Irrigation Nozzle Assembly and Method

Abstract

A long throw Pop-Up Irrigation Nozzle assembly has no oscillating or rotating parts and includes a cylindrical body having a fluid inlet and a sidewall defining at least one fluidic circuit configured to generate a selected spray pattern when irrigation fluid flows through the body. In order to throw long distance, droplet velocity, droplet size and droplet initial aim angle determine the throw to provide a low precipitation rate (“PR”) for fluidic sprays. The nozzle assembly and method of the present invention achieve a PR of 1 in/hr or less and good spray distribution with a scheduling coefficient (“SC”) of about 1.5 without utilizing any moving components to provide a significantly more cost effective nozzle assembly, as compared to prior art rotator nozzles.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A nozzle assembly with a fluidic circuit, comprising:
 (a) a housing with an interior lumen and an exterior sidewall, with at least one fluidic-circuit-receiving port carrying a fluidic circuit insert with an inlet configured to receive a fluid passing into the housing lumen, and an outlet configured to generate a spray pattern;   (b) wherein said fluidic circuit insert's outlet has a throat and a floor with features projecting upwardly from said outlet floor by a selected height or vertical extent;   (c) wherein said fluidic circuit insert's outlet has a selected throat width;   (d) wherein the fluidic circuit receives the fluid at its inlet and passes the irrigation fluid through to its outlet, past or over one or more protuberances configured to project partly into the fluid's outward spray pattern, and modify the fluidic circuit's spray pattern by suppressing heavy ended bands;   (e) wherein said protuberances project upwardly into said fluid circuit insert's outlet at 5-40% of the selected height or vertical extent; and   (f) wherein said protuberances have a diameter or lateral extent that is a fraction of the throat width.   
     
     
         26 . An irrigation nozzle assembly with no oscillating or rotating parts, comprising:
 (a) a housing having a fluid inlet and an exterior surface defining at least a first port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface, said housing being configured to receive irrigation fluid in said inlet;   (b) a fluidic circuit within said sidewall port, wherein said fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern when the irrigation fluid flows into said fluidic circuit's inlet;
 wherein said nozzle assembly comprises a pop-up sprinkler head adapted for use with an automatic sprinkler system. 
   
     
     
         27 . An irrigation nozzle assembly with no oscillating or rotating parts, comprising:
 (a) a housing having a fluid inlet and an exterior surface defining at least a first port providing fluid communication between said housing's fluid inlet and said sidewall's exterior surface, said housing being configured to receive irrigation fluid in said inlet;   (b) a fluidic circuit within said sidewall port, wherein said fluidic circuit has an inlet configured to receive irrigation fluid from said housing's inlet and an outlet configured to generate a selected spray pattern when the irrigation fluid flows into said fluidic circuit's inlet,   wherein said nozzle assembly comprises a fixed sprinkler head adapted for use with an automatic sprinkler system.