Patents by Inventor Theodore F. Lenhardt

Theodore F. Lenhardt 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: 9943872
    Abstract: An apparatus for configuring dispersing equipment for applying liquid solutions to vegetation, comprising: a plurality of nozzles for dispersing liquid in the form of liquid droplets; a plurality of magnets for applying a magnetic field to the liquid droplets; where the nozzles are configured to produce liquid droplets sized less than 400 microns and preferably less than 150 microns and more preferably within the range of 10 microns to 50 microns; where each magnet in the plurality of magnets has a magnetic remanence of at least 0.9 and preferably at least 1.25; where the plurality of magnets are moveably mountable on the spray equipment to vary the field strength and polar orientation to adapt for application conditions and purposes; where the liquid solution includes at least water, and where the nozzles are positionable to produce air turbulence and a spray cloud consisting of liquid droplets impacting target vegetation during spraying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: AGRICULTURAL MAGNETICS, LTD.
    Inventor: Theodore F. Lenhardt
  • Publication number: 20140263696
    Abstract: An apparatus for configuring dispersing equipment for applying liquid solutions to vegetation, comprising: a plurality of nozzles for dispersing liquid in the form of liquid droplets; a plurality of magnets for applying a magnetic field to the liquid droplets; where the nozzles are configured to produce liquid droplets sized less than 400 microns and preferably less than 150 microns and more preferably within the range of 10 microns to 50 microns; where each magnet in the plurality of magnets has a magnetic remanence of at least 0.9 and preferably at least 1.25; where the plurality of magnets are moveably mountable on the spray equipment to vary the field strength and polar orientation to adapt for application conditions and purposes; where the liquid solution includes at least water, and where the nozzles are positionable to produce air turbulence and a spray cloud consisting of liquid droplets impacting target vegetation during spraying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Theodore F. LENHARDT
  • Patent number: 6276617
    Abstract: A spraying nozzle, system, and associated methods for applying a liquid to foliage are provided. A container having an opening supplies liquid to be sprayed to a nozzle that includes a spray tip at an upstream end. The nozzle is made of an inert material, and a magnet is affixed adjacent the spray tip's orifice along the liquid pathway. The liquid is pumped out of the container, passing by and contacting the magnet, which affects the liquid droplets by orienting the dipoles of the molecules comprising the liquid. This serves to reduce the droplet size owing to mutual repulsion, creating a “cloud” of spray. The smaller droplets are better able to penetrate smaller spaces in the foliage such as insect habitats and difficult-to-access foliage pockets. The transient magnetization also increases the attraction of the droplets for the foliage, which thereby further increases the efficiency of spraying and coverage achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Magspray Corporation
    Inventor: Theodore F. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 5485956
    Abstract: An agricultural sprayer for injecting pesticide into an airstream being directed at foliage to protect the foliage from insects, vermin or the like. The air is generated using fans that pulls in air axially and directs the air outward in a radial direction. The radial outwardly directed air is then fed through a plurality of rotating vertically aligned elliptical paddles to create turbulence in the air. Pre-charged liquid pesticide droplets are then injected through a plurality of nozzles into a second airstream which directs the droplets into the outwardly directed air to regulate the droplet size. An oscillating sensor detects the foliage location and turns nozzles "off" and "on" to spray different foliage locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Ag-Spray
    Inventor: Theodore F. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 5172861
    Abstract: An agricultural sprayer for injecting pesticide into an airstream being directed at foliage to protect the foliage from insects, vermin or the like. The air is generated using fans that pulls in air axially and directs the air outward in a radial direction. The radial outwardly directed air is then fed through a plurality of rotating vertically aligned elliptical paddles to create turbulence in the air. Pre-charged liquid pesticide droplets are then injected through a plurality of nozzles into a second airstream which directs the droplets into the outwardly directed air to regulate the droplet size. An oscillating sensor detects the foliage location and turns nozzles "off" and "on" to spray different foliage locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: AG-Spray Corporation
    Inventor: Theodore F. Lenhardt