JP7708428B2 - Aquaculture tank - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an aquarium used for farming fish and shellfish.

Some fish and shellfish farming tanks are polygonal or circular in plan view, have a drain outlet in the center of the bottom (see, for example, drain outlet 2 in Patent Document 1), and have an inclined surface on the top of the bottom that slopes downward as it approaches the drain outlet (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). By providing the inclined surface and creating a swirling water current to promote the growth of fish and shellfish, these farming tanks make it easier to collect foreign matter in the water, such as the excrement and shells of farmed fish and shellfish, and leftover food, toward the drain outlet.

JP 2005-224217 A Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-111768

However, simply making the upper surface of the bottom of the aquaculture tank slope downward as it approaches the drain outlet and creating a swirling water flow may result in the foreign matter remaining on the slope around the drain outlet.

The present invention aims to provide an aquaculture tank that can effectively discharge foreign matter from the drain outlet so that less of the foreign matter remains around the drain outlet.

The aquaculture tank according to the present invention is a tank used for cultivating fish and shellfish, and has a drainage outlet formed in the center of the bottom of the tank. The upper surface of the bottom includes an inclined surface that descends toward the drainage outlet. The tank includes a rotating member that is rotatably supported around the vertical central axis of the drainage outlet by a bearing member attached to the drainage outlet and rotates around the vertical central axis by a water flow flowing down the drainage outlet, and a radial extension member that is attached to the rotating member and extends in a radial direction perpendicular to the vertical central axis. The bearing member is a sliding bearing and includes a first annular portion that supports the rotating member, a second annular portion that is spaced outward in the radial direction from the first annular portion, and a plurality of connecting portions that connect the first annular portion and the second annular portion and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the vertical central axis, and the rotating member includes a rotating shaft that is loosely fitted into a through hole of the first annular portion, and a blade member that is attached to the lower end of the rotating shaft. The radially extending member rotates together with the rotating member to cause foreign matter on the upper surface around the drain outlet to float in the water.

With this configuration, the radial extension member rotates together with the rotating member that rotates about the vertical center axis due to the water flowing down the drain outlet, thereby causing foreign matter adhering to the upper surface of the bottom of the tank around the drain outlet to float in the water. The foreign matter suspended in the water is guided to the drain outlet by the water flow toward the drain outlet, so that the foreign matter can be effectively discharged from the drain outlet.

With this configuration, the rotating shaft of the rotating member is loosely fitted into the plain bearing, and while the rotating shaft is supported by the plain bearing, water flows down the drain from the gap between the connecting parts adjacent in the circumferential direction of the plain bearing, rotating the blade member at the lower end of the rotating shaft. This makes the rotational movement of the rotating member and the radially extending member smooth, and the rotational movement can be stabilized for a long period of time.

In a preferred embodiment, the radial extension member is made up of a substantially horizontal rod-shaped body and a hair-shaped or plate-shaped body protruding downward from the rod-shaped body, and the tip of the hair-shaped or plate-shaped body slides on the upper surface of the bottom.

With this configuration, when the radially extending member rotates, the tips of the hair-like or plate-like bodies protruding downward slide along the upper surface of the bottom of the tank, sweeping up any foreign matter adhering to the upper surface. This allows any foreign matter on the upper surface around the drain to be more efficiently suspended in the water, allowing the foreign matter to be more effectively discharged from the drain.

In the aquaculture tank of the present invention, the rotating member and the radially extending member are rotated by the water flowing down the drain outlet, and foreign matter adhering to the upper surface of the bottom of the tank around the drain outlet is suspended in the water, so that the foreign matter can be effectively discharged from the drain outlet so that the amount of the foreign matter is reduced.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an aquaculture tank according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional front view of the aquaculture tank. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional front view of a main portion of the bearing member, the rotating member, and the radially extending member. FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion of a bearing member, a rotating member, and a radially extending member taken out from FIGS. 2 and 3 . FIG. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

In this specification, the direction perpendicular to the vertical central axis (see symbol A in Figures 1 and 2) of the drainage outlet formed in the center of the bottom of the aquaculture tank is referred to as the "radial direction" (see arrow D in Figure 1). The "circumferential direction" (see arrow C in Figure 1) is defined based on the vertical central axis. A view of the aquaculture tank from the outside in the radial direction of the aquaculture tank is considered a front view.

<Water layer for aquaculture>
As shown in the plan view of Fig. 1 and the longitudinal sectional front view of Fig. 2, an aquaculture tank 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is circular in plan view, has a bottom 2 and a side 3, and is used for cultivating fish and shellfish. A drain outlet H is formed in the center of the bottom 2 of the tank 1, and an upper surface 2A of the bottom 2 includes inclined surfaces E1, E2, and E3 that descend as they approach the drain outlet H. Water W discharged from the drain outlet H passes through a drain pipe 8 and is purified in a filtration tank (not shown) before being returned to the tank 1.

The planar shape of the aquaculture tank 1 is not limited to a circular shape as shown in FIG. 1, but may be a polygonal shape, a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape with rounded corners, or other shapes.

In the water W in the tank 1, there is a water flow F1 that circulates in a spiral shape, generated by, for example, a water flow generating device (not shown) that supplies water or air into the tank 1. The water flow F1 can promote the growth of the fish and shellfish being cultured in the tank 1. Foreign matter in the water, such as excrement, shells, and leftover food from the cultured fish and shellfish, can be easily collected toward the drain H due to the inclined surfaces E1, E2, and E3 and the water flow F1.

<Rotating Member and Radially Extending Member>
As shown in the longitudinal sectional front view of Fig. 2, the enlarged longitudinal sectional front view of a main portion of Fig. 3, and the enlarged perspective view of a main portion of Fig. 4, the water tank 1 includes a rotating member 5 and a radially extending member 6. The rotating member 5 is supported rotatably about the vertical central axis A of the drain outlet H by a bearing member B attached to the drain outlet H. The radially extending member 6 is attached to the rotating member 5 and extends in the radial direction D.

The rotating member 5 is composed of a rotating shaft 5A and a blade member 5B attached to the lower end of the rotating shaft 5A. As shown in FIG. 3, the water flow F2 flowing down the drain outlet H rotates the blade member 5B in a rotational direction R, so that the rotating shaft 5A and the radial extension member 6 also rotate in the rotational direction R.

The radial extension member 6 is composed of a substantially horizontal rod-shaped body 6A and hair-like bodies protruding downward from the rod-shaped body 6A, and the tips of the hair-like bodies 6B slide on the upper surface 2A of the bottom 2. The hair-like bodies 6B are, for example, wires of synthetic resin or metal, or synthetic or natural fibers twisted together, and may be brush-shaped. Alternatively, instead of the hair-like bodies 6B, a plate-shaped body having multiple flat spatulas protruding downward from the rod-shaped body 6A may be used. The hair-like bodies 6B or the plate-shaped body have the required flexibility and rigidity to sweep away foreign matter adhering to the upper surface 2A of the bottom 2.

<Bearing materials>
The bearing member B is made up of upper and lower plain bearings 4, 4, with a spacer 7 between the upper and lower plain bearings 4, 4. By supporting the rotating shaft 5A with the plain bearings 4, 4 spaced apart from each other above and below, the rotating shaft 5A that rotates while receiving a moment load is stably supported.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5 and the plan view of FIG. 6, the sliding bearing 4 is composed of a first annular portion 4A, a second annular portion 4B, and a connecting portion 4C. The second annular portion 4B is spaced outward from the first annular portion in the radial direction D, and the first annular portion 4A and the second annular portion 4B are connected by the connecting portion 4C. There are multiple connecting portions 4C (three in this embodiment) spaced apart in the circumferential direction C of the vertical central axis A. There is a gap G between adjacent connecting portions 4C, 4C in the circumferential direction C. There is a through hole I on the inside of the first annular portion 4A in the radial direction D.

Because there is a gap G in the sliding bearing 4, water can flow down the drain port H as shown in FIG. 3, and the water flow F2 flowing down the drain port H rotates the blade member 5B in the rotation direction R. The rotating shaft 5A fits loosely into the through hole I of the first annular portion 4A. The inner surface of the sliding bearing 4 that forms at least the through hole I of the first annular portion 4A is made of, for example, a resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or a ceramic such as silicon carbide, and has self-lubricating properties.

<Action and effect>
In the aquaculture tank 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the radially extending members 6 rotate together with the rotating members 5 rotating about the vertical central axis A due to the water flow F2 flowing down the drain outlet H, thereby causing foreign matter adhering to the upper surface 2A of the bottom 2 of the tank 1 around the drain outlet H to float in the water. The foreign matter suspended in the water is guided to the drain outlet H by the water flow toward the drain outlet H, so that the foreign matter can be effectively discharged from the drain outlet H.

In addition, with the rotating shaft 5A of the rotating member 5 loosely fitted into the through hole I of the plain bearing 4 and the rotating shaft 5A supported by the upper and lower plain bearings 4, 4, water W flows down the drainage outlet H from the gap G between the connecting parts 4C, 4C adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction C of the plain bearing 4, rotating the blade member 5B at the lower end of the rotating shaft 5A. This makes the rotational movement of the rotating member 5 and the radial extension member 6 smooth and allows the rotational movement to be stable for a long period of time.

Furthermore, when the radial extension member 6 rotates, the tips of the downwardly protruding hair-like bodies 6B or plate-like bodies slide along the upper surface 2A of the bottom 2 of the tank 1, sweeping up any foreign matter adhering to the upper surface 2A. This allows the foreign matter on the upper surface 2A around the drain H to be more efficiently suspended in the water, allowing the foreign matter to be more effectively discharged from the drain H.

The above description of the embodiments is merely illustrative and is not intended to be limiting. Various improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Reference Signs List 1 Aquaculture tank 2 Bottom 2A Top surface 3 Side 4 Slide bearing 4A First annular portion 4B Second annular portion 4C Connecting portion 5 Rotating member 5A Rotating shaft 5B Blade member 6 Radial extension member 6A Rod-shaped body 6B Hair-shaped body 7 Spacer 8 Drain pipe A Vertical central axis B Bearing member C Circumferential direction D Radial direction E1, E2, E3 Inclined surface F1, F2 Water flow G Gap H Drain port I Through hole R Rotation direction W Water

Claims (2)

A tank used for farming fish and shellfish,
A drain outlet is formed in the center of the bottom of the water tank,
The upper surface of the bottom portion includes an inclined surface that descends as it approaches the drain outlet,
a rotating member that is rotatably supported about a vertical central axis of the drain outlet by a bearing member attached to the drain outlet and that rotates about the vertical central axis by a water flow flowing down the drain outlet;
A radially extending member attached to the rotating member and extending in a radial direction perpendicular to the vertical central axis;
Equipped with
The bearing member is a sliding bearing, and includes a first annular portion supporting the rotating member, a second annular portion spaced radially outward from the first annular portion, and a plurality of connecting portions spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the vertical central axis and connecting the first annular portion and the second annular portion,
the rotating member includes a rotating shaft that is loosely fitted into a through hole of the first annular portion, and a blade member that is attached to a lower end of the rotating shaft,
The radially extending member rotates together with the rotating member to cause foreign matter on the upper surface around the drain outlet to float in the water.
Aquaculture tank. The radial extension member is composed of a substantially horizontal rod-shaped body and a hair-shaped body or a plate-shaped body protruding downward from the rod-shaped body,
The tip of the hair-like body or the plate-like body slides on the upper surface of the bottom part.
The aquaculture tank according to claim 1 .