Anchored artificial reef

Abstract

The application discloses an anchor type artificial fish reef, which comprises an anchor shank, a top end of the anchor shank is provided with an anchor shackle, a plurality of anchor legs are connected to the side of the top end of the anchor shank, a plurality of anchor claws are connected to the bottom end of the anchor shank through a hemispherical base, and the plurality of anchor legs and the plurality of anchor claws are cross-distributed in the circumferential direction of the anchor shank; the surface of the anchor shank between the anchor legs and the anchor claws is wrapped with a plurality of hatching grooves, the hatching grooves provide spawning attachment bases for reef-loving fishes; and the anchor legs and the anchor claws support the reef body in a transverse way when the reef body faces the flow. The anchor type structure is used to embed the reef body into the bottom material after the reef body is put into a target sea area, so that the reef body is fixed and the reef body is prevented from being washed away by the sea current; meanwhile, the hatching groove structure on the anchor shank provides spawning places for the reef-loving fishes, reduces the risk that the fish eggs are impacted by the water flow and are preyed on, and improves the hatching rate of the fry.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of artificial reef technology, specifically to an anchor-type artificial reef. Background Technology

[0002] Artificial reefs are the most important infrastructure for marine ranching. Deploying artificial reefs in target sea areas reshapes the seabed structure, increasing its complexity and providing habitat for benthic and attached organisms. Simultaneously, the altered seabed structure changes the ocean currents, particularly the upwelling and back eddies created by the artificial reefs, which accelerate water exchange and promote the diffusion of nutrients and dissolved oxygen within and around the reef. This increases primary productivity in the target sea area, providing functional habitats such as sanctuaries, spawning grounds, and nurseries for surrounding fish, ultimately restoring and recovering the target sea area's habitat and fishery resources.

[0003] The deployment of artificial reefs is limited by environmental factors such as the hydrodynamic characteristics of the sea area and the characteristics of the seabed sediment. During the site selection stage of marine ranching construction, it is necessary to investigate the characteristics of the target sea area, including seawater current velocity and direction, sediment particle size and thickness, and seabed structure. If the water movement capacity of the target sea area is too strong and the current velocity is too fast, coupled with the interaction between the water body and the sediment with small particle size and large thickness, the artificial reefs that have been deployed may drift or sink, thereby reducing the flow field benefits and service life of the artificial reefs, and may even cause devastating damage to the entire artificial reef system in the sea area.

[0004] The construction of artificial reefs is also influenced by human factors such as transportation capacity and economic benefits. Generally speaking, increasing the volume, weight, or overall scale of artificial reefs can effectively improve their impact resistance, but it also increases the costs of construction, transportation, and deployment. As a result, the construction of marine ranches has very strict requirements regarding the characteristics of the target sea area. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides an anchor-type artificial reef, equipped with an anchor shackle, anchor claws, and anchor feet. The anchor structure embeds the reef into the seabed after deployment in the target sea area to enhance fixation and prevent it from being washed away by ocean currents. At the same time, the hatching groove on the anchor shank provides a spawning site for reef-loving fish, reduces the risk of fish eggs being impacted by water currents and predation, and improves the hatching rate of fry.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect of the invention, an anchor-type artificial reef is provided, comprising an anchor shank, an anchor shackle mounted on the top of the anchor shank, a plurality of anchor feet connected to the side of the top of the anchor shank, and a plurality of anchor claws connected to the bottom of the anchor shank via a hemispherical base. The plurality of anchor feet and anchor claws are distributed in a crisscross pattern in the circumferential direction of the anchor shank. A plurality of hatching tanks are wrapped on the surface of the anchor shank between the anchor feet and anchor claws, the hatching tanks providing a spawning attachment substrate for reef-loving fish. The anchor feet and anchor claws provide support when the reef is facing the current laterally.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the anchor shank has a cylindrical structure, multiple hatching tanks are arranged along the circumference of the anchor shank, and multiple layers are arranged along the axial direction of the anchor shank, with adjacent layers of hatching tanks intersecting.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, two symmetrical circular openings are provided on the side of the top of the anchor shank, and the anchor shackle is engaged with the circular openings at the top of the anchor shank. The anchor shackle can move around the center of the circular openings, and the anchor shackle has a ring-shaped structure.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hatching tank has an inverted truncated groove structure, and multiple water circulation holes are opened on the tank wall away from the anchor shank. The opening direction of the water circulation holes is parallel to the central axis of the anchor shank.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the opening of the hatching tank has a baffle that slopes inward toward the inside of the opening, and the centroid of the hatching tank is perpendicular to the central axis of the anchor shank.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the anchor head of the anchor foot is connected to the end of the elliptical connecting rod in a diamond-shaped gourd shape, and the outer center of the anchor head has a load-bearing concave surface and a mud-blocking convex surface, and the four corners of the anchor head are curved towards the center of the anchor handle.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the anchor head of the anchor claw is connected to the hemispherical base via a U-shaped connecting rod. The U-shaped connecting rod is bent away from the center of the anchor shank, raising the anchor head at a specific angle.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the anchor head of the anchor claw is recessed outward near the center of the anchor shank, and a barb is provided on the outer side of the anchor head, with the barb facing parallel to the central axis of the anchor shank.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, four anchor claws and four anchor feet are provided, with the four anchor claws evenly distributed on the circumferential side of the anchor shank and the four anchor feet evenly distributed on the circumferential side of the anchor shank.

[0016] In some embodiments of the invention, a floating rope is connected to the wall of the hatching tank by a hook, and the floating rope moves with the water flow to mimic the structure of a seagrass bed.

[0017] One or more technical solutions of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0018] (1) In view of the current problem that artificial reefs are difficult to deploy in waters with high flow velocity and are easily washed away, the present invention utilizes the four-way anchor claw and anchor foot structure of the main body of the artificial reef. The anchor claw and anchor foot form a similar principle to the anchor embedded in the seabed for fixation, so as to enhance the anti-slip and anti-overturning ability of the artificial reef in high flow velocity waters. At the same time, the hatching tank structure wrapped around the anchor shank provides a spawning attachment substrate for reef-loving fish such as rockfish, and provides protection while ensuring the water circulation process in the attachment substrate.

[0019] (2) The anchor claw head of the present invention has a barb structure. When the reef sinks and is embedded in the muddy bottom, the barb prevents the reef from sliding due to the impact of the water flow. The anchor foot head has a warped structure, which provides support for the reef when it reaches the bottom and makes it less likely to be buried by mud and sand. The combination of the two structures makes the reef present a certain lateral angle to the current on the seabed and avoids it from sliding and overturning. Even if lateral overturning occurs, the reef will automatically adjust the direction of the current and re-embed itself in the bottom.

[0020] (3) The hatching trough structure wrapped around the anchor handle of the present invention can slow down the flow outside the reef and provide a substrate for spawning of reef-loving fish such as the big-taki six-lined rockfish. The hatching trough structure can also protect the fish eggs in the trough from being washed away by the water flow and preyed on, and can increase the survival rate of the fish eggs, creating a suitable spawning ground habitat for reef-loving fish in the sea area.

[0021] (4) When the artificial reef of the present invention is deployed, it can be transported by ship to a specific water area and directly contact the bottom using a crane or free sinking method. It does not need to consider the specific direction of the current, which makes it convenient to deploy and facilitates the embedding of the reef into the bottom. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anchor-type artificial reef in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a front view of the anchor-type artificial reef in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a top view of the anchor-type artificial reef in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the anchor-type artificial reef in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the anchor claw structure in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the anchor foot structure in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the incubation tank in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the mating behavior of the rockfish *Hexagrammos octopus* in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the egg-guarding behavior of the Ōtaki Hexagrammos in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater structure of the anchor-type artificial reef with a floating rope (hidden bottom floating rope) in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Anchor shank; 2. Anchor foot; 201. Anchor foot head; 202. Elliptical connecting rod; 3. Anchor claw; 301. Anchor claw head; 302. U-shaped connecting rod; 4. Anchor shackle; 5. Hatching tank; 501. Tank opening; 502. Water circulation hole; 503. Baffle; 6. Hemispherical base. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] During the site selection phase for marine ranching, it is essential to conduct research and investigation on various environmental factors in the target sea area. This is because the flow field effects, ecological effects, and service life of artificial reefs after deployment are inevitably influenced by environmental factors including water flow velocity and direction, and seabed particle size. Generally, areas with high water flow velocities are unsuitable for artificial reef construction. Existing artificial reef designs are prone to slippage and capsizing in such conditions. Furthermore, the coupling between water and seabed, including erosion and sedimentation, can cause reef subsidence and sinking. Increasing the volume and weight of the artificial reef or fixing its base can mitigate this problem, but it also increases the difficulty of construction.

[0036] Based on this, in a typical embodiment of the present invention, an anchor-type artificial reef is proposed, such as... Figure 1-10 As shown, the anchor includes an anchor shank 1, with an anchor shackle 4 installed at the top of the anchor shank 1. Multiple anchor feet 2 are connected to the side of the top of the anchor shank 1, and multiple anchor claws 3 are connected to the bottom of the anchor shank 1 through a hemispherical base 6. The multiple anchor feet 2 and multiple anchor claws 3 are distributed in a crisscross pattern in the circumferential direction of the anchor shank 1. Multiple hatching tanks 5 are wrapped on the surface of the anchor shank 1 located between the anchor feet 2 and the anchor claws 3. The hatching tanks 5 provide a spawning attachment substrate for reef-loving fish. The anchor feet 2 and anchor claws 3 provide support when the reef is facing the current in a lateral manner.

[0037] This anchor-type artificial reef can enhance the reef's resistance to slippage and capsizing in sea areas with excessively fast currents. At the same time, it can create a slow-flowing zone and a sheltering effect around the reef, providing an artificial habitat for reef-loving fish to spawn and hatch.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the anchor-type artificial reef mainly includes an anchor shank 1, an anchor foot 2, an anchor claw 3, and an anchor shackle 4. The anchor foot 2 and the anchor claw 3 are respectively connected to the upper and lower parts of the anchor shank 1, forming a symmetrical anchor-type main structure. Two symmetrical circular openings are opened on the side of the top of the anchor shank. The anchor shackle 4 is engaged with the circular openings at the top of the anchor shank. The anchor shackle 4 can move around the center of the circular opening. The anchor shackle has a ring-shaped structure.

[0039] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, multiple anchor feet 2 are evenly arranged with anchor feet heads 201 on the upper part of the anchor shank 1 without the hatching groove 5 via elliptical connecting rods 202. Multiple anchor claws 3 are evenly arranged with anchor claw heads 301 on the hemispherical base 6 at the lower part of the anchor shank 1 via U-shaped connecting rods 302. The elliptical connecting rods 202 and U-shaped connecting rods 302 are parallel and intersecting in plan near the center line of the anchor shank. This structure provides a lateral support structure for the reef on the seabed and forms a certain support height and tilt angle, which can reduce the probability of sinking and increase the range of the slow-flow zone.

[0040] like Figure 5 As shown, the anchor head 201 of the anchor foot 2 is connected to the end of the elliptical connecting rod 202 in a diamond-shaped gourd shape. The outer center of the anchor head has a load-bearing concave surface and a mud-blocking convex surface, and the four corners of the anchor head are curved towards the center of the anchor shank. By setting the anchor head 201 in a diamond-shaped gourd shape, the artificial reef is supported when it reaches the bottom, reducing the probability of sinking, and also reducing the burial of sediment carried by the surrounding water flow. Since the reef is tilted laterally at a certain angle on the seabed, the supporting force is mainly along the axial direction of the anchor shank center; therefore, the elliptical connecting rod 202 is thickened in this direction.

[0041] like Figure 6 As shown, the U-shaped connecting rod 302 is bent at a position away from the center of the anchor handle, raising the anchor claw head at a specific angle. The anchor claw head 301 of the anchor claw 3 is concave outward near the center of the anchor handle 1, forming a semi-conical structure with an inward curvature. When the reef sinks, due to the viscosity of the water and the action of the reef's own weight or the action of the crane, the anchor claw 3 will preferentially contact the bottom and tilt laterally. This structure can make the reef embed into the bottom and complete the fixation more quickly.

[0042] The anchor claw head 301 has a barb structure on the outer side away from the center of the anchor shank, and the barb is oriented parallel to the central axis of the anchor shank. For example... Figure 8As shown, when the artificial reef sinks and embeds itself in the muddy bottom, the barbs prevent the reef from sliding due to the impact of the water flow. The combination of the two structures allows the reef to face the current at a certain lateral angle on the seabed and avoids sliding and overturning. Even if the reef overturns laterally, it will roll in a circle around the anchor shackle to automatically adjust its direction of facing the current and re-embed itself in the bottom to complete the fixation.

[0043] In one specific embodiment of this example, four anchor claws 3 and four anchor feet 2 are provided. The four anchor claws 3 are evenly distributed on the circumferential side surface of the anchor shank 1, and the four anchor feet 2 are evenly distributed on the circumferential side surface of the anchor shank 1.

[0044] In this embodiment, the anchor shank 1 has a cylindrical structure, and multiple hatching tanks 5 are arranged along the circumference of the anchor shank 1, and multiple layers are arranged along the axial direction of the anchor shank 1, with adjacent layers of hatching tanks 5 distributed crosswise.

[0045] like Figure 7 As shown, the hatching tank 5 has an inverted truncated groove structure. Multiple water circulation holes 502 are opened on the tank wall away from the anchor shank. The opening direction of the water circulation holes 502 is parallel to the central axis of the anchor shank. The opening 501 of the hatching tank has a baffle 503 that is inclined inward to the opening 501. The centroid of the hatching tank is perpendicular to the central axis of the anchor shank.

[0046] In one specific embodiment of this invention, six groups of hatching troughs are arranged in a ring around the center of the anchor shank. A seamless groove structure exists between two adjacent composite blocks within the cross-section. Adjacent rings of hatching troughs are crisscrossed along the central axis of the anchor shank, totaling ten rings. These hatching troughs can provide an attachment substrate for spawning and hatching of reef-loving fish such as the large-scaled rockfish. Figure 9 As shown, after mating, the fertilized eggs produced by the rockfish in the large-scaled hexagram do not initially exhibit stickiness. The inclined plate at the opening of the hatching tank serves to collect the fertilized eggs to the bottom of the tank. Uncollected fertilized eggs will enter the next layer of hatching tanks along the grooves between adjacent hatching tanks, causing the fertilized eggs to adhere to each other in the hatching tank as egg masses and attach to the bottom of the tank, thereby reducing the loss rate of fertilized eggs. At the same time, the structure of the hatching tank can create a slow-flow zone around the reef, and the water circulation holes on the tank wall ensure sufficient water circulation inside the hatching tank to provide sufficient oxygen without losing fish eggs, providing protection and shelter for the fish eggs, thereby improving the hatching rate of fry.

[0047] In this embodiment, as Figures 2-6A set of dimensional parameters for the anchor shank, anchor foot, and anchor claw are given as examples. The length of the anchor shank 1 in the outer envelope hatching trough 5 is L; the length of the upper anchor shank in the hatching trough 5 without an outer envelope is 0.2L; the height of the hatching trough is 0.1L; the width of the trough opening is 0.1L; the slope of the outer wall relative to the trough bottom is 60°; and the inclination of the trough opening baffle relative to the trough opening is 30°. The distance from the geometric center of the anchor foot 2 to the central axis of the anchor shank is 0.5L; the major axis length of the anchor foot 2 is 0.2L; and the minor axis length is 0.1L. The length of the anchor claw 3 near the center of the anchor shank is 0.5L, and the bending angle between it and the end away from the center of the anchor shank is 120°. The length of the anchor claw 3 away from the center of the anchor shank is 0.2L, and the angle between it and the outer edge of the barb of the anchor claw head 301 is 30°.

[0048] When constructing this anchor-type artificial reef, a steel frame can be built first, followed by the sequential pouring of concrete from the anchor claw 3, anchor handle 1, and anchor foot 2. Alternatively, the three components can be molded separately and then connected by bolts or welding followed by secondary pouring.

[0049] It should be noted that because the reef has the characteristics of an anchor structure, it can be allowed to fall freely and come into direct contact with the muddy bottom when it is deployed. Alternatively, it can be lowered to the target area using a crane with a grab hook or a hinge.

[0050] Compared with ordinary reefs of the same volume or capacity, this anchor-type artificial reef can achieve substrate fixation in sea areas with greater current speeds without human intervention. This is beneficial for creating stable spawning and hatching grounds for reef-loving fish in these waters, increasing the population density of reef-loving fish, and facilitating the development of more extensive marine ranches.

[0051] See Figure 10 Based on this, hooks are added to the outer wall of the hatching tank and floating ropes are attached. The floating ropes move with the water flow to imitate the structure of seagrass beds. This not only attracts reef-loving fish to spawn, but also blocks the water flow, allowing the fertilized eggs to be transported down the floating ropes into the hatching tank. It also increases the shielding effect on the hatching tank.

[0052] While the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort based on the technical solutions of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An anchor-type artificial reef, characterized in that, The anchor includes an anchor shank, with an anchor shackle installed at its top. Multiple anchor feet are connected to the side of the top of the anchor shank, and multiple anchor claws are connected to the bottom of the anchor shank via a hemispherical base. The multiple anchor feet and multiple anchor claws are distributed in a crisscross pattern along the circumference of the anchor shank. The surface of the anchor shank between the anchor feet and anchor claws is covered with multiple hatching tanks, which provide a spawning attachment substrate for reef-loving fish. The anchor feet and anchor claws provide support when the reef is facing the current laterally. The anchor handle has a cylindrical structure, and multiple hatching tanks are arranged along the circumference of the anchor handle, and multiple layers are arranged along the axial direction of the anchor handle, with adjacent layers of hatching tanks being distributed in an intersecting manner. The hatching tank has an inverted truncated pyramidal groove structure, with multiple water circulation holes on the tank wall away from the anchor shank. The opening direction of the water circulation holes is parallel to the central axis of the anchor shank. The opening of the hatching tank has a baffle that slopes inward. The surface formed by the centroid of each layer of hatching tank is perpendicular to the central axis of the anchor shank. The anchor foot head is a rhomboid gourd shape connected to the end of an elliptical connecting rod. The outer center of the anchor foot head has a load-bearing concave surface and a mud-blocking convex surface. The four corners of the anchor foot head are curved towards the center of the anchor shank. The anchor claw head is connected to a hemispherical base through a U-shaped connecting rod. The U-shaped connecting rod is bent away from the center of the anchor shank, raising the anchor claw head by 60°, so that the bending angle between the anchor claw and the end away from the center of the anchor shank is 120°. The anchor claw head is concave outward near the center of the anchor shank. A barb is provided on the outer side of the anchor claw head, and the outer edge of the barb is parallel to the central axis of the anchor shank.

2. The anchor-type artificial reef as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Two symmetrical circular openings are provided on the side of the top of the anchor handle. The anchor shackle is engaged with the circular openings at the top of the anchor handle. The anchor shackle can move around the center of the circular opening. The anchor shackle has a ring-shaped structure.

3. The anchor-type artificial reef as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The anchor claws and anchor feet are each provided with four, with the four anchor claws evenly distributed on the circumferential side of the anchor shank and the four anchor feet evenly distributed on the circumferential side of the anchor shank.

4. The anchor-type artificial reef as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hatching tank has a floating rope attached to its wall by hooks. The floating rope moves with the water flow to mimic the structure of a seagrass bed.

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