Irrigation dripper and pipe
OwnerJames Belford, Jacob Retter +1inventors
InventorsJames Belford, Jacob Retter, Ron Keren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dripper adapted to be bonded to interior of an irrigation pipe during manufacture and to be associated with an outlet opening in said pipe. The dripper comprises an outwardly facing surface adapted for the bonding, an outlet area associated with the surface, and at least one bulge near the outlet area. The bulge defines an outermost portion of the surface at least during manufacture of the pipe, and is adapted to form, when the dripper is bonded to the pipe, a raised outlet region in the pipe associated with the bulge. The bulge and outlet area are designed so as to form the raised outlet region suitable for at least a part of the outlet opening to be formed therein and be defined by the material of the pipe.
Claims32
A dripper adapted to be bonded to interior of an irrigation pipe during manufacture and to be associated with an outlet opening in said pipe, the dripper comprising an outwardly facing surface adapted for the bonding, an outlet area associated with said surface and at least one bulge near said outlet area, said at least one bulge defining an outermost portion of said surface at least during manufacture of the pipe, and being adapted to form, when the dripper is bonded to said pipe, a raised outlet region in the pipe associated with said bulge, the at least one bulge and said outlet area being designed so as to form said raised outlet region suitable for at least a part of said outlet opening being formed therein and being defined by the material of the pipe.
An irrigation pipe having outlet openings and a plurality of drippers each comprising an outwardly facing surface bonded to the pipe's interior, an outlet area associated with said surface in fluid communication with at least one of said outlet openings, and at least one bulge near said outlet area, the pipe comprising a raised outlet region associated with said bulge, at least a part of said one outlet opening being formed in said raised outlet region and being defined by the material of the pipe.
A method for producing an irrigation pipe, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a dripper comprising an outwardly facing surface adapted for bonding to the interior of the pipe, an outlet area associated with said surface and at least one bulge near said outlet area, the at least one bulge adapted to form a raised outlet region in the pipe so that, when the dripper is bonded, said outlet area thereof is spaced from the wall of the pipe at said raised outlet region;
- (b) bonding the dripper to the interior of the pipe so that the raised outlet region is formed;
- and
- (c) cutting the pipe at the raised outlet region, at least a part of which is spaced from the bulge and is to form there an outlet opening defined by the material of the pipe.
A blade for use with a pipe having a raised portion, adapted for cutting said raised portion, said blade comprising a guide having a longitudinal axis, at least a portion of which is adapted to receive the raised portion of said pipe while allowing the pipe to move along the axis;
- and further comprising a cutting arrangement adapted to form a cut in said raised portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.