Weather override irrigation control systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12295295-B2
Application number	US-202117322727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

In some embodiments, provide an irrigation sensor system, comprising: a rain funnel comprising an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening to a lower aperture; and a tipping bucket positioned to receive water falling from the lower aperture while the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An irrigation interruption system, comprising:
a sensor system comprising a sensor control circuit, a rain sensor and a temperature sensor, wherein the rain sensor comprises a tipping bucket;
an override controller interface system separate from and communicatively coupled with the sensor system, and comprising an interface control circuit; and
an irrigation controller separate from the sensor system and the controller interface system, and comprising an irrigation control circuit, a set of activator output couplers enabling coupling with remote irrigation valves, and memory coupled with the irrigation control circuit;
wherein the sensor system further comprises a funnel comprising a lower aperture, an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening toward the lower aperture;
wherein the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with the lower aperture and offset from an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel;
the tipping bucket comprises a first rain bucket, a second rain bucket positioned adjacent the first rain bucket and an extended wall extending between the first and second rain buckets, wherein the extended wall alternately aligns, in response to a tipping of the tipping bucket, a first face of the extended wall and a second face of the extended wall with the lower aperture, wherein the first face extends from the first rain bucket and the second face extends from the second rain bucket;
a bucket holder, wherein the tipping bucket is pivotably secured with the bucket holder providing transitions of the tipping bucket between a first position with the first face of the extended wall aligned with the lower aperture and a second position with the second face of the extended wall aligned with the lower aperture; and
a trigger secured relative to the extended wall and transitioning between a first station when the tipping bucket is in the first position, and a second station when the tipping bucket is in the second position;
a trigger detector positioned relative to the trigger and activating in response to the trigger passing within a threshold distance of the trigger detector and output tip signals; and
a communication transceiver;
wherein the sensor control circuit is communicatively coupled with the trigger detector and the transceiver, wherein the sensor control circuit receives the tip signals and causes transmissions by the transceiver of rain signals.

2. The irrigation interruption system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is positioned vertically aligned with at least a portion of the tipping bucket; and
a protection diaphragm positioned between the tipping bucket and the temperature sensor, and comprising a water disbursement plate and a plurality of drain apertures, wherein the water disbursement plate extends over the temperature sensor and to the plurality of drain apertures.

3. The irrigation interruption system of claim 2 , wherein the bucket holder is secured with the protection diaphragm such that the tipping bucket is separated from the protection diaphragm by a distance.

4. The irrigation interruption system of claim 3 , wherein the protection diaphragm comprises tab mountings; and
the bucket holder comprises at least a pair of flexible tabs each engaging a respective one of the tab mountings and secures the bucket holder with the protection diaphragm.

5. The irrigation interruption system of claim 4 , wherein the protection diaphragm comprises at least a pair of protrusions and each of the pair of protrusions comprises a recess forming a respective one of the tab mountings and couples with at least a portion of a corresponding and aligned one of the flexible tabs.

6. The irrigation interruption system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a central housing positioned about the tipping bucket, and comprising a first partial control board cavity separated by a first control board cavity wall from the tipping bucket; and
a base housing comprising a second partial control board cavity, wherein the base housing is cooperated with the central housing cooperating the first partial control board cavity and the second partial control board cavity forming a control board cavity; and
a control board comprising the sensor control circuit, the trigger detector and power source couplers electrically coupled with at least the sensor control circuit and the trigger detector, wherein the control board is mounted within the control board cavity.

7. The irrigation interruption system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a removable power source holder comprising a holder base and a power source retaining slot extending from the holder base that retains at least one removable power source, and wherein the holder base closes the control board cavity while aligning the at least one removable power source with the power source couplers.

8. The irrigation interruption system of claim 1 , wherein the tipping bucket comprises a central longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to a pivot axis about which the tipping bucket rotationally pivots and positioned centered along a width of the tipping bucket, wherein the width of the tipping bucket is parallel to the pivot axis, and wherein the central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is offset from the lower aperture of the funnel and not aligned with the lower aperture of the funnel.

9. The irrigation interruption system of claim 1 , wherein the funnel further comprises a drip extension extending from the lower aperture, wherein an end of the drip extension is positioned at least level with upper edges of opposing side walls of the tipping bucket extending from the extended wall.

10. An irrigation interruption system, comprising:
a sensor system comprising a sensor control circuit, a rain sensor and a temperature sensor, wherein the rain sensor comprises a tipping bucket;
an override controller interface system separate from and communicatively coupled with the sensor system, and comprising an interface control circuit; and
an irrigation controller separate from the sensor system and the controller interface system, and comprising an irrigation control circuit, a set of activator output couplers enabling coupling with remote irrigation valves, and memory coupled with the irrigation control circuit;
wherein the sensor system further comprises a funnel comprising an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening toward a lower aperture;
wherein the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with the lower aperture and offset from an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel; and
wherein the sensor system comprises a funnel housing pivotably coupled with a central housing, wherein the funnel housing rotatably pivots relative to the central housing between at least a closed position and an open position, and provides access to an interior of the sensor system including at least the tipping bucket in the open position and encloses the tipping bucket in the closed position.

11. The irrigation interruption system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a drip extension secured with the funnel relative to the lower aperture;
wherein the drip extension is positioned, when the funnel housing is in a closed position relative to the central housing, aligned with one of two buckets of the tipping bucket depending on a tipped orientation of the tipping bucket.

12. The irrigation interruption system of claim 10 , wherein the tipping bucket comprises a central longitudinal axis that extends along the tipping bucket

Assignees

• Rain Bird Corp

Inventors

• Marsano Jorge A
• Porrazzo Joseph G
• Price John E
• Reddy Hari

Classifications

• Y10T137/1866

  For controlling soil irrigation · CPC title

• G01W1/02

  Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed (G01W1/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01W1/14

  Rainfall or precipitation gauges (measuring volume in general G01F) · CPC title

• A01G25/165 Primary

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