An insect repellent horse rug

Abstract

An insect repellent surface design comprising a grayscale pattern, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of shapes 2, and the pattern comprising at least three different tones. There may be five t

Description

09 07 25 5 The present disclosure relates to an insect repellent horse rug. Insects, in particular biting flies, are a nuisance to humans and animals. Various methods are employed to deter flying insects from making skin contact such as insecticides, nets, aromas, or otherwise. Fly rugs are available for horses, which io typically comprise lightweight rugs attachable to the body of the horse to limit exposure to flies. Many researchers around the world have been curious as to why flies do not cause zebras as much distress as other animals. There are several theories for this 15 including light polarization, pattern contrast, pattern size and aliasing (misidentified visual signals). Studies have, for example, demonstrated that black and white checked rugs had less horse fly landings compared to a plain grey rug. The present invention arose in a bid to improve the flying insect repelling 20 abilities of fabric, through use of pattern, luminance, and colour, to cause sufficient visual confusion amongst flying insects to reduce the number of landings i.e. skin contact. Representative features are set out in the following clauses, which stand alone 25 or may be combined, in any combination, with one or more features disclosed in the text and / or drawings of the specification. According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided an insect repellent horse rug as recited by Claim 1. 30 Through diligent research, the present inventors found that a surface design, designed to specific guidelines, comprising a monochromatic (grayscale) pattern, having three or more tones, was particularly effective at repelling insects, i.e. 09 07 25 deterring insects from landing on the surface. This contrasts with prior art fabrics that are plain, comprise colourful patterns or patterns comprising only two (randomised) tones. 5 Preferably, the pattern comprises at least four different tones, at least five different tones, or at least six different tones. Each of the shapes preferably comprises substantially a single tone. Adjacent shapes preferably have a different tone to one another. The pattern is preferably not random to prevent any risk of two shapes of the same tone being adjacent to one another, thus forming a larger shape io that insects may find safe to land on. The shapes are substantially the same shape and / or size. They are congruent. The shapes may comprise any 2-D shape that can be organised in a tessellating pattern. The shapes may, for example, comprise polygons or circles. 15 The shapes may comprise rectangles, hexagons, or otherwise. The shapes may be spaced from one another or may contact one another. The shapes may be evenly spaced from one another. The space between the shapes may have a single tone. The space between the shapes may have the same 20 tone as one or more of the shapes. Each of the one or more shapes having the same tone as the space between the shapes may comprise a border of contrasting tone. The space between the shapes may be black or white. The shapes have a maximum dimension of between 3 and 10cm. They may 25 have a maximum dimension of between 6 and 8cm. Further, preferable, features will be apparent from the specific description that follows. 30 Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be discussed with reference to the following drawing: Figure 1 shows a portion of a surface design according to an embodiment. 09 07 25 With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a non-limiting pattern for an insect repellent fabric for a horse rug according to a first embodiment. The pattern is monochromatic, specifically grayscale, comprising a plurality of shapes 2, and comprises at least three different tones. 5 In the present arrangement, the pattern comprises six different tones. However, alternative arrangements may comprise more or less tones. There may, for example, be three or more, four or more, five or more, six or more, or seven or more different tones. There are most preferably five or more tones. io Each of the shapes 2 preferably comprises substantially a single tone. Preferably, each of the shapes has a different tone to one or more or all of the shapes 2 that are adjacent thereto for providing a high contrast pattern, however, this need not be the case, particularly when the shapes are spaced from one 15 another, as shown, and discussed below. In the present arrangement, for the portion of the pattern shown, shapes 2a, 2b are the only adjacent shapes that have the same tone as one another. There will always be tonal differences between adjacent regions of the 20 pattern. The tones used will be sufficiently different to provide suitable contrast. The shapes 2 have the same size and / or shape as one another, as shown. In the present arrangement the shapes 2 have the same size and shape as one another, such that they are congruent. The shapes tesselate, as discussed. 25 The shapes 2 in the present arrangement comprise hexagons, as shown. However, it should be appreciated that they may comprise polygons of alternative form, having more or less sides. Alternatively, the shapes 2 may be other than polygonal, comprising curved sides or otherwise. They may be of regular or abstract 30 form. As noted above, the shapes 2 of the present arrangement are spaced from one another. The space 3 between the shapes in the present arrangement is even. In alternative arrangements, the space 3 may be other than even, particularly if the 09 07 25 shapes 2 are shaped and / or sized differently to one another. In further alternatives, there may be no spacing between adjacent shapes 2. In such case, adjacent shapes will abut one another. 5 It is preferable, when the shapes 2 are spaced from one another, that the space 3 between the shapes has a single tone. The tone of the space 3 between the shapes 2 may be the same as one or more of the shapes. It may otherwise be different to the tone of all of the shapes 2. When the space 3 between the shapes has the same tone as any of the shapes 2, those shapes may be provided with a io border or outline 4 of contrasting tone, as shown. In the present arrangement, the space 3 is white and the white shapes 2 have a darkened (preferably black) border 4. The space 3 between the shapes 2 is most preferably black or white but may 15 be another tone. It has been determined that smaller shapes are particularly effective at repelling flies. The shapes have a maximum dimension of between 3 and 10cm. The shapes may have a maximum dimension of between 6 and 8cm. In a 20 particularly preferred, non-limiting, embodiment, the shapes 2 have a maximum dimension of around 7cm. During development, testing was conducted of a number of different surface 25 designs. Multiple surface design samples of identical size and shape were placed in a field (adjacent to horses) where a significant number of horse flies had been reported. The samples were each secured onto a plastic box lid and covered in a 30 clear plastic film. The top of the clear plastic was coated with an insect attracting trapping glue. Landing zones for each sample were of equal size, and care was taken to apply the same amount of glue to each sample. The baited landing zones were left 09 07 25 in place for 6 hours before recording how many flies had landed and therefore become stuck. The results were compared. The test was repeated for all of the fabric samples on 3 separate occasions so 5 an average could be taken. It was ensured the days had similar weather conditions, namely sunny days with no precipitation and minimal wind. The results showed that a grayscale hexagonal design, in accordance with the embodiment of Figure 1, had significantly fewer landings than plain colours, io multi-coloured patterns and two tone randomised monochrome (black and white) patterns. Numerous alternative arrangements and modifications to the embodiments as described herein will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims. In particular, features of the described embodiments 15 may be readily combined. When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of 20 other features, steps or components. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the 25 disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. Although certain example embodiments of the invention have been described, the scope of the appended claims is not intended to be limited solely to these 30 embodiments. The claims are to be construed literally, purposively, and / or to encompass equivalents.

Claims

1. An insect repellent horse rug, which comprises a fabric comprising a grayscale pattern, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of shapes, the shapes5 being congruent and tessellated, and the shapes having a maximum dimension of between 3 and 10cm, and the pattern comprising at least three different tones.

2. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises at least five different tones.io3. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the shapes comprises substantially a single tone.

4. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein15 adjacent shapes have a different tone to one another.

5. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shapes comprise polygons.20 6. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the shapescomprise hexagons.

7. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shapes are spaced from one another.

258. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shapes are evenly spaced from one another.

9. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein the space30 between the shapes has a single tone.

10. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the space between the shapes has the same tone as one or more of the shapes.

11. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in Claim 10, wherein each of the one or more shapes having the same tone as the space between the shapes comprises a border of contrasting tone.5 12. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 11, wherein thespace between the shapes is black or white.

13. An insect repellent horse rug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shapes have a maximum dimension of between 6 and 8cm.09 07 25Application No: GB2402171.9Claims searched: 1-18Examiner: Mrs Rachel BanksDate of search: 4 July 2024Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17Documents considered to be relevant:Category Relevant to claims Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance X 1-9 and 15-18 Horze Nevada, March 2023, 1200 Denier Mid Weight Turnout Blanket, Chick Saddlery, [online] available from: https: / / www. chicksaddlery, com / horze-nevada-1200-denier-mid-weight-turnout-blanket-200-grams-fill [accessed 2 / 7 / 24] X 1-9 and 15-18 Rhinegold, Oct 2021, Full Neck Fleece Rug, Discount Equestrian, [online] Available from: https: / / www.discount- equestrian.co.uk / rhinegold-full-neck-fleece-rug.html#rug_colour=2217 [accessed 2 / 7 / 24] v A 1-18 Color Flow Creations, Aug 2020, Black Grey White Geometric Hex Hexagram Fabric, Zazzle [online] Available from: http s: / / www. zazzle. co. uk / black_grey_white_geometric_hex_hexagram_f abric-256190437862993792 [accessed 2 / 7 / 24] X 1-9 and 15-18 OnWilliamsStreet, June 2023, Monochromality - Modern Black, White and Gray Drunkards Path PDF Quilt Pattern, Etsy [online] Available from: https: / / www.etsy.com / uk / listing / 946250283 [accessed 2 / 7 / 24] v A 1-16 Decorhome, July 2023, Hexagon Tile Peel and Stick,3D Backsplash Tile Wall Sticker, Amazon [online] Available from: http s: / / www. amazon. co. uk / Decorhome-Hexagon- Stick-B acksplash-Sticker / dp / B0CBR8X6NQ [accessed 2 / 7 / 24]Categories:X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step A Document indicating technological background and / or state of the art. Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if P Document published on or after the declared priority date but combined with one or more other documents of same category. before the filing date of this invention. & Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:International Classification:Subclass Subgroup Valid From AO IM 0029 / 06 01 / 01 / 2011 AO IK 0013 / 00 01 / 01 / 2006