Nelson Irrigation Corporation

Micro Irrigation Technologies, Inc.

Charles R Harrold

Theodore J Bren

Larry P Meyer

Leland A Perkins

A process for forming irrigation drip tape includes, broadly, the steps of a) supplying a longitudinally continuous strip of flexible plastic material in a first direction; b) heating a narrow band of the strip along a longitudinal axis thereof; c) depositing a continuous bead of material on an upper surface of the strip, along the narrow band, while the strip moves in the one direction; d) cooling the strip and the bead; e) folding the strip longitudinally so that the longitudinal edges overlap; and f) sealing said longitudinal edges to form a tubular drip tape with a longitudinal, overlapped seam, with the bead extending parallel to the seam and in opposed, facing relationship thereto. Apparatus for carrying out the process includes a first supply station adapted to supply a continuous length of flexible material; a second station including a trimmer roll and a pair of associated knife blades arranged to trim opposite longitudinal edges of the material to form a strip of predetermined width: a third station including a slitter wheel arranged to cut axially spaced longitudinal slits in the strip; a fourth station for applying a pre-formed bead of material onto a surface of the strip, the bead having one or more secondary flow paths formed therein; and a fifth station including a plurality of rollers arranged to wrap the strip about a mandrel into tubular form; a nozzle arranged to apply an adhesive bead along one of the longitudinal edges of the strip; and at least one pressure roller for applying pressure along the longitudinal edge to form a bonded seam between the longitudinal edges of the strip.

Apparatus for forming agricultural drip tape

Drip tape manufacturing process

A process for forming irrigation drip tape includes, broadly, the steps of a) supplying a longitudinally continuous strip of flexible plastic material in a first direction; b) heating a narrow band of the strip along a longitudinal axis thereof; c) depositing a continuous bead of material on an upper surface of the strip, along the narrow band, while the strip moves in the one direction; d) cooling the strip and the bead; e) folding the strip longitudinally so that the longitudinal edges overlap; and f) sealing said longitudinal edges to form a tubular drip tape with a longitudinal, overlapped seam, with the bead extending parallel to the seam and in opposed, facing relationship thereto. Apparatus for carrying out the process includes a first supply station adapted to supply a continuous length of flexible material; a second station including a trimmer roll and a pair of associated knife blades arranged to trim opposite longitudinal edges of the material to form a strip of predetermined width; a third station including a slitter wheel arranged to cut axially spaced longitudinal slits in the strip; a fourth station for applying a pre-formed bead of material onto a surface of the strip, the bead having one or more secondary flow paths formed therein; and a fifth station including a plurality of rollers arranged to wrap the strip about a mandrel into tubular form; a nozzle arranged to apply an adhesive bead along one of the longitudinal edges of the strip; and at least one pressure roller for applying pressure along the longitudinal edge to form a bonded seam between the longitudinal edges of the strip.

A process for forming irrigation drip tape includes, broadly, the steps of a) supplying a longitudinally continuous strip of flexible plastic material in a first direction; b) heating a narrow band of the strip along a longitudinal axis thereof; c) depositing a continuous bead of material on an upper surface of the strip, along the narrow band, while the strip moves in the one direction; d) cooling the strip and the bead; e) folding the strip longitudinally so that the longitudinal edges overlap; and f) sealing said longitudinal edges to form a tubular drip tape with a longitudinal, overlapped seam, with the bead extending parallel to the seam and in opposed, facing relationship thereto. Apparatus for carrying out the process includes a first supply station adapted to supply a continuous length of flexible material; a second station including a trimmer roll and a pair of associated knife blades arranged to trim opposite longitudinal edges of the material to form a strip of predetermined width; a third station including a slitter wheel arranged to cut axially spaced longitudinal slits in the strip; a fourth station for applying a preformed bead of material onto a surface of the strip, the bead having one or more secondary flow paths formed therein; and a fifth station including a plurality of rollers arranged to wrap the strip about a mandrel into tubular form; a nozzle arranged to apply an adhesive bead along one of the longitudinal edges of the strip; and at least one pressure roller for applying pressure along the longitudinal edge to form a bonded seam between the longitudinal edges of the strip.

Method and apparatus for forming agricultural drip tape

Drip tape for below or above ground irrigation includes a sheet of material formed into a tube by overlapping opposite side edges of the sheet and bonding the side edges along a longitudinal seam thereby forming a primary flow path. A strip of transparent material is bonded to an interior surface of the sheet prior to seaming, at a location remote from the longitudinal seam so as to define, in combination with the tape wall, a plurality of secondary flow paths within the primary flow path. Each secondary flow path includes an inlet region, a turbulence inducing region and an outlet region; the inlet region including a plurality of inlets in the second strip connecting the primary flow path to the secondary flow path upstream of the turbulence inducing region; the outlet region including an outlet in the tube connecting the secondary flow path to atmosphere downstream of the turbulence inducing region.

Growing community of inventors

Walla Walla, WA, United States of America

Charles R Harrold