Inflatable insert for a horse blanket and horse blanket incorporating said insert
The inflatable insert in horse blankets addresses the issue of pressure points by evenly distributing force, enhancing comfort and protection at the withers, and is adaptable for various horse sizes and activities.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2022013326
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-14
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-20
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-12-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing horse blankets cause discomfort due to pressure points at the withers when the horse moves, and existing solutions like uncovered blankets or foam liners either provide inadequate protection or degrade over time.
Incorporating an inflatable insert at the withers within the horse blanket to distribute pressure more evenly and provide consistent comfort, with removable and adjustable inflation options.
The inflatable insert effectively distributes pressure, reducing discomfort and preventing injuries at the withers while maintaining consistent protection, even during movement and transport.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: INFLATABLE INSERT FOR A HORSE BLANKET AND HORSE BLANKET INCORPORATING SAID INSERT Technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to an inflatable insert for a horse blanket and a horse blanket incorporating said insert. Technological Background
[0002] Horse blankets are used to protect horses from the cold or bad weather. These blankets become essential when it comes to competition horses whose hair is shaved to limit perspiration during exercise. Competition horses are covered with a blanket whenever they are not in full exercise. Thus, there are different types of blankets depending on whether the blanket is intended to be put on the horse after exercise, during a warm-up, during transport, when it is resting in its box or in the field and also depending on the season.
[0003] [Fig.l] shows a horse 1 fitted with a blanket 2 of the state of the art. The blanket 2 is of the simple type, that is to say that it extends from the base of the neck 3 to the rump 4, covering the withers 5, the back 6, the shoulders and the flanks of the horse 1. The blanket 2 is closed at the chest 7 and the belly 8, leaving the horse's legs free. The blanket 2 is kept closed by straps and / or buckles which hold in position the parts of the blanket generally located at the chest and belly.
[0004] When a horse is in the field or in its box, it must be able to perform any type of movement. However, wearing a blanket can cause some discomfort. In particular, when a horse lowers its head, for example to graze, the part of the blanket located on the chest 7 pulls on the blanket, which creates a pressure point at the withers 5. This pressure point phenomenon is well known to those skilled in the art and several solutions exist to remedy it.
[0005] A first solution consists of using a blanket that does not cover the horse's withers. However, such a solution has the disadvantage of exposing the withers and sometimes even part of the horse's back and shoulders, thus reducing protection against the cold. Such a solution is not possible for a winter blanket.
[0006] A second solution is to double the blanket with foam at the withers. However, the foam tends to compress at the point of maximum pressure exerted on the withers. In addition, a horse does not always remain standing and can lying down and rolling on the ground, such movements tend to degrade the condition of the foam. Using a liner does not provide good cushioning because it increases the pressure exerted on the Garrot 5, even when the blanket is new, and does not hold up well over time. Summary of the invention
[0007] The invention proposes to improve horse blankets by placing an inflatable insert at the withers in a horse blanket. The use of an inflatable insert makes it possible to better distribute the pressure exerted on the withers than foam and its effectiveness is constant over time. In addition, it is possible to dose the inflation and the insert is removable, which allows it to be changed.
[0008] Thus the invention provides an inflatable insert intended for a horse blanket. Said insert comprises at least two inflatable tubes intended to be placed on either side of a spine of the horse and extending from the base of the neck towards the back, covering the withers of said horse.
[0009] To ensure a minimum of damping, the tubes can have a diameter between 10 and 50 millimeters.
[0010] To ensure sufficient protection at the withers, the insert may extend over a length of at least 20 centimeters from the base of the neck towards the back, and over a width of at least 7 centimeters centered on the spine.
[0011] In order to provide additional protection when transporting the horse in a van, the insert may include lateral extension tubes starting from a central part of said insert (100', 100") and extending towards the shoulders of the horse.
[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the central part of the insert can extend towards the back of the animal over a greater length than the lateral extension tubes.
[0013] The invention also provides a horse blanket, said blanket extending at least from the base of the neck to the rump of said horse, said blanket covering the shoulders and flanks of the horse and being closed at the belly and chest. The blanket comprises a pocket covering at least part of the horse's withers and the opening of which is placed at the base of the neck and extends towards the horse's back, said pocket being intended to receive an insert according to the invention.
[0014] Preferably, the pocket may comprise a central zone located at the level of the horse's spine which extends from the base of the neck towards the back over a first length and over a first width. The pocket may comprise two lateral zones which extend from the central zone towards the horse's shoulders. The lateral zones may extend from the base of the neck towards the shoulders of the horse on a second length, the second length being less than the first length.
[0015] To ensure that the insert is held in the pocket of the cover, the opening may include a pocket closure element. The closure element may consist of a loop strip and a flexible hook strip facing said loop strip, the hooks being intended to grip the loops to ensure closure of the pocket.
[0016] The invention also provides a horse assembly comprising a blanket according to the invention and an inflatable insert according to the invention. Brief Description of the Figures
[0017] The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages thereof will appear on reading the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given as illustrative and non-limiting examples, and referring to the appended drawings, among which:
[0018] [Fig. 1] shows a horse wearing a state-of-the-art blanket,
[0019] [Fig.2] shows a first example of implementation of an inflatable insert in a horse blanket according to the invention,
[0020] [Fig.3] shows a first example of the production of a cover laid flat to receive an inflatable insert according to the example of [Fig.2],
[0021] [Fig.4] shows a first example of an inflatable insert corresponding to that implemented in [Fig.2],
[0022] [Fig.5] shows a second example of implementation of an inflatable insert in a horse blanket according to the invention,
[0023] [Fig.6] shows a second example of the embodiment of a flat cover receiving an inflatable insert according to the example of [Fig.5],
[0024] [Fig.7] shows a second example of an inflatable insert corresponding to that implemented in [Fig.5],
[0025] [Fig.8] shows a third example of implementation of an inflatable insert in a horse blanket according to the invention,
[0026] [Fig.9] shows the second example of the embodiment of a flat cover receiving an inflatable insert according to the example of [Fig.8],
[0027] [Fig. 10] shows a third example of an inflatable insert corresponding to that implemented in [Fig.8],
[0028] [Fig. 11] shows the second example of the production of a flat cover receiving an inflatable insert according to the example of [Fig.2], Detailed description
[0029] In order to simplify the description and understanding of the drawings, the same reference is used in different figures to designate the same object or a very similar object. Thus, an object referenced in several figures may only be described in detail in a single figure. In addition, the figures and the description are given as non-limiting examples of embodiment.
[0030] [Fig. 2] shows a first example of implementation of an inflatable insert in a horse blanket according to the invention. [Fig. 2] represents a horse 1 provided with a blanket 200 provided with an insert 100. A first example of embodiment of the blanket 200 is shown in [Fig. 3] in top view. A first example of embodiment of the insert 100 is shown in [Fig. 4] in top view and in side section. Figures 2, 3 and 4 are described together for better understanding.
[0031] The blanket 200 extends from the base of the neck 3 to the rump 4, covering the withers 5, the back 6 and the flanks of the horse 1. The blanket 200 is made up of one or more layers of fabric, configured according to a conventional technique specific to the destination and / or use of the blanket. The blanket 200 is closed at the parts 203 and 204 of the blanket 200 located respectively at the chest 7 and the belly 8 by straps 201 cooperating with buckles 202. Parts 205 of the blanket 200 cover the flanks and shoulders, leaving the horse's legs free, and a part 206 of the blanket covers the horse's tail.
[0032] The blanket 200 differs from a blanket of the prior art in that it comprises a pocket 210 placed at the withers 5 of the horse and an opening 211 of which is placed at the base of the neck 3. The pocket 210 may be made between two layers of fabric if the blanket 200 is multi-layered or by sewing a piece of fabric forming the pocket 210. The pocket 210 extends from the opening 211 towards the back 6 of the horse in order to cover the withers 5 and possibly a part of the back 6. The pocket 210 is intended to contain the insert 100 and to hold it in position. For this purpose, the pocket 210 may have a shape which matches the shape of the insert 100.
[0033] To ensure that the insert 100 is held in the pocket 210, it is preferred to provide the opening 211 with a closure element. The closure element may be of any type that allows at least a portion of the fabric edges forming the pocket 210 to be held against each other at the opening 211. Preferably, the closure element is chosen to allow rapid opening and closing without the risk of injuring the animal by friction of said closure element. For example, a suitable type of closure element is of the “Velcro” type, i.e. consisting of a strip of loops and a strip of flexible hooks facing said strip of loops, said strips being sewn onto the layers of fabric constituting said pocket 210, the hooks being intended to grip the loops to ensure closure of the pocket.
[0034] The insert 100 is an inflatable insert preferably comprising tubes 101 which extend parallel to the horse's spine. Such a configuration allows for more flexibility to fit the curvature of the horse's withers 5. For this purpose, the insert 100 is made using two waterproof textile layers welded at high frequency in order to define the tubes 101. A valve 102 is placed on the upper layer of the insert in order to move it away from the horse's back to avoid injuring it.
[0035] The waterproof textile layers may be made of a plastic-coated fabric such as, for example, nylon coated with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) polyethylene (PE), the properties of which are perfectly suitable. Alternatively, it is possible to use other fabrics as well as other coatings such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) or a rubber-based coating. It is also possible to opt for thermoplastic or rubber films or membranes. The valve 102 is, for example, a PVC valve of a conventional type which can be pushed into a sausage and easily welded by high frequency. Also as a variant, the high-frequency welding can be replaced by other types of heat welding.
[0036] To ensure protection of the withers 5, the insert 100 should have a length L1 of at least 20 centimeters and a width L2 of at least 7 centimeters. The tubes 101 may have diameters DI and D2 of between 10 and 50 millimeters. The tubes 101 are separated by the welds 103, the width of which ensures good flexibility. To ensure transmission of air between the tubes 101, the welds 103 between the tubes do not completely close the tubes 101 in order to allow air to pass between the tubes 101. These dimensions may be larger, in particular for large horses or to better distribute the pressure at the withers, the important thing being to cover at least the withers 5 of the horse.
[0037] In the example of Fig. 4, the insert 100 comprises four tubes 101, two central tubes having a diameter DI of 35 millimeters and two lateral tubes having a diameter D2 of 25 millimeters. The welds 103 are approximately five millimeters wide, which ensures good adhesion between the textile layers and also good flexibility. The length L1 is for example 33 centimeters and the width L2 is for example 13.5 centimeters. Furthermore, in this example the part extending towards the back is thinned at its end for aesthetic reasons, in order to avoid a bump on the cover at the end of the insert 100.
[0038] The downward movements of the horse's head have the effect of compressing the insert 100 and distributing the compression point over the entire surface of the insert 100. Thanks to this distribution of the compression point, the horse is less stressed at the withers 5, which provides greater comfort and prevents injuries.
[0039] Many variations of this first example of insert 100 are possible, particularly in terms of dimensions. The tubes 101 may have diameters DI and D2 of between 20 and 50 millimeters. It is also possible to limit the insert 100 to two single central tubes placed on either side of the horse's spine. When more than two tubes are used, it is possible to favor central tubes of larger diameter to allow the valve 102 to be inserted without the risk of it creating discomfort for the horse, but it is also possible to have the same diameter for all the tubes 101.
[0040] The size of the insert may also be larger than previously described. In particular, the insert may also serve as protection other than simply reducing the compression point at the withers. During transport, the horse may bump into the inside of a transport van or even bump into it when rolling over a stone. For this purpose, it is possible to use an insert 100' which covers the shoulders of the horse as shown in [Fig. 5]. The blanket 200' and the insert 100' are then modified as shown in Figures 6 and 7.
[0041] The insert 100' differs from the insert 100 in that it comprises lateral extensions 110 extending from a central portion 120. The central portion 120 is sized to cover the withers 5 of the horse and corresponds to the insert 100 previously described. The extensions 110 are intended to cover the shoulders of the horse. The lateral extensions 110 are also made up of tubes separated by separation welds 103 which allow air to pass between the tubes at their ends. The size of the tubes can also vary between 20 and 50 millimeters on the lateral extensions 110 depending on the desired cushioning and the area to be protected. In order to allow better centering of the insert in the blanket, the central part 120 should extend towards the back of the animal over a greater length than the lateral extensions 110. The size of such an insert may vary depending on the size of the horse.For example, for a large horse the insert can extend over a length L3 of approximately 66 cm and a width L4 of approximately 133 centimeters.
[0042] The cover 200' differs from the cover 200 in that the pocket 210' is sized to receive the insert 100'. For this purpose, the pocket 210' also includes lateral extensions 212 and an opening 211 enlarged to receive the insert 100', the lateral extensions 212 thus extending from the base of the neckline to the tips of the shoulders. Like the insert 100', the pocket 210' also includes a central portion 213 which extends over a greater length towards the back than the lateral portions 212 to allow better centering of the insert 100'.
[0043] As indicated previously, the insert 100 may be of a larger or smaller size in order to better distribute the pressure around the tourniquet. According to the first exemplary embodiment, varying the size of the insert 100 requires varying the size of the pocket 210 and therefore to have 200 covers adapted to each insert. In order to be able to standardize the covers, it is preferred to have a 100" insert having small lateral extensions, as shown in figures 8 to 10.
[0044] The insert 100" has lateral extensions 110' extending from a central portion 120. The central portion 120 is sized to cover the withers 5 of the horse and corresponds to the insert 100 and the extensions 110' are smaller in size than the extensions 110 of the insert 100' because they are not intended to protect the shoulders of the horse but only to enlarge the pressure zone around the withers. In order to allow standardization of the pocket of the blanket, the insert 100" has a central portion 120 of the same size as that of the insert 100'. Thus, like the insert 100', the central part 120 extends towards the animal's back over a greater length than the lateral extensions 110', which allows for good positioning and good centering of the insert 100' in the blanket 200'. The size of the inserts 110' can then vary depending on the pressure distribution zone desired around the withers.
[0045] Preferably, the size of the central parts of the inserts 100' and 100" may correspond to the size of an insert 100 corresponding to a minimum insert size, i.e. having the same length L1 and the same width L2. The pocket 210' is sized according to the size of the insert 100' having the largest dimensions and has a central part 213 which makes it possible to receive and center the insert 100", as shown in [Fig.9] or the insert 100 as shown in [Fig.11]. So, it is possible to have a 200' blanket in one size with a 210' pocket in one size in which a 100, 100' or 100" insert can be inserted and held, the choice of the 100, 100' or 100" insert can be made according to the need and / or the size of the horse.
[0046] Numerous variants are available to those skilled in the art who can vary the dimensions indicated according to their technical and aesthetic needs. Likewise, the examples described are for information purposes only and the shapes of inserts can be modified without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
Claims
1. Inflatable insert (100, 100', 100") for a horse blanket, said insert (100, 100', 100") comprising at least two inflatable tubes (101) extending parallel on either side of a spine of the horse from the base of the neck (3) towards the back (6), covering the withers (5) of said horse, when said insert is positioned on said horse.
2. Insert according to claim 1, in which the tubes (101) have a diameter between 10 and 50 millimeters.
3. Insert according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the insert (100, 100', 100") extends over a length (L1) of at least 20 centimeters from the base of the neckline (3) towards the back (6), and over a width (L2) of at least 7 centimeters centered on the spinal column.
4. Insert according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the insert (100', 100") comprises lateral extension tubes (110, 110') starting from a central part (120) of said insert (100', 100") and extending towards the shoulders of the horse.
5. Insert according to claim 4, the central part (120) extends towards the back of the animal over a greater length than the lateral extension tubes.
6. Horse assembly comprising a horse blanket (200, 200') and an inflatable insert (100, 100', 100”) according to one of claims 1 to 5, said blanket extending at least from the base of the neck (3) to the rump (4) of said horse, said blanket (200, 200') covering the shoulders and flanks of the horse and being closed at the belly (8) and the chest (7), said blanket (200, 200') comprising a pocket (210, 210') covering at least part of the withers (5) of the horse and the opening (211) of which is placed at the base of the neck (3) and extends towards the back (6) of the horse, said pocket (210, 210') being intended to receive said inflatable insert (100, 100', 100").