Irrigation control valve and system

• US 7,469,707 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel W., Stelford, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schneider; Craig M
• Application Number:
  US11/444,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20070277879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 137/78.1, 137/78.2, 137/78.3, 137/613, 137/614.16, 137/614.21, 324/664, 239/63, 239/64, 73/73, 251/212
• US Class Current: 137/78.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/189 Soil moisture sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88022 One valve head provides seat for other head
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88062 Coaxial oppositely directed seats

Abstract

An irrigation control valve has two movable members that can independently or in combination block the flow of water in a conduit, or be fully retracted of at some point in-between. A moisture sensitive element is arranged to be placed in contact with the soil and expands or retracts dependent on the moisture within soil adjacent the moisture sensitive element. The moisture sensitive element is connected or coupled to a moisture controlled member. Dependent on the moisture of the soil adjacent the moisture sensitive element, the moisture controlled member is moved further into the conduit with increasing moisture in the soil. The moisture controlled member and an electronically controlled member are located adjacent each other at the conduit. The electronically controlled member determines how far the moisture controlled member needs to move in order to fully block the flow of water in the conduit. An electronic controller is operable to determine the achieved level of moisture in the soil, by means of the electronically controlled actuator and the electronically controlled member.

Claims

1. An irrigation control valve, comprising:

a conduit having an inlet and an outlet;

a moisture sensitive element adapted to be placed in contact with the soil, the moisture sensitive element being expansible as a function of the amount of moisture adjacent the moisture sensitive element;

a movable moisture controlled member coupled to the moisture sensitive element and configured to variably restrict the cross section of the conduit between the inlet and the outlet dependent on the moisture adjacent the moisture sensitive element, the cross section of the conduit at the moisture sensitive element decreasing with increasing moisture adjacent the moisture sensitive element and increasing with decreasing moisture adjacent the moisture sensitive element;

an electronically controlled actuator connected to an electronic controller;

and a movable electronically controlled member coupled to the electronically controlled actuator, the electronically controlled member located at the conduit adjacent the moisture controlled member and cooperating with the moisture controlled member to define the shut-off position of the moisture controlled member.

2. An irrigation control valve according to claim 1, wherein the electronically controlled member is arranged one of upstream and downstream the moisture controlled member.

3. An irrigation control valve according to claim 1, wherein the moisture controlled member and the electrically controlled member are arranged on opposite faces of the conduit.

4. An irrigation control valve according to claim 1, wherein the moisture sensitive element comprises a hydrophilic polymer.

5. An irrigation control valve according to claim 1, wherein the electronically controlled actuator is operable to hold the electronically controlled member into at least one intermediate position between an open position in which the electronically controlled member leaves the conduit open and a closed position in which the electronically controlled member closes the conduit.

6. An irrigation control valve according to claim 5, wherein the electronically controlled actuator is operable to hold the electronically controlled member into a plurality of intermediate positions between an open position in which the electronically controlled member leaves the conduit open and a closed position in which the electronically controlled member closes the conduit.

7. An irrigation control valve according to claim 5, wherein the electronically controlled actuator is operable to maintain the electronically controlled member in its respective position without requiring electronic power.

8. An irrigation control valve according to claim 7, wherein the electronically controlled actuator comprises a bi-directional drive and ratchet means.

9. An irrigation control valve according to claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is connected to least one of an environmental sensor for detecting at least one environmental condition, and a receiver operable to receive control data from a remote location.

10. An irrigation control valve according to claim 9, wherein the controller is connected to a position sensor for sensing the position of an output of the electrically driven element.

11. An irrigation control valve according to claim 9, wherein the electrically controlled actuator comprises an electro-active polymer that expands in the presence of an electric field and contracts when the field is removed.

12. An irrigation control valve according to claim 9, wherein the valve comprises a housing having a point at its bottom end, a chamber connected to the inlet, a chamber connected to the outlet, and a removable cartridge mounting the moisture sensitive element, the moisture controlled member, the electronically controlled member, the electronically controlled actuator, and the controller.

13. An irrigation system, comprising:

a water conducting means connected to a supply of water,

a control valve with

a conduit having an inlet and an outlet,

the inlet of the conduit connected to the water conducting means and the outlet of the conduit connected to a water discharge within or in the vicinity of a soil containing a root of at least one plant

a moisture sensitive element in contact with the soil, the moisture sensitive element being expansible as a function of the amount of moisture in the soil adjacent the moisture sensitive element;

a movable moisture controlled member coupled to the moisture sensitive element and configured to variably restrict the cross section of the conduit between the inlet and the outlet dependent on the moisture in the soil adjacent the moisture sensitive element, the moisture sensitive element moving out of the conduit when the moisture in the soil adjacent the moisture sensitive increases and moving into the conduit when the moisture in the soil adjacent the moisture sensitive element decreases;

an electronically controlled actuator connected to an electronic controller;

a movable electronically controlled member coupled to the electronically controlled actuator, the electronically controlled member located at the conduit adjacent the moisture controlled member and arranged to define the shut-off position of the moisture controlled member,

the electronic controller connected to least one of an environmental sensor for detecting at least one environmental condition, a clock, and a receiver operable to receive control data from a remote location.

14. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the electronically controlled member is arranged one of upstream and downstream the moisture controlled member.

15. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the moisture controlled member and the electrically controlled member are arranged on opposite faces of the conduit.

16. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the moisture sensitive element comprises a hydrophilic polymer.

17. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the electronically controlled actuator is operable to hold the electronically controlled member into at least one intermediate position between an open position in which the electronically controlled member leaves the conduit open and a closed position in which the electronically controlled member closes the conduit.

18. An irrigation control system according to claim 17, wherein the electronically controlled actuator is operable to hold the electronically controlled member into a plurality of intermediate positions between an open position in which the electronically controlled member leaves the conduit open and a closed position in which the electronically controlled member closes the conduit.

19. An irrigation control system according to claim 17, wherein the electronically controlled actuator is operable to hold the electronically controlled member in its respective position without requiring external power.

20. An irrigation control system according to claim 19, wherein the electronically controlled actuator comprises a bi-directional ratchet means.

21. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the electronically controlled actuator comprises a position sensor for sensing the position of an output of the electrically driven element, the position sensor connected to the electronic controller.

22. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the electronically controlled actuator comprises an electro-active polymer that expands in the presence of an electric field and contracts when the field is removed.

23. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein the valve comprises a housing having a point at its bottom end, a chamber connected to the inlet, a chamber connected to the outlet, and a removable cartridge mounting the moisture sensitive element, the moisture controlled member, the electronically controlled member, the electronically controlled actuator, and the controller.

24. An irrigation control system according to claim 13, wherein a computer is connected to a communication node that is operable to communicate with a communication node in the field that communicates with the irrigation controller of the irrigation valve.