Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-05-08
Douglas, Lisa Ann (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
C239S206000, C239S263100, C239S580000, C137S015080
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227455
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to irrigation equipment, and more particularly, to sprinklers used to irrigate lawns, playing fields, golf courses and the like.
Sprinklers have long been used to water turf and other vegetation. Many designs have been developed with the goal of uniformly distributing a desired precipitation rate over a given area. One of the most common type of sprinklers is the pop-up type that is normally mounted in a subsurface location so that the top of the sprinkler is substantially at ground level. When water pressure is applied a riser with a nozzle at its upper end extends and delivers a spray of water over the adjacent area. When the water pressure is terminated, a spring retracts the riser so that the upper end of the nozzle is flush with the head of the sprinkler. This removes the sprinkler as an obstacle to play occurring on the turf and allows the turf to be mowed.
Pop-up sprinklers having internal water turbines for rotating their nozzles have been developed and widely commercialized. Furthermore, pop-up sprinklers with diaphragm type valves incorporated into the same are widely utilized. A common type of pop-up sprinkler has an internal diaphragm valve which is opened and closed by a solenoid or a hydraulically operated pilot valve. The solenoid and/or. pilot valve components of such valves frequently fail during their normal life cycle. It is then necessary to shut off the water supply and dig up the sprinkler so that the defective components can be repaired, or the sprinkler replaced in its entirety. This is a tedious and time consuming process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,156 of Kenneth L. Lawson granted Feb. 16, 1999, discloses an impact drive sprinkler mounted on a reciprocable riser inside a hollow body having an inlet valve at its lower end. A regulator module is connected to the valve and is suspended beneath a non-circular ground support flange. The non-circular shape of the ground support flange is disfavored by irrigation system installers because a circular turf cut-out made with a conventional tool does not accommodate this sprinkler. In addition, the regulator module must be removed via excavating below the ground support flange, or removing the sprinkler from the ground entirely.
It would be desirable to provide a sub-surface sprinkler with a built-in valve and a valve actuating components that could be more readily serviced without having to dig up the sprinkler.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a sub-surface sprinkler with a built-in valve and valve actuating components that can be more readily serviced without having to dig up the sprinkler.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sub-surface sprinkler with a built-in valve which is turned ON and OFF by valve actuating components which are positioned so that they can be readily accessed from the surface for repair or replacement.
According to the present invention a sprinkler includes a body having an inlet at its lower end and a nozzle mounted in its upper end. Water communicates within the body from the inlet to the nozzle. A valve is located in the body for admitting water from the inlet into the body. A valve actuator component assembly is mounted in a valve actuator component assembly housing mounted to an exterior of the body. The assembly is connected to the valve and is operable between ON and OFF conditions to open and close the valve. A plurality of hoses connect the valve actuator component assembly and the valve.
The present invention is preferably utilized with a pop-up sprinkler of the type having a diaphragm-type valve in the lower end thereof which is actuated by a remote pilot valve. The pilot valve may be either solenoid actuated, or hydraulically actuated by a suitable valve actuator component. An upwardly opening valve actuator component assembly housing having an openable lid is connected to the sprinkler body. In one form of the invention the valve actuator component assembly housing is positioned adjacent to a circular ground support flange that extends horizontally from the upper end of the sprinkler body. The valve actuator component assembly housing communicates with a hollow wire and hose housing. The wire and hose housing connects to the side of the cylindrical outer housing of the sprinkler to position the lid of the valve actuator component assembly housing at surface level. In another form of the invention the valve actuator component assembly housing is connected to the side of the sprinkler body so that the lid forms part of a ground support flange that extends horizontally from the upper end of the body. The valve actuator component assembly housing may removably contain, for example, a pilot valve coupled to a solenoid, and a regulator. Thus, when the solenoid fails, as is often the case, it can be easily replaced by opening the lid of the valve actuator component assembly housing, without having to dig up the sprinkler.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1776455 (1930-09-01), Thompson
patent: 4355197 (1982-10-01), Jönsson
patent: 4729511 (1988-03-01), Citron
patent: 4781327 (1988-11-01), Lawson et al.
patent: 4809910 (1989-03-01), Meyer
patent: 4913351 (1990-04-01), Costa
patent: 5711486 (1998-01-01), Clark et al.
patent: 5720435 (1998-02-01), Hunter
patent: 5762270 (1998-06-01), Kearby et al.
patent: 5871156 (1999-02-01), Iawson
patent: 5899386 (1999-05-01), Miyasato et al.
patent: 5927607 (1999-07-01), Scott
patent: 5979482 (1999-11-01), Scott
Hope Phillip A.
Scott Loren W.
Douglas Lisa Ann
Hunter Industries, Inc.
Jester Michael H.
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