Patent US3915384A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3915384A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Combination irrigation and temperature control system for plants
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1975-03-13
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Granted: 1975-10-28
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Expires: 1995-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A combination irrigation and temperature control system for plants and the like, includes a spray producing fitting connected at its opposite ends with a water conduit and an air conduit, respectively. The fitting has a chamber therein into which air under pressure flows and a plurality of air openings in the side thereof, through which the air exits the chamber under pressure. The fitting includes separate areas on the outer surface thereof over which water is caused to flow in thin sheets, and the air openings extend through these areas, so that jets of air exiting the openings intercept the sheets of water and produce either a fine mist or fog or a spray of water droplets, depending upon the air pressure, whereby the fog produced can be used to provide a cover blanket to prevent or block heat radiation from leaf and soil surfaces, and the spray can be used to coat the leaf surfaces, whereby the latent heat of converting the spray to liquid and the liquid to ice warms the leaves to prevent freezing thereof. The system operates at low water pressure and uses very little water, and is thus exceptionally economical.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard E Diggs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 02:49
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05B; B05B7/00; B05B7/24; B05B7/2483; A; A01; A01G; A01G13/00; A01G13/06; A01G13/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A combination irrigation and temperature control system for plants comprising a conduit conveying water under pressure and a conduit conveying air under pressure, a spray producing fitting connected at one end with the air conduit and having a chamber therein in flow communication with the air conduit, means connecting the other end of the fitting with the water conduit, a plurality of separate water flow areas on the outer surface of the fitting in flow communication with the water conduit whereby sheets of water flow on said areas, and said fitting having a plurality of air exit openings through the side thereof at said areas and through which air exits said chamber in pressurized jets, the jets of air intercepting the sheets of water and producing either a fog of very fine mist or a spray of larger droplets, depending upon the air pressure, to thus control the humidity and temperature of plants.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A combination irrigation and temperature control system for plants comprising a conduit conveying water under pressure and a conduit conveying air under pressure, a spray producing fitting connected at one end with the air conduit and having a chamber therein in flow communication with the air conduit, means connecting the other end of the fitting with the water conduit, a plurality of separate water flow areas on the outer surface of the fitting in flow communication with the water conduit whereby sheets of water flow on said areas, and said fitting having a plurality of air exit openings through the side thereof at said areas and through which air exits said chamber in pressurized jets, the jets of air intercepting the sheets of water and producing either a fog of very fine mist or a spray of larger droplets, depending upon the air pressure, to thus control the humidity and temperature of plants.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combinations as in claim 1, wherein the fitting has piercing means on said one end and the fitting is attached directly to said air conduit by penetration of said one end of the fitting throUgh the wall of the air conduit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination as in claim 1, wherein the air exit openings comprise narrow slits extending transverse to the direction of flow of the water over the areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
195 words
The combination as in claim 1, wherein the fitting is substantially rectangularly shaped in transverse cross section and has an upper end and a lower end, said one end comprising the lower end, a piercing means on the lower end penetrating the wall of an air conduit and said opening extending axially through the piercing means into communication with the chamber, a tapered extension on the upper end having a substantially circular cross section and a plurality of annular serrations thereon for gripping engagement with a conduit end into which the extension is inserted, said fitting having four substantially triangularly shaped sides extending from the lower end to the upper end thereof, said separate areas for flow of water comprising a pair of said sides on opposite sides of the fitting, ribs at opposite side edges of said pair of sides to confine the flow of water to said sides, said serrations having a pair of diametrically opposed flow channels therein extending from an upper end of a respective area to the upper end of the extension, and said air exit openings comprising a slit extending along the bottom edge of each of said areas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
144 words
The combination as in claim 2, wherein the air exit openings comprise narrow slits extending transverse to the direction of flow of the water over the areas, said fitting has a substantially rectangularly shaped transverse cross section and has four generally triangularly shaped sides extending from the upper end to the lower end thereof, said water flow areas comprising a pair of said sides on opposite sides of the fitting, said air exit slits extending along the bottom edges of said pair of sides, and a tapered extension on the upper end of the fitting having a plurality of annular serrations thereon for gripping engagement with a conduit end into which the extension is inserted, and said serrations having a pair of diametrically opposed flow channels therein extending from an upper end of a respective flow area to the upper end of the extension.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination as in claim 5, wherein the fitting comprises a synthetic plastic material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination as in claim 1, wherein the means connecting the other end of the fitting with the water conduit comprises a connecting conduit, and a flow control means connected between the water conduit and connecting conduit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
The combination as in claim 7, wherein the fitting has piercing means on said one end thereof, said piercing means penetrating the wall of the air conduit directly connecting the fitting to the air conduit, and an axial extension on the other end of the fitting having a plurality of annular serrations thereon, said extension inserted into the end of the connecting conduit, and said serrations having a plurality of flow channels therein in communication with the flow areas for flow of water from the connecting conduit to the flow areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as in claim 8, wherein support means is engaged with the air conduit supporting the air conduit and fittings near the top of plants for which the humidity and temperature is to be controlled.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
A spray producing fitting for humidity and temperature control for plants, comprising a body having opposite ends and a chamber therein, one of said ends having an opening therethrough in communication with the chamber and adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure, said body having an outer surface divided into a plurality of separate water flow areas, said other end adapted to be connected to a source of water for flow of water over said areas in thin sheets, and said body having a plurality of air exit openings in the side thereof in communication with the chamber and extending through said areas for effecting flow of jets of air under pressure from said chamber to intercept sheets of water flowinG over the areas and thus produce a mist or a spray of larger droplets, depending upon the air pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
144 words
A spray producing fitting for humidity and temperature control for plants, comprising a body having opposite ends and a chamber therein, one of said ends having an opening therethrough in communication with the chamber and adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure, said body having an outer surface divided into a plurality of separate water flow areas, said other end adapted to be connected to a source of water for flow of water over said areas in thin sheets, and said body having a plurality of air exit openings in the side thereof in communication with the chamber and extending through said areas for effecting flow of jets of air under pressure from said chamber to intercept sheets of water flowinG over the areas and thus produce a mist or a spray of larger droplets, depending upon the air pressure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
195 words
The fitting as in claim 10, wherein the fitting is substantially rectangularly shaped in transverse cross section and has an upper end and a lower end, said one end comprising the lower end, a piercing means on the lower end penetrating the wall of an air conduit and said opening extending axially through the piercing means into communication with the chamber, a tapered extension on the upper end having a substantially circular cross section and a plurality of annular serrations thereon for gripping engagement with a conduit end into which the extension is inserted, said fitting having four substantially triangularly shaped sides extending from the lower end to the upper end thereof, said separate areas for flow of water comprising a pair of said sides on opposite sides of the fitting, ribs at opposite side edges of said pair of sides to confine the flow of water to said sides, said serrations having a pair of diametrically opposed flow channels therein extending from an upper end of a respective area to the upper end of the extension, and said air exit openings comprising a slit extending along the bottom edge of each of said areas.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-27 | 1979-04-28 | 1979-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-27 | 1983-04-28 | 1983-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-27 | 1987-04-28 | 1987-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |