IP Library Granted Patent US 9,402,353
Granted Patent B2
US 9,402,353 · App. 13/914,466 · Granted Aug 2, 2016

Injector style irrigation system

Inventors: Yugen Patrick Lockhart (Palo Alto, CA); Ronald L. Johnson (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: WATERPULSE, INC.
A01G25/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,402,353
App. No.
13/914,466
Granted
Aug 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An irrigation system comprises one or more waterlines coupled to one or more watering mechanisms for watering one or more areas. The watering mechanisms are fixed in place at the desired area by an adapter which removably couples the one or more watering systems in place. Water is supplied to each of the one or more watering mechanisms by traveling from the one or more waterlines and through one or more pressure compensators. The one or more pressure compensators regulate the water flow through the one or more watering mechanisms enabling the irrigation system to uniformly distribute water at a set and constant pressure value. The water is distributed by one or more valves which are used to control one or more zones of the irrigation system. In some embodiments, a controller controls the system based upon a signal received from one or more sensors of the system.

Claims (38)

1. An irrigation system for a watering mat having a top and a bottom, the irrigation system comprising:

a. a water line, positioned outside the watering mat;

b. a watering mechanism coupled to the water line, the watering mechanism comprising a hose assembly, an emitter end and an adapter comprising a clip for removably clipping the watering mechanism to an exterior edge of the watering mat, wherein the clip clamps down on the top and the bottom of the watering mat at the exterior edge, holding the hose assembly outside the watering mat; and

c. a compensator for regulating water flow from the water line to the watering mechanism and the watering mat.

2. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the hose assembly comprises a feed tube coupled between the water line and the emitter end and held outside the watering mat by the adapter.

3. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the emitter end is inserted under a top layer of the watering mat to emit water from the emitter end to the watering mat.

4. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the watering mechanism is fixedly held in place at the edge of the watering mat.

5. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the irrigation system is grouped into multiple zones.

6. The irrigation system of claim 5 wherein the multiple zones are controlled by one or more watering valves.

7. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising a timer for starting and stopping the irrigation system at a predetermined time.

8. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising one or more sensors for sensing the moisture content of a watering area or the moisture level of a soil.

9. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising one or more sensors for sensing one or more climate conditions including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed.

10. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising one or more sensors for sensing a change in the system including an overflow condition or a change in water pressure.

11. The irrigation system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the system based upon a signal received from one or more sensors of the system.

12. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein the irrigation system provides water to one or more composite watering mats holding one or more potted plants.

13. A watering mechanism for an irrigation system comprising:

a. a hose assembly for coupling with a water line; and

b. an adapter comprising a clip for removably clipping the watering mechanism to an edge of a watering mat by clamping down on a top and a bottom of the watering mat, wherein the water line is positioned outside the watering mat.

14. The watering mechanism of claim 13 further comprising a compensator which regulates water flow to the watering mechanism and a watering area.

15. The watering mechanism of claim 13 wherein the hose assembly comprises a feed tube and an emitter end, wherein water is emitted from the emitter end to the watering mat.

16. The watering mechanism of claim 15 wherein the emitter end comprises a flexible hose and a needle shape spout.

17. The watering mechanism of claim 16 wherein the spout comprises a chamfered tip.

18. The watering mechanism of claim 15 wherein the emitter end comprises a porous hose.

19. An irrigation system comprising:

a. one or more water lines, positioned outside a watering mat, the watering mat having a top and a bottom;

b. one or more watering mechanisms for watering an area of the watering mat, each of the one or more watering mechanisms coupled to the one or more water lines and comprising:

i. an adapter comprising a clip for removably clipping the watering mechanism to an edge of the watering mat at a point of watering, wherein the clip clamps down on the top and the bottom of the watering mat at the edge; and

ii. a hose assembly coupled to the adapter with an emitter end for distributing the water to the watering mat; and

c. one or more compensators for regulating a water flow from the one or more water lines to the one or more watering mechanisms.

20. A watering mechanism for an irrigation system comprising:

a. a hose assembly for coupling with a water line;

b. an adapter comprising a clip for removably clipping the watering mechanism to an edge of a watering mat, wherein the clip clamps down on a top and a bottom of the watering mat at the edge; and

c. an emitter end comprising a tip inserted under a top layer of the watering mat to emit water from the emitter end to the watering mat.

21. The watering mechanism of claim 15 wherein the feed tube is held outside the watering mat by the adapter.

22. The watering mechanism of claim 21 wherein the emitter end is inserted under a top layer of the watering mat to emit water from the emitter end to the watering mat.

23. The irrigation system of claim 19 wherein the hose assembly further comprises a feed tube held outside the watering mat by the adapter and coupled to the emitter end.

24. The irrigation system of claim 23 wherein the emitter end is inserted under a top layer of the watering mat to emit water from the emitter end to the watering mat.

25. The watering mechanism of claim 20 wherein the hose assembly further comprises a feed tube held outside the watering mat by the adapter and coupled to the emitter end.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2017
From: WATERPULSE, INC
To: GALLAGHER, MAURICE J., JR.
Reel/Frame 041212/0817 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2013
From: LOCKHART, YUGEN PATRICK; JOHNSON, RONALD L.
To: WATERPULSE, INC.
Reel/Frame 031332/0312 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160128285A1 · May 12, 2016