Abstract:
A saddle pad apparatus constructed from a first non-slip top layer which is stitched or welded to a second non-slip bottom layer with a stiffening layer contained between the top and bottom layers. Each layer is constructed from a poly vinyl chloride impregnated scrim. Each scrim is constructed with ventilation openings to allow for proper ventilation between the load being carried and the animal. The scrims are manufactured by applying a poly vinyl chloride material onto a fiber network with fibers areas and open areas to create a scrim with appropriate stiffness, softness, and ventilation while maintaining other appropriate characteristics.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for a saddle pad for animals. More particularly, the invention is directed for use in a Non-Slip and Ventilated Horse Saddle Pad. The invention has utility in applications for horse saddle pads, animal cushioning pads, and the like. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Past materials used in the construction of saddle pads are constructed from woven materials, or are poured from a solidifying material to form a solid poured form. These materials did not allow for sufficient friction between the object being carried and the animal to allow for the stabilization of the item being carried, such as a saddle. An additional problem associated with the prior art materials was a lack of sufficient air flow to allow for air to circulate around the animal&#39;s back or carrying area. The prior art materials did not allow for sufficient airflow while providing an adequate amount of cushion and load distribution to protect the animal&#39;s back and absorb the shocks associated with load transportation. 
     The above described saddle pads suffer from the drawbacks of insufficient air circulation, insufficient padding, inadequate frictional surfaces, and insufficient load distribution for properly carrying a weight on an animal. Hence, there is a need for an eloquently simple, non-slip, ventilated, saddle pad. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, an improved non-slip, ventilated saddle pad apparatus and method is provided which addresses the drawbacks of the prior art devices. In one of its exemplary forms, the invention includes a top and bottom layer sandwiching a middle stiffening layer which are all constructed from poly vinyl chloride impregnated scrim. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a non-slip ventilated saddle pad is provided which includes a first non-slip top layer, a second non-slip bottom layer, and single or multiple stiffener layers contained between the top layer and the bottom layer where at least one of these layers is constructed from a scrim. The top and bottom layers may be bonded together by stitching or dielectric welding. Each of the top and bottom layers may be different colors and they can be constructed from a poly vinyl chloride material or the like. 
     In accordance with one example of present invention, the top and bottom layers are constructed from a scrim. The scrim is constructed from fibers knitted into a network having intermittent openings spaced along a surface of the surface of the scrim. The scrim is formed from a knitted construction to provide fibers areas that are sufficient to hold and collect a liquid poly vinyl chloride material. The scrim is also designed to maintain openings that will not hold and collect the liquid poly vinyl chloride material when it is applied. The liquid poly vinyl chloride material imay be chemically blown onto the fibers areas or the entire knitted construction may be dipped into the liquid poly vinyl chloride material. 
     In accordance with another example of the present invention, the stiffener layer is constructed from ventilated cushion materials to increase the weight distribution area of the saddle pad. This allows the stiffener layer to increase the contact area of the saddle pad. 
     In accordance with another example of the present invention, the stiffener layer is constructed from a poly vinyl chloride material that may be manufactured in different colors. 
     In accordance with a still further example of the present invention, the stiffener layer is constructed from a scrim in a similar manner to that associated with the construction of the top and bottom layers as previously discussed. 
     A further example of the present invention is a method for constructing a saddle pad apparatus, by knitting a scrim from fibers to form a network having both intermittent openings and fiber areas spaced along the surface of the scrim. Then one applies a poly vinyl chloride or the like to the fibers areas of the scrim; and expands the liquid poly vinyl chloride into foam to form a saddle pad. 
     An additional example of the present invention is a saddle pad construced from a scrim. 
     One object of the foam-coated pads produced by the process of this invention is the construction of a material that is light weight and low in cost. In addition, the foamed poly vinyl chloride pads of this invention provide a high friction material that can be formulated and produced to resist sliding, by a cohesive or adhesive property, across materials with poor friction properties such as leather or horse hair and horse skin. Thus, rough surfaces or adhesives are not necessary with the present invention to prevent the material from sliding when placed in contact with leather or a horse&#39;s back. 
     A further object of the saddle pad of the present invention is its low moisture absorption, easy cleansing ability, fast drying properties, and the fact that it does not collect and retain horse hair or debris. The material is flexible and allows the formation of contoured pads that properly fit a horse&#39;s back. 
     The principal object of the present invention is to provide a non-slip saddle pad for use with carrying objects on animals. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a ventilating saddle pad for use on animals. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a saddle pad that will simultaneously adhere to a horse&#39;s back and a saddlery. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide the desired protective cushion for a saddle pad. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide the necessary distribution of weight to increase saddle stabalization. 
     Other objects and further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric exploded view of a saddle pad of the present invention as used with a saddle. 
         FIG. 2  is a top exploded view of the saddle pad and saddle as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the combined saddle pad and saddle shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of another embodiment of the multiple layer saddle pad of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a saddle. 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the saddle pad of  FIG. 4  mounted under the saddle of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of a saddle pad scrim of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an end view of the saddle pad scrim of  FIG. 7  along line A—A. 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the multiple scrim layers of the saddle pad of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 1–9 , a saddle pad apparatus, device, or assembly is generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1–9 , there is shown the basic embodiment of the saddle pad  10  of the present invention consisting of a top layer  12 , a bottom layer  14  and a stiffener layer  16 . This construction allows for a flexible, form fitting, ventilated, non-slip saddle pad made from a top  12  and bottom  14  outer layer of non-slip material. 
     The top  12  and bottom  14  layers combine to cover an inner stiffener layer  16  constructed from ventilated stiffener material. This non-slip and ventilated horse saddle pad  10  is made of a cohesive and adhesive poly vinyl chloride foam material that will adhere to a horse&#39;s back and simultaneously adhere to the bottom or horse side of saddlery. The material used in the pad  10  can be multiply layered with sufficient plies to provide the desired protective cushion required for the intended use purpose of the individual pad  10  design. 
     A stiffener rigid inner layer or ply  16  of high density foam sheeting material can also be inserted between the top  12  and bottom  14  outer poly vinyl chloride foam layers to more effectively distribute the total downward weight of the rider and saddle to the horse&#39;s back. The stiffener inner layer  16  may be covered with the same adhesive poly vinyl chloride foam material. This material will serve to increase the area of saddle stabilization and the contact area of the saddle and horse in proportion to the size of the total pad. This saddle pad  10  design meets the necessary characteristics of providing a saddle pad  10  that will stay in place, allow air penetration, provide the required cushion for shock absorption. In addition, the multiple layer construction of the saddle pad  10  should be rigid enough to distribute the weight of the saddle and rider over a large enough area to the horse&#39;s back to eliminate pressure points and chaffing. Thus, the laminated layers of this saddle pad  10  invention comprise a top  12  and bottom  14  non-slip pad, and single or multiple inner stiffener layers  16  of ventilated cushion materials required to provide sufficient cushion and shock absorption. 
     The top  12  and bottom  14  outer layers and the inner stiffener layers  16  are permanently bonded together by stitching and or dielectric welding. The dielectrical welding allows the multiple layers  12 ,  14 , and  16  to be spot welded together to achieve the desired level of cushion while maintaining air-flow through the saddle pad  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a non-slip saddle pad  10  is constructed with stiffener insert  16  between the top  12  and bottom  14  layers. This saddle pad  10  is used to cushion a saddle  18  with a cantle  20  and side flaps  22  and  24 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a cutaway view of the saddle pad  10  of the present invention revels the inner stiffener layer  16 . The saddle pad  10  is constructed of two layers, a top layer  12  and bottom layer  14  of non-slip material, which surround an inner stiffener layer  16  of material used to increase the weight distribution area and contact area of the non-slip saddle pad  10 . 
       FIG. 6  shows an isometric perspective view of a non-slip saddle pad  10  installed under a saddle  18  including the inner layer of stiffener material  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7–9 , a scrim  30  is constructed from foam coated material in a open knit pattern that allows air to flow through the pad  10  and dissipate heat. This figure shows a top view of the poly vinyl chloride foam  32  coated material used in the construction of the top  12  and bottom  14  non-slip outer layers of the saddle pad  10 . The top and bottom layers  12  and  14  are formed from a scrim  30  coated with a poly vinyl chloride foam  32 . The scrim  30  is made of synthetic fibers that are knitted into a network having intermittent openings  34  spaced along the surface of the scrim  32 . The scrim  32  is designed and knitted to provide yarn areas  36  that are sufficient to hold and collect liquid poly vinyl chloride. The yarn areas  36  may also be referred to as fibrous areas  36 . The alternate openings  34  are areas that will not collect poly vinyl chloride. 
     The poly vinyl chloride coated scrim  30  of  FIGS. 7 to 9  are formed by dipping the knitted synthetic fibers of the scrim  30  in a liquid poly vinyl chloride and then gelling the liquid poly vinyl chloride in a curing oven. As well known in the field of ploy vinyl chloride, a chemical causes gas to be released into the molten poly vinyl chloride which expands the poly vinyl chloride into a foam. The foam then solidifies and creates the scrim  30  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Once the poly vinyl chloride has cooled and solidified after the foaming operation, the openings  34  remain in the poly vinyl chloride scrim  30  to produce a soft, resilient, elastomeric foam material with various degrees of surface tack. The desired foam properties can be controlled by changing the types of poly vinyl chloride resins, types of plasticizer, amounts of plasticizer, oven temperatures, and processing speeds used in the manufacture of the scrim  30 . The resulting scrim  30  is a uniform cell pattern corresponding to the openings  34  in the scrim  30 . However, because the liquid poly vinyl chloride increases in volume as it gells and cools, the scrim  30  pattern from the fiber weave is magnified or increased in size proportionally to the amount of expansion of the poly vinyl chloride. 
     Different colors of poly vinyl chloride, including black and white, may be used to make different colored pads  10 . In addition, differently shaped scrim  30  can be manufactured using the process described. 
     The fibers used in manufacturing the foam pad scrim  30  increases the tensile strength of the scrim  30  so that they allow the non-slip properties of the blown poly vinyl chloride to be used in this saddle pad  10  application. 
       FIG. 8  shows an end view of the poly vinyl chloride foam coated material  34  used in the construction of the cushioning inner stiffener layers  16  of the saddle pad  10 . 
       FIG. 9  shows a cross section of the layered saddle pad  10  taken along line A—A in  FIG. 7 . This figure shows three layers  12 ,  14 , and  16  of poly vinyl chloride foam. Each layer is 0.250″ to 0.275″ thick and thus, these layers form a total pad  10  thickness of 0.750″ minimum. The cells of each layer tend to be compressed by the pressure created by the dieelectric weld seam  38 . The finished weld seam  38  is ⅛ the thickness of the original three layers  12 ,  14 , and  16  of material. This weld seam  10  serves as a stabilizing bond point between the three layers  12 ,  14 , and  16  and serves as a break line in the total pad  10  construction which allows the pad  10  to drape and fit acceptably on the horse&#39;s back. 
     The poly vinyl chloride foam impregnated fibers are produced to a specified thickness and hardness for use in the construction of the top  12  and bottom  14  outer layers of the saddle pad  10 . In addition, the poly vinyl chloride foam impregnated fibers are produced at another specified hardness for use in construction of the inner layer  16  of the saddle pad  10 . 
     The top  12  and bottom  14  outer layer foam pad material is manufactured at 0.250 to 0.270 inches in thickness with a shore 00 scale hardness of 45 to 55. The inner stiffener layer  16  of foam pad material is manufactured to 0.200 to 0.225 inches of thickness with a shore 00 scale hardness of 75 to 85. 
     By producing the outer material layers as specified levels of hardness of shore 00 hardness scale 45 to 55 a dry surface coefficient of friction index of 2.1 as obtained by the English XL slipmeter test method can be obtained. 
     By comparison the dry English XL slipmeter index of the following materials is offered for comparison. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 DRY ICE 
                 .2 
                 COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION 
               
               
                   
                 WET ICE 
                 .0 
                 COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION 
               
               
                   
                 HORSE HAIR 
                 .4 
                 COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION 
               
               
                   
                 LEATHER 
                 .3 
                 COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION 
               
               
                   
                 ROUGH CEMENT 
                 1.2 
                 COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION 
               
               
                   
                 DENIM TEXTILE 
                 .4 
                 COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The inner stiffener layer  16  of material is designed and manufactured to provide stiffness, air-flow, and durability. The top  12  and bottom  14  outer layer material is designed and manufactured to provide a non-slip surface, air flow, and softness. The manufacturing of the poly vinyl chloride foam pad material and the associated specifications can accomplished varying the raw materials used, the types of chemical compounds used and by varying the oven processing speed and temperature setting combinations. 
     Although similar materials are sold under different trademarks, the materials used in the preferred embodiments are sold by Vantage Industries of Atlanta Ga. under the trademarks, Sultan, Soft-Grip, and Soft-Tex. 
     While the foregoing detailed description has described several embodiments of the saddle pad design in accordance with this invention, it is to be understood that the above description is illustrative only and not limiting of the disclosed invention. 
     The claims and the specification describe the invention presented and the terms that are employed in the claims draw their meaning from the use of such terms in the specification. The same terms employed in the prior art may be broader in meaning than specifically employed herein. Whenever there is a question between the broader definition of such terms used in the prior art and the more specific use of the terms herein, the more specific meaning is meant. 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.