Patent Application
20220132807
The present invention relates to animal harnesses and more specifically to a linking assembly for interconnecting the forechest straps of certain types of animal harnesses.
The need for a comfortable non-chaffing animal harness which also advance good control of the animal, when paired with a leash, has been the motivation for a multitude of harness designs. Some of those harness designs incorporate a pair of straps which descend over the forechest of the animal from a variety of assemblies over the animal's withers or other harness structures. Typically, the descending forechest straps are then routed under the animal's forelegs to connect with another part of the harness. In order to maintain the forechest straps in position, the straps are typically interconnected over the forechest. Such interconnection can take several forms including a pad, a section of mesh or other device which will interconnect the straps but at the same time provide the forechest straps with the freedom to move lengthwise with respect to one another. A traditional triglide slide that interconnects the forechest straps is one such device. One disadvantage of a connecting device such as the triglide slide is that the forechest straps are bound close together in a V shaped configuration which causes chaffing on the animal's forechest as the animal moves.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is provide an interconnection of the forechest straps of an animal harness that spreads the straps to avoid a V shape of the interconnection and also allows the straps to move longitudinally with respect to one another. Yet another and significant object of the invention is to provide an elastic linkage for harness forechest straps that allows expansion and reduction of the distance between the straps to accommodate the animal's natural movements and offer increased comfort to the animal.
In an animal harness having spaced apart forechest straps, a link interconnecting the forechest straps which link includes an elongated elastic band whose terminal ends are slidingly attached to the respective forechest straps, together with a paired elongated non-elastic band whose terminal ends are also slidingly attached to the respective forechest straps and is of greater length than the elastic band in its quiescent condition.
An example of a prior art connecting link is shown in
Facing the web member 35 is an elastic band 40 disposed behind the web member and in between the modified triglide slides 18 and 20. The terminal ends of the elastic band are secured between the stitched-together folded-back ends 33 and the body of the web member 35. The length of the elastic band 40, between the points of attachment of its terminal ends, in its quiescent non-stretched condition, is shorter than the length of the non-elastic web member 35 between its secured folded-back ends. The discrepancy in lengths of the elastic band and the non-elastic web member creates a bow 43 in the web member.
The objective of flexibility in the connecting link, when the harnessed animal is in motion, is created when the elastic band 40 stretches to allow the forechest straps to separate. As the band 40 stretches the bow 43 in the web member 35 tends to straighten and ultimately comes to its straight length, thus limiting the stretch of the elastic band and limiting the separation of the forechest straps. In addition to its separation-limiting function, the web member acts as a back-up structure to keep the forechest straps together in the event the elastic band should fail.
