GB2164971A - A housing unit for a domestic animal - Google Patents

Abstract

The unit comprises a frame for supporting a fabric flexible cover, the frame defining a main compartment (11) defined in plan by four straight tubes (12,13,14,15) joined by connecting units (16,17,18,19) two of which also inter-connect tubes (20,21) defining in plan a second chamber (12). The main compartment is provided with a ground sheet (55) which extends under the main chamber (11) and is connected to upright side walls (51,52,53,54) and to other sidewalls (56,57) which extend along two sides of the second chamber. A flexible cover, formed as a unitary layer, is fitted over the frame and has a plurality of tabs by which the cover can be secured to the ground, such as by ground-engaging attachment pegs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A housing unitfor a domestic animal The present invention invention relates to a housing unit for a domestic animal, and particularly to a collapsable tent-like unit suitable for providing temporary housing for animals such as on vacation.

Many people enjoy camping holidays and would like to take their domestic pets with them. However, in the confined space of a tent the domestic pet can become a liability, particularly in damp or inclement weather when damp animal fur emits a characteristic and pungent odour. The presence of a damp animal in a tent can also be inconvenient simply from the presence of the excessive moisture.

Although the majority of pet owners would like to take their animals on holiday with them, this is not always possible in view of the accommodation available, and recourse has to be had to boarding kennels which are not entirely satisfactory either from the owners point of view orfrom the animals point of view even though such establishments are run compassionately; the separation of the pet from its usual environment and the people with whom it is accustomed to live is a traumatic one.

The present invention seeks to provide collapsable housing accommodation for domestic pets which can be erected quickly and easily and will occupy only a small space, will have the required accommodation available for a pet and which can be collapsed and stored in a small space so that it is easilytransport- able.

According to one aspect of the present invention therefore, a housing unitfora domestic animal such as a dog, comprises a frame supporting a cover defining two main housing chambers which are in communication from one another, a first housing chamber having a waterproof ground sheetwith sides projecting upwardly therefrom and the second chamber having an opening communicating permanently with the exterior environment.

Such a housing unit may be in the form of a tent with a permanent opening or may beformed fromflat sheet panels supported on a suitable framework and secured together in a releasable manner.

By forming the housing unit with the two-chamber configurationtheinteriorchambercan be protected adequately against draughts and rain whilst having a permanent opening in the second chamber allows the petto gain access easily without any problems which would resultfrom a closable opening.

Theframeis preferably of any known constructional type, for example oftubularframe members joined by suitable connectors, although in other embodiments flat strip joined by bolts or otherfixing means may be empioyed.

In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention the permanent opening in the second chamber is aligned with the main chamber, that istheopening between the main chamber and the second chamber faces the opening from the second chamber to the exterior, in which case the second chamber acts as an extended "porch" protecting the interior main chamber from the vicissitudes of inclement weather.

Alternatively, however, the opening from the second chamberto the exterior may be inclined with respecttothe communicating opening between the second chamber and the main chamber in order furtherto enhance the protective effect of the second chamber. In particular, the entrance formed by the opening in the second chamber may be at right angles to the communicating opening between the second chamber and the main chamber.

The waterproof groundsheet may be permanently attached to upstanding sides of rigid material which surround the interior main chamber. The sides may also extend around the second chamber, although it is preferredthatthegroundsheet does not extend into the second chamber, the upright sides provide additional protection against draughts.

The frame members of the supporting frame may be formed in such a way asto be adjustable in size so that once the flexible cover has been positioned over itthe frame can be enlarged to ensure thatthefabric panels are drawn tightthereby avoiding anyflapping which could be disconcerting for an animal occupant.

Because the housing unit is intended for occupation with an animal such as a dog it is essential that adequate ventilation is provided as well as draught protection, and forthis purpose it is envisaged that a suitableventilatoratthetopofthe main chamber would be provided. Such a ventilator is conveniently formed, ifthe main chamber has a ridge-type roof, by a slit opening along the ridge covered buy a suitable protective element to prevent the entrance of rain.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a frame for supporting a flexible fabric cover; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a connector elementsuitableforforming part of the frame of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a housing unit comprising a frame illustrated in Figure 1 with a flexible coverfitted thereon.

Referring nowt the drawings, a frame for supporting a fabricflexible cover is illustrated in Figure 1 and comprises a set of straighttubes interlinked by connector elements. The main compartment ofthe housing unit is indicated with the reference numeral 11 and defined in plan by four straighttubes 12,13,14, 15joined by connector units 1 6,1 7,18 and 1 9 the lattertwo of which also interconnecttubes 20, 21 defining in plan the second chamber 12.

The connectors 16,17,1 8,1 9 are shaped, as illustrated in Figure 2, as a central body with outwardly The drawings originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

extending studsforreceiving thetubularframe members. Detentes, only schematically shown in Figure 2, are provided for retaining the tubes in position on the studs. At each cornerofthechamber 11 is an upright supportframe mem ber 22,23,24,25 andtheseare joined attheirupperends by horizontal frame members 26, 27, 28, 29 interlinked by a further set ofconnectorelements 30,31,32,33 similar in form to the connector element illustrated in Figure 2.

Triangular gables are defined by two pairs of gable struts 34, 35 and 36, 37 and these arejoined atthe ridge bytwo parallel ridge poles 38 and 39 spaced by a small distanceto allow ventilation as will be discribed below.

The ridge poles 38, 39 are joined to the inclined struts 34, 36 and 36, 37 respectively by connector elements 40, 41 from which project screwed studs 42, 43.

The second chamber 12 is defined in plan bythe horizontai struts 20, 21 which are joined to vertical struts 44, 45 and inclined struts 46, 47 which meet at the connectors 30, 33 with theframe members defining the main chamber 11.

The horizontal struts 12, 13,14,15 are held spaced from the ground by legs 47, 48, 49, 50 and the narrow space between the ground and the hprizontal struts 12,13,14,15 isfilled by rigid sidewalls 51,52,53,54. A groundsheet 55 extends underthe main chamber 11 and is connected to the upright side walls 51,52,53,54 and sidewalls 56, 57 extend along thetwo sides ofthe second chamber 12 beneath the struts 20, 21.

Aflexible cover 58 is illustrated in Figure 3. This is formed as a unitary layerwhich isfitted overthe frame illustrated in Figure 1 and has a plurality oftabs 59,60, 61, 62 etc., by which the cover can be secured to the ground by ground-engaging tent pegs. A slot 63 is formed in the cover adjacent the space between the t two ridge poles 38, 39 to provide ventilation and this is covered lossely by a ridge cover 64 which fits over the uprightstuds42,43 and is held in place by wing nuts 44,45.-The groundsheet 55 does not extend into the second chamber 12 which is separated from the main chamber 11 by the uprightwall 53 beneath the strut 15 to define a draughtproofenclosure.

Claims (10)

1. Ahousing unitfora domesticanimal, compris ing a frame supporting a flexible cover defining two main housing chambers in communication with one another, afirst housing chamber having a ground sheet with sides projecting upwardly therefrom and the second chamber having an opening communicating permanently with the exterior environment.

2. Ahousing unitfora domestic animal, as claimed in Claim 1, in which the frame is collapsible, and comprises a plurality offrame members joined by connection means attheir ends.

3. A housing unitfor a domestic animal, as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the permanent opening in the second chamber is aligned with the said first housing chamber such thatthe opening between the second chamber and the first housing chamberfacesthe opening from the second chamber to the outside.

4. A housing unitfor a domestic animal, as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the opening from the second chamberto the outside is inclined with respectto the communicating opening between the second chamber and the said first housing chamber.

5. A housing unit for a domestic animal, as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, in which the sides of the ground sheets in the first housing chamber are composed of a rigid material.

6. A housing unitfora domestic animal, as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the sides of the ground sheet in the first housing chamber extend into the second chamber apartfrom the entrance opening thereof.

7. A housing unit for a domestic animal, as claimed in any preceding Claim,whereintheframe is adjustable in orderto applytensiontotheflexible coverwherebyto maintain the panels of the cover taut.

8. A housing unit for a domestic animal, as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the flexible cover has a ventilation opening at or adjacent the top thereof, the ventilation opening being covered bya a protective flap or strip to prevent the entry of rain.

9. A housing unitfor a domestic animal, as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the flexible cover is provided with attachment means by which it can be secured to the ground by pegs or other securement means at or adjacent the edges thereof.

10. A housing unitfora domestic animal, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.