Patents by Inventor Michael R. Knighton

Michael R. Knighton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240381819
    Abstract: An emitter (200B) comprises an inlet section, at least one pressure reducing section, and an outlet section. The inlet section includes inlet features defining inlet apertures in fluid communication with a lateral flow path. The at least one pressure reducing section is in fluid communication with the inlet section, and the at least one pressure reducing section includes resistance features configured and arranged to reduce pressure in irrigation water flowing through the at least one pressure reducing section. The outlet section is in fluid communication with the at least one pressure reducing section and an at least one outlet aperture in the lateral. The outlet section includes at least one suspension feature configured and arranged to keep any debris in suspension in the irrigation water so that it flows (221) out the at least one outlet aperture with the irrigation water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: The Toro Company
    Inventors: William C. Taylor, JR., Brian D. Hu, Daniel Trinidad, David S. Martin, Michael R. Knighton
  • Publication number: 20240373798
    Abstract: An emitter (2200) comprises a floor (2201), a first rail (2204a), and a second rail (2202b) defining at least one pressure reducing section (2208) including first opposing features in a first region to provide a first incremental exponent versus flow rate behavior and second opposing features in a second region to provide a second incremental exponent versus flow rate behavior. The first and second incremental exponent versus flow rate behaviors being different and providing a more consistent overall incremental exponent versus flow rate behavior over a pressure range. The emitter (2200) can be connected to a lateral (2227) having an inner wall (2228), at least a portion of the inner wall (126A, 2228) defining a lateral flow path (2229). The first and second rails (2202A) are operatively connected to the inner wall (2228) and the floor (2201) interconnects distal ends of the first and second rails (2202A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: The Toro Company
    Inventors: William C. Taylor, Jr., Brian D. Hu, Daniel Trinidad, David S. Martin, Michael R. Knighton
  • Patent number: 11497178
    Abstract: An emitter includes at least one of: an inlet section including inlet members forming first and second openings having different sizes; a pressure reducing section including a first pressure reducing portion having a first pressure reducing configuration and a second pressure reducing portion having a second pressure reducing configuration being different; the pressure reducing section including at least one nonlinear rail portion; a pressure responsive section including at least one nonlinear rail portion; or a base including a first base portion having a first base configuration and a second base portion having a second base configuration being different, wherein at least one of the first base portion or the second base portion is positioned in one or more of the inlet section, the pressure reducing section, or an outlet section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: William C. Taylor, Jr., Daniel Trinidad, David S. Martin, Michael R. Knighton
  • Patent number: 11452269
    Abstract: An emitter comprising a pressure responsive section and at least one feature defined by a floor, a first rail, and a second rail. The at least one feature being tuned by at least one of rail to rail distance, rail height, rail width, rail corner, vertical rail gap, transverse rail gap, external rail, floor thickness, floor profile, tip height, tip clearance, feature density, feature contour, feature angle, and feature thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: William C. Taylor, Jr., Charles G. Schmid, Daniel Trinidad, David S. Martin, Michael R. Knighton
  • Publication number: 20200390042
    Abstract: An emitter comprising a pressure responsive section and at least one feature defined by a floor, a first rail, and a second rail. The at least one feature being tuned by at least one of rail to rail distance, rail height, rail width, rail corner, vertical rail gap, transverse rail gap, external rail, floor thickness, floor profile, tip height, tip clearance, feature density, feature contour, feature angle, and feature thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: The Toro Company
    Inventors: William C. Taylor, JR., Charles G. Schmid, Daniel Trinidad, David S. Martin, Michael R. Knighton
  • Publication number: 20200390043
    Abstract: An emitter includes at least one of: an inlet section including inlet members forming first and second openings having different sizes; a pressure reducing section including a first pressure reducing portion having a first pressure reducing configuration and a second pressure reducing portion having a second pressure reducing configuration being different; the pressure reducing section including at least one nonlinear rail portion; a pressure responsive section including at least one nonlinear rail portion; or a base including a first base portion having a first base configuration and a second base portion having a second base configuration being different, wherein at least one of the first base portion or the second base portion is positioned in one or more of the inlet section, the pressure reducing section, or an outlet section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: The Toro Company
    Inventors: William C. Taylor, JR., Daniel Trinidad, David S. Martin, Michael R. Knighton