# US 8,783,582 B2 · Adjustable arc irrigation sprinkler nozzle configured for positive indexing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,582 B2 - Document ID: US8783582B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/859,159 - Filed: 2010-08-18 - Published: 2011-10-13 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-04-09 - Assignees: Rain Bird Corporation - Applicants: David Eugene Robertson; Eugene Ezekiel Kim - Inventors: David Eugene Robertson; Eugene Ezekiel Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783582B2 ## CPC - B05B 1/267: {the liquid or other fluent material being deflected in determined directions} - B05B 1/3073: {the controlling element being a deflector acting as a valve in co-operation with the outlet orifice} - B05B 1/32: in which a valve member forms part of the outlet opening {(B05B1/3033 takes precedence)} - B05B 3/021: {with means for regulating the jet relative to the horizontal angular position of the nozzle, e.g. for spraying non-circular areas by changing the elevation of the nozzle or by varying the nozzle flow-rate (when the rotating elements are rotated by the liquid or other fluent material discharged B05B3/0453)} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract An adjustable arc spray nozzle for an irrigation sprinkler is provided, where positive indexing is provided at a plurality of present locations between relatively rotatable components of the nozzle for defining predetermined arcuate extents of the spray pattern. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An irrigation spray nozzle for discharging an arcuately adjustable spray pattern, the nozzle comprising: a base having a first end portion adapted for attachment to an irrigation device and a second end portion; a first helical surface fixed relative to the base; a second helical surface moveable relative to the base, the first and second helical surfaces cooperating to define an arcuate discharge opening adjustable in size to determine an arc of spray distribution upon relative rotation between the first and second helical surfaces, the second helical surface being biased into a plurality of preset positions relative to the first helical surface such that a greater force is required to rotate the second helical surface out of one of the plurality of preset positions as compared to the force required to rotate the second helical surface between adjacent ones of the preset positions; and a deflector to deflect water received from the arcuate discharge opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein spring means are provided for biasing the second helical surface into the plurality of preset positions relative to the first helical surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein a spring is associated with one of the first and second helical surfaces for selective engagement with one of a plurality of detents associated with the other of the first and second helical surfaces. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein the deflector has a depending neck with a plurality of flow notches disposed about its outer periphery, the preset positions being selected such that a notch aligned with an adjustable edge of the arcuate discharge opening is substantially unblocked by the second helical surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 4, wherein the notch aligned with the adjustable edge of the arcuate discharge opening is unblocked by the second helical surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 4, wherein the deflector has an upper portion with an underside with depending ribs thereon and the flow notches are aligned with channels formed between the ribs such that water flow paths extend through the flow notches and into the channels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 6, wherein a plurality of the ribs of the deflector have an outwardly-extending step at least partially along the length of the ribs such that a micro-ramp extends into the channels for directing a portion of the water flow. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 7, wherein the channels have a bottom defined by the deflector and the plurality of ribs are each wider on a side of the step adjacent the bottom of the channels than on an opposite side of the step from the bottom of the channels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 7, wherein a plurality of the ribs each have more than one outwardly-extending steps at least partially along the length of the ribs such that more than one micro-ramp of each of the plurality of ribs extends into the channels for directing a portion of the water flow. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 9, wherein the channels have a bottom defined by the deflector and the plurality of ribs are each wider on a side of any one of the more than one steps adjacent the bottom of the channels than on an opposite side of the one of the steps from the bottom of the channels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of ribs each have a first step and a second step, the first step being closer to the bottom of the channel than the second step, and each of the plurality of ribs having an underside, the bottom of the channels, the first steps, second steps and underside of the ribs each configured to provide for more than one discrete spray. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 11, wherein the first step provides for a first micro-ramp which directs a first segment of the spray, the second step provides for a mid-range micro-ramp which directs a mid-range spray segment extending closer from the spray nozzle as compared to the first segment, the underside of the rib provides for a close-in micro-ramp which directs a close-in spray segment extending closer from the spray nozzle as compared to the mid-range spray segment, and a second ramp including the bottom of the channel which directs a second spray segment spray extending further than the mid-range and close-in spray segments and orientated out of phase with the first segment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 3, wherein a collar is mounted for rotation about a second end portion of the base and includes the second helical surface and a neck of the deflector includes the first helical surface, and the spring is formed on the base and the detents are formed in the collar. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 13, wherein the deflector has an upper portion with an underside with depending ribs thereon and the neck depends from the underside and has a plurality of flow notches disposed about its outer periphery, the flow notches being aligned with channels formed between the ribs such that water flow paths extend through the flow notches and into the channels, and a plurality of the flow notches being aligned with an associated one of the plurality of preset positions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 13, wherein the spring is cantilevered in an axial direction from the base and biased radially inward. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 13, wherein the spring is cantilevered in an axial direction from the base and axially biased. ### Claim 17 A method of adjusting the arcuate extent of a discharge orifice for adjusting the arcuate extent of a spray pattern of an irrigation device, the method comprising: moving a first helical surface relative to a second helical surface to define the extent of the discharge orifice; and biasing the first helical surface relative to the second helical surface in a plurality of preset positions during the movement of the first helical surface with a greater force being required to rotate the first helical surface out of one of the plurality of preset positions as compared to the force required to rotate the first helical surface between adjacent ones of the preset positions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, including biasing a spring associated with one of the first and second helical surfaces into one of a plurality of detents associated with the other of the first and second helical surfaces to define one of the preset positions. ### Claim 19 An adjustable arc irrigation spray nozzle comprising: a base having an end adapted for attachment to an irrigation device; a deflector; a collar moveable relative to one or more fixed surfaces, the collar and the one or more fixed surfaces cooperating to form an adjustable arcuate discharge orifice for discharging water against the deflector, the collar being biased into one of a plurality of preset positions relative to the one or more fixed surfaces for providing positive indexing of the arcuate discharge orifice such that a greater force is required to rotate the collar out of one of the plurality of preset positions as compared to the force required to rotate the collar between adjacent ones of the preset positions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The adjustable arc irrigation spray nozzle of claim 19, including a spring associated with one of the collar and the deflector or base biased for engagement with a plurality of detents associated with the other of the collar and the deflector or base, the engagement of the spring with one of the detents corresponding to of the plurality of present positions. ### Claim 21 An irrigation spray nozzle for discharging an arcuately adjustable spray pattern, the nozzle comprising: a base having a first end portion adapted for attachment to an irrigation device and a second end portion; a first helical surface fixed relative to the base; a second helical surface moveable relative to the base, the first and second helical surfaces cooperating to define an arcuate discharge opening adjustable in size to determine an arc of spray distribution upon relative rotation between the first and second helical surfaces, the second helical surface being biased into a plurality of preset positions relative to the first helical surface; and a deflector to deflect water received from the arcuate discharge opening; wherein the deflector has a depending neck with a plurality of flow notches disposed about its outer periphery, the preset positions being selected such that a notch aligned with an adjustable edge of the arcuate discharge opening is substantially unblocked by the second helical surface, wherein the deflector has an upper portion with an underside with depending ribs thereon and the flow notches are aligned with channels formed between the ribs such that water flow paths extend through the flow notches and into the channels, wherein a plurality of the ribs of the deflector have an outwardly-extending step at least partially along the length of the ribs such that a micro-ramp extends into the channels for directing a portion of the water flow, and wherein the channels have a bottom defined by the deflector and the plurality of ribs are each wider on a side of the step adjacent the bottom of the channels than on an opposite side of the step from the bottom of the channels. ### Claim 22 An irrigation spray nozzle for discharging an arcuately adjustable spray pattern, the nozzle comprising: a base having a first end portion adapted for attachment to an irrigation device and a second end portion; a first helical surface fixed relative to the base; a second helical surface moveable relative to the base, the first and second helical surfaces cooperating to define an arcuate discharge opening adjustable in size to determine an arc of spray distribution upon relative rotation between the first and second helical surfaces, the second helical surface being biased into a plurality of preset positions relative to the first helical surface; and a deflector to deflect water received from the arcuate discharge opening; wherein the deflector has a depending neck with a plurality of flow notches disposed about its outer periphery, the preset positions being selected such that a notch aligned with an adjustable edge of the arcuate discharge opening is substantially unblocked by the second helical surface, wherein the deflector has an upper portion with an underside with depending ribs thereon and the flow notches are aligned with channels formed between the ribs such that water flow paths extend through the flow notches and into the channels, wherein a plurality of the ribs of the deflector have an outwardly-extending step at least partially along the length of the ribs such that a micro-ramp extends into the channels for directing a portion of the water flow, and wherein a plurality of the ribs each have more than one outwardly-extending steps at least partially along the length of the ribs such that more than one micro-ramp of each of the plurality of ribs extends into the channels for directing a portion of the water flow, and wherein the channels have a bottom defined by the deflector and the plurality of ribs are each wider on a side of any one of the more than one steps adjacent the bottom of the channels than on an opposite side of the one of the steps from the bottom of the channels. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 22, wherein the plurality of ribs each have a first step and a second step, the first step being closer to the bottom of the channel than the second step, and each of the plurality of ribs having an underside, the bottom of the channels, the first steps, second steps and underside of the ribs each configured to provide for more than one discrete spray. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 23, wherein the first step provides for a first micro-ramp which directs a first segment of the spray, the second step provides for a mid-range micro-ramp which directs a mid-range spray segment extending closer from the spray nozzle as compared to the first segment, the underside of the rib provides for a close-in micro-ramp which directs a close-in spray segment extending closer from the spray nozzle as compared to the mid-range spray segment, and a second ramp including the bottom of the channel which directs a second spray segment spray extending further than the mid-range and close-in spray segments and orientated out of phase with the first segment. ### Claim 25 An irrigation spray nozzle for discharging an arcuately adjustable spray pattern, the nozzle comprising: a base having a first end portion adapted for attachment to an irrigation device and a second end portion; a first helical surface fixed relative to the base; a second helical surface moveable relative to the base, the first and second helical surfaces cooperating to define an arcuate discharge opening adjustable in size to determine an arc of spray distribution upon relative rotation between the first and second helical surfaces, the second helical surface being biased into a plurality of preset positions relative to the first helical surface; and a deflector to deflect water received from the arcuate discharge opening; wherein a spring is associated with one of the first and second helical surfaces for selective engagement with one of a plurality of detents associated with the other of the first and second helical surfaces, and wherein a collar is mounted for rotation about a second end portion of the base and includes the second helical surface and a neck of the deflector includes the first helical surface, and the spring is formed on the base and the detents are formed in the collar. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 25, wherein the deflector has an upper portion with an underside with depending ribs thereon and the neck depends from the underside and has a plurality of flow notches disposed about its outer periphery, the flow notches being aligned with channels formed between the ribs such that water flow paths extend through the flow notches and into the channels, and a plurality of the flow notches being aligned with an associated one of the plurality of preset positions. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 25, wherein the spring is cantilevered in an axial direction from the base and biased radially inward. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The irrigation spray nozzle of claim 25, wherein the spring is cantilevered in an axial direction from the base and axially biased.