BEDDING FOR PETS

Abstract: A bedding for pets in the form of granules of circular cross section made of waste of hygienic products designed for absorption of human body liquids. The bedding comprises more than 50 per cent by mass of cellulose and 0.1 to 1 per cent by mass of an absorber, from 5 to 17 per cent of gypsum and 3 to 15 per cent of partly plasticized olefin polymer. The bedding may further contain 0.1 to 0.2 by mass of a wetting agent and aromatic compounds. The density of the bedding lies between 250 to 450 kg/m<3>.

Description: Bedding for pets Background of the invention The invention relates to a bedding for pets such as cats, bunnies, hamsters, guinea pigs, tortoises, mice, laboratory animals etc. Description of prior art The conventional materials used as bedding for pets consist mostly of granules or pellets that vary as to their shape and composition. The shape of granules depends on the type of production process and their composition depends on the material used in the production process. The materials may be porous materials, water insoluble materials and those that comprise cellulose in the form of wood or paper. Other additives added to the bedding may be such as lime, calcium hydrate, plaster and further mostly mineral in water insoluble compounds. DE DAS 29 02 079 describes a bedding for animals made of a porous material or comprising a porous material. The porous material is grainy or powdery calcium silicate. The radius of pores is lesser than 500 microns. DE DOS 27 28 860 describes a bedding designed specifically for cats and is made of an expanded material having the specific mass between 50 to 200 grams per liter. The bedding comprises quartz and oxidized elements such as MgO, K2O, Fe2θ, AI2O3 and CaCOβ. In another German patent application DE DOS 29 02 101 a bedding created as a light porous construction plate on the basis of calcium silicate with eight per cent by mass of cellulose fibers is shown. DE DOS 31 21 403 describes a bedding made of porous inorganic material or comprising a porous material. The bedding pH value lies between 5.0 and 9.0. The porous material is made as a mixture comprising pumice, clay, quartz and calcium silicate in the form of granules or powder. DE 36 44 626 is directed to a bedding made of a mixture of filling agents, plaster and accelerators. The material is mixed in dry state and pressed under substantially great pressure. From EPA 0 453 414 a grainy material made of inorganic substances such as "bentonit "sepiolit" and "polygorskit" is known. This material is preferably designed for absorption of oil compounds and is suitable also for absorption of biologic liquids. In the Czech authorship certificate AO 213701 a bedding for laboratory animals is described which is made of components of mixtures obtained from screen fractions of soft wood species waste. The fraction rate of the oversized waste obtained from screens with different meshes is stated. The Czech patent 28 2331 shows a bedding for pets having the shape of granules and containing more than 50 % parts of pure cellulose. Some disadvantage involved is that the bedding is rather light and is being therefore scattered around the bowls. DE DOS 26 20 709 describes a bedding for animals kept in stables and cowsheds. The bedding comprises wooden sawdust, peat and aromatic oils. In DE DOS 27 28 752 a bedding for pets is shown whose predominant portion i.e. 75 to 80 per cent by weight is sawdust while the rest is completed by peat. The CH pat. No. 680 894 describes a bedding containing up to 35 to 75 per cent by weight of fibrous waste materials produced by the paper and cellulose industry and/or devices for wet process fibers treatment. The rest are additives such as lime, calcium hydrate, and/or plaster. The granulate is shaped to form beads having diameter between 1 mm and 10 mm. The bead surface is covered by mineral powder which serves also as a deodorant. The US patent 5 176 107 - describes a bedding for pets where a portion of the adhesive material is also cellulose or cellulose comprising materials that represent less than 25 % of the total product weight. The US patent 5 172 652 describes an absorber of home animals excrements scents. In the respective breeding box a bedding material is present which comprises a recycle susceptible paper. The US patent No. 5 176 652 describes a bedding for pets where a portion of the adhesive material is cellulose or cellulose containing materials as the case may be that represent less than 25 % of the total weight of this product. The types of bedding that contain predominantly inorganic, in water insoluble components are usually made of broken natural porous solid compounds. The bedding made of special broken stones is not sufficiently convenient for pets. The sharp edges may injure animal's little pawns and therefor the animals avoid such bedding as they can. The shape of bedding formed as bead granules is more convenient. Another disadvantage of a bedding made of porous non-combustible solid compounds is that it increases the amount of home waste the disposal of which encounters growing difficulties. An increased dust content percentage caused by handling and transport has an allergic effect on certain animals and their attendance. Another disadvantage of some bedding types is low absorption of liquids and scents what results in the requirement for more frequent exchange and thus greater consumption of bedding materials. The types of bedding made of combustible compounds as wooden waste, peat and paper that may be burned are rather more advantageous as far as the ecological point of view is concerned. Nevertheless, the ecology requirements make such burning of used bedding undesired. Therefore the methods are sought which are directed to the use of existing industrial waste for production of such a type of bedding that may be disposed of by composting. Some types of bedding with a high portion of chemical pulp are susceptible to scattering of the litter around the cat's amenity and shows also a restricted scents and liquid absorption. Summary of the invention The aforementioned difficulties associated with the conventional type of bedding are to considerable extent remedied by a bedding for pets having in the form of bead granules made of a waste of hygienic products designed for absorption of human liquid comprising more than 50 per cent by mass of cellulose and 0.1 to 1 per cent by mass of an absorber. The main feature of the invention consists in that the bedding comprises 5 to 17 per cent by mass of gypsum and 3 to 15 per cent by mass of a partly plasticized olefin polymer. The effect of the invention may be increased by adding thereto 0.1 to 0.2 per cent by mass of a wetting agent, by adjusting the specific mass of the bedding to the value between 250 and 450 kg 3 /m , further by adjusting the high of granules so that is would not substantially differ from the diameter thereof and by adding aromatic compounds. The used combination of components and large active surface of the bedding according to the invention provide for exceeded absorption of liquid excrement and scents. The absorption of liquid excrements is due to a new combination of components increased by 300 to 1000 per cent by mass. The scent absorption is also considerably increased. Such solution also substantially decreases the scattering of bedding around the cats amenities. The geometric granule shape is close to a body with a maximum geometric surface. The bedding is almost dust free and includes no components causing allergy or other health problems. The same applies to the animals dwelling on the bedding as well as to their attendance. The bedding according to the invention exploits waste from industrial production of materials designed for absorption of human body liquids. The material is absolutely unobjectionable as to the health and hygienic point of view which material should otherwise be disposed of by another undesired method, for example by burning. The used bedding may be disposed of by composting. The price of the bedding is lower as compared with similar products. Examples of embodiments of the invention The bedding is made as granules in the form of cylinders. The diameter of a cylinder is between 5 and 10 mm. The high of the cylinder is equal to its diameter or differs by no more than 30 % with respect to its diameter. The granule dimensions are adjusted with respect to the kind and size of animals for which the bedding is designed. The bedding contains more than 50 per cent by mass of cellulose. The compound representing the required cellulose percentage is added in the form of cellulose, paper, cotton, viscose staple and otherwise. The bedding also contains 5 to 17 per cent by mass of mineral additive - gypsum. The gypsum is dosed as powder substance in the final stage of granulating process so that the prevailing portion of this additive is concentrated near the granule surface. Both aforesaid components then in combination provide for higher absorption capacity of liquid excrements and scents. They also effect the course of the absorption process. This results in the situation where the upper bedding layers remain relatively dry while the devaluation of the bedding accrues from the bottom. The consistency of granules is secured by adding of 5 to 15 per cent by mass of a partly plasticized olefm polymer. The olefin polymer is present in granules in the form of micro-foil shreds and cuttings of regular or irregular shape. It may also have the form of a non-woven textile etc. To enhance the bedding absorption capacity in order to absorb liquid excrements and scents an absorber in the range from 0.1 to 0.2 per cent by mass is added. A wetting agent added to the extent from 0.1 to 0.1 per cent by mass reduces the free surface energy between the active bedding surface and the liquid excrement drops that are spread over the active surface. The total absorption capacity is thus increased. The wetting agents as well as absorbers are conventional and commercial compounds offered by manufacturers under various trade names. To extend the bedding life-time and the scent absorption period the bedding may be enriched by various aromatic compounds. The density of bedding is ranging from 3 250 to 450 g /m . The low specific mass of the bedding is furthered by the composition of the used materials as well as by a new technological process of granules production. The composition and size of different types of bedding designed for the use with various kind of animals are summarized in the following examples. Example 1 A bedding made as granules of 5 mm in diameter and 5 mm in length suitable for cats, hamsters and mice. Material % by mass cellulose 60 gypsum 14 whitened paper 12 non-woven textile, cotton, polypropylene 8 olefin polymer micro-foil 4 absorber 1.8 wetting agent 0.2 Example 2 A bedding made as granules of 8 mm in diameter and 8 mm in length suitable for bunnies and guinea pigs Material % by mass whitened cotton 18 cellulose above 50 gypsum 10 whitened paper 13 olefin polymer micro-foil 7 absorber 0.8 wetting agent 0.2 Example 3 A bedding made as granules of 8 mm in diameter and 8 mm in length suitable for laboratory animals. Material % by mass viscose staple 11 cellulose above 50 gypsum 5 whitened paper 13 non-woven textile - cotton 10 olefin polymer micro-foil 6 absorber 0.9 wetting agent 0.1 The sorted and dried granules free of fragments and dust particles arising in the course of manufacturing are put in bags and expedited. The used bedding is disposed of by composting. Industrial applicability The bedding according to this invention may be used in keeping and breeding of pets and laboratory animals.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A bedding for pets in the form of bead granules made of a waste of hygienic products designed for absorption of human body liquids comprising more than 50 per cent by mass of cellulose and 0.1 to 1 per cent by mass of an absorber characterized in that it comprises from 5 to 17 per cent of gypsum and 3 to 15 per cent of partly plasticized olefin polymer. 2. A bedding according to claim 1 characterized in that in comprises 0.1 to 0.2 by mass of a wetting agent. 3. A bedding according to claim 1 characterized in that the density of the bedding 3 lies between 250 to 450 kg /m . 4. A bedding according to claim 1 characterized in that the granules height does not differ substantially from their diameter. 5. A bedding according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises aromatic compounds.

Inventors: JANDEJSEK FRANTISEK, KOUT PAVEL, JANDEJSEK, FRANTISEK, KOUT, PAVEL
Applicants: JANDEJSEK FRANTISEK, JANKOVSKY JIRI, KOUT PAVEL, JANDEJSEK, FRANTISEK, JANKOVSK&YACUTE, KOUT, PAVEL
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K1