Automated Aquarium Water Changing System
Group 28
MAE 494 Design Project, Spring Semester 2018
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
State University of New York at Buffalo
Patent Review
US 7601258 B1
The unique aspect of their design was that the system returned filtered water to the fish tank by utilizing a series of small holes. This could be used instead of using a weir or spillway. These small holes would help provide high oxygenation levels to the water. Similar to our prototype, this pumped filter also hangs on the side wall of aquarium tank. There is a pump that is used to suck in the water and filter it properly. A filter media is placed inside the pump-filter box, which can be replaced or clean when necessary. But it the outlets are instead covered with several small holes as stated previously.
US 20060225661 A1
One problem that this patent solves very well is the issue of having to remove the fish from the aquarium when changing the water. This is done in their patent by implementing a cabinet system into the design. It works by closing off the part of the tank containing the fish when the water is being filtered, once the process is completed the cabinet opens and the fish are unharmed. This aspect of the design is very important to the project due to the fact that the customer simplicity is the main focus. The less amount of work needed to be done by the customer, the better the final design is.
US 6210567 B1
This patent was able to design a system which utilizes the entire pipe in order to properly filter the water. The longer the distance that the water travels through the pipes, the greater the filtration process is will endure. The way it works is that then the pump is activated, the water will go through the tubes enter the first filtration cartridge. Once it exists this first filtration cartridge, the water will then be forced upwards in the direction of the second filtration cartridge. This process of pushing the water from one filtration device to the other can be repeated over and over again until the water has been adequately filtered. However, there are several downsides to this design. The first being the process of filtering the water will take a greater amount of time than normally, also requiring a larger input of power to operate the system properly. The severity of this issue is very minimal though and therefore can be overlooked. The larger concern is the impact that this design will have on the longevity of the product.
US 3891535
The aquarium water treatment apparatus consists of two vertical cylindrical pipes that were spaced apart. The motor was embedded in one end of the cylindrical pipe which ends become polarized because of that, the water would drag into the pipe and flow through the consecutive pipe and flow out to the other end of the pipe. In addition, the polarization of the pipe is periodically or randomly reversed which will create inverse flow as well. The application of the apparatus into aquarium would act to reduce the bacteria level and increase the circulation of the water thereby improving the general environment of the aquarium.