GB2318271A - Absorbent mats for animals - Google Patents

Abstract

An absorbent stable mat has an impervious base 11 a plurality of sheets of absorbent material 12 and a porous membrane 13. The mat is used solely or in conjunction with others to provide a covering on a stable floor to absorb fluids. To ease the removal of spent mats fixing strips (16, Fig 2c) are attached to opposite corners of the mats. Hook and burr joining members 15 are provided. The base may be bio-degradable. The absorbent material may be cellulosic fibre or hydrophobic fibre. The mat may exude warmth.

Description

Sheet 1 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS Field of this Invention THIS INVENTION RELATES TO ABSORBENT GROUND MATS FOR ANIMALS AND IN PARTICULAR HORSES.

Background to this Invention The care of animals involves much more than just providing food. Much attention is required to health and especially to environmental conditions to ensure the animal is not exposed to health hazards.

When horses are stabled, the floor which is generally of concrete, but sometimes may be cobbled, is covered by a bedding material, this usually being paper pulp, wood chippings, straw or hay. When horses defecate, they do so in particular places in the stable. When urination takes place 15 the floor covering becomes saturated and the ammonia or acidic condition of the urine can cause hoof rot.

It is believed that the vapours cause nasal, throat and chest complaints.

Frequent attention to the condition of the stable (known as mucking-out) becomes necessary. Frequent attention is labour intensive, thus expensive.

Where race horses are concerned the environmental condition in the stable is of paramount importance Horse trainers have to ensure the grooms they employ, maintain the stables in a relatively immaculate condition.

Sheet 2 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS This means increased numbers being employed and increased expenditure. Other animals need similar attention to the environmental condition of their habitat.

Cats need grit pans which have to be regularly changed. Bird cages have to be regularly groomed.

In Zoo's, the animal rest areas have to be frequently inspected and cleaned. It becomes more significant for stabled, penned or caged animals that the environmental conditions are kept in the best possible state.

It is the first aspect of this invention therefore to provide an absorbent mat as a floor covering or partial covering for animal stables, in particular horses. This bedding is usually hay, stray, wood chippings, paper etc, but could be any suitable material, or any combination of those aforementioned.

It is a second aspect of this invention that the absorbent mat shall be in sections that would necessitate those sections contaminated only to be removed.

It is a third aspect of this invention that the absorbent mat may be provided with a means of attachment so that areas of various size can be effectively covered by joining the mats together.

A fourth aspect of this invention is that the underside of the absorbent mat is impervious to moisture.

Sheet 3 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS A fifth aspect of this invention is that the absorbent mat has, as an integral part, a lifting strap facility so that each mat can be lifted off the floor, or removed from the stable, by use of a spiked device such as a pitch fork or spike, or any other suitable device or product.

According to the embodiment of this invention there is provided a mat, preferably about one metre square, but in another embodiment could be to any other outline shape and size.

The mat comprises a bottom sheet of pliable, flexible, plastic material which is impervious to moisture preferably biodegradable, but could be to any other appropriate material in any other embodiment.

Above the sheet of plastic or other appropriate material, is provided a plurality of sheets, layers, leaves, sections of absorbent material, which may incorporate and comprise cellulosic fibres and/or hydrophobic fibres which may be impregnated with water-swellable, water-insoluble polymeric material. This polymeric material may consist of crosslinked polyacrylate polymer particles, or any other waterswellable particles. The number of such said sheets will depend upon the use to which such absorbent mats are supplied.

Sheet 4 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS Above the plurality of sheets of absorbent material is provided a cover or enclosing sheet of strong, porous, plastic or other appropriate material or permeable membrane, which would always be placed uppermost when the mat is placed on a floor.

Additionally, such mats as herein described can exude warmth and a soft surface to supplement animal bedding, which can be expensive.

A specific embodiment of this invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a section through an absorbent mat for animals.

Figure 2 shows a plurality of such mats joined together to form a floor covering.

According to Figure 1 the absorbent mat 10 comprises the ground contact sheet 11; an upper cover sheet of porous membrane 13 and strips of Fixing 14 (such as zip, Velcro

adhesive strips, interlocking, fasteners etc) along the edges of the said upper membrane 13 and ground contact sheet 11.

Preferably the outline shape of the absorbent mat 10 is square but any other appropriate shape is acceptable in any other embodiment.

Sheet 5 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS Where large or medium floor areas have to be covered the preferred outline dimension is approximately one metre square. Other outline dimensions in other embodiments are acceptable.

The ground contact sheet 11 is strong, durable, nonabsorbent and bio-degradable. Preferably it is of polyethylene but could be in any other appropriate material in another embodiment. Shown above and below the mat 10 are wide strips of Fitting 14.

The plurality of absorbent material leaves 12 are of wood pulp, cellulosic fibres, hydrophobic fibres or any other appropriate material, some of which may be impregnated with the aforementioned water-swellable materials.

The upper membrane 13 is a porous, resilient, strong, durable material; the peripheral edges of this membrane are secured to the bottom ground contact sheet 11 to form an envelope enclosure.

Along the upper and lower four edges of the upper membrane 13 and contact sheet 11 is provided strips of fixings which act as a joining medium for any number of such absorbent mats 10 to provide coverage for floor areas. Where areas smaller than the preferred size of the absorbent mat 10 are required the said mat 10 can be cut to fit.

Sheet 6 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS It is significantly important in relation to the habit of horses that only those sections of absorbent mats 10, which have been joined together to form a total floor covering, need be removed and replaced which have been contaminated by urination. As mentioned hereinbefore this reduces groom time and expenditure.

Similarly, any other method of releasably joining the separate mats 10 together than by Velcro strips 14, 15, may be used in another embodiment. Nylon press studs, plastic hooks and could be considered but releasable fastenings of metal would be unacceptable in any other embodiment.

The characteristics of the composite materials comprising the absorbent mat 10 are essentially non-toxic and are amply absorbent to cope with known habits of animals and in particular horses.

Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a plurality of absorbent mats 10 releasably joined together by overlapping Velcro strips 15. Each separate mat 10 is provided with the fibrous element of the Velcro fastening 14. The overlapping RilM Velcro strip 15 is the hook element of the commercially available product.

RmA No claim to originality for the Velcro fastenings is entertained in this specification and due acknowledgement is hereby given to its suitability as a fastening for such a product as the absorbent mat 10, herein described.

Sheet 7 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS

It is essential that the said Velcro fastenings are provided above and below the plurality of mats 10 forming a floor covering to ensure maximum utilisation, thus maximum efficiency to collect the urine/waste fluids. The releasable method of joining is as important as the provision of absorbency inherent in the mats 10. It can be seen that the plurality of mats 10 may be releasably joined to cover any extent of floor area and as has been previously stated here in1 any outline shape can be provided to meet any floor profile or condition.

Alternatively, the plurality of mats 10 may be releasably Rw joined by placing Velcro fasteners along the abutting edges of the separate mats but this is not favoured against the method herein described.

Figure 2, Sheet 2 also illustrates alternative methods of creating the envelope comprising the absorbent mat 10. In View 2a, the base sheet 11 is carried about the edges of the plurality of absorbent sheet 12 as a continuous operation and overlaps the upper membrane 13. Also provided is a plurality of lifting straps 16 which are fixedly attached to the overlapping base sheet and the upper membrane 13. These said straps render the said mat 10 more easily removable for disposal. View 2b shows yet another method of forming an envelope for the said mat 10. The base sheet 11 and the upper membrane 13 are overlapped by an end closure strip 17.

Sheet 8 ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS The absorbent material leaves 12 have been omitted for clarity. This closure strip 17 is bonded, glued or fastened appropriately to the base sheet 11 and bonded with the upper membrane 13. Lifting straps 16 are provided fixedly attached to the upper membrane as shown or as otherwise appropriately secured.

Figure 2, View 2c, indicates the straps 16 attached to the upper side of the mat 10.

Claims (6)

1. ABSORBENT MATS FOR ANIMALS

   CLAIMS 1. An absorbent mat for animals comprising a base layer of a pliable, flexible, plastic material impervious to moisture preferably biodegradable, supporting a plurality of sheets, layers. leaves, sections of absorbent material which may incorporate and comprise cellulosic fibres and / or hydrophobic fibres which may also incorporate water swellable, water insoluble polymeric material, the absorbent mat is covered by a top surface comprising of a strong porous, plastic or permeable membrane or other appropriate material.
2. 2. An absorbent mat as claimed in Claim 1 can exude warmth and soft surface to supplement animal bedding.
3. 3. An absorbent mat as claimed in Claim 1 that provides a covering or appropriate covering for animal stables, in particular horses.
4. 4. An absorbent mat as claimed in Claims 1 & ;3 that can be attached to provide effective covering by joining the mats together.
5. 5. An absorbent mat as claimed in Claim 1 that has as an integral part a lifting facility so that each mat can be lifted from the stable floor by use of spiked device such as a pitch fork spike or other suitable device.
6. 6. An absorbent mat as claimed in Claim 1 as described herein with references to Figures 1 & 2 of the accompanying drawing.