Irrigation system

• US 9,173,353 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamann, Hendrik F., Klein, Levente L., Rodriguez, Sergio A. Bermudez, Schappert, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barrera, Juan C
• Application Number:
  US13/792,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20140252112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 239/266, 239/267, 239/556, 239/557, 239/562, 239/563, 239/565, 239/574, 239/571, 239200-210
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/02 Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/165 Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

An irrigation system including a diverter line is provided. The system includes drip irrigation lines, T-junctions interleaved between adjacent drip irrigation lines, each T-junction including a three-way line coupled to the diverter line, a check valve operably disposable between the three-way line and a downstream end of an upstream one of the drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only a forward direction and a controllable valve operably disposable between the three-way line and an upstream end of a downstream one of the drip irrigation lines. The controllable valve is operable to permit fluid flow in only the forward direction and to prevent the fluid flow.

Claims

1. A drip irrigation system including a diverter line, the system comprising:

a plurality of drip irrigation lines arranged aside the diverter line;

a plurality of T-junctions interleaved between adjacent ones of the plurality of drip irrigation lines, each T-junction comprising;

a three-way line having a first leg fluidly coupled to the diverter line, a second leg configured to be coupled to a downstream end of an upstream one of the plurality of drip irrigation lines and a third leg configured to be coupled to an upstream end of a downstream one of the plurality of drip irrigation lines;

a check valve operably disposable between the second leg and the downstream end of the upstream one of the plurality of drip irrigation lines to permit fluid flow in only a forward direction from the downstream end of the upstream one of the plurality of drip irrigation lines to the first, second and third legs; and

a controllable valve operably disposable between the third leg and the upstream end of the downstream one of the plurality of drip irrigation lines, the controllable valve being operable in a first mode whereby the controllable valve permits fluid flow in only the forward direction from the first, second and third legs to the upstream end of the downstream one of the plurality of drip irrigation lines and in a second mode whereby the controllable valve prevents the fluid flow.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each drip irrigation line of the plurality of drip irrigation lines has a uniform length.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of drip irrigation lines is disposable on both sides of the diverter line.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein multiple T-junctions are disposable at similar axial locations along the diverter line.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controllable valve of each of the T-junctions comprises a solenoid valve.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a control station operably coupled to each of the solenoid valves, the control station being configured to control individual solenoid valves to control an amount of deliverable fluid proximate to the individual solenoid valves.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein multiple solenoid valves are controllable in accordance with a common control cycle.