Removable Sod Cup for Concealed Irrigation Sprinkler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional irrigation sprinklers often require manual adjustment and maintenance, and when retracted, they can pose a tripping hazard as they are not concealed within the turf, necessitating a solution that allows for easy maintenance and hidden installation.
Innovation Solution
The sprinkler design includes a rotatable nozzle, turbine, gear train reduction, and a sod cup that can be easily removed and installed without tools, with a telescopic riser that extends by water pressure, allowing for concealed operation and maintenance, and a sod cup that blends with the surrounding grass or artificial turf to hide the sprinkler head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sprinkler head is exposed above the turf for operational access, then maintenance and adjustment are easier, but it creates a tripping hazard and reduces aesthetic appeal
Solution Approach 1:
The sprinkler system is divided into two main segments: an underground housing containing the valve and mechanism, and a removable sod cup that sits above ground. This segmentation allows the operational components to be concealed while maintaining accessibility through the removable cup design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sod cup is designed as a separate, extractable component that can be removed from the underground housing. This extraction principle allows maintenance personnel to access the sprinkler mechanism by simply removing the cup, rather than excavating the entire unit, while keeping the sprinkler concealed during normal operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the sprinkler head is permanently installed in the turf, then it remains concealed and safe, but maintenance and adjustment require extensive excavation and are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the sprinkler into an underground housing and a removable sod cup, the system maintains permanent installation benefits (concealment and safety) while enabling easy maintenance through component separation. The cup can be independently removed without disturbing the underground housing or requiring excavation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sod cup transitions from a static permanent installation to a dynamic removable component. This dynamic design allows the cup to be easily detached and reattached, transforming the maintenance process from extensive excavation to simple component replacement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the sod cup is permanently fixed to the sprinkler housing, then it provides stable coverage and concealment, but it cannot be removed for maintenance without damaging the grass or requiring tools
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement features (protrusions and recesses) are pre-configured to provide stable connection during normal operation. The design anticipates future maintenance needs by incorporating easy-release mechanisms that allow subsequent removal without damage, balancing initial stability with future accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between sod cup and housing transitions from a static permanent bond to a dynamic reversible connection. The engagement features provide firm attachment during operation but allow easy detachment through simple manual manipulation, enabling the system to adapt between stability and removability as needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design facilitates easy maintenance, reduces the risk of injury from exposed sprinkler heads, and ensures the sprinkler remains hidden within the turf, enhancing safety and aesthetic appeal.
Implementation Method 1
The riser can include a turbine mounted in the riser and rotatable by water entering the riser inlet
Implementation Method 2
a riser extendible from the outer case by water pressure from a retracted position
Data Source
AI summary
An irrigation sprinkler can include an outer case having an inlet end and an outlet end. The sprinkler can include a riser positioned at least partially within the outer case and having an upstream end and a downstream end. The riser can be configured to transition between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the downstream end is positioned on a side of the outlet end of the outer case opposite the inlet end of the outer case when the riser is in the extended position. The sprinkler can include a cup assembly connected to the downstream end of the riser, the cup assembly including organic or artificial turf therein, wherein the cup assembly is configured to be removed from the riser without emptying the turf therefrom.