Patent Application
20170282198
The present invention relates to a sprinkler head, specifically to a sprinkler head of visual identification.
For tools, identification marking is a well-known art dating as early as 1932 as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,839 entitled “Identification Means for Tools”. For irrigation sprinklers, however, nozzle identification is often a neglected field.
In-ground pop-up sprinklers such as Rain Bird SP40-Q typically includes means for identifying nozzle angle and direction. Referring to
In the interest of facilitating maintenance of low-flow irrigation system by providing easy identification of spray patterns, a sprinkler head capable of visual identification is desired.
It is therefore one or more aspects to provide a sprinkler head of visual identification, so as to offer means of simple identification to enable quick field installation and maintenance.
It is therefore one or more aspects to provide a sprinkler head of visual identification that is not arbitrary and requires little or no user training.
It is therefore one or more aspects to provide a sprinkler head of visual identification provided with first and the second boundary members of predetermined but distinct art elements for observation.
To achieve objects of the present invention, a sprinkler head of visual identification is disclosed. The sprinkler head includes a housing having a circumference wall, and at least one first recognition portion and at least one second recognition portion disposed on the circumference wall and adjoins with one another in a head-to-tail manner. The housing defines an axis, around which the circumference wall surrounds, a cap enclosing the circumference wall, and at least one aperture member alternatively formed on the cap and the circumference wall for dispensing water. The aperture defines a periphery. The first recognition portion corresponds with and spans over the periphery of the aperture member. The second recognition portion is visually different from the first recognition portion.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.
The present invention relates to a sprinkler head 100 of visual identification adapted for a sprinkler device 900, illustrated in
The first and second recognition portions 22, 24 dispose on the circumference wall and adjoin with one another in a head-to-tail manner;
The cap 30 includes a top 32, and a circumference partition 34 connecting the top and the circumference wall 20.
The aperture member 40 is capable of dispensing a water spray having an angle coverage generally corresponding to the positive angle θ. The aperture member 40 defines a periphery corresponding to the angle coverage. The aperture member 40 is formed as a slot on the circumference partition 34 of the cap 30.
In this case, the circumference wall 20, the cap 30, and the aperture member 30 are made integrally as a whole.
The first recognition portion 22 corresponds with the aperture member 40, and approximately spans over the periphery of the aperture member 40. The first recognition portion 22 defines two conjunction borders parallel with the axis Z and adjoining those of the second recognition portion 24 for aligning with two opposite endpoints of the periphery of the aperture member 40, so that a perimeter of the first recognition portion 22 indicates a spray zone. The second recognition portion 24 is visually different from the first recognition portion 22 and spans a remaining part of the circumference wall 20 and specifies a non-spray zone. The first recognition portion 22 is of predetermined art elements dissimilar from that of the second recognition portion 24 for visual identification.
In one case, the first recognition portion 22 is of a first color different and distinguishable from a second color of the second recognition portion 24, therefore a visual recognition is offered.
In another case, the first recognition portion 22 is of a first texture different and distinguishable from a second texture of the second recognition portion, and the first and second textures create subtle tone difference due to reflection of light.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the cap is a flat surface, and the aperture member is disposed on the cap.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the cap is an insert assembled onto the housing, and the aperture member is disposed on the cap.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), a pair of striped ridges are respectively disposed on two circumferential ends of the first recognition portion 22b, and the striped ridges are more pronounced than the striped projections.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the first recognition portion is a printed mark composed of a plurality of bands.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the first recognition portion includes the striped projections 222b partially and spirally winding around the axis Z of the housing.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the first recognition portion includes the striped projections 222b being arranged as first teeth spaced apart by a first pitch.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the first and second pitches are generally equal, and the tooth width of the first teeth 222c is smaller than the tooth width of the second teeth 242c. By the various radiuses and tooth widths, a visual differentiation of the first recognition portion and the second one is offered.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the first radius r1 and the second radius r2 are equal, the tooth width of the first teeth 222c is smaller than the tooth width of the second teeth 242c. By the various pitches and tooth widths, a visual differentiation of the first recognition portion and the second one is offered.
It should be noted that the aperture members 40d together offers a spray pattern that can be generally described as full-circle. Each of the first recognition portions 22d is visually more prominent than each of the second recognition portions 24d, and therefore the first recognition portions 22d may be interpreted as indicating a full-circle spray pattern.
It should be apparent that, regardless of the number of aperture members defined, a visual recognition differentiating the first recognition portion from the second one can be achieved in accordance with the arrangement of dissimilar art elements, such as texture, radiuses and teeth.
It should be appreciated that dissimilarity needs not be pronounced. With proper combination, a combination of subtly different art elements can achieve distinguishable differences.
Therefore, under at least one or a combination of visually dissimilar art elements on different recognition portions, the sprinkler head 100 of visual identification in the present invention is capable of specifying a spray zone by the first recognition portion of the circumference wall of the housing. The distinguishing art elements on the first and the second recognition portions may be consistently applied to various sprinkler heads, so that an irrigation system comprising such sprinkler heads can be easily installed and maintained.
The preceding description is meant to be illustrative of preferred embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Various modifications, which would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the only limitations to the scope of the present invention are set forth in the following claims appended hereto.
