AU2006201592B2 - Improvements in Horse Rugs - Google Patents

Description

13. Apr. 2006 23:00 ,No. 0203 P. P/00/009 Regulation 3.10

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RUGS The invention is described in the following statement, including the best method of performing it known to us: Our Ref: 062010 COMS ID No: SBMI-03321764 Received by IP Australia: Time 22:03 Date 2006-04-13 13. Apr. 2006 23:01 No. 0203 P. 6 2 f- 2 IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RUGS The present invention relates to protective covers for horses and, more particularly, to horse rugs with improved comfort features and reduced risk of abrasive damage.

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BACKGROUND

IO Rugs and covers for horses while outdoors in cold or c( inclement weather are widely used and may range from a simple throw over cloth to sophisticated tailored covers, often provided with a cape for protecting the neck of the horse, and with variously located fasteners to retain the covers in place, such as depicted in Figure 1.

A disadvantage of closely fitting covers which, while offering good protection from the weather, is that they tend to impede the movements of the horse, particularly movements of the neck when the head alternates between normal posture and ground level grazing, and when walking or trotting. A further disadvantage of such covers is that they can cause problems in the region of the withers and shoulders of the horse. Thus continual chafing can lead to fistulated withers, .a serious condition of suppurative inflammation which may include the formation of passages or sinuses through the tissue and to the surface of the skin.

Chafing at the shoulders will at least lead to unsightly loss of hair and skin irritations.

COMS ID No: SBMI-03321764 Received by IP Australia: Time 22:03 Date 2006-04-13 2007 16:51 WallIington-Dummer Sydney No-8574 P. 4 03 It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

Note The term "Comprising" (and grammatical variations Cl 5 thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive ~fl sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of".

CI BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention there is provided a rug for the protection of a horse from cold or inclement weather; said rug including aL least one gusset of inserted material adapted to reduce chafing leading to loss of hair and to skin irritation from movements of the head of said horse; said at least one gusset including a gusset located within said rug so that in use said gusset substantially lies across the withers of said horse and wherein said gusset is adapted to allow movement of a portion of said rug forward of said gusset relative to a main portion of said rug rearward of said gusset; said movement following the movement of the neck of said horse when its head is lowered and raised.

COMS ID No: SBMI-06143538 Received by P1 Australia: Time 17:55 Date 2007-02-05 12Dec, 2006 16:34 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P 6 0 -4- 0 0< Preferably, said at least one gusset includes two gussets Slocated within said rug so that in use each of said two Sgussets substantially coincide with the shoulders of said horse.

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Preferably, said rug is adapted to drape at least over the back and withers of said horse; said rug of sufficient \0 extent to reach below the shoulders of said horse and to a 0 point approaching the knees of said horse.

Preferably, said rug is of a generally rectangular shape provided with a scalloped cut-out portion centrally located at a front edge of said generally rectangular shape; said scalloped cut-out portion adapted to fit about the neck of said horse.

Preferably, said rug is provided with a neck cape portion extending forwardly from said scalloped cut-out portion.

Preferably, said rug is further provided with a tail flap portion extending rearward from centrally a rear edge of said generally rectangular shape.

Preferably, said gusset lying substantially across said withers comprises an insert being of a generally elongate or flattened diamond shape; said insert attaching to edges of a slit opening in said rug.

COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 12.Dec. 2006 16:34 Wa llington-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 7 \0 0 CN] Preferably, said gusset is arranged so as to substantially 0 Scover the withers of said horse when said horse's head is Ci lowered for ground level grazing.

Preferably, said gusset and said slit cooperatively allow

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reciprocal movement of a central portion of said rug forward of said slit, relative to a main portion of said k\ rug rearward of said slit.

Preferably, said gusset and said slit allow said portion of said rug forward of said slit to follow the movement of the neck of said horse when lowering and raising said head thereby substantially eliminating chafing of said withers by said rug.

Preferably, each said gusset substantially coincident with each shoulder extends from proximate opposing side edges of said scalloped cut-out portion towards respective side edges of said generally rectangular shape; respective lower ends of each said gusset terminating at a point proximate Lhe elbow of said horse.

Preferably, each said gusset at said shoulders of said horse comprises an insert attached to edges of a slit opening in said rug; said insert being of a generally elongate or flattened diamond shape.

COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 12.Dec. 2006 16:35 Wa ington-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 8 \O -6- 0 Preferably, each said gusset at said shoulders of said horse is arranged so that said gusset is pulled into an extended opened condition by strapping around the chest of said horse, each said gusset thereby causing a bulge in said rug at said shoulders, thereby preventing chafing of the hair and skin, 0 9\ Preferably, said rug is made of a waterproof synthetic 0 o material.

Preferably, said gussets are made of a waterproof synthetic material.

Preferably, said waterproof synthetic material is a 900 denier ripstop fabric.

Preferably, said slits of said gussets are reinforced along edges of said slits by webbing strips, Preferably, said rug is retained on said horse by a plurality of straps; said straps including straps passing under the neck of said horse and under the abdomen and over the chest of said horse.

Preferably, said gusset comprises an insert of material; said insert having a generally elongated or flattened COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 12-Dec. 2006 16:35 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 9 -7diamond shape; edges of said insert attached to edges of a slit opening in the material of said rug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 13 Apr. 2006 23:02 No. 0203 P. 12

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0 o Embodiments of the present invention will now be ci described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: en Figure 1 shows a typical horse rug according to the C] S prior art, V)3 Figure 2 shows a horse rug according to a preferred 0embodiment of the invention in use, Figure 3 is a detail view of the horse rug of Figure 2 with the horse's head lowered as for ground level grazing ind showing i qugEt at the withers, Figure 4 is a detail view of the horse rug of Figure 2 showing a gusset at the shoulder, Figure 5 is a diagram of the general configuration of the horse rug of Figures 2 to 4, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMODIMENTS With reference to Figure 1, a typical horse rug according to the prior art comprises a sheet of material which drapes at least over the back 12 and rump 14 of a horse for protecting it from cold or inclement weather.

Frequently, as in the example shown in Figure 1, the rug includes a neck cape 16 and may also include a tail flap 18.

To retain the rug on the horse, the rug is usually fastened by straps 20 passing under the belly of the horse COMS ID No: SBMI-03321764 Received by IP Australia: Time 22:03 Date 2006-04-13 13. Apr. 2006 23:02 No. U203 P. 13 I-9and across its chest. Where a neck cape 16 is included, straps 22 will also fasten the edges of the cape 16 around the -underside of the neck. Because of the constriction caused by the strapping 24 across the chest, rugs of the prior art may provide for some movement of the forelegs by ONthe inclusion of a gusset 26, again as shown in the example o of Figure 1. However as mentioned above, rugs of this

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oconfiguration are liable to cause problems from chafing of Cithe material of the rug across the withers 28 and at the shouldenrs With reference now to Figures 2 to 5, a horse rug comprises a generally rectangular main section 42 (as best seen inFigure 5) provided at a central part of the front edge 43 with a scalloped cut-out portion 44 adapted to fit around the base of the neck of a horse, as can be seen in Figures 4 Attached to the edge of scalloped cut-out portion 44 is a forwardly extending, shaped section of material forming a neck cape 46, while a, tail flap 48 is attached to the tear edge 49 of main section 42.

Rearward of scalloped cut-out portion 44, and located so as to substantially coincide with the withers 49 of a -horse when the rug 40 is in use, is a gusset 50. Gusset comprises a slit opening 51 in the fabric of main section 42 and an insert 52, as best seen in' Figure 3. The insert 52 is of a generally elongated or flattened diamond shape OOMS ID No: SBMI-03321764 Received by IP Australia: Time 22:03 Date 2006-04-13 13, Apr. 2006 23:02 No. 0203 P. 14 10 10 O as indicated in the inset of Figure 5; the long axis of the diamond shape and short axis so chosen as to allow the portion 53 of the rug forward of the gusset 50 to follow Ce the reciprocal movement of the neck of the horse when lowering and raising its head for ground level grazing.

ci Comparison of the state of the gusset 50 in Figure 2, Swhere the horse's head is raised in a normal position, and ci I in Figure 3 where the head has been lowered, shows how the Ci gusset insert 52 is. firstly retracted within the slit opening, and secondly pulled into an extended position with the lowering of the head. The arrangement of the gusset ensures that the fabric of the horse rug is not repeatedly dragged across the raised hump of the withers, the portion 53 forward of the slit opening 51 moving with the neck and the main portion of the rug rearward of the slit opening remaining undisturbed on the back of the horse.

To prevent the chafing and shoulder hair loss associated with most close fitting horse rugs, the rug of the present invention incorporated two further gussets 60 and 62 respectively, for each of the shoulder regions of the horse. As best seen in the diagram of Figure 5, gussets and 62 comprise slit openings 61 and 63 respectively, each slit extending from proximate respective opposite sides of scalloped cut-out portion 44 towards the respective sided edges 64 and 66 of main section 42 of rug COMS ID No: SBMI-03321764 Received by IP Australia: Time 22:03 Date 2006-04-13 13, Apr. 2006 23:02 No. 0203 P. 11

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o Gussets 60 and 62 also are provided with inserts 61 and 63 (only insert 61 is visible in Figures 2 and of similar shape to that of the gusset 50 at the withers. It will be noted that the gussets 60 and .62 stop well short of the side edges 64 and 66, the lower ends of the slit ci ^O openings being proximate the elbows of the horse, while the o side edges extend down towards the knees of the horse.

NO The portions of the main section 42 of the rug between C- the lower ends 65 and 67 of the slit openings of gussets and 62 and side edges 64 and 66, ensure that the gussets are pulled into an open extended condition, exposing the inserts 61 and 63 by the strapping 66 around the chest of the horse. This has the effect of providing a slight bulging of the rug at the shoulder which, by thus not being stretched across the shoulder region, prevents chafing as the head of the shoulder humerus moves under the skin.

Preferably, the rug is made of a synthetic waterproof fabric. Edges of the rug and the sides of the slit openings of the gussets are reinforce with a suitable webbing. A particularly preferred material is a 900 denier ripstop.

fabric.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-03321764 Received by IP Australia: Time 22:03 Date 2006-04-13

Claims (7)

1. A rug for the protection of a horse from cold or o inclement weather; said rug including at least one gusset of inserted material adapted to reduce chafing leading to loss of hair and to skin irritation from movements of the head of said horse; said at least one gusset including a gusset located within said rug so o that in use said gusset substantially lies across the withers of said horse and wherein said gusset is adapted to allow movement of a portion of said rug forward of said gusset relative to a main portion of said rug rearward of said gusset; said movement following the movement of the neck of said horse when its head is lowered and raised.

2. The rug of claim I wherein said at least one gusset includes two gussets located within said rug so that in use each of said two gussets substantially coincide with the shoulders of said horse,

3. The rug of claim 1 or 2 wherein said rug is adapted to drape at least over the back and withers of said horse; said rug of sufticient extent to reach below the shoulders of said horse and to a point approaching the knees of said horse. COMS ID No: SBMI-061 43538 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:55 Date 2007-02-05

12.Dec. 2006 16:35 Wal ngton-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 11 -13- c 4. The rug of claim any of claims 1,2 or 3 wherein said rug is of a generally rectangular shape provided with C'l a scalloped cut-out portion centrally located at a front edge of said generally rectangular shape; said C' scalloped cut-out portion adapted to fit about the neck of said horse. 0 8I 5. The rug of claim 4 wherein said rug is provided with a neck cape portion extending forwardly from said scalloped cut-out portion. 6. The rug of any previous claim wherein said rug is further provided with a tail flap portion extending rearward from centrally a rear edge of said generally rectangular shape. 7. The rug of any previous claim wherein said gusset lying substantially across said withers comprises an insert being of a generally elongate or flattened diamond shape; said insert attaching to edges of a slit opening in said rug. 8. The rug of claim 7 wherein said gusset is arranged so as to substantially cover the withers of said horse when said horse's head is lowered for ground level grazing. COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 12.Dec. 2006 16:35 Wal i ngton-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 12 \O -14- 0 C 9. The rug of claim 9 wherein said gusset and said slit cooperatively allow reciprocal movement of a central CA portion of said rug forward of said slit, relative to a main portion of said rug rearward of said slit. The rug of claim 8 wherein said gusset and said slit o allow said portion of said rug forward of said slit to SO follow the movement of the neck of said horse when C- lowering and raising said head thereby substantially eliminating chafing of said withers by said rug. 11. The rug of any previous claim wherein each said gusset substantially coincident with each shoulder extends from proximate opposing side edges of said scalloped cut-out portion towards respective side edges of said generally rectangular shape; respective lower ends of each said gusset terminating at a point proximate the elbow of said horse. 12. The rug of any previous claim wherein each said gusset at said shoulders of said horse comprises an insert attached to edges of a slit opening in said rug; said insert being of a generally elongate or flattened diamond shape. COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 12.Dec. 2006 16:36 Walli n ton-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 13 V\ N" 13. The rug of any previous claim wherein each said gusset -at said shoulders of said horse is arranged so that C(l said gusset is pulled into an extended opened condition by strapping around the chest of said horse, C' each said gusset thereby causing a bulge in said rug at said shoulders, thereby preventing chafing of the Cl hair and skin. NO 0- 14. The rug of any previous claim wherein said rug is made of a waterproof synthetic material. The rug of any of claims 1 to 13 wherein said gussets are made of a waterproof synthetic material.

16. The rug of claim 15 wherein said waterproof synthetic material is a 900 denier ripstop fabric.

17. The rug of any previous claim wherein said slits of said gussets are reinforced along edges of said slits by webbing strips.

18. The rug of any previous claim wherein said rug is retained on said horse by a plurality of straps; said straps including straps passing under the neck of said horse and under the abdomen and over the chest of said horse. COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12 12.Dec. 2006 16:36 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No.7889 P. 14 V) -16- 0 C1 19. The rug of any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein said C) gusset comprises an insert of material; said insert C'q having a generally elongated or flattened diamond shape; edges of said insert attached to edges of a C' slit opening in the material of said rug. o 20. A horse rug provided with gussets as herein described \0 and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 11 December 2006 MUNIYER PTY LTD by its Patent Attorneys: WALLINGTON-DUMMER COMS ID No: SBMI-05644740 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:39 Date 2006-12-12