Irrigation dripper and pipe
AssigneeNetafim, Ltd.
InventorsJames Wallace Belford, Jacob Dan Retter, Ron Keren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims24
A dripper adapted to be bonded to an 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 outwardly facing surface, and
- at least one element movable from a first position in which the at least one element does not project above the outwardly facing surface to a second position in which the at least one element projects above the outwardly facing surface,
- said element constituting a bulge, when in said second position,
- near said outlet area, said bulge defining an outermost portion of said outwardly facing 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 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 in said raised outlet region and being defined by the material of the pipe.
An irrigation pipe having outlet openings and a plurality of drippers,
- each dipper comprising:
- an outwardly facing surface bonded to the pipe's interior,
- an outlet area associated with said outwardly facing surface in fluid communication with at least one of said outlet openings, and
- at least one element movable from a first position in which the at least one element does not project above the outwardly facing surface to a second position in which the at least one element projects above the outwardly facing surface,
- said element constituting a bulge, when in said second position,
- near said outlet area, the pipe comprising a raised outlet region associated with said bulge,
- at least a part of said at least 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 the steps of:
- providing a dripper comprising:
- an outwardly facing surface adapted for bonding to the interior of the pipe,
- an outlet area associated with said outwardly facing surface, and
- at least one element movable from a first position in which the at least one element does not project above the outwardly facing surface to a second position in which the at least one element projects above the outwardly facing surface;
- bonding the dripper to the interior of the pipe;
- and
- pushing said at least one element towards said second position to facilitate the formation of an outlet opening defined by the material of the pipe.
A dripper adapted to be bonded to an interior of an irrigation pipe wall, the dripper comprising
- at least one element movable from a retracted position away from the pipe wall to an extended position in which the at least one element is pushed to the irrigation pipe wall, when the dripper is bonded to an interior of an irrigation pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.