Patent ID: 8621781

Claim:
A hydroponic irrigation system, comprising: a cultivation vessel adapted to contain one or more plants to be cultivated; a reservoir adapted to contain a hydroponic solution for irrigating said one or more plants; a pump coupled to said reservoir and adapted to pump said hydroponic solution to said cultivation vessel; a delivery tube coupled to said pump at a proximal end thereof, disposed within said cultivation vessel, and closed at a distal end thereof; means for distributing said hydroponic solution coupled to said delivery tube in proximity to said one or more plants; a flooding control valve coupled between said pump and said delivery tube; and an overflow tube coupled between said cultivation vessel and said reservoir; wherein said hydroponic solution ebbing from said reservoir does not drain through said pump; wherein said flooding control valve comprises: a cavity having a first portion adapted to feed said hydroponic solution through said delivery tube to said one or more plants, and a second portion adapted to drain said hydroponic solution from said cultivation vessel to said reservoir; and means for controlling distribution of said hydroponic solution within said flooding control valve; wherein said distribution controlling means comprises: a plurality of ports including a first intake port coupled to receive said hydroponic solution from said pump, a first discharge port coupled to said delivery tube, a second intake port coupled to drain said hydroponic solution from said cultivation vessel, and a second discharge port coupled to said reservoir; and a membrane disposed within said cavity between said first and second portions a strainer coupled to said second intake port to strain said hydroponic solution from said cultivation vessel; and a nozzle in said delivery tube proximate to and directed at said second intake port; whereby said nozzle jets a stream of hydroponic solution at said strainer when said pump pumps said hydroponic solution to said cultivation vessel, thereby cleaning said strainer each time said flooding control valve is activated.