Auxiliary sprinkler system controller to maintain healthy turf with minimum water usage

• US 5,839,660 A
• Filed: 06/11/1997
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Jolly Clark
• Original Assignee: John F. Mcjunkin, Paul Morgenstern
• Inventors: Morgenstern, Paul, McJunkin, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashinkow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, Robin O.
• Application Number:
  US08/872,964
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 239/63, 239/64, 239/67, 239/68, 239/69, 239/DIG. 15
• US Class Current: 239/63
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/10 in agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/15 Sprinkler systems with controls

Abstract

An auxiliary sprinkler system control unit that interrupts a sprinkler system when ambient temperature is below thirty six degrees and when wind velocity is above ten miles per hour and when one half inch of water has been measured and delays the sprinkler for one day when in each month a daily running total of water addition is greater than a daily running total of an expected evapotranspiration or soil evaporation and plant transpiration rate as published for a specific area; said unit thereby providing a minimum amount of water to keep a healthy but slow growing turf.

Claims

1. An auxiliary sprinkler control system to use minimal water for healthy turf comprising;

a) a stake mounted body,

b) electronic circuitry and microprocessor control means inside said body;

c) a wind sensor, an open cup water measuring means, and a temperature sensor integral to said body, said wind sensor, said water measuring means, and said temperature sensor communicating with said electronic circuitry and microprocessor control means,

d) data for multiple areas of a country indicating expected evapotranspiration rates for each of said areas by zip code loaded in said microprocessor control means in said electronic circuitry;

e) an adjustable input means in said body communicating with said microprocessor control means to allow choice of area of said country by zip code;

f) a program in said electronic circuitry and said microprocessor control means that acts to;

select monthly data for the evapotranspiration rate for a specific zip code area;

calculate a daily rate of said evapotranspiration rate from said monthly data;

record daily said water measurement data to one eighth of an inch and take into account a maximum of one fourth inch of water per day in calculations to determine when cumulative total added water is greater than cumulative total water needed as indicated by said EVT data said microprocessor delays said sprinkler for one day;

g) a user adjustable means mounted in said body and communicating with said electronic circuitry and said microprocessor control unit that acts to vary said evapotranspiration data from a minimum of thirty five percent below to a maximum of thirty five percent above factory loaded evapotranspiration data.

2. An auxiliary sprinkler control system to use minimal water for healthy turf comprising;

a) a stake mounted body,

b) electronic circuitry and microprocessor control means inside said body;

c) a wind sensor, an open cup water measuring means, and a temperature sensor integral to said body, said wind sensor, said water measuring means, and said temperature sensor communicating with said electronic circuitry and microprocessor control means,

d) data for multiple areas of a country indicating expected evapotranspiration rates for each of said areas by zip code loaded in said microprocessor control means in said electronic circuitry;

e) a choice of said data for a specific one of said areas by entering three digits of a zip code;

f) a user adjustable means mounted in said body to modify said data by about thirty five percent;

g) a program in said electronic circuitry and said microprocessor control means that acts to;

select data for said evapotranspiration rate for said specific zip code area;

calculate a daily expected rate of water addition to match said modified data for said evapotranspiration rate,

record daily data from said water measuring means up to a maximum of approximately one fourth of an inch;

delay said sprinkler system for one day when a cumulative total of said water added is greater than a running total of said daily evapotranspiration rate for said month.

3. An auxiliary sprinkler control system as in claim 2 wherein said electronic circuitry and said microprocessor control unit act to interrupt said water addition when said temperature measuring unit indicates a temperature below thirty six degrees Fahrenheit.

4. An auxiliary sprinkler control system as in claim 2 wherein said electronic circuitry and said microprocessor control unit act to interrupt said water addition when said wind measuring unit indicates a wind of greater than ten miles per hour for a fifteen minute period.

5. An auxiliary sprinkler control system as in claim 2 wherein said electronic circuitry and said microprocessor control unit act to interrupt said water addition when said water sensor measuring unit indicates a one half inch of water has been measured.

6. An auxiliary sprinkler control system comprising:

a) a body means

b) a central processor unit and associated electronic circuitry in said body;

c) an external water measuring means communicating with said central processor;

d) evapotranspiration rate data for turf for each month of a year for specific zip code areas loaded in said central processor;

e) a program means in said central processor to interrupt a sprinkler for one day when a daily running total of water added with a maximum of one fourth of an inch per day taken into account exceeds a daily running total of said evapotranspiration rate data with daily rainfall taken into account as a maximum of one fourth of an inch per day; and

f) a user adjustable means in said body to allow a user to adjust said expected evapotranspiration rate to allow said auxiliary system to allow addition of sufficient of said water to produce a lush turf growth.