US3720319A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reverse flow aquarium filter device
Assignee: KORHUMEL Inc A CORP OF
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Filing: 1971-05-10
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Granted: 1973-03-13
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Expires: 1991-05-10
Abstract
Abstract A filter device in the form of a gravel supporting tray structure for use, particularly in an aquarium water purification system employing a tertiary filter cycle utilizing a shallow gravel trickling filter with underwater aeration and sedimentation followed by anaerobic action and final tertiary cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 E White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:34
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K63/00; A01K63/04; A01K63/045; B; B01; B01D; B01D24/00; B01D24/002; B01D24/004; B01D24/02; B01D24/04; B01D24/06; B01D24/10; B01D24/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
An aquarium undergravel trickling filter device comprising a tray-like structure adapted to be disposed on the bottom wall of an aquarium tank and constructed to provide a pair of generally planar upper and lower walls and support the same with the lower wall being spaced from the bottom wall of such aquarium and the upper wall being disposed above and spaced from the lower wall, said upper wall being adapted to receive a layer of discrete filter material thereon and provided with openings therein arranged substantially uniformly over the area of said wall for the passage of water therethrough, which openings are smaller in width than the size of the particles of said discrete filter material, said lower wall having a water discharge opening therein and other openings therein of more than one size, with the size of such other openings increasing at increasing distances from said discharge opening and tending to effect an equalization, over the wall area, in the volume of water passing therethrough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
An aquarium undergravel trickling filter device comprising a tray-like structure adapted to be disposed on the bottom wall of an aquarium tank and constructed to provide a pair of generally planar upper and lower walls and support the same with the lower wall being spaced from the bottom wall of such aquarium and the upper wall being disposed above and spaced from the lower wall, said upper wall being adapted to receive a layer of discrete filter material thereon and provided with openings therein arranged substantially uniformly over the area of said wall for the passage of water therethrough, which openings are smaller in width than the size of the particles of said discrete filter material, said lower wall having a water discharge opening therein and other openings therein of more than one size, with the size of such other openings increasing at increasing distances from said discharge opening and tending to effect an equalization, over the wall area, in the volume of water passing therethrough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
166 words
An aquarium undergravel trickling filter device comprising a tray-like structure adapted to be disposed on the bottom wall of an aquarium tank and constructed to provide a pair of generally planar upper and lower walls and support the same with the lower wall being spaced from the bottom wall of such aquarium and the upper wall being disposed above and spaced from the lower wall, said upper wall being adapted to receive a layer of discrete filter material thereon and provided with openings therein arranged substantially uniformly over the area of said wall for the passage of water therethrough, which openings are smaller in width than the size of the particles of said discrete filter material, said lower wall having a water discharge opening therein and other openings therein of more than one size, with the size of such other openings increasing at increasing distances from said discharge opening and tending to effect an equalization, over the wall area, in the volume of water passing therethrough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
166 words
An aquarium undergravel trickling filter device comprising a tray-like structure adapted to be disposed on the bottom wall of an aquarium tank and constructed to provide a pair of generally planar upper and lower walls and support the same with the lower wall being spaced from the bottom wall of such aquarium and the upper wall being disposed above and spaced from the lower wall, said upper wall being adapted to receive a layer of discrete filter material thereon and provided with openings therein arranged substantially uniformly over the area of said wall for the passage of water therethrough, which openings are smaller in width than the size of the particles of said discrete filter material, said lower wall having a water discharge opening therein and other openings therein of more than one size, with the size of such other openings increasing at increasing distances from said discharge opening and tending to effect an equalization, over the wall area, in the volume of water passing therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said tray-like structure comprises an upper section and a lower section, said upper wall comprising a part of the upper section and the lower wall comprising a part of the lower section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
A device according to claim 2 wherein said sections having a square configuration, the wall member of the lower section having said discharge opening therein adjacent a corner thereof, the wall member of the upper section having a pair of openings therein disposed adjacent respective adjacent corners of the upper section, either one of which openings may be cooperably aligned with the discharge opening in the wall member of the lower section in dependence upon relative orientation of the respective sections, and means for closing the other opening of such pair.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the upper face of said upper wall inclined downwardly towards said discharge opening whereby the bed of filter material increases in depth toward such opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said lower section is provided with peripheral side walls extending upwardly therefrom, in which the upper section is nested, and wherein a pair of said tray structures are employed in side-by-side relation with the adjacent peripheral walls of the respective lower sections disposed in abutting relation, and connecting means for said structures having an inverted U-shape in transverse cross section mounted on the abutting peripheral walls with the latter disposed between the leg portions of said U-shaped means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said upper wall is adapted with openings constructed and arranged to retain a layer of filter material thereon having a particle size less than that of the aquarium gravel to be employed therewith, said structure having peripheral walls extending above the upper facE of said upper wall with the upper edges of said peripheral walls lying in a common plane which is to define the top surface of the bed formed by said filter material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device according to claim 6 wherein said tray structure comprises upper and lower sections, with said peripheral walls forming a part of the lower section, and said upper wall forming a part of the upper section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device according to claim 7 wherein the upper face of said upper wall is inclined relative to said upper edges of said peripheral walls downwardly towards said discharge opening whereby the bed of filter material increases in depth toward said discharge opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
A device according to claim 6 wherein said upper walls is provided with a plurality of upstanding ribs, the upper edges of which lie in said plane, each of said ribs extending on a line on said upper face which lies in a plane extending parallel to said first-mentioned plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
A device according to claim 9, wherein said peripheral walls are formed integrally with the lower section and said ribs are formed integrally with the upper section, said upper and lower sections being provided with downwardly extending portions constructed to respectively engage the lower section and the bottom of the aquarium tank for transmitting forces acting on the upper section of said tray structure to the lower section thereof and from the latter to the bottom of the aquarium tank.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device according to claim 1, comprising in further combination, a layer of porous material substantially laterally filling the space between said upper and lower walls, said upper wall having a discharge opening therein cooperable with said discharge opening in the lower wall through which water passing through the latter may be discharged.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device according to claim 11, comprising in further combination a pump structure adapted to be seated on said lower section and having a portion extending through said cooperable opening in said upper wall, said pump structure having a water inlet opening in said portion communicating with the space below said lower wall.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
A device according to claim 11 wherein said lower section is provided with peripheral side walls extending upwardly therefrom, in which the upper section is nested, and wherein a pair of said tray structures are employed in side-by-side relation with the adjacent peripheral walls of the respective lower sections disposed in abutting relation, and connecting means for said structures, having an inverted U-shape in transverse cross-section, mounted on the abutting peripheral walls with the latter disposed between the leg portions of said U-shaped means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device according to claim 11 wherein said lower section is provided with peripheral side walls extending upwardly therefrom, in which the upper section is nested, the upper section having peripheral side walls extending downwardly therefrom constructed to seat on the lower wall.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
91 words
A device according to claim 11 wherein said sections having a square configuration, the wall member of the lower section having said discharge opening therein adjacent a corner thereof, the wall member of the upper section having a pair of openings therein disposed adjacent respective adjacent corners of the upper section, either one of which openings may be cooperably aligned with the discharge opening in the wall member of the lower section in dependence upon relative orientation of the respective sections, and means for closing the other opening of such pair.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 14 wherein said side walls of the lower section also extend downwardly from such wall member, constructed to seat upon the bottom of such an aquarium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 16 wherein said lower section is provided with downwardly depending flanges which extend in diverging directions from adjacent said discharge opening.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-12 | 1976-09-11 | 1977-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-12 | 1980-09-11 | 1981-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-12 | 1984-09-11 | 1985-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |