Patent Application
20230050947
The present invention relates generally to the field of ear protective gear for animals. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protective device that is designed to cover the ears of animals such as dogs, and protect their sensitive ears from loud and anxiety-inducing sounds. The protective device comprises curved-shaped layers that are broad at the center and narrow at the ends, designed to be secured over the ears and head of the pet, wherein the covering material snugly fits using a hook and loop fastener. Additionally, the protective covering features a pair of sleeves on each side on the inner layer of the covering for receiving and storing soundproof ear pads. The soundproof ear pads cover both the ears of a pet such as a dog, and act as a barrier between the environment and the ears of the animal, thereby protecting pets from anxiety-inducing noises such as fireworks, gunshots, thunder and the like. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, most pet owners know that dogs can have sensitive ears and are fearful of loud sounds. Noises such as thunderstorms, fireworks, gunshots, vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, barking dogs, crying children, construction and others can quickly upset or frighten the dogs. The aforementioned loud noises and sounds not only frighten the dogs, but also cause feelings of anxiety among the dogs. The dogs may panic due to anxiety that is usually evident in their behavior. When the dogs are exposed to loud and noisy environments, the dogs can get panic attacks and may produce whining sounds as well as pant heavily when they are uncomfortable.
Generally during festivals and large gatherings, there is excessive noise or shouting that can make the animals shake and tremble in fear. For example, holidays such as New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July are especially bad for the pet owners, as dogs have been known to run away to avoid the sounds from fireworks. The pet exposure to noisy events is not only stressful for the pets, but is also stressful for the pet owners, as they are unable to make their pets feel safe during these noisy events.
Some pet owners may use a muffler-like covering to cover the ears of the dogs. However, conventional mufflers do not provide protection to dogs from noisy environments. Further, some pet owners may place cotton balls into the ear canals of the dogs to attenuate some noise during festive or noisy events. However, the dogs may be uncomfortable when the cotton balls are placed into their ear canals, and may shake their heads vigorously in a manner that discharges the cotton ball from the dog’s ear canal. The pet owners are burdened with monitoring the behavior of their dogs and continuously checking if their dogs/pets have discharged the cotton balls from their ear canals. In such situations, the pet owners may be unable to fully enjoy any festive events.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a protective gear for dogs that prohibits them from being exposed to loud and noisy environments. There is also a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs which prohibits pets and dogs from becoming frightened or anxious due to loud sounds. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a protective gear that ensures calm behavior of dogs in noisy and loud environments. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a protective gear that provides a barrier between the noisy environment and the ears of the dogs, and prohibits the animal’s sensitive ears from being exposed to loud sounds. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear that can be easily worn by the dogs and cannot be removed by randomly shaking their head. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs that is comfortable to wear and can be worn for long periods of time, and eliminates the need for the pet owners to continuously monitor their pets if the gear is removed inadvertently. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs that ensures the pet owners remain stress-free while the dogs are comfortable in noisy environments.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a protective device for securing a pet’s ears from loud noises. The protective device is designed to protect pets from anxiety-inducing noises such as fireworks, gunshots and thunder by using sound barrier pads. The device comprises a top or exterior layer including opposite first and second ends with a broader central region, a bottom or interior layer symmetrical to the top layer and including opposite first and second ends with a broader central region, the top layer including a logo and a pair of detachably-attached pup ears, the bottom layer including a pair of sleeve-like pockets for receiving and storing sound barrier pads, the first end of the top layer includes a hook fastener and the second end of the bottom layer, includes a loop fastener allowing the top layer to releasably secure to the bottom layer wherein the hook and loop fastener is secured under the chin of the pet, and the sound barrier pads are positioned over the ears to cover the ears of the pet while the device is in use to wrap over the ears and around the pet’s head.
In this manner, the novel protective device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives, and provides a relatively safe, easy, and convenient solution to protect pets from loud and anxiety-inducing noises. The protective gear of the present invention is also pet-friendly, soft and elastic, and covers the ears to passively reduce the sound entering the ears. The device can be used by pet owners, veterinarians and dog shelters, and can protect pets from anxiety-inducing noises such as fireworks, gunshots and thunder. The device also reduces stress for owners, knowing that their pets feel safe and will not run away.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a device for securing a pet’s ears from loud noises. The device is designed to protect pets from anxiety-inducing noises such as fireworks, gunshots and thunder by using sound barrier pads. The device further comprises a top or exterior layer, including opposite first and second ends with a broader central region, a bottom or interior layer symmetrical to the top layer and including opposite first and second ends with a broader central region, the top layer including a logo and a pair of detachably-attached pup ears, the bottom layer including a pair of sleeve-like pockets for receiving and storing sound barrier pads, the first end of the top layer includes a hook fastener and the second end of the bottom layer includes a loop fastener, thereby allowing the top layer to releasably-secure to the bottom layer wherein the hook and loop fastener is secured under the chin of the pet and the sound barrier pads are positioned over the ears to cover ears of the pet while the device is in use, to wrap over the ears and around the pet’s head.
In yet another embodiment, a pet’s ear protection device for protecting the ears of a pet animal from anxiety-inducing noises is disclosed. The device includes a top layer that is visually exposed when the device is worn by a pet, a bottom layer that adheres to the skin of the pet and is positioned between the top layer and the pet, the top layer and the bottom layer can be symmetrical to each other and the top layer overlays the bottom layer, the bottom layer including a pair of sleeve-like pockets for receiving and storing sound barrier ear pads that are configured to passively reduce the ambient and surrounding noise and one end of the top layer can be releasably-attached to the opposite end of the bottom layer to secure the device snugly over the ears and around the head of the pet.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a top layer includes a logo between a pair of artificial ears to make the device aesthetically appealing.
In yet another embodiment, the sleeve pockets are not visible from outside and the sound barrier ear pads are removably-stored in the sleeve pockets wherein the sound barrier ear pads reduce the noise entering the ears of the pet by blocking the noise, and thereby alleviating shaking and panic in pets who are fearful of loud sounds.
In yet another embodiment, the sound barrier ear pads cover the ears of the pet and can provide a noise-reduction rating of up to 30 decibels.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of protecting a pet’s ears from loud noise is disclosed. The method includes the steps of initially positioning a pet’s ear-protecting device over the head of a pet. The protecting device comprises a sewn top layer and bottom layer, one end of the top layer is releasably-securable to the opposite end of the bottom layer, a pair of sleeves for storing soundproof material and a pair of pup or dog ears. The method further includes orienting the device in a flat position for placement over the pet’s ears and head, placing the central portion of the bottom layer on the head and wrapping it over the ears to snugly fit under the chin, and ensuring that the sleeves containing the soundproof material are covering the ears of the pet animal.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an animal noise protector device is disclosed. The device includes a hook and loop fastener for securing the device over the ears and around the head of a pet, a pair of sleeve-like pockets to cover the ears, such that the sound barrier ear pads stored in the sleeve-like pockets reduce or mitigate the loud noises before entering the ears of the pet, thereby protecting pets from anxiety-inducing noises such as fireworks, gunshots and thunder.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the protecting device is fitted around the neck and over the ears and head of an animal via a hook and loop closure means, snap fastener, button fastener, or buckle fastener. An advantage of this feature is that the device fits an assortment of neck sizes and can be adjusted for a tight fit around a particular animal’s neck.
The device of the present invention is employed to naturally protect the ears of the animal by not directly exposing them to loud sounds. This prohibits ear damage, shaking and panic in pets. The device can be used by pet owners, boarding kennels, veterinarians and dog shelters.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs that prohibits them from being exposed to loud and noisy environments. There is also a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs which prohibits the dogs from becoming frightened or anxious due to loud sounds. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a protective gear that ensures calm behavior of dogs in noisy and loud environments. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear that provides a barrier between the noisy environment and the ears of the dogs and prohibits the animal’s sensitive ears from being exposed to loud sounds. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear that can be easily worn by the dogs and cannot be removed by randomly shaking their heads. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs that is comfortable to wear and can be worn for long periods of time, and eliminating the need for the pet owners to continuously monitor their pets if the gear is removed inadvertently. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for protective gear for dogs that ensures the pets and pet owners remain stress-free while the dogs are comfortable in noisy environments.
The present invention, in one potential embodiment, includes a novel pet ear protection device for protecting the ears of a pet animal from anxiety inducing noises. The device features a top or exterior layer that is visually exposed when the device is worn by a pet and a bottom or interior layer that adheres to the skin of the pet and is positioned between the top layer and the pet. The top layer and the bottom layer can be symmetrical to each other and the top layer overlays the bottom layer. Further, the bottom layer includes a pair of sleeve-like pockets for receiving and storing sound barrier ear pads that are configured to passively reduce or mitigate the noise heard by the pet.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The device 100 is suitably sized so as to fit comfortably and snugly over an animal’s ears and against the sides of the animal’s head, and is configured to be secured under the chin area of the animal using a fastener such as a hook or loop material. The first end 1020 of the top layer 102 includes a hook fastener 106 and the opposite end 1042 of the bottom layer 104 includes a loop fastener 108 for securing the device 100. The top layer 102 includes a pair of synthetic pup or dog ears 110, 112. The pup or dog ears 110, 112 can be sewn to the top layer 102 or can be detachably-attached using a snap button, hook or the like. Each pup ear can be positioned on opposing sides of the head of the animal when the device 100 is worn by the animal, providing the appearance of stylistic ears. The pup or dog ears 110, 112 can be of different colors and can be made from a soft and stretchable (i.e. elastic) material. The top layer 102 can also include a logo 114 positioned between the pup ears or dog ears 110, 112 such that the logo 114 is positioned at the center of the head of the animal when the device 100 is deployed on a dog or a pup. The logo 114 can be printed, stitched or attached using an adhesive, and can be used for providing a customized name or logo for a personalized ear protector device 100.
The bottom layer 104 includes a first pocket or cavity 116 and a second pocket or cavity 118 which are disposed such that the first pocket 116 is positioned on a first ear, and the second pocket 118 is positioned on a second ear of the animal wearing the ear protector device 100. The pockets or cavities 116, 118 are sewn to the bottom layer 104 are designed as sleeve-like compartments. Both the first pocket 116 and the second pocket 118 house flexible sound barrier materials/ear pads 120, 122 respectively, that prohibits the loud noise from entering the ears of the animal wearing the device 100. The sound barrier materials can include memory foam securely placed within the pockets 116, 118, which helps to cut down on the volume or decibel level of loud noises. The sound barrier materials are positioned on the ears of the animal in order to provide anti-anxiety ear mufflers to mitigate loud noises.
The ear protecting device 100 slips over the pet’s head and ears like a headband and the stretchable fabric of both the top layer 102 and the bottom layer 104 provides a snug fit with the device secured below the chin. The device 100, employing the sound barrier ear pads, cuts down on the volume of anxiety-triggering noises like those associated with fireworks, gunfire or loud music and help the pet stay calm. The device 100 also acts as an anti-anxiety wrap to soothe the pet.
The soothing device 100 is machine-washable and can be washed after removing the sound barriers from the sleeve-like compartments 116,118. The pup or dog muffler device 100 can be made of a soft, thin washable material which enables the pets to easily move around and lay down while wearing the device 100 without being agitated or uncomfortable. In one illustrative embodiment, the material composition includes 35% Rayon, 60% Polyester, and 5% Spandex. The device 100 comprises a variety of sizes to accommodate all breeds, big and small. A medium variant of the device 100 can include an unstretched length of about 5.0 inches that is stretchable up to about 10.0 inches (i.e. 100% potential increase in length or 2 times in length), and an unstretched width of about 4.0 inches that is stretchable up to about 6.0 inches (i.e. 50% potential increase in width or 1.5 times in width). In a large variant of the device 100, the unstretched length can be about 6.0 inches that is stretchable up to about 12.0 inches (i.e. 100% potential increase in length or 2 times in length), and the unstretched width can be about 6.0 inches that is stretchable up to about 9.0 inches (i.e. 50% potential increase in width or 1.5 times in width). It is to be appreciated that the ear protector device 100, including at least two of the following materials of rayon, polyester and spandex, enables the device 100 to stretch and expand in overall dimensions in order to accommodate a variety of pet head sizes and ear proportions.
The ear-protecting device 100 is effective in absorbing high-frequency sounds in the ultrasonic range and protects the ear canal of the pet wearing the device 100 from damage due to loud sounds. It should be noted that the device 100 of the present invention provides passive sound reduction to guard against hearing damage and provides ultimate comfort for dogs for maximum protection from noise. The device 100 is highly effective in protecting pets, especially dogs, from damaging their sense of hearing from any form of sustained loud noise, such as truck or helicopter transport, gunshots or loud construction sites nearby.
It is to be understood that the ear protector device 100 can be used to protect pets of various breeds and sizes from loud noises. For example, the device 100 can be used to protect animals with floppy ears that fold over or otherwise cover the animals' ear canals, hairy ears, upright semi-rigid ears and others. As such, the breeds of the animals are for illustration and applicability of the invention, and not to limit same. Indeed, the ear protector device 100 enables protection of other animals, such as, goats, sheep and any other animals whose ears a caregiver or owner may need or have occasion to protect.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “ear-protector device”, “sound-reducing device”, “soothing device”, “pet safety device”, “pup muffler device”, “ear protector device”, and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the ear protector device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the ear protector device 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the ear protector device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the ear protector device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the ear protector device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the ear protector device 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user’s needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments including different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/233,566, which was filed on August 16th, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63233566 | Aug 2021 | US |
