ANIMAL URINE COLLECTION AND MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract

An animal urine collection and monitoring system embodying a device to collect urine from a male animal and monitor the animal's urinary activities.

Claims

1. A device for collecting urine from an animal, comprising: a reservoir assembly having a body defining a urine reservoir; the body comprising: two opposing side portions extending to a first elevation and sloping downwardly to a front portion for accommodate a chest cavity of the animal; the front portion having an arcuate shape defined by a front edge along a second elevation; a rear portion depending from the two opposing side portions so that an associated rear edge defines a U-shape extending to a third elevation; and the second elevation disposed between the first elevation and the third elevation; an overhang lip extends inward from the two opposing side portion, the front edge, and the rear edge so as to define a continuous periphery of an opening communicating to the urine reservoir; and two straps extending from the two opposing side portions at an acute angle of incidence relative to a longitudinal line extending between the two opposing side portions.

2. The device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 1, further comprising: an absorbent pad dimensioned to be received along a bottom of the urine reservoir.

3. The device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 1, wherein the acute angle of incidence is between ten and fifty degrees relative to the longitudinal line.

4. The device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 1, wherein the front edge extends for a length longer than a length of the rear edge.

5. The device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 1, further comprising at least one moisture sensor operatively associated with the urine reservoir.

6. The device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 5, further comprising a microprocessor electrically connected to at least one moisture sensor, configured to detect a predetermined amount of moisture.

7. The device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 5, further comprising a wireless module that wirelessly transmits signals to a cloud server over available wireless or cellular networks without need for additional hardware or base stations.

8. A method of kenneling an animal in a confined space with no access to an outdoor environment, comprising: providing the device for collecting urine from an animal of claim 6; placing at least one absorbent pad in the bottom of the urine reservoir; wrapping the two straps around a waist of the animal so that urine reservoir circumscribes a urethral orifice of the animal; and configuring the sensor hardware to communicate with the users computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: configuring the sensor hardware to wirelessly transmit signals to a cloud server over available wireless or cellular networks without need for additional hardware or base stations; assigning notifications to specified caregivers with the users computing device; and monitoring sensor activity with a remote computing device for a determination of when to dispatch caregivers and replace absorbent pads.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in an attached arrangement;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating two straps 16A and 16B extending from the two opposing side portions at an acute angle of incidence 50 relative to a longitudinal line extending between the two opposing side portions 52, a urine collection reservoir 18 and an operatively associating removable/insertable absorbent pad 28;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a partial section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0023] FIG. 5 is an elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in the attached arrangement;

[0024] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in the attached arrangement;

[0025] FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in the attached arrangement;

[0026] FIG. 8 is an operational flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0027] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

[0029] Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an animal urine collection and monitoring system embodying a device to collect urine from an animal and monitor the animal's urinary activities.

[0030] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as upper, lower, upward, downwardly, top, rear (rearward), front and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the upward direction (or upper) being toward the top of the corresponding figures, downward (lower) direction being toward the bottom of the corresponding figures, and the rearward direction being defined in relationship of the animal shown in FIG. 1 of the corresponding figures.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 9, the present invention may include an animal urine collection and monitoring system embodying a systemic device 10 to collect urine from the urethral orifice of an animal 12 and monitor the urinary activities of said animal 12. The systemic device 10 may include a reservoir assembly 14 connected between two elastic adjustable straps 16A and 16B.

[0032] The reservoir assembly 14 may include a urine collection reservoir 18 dimensioned and adapted to circumscribe the urethral orifice of the animal (for a male animal, the penis of the animal 12) and house an absorbent, removable pad 28, resulting in absorbency performance similar to larger disposable diaper products. The urine collection reservoir 18 is constructed from a flexible silicone, rubber, or similar animal skin-safe material. The urine collection reservoir 18 is flexible and conforms to area the animal surrounding the urethral orifice. Along an upper portion of the reservoir assembly 14 may be an integrated lip 20 defining a periphery 22 of an opening that communicates to the urine reservoir 18. The integrated lip 20 overhangs a portion of the collection reservoir 18 so as to abut the skin of the animal 12 when the systemic device 10 is in a worn condition, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0033] The integrated lip 20 is dimensioned and adapted to keep dispersed urine directed downwardly, collected urine from spilling out, and the absorbent removable pad 28 secured, while the integrated lip 20 engages the animal skin. The integrated lip 20 acts as a barrier between the animal's skin and the urine reservoir to keep the animal dry, while also directing dispersed urine into the urine collection reservoir 18. The integrated lip 20 is constructed from a soft flexible, and easy to clean silicone or similar skin safe material. The integrated lip 20 may provide an animal penis shaft recess 21 to accommodate the penis of a male animal. In certain embodiments, the integrated lip 20 may be removably connected to the reservoir assembly 14 as a separate cap that fits over the reservoir opening.

[0034] The two straps 16A and 16B may be integrated into the product or attached separately. In the case where the flexible straps 16A and 16B are integrated with the urine reservoir, it may be cast from the same material as the urine reservoir. One of the straps (16A) may provide adjustment holes 34 along its length for selectively and removably engaging the two straps 16A and 16B in an attached arrangement, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0035] Two straps 16A and 16B are set at an angle 52 relative to the collection reservoir assembly 14 to enable the systemic device 10 to adhere/abut to the animal torso without any gaps or slippage. The angled straps 16A and 16B are adapted to elevate the urine reservoir 18 keeping it in contact with the animal abdominal wall; in other words, the tapered nature of the angled straps 16A and 16B when fitted to the animal, adhere vertically in a slight rearward angle on the animal, to generate upward lift on the front of the reservoir assembly 14. When equipped, the angle 52 of the two straps 16A and 16B relative to the collection reservoir assembly 14 form a cone that conforms to the tapering nature of the animal torso 12 that is wider at the chest and narrower at the waist.

[0036] When viewed from the top or bottom, when in an open condition as illustrated in FIG. 3, the two straps 16A and 16B are set at an angle in relation to the remote reservoir; specifically, the two straps 16A and 16B have an acute angle of incidence 50 relative to a plane 52 that generally bisects the reservoir assembly 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and as such the two straps 16A and 16B have an acute angle of incidence relative to the reservoir assembly 14. Further, the two straps 16A and 16B angle away from collection reservoir 18 in a rearward direction, similar to the relationship between wings and fuselage of a common passenger plane. The relationship between the straps 16A and 16B and remote urine reservoir 18 form an acute anglei.e., an angle of incidence between ten and fifty degrees. It is possible for someone to argue that the bands are set at an obtuse angle when measured from the center and front. Depending on animal size, the degree of the angle will differ to best accommodate the transition cone between the animals abdominal and torso. By angling the two straps 16A and 16B in this way, the front edge is longer than the rear edge, creating a tapered effect that mirrors a deep-chested torso of the animal 12 when the systemic device 10 is fastened. In any case, the angled nature of the bands in relation to the remote urine reservoir 18 is clearly visible and advantageous to the present invention. The two straps 16A and 16B can be made from elastic, cloth, leather, silicone, rubber, or any similar material. In all embodiments, the two straps 16A and 16B are set at an angle in relation to the remote reservoir; to adapt the systemic device 10 to the animal 12, generate upward lift on the front of the reservoir assembly 14, ultimately securing the remote urine reservoir 18 over the animal's abdominal wall; and along the animal's torso 12 with minimal gaps.

[0037] The systemic device 10 may be fitted with optional electronic components and sensors to monitor animal urinary activity via Wireless technology. A corresponding software application may be associated with the electronic components and sensors to facilitate sensor operations, for the purpose of tracking animal activity and sending push notifications to a user's computing device 40 when the animal 12 urinates; thereby assisting in house breaking training, reordering of absorbent pads 28 and dispatch of caregiving services. The software application may be adapted to help monitor animal activity for house breaking or house training the animal 12.

[0038] The electronic components may include a sensor microcontroller PCB 30 or equivalent, sensor nodes for detecting moisture, associated with a wireless component 32 for receiving and transmitting wireless signals 38 to the computing device 40 and a flexible wire 30A that articulates and stretches within the systemic device 10. The sensor may include urine or moisture sensors electrically connected to sensor wires 30A and sensor nodes 30B. The computing device 40 may provide a user interface that displays all animal activity captured by the sensors.

[0039] Sensor hardware is assigned a unique device ID at the factory. A cloud server with specialized software manages communications and continuously listens for all connections from the sensor hardware, based on the unique hardware ID. When data is received from a registered hardware device, the message is sent to the push notification server. The cloud server also receives requests sent by the systemic software application and responds. The communication data of each communication is logged to the server database.

[0040] When moisture is detected, the integrated wireless function is activated and connects to the users router, sending notification information to the corresponding server. After the notification is sent, the wireless function of the hardware is hibernated to preserve battery and the hardware LED is set to indicate a moisture alert. Meanwhile, the server queries the token of the registered device, according to the device ID of the hardware, and sends a push notification to the corresponding device through the push notification server.

[0041] The sensor hardware is bound to the user and configured to access their desired network with a companion software setup application. The companion software application registers the unique hardware ID for each assigned sensor with the push notification server and the cloud server. The corresponding software allows for the efficient setup of the sensor hardware, subscribing and binding of the unique device ID to the user and simplified connection to the users wireless network. The companion software and server technology permits users to monitor an unlimited number of registered sensor hardware devices, thereby making it a suitable platform for kennel management, efficient dispatch of caregivers, and other related offerings.

[0042] A method of using the present invention may include the following. The systemic device 10 disclosed above may be provided. A user may insert an absorbent pad 28 into remote urine reservoir 18. Then the user may wrap the systemic device 10 around a waist of the animal 12 so that its penis is received in the shaft recess 21 of the reservoir assembly 14 and its urethral orifice is circumscribed by the collection reservoir 18. Then the two straps 16A and 16B may be moved to the attached arrangement around said waist and removably secured by way of a locking device 36. While being worn by the animal, the systemic device 10 may collect the discharged urine of the animal and provide the user with monitoring and tracking data by way of the user's computing device 40. In a similar manner, the sensor and notification technology can be leveraged for human use, specifically in personal care and skilled care settings where large numbers of patients will benefit from having a urine sensing device to notify and alert caregivers, thus preventing harmful infections and skin diseases.

[0043] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.