Enclosed pop-up sprinklers with shielded impact arms

• US 6,478,237 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virtual Rain, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virtual Rain, Inc.
• Inventors: Kearby, Don Michael, Han, Joseph U., Kendall, Giles A., Wright, Derick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US09/769,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 239/203, 239/204, 239/205, 239/206, 239/200, 239/201, 239/230, 239/231, 239/232, 239/263.3, 239/104, 239/114, 239/123, 239/570, 239/571, 239/575
• US Class Current: 239/232
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3006 the controlling element being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3402 to avoid or to reduce turbulencies, e.g. comprising fluid flow straightening means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0481 Impact motive means

Abstract

A dirt-resistant bearing system for a sprinkler unit with a rotatable turret having a central shaft extending into a support channel formed within an inner housing. The central shaft may be formed with a relatively upper shaft portion and a relatively lower shaft portion, and the support channel may be formed with an upper channel region and a lower channel region. A first bearing and sealing assembly may be fitted substantially around an outer perimeter of the upper shaft portion and in communication with the upper channel region, and a second bearing and sealing assembly may be fitted substantially around an outer perimeter of the lower shaft portion and in communication with the lower channel region. Another aspect of the invention provides a sprinkler head with a fitted serrated seal assembly. The fitted seal assembly may include an outer case having an interior region, and a pop-up sprinkler head turret mounted on a riser sleeve slidably mounted within the interior region of the outer case. The turret may be formed with an elongated central shaft for the passage of water. A water filter may be also provided within the riser sleeve having a valve stem for communication with a lower end portion of the central shaft. The communicating surfaces of the lower end portion of the central shaft and the valve stem of the water filter may be formed with complementary serrated surfaces.

Claims

1. An enclosed pop-up sprinkler unit with delayed activation comprising:

an outer case formed with a fluid inlet that is in fluid communication with an interior region of the outer case;

a rotatable closed-case turret assembly formed with a fluid outlet in communication with a central shaft having a lower end shaft portion extending into the interior region of the outer case, wherein the turret assembly includes a hinged impact arm formed with a serpentine path that redirects water flow ejected from the fluid outlet therethrough;

an extendable riser sleeve supporting the rotatable turret assembly that is slidably positioned within at least a portion of the interior region of the outer case, wherein the riser sleeve includes a filter with at least one spring seat, and a filter valve seat formed along a top portion of the filter that may selectively disengage from the lower end shaft portion of the central shaft to permit the flow of fluid from the interior region of the case into the central shaft; and

a delayed riser spring assembly having a primary riser spring positioned between the spring seat and the upper end portion of the outer case and a secondary riser spring positioned between the spring seat and a lower end portion of the riser sleeve, wherein the primary riser spring compresses when a fluid enters the interior region of the outer casing to move the riser sleeve in relatively upward direction, and wherein the secondary riser spring is pre-compressed with an initial compressive force that is overcome upon compression of the first riser spring to disengage the filter valve seat from the lower end shaft portion of the central shaft to permit the flow of fluid from within the interior region of the outer casing out through the fluid outlet.

2. The closed-case sprinkler unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the impact arm is formed with a shield having an external surface that is complementary to a shield opening formed along an adjacent external surface of the turret assembly.

3. The closed-case sprinkler unit as recited in claim 2, wherein the riser sleeve is formed with an external surface, and wherein the external surfaces of the impact arm shield, turret assembly and riser sleeve combine to form a substantially continuous cylinder that may positioned within the interior region of the outer case.

4. A closed-case impact sprinkler unit comprising:

an outer case having an interior region and a fluid inlet, wherein the outer case is formed with an inner surface;

a riser sleeve formed with an upper portion slidably positioned within the interior region of the outer case that is upwardly extendable from the outer case into a pop-up position, and wherein the riser sleeve is formed with an external surface that is complimentary to the internal surface of the outer case to prevent the introduction of debris into the interior region of the outer case when the riser sleeve is in a pop-up position;

a delayed riser spring means for raising the riser sleeve into the pop-up position that is positioned within the outer case and adjacent to at least a portion of the riser sleeve; and

a closed-case turret assembly that is rotatably positioned on the upper portion of the raiser sleeve, and wherein the turret assembly includes a fluid outlet passageway in communication with the fluid inlet, and a hinged impact arm formed with a serpentine fluid passageway that is mounted within the turret assembly that interacts with water ejected from the fluid outlet passageway.

5. The closed-case impact sprinkler as recited in claim 4, wherein the hinged impact arm is formed with a shield that exposes a shield opening formed along the external surface of the turret assembly into an open position when impacted by a fluid that ejected from the fluid outlet passageway.

6. The closed-case impact sprinkler as recited in claim 4, further comprising means for selectively permitting the flow of fluid into the fluid outlet passageway to extend the impact arm into an open position only when the riser sleeve is placed in a pop-up position.

7. The closed-case impact sprinkler as recited in claim 4, wherein the riser sleeve and the closed-case turret assembly are formed with external surfaces that provide a generally cylindrical shape, and wherein the inner surface of the outer case is formed with a generally cylindrical shape.

8. A dual-stage sprinkler head comprising:

an outer sleeve having an interior chamber and a fluid inlet;

an inner sleeve having a fluid outlet that is slidably positioned in at least a portion of the interior chamber of the outer sleeve, and wherein the inner sleeve further includes a slidably connected spring seat connected to a valve assembly that selectively permits the passage of a fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet when moved relatively downward with respect to the inner sleeve;

a turret rotatably mounted on the inner sleeve that includes a hinged impact arm formed with a serpentine path; and

a riser spring assembly having a primary spring positioned between the spring seat and an upper end portion of the outer sleeve, and a secondary spring positioned between the spring seat and a lower end portion of the inner sleeve wherein the primary spring compresses during a first stage as the inner sleeve rises when fluid enters from the fluid inlet into the interior chamber of the outer sleeve, and wherein the secondary spring is pre-compressed with an initial compressive force that is overcome during a second stage as the first spring moves towards a relatively more compressed state allowing the valve assembly to permit the passage of fluid through the fluid outlet to interact with the serpentine path of the impact arm thereby extending the impact arm to an open position during the second stage.

9. The dual-stage sprinkler head as recited in claim 8, wherein the impact arm is rotatably mounted to the turret with an off-centered hinge pin.

10. The dual-stage sprinkler head as recited in claim 8, wherein the turret is formed with a shield opening, and wherein the impact arm is formed with a shield that covers the shield opening during the first stage to substantially prevent debris for entering the turret.

11. The dual-stage sprinkler head as recited in claim 10, wherein a nozzle is positioned within the turret, and wherein a nozzle directs water into at least a portion of the serpentine path formed in the impact arm.