Illuminated aquarium

Claim 2

An aquarium comprising: a base housing having a bottom wall and connected upright circumscribing end walls, a container supported on said base housing, said container being adapted to contain a quantity of water for supporting marine life, said container having a light pervious bottom and at least one transparent sidewall, said container bottom being supported in space relationship with respect to the bottom wall of said base housing, a source of illumination disposed in the space between said container bottom and the bottom wall of said base housing, and optic means adapted to be surrounded by the water in the container simulating undersea objects connected to the bottom of said container, said optic means comprising a light transmitting member adapted to bend rays of light whereby the light of said source of illumination is transmitted to said optic means surrounded by the water.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 and including means for changing the color of the light transmitted to said light transmitting member.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said color changing means includes a color wheel rotatably mounted in said space, said color wheel being disposed between said means for rotating said wheel.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said color wheel includes a plurality of various color segments.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 1 and including a liner of reflecting material covering said bottom wall of the base housing.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means simulating said undersea objects comprising bundles of optic fibers shaped to simulate undersea plant life.

Claim 8

An aquarium comprising: a base having a bottom wall and circumscribing upwardly extending end walls to define an open top base housing, a liner of reflecting material covering the bottom wall and circumscribing end walls, a light source located in said base housing, said light source including an electric light, a container adapted to contain a quantity of water for supporting marine life, said container having a light impervious bottom wall, and connected upwardly extending transparent end walls, means for supporting said container adjacent the upper end of said base housing whereby the bottom of said container is spaced above said light source, means adapted to be surrounded by the water in the container connected to the bottom wall of the container, said latter means simulating underwater objects, said underwater simulating means comprising a light transmitting member in which the phenomenon of total internal reflection occurs whereby the light from said light source is reflected through to the ends of said simulating means to provide said aquarium with various illuminated visual effects.

Claim 9

An aquarium comprising: a base having a bottom wall and circumscribing upwardly extending end walls to define an open top base housing, a liner of reflecting material covering the bottom wall and circumscribing end walls, a light source located in said base housing, said light source including an electric light, a container adapted to contain a quantity of water for supporting marine life, said container having a light impervious bottom wall, and connected upwardly extending transparent end walls, means for supporting said container adjacent the upper end of said base housing whereby the bottom of said container is spaced above said light source, means adapted to be surrounded by the water in the container connected to the bottom wall of the container, said latter means simulating underwater objects, said underwater simulating means comprising a light transmitting member in which the phenomenon of total internal reflection occurs whereby the light from said light source is reflected through to the ends of said simulating means to provide said aquarium with various illuminated visual effects.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 7 and including means for changing the color of the light transmitted to said light transmitting member.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said color changing means comprises a pigmentated color glass for the source of light.