Method and system for feeding aquatic animals

Method and system for feeding aquatic animals. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including submerging, at least partially, a chamber in a water reservoir, the chamber comprising a bladder comprising food for aquatic animals, periodically pumping water from the water reservoir into the chamber, exterting, by the pumping, a force on the bladder, and thereby dispensing the food into the water reservoir.

BACKGROUND

In order to draw land mammals, such as deer, to a particular area, a land owner may install feeders that periodically release food for consumption (e.g., at the same time every day). These feeds may be operable for weeks at a time without human intervention. While the same technique can be used for aquatic animals, such as fish, a difficulty arises in placement. In particular, the public at large has access to the complete surface area of many lakes, and unless one happens live on a piece of property on a lake shore, a feeder device placed on a lake shore, or perhaps placed on a floating dock, is subject to being stolen or tampered with when the actual owner is not present.

NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1Ashows a side elevation view of an illustrative feeding system100in accordance with at least some of the embodiments. In particular, the feeding system100comprises an elongated member or chamber102and a control system104placed on the outside surface of the chamber102. In the particular embodiment, the chamber102is of cylindrical shape and made of poly-vinyl chloride (PVC); however, the elongated chamber may be of any suitable shape and any suitable material. In at least some of the embodiments, food for aquatic animals (e.g., fish food in dry pellet form, fish food in moist form, baitfish, cheese, garlic, or shrimp) is placed within the chamber102and the entire feeding system100, including the chamber102and the control system104, is completely submerged in a water reservoir150(e.g., a lake, a creek, or an ocean). The feeding system100is submerged in the water reservoir150by various methods, for example, by hanging the feeding system100from a boat dock, or placing the feeding system100on a stand below the surface within the water reservoir150. After submersing the feeding system100in the water reservoir150, the feeding system100is configured to periodically dispense the food into the water reservoir150, and the food dispensing tends to draw various types of fish to the feeding system100.

In some embodiments, the control system104will activate a pump128to pump water from the water reservoir150through a pipe116into the chamber102. As the pump draws water from the reservoir150and pumps the water into the chamber, the water causes a piston concentrically arranged inside the chamber102to move in the direction indicated by the arrow122. The movement of the piston exerts a force on the food placed inside the chamber102, which dispenses the food into the reservoir150through an opening112of the feeding system100. The pump periodically pumps water into the chamber102(e.g., hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly), each time causing the piston to move further in the direction indicated by the arrow122until a pin120coupled to the piston contacts a stop switch124. In the illustrative embodiment, the stop switch124is placed outside of the chamber102and proximate to the opening108of chamber102, and when the pin120contacts the stop switch124, the stop switch124is actuated to halt the further movement of the piston. Stated otherwise, when the pin120contacts the stop switch124most of the food has been dispensed and more food needs to be placed inside the chamber102. The pin120and stop switch124is merely illustrative, and any mechanical, electromechanical or electrical system that detects position of the piston and halts or disables furthers piston movement may be equivalently used.

FIG. 1Bshows a front elevation view of the feeding system100in accordance with at least some of the embodiments. In particular, the feeding system100again comprises the elongated chamber102and a control system104. Also better visible inFIG. 1Bare the pump128, check valve130, pressure release valve138, bellows134, and bladder filled with food for aquatic animals132. In the particular embodiment, the chamber102has an opening108at a first end106that is configured to retain a nozzle or dispenser110. In some embodiments, the dispenser110is threadingly coupled to the first end106. In other embodiments, the dispenser110couples to the first end106by way of a snap-fit connection or other suitable connection. The dispenser110comprises an opening112at an end opposite the end that couples to the chamber102, and the food in the chamber102is dispensed through the opening112of the dispenser110. In the particular embodiment, the internal diameter of the opening112(e.g., 2 inches) of the dispenser110is substantially smaller than the internal diameter (e.g., 4 inches) of the chamber102. For embodiments where the system100is submerged in the orientation shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B, the smaller opening of the dispenser110helps retain the food in the system11during periods of time when dispensing is not taking place. Larger openings in the dispenser110are contemplated, particular if the system100is submerged in a horizontal orientation. In either case, a screen or grating material covers the opening to keep larger fish from entering the opening and gaining access to the food.

In the particular embodiment ofFIG. 1B, the chamber102also comprises a slit126through which the pin120protrudes. As discussed above, the pin120protrudes through the slit126and contacts the stop switch124on the outside of the chamber102when a predetermined amount of travel of the piston has taken place. In other embodiments, the pin120and the stop switch124are placed at any suitable location within the chamber102. In the particular embodiment ofFIG. 1B, the control system104is placed on the outside surface of the chamber102, and the control system104comprises a watertight case114(e.g., a Pelican™ case). A battery and a timer circuit are disposed within the case114, and the battery is electrically coupled to the timer circuit. The timer circuit is configured to control the timing of the feeding system100. Stated otherwise, the timer circuit is configured to control how often and how long the feeding system100dispenses food into the water reservoir. The control system104is electrically coupled to a pump128(e.g., a submersible pump) that is coupled to the outside surface of the chamber102. In the particular embodiment, the pump128is a direct current (DC) pump placed proximate to a second end118of the chamber120(i.e., the end opposite the end which couples to the dispenser110); however, in other embodiments, the pump128may be placed at any location along the outer surface of the chamber102.

Initially, in some embodiments, the dispenser110is removed from the opening108of chamber102, and the chamber102is configured to receive food for aquatic animals. In particular, the piston (FIG. 2) is positioned at an initial or retracted position, and a bladder filled (e.g., an elongated plastic bag) with food132is placed inside the chamber102through and proximate the opening108. Thereafter, the dispenser110is coupled to the opening108of the chamber102. In other embodiments, depending on the consistency of the food, the food132may be placed directly inside the chamber102(i.e., without a bladder). A desired period for dispensing food is selected (e.g., hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) is set by way of the timer circuit, and a desired amount to dispense is selected (proportional to the length of activation of the pump). Thereafter, the feeding system100including the chamber102and the control system104is completely submerged (e.g., by hanging the feeding system100from a boat dock or a tree) in the water reservoir. In other embodiments, the control system104may be physically separated from the chamber102and only the chamber102is submerged into the water reservoir, yet still operationally coupled to the chamber102(e.g., the control system104is located at the surface, for example on the boat dock or on the tree).

Initially, as the feeding system100is submerging into the reservoir, water from the reservoir fills the chamber102by way of the opening112and at least one vent aperture at second end118of the chamber102. After the chamber102has been submerged, the timer circuit at the set period initiates the pump128to draw water from the water reservoir and pump the water into the chamber102. In particular, the timer circuit periodically activates the pump128, and leaves the pump128activated for a predetermined period of time. The pump128draws water on a suction side of the pump, and pumps the water pumped into the chamber102via a check valve130. The check valve130(e.g. ball check valve, swing check valve or clapper check valve) allows the water to flow only in one direction (i.e. allows water to only flow into the chamber102). Water flow into the chamber102causes the piston to exert a force on the bladder filled with food132, and the force in turn causes ejection or dispensing of food from bladder into the water through the opening in the112in the dispenser110.

FIG. 2shows various components within the chamber102in accordance with at least some embodiments. In the particular embodiment, the pump128is coupled (through the check valve130and pipe116) to bellows134. The bellows134are shown both in a retracted orientation200, and an extended orientation204. The bellows134are concentrically arranged inside the chamber102and the bellows may be of any suitable type, such as plastic bellows, or metallic bellows. In other embodiments, the bellows134is representative of any linear actuator (e.g., a mechanical actuator, or a hydraulic actuator). The representative bellows134are coupled to piston136, and the piston136concentrically arranged inside the chamber102. As the pump128pumps water into the bellows134, the additional water in bellows134causes the bellows to expand axially, as shown by arrow122. The axial movement of the bellows thus causes movement of the piston136, also in the direction indicated by the arrow122. As the bellows134extend axially because the increase water volume forced therein, the piston136exerts a force on the food in the bladder132, which in turn dispenses the food into the water reservoir through the opening112(now shown inFIG. 1B). However, once pump128is deactivated, axial extension of the bellows134and piston136ceases. The bellows134do not retract axially when the pump128stops because the water within the bellows134cannot reverse flow through the check valve130, and pressure release valve138is closed in normal operation.

In some embodiments, to refill the chamber102with food the feeding system100is removed from the water reservoir and the pressure release value138(e.g., a half port ball valve or a full port ball valve) is opened. Opening the pressure release valve138allows the water in the bellows134to flow out of the chamber102as the piston136is forced back to its initial position. In particular, as the piston136moves in the direction opposite the direction indicated by the arrow122, the water in the bellows134flows out through the opened pressure release valve138thus returning the bellows134and the piston136their initial positions. Once the piston136is in the initial position, the pressure release valve138is again closed. In particular embodiments, the act of placing the bladder filled with food inside132the chamber102is the mechanism by which the piston136is forced back to its initial position. Thereafter, the feeding system100is again submerged into the water reservoir.

FIG. 3shows a method in accordance with at least some of the embodiments. In particular, the method begins (block300), and moves to submerging, at least partially, a chamber in a water reservoir (block310). In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a bladder comprising food for aquatic animals. Thereafter, water is periodically pumped from the water reservoir into the chamber (block320). Next, a force is exerted on the bladder by pumping of the water into the chamber (block330). Finally, the food in bladder is dispensed into the reservoir due to the force exerted on the bladder (block340), and the method ends (block350).

FIG. 4illustrates in greater detail a control system400, which is illustrative of the control system104of the feeding system100, such as may be placed in case114. The control system400described with respect toFIG. 4could be physically coupled to the chamber102of the feeding system100, or the control system400could be physically located at the surface when the control system400is separate from the chamber102. In any case, the control system is operatively coupled to the chamber102. The illustrative control system400comprises a battery402(e.g., a 12 Volt battery) coupled to a timer circuit404and the pump128. The battery402may be any single use or rechargeable battery or battery system. The battery402provides power to operate the timer circuit404, and, through the timer circuit404, the battery402provides power to the pump128. In illustrative embodiments, the timer circuit404is configured to periodically initiate the pump128to pump water. In particular, the timer circuit404is configured to set a period (e.g., hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) for initiating the pump128.

The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. For example, while the feeding system100is submerged in a substantially vertical orientation in the various embodiments, the feeding system100may be submerged in any other orientation (e.g., horizontal or diagonal). Moreover, in alternative embodiments, the feeding system100is only partially submerged in the water reservoir (i.e., the feeding system100is submerged till the pump128is submerged in the reservoir). It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.