Patent Publication Number: US-7909266-B2

Title: Oscillating sprinkler with adjustable mechanism

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an oscillating sprinkler with two adjustable plates to respectively adjust orientation of nozzles to perform different patterns of sprinkling features. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional oscillating sprinkler is disclosed in German Patent 202004014604.2 and includes a curved plate composed of two plates which are installed in different directions so as to perform a fan-shaped sprinkling. Each plate includes an adjustment collar and multiple holes, the holes of the two plates are oriented in left and right directions so that when rotating the adjustment collars, the sprinkler performs a fan-shaped water curtain. 
     However, the adjustment collars are located at the rear end of the plates and when rotating the adjustment collars, the plates have to drive the nozzles to move together. The friction between the nozzles and the plates is significant so that the operation of the adjustment collars is not smooth as expected. 
     Another conventional oscillating sprinkler is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0054103A1 which includes a pair of control members on the single curved plate. The single curved plate cannot provide different types of sprinkling styles, only upright streams and fan-shaped curtains are available. 
     The present invention intends to provide an oscillating sprinkler which includes two adjustment plates and nozzles extend through guide slots defined through the adjustment plates, the two adjustment plates can be individually pivoted relative to an axis of the sprinkler by operation of two control members on two sides thereof so as to perform different types of water sprinkling features. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an oscillating sprinkler which comprises a body having a hollow tube connected thereto and a plurality of holes are defined through a flat top surface of the hollow tube. A nozzle unit is received in the hollow tube and has a plurality of nozzles. Two adjustment plates are mounted to the flat top surface of the hollow tube and two first ends of the two adjustment plates are in contact with each other. Two respective second ends of the two adjustment plates are located on two respective opposite ends from the two respective first ends. Each adjustment plate has a plurality of guide slots and the nozzles extend through the holes and the guide slots. Two control members are connected to two sides of each of the adjustment plates and located close to the first or the second end of each of the adjustment plates. The two adjustment plates are pivotable relative to an axis of the hollow tube respectively. A top cover is mounted to the adjustment plates and has multiple guide holes and the nozzles extend through the guide holes. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view to show the first embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a bottom view of one of the adjustment plates and the top cover of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view to show the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross sectional view along line A-A in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows the top view of the adjustment plates of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7-11  show different patterns that the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention may perform; 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view to show the second embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view to show the second embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  shows a side cross sectional view of the second embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  show top views of the second embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention, wherein the adjustment plates are pivoted; 
         FIG. 17  is an exploded view to show the third embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18  shows a bottom view of the adjustment plates and the top cover of the third embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 19-24  show different patterns that the oscillating sprinkler of the third embodiment of the present invention may perform; 
         FIG. 25  is an exploded view to show the fourth embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIG. 26  shows a bottom view of the adjustment plates and the top cover of the fourth embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 27-32  show different patterns that the oscillating sprinkler of the fourth embodiment of the present invention may perform; 
         FIG. 33  is an exploded view to show the fifth embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 34  is a perspective view to show the fifth embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4  and  5 , the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention comprises a body  10  having a frame with a hollow tube  12  connected thereto and a fixture  13  is connected to one end of the hollow tube  12  so as to be connected with a hose (not shown), and an end seal  14  ( FIG. 12 ) is connected to the other end of the hollow tube  12 . The hollow tube  12  has a flat top surface  15  and a plurality of holes  151  are defined through the flat top surface  15 . A nozzle unit  17  is received in the hollow tube  12  and includes a connection plate  172  on which a plurality of nozzles  171  extend. The nozzles  171  extend through the holes  151 . 
     Two adjustment plates  20  are mounted to the flat top surface  15  of the hollow tube  12  and two first ends of the two adjustment plates  20  are in contact with each other. Two respective second ends of the two adjustment plates  20  are located on two respective opposite ends to the two respective first ends. A length of the two adjustment plate  20  is the same as a length of the hollow tube  12 . Each adjustment plate  20  has a plurality of guide slots  21  defined therethrough and the nozzles  171  extend through the holes  151  and the guide slots  21 . Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the two respective guide slots  21  located close to the two respective first ends of the two adjustment plate  20  are parallel to each other, the rest of the guide slots  21  are gradually inclined at an angle. 
     Two control members  20  are connected to two sides of each of the two adjustment plates  20  and located close to the second end of each of the adjustment plates  20 . Of course, the two control members  22  can also be connected and located close to the first ends of each of the two adjustment plates  20 . By operation of the control members  22 , the two adjustment plates  20  are pivotable relative to an axis of the hollow tube  12  respectively. Each of the two adjustment plates  20  includes a row of positioning teeth  24  defined in an underside thereof ( FIG. 2 ) and the hollow tube  12  includes two single tooth  181  extending from the flat top surface  15  thereof. The single tooth  181  is engaged with one of the positioning teeth  24  of each of the two adjustment plates  20  so as to position the adjustment plates  20  when the adjustment plates  20  are pivoted. 
     A top cover  30  is mounted to the two adjustment plates  20  and has multiple guide holes  31  and the nozzles  171  extend through the guide holes  31 . The hollow tube  12  includes multiple engaging notches  16  defined in two sides thereof and the top cover  30  has engaging blocks  32  which are engaged with the engaging notches  16 . The top cover  30  has an open bottom and two engaging slits  33  are defined in each of two sides thereof. The two control members  22  are integrally connected to each of the two adjustment plates  20  by two connection rods  23  which are engaged with the engaging slits  33  of the top cover  30 . 
       FIGS. 7 to 11  show different patterns that the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention may perform.  FIG. 7  shows that the nozzles  171  are arranged to point upward so that the water coming out from the nozzles  171  forms parallel water streams.  FIGS. 8 and 9  show that the nozzles are arranged to have an angle relative to vertical line so as to have a fan-shaped water curtain.  FIGS. 10 and 11  show that the two adjustment plates  20  are respectively pivoted so that the nozzles  171  of the adjustment plate  20  that is pivoted and the nozzles  171  of the adjustment plate  20  that is not adjusted point different directions. 
       FIGS. 12-16  to show the second embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention, wherein the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that the control members  22  are connected to two sides of each of the adjustment plates  20  and located close to the first end thereof. It is noted that the position for the control members  22  can also be located at the mediate portion of each of the adjustment plates  20 . 
       FIGS. 17-24  to show the third embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention, wherein the third embodiment is the same as the first and second embodiments except that the guide slots  21  of the two adjustment plates  20  have the same arrangement. The guide slot  21  at the second end of each of the two adjustment plates  20  are located on two parallel lines (not shown), the rest of the guide slots  21  of each adjustment plate  20  are gradually inclined an angle.  FIGS. 23 and 24  show that when the two adjustment plates  20  are pivoted to the same direction, the nozzles  171  of one adjustment plate  20  eject parallel upright water streams and the nozzles  171  of the other adjustment plate  20  perform a fan-shaped watering pattern. 
       FIGS. 25-32  to show guide slots  21  of the two adjustment plates  20  have the same arrangement.  FIGS. 25 and 26  show that when pivoting the two adjustment plates  20 , the single tooth  181  is engaged with one of the positioning teeth  24  of each of the two adjustment plates  20  so as to position the adjustment plates  20 . 
       FIGS. 27 and 28  show that when the two adjustment plates  20  are pivoted to let the nozzles  171  located at the mediate portions of the guide slots  21 , a fan-shaped watering pattern is obtained.  FIGS. 29 and 30  show the two adjustment plates  20  are pivoted in two opposite directions and  FIGS. 31 and 32  show that the two adjustment plates  20  are pivoted to the same direction the nozzles  171  of one adjustment plate  20  eject parallel upright water streams and the nozzles  171  of the other adjustment plate  20  perform a fan-shaped watering pattern. 
       FIGS. 33 and 34  show the fifth embodiment of the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention, wherein the control members  22  are changed to be two upright boards  25  extending from the top of the adjustment plates  20  respectively. The top cover  30  includes two adjustment openings  34  through which the two upright boards  25  extend. The two adjustment openings  34  can be pivoted by operation of the upright boards  25 . 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.