IP Library Granted Patent US 11,337,408
Granted Patent B2
US 11,337,408 · App. 16/136,526 · Granted May 24, 2022

Emersed shellfish storage

Inventors: John J. Garland (Halifax, CA); Roger F. Uglow (Cottingham, GB)
Assignee: Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership
A01K63/02A01K63/045A01K63/047
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,337,408
App. No.
16/136,526
Granted
May 24, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to emersed shellfish storage. A container support has a surface to support containers. Each container has respective cells to accommodate live shellfish, such as lobster, in a vertical orientation substantially perpendicular to the surface. Water from a reservoir is pumped, intermittently in some embodiments, to one or more of the containers above the shellfish, and a collector collects and provides to the reservoir the water that is pumped by the pump system and flows over the shellfish. In an embodiment, the cells are provided by a divider that divides an interior space of each container, and the divider carries a perforated top insert at or below a top edge of each container, to distribute fluids to the cells.

Claims (44)

1. A system for out of water storage of live shellfish, the system comprising:

a container support comprising a surface to support a plurality of containers, each container comprising respective cells to accommodate live shellfish for out of water storage in a vertical orientation substantially perpendicular to the surface;

a water reservoir carried by the container support;

a pump system coupled to the water reservoir and carried by the container support, to pump water from the reservoir to one or more of the containers above the shellfish;

a collector coupled to the water reservoir and carried by the container support, to collect and provide to the reservoir water that is pumped by the pump system and flows over the shellfish; and

the containers stacked on the surface of the container support,

the containers comprising multiple containers in a stack on the surface of the container support, the pump system to pump water from the reservoir to a top of a top container in the stack,

each container in the stack comprising a drain to allow water that flows over the shellfish in the container to drain from the container.

2. The system of claim 1 , the water reservoir being integrated into the container support.

3. The system of claim 1 , the collector being integrated into the container support.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a power source coupled to the pump system and carried by the container support.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a water treatment system coupled to the water reservoir.

6. The system of claim 5 , the water treatment system comprising one or more of:

a filter; and

an exchange mechanism to exchange water in the reservoir for fresh water.

7. The system of claim 1 , each container in the stack comprising a bottom insert to direct the water that flows over the shellfish to the drain.

8. The system of claim 1 , each container in the stack comprising a divider that provides the cells in the container.

9. A method for out of water storage of live shellfish, the method comprising:

providing a container support comprising a surface to support a plurality of containers, each container comprising respective cells to accommodate live shellfish for out of water storage in a vertical orientation substantially perpendicular to the surface;

providing a water reservoir carried by the container support;

providing a pump system coupled to the water reservoir and carried by the container support, to pump water from the reservoir to one or more of the containers above the shellfish;

providing a collector coupled to the water reservoir and carried by the container support, to collect and provide to the reservoir water that is pumped by the pump system and flows over the shellfish; and

providing the containers stacked on the surface of the container support,

the containers comprising multiple containers in a stack on the surface of the container support, the pump system to pump water from the reservoir to a top of a top container in the stack,

each container in the stack comprising a drain to allow water that flows over the shellfish in the container to drain from the container.

10. The method of claim 9 , the water reservoir being provided as an integrated water reservoir integrated into the container support.

11. The method of claim 9 , the collector being provided as an integrated collector integrated into the container support.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

providing a power source coupled to the pump system and carried by the container support.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

providing a water treatment system coupled to the water reservoir.

14. The method of claim 13 , the water treatment system being provided as one or more of:

a filter; and

an exchange mechanism to exchange water in the reservoir for fresh water.

15. A method for out of water storage of live shellfish, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of containers on a container support, the container support comprising a surface to support the plurality of containers, a water reservoir, and a pump system, and each container comprising respective cells to accommodate live shellfish for out of water storage in a vertical orientation substantially perpendicular to the surface;

pumping water from the reservoir to one or more of the containers above the shellfish using the pump system; and

collecting and providing to the reservoir water that is pumped by the pump system and flows over the shellfish,

the plurality of containers comprising multiple containers in a stack on the surface of the container support, the pumping comprising pumping water from the reservoir to a top of a top container in the stack,

each container in the stack comprising a drain to allow water that flows over the shellfish in the container to drain from the container.

16. The method of claim 15 ,

each container in the stack comprising a bottom insert to direct the water that flows over the shellfish to the drain.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2025
From: BANK OF MONTREAL
To: CLEARWATER SEAFOODS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 072209/0453 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2021
From: CLEARWATER SEAFOODS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
To: BANK OF MONTREAL, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 055659/0438 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2018
From: GARLAND, JOHN J.; UGLOW, ROGER F., DR.
To: CLEARWATER SEAFOODS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 046935/0196 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14648887
Provisional Application 61738669 · Dec 18, 2012
Related Publication 20190014753A1 · Jan 17, 2019