GB2447681A

GB2447681A - Handheld sprayer with GPS

Info

Publication number: GB2447681A
Application number: GB0705394A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Derrick Haynes
Original assignee: ENVIRO Ltd NOMIX; Nomix Enviro Ltd
Current assignee: ENVIRO Ltd NOMIX; Nomix Enviro Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-21
Filing date: 2007-03-21
Publication date: 2008-09-24
Also published as: GB0705394D0

Abstract

Plant treatment material, such as a herbicide, is applied to the ground by a hand-held applicator carried by a pedestrian operator. The applicator includes a GPS, Global Positioning System, device, by which path data is captured, indicating the application path followed by the operator. The path data is stored to provide a record of the path over which the material has been delivered. The path data may include operation data, relating to the operative state of the applicator.

Description

* 2447681

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PLANT TREATMENT MATERIAL

This invention relates to the application of plant treatment material to the ground. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with the application of a plant treatment material which is a herbicide.

It is known to deliver herbicide to plants using hand-held equipment carried by a pedestrian operator, for example as disclosed in US 5108036.

Such equipment is commonly used in an urban environment in order to eliminate weeds from pavements, paths and other hard surfaces such as playgrounds and other amenity areas. In practice, an operator will walk along a defined route directing material from the applicator at unwanted plant growth on the route. Where plant growth is heavy, the operator may keep the applicator operating substantially continuously, moving the applicator head around the path he is following to ensure delivery of herbicide to all growing plants. In other circumstances, where plant growth is not so prolific the operator may turn the applicator on and off so that herbicide is not wasted on bare ground.

It is becoming increasingly important, for health and safety reasons, for contractors responsible for weed treatment in urban areas to be able to identify regions where herbicide treatment has been conducted, and to provide data such as the timing of herbicide application, the nature of the herbicide, and the application rate. Currently, this data is provided in the form of written records which are created manually by the operator or by a supervisor to whom the operator reports.

The reports generated in this way are subject to imperfect recollection by the operators *. as to the exact route followed on a particular day. For this and other reasons the : reports generated may not be entirely reliable. They are also time-consuming to produce.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of applying plant treatment material to the ground, the method comprising: dispensing the material from a hand-held applicator carried over the ground by a pedestrian operator; capturing path data relating to the application path followed by the operator, using a GPS device; and storing the path data to provide a record of the path over which the material has been delivered.

In this specification, the expression MGPS' means uglobal positioning systems, and primarily such a system which determines the position on the earth's surface by reference to signals transmitted by satellites. However, the expression MGPS" is to be interpreted broadly, and may, for example, cover other positioning systems relying on earth-based signal transmitters.

It is envisaged that a method in accordance with the present invention will be employed primarily for applying a plant treatment material in the form of a herbicide. However, the method may also be employed for distributing other materials, such as growth-promoters.

The GPS device may be carried by the operator, but is preferably fitted to the applicator itself, and may be integrated within the applicator.

The GPS device may be connected to control means of the applicator, such as an electrical on/off switch or a control valve, so that the path data may indude operation data relating to the operative state of the applicator. For example, the operation data :... may indicate whether the applicator is operational to deliver the plant treatment S...

material, or inoperative so that, although moving over the path, no plant treatment * 25 material is dispensed. The operation data may also include data identifying the * . application rate of the material, the identity of the material itself, and/or the spreading width of the applicator. For example, the applicator may be of the form in which the material is a liquid which is distributed over the ground from a spinning disc, the : spreading width being a function of the nature of the disc (for example, its diameter) : 30 and the speed of rotation of the disc.

A method in accordance with the present invention may include the step of outputting the data as a visible record. For this purpose, the path data may be downloaded from the applicator to an external computer and processed to provide the path record. The path record may be displayed in any convenient form, for example in a tabular form. In some circumstances, it may be preferable for the path record to be generated by supenmposing the path defined by the path data on a map of the overall area in which the pedestrian operator operated in. Thus, for example, for each day's operation, a map can be produced on which is superimposed the path followed by the operator.

The superimposed path may identify regions over which the applicator was operable so as to apply the material, and regions over which the applicator was not operating. This may be done, for example, by the use of different colours to identify operation and non-operation, or by appropriate labelling of the path on the map.

Another aspect of the present Invention provides a hand-held applicator for plant treatment material, the applicator having dispensing means for delivering the plant treatment material to the ground, and being provided with a GPS device for capturing data relating to the application path followed by an operator carrying the applicator, and with storage means for storing the path data.

The GPS device may be operatively connected to control means of the applicator to receive signals from the control means representing operation data relating to the operative state of the applicator.

The GPS device may have an output means for transmitting stored data to an external receiver. The output means may comprise a connector for a cable extending between the OPS device and the external receiver, which may be a laptop or personal computer, or It may comprise a wireless transmitting device, for transmitting the stored :... data by infrared, microwave or radio means, for example over a mobile telephony network. I.

* * The GPS device may be adapted to transmit a tracking signal to an external receiver.

* The tracking signal may be transmitted continuously, so that the current location of the ** ** location of the applicator can always be monitored. Thus, a supervisor of a weed : * control contractor is able to monitor the locations of individual operators of the applicators at any time. Alternatively, the tracking signal may normally be turned off, but can be activated remotely, for example to enable tracking of a stolen applicator.

The method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention may thus be employed to maintain a complete and reliable record of precise locations at which the plant treatment material has been applied. The data may be used to provide records in various forms, for example as files held on a computer or as hard-copy print-outs. The records may, for example, take the form of documents in the form of daily sheets for each operator, so that, in addition to identifying data relating to the application of the material, the productivity of individual operators can be monitored. Alternatively, data from various operators, and/or over various periods, such as a week, a month or longer can be collated into a single record providing a complete indication of the treated areas over the selected period.

The GPS device may operate substantially continuously during a material application operation, but it may be sufficient for position data to be generated periodically, for example once per minute, the data set at each period comprising the position coordinates, the date and the time. In addition, as mentioned above, the data set may include operation data such as the operative condition of the applicator, the material application rate, the spreading width and the identity of the material being spread.

In order to power the GPS device, the applicator may be provided with a constant voltage supply means, for example supplying an output at a constant 5 volts. The supply means may be supplied from a battery carried in or by the applicator, for example a battery supplying power for operating the applicator.

Where the GPS device is able to operate as an anti-theft tracking means, provision may be made for a signal to be transmitted to the applicator to deactivate its operating circuitry, so rendering the applicator unusable. * * * ** ***. * * * .*e ** S. * S S * S

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Claims

1. A method of applying plant treatment material to the ground, the method comprising: dispensing the material from a hand-held applicator carned over the ground by a pedestrian operator; capturing path data relating to the application path followed by the operator, using a GPS device; and storing the path data to provide a record of the path over which the material has been delivered.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the plant treatment material Is a herbicide.

3. A method as claimed in claim I or 2, in which the C3PS device Is fitted to the applicator.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, In WhiCh the GPS device Is integrated within the applicator.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the GPS device is connected to control means of the applicator, whereby the path data includes operation data relating to the operative state of the applicator. *S..

25

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, in which the operation data includes data representing the on/off state of the applicator.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the operation data includes data representing the application rate of the material to the ground. * * * * 30 I. * * **

* *

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, in which the operation data includes data identifying the plant treatment material.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, in which the operation data includes data representing the spreading width of the applicator.

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the path record is generated by superimposing the path data on a map.

11. A method of applying plant treatment materials as defined in claim I and substantially as described herein.

12. A hand-held applicator for plant treatment material, the applicator having dispensing means for devering the plant treatment material to the ground, and being provided with a GPS device for capturing path data relating to the application path followed by an operator carrying the applicator, and with storage means for storing the path data to provide a record of the path over which the material has been delivered.

13. An applicator as claimed in claim 12, in which the GPS device is accommodated in a housing of the applicator.

14. An applicator as claimed in claim 12 or 13, in which the GPS device is connected to control means of the applicator to receive operation data relating to the operative state of the applicator.

15. An applicator as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, in which the GPS device has output means for transmitting stored data to an external receiver.

16. An applicator as claimed in any one of claIms 12 to 15, in which the GPS device is adapted to transmit a tracking signal to an external receiver. *** * *

:.,

17. A hand-held applicator as defined in claim 12 and substantially as described * herein. * ** I. * * * * * a. * * . .