METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHECKING EMITTER BONDS IN AN IRRIGATION DRIP LINE

• US 20160076965A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Edris, Mark Richard, Motamedi, Farshad, Zakarian, Berj, Ensworth, Mark M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,330,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/026 Apparatus or processes for fitting the drippers to the hoses or the pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/04 by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/06 by observing bubbles in a liquid pool
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/26 by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/28 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves ; for welds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for checking emitter bonds in an irrigation drip line and for manufacturing drip line in a manner that allows the bond between the in-line emitter and surrounding conduit to be checked. In one form, a downstream in-line vacuum tester is provided for monitoring the amount of air escaping from outlet openings in the drip line to detect excessive air associated with poorly bonded emitters.

Claims

1. An emitter bond tester for testing the bond between an emitter and a surrounding conduit to which the emitter is bonded to form drip line, the tester comprising:

a housing defining a vacuum chamber capable of storing fluid within the chamber, the housing defining a first inlet opening that forms a first seal between the tester and conduit passing through the tester and a second outlet opening that forms a second seal between the tester and conduit passing through the tester; and

wherein the tester further includes at least one of a window, monitor or display, meter and camera for monitoring air escaping from outlet passages in the conduit and detecting excessive amounts of air associated with poorly bonded emitters.

2. The emitter bond tester of claim 1 wherein the at least one window, monitor or display, meter and camera comprises a window disposed in the housing to allow for visual inspection of the air escaping from outlet passages of the conduit.

3. The emitter bond tester of claim 1 wherein the at least one window monitor or display, meter and camera comprises a camera connected to the housing and positioned to capture images of the air escaping from the outlet passages of the conduit.

4. The emitter bond tester of claim 1 wherein the at least one window, monitor or display, meter and camera comprises a flow meter positioned within the housing to detect an amount of air escaping from the outlet passages of the conduit.

5. The emitter bond tester of claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to the emitter bond tester that executes a command when a poorly bonded emitter is detected.

6. The emitter bond tester of claim 2 further comprising at least one of a downstream reel mechanism and cutting device and wherein the executed command results in at least one of the reel mechanism being stopped and the cutting device removing a portion of conduit containing the poorly bonded emitter.

7. The emitter bond tester of claim 1 wherein the tester further includes first and second drip compartments positioned proximate the first and second seals to catch fluid leaking from the tester.

8. The emitter bond tester of claim 7 wherein the first and second drip compartments include drains for draining the leaked fluid from the drip compartments.

9. The emitter bond tester of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum pump for lowering pressure within the vacuum chamber so that air flows from the outlet passages of the conduit and the emitter bond to the conduit can be determined.

10. The emitter bond tester of claim 9 further comprising a base or stand to which the housing and vacuum pump are connected.

11. The emitter bond tester of claim 10 wherein the housing is connected atop the base or stand and at least a portion of the vacuum pump is disposed within the base or stand, the base or stand further having a plurality of wheels for allowing the tester to be moved.

12. The emitter bond tester of claim 4 wherein the flow meter has a tapered guide for directing the amount of air escaping from the conduit to the flow meter in order to assist in detecting small leaks indicating a poor bond between the emitter and the conduit.

13. The emitter bond tester of claim 12 wherein the tapered guide is an inverted funnel and the fluid stored within the housing is at a first level outside of the funnel and at a second level different from the first level inside the funnel in order to create a pressure differential within the funnel to assist the flow meter in detecting small leaks indicating a poor bond between the emitter and the portion of conduit to which the emitter is to be bonded.

14. An emitter bond tester for testing the bond between an emitter and a surrounding conduit to which the emitter is bonded to form drip line, the tester comprising:

a housing defining a vacuum tank capable of storing fluid within the tank, a first inlet opening that forms a first seal between the tester and conduit passing through the tester and a second outlet opening that forms a second seal between the tester and conduit passing through the tester;

a flow meter connected to the housing and having a guide positioned at least in part within the fluid of the tank and proximate the conduit to capture air escaping from the conduit to assist the flow meter in detecting leaks; and

a controller in communication with the flow meter and programmed to identify a poor bond between the emitter and conduit based on leaks detected by the flow meter.

15. The emitter bond tester of claim 14 wherein the flow meter detects leaks by detecting a leak rate of any air escaping from the conduit and the controller identifies poor bonds based on leak rates at or above a predetermined threshold.

16. The emitter bond tester of claim 15 wherein the predetermined threshold is determined based on at least one of a size of the conduit being tested, a size of the emitter bonded to the conduit, and/or a flow rate of the emitter bonded to the conduit.

17. The emitter bond tester of claim 14 wherein the guide is an inverted funnel that directs any air escaping from the conduit toward the flow meter, and the fluid stored within the housing is at a first level outside of the funnel and at a second level different from the first level inside the funnel in order to create a pressure differential within the funnel to assist in directing any air escaping from the conduit toward the flow meter so that small leaks may be detected.

18. The emitter bond tester of claim 17 wherein the first fluid level outside of the funnel is higher than the second fluid level fluid level inside the funnel to create the pressure differential and encourage any air escaping form the conduit to move toward the flow meter so that small leaks may be detected via the flow meter.