CN1066010C - Synthetic Stable Bedding - Google Patents

Abstract

A floor/wall mat suitable for, but not limited to, stables, pens, rafts and the like. The floor/wall mat has an upper covering layer of a stab resistant, water impermeable material and a compressible support layer. The mat is perforated with apertures for passage of livestock excretions or debris from the mat surface into the drainage channels extending along the underside of the mat. The pad provides excellent body and heat insulation and sanitary conditions. The present floor/wall mat may be used in conjunction with a flushing system adjacent the drain channel to flush waste and debris that has passed through the holes of the floor/wall mat out of the drain channel to a septic tank or sewer outlet.

Description

Synthetic Stable Bedding

The present invention relates to floor/wall coverings suitable for, but not limited to, livestock use, particularly stalls, stables, boxes, pens or rafts for housing or transporting livestock.

Most pens, stables, boxes, pens, or rafts for livestock, such as horses, pigs, and cattle, are lined with straw or similar loose-grained bedding material to insulate the livestock from the hard, often cold, ground open and absorb livestock excrement and debris.

In order to ensure the cleanliness of this traditional bedding material and prevent the spread of disease, replacement material must be continuously provided, and used material in the stable or pen must be continuously removed and disposed of. Not only is conventional straw or other loose-grained bedding expensive to purchase and transport, especially in remote and barren areas, but disposing of large quantities of bedding soaked with livestock manure is also expensive.

Additionally, traditional loose bedding such as straw, wood shavings, sawdust, etc. is not effective at protecting and isolating stable floors and walls. Once traditional bedding has been laid in a stable, it is often dispersed by the animals leaving the floor exposed. Additionally, straw or other loose-grained bedding can cause animals to slip and fall as they move around in stalls or stalls. This is especially true for horses trying to stand up. Traditional straw, wood shavings or sawdust bedding tends to be slippery on stall floors, especially when the bedding is wet. When a horse tries to stand up, it tends to trap the pads under its hooves, which can cause it to fall and potentially injure itself.

In an attempt to overcome the problems with traditional straw, sawdust or wood shavings, an alternative bedding in the form of mats laid in sections or cut to standard sizes for pens or stables has been suggested in the past.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,097 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,145 disclose a stable floor for livestock comprising a layer of compressible porous fibrous material buried in a Inside a top impermeable layer.

While such mats provide reasonable stall floor insulation, there is no mechanism for removing animal waste or debris from the stall. The mats of U.S. Patents 4,129,097 and 4,502,415 require manual collection of all livestock excrement and crumbs, dirt, etc. on the mat and throwing away. Another method is to remove the mat itself from the stall entirely and rinse it.

In addition, the mats disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,129,097 and 4,502,415 will allow any livestock waste or matter that falls below the top layer to be absorbed and retained by the porous fibrous compressible layer. Absorption of animal excreta results in unacceptably poor conditions for both livestock and stable workers. Not only does the smell become intolerable, but leaving excrement under the mat will undoubtedly contribute to the spread of disease.

In order to overcome these difficulties, German Patent Publication No. 2,649,054 proposes the use of a water-impermeable closed-cell foam material with openings through which livestock excrement and debris can pass. However, the above-mentioned problems still exist because such mats do not provide any mechanism for removing material passing through the above-mentioned holes.

Furthermore, these prior art mats are very thin, eg 10-40mm thick. This thickness is not sufficient to physically and thermally insulate the animal from the stall floor and walls. In order to overcome these difficulties, the mats of U.S. Patents 4,129,097 and 4,502,415 and German Patent Publication No. 2,649,054 will also be combined with traditional bedding materials such as straw, shavings, sawdust, etc. , which leads to all of the above-discussed difficulties associated with supplying and removing conventional bedding.

In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, we propose an alternative to the prior art, providing a floor/wall covering which, at least in preferred embodiments, provides sufficient physical and thermal insulation for livestock, It also eliminates the need for supplementary traditional bedding while effectively removing livestock excrement and/or residue.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a floor/wall mat comprising a compressible support layer having an upper cover layer of permeable and puncture-resistant material, said mat having a plurality of holes sized at least to allow livestock Fluid excreta pass through the holes from the upper cover of the mat into a plurality of drainage channels extending along the underside of the mat formed in the underside of the support layer or in the mat-covered wall in situ or within the ground.

In one embodiment, the support layer is comprised of a substantially water impermeable closed cell foam material. Particularly suitable closed-cell foam materials include ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene-propylene-triethylene monomer (E.P.D.M.), styrene-butadiene rubber (S.B.R.), polyisoprene, neoprene, or polyethylene.

In another embodiment, the upper covering layer is formed of a puncture-resistant rubber layer, preferably having a thickness between 1 and 10 mm. While the thickness of the support layer will vary according to the application, in order to provide adequate physical and thermal isolation, the thickness of the support layer is preferably between 30 and 80 mm.

In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a floor/wall covering and cleaning assembly comprising a floor/wall mat as described above and a flushing system adjacent to a discharge channel of said floor/wall mat for flushing through said floor/wall mat. drain the excrement or debris from the holes in the floor/wall mat and out the drain channel.

In a first embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the flushing system comprises a pipe extending along the end edge of said floor/wall, a plurality of holes in said pipe, aligned with said discharge channels, to force flushing Liquid flows along the channel.

It is contemplated that these drain channels may be flushed with any suitable liquid, including water, disinfectant or sterilant.

In order to facilitate the flushing of livestock excrement or debris in the discharge channel, it is preferable to have the piping of the flushing system extend along the upper part of the floor/wall covered by the mat of the present invention so as to force the flushing liquid to flow along the discharge channel to the The ground below the upper part or the lower part of a wall.

The mat and covering/cleaning assembly of the second aspect can completely replace traditional granular bedding in a stable or stall. Accordingly, the mats of the present invention eliminate the need for transportation and removal of conventional loose-grained mats. This greatly reduces the amount of labor required for maintenance and cleaning in the stall.

The mattress of the present invention can be made dust free, shock absorbing and more hygienic than any other conventional form of granular mattress. Additionally, the mat does not spread around like conventional loose-grained underlayment and ensures that the entire area where the mat is laid is adequately covered. The non-slip surface of the top cover also helps the animals stand up and move around the stall since the mat does not move relative to the stall floor, unlike conventional loose-grain bedding.

Any livestock waste or debris like stones, dirt etc. can be hosed down through the holes in the pad of the present invention into the drain channel and from the drain channel to the sewer outlet. The removal of livestock waste or debris from the run can be facilitated by the use of a flushing system that forces flushing fluid down the run.

In addition to providing thermal and body insulation, the mat of the present invention provides a more hygienic environment than conventional granular mats due to the instant removal of livestock waste debris and non-absorbent properties of the mat. Makes scratched or bruised livestock less likely to be infected.

In addition, unlike past alternative bedding, the bedding of the present invention does not allow urine or other livestock waste to accumulate under the bedding. Unlike the present invention, conventional bedding allows urine and other livestock excreta to accumulate and ferment beneath the bedding, increasing the temperature beneath the conventional bedding, which may lead to spontaneous combustion. Additionally, the buildup of urine or other livestock waste allows maggots to breed beneath traditional bedding.

Utilizing the through-holes in the mat of the present invention leading to the drainage channel beneath the mat allows all urine and other livestock waste to pass through the mat and follow the drainage channel to the appropriate sewer outlet. The force created by the animals walking back and forth on the mat acts to circulate air through the underside of the mat, thus preventing the fermentation of animal waste. Additionally, the second aspect of the present invention may allow for periodic flushing of livestock excrement under the mat, ensuring that it does not build up and cause maggots to multiply.

The mats of the present invention are lightweight and easy to handle and transport. The pads can be cut to size or prefabricated in length.

Although the mat of the present invention is particularly suitable for holding or transporting livestock, it can also be used in places such as children's playgrounds, where the mat also serves to isolate the child's body from the surrounding environment while ensuring hygienic conditions.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a perspective view of a floor/wall mat according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the floor/wall pad of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end sectional view of the floor/wall mat of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the floor/wall mat of Figures 1, 2 and 3;

5, 6 and 7 are plan, end and bottom sectional views, respectively, of a floor/wall mat according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a plan view of a floor/wall covering and cleaning assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a flushing system for use with the floor/wall mat of Figures 1-7;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the irrigation system of FIG. 9 .

The present invention comprises a floor/wall mat 10 which is particularly useful, but not limited to, for covering the floor or walls of pens, stalls, pens, boxes or rafts for pens or transporting livestock.

FIG. 1 shows a livestock stable 20 defined by a stable floor 21 and stable walls 22 . The stable floor 21 is covered by the floor mat 10 of the present invention. As explained below, the mat of the present invention is also suitable for covering the stable wall 22 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the stable floor 21 is covered by a plurality of mats 11 . It should be noted that the stable floor 21 or wall 22 may be covered by a number of individual pieces of mat 11, or a single piece of the inventive mat 10 may be cut to size to precisely cover the stable floor 21 or wall 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4 , the floor/wall mat of the present invention includes an upper cover layer of impermeable and puncture resistant material 30 overlying a compressible support layer 40 . The cover layer 30 used in the present invention is preferably made of puncture-resistant rubber, which not only prevents damage to the floor/wall mat 10, but also evenly distributes the force exerted by the hooves of the livestock.

Similarly, support layer 40 may be constructed of any suitable compressible material. One particular material that has proven to be most effective is closed-cell foam that is substantially impervious to water. The use of such closed cell foam ensures that livestock waste, debris and water do not saturate the support layer 40 .

A particularly suitable closed cell foam layer is ethylene vinyl acetate. Table 1 details the performance characteristics of the anti-corrosion ethylene vinyl acetate foam. Note, however, that these values can vary by up to ±500% depending on the application of the inventive pad. Property Value Test Method Density kg/M ³ 75 JISK 6767 Tensile Strength kPa 700 JISK 6767 Elongation % 150 JISK 6767 Compressive Hardness kPa 80 JISK 6767 Tear Strength N/cm 40 JISK 6767 Water Absorption gms/cm ³ 0.001 JISK 6767 Compression Set% 4 JISK 6767 Table 1--EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) Closed Cell Foam ^* JISK--Japanese Industrial Standard Testing Method

Other types of materials can also be used to make the support layer 40, including polyisoprene, neoprene, polyethylene, E.P.D.M. (ethylene propylene diene monomer), and S.B.R. (styrene butadiene rubber).

A plurality of holes 50 extend from the upper surface of the pad to a plurality of drain channels 60 extending along the underside of said pad 10 . These holes are sized to allow livestock waste or debris, such as stones, dirt, etc. to flow down from the upper surface of the pad 10 to the drain channel 60 .

In this embodiment, the discharge channel 60 is integrally formed on the lower side of the supporting layer 40 . It is also conceivable, however, that the drainage channel may be formed in the floor or wall covered by the mat 10 of the present invention. As mentioned above, the floor 21 or wall 22 can also be covered by a single mat cut to size, or it can be covered by a plurality of mats 11 which, as shown in FIGS. Simply abutted together, or it could also be provided with a tongue and groove or any other suitable connection mechanism on the longitudinal edges of the pad 11 to ensure a secure connection.

The mat of the present invention is installed as follows. First, all loose bedding must be removed from the stall or stall and the walls and floors must be hosed down. The mat 10 is then simply laid down on the area to be covered. As mentioned above, the mats can be supplied in single sheets and cut to size or laid next to each other in standard widths. On the stall floor 21 shown in Figure 1, it is not necessary to attach the mat to the floor. Of course, if it is desired to attach the pad to the wall 22, attachment forms such as hooks, glue, etc. may be used.

The drainage channel 60 extends along the entire length of the floor/wall mat 10, preferably from the highest point of the stall floor 21 (typically at the rear) to the lowest point of the stall floor 21 (typically at the front). Once the mat of the present invention has been laid in this manner, the excrement or debris of the livestock on the mat 11 can be flushed into the hole 50 by means of a hose, from which it falls into the discharge channel 60 and out the front of the stall. sewer exit.

Of course, the size, shape and orientation of the floor/wall pad can vary depending on the intended use. For example, the applicant has found that a 6mm rubber layer, 60mm support layer (including a drainage channel about 20mm high) is particularly suitable for horses. The diameter of the hole 50 is also set at 20 mm to match the discharge channel. It will be appreciated, however, that these dimensions may vary widely depending on the use of the pad. In general, the greater the load applied to the mat of the present invention, the thicker or denser the mat should be. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a mat that is thick or dense enough to maintain thermal and physical insulation for pigs may not be sufficient to provide adequate physical and thermal insulation for horses or cattle. Applicants can therefore envisage that the different densities and thicknesses of the upper cover layer, compressible support layer and drainage channels will vary according to the desired use. For example, the thickness of the rubber layer may be between 1 and 10 mm, the thickness of the support layer between 30 and 80 mm, and the thickness of the discharge channel between 10 and 30 mm.

Referring now to Figures 5-7, these figures show another embodiment of the present invention in which the rubber layer 30 includes a plurality of corrugations. The lowest points of these corrugations are aligned with the holes 50 , allowing material on the crests of the rubber layer to fall into the holes 50 and down through the discharge channel 60 . In this case, the drainage channels may also be formed in a separate layer of the compressible support layer 40 . As shown in this embodiment, the vent channels 60 may be formed in a layer of material having a higher density than the support layer 40 so that when a force is applied to the upper surface of the pad 10, the height of the vent channels does not change.

The hole 50 of FIGS. 5-7 has a square cross-section, whereas the hole 50 of FIGS. 2-4 is circular in cross-section. It is envisioned that the apertures 50 and discharge passages 60 may be of any shape or configuration that permits easy passage of livestock waste or debris.

The pads of FIGS. 5-7 also provide a different configuration of the discharge channel 60 . In this embodiment, the pad 10 of the present invention has two sets of parallel discharge channels extending at right angles to each other. The holes 50 are aligned with the intersection between the two sets of discharge channels.

When installing the floor/wall pad, it is preferable to let the discharge channel 60 drop with the stall floor or wall. The floor of most stalls or pens is slightly sloped to allow water to flow off the floor of the stall. In most cases, this slope extends sloping down towards the front of the stall. Therefore, when the mat 10 is installed and positioned, the discharge channel is inclined with the stall floor, as shown in FIG. 1 .

When attaching the floor/wall pad to the wall of a stable, pen or raft etc., the discharge channel 60 should extend vertically.

The embodiment of Figures 5-7 is very useful where the stall floor has only a slight slope angle, or it is possible to have the stall floor slope both to the front and to one side. Since the drainage channels extend longitudinally and laterally along the mat 10 of the present invention, livestock excrement or debris in the drainage channels can flow laterally, longitudinally and obliquely along the underside of the mat of the present invention.

Another aspect of the invention is the floor/wall covering and cleaning assembly shown in Figures 8-10. The covering and cleaning assembly ensures that any feces or debris falling into the hole 50 is flushed through the discharge channel 60 to a sewer outlet.

Referring first again to FIG. 8 , the floor/wall covering and cleaning assembly includes the pad 10 of the present invention described above in combination with a flushing system located near the edge 12 of the pad 10 . The flushing system is used to flush any material passing through the holes of the floor/wall mat 10 in the discharge channel.

The irrigation system includes a fluid conduit 70 disposed along the end edge 12 of the pad 10 of the present invention.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in order to force the flushing fluid to flow along these channels, the conduit 70 has outlets 71 aligned with the discharge passages 60, so that all livestock waste, debris, dirt, etc. flow with the flushing fluid. Outlet to septic tank or sewer.

As shown in FIG. 10 , a groove 13 is preferably provided on the underside of the pad 10 in order to fix the flushing pipe 70 . In this way, the floor/wall mat 10 does not leave the duct 70 exposed. The conduit 70 does not cause injury to the livestock, which in turn prevents the conduit 70 from being damaged. Grooves 13 are preferably formed at both ends of the pad of the present invention. This way the pads can be laid in reverse for even wear on both sides. In addition, grooves 13 at both ends further provide a lateral drainage channel for fluid flowing to the front of the stall towards the outlet of the stall. Although in most cases water can simply be used to remove all debris within drain passage 60, sometimes a disinfectant or sanitizer must be included to prevent the spread of disease.

The flushing system can be used continuously or intermittently. Conduit 70 and outlet 71 may be suitably sized to match the particular discharge passage, and the system may be supplied with fluid from the mains pressure source or a pump or tank. The flushing system can be a mesh structure, and the discharge channels can be flushed individually or in groups.

In Figure 8, the flushing pipe 70 includes a connecting pipe 72 extending to the front of the stall floor. The end of the connecting pipe 72 can be provided with a hose connection for intermittent flushing of the stall floor. In addition, an upwardly extending elbow can be provided on the flushing pipe 70, which is located at the rear end of the stall for connection to a hose or main pressure source for flushing the floor of the stall. When connecting to the pad of the present invention of Figs. 5-7, the connecting tube 72 may also be provided with an outlet 71 to force the flushing fluid to flow along the laterally and longitudinally extending discharge channels.

The mat and covering and cleaning assembly of the present invention can be used anywhere physical and thermal isolation from a floor or wall is required.

The invention is particularly applicable where physical and thermal isolation of livestock from their surroundings is required, both in permanent premises such as stables, stalls etc. and in means of transporting livestock such as ramps, fences, rafts etc.

The present invention may also find application in children's playgrounds and the like, where the physical and thermal protection and sanitation provided by the pad and cover cleaning assembly of the present invention would be most desirable.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and/or improvements may be made to the invention shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention should be considered in all respects as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims (11)

1. A floor/wall mat comprising a compressible support layer having an upper cover of impermeable and puncture resistant material, characterized in that said mat has a plurality of through holes sized to allow the passage of liquid animal waste And from the upper cover layer of the mat into some drainage channels extending along the underside of the mat formed in the underside of the supporting layer or in the wall or floor covered by the mat on site. 2. 3. The floor/wall underlayment of claim 1 wherein said support layer is constructed of a water impermeable closed cell foam material. 3. 3. Floor/wall mat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said support layer has a thickness between 30 and 80 mm. 4. 2. Floor/wall mat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said covering layer consists of puncture-resistant rubber having a thickness between 1 and 10 mm. 5. 1. The floor/wall mat according to claim 1, wherein said discharge channel is formed of a plurality of parallel channels adapted to extend in a downward direction along the slope of the floor or wall to facilitate drainage of excreta. 6. Floor/wall mat according to claim 2, characterized in that said closed cell foam material is selected from ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene propylene diene monomer (E.P.D.M.), styrene butadiene rubber (S.B.R.), polyisoprene, Choose from neoprene or polyethylene. 7. A floor/wall mat according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5, 6, further comprising a flushing system having flushing means adjacent to the discharge channel of said floor/wall mat, suitable for To flush out the drain channels of feces and debris that have passed through the holes of the floor/wall mat. 8. The floor/wall mat according to claim 7, wherein said flushing means includes a duct extending along an edge of said floor/wall mat, and said duct has a plurality of holes aligned with said discharge channel. holes to force the flushing fluid to flow along the channel. 9. 8. A floor/wall mat according to claim 8, wherein said flushing fluid is water. 10. 8. Floor/wall mat according to claim 8, characterized in that said rinsing liquid comprises a disinfectant or a bactericide. 11. 8. The floor/wall mat of claim 8, wherein said conduit extends along an upper portion of the floor/wall to force liquid to flow along said discharge channel to a lower portion beneath said upper portion.

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