The present disclosure generally relates to water sprinklers.
Water sprinklers are used to distribute water within a spray area, such as a lawn. There are numerous forms of water sprinklers, including stationary, rotary, and oscillating varieties. In general, each form of water sprinkler is fluidly coupled to a water supply through a water supply conduit, such as a garden hose. Stationary water sprinklers distribute water through a stationary water distributor, such as a stationary spray tube or other spray member. The spray tube includes numerous nozzles, each of which are positioned to eject a stream of water onto a region within the spray area. The size of the spray area is determined, in part, by the number of nozzles on the spray tube and the pressure of the water supply to which the water sprinkler is coupled. Rotary and oscillating water sprinklers include a water distributor that rotates or oscillates in order to distribute water within a greater area than would otherwise be possible with a stationary distributor. The flow of the water supply provided to a rotary and an oscillating sprinkler is used to drive a water motor which moves the water distributor.
There is a continuing need in the art to provide a water sprinkler that is less complicated to manufacture.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a water sprinkler that includes a base, a timer mechanism having a timer inlet and a timer outlet, the timer mechanism being configured to operate in (i) a first mode in which fluid is allowed to pass between the timer inlet and the timer outlet, and (ii) a second mode in which fluid is prevented from passing between the timer inlet and the timer outlet, a motor having a motor inlet, a motor outlet, and a drive member, the motor configured to move the drive member in response to fluid passing from the motor inlet to the motor outlet, and a spray member coupled to the motor outlet, the spray member configured to move in response to movement of the drive member, wherein the base includes a first base retention structure and a second base retention structure, wherein the timer mechanism includes a timer retention structure configured to cooperate with the first base retention structure to create a first snap-fit connection between the timer mechanism and the base, wherein the motor includes a motor retention structure configured to cooperate with the second base retention structure to create a second snap-fit connection between the motor and the base, wherein the timer outlet defines a first coupling component, and wherein the motor inlet defines a second coupling component configured to mate with the first coupling component.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a water sprinkler having a base, a timer mechanism and a motor including (a) mating a first coupling component of the timer mechanism with a second coupling component of the motor to form a fluid-tight connection therebetween; and (b) snap-fitting the timer mechanism and the motor to the base after step (a).
Features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this device pertains from the following description with reference to the figures, in which:
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the device described herein, reference will now be made to the embodiment(s) illustrated in the figures and described in the following written specification. It is understood that no limitation to the scope of the device is thereby intended. It is further understood that the device includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiment(s) and includes further applications of the principles of the device as would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this device pertains.
A water sprinkler 100, shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The timer 118 regulates the flow of water from the inlet 214 to the outlet 244. In particular, the dial 226 may be rotated to a select a predetermined time period. For the duration of the predetermined time period, the timer 118 remains in an “on” mode in which the timing mechanism 220 positions the diaphragm 232 away from the diaphragm opening to fluidly couple the inlet 214 to the outlet 244. In the “on” mode the timer 118 enables water from the garden hose 130 to flow from the inlet 214 to the outlet 244. After the predetermined time period expires, the timer 118 enters an “off” mode in which the timing mechanism 234 positions the digraph 232 against the structure of the diaphragm opening to decouple the inlet 214 from the outlet 244. In the “off” mode the timer 118 prevents the flow of water from the inlet 214 to the outlet 244. The timer 118 is not limited to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The water motor 112 moves the drive member 298 in response to the flow of water through the motor 112. The motor mechanism 280 includes an intermediate element (not illustrated) which rotates in response to the flow of water from the inlet 262 to the outlet 274. Rotation of the intermediate element causes the drive member 298 to oscillate. In an alternative embodiment, rotation of the intermediate element causes the drive member 298 to rotate or reciprocate. Water exiting the motor 112 flows through the outlets 292, 274. The motor 112 is not limited to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
The outlet 244 of the timer 118 may be connected to the inlet 262 of the motor 112 by aligning the tabs 250A, 250B with the slots 304A, 304B. Next, the timer 118 is rotated in a clockwise direction approximately ninety degrees)(90°), which causes the tabs 250A, 250B to slide toward the edge 316 as guided by the slots 304A, 304B. When the tabs 250A, 250B are positioned in the region of the slots 304A, 304B nearest to the edge 316, they become seated within the slots such that the outlet 244 of the timer 118 is fluidly connected to the inlet 262 of the motor 112. After the tabs 250A, 250B become seated in the slots 304A, 304B, the timer 118 is “permanently” connected to the motor 112, such that the timer 118 may not be disconnected from the motor 112 without damaging one of the outlet 244 and the inlet 262. The slots 304A, 304B are at least partially located in the passage 190 when the timer 118 and the motor 112 are connected to the base 106.
As shown in
The distributor 124 distributes water onto the predetermined area in response to the timer 118 being connected to the source of water and the timer 118 being in the “on” mode. Water exiting the motor 112 through the outlet 274 flows through the inlet 310 and into the channel 322. Thereafter, the water flows through the outlets 316 and onto the predetermined area.
As shown in
Each of the retention structures 276A, 276B, are configured to engage a respective one of the retention structures 160A, 160B, to connect the motor 112 to the base 106. A snap-fit connection occurs between the motor 112 and the base 106 as the motor 112 is moved upward into the empty sub-cavity 186. In particular, as the motor 112 is moved into the sub-cavity 186, the ramps 350A, 350B contact the ramps 340A, 340B. As shown in
A downward force exerted on the motor 112, when the motor 112 is connected to the base 106, does not separate the motor 112 from the base 106, because the partition walls 148A, 148C remain stationary in response to the downward force. In particular, the downward force causes the ridges 348A, 348B to abut the ridges 346A, 346B, and because the ridges 346A, 346B, 348A, 348B are parallel to each other, a vertical downward force is transmitted to the partition walls 148A, 148B, which does not bow outward the partition walls 148A, 148B. Accordingly, the connection between the motor 112 and the base 106 is “permanent”, in that the motor 112 may not be removed from the base 106 without damaging one of the motor 112 the base 106. Alternatively, the partition walls 148A, 148B may include release tabs (not illustrated) for withdrawing the retention structures 160A, 160B from the retention structures 276A, 276B to enable the motor 112 to be removed from the base 106.
As shown in
The snap-fit connection between the timer 118 and the base 106, and between the motor 112 and the base 106, may mate the coupling component of the outlet 244 of the timer 118 with the coupling component of the inlet 262 of the motor 112. As described above, the timer 118 is connected to the motor 112 by inserting the tabs 250A, 250B in the slots 304A, 304B and rotating the timer 118 ninety degrees)(90°). Alternatively, however, a fluid-tight connection may be established by aligning the outlet 244 and the inlet 262 and then connecting the timer 118 and the motor 112 to the base 106, such that the snap-fit connections mate the outlet 244 with the inlet 262.
The water sprinkler 100 may be manufactured according to the following process. First, the outlet 244 of the timer 118 is fluidly connected to the inlet 262 of the motor 112 to form a fluid-tight connection therebetween. As described above, the fluid-tight connection is achieved by inserting the tabs 250A, 250B into the slots 304A, 304B and rotating the timer 118 approximately ninety degrees. Next, the timer 118 and motor 112 as a unit are connected to the base 106 with a snap-fit connection between the retention structure 154 and the retention structure 218, and a snap-fit connection between the retention structures 160A, 160B and the retention structures 276A, 276B. The outlet 244 remains mated with the inlet 262 when the snap-fit connections exist between the timer 118 and the base 106 and the motor 112 the base 106. Next, the coupler 216 is fastened to the base 106 to further secure the timer 118 to the base 106. Furthermore, the coupler 358 is connected to the base 106 to further secure the motor 112 to the base 106. Finally, the distributor 124 is fluidly coupled to the outlet 274 of the motor 112 and is mechanically connected to the drive member 298.
The water sprinkler 100 may be operated according to the following process. First, the garden hose 130, is connected to the inlet 214 of the timer 118 via the internally threaded coupling 400. Next, the dial 226 is moved to select a predetermined time period, and the water sprinkler 100 is placed in the predetermined area. Thereafter, water is supplied to the inlet 214 via the garden hose 130. The timer 118 enables water flowing through the inlet 214 to flow to the outlet 244 because the timer 118 is in the “on” mode. From the outlet 244 of the timer 118 the water flows through the inlet 262 and then the outlet 274 of the motor 112. Within the motor 112, the flow of the water causes the drive member 298 to oscillate, which in turn causes the distributor 124 to oscillate. From the outlet 274 of the motor 112 the water flows through the inlet 310 of the distributor 124 and then exits the distributor 124 through the outlets 316 onto the predetermined area.
The device described herein has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and foregoing description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications, and further applications that come within the spirit of the device described herein are desired to be protected.