Animal soothing system with heartbeat simulation device

• US 20020117115A1
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michele M. Helwig
• Original Assignee: Michele M. Helwig
• Inventors: Helwig, Michele M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/28.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0353 Dog beds

Abstract

An animal soothing system including an animal bedding structure having a pocket formed therein, and a soothing device for generating soothing rhythmic vibrations disposed in the pocket of the bedding structure to communicate the soothing vibrations to animals lying on the bedding structure is provided by the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the bedding structure is a mattress or pad, and the soothing device is a battery powered heartbeat simulator with a pressure sensitive switch to activate the simulator when an animal lies upon the bedding and deactivate the simulator when the animal rises from the bedding.

Claims

1. An animal soothing system comprising

a bedding structure for animals to lie upon, said bedding structure having a pocket formed therein;

and

soothing means for generating rhythmic soothing vibrations, removably disposed in said pocket, to communicate said vibrations to animals lying upon said bedding structure.

2. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said soothing means comprises a heartbeat simulator device.

3. The animal soothing system of claim 2, wherein said heartbeat simulator device is battery powered.

4. The animal soothing system of claim 3, wherein said heartbeat simulator device includes a pressure sensitive switch for activation thereof when the animal places its weight upon said bedding structure and for deactivation thereof when the animal removes its weight from said bedding structure.

5. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure includes a cover and filler material disposed within said cover, and wherein said pocket is formed in said cover.

6. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure includes filler material and a cover surrounding said filler material, said cover having an access opening for access to the interior thereof and to said filler material, and wherein said pocket is formed in said filler material.

7. The animal soothing system of claim 6, wherein said pocket comprises an open cavity formed in said filler material.

8. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure has an upper face, upon which an animal may lie, and an opposed lower face to be received against a supporting surface upon which the bedding structure is placed, and wherein said pocket and said soothing means disposed therein is adjacent to said upper face of said bedding structure.

9. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure has an upper face, upon which an animal may lie, and an opposed lower face to be received against a supporting surface upon which the bedding structure is placed, and wherein said pocket and said soothing means disposed therein is adjacent to said lower face of said bedding structure.

10. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure comprises a mattress.

11. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure comprises a pillow.

12. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said bedding structure comprises padding disposed on an elevated resting platform for a climbing animal.

13. The animal soothing system of claim 6, wherein said filler material has a first face and a second face and said cover has a first face and a second face, with said first face of said cover adjacent to said first face of said filler material and said second face of said cover adjacent to said second face of said filler material, and wherein said pocket is formed in said filler material at said first face thereof, further comprising

a thin plate disposed between said first face of said filler material and said first face of said cover immediately adjacent to said soothing means, said plate extending substantially over said first face of said filler material.

14. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said rhythmic vibrations comprise sound waves.

15. The animal soothing system of claim 14, wherein said sound waves are generated in a pattern simulating the sound of a beating heart.

16. The animal soothing system of claim 14, wherein said sound waves are generated in a pattern simulating the sound of a cat purring.

17. The animal soothing system of claim 1, wherein said rhythmic vibrations comprise a combination of tactilely perceptible vibrations and sound waves.

19. The animal soothing system of claim 18, wherein said soothing means comprises a heartbeat simulator and where in said containment and positioning means comprises animal bedding for animals to recline upon.

20. The animal soothing system of claim 18, wherein said containment and positioning means comprises a wearable structure to be worn by an animal, said wearable structure having a pocket to receive said soothing means therein.

18. An animal soothing system comprising

soothing means for generating soothing rhythmic vibrations, said soothing means including a pressure sensitive switch for activating the generation of said vibrations when pressure is applied to said switch;

and

containment and positioning means for containing said soothing means and for positioning said soothing means between the animal and a surface upon which the animal reclines, such that the weight of the animal upon said soothing means will actuate said pressure sensitive switch thereby actuating said vibrations.