1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a solenoid valve with programmable electronic control device, particularly for watering systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are also known solenoid valves of the aforesaid type in which the control solenoid is made up of two parts, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,238, where a first part of the solenoid includes a piston for the operation of a hydraulic valve and a magnet for attraction of the same piston and is screwable on the external body of the solenoid valve and a second part includes an electric solenoid for the excitation of the magnet that is provided with xe2x80x9cfaston(copyright)xe2x80x9d type electric connectors and which is fastened to the first part in a removable way by means of a removable and re-insertable locking element.
For some uses it can be desirable to equip the single solenoid valve with its own electronic control device of programmable type, that makes the same solenoid valve independent from the general program of the watering system or that even prevents the need of having a control unit for the system.
However a solenoid valve provided with an independent control device inevitably becomes object of thefts and vandalism acts, particularly during the periods of absence of the user.
In addition the electronic control device inset in the solenoid valve can deteriorate for infiltration of humidity or rain or other atmospheric events, in particular during the autumn and winter periods, when besides the watering is no longer required.
Finally the programming operation of the electronic control device inset in the solenoid valve requires the intervention of the user or the programmer directly on the site where it is used, often inconvenient and difficultly accessible.
All that considered, object of the present invention is to realise a solenoid valve with autonomous programmable electronic control device that is free of the aforementioned disadvantages.
According to the present invention, such object is reached by means of a solenoid valve comprising a hydraulic valve, a valve body in which said hydraulic valve is housed and a control solenoid for said valve, characterised in that it comprises in addition a programmable electronic control device that is housed together with said solenoid in a removable way inside a watertight openable container that is sealingly fastened to said valve body.
Owing to the present invention a solenoid valve with its own electronic control device is thus realised that, when in use, preserves the same device as regards infiltration of humidity or rain or others atmospheric events and at the same time it allows, when desired, to extract the control device so as to have it protected from thefts and vandalism acts and to allow its convenient programming at home or in a laboratory.
Preferably the solenoid is of the type that is made up of a first part including a piston for the operation of the hydraulic valve and an attraction magnet for said piston and of a second part fastened to the first one in a removable way and including an electric solenoid for the excitation of the magnet.
The electric solenoid too, that it is the most expensive part and subject to failure of the solenoid, can therefore take advantage of the favourable effects of the watertight containment and removability as the ones previously described for the electronic control device.