Rain Bird Corporation

John E Thompson

Kirk Andrew Allen

Kevin M Irwin

Clint R Haas

Philip G Roper

Bradley D Helzer

Christopher Marshal Kee

Lino De Los Santos

Victor Olivas

Matthew M Salviano

A low-flow diaphragm valve is disclosed having a flexible diaphragm that cooperates with a portion of the valve body to open and close the valve. The diaphragm may have a portion for seating in a passage between the inlet and outlet of the valve and may have one or more ribs for seating against other portions of the body located around the passage. While the valve body may include openings or interruptions to permit fluid and small particulate matter to flow through the valve, the ribs and openings block or restrict particulate matter of relatively large size from flowing to the passage between the diaphragm and the valve body. With this structure, the valve will function even when particulate matter is trapped between one or more of the diaphragm portion that sits in the passage and ribs, on the one hand, and the body on the other hand.

Low-flow valve

A multi-diameter tube coupling is provided for interconnecting flexible plastic tubing of the type used in drip irrigation systems and the like, wherein the tube coupling is adapted for use with a range of different tubing sizes. The tube coupling includes a central body defining an internal flow path, with a retainer collet mounted thereon at each open end of the flow path to capture a seal member having a compliant, pressure-activated seal lip. The retainer collet includes an annular array of lock fingers for unidirectional slide-fit locked reception of one end of a length of tubing within a range of different sizes, with the seal lip engaging the tubing to provide a substantially leak-proof connection. Alternatively, the collet lock fingers accommodate slide-fit locked reception of a barbed swivel adapter, with the seal lip engaging the adapter to provide a substantially leak-proof connection.

Multi-diameter tube coupling

Growing community of inventors

Orange, CA, United States of America

John E Thompson