Adjustable aquaculture apparatus
AssigneeThe University of Southern Mississippi
InventorsGero Nootz, Megan E. Gima, Vishwamithra Reddy Sunkara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable aquaculture assembly including a container having a plurality of open sides and defining a retention space. The open sides are configured to allow flow through the retention space. A plurality of buoyancy members are positioned on the container. Each buoyancy member may be configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air. A pump is coupled with the plurality of buoyancy members and is configured to control airflow to and from at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members.
Claims28
An adjustable aquaculture assembly comprising:
- a container defining a retention space and configured to allow flow through the container into the retention space;
- a plurality of buoyancy members coupled with the container, each buoyancy member configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air;
- an air pump operably coupled with at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members and configured to pump air for controlling airflow to and from the at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members;
- a valve operably coupled with at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members;
- and
- a controller configured to actuate the air pump.
An adjustable aquaculture assembly comprising:
- a container defining a retention space and configured to allow flow through the retention space;
- an upper buoyancy member positioned on a top wall of the container;
- a lower buoyancy member positioned on a bottom wall of the container;
- a first side buoyancy member positioned on a first side wall of the container;
- a second side buoyancy member positioned on a second side wall of the container, the second side wall opposite the first side wall;
- an air pumping system coupled with at least one of the first and second side buoyancy members and including an air pump and a valve, wherein the air pumping system is configured to selectively control airflow to and from the at least one of the first and second side buoyancy members to selectively adjust buoyancy of the container;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively actuate at least one of the air pump and the valve in response to inputs.
An adjustable aquaculture assembly comprising:
- a container at least partially open and defining a retention space;
- at least one upper buoyancy member positioned on the container and configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air;
- at least one lower buoyancy member positioned on the container and configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air;
- and
- an air pumping system coupled with at least one of the upper and lower buoyancy members and including at least one of an air pump and a valve, wherein the air pumping system is configured to selectively control airflow to and from the at least one of the upper and lower buoyancy members to selectively adjust buoyancy of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.