Aerated and water conditioned container for live bait

• US 8,572,889 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John H. Brancheau Jr, John J. Hughes
• Original Assignee: John H. Brancheau Jr
• Inventors: Hughes, John J., Brancheau, John H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US13/046,183
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 43/57, 43/56, 43/55
• US Class Current: 43/57
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/065 Heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/05 Containers for live bait kept in water, e.g. for minnows or shrimps

Abstract

A bait bucket with aerating and cooling functions is particularly adapted for use with live bait and includes an inner bucket, an outer bucket, and an insulated tube. A bottom exterior of the inner bucket includes a water cooling system which provides a cooling and an oxygenating function to the quantity of water contained within the inner bait bucket. The outer bucket includes a fan and a vent which provide circulation and additional cooling to water cooling system.

Claims

1. An aerated and water conditioned container for live bait, said container comprising:

an outer bucket;

an insulated tube insertingly fit within said outer bucket;

an inner bucket insertingly fit within said insulated tube to contain a volume of water and said live bait; and

,

a water conditioning system to aerate and cool a circulating partial volume of water from said volume of water, comprising;

a water block mounted to said inner bucket having a water block inlet to receive said circulating partial volume of water and a water block outlet to dispense said circulating partial volume of water;

a thermoelectric heat pump mounted below said water block to transfer heat from said water block, said thermoelectric heat pump having a cold side in contact with a bottom surface of said water block and a hot side opposite said cold side;

a heat sink mounted below said thermoelectric heat pump to dissipate heat from said thermoelectric heat pump, said heat sink having a base in contact with said thermoelectric heat pump hot side and a plurality of fins extending from said base;

an inner fan mounted below said plurality of fins to increase a heat dissipating flow of air over said fins;

a water pump in fluid communication between an inner chamber of said inner bucket and said water block to circulate said circulating partial volume of water through a plurality of water tubes;

an air pump in fluid communication with at least one water tube through an air tube for aerating said circulating partial volume of water; and

,

a power connector electrically connected to a power source for supplying electrical power to said water conditioning system.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said inner bucket further comprises an open top, a closed bottom, and a sidewall defining an interior chamber to contain said volume of water.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said inner bucket further comprises an outlet and an inlet disposed through said inner bucket bottom and in fluid communication with said water pump through said plurality of water tubes.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein said outer bucket further comprises an open top, a closed bottom, and a sidewall defining an interior chamber to contain said inner bucket and said insulated tube;

wherein said outer bucket further comprises a longitudinal dimension larger than said inner bucket, such that an open space is defined between said inner bucket and said outer bucket.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said water pump, said air pump, said plurality of water tubes, and said air tube are disposed within said outer bucket open space.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein said outer bucket further comprises a vent disposed through said sidewall allowing for an exhaust flow of air in to and out from said outer bucket open space.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein said outer bucket further comprises an outer fan disposed through said sidewall opposite said vent to increase said exhaust flow of air in to and out from said outer bucket open space.

8. The container of claim 2, wherein said water conditioning system is in fluid communication with said inner bucket interior chamber.

9. The container of claim 2, further comprising a lid removably attachable to said inner bucket.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein said lid is threadingly attached to an interior of said inner bucket sidewall.

11. The container of claim 2, wherein said insulated tube further comprises a thermally insulative material.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein said thermoelectric heat pump further comprises a Peltier cooler.

13. An aerated and water conditioned container for live bait, said container comprising:

an outer bucket defining an interior chamber;

an insulated tube insertingly fit within said outer bucket interior chamber;

an inner bucket defining an interior chamber to contain a volume of water and said live bait insertingly fit within said insulated tube, comprising an outlet and an inlet disposed through a bottom surface thereof;

a lid removably attachable to said inner bucket; and

,

a water conditioning system disposed between said inner bucket and said outer bucket and in fluid communication with said volume of water to aerate and cool a circulating partial volume of water from said volume of water, comprising;

a water block mounted to said inner bucket bottom surface having a water block inlet to receive said circulating partial volume of water and a water block outlet to dispense said circulating partial volume of water;

a thermoelectric heat pump mounted below said water block to transfer heat from said water block, said thermoelectric heat pump having a cold side in contact with a bottom surface of said water block and a hot side opposite said cold side;

a heat sink mounted below said thermoelectric heat pump to dissipate heat from said thermoelectric heat pump, said heat sink having a base in contact with said thermoelectric heat pump hot side and a plurality of fins extending from said base;

an inner fan mounted below said plurality of fins to increase a heat dissipating flow of air over said fins;

a water pump in fluid communication between said inner bucket outlet, said inner bucket inlet, and said water block to circulate said circulating partial volume of water through a plurality of water tubes;

an air pump in fluid communication with at least one water tube through an air tube for aerating said circulating partial volume of water; and

,

a power supply for supplying electrical power to said water conditioning system.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein said outer bucket further comprises a vent disposed through a sidewall allowing for an exhaust flow of air in to and out from said outer bucket open space.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein said outer bucket further comprises an outer fan disposed through said sidewall opposite said vent to increase said exhaust flow of air in to and out from said outer bucket open space.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein said power supply further comprises a connector electrically connected to a power source.

17. A method of aerating and conditioning a volume of water to optimize a life span of live bait, said method comprising the steps of:

providing said volume of water;

providing a plurality of said live bait;

providing an aerated and water conditioned container for live bait comprising an outer bucket defining an interior chamber, an insulated tube insertingly fit within said outer bucket interior chamber, an inner bucket defining an interior chamber to contain said volume of water and said live bait insertingly fit within said insulated tube, a lid removably attachable to said inner bucket, and a water conditioning system comprising a water block mounted to said inner bucket having an inlet to receive said circulating partial volume of water and an outlet to dispense said circulating partial volume of water, a thermoelectric heat pump mounted below said water block to transfer heat from said water block, said thermoelectric heat pump having a cold side in contact with a bottom surface of said water block and a hot side opposite said cold side, a heat sink mounted below said thermoelectric heat pump to dissipate heat from said thermoelectric heat pump, said heat sink having a base in contact with said thermoelectric heat pump hot side and a plurality of fins extending from said base, an inner fan mounted below said plurality of fins to increase a heat dissipating flow of air over said fins, a water pump in fluid communication between an inner chamber of said inner bucket and said water block to circulate said circulating partial volume of water through a plurality of water tubes, an air pump in fluid communication with at least one water tube through an air tube for aerating said circulating partial volume of water, and a power connector electrically connected to a power source for supplying electrical power to said water conditioning system; and

,

energizing said water conditioning system, such that said circulating volume of water is drawn from said volume of water;

cooling said circulating partial volume of water;

aerating said circulating partial volume of water; and

,

returning said circulated partial volume of water to said volume of water.