Patents by Inventor Patrick Jean Marie Ballu

Patrick Jean Marie Ballu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10828652
    Abstract: The invention concerns a nozzle support device (10) comprising a body (12) that has a fluid inlet passage (24) and at least one outlet passage (26), and that comprises a revolving section that forms a hub (16) that extends around a rotational axis (A), a nozzle-carrying head (14) that is rotatably mounted on the hub (16) of the body (12) around the rotational axis (A), and that is designed to simultaneously carry at least two nozzles, and immobilising means (74, 86) for immobilising the nozzle-carrying head (14) in rotation on the body (12) in a plurality of predefined positions, characterised in that the device (10) is provided with a mechanism for rotating the nozzle-carrying head (14) comprising an oscillating drive member (90) provided with at least one retractable drive pawl that has one free end designed to push the drive teeth in succession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Patent number: 10264779
    Abstract: A spray bar suspension device for an agricultural vehicle, including a stationary frame, a right bar holder and a left bar holder that are pivotably mounted on said stationary frame, and damping elements inserted between each of said holders and the stationary frame, where the damping elements include: two rotational supports secured to said stationary frame, right and left structures respectively articulated to said right and left holders, and each pivotably mounted alternating on said rotational supports, and so-called primary elastic elements respectively inserted between each of said right and left structures and said stationary frame, such that an oscillation of each holder around its normal operating position results in tilting the structure associated with that holder from one to the other of said rotational supports, then pivoting said structure around said support, against the elastic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Patent number: 9795125
    Abstract: The direct-injection spraying device, in particular for an agricultural vehicle, according to the invention includes a main tank, at least one spray boom, and a circuit connecting the tank to the boom. comprises: The circuit includes a main pump and a bypass for controlling the flow rate in the boom in accordance with the traveling speed of the vehicle. At least one active substance store is connected to the circuit by a metering pump. The device further includes a cyclone mixer capable of receiving, as input, the liquid from the main tank, and the pressurized liquids coming from the active substance store, and capable of eliminating the boom as output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Patent number: 9445540
    Abstract: The device according to the invention comprises a bar that includes several consecutive ducts with at least one inlet connected to a source of the liquid product and outlets communicating with nozzles. The device further comprises several sensors for measuring a physical property making it possible to determine a pressure difference between ducts or a pressure in one respective duct, several members designed to vary the pressures inside respective ducts, as well as at least one control unit estimating the pressure differences between ducts and driving the members to reduce those pressure differences or equalize those pressures. This device thus limits the pressure differences, and therefore flow differences, of the liquid product between the nozzles, in particular between the ends of very long bars moving over significant bankings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Patent number: 9339023
    Abstract: This control system for an agricultural spraying machine (1), of which the boom (5) is equipped with a plurality of multi-nozzle units (9), is characterized in that it comprises means (15a to 15, 17a to 17e, 23) for piloting each multi-nozzle unit (9) according to data representative of the cartography of the plants to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Publication number: 20160121356
    Abstract: The invention concerns a nozzle support device (10) comprising a body (12) that has a fluid inlet passage (24) and at least one outlet passage (26), and that comprises a revolving section that forms a hub (16) that extends around a rotational axis (A), a nozzle-carrying head (14) that is rotatably mounted on the hub (16) of the body (12) around the rotational axis (A), and that is designed to simultaneously carry at least two nozzles, and immobilising means (74, 86) for immobilising the nozzle-carrying head (14) in rotation on the body (12) in a plurality of predefined positions, characterised in that the device (10) is provided with a mechanism for rotating the nozzle-carrying head (14) comprising an oscillating drive member (90) provided with at least one retractable drive pawl that has one free end designed to push the drive teeth in succession.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie BALLU
  • Patent number: 9090140
    Abstract: A pendulum suspension device of a spray ramp, including: a fixed frame intended to be borne by an agricultural machine; a mobile frame intended to bear one or several spray ramps, at least one pendulum suspension connecting rod of the mobile frame on the fixed frame, and at least one actuation cylinder for varying the tilt of the mobile frame relatively to the fixed frame, remarkable in that the actuation cylinder is interposed between the fixed frame, and the connecting rod, and in that means are provided for displacing, relatively to the mobile frame, the attachment point of the connecting rod under the action of the actuation cylinder, so as to re-center the mobile frame relatively to the fixed frame when the attachment point is displaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Publication number: 20140014737
    Abstract: A spray bar suspension device for an agricultural vehicle, including a stationary frame, a right bar holder and a left bar holder that are pivotably mounted on said stationary frame, and damping elements inserted between each of said holders and the stationary frame, where the damping elements include: two rotational supports secured to said stationary frame, right and left structures respectively articulated to said right and left holders, and each pivotably mounted alternating on said rotational supports, and so-called primary elastic elements respectively inserted between each of said right and left structures and said stationary frame, such that an oscillation of each holder around its normal operating position results in tilting the structure associated with that holder from one to the other of said rotational supports, then pivoting said structure around said support, against the elastic elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie BALLU
  • Publication number: 20140015212
    Abstract: A pendulum suspension device of a spray ramp, including: a fixed frame intended to be borne by an agricultural machine; a mobile frame intended to bear one or several spray ramps, at least one pendulum suspension connecting rod of the mobile frame on the fixed frame, and at least one actuation cylinder for varying the tilt of the mobile frame relatively to the fixed frame, remarkable in that the actuation cylinder is interposed between the fixed frame, and the connecting rod, and in that means are provided for displacing, relatively to the mobile frame, the attachment point of the connecting rod under the action of the actuation cylinder, so as to re-center the mobile frame relatively to the fixed frame when the attachment point is displaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie BALLU
  • Publication number: 20130292487
    Abstract: This control system for an agricultural spraying machine (1), of which the boom (5) is equipped with a plurality of multi-nozzle units (9), is characterized in that it comprises means (15a to 15, 17a to 17e, 23) for piloting each multi-nozzle unit (9) according to data representative of the cartography of the plants to be treated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu
  • Publication number: 20130153676
    Abstract: The device according to the invention comprises a bar that includes several consecutive ducts with at least one inlet connected to a source of the liquid product and outlets communicating with nozzles. The device further comprises several sensors for measuring a physical property making it possible to determine a pressure difference between ducts or a pressure in one respective duct, several members designed to vary the pressures inside respective ducts, as well as at least one control unit estimating the pressure differences between ducts and driving the members to reduce those pressure differences or equalize those pressures. This device thus limits the pressure differences, and therefore flow differences, of the liquid product between the nozzles, in particular between the ends of very long bars moving over significant bankings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventor: Patrick Jean Marie Ballu