Patent ID: 8096491

Claim:
A drip emitter unit that comprises: a water inlet opening connectable to a water flow passage from a water supply conduit unto said drip emitter; a water outlet opening connectable to a water flow passage from said drip emitter towards a surface area intended to be irrigated; an additional opening exposable to an approximate atmospheric pressure prevailing from the water outlet of the drip emitter; throttle means for decreasing pressure stemming from a water flow passage between the throttle means and the water inlet opening, thereby allowing fluid to flow out towards the water outlet opening with a decrease in pressure; at least one elastomer component in which at least one portion of it constitutes a regulating membrane with one side exposable to pressure from the water supply conduit and the other (second) side exposable to reduced pressure of the water as it flows towards the water outlet opening, so that said membrane portion is movable in accordance with differential pressure on the two sides of at least one portion of the regulating membrane; and an additional elastomer membrane portion that is strained and biased against the water inlet opening, creating a seal, with one side acting as a non-drain valve and the other (second) side connected to the additional opening, and wherein: said elastomer membrane portion is movable towards the additional opening in order to open the water inlet opening, enabling passage from the water supply conduit to the drip emitter, from the instant that force exerted on one side of the portion by pressure from the water supply conduit overcomes the strain at which the portion was strained and biased against the water inlet opening, as well as the approximate atmospheric pressure prevailing on the other side of the portion.