Durable biofouling protection
AssigneeBiofouling Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBrian McMurray, Cliff Sharpe, Mike Termini, Emily Ralston, Abraham Stephens, Ed Dormier, Lindsey Calcutt, Joseph Basista
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are devices, methods and/or systems for use in protecting items and/or structures that are exposed to, submerged and/or partially submerged in aquatic environments from contamination and/or fouling due to the incursion and/or colonization by specific types and/or kinds of biologic organisms and/or plants, including the protection from micro- and/or macro-fouling for extended periods of time of exposure to aquatic environments.
Claims28
A device for reducing biofouling on a substrate at least partially submerged in an aqueous environment, the device comprising:
- a structure which is or becomes water permeable during use, said structure with an opening at least partially bounded by one or more walls that remain spaced apart from a surface of the substrate in a not fully sealed arrangement, wherein the structure comprises at least one of mesh, lattice, fenestration, or holes that allow fluid flow therethrough, wherein the structure comprises a 3-dimensional flexible material selected from a group consisting of natural and synthetic fabrics, natural and synthetic membranes, natural and synthetic sheets, and fabrics, membranes, films and sheets made from a combination of natural and synthetic materials,
- wherein said structure at least partially surrounds the substrate while in the not fully sealed arrangement and separates an aqueous environment into a local aqueous environment and an open aqueous environment, wherein the local aqueous environment extends from a surface of the substrate to at least an inner surface of the structure.
A material for reducing biofouling on a surface at least partially submerged in an aqueous environment, the material comprising:
- a structure which is or becomes fluid permeable, said structure defining an opening at least partially bounded by one or more walls that remain spaced apart from the surface in a not fully sealed arrangement, wherein the structure comprises at least one of mesh, lattice, fenestration, or holes that allow fluid flow therethrough, wherein the structure comprises a 3-dimensional flexible material selected from a group consisting of natural and synthetic fabrics, natural and synthetic membranes, natural and synthetic sheets, and fabrics, membranes, films and sheets made from a combination of natural and synthetic materials,
- wherein, when the structure at least partially surrounds the surface in the aqueous environment, said structure separates the aqueous environment into a local aqueous environment and an open aqueous environment, wherein the local aqueous environment extends from the surface to the structure.
A system for reducing biofouling on a surface at least partially submerged in an aqueous environment, the system comprising:
- a structure which is or becomes water permeable during use, said structure adapted to at least partially surround the surface to separate the aqueous environment into a local aqueous environment and an open aqueous environment, wherein the local aqueous environment extends from the surface to the structure,
- wherein the structure defines an opening at least partially bounded by one or more walls that remain spaced apart from the surface in a not fully sealed arrangement, wherein the structure comprises at least one of mesh, lattice, fenestration, or holes that allow fluid flow therethrough, wherein the structure comprises a 3-dimensional flexible material selected from a group consisting of natural and synthetic fabrics, natural and synthetic membranes, natural and synthetic sheets, and fabrics, membranes, films and sheets made from a combination of natural and synthetic materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.