Patent Application
20220132814
This disclosure concerns an aquarium system. In particular, this disclosure concerns an aquarium system including a light source with a controllable output of colored light and methods of use.
Aquarium systems are used for keeping live fish as pets. Aquarium systems are desirable that allow for the visual display of fish.
Retailers who sell pet fish desire to sell a variety, including standard goldfish, as well as more exotic fish, including glowing florescent fish. The retailer often displays the fish in display aquariums having rows and columns of individual tanks.
What is needed is a lighting system to allow for a selective variety of controllable light to give the retailer flexibility in their fish merchandising options.
An aquarium system is provided that improves the prior art.
In one aspect, an aquarium system is provided including an aquarium tank arrangement; and a light source with controllable output of colored light projecting into the aquarium tank arrangement.
The light source may include a switch that actuates a cycle of projecting light of at least two different colors.
The light source can project light cycling between, for example, white light and blue light.
In some embodiments, the light source is mounted above the tank arrangement.
For many implementations, the aquarium tank arrangement includes a plurality of individual tanks positioned side-by-side, and the light source is positioned to project colored light in all of the individual tanks.
The light source can include a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) within a fixture along a length of the tank arrangement positioned to project colored light in each of the individual tanks.
The light source can include a switch that actuates a cycle of projecting colors in the LEDs along predetermined distant increments along the length of the tank arrangement.
The light source can include a switch that actuates a cycle of projecting colors in the LEDs along predetermined time increments along the length of the tank arrangement.
The cycle can include emitting a first light color into at least a first of the individual tanks and, simultaneously, a second light color into at least a second of the individual tanks.
The cycle can include emitting the second light color into the first of the individual tanks and, simultaneously, the first light color into the second of the individual tanks.
In some example systems, the first color is white light, and the second color is blue light.
In some embodiments, the aquarium tank arrangement includes an array of individual tanks positioned in rows and columns; and the light source includes a plurality of light sources, at least one light source positioned for each row to project colored light in all of the individual tanks for the respective row.
In many implementations, the light source for each row includes a cycle of projecting colors along predetermined distance increments along the length of each row, and includes emitting a first light color into one or more of the individual tanks in the respective row and, simultaneously a second light color into one or more of the individual tanks in the respective row.
The light source for each row can be in a respective fixture mounted above each individual row.
The first color can be white light, while the second color can be a blue light.
In many implementations, the output of colored light is settable by an application executable on a mobile device.
In another aspect, a method of lighting an aquarium system is provided. The method includes projecting light into an aquarium tank arrangement having a plurality of tanks positioned side-by-side, the light having at least first and second different colors; and cycling the light to project the first color into a first of the tanks while projecting the second light color into a second of the tanks.
In some example methods, the step of cycling includes projecting the first light color into the second of the tanks, while projecting the second light color into the first of the tanks.
In some implementations, the plurality of tanks includes at least three tanks positioned side-by-side, and the step of cycling the light includes projecting the first light color in the first and second of the tanks, while projecting the second light into a third of the tanks.
The step of cycling can include changing the light color projecting into the tanks by a predetermined sequence.
In some example method, the first light color is white light, and the second light color is blue light.
A variety of examples of desirable product features or methods are set forth in the description that follows, and in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing various aspects of this disclosure. The aspects of this disclosure may relate to individual features, as well as combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the claimed inventions.
Various examples will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assembly throughout the several views. Reference to various examples does not limit the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible examples for the appended claims.
The tanks 14 can be part of a tank arrangement 16. The tank arrangement 16 can be many different types, but in the embodiment shown, the arrangement 16 includes the tanks 14 positioned side-by-side. In addition, the side-by-side tanks 14 are positioned in a plurality of rows so that the arrangement 16 includes an array 18 of individual tanks 14 positioned in rows and columns.
Also visible in each of the tanks 14 in
In accordance with principles of this disclosure, the aquarium system 10 includes a light source 28 (
In reference now to
The rows 34, 35 of diodes 32 can have different light color. For example, the row 34 can include white LEDs, while the row 35 can include LEDs of a different color, or of a mixture of colors. For example, in one embodiment, the row 35 includes both blue LEDs and white LEDs. The blue diodes and white diodes can be arranged so that there is a ratio of five blue diodes to every one white diode along the row 35. Of course, many different variations are possible.
Still in reference to
The control box 40 includes button or switch 42, which actuates a cycle of projecting light of at least two different colors, for example, white light and blue light. The cycle will project colors using the LEDs along predetermined distance increments and time increments along the length of the tank arrangement 16, in order to show different colored lights into different individual ones of the tanks 14, in order to showcase the fish 15 in the tanks 14.
The light source 28 can project the light by cycling between white light and blue light, or any other pre-determined colors.
In one example, the light source includes a cycle of emitting a first light color (such as white light) into at a first of the individual tanks 14 and, simultaneously, a second light color (such as blue light) into at least a second of the individual tanks 14. The cycle can further include emitting the second light color (such as blue light) into the first of the individual tanks 14, and simultaneously, the first light color (such as white light) into the second individual tanks 14.
Attention is again directed to
The light source 28 for each row 20, 22, 24 can be programmed for projecting a cycle of projecting light colors along predetermined distant increments along the length of each row 20, 22, 24. The cycle can include emitting a first light color into one or more of the individual tanks 14 in the respective row 20, 22, 24; and, simultaneously emitting second light color into one or more of the individual tanks 14 in the respective row 20, 22, 24. In addition, in some arrangements, it can be possible to have the light source 28 for each row 20, 22, 24 be programmed for projecting a cycle of projecting light colors along predetermined time increments along the length of each row 20, 22, 24, with the timing for each light varied or constant.
For example, in
In the middle row 22 there are three individual tanks 14. The tank on the far left at 59 is shown as having the same color light projecting into it as the middle tank 60, while the tank 61 on the far right has a different color light projecting into it. After a period of time, the color of the light projecting into the tanks 59-61 can change.
In the bottom row 24, all of the tanks 14 have the same color light projecting into it. Again, as with the other rows, the sequence of light colors shining into each particular tank can change.
The sequence of lights can be selected by pressing the button or switch 42 on the control box 40. The control box 40 can be programmed so that, depending on the sequentially pressing of the button, the lighting configuration can be changed. For example, the control box can be programmed as follows: if the button 42 is pressed once, all of the white diodes 32 are on. If the button 42 is pressed twice, then two thirds of the fixture 30, as it extends from left to right will light up the white diodes, while the blue diodes on the remaining one third are lit. If the button 42 is pressed three times, then the left one third of the fixture 30 has the white diodes, while the remaining two thirds of the fixture 30 has blue diodes lit. If the button 42 is pressed four times, then the entire light bar across the entire length has only blue diodes lit up. If pressed five times, the left two thirds of the fixture 20 has blue diodes lit, while the right one third has only white diodes lit. If pressed six times, the left one third of the light fixture 30 has only blue diodes lit, while the right two thirds of the fixture 30 has only white diodes lit. Of course, many different patterns and sequences are available.
The output of the colored light can be programed or be settable using an application executable on a mobile device, using techniques well known in the art.
The light source 28 as described herein can be used in a method of lighting aquarium system 10. The method includes projecting light into the tank arrangement 16, in which the tanks 14 are positioned side-by-side. The light has at least first and different colors. The method further includes cycling the light to project the first color into a first of the tanks, while projecting the second light color into a second of the tanks.
The method includes cycling the light such that the first light color is projected into the second of the tanks, while the second light color is projected into the first of the tanks. The step of cycling can also include, when there are three tanks positioned side-by-side, projecting the first light color into the first and second of the tanks, while projecting the second light into a third of the tanks.
The step of cycling can include changing the light color projecting into the tanks by a predetermined sequence. The predetermined sequence would be which light color is lit up for a predetermined amount of time, before the light color changes.
In preferred methods, the first light color is white light, and the second light color is blue light. Many variations are possible, and the lights can be other LED diode light colors such as red, yellow, purple, orange, violet, and further blends of these colors.
The above represents example principles. Many embodiments can be made using these principles.
This application is being filed on 5 Feb. 2020, as a PCT International patent application, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/804,014, filed Feb. 11, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2020/016742 | 2/5/2020 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62804014 | Feb 2019 | US |
