System and method for controlling boom assembly movement of an agricultural sprayer

Abstract

The agricultural sprayer includes a frame and a tank supported on the frame, with the tank configured to store an agricultural fluid. Furthermore, the sprayer includes a boom assembly coupled to the frame and a plurality of nozzles supported on the boom assembly. Additionally, the sprayer includes first and second actuators configured to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame and an actuator control valve configured to control a flow of fluid to the first and second actuators. Moreover, the sprayer includes a first fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the first actuator and the actuator control valve and a second fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the second actuator and the actuator control valve. In addition, the sprayer includes a stabilization valve configured to selectively occlude the fluid from flowing between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits.

1 . An agricultural sprayer, comprising:
 a frame;   a tank supported on the frame, the tank configured to store an agricultural fluid;   a boom assembly coupled to the frame;   a plurality of nozzles supported on the boom assembly, the plurality of nozzles configured to dispense the agricultural fluid stored within the tank onto the underlying field;   first and second actuators configured to adjust a position of the boom assembly relative to the frame;   an actuator control valve configured to control a flow of fluid to the first and second actuators;   a first fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the first actuator and the actuator control valve;   a second fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the second actuator and the actuator control valve; and   a stabilization valve configured to selectively occlude the fluid from flowing between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits.   
     
     
         2 . The agricultural sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilization valve is fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit between the first actuator and the second fluid conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The agricultural sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilization valve is in series with one of the first or second actuators. 
     
     
         4 . The agricultural sprayer of  claim 3 , wherein the stabilization valve is in parallel with the other of the first or second actuators. 
     
     
         5 . The agricultural sprayer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a computing system configured to control an operation of the stabilization valve.   
     
     
         6 . The agricultural sprayer of  claim 5 , wherein the computing system is further configured to control the operation of the stabilization valve such that the fluid is occluded from flowing between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits when the actuator control valve is not being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame. 
     
     
         7 . The agricultural sprayer of  claim 5 , wherein the computing system is further configured to control the operation of the stabilization valve such that the fluid is able to flow between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits when the actuator control valve is being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame. 
     
     
         8 . A system for controlling boom assembly movement of an agricultural sprayer, the system comprising:
 a sprayer frame;   a boom assembly coupled to the sprayer frame;   first and second actuators configured to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the sprayer frame;   an actuator control valve configured to control a flow of fluid to the first and second actuators;   a stabilization valve configured to selectively occlude the fluid from flowing between the first and second actuators; and   a computing system configured to control an operation of the stabilization valve.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the computing system is further configured to determine when the actuator control valve is being used to adjust a position of the boom assembly relative to the sprayer frame. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the computing system is further configured to control the operation of the stabilization valve such that the fluid is occluded from flowing between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits when it is determined that the actuator control valve is not being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the computing system is further configured to control the operation of the stabilization valve such that the fluid is able to flow between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits when it is determined that the actuator control valve is being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein, when determining when the actuator control valve is being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the sprayer frame, the computing system is further configured to determine when an automatic adjustment mode in which the position of the boom assembly is automatically adjusted relative to the sprayer frame has been activated. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the stabilization valve is in series with one of the first or second actuators. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the stabilization valve is in parallel with the other of the first or second actuators. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a first fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the first actuator and the actuator control valve; and   a second fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the second actuator and the actuator control valve.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the stabilization valve is fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit between the first actuator and the second fluid conduit. 
     
     
         17 . A method for controlling boom assembly movement of an agricultural sprayer, the agricultural sprayer including first and second actuators configured to adjust a position of a boom assembly relative to a frame, an actuator control valve configured to control a flow of fluid to the first and second actuators, and a stabilization valve configured to selectively occlude the fluid from flowing between the first and second actuators, the method comprising:
 controlling, with a computing system, an operation of the agricultural sprayer such that a spraying operation is performed;   determining, with the computing system, when the actuator control valve is being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame; and   when it is determined that the actuator control valve is not being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame, controlling, with the computing system, an operation of the stabilization valve such that the fluid is occluded from flowing between the first and second actuators via the first and second fluid conduits.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 when it is determined that the actuator control valve is being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the frame, controlling, with the computing system, the operation of the stabilization valve such that the fluid is able to flow between the first and second actuators.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining when the actuator control valve is being used to adjust the position of the boom assembly relative to the sprayer frame comprises determining, with the computing system, when an automatic adjustment mode in which the position of the boom assembly is automatically adjusted relative to the sprayer frame has been activated. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the agricultural sprayer further includes a first fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the first actuator and the actuator control valve and a second fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the second actuator and the actuator control valve, the stabilization valve fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit between the first actuator and the second fluid conduit.