1. An armrest comprising:
a mounting plate;
a block member; and
a link member having a first end and a second end that opposes the first end, wherein the link member is engaged with the mounting plate at a first pivot toward the first end to pivot the link member at the first pivot and laterally move the second end, and the link member is engaged with the block member at a second pivot toward the second end to pivot the block member at the second pivot and laterally move an end of the block member that faces the first end.
2. The armrest of claim 1, comprising a plate member situated between the mounting plate and the link member, wherein the mounting plate includes a first boss and a second boss and the plate member includes apertures over the first boss and the second boss and the link member includes a pivot aperture over the first boss and a first curved slot over the second boss to pivot the link member at the pivot aperture and laterally move the second end of the link member.
3. The armrest of claim 2, wherein the first boss includes a first aperture and the second boss includes a second aperture and the link member and the plate member are attached to the mounting plate by a first element that engages the first aperture and a second element that engages the second aperture.
4. The armrest of claim 2, wherein the plate member includes a detent aperture and the link member includes a detent bump that engages the detent aperture to indicate a home position of the plate member and the link member.
5. The armrest of claim 1, wherein:
the block member includes a block aperture and a block boss; and
the link member includes a pivot boss and a second curved slot, wherein the block aperture is over the pivot boss and the block boss is in the second curved slot to pivot the block member at the pivot boss and laterally move the end of the block member that faces the first end.
6. The armrest of claim 5, wherein the block boss includes a block boss aperture and the pivot boss includes a pivot boss aperture and the block member is attached to the link member by a third element that extends through the block aperture and into the pivot boss aperture and a fourth element that extends through the curved slot and into the block boss aperture.
7. The armrest of claim 1, comprising a cover plate member situated between the block member and the link member.
8. The armrest of claim 7, wherein the cover plate member includes a longitudinal slot and the block member is situated in the longitudinal slot.
9. The armrest of claim 8, wherein the cover plate member includes a rim along at least one side of the longitudinal slot and the block member includes a recess over the rim to align the block member in the longitudinal slot and slidably engage the cover plate member between the block member and the link member.
10. The armrest of claim 7, wherein the link member includes a detent bump and the cover plate member includes at least one of a detent tab and a detent slot that engages the detent bump to indicate a home position of the cover plate and the link member.
11. The armrest of claim 7, comprising an arm pad secured to the cover plate member.
12. An arm pad assembly comprising:
a guide plate having a pivot aperture and a slot aperture;
a slide block having a block aperture and a block boss; and
a pivot link having a back pivot aperture, a front pivot boss, a first curved slot, and a second curved slot, wherein the pivot aperture and the back pivot aperture are held in alignment at a back pivot and the slot aperture and the first curved slot are held in alignment to pivot the pivot link at the back pivot and laterally move a front end of the pivot link, and the block aperture is fit over the front pivot boss and the block boss is situated in the second curved slot to pivot the slide block at the second pivot aperture and laterally move a back end of the slide block.
13. The arm pad assembly of claim 12, comprising a cover plate that includes a longitudinal slot, wherein the cover plate is situated between the slide block and the pivot link and the slide block is engaged in the longitudinal slot such that the cover plate slides longitudinally between the slide block and the pivot link.
14. A chair comprising:
a base to support the chair on a surface;
a seat and a back supported by the base; and
an armrest attached to the chair and supported by the base, the armrest comprising:
a slide block including a recessed portion and a block boss;
a cover plate including a longitudinal slot and a rim on at least one side of the longitudinal slot; and
a pivot link including a front pivot boss and a front curved slot, wherein the slide block is situated in the longitudinal slot with the recessed portion on the rim and the cover plate is situated between the pivot link and the slide block to slide longitudinally between the pivot link and the slide block, and the block boss is situated in the front curved slot and the slide block is attached to the pivot link at the front pivot boss to pivot the slide block at the front pivot boss and laterally move a first end of the cover plate.
15. The chair of claim 14, wherein the armrest comprises a mounting plate including a first boss and a second boss and the pivot link includes a back pivot aperture and a back curved slot and the first boss is situated in the back pivot aperture and the second boss is situated in the back curved slot to pivot the pivot link at the back pivot aperture and laterally move a second end of the cover plate that opposes the first end of the cover plate.
16. The chair of claim 15, wherein the pivot link is attached to the mounting plate via a first element attached to the first boss through the back pivot aperture and a second element attached to the second boss through the back curved slot.
17. The chair of claim 14, wherein the slide block includes a block aperture fit over the front pivot boss and the slide block is attached to the pivot link via a third element attached to the front pivot boss through the block aperture and a fourth element attached to the slide block through the front curved slot.
18. The chair of claim 14, comprising an arm pad attached to the cover plate.
19. A method of assembling an armrest comprising:
providing a link member having a first pivot situated toward a first end and a second pivot situated toward a second end that opposes the first end;
attaching a block member to the link member at the second pivot to pivot the block member at the second pivot and laterally move an end of the block member that faces the first end; and
attaching the link member to a plate at the first pivot to pivot the link member at the first pivot and laterally move the second end of the link member.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein attaching the link member to the plate comprises:
positioning a first boss of the plate in a pivot aperture of the link member; and
positioning a second boss of the plate in a first curved slot of the link member.
21. The method of claim 20, comprising a plate member, wherein attaching the link member to the plate comprises:
positioning the plate member between the link member and the plate;
securing a first element into the first boss through the pivot aperture and the plate member; and
securing a second element into the second boss through the first curved slot and the plate member.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein attaching the block member to the link member comprises:
positioning a block aperture of the block member over a pivot boss of the link member; and
positioning a block boss of the block member in a second curved slot of the link member.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein attaching the block member to the link member comprises;
securing a third element into the pivot boss through the block aperture; and
securing a fourth element into the block boss through the second curved slot.
24. The method of claim 19, comprising:
providing a cover plate member that includes a longitudinal slot;
situating the block member in the longitudinal slot; and
situating the cover plate member between the block member and the link member prior to attaching the block member to the link member.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein situating the block member in the longitudinal slot comprises positioning a portion of the block member on a rim of the longitudinal slot.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An aquarium comprising:
a tank;
a pumping system including a pump disposed in the tank;
an under gravel filter disposed in the tank below the pump, the under gravel filter including a bubble dispersing base plate and an overlying substrate, the plate being hollow and having a perforated top surface, the pump being connected to the plate such as to pump water into the interior of the plate to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate. the substrate comprising particles having a size, shape andor density such that particles are easily moved by the bubbles exiting from the perforated top surface of the plate; and
a sediment removal system for collecting and removing sediment which passes through the under gravel filter.
2. An aquarium according to claim 1, wherein the bubble dispersing base plate is spaced from a bottom of the tank and the sediment removal system includes a cavity formed between the bubble dispersing base plate and the bottom of the tank for collecting sediment from the cavity.
3. An aquarium according to claim 2, wherein the bubble dispersing base plate is spaced from a bottom of the tank and the sediment removal system includes a cavity formed between the bubble dispersing base plate and the bottom of the tank for collecting sediment from the undergravel filter.
4. An aquarium according to claim 3, wherein the sediment removal system includes a collection cup for collecting sediment from the cavity.
5. An aquarium according to claim 4, wherein the sediment removal system includes a magnetic stirrer for facilitating funneling sediment into the collection cup.
6. An aquarium according to claim 4, wherein the sediment removal system includes means for discharging sediment from the collection cup.
7. An aquarium according to claim 1, wherein the substrate particles have a density slightly greater than that of water.
8. An aquarium according to claim 1, where the particles have varying densities and colors.
9. An aquarium according to claim 8, wherein particles with the same density have the same color.
10. An aquarium according to claim 9, wherein the pumping system comprises
a rotational torque generating unit disposed on the inside of a wall of the tank and which includes a first housing having a magnetic drive disk and a motor for rotating the magnetic drive disk disposed therein; and
a pump disposed on the outside of the wall and including a second housing defining a chamber having a free floating magnetic impeller disposed therein, the pump and rotational torque generating unit being aligned with each other such that a magnetic field is established between the magnetic drive disk and the magnetic impeller, the magnetic field rotating upon rotation of the magnetic drive disk to thereby rotate the impeller.
11. An aquarium according to claim 10, wherein the impeller includes a disc-shaped member having a plurality of vanes and a plurality of permanent magnets.
12. An aquarium according to claim 11, wherein the rotatable magnetic drive disk includes a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on one surface thereof, the number and location of the permanent magnets of the rotatable magnetic drive disk being coincident with the number and location of the permanent magnets of the impeller
13. An aquarium according to claim 12, wherein the first and second housings are cylindrical and have respective center axes and are structured and arranged such that the second housing is rotatable within the first housing with the motor being eccentrically mounted within the second housing.
14. An aquarium comprising:
a tank; and
an under gravel filter which comprises a hollow base plate and an overlying substrate, the base plate having a perforated top surface, a water inlet port, and an impeller disposed in the plate for drawing fluid into the interior of the plate to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate and into and through the substrate
15. An aquarium according to claim 14, wherein the substrate comprises particles having a size, shape andor density such that particles are easily moved by the bubbles exiting from the perforated top surface of the plate.
16. An aquarium according to claim 15, wherein the particles have a density slightly greater than that of water.
17. An under gravel filter, which comprises:
a hollow base plate and overlying substrate, the base plate having a perforated top surface, and a water inlet port for connecting a pump to the plate such as to pump water into the interior of the plate to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate and into and through the substrate.
18. An under gravel filter according to claim 17, wherein the substrate comprises particles having a size, shape andor density such that particles are easily moved by the bubbles exiting from the perforated top surface of the plate.
19. An under gravel filter according to claim 18, wherein the particles have a density slightly greater than that of water.
20. An under gravel filter according to claim 17, wherein the top surface has different size perforations.
21. An under gravel filter according to claim 20, wherein the perforations adjacent to the water inlet port and at four corners of the plate are larger than the rest of the perforations.
22. An under gravel filter according to claim 17, wherein the interior of the plate includes a plurality of guide members leading from the inlet port.
23. An under gravel filter for an aquarium, which comprises:
a hollow base plate having a perforated top surface and a water inlet port;
a substrate overlying the plate; and
an impeller disposed in the plate for drawing fluid into the interior of the plate through the water inlet port to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate and into and through the substrate.
24. An under gravel filter according to claim 23, wherein the chamber is centrally located
25. An under gravel filter according to claim 24, wherein the interior of the plate includes a plurality of guide members leading from the inlet port.
26. An under gravel filter according to claim 25, wherein the substrate comprises particles having a size, shape andor density such that particles are easily moved by the bubbles exiting from the perforated top surface of the plate.
27. An under gravel filter according to claim 26, wherein the particles have a density slightly greater than that of water.
28. An under gravel filter according to claim 23, wherein the top surface has different size perforations.
29. An under gravel filter according to claim 28, wherein the perforations adjacent to the water inlet port and at four corners of the plate are larger than the rest of the perforations.
30. A magnetic drive system, which comprises:
a rotatable magnetic drive element;
a free floating magnetic driven element spaced from and coupled to the magnetic drive element only by a magnetic field between the magnetic driven element and the magnetic drive element; and
a motor for rotating the magnetic drive element to rotate the magnetic field to thereby rotate the magnetic driven element.
31. A magnetic drive system, which comprises:
a rotatable magnetic drive disk;
a free floating magnetic driven disk spaced from and coupled to the magnetic drive disk only by a magnetic field between the magnetic driven disk and the magnetic drive disk; and
a motor for rotating the magnetic drive disk to rotate the magnetic field to thereby rotate the magnetic driven disk.
32. A magnetic drive system, which comprises:
a rotatable magnetic drive element;
a free floating magnetic impeller spaced from and coupled to the magnetic drive element only by a magnetic field between the magnetic impeller and the magnetic drive element; and
a motor for rotating the magnetic drive element disk to rotate the magnetic field to thereby rotate the magnetic driven impeller.
33. A magnetic drive system according to claim 32, wherein the impeller includes a disc-shaped member having a plurality of vanes and a plurality of permanent magnets.
34. A magnetic drive system according to claim 33, wherein the rotatable magnetic drive disk includes a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on one surface thereof, the number and location of the permanent magnets of the rotatable magnetic drive disk being coincident with the number and location of the permanent magnets of the impeller.
35. A magnetic drive system according to claim 34, wherein the permanent magnets of the impeller and the permanent magnets of the rotatable magnetic drive disk are mounted on respective ferromagnetic disks.
36. A magnetic drive system according to claim 34, further including first and second housings define, the free floating magnetic impeller being disposed in the first housing and the second magnetic drive disk and the motor being disposed in the second housing.
37. A magnetic drive system according to claim 36, wherein the first and second housings are cylindrical and have respective center axes and are structured and arranged such that the second housing is rotatable within the first housing with the motor being eccentrically mounted within the second housing.
38. A pumping system, comprising
a rotational torque generating unit which includes a first housing having a magnetic drive disk and a motor for rotating the magnetic drive disk disposed therein; and
a pump including a second housing defining a chamber having a free floating magnetic impeller disposed therein, the pump and rotational torque generating unit being aligned with each other such that a magnetic field is established between the magnetic drive disk and the magnetic impeller, the magnetic field rotating upon rotation of the magnetic drive disk to thereby rotate the impeller.
39. A pumping system according to claim 38, wherein the second housing has a plurality of jets.
40. A pumping system according to claim 38, wherein the plurality of jets are arranged in quadrants about the second housing.
41. A pumping system according to claim 38, wherein the impeller includes a disc-shaped member having a plurality of vanes and a plurality of permanent magnets.
42. A pumping system according to claim 41, wherein the rotatable magnetic drive disk includes a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on one surface thereof, the number and location of the permanent magnets of the rotatable magnetic drive disk being coincident with the number and location of the permanent magnets of the impeller
43. A pumping system according to claim 38, wherein the first and second housings are cylindrical and have respective center axes and are structured and arranged such that the second housing is rotatable within the first housing with the motor being eccentrically mounted within the second housing.
44. A pumping system according to claim 38, wherein a third housing having heating means is connected to the second housing
45. A pumping system according to claim 38, wherein a fourth housing having lighting means is connected to the third housing
46. Bubble dispersing apparatus for an aquarium, which comprises:
a hollow base plate having a perforated top surface; and
a water inlet port for connecting a pump to the plate such as to pump water into the interior of the plate to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate.
47. Bubble dispersing apparatus for an aquarium, which comprises:
a hollow generally cylindrical base plate having a plurality of peripheral openings communicating with the interior of the plate;
a plurality of tubes connected to respective ones of the holes, each tube having a plurality of holes and being closed at its distal end; and
a water inlet port for connecting a pump to the plate such as to pump water into the interior of the plate to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the hole in each of the tubes.
48. Bubble dispersing apparatus for an aquarium, which comprises:
a hollow base plate having a perforated top surface;
a water inlet port; and
an impeller disposed in the plate for drawing fluid into the interior of the plate to thereby cause bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate.
49. Bubble dispersing apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the plate has a chamber with a raised top surface and the water inlet port is connected to the chamber.
50. Bubble dispersing apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the chamber is centrally located.
51. Bubble dispersing apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the interior of the plate includes a plurality of guide members leading from the inlet port.
52. Method of conditioning beads to coat the beads with bacteria spores, comprising the steps of;
a) placing sterile beads placed into a conditioning tank with clean water;
b) causing aerated currents to flow through the tank;
c) placing a bio-load in the tank to generate waste products;
d) then adding a plurality of conditioned beads and a small quantity of sediment from an established tank to the conditioning;
e) repeat steps a)-e) until there the bacteria are in balance with all waste products of the conditioning tank; and
f) then remove the beads from tank and dry the beads.
53. Filter media comprising a bead having at least 2,000,000 spores on the surface thereof.
54. A pumping system according to claim 38, including a water input port and a water outlet port.
55. A pumping system according to claim 58, wherein the water input port includes a filter housing.
56. A pumping system according to claim 59, wherein the filter housing includes a chemical filter.
57. A pumping system according to claim 59, wherein the filter housing includes a foam filter.
58. A pumping system according to claim 58, wherein the water outlet port includes a ball fountain containing floating decorative elements.
59. A pumping system according to claim 58, wherein the water outlet port includes a chemical filter.