Irrigation spray nozzle and mold assembly and method of forming nozzle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9314952-B2
Application number	US-201313829875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A nozzle is provided having a low precipitation rate and uniform fluid distribution to a desired arcuate span of coverage. The nozzle has an inflow port having a shape corresponding to the desired arc of coverage and a size for effecting a low precipitation rate. The nozzle also has a deflector surface with a water distribution profile including ribs for subdividing the fluid into multiple sets of fluid streams. There are at least two fluid streams for distant and close-in irrigation to provide relatively uniform distribution and coverage. The nozzle may be a unitary, one-piece, molded nozzle body including a mounting portion, an inflow port, and a deflector portion. There is also provided a mold assembly and method for forming a unitary, one piece nozzle body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nozzle comprising:
a nozzle body defining a mounting portion, at least one deflector, and a base surface facing the at least one deflector and defining at least one port, the mounting portion defining an inlet, the at least one port reducing fluid flowing through the nozzle body from the inlet to a predetermined precipitation rate, and the at least one deflector contoured to deliver fluid radially outwardly from the nozzle through a predetermined arcuate span; and
a recess extending radially between the at least one deflector and the base surface;
wherein the base surface is spaced upstream of the at least one deflector;
wherein the at least one port comprises:
at least one opening formed independent of the at least one deflector and with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the predetermined arcuate span; and
a bore upstream of the at least one opening and oriented to guide fluid from the at least one opening across at least a portion of the recess towards the at least one deflector.

2. A nozzle comprising:
a nozzle body defining a mounting portion, at least one port, and at least one deflector, the mounting portion defining an inlet, the at least one port reducing fluid flowing through the nozzle body from the inlet to a predetermined precipitation rate, and the at least one deflector contoured to deliver fluid radially outwardly from the nozzle through a predetermined arcuate span;
wherein the at least one deflector comprises a surface having a profile forming part of the deflector and wherein the profile includes at least two sets of flow channels that subdivide fluid into a plurality of fluid streams with at least two different elevations;
wherein the nozzle body comprises at least one transition surface intermediate of the at least one port and the profile guiding flow directed through the at least one port to the at least two sets of flow channels, the at least one transition surface aligned with and expanding smoothly in the direction of the profile.

3. The nozzle of claim 2 wherein the at least one transition surface is generally conical in shape having a vertex directed to the at least one port expanding into smoothly curved sides having increasing curvature in the direction of the at least one deflector.

4. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the at least one port is configured to provide a predetermined precipitation rate of fluid through the nozzle body less than or equal to one inch per hour.

5. The nozzle of claim 2 wherein the at least one port comprises an opening with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the predetermined arcuate span.

6. The nozzle of claim 2 comprising two ports, two transition surfaces, and two deflectors delivering fluid through a predetermined arcuate span greater than 180 degrees.

7. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the nozzle body further comprises at least one boundary wall defining edges of the predetermined arcuate span.

8. The nozzle of claim 2 wherein the at least one deflector and the at least one transition surface each have a shape corresponding to the predetermined arcuate span.

9. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the at least one deflector includes a plurality of ribs arranged radially to define at least two sets of flow channels, one set having a first elevation defined by a first set of grooves between successive ribs and the second set having a second different elevation defined by a second set of grooves of a predetermined depth formed within at least one rib.

10. The nozzle of claim 9 wherein the plurality of ribs define a third set of flow channels, the third set having a third elevation defined by a third set of grooves formed within at least one rib having a different predetermined depth than the second set of grooves, the third elevation being different from the first and second elevations.

11. The nozzle of claim 9 wherein the plurality of ribs define a third set of flow channels, the third set having a third elevation defined by a bottom edge of at least one rib.

12. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the at least one deflector includes a plurality of ribs arranged radially to define at least two sets of flow channels, one set having a first elevation defined by grooves between successive ribs and the second set having a second different elevation defined by a first step formed at least partially along the length of at least one rib.

13. The nozzle of claim 12 wherein the plurality of ribs define a third set of flow channels, the third set having a third elevation defined by a second step formed at least partially along the length of at least one rib and the third elevation being different from the first and second elevations.

14. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein the nozzle body defines a bore therethrough, the bore receiving a flow throttling screw that may be advanced toward the inlet to reduce the flow rate through the nozzle and that may be withdrawn away from the inlet to increase the flow rate through the nozzle.

15. A nozzle comprising:
a nozzle base including a mounting portion defining an inlet; and a nozzle cap in mating engagement with the nozzle base, the nozzle cap comprising:
at least one port reducing fluid flowing through the nozzle body from the inlet to a predetermined precipitation rate;
at least one deflector contoured to deliver fluid radially outwardly from the nozzle through a predetermined arcuate span, the at least one deflector comprising a surface having a profile forming part of the at least one deflector and wherein the profile includes at least two sets of flow channels that subdivide fluid into a plurality of fluid streams with at least two different elevations; and
at least one transition surface intermediate of the at least one port and the profile guiding flow directed through the at least one port to the at least two sets of flow channels, the at least one transition surface aligned with and expanding smoothly in the direction of the profile.

16. The nozzle of claim 15 wherein one of the nozzle base and the nozzle cap comprises a plurality of bores for receiving a corresponding plurality of posts of the other of the nozzle base and the nozzle cap.

17. The nozzle of claim 16 wherein one of the plurality of posts in conjunction with the corresponding bore defines the shape of the at least one port, the shape of the at least one port corresponding to the shape of the predetermined arcuate span.

18. The nozzle of claim 15 comprising two ports, two transition surfaces, and two deflectors delivering fluid through a predetermined arcuate span greater than 180 degrees.

19. A mold assembly for making a spray nozzle body having a bottom end with a mounting portion defining an inlet and at least one deflector contoured to deliver fluid radially outwardly from the nozzle body through a predetermined arcuate span and at least one port, the at least one deflector comprising a profile including at least two sets of flow channels that subdivide fluid into a plurality of fluid streams with at least two different elevations, the at least one port comprising at least one opening with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the predetermined arcuate span, the mold assembly comprising:
a cavity block defining in part a mold cavity and having a plurality of openings;
a first core unit having a first surface with a profile to mirror the top of the nozzle body and moveable through one opening between an advanced position protruding into the cavity block and a retracted position substantially wit

Assignees

• Rain Bird Corp

Inventors

• Walker Samuel C
• Nazaryan Vahik

Classifications

• B29C45/44

  for undercut articles · CPC title

• B29C45/2628 Primary

  with mould parts forming holes in or through the moulded article, e.g. for bearing cages · CPC title

• B29C45/33

  having transversely, e.g. radially, movable mould parts · CPC title

• B29C2045/4485

  the undercut forming mould part being rotatable into the space made available by the translation movement of another mould part · CPC title

• B05B1/267

  the liquid or other fluent material being deflected in determined directions · CPC title