Abstract:
An architecture is presented for a device that enables a user to accommodate a number of betta fish, or betta fish and other fish species, in a segregated manner in a single aquarium for a prolonged period of time. More specifically, the device, among other things, enables an aquarium owner or user to partition said aquarium in such a manner as to permit the water contained within the aquarium to pass freely through said partition, while at the same time prohibiting the fish within the aquarium from doing the same.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/374,411 filed Aug. 17, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many individuals enjoy keeping different species of fish, such as betta fish, as pets in their homes, offices and the like. Betta fish are beautiful, vibrant fish that can be enjoyed by persons of all ages. However, betta fish also tend to be somewhat aggressive when kept in captivity with other betta fish and/or other species of fish. Therefore, it is oftentimes necessary to keep betta fish separate and apart from each other and/or other fish. Most pet stores keep betta fish in small containers or tubs of water, which is oftentimes of poor quality due to the lack of proper filtration, plant life and temperature control, which can lead to a shortened lifespan for the betta fish. Moreover, the problem is exasperated by the fact that most pet stores simply sell their betta fish to customers in the same small containers with poor water quality in which they are stored in the pet store. Consequently, most purchasers of betta fish simply continue to use the same container in which the fish was purchased, which lacks the proper filtration, plant life and temperature control, after they take their betta fish home which further contributes to the shortened life span of most betta fish kept in captivity. 
         [0003]    Heretofore one solution to the existing problem of storing, selling and maintaining betta and other somewhat aggressively natured fish in small containers with poor water quality, filtration and temperature control has been to utilize larger tanks with proper filtration, plant life, temperature control and overall better water quality. However, due to the somewhat aggressive nature of the betta fish, it is not feasible to store large quantities of betta fish in the same tank or aquarium, or with other species of fish. Therefore, in order to maintain a large number of betta or other aggressively natured fish, and/or multiple species of fish, a user would need multiple fish tanks or containers, each containing a relatively small number of betta fish or each containing a different species of fish, which can be expensive and require large amounts of space. Moreover, each of the forgoing multiple tanks would need to be equipped with the proper filtration, plant life, temperature control equipment etc. to maintain a suitable environment for the fish, which further adds to the overall cost of maintaining and caring for the fish which is undesirable and may discourage individuals from keeping fish, such as betta fish, as pets. 
         [0004]    Consequently, there exists in the art a long-felt need for a device that enables a pet owner or pet store to accommodate a number of betta fish, or betta fish and other fish species, in a segregated manner in a single fish tank for a prolonged period of time. There also exists a long-felt need for a device that accomplishes the forgoing objectives and that is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and use. Finally, there is a long-felt need for a device that accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and that can be retrofitted to existing fish tanks and aquariums. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0006]    The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a device that enables a pet owner or pet store to accommodate a number of betta or other aggressively natured fish, or said fish with other fish species, in a segregated manner in a single fish tank for a prolonged period of time. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises at least one support removably attached to the bottom portion of an aquarium or tank and at least one column further comprising a column wall for partitioning the aquarium into a column interior portion and a column exterior portion. Each column wall further comprises an exterior surface and an interior surface and at least one opening located in the column wall that extends between said exterior surface and said interior surface. The opening not only prevents the fish located within the column exterior portion from accessing the column interior portion and vice versa, but it also permits the water in the aquarium, and the oxygen associated therewith, to flow freely from the column exterior portion to the column interior portion and vice versa. Moreover, the column wall may be constructed of a substantially transparent material such that the fish within the aquarium can interact with one another although on opposite sides of the column wall, and to enable aquarium users to enjoy watching their fish even when said fish are located in the column interior portion of said aquarium. 
         [0007]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the device of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of two different embodiments of a support for a column, each attached to a bottom surface of an aquarium shown in partial view. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the device of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of two different embodiments of the present invention contained within an aquarium, wherein said aquarium is resting atop a stand. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a partial front elevational view of an embodiment of the device of the present invention contained within an aquarium, wherein said aquarium is resting atop a stand. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. 
         [0014]    Referring initially to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a device  100  for partitioning a portion of an aquarium to separate aggressively natured fish, including betta fish, while allowing the water within the aquarium to also be enjoyed by the fish within the partitioned space. The device  100  preferably comprises at least one support  110  and at least one column  120 . Column  120  further comprises a continuous opening therein  125  and a column wall  130  for partitioning an aquarium or tank into a column interior portion  160  and a column exterior portion  170 . In  FIG. 1 , the cross section of column  120  is substantially rectangular, though it is contemplated that the cross section could take on virtually any geometric or non-geometric shape without affecting the overall concept of the invention. 
         [0015]    Supports  110  are preferably in the general shape of a “+” symbol with an opening  112  located therein for receipt of an end of column wall  130  as described in greater detail below and best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . More specifically, two different potential embodiments of supports  110  and openings  112  are depicted in  FIG. 2 , although it is contemplated that supports  110  and openings  112  can be of different geometric or non-geometric shapes without affecting the overall concept of the present invention provided said supports  110  and openings  112  are capable of supporting column  120  as described herein. 
         [0016]    Supports  110  are preferably constructed of plastic, though it is contemplated that any other suitable material, such as rubber or the like, could also be used without affecting the overall concept of the present invention. Supports  110  can be removably or permanently attached to the floor or bottom portion  220  of an aquarium  200  in spaced apart fashion by any common means known in the art including, without limitation, with glue, epoxy, suction, etc. Alternatively, supports  110  can come pre-attached to floor insert or false floor (not shown) that can be manufactured and sold to consumers for covering the bottom portion of an existing aquarium  200  of virtually any size. Supports  110  can be used to hold column  120  in a desired location along the bottom portion  220  of aquarium  200  as described more fully below. 
         [0017]    Each column wall  130  further comprises an exterior surface  140  and an interior surface  150 , and at least one opening  190  located in column wall  130  that extends between said exterior surface  140  and said interior surface  150 . Opening  190  not only prevents the fish located within the column exterior  170  from accessing the column interior  160  and vice versa, but it also permits the water  210  in the aquarium  200 , and the oxygen associated therewith, to flow freely from the column exterior portion  170  to column interior portion  160  and vice versa. 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of a device  100  for partitioning a portion of an aquarium  200  to separate aggressively natured fish, including betta fish. Device  100  also permits the water  210  within the aquarium  200  to flow freely between the column interior  170  and column interior  160 , thereby allowing fish  400  to be maintained in both the column interior portion  160  and column exterior portion  170 . Similar to the embodiment of the device  100  depicted in  FIG. 1 , the device  100  depicted in  FIG. 2  also comprises at least one support  110  and at least one column  120  further comprising a column wall  130  for portioning the aquarium or tank  200  into a column interior portion  160  and a column exterior portion  170 . In  FIG. 3 , the cross section of column  120  is substantially circular though, as previously mentioned, it is contemplated that the cross section could take on virtually any geometric or non-geometric shape, such as an oval, square, triangle and the like, without affecting the overall concept of the present invention. 
         [0019]    Each of column walls  130  is preferably constructed of a substantially transparent plastic to enable a user or the fish to view objects on the opposite side of said column wall  130 . As previously mentioned, the overall geometric configuration and size of column  120  can be manufactured to any user&#39;s specification, but are preferably of sufficient width to fit within an aquarium  200  and of sufficient height, as measured from the bottom portion  220  of aquarium  200  upward, to extend above the water level  210  of aquarium  200  to prevent fish  400  from passing over column wall  130 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, column  120  extends above the water surface  210  by approximately ½ an inch to prevent the fish from jumping or passing over the column wall  130 . 
         [0020]    As previously mentioned and as an important feature of the present invention, column wall  130  further comprises at least one and preferably a plurality of openings  190  located therein between exterior surface  140  and interior surface  150 , as best illustrated in the attached drawings. Openings  190  allow the water, including the oxygen and nutrients contained therein, in the aquarium  200  to move freely through column wall  130 , the importance of which will be further described below. Openings  190  are preferably generally circular in shape and sized between 1/16 to ⅜ of an inch in diameter, although it is contemplated that other shapes and sizes could also be used without affecting the overall concept of the invention provided that the openings  190  are small enough to prevent fish  400  from being able to move between the column interior  160  and column exterior  170  through opening  190 . 
         [0021]    Now that the individual components of device  100  have been described, the interaction of said components and a few of the myriad of potential embodiments of device  100  will now be described.  FIG. 4  illustrates an aquarium  200  comprised of a bottom portion  220 , a plurality of side portions  240 , and a top portion  220 , wherein aquarium  200  is resting on a stand  300  that is further comprised of a top  310  and a plurality of legs  320 .  FIG. 4  further illustrates a plurality of supports  110  positioned in spaced apart fashion along the surface of the bottom portion  220  of aquarium  200 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  also illustrates two possible embodiments of device  100  in spaced apart fashion along, and extending upward from, bottom portion  220  of aquarium  200 . More specifically, each of devices  100  are attached to a support  110  by placing the end of the column wall  130  into opening  112  of support  110 . As previously mentioned, openings  112  are preferably constructed to matingly engage one end of column wall  130  with a substantially rectangular cross section as best illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Nonetheless, as also previously mentioned, it is contemplated that the cross section of column  120  could take on many different geometric or non-geometric shapes. Therefore, it is also contemplated that the general shape of support  110 , and the size of opening  112  therein, should correspond to the cross section of column  120 . Each of openings  112  should also be sized to correspond to the thickness of the column wall  130 , as measured from interior surface  150  to exterior surface  140 , so as to create a friction fit when one end of column  120  is inserted into opening  112 , thereby permitting support  110  to removably retain column  120  in a desired location within aquarium  200 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a partial front elevational view of one embodiment of device  100  contained within an aquarium  200 , wherein said aquarium  200  is resting atop a stand  300 .  FIG. 5  also illustrates a plurality of fish  400 , some of which are positioned within the column interior  160 , and at least one of which is positioned in the column exterior portion  170  of aquarium  200 . Moreover openings  190  in column wall  130  permit the water level  210  and the quality of the water contained within aquarium  200  to be substantially the same in both the column interior  160  and column exterior  170  including, without limitation, temperatures, oxygen levels, etc. 
         [0024]    As an important aspect of the present invention, fish  400  cannot move freely between column interior portion  160  and column exterior portion  170  of aquarium  200 , which allows both aggressively natured fish, such as betta fish, and non-aggressive fish to be housed in the same aquarium  200 . Further, not only does device  100  eliminate the need for additional aquariums, but it also eliminates the need for all of the accoutrements that typically accompany said additional aquariums including, without limitation, separate heaters, filters, oxygen devices, chemicals, tank ornamentation, etc. 
         [0025]    Additionally, it is also contemplated that column  120  can come in two separate halves that can be easily attached to one other by the consumer or user by any common means known in the art such as a latch, hinges, snap together components, etc. By offering column  120  in two separate halves, it is anticipated that a manufacturer can reduce the amount of packaging required for device  100 , and thereby improve, manufacturing, warehousing and shipping efficiencies. 
         [0026]    What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.