Patent Application
20170027130
The present invention relates to hideaways (or shelters) suitable for use with pets that are typically kept in hutches or enclosures such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus, hamsters etc.
The present invention provides a pet hideaway (or shelter) comprising a plurality of substantially tubular modules connected together by connection means.
The hideaway can include any suitable number of modules.
The modules can be releasably connected together by the connection means. In other words, the modules can be separately formed and then connected together to define the hideaway. The user can optionally connect together a desired number of modules to construct a hideaway having a particular size.
The modules can be articulated together by the connection means so that the hideaway can be manipulated by a user to adopt different desired profiles.
Each module can include an integral connection part that allows it to be releasably connected to another module.
Each module can include a substantially-rigid hollow tubular body with at least one open end. The body or housing can be made from a suitable plastics material using any suitable process, e.g., vacuum moulding, extrusion etc. Plastics materials can be non-toxic and are hard-wearing, weatherproof and easy to keep clean.
The modules can be directly connected together such that adjacent modules that define the hideaway are in direct, physical, contact with each other. The direct connection can utilise the connection part that can optionally be an integral part of the body. The modules can have any suitable shape, size, cross-section etc.
The connection part can be formed such that, when two modules are releasably connected together, their respective connection parts are not in register with each other so that they do not hinder relative movement between the adjacent modules. In one arrangement, this can be achieved even if all of the modules have the same construction, by connecting adjacent modules together in an opposite orientation.
In another arrangement, the connection means can include a plurality of separate connection parts, each connection part being releasably connected to at least one module. The connection parts can be made from a suitable plastics material using any suitable process. Each connection part can be used to releasably connect two modules together.
Each connection part and at least part of each module can be provided with a complementary engagement profile or engagement means. The engagement profile can include a series of planar surfaces around the circumference of each module and complementary planar surfaces on each connection part.
The connection means is preferably adapted to substantially maintain the pet hideaway in the desired profile.
In one arrangement, at least a pair of adjacent modules are rotatably connected together. In other words, the connection means (e.g., an integral connection part or separate connection part) allows one module to rotate relative to an adjacent module. The modules can therefore be manipulated into different profiles by rotating or repositioning the modules such that the connection part of each module, or some other part, adopts a particular angular orientation with respect to the corresponding part of an adjacent module. The connection means and/or the module body can be adapted to limit relative rotation between adjacent modules to just one rotational direction, i.e., relative rotation is not permitted in the opposite rotational direction, or to limit relative movement between adjacent modules to just one movement direction.
The connection means and/or the module body can be adapted to temporarily maintain the hideaway in substantially the desired profile. For example, once the modules have been manipulated by the user to adopt a desired profile, the hideaway can be effectively maintained in the desired profile by the connection means until the user wants to manipulate the modules to a different profile. Some sort of temporary or user-activated locking means or retaining means can be provided. In practice, it may be that the hideaway is maintained in substantially the desired profile until a certain amount of force is applied by the user, at which point the modules will be articulated to a different profile under the action of that applied force. For example, in the case of friction contact between adjacent modules, a force greater than the static friction force must be applied if the user wants the hideaway to adopt a different profile. The hideaway is intended to be placed in a hutch or enclosure for use with pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus, hamsters etc., and will preferably maintain the desired profile even if the pet climbs on top of the hideaway. In one arrangement, the complementary engagement profile or engagement means can increase the amount of force necessary to manipulate the hideaway so that the orientation of adjacent modules, and hence the overall hideaway, can be selectively maintained. In one arrangement, one or both of the connection means and the outer surface of the module body might be formed with a saw-tooth or ridged profile or the like that allows for relative rotation between the adjacent modules only when the necessary amount of force is applied. Such an engagement profile might also allow for relative rotation in one direction (e.g., clockwise) while completely preventing relative rotation in the opposite direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). In one arrangement, the engagement profile can include a series of flats or planar surfaces around the circumference of each module body or housing that are engaged by complementary planar surfaces of the connection means of an adjacent module or a separate connection means. The complementary planar surfaces prevent relative rotational movement between the adjacent modules to maintain the desired profile, and mean that adjacent modules can only be connected together at certain predetermined orientations by the connection means. The complementary planar surfaces permit lateral movement. The predetermined orientations will depend on the number of flats or planar surfaces provided on each module. The desired profile will normally be substantially ∩-shaped so that the hideaway forms an enclosed space in which small pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus, hamsters etc. can conveniently shelter when the hideaway is placed in a hutch or enclosure.
The pet hideaway can further include at least one heating and/or cooling unit sized and shaped to be received within at least one module. It should be noted that some pets do not just require heating during cold weather. Some pets, and in particular guinea pigs, are unable to regulate their own body temperature, and can also require cooling during very hot weather. More than one module of the pet hideaway can include a heating and/or cooling unit. A module can receive two or more heating and/or cooling units, e.g., arranged end to end.
The at least one heating and/or cooling unit can be slidably received within the at least one module, e.g., through the at least one open end of the tubular body. Each heating and/or cooling unit can be sized and shaped to be received within the hollow interior of a respective module. Preferably each heating and/or cooling unit will be easily to install and remove. The heating and/or cooling units can be sold separately from the modules that define the basic hideaway structure, e.g., they are optional components.
The at least one heating and/or cooling unit can contain a thermal store in the form of a solid, liquid or gel responsive to heating or cooling externally applied to at least part of the unit (e.g., by placing the unit in a microwave or freezer) so that the solid, liquid or gel is heated or cooled, respectively, and remains in a heated or cooled state for a period of time after the externally applied heating or cooling is removed. During the period of time (e.g., a period of a few minutes up to a prolonged period of several hours), the unit can be used to provide heating or cooling for the pet using the hideaway. The amount of heating or cooling can be controlled by the user by altering the number of heating and/or cooling units that are installed in the hideaway. Heating and/or cooling units can be installed in a cluster of adjacent modules or more evenly distributed between the modules of the hideaway.
Each heating and/or cooling unit can include a substantially-rigid body that encloses the solid, liquid or gel material of the thermal store. The body can be made from any suitable material, e.g., a plastics material, using any suitable process.
The solid, liquid or gel that forms the thermal store can have any suitable composition and is preferably non-toxic so that it is suitable for use with pets. An example would be a gel composition using inter alia Carbopol®, propylene glycol, glycerine, ethyl paraben and water. Other suitable compositions, such as those used in conventional ‘hot and cold’ pads, will be known to the skilled person. Any suitable phase change material where heat is absorbed or released when the material changes from a solid to a liquid, or vice versa, can be used as the thermal store. The phase change material can have any suitable phase change temperature. Non-phase change material can also be used. In general, the term ‘thermal store’ should be interpreted broadly to include any solid, liquid or gel material that is capable of storing thermal energy and subsequently releasing the stored thermal energy to provide practically useful heating or cooling for a period of time after the externally applied heating or cooling is removed. It will be understood that such a definition includes phase change materials.
In one arrangement, the heating and/or cooling units can be heated or cooled for a particular period of time. For example, the units can be placed in a microwave (where the heating time will depend on the power of the microwave) or in a freezer. The units are then removed from the microwave or freezer and inserted into the modules, e.g., by sliding them into their hollow interiors. Each unit will remain in a heated or cooled state for a period of time after being removed from the microwave or freezer. Once the units have returned to ambient temperature, they can be removed from the modules and are ready to be heated or cooled again. The hideaway can be used with heating units in winter and cooling units in summer.
The pet hideaway can further include at least one heating unit sized and shaped to be received within at least one module, wherein the least one heating unit contains a supersaturated liquid or gel (e.g., sodium acetate trihydrate) and means (e.g., a trigger device that provides a nucleation site) for allowing the user to selectively initiate crystallisation of the supersaturated liquid or gel to release heat energy for a period of time. Again, the liquid or gel is preferably non-toxic. The at least one module can be reset by heating until all of the crystals have melted. Such modules generate their own heat energy as a result of the crystallisation process and external heating does not need to be applied.
The at least one heating unit can be slidably received within the at least one module. The heating unit can have a similar construction to the heating and/or cooling unit described above.
The present invention further provides a plurality of substantially tubular modules being adapted to be connected together to construct a pet hideaway that can preferably be manipulated by a user to adopt different desired profiles.
Each module can have the same construction.
Each module can include an integral connection part that allows it to be releasably connected directly to another module.
The present invention further provides a kit comprising a plurality of modules as described above and a plurality of connection parts, each connection part being adapted to be releasably connected to at least one module.
The kit can further include at least one heating and/or cooling unit sized and shaped to be received within at least one module. The at least one heating and/or cooling unit contains a thermal store in the form of a solid, liquid or gel responsive to heating or cooling externally applied to at least part of the unit so that the solid, liquid or gel is heated or cooled, respectively, and remains in a heated or cooled state for a period of time after the externally applied heating or cooling is removed. Other features of each heating and/or cooling unit can be as described above.
The present invention further includes a kit comprising a plurality of modules as described above and at least one heating unit sized and shaped to be received within at least one module, wherein the least one heating unit contains a supersaturated liquid or gel and means for allowing the user to selectively initiate crystallisation of the supersaturated liquid or gel to release heat energy for a period of time.
The hideaway can be covered by a cover in use. A cover with a waterproof or wipe-clean outer layer might be preferred. The cover can include an insulating inner layer. The heating and/or cooling units can also be placed inside a bag (e.g., a slide-lock bag) or other container for hygiene purposes before being placed in a microwave or freezer.
With reference to
The module 2 includes a pair of integral connection parts 6 each having a pair of curved, resilient, arms 8. The connection parts 6 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the module 2 and each connection part is a different distance from the respective axial end of the module.
A plurality of modules 2 can be connected together using the connection parts 6 to form a hideaway.
Adjacent modules can be rotated relative to each other. This is shown in
The modules can be constructed to temporarily retain adjacent modules in a particular angular orientation. In one arrangement the angular orientation can be temporarily maintained simply by a friction fit between the connection parts 6 and the outer surface of the body 4 of the adjacent module. But it will be readily appreciated that in some cases a friction fit will not be sufficient. For example, it might be necessary or desirable to increase the amount of force that needs to be applied by the user to move the adjacent modules to a particular angular orientation, and to thereby more securely retain the adjacent modules in the angular orientation. In one arrangement, one or both of the connection part and the outer surface of the body might be formed with engagement means or an engagement profile (e.g., a saw-tooth or ridged profile or the like) that still allows for relative rotation between the adjacent modules when the necessary amount of force is applied to overcome the engagement. Such engagement means might also allow for relative rotation in one direction (e.g., clockwise) while completely preventing relative rotation in the opposite direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). In one arrangement, shown in
In the arrangement shown in
The engagement means or profile can also be used to prevent relative rotation between the adjacent modules unless the modules are unconnected and then re-connected in a different angular orientation, e.g., as shown in
It is convenient (from a point of view of manufacturing cost) if all of the modules have the same construction.
Because the connection parts 6 are not in register, the adjacent modules 2a, 2b can undergo relative rotation over a large angle, e.g., with reference to
Although the connection parts 6 are shown as being relatively narrow, it will be readily appreciated that they can be formed with any suitable width. Other forms of connection means can also be provided, including those where the modules are integrally connected together and are not releasable, or where separate connection parts are provided and are used to connect adjacent pairs of modules together.
An alternative module 102 is shown in
In addition to the resilient arms 108, each module 104 includes a male connector at a first end 110a and a female connector at a second end 110b. The male and female connectors 110a, 110b can have any suitable construction and allow modules to be releasably connected together end-to-end as shown in
With reference to
Once the modules have been connected together, they can be manipulated by the user to adopt different profiles.
In use, the modules 2a-2n are assembled together and manipulated to form a pet hideaway 1 with a desired profile. If heating is needed (e.g., during winter months) a separate heating unit can be inserted into one or more of the modules 2a-2n. The heating unit(s) will be heated using a microwave and once inserted into the pet hideaway will remain in a heated state for a period of time, during which the pet hideaway will provide useful heating. The heating unit(s) can be removed from the modules and re-heated as required.
If cooling is needed (e.g., during summer months) a cooling unit can be inserted into one or more of the modules 2a-2n in a similar way.
The pet hideaway 1 can be covered by a cover (not shown).
Insulating material can also be inserted into one or more of the modules 2a-2n to reduce heat loss through the pet hideaway 1.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1513478.6 | Jul 2015 | GB | national |
