Patent Application
20240334903
The present invention relates generally to the field of pet washing systems, and more particularly, to a self-contained, portable pet washing station.
Currently, most dog owners are forced to wash their dogs at home (which creates a mess, clogs drains, etc.), wash their dogs outside (which is limited by weather and accessibility to a water source), or take their dogs to an existing pet wash business, which usually requires an appointment and is limited to normal business hours. A pet owner could hire a professional dog groomer, which may be cost-prohibitive for some owners. Furthermore, pet owners who wash their dogs on their own may use products that are not necessarily intended for use on dogs and that may be harmful to the dog's skin and/or coat. In addition, many pet owners are not aware of the effect of improper water temperature on the dog's skin or coat, nor are they aware of the effect of excessive heat when using blow dryers on their dogs.
Dog wash owner/operators are often faced with several challenges. One such challenge is locating suppliers for all of the elements needed to operate a successful business, and another challenge is meeting excessive regular maintenance requirements. Owner/operators may experience difficulties in the installation, placement and/or relocation of the pet washing unit. They may also find it difficult to comply with Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, to control the ambient environment of the facility, and/or to address security issues.
The present invention solves all of these problems by providing a self-contained, portable dog wash system that contains the mess and handles dog hair and chemicals in a safe, environmentally controlled manner. Reservations are not required, and access is continuously available. Only veterinarian-approved products and veterinarian-approved water and air blower temperatures are used, thereby improving pet health and safety. The present invention incorporates a self-cleaning system with a centralized, easy to clean dog hair filter system. The present invention has an integrated under-body jack system for leveling and forklift access. It is a self-contained unit that fits on a standard flatbed trailer with no wide load requirements. The ambient environment is controlled with a centralized heating/cooling I unit and a fan that, together with the louvered air gap, maintains air flow circulation throughout the unit. The invention also incorporates security features such as lighting and locks, as described more fully in the Detailed Description of Invention below.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20120279456 (Caldwell) discloses a pet wash tub with a funnel-shaped arrangement formed by first and second panels that extend at an angle of greater than about ninety degrees relative to the floor, at an angle of greater than about ninety degrees relative to the first and second side walls, and at an angle of greater than ninety degrees relative to a third panel that is positioned behind the first and second panels. This funnel-shaped arrangement diverts water and dog hair through a drain hose and into a collection trough. The tub is situated within a pet wash station, which includes a wash room and an equipment room. The tub is located inside of the wash room, which has a sloped floor for diverting water into the collection trough. The equipment room includes a control panel and hose extensions for air and water/soap for washing a pet in the wash room.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20150000610 (Caldwell) discloses a compact self-service pet wash station with an equipment room and a foldable ash tub. The equipment room provides the means to control and supply the wash tub with rinse water, wash solution mix, and dry air to wash a pet in the wash tub. When in the storage position, the self-service pet wash station has a reduced dimension in a direction extending generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation and to gravity. The control unit, which controls the actuation of the water supply, forms part of the structure to which the foldable wash tub is mounted. The invention described in the '610 published application is intended to be incorporated into a bay for washing a car and is not a self-contained unit.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20050150467 (Jobal) provides a cleaning station with a glass enclosure in which the interior of the enclosure is disinfected with each washing procedure. The invention incorporates the use of hydraulics and a frequency variator/converter that is used to adjust the flow or air and water, as well as moisture and unpleasant odor extractors. The floor of the enclosure on which the animal is placed can swivel and fold and incorporates a load cell that detects the presence of the animal and prevents the disinfection process from taking place while the animal is inside of the enclosure. The hydraulic circuit controls the cleaning, rinsing and disinfection processes.
The present invention is a pet washing system comprising: a front wall; a first side wall; a second side wall; a rear wall; and a roof; wherein the front wall is attached to a first end of the first side wall and a first end of the second side wall, and the rear wall is attached to a second end of the first side wall and a second end of the second side wall, thereby forming a rectangular structure; wherein the roof is situated on top of the rectangular structure and is slanted so that the roof slopes downwardly from front to back; wherein a dividing wall is situated between and parallel to the front wall and the rear wall, and the dividing wall is situated between and perpendicular to the first side wall and the second side wall, thereby defining a first area and a second area within the rectangular structure; wherein the rectangular structure comprises a floor and a ceiling; wherein a first gap is situated directly underneath a bottom edge of the dividing wall between the bottom edge of the dividing wall and the floor and configured to allow fluids to pass between the first area and the second area; wherein a second gap is situated directly above a top edge of the dividing wall between the top edge of the dividing wall and the ceiling; wherein a plurality of louvres is situated within the second gap and configured to allow air to pass between the first area and the second area; wherein the floor extends from the front wall to the rear wall and from the first side wall to the second side wall; and wherein the floor is slanted to direct liquids into a sump that is situated in the second area.
In a preferred embodiment, the first area comprises: a front door configured to permit access into the first area; a wash tub that is situated in a corner of the first area between the second side wall and the rear wall; a platform that is configured to facilitate loading of an animal into and out of the wash tub; a liquid delivery hose that is configured to deliver liquids from the second area to the first area; an air dryer hose that is configured to deliver ambient or warm air to the first area from an air dryer that is located in the second area; and a vacuum hose that is configured to suck liquids and/or pet hair from the first area into a vacuum that is located in the second area; wherein the wash tub is slanted toward a drain hole in the dividing wall, the drain hole being connected to tubing that directs liquids from the wash tub into the sump. The first area preferably comprises a selection dial that is situated on the dividing wall and configured to allow a user to activate the vacuum, the air dryer, and/or one or more liquids to be delivered via the liquid delivery hose. Preferably, the invention further comprises a card reader that is configured to accept credit or debit card payments and to activate a timer.
In a preferred embodiment, the second area comprises: a side door configured to permit access into the second area; a packaged terminal air conditioner unit that is configured to provide heating and cooling to an interior of the second area and an interior of the first area by blowing warm or cool air through the second gap and allowing it to return via the first gap; one or more shelves that are situated along the second side wall; a water heater that is configured to deliver warm water to the first area via the liquid delivery hose; a water filter that is configured to deliver filtered water to the first area via the liquid delivery hose; and a pump that is situated in the sump and configured to pump liquids from the sump through a water outflow port. The dividing wall preferably comprises a compartment that is configured to receive a spray hose, and wherein the compartment is accessible from both the first area and the second area, and wherein a spigot is situated above the compartment in the second area and configured to deliver water to the spray hose. When both the front door and the side door are closed, the rectangular structure is preferably configured so that the only air flow into or out of the rectangular structure is through the packaged terminal air conditioner unit.
In a preferred embodiment, the louvres are slanted downwardly so as to direct air from the second area into the first area. In another preferred embodiment, the invention further comprises an auto-clean system, the auto-clean system being comprised of a plurality of pipes and nozzles that are configured to deliver water to the first area at a predetermined time or on demand. In one embodiment, the first area has two sides and a front, and the auto-clean system is configured to deliver water to the two sides and the front of the first area directly underneath the ceiling and to the front of the first area above floor level.
In a preferred embodiment, the rectangular structure comprises four bottom corners, further comprising a microleveler that is situated at each of the four bottom corners, the microleveler comprising: a male part that is telescopically coupled to and configured to slide up and down inside of a female part; and a ring that is configured to enable the rectangular structure to be hoisted onto and off of a flatbed trailer.
The front wall 2 comprises a door 7 and a window 8 that is situated next to the door and that is preferably the same height as the door. In a preferred embodiment, the door 7 is comprised of a transparent main panel so that nearly the entire front wall 2 provides a view into the inside of the wash room 9. The door also has a handle 7a(see also
As shown in
Also situated on the rear wall 4 is a standard electrical hookup 16 (or line box fitting) for the supply of power to the structure. On the left-hand side of the rear wall 4 toward the bottom of the rear wall is an exterior electrical outlet 17 for use in connection with other components that may require electricity, for example, heat tape. This figure also shows the water inflow 18a and outflow 18b ports. When the unit is in use, the water inflow 18a would be connected to a water supply (not shown), and the water outflow 18b would be connected to piping that transmits gray water to the sewer.
A control panel 27 is situated on the dividing wall 20. The control panel 27 includes a card reader 27a for credit or debit card payments, a timer 27b (which counts the time available to the user), and a selection dial 27c. The selection dial 27c allows the user to select rinse, shampoo, conditioner, flea and tick, vacuum, dryer, or disinfectant, thereby controlling which component is activated and which product is delivered via the liquid delivery hose 24. In an alternate embodiment, the card reader 27a may be situated on the outside of the structure so that a customer would have to enter a credit or debit card before entering the wash room. Also situated on the dividing wall 20 is a compartment 28 that contains a spray hose (not shown). This spray hose may be used by the owner/operator to further spray down and clean the wash room 9.
As shown in
It is also important to note that the dividing wall 20 does not extend to the ceiling of the wash/equipment rooms. Instead, there is a gap between the top edge of the dividing wall 20 and the ceiling of the structure (the ceiling is not shown in this figure because the roof has been omitted for clarity). Situated within this gap are one or more louvres 31. These louvres 31 extend from the first side wall 2 to the second side wall 3 and are slanted downwardly in order to direct warm air (during the winter) or cold air (during the summer) from the equipment room 10 into the wash room 9. This air then circulates throughout the wash room 9, creating an air current that recirculates the air back into the equipment room 10 through the gap 29 at the bottom of the dividing wall. In this manner, the dividing wall 20 acts as a temperature regulator, sending warm or cool air into the wash room 9 and allowing it to return to the equipment room 10, where it is once again warmed or cooled, sent into the wash room, etc. The floor 21 is preferably overlaid with a durable, waterproof mat (such as non-slip vinyl flooring) that is suitable for foot traffic and easy to clean.
Note that the PTAC unit 14 is situated on the rear wall 4 at the same level as or slightly lower than the louvres 31 (see
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
