Animal husbandry – Aquatic animal culturing – Handling and transportation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-06-26
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Aquatic animal culturing
Handling and transportation
C119S200000, C604S024000, C128S200140, C128S200250
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250253
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to resuscitation of aquatic animals such as fish, and to apparatus and methods for such resuscitation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fishing is a very popular sport. In many cases, the fisherman does not need to eat the animal or fish which is caught, or for reasons of conservation desires to return the animal to the water. Part of the sport of fishing entails a struggle against the fish. When the fish is caught, it may often be because it is exhausted, and cannot any longer resist the line. Such fish or animals, because of their exhaustion, may not survive being removed from the hook and being returned to the aqueous medium, because of the combined effects of oxygen deprivation and the injury attributable to the hook or gaff.
Methods are known for oxygenating fish, as for example the arrangement described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,880, issued Jun. 22, 1993 in the name of Alworth et al. In this arrangement, the fish is placed upright in an aqueous medium through which oxygen is bubbled. Improved fish resuscitation apparatus and methods are desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, an apparatus according to an aspect of the invention, for oxygenating an aquatic animal includes a container of compressed or pressurized oxygen-rich fluid medium, and a probe dimensioned to be accommodated within the mouth of an aquatic animal of a predetermined dimension, the probe having rounded edges to prevent injury to the aquatic animal during insertion of the probe into the mouth. The apparatus further includes a valve coupled to the container and to the probe, for controllably releasing the oxygen-rich fluid medium through the probe under manual control. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the apparatus according to an aspect of the invention, the probe comprises an elongated tube defining a distal end and a proximal end. The proximal end of the tube is coupled to the valve. In this particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, a fluid-permeable tip is coupled to the distal end of the tube, for receiving the oxygen-rich fluid medium, and for allowing the oxygen-rich fluid medium to escape from the apparatus.
Other embodiments of the invention include those in which the fluid-permeable tip has a larger diameter than the diameter of the tube. In one embodiment, the fluid-permeable tip comprises a curved metal sheet defining a plurality of apertures. In another embodiment of the invention, the fluid-permeable tip comprises a porous mass, such as sintered bronze or foamed dielectric material, as for example pumice or ceramic. In one embodiment of the invention, the oxygen-rich fluid medium is principally gaseous, and in another the medium is principally liquid. The gaseous medium may include nitrogen or some other inert gas, and may also include water vapor. The liquid medium includes water, which may be salt water. Since an aquatic animal to be resuscitated may be wounded, as for example by gaffing or a fishhook, the medium, whether gaseous or liquid, may be medicated. A preferred form of medication includes antibiotic material.
In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is a kit of parts for resuscitating aquatic animals. The kit of parts includes (a) a container of compressed or pressurized oxygen-rich fluid medium, (b) a fluid-controlling valve defining a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the valve being coupled to the container, the distal end of the valve being fitted with a first portion of a connector arrangement, and (c) a plurality of fluid-permeable tips, each of the tips of the kit of parts being different in at least one of dimension and morphology from others of the tips of the kit of parts, each of the tips of the kit of parts including a second portion of the connector arrangement, such that any one of the tip may be coupled to the valve, for dispensing the oxygen-rich fluid when the valve is operated.
A particularly advantageous avatar of a kit of parts according to an aspect of the invention is one in which the valve comprises a distal tube, which distal tube defines a diameter and a distal end, the first portion of the connector arrangement is located at the distal end of the distal tube, and at least one of the tips has a diameter larger than the diameter of the distal tube
In one embodiment of a kit of parts in accordance with an aspect of the invention, one or more of the fluid-permeable tips comprises a curved metal sheet defining a plurality of apertures through which the fluid may flow. In another embodiment, one or more of the fluid-permeable tips comprises a porous material, which may be a porous dielectric material such as pumice or foamed material.
A method according to an aspect of the invention for resuscitating an aquatic animal comprises the steps of (a) procuring an apparatus for oxygenating an aquatic animal, which apparatus comprises:
a container of compressed or pressurized oxygen-rich fluid medium;
a probe dimensioned to be accommodated within the mouth of an aquatic animal of a predetermined dimension, the probe having rounded edges to prevent injury to the aquatic animal during insertion of the probe into the mouth; and
a valve coupled to the container and to the probe, for controllably releasing the oxygen rich fluid medium through the probe under manual control.
The method according to this aspect of the invention includes the further steps (b) of inserting the probe into the mouth of the aquatic animal, and (c) operating the a valve to thereby dispense the oxygen-rich fluid into the mouth of the aquatic animal.
In a method for resuscitating an aquatic animal using the kit of parts, the method includes the step of
procuring, from a kit of parts for resuscitating aquatic animals comprising:
a container of compressed or pressurized oxygen-rich fluid medium;
a fluid-controlling valve defining a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the valve being coupled to the container, the distal end of the valve being fitted with a first portion of a connector arrangement;
a plurality of fluid-permeable tips, each of the tips of the kit being different in at least one of dimension and morphology from others of the tips of the kit of parts, each of the tips of the kit of parts including a second portion of the connector arrangement, such that any one of the tips may be coupled to the valve, for dispensing the oxygen-rich fluid when the valve is operated
a particular one of the tips which is smaller than the mouth of the aquatic animal to be resuscitated. The next step is to couple the selected one of the tips to the valve. The one of the tips is inserted into the mouth of the aquatic animal, and the valve, is operated to thereby dispense a quantity of the oxygen-rich fluid medium into the mouth of the aquatic animal.
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Jordan Charles T.
Meise William H.
Smith Kimberly
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