Emitter, and drip irrigation tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10327396-B2
Application number	US-201415106950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

This emitter (120) includes a channel which spans to a recessed section (252), from an intake path (221) for receiving an irrigation liquid inside a tube. The channel includes an aperture (243) which is closed by a lid (244) disposed so as to not be in contact with a film (300). A groove is formed at the periphery of the aperture (243). When the film (300) is pressed as a result of the pressure of the irrigation liquid inside the tube, and the lid (244) closes the aperture (243), the flow rate of the irrigation liquid inside the emitter (120) is controlled so as to be the amount capable of passing through the groove. This flow-rate control continues until the pressure difference in the channel between a side upstream with respect to the lid (244) and a side downstream with respect to the lid (244) has been sufficiently reduced.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An emitter for quantitatively discharging irrigation liquid in a tube to outside of the tube, the tube being configured for allowing the irrigation liquid to flow therethrough, the emitter being configured to be disposed on the tube, the emitter comprising:
an intake part for receiving the irrigation liquid in the tube;
a pressure reduction channel for allowing the irrigation liquid received from the intake part to flow therethrough while reducing a pressure of the irrigation liquid;
a flow rate controlling part for controlling a flow rate of the irrigation liquid supplied from the pressure reduction channel in accordance with a pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube or in the intake part; and
a discharge part which is supplied with the irrigation liquid which has a flow rate controlled by the flow rate controlling part and is to be discharged to the outside of the tube;
wherein the flow rate controlling part includes:
a valve element for opening and closing a channel of the irrigation liquid,
a valve seat on which the valve element sits when the valve element closes the channel of the irrigation liquid,
a film which is disposed above the valve element such that the film is separated from the valve element when the pressure of the irrigation liquid is not exerted on the film, and the film is configured to make contact with the valve element to push the valve element toward the valve seat when bent under the pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube or in the intake part such that the valve element sits on the valve seat, and
a groove formed on a surface of the valve seat, and configured to communicate between the channel of the irrigation liquid on an upstream side of the valve seat and the channel of the irrigation liquid on a downstream side of the valve seat when the valve element sits on the valve seat, wherein:
the film pushes the valve element such that the valve element sits on the valve seat when the pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

2. The emitter according to claim 1 , wherein the intake part further includes a flow rate regulation valve configured to expand the channel of the irrigation liquid when the pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

3. The emitter according to claim 1 , wherein:
the emitter is an emitter for quantitatively discharging the irrigation liquid in the tube from a discharge port, the emitter being configured to be joined to an inner wall surface of the tube at a position corresponding to the discharge port configured to communicate between inside and outside of the tube;
the flow rate controlling part includes:
an opening part for forming a part of a channel of the irrigation liquid on a downstream side of the pressure reduction channel in the emitter, the opening part opening at a surface of the emitter at a position where the surface of the emitter is not joined to the inner wall surface,
the film configured to seal the opening part and block communication between the channel on the downstream side of the pressure reduction channel and the inside of the tube,
a hole opening at the channel on the downstream side of the pressure reduction channel to face the film, the hole being communicated with the discharge part, and
the valve element disposed such that the valve element: forms a gap between the valve element and at least a part of an opening edge of the hole; is allowed to make contact with the opening edge; and, is allowed to be separated from the opening edge; and

at least the part of the opening edge of the hole constitutes the valve seat.

4. The emitter according to claim 3 , wherein:
an opening shape of the hole includes a linear part;
the valve element includes a linear fixed end at the linear part, and is turnable about the fixed end as a turning axis;
the valve element has a shape identical to a shape of the hole as viewed along an axis direction of the hole; and
a portion where the valve element makes close contact with the valve seat is disposed obliquely to other portion of the opening edge of the hole other than the linear part without making contact with the other portion as viewed along the turning axis.

5. The emitter according to claim 3 , wherein:
the emitter is molded with one material having flexibility; and
the film is integrally molded as a part of the emitter.

6. The emitter according to claim 1 , wherein:
the emitter comprises:
a first cylindrical part constituting the intake part;
a flange part including the pressure reduction channel and the flow rate controlling part, the flange part being connected with one end of the first cylindrical part and extending outward from the one end of the first cylindrical part; and
a second cylindrical part constituting the discharge part, the second cylindrical part being connected on a side opposite to the first cylindrical part of the flange part;

the emitter is disposed on the tube by inserting the first cylindrical part into the tube from outside of the tube;
the flange part is composed of a combination of a first plate part connected with the first cylindrical part and a second plate part connected with the second cylindrical part;
the first plate part includes the film which is disposed to face a channel of the irrigation liquid on a downstream side of the pressure reduction channel and has a rear surface to which the pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube or in the first cylindrical part is transmitted;
the second plate part includes:
the channel on the downstream side of the pressure reduction channel,
a hole opening at the channel on the downstream side of the pressure reduction channel to face the film, the hole being communicated with the discharge part,
the valve element disposed such that the valve element: forms a gap between the valve element and at least a part of an opening edge of the hole; is allowed to make contact with the opening edge; and, is allowed to be separated from the opening edge; and

at least the part of the opening edge of the hole constitutes the valve seat.

7. The emitter according to claim 6 , wherein:
the film is independently disposed at a position separated from the first cylindrical part;
the emitter further comprises a third cylindrical part to be inserted into the tube, the third cylindrical part being disposed with the first cylindrical part side by side on the first plate part at a position where the third cylindrical part surrounds the film; and
the emitter is disposed on the tube by inserting the first cylindrical part and the third cylindrical part into the tube from the outside of the tube.

8. The emitter according to claim 6 , wherein:
an opening shape of the hole includes a linear part;
the valve element includes a linear fixed end at the linear part, and is turnable about the fixed end as a turning axis;
the valve element has a shape identical to a shape of the hole as viewed along an axis direction of the hole; and
a portion where the valve element makes close contact with the valve seat is disposed obliquely to other portion of the opening edge of the hole other than the linear part without making contact with the other portion as viewed along the turning axis.

9. The emitter according to claim 6 , wherein:
the emitter is molded with one material having flexibility; and
the film is integrally molded as a part of the emitter.

10. A trickle irrigation tube comprising:
a tube; and
at least one emitter, the emitter being the emitter according to claim 6 disposed on the tube.

11. A trickle irrigation tube comprising:
a tub

Assignees

• Enplas Corp

Inventors

• Kidachi Masahiro

Classifications

• A01G25/023 Primary

  Dispensing fittings for drip irrigation, e.g. drippers · CPC title

• Y02A40/237

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• A01G25/165

  Cyclic operations, timing systems, timing valves, impulse operations · CPC title

• A01G25/16

  Control of watering · CPC title

• Y02A40/22

  Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion · CPC title