Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
Rain Bird® irrigation systems are foremost concerned with water conservation. “Every drop counts” guides the company’s philosophy and its line of products that includes drip irrigation, and root watering systems, sprinkler systems, timers and sensors, as well as the Watersense program, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A program designed to label products that have been certified water-efficient, according to a series of efficiency and performance criteria.
The Rain Bird® wireless rain/freeze sensor is one such significant water conservation product. Connected to an irrigation system controller, the Rain Bird® wireless rain/freeze sensor immediately interrupts the irrigation cycle when certain temperature, and/or rainfall conditions have been met. Then, once the rainfall and/or temperature conditions are no longer met, the irrigation system resets to start.
The Rain Bird® wireless rain/freeze sensor interface is a patented invention. The US design patent USD623194S1, titled Graphics interface for the wireless rain sensor, was awarded on September 7th, 2010, to Carl Dennell Cook, William John Leach, and Charles S. Curbbun. The patent was assigned to Rain Bird Corporation.
The patent Figure 1 below depicts the graphical interface of the Rain Bird® wireless rain/freeze sensor interface. The Figure 1 interface displays both the rainfall cloud and the temperature ice-crystal trip indicator icons. The temperature ice-crystal trip indicator icon is displayed because the temperature has dropped below the selected threshold level. The rainfall cloud trip indicator icon is displayed because the rainfall exceeds the selected threshold level. Thus, both temperature and rainfall conditions are met, resulting in an interruption of the irrigation cycle. Rainfall settings range from 1/8” (3 mm) to 1/2” (13 mm). A setting closer to the top allows more precipitation to occur before the irrigation shuts off. Three temperature settings: 33°F (0.5°C), 37°F (3°C), or 41°F (5°C) may be selected. Selecting a lower temperature allows irrigation at lower temperatures.
An image of the marketed Rain Bird® wireless rain/freeze sensor interface is also included below. The interface in this image does not display the rainfall cloud or temperature ice-crystal trip indicator icons, as neither the rain nor the temperature conditions have been met, and irrigation is still working.
On the patent Figure 1, the broken lines for the battery indicator values, the signal strength indicator, as well as the 72-hour irrigation override indicator, correspond to unclaimed portions of the design.
References
Rain Bird® (website)
Rain Bird® Watersense Program
Rain bird® W2 Rain/Freeze sensor
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