Irrigation flow sensor systems and methods of detecting irrigation flow

US11874149B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Rain Bird Corporation · US

Inventors

• Steven D. Geerligs · Vail, US
• Russell J. Churchill · Radford, US
• Randy R. Montgomery · Tucson, US
• Chong Wang Kwak · Tucson, US
• Joseph G. Porrazzo, Jr. · Sahuarita, US
• Michael A. Landis · Gilbert, US
• Angel Reyes Archundia · Tijuana, MX

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 27, 2021
• Grant date: Jan 16, 2024
• Expiry date: Dec 26, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01F15/14
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Some embodiments provide an irrigation flow sensor system, comprising: a housing forming a fluid channel to cooperate with conduits of an irrigation system; a paddle wheel device with at least a first blade of a set of the blades comprises a magnetic element; the paddle wheel device is positioned with at least a portion of the blades extends into the fluid channel as the blades rotate about an axis; a magnetic sensor proximate a pathway of the magnetic element as it rotates configured to provide a sensor output every time the magnetic element passes the magnetic sensor; a switch coupled to the magnetic sensor and a current loop, wherein the switch in an activate state is configured to temporarily change the current in the current loop in response to the sensor output, with a rate of change in current corresponding to a flow rate of the fluid flowing.