US 6,206,978 B1Granted

Process for cleaning aquarium tank walls

AssigneeRoger Williams General Hospital

InventorJeff Wen Chieh Tsui

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Abstract

A process for using a magnetic aquarium tank wall cleaning tool for cleaning the inner surface of an aquarium having one or more curved interior vertical corners. Magnetic cleaners for aquariums eliminate the need for reaching into the tank or manipulating a cleaner with a long handle. The magnetic tank wall cleaning tool has at least one edge which is curved. The radius of curvature is no more than the radius of curvature of the inner surface of the tank to be cleaned. The cleaner can be manipulated from one flat surface around a curved interior corner by moving the handle horizontally around the corner.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A process for cleaning an inner surface of an aquarium tank which has at least one curved vertical corner, said aquarium tank having a base, a vertical wall assembly having at least a first flat surface and a second adjacent flat surface surrounding said curved vertical corner, wherein each of said flat surfaces comprises an outer surface and an inner surface and said curved vertical corner having a curved inner surface having a radius of curvature, said process comprising:

placing an outer wall magnet-containing handle against an area of said outer surface of said first flat surface of said vertical wall assembly;
placing an inner wall magnet-containing cleaner against an area of said inner surface of said first flat surface of said vertical wall assembly, said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner being adjacent to said outer wall magnet-containing handle so that the magnet in said handle attracts the magnet of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner and said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner having a curved edge having a radius of curvature no more than the radius of curvature of said curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner;
moving the outer wall magnet-containing handle along said outer surface of said first flat surface of said vertical wall assembly in a horizontal direction towards said curved vertical corner while moving said inner wall magnet containing cleaner towards the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner;
aligning said curved edge of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner with the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner so that the curved edge of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner touches the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner;
grasping the outer wall magnet-containing handle and moving said outer wall magnet-containing handle in a vertical direction so that the curved edge of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner rides along the curved inner surface and cleans the curved inner surface of the curved vertical corner of the aquarium tank;
and
moving the outer wall magnet-containing handle in a horizontal direction around said curved vertical corner to said second adjacent flat surface of said vertical wall assembly, while moving the inner wall magnet-containing cleaner around the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner to said inner surface of said second adjacent flat surface of said vertical wall assembly.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

placing an outer wall magnet-containing handle against an area of said outer surface of said first flat surface of said vertical wall assembly;
placing an inner wall magnet-containing cleaner against an area of said inner surface of said first flat surface of said vertical wall assembly, said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner being adjacent to said outer wall magnet-containing handle so that the magnet in said handle attracts the magnet of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner and said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner having a curved edge having a radius of curvature no more than the radius of curvature of said curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner;
moving the outer wall magnet-containing handle along said outer surface of said first flat surface of said vertical wall assembly in a horizontal direction towards said curved vertical corner while moving said inner wall magnet containing cleaner towards the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner;
aligning said curved edge of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner with the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner so that the curved edge of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner touches the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner;
grasping the outer wall magnet-containing handle and moving said outer wall magnet-containing handle in a vertical direction so that the curved edge of said inner wall magnet-containing cleaner rides along the curved inner surface and cleans the curved inner surface of the curved vertical corner of the aquarium tank;
and
moving the outer wall magnet-containing handle in a horizontal direction around said curved vertical corner to said second adjacent flat surface of said vertical wall assembly, while moving the inner wall magnet-containing cleaner around the curved inner surface of said curved vertical corner to said inner surface of said second adjacent flat surface of said vertical wall assembly.

4 more elements