A culture box for sea brine culture

Abstract

This application discloses a culture box for sea urchin farming. The culture box includes: a net cage with a top opening and a bottom opening; a feeding pipe with a feeding port for feeding materials into the net cage; an upper connecting net structure connected between the top opening and the feeding pipe, the upper connecting net structure being a frustum-shaped flexible net; a floating structure disposed on the feeding pipe to keep the feeding port above the sea surface; and an attachment structure disposed inside the net cage for sea urchins to attach to its surface. The attachment structure is arranged at an angle and its surface is connected to the bottom opening, allowing waste to slide down the surface of the attachment structure to the bottom opening under gravity. The size of the bottom opening restricts the passage of sea urchins while allowing waste to pass through. Applying this application can significantly reduce the amplitude of the net cage swaying with the feeding pipe, fully utilize the space inside the net cage, improve farming efficiency, and also has self-cleaning and escape prevention functions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of aquaculture equipment technology, specifically to a culture tank for sea urchin farming. Background Technology

[0002] Sea urchins, a valuable marine product, are seeing their artificial cultivation scale expand year by year. Currently, sea urchin farming mainly utilizes traditional net cages or hanging cages. However, existing farming equipment has many shortcomings, severely restricting farming efficiency, as detailed below:

[0003] First, sea urchins are extremely sensitive to water currents and fluctuations. Violent shaking of the cages can cause sea urchins to collide with each other, break their spines, and subsequently lead to infection or stress-induced death. Most existing net cages float on the sea surface using raft structures. Under the influence of wind and waves, the net cages sway violently in sync with the raft structure, resulting in a low survival rate for sea urchins.

[0004] Secondly, the sea urchins are concentrated at the bottom of the cage, which not only results in low utilization of the internal space of the cage, but also further aggravates the problem of collisions between the sea urchins.

[0005] In addition, sea urchin excrement and uneaten food tend to accumulate in the tank, which can easily lead to local water quality deterioration and reduced dissolved oxygen, further deteriorating the sea urchin's living space.

[0006] Finally, the feeding operation of existing net cages is quite inconvenient. The feeding port of existing net cages often sinks underwater or swings violently with the rise and fall of the tide, making manual feeding extremely inconvenient.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a sea urchin farming tank that can stably withstand waves, make full use of the space inside the tank, maintain cleanliness inside the tank, and facilitate feeding operations. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This application aims to address one of the technical problems in related technologies to a certain extent. To this end, this application provides a culture tank for sea urchin farming.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: a culture tank for sea urchin farming, the culture tank comprising:

[0010] A wire cage having an opening at the top and an opening at the bottom;

[0011] A feeding pipe having a feeding port and used to feed materials into the wire cage through the feeding port;

[0012] An upper connecting mesh structure is connected between the top opening and the feeding pipe, and the upper connecting mesh structure is a flexible mesh in the shape of a frustum;

[0013] A floating structure is provided on the feeding pipe and is used to keep the feeding port above the sea surface;

[0014] An attachment structure is provided inside the net cage and is used for sea urchins to attach to their surface;

[0015] The attachment structure is arranged at an angle and its surface is connected to the bottom opening, so that the waste generated by the sea urchin can slide down the surface of the attachment structure to the bottom opening under the action of gravity. The size of the bottom opening is configured to restrict the passage of the sea urchin but allow the waste to pass through. The cage includes a rigid cage body and a mesh cover covering the rigid cage body. The rigid cage body includes a top support ring, a bottom support ring, and a connecting rod disposed between the top support ring and the bottom support ring. The breeding box also includes a lower connecting mesh structure disposed on the bottom support ring and a gravity structure disposed on the lower connecting mesh structure. The lower connecting mesh structure is a frustum-shaped flexible mesh. The gravity structure is used to limit the swaying amplitude of the cage by providing downward tension to the cage.

[0016] The application of this application has the following beneficial effects: First, by setting a floating structure on the feeding pipe, the entire aquaculture tank is kept within a certain depth, and the feeding port is kept above the sea surface, facilitating manual feeding and providing a hardware foundation for future automated feeding. Second, by setting a frustum-shaped flexible net as the upper connecting net structure, the feeding pipe and the net cage are flexibly connected. When waves sway, only the feeding pipe swings, not directly to the net cage, significantly reducing the amplitude of the net cage's swaying with the feeding pipe, thereby significantly reducing the high mortality rate of sea urchins caused by swaying. Simultaneously, when waves impact the feeding pipe, the large inertia of the gravity structure resists the horizontal movement tendency of the feeding pipe, suppressing the swaying amplitude and quickly pulling the feeding pipe back to a vertical position. Since the gravity structure and the net cage are connected by a flexible lower connecting net structure, the buffering effect of the gravity structure is not rigidly transmitted to the net cage, but is absorbed by the elastic deformation of the lower connecting net structure.

[0017] In addition, an attachment structure is installed inside the net cage, allowing sea urchins to attach to its surface. This fully utilizes the space within the cage, improving aquaculture efficiency and further reducing the high mortality rate caused by sea urchins colliding with each other. Simultaneously, the inclined attachment structure uses gravity to guide waste to the bottom opening. Combined with the size design of the bottom opening, this enables automatic waste discharge and effective retention of sea urchins, providing both self-cleaning and escape prevention functions.

[0018] Optionally, the attachment structure is provided with attachment holes, and the attachment structure is a spiral-shaped integral plate structure;

[0019] Alternatively, the attachment structure includes multiple vertical plates, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the wire mesh cage.

[0020] Alternatively, the attachment structure may include multiple funnel-shaped plate structures, which are spaced apart along the height of the wire mesh cage.

[0021] Optionally, the floating structure is disposed in the upper section of the feeding pipe, and the lower end of the feeding pipe is formed with a connecting part for connecting with the upper connecting net structure. The portion of the feeding pipe located between the floating structure and the connecting part is not less than a set length.

[0022] Optionally, the mesh cover is a rigid or flexible structure, and the mesh cover is arranged around the top support ring and the bottom support ring of the rigid cage.

[0023] Optionally, the attachment structure is fixed to the rigid cage and / or the mesh cover.

[0024] Optionally, the cage may further include an intercepting plate disposed on the bottom support ring, the intercepting plate having the bottom opening.

[0025] Optionally, the interceptor plate is a rigid structure and has a discharge port. The mesh cage also includes a sealing mechanism, which includes a baffle and an opening / closing element. The baffle has a hinged end and a connecting end. The baffle is oscillatingly connected to the interceptor plate through the hinged end. The opening / closing element is used to position the connecting end on the interceptor plate so as to close the discharge port through the baffle.

[0026] Optionally, the opening and closing element is a pin or a snap fastener.

[0027] Optionally, the feeding tube includes a tube body and a valve-type unidirectional structure formed at the bottom end of the tube body, wherein the valve-type unidirectional structure includes multiple rigid valves spaced apart circumferentially along the tube body.

[0028] Multiple rigid valves are configured to press against each other when subjected to pressure in a predetermined direction to restrict the passage of sea urchins within the cage, the predetermined direction being the direction in which the feed inlet points to the bottom of the tube;

[0029] The multiple rigid valves are also configured to separate from each other when subjected to reverse pressure along the set direction to allow material to pass through.

[0030] These features and advantages of this application will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments or means of this application will be illustrated in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but are not intended to limit the technical solutions of this application. Furthermore, each of these features, elements, and components appearing in the following text and drawings is a plurality, and different symbols or numbers are used for convenience of representation, but all represent components with the same or similar structure or function. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, further illustrates this application:

[0032] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a culture box for sea urchin farming.

[0033] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the breeding box in the embodiment;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of the breeding box in the embodiment;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom of the breeding box in the embodiment;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of a breeding box in one alternative implementation;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of the breeding box in another alternative implementation.

[0038] Among them, 1. Wire mesh cage; 10. Rigid cage body; 100. Top support ring; 101. Bottom support ring; 102. Connecting rod; 103. Middle reinforcing ring; 11. Wire mesh cover; 12. Interception plate; 120. Bottom opening; 13. Baffle; 14. Opening and closing parts; 2. Feeding pipe; 20. Pipe body; 200. Feeding port; 201. Flexible net connecting ring; 21. Valve-type unidirectional structure; 3. Upper connecting net structure; 4. Floating structure; 5. Attachment structure; 50. Attachment hole; 6. Lower connecting net structure; 7. Gravity structure. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described are intended to explain this application and should not be construed as limiting it.

[0040] The terms "an embodiment," "example," or "example" used in this specification refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment itself that may be included in at least one embodiment disclosed in this application. The phrase "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise precisely specified.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a connection through an intermediary, the internal connection of two elements, or the interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] This embodiment provides a culture box for sea urchin farming, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the aquaculture cage includes a net cage 1, a feeding pipe 2, an upper connecting net structure 3, a floating structure 4, and an attachment structure 5. The net cage 1 has a top opening and a bottom opening 120. The feeding pipe 2 has a feeding port 200 for feeding materials into the net cage 1. The upper connecting net structure 3 connects the top opening and the feeding pipe 2, and is a frustum-shaped flexible net. The floating structure 4 is located on the feeding pipe 2 and keeps the feeding port 200 above the sea surface. By installing the floating structure 4 on the feeding pipe 2, the aquaculture cage is kept at a certain depth, and the feeding port 200 is kept above the sea surface, facilitating manual feeding and providing a hardware foundation for future automated feeding. Secondly, by setting a frustum-shaped flexible net as the upper connecting net structure 3, the feeding pipe 2 and the net cage 1 are flexibly connected by the upper connecting net structure 3. When the waves sway, only the feeding pipe 2 swings and it is not directly transmitted to the net cage 1. This can significantly reduce the amplitude of the net cage 1 swaying with the feeding pipe 2, thereby significantly reducing the high mortality rate of sea urchins caused by swaying.

[0044] In this embodiment, the attachment structure 5 is disposed within the net cage 1 and serves as a surface for sea urchins to attach to. The attachment structure 5 is arranged at an angle, and its surface is connected to the bottom opening 120, allowing waste generated by the sea urchins to slide down the surface of the attachment structure 5 to the bottom opening 120 under gravity. The size of the bottom opening 120 is configured to restrict the passage of sea urchins while allowing waste to pass through. By providing the attachment structure 5 within the net cage 1, which allows sea urchins to attach to its surface, the space within the net cage 1 can be fully utilized, improving aquaculture efficiency and further reducing the high mortality rate caused by sea urchins colliding with each other. Simultaneously, the angled attachment structure 5 utilizes gravity to guide waste to the bottom opening 120. Combined with the size design of the bottom opening 120, it enables automatic waste discharge and effective retention of sea urchins, providing both self-cleaning and escape prevention functions.

[0045] Specifically, in this embodiment, the net cage 1 is cylindrical in shape. It is easily understood that in other alternative embodiments, the net cage 1 can also be prismatic, cuboid, or other shapes. The interior space of the net cage 1 is used to contain sea urchins and provide them with a place to move and inhabit. The top opening of the net cage 1 is used to receive materials fed from the feeding pipe 2, and the bottom opening 120 of the net cage 1 is used to restrict sea urchin escape and to allow waste (such as sea urchin feces and material residue) to be discharged.

[0046] In this embodiment, the feeding pipe 2 is vertically positioned above the net cage 1. The top of the feeding pipe 2 has a feeding port 200, which is used by operators or automated feeding equipment to feed sea urchin edible materials (generally algae) into the net cage 1. The lower end of the feeding pipe 2 is connected to the top opening of the net cage 1 via an upper connecting mesh structure 3. In this embodiment, the upper connecting mesh structure 3 is generally frustum-shaped, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top when in use. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The diagram shows a flexible mesh connecting ring 201 on the feeding pipe 2. Specifically, the flexible mesh connecting ring 201 includes an annular flange formed on the feeding pipe 2 and a connecting hole provided on the annular flange. Similarly, a similar structure is provided at the top of the net cage 1. The upper end of the upper connecting mesh structure 3 is fixed to the lower end of the feeding pipe 2 by extending a connecting rope through the connecting hole on the annular flange and binding it tightly. Similarly, the lower end of the upper connecting mesh structure 3 is fixed to the upper end of the net cage 1 by extending a connecting rope and binding it tightly to a similar structure on the net cage 1. Because the upper connecting mesh structure 3 is a flexible mesh, a flexible connection is formed between the feeding pipe 2 and the net cage 1. The swaying of the feeding pipe 2 is absorbed by the flexible mesh and is not directly and rigidly transmitted to the net cage 1.

[0047] In this embodiment, the floating structure 4 is a float structure fixedly sleeved on the feeding pipe 2. Alternatively, components with positive buoyancy, such as buoys or buoyancy blocks, can be selected. The floating structure 4 provides upward buoyancy to the entire aquaculture tank, ensuring that the feeding port 200 of the feeding pipe 2 remains above the seawater surface and is unaffected by tidal fluctuations.

[0048] In this embodiment, the attachment structure 5 is disposed inside the net cage 1. The surface of the attachment structure 5 can be used for the tube feet of the sea urchin to adhere and fix, thereby significantly increasing the utilization of the internal space of the net cage 1. The attachment structure 5 is arranged at an angle, meaning that the surface of the attachment structure 5 is arranged at a certain angle relative to the horizontal plane. This allows the waste to be guided to the bottom opening 120 by gravity. Combined with the size design of the bottom opening 120, the waste can be automatically discharged, achieving a self-cleaning effect.

[0049] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, the attachment structure 5 in this embodiment is provided with attachment holes 50, and the attachment structure 5 includes multiple vertical plates, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the net cage 1. This embodiment has eight vertical plates, but other optional embodiments may also include other numbers of vertical plates. The number of vertical plates is generally between three and ten. Fewer than three plates will reduce the utilization rate of the internal space of the net cage 1, while more than ten plates will result in too small a spacing between adjacent vertical plates, easily leading to overcrowding of sea urchins and materials (algae). The spacing between at least two adjacent vertical plates should be designed to be greater than the size of two smallest sea urchins placed side-by-side to ensure that sea urchins attached to the surfaces of adjacent vertical plates do not squeeze each other. Designing the attachment structure 5 as a vertical plate means that the attachment structure 5 is arranged at a 90° angle relative to the horizontal plane, making it less likely for waste to remain on the surface of the attachment structure 5. In addition, the attachment holes 50 on the attachment structure 5 facilitate the sea urchins to attach more tightly to the attachment structure 5, and also allow seawater to flow through the attachment holes 50, thus preventing the attachment structure 5 from being subjected to huge impacts from the seawater and causing the net cage 1 to shake violently.

[0050] In this embodiment, the net cage 1 includes a rigid cage body 10 and a net cover 11 covering the rigid cage body 10. The rigid cage body 10 includes a top support ring 100, a bottom support ring 101, and a connecting rod 102 disposed between the top support ring 100 and the bottom support ring 101. Meanwhile, the net cover 11 in this embodiment is a rigid structure, surrounding and covering the top support ring 100 and the bottom support ring 101 of the rigid cage body 10. The rigid cage body 10 serves as the skeleton of the entire aquaculture tank, providing structural strength and impact resistance, while the net cover 11 acts as a protective barrier, preventing sea urchins from escaping from the sides. Simultaneously, the net cover 11 allows seawater to flow through, preventing the net cage 1 from violently shaking due to the large impact of seawater.

[0051] Specifically, in this embodiment, the top support ring 100 is a ring-shaped steel component located at the uppermost end of the rigid cage 10, used to define the outline of the top opening. The top support ring 100 can be made of round steel or angle steel bent and welded, and its diameter is determined according to the scale of aquaculture, usually between one and three meters. The bottom support ring 101 is also a ring-shaped steel component located at the lowermost end of the rigid cage 10. The top support ring 100 and the bottom support ring 101 are arranged parallel to each other vertically, and the vertical distance between them (i.e., the height of the rigid cage 10) is usually about one meter, which can be determined according to the activity space requirements of sea urchins and the water depth conditions of the aquaculture area. In this embodiment, multiple connecting rods 102 are provided, evenly distributed along the circumference of the top support ring 100 and the bottom support ring 101. Each connecting rod 102 is a vertically extending steel rod, with its top end fixedly connected to the top support ring 100 by welding or threaded connection, and its bottom end fixedly connected to the bottom support ring 101 by welding or threaded connection. Multiple connecting rods 102 together constitute the side support system of the rigid cage 10. Furthermore, the rigid cage 10 in this embodiment also includes a central reinforcing ring 103 fixedly connected to the connecting rods 102. One or more central reinforcing rings 103 can be provided. The central reinforcing rings 103 can enhance the overall bending stiffness of the rigid cage 10 and prevent the cage 1 from deforming under the action of strong current.

[0052] In this embodiment, the attachment structure 5 is fixed to the rigid cage 10. Optionally, the attachment structure 5 can be welded and fixed to one or more of the following structural components: the top support ring 100, the bottom support ring 101, the connecting rod 102, and the middle reinforcing ring 103.

[0053] As mentioned above, the mesh cover 11 in this embodiment is a rigid structure. Specifically, the mesh cover 11 can be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or stainless steel, which is resistant to seawater corrosion, through punching, or woven from stainless steel wire. It is easy to understand that the term "rigid structure" for the mesh cover 11 means that its material has a certain degree of rigidity, and the mesh cover 11 as a whole is not prone to significant deformation. However, since the mesh cover 11 itself is a ring structure with mesh openings, it will still undergo small deformations when subjected to external forces. In other optional embodiments, the mesh cover 11 can also be a flexible structure; for example, the mesh cover 11 can be a nylon woven mesh.

[0054] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, in other alternative embodiments, the attachment structure 5 can also be a spiral-shaped, integrally molded plate structure. Specifically, the spiral plate structure, serving as the attachment structure 5, is spirally arranged inside the rigid cage 10 from top to bottom, with its outer edge fixed to the rigid cage 10. The spiral plate structure also has attachment holes 50, and its surface is generally inclined, extending to the vicinity of the bottom opening 120, with the inclination angle changing naturally and continuously along the spiral path. In practical applications, sea urchins will inhabit the two sides of the spiral plate structure, and waste will slide down or fall downwards along the two sides of the spiral plate structure, alternating between sliding and falling, and finally being discharged through the bottom opening 120.

[0055] Alternatively, the attachment structure 5 may also include multiple funnel-shaped plate structures, spaced apart along the height of the net cage 1. Specifically, each funnel-shaped plate structure is an annular conical structure, with its outer edge fixed to the rigid cage body 10 and its inner edge having a small, downward-sloping opening. The conical surface of the funnel-shaped plate structure gradually narrows from top to bottom, meaning its outer edge height is higher than its inner edge height, and the angle between the conical surface and the horizontal plane is typically between 45° and 60°. Sea urchins can climb upwards through the net cover 11 and inhabit the conical surfaces of each layer of funnel-shaped plate structures. Waste on the surface of each layer of funnel-shaped plate structures can slide down the conical surface to the aforementioned small opening and then fall directly downwards into the bottom opening 120 and be discharged through the bottom opening 120. Similarly, the spacing between at least two adjacent funnel-shaped plate structures should be designed to be greater than the size of two smallest sea urchins placed side by side to ensure that sea urchins attached to the surfaces of adjacent funnel-shaped plate structures do not squeeze each other.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the floating structure 4 is located at the upper section of the feeding pipe 2. The lower end of the feeding pipe 2 has a connecting part for connecting with the upper connecting net structure 3, which is the aforementioned annular flange. The length D of the portion of the feeding pipe 2 located between the floating structure 4 and the annular flange is not less than a set length. When the portion of the feeding pipe 2 located between the floating structure 4 and the annular flange is shorter, it means that the upper connecting net structure 3 and the net cage 1 are closer to the sea surface, making them more susceptible to wave impact and swaying. The set length can be determined based on the habits of sea urchins and the current conditions of the surrounding sea area, and is generally between 0.5 meters and 1 meter.

[0057] Furthermore, the aquaculture box provided in this embodiment also includes a lower connecting net structure 6 disposed on the bottom support ring 101 and a gravity structure 7 disposed on the lower connecting net structure 6. The lower connecting net structure 6 is a frustum-shaped flexible net, and the gravity structure 7 is used to limit the swaying amplitude of the net cage 1 by providing downward tension to the net cage 1. In this embodiment, the lower connecting net structure 6 is also a frustum-shaped flexible net, but its orientation is opposite to that of the upper connecting net structure 3. The upper end of the lower connecting net structure 6 is larger than its lower end, and the upper end of the lower connecting net structure 6 is connected to the bottom support ring 101, while the lower end is connected to the gravity structure 7. The upper end of the lower connecting net structure 6 can be tightly fixed to the bottom support ring 101 via the aforementioned connecting rope structure, and the lower end of the lower connecting net structure 6 can also be tightly fixed to the gravity structure 7 via a connecting rope. Accordingly, perforations or lifting lugs need to be provided on the gravity structure 7. Alternatively, the lower opening of the lower connecting mesh structure 6 can be secured with cable ties, and the gravity structure 7 can be placed directly into the lower connecting mesh structure 6.

[0058] Gravity structure 7 is typically made of a high-density material, such as a cast iron sphere, a concrete sphere, or a sealed sphere filled with sand or scrap steel. The preferred shape of gravity structure 7 is spherical, as spheres exhibit minimal water resistance in seawater and experience uniform force in all directions, preventing unnecessary rotation or swaying due to ocean currents. The outer surface of gravity structure 7 can also undergo anti-corrosion treatment, such as coating with epoxy resin or covering with a rubber layer, to extend its service life in seawater.

[0059] When waves impact the feeding pipe 2, the large inertia of the gravity structure 7 resists the horizontal movement tendency of the feeding pipe 2, suppressing its swaying amplitude and quickly pulling it back to a vertical position. Simultaneously, because the gravity structure 7 is connected to the cage 1 via the flexible lower connecting mesh structure 6, the buffering effect of the gravity structure 7 is not rigidly transmitted to the cage 1, but is absorbed by the elastic deformation of the lower connecting mesh structure 6.

[0060] like Figure 4 As shown, the net cage 1 in this embodiment also includes an interceptor plate 12 disposed on the bottom support ring 101, and the interceptor plate 12 has a bottom opening 120. The interceptor plate 12 in this embodiment is a rigid structure, made of stainless steel or engineering plastic plate. Mesh holes are formed in the plate structure to create the interceptor plate 12, and its edges are fixed to the bottom support ring 101 by welding or bolting. It is easy to understand that the bottom opening 120 in this embodiment consists of an array of small holes, the diameter of which is typically about 50% of the smallest individual sea urchin, to ensure that the sea urchin can be prevented from escaping. Smaller waste materials (such as fecal particles and uneaten bait) can easily pass through the bottom opening 120 and be discharged.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the interceptor plate 12 is provided with a discharge port, and the net cage 1 also includes a sealing mechanism, which includes a baffle 13 and an opening / closing member 14. The baffle 13 has a hinged end and a connecting end. The baffle 13 is oscillatingly connected to the interceptor plate 12 through the hinged end, and the opening / closing member 14 is used to position the connecting end on the interceptor plate 12 so as to close the discharge port through the baffle 13. The discharge port is provided to facilitate the harvesting operation when the sea urchins are mature. Therefore, the discharge port is usually a circular or rectangular opening, and its size is generally 10 to 20 times the size of the largest individual sea urchin to ensure that the sea urchins can pass through smoothly during harvesting and to avoid crowding and collisions as much as possible during the passage.

[0062] As mentioned earlier, the baffle 13 has a hinged end and a connecting end. The hinged end is oscillatingly connected to the interceptor plate 12 via a hinge, pin, or other hinged component, allowing the baffle 13 to rotate around the hinged component. The connecting end is the other end of the baffle 13 opposite to the hinged end. When the baffle 13 rotates around the hinged end to cover the discharge port, the connecting end overlaps with the corresponding position on the interceptor plate 12. The opening / closing element 14 is used to position the connecting end of the baffle 13 on the interceptor plate 12, thereby keeping the baffle 13 in a closed discharge port state. The opening / closing element 14 can specifically be a pin or a snap-fit. For example, when the opening / closing element 14 is a pin, a pin seat is fixedly provided on the interceptor plate 12 at the position corresponding to the connecting end, and a pin hole for the pin shaft to pass through is provided at the connecting end of the baffle 13. By inserting the pin shaft into the mating hole of the pin hole and the pin seat, the connecting end can be locked to the interceptor plate 12. When the opening / closing component 14 is a latch, the latch includes a latch seat fixed to the interceptor plate 12 and a latch hook fixed to the connecting end of the baffle plate 13. Locking and unlocking are achieved by the engagement and disengagement of the latch hook and the latch seat. Pins and latches are commonly used connecting components in the mechanical field, and their structure and working principle will not be described in detail here.

[0063] During the aquaculture process, the opening and closing component 14 remains locked, and the discharge port is sealed by the baffle 13. When it is time to collect the urchins, the operator first pulls the entire aquaculture tank out of the sea, then removes the gravity structure 7 and opens the lower opening of the lower connecting net structure 6. After that, the locking of the opening and closing component 14 is released (by pulling out the pin or unlocking the buckle). Under its own weight, the baffle 13 flips downward around the hinge end and opens, completely opening the discharge port. The sea urchins in the net cage 1 can then fall directly out of the discharge port under the action of gravity.

[0064] In addition, to prevent sea urchins from climbing up the net cage 1 and the upper connecting net structure 3 to the feeding pipe 2 and escaping through the feeding pipe 2, this embodiment also designs the specific structure of the feeding pipe 2. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the feeding tube 2 in this embodiment includes a tube body 20 and a valve-type unidirectional structure 21 formed at the bottom end of the tube body 20. The valve-type unidirectional structure 21 includes multiple rigid valves spaced apart circumferentially along the tube body 20. The multiple rigid valves are configured to press against each other when subjected to pressure in a set direction to restrict the passage of sea urchins in the cage 1. The set direction is the direction in which the feeding port 200 points to the bottom end of the tube body 20. The multiple rigid valves are also configured to separate from each other when subjected to reverse pressure in the set direction to allow material to pass through.

[0065] Specifically, each rigid valve in this embodiment has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is formed at the end of the tube 20, and the free end points towards the central axis of the tube 20. The free ends of multiple rigid valves are naturally close together or overlap each other. The number of rigid valves is usually four or eight, distributed circumferentially. Each rigid valve is a thin sheet-like component with a certain elasticity and rigidity, and its material can be stainless steel sheet, engineering plastic (such as polyoxymethylene, nylon), or composite material. The rigid valves can be integrally formed with the tube 20 during the manufacturing of the feeding tube 2.

[0066] When the rigid valves are subjected to pressure in a predetermined direction, such as when a sea urchin climbs upward from inside the net cage 1 and pushes against the rigid valves, the free ends of each rigid valve will converge under pressure, forming a self-locking state. This effectively prevents the sea urchin from passing through from bottom to top and prevents it from escaping from the feeding port 200. When the rigid valves are subjected to pressure in the opposite direction, that is, when the operator feeds material downward from the feeding port 200, the material moves downward under gravity. At the same time, the operator can use an auxiliary pusher to squeeze and push the material downward, thereby pushing the free ends of each rigid valve downward, causing the rigid valves to separate from each other, and the material can then smoothly enter the net cage 1. Through the above structural design, the feeding pipe 2 can achieve a one-way passage effect, preventing sea urchins from escaping.

[0067] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will understand that this application includes, but is not limited to, the content described in the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments above. Any modifications that do not depart from the functional and structural principles of this application will be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A culture box for sea urchin farming, characterized in that, The breeding box includes: A wire cage having an opening at the top and an opening at the bottom; A feeding pipe having a feeding port and used to feed materials into the wire cage through the feeding port; An upper connecting mesh structure is connected between the top opening and the feeding pipe, and the upper connecting mesh structure is a flexible mesh in the shape of a frustum; A floating structure is provided on the feeding pipe and is used to keep the feeding port above the sea surface; An attachment structure is provided inside the net cage and is used for sea urchins to attach to their surface; The attachment structure is arranged at an angle and its surface is connected to the bottom opening, so that the waste generated by the sea urchin can slide down the surface of the attachment structure to the bottom opening under the action of gravity. The size of the bottom opening is configured to restrict the passage of the sea urchin but allow the waste to pass through. The cage includes a rigid cage body and a mesh cover covering the rigid cage body. The rigid cage body includes a top support ring, a bottom support ring, and a connecting rod disposed between the top support ring and the bottom support ring. The breeding box also includes a lower connecting mesh structure disposed on the bottom support ring and a gravity structure disposed on the lower connecting mesh structure. The lower connecting mesh structure is a frustum-shaped flexible mesh. The gravity structure is used to limit the swaying amplitude of the cage by providing downward tension to the cage.

2. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The attachment structure is provided with attachment holes, and the attachment structure is a spiral-shaped integral plate structure; Alternatively, the attachment structure includes multiple vertical plates, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the wire mesh cage. Alternatively, the attachment structure may include multiple funnel-shaped plate structures, which are spaced apart along the height of the wire mesh cage.

3. The culture tank for sea urchin aquaculture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The floating structure is located on the upper section of the feeding pipe, and the lower end of the feeding pipe has a connecting part for connecting with the upper connecting net structure. The portion of the feeding pipe between the floating structure and the connecting part is not less than a set length.

4. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mesh cover is a rigid or flexible structure, and it is arranged around the top support ring and the bottom support ring of the rigid cage.

5. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The attachment structure is fixed to the rigid cage.

6. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cage also includes an intercepting plate disposed on the bottom support ring, the intercepting plate having the bottom opening.

7. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The interceptor plate is a rigid structure and has a discharge port. The mesh cage also includes a sealing mechanism, which includes a baffle and an opening and closing component. The baffle has a hinged end and a connecting end. The baffle is oscillatingly connected to the interceptor plate through the hinged end. The opening and closing component is used to position the connecting end on the interceptor plate so as to close the discharge port through the baffle.

8. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The opening and closing mechanism is a pin or a snap fastener.

9. The culture tank for sea urchin culture as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The feeding tube includes a tube body and a valve-type unidirectional structure formed at the bottom end of the tube body. The valve-type unidirectional structure includes multiple rigid valves that are spaced apart circumferentially along the tube body. Multiple rigid valves are configured to press against each other when subjected to pressure in a predetermined direction to restrict the passage of sea urchins within the cage, the predetermined direction being the direction in which the feed inlet points to the bottom of the tube; The multiple rigid valves are also configured to separate from each other when subjected to reverse pressure along the set direction to allow material to pass through.

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