Flexible tubular device, suitable for forming a lower stop fitted to the floor of a livestock building for cattle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible tubular device (1) suitable for forming a lower stop fitted to the floor (L4) of a livestock building (E) for cattle. The flexible tubular device (1) comprises: - a flexible casing (11) made of a flexible material, comprising: - a tubular strip (111), an inner surface (111a) of which defines a longitudinal duct (C); and - a radial longitudinal strip (112) laterally extending from the tubular strip (111); and - a tubular member (12), made of a flexible, fluid-tight material, inserted into the longitudinal duct (C) and intended to be filled with a fluid.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Flexible tubular device, suitable for forming a lower stop equipping the floor of a cattle breeding building

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to the technical field of flexible tubular devices, suitable for forming a lower stop equipping the floor of a cattle breeding building.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] In the field of cattle breeding, with the increasing time spent by animals in buildings, the comfort of bedding in cubicles can become critical.

[0007] A lower stop and a neck bar are then two elements which allow the cow to position itself correctly in its cubicle.

[0008] The lower stop must not have any sharp edges that could cause injuries to the animals' knees. It must also be high enough above the bed.

[0009] Conventional systems such as straps provide a deterrent, but accustomed animals do not hesitate to push and loosen them; they therefore lose their effectiveness and need to be re-tensioned regularly. Wooden restraints (rafters) are curative and restrain animals well, but are detrimental to their comfort and can cause some trauma upon impact.

[0010] The lower stops are thus advantageously formed by flexible tubular devices.

[0011] To achieve this, these flexible tubular devices comprise a tubular wall defining a sealed chamber filled with a fluid.

[0012] This latter embodiment has various advantages:

[0013] - no trauma when sleeping,

[0014] - adjustable height and hardness (in particular depending on the type of cow, genetics, cubicle, mattress),

[0015] - promotes a natural lying position of the cow, often with one leg extended forward on the stopper,

[0016] - shock absorption.

[0017] However, current flexible tubular devices are not entirely satisfactory: the tubular wall is subject to tearing / rupture phenomena, causing fluid to flow out of the sealed chamber.

[0018] This rupture is caused in particular by:

[0019] - the repeated efforts generated by the animals, but also - inadequate filling within the breeding enclosure, leading to excessive internal pressure.

[0020] There is therefore a need for flexible tubular devices which would have increased resistance to tearing / rupture phenomena, both in terms of the forces exerted by the animals and the internal fluid pressure.

[0021] Presentation of the invention

[0022] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawback of the state of the art, the present invention proposes a flexible tubular device, suitable for forming a lower stop equipping the floor of a cattle breeding building.

[0023] This flexible tubular device includes:

[0024] - a flexible envelope, made of flexible material, comprising:

[0025] - a tubular strip whose inner surface delimits a longitudinal conduit, and

[0026] -- a radial longitudinal strip, laterally extending said tubular strip, and

[0027] - a tubular member, made of flexible and waterproof material, attached to said longitudinal conduit and intended to be filled with a fluid.

[0028] Such a flexible tubular device according to the invention has increased resistance to tearing / rupture phenomena, both in terms of the forces exerted by the animals and the internal fluid pressure.

[0029] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the product in accordance with the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

[0030] - said tubular member is made of a flexible material reinforced with fibers, preferably in the form of superimposed layers, for example an outer layer made of thermoplastic polymer material, for example polyvinyl chloride, polyester or polyurethane, an inner layer made of elastomeric material, for example a rubber, for example an EPDM synthetic rubber, and a reinforcing layer, for example a polyester and / or polyamide fabric;

[0031] - said flexible envelope is made of a flexible material, possibly reinforced with fibers, for example a thermoplastic polymer material, reinforced with fibers, or an elastomeric material, reinforced with fibers, for example rubber;

[0032] - said flexible envelope consists of a folded sheet comprising a central portion, curved to form said tubular strip, and two lateral portions, on either side of said central portion, superimposed and secured to form said radial longitudinal strip; preferably, the two lateral portions are secured by at least one securing means chosen from sewing, gluing, vulcanization, heat-sealing, ultrasonic welding; - when empty, said flexible tubular device is in the form of a parallelepiped strip;

[0033] - said tubular member and said tubular strip are sized so that said filled tubular member fits said inner surface of said longitudinal conduit.

[0034] The present invention also relates to a breeding enclosure comprising at least one cubicle delimited by:

[0035] - two side separations,

[0036] - a rear stall threshold, extending along an access corridor,

[0037] - a front limit, forming the bottom of the compartment, which front limit comprises a flexible tubular device according to the invention, to form a lower stop.

[0038] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics in accordance with the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are the following:

[0039] - said rear threshold is also equipped with a flexible tubular device according to the invention;

[0040] - said breeding enclosure comprises means for filling said at least one flexible tubular device;

[0041] - said at least one flexible tubular device is fixed by means of fixing means attached across its radial longitudinal strip; said at least one flexible tubular device is arranged so that said radial longitudinal strip is folded around said fixing means so as to form a lower section sandwiched between the ground and said fixing means, and an upper section overlying said fixing means.

[0042] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0043] Detailed description of the invention

[0044] In addition, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention and where:

[0045] [Fig. 1] is a schematic, perspective view of a series of cubicles which is equipped with two flexible tubular devices according to the invention;

[0046] [Fig. 2] represents, seen from the side, the series of cubicles according to figure 1;

[0047] [Fig. 3] is a schematic view, shown in perspective and with a cross-sectional plane, of a flexible tubular device according to the invention;

[0048] [Fig. 4] is a schematic view, with a cross-sectional plane and during its fixing, of a flexible tubular device according to the invention;

[0049] [Fig. 5] schematically represents a cross-sectional view of the flexible tubular device according to the invention, when empty. It should be noted that, in these figures, the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references.

[0050] The present invention relates to a flexible tubular device 1, suitable for forming a lower stop equipping the floor of a livestock building E for cattle.

[0051] Breeding enclosure

[0052] Generally speaking, a breeding enclosure E is advantageously equipped with at least one flexible tubular device 1 according to the invention (figures 1 and 2).

[0053] The breeding enclosure E advantageously consists of a stable for breeding cattle, in particular dairy cattle or beef cattle.

[0054] This breeding enclosure E includes sleeping stalls which here consist of cubicles L, arranged on at least one line.

[0055] L cubicles represent a compromise between comfortable bedding for the cattle, respect for the standing / lying down movement, comfortable standing and minimal soiling in the cubicle.

[0056] Each L-shaped box, classic in itself, is delimited by:

[0057] - two lateral separations L1, for example tubular structures,

[0058] - a rear threshold of cubicle L2, extending along an access corridor,

[0059] - a front limit L3, forming the bottom of the cubicle L, advantageously comprising a high bar at the withers and a flexible tubular device 1 according to the invention to form a lower stop (also called a forward limiter or knee pad), and

[0060] - an L4 floor, for example a concrete slab.

[0061] This series of L cubicles is advantageously equipped with an L5 comfort system on which the animal is intended to stay, for example in the form of a comfort mattress.

[0062] The flexible tubular device 1 forming a lower stop extends along the front limit L3 of the alignment of cubicles L, and thus along the front edge of the comfort system L5.

[0063] In this case, the rear threshold L2 is also equipped with a flexible tubular device 1 according to the invention.

[0064] This second flexible tubular device 1 thus extends along the rear threshold L2 of the alignments of cubicles L and along the rear edge of the comfort system L5.

[0065] The advantage of this additional flexible tubular device 1 is to retain a comfort layer formed from material accumulated on the mattress, such as dry residue from a phase separator, sand or straw.

[0066] In addition, when the lying animal extends its leg, this prevents injuries to the hocks.

[0067] The breeding enclosure E is also advantageously equipped with filling means 3 for filling the flexible tubular device(s) 1 (shown schematically in Figure 1). These filling means 3 consist, for example, of a water source associated with a circulator. The water can also be stagnant, fulfilling only a comfort role.

[0068] The filling of each flexible tubular device 1 is controlled with a pressure gauge which is arranged between this flexible tubular device 1 and the water service.

[0069] In practice, the flexible tubular device 1 in front, located along the front limit L3, is always filled, with more or less pressure depending on the animals (adjustment in height and hardness).

[0070] The rear flexible tubular device 1, located along the rear sill L2, is also always filled, except during cleaning operations of the cubicle L and its comfort system L5.

[0071] Indeed, this flexible tubular device 1 at the rear can be emptied so as to ensure its collapse and thus allow the cleaning water to be evacuated towards the access corridor (by passing over the flexible tubular device 1 at the rear, flattened as illustrated in figure 5).

[0072] Flexible tubular device

[0073] Generally speaking, as illustrated in particular in Figure 3, a flexible tubular device 1 according to the invention comprises:

[0074] - a flexible envelope 11, made of flexible material, and

[0075] - a tubular member 12, made of flexible and waterproof material, intended to be filled with a fluid.

[0076] The flexible envelope 11 and the tubular member 12 are advantageously adapted to take a generally cylindrical shape. This flexible tubular device 1, filled, then advantageously has a general shape of a sausage or tube.

[0077] The flexible envelope 11 and the tubular member 12 are advantageously continuous, in the form of a tube.

[0078] Generally, the tubular member 12 is fitted into the flexible casing 11.

[0079] In particular, the flexible envelope 11 comprises a tubular strip 111 and a radial longitudinal strip 112, produced in one piece.

[0080] The tubular strip 111 has two opposite surfaces:

[0081] - an interior surface 111a which delimits a longitudinal conduit C, and

[0082] - an outer surface 111b, adapted to cooperate with the environment of the breeding enclosure E, for example with the animals.

[0083] The radial longitudinal strip 112 laterally extends the tubular strip 111 (in this case from its outer surface 111b).

[0084] This radial longitudinal strip 112 advantageously has the general shape of a parallelepiped plate, which is delimited laterally by two longitudinal edges:

[0085] - an inner edge 112a, connected in a single piece to the tubular strip 111, and

[0086] - an outer edge 112b, free. For example, the radial longitudinal strip 112 has a width ranging from 50 mm to 150 mm.

[0087] The flexible envelope 11 is advantageously made of a flexible material, possibly reinforced with fibers, for example:

[0088] - a textile fabric, for example polyester, woven polyamide, coated or not,

[0089] - a thermoplastic polymer material, reinforced with fibers, or

[0090] - an elastomeric material, reinforced with fibers, for example rubber.

[0091] For example, the flexible envelope 11 has the following dimensional characteristics:

[0092] - a thickness ranging from 0.3 to 3 mm;

[0093] - woven or non-woven material.

[0094] More preferably, the flexible envelope 11 consists of a sheet 113 which is folded (advantageously in two, in the width direction) to form:

[0095] - a central portion 113a, curved (in tubular form) to form the tubular strip 111 and to envelop the tubular member, and

[0096] - two lateral portions 113b, on either side of this central portion 113a, superimposed and secured to form the radial longitudinal strip 112.

[0097] The two lateral portions 113b are preferably secured by at least one securing means chosen for example from sewing, gluing, vulcanization, heat welding, ultrasonic welding.

[0098] Furthermore, the tubular member 12 is attached within the flexible envelope 11 (within its longitudinal conduit C).

[0099] This tubular member 12 is intended to be filled with a fluid, for example water from the water service.

[0100] The tubular member 12 has two opposite surfaces:

[0101] - an interior surface 12a which delimits a longitudinal conduit C intended to be filled with a fluid, and

[0102] - an outer surface 12b, adapted to cooperate with the inner surface 111a of the tubular strip 111.

[0103] This tubular member 12 is advantageously made of a flexible material reinforced with fibers.

[0104] Preferably, this tubular member 12 comprises superimposed layers:

[0105] - an outer layer 121 made of thermoplastic polymer material, for example polyvinyl chloride, polyester or polyurethane, forming the outer surface 12b,

[0106] - an inner layer 122 made of elastomeric material, for example a rubber, for example an EPDM synthetic rubber, forming the inner surface 12a, and

[0107] - a reinforcing layer 123, for example a polyester and / or polyamide fabric. Again generally, the tubular member 12 advantageously consists of a pipe made of flexible polyvinyl chloride material, reinforced with a braided polyamide fiber.

[0108] For example, the tubular member 12 has the following dimensional characteristics:

[0109] - a thickness ranging from 1.5 mm to 5 mm;

[0110] - an internal reinforcement to resist pressure;

[0111] - waterproof.

[0112] Preferably, the wall of this tubular member 12 is continuous around its circumference.

[0113] For information purposes, the tubular member 12 is intended to be filled with a fluid, for example water, at a pressure ranging from 100 mbar to 5 bar.

[0114] Still generally, the tubular member 12 and the tubular strip 111 are advantageously dimensioned so that the filled tubular member 12 (by filling its longitudinal conduit C) fits the interior surface 111a of the longitudinal conduit C.

[0115] This technical characteristic is interesting so that the animal benefits from the feel of the flexible envelope 11, in combination with the flexibility and resistance of the tubular organ 12 depending on the pressure applied in the latter.

[0116] The flexible envelope 11 and the tubular member 12 also have two ends 115, 125, forming the ends of the flexible tubular device 1 (figure 1).

[0117] These two ends 115, 125 are sealed.

[0118] The distance between these two ends 115, 125 defines the length of the flexible tubular device 1.

[0119] Furthermore, the flexible tubular device 1 is advantageously equipped with a valve 6 (shown very schematically in FIG. 1), which is connected to the tubular member 12 (and in particular its longitudinal conduit C) for its filling.

[0120] This valve 6 is advantageously reported in the conventional manner in itself; it consists for example of a standard wall-pass valve for agricultural tires.

[0121] Again generally, when empty, the flexible tubular device 1 advantageously takes the form of a parallelepiped strip (figure 5).

[0122] Such a configuration is particularly interesting for the empty transport of the flexible tubular device 1.

[0123] The flexible tubular device 1 can in fact be wound onto a roller.

[0124] Implementation and fixing

[0125] In practice, each flexible tubular device 1 is fixed in the ground L4 by means of fixing means 8 provided through its radial longitudinal strip 112.

[0126] The fixing means 8 consist, for example, of points, regularly distributed along the length of the radial longitudinal strip 112.

[0127] These fixing means 8 pass through the radial longitudinal strip 112. If necessary, these fixing means 8 thus pass through the two lateral portions 113b, to ensure optimal resistance.

[0128] The assembly of the two lateral portions 113b of the flexible tubular device 1 is thus reinforced by the fixing means 8.

[0129] This arrangement then makes it possible to significantly increase the resistance of the flexible tubular device 1, and thus to significantly reduce the risk of tearing / rupture phenomena.

[0130] According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, said at least one flexible tubular device 1 is further arranged so that the radial longitudinal strip 112 is folded around said fixing means 8 which further comprise a metal profile 9.

[0131] This arrangement then forms:

[0132] - a lower section 112d sandwiched between the floor L4 and the fixing means 8 (in particular the metal profile 9, and

[0133] - an upper section 112e overlying said fixing means 8.

[0134] When the flexible tubular device 1 is suitably positioned, the latter can be shaped using the filling means 3.

[0135] The tubular member 12 (and in particular its longitudinal conduit C) is thus filled with a fluid, so as to give it its cylindrical shape.

[0136] This deformation of the tubular member 12 generates the deformation of the flexible envelope 11, giving its final shape to the flexible tubular device 1.

Claims

Claims

1. Flexible tubular device (1), adapted to form a lower stop equipping the floor (L4) of a livestock building (E) for cattle, which flexible tubular device (1) comprises: - a flexible envelope (11), made of flexible material, comprising: - a tubular strip (111) of which an inner surface (111a) delimits a longitudinal conduit (C), and -- a radial longitudinal strip (112), laterally extending said tubular strip (111), and - a tubular member (12), made of flexible and waterproof material, attached to said longitudinal conduit (C) and intended to be filled with a fluid.

2. Flexible tubular device (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that said tubular member (12) is made of a flexible material reinforced with fibers, preferably in the form of superimposed layers, for example: - an outer layer (121) made of thermoplastic polymer material, for example polyvinyl chloride, polyester or polyurethane, - an inner layer (122) made of elastomeric material, for example a rubber, for example an EPDM synthetic rubber, and - a reinforcing layer (123), for example a polyester and / or polyamide fabric.

3. Flexible tubular device (1), according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said flexible envelope (11) is made of a flexible material, possibly reinforced with fibers, chosen from: - a textile fabric, for example polyester, woven polyamide, coated or not, - a thermoplastic polymer material, reinforced with fibers, or - an elastomeric material, reinforced with fibers, for example rubber.

4. Flexible tubular device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said flexible envelope (11) consists of a folded sheet (113) comprising: - a central portion (113a), curved to form said tubular strip (111), and - two lateral portions (113b), on either side of said central portion (113a), superimposed and secured to form said radial longitudinal strip (112).

5. Flexible tubular device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the two lateral portions (113b) are secured by at least one securing means chosen from sewing, gluing, vulcanization, heat-sealing, ultrasonic welding.

6. Flexible tubular device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, when empty, said flexible tubular device (1) is in the form of a parallelepiped strip.

7. Flexible tubular device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said tubular member (12) and said tubular strip (111) are dimensioned so that said filled tubular member (12) fits said inner surface (111a) of said longitudinal conduit (C).

8. Breeding enclosure comprising at least one cubicle (L) delimited by: - two lateral separations (L1), - a rear stall threshold (L2), extending along an access corridor, - a front limit (L3), forming the bottom of the compartment (L), which front limit (L3) comprises a flexible tubular device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, to form a lower stop.

9. Breeding enclosure according to claim 8, characterized in that said rear threshold (L2) is also equipped with a flexible tubular device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. Breeding enclosure according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that said breeding enclosure (E) comprises means (3) for filling said at least one flexible tubular device (1).

11. Breeding enclosure (E) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that said at least one flexible tubular device (1) is fixed by means of fixing means (8) attached through its radial longitudinal strip (112).

12. Breeding enclosure (E) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that said at least one flexible tubular device (1) is arranged so that said radial longitudinal strip (112) is folded around said fixing means (8) so as to form: - a lower section (112d) sandwiched between the ground (L4) and said fixing means (8), and - an upper section (112e) overlying said fixing means (8).

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