Animal spray monitor and method

• US 6,860,239 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne R. Begun
• Original Assignee: Wayne R. Begun
• Inventors: Begun, Wayne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/444,423
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 119/712, 119/174, 119/867, 119/868, 119/869, 119/905, 119/908, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 119/712
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/035 Devices for use in keeping domestic animals, e.g. fittings in housings or dog beds
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/02 Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals A01K15/04 takes precedence; Electric shock devices circuits therefor H03K3/537; Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry

Abstract

A monitoring device alerts an animal owner immediately of a pet urine spraying occurrence. Typically, the urine sensor(s) of the device include spaced electrical conductors and are located in areas an animal has previously sprayed or is likely to spray. When urine bridges the gap between spaced electrical conductors the presence of the urine is electronically detected and a signal is emitted that activates an audible and/or visual alarm device to alert the animal owner of a spraying occurrence.

Claims

1. An animal urine spray monitor for detecting a spraying of urine by an animal on a selected wall, door, piece of furniture, curtain, drape, or other generally vertical surface and alerting an animal owner of the spraying occurrence, comprising:

a first electronic urine detection circuit for detecting urine spray;

the first electronic urine detection circuit including a first urine sensor having means for mounting the first urine sensor on a generally vertical surface to detect a spraying of urine by an animal on the generally vertical surface, a first signal-generating device, and a means for electronically detecting urine on the first urine sensor and activating the first signal-generating device to emit a first signal; and

an alarm device that is activated by the first signal of the first signal-generating device to emit an audio and/or visual alarm.

2. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the alarm device emits an audio and a visual alarm.

3. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 2, wherein:

the audio alarm ceases after a selected time period and the visual alarm continues until the visual alarm is manually turned off.

4. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, including:

a deterrent device that is activated by the first signal of the first signal-generating device to emit an audio deterrent of an appropriate amplitude, frequency and duration to deter an animal from repeating the spraying occurrence.

5. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, including:

a deterrent device that is activated by the first signal of the first signal-generating device to administer a behavior deterring stimulus to an animal to deter an animal from repeating the spraying occurrence.

6. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic urine detection circuit includes the first and second spaced apart electrical conductors on the first urine sensor that are vertically spaced apart when the first urine sensor is mounted on a generally vertically surface;

the electronic urine detection circuit has an electrical resistance between the first and second electrical conductors that changes when the first and second electrical conductors are bridged by urine; and

the means for electronically detecting urine on the first sensor detects the change in resistance between the first and second electrical conductors.

7. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 6, wherein:

the first urine sensor comprises a carrier sheet strip having first and second major surfaces defined by a length and a width of the carrier sheet strip; and

the first and second electrical conductors are printed on a major surface of the carrier sheet strip.

8. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1 wherein:

the electronic urine detection circuit includes the first and second spaced apart electrical conductors on the first urine sensor that are vertically spaced apart when the first urine sensor is mounted on a generally vertically surface;

the electronic urine detection circuit is normally open between the first and second electrical conductors, but is closed when the first and second electrical conductors are bridged by urine; and

the means for electronically detecting urine on the first sensor detects the closing of the first electronic urine detection circuit between the first and second electrical conductors.

9. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 8, wherein:

the first urine sensor comprises a carrier sheet strip having first and second major surfaces defined by a length and a width of the carrier sheet strip; and

the first and second electrical conductors are printed on a major surface of the carrier sheet strip.

10. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first signal generating device, the first urine sensor, and the alarm device are a single integrated unit.

11. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first signal generating device and the first urine sensor are a single integrated device; and

the alarm device is spaced from the first signal generating device and the first sensor device.

12. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first signal generating device, the first urine sensor, and the alarm device are battery powered so that the animal urine spray monitor is a self-contained monitor.

13. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the means for mounting first urine sensor is a detachable mounting means for detachably mounting the first urine sensor on a generally vertical surface.

14. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 13, wherein;

the detachable mounting means is an adhesive mounting means.

15. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first electronic urine detection circuit for detecting urine spray includes a second urine sensor having means for mounting the second urine sensor on a generally vertical surface to detect a spraying of urine by an animal on the generally vertical surface;

the means of the first electronic urine detection circuit for electronically detecting urine on the first urine sensor also detects urine on the second urine sensor and activates the first signal-generating device to emit a first signal when urine is detected on either the first or second urine sensor.

16. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first signal-generating device includes transmitter means for transmitting the first signal of the first signal-generating device as a wireless signal; and

the alarm device includes receiver means for receiving the first signal transmitted by the first signal-generating device and activating the audio and/or visual alarm.

17. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 16, including:

a second electronic urine detection circuit for detecting urine spray;

the second electronic urine detection circuit including a second urine sensor having means for mounting the second urine sensor on a generally vertical surface to detect a spraying of urine by an animal on the generally vertical surface, a second signal-generating device, and a means for electronically detecting urine on the second urine sensor and activating the second signal-generating device to emit a second signal;

the second signal-generating device includes transmitter means for transmitting the second signal of the second signal-generating device as a wireless signal; and

the alarm device includes receiving means for receiving the second signal transmitted by the second signal-generating device and activating the audio and/or visual alarm.

18. The animal urine spray monitor according to claim 16, wherein:

the alarm is an audio and visual alarm;

the visual alarm has a first visual indicator that is activated by the first signal from the first signal-generating device and a second visual indicator that is activated by the second signal from the second signal-generating device so that an animal owner is alerted as to which of the urine sensors has been sprayed.

19. A method for detecting a spraying of urine by an animal on a selected wall, door, piece of furniture, curtain, drape, or other generally vertical surface and alerting an animal owner of the spraying occurrence, comprising:

providing an animal urine spray monitor that includes a first electronic urine detection circuit for detecting urine spray;

the first electronic urine detection circuit including a first urine sensor for mounting on a generally vertical surface to detect a spraying of urine by an animal on the generally vertical surface, a first signal-generating device, and a means for electronically detecting urine on the first urine sensor and activating the first signal-generating device to emit a first signal;

mounting the first urine sensor on a generally vertical surface to detect urine spraying;

providing an alarm device that is activated by the first signal of the first signal-generating device to emit an audio and/or visual alarm; and

monitoring the alarm device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein:

the first signal-generating device includes transmitter means for transmitting the first signal of the first signal-generating device as a wireless signal; and

the alarm device includes receiver means for receiving the first signal transmitted by the first signal-generating device and activating the audio and/or visual alarm.