Irrigation sprinkler with removably mounted SOD cup

• US 10,702,883 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Anuskiewicz, Ronald H., Dunn, Richard M., Hunter, Revis R., Uccello, Santo
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Viet
• Application Number:
  US15/945,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20190308214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 239201, 239203-206, 239211, 239288, 2392885, 239289
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/02 Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/16 for preventing non-intended contact between spray heads or nozzles and foreign bodies, e.g. nozzle guards
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/622 ground-penetrating
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/65 Mounting arrangements for fluid connection of the spraying apparatus or its outlets to flow conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/72 using hydraulic or pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0431 the rotative movement of the outlet elements being reversible B05B3/0445 takes precedence

Abstract

An irrigation sprinkler can include an outer case having an inlet end and an outlet end. The sprinkler can include a riser positioned at least partially within the outer case and having an upstream end and a downstream end. The riser can be configured to transition between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the downstream end is positioned on a side of the outlet end of the outer case opposite the inlet end of the outer case when the riser is in the extended position. The sprinkler can include a cup assembly connected to the downstream end of the riser, the cup assembly including organic or artificial turf therein, wherein the cup assembly is configured to be removed from the riser without emptying the turf therefrom.

Claims

1. An irrigation sprinkler comprising:

an outer case having an inlet end and an outlet end;

a riser positioned at least partially within the outer case and having an upstream end and a downstream end, the riser configured to transition between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the downstream end is positioned on a side of the outlet end of the outer case opposite the inlet end of the outer case when the riser is in the extended position, the downstream end of the riser supporting a first engagement feature; and

a cup assembly comprising a second engagement feature, the cup assembly configured to hold organic or artificial turf therein;

wherein;

one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature is a plurality of apertures, and wherein the other one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature is a plurality of lock arms;

the plurality of lock arms are configured to be inserted through the plurality of apertures and transition to a locked configuration when the cup assembly is rotated with respect to the riser after the plurality of lock arms are inserted through the plurality of apertures; and

the cup assembly is configured to be removed from the riser without emptying the turf therefrom.

2. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 1, further comprising an adapter configured to releasably connect to the downstream end of the riser, one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature being disposed on the adapter.

3. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 2, wherein the cup assembly is configured to connect to the adapter.

4. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 1, wherein the downstream end of the riser comprises a nozzle turret configured to rotate with respect to the outer case.

5. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 1, wherein the cup assembly comprises a cup base and a cup portion, and wherein one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature is disposed on the cup base.

6. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 5, wherein the cup base is integrally formed with the cup portion.

7. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 5, wherein the cup base is formed separately from the cup portion and attached thereto.

8. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the cup assembly when the riser is in the retracted position.

9. An irrigation sprinkler comprising:

an outer case having an inlet end and an outlet end;

a riser positioned at least partially within the outer case and having an upstream end and a downstream end, the riser configured to axially translate with respect to the outer case between a retracted position and an extended position;

an end cap removably attached to the outlet end to confine the riser within the outer case;

an adapter connected to the downstream end of the riser and comprising a plurality of apertures; and

a cup assembly comprising a plurality of lock arms configured to be inserted through the plurality of apertures and transition to a locked configuration when the cup assembly is rotated with respect to the adapter after the plurality of lock arms are inserted through the plurality of apertures, the cup assembly configured to hold organic or artificial turf;

wherein the cup assembly is configured to attach and detach from the adapter without requiring removal of the organic or artificial turf from the cup assembly.

10. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 9, wherein the plurality of apertures are L-shaped.

11. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 9, wherein the adapter further includes one or more protrusions configured to engage with the plurality of lock arms.

12. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 9, wherein the cup assembly includes a cup portion and a base portion, wherein the cup portion has a hardness of less than 95 Shore A.

13. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 9, further comprising a sleeve connected to the end cap, wherein the sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the cup assembly when the riser is in the retracted position.

14. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 13, wherein the sleeve is removable from the end cap.

15. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 13, wherein the sleeve is integrally formed with the end cap.

16. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 9, wherein the downstream end of the riser comprises a nozzle turret configured to rotate with respect to the outer case.

17. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 9, wherein the adapter is configured to connect to the downstream end of the riser using one or more fasteners.

18. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 13, wherein the sleeve has a hardness of less than 95 Shore A.

19. An irrigation sprinkler comprising:

an outer case having;

an inlet end configured to fluidly connect to a source of water; and

an outlet end;

a riser positioned at least partially within the outer case and configured to transition between a retracted position and an extended position, the riser having;

an upstream end; and

a downstream end supporting a first engagement feature;

a cup assembly comprising a second engagement feature, the cup assembly configured to hold organic or artificial turf; and

a sleeve connected to the outer case and surrounding at least a portion of the cup assembly when the riser is in the retracted position;

wherein;

one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature is a plurality of apertures, and wherein the other one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature is a plurality of lock arms;

the plurality of lock arms configured to be inserted through the plurality of apertures and transition to a locked configuration when the cup assembly is rotated with respect to the riser after the plurality of lock arms are inserted through the plurality of apertures;

the downstream end of the riser is positioned on a side of the outlet end of the outer case opposite the inlet end of the outer case when the riser is in the extended position;

the cup assembly is configured to be removed from the riser without removing the turf therefrom; and

the cup assembly is configured to be removable from the riser without removal of the sleeve.

20. The irrigation sprinkler of claim 19, further comprising an adapter, wherein one of the first engagement feature or the second engagement feature is disposed on the adapter.