WO2004080163A1

WO2004080163A1 - Resting pad

Info

Publication number: WO2004080163A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/002666
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Roess
Original assignee: Twistringer RBM Dränfilter GmbH & Co. KG
Priority date: 2003-03-13
Filing date: 2004-03-15
Publication date: 2004-09-23
Also published as: DE10311409A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a resting pad. A generic resting pad is already known from German utility model 200 02 064.1. The aim of the invention is to improve the generic resting pad for animals in such a manner that it can at least be used in a piglet box in pig breeding. The invention relates to a resting pad for animals, especially piglets or pigs, which is characterized in that the resting pad substantially consists of natural materials and is provided at least on one side with means allowing to fix the resting pad in a box for the animals.

Description

The resting pad

The invention relates to a mattress pad. Such a lying pad is already known from DE-U-200 02 064.1. As further prior art, reference is made to DE 200 11 601, DE 34 03 930, DE 198 14 910 and DE 695 27 088.

Should such a mattress pad in special special areas such. B. are used within a piglet box of a sow husbandry, this is not possible, as tests have shown.

The invention has for its object to develop a lying pad for animals so that at least the use within a piglet box in sows is possible. The object is achieved with a couch pad with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are described in the subclaims. Furthermore, an animal box, for. B. a piglet box, described, which has means for fixing a mattress on the floor or at least one side wall of the animal box.

The invention is based on the finding that, in order to use the bed underlay within an animal box, it may U. Necessary, at least it is desirable that the mattress pad is fixed there. As a result of the fixation, the lying pad remains in the predetermined position, which is particularly necessary in livestock husbandry, so that the lying pad does not get to a location within the animal box where it should not or should not be.

The lying pad according to the invention is particularly advantageous to use in piglet husbandry and it enables the piglets, who regularly stay with the sow about up to three weeks after their birth, to feel considerably more comfortable with a lying pad according to the invention in the animal box according to the invention and also to health the piglet is better guaranteed. Finally, with the lying underlay according to the invention, the mortality rate of the piglets can be reduced within the first week after the birth in the sow housing.

There are many different options for fixing the mattress pads within the animal box. The fixation can be carried out, for example, by clamping the couch base or by other locking options. It is particularly advantageous if the locking device is designed on the outside such that the animals cannot injure themselves on it. Clamping of the lying surface is particularly advantageous for fixing. For this purpose, a clamping device, which is formed in the animal box, is first of all opened and the lying pad according to the invention is placed in the clamping area of the clamping and after clamping the lying pad is sufficiently fixed. The jamming can take place on one side of the lying surface, but also on the sides of the lying surface that abut one another.

A good clamping effect also contributes if the mattress pad has a very tear-resistant hem in the clamping area. To increase the stability of the lying pad according to the invention, the entire edge of the lying pad can also be reinforced by flanging.

In addition, it is also advantageous if the bed base is designed with a storage means for absorbing liquid. This can be, for example, a hydrogel material that binds the liquid excreted by the animals. If this material is also provided with a disinfectant substance, the liquid excreted by the animals cannot serve as the basis for a bacterial or other impurity source.

To inhibit odor, it can also be advantageous if an odor-inhibiting substance, e.g. B. a cydlodextrin is formed. Such cyclodextrins are already known from their use in shirts and T-shirts.

It is also possible, by adding an odor substance to the bed mat, that the bed mat takes on a smell that is very preferred by the animals that are supposed to lie on the bed mat.

The aforementioned measures increase the well-being of the animals individually but also in combination, which ultimately improves the rearing quality. Various examples of an animal box with a lying pad according to the invention accommodated therein are shown in the figures. In the examples shown, it goes without saying that the geometries can each be modified to the desired application.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of an animal box with a lying pad accommodated therein, FIG. 2 shows a side view along the plane A - A according to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 2.

In Figure 1, an animal box, e.g. B. to see a piglet box 1 from above. An area 2 is formed within the piglet box, in which a piglet mat 3 lies as a lying surface. This piglet mat is fixed in the intended area 2 and thus cannot be "carried around" within the piglet box by the piglets, which are usually on the piglet mat.

FIG. 2 shows how the piglet mat lies on the bottom of the animal box and is clamped on the side of a wall of the animal box. A heat lamp is formed above the piglet mat, which means that after suckling, the piglets particularly like to be below the heat lamp and thus on the piglet mat and can rest there.

FIG. 3 shows the terminal strip already indicated in FIG. 2 along the wall of the animal box. This terminal strip can be spring loaded so that it remains in the position shown and can only be folded upwards by a force pointing away from the wall, so that the piglet mat is then released.

It is also possible for hooks or other holding means to be formed on the inner wall of the animal box or on the inside of the terminal strip are that cooperate with appropriate eyelets that are embedded in the edge area of the piglet mat and hold or fix the piglet mat even better.

It is also possible that there is a particularly slip-resistant surface in the area where the piglet mat lies, so that slipping of the mat is made more difficult or completely impeded.

Positioning the piglet mat underneath the heat lamp also saves considerable energy, since the piglet mat itself also has an insulating effect on the ground and the piglets lying under the heat lamp 5 are therefore exposed to a cozy environment.

In addition to the additives already described for the piglet mat, this can also be provided with additives which have an effect which repels the taste of the piglet, so that they like to lie on the piglet mat, but do not prefer to misuse it as a biting tool.

All of the above-mentioned substances and materials of the piglet mat should be left as natural as possible so that the piglet mat can be used as fertilizer in the field after use, i.e. after the piglets have been reared, but in any case it is easily rotten without any critical residues ,

In the case of the clamping or fixing means formed in the animal box, care should be taken to ensure that they do not have any tips, edges or corners on the outside, so that any possibility of injury to the animals within the animal box is avoided, or at least greatly reduced. The bedding itself preferably consists of pure natural fiber materials, e.g. B. hemp fiber, flax fiber, straw or fiber mixtures thereof. The use of coconut fiber is also possible.

With the piglet mat itself, the individual fibers are sewn together, quilted and / or needled, so that the lying mat itself has high strength, but is still so soft that the piglets like to lie on it. So that the piglet mat can bind a large amount of moisture when necessary, it is advantageous if the shaving portion of the hemp fibers is very large, e.g. B. 5% to 70%, preferably 10% to 40% (and all deviations therefrom in the aforementioned number range) of the total hemp fiber.

The lying pad according to the invention is characterized in that it is composed entirely of natural, rotten materials. This applies to the fiber core, the covering as well as the sewing or quilting thread. This means that the lying pad according to the invention can be disposed of without residue in the natural cycle of agriculture at the end of its product life.

The fiber core of the bedding according to the invention is a non-woven fabric made exclusively of natural, organic fibers such as flax, hemp, oil straw or a mixture of the fibers thereof. Such fibers have a defined rotting process of less than 12 months and can therefore also be disposed of as fertilizer in agriculture.

As mentioned, if the nonwoven of the bedding mat contains slightly disintegrated fiber material with a high proportion of shives, high moisture absorption is possible. Cockroaches and fibers are e.g. T. still connected to each other, which ensures a high pore volume in the fiber core and leads to a high water absorption capacity of the mattress pad. The fibers' high water absorption capacity is also made possible by the lignin content in the cockroaches. For example, flax fibers can absorb 440% of their own weight in water. As a result, the entire mat remains relatively dry on the outside, even with large amounts of moisture, and is gladly accepted by the animals.

The covering of the couch pad can be formed from a stable natural fiber, in particular jute fabric. This covering is sufficiently soft and ensures a corresponding lying comfort for the animals on the surface of the lying surface.

The surface of the mattress pad is sufficiently quilted, i. H. Longitudinal and transverse stitching fixes the inserted nonwoven fabric and ensures sufficient form and structure stability of the mattress pad.

The side edges of the mattress pad are reinforced with a particularly firm seam design. A high level of wear resistance and dimensional stability of the mattress pad are ensured by special stitches in the edge area.

Since the piglets have a high need for employment after just a few days, the piglets will be happy to use the bedding for this purpose, which in turn has to be so firm that it is not destroyed immediately by the biting and tugging of the animals.

Has the lying pad in the edge areas, which lie to the inside of the piglet box, on corresponding fastened areas, e.g. B. a bite and tear-resistant hem, the piglets will particularly like to react to this and therefore refrain from reacting to their biting and chewing irritation on the other piglets. The mattress pad also reduces behavioral anomalies such as ear and tail biting and in particular increases the well-being of the animals. To increase the moisture absorption capacity, it can also make sense to embed wood wool fibers in the mattress pad.

FIG. 4 shows a lying pad which is held on one side by a clamping device. This clamping device consists of a lower layer (a sheet), which receives at least one screw, which is closed on the top with a nut or the like. In any case, the end is wider in diameter than the screw knife. Furthermore, the clamping device has an unevenly / V-shaped sheet metal in which at least one elongated hole is formed, the width of which is so large that the screw fits through the elongated hole, but not the termination of the screw. The sheet is bent so that when moving in one direction (in the picture from left to right), the entire sheet leans against the screw end and jams there, so that the front end of the sheet (in the right on the picture) also fixes the mattress pad between the underlay clamps.

If the mattress pad is to be loosened, the sheet is moved in the other direction (from right to left in the picture), so that the jamming is released and the mattress pad can be removed or a new mattress pad can be clamped in place.

For the screw connection, the clamping device can be attached to the bottom or the side wall of an animal box. The particular advantage of the clamping device is that it has no sharp edges on the outside, so that animals cannot injure it. Furthermore, the jamming is of a very simple nature, and can therefore also be solved with simple means (e.g. with an oval-shaped tool) which move the sheet metal in the fastening direction between the side wall of the animal box and the rear edge of the movable sheet metal (Fig 6). Furthermore, the clamping device is very easy to clean.

FIG. 5 shows a lying underlay in cross-section, wherein this lying underlay can, as can be seen from the picture, consist of several layers, in particular an outer coating and a core.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of an animal box, the clamping device 2 being fastened to a side wall 1 (or fastened there on the floor). The clamping device clamps the lying surface 3 (see FIG. 4). It can be seen how with a tool, e.g. B. an oval-shaped tube, which is attached in the region between the side wall and the clamping device 2, the clamping device can be moved away from the wall by rotation so that the mattress pad is clamped in the best possible way. To release the clamping device, the sheet can be pressed or pushed in the direction of the side wall, so that the lying surface is then released again.

Claims

Expectations

1.Bottom underlay for animals, in particular for piglets and pigs, whereby the bed underlay consists essentially of natural material, has an edge reinforcement on at least one side and the surface of this underlay is preferably sufficiently fixed, for example by means of longitudinally transverse stitching seams, which have sufficient shape and structural stability Ensure lying surface.

2. Lying pad according to claim, characterized in that the lounger is equipped on at least one side with means that allow the lounger to be fixed in a box for animals and preferably the means for fixing the lounger within the box consist of a thin hem that the lying pad is bounded on at least one side and can be received by clamping means which are formed in the box.

3. couch pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that eyelets are formed on at least one side of the couch pad, which cooperate with fixing hooks in the box.

4. couch pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the couch pad is largely tear-resistant at least on one side, namely where the means for fixing the couch pad are formed within the box.

5. lying pad according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lying pad has an edge reinforcement overleaf.

6. couch pad according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the couch pad has an edge fastening, which is formed by flanging the edge of the couch pad.

7. lying pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lying pad contains a large proportion of hemp material, which has a high proportion of shives, ie a high proportion of shives, for. B. 5 to 70%, preferably 10 to 40%.

8. lying pad according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that storage means for receiving liquid are formed within the lying pad.

9. lying pad according to claim 8, characterized in that the storage means is a hydrogel material.

10. lying pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an odor substance is formed within the lying pad.

11. lying pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an odor-inhibiting substance is formed in the lying pad, for. B. Cyclodextrin.

12. Animal box, in particular piglet box, with means for fixing a bedding according to one of the preceding claims on the floor or at least one side wall of the animal box.

13. Animal box according to claim 12, characterized in that the means for fixing consists of a clamping strip, which is formed on the lower side edge region of the animal box and which has a clamping leg attached to the side wall, which clamps this in the box for fixing the lying pad.

14. Animal box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that holding means are formed on the inside of the clamping leg, which hold the lying surface.