Self cleaning, pressure responsive emitter valve for soil irrigation

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water under pressure comprising:

• means for defining a cavity with a passage opening to the soil at an end wall, said passage opening means comprising an annular lip having champfered sides extending from said end wall for defining an annular flat and narrow end surface spaced outwardly from said end wall;
• means for defining an inlet coupled to said cavity means and to the supply of the water;
• and
• means in said cavity means for defining a deformable surface having a groove therein extending across said surface for a length greater than the diameter of said annular flat and narrow end surface, and for cooperating with said cavity means for axially moving towards and away from said passage opening means and into contact with said flat and narrow end surface upon supply of the water under the pressure for providing increased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon decrease in the water pressure and for providing decreased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon increase in the water pressure.

In an irrigation system for controlled supply of water under pressure from a source of the water to soil, an emitter valve coupled to the source of water comprising:

• means including a housing for defining a substantially cylindrical interior cavity opening at a first end and terminating at a second end in a wall, said second end wall having means for defining an opening substantially centrally located therein;
• an inlet secured to said housing and having means for defining a passage therethrough coupled to the source of water and extending through said second end wall opening means for enabling flow of the water from the source and into said interior cavity means;
• a deformable element of elastomeric material slideably placed in said interior cavity means for substantially linearly moving between said cavity first and second ends thereof, and including p2 a first element end means for defining a wall substantially at said first end of said interior cavity means,
• means for defining a second element end facing said second end of said interior cavity means, and
• resilient means for normally spacing said deformable element from said first end of said interior cavity means and for centering said element in said interior cavity means;
• a cap engaged to said housing at said cavity first end for terminating said interior cavity means, and having
• an end wall facing said first end wall of said deformable element, and
• means for defining at least one passage opening through said cap end wall to said interior cavity means and to the exterior of said housing for enabling flow of the water from said interior cavity means to the soil;
• and
• means for defining a distance between said cap end wall and said second end wall of said interior cavity means being greater than the distance between said first end wall and said second end of said deformable element, thereby for defining means for enabling said deformable element substantially to slideably reciprocate within said interior cavity means towards and away from said cap end wall in response to the supply of the water, and for enabling increased flow of the water to the soil as the water pressure decreases and for enabling decreased flow of the water to the soil as the water pressure increases.

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water comprising:

• an enclosure having means therein for defining a cavity with surrounding side walls, and walls terminating said cavity means and having therein means for defining an outlet to the soil and means for defining an inlet coupled to the supply of water for enabling flow of the water to the soil;
• an element positioned in said cavity means and having means for acting as a valve with said outlet means;
• and
• means positioned between said terminating wall of said outlet means and said element for generally spacing said element from said cavity side walls, while normally spacing said element from contact with and at least partial closure of said outlet means for impeding movement of said element towards said outlet means when the water is first caused to flow and for impelling said element away from said outlet means when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a surging and rapid flow of the water from said cavity means.

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water under pressure comprising:

• means for defining a cavity with a passage opening to the soil and means for defining an inlet coupled to the supply of the water;
• means in said cavity means for defining a deformable surface for movement thereof towards and away from said passage opening means and into contact therewith upon supply of the water under the pressure for providing increased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon decrease in the water pressure and for providing decreased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon increase in the water pressure;
• means for defining a wall in said cavity means;
• and
• means for providing elastomeric memory and contactable with and placed between said wall means and said deformable surface both for generally centering of said deformable surface in said cavity means and for normally spacing said deformable surface from said passage opening means, thereby for impeding the contact of said deformable surface with said passage opening means when the water is first caused to flow and for enhancing separation of said deformable surface from said passage opening means when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a rapid increased flow of the water through said passage opening means.

In an irrigation system for controlled supply of water under pressure from a source of the water to soil, an emitter valve coupled to the source of water comprising:

• a housing having means for defining a substantially cylindrical interior cavity opening at a first end and terminating at a second end in a wall, said second end wall having means for defining an opening substantially centrally located therein;
• an inlet secured to said housing and having means for defining a passage therethrough coupled to the source of water and extending through said second end wall opening means for enabling flow of the water from the source and into said interior cavity means;
• a deformable element of elastomeric material slideably placed in said interior cavity means for substantially linear movement between said first and second ends thereof and including a first end means for defining a wall substantially at said first end opening of said interior cavity means, means for defining a second end facing said second end of said interior cavity means and means for positioning said deformable element at a preferred position within said interior cavity means;
• a cap engaged to said housing for covering said first end of said interior cavity means, and having an end wall facing said first end wall of said deformable element and means for defining at least one passage opening through said cap end wall to said interior cavity means and to the exterior of said housing for enabling flow of the water from said interior cavity means to the soil;
• means for defining a distance between said cap end wall and said second end wall of said interior cavity means being greater than the distance between said first end wall and said second end of said deformable element defining means for enabling said deformable element substantially to slideably reciprocate within said interior cavity means towards and away from said cap end wall in response to the supply of the water, and for enabling increased flow of the water to the soil as the water pressure decreases and for enabling decreased flow of the water to the soil as the water pressure increases;
• and
• said positioning means of said deformable element including a plurality of flexible springy fingers secured to and spaced substantially equally about and beyond at least the radial periphery of said element both for centering of said element in said cavity means as well as for impeding movement of said element towards said end wall of said cap when the water is first caused to flow and for suddenly moving said element away from said end wall of said cap when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a surge of the water to flow from said interior cavity means and through said cap passage means for flushing out any solid particulate matter from said emitter valve.

In an irrigation system for controlled supply of water under pressure from a source of soil, an emitter valve coupled to the source of water comprising:

• a housing having means for defining a substantially cylindrical interior cavity opening at a first end and terminating at a second end in a wall, said second end wall having means for defining an opening substantially centrally located therein;
• an inlet secured to said housing and having means for defining a passage therethrough coupled to the source of water and extending through said second end wall opening means for enabling flow of the water from the source and into said interior cavity means;
• a deformable element of elastomeric material slideably placed in said interior cavity means for substantially linearly moving between said first and second ends thereof and including a first end means for defining a wall substantially at said first end opening of said interior cavity means, means for defining a second end facing said second end of said interior cavity means and means for positioning said deformable element at a preferred position within said interior cavity means;
• a cap engaged to said housing for covering said first end of said interior cavity means, and having an end wall facing said first end wall of said deformable element and means for defining at least one passage opening through said cap end wall to said interior cavity means and to the exterior of said housing for enabling flow of the water from said interior cavity means to the soil;
• means for defining a distance between said cap end wall and said second end wall of said interior cavity means being greater than the distance between said first end wall and said second end of said deformable element defining means for enabling said deformable element substantially to slideably reciprocate within said interior cavity means towards and away from said cap end wall in response to the supply of the water, and for enabling increased flow of the water to the soil as the water pressure decreases and for enabling decreased flow of the water to the soil as the water pressure increases;
• means for defining a cover extending about said cap, said cover means including means for spacing said cap from said cover means for defining a plurality of channels communicating with said passage means and opening to the soil;
• and
• means on said cover means and on said cap for defining latches for respective locking of said cover means to said cap and of said cap to said housing.

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water comprising:

• an enclosure having means therein for defining a cavity for defining an outlet to the soil and for defining an inlet coupled to the supply of water for enabling flow of the water to the soil;
• an element positioned in said cavity means and having means for cooperating with said outlet means and for impeding movement of said element towards said outlet means when the water is first caused to flow and for impelling said element away from said outlet means when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a rapid flow of the water from said cavity means, said impeding and impelling means comprising means for defining a plurality of fingers extending substantially radially from the axis of said element and having spring memory and extending outwardly from said element;
• and
• means for defining a wall of said cavity means having means therein for defining a groove for receiving the ends of said radially extending finger means.

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water under pressure comprising:

• means for defining a cavity with a passage opening to the soil at an end wall, said passage opening means comprising an annular lip having champfered sides extending from said end wall for defining an annular flat and narrow end surface spaced outwardly from said end wall;
• means for defining an inlet coupled to said cavity means and to the supply of the water;
• means in said cavity means for defining a deformable surface having a groove therein extending across said surface for a length greater than the diameter of said annular flat and narrow end surface, and for cooperating with said cavity means for axially moving towards and away from said passage opening means and into contact with said flat and narrow end surface upon supply of the water under the pressure for providing increased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon decrease in the water pressure and for providing decreased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon increase in the water pressure;
• a plurality of springy fingers having elastomeric memory secured to said deformable surface means and extending towards said end wall for normally spacing said deformable surface from said passage opening means and for impeding the contact of said deformable surface with said flat and narrow end surface of said passage opening means when the water is first caused to flow and for enhancing separation of said deformable surface from said flat and narrow end surface when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a rapid increased and surging flow of the water through said passage opening means, said fingers further being secured about and transversely beyond the periphery of said deformable surface means for centering of said deformable surface means within said cavity means and for providing means for defining a shell-shaped opening between said cavity means and said deformable surface means thereby aiding the flow of the water.

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water under pressure comprising:

• means for defining a cavity with a passage opening to the soil and means for defining an inlet coupled to the supply of the water;
• means in said cavity means for defining a deformable surface for movement thereof towards and away from said passage opening means and into contact therewith upon supply of the water under the pressure for providing increased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon decrease in the water pressure and for providing decreased flow of the water through said passage opening means upon increase in the water pressure;
• means for defining a wall in said cavity means;
• and
• a plurality of springy fingers secured to said deformable surface means and extending towards and contactable with said wall means and said deformable surface for normally spacing said deformable surface from said passage opening means, for impeding the contact of said deformable surface with said passage opening means when the water is first caused to flow and for enhancing separation of said deformable surface from said passage opening means when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a rapid increased flow of the water through said passage opening means, said fingers further being secured about and transversely beyond the periphery of said deformable surface means for centering of said deformable surface means within said cavity means and for providing means for defining a shell-shaped opening between said cavity means and said means having said deformable surface for thereby aiding the flow of the water.

An emitter valve for irrigation of soil from a supply of water under pressure comprising:

• means for defining a cavity with a passage opening to the soil;
• means for defining an inlet coupled to said cavity means and to the supply of the water;
• a valve member in said cavity means axially moveable towards and away from said passage opening means;
• means for defining at least one springy finger having elastomeric memory secured between said valve member and a wall in said cavity means for normally spacing said valve member from said passage opening means and for impeding movement of said valve member towards said passage opening means when the water is first caused to flow and for enhancing separation of said valve member from said passage opening means when the water is first caused to cease flowing, for thereby enabling a rapid increased and surging flow of the water through said passage opening means, said finger means further being secured about and transversely beyond the periphery of said valve member for centering of said valve member within said cavity means and for defining a shell-shaped opening between said cavity means and said valve member for thereby aiding the flow of the water.

The emitter valve of claim 55 further comprising:

• a cover extending about said cavity means;
• means between said cover and said cavity means for spacing said cavity means from said cover and for defining at least one channel coupling said valve with the soil;
• and
• means on said cover and on said cavity means securing said cover and said cavity means together.