Reefvan,
After looking at my notes from last year, I think there is another way around the Sea Swirl patent. Yah...I am trying to build a motorized revolving water spout for aquarium applications
The patent is really split in to two parts : one part is for the linkage and motor and the other is for the rotating column with perpendicular inputs/outputs. I am try to kill the second part...the first part is kind of lame.
The proposal is to replace the o-ring/teflon/revolving column with multiple silicon tubing. This alone will break the patent...but its not quite strong enough to hold up in court.
Next step....unbend the 90 degree elbows. So, the output nozel still rotates like the original, but the water source does not go through two elbows (which I hated). The silicon tubing handles the difference in the height and the coupling between the inlet tubing and revolving nozel. Of course, the limitation is the range the nozel can rotate at and the bi-annual replacement of silicon tubing. The pluses are the reduced mechanical friction(good for motor) and replacement of two hard 90 degree elbows with one gradual flexible elbow (low head loss).
I am going to build one of these in the future, but I figured I should share. So, what do you think ?
- Victor.