first liquid (11) is conveyed out of the first container (10) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30) by means of the first pump (15). This flow of the first liquid (11) is measured by means of the flow meter (2). The measured value is transmitted to the control unit (1). At the same time, the pressure in the supply line to the spray nozzle (30) is measured by means of the pressure sensor (3). This measured value is also transmitted to the control unit (1). The control unit (1) adjusts the flow of the first liquid (11) and the second liquid (21) in the direction of the spray nozzle (30) by means of the first pump (15) and by means of the second pump (25) so that the exiting mixture (50) has a constant mixing ratio of first and second liquids, and so that the pressure in the supply line in front of the spray nozzle is within a predetermined range.