Patent Abstract:
The aquarium backup system operates upon failure of the pump that provides aeration and/or water circulation to aquariums. The backup system includes a sensor for determining when the flow of water to the aquarium is interrupted due to a power outage or pump failure. The sensor then closes a switch in electrical circuit between a backup battery and a backup pump, which re-establishes the aeration and/or water circulation to the aquarium.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to aquariums, and other bodies of water containing aquatic life. More particularly, the invention relates to a backup system for providing oxygen and when possible maintaining the necessary bacteria within the aquariums and bodies of water to sustain the aquatic life while the primary system is down. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Commercial fisheries and hobbyist&#39;s aquariums must be closely monitored to maintain the proper oxygen and bacterial content within the water containing the aquatic life to maintain a healthy environment. Water within the confines of tanks and still bodies of water become stagnant, and it is well-known to pump air into the water through aerators to add oxygen to the water, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,127 issued to Calvin Jackson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,030 issued to Jep T. Bracy. Specific designs for aerators have been previously disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,590, which was issued to Neshat et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,981 issued to Harry L. Burgess. 
     The patent to Tominaga et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,932, discloses a pump that may be used alternatively to move air or water. 
     There are also a number of complex monitoring systems that have been devised for controlling the environment within aquariums, particularly those disclosed in a patent issued to Schroeder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,008. 
     Notwithstanding the existence of such prior art aerators and pumps, it remains clear that there is in need for a simple backup system to maintain aeration and water circulation when the primary aerators and pumps fail due to pump failure or power outage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a backup system to protect against pump and power failure of the primary systems that provide the necessary oxygen to aquariums to ensure survival of the aquatic animal life. These existing systems comprise a first pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and the first pump being connected to a power source for the operation thereof. The fluid inlet is connected in fluid flow relationship to a first fluid source. The first end of a first pipe is connected to the outlet of the pump and the second end of the pipe is in fluid flow relationship with the aquarium. The fluid flow created by the pump conducts fluid from the first fluid source, through the inlet of the pump, out the outlet of the pump and through the first pipe to the aquarium. 
     The aquarium backup apparatus is an improvement to the existing systems. The backup apparatus comprises a second pump that has an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to a second fluid source and the outlet being connected in fluid flow relationship to the aquarium. A backup power source is connected by an electrical circuit to the second pump. A switch is connected to the electrical circuit, which is switchable between an off position, in which power is prevented from flowing, and an on position in which power is permitted to flow in the circuit thereby operating the pump. A sensor is inserted within the first pipe to detect fluid flow within the first pipe. The sensor permits the switch to remain in the off position as long as the sensor detects fluid flow in the first pipe. When the sensor determines that fluid flow has ceased in the first pipe, the sensor engages the switch moving the switch to the on position. The sensor maintains the switch in the on position until the sensor determines that fluid flow has returned to the first pipe. 
     The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacturer possessing the features, properties, and the relation to elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG  1 . is a detailed cross-sectional front elevational view of the sensor and switch of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the sensor and switch of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a first embodiment of the invention illustrating its connection to an aquarium; and 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating its connection to an aquarium. 
     Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. The reference characters of the parts of a second preferred embodiment that are similar to be parts of the first preferred embodiment are increased by increments of 100. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A preferred embodiment for the aquarium backup apparatus of this invention is illustrated in the schematic drawing FIG. 3, in which the backup apparatus is generally indicated as  10 . The aquarium backup apparatus is shown connected to a standard aquarium filtration and aeration system shown generally as  12 . 
     A standard aquarium filtration and aeration system  12  comprises a first pump, shown as  14 . The first pump  14  is connected to a power source (not shown). The first pump  14  has a fluid outlet  16  and a fluid inlet  15 , the fluid inlet  15  being connected in fluid flow relationship to a first fluid source, the aquarium  11 . In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the first pump  14  may be incorporated within a well known canister aquarium filter  17 , which filters and circulates the aquarium water prior to returning the water to the aquarium  11 . In other preferred embodiments the filter  17  may be separate from the pump  14 . The standard filtration and aeration system  12  further comprises a first pipe  13 , that has a first end  18  that is connected to the outlet  16  of the first pump  14  and a second end  19  that is in fluid flow relationship to the aquarium  24 . Thus, a fluid flow is created by the pump to conduct fluid from the first fluid source, aquarium  11 , through the canister aquarium filter  17 , through the inlet  15  of the pump  14 , out the outlet  16  of the pump  14  and through the first pipe  13  to the aquarium  11 . There are many other types of standard aquarium aeration and filtration systems to which the following improvement may be connected. 
     As seen in FIG. 3, a preferred embodiment of the aquarium backup apparatus  10 , which comprises an improvement to the standard aquarium filtration and aeration system  12 , comprises a sensor  20 , a second pump  21 , a backup power source, conveniently a backup battery  22 , and a switch  5 . 
     The second pump  21  has an inlet  25  and an outlet  26  , the inlet being connected in fluid flow relationship to a second fluid source, conveniently the ambient air, and the outlet  26  of said second pump  21  being connected in fluid flow relationship to the aquarium  11 . The second pump  21 , in this preferred embodiment, comprises an air pump. An air hose  27 , having a first end  28  connected to the outlet  26  of the second pump  21 , has a second end  29  that is attached to an aerator  30 , conveniently an air stone, that is placed within the fluid in the aquarium  11  to provide an oxygen source. 
     The second pump  21  is operated by the backup battery  22 . As the second pump  21  is only to operate when the first pump  14  fails, usually due to a power outage or pump failure, a switch  5  must be inserted within the circuit  32  between the backup battery  22  and the second pump  21 . The switch  5  must be operatively signaled by a sensor  20  when the backup system is needed. 
     As seen in FIG.  1  and FIG. 2, the sensor  20  is inserted into the first pipe  13  by attachment of two openings of a PVC Tee fitting  1  to the pipe  13  leaving the third opening for attachment of a second pipe  2 . The second pipe  2  has a first end  35  that is attached to the third opening of the PVC Tee fitting  1 . The second end  37  of the second pipe  2  has a rubber diaphragm  4  sealingly mounted thereon. A PVC end cap  3  is mounted over the second end  37  of the second pipe  2  to which has been mounted a 3 amp microswitch, for example, Model No. D2F-L-D, manufactured by Omron Corporation of Schaumburg, Ill. The switch  5  may be mounted on a base  7 , constructed from acrylic or other suitable material, that is attached to the PVC end cap  3  for purposes of spacing the switch in relationship to the rubber diaphragm  4 . The switch lever  6  of the switch  5  is movable between an off position (in which the power is prevented from flowing in the circuit to the pump) and an on position (in which the power is permitted to flow in the circuit. In the on position, as seen in FIG. 1, the lever extends outwardly at an angle to the body of the switch  5 . In the off position the lever is moved toward the body of the switch  5 . When fluid flows through the pipe  13  it also the flows through the Tee fitting  1  and the pressure caused by the fluid in the pipe  13  causes the diaphragm  4  to expand pressing against the lever  6  and moving it to the off position. Therefore as long as fluid flows within pipe  13  the second pump  21  is not operated as it is not required. When flow stops within the pipe  13 , the diaphragm contracts and the switch lever  6  moves to the on position permitting electricity to flow through the circuit from the backup battery  22  to the second pump  21  providing air through the air hose  27  and thus through the air stone  30 . In this preferred embodiment, the sensor comprises a pressure sensor. 
     The aquarium filtration and aeration system  112 , in a second preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, comprises a first pump, shown as  114 . The first pump  114  is connected to a power source (not shown). The first pump  114  has a fluid outlet  116  and a fluid inlet  115 , the fluid inlet  115  is connected in fluid flow relationship to a first fluid source, the aquarium  111 . As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first pump  114  is connected to a well known wet-dry filter  138  as the source of oxygen to be added to the fluid received from the aquarium  111  through a drain pipe  142 . The standard filtration and aeration system  112  further comprises a first pipe  113 , that has a first end  118  that is connected to the outlet  116  of the first pump  114  and a second end  119  that is in fluid flow relationship with the aquarium  111 . Thus, a fluid flow is created by the pump to conduct fluid from the first fluid source, aquarium  111 , through the drain pipe  142 , through the wet-dry filter  138 , through the inlet  115  of the pump  114 , out the outlet  116  of the pump  114  and through the first pipe  113  to the aquarium  111 . The fluid in this embodiment comprises primarily water. 
     The improvement  110  in the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, comprises a water pump  140  that is similar to a pump used to pump water from the bilges of boats. The pump  140  is a submersible pump and is immersed directly into the wet-dry filter  138  where the inlet  115  is in fluid flow communication with the aquarium  111  through the drain pipe  142  which siphons the water from the aquarium  111  into the wet-dry filter  138 . The outlet  116  of the first pump  140  is in fluid flow communication with the aquarium  111  through a third pipe  144  which connects with the first pipe  113 . To prevent the interchange of fluid between the standard and backup systems, a check valve  146  is installed in the third pipe  144  and in the first pipe  113  upstream of the connection of the third pipe  144  to the first pipe  113 . 
     The sensor and switch disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 will have the same structure and will operate in the same manner as in the first preferred embodiment disclosed earlier. When the fluid flow through first pipe  113  ceases due to power failure or pump failure the switch will activate the second pump  140  which will pump the aerated fluid back into the aquarium  111 . 
     While the foregoing describes a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that numerous variations and modifications of the structure will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be considered illustrative only of the principles of this invention and is not to be considered limitative thereof, the scope of the invention being determined solely by the claims appended hereto.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0