Irrigation system

Abstract

This invention provides an irrigation system that can improve the efficiency of water drainage. [Solution] The irrigation system (10) comprises a main pipe (11), a plurality of branch pipes (21), a main shut-off valve (12), auxiliary shut-off valves (50) which are motor ball valves that open and close each of the plurality of branch pipes, at least one drain pipe (13, 15), drain valves (14, 16) which are motor ball valves that open and close the drain pipe, a terminal (60) that communicates wirelessly with a server (90) and sends commands to the server in response to user operations, and a control unit (30) that communicates wirelessly with the server and controls the main shut-off valve, auxiliary shut-off valves and drain valves based on the commands. The terminal sends a draining command to the server in response to user operations to drain water from the main pipe and branch pipes, and the control unit closes the main shut-off valve and opens the drain valves and all auxiliary shut-off valves based on the draining command.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an irrigation system for irrigating a field.

Background Art

[0002] For example, there is an irrigation system including a water supply device for irrigating soil for plant cultivation, a control device for instructing the water supply device of the timing and amount of irrigation to be performed on the soil, and an operation device provided separately from the control device and into which the amount of irrigation water to be performed on the soil is input (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Multiple branch pipes are connected to the main pipe, allowing water to flow through them. A main shut-off valve that opens and closes the main pipe upstream of all the aforementioned branch pipes, A sub-opening valve, which is a motor ball valve that opens and closes each of the aforementioned multiple branch pipes, At least one drain pipe branching off from the main pipe downstream of the main shut-off valve, A drain valve which is a motor ball valve that opens and closes the drain pipe, A terminal that can accept user operations and transmits commands to the server in response to said operations via wireless communication, A control unit that communicates wirelessly with the server and controls the main shut-off valve, the sub-shut-off valve, and the drain valve based on the command, An irrigation system comprising, The terminal, in response to the operation, transmits a draining command, which is the command to drain water from the main pipe and the branch pipe, to the server. Based on the drainage command, the control unit closes the main shut-off valve and opens the drain valve and all of the auxiliary shut-off valves.

[0007] According to the above configuration, the terminal is capable of receiving user operations and transmits commands to the server via wireless communication in response to those operations. The control unit communicates wirelessly with the server and controls the main valve, the sub-valve, and the drain valve based on the commands. Therefore, by operating the terminal, the user can remotely control the main valve, the sub-valve, and the drain valve via the server and the control unit. The control unit then closes the drain valve and opens the main and sub-valves, allowing water to flow through the main pipe to the branch pipes and irrigate the field.

[0008] Here, the terminal transmits a draining command to the server, which is the command to drain water from the main pipe and the branch pipes, in response to the operation. The control unit then closes the main shut-off valve and opens the drain valve and all of the auxiliary shut-off valves based on the draining command. This allows water to be drained from the main pipe and all of the branch pipes via the drain valve. Therefore, the user can drain the water from the main pipe and all of the branch pipes remotely and simultaneously via the server and control unit simply by operating the terminal. Thus, the above irrigation system can improve the efficiency of water draining.

[0009] Furthermore, since the auxiliary shut-off valve and drain valve are composed of motor ball valves, they can achieve a larger capacity without requiring primary pressure, compared to pilot-operated solenoid valves. Therefore, even when the main shut-off valve is closed and no primary pressure is acting on the auxiliary shut-off valve and drain valve, water can be drained smoothly.

[0010] In the second method, the control unit, based on the water draining command, closes the main shut-off valve and opens the drain valve, then sequentially opens a plurality of sub-shut-off valves with a predetermined time difference, maintains each open state for a set time, and then closes them.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the control unit, based on the drainage command, closes the main shut-off valve and opens the drain valve, and then sequentially opens the multiple sub-shut-off valves with a predetermined time difference. Therefore, even if there are many sub-shut-off valves, it is possible to suppress a sudden increase in the power used to drive the multiple sub-shut-off valves. Consequently, for example, it is possible to suppress the tripping of the circuit breaker in the distribution panel that supplies power to the multiple sub-shut-off valves. In particular, the motor ball valve has a large current flowing through it when it starts operating, so the above effect is especially pronounced.

[0012] In this case, due to its structure, when the motor ball valve operates with water inside, there are areas where water tends to accumulate when it is held in the open position. In this regard, the control unit maintains the open state of each of the multiple sub-on-off valves (motor ball valves) for a set time before closing them. Therefore, the water that has accumulated inside the sub-on-off valves while they are open is more easily discharged when the sub-on-off valves are closed.

[0013] In the third method, the drain valve is positioned below the lowest part of the main pipe and all of the branch pipes.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the drain valve is located at the lowest point in the water flow path. As a result, water flows more easily from the main pipe and all of the branch pipes to the drain valve. Therefore, water drainage can be performed even more smoothly.

[0015] Even if water is drained from the drain valve and the auxiliary shut-off valve, it is unavoidable that some water droplets will remain inside. If these remaining water droplets freeze, the valve's opening and closing operation may be hindered until the frozen droplets thaw.

[0016] In this regard, the fourth method involves wrapping heaters around the drain valve and the auxiliary on-off valve. Therefore, even if water droplets remain after draining the water from the drain valve and the auxiliary on-off valve, it is possible to suppress the freezing of these droplets. Consequently, irrigation can be started quickly even during cold periods.

[0017] In the fifth means, the auxiliary on-off valve includes a positive contact for interrupting and energizing a positive current that rotates the valve body of the motor ball valve in the forward direction, a positive limit switch for interrupting the positive current when the valve body has rotated a predetermined amount, a negative contact for interrupting and energizing a negative current that rotates the valve body in the reverse direction, a negative limit switch for interrupting the negative current when the valve body has rotated a predetermined amount, and a relay that opens the positive contact and closes the negative contact when turned off, and closes the positive contact and opens the negative contact when turned on.

[0018] According to the above configuration, by turning on the relay, the valve body of the motor ball valve can be rotated forward by a predetermined amount to open the sub-opening and closing valve. On the other hand, by turning off the relay, the valve body of the motor ball valve can be rotated reversely by a predetermined amount to close the sub-opening and closing valve. Therefore, by controlling the on / off of the relay, the valve body of the motor ball valve can be rotated forward or reversely by a predetermined amount. Thus, compared with the case of performing both the on / off control of the positive contact and the on / off control of the negative contact, the control can be simplified.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] Block diagram of the irrigation system. [Figure 2] Electrical circuit diagram showing the control panel and the sub-opening and closing valve. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view showing the opening and closing operation of the sub-opening and closing valve. [Figure 4] Diagram showing the manual mode of draining water on the operation screen of the mobile terminal. [Figure 5] Flowchart showing the procedure of draining water. [Figure 6] Diagram showing the schedule mode of draining water on the operation screen of the mobile terminal. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the schedule setting of draining water on the operation screen of the mobile terminal. [Figure 8] Electrical circuit diagram showing a modified example of the control panel and the sub-opening and closing valve. [Figure 9] Electrical circuit diagram showing another modified example of the control panel and the sub-opening and closing valve. [Figure 10] Diagram showing the display of occurrence of abnormality on the operation screen of the mobile terminal. [Figure 11] Diagram showing the display of occurrence of other abnormality on the operation screen of the mobile terminal.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] The following describes one embodiment of an irrigation system for watering fields, with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the irrigation system 10 includes a main pipe 11, a main shut-off valve 12, a pump 19, multiple branch pipes 21, multiple auxiliary shut-off valves 50, a nozzle 22, a first drain pipe 13, a first drain valve 14, a second drain pipe 15, a second drain valve 16, a control unit 30, a control panel 40, a flow sensor 91, a mobile terminal 60, and the like. An AC power supply 35, such as a commercial power supply, is connected to the control panel 40.

[0021] The main pipe 11 is formed from a pipe (tube) with a first diameter D1, through which water can flow. The main pipe 11 is equipped with a pump 19, a flow sensor 91, and a main shut-off valve 12, in that order from the upstream side.

[0022] Pump 19 is an electrically powered pump driven by a motor. Pump 19 pressurizes water drawn in from the upstream side and discharges it downstream. Pump 19 is controlled by the control unit 30. Pump 19 also inputs the motor's rotation speed and whether or not there is an abnormality to the control unit 30. The flow sensor 91 detects the flow rate of water flowing through the main pipe 11 and inputs the detection result to the control unit 30.

[0023] The main pipe 11 is equipped with a main on-off valve 12 that opens and closes the main pipe 11. The main on-off valve 12 is a normally closed solenoid valve and is controlled by a control unit 30.

[0024] In the main pipe 11, the first drain pipe 13 branches off from the portion downstream of the main shut-off valve 12. The first drain pipe 13 is made of a pipe (tube) with a second diameter D2, through which water can flow. The second diameter D2 is, for example, equal to (approximately equal to) the first diameter D1. The second diameter D2 can also be made smaller or larger than the first diameter D1.

[0025] The first drain pipe 13 is provided with a first drain valve 14 that opens and closes the first drain pipe 13. The first drain valve 14 is composed of a motor ball valve. The first drain valve 14 is controlled by a control unit 30 via a control panel 40. The first drain pipe 13 is arranged vertically such that the portion upstream of the first drain valve 14 is above and the portion downstream of the first drain valve 14 is below.

[0026] In the main pipe 11, multiple branch pipes 21 branch off from the portion downstream of the first drain valve 14. The branch pipes 21 are formed from pipes (tubes) with a third diameter D3, through which water can flow. The third diameter D3 is smaller than, for example, the first diameter D1.

[0027] Each of the branch pipes 21 is provided with a sub-on-off valve 50 that opens and closes the branch pipe 21. The sub-on-off valve 50 is composed of a motor ball valve. The sub-on-off valve 50 is controlled by a control unit 30 via a control panel 40. The branch pipes 21 are arranged vertically such that the portion upstream of the sub-on-off valve 50 is above and the portion downstream of the sub-on-off valve 50 is below. A nozzle 22 is connected to the end of each of the branch pipes 21. When the sub-on-off valve 50 is open, water supplied through the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21 is ejected from the nozzles 22.

[0028] A second drain pipe 15 is connected to the downstream end of the main pipe 11. That is, the second drain pipe 15 is connected to the main pipe 11 downstream of the first drain pipe 13. The second drain pipe 15 is made of a pipe (tube) with a fourth diameter D4, through which water can flow. The fourth diameter D4 is, for example, equal to (approximately equal to) the first diameter D1. Note that the fourth diameter D4 can be made smaller or larger than the first diameter D1.

[0029] Multiple branch pipes 21 branch off from the main pipe 11 downstream of the main shut-off valve 12 and the first drain pipe 13, and upstream of the second drain pipe 15 and the second drain valve 16. Therefore, the main shut-off valve 12 opens and closes the main pipe 11 upstream of all the branch pipes 21.

[0030] The second drain pipe 15 is provided with a second drain valve 16 that opens and closes the second drain pipe 15. The second drain valve 16 is composed of a motor ball valve. The second drain valve 16 is controlled by a control unit 30 via a control panel 40. The second drain pipe 15 is arranged vertically such that the portion upstream of the second drain valve 16 is above and the portion downstream of the second drain valve 16 is below.

[0031] The first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are positioned lower than the entire main pipe 11 and the entirety of all the branch pipes 21. In other words, the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are positioned lower than the lowest part of the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21 (at a position below the lowest part).

[0032] The control unit 30 (corresponding to the control unit) includes a control board and a communication device. The control board includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output interface, etc. The communication device includes a receiving antenna, a transmitting antenna, an input circuit, an output circuit, etc. The control board is wirelessly connected to the cloud 90 via the communication device. The control unit 30 communicates wirelessly with the cloud 90. Wireless communication can use a mobile phone line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. The control unit 30 controls the pump 19, the main on-off valve 12, multiple sub-on-off valves 50, the first drain valve 14, and the second drain valve 16 via the control panel 40. The control unit 30 and the control panel 40 can also be integrated into a single control unit (corresponding to the control unit).

[0033] Cloud 90 (equivalent to a server) consists of a wireless relay, communication equipment, a computer, etc., and provides predetermined services according to the irrigation system 10. Cloud 90 is wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal 60. Cloud 90 communicates wirelessly with the mobile terminal 60. Cloud 90 receives information from the mobile terminal 60 and transmits commands and information to the control unit 30 based on the received information. In addition, Cloud 90 receives information from the control unit 30 and transmits commands and information to the mobile terminal 60 based on the received information.

[0034] The mobile terminal 60 (equivalent to a terminal) is a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, or dedicated wireless terminal. The mobile terminal 60 functions as an operating device for remotely controlling the control unit 30 when a predetermined application (software) is installed on it. The mobile terminal 60 displays an operation screen, for example, and accepts user input via a touch panel. In this embodiment, the operator remotely controls the control unit 30, and by extension the pump 19, main shut-off valve 12, first drain valve 14, multiple sub-shut-off valves 50, and second drain valve 16, by operating the irrigation system application (hereinafter referred to as the "irrigation app") on the mobile terminal 60. The irrigation app can be a web application operated on the web, software embedded in the mobile terminal 60, or software installed on the mobile terminal 60.

[0035] When irrigating the field, the user operates a mobile terminal 60 to open the main shut-off valve 12 and several sub-shut-off valves 50, close the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16, and drive the pump 19 via the control unit 30 and control panel 40. As a result, water is sprayed from the nozzles 22 at the end of each branch pipe 21. Subsequently, the user operates the mobile terminal 60 to stop the pump 19, keep the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 closed, and close the main shut-off valve 12 and several sub-shut-off valves 50 via the control unit 30 and control panel 40. As a result, the water that was spraying from the nozzles 22 at the end of each branch pipe 21 stops.

[0036] Figure 2 is an electrical circuit diagram showing the control panel 40 and the auxiliary valve 50. The auxiliary valve 50 is connected to the AC power supply 35 via the control panel 40.

[0037] The control panel 40 includes a common terminal 43 and a first switch 41 and a second switch 42, each corresponding to one of the multiple auxiliary valves 50. The common terminal 43 is connected to one terminal of the AC power supply 35, and the first switch 41 and the second switch 42 are connected to the other terminal of the AC power supply 35.

[0038] The auxiliary valve 50 includes a main body 51 and valve body 52 (see Figure 3), a motor 53, a capacitor 54, a first limit switch 55, a second limit switch 56, a first terminal 57, a second terminal 58, and a common terminal 59, etc. The common terminal 43 of the control panel 40 is connected to the motor 53 via the common terminal 59.

[0039] The first terminal 57 is connected to the first switch 41 of the control panel 40. The first terminal 57 is also connected to the motor 53 via the first limit switch 55 (corresponding to a positive limit switch).

[0040] The second terminal 58 is connected to the second switch 42 of the control panel 40. The second terminal 58 is also connected to the motor 53 via the second limit switch 56 (corresponding to a negative limit switch).

[0041] A capacitor 54 is connected in parallel between the first limit switch 55, the second limit switch 56, and the motor 53. The capacitor 54 adjusts the phase of the current flowing through the motor 53.

[0042] Motor 53 rotates the valve body 52 in the forward direction when current (corresponding to a positive current) is supplied from the AC power supply 35 via the first limit switch 55. When the valve body 52 has rotated to the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully open, the first limit switch 55 activates, and the current flowing to motor 53 is cut off. In other words, the first limit switch 55 cuts off the current that rotates the valve body 52 in the forward direction when the valve body 52 has rotated a predetermined amount. As a result, the valve body 52 stops at the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully open.

[0043] When motor 53 receives current (corresponding to a negative current) from AC power supply 35 via second limit switch 56, it reverses the rotation of valve body 52. ​​When valve body 52 has rotated to the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully closed, the second limit switch 56 activates, interrupting the current flowing to motor 53. In other words, the second limit switch 56 interrupts the current that reverses the rotation of valve body 52 when it has rotated a predetermined amount. As a result, valve body 52 stops at the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully closed.

[0044] With the above configuration, the control unit 30 rotates the valve body 52 of the auxiliary on-off valve 50 to the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully open and stops it by turning on the first switch 41 of the control panel 40 and turning off the second switch 42. Also, the control unit 30 rotates the valve body 52 of the auxiliary on-off valve 50 to the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully closed and stops it by turning off the first switch 41 of the control panel 40 and turning on the second switch 42.

[0045] Furthermore, the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 have the same configuration as the auxiliary on-off valve 50. The control panel 40 is equipped with a first switch 41 and a second switch 42, which correspond to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16, respectively.

[0046] The control unit 30 then turns on the first switch 41 corresponding to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16, respectively, and turns off the second switch 42, thereby rotating the valve bodies of the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 to a position where the first drain pipe 13 and the second drain pipe 15 are fully open, respectively, and then stops them. The control unit 30 also turns off the first switch 41 corresponding to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16, respectively, and turns on the second switch 42, thereby rotating the valve bodies of the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 to a position where the first drain pipe 13 and the second drain pipe 15 are fully closed, respectively, and then stops them.

[0047] Incidentally, during cold periods, the water inside the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21 may freeze, potentially causing the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21 to burst. Also, during cold periods, the water inside the main shut-off valve 12, the first drain valve 14, and the second drain valve 16 may freeze, potentially damaging the main shut-off valve 12, the first drain valve 14, and the second drain valve 16.

[0048] In this embodiment, the mobile terminal 60 transmits a draining command, which is a command to drain water from the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21, to the cloud 90 in response to user operation. When the cloud 90 receives the draining command, it transmits the draining command or a command based on the draining command to the control unit 30. When the control unit 30 receives the draining command or a command based on the draining command, it controls the control panel 40 to close the main shut-off valve 12 and open the first drain valve 14, the second drain valve 16, and all the auxiliary shut-off valves 50. That is, based on the draining command, the control unit 30 closes the main shut-off valve 12 and opens the first drain valve 14, the second drain valve 16, and all the auxiliary shut-off valves 50. As a result, the water inside the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21 is discharged to the outside through the first drain pipe 13 and the second drain pipe 15. Air enters through the nozzle 22 of the branch pipe 21.

[0049] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the opening and closing operation of the auxiliary valve 50. Here, we will explain using the case where the water W inside the branch pipe 21 is discharged through the auxiliary valve 50 as an example.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3(a), before draining the water, the valve body 52 is stopped in the position that fully closes the branch pipe 21, and water W remains inside the branch pipe 21.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3(b), when draining is initiated, the valve body 52 begins to rotate in the forward direction (clockwise in this case).

[0052] As shown in Figure 3(c), when the valve body 52 rotates to the fully open position, which fully opens the branch pipe 21, the first limit switch 55 activates and the valve body 52 stops. After that, the water draining is completed by maintaining the valve body 52 in the fully open position for a set time. The set time may be a pre-set standard time or a time arbitrarily set by the user operating the mobile terminal 60. Here, a gap is formed between the main body 51 and the valve body 52, and when the valve body 52 is closing the branch pipe 21, the water W remaining in the gap is not discharged.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3(d), when the operation to close the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 is initiated, the valve body 52 begins to rotate in the reverse direction (in this case, counterclockwise). This operation causes the gap between the main body 51 and the valve body 52 to communicate with the inside of the branch pipe 21, and the water W is discharged downward.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3(e), when the valve body 52 rotates to the fully closed position, which completely closes the branch pipe 21, the second limit switch 56 is activated and the valve body 52 stops.

[0055] Furthermore, the opening and closing operations of the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are the same as those of the auxiliary opening and closing valve 50.

[0056] Figure 4 shows the manual draining mode on the operation screen of the mobile terminal 60. When the user touches "Manual Mode" in the "Draining Water" section, the above draining command is sent from the mobile terminal 60 to the cloud 90. Based on the draining command, the control unit 30 performs the draining of the irrigation system 10 in the following procedure. When the user touches "Manual Mode" in the "Irrigation" section, an irrigation command is sent from the mobile terminal 60 to the cloud 90, and irrigation is performed by the control unit 30. Irrigation and draining cannot be performed simultaneously; when one is being performed, the other is prohibited.

[0057] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the water drainage procedure. This series of processes is executed by the control unit 30 when it receives a water drainage command while irrigation is not being performed.

[0058] First, the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are opened (S10). Specifically, the first switches 41 corresponding to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are turned on, and the second switches 42 corresponding to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are turned off. If the second switch 42 is already turned off, the control to turn off the second switch 42 may be omitted.

[0059] Next, the multiple auxiliary valves 50 are opened sequentially with a predetermined time difference (S11). Specifically, the first switches 41 corresponding to each of the multiple auxiliary valves 50 are turned on sequentially with a predetermined time difference, and the second switches 42 corresponding to each of the multiple auxiliary valves 50 are turned off sequentially with a predetermined time difference. If the second switches 42 are already turned off, the control to turn off the second switches 42 may be omitted. The predetermined time difference is, for example, 1 second. The predetermined time difference may be 0.5 to 2 seconds or 2 to 10 seconds. The predetermined time difference can be longer than 10 seconds, but it is preferable that it be 10 seconds or less. When the first switches 41 are turned on, the auxiliary valves 50 rotate their valve bodies 52 in the forward direction to the fully open position and stop.

[0060] Next, each sub-on-off valve 50 is held open for a set time (S12), and then the sub-on-off valves 50 are closed sequentially as they finish being held (S13). For example, if the set time is 1 hour, multiple sub-on-off valves 50 are opened with a predetermined time difference, then held open for 1 hour, and then closed sequentially with a predetermined time difference. When closing multiple sub-on-off valves 50, the first switch 41 corresponding to each of the multiple sub-on-off valves 50 is turned off, and the second switch 42 corresponding to each of the multiple sub-on-off valves 50 is turned on. Note that if the first switch 41 is already turned off, the control to turn off the first switch 41 may be omitted. When the second switch 42 is turned on, the sub-on-off valve 50 rotates its valve body 52 in the reverse direction to the fully closed position and stops.

[0061] Next, the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are closed (S14). Specifically, the first switches 41 corresponding to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are turned off, and the second switches 42 corresponding to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are turned on. Note that if the first switch 41 is already turned off, the control to turn off the first switch 41 may be omitted. When the second switches 42 are turned on, the valve bodies 52 of the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are rotated in the reverse direction and stopped at the fully closed position. After that, this series of processes is temporarily terminated (END).

[0062] The embodiment described in detail above has the following advantages.

[0063] The mobile terminal 60 transmits a draining command to the cloud 90, which is a command to drain water from the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21, in response to user operation. The control unit 30 then closes the main shut-off valve 12 and opens the first drain valve 14, the second drain valve 16, and all the auxiliary shut-off valves 50 based on the draining command. This allows water to be drained from the main pipe 11 via the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16, and from all the branch pipes 21 via the auxiliary shut-off valves 50. At this time, more water is drained from the drain valve that allows water to drain more easily, and more air is entered from the drain valve that allows air to enter more easily, so water can be drained from the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21. Therefore, the user can remotely drain the water from the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21 at once via the cloud 90 and the control unit 30 simply by operating the mobile terminal 60. Thus, the irrigation system 10 can improve the work efficiency of water draining.

[0064] Since the auxiliary shut-off valve 50, the first drain valve 14, and the second drain valve 16 are composed of motor ball valves, they can be made to have a large capacity without requiring primary pressure, compared to pilot-operated solenoid valves. Therefore, even when the main shut-off valve 12 is closed and no primary pressure is acting on the auxiliary shut-off valve 50, the first drain valve 14, and the second drain valve 16, water can be drained smoothly.

[0065] Based on the draining command, the control unit 30 closes the main shut-off valve 12 and opens the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16, and then sequentially opens the multiple sub-shut-off valves 50 with a predetermined time difference. Therefore, even if there are many sub-shut-off valves 50, it is possible to suppress a sudden increase in the power used to drive the multiple sub-shut-off valves 50. Consequently, for example, it is possible to suppress the tripping of the circuit breaker of the distribution panel (not shown) that supplies power to the multiple sub-shut-off valves 50. In particular, the motor ball valve has a large current flowing through it when it starts operating, so the above effect is especially pronounced.

[0066] Due to its structure, when a motor ball valve operates with water inside, water W tends to accumulate in certain areas while it is held open. In this regard, the control unit 30 maintains the open state of each of the multiple sub-on-off valves 50 (motor ball valves) for a set time before closing them. Therefore, the water W that has accumulated inside the sub-on-off valves 50 while they are open is more easily discharged when the sub-on-off valves 50 are closed.

[0067] The first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are positioned below the lowest point of the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21. With this configuration, the positions of the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 are at the lowest point in the water flow path. Therefore, water flows more easily from the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21 to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16. Consequently, water drainage can be made even smoother.

[0068] Furthermore, the above embodiment can also be implemented with the following modifications. Parts identical to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are used accordingly.

[0069] Multiple auxiliary valves 50 may be opened sequentially in groups of several at predetermined time intervals within the current range that the distribution board and control panel 40 can tolerate. For example, within the current range that the distribution board and control panel 40 can tolerate, they may be opened in groups of two at predetermined time intervals, groups of three at predetermined time intervals, or groups of four or more at predetermined time intervals.

[0070] The first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 can be positioned below the lowest part of the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21, so the first drain pipe 13 and the second drain pipe 15 can also be positioned laterally.

[0071] The first drain pipe 13 can also be branched from the main pipe 11 downstream of the main shut-off valve 12 and between multiple branch pipes 21. The second drain pipe 15 can also be branched from the main pipe 11 downstream of the first drain pipe 13 and between multiple branch pipes 21.

[0072] Figure 6 shows the water draining schedule mode on the operation screen of the mobile terminal 60. On the operation screen of Figure 4, the display changes from "Manual Mode" to "Schedule Mode" as shown in Figure 6 when the user touches the downward-pointing triangle to the right of "Manual Mode" in the "Water Drainage" section. When the user touches "Schedule Mode" in the "Water Drainage" section, the operation screen changes to the one shown in Figure 7. The user can add a water draining schedule by touching "Add Schedule". In the schedule, the user can set the start time and the water draining time. For example, in the same figure, the disclosure time is set to 18:00, and the setting time for keeping valves 14, 16, and 50 in the open state is set to 1 hour. The settings are saved when the user touches "Save Settings". When the set start time arrives, the control unit 30 executes the series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 5. In this case as well, the mobile terminal 60 sends a water draining command to the cloud 90 to drain the water from the main pipe 11 and branch pipes 21 in response to the user's operation. With this configuration, the system can automatically perform water draining at the scheduled start time, without the user having to manually instruct it to do so.

[0073] When draining the water from the main pipe 11 and the branch pipes 21, the control unit 30 may execute the series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 5 multiple times. With this configuration, even if, for example, the diameter of the auxiliary on-off valve 50 is small and it is difficult to drain the water, the water inside the branch pipe 21 can be drained more reliably.

[0074] The auxiliary shut-off valve 50 may be opened before the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16.

[0075] The control panel 40 may be fitted with a timer, and the limit switches 55 and 56 of the sub-valve 50 may be omitted. The processing of S11 to S13 in the flowchart of Figure 5 may be changed as follows: When the sub-valve 50 is opened sequentially to the state shown in Figure 3(b) with a predetermined time difference, each valve is stopped by the timer. The sub-valve 50 is then held in the state shown in Figure 3(b) for a set time, and then the sub-valve 50 is closed sequentially as it finishes being held. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of water W inside the valve in the state shown in Figure 3(c), and it becomes easier to discharge water from the sub-valve 50.

[0076] Figure 8 is an electrical circuit diagram showing an example of a modified control panel 40 and auxiliary valve 50. Here, we will mainly explain the differences from Figure 2. The control panel 40 is equipped with a common terminal 43 and third switches 45 corresponding to each of the multiple auxiliary valves 50. The common terminal 43 is connected to one terminal of the AC power supply 35, and the third switch 45 is connected to the other terminal of the AC power supply 35.

[0077] The auxiliary valve 50 is equipped with a contact terminal 71, a relay terminal 72, a positive contact 73, and a negative contact 74. The relay terminal 72 is connected to the third switch 45 of the control panel 40. One end of the relay 70 is connected to the common terminal 59, and the other end of the relay 70 is connected to the relay terminal 72.

[0078] Contact terminal 71 is connected to the first limit switch 55 via the positive contact 73. Contact terminal 71 is connected to the second limit switch 56 via the negative contact 74.

[0079] When the relay 70 is not energized (off), it opens the positive contact 73 and closes the negative contact 74. When the relay 70 is energized (on), it closes the positive contact 73 and opens the negative contact 74. In other words, the positive contact 73 interrupts and energizes the positive current that rotates the valve body 52 of the auxiliary valve 50 in the forward direction. The negative contact 74 interrupts and energizes the negative current that rotates the valve body 52 of the auxiliary valve 50 in the reverse direction.

[0080] With the above configuration, the control unit 30 rotates the valve body 52 of the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 forward and stops it when it turns on the third switch 45 of the control panel 40 to the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully open. Conversely, the control unit 30 rotates the valve body 52 of the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 backward and stops it when it turns off the third switch 45 of the control panel 40 to the position where the branch pipe 21 is fully closed. In other words, by turning on the relay 70, the valve body 52 of the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount to open the auxiliary shut-off valve 50. On the other hand, by turning off the relay 70, the valve body 52 of the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 is rotated backward by a predetermined amount to close the auxiliary shut-off valve 50. Therefore, by controlling the on / off state of the relay 70, the valve body 52 of the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 can be rotated forward to the fully open position or backward to the fully closed position. Thus, the control can be simplified compared to the case where both positive and negative contact on / off control are performed. Furthermore, the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 can also be configured in the same way as the auxiliary on-off valve 50 in Figure 8.

[0081] Even if water W is drained from the first drain valve 14, the second drain valve 16, and the auxiliary shut-off valve 50, it is unavoidable that some water droplets will remain inside. If these remaining water droplets freeze, the opening and closing operation of valves 14, 16, and 50 may be hindered until the frozen water droplets thaw.

[0082] Therefore, as shown in Figure 9, a heater 81 may be wrapped around the auxiliary shut-off valve 50. The heater 81 is an electric heater that generates heat when energized. One end of the heater 81 is connected to the contact terminal 71, and the other end of the heater 81 is connected to the common terminal 59 via a thermostat 82 and a pilot lamp 83. The thermostat 82 is set to turn on at temperatures below 2°C and to turn off at temperatures above 10°C. The pilot lamp 83 (indicator light) is a lamp that emits light when energized.

[0083] With the above configuration, even if water droplets remain after draining water W from the auxiliary shut-off valve 50, the freezing of these droplets can be suppressed. Therefore, irrigation can be started quickly even in cold weather. Furthermore, the user can visually confirm that the heater 81 is operating using the pilot lamp 83. This prevents the user from touching the heater 81 or the auxiliary shut-off valve 50 without realizing that the heater 81 is operating. In addition, since the power for the heater 81 is taken from the common terminal 59 and contact terminal 71 of the auxiliary shut-off valve 50, the wiring for the heater 81 can be shortened. Note that the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 may also be provided with a heater 81, a thermostat 82, and a pilot lamp 83. Alternatively, the heater 81 may be activated by the user operating a mobile terminal 60.

[0084] Only one of the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16 may be placed at a position below the lowest part of the main pipe 11 and all the branch pipes 21. In addition, drain valves may be provided in addition to the first drain valve 14 and the second drain valve 16.

[0085] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, if an abnormality occurs in the irrigation system 10, the control unit 30 may display the abnormality on the operation screen of the mobile terminal 60. Figure 10 displays "pipe leak abnormality," and Figure 11 displays "pipe blockage abnormality." With this configuration, the user can remotely find out about abnormalities in the main pipe 11, branch pipes 21, main shut-off valve 12, first drain valve 14, and second drain valve 16, etc. In addition, if an abnormality occurs in the irrigation system 10, the control unit 30 may send an e-mail (electronic mail) to the mobile terminal 60 to notify it of the abnormality.

[0086] The control unit 30 (control unit) and the cloud 90 (server) may be wirelessly connected via an access point (relay point). Alternatively, the mobile terminal 60 (terminal) and the cloud 90 may be wirelessly connected via an access point.

[0087] Multiple sets of the main pipe 11, branch pipes 21, pump 19, first drain valve 14, second drain valve 16, auxiliary shut-off valve 50, control unit 30, and control panel 40 are installed, and a single mobile terminal 60 can instruct multiple sets to irrigate and drain. The control unit 30 can also directly control the pump 19, main shut-off valve 12, multiple auxiliary shut-off valves 50, first drain valve 14, and second drain valve 16 without going through the control panel 40.

[0088] Furthermore, the above embodiments and their respective modifications can be combined and implemented to the extent possible. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 10...Irrigation system, 11...Main pipe, 12...Main shut-off valve, 13...First drain pipe, 14...First drain valve, 15...Second drain pipe, 16...Second drain valve, 21...Branch pipe, 30...Control unit (control section), 40...Control panel, 50...Sub-shut-off valve, 60...Mobile terminal (terminal), 90...Cloud (server).

Claims

1. A main pipe through which water can flow, Multiple branch pipes are connected to the main pipe, allowing water to flow through them. A main shut-off valve that opens and closes the main pipe upstream of all the aforementioned branch pipes, A sub-opening valve, which is a motor ball valve that opens and closes each of the aforementioned multiple branch pipes, At least one drain pipe branching off from the main pipe downstream of the main shut-off valve, A drain valve which is a motor ball valve that opens and closes the drain pipe, A terminal that can accept user operations and transmits commands to the server in response to said operations via wireless communication, A control unit that communicates wirelessly with the server and controls the main shut-off valve, the sub-shut-off valve, and the drain valve based on the command, An irrigation system comprising, The terminal, in response to the operation, transmits a draining command, which is the command to drain water from the main pipe and the branch pipe, to the server. An irrigation system in which the control unit closes the main shut-off valve and opens the drain valve and all of the auxiliary shut-off valves based on the water drainage command.

2. The irrigation system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, based on the water drainage command, closes the main on-off valve and opens the drain valve, then sequentially opens a plurality of sub-on-off valves with a predetermined time difference, maintains each in the open state for a set time, and then closes them.

3. The irrigation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drain valve is located at a position below the lowest part of the main pipe and all of the branch pipes.

4. The irrigation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a heater is wrapped around the drain valve and the auxiliary on / off valve.

5. The irrigation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary on / off valve comprises a positive contact for interrupting and energizing a positive current that rotates the valve body of the motor ball valve in the forward direction, a positive limit switch for interrupting the positive current when the valve body has rotated a predetermined amount, a negative contact for interrupting and energizing a negative current that rotates the valve body in the reverse direction, a negative limit switch for interrupting the negative current when the valve body has rotated a predetermined amount, and a relay that opens the positive contact and closes the negative contact when turned off, and closes the positive contact and opens the negative contact when turned on.

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