Remotely controllable programmable hose faucet valve system

• US 6,337,635 B1
• Filed: 01/31/1998
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pro-Mark Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orbit Irrigation Products (Pro-Mark LLC)
• Inventors: Smith, Alan J., Ericksen, Mike R., Hayes, Kim Y., Ericksen, Kent C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/017,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,438 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 251/129.04, 251/129.03, 251/288, 239/67-70, 137/562, 137/624.11, 137/624.12
• US Class Current: 340/12.28
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86397 With independent valve controller

Abstract

The activation and deactivation of an outdoors, hose faucet-mounted valve unit to control the flow of water through a standard garden hose with attached sprinkler is remotely controlled from indoors rather than at the valve unit. This is accomplished without the use of unwieldy and unsightly electrical cables by means of radio frequency (RF) signals. A remote, programmable, controller unit located indoors with attached transmitting unit commands such transmitting unit to send signals in accordance with preprogrammed instructions in the controller unit. A receiver unit attached to the valve unit intercepts the transmitted signals and instructs the valve unit to open or close the water valve and flow of water based thereon. Direct connection of the controller to the valve unit is possible such that the transmitter unit and receiver unit are not used such as during pleasant weather conditions. A hand held transmitter unit can be used in place of the separate controller and transmitter to automatically control the valve unit for specific watering durations.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable programmable hose faucet valve apparatus for turning on and off the flow of water remotely from a hose faucet to which a hose connects, comprising:

a valve unit which interposes between the hose faucet and the hose to selectively turn on and off the flow of water therethrough;

a programmable controller unit for determining when water flow from the hose faucet should take place and when it should be stopped in accordance with instructions input into said controller unit;

a transmitter unit interconnected with said controller unit for emitting radio frequency (RF) signals based input from said controller unit;

a receiver unit interconnected with said valve unit which intercepts said RF signals from said transmitter unit and activates or deactivates said valve unit in accordance with said RF signals; and

wherein said receiver unit and said valve unit mechanically slidably removably interconnect by means of a pair of opposing tabs on one unit which engage mating grooves in the other unit and wherein said units electrically interconnect by means of electrically conductive spring pins on one unit which engage complementary electrically conductive contact plates on the other unit.

2. A remotely controllable programmable hose faucet valve apparatus for turning on and off the flow of water remotely from a hose faucet to which a hose connects, comprising:

a valve unit which interposes between the hose faucet and the hose to selectively turn on and off the flow of water therethrough;

a programmable controller unit for determining when water flow from the hose faucet should take place and when it should be stopped in accordance with instructions input into said controller unit;

a transmitter unit interconnected with said controller unit for emitting radio frequency (RF) signals based input from said controller unit;

a receiver unit interconnected with said valve unit which intercepts said RF signals from said transmitter unit and activates or deactivates said valve unit in accordance with said RF signals; and

wherein said controller unit and said transmitter unit mechanically slidably removably interconnect such that said transmitter unit acts as a base for said controller unit, by means of a pair of opposing tabs on one unit which engage mating grooves in the other unit and wherein the units electrically interconnect by means of electrically conductive spring pins on one unit which engage complementary electrically conductive contact plates on the other unit.

3. A remotely controllable programmable hose faucet valve apparatus for turning on and off the flow of water remotely from a hose faucet to which a hose connects, comprising:

a valve unit which interposes between the hose faucet and the hose to selectively turn on and off the flow of water therethrough;

a programmable controller unit for determining when water flow from the hose faucet should take place and when it should be stopped in accordance with instructions input into said controller unit;

a transmitter unit interconnected with said controller unit for emitting radio frequency (RF) signals based input from said controller unit;

a receiver unit interconnected with said valve unit which intercepts said RF signals from said transmitter unit and activates or deactivates said valve unit in accordance with said RF signals;

wherein each of said receiver and said controller units mechanically slidably interconnect to each of said valve unit and said transmitter unit by means of a pair of opposing tabs on one unit which engage mating grooves in the other unit and wherein said units electrically interconnect by means of electrically conductive spring pins on one unit which engage complementary electrically conductive contact plates on the other unit; and

wherein said controller unit and said transmitter unit removably interconnect, said receiver unit and said valve unit removably interconnect, and wherein said controller unit removably interconnects with said valve unit such that said controller unit directly controls said valve unit.

4. In an apparatus for turning on and off the flow of water from a hose faucet to which a hose connects of the type having a valve unit which interposes between the hose faucet and the hose to selectively turn on and off the flow of water therethrough and a programmable controller unit which removably connects thereto for determining when water flow from the hose faucet should take place and when it should be stopped in accordance with instructions input into said controller unit, the improvement comprising:

a transmitter unit which interconnects with the controller unit for emitting radio frequency (RF) signals based on input from the controller unit;

a receiver unit which interconnects with the valve unit and which intercepts said RF signals from said transmitter unit to activate and deactivate said valve unit in accordance with said RF signals; and

wherein each of said receiver unit and the controller unit mechanically slidably interconnect to each of the valve unit and said transmitter unit by means of a pair of opposing tabs on one unit which engage mating grooves in the other unit and wherein the units electrically interconnect by means of electrically conductive spring pins on one unit which engage complementary electrically conductive contact plates on the other unit.

5. An apparatus improvement according to claim 4 wherein the transmitting unit acts as a base for the controller unit.