WO2005051077A1

WO2005051077A1 - Improvements in or relating to aquatic habitat containers

Info

Publication number: WO2005051077A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/004411
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Douglas
Original assignee: James Douglas
Priority date: 2003-10-29
Filing date: 2004-10-19
Publication date: 2005-06-09
Also published as: GB0325263D0; EP1696722A1; GB2407468A

Abstract

An aquatic habitat container comprises a base having a surrounding wall to define a cavity, the container being moulded from a foamed plastics material, and a glazing being provided as part of said wall allowing a user to view the contents of said container through the glazing; wherein the glazing and the container wall are watertightly joined together.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO AQUATIC HABITAT CONTAINERS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to aquatic habitat containers and in particular to aquatic habitat containers for outdoor use. Habitat containers according to the present invention may be utilised to house fish, amphibians, aquatic plants and other water dwelling organisms.

General background and prior art known to the applicant

Aquatic habitats in the form of ponds are a popular addition to domestic gardens and conservatories. The creation of such a pond can be expensive and time consuming, as can be the upkeep of the pond once created. In order to view the contents of the pond such as, for example, ornamental fish, one is typically required to stand at the edge of the pond. This however may present safety problems where small children are concerned. Attempts have been made to provide glazed fish tanks for outdoor use, however, problems have been encountered in both keeping such tanks sufficiently cool in summer months and warm in winter months. One example of an animal's habitat fabricated in part of foamed plastics material is disclosed in US 6,112,700. This animal habitat however is fabricated to contain mainly air not water. This prior art document states that the viewing aperture of the cage includes an air permeable portion which would clearly allow water to exit the habitat should it be used as an aquarium. The viewing aperture of the habitat is therefore not watertight although the other walls due to the plastics foam are to a certain extent impermeable.

Another form of prior art is shown in US patent document 5,117,777 which deals with a method and apparatus for efficiently transporting living fishes and preserving the fishes for a long period of time. In this document there is no disclosure of the habitat being moulded from a foamed plastics material. Furthermore, the view aperture is part of drawer and is therefore not an integral part of the wall

US 3,225,983 is directed to a portable cooler. The portable cooler shown uses a foam or expanded plastics material for insulating the fish located in the cooler usually after having been caught. It has a lid covering a small central region of the top face of the cooler which may be of transparent material and is constructed to entirely seal the portable cooler. None of the side walls of this container are glazed in any way.

Another piece of prior art may be found in JP 11 215 932 A which is a container for storing iced fish. The container has no viewing aperture.

Another piece of prior art is US 5,404,839 which is a glass side wall terranium. None of the walls is of foamed plastics material. Furthermore, the glazing is not watertight. This container could not serve as an aquatic habitat.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided an aquatic habitat container comprising a base having a surrounding wall to define a cavity, the container being moulded from a foamed plastics material, and a glazing being provided as part of said wall allowing a user to view the contents of said container through the glazing; wherein the glazing and the container wall are watertightly joined together. The manufacture of the container from a foamed plastics material ensures that water contained therein is insulated from heat loss during periods of cold weather and further is insulated from gaining heat energy during periods of warm weather. The provision of a viewing aperture enables observers to view the contents of the container without having to stand directly above it.

In a subsidiary aspect in accordance with the invention's broadest aspect, the container as the foamed plastics material itself forms a watertight joint with the glazing. This optional configuration of the inventive aquatic habitat is particularly advantageous because it avoids having to have an extra watertight joint which is difficult to fit.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the glazing has multiple glass panels. The combination of multiple glazing and aquarium is unique in the field to the applicant's knowledge despite both double glazed windows and aquariums having been commercially available for a large number of years. This would allow the habitat to function throughout the harshest winter climates as there would be considerably less heat loss through the multiple panels.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the base of the container is provided with a plurality of projections extending into the container cavity. This will have the advantage of allowing an overlying member to be placed in order to create a space between the container base and the projections.

In a further subsidiary aspect, a corner partition member is provided to house filtration means between the partition member and the walls of the container. This optional feature may be particularly advantageous in terms of disguising the presence of the necessary filtration means.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the filtration means are removable as a single unit which allows them to be readily cleaned and maintained. Brief Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a container according to the present invention;

Figure 2 and 3 show partial perspective views of two different viewing apertures of a container according to the present invention;

Figures 4a to 4c show partial cross-sectional views of a wall of a container according to a feature of the present invention;

Figure 4d shows a further partial cross-sectional view of a wall of a container according to a feature of the present invention;

Figure 5a shows a cross-sectional view of a container having a textured base according to a feature of the present invention;

Figures 5b and 5 c show cross-sectional views of containers having alternatively configured textured bases;

Figure 6 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a filter arrangement of a container according to a feature of the present invention;

Figures 7 and 8 show top plan views of containers having corner partitions according to a feature of the present invention;

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of an alternative corner partition according to an aspect of the present invention; and

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a cover for a container according to the present invention. Detailed Description of the Figures

Referring firstly to figure 1, there is shown an aquatic habitat container generally designated 10. The container comprises a base 12 having a wall 14 extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior cavity 16. The container 10 has an open top allowing access to the cavity. In the embodiment shown, the base 12 is rectangular with the wall 14 extending upwardly from the four sides thereof. The container 10 is additionally provided with an aperture 18 in the wall 14 to allow the interior cavity 16 to be viewed. The aperture 18 is glazed with a transparent member 20 which will be described in greater detail below. In use, the container 10 is filled with water to create an aquatic habitat for aquatic plants and animals.

While the embodiment shown has a substantially rectangular base 12 it will be appreciated that the container 19 may be created in other shapes. The container 10 is of single piece construction and formed from foamed polyurethane. The foamed plastic material is formed of foamed plastics' bubbles of polyurethane which decrease in diameter from the centre of the foamed wall to its outer most portions.

The foamed polyurethane is typically provided by mixing isocyanate and polyol and pouring the mixture into a mould. The isocyanate and polyol react to produce a foam which fills the mould. The foamed polyurethane typically has a density of 200ks/m and the container 10 may be provided with walls having a thickness of approximately 50mm. The formation of the container 10 in a single piece by a moulding operation eliminates the problems normally associated with the sealing of separate component parts to make a watertight container. The glazing itself may preferably be placed in the mould so that the polyurethane itself forms a bond with the glazing. In this version there would be no need for a separate sealant to be used between the glazing and the wall of the container.

The mould utilised to form the container can be textured so that a corresponding texture is applied to the container 10. The texture may be such that the container 10 has the appearance of being formed from a solid piece of material, for example, stone.

Alternatively, the container may be textured so as to give the appearance that it is constructed from wooden planks. It will be appreciated that by moulding the container 10 from a foamed plastics material, the container may be textured both inside and out. The use of foamed polyurethane also ensures that the container 10 weighs significantly less than one of corresponding size and shape in stone. Furthermore, the foamed polyurethane acts as a thermal insulator to the water, fishes and plants contained within the cavity 16. In other words, the habitat is a thermally insulated aquarium.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of an optional cover generally designated 70. The cover 70 is manufactured from the same foamed plastics material as the container 10 and is shaped to fit within the space bounded by the wall 14 such that it floats on the surface of the water within the container 10. The cover 70 may be textured, for example, with raised contours 72. The cover 70 may further be provided with one or more through apertures 74. Such apertures 74 may be formed in the cover 70 during moulding thereof or, alternatively, may be cut into the cover 70 after it has been moulded. One or more corner cut-outs 76 may be provided so as to accommodate, for example, aquatic plants growing within the container 10 or a water cascade feature adapted to deliver water to the container 10. In use, the cover 70 reduces the transmission of sunlight to the interior of the container 10 and thereby reduces the possibility of unwanted algae formation. The cover 70 also acts as a thermal insulator preventing the loss of heat from the water surface, and further prevents predatory bird life from reaching fish which may be within the container 10.

Figures 2 and 3 show containers 10 having two differently shaped viewing apertures 18. The container 10 of figure 2 is shown with a substantially rectangular shaped aperture 18, while the container 10 of figure 3 is shown with an abstract shaped aperture 18. It will be appreciated that the container 10, according to the present invention, may be provided with a viewing aperture 18 of any desired shape. Furthermore, the container 10 may be provided with multiple apertures 18. It is however preferable for the aperture or window to be provided on a side wall of the container rather than only on a top face of , the window and side walls being sufficiently tightly bonded to prevent water escaping at the joint.

Figures 4a to 4c illustrate a method by which a viewing aperture 10 may be provided in a container according to the present invention. The container 10 is moulded with a section 22 of the wall which has a reduced thickness compared to the rest of the wall 14. The wall section 22 is flanked on the interior side 24 by a rebate 26 and on the exterior side 28 by an indentation 30. The indentation 30 conforms to the shape of the intended viewing aperture and is sized such that it is fully within the boundary of the rebate 26. It will thus be appreciated that the wall section 22 forms a continuous web in the wall 14 between the rebate 26 and the indentation 30. While a continuous web of the wall section 22 is advantageous, the web may be partial such that the number of smaller apertures may be performed in the wall 14. A viewing aperture of required size may subsequently be realised by removing portions of wall section 22 provided between adjacent apertures.

After the container 10 has been moulded the wall section 22 may be removed by any suitable means to define the viewing aperture 18. A transparent member 20 is subsequently introduced into the rebate 26 and secured in such a manner to effect a watertight seal with the wall 14. The rebate 26 serves to locate the transparent member 20 and it will be appreciated that water pressure within the container 10 acts to urge the transparent member 20 against the wall 14. The transparent member 20 may be manufactured from glass, toughened glass or a plastics material such as Perspex. Typically, the transparent member may have a thickness of between 6 to 10 millimetres.

Figure 4d shows a partial cross-sectional view of a glass 20', a base 12' and a wall 14'. The glass of this configuration is moulded in as part of the casting process. The casting process results in a one piece casting where in other words the glass, the base and the wall are integral. The glass and wall assembly uses no separate joint to create a seal to prevent water from escaping the container.

Figure 5a shows a cross-sectional view of a container 10 wherein the base 12 is provided with a plurality of projections 32 which support a reticulated layer 34. The projections 32 may comprise a plurality of individual pillars having a height of between 15 to 20 millimetres. The reticulate layer 34 in turn may support a layer of sand, gravel or like material of an appropriate size so as to not pass through the reticulations. The combination of the projections and reticulated layer defines a further cavity or space 36 which may be utilised to assist in the distribution of oxygenated water within the container 10. The invention also envisages that certain embodiments of the invention may not incorporate a raised floor or cavity.

Figures 5 a and 5 c show alternative embodiments of containers 10 having a base 12 adapted to support a reticulated layer 34. The container 10 of figure 5b is provided with a plurality of spigots 78 upon which may be mounted short tubular members 80. The container of figure 5c is provided with a plurality of recesses 82 within which are received spherical members 84. In use, the reticulated layer 34 rests upon the tubular or spherical member 80, 84.

As will be described in greater detail below, the container 10 may be provided with filtration means to remove impurities from water contained therein and pump means operable to re-oxygenate and distribute water which has passed through the filtration manes. The space 36 provided below the reticulated layer 34 can be used to accommodate a distribution means for water delivered by the pump means. The distribution means may comprise one or more conduits 38 connected to the pump outlet. Such a conduit 38 may comprise a length of pipe having apertures provided in the wall thereof.

Figures 6 to 9 illustrate how the aforementioned pump and filtration means may be accommodated within the container 10 according to the present invention. Figure 6 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a corner of a container 10 according to the present invention. Positioned at the wall 14 of the container is a filtration means, generally designated 40, comprising a layer of biomedia 42 over which are provided three layers of filtration foam 44. Each layer of filtration foam 44 has a thickness of approximately 30 millimetres. The layer of biomedia 42 comprises known biomedia material contained in mesh bags for ease of handling and has a depth of approximately 150 to 250 millimetres. Positioned within the biomedia 24 towards the base 12 of the container 10 is a pump 46. The filtration means 40 are bounded on two sides by the wall 14 of the container 10 and on a third side by a partition member 48. As can readily be observed in figures 7 to 9, the partition member 48 extends diagonally between the two sides of the wall 14 to define a substantially triangular space 50 within which the filtration means 40 are sited. The filtration foam and biomedia 44, 42 may be provided within a cup (not shown) which conforms to the shape of the triangular space 50.

Referring back now to figure 6, the upper edge 52 of the partition member 48 is lower than the upper edge 54 of the wall 14. In use, the upper edge 52 of the partition member 48 is submerged below the free surface 56 of water contained within the container 10 so as to enable water to pass from the cavity 16 of the container 10 to the triangular space 50. The lower edge 58 of the partition member 48 is received in a slot 60 of the base 12. The pump 46 is provided with an outlet conduit 86 which extends through the partition member 48. The conduit is provided with a non-return valve 88, the purpose of which will be described in greater detail below.

The pump 46 is arranged such that when it is operation thereof draws water through the filtration foam 44 and biomedia 42 to the pump outlet, while the pump outlet is positioned to deliver filtrated water through the outlet conduit 86 and into the container cavity 16. As described above, the pump outlet may be arranged to deliver water to a distribution means positioned in a lower portion of the container. Periodically, the filtration means 40 require cleaning. To assist in this task, the container 10 is provided with a drain plug 90 positioned in the base 12 so as to be within the triangular space 50. Removal of the plug 90 permits the space 50 to be drained without the need to drain the container 10 as a whole. The non-return valve 88 provided in the pump outlet conduit 86 prevents the back flow of water through the pump 46 into the space 50.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate how the partition member 48 may be fitted to the container 10. The wall 14 of the container 10 is provided with recesses 60, 62 within which the partition member 48 is received and retained. Advantageously, the recesses 60, 62 are formed during moulding of the container 10 and are textured so as to retain adhesive therein. As can be readily seen the recesses 62 are provided on either side of a comer of the container 10. In the rectangular embodiment of the container 10 shown, recesses 62 are provided in portions of the wall 14 which do not include the viewing aperture 18. The invention also envisages embodiments without recesses 62. Figure 9 shows a container 10 with a revised partition member 64. The revised member 64 has a portion 66 of the upper edge 68 which extends upwardly to the level of the upper edge 54 of the wall 14. The portion 66 and wall 14, being at substantially the same height, may be utilised to support an additional feature such as, for example, a decorative object or a further container. Where a further container is utilised, a pump may be arranged to supply water thereto which, in turn, may cascade back to the container 10.

The invention also envisages that the pump and filtration system may be housed in its own container rather than being housed between a partition member and the actual walls of the container so that the pump and filtration system may be removed as a single unit from the aquatic container for cleaning or maintenance. The walls of this further container would preferably also be of foamed plastics material with the necessary aperture allowing the function of the pump and filtration system.

The lighting of the aquatic container may be provided by 10 Watt halogen bulbs which would contribute to the heating of the container. The lighting may also use light emitting diodes in order to economise on the power consumed. The aquatic container may also be equipped with a heat exchanger if necessary and a sensor to measure the temperature of the water and cause the heat exchanger to regulate the temperature as appropriate. Some embodiments of the invention may not include lights so that a would be purchaser may add any appropriate lights if he/she so wishes to.

Claims

1. An aquatic habitat container comprising a base having a surrounding wall to define a cavity, the container being moulded from a foamed plastics material, and a glazing being provided as part of said wall allowing a user to view the contents of said container through the glazing; wherein the glazing and the container wall are watertightly joined together.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foamed plastics material itself forms a watertight joint with the glazing.

3. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the glazing has multiple glass panels.

4. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base of the container is provided with a plurality of projections extending into the container cavity.

5. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a member is provided with apertures and is so sized and shaped to lay over said projections.

6. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a corner partition member is provided to house filtration means between the partition member and the walls of the container.

7. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the filtration means are removable as a single unit.