US4714547A — Aquarium tubules

Claim 1

Independent Claim 186 words

In combination, an aquarium filter cartridge for use in aquarium filtering by placement in a flow path of a recirculating system of water from the aquarium and a plurality of tubules disposed within the cartridge, said cartridge comprising a frame member and a filter envelope, said filter envelope being formed of a filter material and having a front wall and a back wall and a closed bottom which is closed on three of the four perimeter edges, said frame being positioned within said envelope, said tubules formed of a biologically acceptable thermoplastic material, for supporting the propagation of organisms which are active in the biological filtration of aquarium water, to provide biological filtration within the filter cartridge, said tubules in conjunction with said frame member serving to retain said walls in spaced apart relationship such that aquarium water can flow into one wall, traverse said frame member, pass through the tubules and exit from the opposing wall, said tubules being disposed within the cartridge sufficiently to disperse the water traversing between the walls to provide a distribution of the water across substantially the entire opposing wall.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 186 words

In combination, an aquarium filter cartridge for use in aquarium filtering by placement in a flow path of a recirculating system of water from the aquarium and a plurality of tubules disposed within the cartridge, said cartridge comprising a frame member and a filter envelope, said filter envelope being formed of a filter material and having a front wall and a back wall and a closed bottom which is closed on three of the four perimeter edges, said frame being positioned within said envelope, said tubules formed of a biologically acceptable thermoplastic material, for supporting the propagation of organisms which are active in the biological filtration of aquarium water, to provide biological filtration within the filter cartridge, said tubules in conjunction with said frame member serving to retain said walls in spaced apart relationship such that aquarium water can flow into one wall, traverse said frame member, pass through the tubules and exit from the opposing wall, said tubules being disposed within the cartridge sufficiently to disperse the water traversing between the walls to provide a distribution of the water across substantially the entire opposing wall.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination as in claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the tubules proximates that of water.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 11 words

The combination as in claim 1, wherein the tubules are resilient.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The combination as in claim 1, and further comprising additional filtering material in the envelope, the tubule serving to disperse the additional filtering material.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The combination as in claim 4, wherein the walls of the tubules are between 5/1000th and 30/1000th of an inch.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination as the claim 1, wherein the density of the tubules approximates the density of water.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The combination as in claim 1, and comprising means for varying the density of the tubules to suitably adjust its specific gravity.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination as in claim 7, wherein said means for varying the density includes a filler material.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The combination as in claim 1, wherein the material of the tubules is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

The combination as in claim 1, wherein said tubules comprise thin walled generally tubular sections, the walls being adopted to support propagation of organisms, which are active in the biological filtration of aquarium water.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 121 words

An aquarium kit for aquarium filtration comprising a substantially rigid filter cartridge framework, an envelope of filter material having a front wall and a back wall and a closed bottom which is closed on three of the four perimeter edges defining an inner space therebetween and receiving therein said framework, said framework acting to separate said walls, carbonaceous material for insertion into the inner space for filtering of water passing through the cartridge, cylindrical thermoplastic tubules for insertion into the inner space for aiding in the separation of the walls, providing a distribution of water across substantially the entire surface of the walls, and aiding in the filtration and means for closing the envelope which when assembled provides a filtration system.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 121 words

An aquarium kit for aquarium filtration comprising a substantially rigid filter cartridge framework, an envelope of filter material having a front wall and a back wall and a closed bottom which is closed on three of the four perimeter edges defining an inner space therebetween and receiving therein said framework, said framework acting to separate said walls, carbonaceous material for insertion into the inner space for filtering of water passing through the cartridge, cylindrical thermoplastic tubules for insertion into the inner space for aiding in the separation of the walls, providing a distribution of water across substantially the entire surface of the walls, and aiding in the filtration and means for closing the envelope which when assembled provides a filtration system.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

A kit as in claim 11, wherein the tubules are thin walled, resilient, and have a specific gravity proximate that of water.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 107 words

An aquarium filter cartridqe comprisinq a substantially rigid filter cartridge framework, an envelope for filter material said envelope being formed of a filtering material and having a front wall and a back wall and a closed bottom which is closed on three of the four perimeter edges defining an inner space therebetween and receiving therein said framework, said framework acting to separate said walls, carbonaceous material in the inner space for filtering of water passing through the cartridge, cylindrical thermoplastic tubules in the inner space for aiding in the separation of the walls and providing biological filtration in said filter cartridge, and means for closing the envelope.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 107 words

An aquarium filter cartridqe comprisinq a substantially rigid filter cartridge framework, an envelope for filter material said envelope being formed of a filtering material and having a front wall and a back wall and a closed bottom which is closed on three of the four perimeter edges defining an inner space therebetween and receiving therein said framework, said framework acting to separate said walls, carbonaceous material in the inner space for filtering of water passing through the cartridge, cylindrical thermoplastic tubules in the inner space for aiding in the separation of the walls and providing biological filtration in said filter cartridge, and means for closing the envelope.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-12-21	1991-06-22	1991-12-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-12-21	1995-06-22	1995-12-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-12-21	1999-06-22	1999-12-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Aquarium tubules

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