Emitter and drip-irrigation tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10869435-B2
Application number	US-201716322548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

This emitter has an emitter body, a film, and a cover. A sealed space is formed between the cover and a portion of the film. A flow channel in the emitter include: a first through-hole that is opened in a first surface and a second surface of the emitter body; and a second through-hole that is disposed downstream of the first through-hole. The film is disposed so as to block first surface-side openings of the first through-hole and the second through-hole. The film becomes distorted toward the side of the sealed space due to deformation caused in the film when the temperature of the film exceeds a preset value and when the pressure of irrigation liquid circulating within the flow channel exceeds a preset value, thereby creating a gap between the emitter body and the film, through which the first through-hole and the second through-hole are enabled to be connected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An emitter configured to be joined on an inner wall surface of a tube for distributing irrigation liquid at a position corresponding to a discharging port for communicating between inside and outside of the tube, the emitter being configured to quantitatively discharge the irrigation liquid in the tube to the outside of the tube from the discharging port, the emitter comprising:
an emitter main body including a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to each other;
a first film having flexibility and joined on the first surface of the emitter main body, the first film being made of resin;
a second film having flexibility and joined on the first surface of the emitter main bode, the second film being made of resin;
a cover disposed on the emitter main body with the first film sandwiched between the cover and the emitter main body;
an intake part disposed in the first surface of the emitter main body, and configured to receive the irrigation liquid;
a discharging part disposed in the second surface of the emitter main body, and configured to discharge the irrigation liquid;
a channel configured to connect the intake part and the discharging part in the emitter main body, and configured to distribute the irrigation liquid;
a first pressure reducing channel disposed in the channel, and configured to reduce a pressure of the irrigation liquid received by the intake part;
a second pressure reducing channel disposed downstream of the first pressure reducing channel in the channel, and configured to reduce a pressure of the irrigation liquid received by the intake part; and
a flow rate reducing part disposed downstream of the second pressure reducing channel in the channel, and configured to reduce a flow rate of the irrigation liquid in accordance with deformation of the second film deformed by a pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube,
wherein a closed space is formed between a portion of the first film and the cover,
wherein the channel includes a first through hole and a second through hole, the first through hole being disposed in the first pressure reducing channel, the first through hole opening at the first surface and the second surface of the emitter main body, the second through hole being disposed in the second pressure reducing channel, the second through hole opening at the first surface and the second surface of the emitter main body,
wherein the first film is disposed to close openings of the first through hole and the second through hole on the first surface side, and
wherein the first film is distorted in a direction of the closed space by deformation that is caused when a temperature of the first film is greater than a predetermined temperature value and a pressure of the irrigation liquid distributed in the channel is greater than a predetermined first pressure value such that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other through a gap formed between the emitter main body and the first film.

2. The emitter according to claim 1 , wherein a movement length of the irrigation liquid from the first through hole to the second through hole via the gap formed when the first film is distorted in the direction of the closed space by deformation that is caused when the temperature of the first film is greater than the predetermined temperature value and the pressure of the irrigation liquid distributed in the channel is greater than the predetermined first pressure value is shorter than a movement length of the irrigation liquid from the first through hole to the second through hole via the channel.

3. The emitter according to claim 1 , wherein the flow rate reducing part includes:
a recess disposed in the first surface of the emitter main body;
a diaphragm part having flexibility that is a portion of the second film and is disposed to close an opening of the recess, the diaphragm part being configured to be distorted in a direction of the recess when the pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube is greater than a predetermined second pressure value;
a third through hole opening at an inner surface of the recess, and communicated with one of the discharging part and the second pressure reducing channel;
a fourth through hole opening at the inner surface of the recess, and communicated with the other of the discharging part and the second pressure reducing channel;
a valve seat part disposed to surround the third through hole or the fourth through hole and to face the diaphragm part without making contact with the diaphragm part, wherein the valve seat part is allowed to make intimate contact with the diaphragm part when the pressure of the irrigation liquid in the tube is greater than the predetermined second pressure value; and
a communication groove formed in a surface capable of making intimate contact with the diaphragm part of the valve seat part, the communication groove being configured to communicate between inside of the recess and the third through hole or the fourth through hole surrounded by the valve seat part.

4. The emitter according to claim 3 ,
wherein the emitter main body, the first film and the second film are formed with one material having flexibility; and
wherein the diaphragm part is integrally shaped as a portion of the emitter.

5. A drip irrigation tube comprising:
a tube including a discharging port for discharging irrigation liquid; and
the emitter according to claim 1 that is joined on the inner wall surface of the tube at a position corresponding to the discharging port.

Assignees

• Enplas Corp

Inventors

• Morikoshi Daisuke

Classifications

• A01C23/02

  Special arrangements for delivering the liquid directly into the soil · CPC title

• F04B43/02

  having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms (F04B43/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01G25/023 Primary

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

• Y02A40/22

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