Pet protective collar with stays

Abstract

A flexible pet protective collar having stays formed of a more rigid material than flexible sheets of the collar, the stays being disposed inside channels located at seams of the collar.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising:
 a layered assembly comprising:
 a first sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material having inner and outer arcuate edges extending between a first end and a second end of the first sheet, the inner and outer arcuate edges comprising single circular arcs, wherein the outer arcuate edge has a substantially greater radius than the inner edge; 
 a second sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material and having a substantially similar shape to that of the first sheet; 
 a flexible resilient padding layer, forming a generally similar shape to the first and second sheets located between said first and second sheets, such that when assembled the first and second sheets and the padding layer form the layered assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end; 
 at least one stay connected to one of the sheets, for preventing the sheet from folding, the stay being effective to stiffen the overall shape of the collar; 
 a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the layered assembly; 
 the first sheet and the second sheet and the padding layer between them being formed into the assembly by securing together the outer arcuate edges and the inner arcuate edges and the first and second ends of the first and second sheets; 
 a closure, effective to secure the first and second ends of the protective collar, such that when the first and second ends of the protective collar are secured, a closed configuration is formed having an inner opening and an outer opening, the inner opening being substantially smaller than the outer opening, wherein the outer opening is configured to encompass the wearer's head and the inner opening is configured to encompass a wearer's neck but not the head; 
 wherein the protective collar is sized and shaped to encompass both the wearer's head and neck on different parts of the restraint. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The protective collar of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of radial stitching lines at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the layered assembly, operative to effectively segment the collar into panels, and such that the stitches are further effective as fold lines in order to easily fold the collar for packaging or storage; 
 wherein at least one channelof the channels is disposed along a radial stitching line, the at least one channel being configured to receive the stay. 
 
     
     
       3. The protective collar of claim  2  1, wherein the channels further comprise an opening corresponding channel openings disposed along the smaller circumference side inner arcuate edge of the collar layered assembly. 
     
     
       4. The protective collar of  claim 3 , wherein the channel openings to the channels having a closure mechanism. 
     
     
       5. The protective collar of  claim 3 , wherein the channel openings to the channels having a closure mechanism disposed inside the channel near the opening and completely across the opening. 
     
     
       6. The protective collar of  claim 5 , wherein the channels are formed on an outside surface of a sheet. 
     
     
       7. The protective collar of  claim 5 , wherein the channels are formed between the first and second sheet. 
     
     
       8. The protective collar of  claim 3 , wherein disposed in front of the opening is a piece of loop material for partially occluding the opening to assist in preventing unwanted escape of the stay during use of the collar. 
     
     
       9. A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising:
 a flexible assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end;   at least one stay connected to the assembly and extending in a direction between the inner and outer arcuate edges, the stay formed of a material stiffer than that of the flexible assembly;   a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the assembly.   
     
     
       10. The protective collar of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of radial stitching lines at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the assembly, operative to effectively segment the collar into panels, and such that the stitches are further effective as fold lines in order to easily fold the collar for packaging or storage;   at least one channel disposed along a radial stitching line, the channel being configured to house the stay.   
     
     
       11. The protective collar of  claim 10 , A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising:
 a flexible assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end; 
 at least one stay connected to the flexible assembly and extending in a direction between the inner and outer arcuate edges, the stay formed of a material stiffer than that of the flexible assembly; 
 a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the flexible assembly; 
 a plurality of radial stitching lines at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the flexible assembly, operative to effectively segment the collar into panels, and such that the stitches are further effective as fold lines in order to easily fold the collar for packaging or storage; 
 at least one channel disposed along a radial stitching line, the channel being configured to house the stay;  
 wherein the channels further comprise an opening respective openingsdisposed along the smaller circumference side inner arcuate edge of the collar. 
 
     
     
       12. The protective collar of  claim 11 , wherein the channel openings to the channels having a closure mechanism. 
     
     
       13. The protective collar of  claim 12 , wherein the channel openings to the channels having a closure mechanism is disposed inside the channel near the opening and completely across the opening. 
     
     
       14. The protective collar of  claim 12 , wherein disposed in front of the opening is a an optional piece of loop material for partially occluding the opening to assist in preventing unwanted escape of the stay during use of the collar. 
     
     
       15. The protective collar of  claim 14 , wherein the channels are formed on an outside surface of a sheet. 
     
     
       16. The protective collar of  claim 14 , wherein the channels are formed between the first and second sheet sheets. 
     
     
       17. A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising:
 a layered assembly comprising:
 a first sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material having inner and outer arcuate edges extending between a first and second end of the first sheet, the inner and outer arcuate edges comprising circular arcs, wherein the outer arcuate edge has a substantially greater radius than the inner edge; 
 a second sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material and having a substantially similar shape to that of the first sheet; 
 wherein when assembled, the first and second sheets form the layered assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end; 
 at least one stay connected to the assembly and extending in a direction between the inner and outer arcuate edges, the stay formed of a material stiffer than that of the flexible assembly; 
 a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the assembly; 
 the first sheet and the second sheet formed into the assembly by securing together the outer arcuate edges and the inner arcuate edges and the first and second ends of the first and second sheets; 
 a closure, effective to secure the first and second ends of the protective collar, such that when the first and second ends of the protective collar are secured a closed configuration is formed having an inner opening and an outer opening, the inner opening being smaller than the outer opening to provide a truncated cone shape. 
   
     
     
       18. A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising:
 a layered assembly comprising:   a first sheet and a second sheet;   at least one stay connected to one of the sheets, for preventing the sheet from bending back on itself, the stay being effective to stiffen the overall shape of the collar;   at least one channel containing the at least one stay, the channel at least partially extending between inner and outer edges of the layered assembly, the channel being configured to receive the stay; and   a closure, effective to secure first and second ends of the protective collar;   wherein the at least one stay is removable from at the least one channel further comprising an opening.    
     
     
       19. The protective collar of claim 18, wherein the opening has an occluding mechanism.  
     
     
       20. The protective collar of claim 18, wherein the opening has an occluding mechanism disposed inside the channel near the opening and completely across the opening.  
     
     
       21. The protective collar of claim 20, wherein the at least one channel is formed on an outside surface of a sheet.  
     
     
       22. The protective collar of claim 20, wherein the at least one channel is formed between the first and second sheet.  
     
     
       23. The protective collar of claim 18, wherein disposed in front of the opening is a piece of loop material for partially occluding the opening to assist in preventing unwanted escape of the stay during use of the collar.  
     
     
       24. The protective collar of claim 18, further comprising at least one radial stitching line at least partially extending between the inner edge and the outer edge of the layered assembly, operative to effectively segment the collar into panels, and such that the at least one stitching line is further effective as at least one fold line in order to easily fold the collar for packaging or storage.  
     
     
       25. The protective collar of claim 18, wherein the opening is disposed along the inner edge of the layered assembly.  
     
     
       26. A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising:
 a flexible assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end;   at least one stay connected to the assembly and extending in a direction between the inner and outer arcuate edges, for preventing the flexible assembly from folding, the stay formed of a material stiffer than that of the flexible assembly; and   at least one channel containing a stay, the channel at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the assembly;   wherein the at least one stay is removable from at the least one channel further comprising an opening.    
     
     
       27. The protective collar of claim 26, wherein the opening has an occluding mechanism.  
     
     
       28. The protective collar of claim 27, wherein the occluding mechanism disposed is inside the channel near the opening and completely across the opening.  
     
     
       29. The protective collar of claim 27, wherein disposed in front of the opening is an optional piece of loop material for partially occluding the opening to assist in preventing unwanted escape of the stay during use of the collar.  
     
     
       30. The protective collar of claim 29, wherein the at least one channel is formed on an outside surface of a sheet.  
     
     
       31. The protective collar of claim 29, wherein the channel is formed between the first and second sheet.  
     
     
       32. The protective collar of claim 26, further comprising at least one radial stitching line at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the assembly, operative to effectively segment the collar into panels, and such that the at least one radial stitching line is further effective as at least one fold line in order to easily fold the collar for packaging or storage; and
 at least one channel disposed along the at least one radial stitching line, the channel being configured to house the stay.    
     
     
       33. The protective collar of claim 26, wherein the opening is disposed along the inner arcuate edge.