Biofouling protective enclosures
AssigneeBiofouling Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBrian McMurray, Abe Stephens, Emily Ralston, Mike Termini, Cliff Sharpe, Lindsey Calcutt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims36
An assembly for reducing biofouling in an aqueous environment, the assembly comprising:
- at least one structure that is or becomes fluid permeable, wherein the at least one structure comprises at least one of mesh, lattice, fenestration, or holes that enable fluid flow therethrough, wherein the at least one structure is flexible and defines a first side and a second side,
- wherein, when the at least one structure is at least partially submerged in the aqueous environment, the at least one structure allows fluid exchange through the at least one structure while preventing or limiting biofouling within the aqueous environment off the first side of the at least one structure such that a first chemistry of the aqueous environment off the first side of the at least one structure is different than a second chemistry of the aqueous environment off the second side of the at least one structure,
- wherein the at least one structure is configured to attach to a floatable device such that at least a portion of the at least one structure extends downwardly into the aqueous environment from a top to a bottom.
A floatable device assembly for reducing biofouling in an aqueous environment, the floatable device assembly comprising:
- a floatable device;
- and
- at least one structure that is or becomes fluid permeable, wherein the at least one structure comprises at least one of mesh, lattice, fenestration, or holes that enable fluid flow therethrough, wherein the at least one structure is flexible and defines a first side and a second side,
- wherein the at least one structure is attached to the floatable device and configured such that at least a portion of the at least one structure extends downwardly into the aqueous environment from a top to a bottom,
- wherein, when the at least one structure is at least partially submerged in the aqueous environment, the at least one structure enables fluid exchange through the structure while preventing or limiting biofouling within the aqueous environment off the first side of the at least one structure such that a first chemistry of the aqueous environment off the first side of the at least one structure is different than a second chemistry of the aqueous environment off the second side of the at least one structure.
An assembly for reducing biofouling on a floatable device in an aqueous environment, the assembly comprising:
- at least one structure that is or becomes fluid permeable, wherein the at least one structure comprises at least one of mesh, lattice, fenestration, or holes that enable fluid flow therethrough, wherein the at least one structure is flexible and defines a first side and a second side;
- and
- one or more attachment features configured to enable attachment of the at least one structure to the floatable device such that at least a portion of the at least one structure at least partially covers the floatable device,
- wherein, when the at least one structure at least partially covers the floatable device in the aqueous environment such that the first side of the at least one structure faces the floatable device, the at least one structure enables fluid exchange through the at least one structure to the floatable device while preventing or limiting biofouling on the floatable device such that a first chemistry of the aqueous environment off the first side of the at least one structure is different than a second chemistry of the aqueous environment off the second side of the at least one structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.