Abstract:
A wheeled vehicle or buggy for transporting aged, infirm, or disabled pets is provided. The buggy can also be used when the pet owner wants to go further than the pet can travel on its own. The buggy has a platform portion on which the pet can lay, substantially surrounded by walls to contain the pet within the buggy. At least one door opening may be provided for pets who are able to enter and leave the buggy by themselves. A rotatable handle is provided which can be rotated from a cart pushing position to a cart pulling position. Stops are provided to prevent the handle from over traveling and falling to the ground.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Serial No. 60/328,161, filed Oct. 10, 2001. The specification of said provisional application is specifically incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a device for the transportation, of injured, disabled, or aged or infirm pets, or for distances further than the pet can feasibly travel. The present invention is also useful for veterinary use, office use, and use at pet shows and the like.  
           [0003]    The fondness of people for pets is well known and almost legendary. One of the favorite past times of pet owners is to walk their dogs or other animals as a means of not only exercising themselves, but exercising their pets and keeping both healthy. However, a problem arises when their pets, such as a dog, a cat, or other domesticated or undomesticated animal is no longer able to take walks with their owner, or travel as far as owner wants to walk, jog, or bike.  
           [0004]    Pets can become unable to walk with their owners either temporarily, semi-permanently, or permanently. An example of a temporary lapse in the ability to walk could be, for example, if a dog injures its legs, particularly its rear legs, and can no longer walk while the legs heal. A semi-permanent type of injury would be hip dysplasia or arthritis of the hip, particularly in dogs. When this type injury flares up it may prohibit the dog from walking. Further, at times the owner may want to walk, jog, or bike further than pet can feasibly travel so the owner could cart the pet.  
           [0005]    A very common situation which occurs is when the pet becomes aged or infirm and simply is no longer able to walk with its owners while in its advancing years. An example of this could be a pet with congestive heart failure who can walk around a few steps in the home with its owner so it is able to sit by its owner, for example, in the evenings, but simply can no longer take long walks. Such a pet, while it may live for many years, simply becomes demoralized when no longer able to walk with its owners. Other types of injuries, such as an amputation, may permanently prevent a pet from walking.  
           [0006]    Many pet owners attempt to solve the problem of transporting pets under such conditions by using the commonly known human baby buggy, and attempting to place the pet on the seat intended for the baby. However, the human baby buggy is simply not designed for transporting pets. Humans need to be transported more or less in a vertical position, i.e., the baby&#39;s hips will fit on a seat, while the torso, arms, and head of the baby are vertical, and the legs hang downwardly.  
           [0007]    When it is attempted to place a pet on the baby buggy seat, it tends to fall through the leg openings. In addition there is not sufficient space for the pet to rest its hind quarters comfortably. Therefore, attempting to use a baby buggy for a pet is not a satisfactory solution to the problem in the art.  
           [0008]    A children&#39;s cart or buggy which is available for hiking/jogging also will not work because the seat slopes backward with a drop down for the child&#39;s feet. This presents its own set of problems for the pet.  
           [0009]    Another attempted solution is to strap a pair of wheels to a pet, for example, to a dog about its hind quarters if it is the rear legs of the dog that have become disabled, so that the pet can have mobility with its front legs, while the wheeled assembly supports the rear of the dog. However, these solutions have not been entirely satisfactory as they are unstable, and they are hard for the pet to use while going up and down steps or over curbs, etc. Therefore, those skilled in the art have continued to search for a better solution.  
           [0010]    Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a pet buggy for the transportation of injured, disabled, or aged and infirm pets.  
           [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the transportation of injured, disabled, or aged and infirm pets which can be pushed or pulled by the pet&#39;s owner.  
           [0012]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a pet buggy which will allow a pet to travel for as long as the owner wants to walk, bike, or jog even though the pet normally may not be able to go such a distance.  
           [0013]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a pet buggy of the foregoing nature which provides a flat surface on which a pet may lie while being transported.  
           [0014]    Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the specification and drawings of the present provisional application. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a construction embodying the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the construction shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing on an enlarged scale details of the rotatable handle and means for pet restraint. 
     
    
       [0018]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and is capable of being practiced or carried out in various ways within the scope of the claims. Also, it is to be understood, that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description, and not of limitation.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1, a pet buggy embodying the construction of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral  20 . The pet buggy  20  has a body portion  21  supported by three or more wheels  22  which may be of varying sizes depending upon the particular application. The wheels  22  are supported for rotation by suitable axles  23  connected to, or carried by, the body portion  21 . One or more fenders  24  are provided on the body portion  21  to prevent the pets and/or its owner from being splashed should the pet buggy go through water, mud or other undesirable conditions while the pet is being walked. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, only one fender  24  is shown, which prevents the pet  50 , riding in the pet buggy  21 , from being splashed. It is well within the skill of the art to provide fenders  24  on the other wheels  22  to prevent the pet owner from being splashed while pushing the pet buggy  20 .  
         [0020]    A handle  25  is rotatably attached to the pet buggy  20  for the convenience of the owner while pushing the pet buggy  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the handle  25  is rotatable about the axle  23 . Bearings  26  provided at the proximal ends  27  of the handle  25  permit rotation of the handle  25  about the axle  23 . The handle  25  may be a fixed height or adjustable height for the convenience of the owner of the buggy Handle  25  has a cushioned portion  25 A for the comfort of the pet owner. As will be explained herein below, the handle  25  may be adjusted to a predetermined desired position for pushing or towing the pet buggy.  
         [0021]    The body portion  21  of the buggy is preferably of a one piece molded construction having a platform portion  28 , which extends in a horizontal plane so that the injured, disabled, infirm, or extended traveling pet may sit or lie in the buggy in the same position that it would lie on a floor were it at home with its owner. The horizontal platform portion  28  is bounded by a plurality of upstanding side walls  29 , such as rear wall  30 , side walls  31 , and front walls  32 . The front fender  24  may be integrally formed with the front walls  32 , if desired, or it may be formed separately. As explained hereinabove, fenders  24  may be provided on the rear of the buggy, and these may be integrally formed with the side walls  31 .  
         [0022]    The front of the body portion  21  may be narrower than the rear portion of the body  21  as illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 3 , if desired. In such a case portions of the side walls  31  would converge inwardly, as shown at  31 A. Also, the front wall  32  would be narrower than the rear wall  30 .  
         [0023]    A door or doors  47  may be provided in my pet buggy  20 , if desired. The door or doors  47  would be useful in a situation where the aged or infirm pet was still sufficiently ambulatory to get in and out of the pet buggy itself. Preferably, the door or doors  47  would be provided to close an opening “◯” provided in the upstanding walls  29  between the front walls  32  and the side walls  31 . The door or doors  47  would be preferably formed integrally with the body portion  21  of the pet buggy, and would be connected thereto by a living hinge  48 .  
         [0024]    It is well within the skill of the art to which the invention pertains to provide other constructions for the pet buggy  20 , such as a steel fabrication, or a fabrication out of another metal, in which case the sidewalls may welded or otherwise attached to the platform portion  28 . Further, the door or doors  47  would then most likely be attached to the platform portion by a piano hinge instead of a living hinge. All of these constructions are well within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0025]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 there are shown additional details of construction of my novel pet buggy. Axle  23 , upon which wheel  22  is mounted, rotates within a bearing (not shown) carried by the wheel hub  22 B. Since axle  23  rotates with respect to the wheel  22 , and vice versa, it does not need to rotate with respect to the body portion  21  of the pet buggy, but instead may be fixedly attached thereto. This is accomplished by fastening a bearing  51  to each upstanding side wall  31  in a predetermined desired position, by sonic welding, welding, or any suitable method known in the art, depending on the material of the sidewall  31 , and the construction of the pet buggy  20 . Each bearing  31  will have an axial aperture  55  to accept axle  23 , and a second diametrical aperture  53  to accept a pin  54  which will pass through first diametrical aperture  52  provided in axle  23  to prevent rotation of the axle  23  with respect to the body  21 .  
         [0026]    To assemble the handle and the wheels to the rear of the body portion  21  of the pet buggy  21 , the journals  27 A found at each end  27  of the handle  25  would be spread apart and slipped over the bearings  51 . Next, the axles  23  of each wheel  22  would be inserted into axial apertures  55 , and pins  54  inserted. Pins  54  should have a press or force fit to prevent their easy removal after assembly of the wheels  22  to the buggy  20  to provide for the safety of the pet and its owner.  
         [0027]    Handle  25  may rotate from a position convenient for pushing the pet buggy  20 , to a position used for towing the pet buggy, and be restrained from traveling further by adjustable stops  57  which are placed as desired by the pet owner in a plurality of diametrical spaced holes which are provided a radial distance from the center of the bearing  51 . Each of the stops is held in place by a screw  59  which is passed through a desired hole  58  and received in screw threads (not shown) interiorly of the pin  57 .  
         [0028]    When the handle is placed forward in the towing position, a towing arm  60 , which is rotatably attached to the handle  25 , is swung forward and attached by way of the means for attachment  61  to the tow vehicle. The means for attachment may be in the for of a pin, a tongue, or other suitable device known in the art, depending on the tow vehicle being used.  
         [0029]    It is preferred that the pet  50  being transported in the pet buggy  20  be restrained therein. The preferred method of accomplishing this is to have the pet  50  wear a commercially available pet harness  62 . Such pet harnesses typically have a D-ring  63  mounted thereon to attach a leash to. In the present invention, a pair of straps  64  attach to the D-ring  63  to restrain the pet. Each strap  64  has at on end a typical connector  65  of the type found on a leash. The other end of each strap  64  will pass through a pair of slots  66  provided in the rear wall, and then into a buckle  67  provided on the strap  64 , to provide for adjustability of the length of the strap, depending on the application. It is contemplated, for example, that the straps  64  will need to be longer for cats than dogs, and will need to be longer for small dogs than for large dogs.  
         [0030]    Thus, by carefully studying the problems of transporting pets, a novel pet buggy has been provided.