Patent Application
20160066541
The present invention relates to animal restraints typically used by groomers, veterinarians and the like to limit the motion of animals (mostly dogs and cats) on an examination or groomer's table.
Animal restraints (such as grooming stands, examination loops, grooming harnesses and grooming nooses and such devices) are well known and commonly used by groomers, veterinarians and the like. Those restraints known in the art have several drawbacks including, without limitation, a need to adjust the height of the stand and have available straps of different sizes to accommodate animals of different sizes.
A slip lead harness (slip lead) typically used in connection with a grooming stand is a one-piece collar and leash comprised of a single strap with a ring (loop) attached at one end. The other end of the strap is pulled through the ring to form a loop that is placed over the animal's head and pulled tight to form a choke collar (noose). Slip leads are used by veterinarians, grooming houses, and shelters for quick and easy control over animals. The length of the slip lead is typically four feet or six feet and is not adjustable in length.
Slip lead harnesses (nooses) have serious disadvantages. An animal undergoing grooming can easily move off the table, leaving it hanging by its neck from the noose. While an animal is in the noose on the table, the noose can put pressure around its throat, causing discomfort and injury and even more so if the animal starts to struggle, making the job hard for the handler.
A multipurpose restraint appliance is disposed between a slip lead strap and a grooming stand providing adjustability whereby a single slip lead can accommodate animals of different sizes without adjusting the height of the stand and further serves as a leash to guide the animal after its procedure has been completed. In addition, in one embodiment, the appliance provides for quick release of an animal from the restraint when necessary without having to pull it over the animal's head. The use of two restraints employing the novel appliance further allows a groomer or veterinarian to keep an animal up on all fours (standing) during a procedure.
As used herein and in the claims, the following terms are to be understood to have the following meanings:
(a) “attachment device”: a snap hook or carabiner or simple hook;
(b) “snap hook”: a mechanical device (usually metal) having a closed loop at one end and a loop at the other end that includes a spring-loaded gate used to quickly and reversibly connect components;
(c) “carabiner”: a rigid (usually metal) loop with a spring-loaded gate used to quickly and reversibly connect components;
(d) “eyebolt”: a bolt (usually of metal) with a loop at its end to which other components (such as a carabiner or snap hook) can be attached;
(e) “strap”: a length of material including webbing material, rope, cord, wire or other suitable flexible material;
(f) “a one-way lock device”: a cam buckle, a rope ratchet and any such device that selectively allows a strap to move through it in one direction but not in the other direction.
Like components have been assigned the same number designations.
Referring to
Grooming stand 14 comprises a vertically extending support leg 17 secured to the tabletop 19 by a bracket 18 and an integral attachment arm 16 extending horizontally from the top 17a support leg 17.
Slip lead 13 has a loop 13a at one end typically disposed around the neck of an animal 22 and an attachment device such as a snap hook 13b at its other end secured to the grooming stand attachment arm 16. The grooming stand 14 is adjusted to dispose the attachment arm 16 substantially above the tabletop 19 so that it is above the head of an animal 22 (typically, but not necessarily, a dog) with which the grooming stand 14 is to be used.
Referring also to
In use, the second end 34 of strap 15 is threaded through ring 32 to form a loop 36 that is placed around the animal 22, preferably between its front legs 23, rather than its neck (to prevent the loop 36 from tightening around the animal's neck and causing discomfort or even choking).
In an alternative embodiment, as shown in
Referring to
An attachment device such as carabiner 47 is secured in second loop 43 and a cam buckle 48 is secured in third loop 44. First loop 42 is sized to accommodate the hand of a person (not shown) whereby the multipurpose restraint appliance 12, together with the slip lead harness 13, forms a leash 46 (
Referring to
The slip lead strap end 34 is threaded through the depending one-way lock device such as cam buckle 48 by which strap 15 is secured at any desired location along its length and preferably where the strap 15 is pulled snuggly around the animal 22. As is well known, a cam buckle 48 operates by a spring-loaded lever 49 which, when depressed (spring compressed), allows the strap 15 to pass freely, but when the lever 49 is released, the force of the lever 49 on the strap 15 secures the strap 15 in place against further movement out of the cam buckle 48.
The disposition of the cam buckle 48 between the attachment arm 16 and the slip lead strap 15 makes it possible to vary the length of strap 15 between the animal 22 and the attachment arm 16 and thereby accommodate animals of different sizes without having to use a different length slip lead strap 15 or adjust the height of the stand 17 for animals of different sizes.
Referring to
Referring to
Because grooming arms 14 typically have only one (if any) through hole 52 for an eyebolt 51, it is not possible to attach the second multipurpose restraint appliance 12a to the attachment arm 16 by its carabiner 47 when multipurpose restraint appliance 12 already occupies the eyebolt 51 attachment device. Instead, multipurpose restraint appliance 12a is affixed to the attachment arm 16 by pulling the cam buckle 48 through the first loop 42 after it is wrapped around the attachment arm 16 to make a securing knot 54 (such as that commonly known as a Larks Knot or Girth Hitch), locating the cam buckle 48 and the carabiner 47 slightly below the attachment arm 16. The slip lead strap ring 32 is secured in the carabiner 47 and the second end 34 of the slip lead strap 15 is threaded through cam buckle 48 after first being passed underneath the animal 22. The slip lead strap 15 is secured in cam buckle 48 at a location that gently supports the hind quarters of the animal 22 at a height above the tabletop 19 that prevents it from sitting. The ability to form a securing knot 54 with the first loop 42 makes it possible to secure the second multipurpose connector 12a at any desired location along attachment arm 16. It also allows a multipurpose restraint appliance 12 or 12a to be connected to any attachment arm 16, including those without a through hole and an eyebolt or other attachment hardware.
Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations in the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. As such, it is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims.
