Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains, generally, to very lightweight safety and protective garments for working animals. The garments provide comfortable protection to such animals against insect (primarily biting flies) harassment as well as possessing high visibility, illuminative and identification indicia on any individual garment. Specifically, the invention provides an ensemble, consisting in an unitary or assemblage of garments that are constructed so as to cover, or drape, discrete portions of a working animal""s body and which (independently) provide protection against biting insects, while presenting, for use during times of low or obscured visibility, superficial illuminative indicia for identification.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
Several documents have been found that disclose various attempts to provide animal clothing, or garments, that would afford the general characteristics stated above, namely safety and fly-resistive protection; however none appear to show high visibility, illuminating apparatus. The most relevant of these documents have, as they appear to the instant inventor, both advantages and limitations as hereinafter discussed.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 374,315, issued Oct. 1, 1996 for PROTECTIVE GARMENT FOR CANINES, there is shown a complete cloaking for a dog that covers the animal from crown to tail, stopping just short of covering the tops of the paws. The garment appears to be for warmth, but such a determination of utility is beyond the scope of the design patent. There is no showing of illuminative indications or paraphernalia.
The garment morphology shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 372,563, issued Aug. 6, 1996 for PROTECTIVE DOG GARMENT, is similar to one of the varied canine coverings of the instant invention. Again, with the design patent, actual utility is unspoken and there exists some ambiguity whether this is a garment for a xe2x80x9cprotectivexe2x80x9d (i.e., protection) dog or a protective garment for a dog. The instant invention""s intent is not served by the xe2x80x9cleggingsxe2x80x9d shown in this patent and in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 374,315; and there appears in neither the above-mentioned paraphernalia.
A REVERSIBLE HEAT-REFLECTIVE PET GARMENT is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,194, issued Jul. 18, 2000. This article covers the chest, flanks and back of a dog with a reversible cover that presents, outwardly, an alternate heat-reflective or water-repellant surface. The garment resembles yet another of the garment variations entertained by the present invention, but because of its non-porous composition, it is limited to use in only extreme hot/cold or wet climes.
Similar to the article of U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,194 is that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,060,458, issued Oct. 29, 1991 and entitled: PROTECTIVE DOG COAT. This is a relatively heavy coat, for a dog of any type, which affords warmth and the addition of highly visible coloring. There is shown no other means for either identification or comfort.
One of the most relevant article found, relative to the instant invention, is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,891 (""891), entitled: PROTECTIVE HORSE MASK. Although confined to but a portion of a horse""s head, this device, by use of a lightweight mesh fabric and fleece, provides face, ear and nostril protection against both sun and noisome insects. Although the device is perceived to be well suited, to its task, the patent falls short of suggesting that the stated protection be applied to the preponderance of the animal""s body. The mask also lacks means for rendering the animal highly visible.
Although coverings for animals are quite plentiful, the instant inventor has not been apprised of a garment for working animals, particularly horses under saddling gear, or dogs, that possesses lightweight, extensive covering, which affords to the animal excellent ventilation, optional fly protection and especially high visibility during low-light conditions.
Several other disclosures show forms of protective garments for equines and canines that will be listed in the References Cited. Most show breathable fabrics or turnout garments and particular shapes; but all fall short of the salient aspects of the instant invention, which can be realized in one or a plurality of safety garments.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,891, issued to McMahon on Oct. 10, 2000 for a PROTECTIVE HORSE MASK is incorporated by reference for its showing of a partial head covering for a horse, said covering consisting in the combination of lightweight, fine mesh and fleece fabrics
Most terms used herein are to be taken as having their customary English meaning. When different or secondary meanings may be applied, the inventor has, with their first usage, employed quotation marks and given their intended definition in parentheses. A few terms, however, are to be read with the following meanings (especially in the claims):
breathablexe2x80x94having capability of ventilation or being evapotranspirative;
ensemblexe2x80x94an assemblage of parts (as in a set of clothing);
evapotranspirativexe2x80x94having the properties of liquid absorption and evaporation;
fluorescencexe2x80x94luminescence that may persist after removal of excitation;
illuminati(on)(ve)xe2x80x94practically speaking, any kind of light or light producing (def. illuminative).
iridescencexe2x80x94brilliance or high reflectance of light;
luminescencexe2x80x94emission of visible light after non-thermal energy stimulation; and
saddling gearxe2x80x94the saddle, including cinching and accouterments for attachments.
The instant inventor has overcome deficiencies of the early art by providing an ensemble of illuminative/illuminated, well ventilated, insect-resistive garments for working animals, such as horses (especially under saddling gear) or field dogs. Dual safety objectives are satisfied by this invention: first, prevention of animal harassment by biting insects such as deer/black/horse flies, which could cause a horse to stumble or a dog to turn into line of fire; and second, identification of the animal (and rider or master) during conditions of low ambient light. Hereinafter, the descriptions of the invention and its maximum benefits will be described, principally, in respect of the horse, donned with saddling gear (or under saddle): however, the invention is adaptable for use by most equine and canine creatures, while at task or leisure (i.e., at pasture or roaming).
The first of these objectives is attained, in varying degree, by cloaking portions of the animal in a single garment or a plurality of garments, the latter ensemble being preferred, but not required. Garments of the ensemble are constructed of lightweight, breathable mesh fabrics of the type that are used for their ventilation or moisture-wicking properties. Moreover, the fabric used by the inventor is produced, and available off the shelf, in iridescent colors. Under fair weather and light (normal) ambient conditions, the ensemble provides: a hood (head covering); a hood-connected cape (neck covering), which descends to the withers and is attached to the saddling gear; and a body drape, consisting in a single garment attached, to saddling gear, so as to cover the horse""s flanks, back and rump laterally and rearward of the saddling gear. The garment fabric is of a mesh small enough to frustrate the common biting flies, yet large enough to xe2x80x9cbreathxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94in the preferred embodiment, having foramen size from about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm. The bonnet portion (head cover) of the ensemble stands off the eyes of the animal, thereby providing to them an insect-and light debris-resistive guard or barrier protection. Under such (normal) conditions, both safety objectives of the invention are met when the iridescent fabric is used.
To achieve the second objective, under less than optimum visibility conditions, there is provided, on discrete sites of the garments, a series of illuminative strips or patches. Several fabrics of luminescent, fluorescent or otherwise highly reflective character are readily available, on the market. These indicators, or illuminative indicia, are affixed by sewing/stitching, snap fasteners or, like the preferred method of connecting the above garments, by use of materials bearing hooks and loops, as in the product Velcro(copyright).