US6237531B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pet bed with heating and cooling feature
Assignee: Igloo Products Corp
•
Filing: 1999-06-14
•
Granted: 2001-05-29
•
Expires: 2019-06-14
Abstract
Abstract A lightweight, portable pet bed is described. It features an open structure with a hollow ring around its periphery. This ring can trap air which provides a thermal barrier for the pet. A thermoelectric unit is mounted to its underside with appropriate ducting for air circulation so that, depending on the electrical connection, heating or cooling is provided to a sink which is integral with the platform in the pet bed. The pet bed can also provide holes in the platform to secure an appropriate mat for the pet to lay on and to cover the sink which forms a part of the platform. A host of shapes are contemplated, including rectangular, round, oval, and the like. The thermoelectric or other heating or cooling unit can be manually controlled or thermostatically controlled. The units are stackable for easy storage or for shipping or display.
Inventors
- 👤 Kathleen G. Peeples
- 👤 Joseph F. Fiore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 10:03
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K1/00; A01K1/02; A01K1/035; A01K1/0353
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A pet bed for placement on a support, comprising an elevated platform, said platform supported by an annular ring, said ring extending above and below said platform and in contact with the support surface over a majority of it's length, said ring defining an elongated void volume therein and said ring extending substantially around the periphery of said platform and defining a break which serves as the entrance to said platform.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A pet bed for placement on a support, comprising an elevated platform, said platform supported by an annular ring, said ring extending above and below said platform and in contact with the support surface over a majority of it's length, said ring defining an elongated void volume therein and said ring extending substantially around the periphery of said platform and defining a break which serves as the entrance to said platform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The bed of claim 1 , wherein: said annular ring is sealed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The bed of claim 2 , wherein: said annular ring is air-filled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The bed of claim 2 , wherein: said annular ring contains an insulating material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bed of claim 1 , wherein: said platform further comprises peripheral openings for use in securing a mat to said platform.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The bed of claim 1 , further comprising: a heating or cooling unit mounted to said platform, said platform further comprising inlet and exhaust air passages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The bed of claim 6 , wherein: said annular ring comprises a foot assembly defining at least one break therein, said break forming an access for at least one of said passages out from the underside of said platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
138 words
A pet bed having a platform and supported by an annular ring extending substantially around the periphery of the platform, and supporting the platform, said bed comprising; a heating or cooling unit mounted to said platform further comprising inlet and exhaust air passages; said annular ring comprises a foot assembly defining at least one break therein, said break forming an access for at least one of said passages out from the underside of said platform; said platform underside is formed to define a part of at least one passage; said heating or cooling unit further comprising a cover which cooperated with the underside of said platform to create at least one exhaust passage; said heating or cooling unit comprising a fan which takes suction through a different break in said foot assembly than said passage which handles exhaust.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
138 words
A pet bed having a platform and supported by an annular ring extending substantially around the periphery of the platform, and supporting the platform, said bed comprising; a heating or cooling unit mounted to said platform further comprising inlet and exhaust air passages; said annular ring comprises a foot assembly defining at least one break therein, said break forming an access for at least one of said passages out from the underside of said platform; said platform underside is formed to define a part of at least one passage; said heating or cooling unit further comprising a cover which cooperated with the underside of said platform to create at least one exhaust passage; said heating or cooling unit comprising a fan which takes suction through a different break in said foot assembly than said passage which handles exhaust.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The bed of claim 8 , wherein: said fan takes suction through said cover and said cover cooperates with said underside of said platform to create at least two exit passages for fan exhaust.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The bed of claim 6 , wherein: said heating or cooling unit comprises a thermoelectric unit which forms a portion of said platform.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The bed of claim 10 , wherein: said thermoelectric unit further comprises a thermostat.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The bed of claim 11 , wherein: said thermostat controls power supply to said thermoelectric unit and said thermostat is capable of switching, said thermoelectric unit between heating and cooling mode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The bed of claim 10 , wherein: said annular ring extends substantially around the periphery of said platform to define the break which serves as the entrance to said platform.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The bed of claim 13 , wherein: said annular ring is sealed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The bed of claim 14 , wherein: said annular ring is air-filled.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bed of claim 15 , wherein: said platform further comprises peripheral openings for use in securing a mat to said platform.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The bed of claim 6 , wherein: said heating or cooling unit comprises a eutectic material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The bed of claim 17 , further comprising: a powered device to work in conjunction with said eutectic material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-28 | 2004-11-27 | 2005-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-28 | 2008-11-27 | 2009-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-28 | 2012-11-27 | 2013-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |