Patent Publication Number: US-9415405-B2

Title: Deflector cap for preventing a sprinkler from spraying water in a given direction

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The embodiments herein relate generally to landscaping equipment and, more particularly, to a sprinkler cap that prevents the sprinkler from spraying water in a given direction. 
     Pop up sprinklers are often times used to water a grass area, such as a homeowner&#39;s back yard. However, when pop up sprinklers are positioned too closely to fences or other structures, such as houses or sheds, water is sprayed from the sprinkler head onto the fence or other structure, leaving an unattractive water stain and, potentially, damaging the fence or structure. Existing systems for preventing water from spraying on structures only work with stationary and above ground sprinklers and not with pop up sprinklers that retract into the ground when not in use. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a deflector cap configured to attach to a pop up sprinkler, the deflector cap being capable of preventing water from spraying from the sprinkler in a given direction. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments of the present invention include a system for preventing a sprinkler from spraying water in a given direction, the system comprising a deflector cap having a top surface, and a skirt extending from the top surface, the skirt having a cap opening configured to align with a nozzle orifice in a sprinkler nozzle, and a fastener configured to attach the deflector cap to the sprinkler nozzle. The skirt may be configured to prevent water from spraying from the nozzle in a given direction. In embodiments, the fastener may be a snap on ring positioned on an inner surface of the top surface of the deflector cap, a hook system, and/or an adhesive. The sprinkler may be a pop up sprinkler that is configured to retract into a ground when not in use, the pop up sprinkler comprising a sprinkler cap, and the deflector cap may be configured to retract into the ground, covering the sprinkler cap. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, shown in use. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a section view of one embodiment of the present invention, taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 , with the nozzle simplified for clarity. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed section view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a section view of one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movement of the deflector cap when the sprinkler retracts. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, shown in use. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following detailed description of the invention, numerous details, examples, and embodiments of the invention are described. However, it will be clear and apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth and that the invention can be adapted for any of several applications. 
     The system of the present disclosure may be used to prevent a sprinkler from spraying water in a given direction and may comprise the following elements. This list of possible constituent elements is intended to be exemplary only, and it is not intended that this list be used to limit the system of the present application to just these elements. Persons having ordinary skill in the art relevant to the present disclosure may understand there to be equivalent elements that may be substituted within the present disclosure without changing the essential function or operation of the system. 
     1. Deflector Cap 
     2. Fastener 
     The various elements of the system for preventing a sprinkler from spraying water in a given direction of the present disclosure may be related in the following exemplary fashion. It is not intended to limit the scope or nature of the relationships between the various elements and the following examples are presented as illustrative examples only. 
     By way of example, and referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , embodiments of the present invention comprises a deflector cap  10  having a cap opening  12 , wherein the deflector cap  10  is configured to attach to a pop up sprinkler using a fastener. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , the deflector cap  10  may have a snap on ring  16  located on an inner surface of a top surface thereof, wherein the ring  16  is concentric with the deflector cap  10  and is configured to engage with the nozzle lip  20  of a pop up sprinkler The nozzle lip  20  may snap into the ring notch  18  such that the deflector cap  10  will not fall off of the sprinkler during operation of the sprinkler. Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  the deflector cap  10  may further comprise a cap spring  42  having a first end and a second end, each of the ends comprising a cap spring hook  14 . The cap spring hooks  14  may be configured to engage with, or hook onto, the deflector cap  10 . Extending from a central portion of the cap spring  42  may be a hook spring connector  46 . The hook spring connector  46  may be configured to attach to a hook  48 , which in turn attaches to the sprinkler by wrapping around the sprinkler riser  32 . The hook  48  may wrap around the sprinkler riser  32  in such a manner that the deflector cap  10  will not fall off of the sprinkler during operation thereof. In embodiments, an adhesive, such as water resistant glue, may also be used to attach the deflector cap  10  to the sprinkler. 
     In embodiments, the deflector cap  10  comprises a top surface and a lip or skirt extending therefrom. The lip or skirt may have a cap opening  12  therein. The lip or skirt may prevent or block water from spraying in a given direction, while the cap opening  12  allows water to be sprayed in the desired direction. Thus, when attaching the deflector cap  10  to a pop up sprinkler, a user will want to position the cap opening  12  to face the direction that water is desired to be sprayed, while facing the lip in the direction that water is not to be sprayed, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . 
     Embodiments of the deflector cap  10  may include a radius screw access orifice  14  in a top surface thereof, such that a user may be able to access the adjustment screw  36  on the nozzle  22  of a pop up sprinkler. The radius screw access orifice  14  may be substantially circular in shape and may have a diameter of about 13/16 inches. 
     Embodiments of the deflector cap  10  may have a diameter just larger than a diameter of the sprinkler cap  26  positioned within the ground  40  such that, when the pop up sprinkler retracts into the ground  40 , the deflector cap  40  fits over the sprinkler cap  26  with an abutment surface  27  on a lowermost portion of the ring  16  abutting an uppermost surface  29  of the sprinkler cap  26 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus, when the sprinkler is not in use and is refracted into the ground  40 , the deflector cap  10  may be substantially level with the ground  40 . For example, the deflector cap  10  may be substantially circular and may have a diameter of about 50 mm to about 65 mm, such as about 61 mm. When included, the snap on ring  16  may have a diameter of about 22 mm. The skirt or lip of the deflector cap  10  may be long enough to cover the entire sprinkler cap, as shown in  FIG. 6 . For example, the skirt or lip of the deflector cap  10  may have a length of from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, such as about 2.2 mm. The deflector cap  10  may be made of any suitable material that is durable and not damaged by water, such as plastic or any other conventional sprinkler system material. 
     Embodiments of the deflector cap  10  may be configured not to interfere with the area of the nozzle  22  directly above the nozzle orifice  24  or, in other words, the area between the nozzle orifice  24  and the nozzle lip  20 . 
     Embodiments of a pop up sprinkler system having the deflector cap  10  installed therein may comprise a pop up sprinkler comprising a sprinkler body  30  positioned in the ground  40 , the sprinkler body  30  housing a sprinkler screw  34  configured to rise a sprinkler riser  32  out of the ground through a nozzle orifice  22  in a sprinkler cap  26 , wherein the sprinkler cap  26  is configured to cover the sprinkler body  30  and has a wiper seal  28 , the sprinkler riser  32  having a nozzle  22  attached at a distal end thereof, the nozzle  22  having a nozzle lip  20  and a nozzle orifice  24 , and a deflector cap  10  attached to the nozzle  22  using a snap on ring  16  configured to engage with the nozzle lip  20 , a hook  48  configured to engage with the deflector cap  10  and the sprinkler riser  32 , and/or an adhesive. The pop up sprinkler system having the deflector cap installed therein may prevent the sprinkler from spraying water in an undesired direction, such as towards a fence or other structure. As a result, the deflector cap may prevent damage to structures or areas surrounding the pop up sprinkler system. Additionally, because the entire system, including the deflector cap, the deflector cap may not interfere with landscape machinery, such as lawn mowers. 
     Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments described above.