Pressure regulating nozzle assembly
View Patent ↗An irrigation sprinkler nozzle assembly including a pressure regulator having a low friction seal for a riser assembly in which the regulator is installed. The pressure regulator includes a movable portion, a fixed portion located upstream of the movable portion, and connectable to a water inlet, and a biasing member such as a spring which applies a force to the movable portion according to a pressure differential between the water inlet pressure and a reference pressure. The fixed and movable portions move relative to each other according to the force provided by the biasing member to provide a variable flow restriction which maintains the desired pressure. The low friction seal is a diaphragm connected at one end to the movable member and anchorable at another end in the nozzle head.
1. An irrigation sprinkler nozzle assembly comprising:
a nozzle head including a nozzle spray outlet, and an outlet flow path coupled to the nozzle spray outlet;
a filter attached to the nozzle head, the filter including a top wall with an upper thread formed on the top wall and configured to attach the filter to the nozzle head, the top wall including a reference opening formed therein to provide a reference pressure, the reference opening positioned in the top wall in the area of the upper thread; and
a pressure regulator located just upstream of the outlet flow path and entirely within the filter,
the pressure regulator including:
a movable portion;
a fixed portion located upstream of the movable portion, and connectable to a water inlet;
a biasing member for applying a force to the movable portion to maintain a desired pressure differential between a nozzle spray outlet pressure and a reference pressure;
the movable portion being movable relative to the fixed portion according to the force provided by the biasing member to provide a variable flow restriction,
wherein the nozzle head is connectable to a riser with the filter and pressure regulator protruding into the riser; and
a low friction seal positioned between the movable portion and a nozzle assembly housing operable to prevent leakage from upstream of the nozzle spray outlet and the reference pressure area in the nozzle assembly as the movable portion moves relative to the fixed portion.
2. A sprinkler nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the low friction seal is comprised of a diaphragm seal connected at one end to the movable member and anchorable at another end in the nozzle head.
3. A sprinkler nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is located in a cavity which provides a pressure reference, and is preset to provide no flow restriction when the nozzle spray outlet pressure is below a desired level.
4. A sprinkler nozzle assembly according to claim 3 , where the reference pressure is atmospheric pressure.
5. A sprinkler nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is so positioned that it is anchored relative to the fixed portion, and applies a force to the movable portion in a direction to relieve the flow restriction.
6. A sprinkler nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a spring.
7. An irrigation sprinkler nozzle assembly comprising:
a nozzle head including a nozzle spray outlet, an outlet flow path coupled to the nozzle spray outlet and a plurality of lower threads formed on a bottom thereof; and
a pressure regulator located upstream of the outlet flow path,
the pressure regulator including:
a movable portion;
a fixed portion located upstream of the movable portion, and connectable to a water inlet;
a biasing member for applying a force to the movable portion to maintain a desired pressure differential between a nozzle spray outlet pressure and a reference pressure;
the movable portion being movable relative to the fixed portion according to the force provided by the biasing member to provide a variable flow restriction, and
a riser, wherein the nozzle head is connectable to the riser with the pressure regulator extending into the riser;
a low friction seal operable to prevent leakage from the riser as the movable portion moves relative to the fixed portion, and
a filter removably mounted in the riser, the movable portion, the fixed portion and the biasing member of the pressure regulator located within the filter, the filter further including a top wall with a plurality of upper threads configured to interact with the lower threads of the nozzle head to attach the filter to the nozzle head, the top wall including a reference opening formed therein to provide the reference pressure, the reference opening positioned in the top wall in the area of the upper threads.
8. A pressure regulating removable nozzle assembly comprising:
a pressure regulating device incorporated into the removable nozzle assembly for installation onto existing sprinklers to replace non-pressure regulating nozzle assemblies,
the pressure regulating device including:
a movable member including a first side exposed to pressure in a nozzle housing of the nozzle assembly just upstream of a nozzle outlet to provide a flow of water against a deflector or distributor and a second side exposed to pressure in a reference pressure area in the nozzle housing;
a fixed portion positioned upstream from the movable portion and in fluid communication with a water supply; and
a biasing member for applying a force to said movable member to maintain a desired pressure differential between the movable portion and the nozzle outlet by movement of the movable portion against said fixed portion to provide a variable flow throttling area in the nozzle assembly for the flow in the nozzle assembly to the nozzle outlet and
a filter configured for attachment to the nozzle assembly, the pressure regulating device housed entirely in the filter, wherein the filter includes:
a top wall section including a plurality of threads configured to attach the filter to the sprinkler assembly, the top wall including a reference opening formed therein to provide the pressure in the reference pressure area of the pressure regulation device, the reference opening positioned in the top wall in the area of the upper threads.
9. The pressure regulating removable nozzle assembly of claim 8 , wherein said reference pressure area of the nozzle assembly is vented to the atmosphere through a passage in the nozzle assembly.
10. The pressure regulating removable nozzle assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a low friction diaphragm member positioned between the movable member and the fixed member to provide a seal.
11. An irrigation sprinkler nozzle assembly comprising:
a nozzle head including a nozzle spray outlet, and an outlet flow path coupled to the nozzle spray outlet;
a filter assembly connected to the nozzle head and in the flow path,
the filter assembly including a top wall section including a plurality of threads configured to attach the filter to the sprinkler assembly, the top wall including a reference opening formed therein to provide atmospheric pressure, the reference opening positioned in the top wall in the area of the upper threads; and
a pressure regulator mounted entirely in the filter assembly located upstream of the outlet flow path,
the pressure regulator including:
a movable portion;
a fixed portion located upstream of the movable portion, and connectable to a water inlet, the movable portion movable relative to the fixed portion to form a variable upstream flow area;
the movable member having a first side exposed to pressure in the nozzle head and a second side exposed to atmospheric pressure; and
a biasing member mounted on the second side of the movable member for applying a force to the movable portion to oppose the pressure in the nozzle head to maintain a desired nozzle head pressure by varying the flow area.
12. An irrigation sprinkler nozzle assembly comprising:
a nozzle head including a nozzle spray outlet, and an outlet flow path coupled to the nozzle spray outlet;
a filter attached to the nozzle head, the filter including a top wall configured to attach the filter to the nozzle head, the top wall including a reference opening formed therein to provide a reference pressure; and
a pressure regulator located just upstream of the outlet flow path and entirely within the filter,
the pressure regulator including:
a movable portion;
a fixed portion located upstream of the movable portion, and connectable to a water inlet;
a biasing member for applying a force to the movable portion to maintain a desired pressure differential between a nozzle spray outlet pressure and a reference pressure;
the movable portion being movable relative to the fixed portion according to the force provided by the biasing member to provide a variable flow restriction,
wherein the nozzle head is connectable to a riser with the filter and pressure regulator protruding into the riser; and
a low friction seal positioned between the movable portion and a nozzle assembly housing operable to prevent leakage from upstream of the nozzle spray outlet and the reference pressure area in the nozzle assembly as the movable portion moves relative to the fixed portion.