Cage grid protection

Abstract

The invention relates to a cage grid protection for protection of animal cage grid bars, comprising a protective element and a securing element.

Description

[0001] CAGE PROTECTION

[0002] The invention relates to a cage grid protector for protecting bars of animal cages with a protective element and a fastening element.

[0003] State of the art

[0004] Commercially available cages for small pets, such as rodents like hamsters, mice, or rabbits, usually consist of a combination of plastic and coated and / or coated metal materials, e.g., a rigid plastic tray with a rigid, coated wire frame attached, which can usually be completely removed and / or opened via a door. Rodents gnaw through these bars, causing the coating to detach and enter the animals' stomachs.

[0005] Stomach acid can dissolve the plasticizer from the plastic, leaving behind sharp plastic splinters that can cause internal injuries to the animals. Furthermore, the mesh materials are usually made of untreated steel, which begins to rust at the gnawed areas.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cage grid protector for protecting the bars of animal cages, which is harmless to pets, can be easily and quickly attached to existing animal cages and can be manufactured cost-effectively.

[0007] The object is achieved by means of the cage grid guard for protecting bars of animal cages according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subclaims.

[0008] This object is achieved by means of the cage mesh guard for protecting the bars of animal cages according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the subclaims. The cage mesh guard according to the invention for protecting the bars of animal cages has a protective element with a length that is many times greater than its width and a fastening element. By means of the fastening element, the cage mesh guard can be fastened to the bars of animal cages in such a way that the protective element protects the bars from being gnawed by the animal in the cage. On the one hand, the bars are protected from being gnawed and thus from rust, and on the other hand, the animal in the cage is protected from plastic and / or metal splinters. In an optional development, several fastening elements can be engaged with different bars of an animal cage.Accordingly, the cage mesh guard is advantageously stabilized by being attached to the cage at multiple points. The mesh bar engaging with the fastening element is concealed by the protective element along its length toward the inside of the animal cage. Consequently, the animal in the cage cannot reach the mesh bars. Furthermore, the cage mesh guard is not displaced by the animal pushing against it, as the mesh bars counteract the animal's force. In a further development, the cage mesh guard can be attached to a mesh bar at different positions. Accordingly, the cage mesh guard is advantageously stabilized by being attached to the cage at multiple points.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the various fastening elements are engaged with different, non-adjacent bars. This arrangement of the fastening elements distributes the applied force over a larger area of ​​the cage mesh guard, which is suitable for distributing the force exerted by the animal in the cage. In addition, the cage mesh guard is even more advantageously stabilized to the cage. In an optional development of the invention, the non-adjacent bars are spaced apart from one another by a distance greater than the width of the cage mesh guard.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the cage mesh guard can be attached at different heights and / or to different adjacent bars (130). The option of attaching it at different heights advantageously allows for greater flexibility for different or differently sized animals. The user attaches the cage mesh guard at different heights depending on which area is damaged by the animal. Additionally, different areas can be positioned relative to one another using multiple cage mesh guards to protect a larger area or multiple sections of the cage mesh.

[0011] Once installed, the protective element preferably covers the longer, more closely spaced bar sections of the animal cage, i.e. the horizontal and / or vertical bars, and therefore has a length to width ratio of at least 3:1, preferably at least 5:1 and particularly preferably more than 7:1. A length to width ratio of 10:1 is also possible. The length describes the extent of the protective element after installation along the bars that are covered by the protective element; when installed on horizontal bars, this describes the extent in the horizontal direction, and the width describes the extent of the protective element after installation in the vertical direction. Corresponding installation on vertically running bars is possible in an analogous manner.

[0012] In a further development of the invention, after the cage guard has been installed, the protective element partially conceals a bar from the inside of the animal cage. In particular, the bar is protected in such a way that the protective element protects the bars from gnawing by the animal in the cage. Any gaps between the protective element and the bar are dimensioned so small that the animal in the cage cannot reach the bar.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, after the cage guard has been installed, the protective element partially surrounds a bar of the animal cage. In particular, the protective element at least partially surrounds the bar on the inside of the animal cage. The bars are protected from chewing by the animal in the cage. The gaps between the protective element and the bar are dimensioned so small that the animal in the cage cannot reach the bar.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the protective element is located on the inside of the cage, in front of the bars. This allows the bars to be better protected by the protrusion of the protective element. Furthermore, the cage bar guard cannot be removed from the outside without damaging the cage bar guard. However, the animal in the cage can only exert most of its force against the protective element from the outside.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the length of the surface in the direction of the grid bar used for fastening is longer than the orthogonal length of the surface.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, after the cage guard has been installed, the protective element surrounds more than 50% of a bar of the animal cage. In particular, the protective element surrounds the bar at least partially on the inside of the animal cage. The bars are protected from chewing by the animal in the cage. The gaps between the protective element and the bar are dimensioned so small that the animal in the cage cannot reach the bar.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, the cage mesh guard can be attached to a cage bar using the fastening element. The cage mesh guard at least partially surrounds the bar to which the cage mesh guard is attached. In particular, the cage mesh guard can be removably attached. If the cage mesh guard is damaged, e.g., due to chewing by an animal in the cage, the cage mesh guard can be easily and quickly replaced.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, the cage mesh guard can be attached to a cage bar using the fastening element. The cage mesh guard only partially surrounds the bar to which the cage mesh guard is attached, preferably only partially the inside. In particular, the cage mesh guard can be removably attached. The only partially covered bars make removing and replacing a cage mesh guard particularly easy. If the cage mesh guard is damaged, e.g., due to chewing by an animal in the cage, the cage mesh guard can be replaced quickly and easily.

[0019] In a further development of the invention, the cage mesh guard can be fastened to two bars using the fastening element, preferably between two adjacent bars. The cage mesh guard at least partially surrounds the bars to which the cage mesh guard is fastened. In particular, the cage mesh guard can be releasably fastened. The cage mesh guard is held in position more effectively because two fastening points on the fastening element hold the cage mesh guard in place. If the cage mesh guard is damaged, e.g., due to gnawing by an animal in the cage, the cage mesh guard can be replaced quickly and easily.

[0020] In a further development of the invention, the cage grid protector can be fastened to two bars with the aid of the fastening element, preferably fastened between two adjacent bars. The cage grid protector only partially surrounds the bar to which the cage grid protector is fastened, preferably only partially the inside. In particular, the cage grid protector can be detachably fastened. The only partially covered bars make removing and replacing a cage grid protector particularly easy, while the cage grid protector is held in position more effectively because two fastening points on the fastening element hold the cage grid protector in position. If the cage grid protector is damaged, e.g. due to gnawing by an animal in the cage, the cage grid protector can be replaced quickly and easily.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, the cage guard has two or more fastening elements, preferably two fastening elements. The fastening elements are arranged, for example, at opposite ends of the cage guard and attach the cage guard to one or two bars.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fastening element of the cage mesh guard can be snapped onto a cage bar and / or between two cage bars of the animal cage. Using a snap-on fastening element, the cage mesh guard can be quickly and easily attached to one or between two cage bars and removed again if necessary.

[0023] A locking mechanism, a detent, a locking step, or a locking device within the meaning of the invention is a special type of fastening mechanism that serves to restrict or stop movement. If the fastening element is attached in a locking manner, it falls and remains in a specific position. Further movement is prevented until released, with the release of the detent preferably occurring in a different direction of force than the locking action.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening element of the cage mesh guard can be secured to a mesh bar and / or between two mesh bars of the animal cage in several locking positions. Due to the different locking positions, the fastening element can be secured, in particular, in differently dimensioned spaces between two adjacent mesh bars. The cage mesh guard according to the invention is therefore applicable to animal cages that have different distances between two adjacent mesh bars.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the locking steps have different widths. The cage guard according to the invention is therefore applicable to animal cages that have different distances between two adjacent bars.

[0026] In a further embodiment, a protective element completely covers the space between at least two bars and preferably partially covers the spaces facing the horizontal and / or vertical outer sides, more preferably less than 50%. This design, with a smooth, unperforated surface over at least two bars, makes it even more difficult for the animal inside the cage to reach the cage bars and also less likely to damage the cage protective grilles by gnawing.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, a protective element completely covers the space between two cage bars and preferably partially covers the spaces adjacent to the horizontal and / or vertical outer sides, preferably less than 50%. This design, with a smooth, unperforated surface covering at least two cage bars, makes it even more difficult for the animal inside the cage to reach the cage bars and also less likely to damage the cage safety bars by gnawing. By limiting the surface area of ​​the protective element, the stability of each cage safety guard is better ensured and can be replaced more easily.

[0028] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening element, when attached, partially engages behind the bars of an animal cage. The fastening element is therefore at least partially arranged on the outside of the animal cage, while the protective element is arranged on the inside of the animal cage. The fastening element is therefore accessible from outside the animal cage, and the cage guard according to the invention can be attached and removed from outside the animal cage.

[0029] In a further development of the invention, the thickness of the cage mesh guard is less than 50 mm, preferably less than 25 mm, and particularly preferably less than 15 mm. The thickness of the cage mesh guard is chosen to be as small as possible to minimize the obstruction to the view from the outside of the cage interior. The thickness here describes the vertical cross-section of the cage mesh guard after installation.

[0030] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening element of the cage guard has a groove. The groove is sized to accommodate a cage bar.

[0031] In a further development of the invention, the groove runs in the longitudinal direction of the cage mesh guard. When the fastening element is attached to a mesh bar, the groove accommodates the mesh bar, so the cage mesh guard is arranged essentially parallel to the mesh bar.

[0032] In a further embodiment of the invention, the groove has, at least in part, a smaller width than the thickness of a standard grating bar. When the fastening element is attached to a grating bar, the groove accommodates the grating bar. Due to this dimensioning of the groove, the fastening element can be fastened to a grating bar in a snap-in manner. In a further embodiment of the invention, the groove has a varying width across the depth of the groove. Due to this configuration of the groove, the fastening element can be fastened to a grating bar in a snap-in manner.

[0033] In a further embodiment of the invention, the groove is V-shaped. This V-shaped groove facilitates the attachment of the fastening element to a cage bar. The cage guard is typically made of a soft, compliant material compared to the cage bar, such as a type of wood. Due to the frictional force between the cage bar and the fastening element, the cage guard is releasably attached to the cage bar.

[0034] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening element of the cage grid guard has two grooves. The grooves typically run parallel to each other and are spaced at a distance corresponding to the distance between two adjacent grid bars. The fastening element can therefore be attached to two adjacent grid bars.

[0035] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening element of the cage mesh guard has two grooves. The grooves are typically located next to each other on a mesh bar and are spaced apart. The fastening element can therefore be attached to a mesh bar on multiple surfaces of the cage mesh guard.

[0036] In a further development of the invention, the groove tapers in the entrance area with the depth of the groove. This phase in the entrance area of ​​the groove facilitates the attachment of the fastening element to a grating bar.

[0037] Exemplary embodiments of the cage guard according to the invention are shown in simplified schematic form in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. In an advantageous embodiment, the cage guard can be installed at any height and / or between any two adjacent bars. This option allows for a high degree of flexibility.

[0038] In a further development, a cage mesh guard is connected to one or more vertically and / or horizontally adjacent cage mesh guards, so that no gap is created through which an animal inside the cage can reach the side facing the bars. Particularly preferably, a cage mesh guard can be connected to another cage mesh guard at a corner. This better prevents the animal from removing the cage mesh guard from inside the cage. Furthermore, chewing on corners, which are often poorly protected, is better prevented.

[0039] In another embodiment, one or more adjacent protective elements can overlap. Accordingly, accessibility to the grating bars can be prevented at different grating bar spacings.

[0040] In another embodiment, a cage mesh guard can have a 90° angle. This allows cage corners in particular to be particularly well-equipped with the chew guard.

[0041] In another embodiment, the protective element is made of the same material as the fastening element. Preferably, the protective element and fastening element are not mounted to each other. More preferably, the protective element and fastening element are a single molded piece. This design makes the cage mesh guard simple and cost-effective to manufacture and has fewer weak points that are often found on mounting surfaces.

[0042] In another embodiment, the protective element comprises a different material than the fastening element. Thus, a chew-resistant material can be used for the protective element, and a material advantageous for this purpose can be used for the fastening element. In a preferred embodiment, a fastening element is in contact with two grid bar surfaces, preferably of adjacent grid bars.

[0043] They show:

[0044] Fig. 1: Side view of the cage grid protection according to the invention, arranged ready for use on an animal cage

[0045] Fig. 2 a: Cross section of the cage grid protection according to the invention with V-shaped groove

[0046] Fig. 2 b: Cross section of one of the cage grid protection according to the invention with U-shaped groove

[0047] Fig. 2 c: Cross section of one of the cage grid protection according to the invention with holder and groove

[0048] Fig. 3 a: Cross section of the cage grid protection according to the invention with V-shaped tapered groove and

[0049] Fig. 3 b: Cross section of one of the cage grid protection according to the invention with U-shaped and tapered groove

[0050] Fig. 3 c: Cross section of one of the cage grid protection according to the invention with holder and tapered groove

[0051] Fig. 4: Side view of the wedge-shaped cage grid protection according to the invention, arranged ready for use on an animal cage

[0052] Fig. 5 a: Cross section of the wedge-shaped cage grid protection according to the invention with a locking mechanism

[0053] Fig. 5 b: Cross section of the wedge-shaped cage grid protection according to the invention with several detents

[0054] Fig. 6 a: Cage grid protection according to the invention with simple attachment to vertical struts, ready for use on an animal cage

[0055] Fig. 6 b: Cage grid protection according to the invention with double fastening to vertical struts, arranged ready for use on an animal cage

[0056] Fig. 1 shows a side view of an animal cage 100, seen from the inside I. The

[0057] Animal cage 100 has a trough 120 on the underside into which the wire frame 110 is inserted. The wire frame 110 has a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged bars 130. For example, a cage grid protector 1 is arranged on each of a plurality of horizontally arranged bars 130. In this exemplary embodiment, the cage grid protector 1 has a thickness that is a few mm less than the distance between two adjacently arranged horizontal grid bars 130. Depending on the design of the wire frame 110 of the animal cage 100, the cage grid protector 1 has a thickness of less than 50 mm, preferably less than 25 mm, and particularly preferably less than 15 mm. The thickness of the cage grid protector is chosen to be as small as possible in order to impair the view of the cage interior 1 from the outside as little as possible.A cage mesh guard 1 is arranged by means of the fastening element 20 such that the protective element 10 of the cage mesh guard 1 surrounds a mesh bar 130 towards the inside of the animal cage 100 by more than 50%. The protective element 10 is 12 cm long and 2 cm wide. Thus, the length of the protective element 10 exceeds its width by several times.

[0058] A cage grid protector 1 is arranged on a grid bar 130 by means of the fastening element 20 in such a way that the protective element 10 of the cage grid protector 1 completely covers the grid bar 130 towards the inside of the animal cage 100.

[0059] Fig. 2 shows different embodiments of the cage grid protection 1 according to the invention, shown in cross section. A cage grid protection 1 has the actual protective element 10, which in the assembled state almost completely surrounds the grid bar 130.

[0060] The cage grid protector 1 has a fastening element 20, which in this embodiment is designed as a groove 21. The groove 21 runs over the entire length of the cage grid protector 1. To install the cage grid protector 1, the cage grid protector 1 is arranged on the grid bar 130 such that the entrance area 22 of the groove 21 and the grid bar 130 are aligned. By exerting pressure on the cage grid protector 1, the cage grid protector 1 is fastened to the grid bar 130. When the cage grid protector 1 is fastened to the grid bar 130, the fastening element 20 engages behind the grid bar 130.

[0061] The groove 21 can, for example, be V-shaped with a width that tapers over the depth of the groove 21 (Fig. 2a). The cage grid protector 1 is typically made of a soft, compliant material compared to the material of the grid bar 130, e.g., a type of wood. Due to the frictional force between the grid bar 130 and the fastening element 20, the cage grid protector 1 is releasably held in its position on the grid bar 130.

[0062] The groove 21 can also be U-shaped, so that the width does not change across the depth of the groove 21 (Fig. 2 b, 2 c). In this case, the width of the groove 21 is smaller than the diameter of a grid bar 130. Additionally, a receptacle 24 can be provided for lockingly receiving the grid bar 130. The inner diameter of the receptacle 24 then corresponds to the outer diameter of the grid bar 130 to be accommodated.

[0063] Fig. 3 shows further embodiments of the cage grid guard 1 according to the invention, illustrated in cross-section. The fastening element 20 of the cage grid guard 1 also has a groove 21 that runs along the entire length of the cage grid guard 1. In the embodiments illustrated here, the groove 21 has an entry area 22 that tapers with the depth of the groove 21 to facilitate the attachment of the cage grid guard 1 to a cage bar 130.

[0064] The groove 21 can be designed, for example, as in the previous embodiment (see Fig. 2), V-shaped with a width that tapers across the depth of the groove 21 (Fig. 3 a). The groove 21 can also be designed such that the width does not change across the depth of the groove 21 (Fig. 3 b, 3 c).

[0065] Fig. 4 shows a side view of an animal cage 100, seen from the inside I. The animal cage 100 has a tray 120 on the underside, into which the wire frame 110 is inserted. In this exemplary embodiment, a cage grid protector 1 is arranged such that two grid bars 130 are protected by a cage grid protector according to the invention. For this purpose, the wedge-shaped cage grid protector 1 is inserted between two horizontal grid bars of the animal cage until the grid bars 130 engage the locking elements 23. The length of the protective element 10 in the direction of the grid bar 130 used for fastening is 9 cm, and its width is 3 cm. Thus, the length of the protective element 10 exceeds its width by several times.

[0066] Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a cage grid guard 1 according to the invention for arrangement between two adjacent grid bars 130, shown in cross-section. The cage grid guard 1 has a nearly wedge-shaped cross-section that is uniform over its entire length. A cage grid guard 1 has the fastening element 20, which has one (Fig. 5 a) or a plurality (Fig. 5 b) locking elements 23 on opposite sides, each of which is suitable for receiving a grid bar 130.

[0067] The plurality of locking elements 23 (Fig. 5 b) are arranged such that the cage grid protector 1 can be arranged in different locking stages, which have different widths, in the space between two adjacently arranged grid bars 130, depending on the distance between two adjacently arranged grid bars 130. The cage grid protector 1 can therefore be removably arranged in differently spaced spaces between two adjacently arranged grid bars 130. The protective element 10 of the cage grid protector 1 faces the inner side I of the animal cage 100 and surrounds two grid bars 130 by more than 50% each, thus protecting the grid bars 130 from gnawing by the animals in the animal cage 100.

[0068] Another embodiment of the cage mesh guard 1 according to the invention is shown in Fig. 6. The cage mesh guard 1 comprises the protective element 10, which has a fastening element 20 at each of its two opposite ends. The fastening element 20 is hook-shaped and engages behind a vertically arranged mesh bar 131 such that the protective element 10 is latchably attached to a horizontally arranged mesh bar 130 on the inside I of the animal cage 100 (Fig. 6a). In this case, the fastening element 20 is formed in two parts at each end of the protective element 10. The protective element 10 is 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide in the direction of the mesh bar 130 used for attachment. Thus, the length of the protective element 10 exceeds its width by several times.

[0069] It is also possible to arrange the protective element 10 in a lockable manner in the space between two adjacent bars 130 on the inner side I of the animal cage 100. The fastening element 20 is then formed in one piece at each end of the protective element 10.

[0070] LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0071] 1 cage mesh guard

[0072] 10 protective element

[0073] 20 Fastening element

[0074] 21 Groove of the fastening element

[0075] 22 Entrance area of ​​the groove

[0076] 23 locking element

[0077] 24 recording

[0078] 100 animal cages

[0079] 110 wire frame

[0080] 120 tub

[0081] 130 Horizontally arranged lattice bar

[0082] 131 Vertically arranged lattice bar

[0083] A Outside of the animal cage

[0084] I Inside the animal cage

Claims

PA TE N TA NSPRÜ CHE 1. Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100), comprising the following elements: a guard element (10) and a fastening element (20), wherein the guard element (10) has a length (L) and a width (B), the length (L) being a multiple greater than the width (B), wherein the various fastening elements (20) can be engaged with different bars (130) of an animal cage (100), wherein the bar (130) engaging with the fastening element (20) can be covered by the guard element (10) along the length (L) towards the inside of the animal cage (100).

2. Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cage guard (1) can be attached at different heights and / or to different adjacent bars (130).

3. Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective element (10) partially surrounds a bar (130) of the animal cage (100) after the cage guard (1) has been installed.

4. Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the protective element (10) surrounds more than 50% of a cage bar (130) of the animal cage (100) after the cage guard (1) has been mounted. Cage guard (1) for protecting cage bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cage guard (1) can be attached to a cage bar (130) by means of the fastening element (20). Cage guard (1) for protecting cage bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the cage guard (1) can be attached to two cage bars (130) by means of the fastening element (20). Cage guard (1) for protecting cage bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cage guard (1) has two fastening elements (20).Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (20) of the cage guard (1) can be snapped onto a bar (130) and / or between two bars (130) of the animal cage (100). Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that. The fastening element (20) of the cage guard (1) can be locked onto a cage bar (130) and / or between two cage bars (130) of the animal cage (100) in several locking positions. Cage guard (1) for protecting cage bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that the locking positions have different widths. Cage guard (1) for protecting cage bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (20), when fastened, partially engages behind the cage bar (130) of an animal cage (100). Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the cage guard (1) is less than 50 mm, preferably less than 25 mm and particularly preferably less than 15 mm.Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (20) of the cage guard (1) has a groove (21). Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that the groove (21) extends in the longitudinal direction of the cage guard (1). Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the groove (21) has at least a partially smaller width than the thickness of a standard bar (130) (1 mm?). Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the groove (21) has a different width over its depth. Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to claim 16, characterized in that the groove (21) is V-shaped. Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the fastening element (20) of the cage guard (1) has two grooves (21).Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that the groove (21) tapers in the entrance area (22) with the depth of the groove (21). Cage guard (1) for protecting bars (130) of animal cages (100) according to one or more of claims 13 to 19, characterized in that the groove (21) extends over the entire length of the cage guard (1), or. at least two grooves lie next to each other on a grid bar and have a distance between them and / or at least two grooves (21) run parallel to each other and have a distance that corresponds to the distance between two adjacent grid bars.

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