AU2011100085A4

AU2011100085A4 - An impingement sprinkler with adjustable outflow angle

Info

Publication number: AU2011100085A4
Application number: AU2011100085A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hsin-Fa Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-01-20
Filing date: 2011-01-20
Publication date: 2011-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2019-01-20

Description

AN IMPINGEMENT SPRINKLER WITH ADJUSTABLE OUTFLOW ANGLE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a gardening sprinkler, and more particularly to an innovative one which is designed into an impingement sprinkler with adjustable outflow angle. 2. Description of Related Art The commonly used sprinkler for gardening applications (referred to as impingement sprinkler that can rotate automatically during sprinkling process) mainly comprises a main body, inflow tube, upper frame, rotating member and outflow tube; the outflow tube facing the main body is arranged obliquely upwards, so that the water flow from inflow tube to outflow tube can be sprinkled as a parabolic water column; and, with the arrangement of rotating member, automatic rotary sprinkling can be achieved for irrigation purpose. However, the following shortcomings are observed during actual applications: When a typical sprinkler is used for sprinkling irrigation, the outflow tube with a preset beveling configuration allows the water flow to generate a parabolic sprinkling distance; and with the arrangement of rotating member, the water flow could also generate a circular or oriented rotary sprinkling action. Yet, as the outflow tube of typical sprinkler is often designed with a fixed oblique angle, the water flow can only be sprinkled to a preset distance. As a general rule, the entire sprinkler has to be replaced if users intend to spray water to desired parabolic sprinkling distances via the outflow tube with a beveling configuration. In this case, a few types of suchlike outflow tubes have to be manufactured, leading to higher manufacturing cost and possible storage and maintenance problems of sprinklers. Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement if the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve the efficacy. Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The enhanced efficacy of the present invention is as follows: In view of [prior art] that requires to replace the sprinklers for various sprinkling angles, it is understood that the sprinklers of different specifications have to be manufactured, leading to the waste of replacement time and increase of production cost; the impingement sprinkler of the present invention allows to adjust freely the sprinkling angle with the adjustable outflow head, but also change the parabolic sprinkling distance, thereby making it unnecessary to replace the sprinklers of different specifications while saving substantially the production cost. Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an assembled perspective view of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a sprinkling view of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an angular offset view of adjustable outflow head of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows an assembled sectional view of adjustable outflow head of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows another assembled sectional view of adjustable outflow head of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows an assembled perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 - 6 depict a preferred embodiment of impingement sprinkler of the present invention with adjustable outflow angle, which, however, are provided for only explanatory objective for patent claims. The impingement sprinkler A with adjustable outflow angle comprising: a main body 10, at lower side of which there is an inflow tube coupling end 11, and at upper side of which there is an upper frame 12; and an outlet coupling portion is arranged at the lower flange close to the upper frame 12; a rotating member 20, arranged onto the upper frame 12 of the main body 10; an adjustable outflow head 30, assembled onto the outlet coupling portion 13 of the main body 10, allowing to adjust freely the outflow angle. Of which, the rotating member 20 comprises a torsional spring 21 and a rotating portion 22; the rotating portion 22 is arranged in a fan-shaped form, and partitioned into a plurality of outflow channels 24 by a plurality of ribs 23. The adjustable outflow head 30 is provided with an outflow tube 31 and a rotary coupling portion 32, of which the rotary coupling portion 32 is fitted with a locating portion 33;the outlet coupling portion 13 of the upper frame 12 contains an outlet 14 and locating bulges 15 at both sides of the outlet coupling portion 13; when the adjustable outflow head 30 is combined with the outlet coupling portion 13, the adjustable outflow head 30 can be rotated freely if the locating portion 33 is snapped onto the locating bulge 15. At inner side of the rotary coupling portion 32 of the adjustable outflow head 30, a limit shoulder 34 is arranged for assembly of a stop ring 16, helping to prevent water leakage when the rotary coupling portion 32 is combined with the outlet coupling portion 13. Referring to FIGS. 7, 8, said impingement sprinkler A comprises an indexing regulator 50, which consists of an indexing lug 51, a driving rod 52 and a locating portion 53; said indexing lug 51 is provided with a cambered surface 510, along which the toothed edge 511 is arranged; the driving rod 52 is provided with a toothed edge 511 that can be meshed with the toothed edge 5 11 of the indexing lug 51; moreover, the locating portion 53 is used to limit the driving rod 52 while enabling rotation of the driving rod 52; the indexing lug 51 is linked to the rear end at one side of the swinging assembly portion 32, while the locating portion 53 is linked correspondingly to the main body 10, and fitted with a through-hole 531 for transverse insertion of the driving rod 52; with the design of the indexing regulator 50, the rotation and displacement of the outflow tube 31 can be implemented with indexing locating effect, so that the discharge angle of the outlet tube 31 can be regulated accurately for easier operation and more flexible regulation. Based on above-specified structural design, the present invention is operated as follows: Referring to FIGS. 4~6, as the adjustable outflow head 30of the present invention can be adjusted freely, users are allowed to change the sprinkling angle; a bigger parabolic sprinkling distance could be realized by reducing the rotating angle of the outflow tube 31 with the help of adjustable outflow head 30, otherwise, a smaller parabolic sprinkling distance could be realized by increasing the rotating angle of the outflow tube 31; meanwhile, a plurality of comparted outflow channels 24 formed by the rotating portion 22 is used for diverting properly the water flow. In practice, the inflow tube coupling end 11 of impingement sprinkler A is assembled onto a sprinkler head 40; when the water flow is fed into the main body 10 through inflow tube coupling end 11 at lower side of the main body 10, and then sprayed from the adjustable outflow head 30 at the outlet coupling portion 13, it is possible for the water flow to impinge the rotating portion 22 of the rotating member 20; so, the rotating portion 22 will offset outwards, and the torsional spring 21 of the rotating member 20 will generate a torsional restoring force, enabling the rotary restoring action of the rotating portion 22; in such case, the upper frame 12 is impinged; a rotary pivot will be formed when the inflow tube coupling end 11 is combined with the sprinkler head 40; so the main body 10 will offset to a preset angle when the rotating portion 22 is rotated and reset; whenever the rotating portion 22 is rotated and reset with water impingement, the main body 10 will thus generate continuously a rotating action, thus enabling offset sprinkling of the impingement sprinkler A.

Claims

1. An impingement sprinkler with adjustable outflow angle, comprising: a main body, at lower side of which there is an inflow tube coupling end, and at upper side of which there is an upper frame; and an outlet coupling portion is arranged at the lower flange close to the upper frame; rotating member, which is arranged onto the upper frame of the main body; the rotating member comprises a torsional spring and a rotating portion; an adjustable outflow head, which is assembled onto the outlet coupling portion of the main body, allowing to adjust freely the outflow angle.

2. The sprinkler defined in Claim 1, wherein the rotating portion of the rotating member is arranged in a fan-shaped form, and partitioned into a plurality of outflow channels by a plurality of ribs.

3. The sprinkler defined in Claim 1, wherein the adjustable outflow head is provided with an outflow tube and a rotary coupling portion, of which the rotary coupling portion is fitted with a locating portion; the outlet coupling portion of the upper frame contains an outlet and locating bulges at both sides of the outlet coupling portion; when the adjustable outflow head is combined with the outlet coupling portion, the adjustable outflow head can be rotated freely if the locating portion is snapped onto the locating bulge.

4. The sprinkler defined in Claim 3, wherein a limit shoulder is arranged at inner side of the rotary coupling portion of the adjustable outflow head, helping to assemble a stop ring and also prevent water leakage when the rotary coupling portion is combined with the outlet coupling portion.

5. The sprinkler defined in Claim 1, wherein said impingement sprinkler further comprises an indexing regulator, which consists of an indexing lug, a driving rod and a locating portion; said indexing lug is provided with a cambered surface, along which the toothed edge is arranged; the driving rod is provided with a toothed edge that can be meshed with the toothed edge of the indexing lug; moreover, the locating portion is used to limit the driving rod while enabling rotation of the driving rod; the indexing lug is linked to the rear end at one side of the swinging assembly portion, while the locating portion is linked correspondingly to the main body, and fitted with a through-hole for transverse insertion of the driving rod; with the design of the indexing regulator.