US20020188998A1

US20020188998A1 - Birdie bib

Info

Publication number: US20020188998A1
Application number: US09/875,500
Authority: US
Inventors: Calvin Yost
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-05
Filing date: 2001-06-05
Publication date: 2002-12-19

Abstract

A bib device allows a bird to perch upon a wearer's shoulders. The bib has an absorbent cloth main body forming a semicircular opening conforming to the shape of a wearer's collar when a user wears the bib. The cloth is made of a material allowing a domesticated bird to perch upon the shoulders of a wearer. A ridge attached to the periphery of said cloth main body is sewn to form a fold capable of catching stray bird droppings. A single connection means disposed on opposite ends of said semicircular opening to allow a user to connect and disconnect opposite ends of said semicircular opening. The bib is open in the front to allow a user access to shirt pockets.

Description

BACKGROUND

Birds are popular pets and bird owners love their birds. Birds can be intelligent and playful companions and bird owners like to spend a much time with them as possible. Both trained and untrained birds enjoy sitting on their owner's shoulders. Because birds can not be trained to relieve themselves properly, they often soil the garments of the bird owner. Thus, some protective covers have been devised for protecting a wearer's clothing.

Lewellen invented “Garment Protector” (U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,081) which was patented on Apr. 24, 1990. The garment protector covers the upper trunk and the lower neck and is assembled with different pieces for different body parts. It has a specially designed perch on the shoulder piece for the bird. This invention not only protects the wearers= 3 =0 clothes from being soiled but is also designed to attract birds to it. The invention calls for adaptation to different apparel fashion and designs so that the wearer can use the “Garment Protector” in different situations. Thus, the bird lovers can join different social functions or travel to different places with their beloved birds. Optionally an arm piece can be added to the “Garment Protector” as a sleeve for the birds to perch on the arms. The Lewellen device definitely functions as a garment protector, but is somewhat cumbersome to put on and take off. The perch and other attachments also make the device difficult to throw in the wash with regular laundry.

Patterson et al. invented a “Disposable Paper Bib” (U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,716) that was patented on Nov. 28, 2000. It is a disposable bib made of paper with a simple design. The bib's upper and lower edges are concaved downward. A perforation is created near the upper edge and parallel to the upper edge. Many bibs are stacked together in a box and the perforated edge serves as a tab for pulling the bib out of the box. When one bib is pulled out, the next bib's perforated edge is ready to be pulled for the next use. The bib covers only the chest and the shoulders of the wearers. The wearer inserts the head through the perforation and wears the bib upon the torso. The materials allow for convenient and inexpensive disposal of the bib. The thin paper of this bib would not be suitable for a bird, because it would not last very long.

Manning created “Front Torso and Arm Covering Bib” (U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,798), which was patented on Nov. 7, 2000. It covers the entire arms, the shoulders, the chest and the belly areas. The covering is fastened upon the body by tying the strings together behind the back. A main panel extends from the shoulder to the belly. Two arm pieces are attached to the main panel and extend down the entire arm length. Around the wrist area, cuffs are attached that allow the close fitting of the covering to the wearer. A pair of elongate and flexible neckties are coupled to the upper opening of the torso panel. This invention protects the garments from being soiled in various activities. The Manning bib would be difficult to remove due to the number of connection points.

Schiesel's “Pet Bib” (U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,134 BI), patented on Apr. 3, 2001 protects a wearer from injury and stains by animals during play. A main piece covers the front and back torso, and is affixed by hooks on the sides. The shoulder pieces are especially padded to protect the wearer from animal scratching or bird perching. Two pockets are located in the upper and front panel near the shoulder area. Several pockets are created at the bottom front of the vest for storing pet treats or as pet's hiding places. Areas in the front panel are created for attaching pet toys. Different interchangeable pet toys can be attached to and removed from the vest at leisure. Such device allows the owners to play with the pets without having to hold the toys in hand. This pet bib allows a user protection, but also makes it difficult to wash and wear.

Harris invented “Animal/Fowl Caricature-like Towel Parka” (U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,258), patented on Sep. 9, 1997. A parka made of terry cloth has no sleeves. A slit in the folding area offers a neck opening. A hood, also made of terry cloth, is sewn into the neck opening. The hood can be made to resemble a bird's head or different animals= 3 =0 heads by decorating it with ears, mouths, noses, whiskers, or beaks. In the bottom edges of the parka that cover the belly and the lower back, decorations that resemble animal feet and tails can be attached. This parka resembles the animal costume and can be easily laundered. While the Harris towel allows a user to resemble a bird, it is not designed for human interaction with a pet bird.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The Yost Birdie Bib invention seeks to create a clothing protector that is:

1. washable and re-usable

2. one size fits all people form children to large adults

3. effective in protecting the wearer's clothing

4. lightweight

5. easy to put on and take off

6. inexpensive to make and will be inexpensive to sell

7. made of materials for good grip, safety and comfort of birds

List of References cited

Inventor	Patent Number	Date Patented

Lewellen	4919081	Apr. 24. 1990
Patterson et al.	6151716	Nov. 28, 2000
Manning	6141798	Nov. 7, 2000
Schiesel	6209134 BI	Apr 3, 2001
Harris	5664258	Sep 9, 1997

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The Yost device is a single sheet of cloth that is preferably a plush felt or denim material. Plush felt is commonly found in car upholstery and is easy to wash as well as durable. Both are also wrinkle resistant. The bib is unique in that it has a single connection point at the collar. The connection point can be through various means such as a button, Velcro or loop connection. The integral formation as a single sheet of cloth allows a user to put on and take off the device with ease. [0015]
Birds have a simplified intestinal system and lack the means to separate urine and feces. This could be why bird droppings often have the consistency of a slurry mixture. When the bird droppings contact a smooth surface, they can run off the edge. The Yost device includes a ridge around the bottom periphery of the bib to catch bird droppings and prevent them from running off the edge. The bib is made of absorbent material such as denim. Plush felt or Denim is also a good material to allow a bird to perch upon. [0016]
A user wears the bib by draping the [0017] bib 10 over the shoulders, FIG. 1. The bib is attached by connecting the left and right ends of the bib together at a single point 18. The bib is usually open in the front to allow a user to access his shirt pockets and shirt buttons. The ridge 19 around the bottom of the bib prevents the droppings from flowing off the edge of the bib. The ridge can be made of absorbent material to improve the ability to contain bird droppings. The absorbent ridge is sewn to form a fold or pocket capable of catching stray bird droppings,
The preferred construction of the bib device is a flat sheet of semicircular cloth. The semicircular sheet of cloth has a semicircular cut to allow the cloth to conform to a collar, when a user wears the cloth. A decorative collar can be added to the [0018] semicircular opening 17. The opposite ends of the semicircular opening 18 are the preferred locations to place the connection point 18.
The ridge is a made from a single strip of semi rigid fabric that conforms to the shape of the periphery of the bib. The strip is sewn onto the bib at the periphery of the bib. The side of the strip pointing away from the periphery remains open to create a fold that can catch bird droppings. [0019]

Claims

1. a bib device for allowing a bird to perch upon a wearer's shoulders comprising:

a. an absorbent cloth main body forming a semicircular opening conforming to the shape of a wearer's collar when a user wears the bib, wherein said cloth is made of a material allowing a domesticated bird to perch upon the shoulders of a wearer,

b. a ridge attached to the periphery of said cloth main body, said ridge sewn to form a fold capable of catching stray bird droppings,

c. a single connection means disposed on opposite ends of said semicircular opening to allow a user to connect and disconnect opposite ends of said semicircular opening.

2. the device of claim 1, wherein said cloth main body is semicircular

3. the device of claim 2, wherein said ridge is made of an absorbent material

4. the device of claim 2, wherein said cloth is a denim material.

5. the device of claim 2, wherein said cloth is a plush felt material.

6. the device of claim 2, further comprising a collar attached to the semicircular opening.

7. the device of claim 2, wherein the bib is open in the front when worn to allow a user access to a shirt pocket.

8. the device of claim 1, wherein said cloth main body is rectangular

9. the device of claim 8, wherein said ridge is made of an absorbent material

10. the device of claim 8, wherein said cloth is a denim material.

11. the device of claim 8, wherein said cloth is a plush felt material.

12. the device of claim 8, further comprising a collar attached to the semicircular opening.

13. the device of claim 8, wherein the bib is open in the front when worn to allow a user access to a shirt pocket.