Irrigation system

• US 9,821,335 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Burrous, Robert A., Elzey, James A., Haas, Clint R., Redmond, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US14/248,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 239 69, 239237, 239240, 239242, 239246, 239201-207, 239273-279, 239289, 239266-269, 239550, 239565, 239562, 239570-572, 239DIG 15, 206216, 206223, 47 485
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/00 Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like special apparatus or adaptations for fertilising-liquids A01C23/00; nozzles or outlets, spraying apparatus B05B
• 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 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 29/00 Root feeders; Injecting fertilisers into the roots
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/087 Flow or presssure regulators, i.e. non-electric unitary devices comprising a sensing element, e.g. a piston or a membrane, and a controlling element, e.g. a valve
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/622 ground-penetrating
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0418 comprising a liquid driven rotor, e.g. a turbine B05B3/0463, B05B3/0468 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0422 with rotating outlet elements
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0427 the outlet elements being directly attached to the rotor or being an integral part of it
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0436 by reversing the direction of rotation of the rotor itself
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/044 Tubular elements holding several outlets, e.g. apertured tubes, oscillating about an axis substantially parallel to the tubular element
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect, a faucet-supplied irrigation system is provided having a container, coiled tubing in the container, a plurality of pop-up sprinklers in the container, and a plurality of connectors in the container for attachment to the tubing and sprinklers. The irrigation system includes an irrigation controller in the container and a pressure regulator in the container to regulate water pressure of the supply of water to the sprinklers from the faucet. The container is configured to maintain a plurality of the coiled tubing, pop-up sprinklers, connectors, controller and regulator in a predetermined arrangement within the container.

Claims

1. A faucet-supplied irrigation system comprising:

a container;

coiled tubing in the container, the tubing having a length and a sidewall, the sidewall having a circular cross-section transverse to the length of the tubing;

a plurality of pop-up sprinklers in the container;

a plurality of connectors in the container for attachment to the tubing and sprinklers, the connectors including clampless sprinkler connectors adapted to engage the tubing sidewall and connect the sprinklers to the tubing;

an irrigation controller in the container, the controller having a microprocessor to control a supply of water to the sprinklers through the tubing from a faucet;

a pressure regulator in the container to regulate water pressure of the supply of water to the sprinklers through the tubing from the faucet;

the container being configured to maintain a plurality of the coiled tubing, pop-up sprinklers, connectors, controller and regulator in a predetermined arrangement within the container; and

instructions in the container for installing the irrigation system, the instructions including instructions to connect the sprinklers to the tubing via the clampless sprinkler connectors, instructions to dig a trench, instructions to position at least one of the sprinklers and the tubing in the trench, and instructions to bury the at least one of the sprinklers and the tubing in the trench.

2. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the container includes at least one outer container and at least one inner container inside the at least one outer container.

3. The irrigation system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the inner and outer containers includes a window.

4. The irrigation system of claim 2 wherein the at least one inner and outer containers both include a window, and the windows of each overlap at least in part.

5. The irrigation system of claim 4 wherein the at least a window is either transparent material or a void of material.

6. The irrigation system of claim 4 wherein at least one of the plurality of sprinklers in the container being visible through the overlapped windows.

7. The irrigation system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the plurality of sprinklers and the controller being visible through the overlapped windows.

8. The irrigation system of claim 2 wherein the at least one inner container includes a plurality of inner containers.

9. The irrigation system of claim 2 comprising a support in the at least one outer container to position the at least one inner container in the at least one outer container.

10. The irrigation system of claim 1 comprising at least one automatic drain valve in the container for being connected to the tubing, the at least one drain valve configured to close in response to receiving pressurized water from the tubing.

11. The irrigation system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of connectors in the container includes at least one connector to connect the at least one drain valve in line with at least a portion of the tubing.

12. The irrigation system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of connectors in the container includes at least one tee connector to connect the at least one drain valve along at least a portion of the tubing.

13. The irrigation system of claim 10 wherein the at least one drain valve includes a plurality of drain valves in the container.

14. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the clampless sprinkler connectors includes two barbs for interconnecting two portions of the flexible tubing and a threaded connection for connecting to one of the sprinklers.

15. The irrigation system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of connectors in the container includes at least one barbed tee connector, at least one barbed inline connector, and at least one barbed elbow connector.

16. The irrigation system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of connectors in the container includes at least one threaded elbow connector for connecting to one of the sprinklers and at least one adapter with a barbed end for connecting a portion of the flexible tubing and a threaded end for connecting to the at least one threaded elbow connector.

17. The irrigation systems of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of sprinklers has an adjustable arc of coverage.

18. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sprinklers includes at least one sprinkler having a rotor.

19. The irrigation system of claim 18 further comprising a plurality of nozzles in the container configured for use with the at least one sprinkler having a rotor, the plurality of nozzles including nozzles with ports sized to produce different flow rates.

20. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising a back flow preventer in the container.

21. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising a filter in the container.

22. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising an adapter in the container with a threaded connection and a barbed connection.

23. The irrigation system of claim 1 comprising a multi-function connector in the container having inline a filter, the pressure regulator, a threaded connector and a barbed connector.

24. The irrigation system of claim 23 wherein the multi-function connector includes a back flow preventer.

25. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising at least one installation tool in the container.

26. The irrigation system of claim 25 wherein the at least one installation tool includes a barbed connector insertion tool.

27. The irrigation system of claim 25 wherein the at least one installation tool includes a sprinkler adjustment tool.

28. The irrigation system of claim 1 comprising at least one stake in the container for temporarily supporting at least one of the sprinklers.

29. The irrigation system of claim 1 comprising at least one stake in the container for permanently supporting one of the sprinklers.

30. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sprinklers comprises a ground supportable housing.

31. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the pressure regulator limits water pressure to a maximum downstream of the pressure regulator so that the rotors of the pop-up sprinklers do not mist during operation.

32. The irrigation system of claim 31 wherein the pressure regulator limits water pressure to a maximum of about 45-55 psi.

33. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the instructions in the container include instructions to position both of the sprinklers and the tubing in the trench and instructions to bury the sprinklers and the tubing in the trench.

34. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the instructions in the container include instructions for separating sections of tubing from the coiled tubing, positioning the sections of tubing in the trench, and burying the sections of tubing.

35. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the instructions in the container include instructions to separate sections of tubing from the coiled tubing, instructions to position the sprinklers and the sections of tubing in the trench, and instructions to bury the plurality of sprinklers and the sections of tubing in the trench.

36. A faucet-supplied irrigation system comprising:

a container;

coiled tubing in the container configured to be separated into sections having end portions;

a plurality of pop-up sprinklers in the container;

a plurality of connectors in the container for attachment to the tubing and sprinklers, the connectors having connecting portions with barbs;

an irrigation controller in the container, the controller having a microprocessor to control a supply of water to the sprinklers through the tubing from a faucet;

a tool having a member configured to be inserted into tubing end portions to prepare the tubing end portions to be advanced over the connector barbs and provide a secure attachment of the tubing end portions to the connector connecting portions without the use of clamping devices to secure the tubing to the connectors;

a plurality of stakes in the container; and

a plurality of ties in the container configured to releaseably connect the sprinklers to the stakes.

37. The irrigation system of claim 36 wherein the container is configured to maintain a plurality of the coiled tubing, pop-up sprinklers, connectors, and irrigation controller in a predetermined arrangement within the container.

38. The irrigation system of claim 36 wherein the container includes at least one outer container and at least one inner container inside the at least one outer container.

39. The irrigation system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the inner and outer containers includes a window.

40. The irrigation system of claim 39 wherein at least one of the plurality of sprinklers and the controller being visible through the overlapped windows.

41. The irrigation system of claim 38 wherein the at least one inner and outer containers both include a window, and the windows of each overlap at least in part.

42. The irrigation system of claim 41 wherein the window is either transparent material or a void of material.

43. The irrigation system of claim 36 wherein the container includes a transparent portion comprising either transparent material or a void of material;

and

at least one of the plurality of sprinklers in the container being visible through the window.

44. A faucet-supplied irrigation system comprising:

a container;

coiled tubing in the container configured to be separated into sections;

a plurality of pop-up sprinklers in the container;

a plurality of connectors in the container for attachment to the tubing and sprinklers;

an irrigation controller in the container, the controller having a microprocessor to control a supply of water to the sprinklers through the tubing from a faucet;

a plurality of stakes in the container; and

a plurality of ties in the container configured to releaseably connect the sprinklers to the stakes.

45. The irrigation system of claim 44 further comprising instructions in the container for installing the irrigation system, the instructions including instructions to dig a trench, instructions to position at least one of the sprinklers and the tubing in the trench, and instructions to bury the at least one of the sprinklers and the tubing in the trench.

46. The irrigation system of claim 44 further comprising instructions in the container for installing the irrigation system, the instructions including instructions to connect the sprinklers to the stakes using the ties.

47. The irrigation system of claim 44 wherein the container is configured to maintain a plurality of the coiled tubing, pop-up sprinklers, connectors, and irrigation controller in a predetermined arrangement within the container.

48. The irrigation system of claim 44 wherein the container includes at least one outer container and at least one inner container inside the at least one outer container.

49. The irrigation system of claim 48 wherein at least one of the inner and outer containers includes a window.

50. The irrigation system of claim 49 wherein the at least one inner and outer containers both include a window, and the windows of each overlap at least in part.