Aquarium ornamental motion device

Abstract

Disclosed is an ornamental motion product for aquariums, comprising an air compressor and an inflatable body located inside the aquarium with inlet and outlet ports with connected tubing. The ornamental motion product is configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable body, thereby causing the inflatable body to selectively expand and contract to simulate the motions of an organism positioned in water.

Description

AQUARIUM ORNAMENTAL MOTION DEVICETECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an aquarium ornamental motion product. In particular, the moving ornamental object may mimic the movement of an aquatic creature to produce a dynamic ornamental effect in an aquarium.BACKGROUND

[0002] Aquariums are water filled containers commonly used by people for the observation and display of underwater life or aquatic creatures. To enhance the attractiveness and visual appeal of aquariums, designers have been dedicated to creating systems and / or devices capable of simulating the movement of aquatic life. Existing aquarium observation systems typically rely on water flow, bubbles, or electro-mechanical devices to create motion effects, but these methods have certain limitations and / or can be costly and / or complex. Furthermore, electromechanical devices created to control the movements of an object in an aquarium may require introducing electrical power cables into the water, which can be considered an undesirable safety hazard for the user and / or the aquatic creatures.SUMMARY

[0003] A major aspect provides an aquarium ornamental motion product that enables at least one object positioned within an aquarium to move dynamically to simulate the movements of anemones, to mimic real marine life by the applied use of forced air movement from an air compressor that resides outside the aquarium. The aquarium ornamental motion product can be embedded in various sculptured ornaments, which may have a natural appearance like wood or coral, or an artificial appearance like pottery or sculptures.

[0004] According to a first aspect, an aquarium ornamental motion product is provided for use with an aquarium, comprising an air compressor (i.e., air pump), tubing, a base member, and an inflatable body, such as an expandable and contractible member. The base member is coupled to the expandable and contractible member to form the inflatable body. The tubing connects the components in a specific order, with the air compressor located outsidethe aquarium, and the inflatable body placed inside the aquarium water. The aquarium ornamental motion product is configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable body, causing the inflatable body to selectively expand and contract to simulate the motion of an organism positioned in water of the aquarium.

[0005] In one embodiment, the aquarium motion product operates between at least two states. In the first state, the air flows from the air compressor to expand the expandable and contractible member. In the second state, airflow from the air compressor is expelled out of the inflatable body, reducing the air pressure inside the inflatable body to close to the atmosphere. The reduction in air pressure inside the inflatable body allows the hydrostatic pressure from the surrounding body of water in the aquarium to contract (collapse) the expandable and contractable member into the base part. The motions created by the states of expansion and contraction are repeated as long as air continually flows from the air compressor.

[0006] In an embodiment, the inflatable body comprises the expandable and contractible member coupled with a base member. The base member has at least 3 ports that provide the functions necessary to inflate and collapse the inflatable body. The first port or ports provides an air inlet connected to the air compressor that provides air to inflate the expandable member. A second port or ports allows both water and air to exit from the inflatable body via a tube attached to the port that extends above the inflatable body, with the option of extending above the water surface. The third port or ports provides water entry to the inflatable body. The positioning of the ports within the inflatable body facilitates the expansion and contraction function of the product.

[0007] In an embodiment, the expandable and contractible member is made from elastic or non-elastic inflatable material.

[0008] In an embodiment, the base member is configured in a basin shape to accommodate at least a portion of the expandable and contractible member.

[0009] In an embodiment, the expandable and contractible member is provided with one or more surface features, such that the one or more surface features produce visual dynamics in the water as the member expands and contracts. The one or more surface features include tentacles and / or spikes.

[0010] In an embodiment, an ornamental, decorative base is included for securing the inflatable body. The base may be sculpted and painted to simulate coral, wood, rock, or any man-made objects such as sculptures or pots.

[0011] According to a second aspect, there is provided a method for creating motions simulating aquatic organisms in an aquarium, comprising the steps of:1. fluidly connecting an air compressor, and an inflatable body via tubing;2. positioning the air compressor outside the aquarium, while the inflatable body is located inside the aquarium;3. continuously supplying air to the inflatable body by operating the air compressor, causing the expandable and contractable member to expand;4. continuously supplying air to the inflatable body such that, once the expandable and contractable member has reached its maximum inflated size, excess air exits via a tube that extends above the inflatable body in the aquarium body of water.5. the airflow and volume of air exiting the inflatable body reduces the air pressure inside the inflatable body and the hydrostatic pressure from the surrounding body of water in the aquarium collapses the expandable and contractable member into the body part.6. hydrostatic pressure from the surrounding body of water inside the aquarium allows water to enter the inflatable body through the water entry port in the base part.7. water fdls the inflatable body until it blocks the air exit port, preventing air from exiting the inflatable body.8. continuous supply of air inflates the inflatable body, repeating steps 4 and 7 to cycle the inflatable body between expansion and contraction, simulating motions of aquatic organisms in water.

[0012] In an embodiment, the method further comprises adjusting the degree of forced airpressure to alter frequency and duration of the repetition sequence in steps 4 and 7.

[0013] In an embodiment, where the base member has different internal spatial volume between the air exit port and the water inlet port. The size of the spatial volume alters the frequency and duration of the repetition sequence in steps 4 and 7.

[0014] In an embodiment, the method further includes providing one or more surface features on the inflatable body, such that the inflatable body, when expanding and contracting, produces visual dynamics in the water, where the one or more surface features include tentacles and / or spikes.

[0015] An advantage may be provided that through a simple and effective design of the inflatable body. The design can create realistic, diverse, and adjustable underwater organism dynamics effects significantly enhancing the visual effects and attractiveness of the aquarium. Furthermore, the natural motions also may promote the health and comfort of aquatic life within the aquarium. Another advantage may provide at least one alternative to certain aquatic organisms, such as anemones and some cnidarians, for people to use in decorating aquariums, thereby reducing the demand for harvesting marine life organisms for use as decorations and / or helping to promote marine conservation.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Embodiments will now be more specifically described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Fig. 1 shows an aquarium ornamental motion product according to an embodiment;

[0018] Fig. 2 to Fig. 7 illustrate the operation cycle of the aquarium ornamental motion product according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

[0019] Fig. 8 show enlarged views showing the positioning of ports and tubes that facilitate of air and water movements that cause the inflation and deflation motion that is repeated and shown in Fig. 1;

[0020] Fig. 9 shows the difference in base member internal volume that alters the timing of the expansion and collapse cycle of the inflatable body.

[0021] Fig. 10 shows an example of the expandable and contractible member which mimics an anemone;

[0022] Fig.11 shows an example of the expandable and contractable member secured into an ornamental decorative base.

[0023] The figures herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to scale.DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely some but not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments based on the embodiments and obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without investing creative efforts shall fall within the scope of the embodiments.

[0025] Referring to the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 1, an aquarium ornamental motion product is provided. The aquarium ornamental motion product includes an air compressor A configured to compress air entering from an inlet (i.e., air pump), tubing B connecting the air compressor A and a base member F, an expandable and contractible member E, and a decorative base H. The base member F is designed to couple with the expandable and contractible member E to jointly form an inflatable body G, allowing the expandable and contractable member E to expand or contract in response to changes in internal air pressure. The air compressor A, and inflatable body G are connected together via tubing B. The air compressor A is positioned outside the aquarium, while the inflatable body G and decorative base H are placed inside the aquarium and submerged in water. The expandable and contractible member E can be made from elastic or non-elastic inflatable materials. The expandable and contractable member E inflates and expands outwardly with air supplied by the air compressor A and collapses inwardly when deflated. Specifically, the base member F is provided with an air inlet tube B, and air outlet tube D and a water inlet tube C. The air inlet tube B is connected to receive air from the air compressor A, while the air outlet tube D and water inlet tube C allows both air and water to enter and exit the inflatable body F in a functional sequence that controls the inflation and deflation of the expandable andcontractable member E, shown in Fig 1.

[0026] The base member F, atached to the expandable and contractible member E, can have a basin shape or other suitable geometric shapes or forms to accommodate at least a part of the expandable and contractible member E when it collapses under the surrounding water pressure.

[0027] Advantageously, inflation and deflation of the expandable and contractible member E can continuously occur in the aquarium, thereby forming motions or movements that mimic certain aquatic organisms.

[0028] Referring to the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 2, the inflatable body G is partially inflated due to air input from the air compressor A. Besides the air input from the air compressor A, the inflatable body G is also partially fdled with water from the aquarium. As shown, the hydrostatic pressure acts on the expandable and contractible member E, causing it to collapse into the base member F. At this time, the expandable and contractible member E is in a collapsed state.

[0029] Referring to the embodiments as depicted in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, air compressor A further inputs air and increases the pressure inside the inflatable body G. As the air pressure inside the inflatable body G rises, the expandable and contractible member E bulges upward, moving from position 1 to 2 (Fig. 3) The movement of the expandable and contractible member E from position 1 to 2 (Fig. 3) creates a motion visible to the audience of the aquarium. At this time, the expandable and contractible member E is in an expanded state. As air compressor A continues to run, the air pressure inside the inflatable body G continues to rise. The inflatable body’s air entry port is positioned above the level of the other ports (Fig.8 - Bl) to beter facilitate the upward direction of the air when inflating the expandable and collapsible member.

[0030] Referring to the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 4, the rising air pressure expands the expandable and contractible member E to a predetermined level or threshold. While theexpandable and contractible member E remains in an expanded state, the air pressure inside the inflatable body G acts on the water inside the inflatable body G. As the air compressor1 continues to run, the air pressure inside the inflatable body G forces all the water to be expelled from the inflatable body G, as shown in Fig. 4. Once all the water is expelled from the inflatable body G, the air inside the inflatable body G is then expelled through the exit tube D. Since the air pressure inside the inflatable body G still exceeds the hydrostatic pressure, the expandable and contractible member E remains in an expanded state.

[0031] Referring to the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 8, The exit tube is positioned to start at level DI, extend below the inflatable body to level D2 and end above the inflatable body at D3. The exit tube start position at DI allows for a volume of air to exist in the inflatable body. The time taken for water to enter the inflatable body and rise to level DI allows the expandable and contractable member time to collapse into the base part of the inflatable body.

[0032] Referring to the embodiments as depicted in Fig. 9a and 9b, the timing can be altered by increasing or decreasing the volume inside the base member F. Any change in the volume shown as Xa to Xb, directly affects the time it takes for water to enter the inflatable body through tube C at level Cl to rise to the level that blocks the air exit tube D at level DI. The changes in the timing of the expansion and collapse cycle of the expandable and contractable member E may offer a different visual appeal in the aquarium.

[0033] Referring to the embodiments as depicted in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, there is illustrated the moment when the air exiting tube D rushes to the water surface, causing the air pressure inside the inflatable body G to drop towards atmospheric pressure levels. Without the pressurized air inside the inflatable body G to support the expandable and contractible member E in its expanded state, the hydrostatic pressure acting on the outer surface of the expandable and contractible member E causes it to collapse inward, moving from position2 to 1, as illustrated in Fig 6. Similarly, the movement of the expandable and contractible member E from position 2 to 1 generates visible motions from outside the aquarium. As the hydrostatic pressure continues to act on the expandable and contractible member E, itremains in a collapsed state, as shown in Fig. 6.

[0034] Referring to the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 7, since the internal air pressure of the inflatable body E is less than the hydrostatic pressure from the surrounding water, water enters the inflatable body E through tube C. The inflatable body E is fdled with water until it blocks the air exiting tube D at level DI at point X, as shown in Fig. 7. The open end of tube C, at level C2, is below the exit tube D at level DI so that, when air is forced out of the inflatable body it exits through D and not through tube C which is lower in the body of water. (Fig.7)

[0035] The continual airflow from the air compressor A inflates the expandable and contractable member shown in Fig. 2 and the expansion and contraction cycle continues as shown in Fig. 1.

[0036] As shown in the embodiment depicted in Fig. 10, to enhance dynamic visual effects, physical surface features 2, such as tentacles and spikes, can be added to the outer surface of the expandable and contractible member 3. The movement of these surface features 2 mimics some rhythmic motions of marine organisms, such as anemones, and creates visually appealing motions in the water as the inflatable body 3 expands and contracts. In use, the tentacles and spikes on the expandable and contractible member 3, sway in the water, creating a visually attractive natural effect. This unique design significantly increases the aesthetic and realism of the aquatic environment.

[0037] As shown in the embodiment depicted Fig. 11, a decorative base 3 is provided and is used to hold and secure one or more inflatable bodies 2. The decorative base 3 may be designed to mimic marine rocks or similar natural objects, or man-made ornaments such as sculptures or pots to add to the environment inside aquarium.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the aquarium ornamental motion product is designed to operate within a standard working temperature range of 23-29 degrees Celsius, typical of aquarium environments. Various components of the system can be connected by multiple 3mm flexible air tubes. The size of components varies with the scalability of the product.For instance, in a practical scheme, the system is designed to fit and operate in a 10-gallon aquarium with dimensions of 20 inches in length, 10 inches in width, and 12 inches in height, and the decorations measure approximately 10 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 8 inches high. The size of the expandable and contractible members and their associated base members can also vary, with larger expandable and contractible members having a spherical diameter of about 3 inches when fully expanded, while smaller expandable parts have a spherical diameter of about 1.5 inches.

[0039] Although the description herein describes the embodiments in an exemplary manner, not every embodiment contains only a single technical solution. The description herein is merely provided for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard this document as a whole, where technical solutions in various embodiments can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments appreciable by those skilled in the art. However, the scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims rather than the foregoing description thus all changes within the meaning and range equivalent of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on October 25, 2025 (25.10.2025)What is claimed is:

1. A method for creating dynamic simulating motion of an aquatic organism in an aquarium, comprising the steps of: fluidly connecting an air compressor and an inflatable body via tubing; placing the air compressor outside the aquarium; placing the inflatable body inside the aquarium; continuously supplying air into the inflatable body by operating the air compressor; allowing the air compressor to feed air into the inflatable body to cause the inflatable body to expand, wherein the inflatable body is configured to stop expanding when the inflatable body reaches a maximum size, wherein said tubing is configured to allow continuous flow of air from the air compressor to force water out of the inflatable body through an exit tube that extends above the inflatable body within a body of water of the aquarium, or alternately via an extended tube ending above a surface of the water, wherein rapid, upward flow of air through the exit tube reduces air pressure inside the inflatable body to close to atmosphere; wherein reduced air pressure within the inflatable body allows hydrostatic pressure from the water surrounding the inflatable body to deflate or collapse at least in part the inflatable body , wherein hydrostatic pressure from the body of water surrounding the inflatable body causes water to enter into the inflatable body through an inlet port located in a base part, wherein water enters the inflatable body through a water inlet tube until the water raises to a level that blocks the exit tube of the inflatable body, wherein with the exit tube blocked by water entering into the inflatable body, continuous air from the air compressor inflates the inflatable body, and whereby permitting cycling of the inflatable body between expansion and contraction simulates dynamic movement of an aquatic organism positioned in water.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting the force of air from theair compressor to affect the frequency and duration of expansion and contraction of the inflatable body to alter intensity and / or speed of the dynamic movements of the aquatic organism.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable body comprises an expandable and contractible member coupled with a base member.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the base member incorporates ports and associated tubes that facilitate management of water flow and air pressure.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the ports in the base member are located in positions with relative height differentials to facilitate management of air pressure and water flow within the inflatable body.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inflatable body is made from at least one of an elastic inflatable material and an inelastic inflatable material.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the base member is shaped like a basin to accommodate at least a part of the inflatable body.

8. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the inflatable body is provided with one or more surface features such that the one or more surface features produce visual dynamics in the water as the base member expands and contracts.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a decorative base configured to secure the inflatable body.

10. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein differences in the height differentials between ports in the base member alters the timing of the inflation and collapse sequence.

1. The method according to claim 8, wherein said one or more surface features includes at least one of a tentacle and a spike.

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