Animal husbandry – Antivermin treating or cleaning – Means engaging animal directly; e.g. – daubing or rubbing means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2002-05-07
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Antivermin treating or cleaning
Means engaging animal directly; e.g., daubing or rubbing means
C119S712000, C119S653000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382137
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a device intended to be worn by an animal, which is capable firstly of controlled release of one or more active substances and more particularly one or more medicinal active principles capable of protecting and/or treating this animal against possible pathologies, and secondly of serving as a means of restraint for controlling and mastering said animal, preferably in combination with a leash or lead fixed to said device.
The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing this device.
A large number of devices for the controlled and programmed release of active substances are already known.
Among the devices which are known in particular are devices which are essentially intended for the production of collars and which are capable of slow and gradual release, on contact with an animal's coat, of an antiparasitic agent to provide the animal with protection against ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks for several months.
Such devices are described, for example, in French patents Nos. 2 269 859, 2 307 466 and 2 447 679 in the name of P. R. Dick et al. and in French patents Nos. 2 656 526 and 2 529 539 in the name of the Applicant, the common feature of which is that they consist of a matrix formed from a thermoplastic resin and containing the antiparasitic agent to be released along with adjuvants such as plasticizers, stabilizers, fillers or pigments.
These devices are unsuitable for use as means of restraint on account of the plastic nature of the matrix of which they are formed, such that, in the case of an antiparasitic collar, for example, it is necessary to use this collar together with a second collar which is suitable for attaching a leash or any other means of maintenance and, optionally, for identifying the animal. Moreover, they are unattractive and, what is more, since they are intended to be discarded after a few months, little effort has been made by manufacturers to make them look more attractive.
A large number of restraining systems intended for pets are moreover known, such as collars, halters, harnesses, girths or the like, which comprise one or more straps made of leather, metal, natural or synthetic fibers or combinations of such materials and which are equipped with a closure device and a ring allowing the removable attachment of a leash or lead, depending on the case. Needless to say, these systems lack any protective and/or curative function.
Also, French patent applications Nos. 2 645 402, 2 703 214 and 2 728 431 disclose animal collars which are designed to fulfill both a restraining role and a protective role, in particular against ectoparasites, by placing a member capable of acting as restraining means next to a member capable of diffusing an antiparasitic agent.
Thus, French patent application No. 2 645 402 proposes to produce a collar in the form of a sheath whose wall intended to be placed in contact with the animal's coat is pierced with orifices, and to slide into this sheath a strip impregnated with a volatile antiparasitic product, such that this product diffuses through said orifices. This collar is furthermore designed to allow, when the strip housed in the sheath becomes inactive due to complete evaporation of the antiparasitic product, the removal of this strip and its replacement with a new strip.
French patent application No. 2 703 214 for its part proposes to produce a collar by combining, with a conventional collar, i.e. a simple leather strap, a strip of an antiparasitic material intended to be changed at will, this combination possibly being produced either by the removable attachment of the strip with antiparasitic action onto the strap, or by the introduction of said strip into a porous sheath connected to said strap.
As regards French patent application No. 2 728 431, it discloses a collar whose outer part—i.e. the part opposite that intended to be in contact with the animal's coat—is formed from a strip of plastic in which is crafted a housing for inserting a layer of a material containing an active product, which is intended to form the inner part of the collar and which is held in this housing by forced interlocking, bonding or by means of flanges that are solidly attached to said plastic strip.
Although it is true that the collars disclosed in these three documents have the advantage of not making it necessary for two collars to be worn simultaneously by an animal which it is desired both to protect against ectoparasites and to maintain or control by means, for example, of a leash or lead, their use in practice is not really satisfactory. Specifically, since these collars consist of the juxtaposition of two members of different nature and since they tend to become dissociated under the effect of the mechanical stresses to which the collars are subjected under the conditions of use, there is an appreciable risk of the member containing the active substance becoming partially or totally separated from the rest of the collar with, as a key factor, a risk of the animal becoming injured, of it no longer being protected and of it swallowing all or part of this member and, as a result, being poisoned. Furthermore, these collars are generally unattractive since the juxtaposition of the two members of which they consist gives them either a bulky appearance or the appearance of an unfinished product.
The Applicant consequently set itself the aim of providing a device capable of releasing, on contact with an animal's coat, one or more active substances in a controlled and prolonged manner, which device is strong enough to be able to serve simultaneously as restraining means while at the same time having a flexibility allowing it to adapt to the anatomical shapes of the animal for which this device is intended, which is well tolerated by the animal wearing it, which furthermore is free of any hazard for the animal and other creatures in its vicinity and which moreover has a satisfactory aesthetic appearance such that it can also serve as decoration.
The Applicant moreover set itself the aim of providing a device which, while at the same time having the advantages mentioned above, has a manufacturing cost which is compatible with the industrial requirements.
These aims are achieved according to the present invention by a device intended to be worn by an animal, which is capable of controlled release of one or more active substances and of serving simultaneously as restraining means to control and master said animal, which comprises a first material consisting of a polymer matrix including said active substance(s), and a second material for giving said device mechanical strength, and which is characterized in that the two materials are intimately combined in a single structure.
According to a first embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention, the single structure formed by the two materials is a crosslinked structure.
According to one advantageous arrangement of this first embodiment, the crosslinked structure is a structure obtained by weaving or knitting at least one yarn of polymer matrix with yarns of an organic or inorganic material.
For the purposes of the present invention, the term “yarn” denotes an elongate supple body of constant or substantially constant right cross section which is small relative to its length, and which can consist either of a single member of a material, or of an assembly of several members of one and the same material held in close lateral contact.
Thus, as examples of yarns of organic or inorganic material which can be used in the present invention, mention may be made of:
textile fibers and yarns based on natural organic polymers such as cotton, flax, hemp, sisal and wool yarns;
textile fibers and yarns based on synthetic organic polymers such as polyolefin (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.), polyester, polyamide, poly(vinyl alcohol) or polyurethane yarns, acrylic yarns and aramide yarns;
leather yarns and straps;
fibers and yarns of inorganic materials such as carbon, glass and metal.
According to another advantageous arrange
Derrieu Guy
Grenier Thierry
Karst Christian
Roy Bruno
Jordan Charles T.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Nelson Judith A.
Virbac
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