Prosthetic cart for animals
OwnerLincoln J. Parkesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile orthosis for a four-legged animal such as a dog having injured rear quarters comprises a wheeled cart to which the animal is to be harnessed, the cart having a yoke attachable to the animal's thorax, a hip support member for carrying the animal's rear quarters, and a shin support for the animal's rear legs. A preferred embodiment comprises a two-wheeled cart having a pair of adjustment blocks each having a plurality of axle holes, the axle being positionable with respect to the cart to approximate a balanced support of the rear quarters.
Claims11
A mobile orthosis for a four legged animal such as a dog having injured rear quarters, comprising:
- (a) a cart to which the animal is to be harnessed, the cart being movable on wheels and being attachable to the animal's thorax such that in use the animal can move itself and the cart under power of its front quarters;
- (b) a hip support member, adjustably mounted upon the cart, for carrying the animal's rear quarters at a natural position with respect to the thorax;
- and,
- (c) shin support member for the animal's rear legs, mounted upon the cart and adjustable vertically thereupon, independent of the adjustment of the hip support means, whereby at least a part of both the animal's rear legs are carried above a natural position thereof, permitting movement of the cart free of the rear quarters.
A mobile orthosis for an animal such as a dog having injured rear quarters, comprising:
- (a) a pair of support blocks having means for receiving chassis members and a plurality of transverse bores for receiving an axle, the axle extending through the support blocks and bearing wheels mounted on the axle;
- (b) a vertical standard comprising an upwardly-extending loop, a lower part of the loop being rigidly attached to the support blocks;
- (c) two horizontal chassis members, one end of each member being rigidly attachable to the standard at a range of distances above the blocks, an opposite end of each member having means for attachment to a yoke attachable to the animal's thorax;
- (d) two torsion bar chassis members rigidly attached to the support blocks by one end thereof, and rigidly attachable to the horizontal chassis members forward of the standard;
- and,
- (e) a hip support member having two padded loops through which the animal's legs may be inserted, the loops being rigidly attached to one another and each being rigidly attachable to the horizontal chassis member at a range of distances from the standard.
A method of mobile support for a four legged animal having injured rear quarters, comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing the animal's rear quarters in a support mounted on a cart at a natural position with respect to the animal, the support shaped to complement the rear quarters, the cart supported on wheels and being movable by the animal under power of its front quarters;
- (b) raising at least a lower part of both the animal's rear legs above a natural position thereof, and at least partly restraining the lower part with respect to the cart;
- and,
- (c) balancing the cart by adjustably positioning the wheels beneath the rear quarters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.