Pellet and Flake Aquarium Feeder

Abstract

A pellet and flake aquarium fish feeder allows a fish keeper to conveniently feed aquarium fish. The pellet and flake feeder includes a body having separable upper and lower portions. The upper portion includes a cavity for storing the pellet and flake food and a plunger shaft including indented rings. When the pellet and flake feeder is filled with pellet and flake food and assembled, the plunger may be depressed forcing the pellet and flake food through a conical passage between the upper and the lower portions, grinding the pellet and flake food and releasing the ground food through an angled bottom of the lower portion and into aquarium water.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for feeding fish using a pellet and flake feeder, comprising:
 opening a feeder body;   depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder;   closing the feeder body;   inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium;   positioning the releasing end below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium;   depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the feeder;   advancing a notched plunger rod through the solid fish food and a narrowing orifice;   grinding the solid fish food between the rod and the narrowing orifice; and   releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder comprises:
 inserting a bottle brush into a fish food container;   collecting an amount of the solid fish food onto bristles of the bottle brush;   opening the feeder body, depositing solid fish food into the feeder;   and closing the feeder body.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder comprises:
 inserting an angled tip of the lower portion into a container;   collecting a portion of the pellet/flake food in the tip; and   depositing the portion of the pellet/flake food into a cavity of the upper portion.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium comprises inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining the upper portion above an aquarium water surface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium comprises inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining a grinding portion of the feeder above an aquarium water surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing a recess in a plunger shaft through a tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing at least one annular recess in the plunger shaft through a conically tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing a plurality of the annular recesses in a plunger shaft through the conically tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing a tapered recess in the plunger shaft through the tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tapered recess has a depth Dth of about half the diameter D 4  of the plunger shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tapered recess has a depth Dth of about half the diameter D 4  of the plunger shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein tapered portions and a flat floor of the tapered recess have about the same length. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein tapered portions are tapered at about 30 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein tapered portions of the tapered recess have a length of about 5.2 mm and the floor of the tapered recess has a length of about 5.6 mm. 
     
     
         15 . A method for feeding fish using a pellet and flake feeder, comprising:
 separating an upper portion and a lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder;   depositing pellet and flake fish food into a cavity in the upper portion of the pellet and flake feeder;   assembling the upper portion and the lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder;   inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining the upper portion above an aquarium water surface;   positioning the angled tip of the lower portion below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium;   depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the angled tip of the pellet and flake feeder including advancing a plurality of annular recesses in a plunger shaft through a conically tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food;   advancing a notched plunger rod through the pellet and flake fish food and a narrowing orifice;   grinding the pellet and flake fish food between the notched plunger rod and the narrowing orifice; and   releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish.   
     
     
         16 . A method for feeding fish using a pellet and flake feeder, comprising:
 separating an upper portion and a lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder;   depositing pellet and flake fish food into a cavity in the upper portion of the pellet and flake feeder;   assembling the upper portion and the lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder;   observing the pellet and flake fish food residing in the cavity through a window in the upper portion;   inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining a grinding portion of the pellet and flake feeder above the aquarium water level;   positioning the angled tip of the lower portion below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium;   depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the angled tip of the pellet and flake feeder;   advancing a plunger rod through the pellet and flake fish food and through a narrowing orifice, including advancing a tapered recess in a 6 mm diameter plunger shaft through the narrowing orifice to grind the pellet and flake fish food, the tapered recess comprising:
 an untapered floor having a length L 3  of 5.6 mm and a depth Dth of 3 mm; 
 tapered portions before and after the floor, the tapered portions having a length L 2  of 5.2 mm and a taper angle A of 30 degree; 
   grinding the pellet and flake fish food between the notched plunger rod and the narrowing orifice of a conical passage of the grinding portion of the pellet and flake feeder; and   releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish.