FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved flooring slat such as for an animal stand off pad and related flooring panel incorporating such. In particular, though not solely, the invention relates to a slat and to a flooring panel for an animal shelter.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There are various designs for flooring slats used for stand off pads and in animal shelters. Consideration has been given to various design aspects of such slats.

For example, some designs have focussed on improving the ease with which material such as animal fodder or animal waste to pass through gaps between the slats and into a collection chambers below. Other designs have focussed on improving the comfort of the slats for the animals standing thereon.

There is always a need for further improvements in the design of slats for such animal shelters. Improving the design of such slats may allow for increased animal wellbeing and comfort.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved flooring slat, and/ or a flooring panel providing a series of improved flooring slats such as for an animal stand of pad and/ or animal shelter which will go at least some way towards addressing the foregoing desiderata or which will at least provide the industry or public or both with a useful choice.

In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect, the present invention may be said to be a flooring slat for forming the floor for animals to stand on, the flooring formed at least by a series of two or more slats positioned extending longitudinally adjacent each other, the slat comprising:

a top animal supportive surface and a pair of opposed side walls angularly disposed away from the top surface and tapering towards each other to a bottom surface,

the top surface being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged, profile including a pair of shoulder portions adjacent the top surface and side walls, the shoulder portions being bevelled edges and sloping towards the respective side walls.

In a second aspect, the present invention may be said to be a flooring panel for forming the floor of an animal shelter and/ or stand-off pad below which there is an animal excrement collection zone, the panel comprising one or more of the flooring slats as claimed in claim 1.

In a third aspect, the present invention may be said to be a flooring panel for forming the floor of an animal shelter and/ or stand-off pad, the flooring panel comprising a plurality of adjacent, spaced apart flooring slats, each of the slats defining a top animal supportive surface and a pair of side walls angularly disposed away from the top surface and tapering towards each other to a bottom of the slat,

wherein the top surface is substantially convex is shape and includes a pair of shoulder portions adjacent the top surface and side walls, and

wherein the shoulder portions are bevelled edges and slope towards the respective side walls.

Preferably, each flooring slat is of a constant cross section.

Preferably, each flooring slat is separated from an adjacent flooring slat but a gap that is of constant size.

Preferably, two or more flooring panels are positioned adjacent each other.

Preferably, said panel is about 3510 mm in length or about 1200 mm in width or about 100 mm in depth.

Preferably, said panel is about 3510 mm in length, and about 1200 mm in width and about 100 mm in depth.

Preferably, the slat is formed of pre-stressed concrete.

Preferably, the panel is formed of pre-stressed concrete.

Preferably, the panel is formed of a high-density pre-stressed concrete.

Preferably, the panel includes one or more of lift points to facilitate the lifting of the panel. Preferably, the panel can be stacked one atop another in a part nestable manner.

Preferably, the panel includes a support or supports for supporting the panel above a collection chamber for collection of animal fodder (food) or animal waste.

Preferably, the support or supports are one or more legs extending from a perimeter or other portion of an edge of the slat or panel or their bottom.

Preferably, the top surface is raised about 5 mm above the shoulders.

Preferably, the top surface is raised between about 2 mm to about 5 mm above the shoulders.

Preferably, the top surface is raised less than about 50 mm above the shoulders.

Preferably, the top surface is raised about between 1 to 50mm above the shoulders.

Preferably, the bevelled edges are bevelled by about 5 mm below the top surface.

Preferably, the bevelled edges are bevelled by between about 5 mm to about 2 mm below the top surface.

Preferably, the bevelled edges are bevelled by less than about and between 50 to lmm below the top surface.

Preferably, the top surface being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged profile, facilitates drainage of liquid animal waste towards the gap between slats.

Preferably, the shoulders with bevelled edges of a first slat are substantially parallel to the shoulders with bevelled edges of a second slat, such edges facilitating breaking or breakage of solid animal waste or solid animal fodder (food), such as for example hay or straw, for subsequent disposal away from the top surface and through the gap between slats.

Preferably, located beneath the slat or panel is one or a series of collection or storage chambers for waste material passed from the top surface through the gaps.

Preferably, two or more slats as aligned in a side-by-side arrangement, opposed side walls of each slat together forming a central void.

Preferably, the one or more of the slats or panels form the flooring or part of the flooring of an animal shelter.

Preferably, the animal shelter is the shelter as described by any one of the following PCT/NZ2003/000195 (WO2004/022883), PCT/NZ2006/000324 (WO2007/069916), PCT/NZ2008/108669 (WO2008/108669), PCT/NZ2008/000121 (WO2008/ 147224).

In a fourth aspect, the present invention may be said to be a stand off pad such as for cows, the stand off pad elevated above a collection zone into which animal excrement of animals standing on the stand off pad can pass via slots in the stand off pad, the slots defined by a series of parallel spaced apart floor slats that are each of a cross section shape that includes a convex upper surface on which the animals can stand.

Preferably, the gap between adjacent slats widens towards the bottom of the slats.

Preferably, each slat includes two side surfaces projection away from the top surface, wherein a side surface of one slat is not parallel to the adjacent side wall of an adjacent slat, such that the distance between adjacent side walls increases at the distance from the top surface increases.

In a fifth aspect, the present invention may be said to be an animal shelter comprising the improved slat or panel as described by any of the above aspects.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification means "consisting at least in part of. When interpreting each statement in this specification that includes the term "comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" are to be interpreted in the same manner.

This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1A shows a profile view of a first embodiment of the invention according to the first aspect in which two slats are side-by-side and form a central void,

Figure IB shows a perspective view of the slats of figure 1A,

Figure 2 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention according to the second or third aspects,

Figure 3 is a side view of figure 2,

Figure 4 is an end view of figure 2, Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the invention according to any one of the first, second or third aspects, and

Figure 6 shows the stacking ability of the improved slat or panel of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This invention is designed to provide improved drainage from the top (animal) supporting surface of a floor used within an animal shelter, such as a shelter for a herd of animals. In addition, it is considered the edge portions of the slats or panels facilitate the breakage of straw or hay or other solid animal fodder such that that (waste) material laying on the top surface may be more readily or easily passed through a void into a chamber of collection facility beneath the flooring.

The slat and panel of this invention may be used with any animal shelter, although particularly preferred animal shelters are those as described by any one of

PCT/NZ2003/000195 (WO2004/022883), PCT/NZ2006/000324 (WO2007/069916), PCT/NZ2008/108669 (WO2008/108669), PCT/NZ2008/000121 (WO2008/147224), each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The following description shall now be made with reference to the accompanying drawings 1A-6.

Figure 1A shows a profile view of two slats 1 according to the invention and arranged side-by-side to form a central void space 7 through which waste material can pass to a collection chamber or facility (not shown) below the floor. Figure IB shows a perspective view of the slats 1 of figure 1, illustrating how a series of longitudinal slats 1 can be arranged in an array side-by-side to form the flooring for a shelter (not shown).

Figures 2-4 show a panel 10 according to the invention in which a series of central void spaces 7 are provided. The panel 10 including the convex or upwardly bulged profile 5 and shoulder portions 6 with their bevelled edges.

In a first embodiment, there is provided a flooring slat 1 for forming the floor of an animal shelter (not shown in-situ), the flooring formed at least by a series of two or more slats 1 aligned longitundally aside each other, the slat 1 comprising a top animal supportive surface 2 and a pair of opposed side walls 3 angularly disposed away from the top surface 2 and tapering towards each other to a bottom surface 4, the top surface 2 being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged, profile 5 including a pair of shoulder portions 6 adjacent the top surface 2 and side walls 3, the shoulder portions 6 being bevelled edges and sloping towards the respective side walls 3. In a second embodiment there is provided a flooring panel 10 for forming the floor of an animal shelter (not shown), the panel 10 including one or more of flooring slats 1, a flooring slat 1 comprising a top animal supportive surface 2 and a pair of opposed side walls 3 angularly disposed away from the top surface 2 and tapering towards each other to a bottom surface 4, the top surface 2 being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged, profile 5 including a pair of shoulder portions 6 adjacent the top surface 2 and side walls 3, the shoulder portions 6 being bevelled edges and sloping towards the respective side walls 3.

In a third embodiment there is provided a flooring panel 10 for forming the floor of an animal shelter (not shown), the panel 10 including one or more flooring slats 1 or edge portions thereof (for example the longitudinal edges of figure 2), each of the slats 1 defining a void space 7 about which is a top animal supportive surface 2 and a pair of opposed side walls 3 angularly disposed away from the top surface 2 and tapering towards each other to a bottom surface 4, the top surface 2 being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged, profile 5 including a pair of shoulder portions 6 adjacent the top surface 2 and side walls 3, the shoulder portions 6 being bevelled edges and sloping towards the respective side walls 3.

It should be appreciated two or more flooring panels 10 can be aligned beside each other such that alignment of the panels allows formation of floor, portions of respective edges of the panels 10 forming further slats 1 or parts of a panel 10. Such respective edges are labelled as 12 in figure 2.

In various embodiments of the invention, particularly preferred dimensions of a panel 10 according to the invention can be a panel 10 of about 3510 mm in length or about 1200 mm in width or about 100 mm in depth. In one particular example, a panel 10 is provided having the following dimensions: about 3510 mm in length, about 1200 mm in width and about 100 mm in depth.

The slats 1 and panel 10 are advantageously formed of pre-stressed concrete. Most desirable is a high-density pre-stressed concrete, for example a slat 1 or panel 10 formed having a uniformly distributed live load of about 5 kPa (or about 2.1 tonnes evenly spread over the entire top surface). It will be appreciated other forms and types of materials may be utilised. However, high density pre-stressed concrete may provide the most economical of material forms.

As the slats 1 or panel 10 is designed for the formation of an entire or at least part of a floor of an animal shelter, it is useful for the slats 1 or panel 10 to be transportable or at least portable via mechanical devices, such as by a tractor or by lifting using the forks (tines) of a fork-lifter. Therefore, it is advantageous if the improved slat 1 or panel 10 includes at least one or a series of lift points, the lift points for lifting the slat or panel with the forks of a fork-lifter. Similarly, strengthened portions of the slats 1 or panel 10 may be provided for accepting of point loads. For example, point loads accepting of about 500 kg weight may be provided across the slat 1 or panel 10, point loads may further for example be distributed about 900 mm apart across the slat 1 or panel 10. It will be appreciated other lifting or transport methods may be employed, for example a series of lift eyelets may be incorporated as a feature of the slat 1 or panel 10 design.

As illustrated by figure 6, slats 1 or panels 10 can be arranged in a manner allowing them to be stacked one atop the other, or are at least stackable for reducing an overall volume of storage, for example for transport purposes.

The slats 1 or panel 10 of the invention are designed for forming the flooring of an animal shelter. In this respect, the slats 1 or panel 10 need to be configured or configurable for resting on the rim of a collection chamber located underneath the flooring. The slat 1 or panel 10 therefore can include a support or supports for supporting the slat 1 or panel 1- above a lower-most (collection) chamber or facility. For example, a chamber for collection of animal fodder (food) or animal waste can be a concrete bunker type facility having a recessed upper rim or edge or top edge surface upon which the slats 1 or panel 10 can rest or be located or are locatable. The support or supports from the slat 1 or panel 10 can be of the form of one or more legs extending from a perimeter or other portion of an edge 12 of the slat 1 or panel 10 or their bottom surface 4.

As shown particularly clearly by figure 1, the top surface 2 is raised above the shoulders 6 in an upwardly bulged or convex profile 5. In one example, the top surface 2 is raised about 5 mm above the shoulders 6, although other examples include the top surface 2 raised between about 2 mm to about 5 mm above the shoulders 6, or raised by less than about 50 mm above the shoulders 6. Alternatively, the top surface 2 can be raised about 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31,30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 mm above the shoulders 6.

Design of the profile of the top surface 2, being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged, profile assists in facilitating drainage of liquid animal waste towards the void 7. Further, the top surface 2 being of a substantially convex, or upwardly bulged, profile facilitates drainage of animal fodder (food) towards the void 7. As also illustrated by the figures, the shoulders 6 have a bevelled edge. The bevelled edge may be a reduction in height from the top surface 2 by about 5 mm. In one example, the bevelled edges are bevelled by between about 2 mm to about 5 mm below the top surface 2. Alternatively, the bevelled edges can be bevelled to be less than about 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31,30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 mm below the top surface 2.

In forming a floor from multiple slats 1 or the panel 10, the shoulders 6 with bevelled edges of a first slat (or a first slat portion in a panel 10) are placed (or located) substantially parallel to the shoulders 6 with bevelled edges of a second slat (or a second slat portion in a panel 10), such that the slats 1 adjoining edges 12 facilitate breaking or breakage of solid animal waste or solid animal fodder (food). For example, hay or straw can be pushed by animal's hooves towards the void 7, the shoulders 6 with bevelled edges providing for a generally cutting surface of the straw or hay or other solid waste, for subsequent disposal away from the top surface and through the void 7. Importantly, the adjoining angles of the bevelled edges of the shoulders 6 do not impact on the hoof of an animal.

Alignment of two slats 1 side-by-side (as shown in figure 1) provides for a central void 7, or the panel 10 includes central voids 7 (as shown in figure 2). The central void is dimensioned for allowing animal fodder (food) or animal waste, or both, to pass from the top surface 2 through the void 7, which can then fall into the chamber or collection facility below the floor.

Located beneath the slat or panel is one or a series of collection or storage chambers for waste material passed from the top surface 2 through the void 7. Likewise, a series of passages or other chambers can be used to direct flow of waste material away from beneath the flooring and away from the animals.

As discussed above, two or more slats 1 can be aligned in a side-by-side arrangement (such as the arrangement of figure 1), their opposed side walls 3 of each slat 1 together forming a central void 7 between each of the shoulders 6.

It will be appreciated the one or more of the slats 1 or panels 10 form the flooring or part of the flooring of an animal shelter. Such animal shelters may be particularly those as described by any one of the following: PCT/NZ2003/000195 (WO2004/022883), PCT/NZ2006/000324 (WO2007/069916), PCT/NZ2008/108669 (WO2008/108669), PCT/NZ2008/000121 (WO2008/ 147224), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred forms thereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.