Electronic valve control apparatus

• US 4,541,563 A
• Filed: 08/16/1983
• Issued: 09/17/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Mining & Cement Co. Ltd. (Mitsubishi Materials Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Mining & Cement Co. Ltd. (Mitsubishi Materials Corporation)
• Inventors: Uetsuhara, Tokio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Application Number:
  US06/523,689
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 239/63, 239/64, 239/67, 239/69-71, 137/624.11, 137/624.2
• US Class Current: 239/64
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86461 Variable cycle

Abstract

An electronic valve control apparatus for operating a valve device connected to a water supply pipeline for spraying water over the field or land comprising: a solar battery; a secondary battery charged therefrom; an electronic clock; a calendar circuit; a logic circuit which delivers output valve control signals in response to a predetermined schedule; and a valve driving circuit which controls the valve device.

Claims

1. In a valve control system including at least one valve device connected to a supply source of fluid under pressure and a control apparatus to operate the valve device, an improved control apparatus comprising:

an electronic clock which delivers output time pulse signals indicating the passage of time to a logic circuit and delivers output signals of valve operation time schedules preset in itself to a calendar circuit;

a calendar circuit which counts units of days and delivers output signals of valve operation times on the preset days to a logic circuit;

a logic circuit which compares the time pulse signals from said electronic clock with the input signals from said calendar circuit and when they coincide delivers output actuating signals to a valve driving circuit;

means for setting sprinkling time schedule on desired days arranged manually according to direct observation of the area to be sprinkled;

a cancel circuit which cancels the preset sprinkling current time schedule according to a signal from a rain sensor;

an automatic power off circuit which automatically turns off check signal lamps and displays to save energy;

a valve driving circuit which is actuated by said logic circuit and controls the valve device; and

an electric power source circuit consisting of a solar battery and a secondary battery, which supplies electricity to said electronic clock, said calendar circuit, said logic circuit, said cancel circuit, said automatic power off circuit, said valve driving circuit and a valve device that is to be operated.

2. In a valve control system as claimed in claim 1, said valve control apparatus comprises a standing casing in which said electronic clock, said calendar circuit, said logic circuit, said cancel circuit, said automatic power off circuit, said valve driving circuit and said secondary battery are housed inside, and on the exterior of which said solar battery is installed,

whereby sprinkling schedules presetting facility sand effective absorption of solar energy may be achieved.