Animal Blanket Removable Protective Layer for Fitting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing animal blankets, such as saddle pads and jackets, often require fitting to ensure a perfect fit, leading to soiling of the underside due to contact with the animal, necessitating extensive cleaning or return to the manufacturer, which is time-consuming and costly.

Innovation Solution

An animal blanket with a removable protective layer made of a second material positioned between the blanket and the animal during initial contact, allowing easy detachment and replacement or cleaning, preventing the underside from soiling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the animal blanket is tried on the animal to check the fit, then the fit quality is improved, but the underside of the blanket becomes soiled with hair and dirt

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefit qualityVSAvoidsoiling of blanket underside
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blanket is divided into two functional layers: a removable protective underside layer that contacts the animal during fitting, and the main blanket body that remains clean. This segmentation allows the protective layer to be discarded or cleaned separately, preventing contamination of the main product.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective underside layer is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component. After the fitting process, this layer can be removed and discarded, or cleaned separately, while the main blanket remains clean and ready for its intended use or resale.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the blanket is removed from the animal after fitting, then the fit check is completed, but extensive cleaning or refurbishment is required before resale

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefitting capabilityVSAvoidcleaning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the protective layer from the main blanket body, the cleaning process is segmented into two parts: the protective layer requires minimal or no cleaning, while the main blanket remains clean throughout the fitting process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective underside layer is designed to be discarded after use or easily removed and replaced. This allows the main blanket to be recovered in its clean state, ready for resale or further use without extensive cleaning requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of manufacture

If manual hair removal is performed on the blanket, then the blanket can be resold, but the process is time-consuming and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresale readinessVSAvoidrefurbishment efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The blanket structure is segmented into a removable protective layer and a clean main body. This segmentation eliminates the need for time-consuming manual hair removal from the main blanket, as the protective layer can be simply detached or discarded.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective underside layer is designed as a disposable component that can be removed and discarded after the fitting process, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming cleaning or refurbishment of the main blanket before resale.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP4477078B1Animal cover with protective layer
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 WALDHAUSEN
  • EP4477078B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4477078B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to an animal blanket (20) for placement on or attached to an animal, comprising a top (22) and a bottom (24) facing the animal during use of the animal blanket (20). The animal blanket (20) itself is made of a first material and, prior to its first use, has a removable protective layer (26) made of a second material on its bottom (24). This protective layer is designed and arranged such that it is positioned between the animal blanket (20) and the animal upon initial contact and is to be removed before the intended use of the animal blanket (20). The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing, delivering, and first fitting such an animal blanket (20).