Self-cleaning drip irrigation valve

A valve for use with fluid under pressure comprising:

• a valve body having a valve chamber and means for providing communication between the valve chamber and the exterior of the valve body;
• an internal member within the valve chamber, said internal member including a transverse wall extending across the valve chamber and a plurality of grid walls extending generally transverse to the transverse wall, said grid walls and said transverse wall defining a plurality of open-ended pockets;
• means for providing an interior surface within said valve chamber for closing the open ends of said pockets;
• means on the internal member and said interior surface for defining a restricted fluid passage between said interior surface and said internal member with at least some of the grid walls and the interior surface cooperating to define a series of orifices in the fluid passage;
• at least a portion of at least one of the grid walls being sufficiently flexible so that it deflects in response to an upstream pressure increase resulting from clogging of the associated orifice with particulate matter whereby the deflection of said one grid wall tends to free the particulate matter to thereby make the restricted fluid passage self cleaning;
• first passage means for providing communication between the fluid passage and the valve chamber;
• and
• second passage means for providing communication between the fluid passage and the exterior of the valve body.

A flow control valve for use with fluid under pressure comprising:

• a valve body having a valve chamber and including first and second body members;
• a resilient grid in the valve chamber, said resilient grid having a peripheral flange;
• means for connecting said first and second body member with the peripheral flange being clamped between portions of said body members to divide the valve chamber into first and second chambers;
• said valve body including a control member, said control member being positionable at a plurality of different angular positions relative to said first and second body members, said control member having an interior surface partially defining the valve chamber;
• said resilient grid including a transverse wall and a plurality of grid walls extending generally transverse to the transverse wall, said grid walls and said transverse wall defining a plurality of pockets opening toward and being closed by said interior surface;
• means defining an inlet to the first chamber;
• means on said resilient grid and said interior surface for defining a restricted fluid passage in said second chamber with the grid walls and the interior surface cooperating to define a series of restrictions in said fluid passage;
• opening means in said grid for providing communication between the first chamber and the restricted passage;
• and
• an outlet passage terminating in a port in said interior surface of said control member, said control member being positionable to vary the number of said restrictions through which fluid must flow in passing through the restricted fluid passage whereby the flow rate through the valve can be varied.

A valve for use with fluid under pressure comprising:

• a member including a transverse wall and a plurality of grid walls extending generally transverse to the transverse wall, said grid walls and said transverse wall defining a plurality of open-ended pockets, said pockets opening axially of the valve;
• means for providing a surface for closing the open ends of said pockets;
• first means on the member and said surface for defining a restricted fluid passage between said surface and said member with at least some of the grid walls and the interior surface cooperating to define a plurality of orifices in the fluid passage;
• at least a portion of at least one of the grid walls being sufficiently flexible so that it deflects in response to an upstream pressure increase resulting from clogging of the associated orifice with particulate matter whereby the deflection of said one grid wall tends to free the particulate matter to thereby make the restricted fluid passage self-cleaning;
• means for providing an inlet of the fluid passage;
• and
• means for providing an outlet to the fluid passage.