Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02319885 2000-09-15
TITLE: GARMENT FOR MINIMIZING THE DISTRIBUTION OF
DOMESTIC PET HAIR
CROSS REFERENCE
This application claims priority from Canadian Patent Application Serial No.
2,282,216, filed September 16, 1999.
1o
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a garment for minimizing the distribution of
domestic pet
hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pet hair in a domestic environment may cause excessive housework and stress
and,
more importantly, may cause allergic reactions in some people. In any home
where
there is a domestic pet which sheds hair, the homemaker is constantly working
to
eliminate pet hair from the furniture and rugs. In some instances the problem
has
been so acute that it has been necessary to get rid of the pet in question.
Alternatively, some people have found it necessary to confine themselves to
non
shedding pets.
It would be useful if there was some means of preventing dogs and cats from
shedding hair all over the furniture and all over the house without impeding
the pets
activities in any way. Attempts to utilize a blanket or body sock intended for
outdoor
protection of the pet during the winter have proved unsuccessful. Dog blankets
modeled on the style of a horse blanket, with the chest and underbody of the
dog
uncovered, are not successful. Not only is it possible for considerable
shedding from
the chest and underbody, but also the blankets are too hot for indoor use and
are too
heavy for the dogs to have free, unrestricted movement in sleeping and
playing. The
body socks, which are frequently of knitted construction having an elastic
collar and
sleeves for the front legs are also too hot and, because the knitted
construction is
generally quite tight, constricting. Many dogs are uncomfortable in blankets
or body
socks even when it is cold outside.
CA 02319885 2000-09-15
The closest prior art patent of which the applicant is aware is U. S. Pat. No.
6,089,194,
which discloses a heat reflecting all-weather pet garment. This patent
discloses a
garment meant to protect the pet from weather extremes, by reflecting heat
back onto
or away from the pet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,238 discloses a rain jacket for
dogs. This
patent teaches the use of a jacket and hood for a dog which is composed of a
waterproof material and secured by tie straps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,591,
entitled
"Incontinence and Protective Device for Animals", shows the use of hook and
loop
attachments for a dog garment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,458, entitled "Protective
Dog
to Coat", shows the use of a two-ply protective rain coat which is attached by
hook and
loop fastening means.
None of these prior art references, however, teach or suggest a garment which
will
not trap heat within the garment. None of these prior art references teach or
suggest
a garment which will allow the pet a level of comfort and freedom of movement
which is comparable with not wearing a garment. There is therefore a need in
the art
for a garment that will address this, while preventing the spreading of shed
hair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present inventors have devised a lightweight garment acceptable to the
pet, for
example, a dog or a cat, which garment may prevent shed hair being distributed
around the house.
In one embodiment, the invention teaches a lightweight, flexible pet garment
for
minimizing the distribution of pet hair, comprising: a body panel having a
front and
a rear portion; a collar located proximal to the front, the collar defining a
neck
aperture through the body panel; a breast panel extending from the collar to a
panel
end; arms extending distal from the panel end, the arms extending to arm
termini;
3o arm fasteners located at the arm termini; rear fasteners located at distal
ends of the
rear portion; wherein, in use, the body panel is placed on the trunk of a pet,
the pet's
neck extends through the collar, the breast panel extends between the pet's
forelegs
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rearward, the arms wrap around the pet's trunk, the arm fasteners secure the
arm
termini together at the pet's trunk, and the rear fasteners secure the distal
rear
portions at the pet's rear legs.
Another embodiment teaches rear fasteners that include elasticized straps. A
further
embodiment teaches gussets located at distal ends of the fiont. A further
embodiment
teaches rear fasteners that include elasticized edging at distal ends of the
rear portion.
In another embodiment the invention includes leg covers and leg cover
fasteners
located at distal ends of the front and the rear portion. In another
embodiment the
invention includes a tail cover and a tail cover fastener at the rear portion.
In another
embodiment the invention includes an elasticized section on at least one of
the arms.
The collar may be elasticized.
In an embodiment, the body panel is a mesh fabric.
The invention also teaches a lightweight, flexible pet garment for minimizing
the
distribution of pet hair, comprising a body panel and fasteners for fastening
the body
panel onto the back, sides and breast of a pet, wherein the body panel is a
mesh
2o fabric.
The mesh size may be between 1 mm and 10 mm in diameter. The mesh size may
be 3 mm in diameter.
In another embodiment the mesh fabric has round holes. The mesh fabric may be
a
polyester fabric. The polyester fabric may have an acrylic resin finish. The
mesh
fabric may have a weight of about 2.2 ounces per square yard. The mesh fabric
may
have a tensile strength of at least 50 Ib warp and at least 67.5 lb weft.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a sketch of a dog wearing a garment according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows the garment in plan; and
Figure 3 shows one type of suitable mesh.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
to
A garment to minimize distribution of shed pet hair is formed from
lightweight,
flexible, meshed fabric. A body panel extending rearwardly from a stretchable
collar
is shaped to cover the back and sides of the pet. A chest protecting and
closure panel
also extends from the stretchable collar in the form of a T. The leg of the T
merges
with the front portion of the body panel and extends rearwardly between the
front
legs of the pet to the arms of the T. The arms of the T wrap around the body
of the
dog and have means to fasten their distal ends together so that they extend
around the
rib cage of the pet. A pair of leg straps may be provided to cling loosely
around the
rear legs of the pet to hold the body part in position over the dog's rump.
The stretchable collar should stretch so that it may easily be passed over the
dog's
head in fitting the garment but should have sufficient elasticity to fit
around the neck
sufficiently closely that shed hair will not easily emerge from the neck of
the garment
when being worn by the pet. Means may be provided on the body panel for the
attachment of optional additional parts such as a tail protector and
protective sleeves
for the front and/or rear legs.
The mesh of the fabric is small enough to catch shed pet hair and to retain it
but large
enough to allow free air passage into the pet's fur so that there is little or
no heating
3o effect. Thus, the air circulates about the pet under the garment almost as
if the
garment were not present. Square, round or other shape of mesh may be used.
Generally a mesh size of ~/s" X ~/a" (3mm X 3mm) is suitable but larger and
smaller
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mesh is possible. It is believed that larger mesh up to at least '/4" X '/4"
(6mm X
6mm) may be suitable.
Figure 1 shows a dog wearing a garment 10 according to the invention formed of
mesh fabric. The garment is equipped with optional accessories including a
tail
protector 12 and a front leg protector 14 and rear leg protector 16. The front
and rear
leg protectors 14, 16 are shown for one front leg and one rear leg only to
emphasize
that these accessories are optional. They may be desirable for dogs having a
tail and
legs which are heavily feathered such as Pekinese, Lhasa Apso, or a Highland
Terner
and larger breeds such as collies.
Figure 2 shows the garment 10 of Figure 1 laid out as flat as possible in
order to see
the component parts.
The garment 10 comprises a body panel 18 extending rearwardly from a
stretchable
collar 20 and joined to a chest protector and closure panel 22 through gussets
24
which can be used to help to shape the body panel 18 so that it is formed to
cover the
back and sides of the dog.
2o The chest protector panel 22 is formed in the shape of a T, the leg 26 of
which blends
into the body panel 12 through gussets 24. The arms 28 of the T of panel 22
wrap
around the rib cage of the dog and fasten around the body panel 18 to help
hold it in
position. One or both arms 28 of the T may have an elasticized section 30 so
that the
wrapping around the body panel may fit the dog closely without constriction.
It
follows from the requirements that the elasticized section 30 should not make
the
closure too tight for comfort.
As used herein, "elasticized" refers to either an elastic material or a
material with an
elastic material associated with it, for example, by sewing an elastic into
the material.
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The arms 28 of the T may be connected together in any convenient manner, for
example through snap fasteners, buttons and button holes, hooks and eyes, or
any
convenient means, including hook and loop fastening such as VelcroTM.
A rear section 34 on each side of the body panel is elasticized to cause
gathering in
this region so that the body panel lies as closely against the rear leg of a
dog wearing
the garment. At each end of each elasticized section elasticized straps 36 may
be
attached to lie inside the rear leg of the dog and to hold the elasticized
section 34
closely against it.
The stretchable collar 20 may be made of a ribbed knit material having
sufficient
stretch to pass easily over the head of the dog but to lie closely against its
neck. Such
knit collar may alternatively be replaced by an elasticized section around a
neck hole
in the merged back panel and chest protection panel.
It should be noted that the present design is particularly desirable in its
simplicity.
The body panel is a one piece garment which can cover the entire trunk and
breast of
a pet.
2o Fastening means may be provided at appropriate points along an edge or
margin of
the body panel 18 for attachment of optional accessories. For example, snap
fasteners 38 or other fastening means may be provided on a rear edge of back
panel
18 for the attachment of tail protector 12. Snap fasteners 40 may be provided
along
elasticized section 34 for attachment of a rear leg protector 16 and snap
fasteners 42
or other fastening means may be provided at a front section of back panel 18
and on
gusset 24 for attachment of a front leg protector 14.
Tail protector 12 may be formed to cover the whole length of the top of the
tail but
only part of the length of the underside of the tail. On the underside of the
tail a part
of the tail is left clear to reduce the risk of the dog soiling the tail
protector when
defecating.
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The rear leg protector 16 may be tubular and may be of the same length over
its
perimeter but it may have a cut away section on the inside at the top to
minimize the
risk of soiling by a male dog when urinating.
Generally the front leg protectors 14 will be tubular without any cut away
sections.
It is to be emphasized that while means of attachment for the tail protector,
the front
and rear leg protectors should be provided on the main garment, the use of
such
accessory protectors is optional.
The fabric from which the garment 10 and any accessories is made should be
lightweight mesh fabric for unimpeded air flow about the pet. The fabric may
be any
open mesh which is small enough to trap hair and large enough for airflow. For
example, the mesh size may be '/e" X '/e" (3mm X 3mm). Preferably, the holes
should be between 1 millimetre and 10 millimetres in diameter and most
preferably
3 millimetres in diameter. The matrix nature of the fabric is particularly
beneficial,
as it tends to trap hair from the pet within the matrix, by entanglement.
Figure 3 shows one particular mesh having round holes 44 about 3 millimetres
('/a")
in diameter in a woven matrix 46. Matrix 46 is, itself, meshed with smaller
holes.
The fabric may be polyester fabric having an acrylic resin finish and a weight
of
about 2.2 ounces per square yard. The fabric may have a tensile strength of 50
lb
warp, or greater, and 67.5 lb weft, or greater, for durability of wear.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for
illustrative
purposes, it will be appreciated that variations or modifications of the
disclosed
apparatus lie within the scope of the present embodiments.
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