Back to results
US 6,578,528 B1Granted
System and an apparatus for confining a pet within a preselected area
OwnerDavid W. Browninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and an apparatus for confining a pet within a preselected area is provided wherein the pet is secured to and restrained by a pet anchoring apparatus that is relatively devoid of obstacles and potentially impaling protrusions, that can be varied in weight and size to accommodate the pet and the environment of the area in which the pet is to be confined, and that can be provided with an auxiliary cover to thereby associate the apparatus uniquely with the pet is to be restrained or with the environment of the area in which the pet is to be confined. The system incorporates the apparatus along with additional features that protect the environment of the area in which the pet is confined against accidents and spills.
Claims82
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a base being formed of a substantially solid material and having a substantially solid bottom surface, a plurality of substantially solid side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom, and a substantially solid top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, the plurality of side wall surfaces in combination defining a non-circular outer perimeter of the base, a combination of a height of one of the plurality of side wall surfaces, a thickness of the bottom surface and a thickness of the top surface defining a height of the base, the height of the base being substantially low to thereby avoid being an obstacle to the movements of a pet or a person near the base, and the base having a weight greater than the pet to be attached thereto;
- a cover substantially surrounding at least the top of the base and abuttingly contacting the base, the cover being formed of a softer material than the base;
- a plurality of handles formed in the substantially solid base
- a flexible cord connector associated with the base;
- and
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area.
3 more elements
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a portable base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, a substantially flat top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, and an inner cavity enclosed between the bottom, top, and side surfaces of the base to intermittently receive, store, and discharge liquid and particulate matter to thereby increase and decrease the weight of the base as desired;
- and
- a substantially flexible cord connector positioned on the top surface of the base, the flexible cord connector and the flat top surface of the base operating in conjunction to eliminate vertically extending and potentially impaling obstructions thereon.
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, and a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, the plurality of side wall surfaces in combination defining a non-circular outer perimeter of the base, the top surface providing a substantially flat and substantially continuously solid surface to reduce any likelihood that a paw of the pet or foot of a person will be entangled within the base to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will stumble over the base, and at least one relatively shallow concave surface portion formed in the top surface thereof to alternatively hold water and food that is accessible to the pet;
- and
- a cord connector associated with the base, the connector being sufficiently flexible to bend and twist in response to contact with the pet or a person to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will be impaled on or stumble over the connector;
- and
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area.
2 more elements
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a first anchoring base having a first preselected weight;
- a second anchoring base having a second preselected weight, the second base adapted to overlie the first base such that a combination of the first and second anchoring bases defines a stacked anchoring base having a weight that can be varied so as to restrain larger pets, the second base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, and an opening extending substantially vertically through a medial portion thereof, the opening having a first portion positioned substantially adjacent the bottom surface and a second portion positioned at a height above the first portion and being narrower than the first portion;
- and
- a cord connector associated with the stacked anchoring base, the cord connector including a stop member and positioned to extend through the opening so that the stop member restricts the cord connector at narrower portions of the opening to prevent the cord connector from passing completely through the opening.
1 more element
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a base being formed of a substantially solid material and having a substantially solid bottom surface, a plurality of substantially solid side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom, and a substantially solid top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface;
- a pair of opposing handles formed in the substantially solid base, the first handle being positioned adjacent a first side of the base and the second handle being positioned adjacent a second side, wherein the first and second sides define opposing sides;
- a flexible cord connector associated with the base;
- and
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area.
2 more elements
A pet accommodating and restraining system for comfortably confining the movement of a pet within a preselected area for a predetermined period of time, the system comprising:
- a pet pad, to overlie the surface of the area within which the pet is to be confined
- a pet anchoring apparatus separably positioned adjacent the pet pad, the apparatus comprising:
- a portable base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom, and a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, a combination of a height of one of the plurality of side wall surfaces, a thickness of the bottom surface and a thickness of the top surface defining a height of the base, the height of the base being substantially low to thereby avoid being an obstacle to the movements of a pet or a person near the base, and the base having a weight greater than the pet to be attached thereto,
- a cover substantially surrounding at least the top of the base and abuttingly contacting the base, the cover being formed of a softer material than the base,
- at least one handle formed in the base,
- a flexible cord connector associated with the base,
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area;
- and
- a pet feeder positioned adjacent the pet pad to store food and water in a position accessible to the pet.
6 more elements
A pet accommodating and restraining system as defined in claim 62, wherein the at least one handle formed in the base is formed by a narrowly recessed opening through the base so that the opening is relatively difficult for a paw of a pet to extend into and yet permits fingers of a person to extend into the opening to lift and carry the apparatus.
A pet accommodating and restraining system as defined in claim wherein the portable base of the pet anchoring apparatus includes an inner cavity enclosed between the bottom, top, and side surfaces of the base to intermittently receive, store, and discharge liquid and particulate matter to thereby increase and decrease the weight of the base as desired.
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a portable base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, an inner cavity enclosed between the bottom, top, and side surfaces of the base to intermittently receive, store, and discharge liquid and particulate matter to thereby increase and decrease the weight of the base as desired, and a plurality of handles formed in the base, whereby each of the plurality of handles is formed by a narrowly recessed opening through the base so that the opening is relatively difficult for a paw of the pet to extend into and yet permits fingers of a person to extend into the openings to lift and carry the apparatus;
- and
- a cord connector positioned on the top surface of the base.
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a portable first anchoring base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, and an inner cavity enclosed between the bottom, top, and side surfaces of the base to intermittently receive, store, and discharge liquid and particulate matter to thereby increase and decrease the weight of the base as desired;
- a portable second anchoring base positioned to overlie the first anchoring base so that a bottom surface of the second anchoring base contacts the top surface of the first anchoring base to thereby define a stacked position and to thereby provide additional liquid and particulate matter storing capacity for increasing the weight of the pet anchoring apparatus to restrain larger pets when attached thereto;
- and
- a cord connector associated with the top surface of at least one of the first and second anchoring bases.
1 more element
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a portable base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, and an inner cavity enclosed between the bottom, top, and side surfaces of the base to intermittently receive, store, and discharge liquid and particulate matter to thereby increase and decrease the weight of the base as desired;
- a primary cover substantially surrounding at least the top of the base and abuttingly contacting the base, the cover being formed of a softer material than the base and made of a material having patterns associated with the type of pet to be restrained;
- an auxiliary cover to thereby overlie at least the top of the base and a corresponding portion of the primary cover;
- and
- a cord connector positioned on the top surface of the base.
2 more elements
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, the plurality of side wall surfaces in combination defining a non-circular outer perimeter of the base, and the top surface providing a substantially flat and substantially continuously solid surface to reduce any likelihood that a paw of the pet or foot of a person will be entangled within the base to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will stumble over the base, and an opening extending substantially vertically through a medial portion of the base, the opening having a first portion substantially adjacent the bottom surface and a second portion positioned above the first portion and being narrower than the first portion;
- a cord connector associated with the base and including a stop member, the connector extending upwardly through the opening in the base so that the stop member restricts the cord connector at narrower portions of the opening to prevent the cord connector from passing completely through the opening, the connector being sufficiently flexible to bend and twist responsive to contact with the pet or a person to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will be impaled on or stumble over the connector;
- and
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area.
1 more element
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, and a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, the plurality of side wall surfaces -in combination defining a non-circular outer perimeter of the base, and the top surface providing a substantially flat and substantially continuously solid surface to reduce any likelihood that a paw of the pet or foot of a person will be entangled within the base to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will stumble over the base;
- a cord connector associated with the base, the connector being sufficiently flexible to bend and twist in response to contact with the pet or a person to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will be impaled on or stumble over the connector;
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area;
- and
- at least one handle formed in a surface of the base by a narrowly recessed opening through the base to thereby avoid protruding therefrom as a potentially impaling obstruction, and wherein the opening is relatively difficult for a paw of a pet to extend therein and yet permits fingers of a person to extend into the opening to lift and carry the apparatus.
2 more elements
A pet anchoring apparatus for securing and restraining the movement of a pet within a preselected area, the pet anchoring apparatus comprising:
- a base having a bottom surface, a plurality of side wall surfaces connected to and extending upwardly from the bottom surface, and a top surface connected to the plurality of side wall surfaces and overlying the bottom surface, the plurality of side wall surfaces in combination defining a non-circular outer perimeter of the base, and the top surface providing a substantially flat and substantially continuously solid surface to reduce any likelihood that a paw of the pet or foot of a person will be entangled within the base to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will stumble over the base;
- a first cover defining a primary cover, the primary cover substantially surrounding at least the top of the base and abuttingly contacting the base, the primary cover being formed of a softer material than the base;
- a second cover defining an auxiliary cover, the auxiliary cover to thereby overlie at least the top surface of the base and the corresponding portion of the primary cover;
- a cord connector associated with the base, the connector being sufficiently flexible to bend and twist in response to contact with the pet or a person to thereby lessen a probability that the pet or person will be impaled on or stumble over the connector;
- and
- at least one restraining cord having a preselected length and having an end portion thereof connected to the flexible cord connector to secure a pet thereto and thereby restrain the movement of the pet within a preselected area.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.