Patent Publication Number: US-2010127095-A1

Title: Device for controlling a flow of water, sprinkler pistol and system

Description:
The present invention relates to a device for controlling a flow of water, more particularly when using a garden hose and more particularly a device for controlling a flow of water including
         a pipe for transmitting a flow of water between an inlet end arranged to be connected to a garden hose and an outlet end, and   means for measuring the quantity of water circulating in the pipe.       

     The invention also relates to a sprinkler pistol which can be connected to a garden hose as well as a system composed of such device and a recharging base. 
     Such a device for controlling a flow of water is already known from the application for a patent FR-2 854 457 in the form of a sprinkler pistol, wherein a through flow of water rotates a caster actuating a system for measuring the quantity of water going through the pistol. The latter is provided with a display system displaying, in real time, the flow of water and an alarm emitting a sound signal when each desired measuring unit is reached. This device more particularly enables the user to accurately control his or her consumption of water and prevent any wasting of water. For this purpose, the sound alert gives useful information to the user. 
     Nevertheless, this system looses efficiency in a noisy environment, for example if a lawnmower is operated nearby. Further, the user may have a significant reaction time or be distracted which entails an excessive consumption with respect to the desired quantity of water. 
     With this object in mind, a first object of the invention consists in providing a reinforced control of the flow of water going through the garden hose. 
     Another object of the invention consists in automatizing the control of the flow of water. Then, the user&#39;s reaction time will no longer be a factor affecting the accuracy of the watering. 
     For this purpose, the invention first aims at a device for controlling the flow of water including
         a pipe for transmitting the flow of water between an inlet end arranged to be connected to a garden hose type and an outlet end, and   means for measuring the quantity of water circulating in the pipe.       

     The device further includes interruption means arranged to interrupt the circulation of said flow inside said device when the quantity of water measured by said measurement means is greater than a first value. 
     The measure of the quantity of water can be considered as a measurement of a volume of water circulating from a preset moment, for example the resetting of a counter, or as a measurement of a flow rate corresponding to the quantity of water circulating at a given time. 
     The means for interrupting the flow of water block the circulation of water when the volume used reaches the preset value. Thus, the user is sure to supply the maximum of the desired volume of water even though he or she goes on actuating the water delivery system downstream of the control device. 
     The device according to the invention can be implemented in various forms:
         a sprinkler pistol provided with an interruption system, or   a small water controller which is interconnected either between two parts of the garden hose, or between the hose and the sprinkler pistol (or any other terminal equipment of the watering system).       

     Various embodiments of the interruption means, which can be combined, can be considered. 
     According to a first alternative solution, said device includes a trigger having at least a first locking position in which no flow of water circulates in said pipe and a flowing position in which a flow of water circulates in said pipe, the switching from the first position to the second position being carried out by a user pressing said trigger, said interruption means being then arranged to position said trigger in said first position when said measured quantity of water is greater than said first value. Said interruption means optionally include an actuator, for example a fluid actuator driven jack or an electromagnetic actuator driven jack. 
     In this configuration, the trigger is directly used to regulate the circulation of the flow of water in the pistol to interrupt it when necessary. Then a separate system for regulating the flow is no longer necessary. 
     According to another alternative solution, said interruption means include an additional valve positioned in the path of said pipe, with said valve having at least an open position to enable the circulation of said flow of water in the pipe and a closed position to interrupt the circulation thereof. 
     According to another alternative solution, said interruption means include a valve for example a diaphragm valve positioned in the path of said pipe. 
     These two alternative solutions use specific components for the control of fluids. 
     Said interruption means can be controlled through driving electronic means processing the measurement signals. 
     In order to obtain an acceptable accuracy for the measurements of a quantity of water, said measuring means include a flowmeter to measure the instrument flow rate of the flow of water. 
     It is also provided for said measuring means to include an electronic measuring circuit arranged to determine a volume of water from the flow measurement generated by said flowmeter. These are simple mathematical integrations that the persons skilled in the art will know how to use when programming an ad hoc electronic circuit. 
     In one embodiment, said flowmeter is provided with an alternator to supply said electronic circuits and means. According to this configuration, the device of the invention is self-sufficient as regards power. 
     Using such a flowmeter as an alternator with any type of sprinkler pistol can also be considered whether interruption means of the present invention are present or not. 
     To also provide self-sufficiency when no flow of water circulates in the pipe and thus supplies the alternator, it is also provided for the device further to include an electric accumulator supplied by said alternator, with said electric accumulator being arranged to supply said electronic circuit and means. The electronic circuit and any display component which could be linked thereto, for example to set the device, are then continuously supplied. 
     In one embodiment enhancing the customisation of the device, more particularly to have it adapted to the requirements of the plants to be watered, means for programming at least one value and means for selecting said first value among the programmed values are provided in the device. The user has then the opportunity of programming various threshold values for various utilisations and select the one he/she wants according to his or her work. 
     Such values are more particularly stored in a memory of the electronic circuit. 
     Such a programming and memory system could be advantageously used with a device equivalent to the one described in the above mentioned application Fr-2 854 457, whether interruption means according to the present invention are present or not. 
     According to one embodiment, said measuring means generate a measured volume of water and the device further includes a display arranged to display said measured volume of water. 
     According to one embodiment, said measuring means generate a measured volume of water, with the device further including a reset button for resetting said measured volume of water. 
     The invention also relates to a system including a device provided with an accumulator according to the invention and a charging base, 
     said device further including external means for an electrical connection linked to said electrical accumulator, 
     said base including electric connection means connected to an electric power supply and the base being so arranged as to receive said device in a storage position, so that said connection means of said base cooperate with said connection means of said device to recharge the accumulator. 
     The invention also provides a sprinkler pistol including a control device as shown hereabove and means for generating a jet of water at the outlet end. 
     The advantages of the invention relate to three aspects:
         an environmental aspect: knowing, in real time, the consumption of water as well as having the possibility of programming it make it possible for the user to no longer waste water, since only the required quantity is used;   an economical aspect: when limiting himself or herself to the required quantity of water, the user efficiently reduces his or her consumption of water and saves money on his or her water invoice;   a functional aspect: the device according to the invention enhances daily life when using a garden hose (for watering vegetables, small works requiring a very precise volume of water such as painting, plastering, cementing, coating).       

    
    
     
       The invention will be better understood using the following description, given hereinunder strictly for explanation purposes, of an embodiment of the invention and referring to the appended drawings on which: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  show a pistol according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of the invention in the form of a connection means for a garden hose. 
     
    
    
     While referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pistol  1  according to the invention includes two half-shells made of hard plastic and closed to form the body of the pistol with a handle area  2  and an upper part  3 . 
     The lower part of the handle includes a female plug for receiving a quick-action connector  4  linked to a garden hose  5 . A female plug and a quick-action connector  4  are of the known type for the already existing watering equipment. 
     A circulation pipe (white discontinuous line  20 ) of the water supplied through the pipe  5  is formed within the body of the pistol  1  through a moulded part  6 , metal rings  7 ,  8  respectively carrying a flowmeter  9  and a delivery nozzle  10  (including means for adjusting the outlet jet) of a known type. 
     These elements forming the pipe are sealed together to provide the sealing of the pipe  20 . 
     The moulded part  6  is bent at the level of the area connecting the handle  2  and the higher part  3  and receives a mechanism for regulating  11  the flow of water circulating inside and mechanically controlled by a trigger  12  outside the body  2 ,  3 . A screw for adjusting  13  the constraints of the trigger  12  on the regulation mechanism  11  is provided in the upper part of the trigger to preset the flow rate which can be obtained by actuating the trigger  12 . 
     The flowmeter  9  is a flowmeter manufactured by the Parker Company and called Dataflow Compact (trade names) or any other flowmeter adapted to a utilisation according to the present invention. An alternator (not shown) is positioned adjacent to the flowmeter  9  in a configuration where the axis of the alternator is aligned and cooperating with the rotor of the flowmeter  9 . The alternator generates an electric current when the flowmeter is gone through by a flow of water. 
     The upper part  3  of the pistol  1  includes a recess  14  for accommodating a printed circuit  15 . This circuit includes programmed means of the ASIC type, and a memory (not shown) for storing variable data used when operating the pistol according to the invention. The circuit  15  includes specialised portions (hardware areas or software applications) for managing the various entities of the pistol: measurement, supply, display, user interface, recharging, etc. 
     The printed circuit  15  is connected to the flowmeter  9 , to the alternator, to a display  16  visible on the upper surface of the pistol  1  and to control buttons  17  also accessible on this upper surface. 
     For implementing the invention, a diaphragm valve  18  is provided sealingly between the ring  7  and the flowmeter  9 . The valve  18  is connected to the electronic circuit  15  for receiving control signals. 
     An electric power accumulator  19  of the battery type known to the persons skilled in the art is positioned in the handle  2  of the pistol  1 . A plate  20  is screwed on the handle and gives access to this battery  19 , for example to replace it. The battery  19  is connected to the electronic circuit  15 , so as to provide an electric power supply to all the electric components  16 ,  17 ,  18  of the pistol  1 . 
     In operation, a user sets the circuit  15  of the pistol  1  with several values of a volume of water he/she wishes to use for watering his or her various plants. This setting can be carried out by an external computer through a connection and a USB device (not shown) connected to a circuit  14  or through a dedicated interface on the pistol  1 , for example a touch screen or selection keys. The various utilisation values are stored in a memory of the circuit  15 , for example memory n° 1=garden watering, memory n° 2=balcony watering, memory n° 3=car washing, memory n° 4=utilisation of the sprinkler pistol from a date X, etc. 
     The user then selects, among these memories, the one corresponding to the desired program for example through a control button  17  having several positions (one position per memory). 
     When the user presses the trigger  12 , the regulation mechanism  11  lets water circulate in the pipe  20  through the pistol  1  from the inlet  21  of the pipe up to the outlet of the nozzle  10  type. The valve  18  is a flowing valve and the delivery nozzle  10  is regulated to let water circulate. The flowmeter  9  measures, in real time, the flow rate of the flow of water circulating in the pipe. The measured values are processed by the circuit  15  to calculate the volume of water circulating since the last resetting of the counter. 
     The resetting of this counter can be carried out using one of the control buttons  17 . The circuit resets the active counter at the moment of the resetting and increments it when and as measurement signals are received. 
     In parallel, the value of the active counter is displayed on the digital display system  16 . 
     The value of the active counter is saved in the memory when the user changes the watering program. 
     The circuit  15  continuously compares the active counter incremented with the value stored in the memory selected by the user. 
     When the active counter reaches the value stored in the memory, the circuit  15  commands the closing of the valve  18  so as to lock the circulation of water in the pipe. 
     A sound alert can be emitted at that moment. 
     A sound pre-alert can also be emitted to inform the user that only a small quantity of water, for example 2 litres, is left before reaching the value stored in the memory. The user can thus adapt the watering to make sure that all the parts from the plant concerned are watered. This value of 2 litres can be defined by the user. 
     To unlock the valve, the user can release the trigger  12 . Means detecting this release can be provided and inform the circuit  15  through a control signal to reopen the valve  18 . 
     The release can also be carried out by pressing on a control button  17  connected to the circuit  15 . The counter reset key also releases the valve  18 . 
     In an alternative solution to the utilisation of a diaphragm valve, a servomotor or a hydraulic jack (not shown) driven by the circuit  15  can also be provided in the handle  2  of the pistol  1 . When the circuit  15  emits a flow locking signal, the servomotor or jack mechanically pushes the trigger  12  to the rest position corresponding to the closed condition of the regulation mechanism  11 . 
     When water does not circulate in the pistol (the user has not actuated the trigger  12  or the valve  18  is a locking valve), the circuit  15  and the electric components are supplied by the battery  19 . 
     When water circulates in the pistol  1 , the alternator transforms the rotative energy of the flowmeter  9  rotor which it is coupled to into electric energy supplying the circuit  15 . The latter distributes the produced energy to the various electric components. The circuit  15  also behaves like a battery charger to recharge the battery  19  when an excess electric energy (with respect to the consumption of the pistol components) is produced. 
     The supply of the electronic system thus becomes totally self-sufficient, since the device collects the energy produced by the flowmeter (dynamo system). This energy produced is stored in an internal battery. The utilisation of a conventional battery (of the alkaline, lithium battery, or rechargeable cell battery types) is no longer necessary for the operation which becomes environment friendly. 
     A base (not shown) of the wall support type is provided to carry the pistol  1  when it is not used. 
     The handle  2  of the pistol  1  has two connection tabs (not shown) connected each to a different pole of the battery  19 . When the pistol  1  is plugged in the base, both tabs come in electric contact with two matching tabs provided on the base and connected to the general electricity network. 
     When positioned in the base, the battery  19  of the pistol  1  is recharged. 
     The base also includes an electronic circuit controlling the recharging of the accumulator  19 . 
     In a simplified version shown in  FIG. 3 , the device  100  is a connection ring made of a rigid plastic between the first hose  105  and the second hose or a pistol (or any other downstream sprinkler equipment)  101  through a female plug/quick-action connection system already known. 
     The device includes a flowmeter  109  and a valve  118  on the pipe  120  connecting the inlet  121  and the outlet  110  of the ring. An external display  116 , external control buttons  117  are connected to an electronic circuit  115  inside the device  100 . The operation is similar to that described while referring to the pistol  1 . An alternator and possibly a battery are provided for supplying the electric system of the device  100 . 
     If there is no trigger, the valve is unlocked using control buttons  117 . 
     Other improvements of the device can be provided, such as for example:
         the pistol provided with an electronic system integrates several sprinkler programs like: simple measurement of the delivered volume, predefined volume of water with automatic stop, predefined volume of water with sound and visual signal upon each multiple of the set point;   the new device is provided with a standby function. In case of an extended absence of utilisation, the system is automatically switched to standby;   whatever the display (digital, liquid crystal, etc.) it has a day/night display mode so that the pistol can be used at any time.