Animal husbandry – Confining or housing – Pen or rack
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2001-11-20
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Confining or housing
Pen or rack
C119S484000, C119S501000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318296
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to animal holding pens, and, more particularly, to animal holding facility with automatic evacuation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Keeping pets is a never-ending task, requiring one to constantly feed groom and clean-up after their animal friends. For those that raise, breed or board animals, their responsibilities are compounded many times over. This is especially the case with dealing with a kennel structure. The structure itself provides shelter for the animals from weather, attackers, intruders, and the like. But kennels also increase the risk of death due to fire. Newspapers, television and media are all too often filled with reports of dogs, horses, and other animals that were killed in kennel fires. The animals are unable to escape, thus dying from heat, fear, smoke inhalation and the like. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which kennels can be provided with a means to automatically and safely evacuate animals from a kennel area in the instance of fire.
In the related art, several devices are disclosed that provide for animal traffic control systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,333, issued in the name of Fisher, discloses a collapsible chute for transporting animals or managing them in the confines of a barn.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,923, issued in the name of Mollhagen, describes a portable squeeze chute apparatus and method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,981, issued in the name of Akins, discloses an animal containment pen with a squeeze panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,773, issued in the name of Akins, describes a squeeze chute apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,543, issued in the name of Silberman, discloses an animal squeezer cage converter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,691, issued in the name of Wood, describes an animal pen with a door and a hydraulic ram to actuate an advancing means that engages the rear of the animal.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that anticipate directly many features of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved animal holding facility with automatic evacuation system that provides for an automatic mechanism to evacuate animals from life threatening situations, such as fire or carbon monoxide, inside of the holding facility.
Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, an animal holding facility with automatic evacuation system is disclosed, comprising a system and method by which a kennel is provided with a means to protect the animal occupants from the dangers of fire and carbon monoxide.
In the event of a fire, an automatic detection system utilizing smoke and/or fire sensors automatically sounds an alarm and opens a common fire door to each kennel area. As a variation for multiple unit kennels, a common wall can comprise this fire door. The door opener also energizes a hydraulic sweep mechanism which gently sweeps or guides the animal out of the kennel through the fire exit.
Once through the door, the animal will fall down a slide to grade level and land upon a cushioned pad. The pad will prevent injury of the animal upon impact. The slide along with the difference in elevation, eliminates the chance of the animal returning to the kennel after it had been removed. The animal will then remain in an outdoor, fenced-in area where it will be contained until the fire is brought under control. The use of the present invention will result in fewer deaths of animals caught in deadly kennel fires.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means to reduce deaths to animals left unattended in kennels.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mean to keep the animals away from the burning building after they have escaped, thereby overriding any inclination to return to the place they are being kept.
Other objects of the present invention include providing a device that is strong, durable, and cost effective to produce.
DESCRIPTIVE KEY
10
an animal holding facility with
automatic evacuation system
20
animal facility
30
automatic fire/smoke/carbon
monoxide detection system
40
sensor
50
alarm
60
fire exit
70
door opening means
80
animal ejection means
85
barrier
90
slide
100
pad
110
fenced-in area
REFERENCES:
patent: 3969720 (1976-07-01), Nishino
patent: 5642092 (1997-06-01), Dunne et al.
Jordan Charles T.
Nelson Judith A.
LandOfFree
Small animal facility with fire exits does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Small animal facility with fire exits, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Small animal facility with fire exits will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2616536