IP Library › Granted Patent US 12686471

Granted Patent B2

US 12686471 · App. 17/517,444 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Adjustable aquaculture apparatus

Inventors: Gero Nootz (Stennis Space Center, MS); Megan E. Gima (Ocean Springs, MS); Vishwamithra Reddy Sunkara (Bay St. Louis, MS)

Assignee: The University of Southern Mississippi

B63B22/18 A01K61/60 B63B22/22 B63B2203/00 B63B2207/02

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12686471
App. No.: 17/517,444
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An adjustable aquaculture assembly including a container having a plurality of open sides and defining a retention space. The open sides are configured to allow flow through the retention space. A plurality of buoyancy members are positioned on the container. Each buoyancy member may be configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air. A pump is coupled with the plurality of buoyancy members and is configured to control airflow to and from at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members.

Claims (53)

1 . An adjustable aquaculture assembly comprising:

a container defining a retention space and configured to allow flow through the container into the retention space;

a plurality of buoyancy members coupled with the container, each buoyancy member configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air;

an air pump operably coupled with at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members and configured to pump air for controlling airflow to and from the at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members;

a valve operably coupled with at least one of the plurality of buoyancy members; and

a controller configured to actuate the air pump.

2 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes an upper buoyancy member defining a chamber filled with air and positioned on a top wall of the container.

3 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes a lower buoyancy member defining a chamber in fluid communication with the air pump and the valve, the lower buoyancy member configured to be at least partially filled with air.

4 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a solenoid valve in communication with the controller, the controller configured to control the state of the valve.

5 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a wireless component in communication with the controller;

an electronic device in wireless communication with the wireless component and configured to provide input to the controller.

6 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 5 , wherein the electronic device includes an application stored on the electronic device and configured to transmit input from the electronic device to the controller.

7 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of buoyancy member includes first and second side buoyancy members positioned on opposing sides of the container.

8 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lower buoyancy member includes at least one vent configured to allow water to flow into a volume of the chamber not filled with air.

9 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of buoyancy members defines a vent configured to allow water to flow into and out of the buoyancy member as air is pumped out of and into the buoyancy member, respectively.

10 . An adjustable aquaculture assembly comprising:

a container defining a retention space and configured to allow flow through the retention space;

an upper buoyancy member positioned on a top wall of the container;

a lower buoyancy member positioned on a bottom wall of the container;

a first side buoyancy member positioned on a first side wall of the container;

a second side buoyancy member positioned on a second side wall of the container, the second side wall opposite the first side wall;

an air pumping system coupled with at least one of the first and second side buoyancy members and including an air pump and a valve, wherein the air pumping system is configured to selectively control airflow to and from the at least one of the first and second side buoyancy members to selectively adjust buoyancy of the container; and

a controller configured to selectively actuate at least one of the air pump and the valve in response to inputs.

11 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lower buoyancy member and at least one of the first and second side buoyancy members are integrally formed as a single buoyancy member.

12 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to receive inputs from external sources related to at least one of weather conditions and ocean water quality conditions.

13 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:

an electronic device in wireless communication with the wireless component and including an application configured to collect user input and transmit the user input to the controller.

14 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 10 , wherein the upper buoyancy member and the lower buoyancy member are configured to be interchangeable such that the container may be vertically rotated.

15 . An adjustable aquaculture assembly comprising:

a container at least partially open and defining a retention space;

at least one upper buoyancy member positioned on the container and configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air;

at least one lower buoyancy member positioned on the container and configured to be selectively filled with and emptied of air; and

an air pumping system coupled with at least one of the upper and lower buoyancy members and including at least one of an air pump and a valve, wherein the air pumping system is configured to selectively control airflow to and from the at least one of the upper and lower buoyancy members to selectively adjust buoyancy of the container.

16 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 15 , further comprising:

a first side buoyancy member defining a first side chamber;

a second side buoyancy member positioned opposite the first side buoyancy member and defining a second side chamber, wherein the air pumping systems is configured to selectively control airflow to and from at least one of the first and second side chambers.

17 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 15 , further comprising:

a controller configured to selectively actuate the air pumping system in response to inputs.

18 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 17 , further comprising:

a power source configured to provide power to the controller, wherein the power source includes a battery and a solar cell, the solar cell configured to recharge the battery.

19 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 17 , further comprising:

a wireless component in communication with the controller;

an electronic device in wireless communication with the wireless component and configured to provide input to the controller.

20 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 19 , wherein the electronic device includes an application stored on the electronic device and configured to transmit input from the electronic device to the controller.

21 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes at least one upper buoyancy member filled with air and positioned on a top wall of the container, wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes at least one lower buoyancy member positioned on a bottom wall of the container and defining a chamber in fluid communication with the air pump and valve, and wherein the at least one upper buoyancy member is configured to generate a buoyancy force sufficient for holding the container near a surface of water in which the container is submerged when the at least one lower buoyancy member is completely filled with water such that at least a portion of the adjustable aquaculture assembly is above the surface of the water.

22 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes at least one upper buoyancy member positioned on a top wall of the container, wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes at least one lower buoyancy member positioned on a bottom wall of the container and defining a chamber in fluid communication with the air pump and valve, and wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes a first side buoyancy member and a second side buoyancy member positioned on opposing sides of the container for stabilizing the adjustable aquaculture assembly during transitions between a first position for which the container is at or above a surface of water and a second position for which the container is below the surface of the water.

23 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 22 , wherein the first side buoyancy member defines a chamber in fluid communication with the chamber of the at least one lower buoyancy member.

24 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 23 , wherein the chamber of the first side buoyancy member is in fluid communication with the chamber of the at least one lower buoyancy member through at least one tube connected between the first side buoyancy member and the at least one lower buoyancy member.

25 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 24 , wherein the air pump is configured to pump air through the chamber of the first side buoyancy member and the at least one tube to the chamber of the at least one lower buoyancy member.

26 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 23 , wherein the second side buoyancy member defines a chamber in fluid communication with the chamber of the at least one lower buoyancy member.

27 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 26 , wherein the chamber of the second side buoyancy member is in fluid communication with the chamber of the at least one lower buoyancy member through at least one tube connected between the second side buoyancy member and the at least one lower buoyancy member.

28 . The adjustable aquaculture assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes at least one upper buoyancy member positioned on a top wall of the container, wherein the plurality of buoyancy members includes at least one lower buoyancy member positioned on a bottom wall of the container and defining a chamber in fluid communication with the air pump and valve, wherein the controller is configured to control the air pump and the valve such that the adjustable aquaculture assembly is selectively transitioned between a floating position and a raised position, wherein the container is at or above a surface of water when the adjustable aquaculture assembly is in the raised position, wherein the container is submerged below the surface of the water when the adjustable aquaculture assembly is in the floating position, wherein the at least one upper buoyancy member is configured to generate a buoyancy force sufficient for holding the container near the surface of the water such that at least a portion of the adjustable aquaculture assembly is above the surface of the water when the adjustable aquaculture assembly is in the floating position, and wherein the air pump is mounted above the top wall such that the air pump is above the surface of the water when the adjustable aquaculture assembly is in the floating position.