Pop-up irrigation sprinkler with shock absorbing riser spring damping cushion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9481003-B2
Application number	US-201213445055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2012
Priority date	Apr 12, 2012
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A pop-up rotor-type irrigation sprinkler includes an outer case and a riser assembly telescopically extensible from the outer case. A coil spring surrounds the riser assembly and normally holds the riser assembly in a lower retracted position within the outer case. The coil spring is dimensioned and configured to permit extension of the riser assembly to a raised upper position when pressurized water is introduced into the outer case. A cushion made of an elastomeric material is retained in the outer case adjacent an end thereof and surrounds the riser assembly. The cushion may be solid and may move between hard structures to facilitate absorption of the shock of the impact caused by rapid extension of the riser assembly to its raised upper position. The cushion may also include a plurality of voids that facilitate deformation and shock absorption.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An irrigation sprinkler, comprising:
an outer case;
a riser assembly telescopically extensible from the outer case including a nozzle at an upper end of the riser assembly;
a coil spring surrounding the riser assembly and normally holding the riser assembly in a lower retracted position within the outer case, the coil spring being dimensioned and configured to permit extension of the riser assembly to a raised upper position when pressurized water is introduced into the outer case; and
a shock absorber, the shock absorber including:
a cushion made of an elastomeric material retained by a ring-shaped member made of a hard material, the ring-shaped member being positioned between the riser assembly and the outer case;
a spring seat that surrounds the riser assembly and holds a downstream end of the coil spring, the spring seat positioned between the cushion and the coil spring; and
a ring-shaped shield that surrounds the riser assembly and at least a portion of the spring seat, the shield configured to move with respect to the spring seat in a direction parallel to the telescopic extension of the riser assembly, the shield comprising:
an annular flange surrounding a radially-outward surface of the cushion; and
an upper annular wall connected to the annular flange, the upper annular wall positioned on a side of the cushion opposite the spring seat; wherein the cushion is surrounded by two or more of the spring seat, the ring-shaped shield, and the riser assembly.

2. The sprinkler of claim 1 and further comprising a lower spring seat that surrounds the riser assembly and holds a lower end of the coil spring.

3. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein cushion has voids that are configured as outwardly opening pockets.

4. The sprinkler of claim 3 wherein the pockets are generally box-shaped.

5. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein the cushion is ring-shaped.

6. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein the ring-shaped member is configured as an upper spring seat that supports a first side of the cushion and a shield made of the hard material supports a second side of the cushion.

7. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein the ring-shaped member supports four outer surfaces of the cushion.

8. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein the shock absorber includes an O-ring that is positioned between the ring-shaped member and an inner wall of the case.

9. An irrigation sprinkler, comprising:
an outer case;
a riser assembly telescopically extensible from the outer case including a nozzle turret rotatably mounted at an upper end of a riser;
a coil spring surrounding the riser assembly and normally holding the riser assembly in a lower retracted position within the outer case, the coil spring being dimensioned and configured to permit extension of the riser assembly to a raised upper position when pressurized water is introduced into the outer case;
a cushion made of an elastomeric material retained inside the outer case and surrounding the riser assembly, the cushion including a plurality of circumferentially spaced outwardly opening pockets that facilitate deformation that absorbs the shock of the impact caused by rapid extension of the riser assembly to its raised upper position,
a spring seat that surrounds the riser assembly and holds a downstream end of the coil spring, the spring seat positioned between the cushion and the coil spring; and
a shield positioned adjacent the cushion, the shield configured to move with respect to the spring seat in a direction parallel to the telescopic extension of the riser assembly; wherein the cushion is surrounded by two or more of the spring seat, the shield, and the riser assembly.

10. The sprinkler of claim 9 and further comprising a second spring seat that surrounds the riser assembly, holds a second end of the coil spring and engages a side of the cushion.

11. The sprinkler of claim 10 wherein the second spring seat is formed with an axially extending wall that engages an inner wall of the cushion.

12. The sprinkler of claim 9 and further comprising the shield that surrounds the riser assembly and engages an upper side of the cushion.

13. The sprinkler of claim 9 wherein the pockets open downwardly.

14. The sprinkler of claim 9 wherein the pockets are generally box-shaped.

15. The sprinkler of claim 9 wherein the pockets are equally circumferentially spaced.

16. The sprinkler of claim 9 wherein the pockets are formed between radially extending ribs.

17. The sprinkler of claim 9 wherein the pockets open upwardly.

18. In a rotor-type sprinkler having a riser assembly normally held in a retracted position inside an outer case by a coil spring, the improvement comprising a shock absorber that surrounds the riser assembly and includes a ring-shaped cushion positioned between an upper ring-shaped spring seat that sits on an upper end of the coil spring and a ring that is connected to an upper end of the case, the cushion being molded of an elastomeric material and formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced hollow voids that all the cushion to deform when the riser assembly rapidly reaches an uppermost extended position whereby damage to components of the sprinkler otherwise due to the shock of impact of the riser assembly will be minimized.

19. The sprinkler of claim 18 , wherein each hollow void comprises a perimeter defining an opening to the hollow void.

20. The sprinkler of claim 19 , wherein the perimeter of each hollow void is defined at least partially by one or more radially-extending ribs.

Assignees

• Clark Michael L
• Simmons Zachary B
• Holton William D
• Hunter Industries

Inventors

• Clark Michael L
• Simmons Zachary B
• Holton William D

Classifications

• B05B15/16

  for preventing non-intended contact between spray heads or nozzles and foreign bodies, e.g. nozzle guards · CPC title

• B05B3/04

  driven by the liquid or other fluent material discharged, e.g. the liquid actuating a motor before passing to the outlet · CPC title

• B05B15/001

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B05B15/10 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B05B15/74 Primary

  driven by the discharged fluid · CPC title