Irrigation unit including a power generator

• US 7,097,113 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norman Ivans
• Original Assignee: Norman Ivans
• Inventors: Ivans, Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/762,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 239/70, 239/99, 239/101, 239/236, 239/237, 239/240, 239/263.3, 239/63, 239/53, 239/54, 239/55, 239/66, 239/67, 239/69, 239/71, 239/1, 137/624.14, 290 53- 55, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 239/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0452 Detecting or repairing leak
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing

Abstract

An irrigation unit (20) for irrigating an area (12) with a fluid (19) from a fluid source (18) includes a housing (200), a nozzle (220), an electronic component (221), and a power generator (230). The nozzle (220) is directly or indirectly secured to the housing (200) and the nozzle (220) is in fluid communication with the fluid source (18) so that fluid (19) from the fluid source (18) is transferred to the nozzle (220). The electronic component (221) is directly or indirectly secured to the housing (200). The power generator (230) generates electrical energy that is transferred to the electronic component (221). The power generator (230) directly transfers at least a portion of the electrical energy to the electronic component (221) of the irrigation unit (20). The electronic component (221) can be a power storage unit (222) for storing electrical energy for use by the irrigation unit (20).

Claims

1. An irrigation unit for irrigating an area with a fluid from a fluid source, the irrigation unit comprising:

a housing;

a nozzle that is secured to the housing, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid source so that fluid from the fluid source is transferred to the nozzle and released from the nozzle to the area, the nozzle being movable between a retracted position wherein the nozzle is positioned within the housing and an extended position wherein the nozzle extends above the housing;

an electronic component that is positioned within the housing; and

a power generator that generates electrical energy, the power generator directly transferring at least a portion of the electrical energy to the electronic component, the power generator including a generator and a turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source, wherein the flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle causes the turbine to rotate the generator to generate electrical energy.

2. The irrigation unit of claim 1 wherein the power generator is positioned near the housing.

3. The irrigation unit of claim 1 wherein the power generator is secured to the housing.

4. The irrigation unit of claim 1 wherein the power generator is positioned within the housing.

5. The irrigation unit of claim 1 wherein the electronic component is a power storage unit.

6. The irrigation unit of claim 1 wherein the electronic component is a control system.

7. An irrigation system including a main control system and the irrigation unit of claim 1.

8. An irrigation unit for irrigating an area with a fluid from a fluid source, the irrigation unit comprising:

a housing;

a nozzle that is secured to the housing, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid source so that fluid from the fluid source is transferred to the nozzle and released from the nozzle to the area;

an electronic component assembly secured to the housing, the electronic component assembly including an electrical rotator that rotates the nozzle about a portion of an axis relative to the housing; and

a power generator including a generator and turbine that rotates the generator to generate electrical energy, the power generator being secured to the housing, the power generator being electrically connected to the electronic component, wherein the turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source, and the flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle causes the turbine to rotate the generator to generate electrical energy.

9. The irrigation unit of claim 8 wherein the power generator directly transfers at least a portion of the electrical energy to the electronic component assembly.

10. The irrigation unit of claim 8 wherein the power generator includes a turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source and wherein flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle causes the turbine to rotate and the power generator to generate electrical energy.

11. The irrigation unit of claim 8 wherein the power generator is positioned within the housing.

12. The irrigation unit of claim 8 wherein the electronic component assembly includes a power storage unit.

13. The irrigation unit of claim 8 wherein the electronic component assembly includes a control system.

14. An irrigation system including a main control system and the irrigation unit of claim 8.

15. A method for irrigating an area with a fluid from a fluid source, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing;

securing a nozzle to the housing, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid source so that fluid from the fluid source is transferred to the nozzle and released from the nozzle to the area;

securing an electronic component assembly to the housing, the electronic component assembly including a control system having a processor for processing data; and

directly transferring electrical energy from a power generator to the electronic component, the power generator including a rotating turbine that rotates a generator to generate electrical energy, the power generator being secured to the housing, wherein the turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source, and the flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle causes the turbine to rotate the generator to generate electrical energy.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of positioning the turbine in fluid communication with the fluid source so that flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle causes the turbine to rotate.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of positioning the power generator near the housing.

18. A method for irrigating an area with a fluid from a fluid source, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing;

securing a nozzle to the housing, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid source so that fluid from the fluid source is transferred to the nozzle and released to the area, the nozzle being movable between a retracted position wherein the nozzle is positioned within the housing and an extended position wherein the nozzle extends above the housing;

securing an electronic component to the housing;

storing electrical energy with a power storage unit that is electrically connected to the electronic component, the power storage unit being positioned within the housing; and

directly transferring electrical energy from a power generator to the electronic component, the power generator including a rotating turbine that rotates a generator to generate electrical energy, the power generator being positioned within the housing, wherein the turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source, and the flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle causes the turbine to rotate the generator to generate electrical energy.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of securing the power storage unit to the housing.

20. An irrigation system for irrigating an area with a fluid from a fluid source, the irrigation system comprising:

a first irrigation unit comprising (i) a first housing, (ii) a first nozzle that is secured to the first housing and that extends away from the first housing, the first nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid source so that fluid from the fluid source is transferred to the first nozzle;

(iii) a first electronic component positioned within the housing; and

(iv) a first power generator that is positioned within the first housing and that generates electrical energy, the first power generator directly transferring at least a portion of the electrical energy to the first electronic component, the first power generator including a first generator and a first turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source, wherein the flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the first nozzle causes the first turbine to rotate the first generator to generate electrical energy; and

a second irrigation unit that is spaced apart from the first irrigation unit, the second irrigation unit comprising (i) a second housing, (ii) a second nozzle that is secured to the second housing and that extends away from the second housing, the second nozzle being in fluid communication with the fluid source so that fluid from the fluid source is transferred to the second nozzle;

(iii) a second electronic component positioned within the second housing; and

(iv) a second power generator that is positioned within the second housing and that generates electrical energy, the second power generator directly transferring at least a portion of the electrical energy to the second electronic component, the second power generator including a second generator and a second turbine that is in fluid communication with the fluid source, wherein the flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the second nozzle causes the second turbine to rotate the second generator to generate electrical energy.

21. The irrigation unit of claim 20 wherein the first electronic component is a first control system and the second electronic component is a second control system.

22. The irrigation system of claim 20 wherein the first electronic component is a first electronic valve that controls the flow of fluid to the first valve and the second electronic component is a second electronic valve that controls the flow of fluid to the second valve.