초록 ▼

Embodiments provide an applicator configured to pressurize and heat a mixture of water and herbicide, and expel the heated and pressurized water/herbicide mixture from the applicator. In some embodiments, the herbicide may be an organic herbicide such as organic acids, simple sugars, surfactants, or

Embodiments provide an applicator configured to pressurize and heat a mixture of water and herbicide, and expel the heated and pressurized water/herbicide mixture from the applicator. In some embodiments, the herbicide may be an organic herbicide such as organic acids, simple sugars, surfactants, or ammonia. The applicator may include an inline heating element coupled with a spray tip of the applicator such that the inline heating element may receive a water/herbicide mixture from a water line of the applicator, heat the water/herbicide mixture, and then supply the water/herbicide mixture to the spray tip.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A portable applicator comprising: a chamber coupled with a water line and configured to store an organic herbicide, the chamber being configured to introduce the organic herbicide from the chamber to a liquid in the water line;a pump coupled with the water line and configured to pressurize the li

1. A portable applicator comprising: a chamber coupled with a water line and configured to store an organic herbicide, the chamber being configured to introduce the organic herbicide from the chamber to a liquid in the water line;a pump coupled with the water line and configured to pressurize the liquid in the water line, the liquid including the organic herbicide;an inline heating unit coupled with the water line, the inline heating unit being configured to heat the liquid to create a heated liquid;a spray tip coupled with the inline heating unit and configured to expel the heated liquid in a single jet of liquid from the applicator;an applicator body including a human-wearable support, wherein said chamber and said pump are housed within an interior of said applicator body;a hand held wand including a first terminal end and an opposed second end; anda hose having an insulated jacket,wherein:the hose is directly coupled to the second end of the hand held wand;the hose is directly coupled to the inline heating unit;the hand held wand includes a single hollow housing;the first terminal end of the hand held wand is a terminal end of the single hollow housing;the spray tip is coupled to the first terminal end of the hand held wand;the water line extends through the single hollow housing of the hand held wand from the second end of the hand held wand to the spray tip at the first terminal end of the hand held wand;the spray tip is directly coupled to the terminal end of the single hollow housing; andthe pump, the inline heating unit, and the hose are configured to expel the heated liquid through the hollow housing of the hand held wand and through the spray tip at the terminal end of the single hollow housing. 2. The portable applicator of claim 1, wherein: the pump is configured to pressurize the liquid in the water line to a pressure of between 100 and 500 pounds per square inch;the inline heating unit is configured to expel the heated liquid through the hose;the hose is configured to expel the heated liquid through the hand held wand; andthe hand held wand is configured to expel the heated liquid through the spray tip in the form of the single jet of liquid. 3. The portable applicator of claim 2, wherein: the pump is configured to pressurize the liquid in the water line to a pressure of at least 250 pounds per square inch; andthe hose having the insulated jacket is flexible such that the spray tip and the single jet of liquid are directable by movement of the hand held wand. 4. The portable applicator of claim 1, wherein: the inline heating unit is configured to heat the heated liquid to a temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit; andthe spray tip is configured to expel the heated liquid as a stream of liquid rather than steam to burst cells on a surface of a plant, and to penetrate, by the heated liquid, deeper into layers of the plant. 5. The portable applicator of claim 1, wherein the inline heating unit is positioned between the chamber and the spray tip, and wherein the spray tip is configured to spray the heated liquid in a conically shaped spray. 6. The portable applicator of claim 1, further comprising a water supply line directly connected to the pump, wherein: the chamber is coupled to the pump via a first section of the water line and via a valve, and the valve is configured to have an open position and a closed position;the valve is disposed in the first section of the water line between the chamber and the pump;the inline heating unit is coupled to the chamber via a second section of the water line;the first section of the water line is coupled to the second section of the water line via a third section of the water line;the third section of the water line bypasses the chamber;the chamber receives the pressurized liquid when the valve has the open position;the pump is configured to pressurize the liquid in the water line to a pressure of between 100 and 500 pounds per square inch;the spray tip is directly coupled to the first terminal end of the hand held wand;the hand held wand includes a downward bend to direct the single jet of liquid toward one or more leaves, stems, branches, or a trunk of a plant;the inline heating unit is configured to expel the heated liquid through the hose;the hose is configured to expel the heated liquid through the hand held wand; andthe hand held wand is configured to expel the heated liquid through the spray tip in the form of the single jet of liquid. 7. The portable applicator of claim 6, further comprising an electrical line coupled to a switch, wherein: the chamber is configured to introduce the organic herbicide into the liquid in the water line such that the liquid includes water and the organic herbicide if the valve is in the open position;the liquid includes only water if the valve is in the closed position;the switch is housed within the interior of the applicator body;the switch is directly coupled to the pump and configured to activate and deactivate the pump; andthe switch is directly coupled to the inline heating unit and configured to activate and deactivate the inline heating unit. 8. The portable applicator of claim 6, wherein the valve is further configured to have a partially open position. 9. The portable applicator of claim 1, wherein said human-wearable support comprises a strap wearable by a human operator of said applicator. 10. The portable applicator of claim 1, further comprising a water hose connector configured to connect a water hose to said applicator body, and an electric power line connector configured to connect an electric power line to said applicator body. 11. A portable applicator comprising: a housing including a human body-worn support structure adapted to be worn by a human operator of said applicator;a chamber positioned within said housing and coupled with a water line, at least a portion of said water line positioned within said housing, said chamber being configured to store an organic herbicide and to introduce the organic herbicide from the chamber to a liquid in the water line;a pump positioned within the housing and coupled with the water line, the pump being configured to pressurize the liquid in the water line, the liquid including the organic herbicide;an inline heating unit coupled with the water line, the inline heating unit being configured to heat the liquid to create a heated liquid;a spray tip coupled with the inline heating unit and configured to expel the heated liquid in a single jet of liquid from the applicator;a hose having an insulated jacket; anda hand held wand including a first terminal end and an opposed second end, said spray tip being positioned on said hand held wand, said water line extending from said housing to said hand held wand via the hose having the insulated jacket, and said inline heating unit positioned within one of said housing and said hand held wand,wherein:the hose is directly coupled to the second end of the hand held wand;the hose having the insulated jacket is directly coupled to the inline heating unit;the hand held wand includes a single hollow housing;the first terminal end of the hand held wand is a terminal end of the single hollow housing;the spray tip is coupled to the first terminal end of the hand held wand;the water line extends through the single hollow housing of the hand held wand from the second end of the hand held wand to the spray tip at the first terminal end of the hand held wand;the spray tip is directly coupled to the terminal end of the single hollow housing; andthe pump, the inline heating unit, and the hose are configured to expel the heated liquid through the hollow housing of the hand held wand and through the spray tip at the terminal end of the single hollow housing. 12. The portable applicator of claim 11, further comprising a water supply line directly connected to the pump, wherein: said human body-worn support structure comprises a shoulder strap adapted to be worn over the shoulder of a human operator of said applicator;the chamber is coupled to the pump via a first section of the water line and via a valve, and the valve is configured to have an open position and a closed position;the valve is disposed in the first section of the water line between the chamber and the pump;the inline heating unit is coupled to the chamber via a second section of the water line;the first section of the water line is coupled to the second section of the water line via a third section of the water line;the third section of the water line bypasses the chamber;the chamber receives the pressurized liquid when the valve has the open position;the pump is configured to pressurize the liquid in the water line to a pressure of between 100 and 500 pounds per square inch;the spray tip is directly coupled to the first terminal end of the hand held wand;the hand held wand includes a downward bend to direct the single jet of liquid toward one or more leaves, stems, branches, or a trunk of a plant;the inline heating unit is configured to expel the heated liquid through the hose;the hose is configured to expel the heated liquid through the hand held wand; andthe hand held wand is configured to expel the heated liquid through the spray tip in the form of the single jet of liquid.