초록 ▼

An aquarium curtain is selectively deployed and placed over transparent walls of an aquarium to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium, thereby inhibiting the growth of algae in the aquarium. The aquarium curtain includes a sheet of substantially opaque flexibly foldable material

An aquarium curtain is selectively deployed and placed over transparent walls of an aquarium to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium, thereby inhibiting the growth of algae in the aquarium. The aquarium curtain includes a sheet of substantially opaque flexibly foldable material and a frame having frame members movable relative to one-another between a collapsed configuration in which the aquarium curtain is compact for handling and storage, and an erect configuration, in which the aquarium curtain is fastened in place over the aquarium to block entry into the aquarium of ambient light from outside the aquarium.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In combination with an aquarium having aquarium walls, an aquarium curtain for selective deployment and placement over at least one wall of the aquarium to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium to inside the aquarium through a predetermined transparent area of the one wall, t

1. In combination with an aquarium having aquarium walls, an aquarium curtain for selective deployment and placement over at least one wall of the aquarium to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium to inside the aquarium through a predetermined transparent area of the one wall, thereby inhibiting the growth of algae in the aquarium, the aquarium curtain comprising: a sheet of flexibly foldable material having a substantially opaque area complementary to the predetermined transparent area of the aquarium wall;a frame having frame members movable relative to one-another between a collapsed configuration and an erect configuration;a coupling arrangement coupling the frame with the sheet such that with the frame members in the collapsed configuration the sheet is folded into a compact form for handling and storage, and upon moving the frame members into the erect configuration, the sheet is deployed into a substantially planar form to establish a curtain panel in which the substantially opaque area is placed for juxtaposition with the predetermined transparent area of a corresponding wall of the aquarium; andat least one fastener on the curtain panel for selective attachment of the curtain panel to the aquarium in juxtaposition with the corresponding wall, with the substantially opaque area placed over the predetermined transparent area to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium into the aquarium through the corresponding wall of the aquarium, wherein the frame includes four frame members arrayed in a rectangular pattern having four corners when in the erect configuration, and a resiliently flexible connector at each corner connecting corresponding adjacent frame members such that the frame members are biased by the connectors into the erect configuration, and are movable into the collapsed configuration by folding the frame to place the frame members substantially side-by-side along a diagonal extending from corner to corner of the frame. 2. The aquarium curtain of claim 1 wherein the at least one wall extends from a bottom edge upwardly to a top edge, the curtain panel extends from a basal edge upwardly to an uppermost edge, the curtain panel including a supplemental substantially opaque area adjacent the uppermost edge for extending upwardly beyond the top edge of the wall upon attachment of the curtain panel in juxtaposition with the wall, with the basal edge juxtaposed with the bottom edge of the wall, for blocking ambient light from entering the aquarium over the top edge of the wall. 3. The aquarium curtain of claim 1 wherein the at least one wall extends from a bottom edge upwardly to a top edge, the curtain panel extends from a basal edge to an uppermost edge, the curtain panel including a supplemental substantially opaque area adjacent the uppermost edge for extending upwardly beyond the top edge of the wall upon attachment of the curtain panel in juxtaposition with the wall, with the basal edge juxtaposed with the bottom edge of the wall, for blocking ambient light from entering the aquarium over the top edge of the wall. 4. The aquarium curtain of claim 1 wherein the at least one fastener includes a magnet for selectively attaching the aquarium curtain in place over the aquarium walls and detaching the aquarium curtain from the aquarium walls. 5. In combination with an aquarium having aquarium walls, an aquarium curtain for selective deployment and placement over at least one wall of the aquarium to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium to inside the aquarium through a predetermined transparent area of the one wall, thereby inhibiting the growth of algae in the aquarium, the aquarium curtain comprising: a sheet of flexibly foldable material having a substantially opaque area complementary to the predetermined transparent area of the aquarium wall;a frame having frame members movable relative to one-another between a collapsed configuration and an erect configuration;a coupling arrangement coupling the frame with the sheet such that with the frame members in the collapsed configuration the sheet is folded into a compact form for handling and storage, and upon moving the frame members into the erect configuration, the sheet is deployed into a substantially planar form to establish a curtain panel in which the substantially opaque area is placed for juxtaposition with the predetermined transparent area of a corresponding wall of the aquarium; andat least one fastener on the curtain panel for selective attachment of the curtain panel to the aquarium in juxtaposition with the corresponding wall, with the substantially opaque area placed over the predetermined transparent area to block the entry of ambient light from outside the aquarium into the aquarium through the corresponding wall of the aquarium, wherein the aquarium walls include a front wall and side walls, and the aquarium curtain includes a front curtain panel and side curtain panels, each constructed in accordance with the one curtain panel for juxtaposition with a corresponding aquarium wall, and hinges between adjacent curtain panels for enabling the curtain panels to be overlapped with one-another upon removal of the aquarium curtain from the aquarium, and prior to folding corresponding frames into the collapsed configuration. 6. The aquarium curtain of claim 5 wherein all of the curtain panels have substantially the same configuration and substantially the same dimensions. 7. The aquarium curtain of claim 6 wherein the aquarium walls include two side walls and the aquarium curtain includes two corresponding side curtain panels. 8. The aquarium curtain of claim 7 wherein the side walls each have a predetermined width, the front wall extends between the side walls along a predetermined length greater than the predetermined width, and the aquarium curtain includes at least two front curtain panels placed serially between the two side curtain panels for juxtaposition with the front wall. 9. The aquarium curtain of claim 5 wherein the frame of each curtain panel includes four frame members arrayed in a rectangular pattern having four corners when in the erect configuration, and a resiliently flexible connector at each corner connecting corresponding adjacent frame members such that the frame members are biased by the connectors into the erect configuration, and are movable into the collapsed configuration by folding the frame to place the frame members side-by-side along a diagonal extending from corner to corner of the frame. 10. The aquarium curtain of claim 9 wherein all of the curtain panels have substantially the same configuration and substantially the same dimensions, and all of the frames have substantially the same configuration and substantially the same dimensions.