Title: Air supply organizer for aquariums
Abstract: An air supply organizer for an aquarium that provides forced air from an air pump outside of the aquarium to decorative accessories in the aquarium. The air supply organizer comprises a vertical tube that runs from the top of the aquarium, along the side of the aquarium to the bottom of the aquarium. There it is coupled to a horizontal tube that runs along the bottom of the aquarium. The vertical tube and horizontal tube are frictionally coupled by an L-shaped joint piece. Flexible plastic tubing runs from the air pump through the vertical tube and the horizontal tube, providing forced air to decorative aquarium accessories. The horizontal tube and L-shaped joint piece are able to be concealed under sand or gravel on the base of the aquarium permitting the flexible plastic tubing to reach the decorative accessories without being visible.
Patent Number: 6,840,192 Issued on 01/11/2005 to Pagano
| Inventors:
|
Pagano; Charles M. (3390 Austin Ave., Wantagh, NY 11793)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
347015 |
| Filed:
|
January 17, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
119/254; 285/133.11 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A01K 063/00 |
| Field of Search: |
119/254,256,261,263
285/5,133.11
239/201
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 976242 | Nov., 1910 | Wohlfahrt | 119/261.
|
| 3149608 | Sep., 1964 | Murphy | 119/253.
|
| 3292579 | Dec., 1966 | Buchanan.
| |
| 3316882 | May., 1967 | Renwick.
| |
| 3658035 | Apr., 1972 | Harris.
| |
| 4191129 | Mar., 1980 | Renny.
| |
| 4196695 | Apr., 1980 | Zupo.
| |
| 5040729 | Aug., 1991 | Carrozza | 239/201.
|
| 5092991 | Mar., 1992 | Ogawa | 210/169.
|
| 5367985 | Nov., 1994 | Wilkins | 119/163.
|
| 5476068 | Dec., 1995 | Townsend | 119/256.
|
| 5616288 | Apr., 1997 | McDonald | 261/76.
|
| 5803641 | Sep., 1998 | Nutzel | 403/20.
|
| 5849185 | Dec., 1998 | Judy, Jr. | 210/169.
|
| 6276303 | Aug., 2001 | Van Kley | 119/263.
|
| 6327997 | Dec., 2001 | Terry et al. | 119/246.
|
Primary Examiner: Swiatek; Robert P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Collard & Roe, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A tubular organizer comprising:
a vertical tube having a top end and a bottom end;
at least one horizontal tube coupled to said bottom end of said vertical
tube, wherein said at least one horizontal tube has two ends;
at least one hollow joint piece frictionally coupling said vertical tube to
said at least one horizontal tube; wherein the tubular organizer is open
from end to end, wherein said tubular organizer is incorporated into an
existing aquarium so that said vertical tube runs along a side of the
aquarium and said at least one horizontal tube runs along the floor of the
aquarium, said at least one horizontal tube including flexible plastic
tubing connecting decorative accessories with an air pump; and
at least one cap disposed at a free end of said at least one horizontal
tube that is not coupled to the tubular organizer, wherein said at least
one cap has a hole that permits the flexible plastic tubing to pass
through said at least one cap to reach the decorative accessory.
2. The tubular organizer of claim 1, further comprising at least one hollow
T-shaped joint piece that couples said at least one horizontal tube to
additional horizontal tubes.
3. The tubular organizer of claim 2, wherein said horizontal tubes are
inserted into said at least one hollow T-shaped joint piece.
4. The tubular organizer of claim 1 wherein two horizontal tubes are
connected by said at least one hollow joint piece, and wherein said at
least one hollow joint piece is L-shaped.
5. The tubular organizer of claim 1, wherein said vertical tube and said at
least one horizontal tube are inserted into said at least one hollow
L-shaped joint piece.
6. The tubular organizer of claim 1, wherein said at least one horizontal
tube and said at least one hollow joint piece are at least partially
concealed under sand or gravel on the base of the aquarium permitting
flexible plastic tubing to reach the decorative accessories without being
visible.
7. The tubular organizer of claim 1, wherein said at least one cap fits
over said at least one horizontal tube and is frictionally held in place.
8. The tubular organizer of claim 1, wherein said at least one cap fits
over said at least one horizontal tube and is held in place by a threaded
means inside said at least one cap.
9. An aquarium with an air supply organizer comprising:
a glass tank used as an aquarium having a top, bottom and four sides, and
having sand or gravel at said bottom;
at least one decorative necessary at said bottom of said glass tank;
an air pump outside of said glass tank that provides forced air to said at
least one decorative accessory;
a vertical tube that runs from said top of said glass tank, above a target
water level, along one of said sides of said glass tank to said bottom of
said glass tank;
at least one horizontal tube coupled to said vertical tube and running
along said bottom of said glass tank, wherein said at least one horizontal
tube has two ends;
at least one hollow L-shaped joint piece frictionally coupling said
vertical tube to said at least one horizontal tube; and
flexible plastic tubing running from said air pump through said vertical
tube, said at least one hollow L-shaped joint piece and said at least one
horizontal tube to said at least one decorative accessory;
wherein said at least one horizontal tube and said L-shaped joint piece are
at least partially concealed under said sand or gravel on said bottom of
said glass tank permitting said flexible plastic tubing to reach said at
least one decorative accessory without being visible.
10. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 9, further comprising at
least one hollow T-shaped joint piece that couples said at least one
horizontal tube to additional horizontal tubes.
11. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 10, wherein said
horizontal tubes are inserted into said at least one hollow T-shaped joint
piece.
12. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 9, wherein two
horizontal tubes are connected by said at least one hollow L-shaped joint
piece.
13. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 9, wherein said vertical
tube and said at least one horizontal tube are inserted into said at least
one hollow L-shaped joint piece.
14. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 9, further comprising at
least one cap disposed at a free end of said at least one horizontal tube
that is not coupled said at least one joint piece, wherein said at least
one cap has a hole that permits said flexible plastic tubing to pass
through said at least one cap to reach said at least one decorative
accessory.
15. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 14, wherein said at
least one cap fits over said at least one horizontal tube and is
frictionally held in place.
16. The aquarium and air supply organizer of claim 14, wherein said at
least one cap fits over said at least one horizontal tube and is held in
place by a threaded means inside said at least one cap.
Description
BACKGROUND
Aquarium displays have become increasingly popular and efforts to enhance
the visual appeal of aquariums have resulted in numerous decorative
accessories. Many decorative accessories are attached to pumps that force
air through the accessory. This allows the accessory to produce bubbles
from the bottom of the tank. In order for the forced air to reach the
accessory, it must be connected to the pump by tubing that runs over and
down the wall of the aquarium then along its floor. When there are several
accessories connected to the pump, the tubings detract from the appearance
of the aquarium. It is desirable for aquarium tanks to have an appearance
free of many conduits and lines extending along the floor of the aquarium
and up and over the upper rim of the tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,985 to Wilkins discloses an aquarium module for making
the feed lines of aquarium accessories invisible. The invention comprises
a module that sits on the aquarium floor and distributes air throughout
the floor. Short tubes can be connected at the desired spaces for
connecting decorative accessories and one tube leads out the aquarium for
connection to the air supply.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,068 to Townsend discloses an aquarium display that
comprises a tube connected to a pump disposed underneath the gravel of the
tank. The tube connects to a granular media bed so that water flowing
through tube mixes with the granular media bed and shoots a water/granular
mixture from the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,579 to Buchanan discloses and aquarium power supply in
which the aquarium has a false bottom for containing tubing and filter
devices. Tubes lead up into the gravel for the air and electricity.
These patents do not provide an adaptable system that can hide air supply
tubes. They also do not provide the versatility of allowing the decorative
accessories to be placed in an infinite amount of positions with minimal
intrusion into the tank. The present invention solves these problems by
providing an adaptable system comprising several nieces that may be linked
together to form different air supply paths. Since the system is
adaptable, it minimizes the number of pieces necessary to provide the air,
thereby also minimizing the space occupied by the air supply system within
the tank.
SUMMARY
The invention relates to an organizer for an aquarium that hides air supply
tubes connecting decorative accessories within the tank to a source of
pressurized air. Normally, these tubes are visible and unsightly. The
invention involves a series larger of tubes with L- and T-joints that are
arranged underneath the gravel of the fish tank. The air supply tubes are
snaked through this system and connected to the decorative accessories.
The system has a single vertical tube along a corner of the tank through
which all of the air tubes are fed. The vertical tube runs from the top of
the aquarium, near the water surface, along the side of the aquarium to
the bottom of the aquarium.
A horizontal tube is coupled to the vertical tube at the bottom of the
aquarium. This horizontal tube runs along the bottom of the aquarium. The
horizontal tube is frictionally coupled to the vertical tube by an
L-shaped joint piece. The horizontal tube and the vertical tube are both
inserted into the L-shaped joint piece. Along the floor of the aquarium
the first horizontal tube may be connected to additional horizontal tubes
via L- and T-shaped joint pieces. This proves a series of outlets that are
adaptable in position throughout the tank. The vertical and horizontal
tubes may be cut to a desired length depending on the size of the
aquarium.
Flexible plastic tubing runs from the air pump through the vertical tube
and the horizontal tube. At the end of each horizontal tube the plastic
tubing provides forced air to decorative aquarium accessories, positioned
on the floor of the aquarium.
The horizontal tube and L- and T-shaped joint pieces are completely
concealed under sand or gravel on the base of the aquarium permitting the
flexible plastic tubing to reach the decorative accessories without being
visible. All that is viewed from outside the aquarium is the single
vertical tube which provides a cleaner more attractive look than several
plastic tubings running to individual accessories.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings which disclose one embodiment of the present
invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are
designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of
the limits of the invention.
In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar
elements throughout the several views:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an empty aquarium having an air supply
organizer;
FIG. 2 shows a front view of a full aquarium having an air supply
organizer; and
FIG. 3 shows a top view of an empty aquarium having an air supply
organizer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an
empty aquarium 2 having an air supply organizer 1 disposed within aquarium
2. Air supply organizer 1 has a vertical tube 3 running vertically along a
side of aquarium 2. Preferably, vertical tube 3 is placed in a corner of
aquarium 2. Flexible plastic tubing 4 is fed from outside the tank through
vertical tube 3. Flexible plastic tubing 4 is connected to an air pump 10
outside aquarium 2.
Vertical tube 3 is coupled to a horizontal tube 6 via an L-shaped joint
piece 5. Vertical tube 3 and horizontal tube 6 are both inserted into
L-shaped joint piece 5 and frictionally held in place. Horizontal tube 6
runs along the floor of aquarium 2.
Flexible plastic tubing 4 runs through L-shaped joint piece 5 and
horizontal tube 6. The shape and path or air supply system 1 may vary.
Vertical tube 3 and horizontal tube 6 are cut to specific lengths
depending on the size and shape of aquarium 2 as well as the desired
placement of a decorative accessory 3 that will be connected to flexible
plastic tubing 4. Air supply system 1 can be assembled so that there are a
multitude of air outlets for several decorative accessories 8.
Horizontal tube 6 can be joined to a T-Shaped joint piece 7, which provides
two separate outlets for flexible plastic tubing 4. Additional horizontal
tubes 6 are joined to these outlets and if more than one flexible plastic
tubing 4 is supplied, they can travel to different outlets. FIGS. 1-3 show
air supply system 1 having two T-shaped joint pieces 7, and an additional
L-shaped joint piece 5, providing three separate outlets for flexible
plastic tubing 4.
FIG. 2 shows a front view of air supply system 1 in a full aquarium 2.
Horizontal tubes 6, L-shaped joint pieces 5, T-shaped joint pieces 7 as
well as part of vertical tube 3 are covered by sand or gravel 11 on the
floor of aquarium 2. Flexible plastic tubing 4 emerges from air supply
system 1 at a desired location and travels up through sand or gravel 11 to
a specific decorative accessory 8. Decorative accessory 8 then provides
air in aquarium 2 without having visible flexible elastic tubing 4.
FIG. 3 shows a top view of air supply system 1 in an empty aquarium. Caps 9
are disposed at the ends of horizontal tubes 6 where flexible plastic
tubing 4 emerges from air supply system 1. Caps 9 have a hole through
which flexible plastic tubing 4 passes. The diameter of this hole is
preferably only as wide as flexible plastic tubing 4. Caps 9 are held over
horizontal tubes. They may be held in place by friction alone or by a
threaded means on the inside of cap 9.
Accordingly, while one embodiment of the present invention has been shown
and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications
may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
*
