POP-UP IRRIGATION DEVICE FOR USE WITH LOW-PRESSURE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

• US 20110147489A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Clark, Donald B., Walker, Samuel C., Jahan, Rowshan
• Granted Patent: US 9,440,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/204
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/267 the liquid or other fluent material being deflected in determined directions
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3026 the controlling element being a gate valve, a sliding valve or a cock B05B1/3006, B05B1/326 take precedence; gate valves or sliding valves in general F16K3/00; cocks in general F16K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/622 ground-penetrating
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/652 whereby the jet can be oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid

Abstract

A pop-up irrigation device for use in a low pressure irrigation device is described. The device has a housing, a riser partially extensible from the housing and a nozzle body removably attached to an end of the riser in a non-threaded manner, such as using a snap-fit. One, two or more connection tubes or ports may extend laterally from the housing and can each be configured to be connectable to flexible irrigation tubing. An annular cap can be attached to the open end of the housing and may include an annular, radially-inward extending seal. The closed end of the housing may include a depending stake with a plurality of blades to facilitate mounting of the housing relative to the ground.

Claims

1. A pop-up device for use with a low-pressure irrigation system, the device comprising:

a housing having a sidewall, an open upper end and a lower end defining an interior, at least one connection tube extending from the sidewall of the housing and in fluid communication with the interior of the housing, the connection tube having an open distal end spaced from the housing and configured to be connectable to flexible irrigation tubing;

an annular cap attached to the open end of the housing and having an annular, radially-inward extending seal;

a tubular riser partially extendable from within the housing and through the cap and seal; and

a removable, snap on nozzle body attached to the riser, the nozzle having a top, an outer skirt and at least one orifice for discharging fluid from the interior of the housing via the riser.

2. The pop-up device of claim 1, wherein the riser includes a valve to control fluid flow through the riser, the valve having an actuator accessible from an exterior of the riser to move the valve between an open position permitting maximum fluid flow through the valve and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the valve in order to control the distance that fluid is projected from the nozzle, the valve being recessed within the riser such that it does not interfere with the riser passing through the seal of the cap at the open end of the housing.

3. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 2, wherein:

the valve is a rotatable plug valve;

a seat is formed in the interior of the riser and supports the plug valve for rotation, the seat having an opening that is selectively restrictable by the valve to control fluid flow from the interior of the housing to the nozzle; and

the plug valve is a hollow cylinder with a through port to permit fluid flow through the plug valve, the port being tapered and positioned to cooperate with the seat to provide for progressively increasing blocking of the fluid flow when the valve is rotated from its open position to its closed position.

4. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 3, wherein the plug valve has a closed end with the actuator formed thereon, the closed end being accessible through an opening in a sidewall of the riser.

5. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 4, wherein:

the riser has a longitudinal axis and the plug valve has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the riser; and

the seat is generally cylindrical and surrounds the plug valve, the seat having an upper opening and a lower opening.

6. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 1, wherein:

an end segment of the riser has an upstanding inner wall spaced radially inward from an outer wall;

the nozzle body having a depending inner skirt spaced radially inward from the outer skirt defining a fluid chamber, the inner skirt of the nozzle body being configured to engage the inner wall of the end segment of the riser; and

the nozzle body having an inclined deflector disposed below the top of the nozzle body, the deflector being spaced from an intermediate wall and being inclined relative to the intermediate wall, the deflector configured to direct fluid exiting the discharge orifice in a spray pattern, the discharge orifice extending through the intermediate wall and coextensive with the inner skirt.

7. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 1, wherein:

an end segment of the riser has an upstanding inner wall spaced radially inward from an outer wall;

the nozzle body has a depending inner skirt spaced radially inward from the outer wall defining a fluid chamber, the inner skirt of the nozzle body being configured to engage the inner wall of the end segment of the riser; and

the nozzle body having a plurality of discharge orifices each configured to discharge a stream of fluid.

8. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 7, wherein the inner skirt has one or more openings in fluid communication with the discharge orifices and upstream thereof, the size and number of the openings and the size and number of the orifices being selected to create a pressure drop therebetween, and wherein an intermediate skirt is positioned between the inner skirt and the outer wall and having a length selected to provide a circuitous flow path between the openings and the orifices.

9. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle body is rotatable relative to the riser to adjust the location of the orifice without requiring the nozzle body to move in an axial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the riser.

10. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 1, wherein the riser has a proximal end portion disposed adjacent the closed end of the housing and a distal end portion extendable from the housing, the distal end portion having a first segment with a first diameter and a second, uppermost segment with a second diameter, the second diameter being different than the first diameter such that a step is formed between the first and second segments, the second segment having an upstanding outer wall with an outwardly-facing circumferential groove;

and

the nozzle body being attached to the second segment of the distal end of the riser, the skirt having an inwardly extending protuberance configured to engage the groove of the second segment of the riser to attach the nozzle to the second end of the riser.

11. A pop-up device for use with a low-pressure irrigation system, the device comprising:

a housing having a sidewall, an open end and a closed end defining an interior,

a tubular riser partially extendable from within the housing;

a removable, snap on nozzle body attached to the riser, the nozzle body having a top, a depending outer skirt and at least one orifice for discharging fluid from the interior of the housing via the riser; and

a rotatable plug valve positioned in the riser to control fluid flow through the riser, the plug valve having an actuator accessible from an exterior of the riser to rotate the plug valve between an open position permitting fluid flow through the valve and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the valve in order to control the distance that fluid is projected from the nozzle.

12. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 11, wherein:

a seat is formed in the interior of the riser and supports the plug valve for rotation, the seat having an opening that is selectively restrictable by the valve to control fluid flow from the interior of the housing to the nozzle; and

the plug valve is a hollow cylinder with a through port to permit fluid flow through the plug valve, the port being tapered and positioned to cooperate with the seat to provide for progressively increasing blocking of the fluid flow when the valve is rotated from its open position to its closed position.

13. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 12, wherein:

the riser has a longitudinal axis and the plug valve has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the riser; and

the seat is generally cylindrical and surrounds the plug valve, the seat having an upper opening and a lower opening.

14. A pop-up device for use with a low-pressure irrigation system, the device comprising:

a housing having a sidewall, an open upper and and a lower end defining an interior;

a tubular riser partially extendable from within the housing, the riser having a proximal end portion disposed adjacent the closed end of the housing and a distal end portion extendable from the housing, the distal end portion having a first segment with a first diameter and a second, uppermost segment with a second diameter, the second diameter being different than the first diameter such that a step is formed between the first and second segments, the second segment having an upstanding outer wall with an outwardly-facing circumferential groove;

a removable, snap on nozzle body attached to the second segment of the distal end of the riser, the nozzle having a top, a depending outer skirt and at least one orifice for discharging fluid from the interior of the housing via the riser, the skirt having an inwardly extending protuberance configured to engage the groove of the second segment of the riser to attach the nozzle to the second end of the riser; and

rotatable plug valve positioned in the first segment of the riser and upstream from the second segment to control fluid flow through the riser, the plug valve having an actuator accessible from an exterior of the riser to rotate the plug valve between an open position permitting maximum fluid flow through the valve and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the valve in order to control the distance that fluid is projected from the nozzle, the plug valve being recessed within the riser such that it does not interfere with the riser passing through the seal of the open end of the housing.

15. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 14, wherein:

the second segment of the distal end portion of the riser has an upstanding inner wall spaced radially inward from the outer wall; and

the nozzle body having a depending inner skirt spaced radially inward from the outer wall defining a fluid chamber, the inner skirt of the nozzle body being configured to engage the inner wall of the second segment of the distal end portion of the riser.

16. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 15, wherein the nozzle body includes an inclined deflector disposed below the top of the nozzle body, the deflector being spaced from an intermediate wall and being inclined relative to the intermediate wall, the deflector configured to direct fluid exiting the discharge orifice in a spray pattern, the discharge orifice extending through the intermediate wall and coextensive with the inner skirt.

17. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 15, wherein the nozzle body includes a plurality of discharge orifices each configured to discharge a stream of fluid.

18. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 17, wherein the inner skirt has at least one opening in fluid communication with the discharge orifices and upstream thereof, the size and number of the openings and the size and number of the orifices being selected to create a pressure drop therebetween, and wherein an intermediate skirt is positioned between the inner skirt and the outer wall and having a length selected to provide a circuitous flow path between the openings and the orifices.

19. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 18, wherein the openings extend to a free edge of the inner skirt opposite the top of the nozzle body.

20. The pop-up irrigation device of claim 14, wherein a pair of connection tubes extend from a side wall of the housing and are in fluid communication with an interior of the housing, the connection tubes each having an open distal end spaced from the housing and configured to be connectable to flexible irrigation tubing.