Lateral irrigation system with z-fold spans

Abstract

A lateral irrigation system comprising a plurality of towers and a plurality of lateral structures extending between and connected to the towers. The support structures may comprise a first support structure, a second support structure pivotable relative to the first support structure, and a third support structure pivotable relative to the second support structure. The irrigation system may also comprise a fluid delivery system having conduits attached to or extending through the support structures and configured to output water from orifices formed therein. The irrigation system may further comprise joints at which the second and third support structures may pivot. The second and third support structures may be configured to pivot into a substantially zig-zag or “Z”-shaped configuration relative to the first support structure.

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
         1 . A lateral move irrigation system comprising:
 a plurality of towers configured to travel across a field in a lateral direction;   a plurality of support structures connected to the towers, wherein at least some of the support structures span a distance between adjacent once of the towers;   a fluid delivery system comprising one or more conduits attached to or extending through at least a portion of the support structures and configured to output water from orifices formed therein;   a plurality of joints each pivotally joining two of the support structures with each other; and   a control system configured to pivot a plurality of support structures at one or more locations of the field that are not passable when all of the support structures are laterally aligned with each other to thereby decrease an effective length of the irrigation system to permit passage of at least a portion of the irrigation system.   
     
     
         2 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuation device configured to receive communication signals from the control system and to actuate at least one of the support structures to pivot toward or away from another one of the support structures. 
     
     
         3 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support structures comprise a first support structure, a second support structure, and a third support structure, wherein the joints comprise a first joint pivotally connecting the first support structure with the second support structure and a second joint pivotally connecting the second support structure with the third support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 3 , wherein the control system is configured to pivot the second support structure in an opposite rotational direction than a rotational direction in which the control system pivots the third support structure, thereby placing the second and third support structures into a substantially zig-zag or “Z”-shaped configuration relative to the first support structure. 
     
     
         5 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 3 , further comprising a sensing device attached to the lateral move irrigation system, wherein the sensing device is configured to sense at least one of geographic coordinates and one or more field boundaries. 
     
     
         6 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 5 , wherein the control system is configured to automatically pivot the second and third support structures relative to the first support structure and/or each other based on signals output by the sensing device. 
     
     
         7 . A lateral move irrigation system comprising:
 a plurality of towers configured to travel across a field in a lateral direction;   a first support structure connected to and spanning a distance between adjacent ones of the towers;   a second support structure extending between and pivotally connected to at least two of the towers;   a third support structure pivotally connected to at least one of the towers;   a fluid delivery system comprising one or more conduits attached to or extending through at least a portion of the support structures and configured to output water from orifices formed therein;   a sensing device fixed relative to at least one of the towers and configured to sense its geographic coordinates or one or more field boundaries; and   a control system configured to pivot the second and third support structures toward each other and the first support structure in response to signals received from the sensing device at one or more locations of a field that are not passable by the irrigation system when all of the support structures are laterally aligned with each other to thereby decrease an effective length of the irrigation system to permit passage of at least a portion of the irrigation system.   
     
     
         8 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first joint pivotally joining the first and second support structures at one of the towers; and   a second joint pivotally joining the second and third support structures at one of the towers.   
     
     
         9 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 7 , further comprising an actuation device configured to receive communication signals from the control system and to command the second and third support structures to pivot relative to at least one of the first support structure and each other. 
     
     
         10 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 7 , wherein the control system is configured to pivot the second support structure in an opposite rotational direction than a rotational direction in which the control system pivots the third support structure, thereby placing the second and third support structures into a substantially zig-zag or “Z”-shaped configuration relative to the first support structure. 
     
     
         11 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 7 , wherein the sensing device is a global positioning system (GPS) device configured to send its geographic coordinates to the control system, wherein the control system is configured to command at least one of the support structures to pivot based on a comparison of the GPS device's geographic coordinates with field boundary geographic coordinates accessible by the control system. 
     
     
         12 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 7 , wherein the sensing device is a sensor configured to detect a wire buried underground at the one or more field boundaries, wherein the control system is configured to command at least one of the support structures to pivot based on detection of the wire. 
     
     
         13 . The lateral move irrigation system of  claim 7 , wherein the control system is configured to command the second and third support structures to pivot toward the first support structure if the sensing device is less than a predetermined distance from the field boundaries and to pivot away from the first support structure if the sensing device is greater than a predetermined distance from the field boundaries.