AUTOMATIC GATED PIPE ACTUATOR

• US 20100129154A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automated Widget Systems
• Original Assignee: Fine Line Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Cox, Charles Kelly
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/39
• 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: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors

Abstract

An automatic gated-pipe actuator for controlling flow of an irrigation material to an agricultural region through an irrigation gate in a gated-irrigation pipe. The automatic gated-pipe actuator includes a gate valve for coupling to the gated-irrigation pipe, a gate actuator removably coupled to the gate valve and for actuating the gate valve and an automatic gated pipe gate control unit for controlling actuation of the gate valve. The control unit has a processor unit communicatively coupled to the gate actuator. Upon instruction from the gate control unit, the gate actuator will actuate and alter the disposition of the gate valve thereby altering the flow of irrigation material through the irrigation gate and to a portion of the agricultural region adjacent the irrigation gate.

Claims

1. An automatic gated-pipe actuator for controlling flow of an irrigation material to an agricultural region through an irrigation gate in a gated-irrigation pipe, the automatic gated-pipe actuator comprising:

a gate valve for coupling to the gated-irrigation pipe;

a gate actuator removably coupled to the gate valve and for actuating the gate valve; and

an automatic gated pipe gate control unit for controlling actuation of the gate valve, the control unit having a processor unit communicatively coupled to the gate actuator,

wherein upon instruction from the gate control unit, the gate actuator will actuate and alter the disposition of the gate valve, thereby altering the flow of irrigation material through the irrigation gate and to an agricultural region.

2. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator further includes a communications assembly communicatively coupled to the processor unit and for receiving control information from a remote source such that the automatic gate-pipe actuator may be controlled remotely.

3. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 2, wherein the remote source is a sensor selected from the group consisting of a soil moisture sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, plant leaf moisture content sensor, water flow rate sensor, gate obstruction sensor, and a gate malfunction sensor.

4. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 2, wherein the remote source is a remote control unit selected form the group consisting of a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), laptop computer, desktop computer, smartphone, or a communications server.

5. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 1 wherein the gate actuator comprises a gate rod capable of controlling one or more gate valves.

6. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 1 wherein the automatic gated pipe gate control unit further comprises:

a power storage unit operably coupled to the processor unit;

a power charging unit operably coupled to the processor unit;

a manual override switch operably coupled to the processor unit;

a program switch operably coupled to the processor unit;

a communications port operably coupled to the processor unit;

a motor controller operably coupled to the processor unit; and

a motor assembly operably coupled the motor controller and the gate actuator comprising

a motor wherein the motor controller is adapted to instruct the motor assembly to actuate in response to a set of instructions from the processor unit.

7. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 1 wherein the processor unit comprises:

a microprocessor controller;

a memory operably coupled the microprocessor controller;

a timer module operably coupled the microprocessor controller; and

a real-time clock operably coupled the microprocessor controller.

8. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 2, wherein the communications assembly includes a communications port that accepts input from an input source selected from the group consisting of pushbutton switches, rotary switches, wireless antenna, handheld programming device, or digital memory device.

9. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 2, wherein the communications assembly includes a communications port that accepts input from an input source selected from the group consisting of a USB memory stick and a memory card.

10. The gated pipe gate control unit of claim 6 wherein the power storage unit is selected from the group consisting of a rechargeable battery and a capacitor.

11. The gated pipe gate control unit of claim 6 wherein the power charging unit is a solar panel.

12. The automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 1 wherein the gate valve has a screw affixed thereupon and wherein the gate actuator is a screw actuator shaft operably coupled to the screw whereby the screw actuator shaft will rotate thereby opening or closing the gate valve.

13. An automatic gated-pipe actuator of claim 1 further comprising a second gate valve and a second gate actuator connecting the automatic gated-pipe control unit to the second gate valve wherein the second actuator will open or close the second gate valve.

14. A system for automatic irrigation having localized and independent irrigation control comprising:

a gated pipe connected to a source of irrigation material for irrigating an agricultural region, the gate pipe including a plurality of irrigation gates for allowing the irrigation material to flow therethrough to the agricultural region; and

a plurality of gated-pipe actuators operably coupled to the plurality of irrigation gates, each of the one or more automatic gated-pipe actuators including;

a gate valve operably coupled to the gated pipe about one of the plurality of irrigation gates;

a gate actuator removably coupled to the gate valve and for actuating the gate valve; and

an automatic gated pipe gate control unit for controlling actuation of the gate valve, the control unit having a processor unit communicatively coupled to the gate actuator;

wherein upon instruction from the gate control unit, the gate actuator will actuate and alter the disposition of the gate valve thereby altering the flow of the irrigation material through the one of the plurality of irrigation gates and to a portion of the agricultural region adjacent the irrigation gate;

and wherein the actuation of the plurality of irrigation gates controls an overall flow of irrigation material to the agricultural region.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of automatic gate-pipe actuators further includes a communications assembly communicatively coupled to the processor unit and for receiving control information from a remote source such that the at least one of the plurality of automatic gate-pipe actuators may be controlled remotely.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote source is a sensor selected from the group consisting of a soil moisture sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, plant leaf moisture content sensor, water flow rate sensor, gate obstruction sensor, and a gate malfunction sensor.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote source is a remote control unit selected form the group consisting of a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), laptop computer, desktop computer, smartphone, or a communications server.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the automatic gated pipe gate control unit further comprises:

a power storage unit operably coupled to the processor unit;

a power charging unit operably coupled to the processor unit;

a manual override switch operably coupled to the processor unit;

a program switch operably coupled to the processor unit;

a communications port operably coupled to the processor unit;

a motor controller operably coupled to the processor unit; and

a motor assembly operably coupled the motor controller and the gate actuator comprising

a motor wherein the motor controller is adapted to instruct the motor assembly to actuate in response to a set of instructions from the processor unit.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor unit further comprises:

a microprocessor controller;

a memory operably coupled the microprocessor controller;

a timer module operably coupled the microprocessor controller; and

a real-time clock operably coupled the microprocessor controller.

20. A method for irrigation, the method comprising:

providing one or more automatic gated-pipe adapted to attach to one or more gates of a gated pipe, the gated-pipe actuators comprising;

a base plate affixed to a gated pipe;

a weather resistant automatic gated pipe gate control unit case affixed to the base plate;

an automatic gated pipe gate control unit disposed within the case;

a gate valve;

a gate actuator operably coupled to the gate control unit and to the gate valve;

determining irrigation status utilizing the automatic gated pipe control unit;

determining irrigation cycle utilizing the automatic gated pipe control unit; and

opening or closing the gate valve based on instructions from the gate control unit wherein the instructions are based upon the determined irrigation status and irrigation cycle.