Patent ID: 7677474

Claim:
A sprinkler for distributing water to an area, the sprinkler comprising: a housing having a longitudinal central axis; a flow path for directing water through the sprinkler; a drive mechanism having a portion located in the flow path for producing rotational power; a sprinkler head operably coupled with the drive mechanism and rotatably supported by the housing, wherein the sprinkler head includes a flow channel for directing water from the flow path to a nozzle for discharge from the sprinkler, the flow channel having an inlet, an outlet, a first portion being generally cylindrical and having an upstream edge defining the inlet, and a second portion being generally arcuately shaped and smoothly tapered toward the outlet; and a transition between the first portion and the second portion defining a line and including a first maximum downstream point for the first portion, the line capable of being extended to form a predetermined acute angle relative to a plane containing the inlet; wherein the first portion and the second portion combine to define a non-tortuous guide wall portion extending between the inlet and the outlet and guiding the flow in a changing angular direction where the changing angular direction includes an angle relative to the central axis that always increases in the same direction.