Flat Pressure-Compensating Drip Emitter with Built-In Filter Chamber for Drip Tape

The problem

Drip tape delivers water through emitters spaced along a thin plastic hose. On long rows, uneven ground or high-volume systems the water pressure falls with distance, so plants near the inlet get more water than those at the end. Pressure-compensating emitters solve this with a flexible diaphragm, but they tend to be cylindrical or bulky parts that suit thick-wall pipe more than economical thin-wall tape. Fine sand and silt in the water also clog the narrow channels.

The solution

The patent packs a filter, labyrinth and diaphragm into a flat strip:

1. The dripper body (100) has an upper surface (30) with a water inlet grille (31) and a lower surface (20) that is welded against the inside of the tape.
2. Inside the body is a water chamber, divided by an elastic diaphragm (40) into a pressure-compensation cavity and a filter cavity.
3. A ring (33) in the filter cavity splits it into an inlet tank (33-1) and an outlet tank (33-2), so grit settles before water moves on.
4. From the filter cavity, water leaves through a first outlet (1) into an external labyrinth channel (8) on the lower surface, lined with turbulence teeth. In a two-stage version, water runs through a first external labyrinth (8-1), an internal labyrinth and a second external labyrinth (8-2).
5. Through a first inlet (2) the water enters the pressure-compensation cavity. Line pressure pushes the diaphragm, which controls the flow to the second outlet (3).
6. From there the water reaches a perforated slot (5) under the tape’s outlet hole; dividing plates spread it along the slot.

Who it is for

• Drip tape manufacturers that extrude tape and insert emitters, looking for a flat pressure-compensating emitter design.
• Irrigation brands selling drip lines to vegetable growers, orchards and greenhouse operators.
• Agricultural distributors supplying farms with long rows or rolling ground where pressure varies.
• Garden and landscape irrigation companies offering drip kits for raised beds and hedges on slopes.

How it works

The main parts

Water path

1. Line water enters through the inlet grille into the filter cavity.
2. Grit settles at the ring between the inlet and outlet tanks.
3. Water runs through the labyrinth channels, which drop its pressure.
4. The diaphragm regulates flow into the outlet path as line pressure changes.
5. Water drips out of the slot through the hole in the tape.

Applications

Row-crop vegetables

Long beds of tomatoes, peppers and lettuce get even watering from the head of the row to the end.

Greenhouses and tunnels

Growers on raised benches or long tunnels need uniform output to keep plants uniform.

Orchards and vineyards on slopes

Pressure compensation helps where the line runs up and down hills.

Strawberries and berries

Plastic-mulched beds use drip tape under the film; clog resistance matters with well or pond water.

Home gardens and raised beds

Drip kits for gardens benefit from even output when several beds share one faucet.

Where it is less suitable

• Very dirty water without a main filter - the built-in chamber helps, but the system still needs a screen or disc filter.
• Thick-wall permanent drip line - cylindrical emitters are often preferred in heavy-wall pipe.
• Very low pressure gravity systems - compensating diaphragms need a minimum pressure to work.