Accurate horticultural sprinkler system and sprinkler head

• US 6,688,535 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accurain, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Accurain, Inc.
• Inventors: Collins, Galen
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHRISTOPHER S
• Application Number:
  US10/134,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 239/63, 239/67, 239/68, 239/69, 239/101, 239/263.1, 239/263.3, 239/380, 239/DIG.15, 239/210, 239/201, 239/200
• US Class Current: 239/63
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/085 responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material to be discharged B05B1/3006, B05B1/323, B05B7/1254 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/124 responsive to distance between spray apparatus and target
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/02 with rotating elements electric spraying discharge apparatus characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements B05B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/14 with oscillating elements; with intermittent operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/15 Sprinkler systems with controls

Abstract

The present invention includes a unique irrigation sprinkler system with a unique sprinkler head design; a unique method of defining the planted area to be served by the sprinkler head; a unique method for determining when that planted area needs to be watered; a unique way of providing even coverage throughout the planted area when being watered; the ability to use one sprinkler head to individually water multiple, non-overlapping planted areas; a unique way of addressing multiple sprinkler heads in the same sprinkler system; and a unique method for remotely determining the integrity of the sprinkler system.

Claims

1. A sprinkler system to accurately provide a determined amount of water from a water source to a defined planted area of interest, said sprinkler system comprising:

a water feeder line disposed to be coupled to said water source to receive water therefrom;

a sprinkler head coupled to said water feeder line to receive water therefrom, said sprinkler head having a horizontal axis and a vertical axis and defining an output orifice from which water is delivered to said planted area of interest, said sprinkler head being electrically controllable during delivery of said water and including;

an input port coupled to said water feeder line;

an angular position control subsystem to positively and continuously control and vary the angular position of said output orifice around said vertical axis of said sprinkler head, in either direction, as many times as necessary, during delivery of water to the planted area of interest wherein said angular position control subsystem comprises;

a nozzle drive means affixed to said nozzle for use in angularly positioning said distal end of said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

an angular position monitoring unit disposed to determine a position of said distal end of said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest;

a flow rate control subsystem to positively and continuously control and increase or decrease the flow rate of water from said output orifice as many times as necessary during delivery of the water a desired distance from said sprinkler head to limit, and evenly deliver, water to said planted area of interest as said angular position and flow rate are varied in coordination one with the other during delivery of water to the planted area of interest and including;

a control valve coupled to said input port to provide controlled water flow through said control valve;

a flow rate varying means coupled to said control valve to vary said water flow through said control valve during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

a flow rate monitoring unit adjacent said control valve to monitor said water flow as it exits said control valve and to provide a feedback signal to said control valve to regulate said water flow through said control valve during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

a local control subsystem coupled to said electric and data line, and to said control valve drive means, said flow rate monitoring unit, said nozzle drive means and said angular position monitoring unit to monitor and control the flow rate of water through, and angular position of said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest;

wherein said output orifice comprises a nozzle having a proximate end adjacent said flow rate monitoring unit to receive said water flow from said control valve and to expel said water from a distal end of said nozzle to said planted area of interest;

a power and data line coupled to said sprinkler head to provide power and control data thereto; and

a master controller disposed to be connected to a power source and coupled to said power and data line to provide power and control data to said sprinkler head.

2. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said flow rate monitoring unit comprises:

a flexible finger having a proximate end mounted to a fixed position relative to said water flow and a distal end extending into a path of said water flow with said distal end of said flexible finger being in a relaxed position when said flow rate is zero and a displaced position when said flow rate is non-zero, with the extent of said displaced position being directly related to said flow rate;

a flow rate magnet securely mounted at one of a fixed position adjacent said distal end of said flexible finger and on said distal end of said flexible finger; and

a flow rate magnetic field sensor securely mounted at the other of said fixed position adjacent said distal end of said flexible finger and on said distal end of said flexible finger adjacent said magnet, with said flow rate magnetic field sensor providing an electrical signal directly related to the strength of a magnetic field detected from said flow rate magnet with said electric signal directly related to said flow rate during delivery of water to the planted area of interest.

3. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said angular position monitoring unit comprises:

an angular position magnet mounted at one of a fixed position adjacent said drive means and on said drive means near an edge thereof; and

an angular position magnetic field sensor at the other of said fixed position adjacent said drive means and on said drive means adjacent said magnet, with said angular position magnetic field sensor providing a strongest electrical signal when said angular position magnet is closest to said angular position magnetic field sensor to define a zero degree angular position for said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest.

4. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein:

said nozzle drive means includes;

a nozzle gear attached near a proximate end of said nozzle; and

an angular positioning stepper motor having a shaft with a drive gear mounted thereon, and mounted in a fixed position to mesh said drive gear with said nozzle gear to position said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

said sprinkler head control subsystem comprises;

a local controller; and

an activating means coupled to said local controller, angular positioning stepper motor and said flow rate varying means, for selectively controlling said flow rate varying means to adjust the flow rate through said control valve and for selectively controlling said angular positioning stepper motor to adjust the position of said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest.

5. The sprinkler system as in claim 4 wherein:

said control value further comprises a control shaft;

said flow rate varying means comprises a flow stepper motor electrically coupled to said local controller and mounted to a fixed position and having a drive shaft interacting with said shaft of said control valve to adjust said water flow through said control valve during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

said local controller comprises;

a local processor coupled to said flow rate monitoring unit and said angular position monitoring unit;

local memory coupled to said local processor to provide temporary and permanent storage for said local processor; and

a stepper motor controller coupled to said local processor, and said flow and angular positioning stepper motors, to receive flow rate and angular position signals from said local processor and to convert said flow rate and angular position signals to corresponding drive signals to exercise said flow and angular positioning stepper motors, respectively.

6. The sprinkler system as in claim 4 wherein:

said control valve includes a fail safe means with a zero flow rate therethrough when not activated;

said activating means is coupled to said fail safe means to open same in response to electrical signals from said local controller; and

said local controller comprises;

a local processor coupled to said flow rate monitoring unit; and

a signal converter coupled to said local processor, and said activating means, to receive flow rate signals from said local processor and to convert said flow rate signals to corresponding activation signals to exercise said activation means during delivery of water to the planted area of interest.

7. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said nozzle drive means comprises:

a nozzle drive gear attached near a proximate end of said nozzle; and

an angular positioning stepper motor having a shaft with a drive gear mounted thereon, and mounted in a fixed position to mesh said drive gear with said nozzle gear to position said nozzle during delivery of water to the planted area of interest.

8. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein:

said master controller comprises;

a master controller data bus;

a master processor coupled to said master controller data bus to control the operation of the overall sprinkler system;

a memory coupled to said master controller data bus to provide temporary and permanent data storage; and

data encoder/decoder coupled to said master controller data bus and said power and data line to encode data from said master processor to said sprinkler head and to decode data received from said sprinkler head for use by said master processor with said data being carried bidirectionally on said power and data line; and

said sprinkler head further comprises a sprinkler head data bus;

said sprinkler head local control subsystem also comprises a local controller coupled to said sprinkler head data bus and being programable to retain duration of flow, and angular and flow rate variations to deliver a desired amount of water evenly to said planted area of interest, when instructed to do so by said master controller via said power and data line, in response to signals from said flow rate monitoring unit and said angular position monitoring unit during delivery of water to the planted area of interest;

said flow rate

varying means and said flow rate monitoring unit are coupled to said local controller with said flow rate varying means receiving flow rate signals from said local controller in response to said feedback signal from said flow rate monitoring unit for conversion to drive signals to vary flow through said control valve during delivery of water to the planted area of interest;

said angular position control subsystem further comprises

an angular position controller coupled to said angular position monitoring unit and said nozzle drive means to receive angular position signals from said local controller for conversion to drive signals for application to said drive means during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

said sprinkler head additionally comprises a local data encoder/decoder coupled to said sprinkler head data bus and said power and data line to encode data from said local processor to said master controller and to decode data received from said master controller for use by said local processor with said data being carried bidirectionally on said power and data line.

9. The sprinkler system as in claim 8 wherein said master controller further includes:

a display coupled to said master controller data bus to display status and programing information of said sprinkler system; and

a keyboard coupled to said master controller data bus for user selection of information on said display and entry of individual sprinkler head programing information.

10. The sprinkler system as in claim 9 further includes a remote programing unit comprising:

a remote data bus;

a remote processor coupled to said remote data bus and disposed to be connected to said local controller of a sprinkler head to be programed to control programing of said sprinkler head when said remote programing unit is coupled to said local controller;

a memory coupled to said remote data bus to provide temporary and permanent data storage for said remote processor;

a display coupled to said remote data bus to display status and programing information of said sprinkler head while being programed; and

a keyboard coupled to said remote data bus for user control of angular position and flow rate of said sprinkler head and water flow rate therethrough during programing and entering data into said local controller of said sprinkler head via said remote programing unit during programing.

11. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein:

said master controller comprises;

a primary control section including;

a primary data bus;

a primary processor coupled to said primary data bus to control the operation of the overall sprinkler system;

processor interface coupled to said primary processor;

a primary memory coupled to said primary data bus to provide temporary and permanent data storage for said primary processor; and

a primary data encoder/decoder coupled to said primary data bus and said power and data line to encode data from said primary processor to said sprinkler head and to decode data received from said sprinkler head for use by said primary processor with said data being carried bidirectionally on said power and data line;

a secondary control section including;

a secondary data bus;

a secondary processor coupled to said secondary data bus and said processor interface during operation of said sprinkler system, or to said sprinkler head during programing of said sprinkler head;

a secondary memory coupled to said secondary data bus to provide temporary and permanent data storage for said secondary processor;

a display coupled to said secondary data bus to display system information during operation of said sprinkler system, and to display programing information of a sprinkler head when said sprinkler head is being programed; and

a keyboard coupled to said secondary data bus for user selection of information to be displayed on said display and entry of individual sprinkler head programing information when said sprinkler head is being programed; and

said sprinkler head further comprising;

a sprinkler head data bus;

a local controller coupled to said sprinkler head data bus and being programable to retain duration of flow, and angular and flow rate variations to deliver a desired amount of water evenly to said planted area of interest, when instructed to do so by said master controller via said power and data line, in response to signals from said flow rate monitoring unit and said angular position control subsystem; and

local controller interface coupled to said local controller and disposed to be connected to said secondary control section when said sprinkler head is being programed;

said angular position control subsystem comprises;

drive means for angularly positioning said distal end of said nozzle to deliver water to said planted area of interest; and

an angular position controller coupled to said local controller and said drive means to receive angular position signals from said local controller for conversion to drive signals for application to said drive means; and

said sprinkler head additionally comprises a local data encoder/decoder coupled to said sprinkler head data bus and said power and data line to encode data from said local processor to said master controller and to decode data received from said master controller for use by said local processor with said data being carried bidirectionally on said power and data line;

wherein said secondary control section is mounted in proximity with said primary control section to provide user interface during overall operation of said sprinkler system and programing of said sprinkler head with said secondary processor coupled to said primary processor, or at a remote location coupled to said sprinkler head for programing of said sprinkler head with said secondary processor coupled to said local controller interface of said sprinkler head.

12. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 further comprises a weather station that includes:

a weather station data bus;

a weather station processor coupled to said weather station data bus;

a weather station memory coupled to said weather station data bus to provide temporary and permanent data storage;

environmental sensors coupled to said weather station data bus to detect and provide data corresponding to weather conditions; and

weather station encoder/decoder coupled to said weather station data bus and said power and data line to encode data from said environmental sensors via said weather station processor to said master controller and to decode data received from said master controller for use by said weather station processor with said data being carried bidirectionally on said power and data line.

13. The sprinkler system as in claim 12 wherein said environmental sensors include:

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor; and

a wind direction and strength sensor.

14. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of sprinkler heads each connected to said water feeder line and said power and data line, with each sprinkler head including;

a local processor to control said angular position and flow rate of water through said individual associated sprinkler head during delivery of water to the planted area of interest; and

local memory coupled to said local processor to store angular position and flow rate values for use during watering said planted area of interest of said associated sprinkler head, and to store a unique identifier of said associated sprinkler head with said unique identifier being assigned to said associated sprinkler head by said master controller for use in communicating between said master controller and said associated sprinkler head via said power and data line.

15. The sprinkler system as in claim 14 wherein communication between said master controller and each of said local processor in each of said sprinkler heads is performed by modulating a voltage level on said power and data line with said communication being bi-directional.

16. The sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said control valve includes:

an input chamber in communication with said input port;

a buffer chamber having;

an input side defining an input port therethrough with said input port disposed to receive water from said input chamber; and

an output side defining an output port therethrough disposed to deliver water to said flow rate monitoring unit;

a control chamber having;

a first side defining a first small hole therethrough having a first diameter to provide a passage for water from said input chamber into said control chamber;

a second side defining a second small hole therethrough having a second diameter; and

a flexible membrane forming a third side adjacent said input port of said input side of said buffer chamber;

a bypass chamber;

sharing said second side of said control chamber with said second small hole providing a passage for water from said control chamber into said bypass chamber; and

having a buffer side defining a third small hole therethrough having a third diameter to provide a passage for water from said bypass chamber into said buffer chamber; and

an activation means coupled to said control subsystem and having a needle valve aligned with said second hole and sized to meter water flow through said second hole in response to different signals applied to said activation means by said control subsystem and said needle valve to close with said second hole when no signal is applied to said activation means;

wherein the distance between said flexible membrane and said input port of said buffer chamber increases proportionally as said needle valve moves away from said second hole and deceases proportionally as said needle valve is advances into said second hole with said flexible membrane sealing with said input port when said needle valve is seated in said second hole.

17. The sprinkler system as in claim 16 wherein said first small hole is smaller than said second small hole, and said second small hole is smaller than said third small hole.

18. A sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said master controller controls said sprinkler head to deliver the determined amount of water evenly over said planted area of interest.

19. A sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said nozzle is a tube of a selected length with the distal end having a fixed internal shape and size.

20. A sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said nozzle has a fixed angle of elevation of said distal end relative to said proximate end thereof.

21. A sprinkler system as in claim 1 wherein said nozzle drive means accurately varies the horizontal positioning of said distal end of said nozzle.

22. A sprinkler system as in claim 19 wherein said flow rate varying means controls the distance water from said distal end of said nozzle is delivered to a point in said defined planted area of interest wherein a high flow rate delivers the water a greater distance from the nozzle and a low flow rate delivers the water a shorter distance from the nozzle.

23. A sprinkler system as in claim 22 wherein said nozzle drive means accurately varies the horizontal positioning of said distal end of said nozzle to deliver the determined amount of water evenly over said planted area of interest.

24. A sprinkler system as in claim 8 wherein said nozzle is a tube of a selected length with the distal end having a fixed internal shape and size.

25. A sprinkler system as in claim 8 wherein said nozzle has a fixed angle of elevation of said distal end relative to said proximate end thereof.

26. A sprinkler system as in claim 8 wherein said drive means accurately varies the horizontal positioning of said distal end of said nozzle.

27. A sprinkler system as in claim 24 wherein said flow rate control means subsystem controls the distance water from said distal end of said nozzle is delivered to a point in said defined planted area of interest wherein a high flow rate delivers the water a greater distance from the nozzle and a low flow rate delivers the water a shorter distance from the nozzle.

28. A sprinkler system as in claim 27 wherein said drive means accurately varies the horizontal positioning of said distal end of said nozzle to deliver the determined amount of water evenly over said planted area of interest.

29. A sprinkler system as in claim 11 wherein said nozzle is a tube of a selected length with the distal end having a fixed internal shape and size.

30. A sprinkler system as in claim 11 wherein said nozzle has a fixed angle of elevation of said distal end relative to said proximate end thereof.

31. A sprinkler system as in claim 11 wherein said drive means accurately varies the horizontal positioning of said distal end of said nozzle.

32. A sprinkler system as in claim 29 wherein said flow rate control subsystem controls the distance water from said distal end of said nozzle is delivered to a point in said defined planted area of interest wherein a high flow rate delivers the water a greater distance from the nozzle and a low flow rate delivers the water a shorter distance from the nozzle.

33. A sprinkler system as in claim 32 wherein said drive means accurately varies the horizontal positioning of said distal end of said nozzle to deliver the determined amount of water evenly over said planted area of interest.