Patent Application
20070215064
The present invention relates to a restraint for an animal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retractable tie out for the animal.
Tie outs are used to limit the movement of animals, such as domesticated animals including, but not limited to, dogs, horses and cows. A typical tie out includes a tether of a fixed length having one end secured to the animal and the other end secured to an anchor that retains the anchored end of the tether in a selected location. Attaching the tether to the anchor prevents the animal from running free and confines the animal to roam within a generally circular area defined by the length of the tether. A typical anchor includes a stake that is forced into the ground which can be repositioned or a post that is permanently positioned in the ground.
A longer tether gives the restrained animal greater freedom of movement within a larger area than the area provided with a shorter tether. However, a longer tether has a tendency of becoming tangled in the terrain, such as a rock or a tree, which consequently decreases the freedom of movement of the animal and defeats the purpose of the longer tether. Also, the animal may tangle the tether around the anchor which may also limit freedom of movement of the animal. A longer tether, designed to provide the animal greater freedom to move, may cause a reduction in the freedom of movement of the animal if the tether becomes entangled in an obstacle.
To reduce the likelihood of the tether becoming tangled in an obstacle, while still providing the freedom of movement of a longer tether, the tether may be attached to a retractable reel. The reel is biased such that the tether retracts into the reel as tension is removed from the tether. When the animal applies force upon the tether that overcomes the bias, the reel rotates to increase the length of the tether. When the animal moves toward the anchor, the biased reel retracts the tether onto the reel and thereby reduces the length of the tether. As the length of the tether becomes shorter, the likelihood of the tether becoming entangled in an obstacle is reduced.
While retractable tethers reduce the likelihood of the tie out becoming entangled in the terrain, the tether still has the potential of becoming entangled around the stake. When the tether becomes entangled about the stake, the freedom of movement of the animal is unnecessarily restricted.
The present invention includes an apparatus for limiting an animal's movement. The apparatus includes a housing having a throughbore for accepting a shaft of a stake where the housing contains a retractable tether. A substantially conical support disposes about the shaft and attaches thereto and wherein the substantially conical support retains the housing at a selected elevation on the shaft and wherein a retaining mechanism retains the housing on the shaft.
A retractable tie out of the present invention is generally illustrated in
Referring to
A stop 26 is positioned about the tether 22 proximate the distal end 24 where the stop 26 engages a front surface 36 of a port 32 in a housing 30 to prevent the distal end 24 from retracting into the housing 30. The port 32 includes an aperture 34 through which the tether 22 extends and retracts to adjust a length of the tether 22.
The housing 30 has a substantially circular sidewall 38 defined by an upper half 40 and a lower half 42. The housing 30 is rotatably attached to the stake 12 proximate a proximal end 16 where the housing 30 rotates about an axis 13 of the stake 12. As the dog 19 moves, the housing 30 rotates about the axis 13 of the stake 12 such that the tether 22 remains free of the stake 12.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The housing 30 and the reel 20 are retained in a selected position on the stake 12 by slidably positioning the stake 12 through a through bore 36 that is substantially centrally located in the housing 30 and engages a bottom surface 39 of the housing 30 with a spacer 58 positioned about the stake 12. While the spacer 52 is discussed, the spacer 52 is not necessary to practice the present invention.
A support 52 is fixedly attached to the stake 12, preferably with a weld, and supports the spacer 52 and the housing 30 in a selected elevated position on the stake 12. The support 52 includes a substantially circular perimeter 56 and an upper surface 54 having a convex configuration. While the support 52 with a convex upper surface 56 is preferred, other configurations of the support 52 that allow gravity to slide the tether 22 off the support 52 are within the scope of the present invention including a conical configuration, a frusto-conical configuration and a pyramid. While a fixed attachment of the support 52 to the stake 12 is specifically discussed, other attachments of the support 52 to the stake 12 are within the scope of the present invention, including, but not limited to a threaded engagement and engaging the support with a shoulder on the stake.
The housing 30 and the reel 20 are retained on the stake 12 with a nut 60 threadably engaging a threaded portion 15 of the stake 12 proximate the distal end 14. The nut 60 threadably engaging the threaded portion 15 of the stake 12 along with the support 52 fixedly attached to the stake 12, retains the reel 20 and the housing 30 at the selected elevation on the stake 12. A washer 61 preferably is positioned between the housing 30 and the nut 60 to prevent the nut 60 from galling the housing 30. While a threaded engagement for retaining the housing 30 and the reel 20 on the stake 12 is preferred, other retaining mechanisms are within the scope of the present invention including, but not limited to, a snap ring, a pin engaging a through bore in the stake and a frictional engagement of a cap on the distal end of the stake.
Referring to
An upper wing 68 and a lower wing 66 are fixedly attached to the anchor portion 64 where the upper and lower wings 68, 66, respectively, are preferably forced into the ground 18. The upper and lower wings 68, 66 are preferably positioned on the anchor portion 64 such that vertical planes that define the wings 68, 66 intersect at substantially right angles. While wings 68, 66 are shown positioned at substantially right angles, other configurations of the wings 68, 66 are within the scope of the present invention.
The wings 68, 66 aid in preventing the anchor portion 64 from rotating in the ground 18 when the dog 19 applies tension to the tether 22 and thereby aid in retaining the stake 12 in the selected location. While a stake 12 with substantially perpendicular wings 66, 68 is preferred, a stake having one wing or no wings is also within the scope of the present invention.
The tether 22 provides adequate flexibility for the dog 19 to freely move within the area. However, the tether 22 should include enough rigidity such that the tether 22 does not sharply bend and thereby prevent the dog 19 from tangling the tether 22 on obstacles on the ground 18. Further, the tether 22 preferably has a diameter or thickness that positions within a gap 70 defined by the bottom surface 39 of the housing 30 and the upper surface 54 of the support 52.
When the tether 22 is positioned within the gap 70, the downwardly sloped convex upper surface 54 allows gravitational force to slide the tether 22 off of the upper surface 54 of the support 52 and thereby prevents the tether 22 from becoming entangled between the housing 30 and the support 52. If the dog 19 moves such that the tether 22 engages the stake 12 below the support 52, the tether 22 engages the circular perimeter 56 of the support 52 that prevents the tether from becoming entangled with the stake 12.
The tether 22 preferably includes a metal cable having a plastic or polymeric coating. While a cable is specifically discussed, other types of tethers are within the scope of the present invention including, but not limited to, a chain, a rope and a strap.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
