Controllable emitter

• US 9,179,610 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• 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., Schrott, Alejandro G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barrera, Juan C
• Application Number:
  US13/969,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20140252133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 239/585.1, 239/322, 239/337, 251/129.02, 251/129.04, 251/129.15
• 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 25/023 Dispensing fittings for drip irrigation, e.g. drippers
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/026 Apparatus or processes for fitting the drippers to the hoses or the pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: B02B 5/00 Grain treatment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/658 the spraying apparatus or its outlet axis being perpendicular to the flow conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/082 using a electromagnet and a permanent magnet

Abstract

A controllable emitter of an irrigation apparatus including a drip line and a control station configured to control a pressure of pressurized fluid in the drip line is provided. The controllable emitter is disposable along the drip line and includes a container coupled to the drip line, the container being formed to define an interior and including an inlet through which the pressurized fluid is receivable in the interior from the drip line and an outlet through which the pressurized fluid is exhaustible from the interior, a piston, including a magnetic element, disposed at least partially in the container to occupy a position in accordance with the pressure of the pressurized fluid and a sensor configured to sense a position of the magnetic element and to communicate a sensed position to the control station.

Claims

1. A controllable emitter of an irrigation apparatus including a drip line and a control station configured to control a pressure of pressurized fluid in the drip line, the controllable emitter being disposable along the drip line and comprising:

a first and second containers coupled to opposite sides of the drip line, respectively, the second container being formed to define an interior and including an inlet through which the pressurized fluid is receivable in the interior from the drip line and an outlet through which the pressurized fluid is exhaustible from the interior;

a piston, including a magnetic element, the piston extending across the drip line and being disposed at least partially in the second container with the magnetic element disposed at least partially in the first container to occupy a position in accordance with the pressure of the pressurized fluid, wherein the piston never prevents pressurized fluid from flowing through the drip line; and

a sensor coupled to the first container and configured to sense a position of the magnetic element and to communicate a sensed position to the control station.

2. The controllable emitter according to claim 1, further comprising a controllable actuator configured to generate a magnetic field operable to urge the piston to move.

3. The controllable emitter according to claim 2, wherein the controllable actuator comprises a solenoid.

4. The controllable emitter according to claim 3, wherein the piston comprises a magnetic material.

5. An irrigation apparatus, comprising:

a drip line having pressurized fluid therein;

a control station configured to control a pressure of the pressurized fluid; and

a controllable emitter disposed along the drip line, the controllable emitter comprising;

a first and second containers coupled to opposite sides of the drip line, respectively, the second container being formed to define an interior and including an inlet through which the pressurized fluid is receivable in the interior from the drip line and an outlet through which the pressurized fluid is exhaustible from the interior;

a piston, including a magnetic element, the piston extending across the drip line and being disposed at least partially in the second container with the magnetic element disposed at least partially in the first container to occupy a position in accordance with the pressure of the pressurized fluid, wherein the piston never prevents pressurized fluid from flowing through the drip line; and

a sensor coupled to the first container and configured to sense a position of the magnetic element and to communicate a sensed position to the control station.

6. The controllable emitter according to claim 5, wherein the control station is configured to determine a drip rate of the controllable emitter.

7. The controllable emitter according to claim 5, further comprising a controllable actuator configured to generate a magnetic field operable to urge the piston to move.

8. The controllable emitter according to claim 7, wherein the controllable actuator comprises a solenoid.

9. The controllable emitter according to claim 8, wherein the piston comprises a magnetic material.

10. A controllable emitter of an irrigation apparatus including a drip line and a control station, the controllable emitter being disposable along the drip line and comprising:

a first and second containers coupled to opposite sides of the drip line, respectively, the second container including an inlet through which pressurized fluid is receivable from the drip line and an outlet through which the pressurized fluid is exhaustible;

a piston, including a magnetic element, the piston extending across the drip line and being disposed at least partially in the second container with the magnetic element disposed at least partially in the first container to occupy a position in accordance with the pressure of the pressurized fluid, wherein the piston never prevents pressurized fluid from flowing through the drip line; and

a sensor coupled to the first container and configured to sense a position of the magnetic element and to communicate a sensed position to the control station.

11. The controllable emitter according to claim 10, further comprising a controllable actuator configured to generate a magnetic field operable to urge the piston to move.

12. The controllable emitter according to claim 11, wherein the controllable actuator comprises a solenoid.

13. The controllable emitter according to claim 12, wherein the piston comprises a magnetic material.