US 5,277,148 A · Wearable pet enclosure

Abstract

An enclosure for small animals which is wearable on the front or back of an animate bearer. Straps are attached to a solid base upon which a complete enclosure is fastened. The straps allow the pet enclosure to be suspended from the shoulders and waist of a bearer, fully freeing the arms and hands. The enclosure is substantially transparent and completely air-permeable, allowing the pet to view outside events and to experience the textures of the outdoors in safety and comfort. A solid base forms the floor of the enclosure allowing the pet to have firm footing, as well as room to sit, stretch, or lie down. The base is of a recessed configuration, contoured to the body of the bearer to provide distribution of the animal's weight close to the bearer and centered for balance, as well as to provide a means for containing pet waste where it can be easily cleaned. Ample access to the enclosure is provided by fasteners in both the front and rear of the enclosure, from both the left and the right sides. The enclosure is flexible when erect allowing use in limited spaces, yet sufficiently resilient to return to its original shape. Optionally, the enclosure is transformable into a hand-carried enclosure; it also interfaces with a seat of a vehicle, and is fully collapsible for easy storage. This invention is a complete enclosure which provides containment and control of an enclosed pet, allowing small animals to be included in many activities which would not otherwise be practical or possible.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A wearable pet enclosure for conveying small domestic animals, comprising,

a rigid base on which a pet is placed,
enclosure means secured to said base, for shaping a full enclosure on the base, said enclosure means including a mesh of screen-like material,
access means on said enclosure, for selectively permitting ingress and egress of the pet with respect to the interior of the enclosure,
suspension means for supporting the weight of the wearable pet enclosure and of an enclosed pet and for enabling an animate bearer to wear the wearable pet enclosure on both shoulders generally centered on the bearer so as to fully free the hands and arms, and, further for maintaining said base in a generally horizontal position, said suspension means including a plurality of suspension straps.

1 more element

A method for conveying and retaining a small pet closely adjacent to the front or back of the body of a human bearer, while leaving the hands and arms of the bearer fully free for other activities, comprising,

providing a pet enclosure which fully encloses the pet and which has a rigid base,
connecting at least two suspension straps to the pet enclosure, each of sufficient length to extend around and over a shoulder and back or front of the bearer,
placing the straps over the shoulders of the bearer, with the pet enclosure against the front or the back of the bearer, with a first diagonal suspension strap extending from the left front of said base up over one shoulder of the bearer and back to the base, and a second diagonal suspension strap extending from the right front of said base up over the second shoulder of the bearer and back to the base, and supporting the pet enclosure with the straps such that the base is generally horizontal and the pet enclosure is retained centrally on the bearer thus leaving the hands and arms fully free for other activities.

A method for conveying and retaining a small pet in a vehicle having a seat with a seatback, with the pet secured at an elevated position to the seatback, comprising:

providing a pet enclosure which fully encloses the pet and which has a rigid base,
connecting at least two suspension straps to the pet enclosure, each of sufficient length to extend around and over an upper edge of the seatback of the vehicle with the pet enclosure abutted against a front or back surface of the seatback and positioned generally centrally relative to the seatback,
placing the straps over the upper edge of the seatback, spaced apart from one another, with the pet enclosure against said front or back surface of the seatback, with a first of said two suspension straps extending from the left front of said base up over the upper edge of the seatback, around a first lateral side of the seatback and back to a connection with the base, and a second suspension strap extending from the right front of said base up over the upper edge of the seatback spaced from the first suspension strap, around an opposite lateral side of the seatback and back to a connection with the base.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wearable pet enclosure

Life of this patent

Wearable pet enclosure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37