Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46D—MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES
  • A46D1/00—Bristles; Selection of materials for bristles
  • A46D1/02—Bristles details
  • A46D1/0253—Bristles having a shape which is not a straight line, e.g. curved, "S", hook, loop
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K63/00—Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria; Terraria
  • A01K63/10—Cleaning bottoms or walls of ponds or receptacles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
  • B08B1/10—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools characterised by the type of cleaning tool
  • B08B1/12—Brushes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
  • A46B13/008—Disc-shaped brush bodies
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B59/00—Hull protection specially adapted for vessels; Cleaning devices specially adapted for vessels
  • B63B59/06—Cleaning devices for hulls
  • B63B59/08—Cleaning devices for hulls of underwater surfaces while afloat

Definitions

• This invention is related to the field of open ocean aquaculture and, in particular, to an improved aquaculture cage screen scrubber and cleaning apparatus.
• Fish farming or open ocean aquaculture is the rearing of marine organisms under controlled conditions in exposed high energy ocean environments.
• the purpose of the open ocean aquaculture is to raise a species of fish in a controlled environment wherein the open ocean allows for the natural cleansing of the holding pen.
• the open ocean aquaculture facilities consist of cages, holding pens, or the like that can be free floating, secured to a structure, or lowered to the ocean bottom.
• Open ocean aquaculture also makes use of the vast area of the ocean wherein cage size is not limited, as compared to the placement of cages within bays or the like tightly boarded area.
• the fish farming industry has enjoyed a steady, strong growth for many years and can produce sustainable high quality fish products.
• the netting from offshore underwater cages cannot be efficiently removed for cleaning.
• the current solution is to scrub the cage screen underwater to remove fouling.
• the use of divers is expensive and the small fibers of the net contain small amounts of growth after cleaning and re-growth starts immediately.
• Holding pens placed in offshore waters employ cages that are lowered and secured to the ocean bottom. Holding pens that are positioned near shore or in bays may consist of floating facilities. Extensive offshore floating facilities are currently found in most coastal countries such as Australia, Chile, China, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Norway. The United States has only a few open ocean facilities while other countries are experimenting with such facilities such as Panama, Korea, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and other Central and South American countries. Labor offshore has many difficulties including poor working conditions, health risks and transportation costs. This is especially true for underwater cages where divers are required for almost all of the work.
• the aquaculture facilities may be used to house many different types of fish such as halibut, haddock, cod, flounder, black sea bass, snapper, cobia, yellow tale snapper, tuna, stripped bass, mahi mahi, and so forth .
• An underwater cage is susceptible to vegetation or algae growth which is fairly easy to remove if all sides of the cage material are periodically scrubbed. Fouling on an aquaculture screen is progressive in nature. Frequent cleaning of the earlier stages of growth help to prevent the growth from reaching later stages of hard growth that becomes progressively difficult to remove.
• Current cage cleaning methods are simple conventional brush devices used by hand or are power driven. The bending brush bristles can only contact about one-quarter to one-third of the strands at one pass. A second pass in the other direction will affect an additional one-quarter to one-third of the screen stand surface for cleaning. For a complete screening of the opposite side of the screen, the opposite side must also be brushed thereby doubling the cleaning effort.
• aquaculture cages have structure, such as door frames, fasteners, steep construction surface angles, or corners that prevent the use of automated cage cleaning devices.
• aquaculture cages have nursery cages tied, usually by rope, inside the aquaculture cages that prohibit automated cage cleaning devices from functioning. Attempts to solve this problem have utilized robotics with tractor drives and live video for remote control. This comes at a very high cost and a human operator is also required.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,970,747, to Pastore discloses a cleaning apparatus for cleaning underwater structures that is comprised of a cylindrical brush having a plurality of bristles that extend radially outward, a sealed electric motor for axially rotating the cylindrical brush, and a winch and cables used to raise and lower the cylindrical brush as it cleans the underwater structure.
• a substantially rectangular trough is displaced below the cleaning apparatus to collect debris that is removed from the underwater structure as the structure is being cleaned.
• the bristles are conventionally shaped.
• This system includes a brush or abrasive component which presses and scrubs against the surface to be cleaned, and also includes a fluid jet which drives water away from the surface, thereby producing a force against the surface.
• the brush is a stationary brush, with a handle for guidance by an underwater diver or from an arm at the surface; or the brush may be rotary or oscillatory to aid with the scrubbing action.
• the water jet may be incorporated into a tube which guides the water away from the surface. The tube produces a Venturi or Bernoulli effect which increases the water thrust and thus additional force against the surface.
• U.S. Patent No. 3,628,489 discloses a rotary brush for removing underwater fouling. This brush includes the use of metal blades spaced apart from the brushes to prevent damage to a surface.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,084,535, to Rees discloses an apparatus for cleaning or painting submerged surfaces .
• the apparatus includes rotary brushes that are either pneumatically or hydraulically driven and operated and positioned by underwater divers.
• U.S. Patent No. 6,886,486, to Van Rompay discloses the use of elastically deformable material for underwater cleaning of hulls.
• the material is rubber, or a rubber like material with relief in the form of nubs, ribs or protrusions.
• This patent discloses an underwater scrubbing machine having rotary brushes for cleaning the growth off of vessels.
• the scrub brushes are conventional and do not provide any unique function in and of themselves.
• U.S. Patent No. 7,748,349, to Thorvardson discloses a submersible cage having a net cleaning apparatus that consists of apertures in an arm in which fluid and/or a gas can be expelled towards the netting. Brushes are further used in scrubbing and cleaning of the netting. No mention is made of non-conventional bristles on the brushes .
• U.S. Patent No. 4,252,081, to Smith discloses a fish cage that employs buoyancy to rotate the cage and expose portions of the cage above the water line for cleaning .
• U.S. Patent No. 5,930,862 is directed to a rug rake having wire bristles that are bent at their distal end .
• the present invention includes a screen cleaning brush with multiple fibers or cleaning fingers made from a flexible material with a hook and barb shape.
• the hook is designed to trap the screen strand as it passes and rotates on a flexible arm to clean the opposite side of the strand and then flexes to release the strand.
• the cleaning material is ideally made from a rubber type material with good wear and flexible characteristics such as polyurethane , thermoplastic elastomers, silicones and rubbers.
• the scrubbing elements ' of the present invention are the breakthrough needed to make more efficient, cage cleaning possible.
• the current invention includes a scrubbing and cleaning device with a plurality of articulated fingers that can clean both sides of an aquaculture screen with one pass.
• Flexible hooked shaped fingers catch the back side of the screen member and are made of soft flexible polymers that will bend and clean as they release. If the fingers are long and stiffer, then the hook will rotate and bring the screen closer to the brush frame making it easier and more effective for the next advancing finger. This capability is a huge advantage where current and lack of support make cleaning significantly more difficult in many cases. Systems with linear motion are also contemplated.
• Another problem with fish cage cleaning is wall angles and structure in the cage that interrupt the cleaning path of the scrubber. Such barriers and structure can make automated cleaning very difficult. Reversing one of the several rotating propeller wheels in the present invention can lift the assembly off the cage screen for short periods of time, changing the angle of attack, and then advance forward again to proceed on an alternate route or jump a barrier.
• the instant invention has unique propulsion and navigation systems that enable the device to jump barriers or corners, such as mechanical bumpers with signal capability. Specific combinations of forward, reverse and stop can drive the scrubber in any direction over any obstacle once the obstacle is located and understood.
• specific sensors and software can be used to guide the equipment for any cage environment and configuration. These sensors could include any combination of altitude and positioning sensors, such as electric wave sensors, low frequency communications, GPS, sonar, short baseline acoustic positioning (SBL) , or the like to provide operational efficiency of the device.
• SBL short baseline acoustic positioning
• the invention includes a self contained power unit.
• the unit includes lithium polymer batteries that will deliver more than .12 watts per gram and 400 watts per hour.
• the device can use a brushless D.C. motor that will provide a very high level of performance over a wide range of conditions.
• the invention maximizes the propulsion and scrubbing finger details and efficiency, thereby radically decreasing the power requirement.
• the device can achieve rotor tip speeds of 1 to 4 ft. /sec.
• a device with scrubbing fingers of between 40-90 A scale durometer and a double head approximately one meter wide would operate for two hours and weigh less than 100 pounds above the water and be neutrally buoyant.
• the apparatus will travel at two to four meters per minute and clean 220 to 400 square meters of screen in two hours automatically.
• the instant invention additionally comprises a guard bumper that includes a forward bar for diverting the advancing scrubber around the nursery support ropes.
• the forward bar can be pointed or V-shaped enabling the forward bar to contact the nursery ropes without impeding the advancing scrubber.
• Aquaculture cage surfaces are orientated unpredictably underwater due to the loose movement and pliability of screen and net aquaculture cages.
• Propeller wheels can suck the screen and net aquaculture cages into wheels resulting in unpredictable engagement of the netting to the wheels and then unpredictable movement and cleaning of the wheels about the aquaculture cage.
• the closely fit guard bumper improves control of the scrubber because it more accurately controls the relation of the scrubbing wheel and cleaning fingers with respect to the screen and net surface resulting in improved tilt and depth control effectively adjusting forward movement forces and cleaning control.
• the apparatus includes an interior wheel circumventing bar for additional control and improved cleaning near the center of the wheels. The interior wheel circumventing bar prevents the net from bunching between the cleaning wheels .
• the instant invention includes a housing containing, inter alia, the battery and gear motor drive.
• the housing can include a pressurized volume that demonstrates and identifies a sealed system. The operator identifies that the system is pressurized before submerging the housing to prevent water damage to the system.
• the housing may be less dense than the water resulting in a positively buoyant housing.
• the propeller has a greater density than the water resulting in a negatively buoyant propeller.
• the combination of the housing and the propeller may result in a negatively buoyant system. Therefore, it is desirable to make a guard bumper from hollow tubing to increase the buoyancy of the system to near neutrally buoyant.
• the instant invention includes a hollow guard bumper formed from 2.25 inch diameter .065 inch wall aluminum tubing for maintaining near neutral buoyancy.
• the surface of at least a portion of scrubbing wheels are recessed relative to the guard bumper for preventing bunching of the net as the scrubbing wheels rotate.
• Removably attached to the system includes a member having a density for making the system negatively buoyant for lowering the cleaning apparatus beneath a water surface.
• the cleaning apparatus includes a member rope or wire secured to the bumper or body of the cleaning apparatus system for lowering and raising the cleaning apparatus. The rope being secured on a first end to the scrubber and on a second end to a winch.
• the scrubbing wheel can be mounted off center of the drive axis for a one hundred eighty degree (180°) synchronous offset for scrubbing the clearance zone between the wheels.
• the scrubbing wheel has shown improved performance and improved mobility to climb across angled surfaces when the wheels are mounted 3 ⁇ 4 inches to 1 1 ⁇ 2 inches off center.
• each scrubbing wheel can be tilted across its diameter for improved cleaning near center and improved movement across structure, such as door frames, fasteners, and steep construction surface angles or corners.
• An observed feature of the instant invention includes introducing a system wobble to overcome a 1 1 ⁇ 2 inch high 90° door recess, the system wobble is introduced by tilting the scrubbing wheel 3 ⁇ 4 inch across the scrubbing wheel diameter.
• the cleaning apparatus includes a tractor drive designed to drivably connect to the hand rail found on the aquaculture surface cages, the tractor drive is preferably battery powered.
• the tractor drive shall slowly advance along the hand rail or any elongated surface.
• a winch is provided about the tractor drive, the winch pulling the scrubber for ascending the underwater scrubber, the winch letting out the scrubber for descending underwater scrubber.
• handrails commonly found on aquaculture surface cages 300 are on the inward side of the dock floating assembly.
• the handrails 302 being located on the inward side of the cage enclosure causes fouling to be pushed inside the cage by the scrubber.
• reversing the construction of the cage dock and rail, or constructing an additional rail outside of the dock diverts the fouling away from the cage as the scrubber cleans from the outside of the cage for preventing fouling buildup inside of the cage.
• the propellers are in a stalled or near total slip condition against the cage.
• the cage scrubber propellers of the instant invention operate with a constant angle to the propeller shaft of about 45° for approximately 10% more efficiency .
• a tractor may utilize electric, air or hydraulic power for lowering and raising the scrubber
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the aquaculture cage and the cleaning apparatus with the screen material removed for clarity;
• FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the cleaning apparatus within area A as shown in Figure 1;
• Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the screen material as attached to the superstructure of the aquaculture cage
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a three headed cleaning apparatus
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a single head cleaning apparatus
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cleaning brush rotor
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the hub without fingers, propeller blades and mounting ring for the brush material ;
• Fig. 8 is a side view of the brush fingers prior to installation
• Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of one of the brush fingers as shown in circle B in Figure 8;
• Figs. 10A through 10D show the interaction of the deformable brush finger with a screen strand as it approaches the strand, engages the strand and releases the strand;
• Fig. 10A is a view of a strand engaging an end of the finger
• Fig. 10B is a view of a strand entering the U- shaped pocket of the finger
• Fig. IOC is a view of a strand causing extension of the finger
• Fig. 10D is a view of a strand about to leave the end of the finger
• Fig. 11A is a perspective view of a cleaning brush structure with wings
• Fig. 11B is an enlarged view of the cleaning brush fingers used on the cleaning brush structure
• Fig. 12 is a view of the cleaning apparatus engaging a cage
• Fig. 13 is a side view of a scrubber having a propeller and cleaning fingers
• Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a scrubber wheel mounted off center of the drive axis
• Fig. 15 is a side view of a scrubber wheel titled across the wheel diameter
• Fig. 16 is a side view of scrubber wheels tilted outwards from center across the wheel diameters
• Fig. 17A is a perspective view of the tractor mounted to the handrail
• Fig. 17B is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of Fig. 17A;
• Fig. 18 is a top view showing a particular design of the cleaning apparatus having a gimbal support with two degrees of freedom;
• Fig. 19 is a top view showing a particular design of the cleaning apparatus having a gimbal support with two degrees of freedom about a pitch axis P and a yaw axis Y;
• Fig. 20A is a perspective view showing a particular design of the cleaning apparatus having a gimbal support with two degrees of freedom about a pitch axis P and a yaw axis Y;
• Fig. 2 0B is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of Fig. 20A including a gimbal limiting arm that interacts with a middle beam slot;
• Fig. 2 1A is a view of an aquaculture cage having a handrail surface on the inward side of the dock floating assembly;
• Fig. 21B is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of Fig. 21A;
• Fig. 22A is a view of an aquaculture cage having a handrail surface on the outward side of the dock floating assembly
• Fig. 22B is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of Fig. 22A;
• Fig. 23A is a view of an aquaculture cage having a handrail surface on the outward side of the dock floating assembly.
• Fig. 23B is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of Fig. 23A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Aquaculture cages will experience two types of growth, which for reference will be called soft and hard.
• Soft growth is bacteria, fungus, algae, diatoms and grass.
• Hard growths are barnacles, oysters, mussels, clams, etc.
• Hard growths can be inhibited with a combination of surface finish and flexibility that affect their ability to attach to the cage. Controlling hard growth with screen extruded or molded plastics can be accomplished by keeping the flex modulus low enough to allow some flexing during use. The hard growths attachment gets stressed because the shell will not flex as screen flexing occurs and they cannot maintain attachment and fall off the screen.
• Flex modulus of plastics of 500 ksi and lower in diameters of 3.5 mm and smaller have been found effective to release hard growths of barnacles, clams, oysters and tube worms.
• Tensile strength of 8,000 psi have been found suitable with a surface durometer of D 75 or higher have been found effective against predators.
• antimicrobial products for plastics have been developed for the medical industry. They are generally too expensive for other markets.
• the antimicrobial additive is usually blended into the plastic between one half and two percent at a minimum effective quantity to control cost. Most of the antimicrobial is locked deep inside the part where it cannot be beneficial and only a small surface quantity is effective. However, this process keeps the antimicrobial locked in the polymer and does not allow the antimicrobial to pollute the environment.
• FIG. 1 illustrates an aquaculture cage 1 having a plurality of support members 2 to form the superstructure for the cage 1.
• the screen material has been removed for clarity.
• the entire cage 1 is enclosed by screening material that is attached to the surrounding support members 2.
• a cleaning apparatus 4 of the instant invention Located within the interior of the aquaculture cage 1 is a cleaning apparatus 4 of the instant invention.
• the cleaning apparatus 4 is preferably positioned within the cage but could, if desired, be positioned on the outer surface of the screening material.
• FIG 2 is an enlarged view of the cleaning apparatus 4 as shown within circle “A" in Figure 1. This view shows a three unit cleaning apparatus 4 but it is contemplated that the number of units could range from one to as many as needed to suit that size and geometry of the cage 1.
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative screen 6 as it is attached to one of the support members 2.
• the screen 6 is comprised of strands 7 of material that are orthogonally oriented to one another thereby creating a grid.
• the openings 8 within the grid are sufficiently small enough to retain the farmed fish within the aquaculture cage 1.
• FIG. 4 is an illustration of a cleaning apparatus 4 having three units 10 ⁇ , 10B and IOC.
• Unit 10A is connected to unit 10B by one structural beam 12 and to IOC by another structural beam 12.
• unit 10B is connected to unit IOC by a third structural beam 12.
• Each of the units 10A, 10B and IOC has a housing 14.
• Each housing 14 includes a self-contained power unit.
• the housing 14 includes lithium polymer batteries that will deliver more than .12 watts per gram and 400 watts per hour.
• the cleaning apparatus can be powered by a tethered external power source located out of the water.
• each housing 14 includes a brushless D.C. motor that will provide a very high level of performance over a wide range of conditions .
• Each unit contains sensors to facilitate the navigation of the cleaning apparatus within the aquaculture cage .
• Each unit also includes an external handle 16 that would enable a driver (s) to manually maneuver the cleaning apparatus in the water.
• the output of the motor contained within each housing 10A, 10B and IOC is connected to a head 20A, 20B and 20C through a rotary output shaft.
• the power unit can be either pneumatically or hydraulically driven.
• Figure 5 shows a single cleaning unit including a housing 14 with a handle 16, a cleaning brush head (20A, 20B, 20C) as well as a navigation sensor 22.
• Each unit can be fitted with a sensor 22.
• the sensors can be mechanical bumpers with signal capability. Specific combinations of forward, reverse and stop for each unit independently can drive the cleaning apparatus in any direction over any obstacle once the obstacle is located and understood. Likewise specific sensors and software can be used to guide the equipment for any cage environment and configuration.
• the cage may be equipped with a home signaling device which is in communication with one or more sensors on the cleaning device.
• attitude direction and positioning sensors such as electric wave sensors, low frequency communication, GPS, sonar, short baseline acoustic positioning (SBL), or the like to provide operational efficiency of the device.
• the input from the sensors would be inputted into a central processing unit which would enable the cleaning apparatus to learn the geometric configuration of the aquaculture cage 1.
• the central processing unit would either be carried on board the cleaning apparatus 4 or located on a floating platform above the water that is electrically tethered to the cleaning apparatus.
• FIG 6 shows a single brush head 20A, brush heads 20B and 20C are identical to brush head 20A.
• the brush head includes a central hub 24 for attaching the brush head to the motor output shaft contained with the unit housing 14.
• Circumferentially located and attached to the hub 24 is a plurality of propeller blades 26.
• the propeller blades 26 serve to propel the head or heads in a forward or reverse direction, while maneuvering the cleaning apparatus 4.
• the propeller blades 26 create a fluid flow jet that helps to flush the debris away from the screen.
• the opposite end of each propeller blade 26 is attached to a radially inwardly directed surface of a ring 28.
• a plurality of flexible hook shaped fingers 32 extend from the ring 28 in a direction perpendicular to the radially directed inward surface.
• the flexible hook shaped fingers 32 are located about the entire circumference of the ring.
• the flexible hook shaped fingers 32 are ideally made from a rubber type material with good wear and flexible characteristics such as polyurethane , thermoplastic elastomers, silicones and rubbers. Where the flexible hook shaped fingers 32 are made from a thermo plastic elastomer it should have a durometer hardness of 40 to 90 on the A . shore scale. In general, the flexible hook shaped fingers will have a hardness of less than 75 on the A shore scale. As shown in Figures 4 and 6 the flexible hook shaped fingers are configured as separate strips, each strip being radially spaced from one another. The flexible hook shaped fingers 32 between adjacent strips 36 are staggered from one another about the perimeter of the ring 28.
• Figure 7 illustrates a brush head 20A having a ring 28 which includes a plurality of pins 34 placed about its circumference. Pins 34 are sized and configured to mate with complimentary holes formed on each strip 36.
• Figure 8 is a side view of the flexible hook shaped fingers 32 prior to installation.
• the flexible hook shaped fingers 32 are formed on the elongated strip 36 that can be formed to the appropriate length. Once cut or formed to the proper length, the strip 36 is mounted on ring 28. A number of holes 38 on each strip 36 are brought into alignment with pins 34 on ring 28.
• Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the circled section "B" in Figure 8 with flexible hook shaped finger 32 depending therefrom.
• Figures 10A through 10D show the interaction of a single flexible hook shaped finger 32 with a screen strand 7 as it approaches the strand 7, engages the strand 7, and releases the strand 7.
• the flexible hook shaped finger 32 includes a first longer leg portion 40 that is attached to the strip 36 at one end and transitions to a generally "U" shaped portion 42 at the opposite end of the first longer leg portion 40.
• the opposite end of the "U" shaped bend portion 42 transitions into a second shorter leg portion 44.
• the other end of the second shorter leg portion 44 terminates in a rounded tip 46.
• a "U” shaped channel 48 is formed.
• Figure 10A shows the flexible hook shaped finger 32 as the tip 46 comes into contact with a single strand 7.
• Figure 10B shows the strand 7 located within the "U" shaped channel 48.
• the flexible hook shaped finger 32 has been elastically deformed and the "U" shaped channel 48 expanded such that the strand 7 comes into frictional engagement with leg portions 40 and 44 as well as the "U” shaped channel 48.
• This mechanical contact of the flexible hook shaped finger 32 and the strand 7 acts to clean both sides of the strand 7, hence the screen, simultaneously.
• the flexible hook shaped finger 32 will continue to deform as shown in Figure IOC.
• the "U" shaped portion is elastically deformed into a position where the U-shape is substantially straightened while still maintaining an engagement with strand 7.
• Figure 10D shows the relationship between the flexible hook shaped finger 32 and the strand 7 just prior to the release of the flexible hook shaped finger 32 from the strand 7.
• the flexible hook shaped finger 32 has been elastically deformed and substantially straightened.
• the tip 46 of the finger 32 remains in contact with strand 7.
• the process continues with each finger 32 on the brush head continuously engaging pluralities of strands 7 on the screen 6.
• the cleaning apparatus 4 continues to move about the cage 1 until the screen surfaces have been cleaned.
• a scrubber structure 70 can be used as shown in Figures liA and 11B.
• the scrubber structure 70 is constructed from a rigid frame 72 having a plurality of flexible hook shaped fingers 32 depending from a plurality of elongated strips 36 that attach to the rigid frame 72.
• attachment to the frame can be by use of pins extending between the side walls 76 and 78 of the frame or a backing plate 80 can be integrated into the frame.
• a ballast weight 84 At a first end 82 of the frame 72 is a ballast weight 84 that permits the sinking of the scrubber structure.
• Lines 8 6 are positioned along a second end 8 8 of the frame to allow for the controlled lowering of the scrubber structure into the water and lifting therefrom.
• Fins 90 have a front surface 92 that use the density of the water to push the scrubber structure against a screen while the structure is being lowered.
• the rear surface 94 uses the density of the water to pull the scrubber structure away from a screen while the structure is being lifted.
• the fingers 32 are used to engage the screen for cleaning purposes .
• the scrubber structure 70 can be lowered by an individual standing above the surface of the water who is holding on to the lines 8 6 .
• the ballast weight is constructed and arranged to have sufficient weight to overcome any buoyancy of the scrubber structure 70.
• fins 90 have a front surface 92 using the density of the water to push the scrubber structure against a screen wherein the fingers 32 are used to engage the screen for cleaning purposes as fully described in the previous embodiment.
• the rear surface 94 of the fins 90 uses the density of the water to pull the scrubber structure away from the screen. The operator can then reposition over the next area to be cleaned and repeat these steps.
• Figure 12 shows a cleaning apparatus including a scrubber 99 that removes fouling on aquaculture cages, the scrubber being tethered to a tractor drive 112 that advances the scrubber 99 around the cage.
• the scrubber 99 includes a guard bumper 100.
• Guard bumper 100 encompasses the radial periphery of the scrubber wheels.
• Guard Bumper 100 may be hollow for enacting positive buoyance on the scrubber 99.
• the hollow guard bumper 100 formed from 2.25 inch diameter .065 inch wall aluminum tubing.
• the surface of at least a portion of scrubbing wheels are recessed relative to the guard bumper for preventing bunching of the net as the scrubbing wheels rotate.
• a forward bar 104 is secured to outside of the outer surface of the guard bumper 100.
• the forward bar 104 may be situated in a variety of different positions and orientations about the guard bumper 100.
• the forward bar 104 is V-shaped.
• Forward bar 104 may be secured at a point 121 to one of a first end of a tethering line 120 and a weight member 102.
• An interior wheel circumventing bar 108 is secured to the inside of outer surface of the guard bumper 100.
• a stabilizing bar 110 is secured at two points of the outer surface of the guard bumper 100.
• a component housing member 111 is secured at a central point 113 of a first stabilizing bar 110 and a central point 113 of a second stabilizing bar 110.
• Component housing member 111 may be positively buoyant, negatively buoyant or neutrally buoyant.
• the scrubbing wheels can be tilted downwards and upwards, respectively, for causing contact with the agueous cage .
• the instant invention includes a housing 14 and component housing member 111 containing, inter alia, a battery and a gear motor drive.
• the housing 14 and the component housing member 111 can include a pressurized volume that visually or electrically demonstrates and identifies a sealed system.
• FIG. 13 shows an angled shim 132 coupled between a main drive shaft 130 and propeller blade 26 of the scrubbing wheel .
• Angled shim 132 serves to create wobble as the propeller blade rotates, the wobble can be used to overcome and cross structure.
• Angled shim 132 causes the scrubbing wheel to be tilted across its diameter for improved cleaning near center and improved movement across structure, such as door frames, fasteners, and steep construction surface angles, or corners.
• angled shim 132 introduces 3 ⁇ 4 inch tilt across the scrubbing wheel diameter to overcome a 1 1 ⁇ 2 inch high 90° door recess.
• FIG. 14 shows propeller blade 26 mounted off center 134 of the drive axis 130 for a one hundred eighty degree (180°) synchronous offset for scrubbing the clearance zone 144 between the wheels, the clearance zone 144 represented as line A in FIG. 16.
• the synchronous offset results in wiggle of the scrubbing wheel.
• mounting the scrubbing wheels 3 ⁇ 4 inches to 1 1 ⁇ 2 inches off center improves cleaning performance and improves mobility to climb across angled surfaces.
• FIG. 15 shows the scrubber wheel tilted about its diameter.
• Forward bar 104 includes two apertures 160. Each aperture 160 is calibrated to permit attachment of a member 162.
• Member 162 interfacing about aperture 160 permits forward and backwards tilt of the scrubber wheel about the guard bumper 100. Member 162 can releaseably secure about aperture 160 to maintain tilt of the scrubber wheel about the guard bumper 100.
• FIG. 16 shows the two scrubber wheels 99, each scrubber wheel 99 tilted about its diameter.
• Member 138 secures at a first point to the guard bumper outer surface 140.
• Member 138 secures at a second point to the housing 142
• Member 138 permits outward tilt from center. Member 138 can releaseably maintain outward tilt of the scrubber wheel.
• FIGS. 17A and 17B show a tractor drive 112 including at least two wheels 114, each wheel having opposing lips 122 that engage a rail, a belt 124 that rotates about the wheel cavities 121 for moving the tractor drive 112 about the railing 146.
• Axil 156 engages wheel 114 for permitting wheel 114 to rotate.
• Axil 156 secures to the first end of a plate 131.
• Arm 126 is affixed at a proximal end 129 to plate 131, and a pulley 150 is affixed at a distal end 127 of the arm 126.
• the pulley 150 permits the tethering line 120 to move across the pulley 150 when the tethering line 120 is let in and let out about the spool 132.
• Axil 158 is rotatably driven by a motor 130.
• Motor 130 is constructed and arranged to rotate the spool 132.
• Arm 148 controls the engagement of the motor 130 to axil 158 and spool 132.
• the tethering line 120 ( Figures 12 and 17A) being secured on a second end to a winch 164 having a spool 132.
• Winch 164 rotates a spool 132 constructed and arranged for rotatably bringing in and letting out the tethering line 120.
• FIGS. 18 thru 20B Shown in FIGS. 18 thru 20B is a particular embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 4 having two cleaning units 200 constructed and arranged to move on a two-axis gimbal for orientating the cleaning units 200 relative to a net at various levels of rotation.
• Each cleaning unit 200 includes a first axis support member 212 having first axis projections 204 that pivotably mate to two first axis apertures 206 on a net guard 208 creating a first level of rotation therebetween. In scrubbing operation, the first level pivots about a pitch axis P.
• the net guard 208 includes two second axis projections 210 that mate with two apertures on a support column 218 creating a second level of rotation therebetween.
• the second level pivots about a yaw axis Y.
• the pitch axis will be adjusted in relation to rotation of the yaw axis Y.
• the support column 218 is defined by a middle beam 220 mounted between end beams 202.
• the middle beam 220 includes a slot 216.
• the first axis support member 212 includes a gimbal limiting arm 214 that fits into the slot 216.
• the gimbal limiting arm 214 limits the freedom of movement of the pitch and yaw axis, and more specifically limits the movement of the cleaning units 200 about the two-axis gimbal.
• the end beams 202 secure the component housing member 111, the component housing member 11 further disclosed herein.
• the net guard 208 fits in close proximity to a cleaning brush head 20D.
• the net guard 208 assists in preventing bunching of the net during scrubbing operation as the scrubbing wheels rotate. In addition to preventing bunching, the net guard 208 assists in holding the net taut resulting in the scrubber advancing against the net.
• the cleaning apparatus includes a tractor drive designed to drivably connect to the hand rail found on the aquaculture surface cages, the tractor drive is preferably battery powered.
• the tractor drive shall slowly advance along the hand rail or any elongated surface.
• a winch is provided about the tractor drive, the winch pulling the scrubber for ascending the underwater scrubber, the winch letting out the scrubber for descending underwater scrubber.
• the cages include screens (Fig. 3) that are attached to support members 2.
• the support members may be formed from hollow plastic or other buoyant materials. Alternatively, the support members 2 may secure by a securement member 324 to other buoyant members 326.
• a platform or other cage dock 148 may be secured to the buoyant materials, including the support members and the buoyant materials. The platform supports weight and additionally allows individuals to walk around the perimeter of the cage.
• a rail may otherwise be attached to the support members 2.
• handrails commonly found on aquaculture surface cages 300 are on the inward side of the dock floating assembly.
• the handrails 302 being located on the inward side of the cage enclosure causes fouling to be pushed inside the cage by the scrubber.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Cleaning In General (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)

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Cited By (23)

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• 2013
  • 2013-02-20 WO PCT/US2013/026777 patent/WO2013126359A2/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (12)

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