US 12,144,326 B1
Pumping arrangement for an aquarium
Brad Mihlbauer, Mukwonago, WI (US); and Ernie Katris, Franklin, WI (US)
Assigned to Central Garden & Pet Company, Walnut Creek, CA (US)
Filed by Central Garden & Pet Company, Walnut Creek, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/819,699.
Application 17/819,699 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/867,112, filed on May 5, 2020, granted, now 11,412,717.
Int. Cl. A01K 63/04 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 63/045 (2013.01) [A01K 63/047 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aquarium comprising:
a container defining a perimeter and an aquarium space that contains a fluid;
a filter holder coupled to the container and defining a filter space;
a pump housing coupled to the filter holder;
a bypass outlet and a filter outlet each defined by one of the filter holder and the pump housing;
a pump disposed within the pump housing and operable to draw a portion of the fluid from the aquarium space to produce a fluid flow;
a first cylinder coupled to the filter holder and a second cylinder coupled to the pump housing; and
a spout coupled to the filter holder and including a second arm that extends along a central axis and defines a spout inlet and a first arm having a spout outlet, the spout movable along the central axis between a first position in which the filter outlet is open and the fluid flow passes from the pump to the spout outlet and the bypass outlet is blocked such that the fluid flow does not pass through the bypass outlet, and a second position in which the filter outlet is blocked and the bypass outlet is open such that the fluid flow passes through the bypass outlet wherein the second arm defines a first spout piston and a second spout piston, and wherein the second spout piston movably engages the first cylinder to define a first movable seal therebetween and the first spout piston engages the second cylinder to form a second movable seal therebetween when the spout is in the first position and engages the first cylinder to form the second seal therebetween when the spout is in the second position.