US 5,507,436 AGranted

Method and apparatus for converting pressurized low continuous flow to high flow in pulses

OwnerGideon Ruttenberginventor

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Abstract

A device and method, especially adapted for operating sprinklers, shower heads etc. at low flow, converts low continuous liquid flow to a high intermittent and pulsating flow. The liquid is introduced at a controlled low rate of flow, such as by the use of a pressure-compensated dripper in a liquid supply line. The liquid then flows into a chamber which is somewhat expandable in volume. The pressure increases in the chamber while outflow of the liquid is restricted until pressure created by introduction of the liquid is sufficient to eject the fluid intermittently at a higher flow. This is achieved by utilizing a pressure-responsive valve in the liquid exit of the container. The valve has a preset pressure response designed for quick response to create a water hammer effect. The valve has openings which create a pumping effect to admix air or another liquid with the effluent stream. Sprinklers, shower heads, or any other spraying devices connected to this pulsator will spray liquids to a large designated area with only a very small fluid flow. A drip line connected to such a device may have very large openings, yet the flow through each such dripper can be very large. A preferred form of the pulsator is a pulsating valve in which the receptacle container and the other required elements for such a pulsating device are part of the valve itself.

Claims48

Dependent claims

A pulsating device having an inlet and an outlet for converting a continuous, relatively low, controlled fluid flow rate entering said inlet of said pulsating device to an intermittent and pulsating high rate of fluid flow ejected from said outlet of said pulsating device, comprising:

(a) an insert having an inlet, an outlet and an outer surface;
(b) an elastic tube which:
(1) normally surrounds and directly contacts at least a major portion of said insert,
(2) can be expanded away from said insert to form an expandable chamber between said outer surface of said insert and an inner surface of said elastic tube,
(c) said expandable chamber having (a) an inlet portion and (b) an outlet portion intermittently in fluid communication with said inlet and with said outlet of said insert,
(d) said inlet of said insert communicating with said inlet portion of said expandable chamber so that fluid flowing into said inlet of said insert will reach said inlet portion of said expandable chamber,
(e) said elastic tube, when in said normal state in direct contact with said insert, being shaped so that it directly closes said outlet portion of said expandable chamber so as to (1) prevent fluid communication between said inlet portion of said expandable chamber and said outlet portion of said expandable chamber, and (2) prevent flow of fluid out from said expandable chamber,
(f) said elastic tube, when partially expanded in response to fluid pressure within said inlet portion of said expandable chamber exceeding a first predetermined level, being shaped to form a fluid path between said inlet portion of said expandable chamber and said outlet portion of said expandable chamber,
(g) said elastic tube, when partially expanded, surrounding and being in contact with said insert in said outlet portion of said expandable chamber and thereby resisting flow of fluid out from said outlet portion of said expandable chamber to said outlet of said insert and thereby causing an increased pressure in said inlet portion of said expandable chamber, resulting in an additional expansion of said elastic tube and opening said outlet portion of said expandable chamber widely and quickly into communication with said outlet of said insert,
(h) said pulsating device thus ejecting fluid from said expandable chamber through said outlet of said insert at a high rate of flow so as to cause the volume and pressure of fluid within said expandable chamber to decrease and said elastic tube to close said outlet portion of said expandable chamber in response to decreased pressure, thereby to complete a cycle of an intermittent pulsating flow of fluid through said outlet of said pulsating device.

7 more elements

A method for converting a continuous fluid flow at a low rate of flow to high intermittent pulsating flow at a high rate of flow, comprising:

(a) supplying fluid at a low controlled flow rate into a receptacle having a relatively low elasticity, said receptacle having an integral fluid inlet means and an integral fluid outlet means;
(b) establishing a body of said fluid under pressure in said receptacle;
(c) said integral fluid outlet means of said receptacle preventing outflow of said fluid from said receptacle until a predetermined pressure is achieved in said receptacle;
(d) said outlet means of said receptacle allowing said fluid to flow out from said receptacle through a resistance so as to force the pressure within said receptacle to increase and force said outlet means to become widely open;
(e) ejecting said fluid from said receptacle and through said resistance at a high rate of flow as a pulse while fluid continues to flow into said receptacle at said low controlled flow rate and, by ejecting said fluid, causing the pressure and the volume of fluid within said receptacle to decrease and allowing said outlet means to close and terminate one pulsating cycle,
(f) said supplying fluid being done with a liquid fluid,
(g) supplying said liquid at a constant continuous controlled rate to said receptacle and allowing said liquid to flow out of said receptacle through said outlet means until said pressure in said receptacle is diminished to a predetermined level,
(h) at the same time (1) restricting said outflow sufficiently to create a water hammer effect to generate a high pressure liquid pulse, and (2) quickly discontinuing emission of liquid until said pressure within said receptacle is again increased to said predetermined level, and
(i) repeating said sequence continuously for a desired period of time to produce said high intermittent pulsating flow.

6 more elements

Apparatus for converting pressurized low continuous liquid flow to a high intermittent pulsating flow, comprising:

(a) a pressure container having low elasticity,
(b) means for supplying a continuous flow of liquid thereto at a controlled low flow rate, thereby to establish a pressurized body of liquid within said pressure container,
(c) a preset normally closed valve means connected to an outlet of said pressure container, said valve means remaining closed and preventing liquid from flowing out of said pressure container at a lower pressure and opening in response to a preset higher pressure within said pressure container to permit liquid to flow out of said pressure container, said valve means closing itself at said lower pressure,
(d) conduit means connected to an outlet of said preset valve means, and
(e) resistance means associated with said conduit means providing sufficient resistance to liquid flow through said conduit means to cause said preset valve means, when it opens, to become widely open, thus allowing liquid to be ejected from said pressure container a high rate of flow, thereby causing the volume and pressure of the liquid within said container to decrease and said preset valve means to close.

2 more elements

A normally open pulsating valve comprising:

(a) a casing defining an enclosed interior space therein;
(b) an inlet fitting extending through a part of said casing into said interior space, said inlet fitting defining a fluid inlet passage and a port, said fluid inlet passage and said port extending through and communicating with said interior space;
(c) an outlet fitting spaced apart from said inlet fitting and extending through a part of said casing into said interior space, said outlet fitting defining a fluid outlet passage extending therethrough and communicating with said interior space;
(d) an elastic tube located within said interior space defined by said casing, said elastic tube having an exterior surface and an interior with a path therethrough,
(e) a first end of said elastic tube being connected with said inlet fitting and a second end of said elastic tube being connected with said outlet fitting;
(f) said fluid inlet passage and said fluid outlet passage communicating with said interior of said elastic tube so as to form a path for fluid to proceed through said inlet fitting into said elastic tube, and through said interior of said elastic tube into said outlet fitting, all within said interior space defined by said casing;
and
(g) means for supplying a quantity of fluid under pressure to both said port and said inlet passage defined by said inlet fitting;
(h) said elastic tube being long enough to develop a pressure drop along said path within said interior of said elastic tube, between said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting, during flow of fluid along said path, said pressure drop also creating a pressure difference between said interior of said elastic tube and a quantity of said fluid located in said interior space surrounding said exterior surface of said elastic tube;
(i) said elastic tube being smooth enough to collapse and flatten, closing said path through said interior of said elastic tube in response to said pressure drop and pressure difference, thus interrupting said flow of said fluid along said path intermittently.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/396,176Filed 24 Feb 1995 · continuation
Priority: 10 Mar 1993
Granted: 16 Apr 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B05B 1/086
The pulsating mechanism comprising movable parts: with a resiliently deformable element, e.g. sleeve
B05B 3/06
Driven by the liquid or other fluent material discharged, e.g. the liquid actuating a motor before passing to the outlet: by jet reaction
B05B 3/16
With oscillating elements; with intermittent operation: driven or controlled by the liquid or other fluent material discharged, e.g. the liquid…
Y10T 137/7889
With valve member flexing about securement: sleeve