Patent Application
20190014748
The invention generally pertains to personal safety products, and more particularly to a system that provides a safety device that is secured to a leash and that allows the safety device to be accessed and utilized while the leash is simultaneously used to restrain or control an animal.
Throughout the world various animals are kept as pets or are used in industries such as entertainment or emergency response. The two most common animals designated as pets are dogs and cats. Cats are normally kept inside a dwelling, while dogs can be kept inside or outside. When a dog is kept inside it is necessary take the dog outside on a regular basis, usually at least once a day. When a dog is taken outside, responsible owners maintain restraint and control over the dog by use of a leash, which has one end secured on or around the dog's neck and the other end held by the owner. Leashes are not only used for dogs, as many animals, in many environments, must often be restrained and controlled.
In addition to the required outdoor visits a dog must have, many owners also take their dog on walks during running/jogging. At these times, a leash is also usually utilized. In fact, many cities, especially in urban areas of the United States, require by law that dogs must be on a leash when in a public environment.
A leash is not difficult to use and modern leashes have features such as automatic leash cable locking and retracting. A problem does exist when a person holding a leash needs to use his/her hands for another action. Typically, only one hand is available, since the other hand must hold onto the leash. This could potentially be dangerous in an emergency or safety-threatening situation. Attempts have been made to provide leash with extra functionality, but the most common example of this is the addition of a flashlight, which is often awkwardly attached to leash.
During certain emergency or safety-threatening situations the only benefit of having a flashlight is that a person can see what is happening; they usually cannot stop or impede what is happening with only a flashlight.
What is needed is an active means of stopping or otherwise engaging an emergency or threatening situation while maintaining an animal on a leash. The obvious solution is to modify a leash to include a safety device that could effectively be used in an emergency situation. Any number of events can occur when walking an animal, including, attack from another animal, attack from a person, or even just observing the occurrence an emergency or potential emergency. Including along with a leash, a safety device and making the device quickly and easily accessible and useable, while maintaining a grip on the leash, would be extremely beneficial.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,075 discloses a combination leash apparatus for controlling the movements of an animal and retaining a flashlight. The apparatus includes a flexible elongate member, a collar engagement structure, a handle portion and a tubular retaining member attached to the member for removably retaining a flashlight. The apparatus additionally includes a supplemental compartment secured to the tubular retaining sleeve for retaining personal devices.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,550 discloses a combined pet leash and flashlight comprising a mechanical dispensing and retracting cord for the purpose of tethering, restraining and controlling a pet during a walk.
The 2010/0206246 publication discloses a retractable animal leash combined with a pepper spray. The leash includes: a housing, a handle at a first side of the housing, a dispenser region in the handle, adapted to retain the spray canister and an attachment for the leash at a second side of the housing. A trigger activates the spray canister and has a safety cover. A reel with a brake allows the leash to extend and urges the leash to retract.
For background purposes and indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the patent search.
The system for securing a safety device to a leash (SSSDL) functions in combination with a conventional animal leash that is used to restrain or control an animal such as a pet dog. There are a variety of leashes having various sizes and shapes, and the SSSDL is adaptable for use on almost any type of leash.
The main function of the SSSDL is to provide means of integrating a safety device onto the leash. The safety device can be any type, such as a stun gun or an air horn, which provides a person with defensive capability in the event of an emergency or threatening event or situation. When a person is walking an animal on a leash, the person and the animal can experience dangerous situations, such as an attack by another animal or another person. The danger can increase because of the fact that when using a leash, a person must maintain a grip on the leash at all times. Therefore, the ability of a person to defend themselves and/or their animal, is limited to a single hand. If a person must use both hands, he/she is forced to remove the hold on the leash, which allows the animal to either run away or become more susceptible to attack or injury.
The SSSDL provides a solution to this serious problem by providing a leash with a safety device, and the ability to actuate the safety device while simultaneously maintaining a firm grip on the leash (and control of their pet). This is accomplished by securing the safety device on the leash such that the device's actuator is positioned at an optimal location relative to a person's hand when holding the leash. Preferably, the device's actuator is directly accessible by the leash holder's thumb, which allows the four fingers to grip the leash handle and maintain the location of the leash and aiming of the safety device (when applicable), and at the same time use the thumb to actuate the safety device.
The SSSDL is comprised of a securing member that is placed and connected on a surface of a leash. Preferably, the leash's upper surface is utilized, as this location provides quick access to a safety devices actuator. The securing member can be connected by various attachment means including at least one strap, at least one cable, a hook and loop fastener, a double-sided tape, a tab and slot, or at least two gripping members. If the securing member is permanently connected to the leash, the means include at least one screw, at least one bolt and nut or an adhesive.
Once the securing member is connected to the leash, a safety device, such as the stun gun or air horn is either secured onto a bracket or within an enclosure. When the bracket is used, the safety device is secured by means including at least one strap, at least one cable, a double-sided tape, or at least one clamp.
In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to provide a system for securing a safety device to a leash that facilitates a safety device such as a stun gun or an air horn to be secured onto a conventional animal leash in a manner that allows the safety device to be actuated while simultaneously maintaining a firm grip on the leash.
In addition to the primary object, it is also an object of the invention to provide a system for securing a safety device to a leash that:
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred embodiment with multiple design configurations of a system for securing a safety device to a leash (SSSDL).
The SSSDL 10, as shown in
The main function of the SSSDL 10 is to provide means of integrating a safety device 118 onto the leash. The safety device 118 can be any item or accessory that provides a person with defensive capability in the event of an emergency or threatening event or situation. When a person is walking an animal such as a pet dog on a leash, the person and the dog are typically in an outdoor environment and are exposed to potentially dangerous experiences, for example, an attack by another leashed or un-leashed dog, or another person. In rural areas the problem can also include the danger presented by the presence of wild animals. These and other problems are exacerbated by the fact that when using a leash, a person must maintain a grip on the leash at all times. Therefore, the ability of a person to defend themselves and/or their pet, is limited to a single hand/arm. If a person must use both hands he/she is forced to release the hold on the leash, which allows the pet to either run away or become more susceptible to attack or injury.
The SSSDL 10 provides a solution to this serious problem by providing a leash with a safety device, and the ability to actuate the safety device 118 while simultaneously maintaining a firm grip on the leash (and control of their pet). This is accomplished by securing the safety device 118 on the leash such that the device's actuator is positioned at an optimal location relative to a person's hand when holding the leash. Preferably, the device's actuator is directly accessible by the leash holder's thumb, which allows the four fingers to grip the leash handle and maintain the location of the leash and aiming of the safety device (when applicable), and at the same time use the thumb to actuate the safety device.
As previously disclosed, a variety of safety devices 118 can be utilized. For the purpose of this application, the safety device 118 will be limited to a stun gun 120, as shown in
It should be noted that a stun gun 120 or an air horn 124 are just two examples of a safety device that can be utilized. The designs of the SSSDL 10 facilitate the use of many different types of safety (nor non-safety) devices, and it is anticipated that the functionality of the SSSDL can be modified and increased based on the requirements of other uses.
As shown in
As shown in
Once the bracket 14 is attached, a safety device 118 is placed and positioned within the channel 46 on the device interface 44. The safety device 118 is then secured within the channel 46 by securing means 50 that include at least one strap, at least one cable, a double-sided tape, or at least one clamp. With the safety device 118 secured and positioned on the bracket 14, the safety device can be actuated by a person while the person retains a grip on the leash 96 and maintains control of an animal to which the leash is tethered.
In order to increase the functionality of the bracket 14, a positioning assembly 80 can be incorporated. The positioning assembly 80, as shown in
In a second design of the SSSDL 10, as shown in
The enclosure 60 can also utilize the positioning assembly 80 as disclosed for use with the bracket 14. In addition, to add further utility to the SSSDL 10, when using a stun gun 120 as a safety device, a push-to-actuate mechanism 88 can be included on either the bracket design or the enclosure design. The push-to-actuate mechanism 88, as shown in
While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modification may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.
