IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0873713
(2010-09-01)
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등록번호 |
US-8777133
(2014-07-15)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Korus, Tom
- Pare, Luke
- Pfrenger, Jochen
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
6 |
초록
▼
An irrigation system and method for irrigating a field including a plurality of towers linked together by at least one rotatable torque tube. Each of the towers may comprise a frame, one or more wheels on which the frame may travel, a rotatable reel, and a line configured to be spooled onto the reel
An irrigation system and method for irrigating a field including a plurality of towers linked together by at least one rotatable torque tube. Each of the towers may comprise a frame, one or more wheels on which the frame may travel, a rotatable reel, and a line configured to be spooled onto the reel. A motor may be configured to rotate the torque tube, which may in turn actuate each of the reels to rotate simultaneously. One end of each of the lines may be anchored at a first location and the towers may be located at a second location. Rotation of the reels spools the lines onto the reels and thereby actuates the towers to travel from the second location to the first location. The irrigation system also comprises hoses to link one or more fluid-emitting devices positioned on each of the towers with a water source.
대표청구항
▼
1. An irrigation system configured to irrigate a field, the irrigation system comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart towers, at least two of the towers comprising: a frame,one or more wheels rotatably attached to the frame,a reel rotatably attached to the frame, anda line attached to the reel and c
1. An irrigation system configured to irrigate a field, the irrigation system comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart towers, at least two of the towers comprising: a frame,one or more wheels rotatably attached to the frame,a reel rotatably attached to the frame, anda line attached to the reel and configured to be spooled onto the reel;one or more torque tubes rotatably attached to the frames of the towers, spanning between and physically connecting the towers with each other, and configured to simultaneously actuate rotation of each of the reels;one or more fluid-emitting devices located at one or more of the towers;one or more hoses attached to the fluid-emitting devices and fluidly connecting the fluid-emitting devices with a source of fluid; anda motor attached to and located at one of the plurality of towers and operable to actuate the torque tubes to rotate, thereby actuating the reels to rotate, thus spooling the line onto the reels and actuating the towers to travel from a second location to a first location. 2. The irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising a guide rail anchored to and extending across the field from the second location to the first location, wherein the wheels of the tower to which the motor is attached contact and are configured to travel along the guide rail. 3. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the towers further comprises one or more sprockets fixed to at least one of the torque tubes and the reel, and a continuous chain or belt looped around the sprockets such that rotation of the torque tubes actuates rotation of the reel. 4. The irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising a clutch attached to the reels and the torque tubes, wherein the clutch is operable to be placed in an engaged position in which the reels and the torque tubes are rotatably attached and is operable to be placed in a disengaged position in which the reels are not rotatably attached to the torque tubes. 5. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the reels each include two rim portions spaced apart from each other by a first distance and a base portion onto which the line is spooled, wherein the base portion is located between and inward of the two rim portions, wherein a width of the base portion is larger than the first distance. 6. The irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising a detachable spacer positioned between the reel and the line when the line is spooled onto the reel, wherein a speed of the towers is dependent on a thickness of the spacer. 7. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of towers and the torque tubes are modular, such that the irrigation system is reconfigurable to attach thereto different quantities of the towers and the torque tubes depending on a width of the field. 8. The irrigation system of claim 1, further comprising: a supply hose connecting a supply of fluid with the fluid-emitting devices at one of the end towers; anda supply/shut-off valve fluidly connected to the supply hose and configured for opening and closing to control a flow of fluid from the supply hose to the fluid-emitting devices. 9. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the torque tubes are rotatably linked with each other at each tower via a jackshaft. 10. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the gear motor is configured to selectively actuate rotation of the reels in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction. 11. The irrigation system of claim 8, further comprising a stop switch configured to stop at least one of the flow of fluid to the fluid-emitting devices via the supply/shut-off valve and travel of the towers based on a location of the towers. 12. An irrigation system configured to irrigate a field, the irrigation system comprising: two end towers and a middle tower located between the end towers, each comprising: a frame,one or more wheels rotatably attached to the frame,a reel rotatably attached to the frame, anda line having a first end attached to the reel and a second end operable to be anchored to a first location in the field, wherein the line is configured to be spooled onto the reel;at least one torque tube rotatably attached to the frames of the towers;at least one clutch attached to the reels and the torque tube, wherein, in an engaged position, the clutch rotatably links the reels and the torque tube such that the torque tube actuates simultaneous rotation of each of the reels and in a disengaged position, the clutch releases at least one of the reels and the torque tube such that the reels and the torque tube are independently rotatable;a guide rail anchored to and extending across the field, wherein the wheels of the middle tower are located on and configured to travel along the guide rail;one or more fluid-emitting devices located at one or more of the towers;one or more linking hoses attached to the fluid-emitting devices and fluidly connecting the fluid-emitting devices with each other and with a source of fluid; anda gear motor powered by a battery, attached to the middle tower, and operable to actuate the torque tube to rotate, thereby actuating the reels to rotate, thus spooling the line onto the reels and actuating the towers to travel from a second location to a first location when the first ends of each of the lines are anchored at the first location. 13. The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein one or more of the towers further comprises one or more sprockets fixed to at least one of the torque tube and the reel, and a continuous chain or belt looped around the sprockets such that rotation of the torque tube actuates rotation of the reel. 14. The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein the reels each include two rim portions spaced apart from each other by a first distance and a base portion onto which the line is spooled, wherein the base portion is located between and inward of the two rim portions, wherein a width of the base portion is larger than the first distance. 15. The irrigation system of claim 12, further comprising a detachable spacer positioned between the reel and the line when the line is spooled onto the reel, wherein a speed of the towers is dependent on a thickness of the spacer. 16. The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of towers and the torque tube are modular, such that the irrigation system is reconfigurable to attach thereto different quantities of the towers and the at least one torque tube depending on a width of the field. 17. The irrigation system of claim 12, further comprising: a supply hose connecting a supply of fluid with the fluid-emitting devices at one of the end towers; anda supply/shut-off valve fluidly connected to the supply hose and configured for opening and closing to control a flow of fluid from the supply hose to the fluid-emitting devices. 18. The irrigation system of claim 12, wherein the torque tube is a plurality of torque tubes rotatably linked with each other at each tower via a jackshaft, wherein the gear motor is configured to selectively actuate rotation of the reels in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction. 19. The irrigation system of claim 17, further comprising a stop switch configured to stop at least one of the flow of fluid to the fluid-emitting devices via the supply/shut-off valve and travel of the towers based on a location of the towers. 20. A method of irrigating a field with an irrigation system having a plurality of towers spaced apart from each other, at least one torque tube rotatably attached to the towers, at least one reel rotatably attached to at least one of the towers, a line attached to the reel and configured to be spooled onto the reel, at least one fluid-emitting device located on one or more of the towers, and at least one hose connecting a fluid supply with the fluid-emitting devices, the method comprising: anchoring an end of at least one of the lines at a first location in the field;positioning the plurality of towers at a second location in the field;engaging a clutch such that the reel rotates when the torque tube rotates;actuating the torque tube to rotate using a gear motor, thereby spooling the line onto the reel, actuating the towers toward the first location; andopening a supply/shut-off valve of the irrigation system, allowing fluid to flow from the fluid supply to the fluid-emitting device. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: actuating a stop switch when the towers have reached a pre-determined location relative to the first location, wherein the stop switch is configured to close the supply/shut-off valve and stop rotation of the reel;disengaging the clutch such that the reels rotate independently of the torque tube; andactuating the towers back toward the second location. 22. An irrigation system configured to irrigate a field, the irrigation system comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart towers, at least one of the towers comprising: a frame,one or more wheels rotatably attached to the frame,a reel rotatably attached to the frame, anda line attached to the reel and configured to be spooled onto the reel;one or more torque tubes rotatably attached to the frames of the towers and configured to simultaneously actuate rotation of each of the reels;one or more fluid-emitting devices located at one or more of the towers;one or more hoses attached to the fluid-emitting devices and fluidly connecting the fluid-emitting devices with a source of fluid;a motor attached to and located at one of the plurality of towers and operable to actuate the torque tubes to rotate, thereby actuating the reels to rotate, thus spooling the line onto the reels and actuating the towers to travel from a second location to a first location; anda clutch attached to the reels and the torque tubes, wherein the clutch is operable to be placed in an engaged position in which the reels and the torque tubes are rotatably attached and is operable to be placed in a disengaged position in which the reels are not rotatably attached to the torque tubes.
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