Patents Assigned to Hunter Industries, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10189032
    Abstract: A valve module for an irrigation sprinkler can include an upper valve support housing and a lower support basket removably connected to the valve support housing. The module can include a valve member reciprocable within the valve support housing to engage and disengage a valve seat in the support basket. The valve member can include a piston and valve seal removably attached to the piston and configured to be serviced or replaced separate from the piston when removed from the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Henry Anuskiewicz, Michael A. Huelsman, David W. Davidson
  • Patent number: 10159132
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to control the color and brightness of LED lighting. A control signal generator generates a hybrid control signal using pulse width modulation and analog control to drive an LED driver with increased resolution to maintain color mixing while adjusting brightness of the LED lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter John Woytowitz
  • Patent number: 10125956
    Abstract: A radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount includes a mounting plate having a female threaded portion for affixing a light fixture thereto and a separate mounting stake having a locking lever. The mounting stake has a recessed portion for receiving the mounting plate and affixed light fixture. The locking lever has an open position and a closed position. When the locking lever is in the open position the radial position of the mounting plate and affixed light fixture can be adjusted relative to the mounting stake by a user. In the closed position the locking lever fixes the radial position of the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Veloskey, Dillon J. Rak, Michael A. Huelsman
  • Patent number: 10113726
    Abstract: A radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount includes a mounting plate having a female threaded portion for affixing a light fixture thereto and a separate mounting stake having a locking lever. The mounting stake has a recessed portion for receiving the mounting plate and affixed light fixture. The locking lever has an open position and a closed position. When the locking lever is in the open position the radial position of the mounting plate and affixed light fixture can be adjusted relative to the mounting stake by a user. In the closed position the locking lever fixes the radial position of the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Veloskey, Dillon J. Rak, Michael A. Huelsman
  • Patent number: 10099231
    Abstract: A sprinkler can include a turbine, a nozzle, a gear drive and a reversing mechanism. The gear drive and the reversing mechanism rotatably couple the turbine and the nozzle. The gear drive can shift a direction of rotation of an output stage that is coupled to the reversing mechanism. The reversing mechanism can include a shift member coupled with the gear drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Clark, Zachary B. Simmons
  • Patent number: 10069284
    Abstract: An irrigation control box can include a housing base having a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a top sidewall, a bottom sidewall, and a back wall. The box can include at least one hinge post. An offset hinge assembly can include a hinge assembly frame defining a hinge assembly interior, a first attachment structure positioned at least partially within the hinge assembly interior and configured to releasably attach to the at least one hinge post, and a rotational attachment point. A facepack can include at least one hinge point configured to mate with the rotational attachment point. In some cases, the facepack is configured to rotate about rotational attachment point of the offset hinge assembly with respect to the housing base when the housing base and facepack are each attached to the offset hinge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael F. Paul
  • Patent number: 10029265
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler can include a reversing mechanism configured to transition the nozzle turret of the irrigation sprinkler between a forward direction of rotation and a reverse direction of rotation. The reversing mechanism can include shifting frame having an input gear and at least one output gear. The at least one output gear can be mounted on an axle of rotation which permits lateral movement of the at least one output gear between a power transmitting position, wherein rotational power from a gear reduction is transferred to the nozzle turret, and a disengaged position wherein rotational power from the gear reduction is not transferred to the nozzle turret.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: HUNTER INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Patent number: 10015894
    Abstract: A communications interface system includes a housing and one or more removable components. The removable components can include one or more removable communications module configured to facilitate communication between the interface system and one or more other communications or control systems. A facepack can be removably coupled with the housing. The facepack can include one or more displays and/or user input structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: HUNTER INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Veloskey
  • Patent number: 9915420
    Abstract: An illuminating device can include a housing having one or more sidewalls defining a housing interior. The device can include at least one light element and an optics assembly. The optics assembly can include an outer face and at least one lens. The at least one lens can be configured to allow light from the at least one light element to pass therethrough. The optics assembly can include a skirt extending from the outer face into the housing interior and surrounding the at least one lens. The skirt can have an interior surface defining a skirt interior and an outer surface facing the one or more sidewalls of the housing. Potting material can be positioned between the outer surface of the skirt and the one or more sidewalls to prevent water ingress into the skirt interior. In some cases, no potting material is positioned within the skirt interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Woytowitz, Darrin I. Schmuckle
  • Patent number: 9914143
    Abstract: A sprinkler can include a nozzle turret having a removable nozzle carrier. For example, the nozzle carrier can be removably installed within a recess of a nozzle housing. The nozzle carrier can include one or more nozzle ports configured to receive sprinkler nozzles. The nozzles can have varying characteristics including flow rate, output range, spray pattern, etc. In some cases, a primary nozzle can be removably coupled with the nozzle carrier. The primary nozzle can include a body (e.g., inlet) portion having a first axis and a tapered (e.g., outlet) portion having a second axis non-parallel to the first axis. The primary nozzle can be configured to be installed in the nozzle carrier in at least two orientations. In some cases, one or more secondary nozzles are removably or permanently connected to the nozzle carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Clark, Zachary B. Simmons
  • Patent number: 9870887
    Abstract: A drive circuit for a DC latching device includes a battery, a storage element, and a plurality of switches connecting the battery to the storage element for charging the storage element from the battery and discharging the storage element into the coil of a DC latching device. The drive circuit further includes components for determining a state of the DC latching device. The drive circuit may include components for terminating the discharge of the storage element into the coil of the DC latching device in response to determining that the DC latching device has changed states to add reliability to the system and reduce energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter John Woytowitz, Lucian Scripca
  • Patent number: 9859697
    Abstract: A watertight electrical compartment for use in an irrigation device can include a compartment body with a chamber, a sealing section mounted with one or more sealing rings, and external threads. A sealing cap mate with the sealing section and/or the sealing rings to seal the chamber. A cap retainer can be advanced over at least a portion of the sealing cap and can have internal threads to be screwed onto the external threads of the compartment body. The cap retainer can also have a stopping feature to keep the sealing cap in its sealed position. The watertight electrical compartment can be used in a wireless flow sensor assembly, a battery operated irrigation controller, and/or a battery-operated central controller device, to provide irrigation control, and/or sensor information, without the need for AC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael F. Paul
  • Patent number: 9814189
    Abstract: A drip emitter for subsurface irrigation includes a valve chamber defining a hollow interior, an entry port and at least one exit port. A flexible diaphragm is mounted in the hollow interior of the valve chamber for movement in response to pressurized water being supplied to the hollow interior through the entry port. The drip emitter further includes a tortuous path water flow channel that limits the flow of water from the hollow interior of the valve chamber to the at least one exit port. A closure member is moved by the flexible diaphragm to open the at least one exit port when pressurized water enters the hollow interior to allow water to be discharged through the at least one exit port. A spring moves the closure member to close the at least one exit port when the supply of pressurized water is shut OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Clark, Daniel E. Hunter
  • Patent number: 9814190
    Abstract: A modular irrigation controller has a robust ground path with high conductivity that can accommodate lightning induced power surges on field valve wires and common wires that are connected to a plurality of station modules. Sensitive electronic components in the station modules are thereby protected from damage. The robust ground path extends from conductors on circuit boards within the station modules through captive mounting screws to a metallic backplane and then through metallic grounding brackets within a pedestal enclosing the modules and the backplane. The grounding brackets are in turn grounded to both an earth ground stake and to a ground wire associated with the incoming one hundred and ten volt AC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stange, David M. Hurrle, Kok Huat Chong
  • Patent number: 9808813
    Abstract: A sprinkler nozzle includes a nozzle plate having at least one orifice formed therein. A stream deflector is rotatably mounted adjacent the nozzle plate and has a plurality of flutes formed therein that face the nozzle plate. Each flute has an inner portion that can momentarily align with water flowing through the orifice in the nozzle plate during rotation of the stream deflector relative to the nozzle plate. Water flowing through the orifice will be channeled in a generally radial direction by the flute to form a stream of water that is ejected from the stream deflector. The flutes have a plurality of different tangential trajectories relative to the orifice in the nozzle plate so that in combination the streams of water successively ejected from the stream deflector establish a predetermined shape of coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: LaMonte D. Porter, Zachary B. Simmons
  • Patent number: 9795094
    Abstract: The disclosure includes various embodiments of an irrigation mat. In some embodiments, the mat is generally installed so that plants meet the layer of moisture formed by a nonwoven textile web in a relatively short time due to growth of roots. Some embodiments include a web where the roots of plants can grow into the web and thus those plants can be supplied with moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Roess, Todd D. Polderman
  • Patent number: 9781887
    Abstract: An irrigation system includes at least one environmental sensor, such as a solar radiation sensor that is installed on an irrigation site, and a soil moisture sensor that is also installed on the irrigation site. Programming allows an estimated ET value to be calculated based at least in part on the output signal of the environmental sensor. A pre-programmed watering schedule is automatically modified based on the estimated ET value to thereby conserve water while maintaining the health of plants on the irrigation site. The system automatically inhibits irrigation when an output signal of the soil moisture sensor indicates an amount of moisture in the soil is above a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Woytowitz, Jeffery J. Kremicki, Christopher M. Shearin
  • Patent number: 9699974
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler can include an outer case and a riser extendible from the outer case by water pressure. A nozzle can be rotatably mounted at an upper end of the riser. A water inlet can connect the sprinkler to a water source. A turbine may be mounted in the riser for rotation by water entering a lower end of the riser. A gear train reduction can be mounted in the riser. A gear driven coupling mechanism mounted in the riser may couple the gear train reduction and the nozzle. A pressure regulator can be mounted inside the outer case at the water inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Clark, Zachary B. Simmons
  • Patent number: D797682
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Sharp, Thomas E. Veloskey
  • Patent number: D808908
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. Paul, Stephen A. Sharp