Variable sprinkler orifice device

• US 9,486,816 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valmont Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Valmont Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gerdes, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greenlund, Joseph A
• Application Number:
  US14/718,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20150336116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 239/443, 239/469, 239/497, 137/625.43, 137/625.46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/092 movable around a pivot centre
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/12 capable of producing different kinds of discharge, e.g. either jet or spray having selectively-effective outlets B05B1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1636 by relative rotative movement of the valve elements B05B1/1672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/085 the axis of supply passage and the axis of discharge passage being coaxial and parallel to the axis of rotation of the plates

Abstract

The present invention includes a variable sprinkler orifice device that can change orifice sizes using a rotating disk with multiple orifices along the circumference of the disk. According to first preferred embodiment, the implement preferably includes a conduit in which water is directed through a series of rotatable plates which preferably include incrementally sized orifices. According to a further preferred embodiment, the variable orifices are automatically and quickly adjusted based on VRI data to change the combination of orifices used.

Claims

1. A variable sprinkler orifice device, wherein the variable sprinkler orifice device operates to control the flow of water through a water supply pipe to a nozzle, wherein the device comprises:

a first plate, wherein the first plate is comprised of at least a first selectable orifice;

wherein the first plate is rotatably mounted to move between at least a first position and a second position;

wherein when the first plate is turned to the first position, the first selectable orifice is within the water flow of the water supply pipe;

further wherein when the first plate is turned to the second position, the first selectable orifice is not within the water flow of the water supply pipe;

a first motor for rotating the first plate between the first position and the second position;

a second plate, wherein the second plate is downstream from the first plate, further wherein the second plate is comprised of at least a second selectable orifice and a third selectable orifice;

wherein the second plate is rotatably mounted to move between at least a first position and a second position;

wherein when the second plate is turned to the first position, the second selectable orifice is within the water flow of the water supply pipe and the third selectable orifice is not within the water flow;

further wherein when the second plate is turned to the second position, the third selectable orifice is within the water flow of the water supply pipe and the second selectable orifice is not within the water flow of the water supply pipe;

a second motor for rotating the second plate between the first position and the second position;

a first sensor, wherein the first sensor is a water pressure sensor;

further wherein the first sensor is located between the first plate and the second plate;

a third plate, wherein the third plate is downstream from the second plate, further wherein the third plate is comprised of at least a fourth selectable orifice and a fifth selectable orifice;

wherein the third plate is rotatably mounted between at least a first position and a second position;

wherein when the third plate is turned to the first position, the fourth selectable orifice is within the water flow of the water supply pipe and the fifth selectable orifice is not within the water flow of the water supply pipe;

further wherein when the third plate is turned to the second position, the fifth selectable orifice is within the water flow of the water supply pipe and the fourth selectable orifice is not within the water flow of the water supply pipe;

a third motor for rotating the third plate between the first position and the second position;

a second sensor;

wherein the second sensor is a water pressure sensor;

further wherein the second sensor is located between the second plate and the third plate; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive water pressure data from the first sensor and the second sensor;

further wherein the controller is configured to calculate the water flow rate through the nozzle based on the water pressure data;

further wherein the controller is configured to calculate a target flow rate based on a water application map for a selected area;

further wherein the controller is configured to selectively instruct the first, second and third motors to respectively rotate the first plate, the second plate and the third plate to adjust the real-time water flow rate through the nozzle to match the target flow rate.