Aquariums provide an aesthetically pleasing, relaxing display of motion and color. Aquatic scenes also promote curiosity and interest as they capture the eye and imagination of a viewer. However, typical prior art aquariums are constructed of planar or curved transparent materials arranged in a simple geometric shape that typically are not eye-catching, thereby diminishing the impact of the overall display. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to combine the aesthetic aspects of an aquatic scene with a visually-vibrant and eye-catching aquarium to capture a viewer's attention and enhance the viewing pleasure and/or the ambience of a room.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus which combines an aquarium container supported by a lower receptacle and covered by an upper receptacle is disclosed. In some embodiments the container is bowl-shaped and includes a body portion and a neck portion at a top of the bowl defining an opening at the top of the bowl. The lower receptacle is dimensioned to removably receive and support the bowl, and the lower receptacle includes first sidewalls which curve in a concave-up fashion and are dimensioned to receive and support a lower portion of the body of the bowl. The upper receptacle is dimensioned to be removably positioned over an upper portion of the body of the bowl and includes an opening which substantially aligns with the opening at the top of the bowl, the upper receptacle includes second sidewalls which curve in a concave-down fashion and which rest on the upper portion of the body of the bowl.
In other embodiments, the apparatus includes one or more of: an electrical connector in the lower receptacle; an elongated tube portion having a proximal end connected to the lower receptacle; a light unit connected to a distal end of the elongated tube, where the light unit includes a lighting element that is electrically connected to the electrical connector via a wire through the elongated tube; the elongated tube being dimensioned to support the light unit at a predetermined height above the opening of the bowl such that light emitted by the lighting element shines into the bowl; a portion of the light unit is translucent; a portion of the light emitted by the lighting element shines through said light unit; the light unit comprises a light emitting diode; the light unit comprises an eyeball design or a triple eyeball design.
In a further embodiment, the first and second sidewalls are dimensioned to abut each other along the body of the bowl. In a still further embodiment, the apparatus further includes a third opening for viewing the bowl, where the third opening is circumscribed by a bottom portion of the lower receptacle, a top portion of the upper receptacle, and the first and second sidewalls.
Another embodiment includes an apparatus comprising: a bowl including a body portion, a bottom portion connected to the body portion, and a neck portion at a top of the bowl defining a first opening at the top of the bowl; a base dimensioned to removably receive and support the bowl, the base comprising: a central portion dimensioned to receive the bottom portion of the bowl, a lower receptacle dimensioned to support the bowl when the bowl is resting on the central portion, the lower receptacle having extended first and second sidewalls, where the first and second sidewalls are disposed on a first and second side, respectively, of the base, and where each of the first and second sidewalls extends from the base upwards along a lower portion of the body of the bowl when the bowl is resting on the central portion, and an electrical connector; an elongated tube portion having a proximal end connected to the base; a light unit connected to a distal end of the elongated tube, the light unit including a lighting element that is electrically connected to the electrical connector via a wire through the elongated tube; and an upper receptacle dimensioned to be removably positioned over an upper portion of the body of the bowl and having a second opening which substantially aligns with the first opening, the upper receptacle having extended third and fourth sidewalls, where the third and fourth sidewalls are disposed on a first and second side, respectively, of the upper receptacle, and where each of the third and fourth sidewalls extends from the upper receptacle downwards along an upper portion of the body of the bowl when said upper receptacle is resting on the bowl, where the first and third sidewalls are dimensioned to abut each other along the body of the bowl thereby forming a first member, and where the second and fourth sidewalls are dimensioned to abut each other along the body of the bowl thereby forming a second member, such that a third opening is formed which is circumscribed by the upper and lower receptacles and the first and second members, and where the elongated tube is dimensioned to support the light unit at a predetermined height above the opening of the bowl such that light emitted by the lighting element shines into the bowl.
In further embodiments of the apparatus: a portion of the light unit is translucent; a portion of the light emitted the lighting element shines through the light unit; the light unit comprises a light emitting diode; the light unit comprises an eyeball design or a triple eyeball design. In still further embodiments of the apparatus: at least one fin-shaped element is attached to either the upper or lower receptacle; a portion of the base comprises at least one clawed foot.
These and other embodiments will become apparent to one of skill in the art upon the reading and understanding of the attached figures and associated detailed description.
The following will be apparent from elements of the figures, which are provided for illustrative purposes and are not necessarily to scale.
This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description.
The following description of the present subject matter is provided as an enabling teaching of the present subject matter and its best, currently-known embodiment. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes can be made to the embodiments described herein while still obtaining the beneficial results of the present subject matter. It will also be apparent that for some embodiments, some of the desired benefits of the present subject matter can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present subject matter without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations of the present subject matter are possible and may even be desirable in certain circumstances and are part of the present subject matter. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present subject matter and not in limitation thereof and may include modification thereto and permutations thereof. While the following exemplary discussion of embodiments of the present subject matter may be directed towards or reference specific aquariums, it is to be understood that the discussion is not intended to limit the scope of the present subject matter in any way and that the principles presented are equally applicable to other systems and/or methods for remote measurement and process control solutions.
Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that many modifications to the exemplary embodiments described herein are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter. Thus, the description is not intended and should not be construed to be limited to the examples given but should be granted the full breadth of protection afforded by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.
With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate an understanding of the present subject matter, various embodiments of an aquarium are described.
With attention drawn to
As shown in more detail in
As further shown in
In an embodiment, the base 120 is firmly affixed to the lower receptacle 130 and the base includes a central portion 124 (shown in
Although examples are illustrated and described herein, embodiments are nevertheless not limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein by those of ordinary skill within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
This application claims priority benefit to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/453,320 entitled “Aquarium with Creature Feature” filed 1 Feb. 2017, the entirely of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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