Patent Application
20130180463
1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to an animal shelter and animal bed, and, in particular, an animal shelter that collapses to form an animal bed.
2. Related Art.
Animal beds and animal shelters, commonly referred to as pet beds and pet shelters, are well known. Pet beds are provided to allow one's pet to have a comfortable place to rest, and are especially usually for pets that are not allowed to sleep on beds or couches. Pet beds are typically designed to be generally flat, fabric covered cushions that come in many shapes and sizes.
In addition to pet beds, some animals prefer to sleep or take shelter in enclosed areas. Such enclosures take the form of crates, houses or carriers. The shelters are generally constructed to have a top, bottom, sides and front opening with or without a door. Such shelters may be used for the sole purpose of shelter or may be utilized as transportation carriers, in which case, the shelters usually include doors that are maintained in a closed position by a locking mechanism accessible only from the outside of the carrier. Shelters are generally made of metal, plastic, wood or fabric, or a combination of any of the materials. When in use, the shelters generally take up a significant amount of space, especially those designed for use by larger animals. Many shelters are designed to be disassembled, collapse or fold to minimize the size of the shelters for storage and transportation purposes. Rather than store the shelters when not in use, it would be useful if shelters were provided that, in their collapsed state, could function as another useful article for use by a pet.
A need therefore exists for a shelter that, it its collapsed state, functions as a pet bed. A further need exists for a shelter that is comprised of a soft pliable material that when in a collapsed state forms a cushion for a pet. Yet a further need exists for the shelter that collapse into a pet bed and that includes an additional cushion for use with the shelter and the pet bed.
Accordingly, a collapsible shelter is provided that, when in its closed or collapsed state, forms a pet bed. While the invention may be characterized as a collapsible shelter, it may also be characterized as a convertible pet bed that is expandable into a pet shelter.
The structure of the present invention comprises a first layer and a second layer that are fused together by a seam or a crease. When in the collapsed stated, the second layer forms the base of the pet bed and the first layer is collapsed against the second layer to form a pet bed. The first layer is comprised of flexible or semi-flexible material that can be lifted upward and separated from the second layer to form the roof and sides of an animal shelter or carrier when fully erect. The first layer may include seams or creases for ease of conversion and structural stability. The first and second layers may be formed from semi-flexible foam covered with fabric. Optionally, the first and second layers may be made of materials that have insulating or waterproof qualities. Additionally, the structure may include a pillow for being positioned on top of the second layer when the structure is in the erect state and on top of the first layer when the structure is in its collapsed state, acting as a pet bed.
As described above, the structure may be characterized as animal bed, with an optional removable pillow or cushion, which erects into an animal shelter or carrier, or an animal shelter having a roof and sides that collapse into the base to form an animal bed. The top and sides of the shelter may have seams or creases that are positioned in such manner that the roof and part of the sides can be more easily collapsed into the bottom platform to form an animal bed. In a fully erect state, when the structure forms an animal shelter or carrier, the front has an opening for ingress and egress of an animal. When upward force is applies to the top part or roof of the structure, it is inverted upwards to form the sides and roof of the animal shelter or carrier. When downward force is applied to the top part or roof of the animal bed, the roof and sides invert downward to conform to the base of the shelter and create an animal bed. The removable pillow or cushion may be positioned on the area of the pet bed or shelter on which the animal will rest, which is either on top of the roof structure when in the collapsed stated form the animal bed or the inside the structure on base when the structure is erect to form an animal shelter.
The structure can be constructed from various materials, such as foam, fabric, plastic or similar material capable of being reconfigurable. The materials may further include thermal insulating properties or properties that protect the surroundings from moisture and dirt. In additional to acting as a pet bed, the structure, when collapsed, provides a compact structure for ease of storage or transport. The invention relates to foldable/portable animal shelters or carriers that can be collapsed into a configuration that takes up much less space and can therefore be easily stored or transported.
Other devices, apparatus, systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
The invention may be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The structure can be constructed from various materials, such as foam, fabric, plastic or similar material capable of being reconfigurable. The materials may further include thermal insulating properties or properties that protect the surroundings from moisture and dirt. Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is not necessary for the bottom part to be constructed of material capable of being reconfigured, as the bottom part remains fixed in the illustrated example. As such, the bottom part may optionally be made of a ridge material.
The foregoing description of implementations has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimed inventions to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above description or may be acquired from practicing the invention. The claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.
