Channel-less drip irrigation emitters and methods of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022046870-A1
Application number	US-202117402234-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2021
Priority date	Aug 13, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Drip irrigation emitters having low activation pressures, desirable flow rates, and are configured to clog less than existing emitters are provided. The disclosed emitters include membrane cavities that are devoid of a channel and a land to help advance fluid through the cavity, to an outlet, and to an outside environment. Instead, the membrane cavities have various shapes and configurations that, in conjunction with a depressed membrane, help to drive fluid out of the membrane cavity and to an outside environment. The shapes of the membrane cavities include a sinusoidal configuration, a cylindrical shape configuration, and a flat bottom configuration. Various features of such emitters, and methods of using the same, are also provided.

First claim

1 . A drip irrigation emitter, comprising:
an inlet; a body; a membrane cavity formed in the body, the membrane cavity having an opening formed therein; an outlet in fluid communication with the membrane cavity; a membrane disposed above a bottom surface of the membrane cavity; and a flow path formed in the body, the flow path having an entry point that is in fluid communication with the inlet and an exit point that is in fluid communication with the opening formed in the membrane cavity, the flow path being configured to decrease a pressure of fluid flowing therethrough as it passes from the entry point to the exit point, wherein the membrane cavity is devoid of a channel through which fluid passes as it moves from the membrane cavity, through the outlet, and to an outside environment.

2 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the membrane cavity comprises a sinusoidal shape having each of the opening and the outlet associated therewith.

3 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 2 , wherein a maximum depth of the sinusoidal shape is approximately in the range of about 0.5 millimeters to about 3.0 millimeters.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 2 , wherein the opening and the outlet are disposed on opposed sides of an approximate center of the bottom surface of the membrane cavity.

6 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the membrane cavity comprises a cylindrical shape having each of the opening and the outlet associated therewith.

7 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 6 , wherein a maximum depth of the cylindrical shape is approximately in the range of about 0.5 millimeters to about 3.0 millimeters.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 6 , wherein the opening and the outlet are disposed kitty-corner with respect to each other, off-center from an approximate center of the bottom surface of the membrane cavity.

10 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the membrane cavity is substantially flat across its surface area and has each of the opening and the outlet associated therewith.

11 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 10 , wherein a maximum depth of the membrane cavity is approximately in the range of about 0.5 millimeters to about 3.0 millimeters.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 10 , wherein the opening is offset from an approximate center of the bottom surface of the membrane and the outlet is disposed at the approximate center of the bottom surface of the membrane cavity.

14 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1 , wherein the outlet comprises an elongate slot having wings extending from opposed sides of a center of the outlet.

15 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 10 , wherein each of the opening and the outlet is offset from an approximate center of the bottom surface of the membrane cavity.

16 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1 , wherein an activation pressure of the emitter is approximately in the range of about 0.1 bar to about 0.3 bar.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of the emitter once activated is approximately in the range of about 0.1 liters per hour to about 8.0 liters per hour.

19 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . A method of dispensing fluid at a substantially constant flow rate, comprising:
passing fluid through a flow path of a drip irrigation emitter, thereby decreasing a pressure of the fluid; passing the fluid from the flow path into a membrane cavity; and applying a force to the fluid in the membrane cavity to pass the fluid out of an outlet in fluid communication with the membrane cavity without the fluid passing through a channel disposed in the membrane cavity.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a bottom surface of the membrane cavity comprises a sinusoidal shape having each of an opening in fluid communication with the flow path and the outlet associated therewith.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a bottom surface of the membrane cavity comprises a cylindrical shape having each of an opening in fluid communication with the flow path and the outlet associated therewith.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a bottom surface of the membrane cavity is substantially flat across its surface area and has each of an opening in fluid communication with the flow path and the outlet associated therewith.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the outlet comprises an elongate slot having wings extending from opposed sides of a center of the outlet.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a substantially constant flow rate is achieved with an activation pressure approximately in the range of about 0.1 bar to about 0.3 bar.

28 - 31 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Sokol Julia
• NARAIN Jaya
• Winter V Amos Greene
• Costello Jeffrey
• Kumar Dheekshita
• Mclaurin Tristan J

Classifications

• Y02A40/22

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

• A01G25/023 Primary

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