Conduit with connector and assembly thereof
AssigneeRain Bird Corporation
InventorsMichael F. Turk, Samir Shah, Gerhard Stoltz, James Richard Parks, Mark Murphy Ensworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid supply line is provided to reduce the labor and cost required for dripline system installations by providing predetermined fitting locations where driplines can be attached. The supply line consists of a conduit having a side wall, a connector extending through the side wall of the conduit, the connector having a conduit connecting segment extending outside the conduit and an inlet segment extending into the conduit, and the inlet segment being connected to the side wall of the conduit.
Claims29
An irrigation line comprising:
- a flexible conduit having a side wall with a plurality of openings;
- a plurality of connectors assembled with the conduit, each of the plurality of connectors having an inlet segment extending into one of the side wall openings and a connecting segment outside of the conduit;
- portions of the conduit extending into the conduit and forming non-threaded seals with the inlet segments of the plurality of connectors;
- each of the connecting segments having a connection protrusion outside of the conduit and adapted to receive a lateral line;
- and
- a plurality of protectors each extending about an associated one of the connection protrusions outside of the conduit.
An irrigation line comprising:
- a coiled conduit having a side wall with a plurality of openings;
- a plurality of connectors being assembled with the coiled conduit, the connectors each having an inlet segment extending into the side wall of one of the plurality of openings and a connecting segment outside of the conduit;
- the inlet segments of the connectors each including a tube portion and an enlarged portion upstream of the tube portion;
- and
- portions of the conduit extending into the conduit and forming seals with the tube portions of the inlet segments of the connectors,
- wherein the enlarged portions are wider than the tube portions to permit the enlarged portions to contact the portions of the conduit extending into the conduit and inhibit removal of the connectors from the conduit.
An irritation line comprising
- a coiled conduit having a side wall with a plurality of openings;
- a plurality of connectors being assembled with the coiled conduit, the connectors each having an inlet segment extending into the side wall of one of the plurality of openings and a connecting segment outside of the conduit;
- portions of the conduit extending into the conduit and forming seals with the inlet segments of the connectors;
- and
- frangible members adapted to be removed to open outlet openings of the connecting segments of the connectors.
An irrigation line comprising:
- a coiled conduit having a side wall with a plurality of openings;
- a plurality of connectors being assembled with the coiled conduit, the connectors each having an inlet segment extending into the side wall of one of the plurality of openings and a connecting segment outside of the conduit adapted to receive a secondary line;
- portions of the conduit extending into the conduit and forming seals with the inlet segments of the connectors;
- each inlet segment including an annular protrusion inside of the conduit;
- and
- each connecting segment including a removable portion configured to be removed to form an outlet opening of the connecting segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.