METHOD FOR ASSEMBLY OF A FISH CAGE, A KIT OF PARTS FOR ASSEMBLING A FISH CAGE AND A FISH CAGE

Abstract

A method is for assembly of a fish cage. The fish cage has a bottom unit having a buoyancy exceeding a weight of the bottom unit. The bottom unit has a body configured impermeable to water. The fish cage further has at least one wall element configured impermeable to water. The method includes providing the bottom unit on a surface of a water body. The method further includes connecting the at least one wall element to the body, thereby defining a spacing impermeably separated from the water body.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A method for assembly of a fish cage, the fish cage comprising a bottom unit having a buoyancy exceeding a weight of the bottom unit, the bottom unit being fabricated as one rigid element and comprising a body configured impermeable to water and at least one wall element configured impermeable to water, the method comprising: providing the bottom unit on a surface of a water body; connecting the at least one wall element to the body, thereby defining a spacing impermeably separated from the water body, wherein the bottom unit comprises one or more buoyancy elements having a controllable buoyancy; and altering a draught of the bottom unit and the at least one wall element connected to the body by controlling the buoyancy of the one or more buoyancy elements.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one wall element comprises a first receiving element and the body comprises a second receiving element, and wherein the method comprises a step of displacing the at least one wall element to the body so that the first receiving element engages with the second receiving element.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the method comprises lowering the bottom unit and the at least one wall element connected to the body at least partly in the water body by filling water in the spacing.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising altering a draught of the bottom unit and the at least one wall element connected to the body by changing a water level in the spacing.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising connecting at least one further wall element to a wall element already connected to the body.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transporting the bottom unit and the at least one wall element to an installation site by means of a vessel.

23. A kit of parts for assembling a fish cage, the kit of parts comprising: a bottom unit being fabricated as one rigid element, and having a buoyancy exceeding a weight of the bottom unit, wherein the bottom unit comprises a body being impermeable to water, and one or more buoyancy elements having a controllable buoyancy; and at least one wall element being impermeable to water, the at least one wall element being configured to be connected with the body, thereby defining a spacing impermeably separated from a water body.

24. The kit of parts according to claim 23, wherein the body comprises a first receiving element and the at least one wall element comprises a second receiving element configured to engage with the first receiving element, thereby forming a connection.

25. The kit of parts according to claim 23, wherein said body comprises a controllable port configured to provide liquid communication between said spacing and the water body.

26. A fish cage comprising: a bottom unit having a buoyancy exceeding a weight of the bottom unit, the bottom unit being fabricated as one rigid element, and comprising a body configured impermeable to water, and one or more buoyancy elements having a controllable buoyancy; and at least one wall element configured impermeable to water, the at least one wall element being connected to the body, thereby defining a spacing impermeably separated from a water body.

27. The fish cage according to claim 26, wherein the body comprises a first receiving element and the at least one wall element comprises a second receiving element in engagement with the first receiving element, thereby forming a connection.

28. The fish cage according to claim 26, further comprising a controllable port arranged in the body configured to provide liquid communication between the spacing and the water body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] In the following is described examples of preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a fish cage assembled according to the invention;

[0062] FIG. 2a shows a step in the assembly of the fish cage according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0063] FIG. 2b shows a step in the assembly of the fish cage according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0064] FIG. 3a shows another step in the assembly of the fish cage according to the embodiment in FIG. 2a;

[0065] FIG. 3b shows another step in the assembly of the fish cage according to the embodiment in FIG. 2b;

[0066] FIG. 4a shows a further step in the assembly of the fish cage according to the embodiment in FIG. 3a;

[0067] FIG. 4b shows a further step in the assembly of the fish cage according to the embodiment in FIG. 3b;

[0068] FIG. 5a shows a further step in the assembly of the fish cage according to the embodiment in FIG. 4b;

[0069] FIG. 5b shows a fish cage assembled according to the embodiment in FIGS. 2b, 3b, 4b and 5a;

[0070] FIG. 6 shows a step in the assembly of the fish cage according to a further embodiment of the invention;

[0071] FIG. 7 shows several fish cages being transported on a vessel;

[0072] FIG. 8a shows an embodiment of a bottom unit with a body shaped as a downwards pointing cone;

[0073] FIG. 8b shows an embodiment of a bottom unit with a body shaped as an upwards pointing cone;

[0074] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the bottom unit comprising four buoyancy elements, and

[0075] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the fish cage comprising four buoyancy elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] The figures are depicted in a simplified manner, and details that are not relevant to illustrate what is new with the invention may have been excluded from the figures. The different elements in the figures may necessarily not be shown in the correct scale in relation to each other. Equal reference numbers refer to equal or similar elements.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a fish cage 1 assembled according to the invention, the fish cage 1 floating on the surface 40 of a water body 4. The fish cage 1 comprises a bottom unit 2 and a wall 3 formed by four wall elements 30a,b,c,d connected to a body 20 of the bottom unit 2. Each of the four wall elements 30a,b,c,d are also connected to an adjacent wall element 30a,b,c,d. The body and the wall elements 30a,b,c,d define a spacing 5 impermeably separated from the water body 4.

[0078] The bottom unit 2 comprises a rigid material such as steel, fibreglass or concrete. The bottom unit 2 is fabricated as one solid element but may also be fabricated as a truss work of beams covered by plates or a watertight cloth (not shown). In an embodiment, the body 20 comprises a watertight flexible material such as synthetic rubber or plastic (not shown). The body 20 may be stretched out inside or over a truss work of beams (not shown).

[0079] The bottom unit 2 is kept floatable by its shape. Thus, the weight of water displaced by a submerged portion of the bottom unit 2 exceeds the weight of the bottom unit 2. In another embodiment, the bottom unit 2 comprises air-filled voids (not shown) creating additional buoyancy. The voids are located between an underside and an upper side of the bottom unit 2. In an embodiment, the bottom unit 2 comprises floatable materials such as Styrofoam to further increase the buoyancy.

[0080] The wall elements 30a,b,c,d also comprise a rigid material such as steel, fibreglass or concrete. The wall elements 30a,b,c,d may comprise a truss work of beams covered by plates or a watertight cloth.

[0081] The wall elements 30a,b,c,d comprise a first receiving element (not shown) and the body 20 comprises a second receiving element (not shown). The first receiving element and the second receiving element are connected to form the connection between the wall elements 30a,b,c,d and the body 20. The connection forms a watertight seal between the spacing 5 and the water body 4. The receiving elements may be a threaded bolt and a complementary threaded hole, a bolt and a nut, a pin and a hole or other types of elements configured to be connected. In one embodiment, the receiving elements may be flanged struts configured to be connected. The wall elements 30a,b,c,d and the body 20 may also be welded to form a permanent connection. The connection between adjacent wall elements 30a,b,c,d may be similar to the connection between the wall elements 30a,b,c,d and the body 20.

[0082] FIGS. 2a and 2b show a step in the assembly of the fish cage 1 wherein a first wall element 30a, 31a is connected to the body 20 of the bottom unit 2. FIG. 2a shows an embodiment of the invention where the wall element 30a has a height H equal a full height of the assembled fish cage 1. FIG. 2b shows an embodiment of the invention where the wall element 31a has a height h equal to a portion of the full height of the assembled fish cage 1.

[0083] FIGS. 3a and 3b show another step in the assembly of the fish cage 1 wherein a second wall element 30b, 31b is connected to the body 20 of the bottom unit 2. The height of the wall elements 30b, 31b are similar to that of the wall elements 30a, 31a in FIGS. 2a and 2b respectively.

[0084] FIGS. 4a and 4b shows a further step in the assembly of the fish cage 1 wherein a third wall element 30c, 31c is connected to the body 20 of the bottom unit 2. The third wall elements 30c, 31c are also connected to first wall element 30a, 31a and second wall element 30ab, 31b. The height of the wall elements 30c, 31c are similar to that of the wall elements 30a, 31a in FIGS. 2a and 2b respectively.

[0085] FIG. 1 shows the assembled fish cage 1 of the embodiment in FIGS. 2a, 3a, and 4a, wherein a fourth wall element 30d is connected to the body 20 of the bottom unit 2 and the adjacent wall elements 30a, 30b.

[0086] FIG. 5a shows a further step in the assembly of the fish cage 1 according to the embodiment in FIGS. 2b, 3b, and 4b, wherein a fourth wall element 31d is connected to the body 20 of the bottom unit 2 and the adjacent wall elements 31a, 31b. FIG. 5b shows an assembled fish cage 1 comprising three rows of wall elements 31a,b,c,d. A height H1 of the fish cage 1 in FIG. 5b may be similar to or different from that of the wall element 30a in FIG. 2a.

[0087] After the connection of each row of wall elements 31a,b,c,d the bottom unit 2 and the already connected wall elements 31a,b,c,d may be lowered at least partly in the water body 4. This enables the consecutive row of wall elements 31a,b,c,d to be connected at the same elevation above the water surface 40 as the previous row of wall element 31a,b,c,d. Lowering the bottom unit 2 and the connected wall elements 31a,b,c,d may be done by filling a partial spacing 5a defined by the bottom unit 2 and the connected wall elements 31a,b,c,d.

[0088] FIG. 6 shows a step in the assembly of the fish cage 1 according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein a first wall element 31 is to be connected to the body 20 of the bottom unit 2. When connected to the body 20, the first wall element 31 forms a continuous circumferential wall around the body 20. It should be understood that in another embodiment, the body 20 and the wall element 31 may form a plane shape different from circular, such as square, rectangular, hexagonal or another shape. A height h2 of the wall element 31 may be similar to the height H of the wall element 30a in FIG. 2a, the height h of the wall element 31a in FIG. 2b, or it may be another height. In one embodiment, several wall elements 31 may be connected on top of each other.

[0089] FIG. 7 shows four bottom units 2 and sixteen wall elements 30 being transported on a floating vessel 6. The bottom units 2 and the wall elements 30 may be assembled into four fish cages 1. The bottom units 2 are shown to be stacked on top of each other and the wall elements 30 are placed next to each other.

[0090] FIG. 8a shows an embodiment of the bottom unit 2 wherein the body 20 forms a downwards pointing cone, in an operable position. The figure shows a perspective view of the bottom unit 2 and a cross-section of the body 20. FIG. 8b shows an embodiment of the bottom unit 2 wherein the body 20 forms an upwards pointing cone, in an operable position. The figure shows a perspective view of the bottom unit 2 and a cross-section of the body 20. It should be understood that the shape of the body 20 is not limited to these embodiments, but that it may form a different shape, for example flat, in another embodiment.

[0091] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the bottom unit 2 comprising four buoyancy elements 7. The buoyancy elements 7 are shown to be evenly distributed around the body 20. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the fish cage 1 comprising four buoyancy elements 7, wherein the buoyancy elements 7 extends upwards along the wall elements 31. The buoyancy elements 7 are shown to extend to the same height as the wall elements 31. The buoyancy elements 7 may extend to a different height in another embodiment.

[0092] The buoyancy elements 7 have a controllable buoyancy, meaning that a buoyancy force acting on the buoyancy elements 7 may be adjusted. In one embodiment, the buoyancy elements 7 are filled or drained for water to adjust their buoyancy.

[0093] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0094] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.