US 9,307,705 B2Granted

Pressure compensating drip irrigation emitter

AssigneeEurodrip Industrial Commercial Agricultural Societe Anonyme

InventorKonstantinos Akritanakis

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Abstract

A pressure compensating drip emitter for controlling fluid flow through a hole in an irrigation line includes an enclosing sidewall that has two ends, surrounds a volume, and is formed with an internal ledge between the ends to support an elastomeric membrane. A pressure-reducing fluid passageway that is formed as a labyrinth is provided that includes an outer, annular portion that is in fluid communication with an emitter inlet and an inner annular portion that is in fluid communication with an emitter outlet. The membrane is deformable between a first low-pressure membrane configuration which allows fluid to bypass the inner annular portion in flowing from the outer portion to the outlet. In a second high-pressure membrane configuration, the deformed membrane covers the inner fluid passageway forcing the fluid to flow through both the outer and inner fluid passageway portions.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An emitter for establishing a pressure compensating, regulated fluid flow from an irrigation line, said emitter comprising:

an enclosing sidewall surrounding a volume, said sidewall having a first end, a second end and formed with a ledge therebetween;
an inlet extending into said volume between said ledge and said first end of said sidewall and an outlet extending into said volume between said ledge and said second end of said sidewall;
a fluid passageway formed as a labyrinth and having a first portion in fluid communication with said inlet and a second portion in fluid communication with said outlet, wherein the first portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r1, and the second portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r2, with r1>r2;
and
a membrane positioned in said volume between said second end of said sidewall and said ledge, said membrane covering the first fluid passageway portion and deformable between a first low-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid bypasses the second fluid passageway portion in flowing from the first fluid passageway portion to the outlet and a second high-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid flows through the second fluid passageway portion to the outlet.

2 more elements

An emitter for establishing a pressure compensating, regulated fluid flow from an irrigation line, said emitter comprising:

a body part having an enclosing sidewall and an inlet, the sidewall surrounding a volume and having a first end, a second end and formed with a ledge therebetween, the inlet extending into said volume between said ledge and said first end of said sidewall;
a cover mounted on said body part at said second end of the sidewall, said cover having a fluid passageway and an outlet, the fluid passageway formed as a labyrinth and having a first portion in fluid communication with said inlet and a second portion in fluid communication with said outlet, wherein the first portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r1, and the second portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r2, with r1>r2;
and
a membrane positioned in said volume between said second end of said sidewall and said ledge, said membrane covering the first fluid passageway portion and deformable between a first low-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid bypasses the second fluid passageway portion in flowing from the first fluid passageway portion to the outlet and a second high-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid flows through the second fluid passageway portion to the outlet.

1 more element

A method of manufacturing an irrigation system having at least one pressure compensating, regulated fluid flow emitter on an irrigation line, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a hole in the irrigation line;
providing an emitter having a body part with an enclosing sidewall and an inlet, the sidewall surrounding a volume and having a first end, a second end and formed with a ledge therebetween, the inlet extending into said volume between said ledge and said first end of said sidewall;
a cover mounted on said body part at said second end of the sidewall, said cover having a fluid passageway and an outlet, the fluid passageway formed as a labyrinth and having a first portion in fluid communication with said inlet and a second portion in fluid communication with said outlet, wherein the first portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r1, and the second portion of the fluid passageway follows an annular path having a radius, r2, with r1>r2;
and a membrane positioned in said volume between said second end of said sidewall and said ledge, said membrane covering the first fluid passageway portion and deformable between a first low-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid bypasses the second fluid passageway portion in flowing from the first fluid passageway portion to the outlet and a second high-pressure membrane configuration in which fluid flows through the second fluid passageway portion to the outlet;
and
affixing the emitter to said irrigation line at said hole.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/044,617Filed 2 Oct 2013
Published: US 2015/0090815 A12 Apr 2015
Granted: 12 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A01G 25/023
Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip…
Y02A 40/22
In agriculture: improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
Y10T 29/494
Method of mechanical manufacture: fluidic or fluid actuated device making
A01G
Horticulture