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US-20260123600-A1 - Proprioceptive Materials for Pet Beds, Pet Carriers, and the Like

US20260123600A1US 20260123600 A1US20260123600 A1US 20260123600A1US-20260123600-A1

Abstract

Pet beds, pet carriers, and pet harnesses are discussed for providing a proprioceptive effect when a pet sits or lays thereon or placed thereon, as the case may be, comprising compressible materials that can be incorporated therein. The compressible materials can be made of one or more of rubber, thermoplastic rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic resin and thermoplastic elastomer. Positioning the compressible material such that it is between the pet and any surface for example when sitting or laying thereon, requires the pet to maintain balance by using muscles that would not ordinarily be used, and provides proprioceptive feedback to the pet's central nervous system.

Inventors

  • Michael Rudan
  • Eric Villency
  • Seamus Hall

Assignees

  • Michael Rudan
  • Eric Villency
  • Seamus Hall

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251106

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . A pet bed for providing a proprioceptive effect for a pet sitting or laying thereon, the pet bed comprising: a) a base layer, the base layer comprising an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface; and b) a plurality of compressible protrusions disposed on the upward-facing surface, the plurality of compressible protrusions spaced apart from each other in a substantially uniform configuration.
  2. 2 . The pet bed as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of compressible protrusions is substantially hexagonal in configuration.
  3. 3 . The pet bed as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of compressible protrusions comprises one or more of a group comprising rubber, thermoplastic rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic resin and thermoplastic elastomer.
  4. 4 . The pet bed as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a bed frame with a top surface and a bottom surface.
  5. 5 . The pet bed as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the bottom surface, wherein the downward-facing surface of the base layer is disposed on the top surface.
  6. 6 . The pet bed as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising a bed rail extending upwardly from a perimeter of the top surface, the bed rail extending at least partially around the perimeter.
  7. 7 . A pet carrier for providing a proprioceptive effect for a pet sitting or laying thereon, comprising: a) a mat layer; b) a hood layer operatively attached to the mat layer; c) a pair of opposing end panels releasably attached to the mat layer and the hood layer; and d) a first fastening mechanism for releasably attaching the pair of opposing end panels to the mat layer and hood layer wherein fastening the pair of opposing end panels to the mat layer and hood layer forms an enclosed space for the pet.
  8. 8 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the mat layer further comprises a plurality of compressible protrusions disposed on an upward-facing surface thereof, the plurality of compressible protrusions spaced apart from each other in a substantially uniform configuration.
  9. 9 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of compressible protrusions is substantially hexagonal in configuration.
  10. 10 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of compressible protrusions comprises one or more of a group comprising rubber, thermoplastic rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic resin and thermoplastic elastomer.
  11. 11 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 7 , further comprising an opening disposed through the hood layer and a hatch for covering the opening.
  12. 12 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising a second fastening mechanism for releasably attaching the hatch to the hood layer.
  13. 13 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the first fastening mechanism comprises one or both of a first group comprising zippers and hook and loop fasteners.
  14. 14 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the second fastening mechanism comprises one or both of a second group comprising zippers and hook and loop fasteners.
  15. 15 . The pet carrier as set forth in claim 7 , further comprising at least one handle attached thereto for carrying the pet carrier by hand.
  16. 16 . A pet harness for providing a proprioceptive effect for a pet when placed thereon, comprising: a) a back plate; b) a chest plate; c) two or more sets of straps operatively coupling the chest plate to the back plate wherein the combination thereof is configured for being placed on a body of the pet; d) a first layer of a first plurality of compressible protrusions facing downwardly disposed on a bottom surface of the back plate; and e) a second layer of a second plurality of compressible protrusions facing upwardly disposed on a top surface of the chest plate.
  17. 17 . The pet harness as set forth in claim 16 , wherein one or both of the first and the second plurality of compressible protrusions are spaced apart from each other in a substantially uniform configuration.
  18. 18 . The pet harness as set forth in claim 16 , wherein each of the first and the second plurality of compressible protrusions is substantially hexagonal in configuration.
  19. 19 . The pet harness as set forth in claim 16 , wherein each of the first and the second plurality of compressible protrusions comprises one or more of a group comprising rubber, thermoplastic rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic resin and thermoplastic elastomer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent Application Ser. No. 63/717,405 filed Nov. 7, 2024, entitled “Proprioceptive Materials for Pet Beds, Pet Carriers, and the Like,” and filed in the names of Michael Rudan et al., which is incorporated by reference into this application in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure is related to the field of apparatuses comprising proprioceptive materials for a variety of surfaces, in particular, compressible proprioceptive materials that can be incorporated onto surfaces, furniture and other like objects to provide a proprioceptive effect when contacting the surfaces. BACKGROUND It is often difficult for people who are not in the best of physical shape to improve their physical well-being and health. Also, those who were more physically active and fit when they were younger tend to become more sedentary as they age, and their physical well-being and health can decline. In addition, those who have suffered a physical injury, notwithstanding that they may have been physically fit and healthy prior to the injury, may find it difficult to continue exercising as they could prior to their injury. In all of these cases, there is a need for improved physical fitness footwear, apparel and equipment that can enable anyone to enhance their exercise regime by causing them to use additional muscles to maintain their balance while exercise while lowering the amount of weight or force required so as to not overtax the person's joints and muscles and improve proprioception, especially if they had been previously sedentary or are recovering from an injury. In The Role of Proprioception in the Management and Rehabilitation of Athletic Injuries (SM Lephart et al., The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 1) proprioception is defined as a specialized sensory modality of touch and encompasses the sensations of joint movement and joint position. Proprioception contributes to motor programing for neuromuscular control required for precision movements and also contributes to muscle reflexes, providing dynamic joint stability. Proprioceptive receptors found in the skin, muscles and joints provide input to the central nervous system (“CNS”) and, along with visual and vestibular centres, contributes afferent information to the CNS regarding body position and balance. A sports injury or other musculoskeletal trauma can lead to proprioceptive defects. Proprioceptive rehabilitation seeks to retrain altered afferent pathways to enhance sensation of joint movement. There is a need for improved physical fitness footwear, apparel and equipment that can enable anyone to train or retrain afferent pathways to improve functional stability of the person's joints and body. It is, therefore, desirable to provide apparatuses comprising compressible materials that can be incorporated therein to provide a proprioceptive effect contacting surfaces, furniture and other like objects. SUMMARY Apparatuses comprising compressible material is provided to provide a proprioceptive effect when contacted thereon. In some embodiments, the apparatuses can comprise the materials and devices as described in international patent application no. PCT/CA2017/050874 filed 20 Jul. 2017, which is incorporated by reference into this application in its entirety, as well as in international patent application no. PCT/CA2024/050252 filed 29 Feb. 2024, which is incorporated by reference into this application in its entirety. In some embodiments, compressible protrusions can be added to seat pads, chairs, neck support devices, back or body part support devices, and pet beds. The addition of the compressible protrusions can operate to cause the user to actively hold the muscles, joints and body in a proper alignment providing proprioceptive feedback to the CNS. These voluntary movements can be repeated and stored as central commands. This patterning of the brain allows various skills to be performed without continuous without continuous reference to consciousness and can increase the conscious and unconscious awareness of the joint or limb in motion. In some embodiments, the compressible hemispheres can be comprised of an elastomeric material, as well known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the elastomeric material can comprise one or more of a group comprising of rubber, thermoplastic rubber, foam rubber, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic resin and thermoplastic elastomer. In further embodiments, the exterior of the compressible hemisphere can be composed of a durable material, such as plastic or synthetic fiber and the interior of the compressible protrusion can comprise one or more of a liquid, a gel and a gas, such as air or combinations thereof. Broadly stated, in some embodiments, a pet bed can be provided for providing a proprioceptive effect for a pet sitting or laying thereon, the pet bed comprising: a base layer, th