Patent Application
20190307100
The invention relates generally to a shelter for pets, such as dogs, cats, and rabbits. More particularly, the invention pertains to a kit and/or prefabricated shelter/refuge that provides, amongst other things, a dark and confined denning space with a hidden entryway providing security and comfort to pets.
Dogs, for instance, by nature prefer small, dark, enclosed spaces that provide both mental and physical comfort, offering, enclosed, tight entryways and interior security. Experts have provided guidance to pet owners impressing upon them to aid these natural tendencies by providing, for example, a pet bed in a corner of a room. Some comfort in these situations is provided to a pet, however, the openness of the bed to the environment leaves the corner insubstantial and non-ideal for providing the habitat that the animal's instinct dictates. As such, the animal's instinctual behavior encourages them to seek a den-like shelter that is secluded and has no more room than is required to lie stretched out. When an animal, such as a dog or rabbit, burrows within a cavity in its natural environment, the animal's body heat warms the surrounding area. A portion of the habitat retains the heat and acts as an insulator from the outside air temperature, while the entryway itself provides controlled air flow and venting. Experts also cited that covered habitats provide the pet a sense of safety and security. Open crates and cages—e.g., plastic crates, wire kennels, and the like, do not provide the pet such an environment, and accordingly, many experts recommend covering cages with a blanket to provide a draft-free and safe-feeling place for pets. Many experts agree that dogs, in particular, may prefer draft-free spaces for retreat. Animal behaviorists cite that the pet's refuge to den-like structures aids in the reduction of personality problems and negative behaviors such as howling when left alone in the home.
Denning is a natural instinct in dogs and, as an example, explains their tendency to burrow under blankets. Shelter that can be provisioned with items such as blankets, toys, etc. not only provides comfort and satisfaction of such natural behaviors, but also provides the pet a sense of territorial security. Furthermore, for house training, some animals respond better if litter, food, and water are contained within the den, while others are more easily trained if food, water, and litter (if necessary) is kept outside of the den. As such, a shelter structure that can be easily configured to accommodate various pet personalities would be ideal for pet owners. Lastly, pet habitats should preferably be adaptable to the animal's size and have easy access for maintaining its cleanliness in order to encourage sustained use by the pet.
Pet shelters such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,264 to Guard and U.S. Pat. No. 9,107,386 to Roberts provide a dish shaped and shell-shaped structure, respectively, having a generally circular opening for access by a pet. Such structures, however, are not ideal for denning animals as the sleeping area is exposed to excessive light and perceived encroachment by outsiders. Pet habitats that provide reduced encroachment threat are preferable. Other structures, such as the pet enclosure disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 20080066686A1 to Jordan and Lockwood, cater to some instinctual behaviors of dogs and other pets, however, such structures do not have separate denning spaces, are not aesthetically complimentary for placement in human habitat and, further, do not provide a structured form that allows for the convenient placement of pet-friendly articles such as blankets and toys. In addition, such an enclosure collapses around the animal and greatly diminishes necessary venting of the animal space. A structure that provides more human-habitat friendliness are more likely to be used indoors as well as outdoors, bolstering sales as a result of its form. In yet another example, a pet containment system as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,524 to Piglia and Sileven, provides housing for small animals comprised of interconnected sectional units. Containment systems of this sort are cumbersome and require significant dismantling of the units in order to sufficiently clean all surfaces of the housing, and to retrieve animals from the enclosure.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a pet shelter in the shape of a gastropod body, i.e., spiral shell, having aesthetic appeal that compliments instinctual behaviors of pets is provided. The pet shelter includes a generally narrow entryway that traverses a generally circular or spiral-shaped corridor which leads to and terminates at a nook bedding area, i.e., denning space. The pet shelter, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, is constructed of two attachable pieces—a bottom section (i.e., floor and bottom side) and a top section (i.e., roof and top side), however, alternatively, may be made of multiple pieces which, when assembled, form a gastropod spiral shell-shaped construction.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the pet shelter may be a configured as a one-piece construction made such as by molding or other forming and adhering means.
A pet shelter of the present disclosure as may be made of various materials to accommodate outdoor or indoor use, and constructed in various sizes to accommodate, for example stationary or transport use (such as a small crate), respectively. Furthermore, the top section may be configured of various heights whereby various top sections may be interchangeable with a bottom section to accommodate growth of a pet. In accordance with an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is conceivable that a user may use top sections and bottom sections of a pet shelter that are interchangeable with other top sections and bottom sections, respectively. Similarly, a user may replace an entire pet shelter unit with a larger unit, if required or so desired.
In another aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the pet shelter may have one or more hinges along the periphery separating the top section from the bottom section (in the case of two-piece construction) to allow a user to open the shelter for retrieving a pet, placing items such as removable bedding, toys, feeding stations, etc., and cleaning the shelter. The pet shelter may also include a series of clips or other attachment/locking means along the periphery for securing the top and bottom sections together.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, one or more opening structures (e.g., doors, gates, etc.) may be fashioned and situated within and/or along an interior and/or exterior surface of the pet shelter. Such openings, particularly in the case of a one-piece shelter construction, allows a user to open the shelter for retrieving a pet, placing items such as bedding, toys, feeding stations, etc. inside the shelter, and for cleaning the shelter. In addition, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, flow adjustable venting doors may be situated along the surface of the pet shelter to control airflow (i.e., drafts) into and out of the interior of the shelter.
In a further aspect of the present disclosure, methods for managing and encouraging the instinctual behaviors (e.g., denning) of pets is provided. The methods include, for example, providing a shelter mimicking a cave-like dwelling for animals that is instinctually reminiscent of a safe and secure environment that may be found in nature. In addition, a pet shelter may include on any of its exterior surfaces one or more openings and/or adjustable vent holes (i.e., doors) for managing airflow and lighting into the shelter's space, thereby encouraging use by a pet.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the pet shelter and method of use further includes altering the size of a pet shelter by replacing a top section of a shelter with another top section of greater height to accommodate growth of a pet, thereby maintaining habitat familiarity to encourage sustained use by a pet.
In yet a further aspect of the present disclosure, a method of use further includes providing a nook within a pet shelter to aid in house training and whelping.
In an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, a pet shelter may be constructed of one or more sections of fabric-like material (e.g., stretchable plastic, cloth weave, rubber, tenting, etc.) attached to a frame structure configured/shaped as a gastropod shell with a spiral-shaped corridor and nook den space (not shown). The frame may be a collapsible structure providing space and weight savings for shipping the pet shelter. In addition, the fabric material may be constructed of a breathable fabric and configured to include flaps configured as doors for providing openings for venting, lighting, and the like. Such flaps may be configured for reveal by using, for example, zippers, Velcro or other fastening means.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the present disclosure, various embodiments of the present disclosure can be more readily understood and appreciated from the following descriptions of various embodiments of the present disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein, are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular may also be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims.
The pet shelter 100 is used to provide a cave-like dwelling for a pet, such as a dog, cat, rabbit, etc. that compliments their natural instinct to generally seek shelter in small, dark, draft-free nooks for denning. Pet shelter 100 simulates a cave-like structure for a pet habitat by providing an entryway 130 which traverses a generally narrow spiral-shaped corridor 140 which leads to a den area 150. Den area 150 may include, for example, bedding 160, blanket(s), toy(s), or other items 170 for a pet or user. In an aspect of the present disclosure, a pet shelter 100 allows a user the ability to provide removable bedding 160 and toys or other items, such as a blanket, 170 to a pet shelter 100.
By reference to
Vents or lighting doors 310 may be situated anywhere on the interior or exterior surface (including top section 110 and bottom section 120) of a pet shelter 100 to provide a user the ability to control light and/or airflow into the interior of a pet shelter 100. Gates or doors 300 may be formed and removably attached to the interior of the pet shelter 100 or entryway 130 on hinges (not shown) or as pocket doors (not shown), respectively. Gates or doors 300, 300A and vents or lighting doors 310 may be integrally formed with the top section 110 and bottom section 120 of a pet shelter 100.
A pet shelter 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, provides a user the ability to adjust its size for a growing pet by replacing a top section 110 with a top section 110 of greater height. In addition, experts cite that household pets, and dogs in particular, accept enclosed boxes for sanctuary and generally will not soil this bedding area. A user may simulate the habitat of a dog in its wild state using a pet shelter 100 to aid in house training as den 150 provides a pet sanctuary. Furthermore, a pet shelter 100 may be used as a whelping box to provide a pet means for protecting puppies during birth, assuring safe containment of puppies (e.g., in den area 150), while also protecting puppies from adverse weather and temperatures.
While there is shown and described herein certain specific structures embodying various embodiments of the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims. It is also understood by those of skill in the art that terms pet and animal may be used interchangeably, and that holes are defined by opening structures (e.g., doors) without departing from the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62655035 | Apr 2018 | US |
