US20080017763A1

US20080017763A1 - Sprinkler booster

Info

Publication number: US20080017763A1
Application number: US11/482,006
Authority: US
Inventors: James A. Hatch; Mary Hatch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-06
Filing date: 2006-07-06
Publication date: 2008-01-24

Abstract

A sprinkler support includes a central support bar to which two sprinkler support rings are attached at one end and to which a cross bar is attached. The cross bar is located spaced apart from the ends of the central bar and serves as a foot bar against which a user presses his or her foot to insert the central support bar into the ground.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general art of gardening, and to the particular field of sprinklers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are various sprinklers used in residential and agricultural irrigation wherein the sprinkling action or projection of water is produced by passing the water through a nozzle, wherein the water is ejected from the nozzle as a coherent stream. The stream of water generally breaks up as it passes through the air, with water droplets falling from the stream over the entire trajectory of the ejected stream. In one type sprinkler, an oscillating impact member is used to physically break the stream of water so as to provide additional water distribution in the area adjacent to and relatively near the sprinkler. In addition, the impact member is also used to produce a force to rotate the nozzle about a generally vertical axis.
An oscillating water sprinkler is often used for spraying water onto lawns for irrigation purposes. A typical oscillating water sprinkler can comprise a flat base seatable on the ground surface, and a rotary sprinkler head mounted on a spindle projecting upwardly from the base. The base has a threaded inlet fitting that is connectable to a standard garden hose, whereby a pressurized stream of water is supplied to the inlet fitting and the hollow spindle.
A spring-biased paddle is mounted on the spindle to pass across a nozzle opening in the rotary sprinkler head, such that water pressure forces are utilized to rotate the sprinkler head in a horizontal plane. Adjustable stops are provided on the stationary part of the sprinkler, to permit the sprinkler head to oscillate back and forth, or to rotate continuously in a single direction.
As the sprinkler head rotates in a horizontal plane, a pressurized stream of water is discharged through the nozzle opening in the sprinkler head at an inclination angle of about thirty degrees. The discharged stream of water has a divergent spray-like character, comprised of multiple water droplets that diverge from one another as the droplets move further away from the sprinkler head.
The divergent water spray has an arcuate trajectory, wherein gravitational forces cause the water droplets to be deposited on the target surface, i.e., lawn or other vegetation, at varying distances from the sprinkler. The rotary motion of the sprinkler head enables a specific target area to be covered with a relatively uniform water concentration across the target area.
However, the described conventional rotary oscillation sprinkler has some disadvantages or limitations. For instance, the sprinkler does not work very well when the vegetation has an appreciable height above the ground surface. If the sprinkler is placed on the ground in the vegetation area, the foliage near the sprinkler will obstruct the water stream before it can acquire the necessary divergence to provide a desired coverage of the target area.
If the sprinkler is placed in an unobstructed area the divergent spray of water discharged from the sprinkler head may not achieve a sufficient height to descend at an optimum angle onto the target vegetation. Vegetation protruding a significant distance upwardly from the ground surface may intercept some of the water droplets before such droplets can reach the ground surface. Further, the target area may not receive full water coverage.
Furthermore, in some instances, it may be difficult for a person to place a sprinkler in the ground. For example, an elderly person or a disabled person may have difficulty in properly placing the sprinkler head. It may be difficult for such a person to bend over and remain bent over during the ground insertion operation. This difficulty may make it onerous for such a person to place the sprinkler in one location, but can make it nearly impossible for the person to move the sprinkler or to adjust the height of a sprinkler once it is inserted into the ground.
Therefore, there is a need for a support for a sprinkler that will elevate the sprinkler above the ground surface, but which is easy to insert, set, adjust and move.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a sprinkler support which includes a central support bar to which two sprinkler support rings are attached at one end and to which a cross bar is attached. The cross bar is located spaced apart from the ends of the central bar and serves as a foot bar against which a user presses his or her foot to insert the central support bar into the ground.
The sprinkler head is spaced above the ground, and the height is easily selected by pushing the foot bar and forcing the central support bar into the ground and stopping the insertion when the desired height is reached. The support is easily moved by grasping the top of the central support bar and pulling it out of the ground to either adjust the height or remove the support from the ground to move the support. Because the central support bar extends above the ground, it is in a location where it can be easily grasped without requiring a person to bend over to a significant degree.
By spacing the sprinkler head above the ground surface it becomes possible to effectively use the sprinkler in areas of high vegetation growth, i.e., areas containing flowers, or vegetables, growing to a height of about three feet. The growing vegetation is below the sprinkler head so that the water spray is unobstructed by the vegetation.
The elevated sprinkler head may also be advantageous in that the length of the water spray and the overall width of the water spray are somewhat increased. The increases are due to the fact that there is a greater vertical distance for the water droplets to travel during the motion of the droplets away from the sprinkler head.
The sprinkler support embodying the present invention is easy to insert into the ground because one merely has to step on the foot bar and push. Adjusting the height of the sprinkler is also easy due to the foot bar, and thus moving the sprinkler is easy, even for someone who may not be able to easily bend over.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sprinkler booster embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the sprinkler booster shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a sprinkler support 10 that is easy to place, easy to adjust and easy to move, even for someone who may have difficulty bending over. Support 10 comprises a central support stand 12 which has a first end 14 that is a bottom end when the central support stand is in place. The bottom end is located in the ground when the central support stand is in place. A point 16 is located on the bottom end and is used to guide the support stand into the ground to set the support stand in place.
Support stand further includes a second end 20 which is a top end when the central support stand is in place. Second end 20 is located above ground surface when the central support stand is in place. A longitudinal axis 22 extends between the first and second ends of the central support stand. A cross bar 30 is fixedly mounted on the central support stand near bottom end 14. The cross bar extends transverse to longitudinal axis 22.
A sprinkler support unit 40 is fixedly mounted on the central support stand near top end 20. The sprinkler support unit includes a first annular ring 42 fixed to the central support stand adjacent to top end 20. First annular ring 42 is oriented in a plane P1 that is transverse to longitudinal axis 22 of the central support stand and is horizontal when the central support stand is in place in the ground. The first annular ring has a diameter 44.
A second annular ring 50 is fixed to the central support stand adjacent to first annular support ring 42. Second annular ring 50 is oriented in a plane P2 that is transverse to longitudinal axis 22 of the central support stand and is parallel to plane P1 containing first annular support ring 42. The second annular support ring has a diameter 52. Diameter 52 of the second annular support ring is smaller than diameter 44 of first annular support ring 42. As can be understood from the figures, the first and second annular support rings are aligned with each other to have the centers 42C and 50C thereof aligned along a line C that is parallel to and spaced apart from longitudinal axis 22 of the central support stand.
Use of support 10 can be understood from the teaching of the present disclosure and thus will be only briefly discussed. A user selects a location for the sprinkler, and, using his foot, presses the central support stand into the ground until the sprinkler support unit is at a desired height above the ground. A sprinkler is supported on the sprinkler support unit to disperse water. After use, the user simply grasps the central support stand and removes the unit from the ground.
While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A sprinkler support comprising:

A) a central support stand having

(1) a first end that is a bottom end when the central support stand is in place, the bottom end being located in the ground when the central support stand is in place,

(2) a point on the bottom end,

(3) a second end which is a top end when the central support stand is in place, the second end being located above ground surface when the central support stand is in place, and

(4) a longitudinal axis which extends between the first and second ends of the central support stand;

B) a cross bar fixedly mounted on the central support stand near the bottom end, the cross bar extending transverse to the longitudinal axis; and

C) a sprinkler support unit fixedly mounted on the central support stand near the top end, the sprinkler support unit including

(1) a first annular ring fixed to the central support stand adjacent to the top end, the first annular ring being oriented in a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the central support stand and which is horizontal when the central support stand is in place in the ground, the first annular ring having a diameter, and

(2) a second annular ring fixed to the central support stand adjacent to the first annular support ring, the second annular ring being oriented in a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the central support stand and which is parallel to the plane containing the first annular support ring, the second annular support ring having a diameter, with the diameter of the second annular support ring being smaller than the diameter of the first annular support ring,

(3) the first and second annular support rings being aligned with each other to have the centers thereof aligned along a line that is parallel to and spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the central support stand.

2. A sprinkler support comprising:

A) a central support stand;

B) a cross bar fixedly mounted on the central support stand near one end thereof, the cross bar extending transverse to the central support stand; and

C) a sprinkler support unit fixedly mounted on the central support stand near a second end thereof, the sprinkler support unit including

(1) a first annular ring fixed to the central support stand, the first annular ring having a diameter, and

(2) a second annular ring fixed to the central support stand adjacent to the first annular support ring, the second annular ring having a diameter, with the diameter of the second annular support ring being smaller than the diameter of the first annular support ring,

(3) the first and second annular support rings being aligned with each other to have the centers thereof aligned along a line that is parallel to and spaced apart from the central support stand.