1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving device of a sprinkler and a swinging sprinkler with the driving device, especially to driving device that allows the sprinkler to rotate for improved water distribution.
2. Description of the Prior Art(s)
Sprinklers are usually mounted in meadows, fields or lawns for irrigation. A conventional sprinkler has a pipe and a gear set driving the pipe. However, since the pipe has a large moment of inertia, the gear set that drives the pipe to switch rotating directions is under great strain and breaks easily. Therefore, another conventional sprinkler such as a DUAL-AXIS ROTATING SPRINKLER (U.S. Pat. No. 7,427,038) has a rotating assembly that does not rotate itself and rotates a nozzle to prevent gears of the rotating assembly from being damaged and to extend an operating life of the sprinkler. The rotating assembly has a switch disk, two stops movably clamped on an edge of the switch disk, a connecting disk and a limit mounted on the connecting disk and protruding between the stops. The nozzle is mounted on and rotates together with the connecting disk relative to the switch disk and switches rotating directions when the limit of the switch disk alternatively collides with the stops of the connecting disk.
However, since the stops are only clamped on the switch disk and are not securely connected to the switch disk, the switch disk does not move immediately when the limit collides with the stops. Moreover, as the limit of the connecting disk continuously applies force to the stops of the switch disk, the stops dispart from the switch disk easily.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a driving device of a sprinkler and a swinging sprinkler with the driving device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide a driving device of a sprinkler and a swinging sprinkler with the driving device.
The driving device has a housing, a diversion assembly and a gear set mounted in the housing, a switch assembly mounted on a front open end of the housing and a nozzle mounted through the switch assembly and connected to the diversion assembly.
In the switch assembly, as an inner ring is pushed, a resilient strip and a switch valve swing so the gear set drives the nozzle in different directions. Since switch rings securely engage the inner ring, when a limit of the nozzle collides with a stop of one of the switch rings, the switch ring and the inner ring immediately rotate to push a switch rod and to switch rotating directions of the nozzle. Therefore, the switch rings are not damaged easily for improved durability.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
The driving device is mounted in the frame and comprises a housing (10), an adjusting assembly (20), a diversion assembly (30), a gear set (40), a switch assembly (50) and a nozzle (60, 60A).
With further reference to
With further to
The diversion assembly (30) is mounted in the housing (10) and has a base (31), an impeller (32) and a rear cover (33).
The base (31) has a connecting tube (311), a containing chamber (312), an inlet chamber (313), an inner wall, a divider (314), a first gap (315) and a second gap (316). The connecting tube (311) protrudes from a front surface of the base (31). The containing chamber (312) is formed in a rear surface of the base (31) and corresponds to and communicates with the connecting tube (311). The inlet chamber (313) is formed in the rear surface of the base (31) adjacent to the containing chamber (312). The inner wall is defined around the containing chamber (312) and the inlet chamber (313). The divider (314) is formed between the containing chamber (312) and the inlet chamber (313) and has two ends. The first gap (315) and the second gap (316) are respectively defined between the ends of the divider (314) and the inner wall of the base (31) and connect the containing chamber (312) with the inlet chamber (313).
The impeller (32) is rotatably mounted in the containing chamber (312) of the base (31) and has an actuating gear (321). The actuating gear (321) is coaxially formed on a front surface of the impeller (32), is mounted through the connecting tube (311) and protrudes to the front surface of the base (31).
The rear cover (33) is mounted on the rear surface of the base (31), covers the containing chamber (312) and has a pivot rod (332) and an inlet hole (331). The pivot rod (332) protrudes from a front surface of the rear cover (33) and extends through the impeller (32) to rotatably mount the impeller (32) in the base (31). The inlet hole (331) is formed through the rear cover (33) and corresponds to and communicates with the inlet chamber (313) of the base (31).
With further reference to
The transmission assembly (41) is connected to the actuating gear (321) of the impeller (32) and has multiple transmission gears (411). The transmission gears (411) engage in sequence. Each transmission gear (411) has a driven gear (411A) and a transfer gear (411B). The driven gear (411A) of a final transmission gear engages the actuating gear (321) of the impeller (32). The transfer gear (411B) is disposed coaxially with and is formed smaller than the driven gear (411A) and engages the driven gear (411A) of a hinder transmission gear (411).
The driven gear (42) is connected to the transmission assembly (41), engages an initial transmission gear (411) of the transmission assembly (41) and has multiple ratchet teeth (421). The ratchet teeth (421) are formed in and around a rear surface of the driven gear (42).
The ratchet gear (43) is mounted on the rear surface of the driven gear (42) and engages the ratchet teeth (421) of the driven gear (42).
With further reference to
The switch valve (52) is pivotally mounted on the front surface of the base (31) and alternatively seals the first and second gaps (315, 316) of the base (31). The switch rod (53) is mounted through the front cover (51). The resilient strip (54) is mounted between and is connected to the switch valve (52) and the switch rod (53). As the switch rod (53) is pushed, the resilient strip (54) is bent toward different directions and the switch valve (52) alternatively seals the first and second gaps (315, 316) of the base (31).
The inner ring (55) is mounted on a front surface of the front cover (51), is securely connected to the switch rod (53) and has multiple positioning teeth (551). The positioning teeth (551) are formed in and around an outer surface of the inner ring (55). The switch rings (56) are mounted around the inner ring (55). Each switch ring (56) has at least one toothed part (561) and a stop (562). The at least one toothed part (561) is formed in an inner surface of the switch ring (56) and engages the positioning teeth (551) of the inner ring (55). The stop (562) protrudes radially from an outer surface of the switch ring (56). As the stops (562) are pushed and the switch rings (56) are turned relative to the inner ring (55), relative positions between the stops (562) are adjusted.
The nozzle (60, 60A) is mounted through the inner ring (55) and the front cover (51), is connected to the connecting tube (311) of the base (31) and has a rear end, a front end, a disk (61) and a limit (611).
The rear end of the nozzle (60) is connected to the ratchet gear (43).
With further reference to
The disk (61) is formed around an outer surface of the nozzle (60, 60A). The limit (611) is formed on a peripheral edge of the disk (61) and protrudes between and alternatively abuts the stops (562) of the switch rings (56).
Water flows through the switch valve (21) and the inlet tube (11) and then into the housing (10) and then further flows through the inlet hole (331) of the rear cover (33) alternatively through the first and second gaps (315, 316) of the base (31), into the connecting tube (311) and the nozzle (60, 60A) and then exits the pipe (70, 70A).
With reference to
With reference to
The driving device of the sprinkler as described has the following advantages. The toothed parts (561) of the switch rings (56) engage the positioning teeth (551) of the inner ring (55) to securely connect the switch rings (56) to the inner ring (55). Therefore, when the limit (611) of the nozzle (60, 60A) collides with the stop (562) of one of the switch rings (56), the switch ring (56) and the inner ring (55) immediately rotate slightly to push the switch rod (53) and to switch rotating direction of the nozzle (60, 60A). The gear set (40) that drives the nozzle (60, 60A) and the pipe (70, 70A) has simplified elements that have to rotate, reducing a moment of inertia of the pipe (70, 70A) so prevents elements of the gear set (40) from being damaged.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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098133476 | Oct 2009 | TW | national |