DE102014118201B3 - Life jacket for animals, in particular for dogs - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a life jacket (12) for animals, preferably dogs, wherein the life jacket (12) at least one handle, preferably a handle (14), and at least two receptacles or holders (18), wherein the respective receptacle or holder ( 18) a drive unit or motor nacelle (20) receives fixable.

Description

The invention relates to a life jacket for an animal, in particular for a dog, which prevents the sinking of the animal in the water permanently by additional buoyancy and further comprises a handle on which a human can lift the animal from a body of water.

The term "life vest for an animal" is understood to mean West, which as a lifejacket to prove an animal from damage as a result of unintentional immersion in a body of water or inadvertently staying long in a body of water, on the other hand, the term West also means which the animal - eg for therapeutic purposes - assist in staying in a body of water.

Furthermore, the inventive life jacket allows automatic or controlled return of the animal and signaling in the event of submersion in a body of water.

The problem which is solved with the invention concerns all pet owners, in particular dog owners, who carry their animal on water vehicles and in waters or move for therapeutic purposes in pools.

Based on questions about carrying dogs on sailboats, the invention was pursued in a currently unpublished internal project ^© LISA (Lupus Invitus Sub Aqua est - The wolf is reluctant to go underwater). The resulting invention life jacket for animals, especially dogs, offers a solution for the so-called "yacht (companion) dogs", which leave the yacht usually unintentionally for the owner outboard. This can happen during a sailing maneuver or even while lying in a harbor. There is always the risk that the animal falls unnoticed in the harbor or water and requires salvation.

In some dog breeds, the tendency to hip dysplasia is known. The owners of such animals often consider - also preventive - swimming therapies into consideration. However, in many dogs due to their physique an additional buoyancy support is advised, if not indispensable. However, summoning the animal at the end of the session is not always a direct success. Many a dog owner was already forced to climb into the water himself and to show his "seal" by hand the way ashore.

The state of the art, like him eg the EP 2 698 313 A2 or the US 2008/0 227 346 A1 show, in each case only a life jacket for dogs, which allows a handle to take the dog (see. 1 and 2 ).

Furthermore, from the US 1 586 595 A a buoyancy aid for people is known that can move the float through the water with the help of a propeller drive.

From the DE 37 15 099 A1 a control device is known, which makes it possible to determine whether a liquid, in particular water is present.

The GB 2 376 784 A discloses a sensor-receiver arrangement which operates by means of radio communication between an adult and a child, whereby on the one hand too far removal of the child can be signaled or on the other hand can report the immersion of a corresponding transmitter with a detector carrying child into the water, whereby the Adults are alerted.

Next is from the FR 2 832 246 A1 a system for locating a person gone overboard at sea, wherein by means of a radio signal whose GPS position can be transmitted.

Life jackets of similar make are well known and available on the market. None of the known lifejackets has - with the possible exception of a tethered leash - the opportunity for the dog owner to steer the animal outside his own arm reach. Linen connections are again impractical and can - for example on board a yacht - also dangerous for animal or owner.

From the model waterproof, electric motor nacelles with screw drive are known and commercially available. Such motor gondolas can be addressed remotely via radio signal.

From the journal FUNKSCHAU December 1980 (No. 25) page 110 - P. Mahr "Autopilot for remote-controlled models" - remote controls are known, the receiving side to check whether still receive control pulses, and possibly give pre-programmed pulses to the machine so the model does not move farther away when the radio connection is already unreliable or even broken.

The invention has for its object to provide a life jacket for an animal available, with the sinking of the animal is prevented.

Another task is to design the life jacket so that a direction of the floating animal by the owner even over a greater distance to the animal can be made without having to touch the life jacket.

Another object is to keep the life jacket on the sinking behavior of the animal by a buoyant body both by sensors and manually tuned, the manual adjustment can be made or corrected over a greater distance to the animal without having to touch the life jacket.

Another object is to provide the life jacket with signal means that inform the owner acoustically and / or visually in a, in particular unnoticed "go overboard" or removing the animal from the boat.

It is an object of the invention, the life jacket with the animal in the water targeted by at least one drive, the e. operated by a radio remote control to be able to move.

The objects are achieved by a life jacket with the features of claim 1.

More preferably, the receiving antenna is integrated into the handle, which is usually made of a non-conductive plastic. Alternative integration possibilities of the antenna exist in the head area of the animal. It is essential that the receiving antenna during the time that the animal brings in the water, never gets under water, so that the reception remains undisturbed. An arrangement of the receiving antenna at the height of the handle, which should also always protrude from the water, seems sufficient.

The motor nacelles are preferably designed to be controllable to the forward and reverse of the drive screws with variable speed. Thereby two drives, e.g. Motor gondolas with actuator, used, which are held fixable in the life jacket and are preferably attached to both sides of the animal with feed direction parallel to the water surface. Since the motor nacelles are mainly carried on board or on land by the animal and there are mounted and aligned by the owner of the animal, it is advisable to adjust the feed direction exactly on the head of the animal. This orientation is referred to below as the "head direction" of the drives. Since the animal naturally strives to keep its head above water when swimming, in this orientation the drives exert a force that pushes the animal substantially forward and possibly slightly upwards, ie. assisted in swimming.

The fixation of the motor nacelles can be done in brackets, which in turn are attached with actuators to the life jacket. The orientation of the holder can be changed by control via radio signals and in particular continue to be designed so that the feed directions of the motor nacelles are adjustable in pairs steplessly from the head direction to the vertical. It is thus possible to convert a greater proportion of the propulsion of the propulsions into boost for the animal, if deemed expedient.

Further, it is possible and preferred in this case, the drive means in such a way that at a respective displaced from the head direction feed direction of the motor nacelles no return of the drive screws is allowed to safely avoid the accidental occurrence of an output.

With the above-described life jacket can be achieved that the control device controls the motor gondolas in response to radio signals of a radio remote control receiving the receiving antenna. The floating animal is thus steerable for the owner comparable to a radio-controlled model ship. This is also the reason for the acronym ^© LISA (steerable in distress drive system).

It is furthermore preferably provided that the vest, even without being influenced by a radio signal, can be fed back to a signal generator, e.g. can be mounted on the boat, performs autonomously (see autopilot for remote-controlled models). The implementation of such an autonomous steering device in the life jacket according to the invention can be life-saving for the animal, especially if the animal falls into the water during the journey of a boat, and the boat first continues its journey.

An autonomous device for returning the missing pet includes, in particular, a device for determining a directive and at least the means for individually controlling the at least two motor gondolas installed on both sides of the pet.

The latter means have the aim of aligning the pet so that its head direction is matched with a direction determined by the direction-determining means. For this purpose, a force is required on the carcass, which leads to a - usually temporally limited - torque substantially in the direction of the water norms. Such a torque can be caused by the opposite control of the double-mounted motor nacelles. For example, the floating pet turns to the left when the left-side engine nacelles in the retreat - ie performing a retreat - and the right-hand motor gondolas in the flow - so with feed - are operated.

However, the rescue of the animal in this case is only possible if the persons on board the moving boat immediately learn of the mishap of their animal knowledge. Only then can they turn the boat and take appropriate measures to resume the four-legged animal swimming afterwards.

It is therefore proposed as a further advantageous embodiment of the life jacket, in addition to the life jacket integrated electronics to design so that they at regular intervals, for example, every minute, even sends out radio signals via the integrated receiving antenna.

These radio signals can for example be received by the radio remote control on board and monitored as a presence indicator of the animal. Alternatively, a separate receiver can receive these radio signals, so that the usual battery-powered radio remote control does not always have to remain activated. The receiver of the radio signals - of whatever type - but should be able to indicate the absence of the reception of a radio signal preferably acoustically and optically such that in human occupation an alarm situation is generated. This is easy to achieve, especially by a piercingly loud, periodic alarm sound even at night and / or poor visibility.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the life jacket even sends a GPS signal (GPS = Global Positioning System) of the floating animal, which can be evaluated by the receiving device on board and compared with an internally measured GPS signal. In this case, it may be more convenient to provide a greater transmit power of the lifejacket and to trigger the alarm not on the absence of the signal, but on an actual distance determination from the coordinates.

The use of GPS makes it possible, for example with an arrow on an electronic display, to indicate the direction in which the swimming animal is to be sought. A built-in lifejacket GPS receiver also has the advantage of providing information to the above-described autopilot to give the lonely floating animal on the motor gondolas direction instructions to the last known position of the receiving device on board, which is the time to resume Board should shorten significantly.

The above-mentioned direction-determining device may, for example, be formed as an electronic unit with a GPS receiver, which additionally receives the current coordinates of the boat from which the animal has been lost and calculates a rendezvous price. But it can also be provided, the animal only stationary, so in essence, at the position in which it has fallen into the water, to drift stable. This allows the boat as soon as it misses its passenger, by turning around and driving back on its own course again to meet the shipwrecked. It is assumed that the pet after his involuntary fall into the water will do everything possible to swim behind the boat with master or mistress, but unfortunately this is rather counterproductive, as this can cause a significant drift. In this case, the autonomous recycling facility will ensure that the animal - possibly floating in calming circles - is directed back to its starting point.

It should be noted that the invention described above creates a novel possibility of interaction between animal and pet owners, which one can rightly call "radio remote control". It does not serve alone rescue measures, but can also be used in a playful way, for example, in dogs, many of which like to go swimming and voluntarily for swimming.

However, the invention is not intended to move pets without compelling reason over long distances in a body of water or even let out of play instinct like model boats. In particular, the targeted tracking of passing objects - even if it may seem innately attractive to a dog on land - using the proposed remote-controlled life jacket is not a really good idea.

The life jacket preferably has a quilt-like structure, with many chamber-like areas that can be filled when introducing the animal with the applied life jacket in a liquid medium, for balancing the sinking depth into the medium with a gas, in particular air, total or partial. This can be done by blowing in air through a valve or via a gas cartridge with a mechanically controllable valve, e.g. can also be activated electronically via the radio remote control.

Also, the life jacket is not limited to the rescue function, but it can also for the therapeutic movement of animals in the water, for example by veterinarians, in chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as Hip dysplasia, spinal disorders, osteoarthritis, elbow dysplasia, spondylosis or rehabilitation after surgery. Old and weakened dogs can improve their cardiovascular system with gentle swimming. Especially older dogs experience mobilization due to the almost weightless movement in the water. When training dogs in sports or work, it can specifically contribute to increasing the condition and strength. It is well known that by swimming a joint-sparing muscle growth for the dog is achievable. Furthermore, the movement in the water can make a very important contribution to the prevention of chronic diseases. During swimming, the joints can be moved without load. The relief of the paws, for example, reduces the pressure on the joints. Pouring water additionally massages the muscles.

Although all dogs can swim, there are dogs that are water-shy and drowning. The wrong coordination of the limbs, partly due to "inappropriate" body proportions, may be the cause of this problem. This is especially noticeable in dogs with short paws and a heavy body, eg. B. the Bassett as a strong Vorderbaulastiger dog or the English Bulldog. Another example is the English wind chimes with too long legs in relation to the torso. Too much fore buoyancy and consequent subsidence of the abdomen and then onset panic are common in these dogs. The use of the innovative life jacket can dogs take the possible fear of the water and give the refusing four-legged friend the required security. It provides a slight boost, can be easily balanced and thus gives the animal patient a better water position and thus more safety. The feed rate achieved by driving the gondolas corresponds to the countercurrent and also prevents uncontrolled paddling with the forelimbs. The calmer dog has the opportunity to coordinate his movements better and more targeted, to determine the direction and speed of swimming. Through the inserts and pockets in the vest, the temperature-influencing heat pads or the like can also be placed at predetermined locations of the dog's body, thereby preventing spasms of muscle in cold water. In addition, preventive measures are taken to prevent the non-regenerable kidney tissue damage in the kidney area.

Further advantages, features and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the figures. Show it:

1 a known prior art, a life jacket for dogs;

2 Another known prior art, a life jacket for dogs;

3 an exploded view of the inventive life jacket and belonging to LISA aids;

4 an innovative life jacket for animals in side view;

5 an innovative life jacket for animals from the front and

6 an innovative life jacket for animals from diagonally upwards (usual animal keeper perspective).

Out 1 The drawing of a life jacket for dogs is to be taken with a handle that may seem rather uncomfortable, at least from the dog's point of view. Rather, it gives the impression that the dog is to be converted into a buoyant piece of luggage.

2 shows, however, a now common variant of a life jacket for dogs, which is probably primarily in therapeutic swimming in use. The vest can be adapted to dogs of different size and stature by choosing the overlap of the two tabs in the neck / chest area (eg with a large Velcro) and by adjusting the straps in the abdominal area. In addition, additional pockets are provided on the flanks and in the tabs, which can be filled with buoyancy bodies to keep depending on the mass distribution of the dog, the right body parts above water.

Starting from a vest 2 as an example, shows the explosion sketch in 3 now the main innovations of the invention and their preferred arrangement.

The overall LISA system ( 10 ) includes a conventional life jacket ( 12 ) for dogs or other pets with a handle ( 14 ) in the back area of the animal as well as in the life jacket ( 12 ) integrated electronic unit that transmits radio signals via an antenna ( 16 ) at least receive.

The electronic unit is preferably not visible (therefore not shown) and welded watertight, preferably arranged as a flat board or chip between different layers of the vest material. It should be in a relatively stiff, possibly reinforced by plates area of Vest so that it is not bent by mechanical forces when the dog is moving or raised on the handle. In general, it can be very advantageous to stiffen the back area from the handle to the buttocks area by means of a rail embedded in the vest, eg made of steel, so that the invested dog with his hind legs can not reach his flank area, if something should bother him there.

In this flank area of the life jacket ( 12 ) are namely according to the invention on each side at least one holder ( 18 ) with connection for motor gondolas ( 20 ) intended. The holder ( 18 ) may be formed, for example, as an open retaining clasp, in which one - typically having a round cross-section - motor nacelle ( 20 ) can pinch with light pressure, such as a drink holder in the car. It is recommended, however, thereafter still provide a fixed lock, which is the release of the motor nacelle ( 20 ) safely prevented during operation. For example, the clip can be closed with a clamp closure or by screwing. The holder ( 18 ) also has an electrical connection for the motor nacelle ( 20 ) on. The counterpart to this connection is as a motor nacelle connection ( 22 ) on the engine nacelle ( 20 ) arranged by itself. Preferably, the port ( 22 ) as a plug and its counterpart to the holder ( 18 ) is formed as a socket. After connecting both an electrical connection between the internal wiring of the life jacket ( 12 ) and the engine nacelle ( 20 ), which of course must be tight against seawater. Correspondingly sealed connectors are known and available.

The electrical connection serves at least the transmission of electrical signals for controlling each engine nacelle ( 20 ) by the integrated electronics, for example and in particular as a result of the reception of radio signals via the antenna ( 16 ). The energy required to operate the electronics can easily be taken from a small, long-lasting battery that is in the vest ( 12 ) is integrated. Here, an inductively rechargeable battery can be used.

It is possible in principle, even the electric motors in the motor gondolas ( 20 ) to supply electric power from a battery pack which is placed at a suitable location of the vest and connected to the internal wiring. For example, in the buttocks pockets in the vest ( 12 ) are provided, which have inside removable, firmly connected to the wiring connectors for connecting batteries. After inserting the batteries into the connectors and inserting the batteries into the pockets, these pockets are closed, for example, with a zipper and then sealed, for example by masking with a waterproof tape.

When the engine gondolas ( 20 ) are correctly installed, they can be transmitted via radio signal by means of a commercially available radio remote control ( 24 ), as used for steering model ships, for example. Preferably, the radio remote control ( 24 ) two separate controls, each one of the motor gondolas ( 20 ) to the flow or return. Alternatively, however, the controllers may also have a controller for feed and return and another controller for right-left control. In this case, the in the vest ( 12 ) integrated electronics from the antenna ( 16 ) interpreted first control signals and from this itself to a suitable control of the motor gondolas ( 20 ) shut down. This is certainly the case when the vest ( 12 ) not just two, but possibly four or even six (two or three on each animal side) motor gondolas ( 20 ) should have. A higher number of drives can significantly improve the maneuverability and the speed of the float.

The respective engine nacelle ( 20 ) and the life jacket ( 12 are with regard to the outer materials, such as textiles, reflective materials, activatable luminescent materials, paints, as well as a coloring, such as by light colors, advertising prints and other attachment options of advertising media or imprints such as a brand term, such as Alfa Romeo or a bone, as in 3 to 6 executed, not restricted.

There has been no general rule for placing the vest ( 12 ) found on the pet. This is likely to depend on the characteristics of the pet and / or the pet owner and should be tested in each case. So it may be beneficial to use the vest ( 12 ) first with the motor gondolas ( 20 ) (and possibly with batteries) and equip the animal with the entire system ( 10 ) only after that, if it is a calm animal that does not tend, eg the motor gondolas ( 20 ) with game balls to confuse and then snap. If the animal shows such playful behavior, the provision of deflection means ( 26 ) as dressing aid. These are preferably located in the field of view of the animal just outside its access range and held there until the LISA system ( 10 ) has been completely fixed.

Particularly nervous animals - or even those with excessive anticipation of swimming - but may also make it necessary, the animal initially only the vest ( 12 ) and only then the final assembly of the drives ( 20 ). Whether the pet owner wants to raise the animal on a table to have a comfortable mounting height, certainly depends on the size and weight of the animal and the health of the pet owner and should be considered carefully in each case.

The 4 to 6 Finally, the satisfied animal (here: the test dog) after successful final assembly of his LISA system from different perspectives. It is obvious from this that the lifejacket according to the invention in no way hampers the dog when running, sitting and tailing. The dog is now well prepared to move freely in the vicinity of waters, especially on a boat, without a leash.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

L.I.S.A total system

12

life jacket

14

handle

16

antenna

18

Bracket and connection for motor gondolas

20

nacelle

22

Nacelle connection

24

Radio remote control

26

deflecting

Claims (8)

Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals, characterized in that the life jacket ( 12 ) at least one handle and at least two receptacles or holders ( 18 ), wherein the respective receptacle or holder ( 18 ) a drive unit or engine nacelle ( 20 ) and the life jacket ( 12 ) via a communication unit with antenna ( 16 ) and at least one control module or control module via which the respective drive units or motor gondolas ( 20 ) can be controlled or regulated. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to claim 1, characterized in that the life jacket ( 12 ) has at least one tarivable buoyancy body, wherein preferably the buoyancy of the buoyant body by the control module or control module is variable. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the at least one handle the antenna ( 16 ) of the communication unit is integrated, wherein after taring the life-jacket ( 12 ) the animal floats and the handle with the antenna ( 16 ) in a back or neck area of the life jacket ( 12 ) stands out of the water. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one handle has optical and / or acoustic signaling means which communicate with the communication unit with antenna ( 16 ) and the at least one control module or control module can be coupled. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communication unit with a, in particular common, radio remote control ( 24 ) is controllable and tunable. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the life jacket ( 12 ) Has sensors that are adjustable to humidity and range to a, in particular mobile, signal generator. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the life jacket ( 12 ) includes an integrated GPS receiver which periodically monitors the position of the vest ( 12 ) and transmitted at least to the control module or control module. Life jacket ( 12 ) for animals according to claim 7, characterized in that the life jacket ( 12 ) in the presence of a criterion indicating that the pet is overboard, preferably when the maximum distance to the boat is exceeded, the propulsion units or motor gondolas ( 20 ) automatically starts and controls such that a position stabilization of the animal takes place with respect to its GPS coordinates.

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