Abstract:
A protective nozzle top assembly includes a center recess to protect the attached retractable nozzle assembly when the sprinkler is in its non-operating condition. In an embodiment, the protective nozzle top assembly includes a secondary top surface positioned over a conventional primary top surface with water and dirt drainage between the two in order to provide dirt protection as well as protection from contact with lawn equipment, personnel and auto tires.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/722,324 filed Nov. 5, 2012 entitled NOZZLE GUARD TOP FOR POP-UP SPRINKLERS, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Disclosure 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a protective nozzle top assembly for use with turf type sprinklers for in-ground installation. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    Water distribution nozzle assemblies of the type that are removable and changeable from an exposed top of in-ground installed sprinklers need to provide protection for the nozzle assembly from lawn maintenance equipment, such as line trimmers i.e. Weed Eater™ etc. or the wheels of powered lawn mowers. Such nozzle assemblies also should include enhanced protection from intrusion of dirt and debris into the nozzle assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 7,600,699 shows a typical pop-up type irrigation sprinkler that utilizes a riser that pops up from an in-ground installed stationary sprinkler body. The exposed top of the nozzle assembly is the uppermost part of the exposed top of the in-ground exposed sprinkler. 
         [0006]    Because of the ever increasing cost of water and the desire to save water, more complicated nozzle assemblies, such as that disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/947,571, filed Nov. 29, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, are being used in in-ground sprinklers. Because of the cost and complexity of such nozzle assemblies, there is an increased need to better protect them from damage and dirt from the surrounding soil. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a protective nozzle top. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    A protective nozzle top for a pop-up type irrigation sprinkler that utilizes a riser that is moveable up and down in a stationary sprinkler body includes a second top surface supported above a primary water sealing top of the sprinkler. 
         [0009]    The second top surface is preferably supported on legs or partial circumferential surfaces around the top of the primary water sealing top of the sprinkler. A center opening in this secondary top is provided to allow the pop-up nozzle assembly to be retracted below the top surface of the sprinkler&#39;s secondary top, which is exposed to protect the primary water sealing top from contact by lawn maintenance equipment. 
         [0010]    An intermediate area, positioned between the two sprinkler tops, allows water discharged from the sprinkler nozzle during irrigation system water shut down, as the sprinkler&#39;s riser retraction spring pulls the riser back into the sprinkler body to force additional displaced water from the inside of the sprinkler body and the nozzle assembly, to drain between the two top covers. 
         [0011]    A notch in the circumference around the nozzle assembly center opening is provided so that an edge of the recessed, retracted nozzle assembly may be contacted to allow lifting of the nozzle assembly and sprinkler riser tube up and out of the secondary top recess hole for changing nozzle assemblies or maintenance, such as, removing the nozzle assembly to allow cleaning the nozzle assembly filter. 
         [0012]    A protective nozzle top for use in an irrigation sprinkler including a riser with a nozzle assembly movably mounted in a stationary sprinkler body between a retracted position and an extended position includes a first cover portion attached to the sprinkler body and a second cover portion, mounted on top of the first cover portion and configured to protect the nozzle assembly when the riser is in the retracted position. 
         [0013]    An irrigation sprinkler in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sprinkler body, a riser movably mounted in the sprinkler body between a retracted position and an extended position, a nozzle assembly positioned on a top of the riser and configured to distribute water from the irrigation sprinkler when the riser is in the extended position; and a protective nozzle top mounted on the sprinkler body. The protective nozzle top includes a first cover portion attached to the sprinkler body and a second cover portion, mounted on top of the first cover portion and configured to protect the nozzle assembly when the riser is in the retracted position resent disclosure. 
         [0014]    A protective nozzle top assembly for use in an irrigation sprinkler including a riser with a nozzle assembly movably mounted in a stationary sprinkler body between a retracted position and an extended position and including a sprinkler top mounted on the sprinkler body includes a cover portion, mounted on top of the sprinkler top and configured to protect the nozzle assembly when the riser is in the retracted position. 
         [0015]    Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a sprinkler with a sprinkler nozzle assembly installed on it with the riser retracted through the center of a protective nozzle top assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure mounted on top of the sprinkler. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1A  shows a perspective view of the same sprinkler as in  FIG. 1  with the riser and nozzle assembly extended up in its operating position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the same sprinkler as shown in  FIG. 1  with a conventional top. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a more detailed perspective view of the protective nozzle top assembly illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 1A . 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a more detailed perspective view a top cover portion of the protective nozzle top assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a protective nozzle top assembly  30 . A center recess area  15  is provided in the protective nozzle top  30  of the sprinkler  1  and a drain  10  is provided to allow water and dirt drain from the center recess area  15 . The assembly  30  preferably includes a lower cover portion  4  connected to the sprinkler body  5  with an upper cover portion  3  mounted on top of the lower cover portion  4 . The lower cover portion  4  may be similar to a convention top  40  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , for example. In an embodiment, the protective nozzle top  30  may be implemented as a retrofit to an existing top, as is explained in further detail below. 
         [0022]    The center recess area  15  allows the riser  1 A to extend to its operating position ( FIG. 1A ) and to retract into the sprinkler body  5  ( FIG. 1 ). The recess area  15  also provides an area of both mechanical protection for the valuable rotary nozzle assembly  6 , and also provides dirt protection from the surrounding soil since the sprinkler body  5  is installed at or below ground level. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a sprinkler assembly  1  with a valuable rotary nozzle assembly  6  attached to its center retractable riser  1   a  which will pop or extend the rotary nozzle up above ground level when the sprinkler is pressurized into the operating position as shown in  FIG. 1A . When water pressure is shut off, however, the nozzle assembly  6  would be exposed at the top center of a conventional top  40  of a normal sprinkler assembly as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , for example. The protective nozzle top  30  of the present disclosure provides a center recess area  15  in which the nozzle assembly  6  is protected when retracted as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example. In conventional sprinklers, the valuable rotary nozzle assembly  6  would be very vulnerable to damage from rotary line trimmers such as a Weed Eater™, for example. 
         [0024]    The protective nozzle top  30  of the present disclosure includes the center recess area  15  and a nozzle lifting access slot  8  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , for example. The nozzle lifting access slot  8  is formed adjacent to the center recess  15  and extends substantially radially outward therefrom for a predetermined distance suitable to allow a user to access the nozzle assembly. The slot  8  allows the edge of the nozzle assembly  6  to be contacted to aid in lifting the nozzle assembly  6  and riser  1   a  out of the sprinkler  1  for cleaning, replacement, etc. 
         [0025]    The protective nozzle top  30  includes secondary cover portion  3  positioned over the lower cover portion  4 , which is illustrated in the figures as substantially similar to the conventional top  40  of  FIG. 2 . The secondary cover portion  3  provides dirt cleaning features as well as protection for the nozzle assembly  6  as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 . 
         [0026]    In an embodiment, the secondary cover portion  3  provides connecting drain channels  10  from the center nozzle protection recess area  15  to the periphery of the top  30  and to an outside area around the sprinkler  1 . This allows water and dirt from the surrounding ground that may have gotten into recess  15  to be flushed out of recess  15  through multiple passages or drain channels  10  to the outside and away from the nozzle assembly  6  as the sprinkler riser  1   a  retracts when the system water supply is shut off. Retraction of the riser  1   a  is the result of a riser spring positioned in the sprinkler body  5  to bias the riser  1   a  into the retracted position. The additional water volume that leaks from the nozzle assembly is from the sprinkler housing  5  that is displaced by the nozzle assembly  6  as the pop-up riser  1   a  retracts back into the sprinkler housing  5  and the nozzle  6  is retracted into recess  15 . 
         [0027]    The secondary cover portion  3  is preferably sonic welded onto the lower cover portion  4  for connection to the sprinkler  1 , however, any suitable connection may be used. A series of ribs  12  extend downward from the bottom surface of the top  3  and are sonic welded to the cover portion  4 . The ribs  12  are positioned such that at least one drain channel  10 , and preferably several channels, are provided to extend from the central recess  15  all the way to the outer perimeter of the top  30 . The ribs are illustrated in the figures extending in a substantially radial direction from the recess  15 . Alternatively, the ribs  12  may extend circumferentially around the recess area  15 , if desired. A protective flange  11  may be provided around an outer edge of the second cover portion  3 . The flange  11  may also be sonic welded to the cover portion  4 , if desired, and also serves to prevent dirt from intruding under the cover portion  3  and into the nozzle assembly  6 . The flange  11  includes openings that are aligned with the channels  10  to drain water and dirt from the recess  15 . 
         [0028]    In an embodiment, the secondary cover portion  3  is integrated into the primary cover portion  4  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , for example. In the alternative, the protective top assembly  30  may be implemented by connecting the second cover portion  3  to an existing conventional top, such as the top  40  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , for example. In this case, the protective top assembly  30  includes the secondary cover portion  3 , the ribs  12  and the optional flange  11 , for example, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . That is, existing sprinkler tops, such as top  40 , may be retrofitted to include the protective top assembly of the present application. Attachment may still be accomplished by sonic welding, however, any other suitable attachment mechanism may be used, for example, but not limited to, a snap fit attachment or using an adhesive. 
         [0029]    Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art.