WO2019004978A2

WO2019004978A2 - A dripper structure to be used in agricultural irrigation

Info

Publication number: WO2019004978A2
Application number: PCT/TR2018/050219
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shay Joseph Mamo
Original assignee: Drts Sulama Urunleri Ve Teknolojileri Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2017-05-11
Filing date: 2018-05-10
Publication date: 2019-01-03
Also published as: TR201706925A2; WO2019004978A3

Abstract

The invention is related to a dripper (100) that is used in the agricultural drip irrigation method, which is installed inside an irrigation hose, comprising a filter element (20) thereon, which purifies the water from foreign matter that might block the flow of water, a flow channel (11) that directs the water and reduces water pressure, and a water container (10) in which water that passes from said flow channel (11) is stored. The invention is characterized in that when the dripper (100) is installed in the watering hose, the filter element (20) through which the water enters the dripper (100) is located at the edge of said dripper (100) such that it is in contact with the hose.

Description

A DRIPPER STRUCTURE TO BE USED IN AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention is generally related to a dripper that is to be used in agricultural irrigation. The invention is particularly related to a dripper which filters foreign matter in water, reduces flow of water, and discharges water droplets to the soil by being installed into the water hose in drip irrigation which is one of the agricultural irrigation methods.

PRIOR ART

One of the most preferred methods in agricultural irrigation is drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is an irrigation method where water is delivered to the surface of soil or inside soil (to the root section of plants) via droplets or in very small amounts with continuous flow using drippers. This method finds an increasing usage field everyday as it saves significant amounts of water by using irrigation water at high efficiency, to keep the soil moisture at the desired level, and to allow the feeding of the necessary nutrients to the plants together with water.

Drippers form the most critical part of drip irrigation systems. As drippers have a high share in the cost of the system because multiple drippers (mostly 200-2000 qty) are used in a system and as they determine the efficiency of the drip irrigation system, they are the most important parts of a system and they need to be chosen with ultimate care. Drippers usually deliver irrigation water to the soil with low pressure and low flow. When all of these data and inferences are examined, many studies, research and developments are carried out on drippers that have an important place in agricultural irrigation.

In the drippers of the present invention, generally it is difficult to produce filter elements. The steel molds that are used to produce this structure need to have very small details and they also need to be resilient against high pressure. This causes the molds to be broken very quickly. Moreover the filter element in the prior art takes up substantial space and it cannot filter the foreign matter inside water very efficiently. Moreover as the filter element takes up a lot of space it also limits the working area of the flow reduction element and the outlet chamber reducing the efficiency of the dripper.

The filter element in the present dripper (flat or round) embodiments extends along the body of the dripper. Filter holes have a thickness of generally 0.4 -0.6mm, and they are formed by the small and fragile metal sections in the production mold. The fragile metal sections are subjected to high pressure during production and they break due to this pressure. In such a case the filter element is damaged. In addition, over time, the parts forming the filter element are worn out and the resulting product causes burrs and clogs in the filter part.

During the Patent research the application numbered US9386752B2 has been found to be related to the subject of the invention. In this application, a flat dripper that comprises a filter, discharge vessel and water flow channel is described. However the filter element takes up a large space on the body of the dripper. This leaves a very small usage space for other elements. This also leads to inefficient operation of these elements. However the small and detailed structure of the filter element makes it difficult to be produced. This leads to disadvantages regarding workmanship, time and costs.

As a result, new drippers are being developed and new embodiments that may provide solutions to present systems and that may eliminate the disadvantages mentioned above are required. AIM OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a dripper that meets the requirements mentioned above, eliminates all of the disadvantages and provides some additional advantages. The aim of the invention enables easier production and increases the quality of the product as the filter element inside the dripper is positioned at the edge section of the dripper. In the dripper subject to the invention, the filter element does not extend along the body of the dripper. The filter is positioned at the edge of the dripper. As a result, - filtering gaps having distances smaller than 0.4mm are obtained with ease.

- when a filter section is formed in the mold, the metal parts do not come in contact with each other. As a result the parts are not worn out.

- the filter elements consume less space and other elements of the system have wider area for operation.

- the cost is lower as it is formed in economic molds.

- it extends the usage life of the dripper molds that are used during production.

In order to provide all of the advantages mentioned above and which shall be construed from the detailed description below, the invention is related to a dripper that is used in the agricultural drip irrigation method, which is installed inside an irrigation hose, comprising a filter element on the body thereof, which purifies the water from foreign matter that might block the flow of water, a flow channel that directs the water and reduces water pressure, and a water container in which water that passes from said flow channel is stored. The invention is characterized in that; when the dripper is installed in the watering hose, the filter element through which the water enters the dripper is located at the edge of said dripper such that it is in contact with the hose.

The structural and characteristic features and all of the advantages of the invention will become more apparent by means of the figures given below, and the detailed description provided by referring to said figures. Therefore an evaluation of the invention should also be made by taking into consideration these figures and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order for the embodiment of the present invention and its advantages together with additional components to be understood more clearly, it has to be evaluated by taking into consideration the figures mentioned below. Figure 1 : Top view of the dripper assembly subject to the invention.

Figure 2: Side perspective general view of the dripper assembly subject to the invention.

Figure 3: Perspective and top view in general of an alternative embodiment of the dripper assembly subject to the invention.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

10: Water container

1 1 : Flow channel

1 1 .1 : Water entrance opening

1 1 .2: Water discharge opening

20: Filter element

20.1 : Filtering protrusion

30. Intermediate wall

100: Dripper

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the dripper (100) subject to the invention are described in order to enable the subject to be understood more clearly and such that it does not have any limiting effect to the invention.

In Figure 1 , the top general view and in Figure 2, the side perspective view of the dripper (100) assembly subject to the invention has been shown. The dripper (100) is basically formed of a filter element (20) located at the water entrance section that filters the foreign matter that may clog the system, a flow channel (1 1 ) which reduces the pressure of water exiting said filtering element (20), which adjusts flow and directs the water, and a water container (10) in which the water passing through said flow channel (1 1 ) is stored.

Said dripper (100) is preferably a flat or round dripper. It is monolithic. Said filtering element (20), is located at the edge section on the dripper (100) body where the water enters. The filtering element (20) has been positioned such that it is in contact with the hose when it is coupled inside said watering hose of the dripper (100). As a result of this coupling the filter element (20) and the hose become integrated in order to perform filtering function. The filtering element (20) is formed of several (preferably four) filtering protrusions (20.1 ). The distance between said filtering protrusions (20.1 ) is 0.4mm or less than 0.4mm. A water entrance opening (1 1 .1 ) at one end and a water discharge opening (1 1 .2) at the other end of the flow channel (1 1 ) is provided, wherein said channel is located on the body of the dripper (100), where the water passing through the filtering element (20) is directed through. The water passing from the filtering element (20) enters the flow channel (1 1 ) from said water entrance opening (1 1 .1 ) and exits from said water discharge opening (1 1 .2). Said flow channel (1 1 ) has a sinuous structure.

A water container (10) in which the water discharged out of the water discharge opening is stored, is formed on the body of said dripper (100). Said water container (10) is located on the body of said dripper (100) such that it is parallel to said flow channel (1 1 ). Said flow channel (1 1 ) and water container (10) is divided by an intermediate wall (50). The edge of said Intermediate wall (50) facing the flow channel (1 1 ) has a sinuous structure. The edge facing the water container of the intermediate wall (50) has a straight structure.

In the drip irrigation method it is desired for the water that is to be used for irrigation to be delivered dropwise to the soil. In order to achieve this, drippers (100) are placed inside the irrigation pipe. The dripper (100) generally adjusts the flow and pressure of water and removes foreign and unwanted matter found inside the water. Said foreign matter may lead to the clogging of the flow channel (1 1 ). The water passing through the pipe initially reaches the filtering element (20). The filtering element (20) filters the foreign matter inside water by means of the filtering protrusions (20.1 ) thereof. The water filtered from the filtering element (20) enters the flow channel (1 1 ) from the water entrance opening (1 1 .1 ) and moves along the flow channel (1 1 ) having a sinuous structure. The water that exits from the water discharge opening (1 1 .2) is stored inside the water container (10). After the dripper (100) is coupled inside the pipe, water droplets are discharged out of the hole(s) of the water container (10).

Claims

A dripper (100) that is used in the agricultural drip irrigation method, which is installed inside an irrigation hose, comprising a filter element (20) on the body thereof, which purifies the water from foreign matter that might block the flow of water, a flow channel (1 1 ) that directs the water and reduces water pressure, and a water container (10) in which water that passes from said flow channel (1 1 ) is stored, characterized in that;

• when the dripper (100) is installed in the watering hose, the filter element (20) through which the water enters the dripper (100) is located at the edge of said dripper (100) such that it is in contact with the hose.

2. A dripper (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in comprising filtering protrusions (20.1 ) at the edge of said dripper (100) which forms said filtering element (20).

3. A dripper (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that; the distance between the filtering protrusions (20.1 ) is 0.4mm.

4. A dripper (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that; the distance between the filtering protrusions (20.1 ) is less than 0.4mm.

5. A dripper (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that; said flow channel (1 1 ) has a sinuous structure.

6. A dripper (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that; it is a flat dripper.

7. A dripper (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that; it is a round dripper.